Process and apparatus for heat forming of materials

Claim 1

An apparatus for use in preheating and vacuum forming of a material object about at least one mold thereon, said apparatus comprising: a primary support platform for supporting a heating station and a forming station; the heating station comprising a second support platform, means for heating a planar sheet material laid on said second support platform, said planar sheet material being stiff and brittle at room temperature and having a thickness of from 8 mm to 20 mm; means for advancing the heating means towards the sheet material and isolating the heating means from the sheet material; said forming station being adjacent the heating station and comprising a first mold to whose shape the material will wholly or partly conform when the material is brought into a position with the mold and following heating of the material; means for enabling transfer of the material object from the heating station to a forming station; said apparatus also comprising flexible envelope means to envelop wholly or partly the material and said formation station so that when a vacuum is applied to the inside of the envelope at least a portion of the material is forced to conform to the shape of the corresponding portion of the mold, whereby said material is formed into curves having a radius of 12 mm to 150 mm.

Claim 2

An apparatus for use in preheating and vacuum forming of a material object about at least one mold thereon, said apparatus comprising: a primary support platform for supporting a heating station and a forming station; the heating station comprising a second support platform, means for heating a planar sheet material laid on said second support platform, said planar sheet material being stiff and brittle at room temperature and having a thickness of from 8 mm to 20 mm; means for advancing the heating means towards the sheet material and isolating the heating means from the sheet material; said forming station being adjacent the heating station and comprising a first mold to whose shape the material will wholly or partly conform when the material is brought into a position with the mold and following heating of the material; means for enabling transfer of the material object from the heating station to a forming station; said apparatus also comprising flexible envelope means to envelop wholly or partly the material and said formation station so that when a vacuum is applied to the inside of the envelope at least a portion of the material is forced to conform to the shape of the corresponding portion of the mold, whereby said material is formed into curves having a radius of 12 mm to 150 mm.

Claim 9

A method for preheating and subsequent mold forming of a material utilizing an apparatus comprising: a primary support platform for supporting a heating station and a forming station; the heating station comprising a second support platform, means for heating a planar sheet material laid on said second support platform, said planar sheet material being stiff and brittle at room temperature and having a thickness of from 8 mm to 20 mm; means for advancing the heating means towards the sheet material and isolating the heating means from the sheet material; said forming station being adjacent the heating station and comprising a first mold to whose shape the material will wholly or partly conform when the material is brought into a position with the mold and following heating of the material: means for enabling transfer of the material object from the heating station to a forming station: said apparatus also comprising flexible envelope means to envelop wholly or partly the material and said formation station so that when a vacuum is applied to the inside of the envelope at least a portion of the material is forced to conform to the shape of the corresponding portion of the mold, whereby said material is formed into curves having a radius of 12 mm to 150 mm, said method comprising the steps of: a) placing a length or sheet of the material to be formed about the mold on a support apparatus comprising a heating station and a material forming station, b) bringing heating elements at said heating station into direct or indirect contact with or, in close proximity to said sheet material, c) evenly heating at least a portion of said material to be molded to a preset temperature, by said elements, d) isolating said heating elements from said material, in order to remove the influence of the heating elements on the material, e) locating said material when heated on a material forming station near said heating station, f) placing the material on a first forming mold or die of a predetermined shape and configuration, g) creating a seal via a flexible envelope about said material so that said material and said mold is contained wholly within said envelope, h) applying a vacuum to the inside of said envelope so that the material which remains in the heated condition conforms to the shape of at least a portion of said mold, i) allowing said material to cool so that the said shape is maintained in said material.

Claim 10

A method for preheating and subsequent mold forming of a material utilizing an apparatus comprising: a primary support platform for supporting a heating station and a forming station; the heating station comprising a second support platform, means for heating a planar sheet material laid on said second support platform, said planar sheet material being stiff and brittle at room temperature and having a thickness of from 8 mm to 20 mm; means for advancing the heating means towards the sheet material and isolating the heating means from the sheet material; said forming station being adjacent the heating station and comprising a first mold to whose shape the material will wholly or partly conform when the material is brought into a position with the mold and following heating of the material: means for enabling transfer of the material object from the heating station to a forming station: said apparatus also comprising flexible envelope means to envelop wholly or partly the material and said formation station so that when a vacuum is applied to the inside of the envelope at least a portion of the material is forced to conform to the shape of the corresponding portion of the mold, whereby said material is formed into curves having a radius of 12 mm to 150 mm, said method comprising the steps of: a) placing a length or sheet of the material to be formed about the mold on a support apparatus comprising a heating station and a material forming station, b) bringing heating elements at said heating station into direct or indirect contact with or, in close proximity to said sheet material, c) evenly heating at least a portion of said material to be molded to a preset temperature, by said elements, d) isolating said heating elements from said material, in order to remove the influence of the heating elements on the material, e) locating said material when heated on a material forming station near said heating station, f) placing the material on a first forming mold or die of a predetermined shape and configuration, g) creating a seal via a flexible envelope about said material so that said material and said mold is contained wholly within said envelope, h) applying a vacuum to the inside of said envelope so that the material which remains in the heated condition conforms to the shape of at least a portion of said mold, i) allowing said material to cool so that the said shape is maintained in said material.

Claim 11

A method for preheating and subsequent mold forming of a material utilizing an apparatus comprising: a primary support platform for supporting a heating station and a forming station; the heating station comprising a second support platform, means for heating a planar sheet material laid on said second support platform, said planar sheet material being stiff and brittle at room temperature and having a thickness of from 8 mm to 20 mm; means for advancing the heating means towards the sheet material and isolating the heating means from the sheet material; said forming station being adjacent the heating station and comprising a first mold to whose shape the material will wholly or partly conform when the material is brought into a position with the mold and following heating of the material; means for enabling transfer of the material object from the heating station to a forming station; said apparatus also comprising a second mold having a profiled shape which is complimentary to said first mold so that when said material object is placed on said first mold said second mold which is vertically, and/or laterally adjustable is brought into contact with the material object causing at least a part of the material object to be deformed or bent about the first mold and thereby causing said at least a part to conform to the shape of said second and/or said first mold, whereby said material is formed into curves having a radius of 12 mm to 150 mm, said method comprising the steps of: a) placing a length or sheet of the material to be formed about the mold on a support apparatus comprising a heating station and a material forming station, b) bringing the heating elements at said heating station into direct or indirect contact with or in close proximity to said sheet material, c) allowing at least a portion of said material to be evenly heated to a predetermined temperature by said elements, d) isolating said heating elements from said material, so as to remove the influence of said heating elements, e) locating said material when heated on a molding station at, adjacent or near said heating station, f) placing the material on a first forming mold of a predetermined shape and configuration, g) bringing a second forming mold which is complementary to said first forming mold into contact with said material so that said material to be formed is sandwiched between said molds so as to conform to the shape of at least a portion of one or both of said molds, h) allowing said material to cool so that the shape so formed is maintained in said material.

Claim 12

A method for preheating and subsequent mold forming of a material utilizing an apparatus comprising: a primary support platform for supporting a heating station and a forming station; the heating station comprising a second support platform, means for heating a planar sheet material laid on said second support platform, said planar sheet material being stiff and brittle at room temperature and having a thickness of from 8 mm to 20 mm; means for advancing the heating means towards the sheet material and isolating the heating means from the sheet material; said forming station being adjacent the heating station and comprising a first mold to whose shape the material will wholly or partly conform when the material is brought into a position with the mold and following heating of the material; means for enabling transfer of the material object from the heating station to a forming station; said apparatus also comprising a second mold having a profiled shape which is complimentary to said first mold so that when said material object is placed on said first mold said second mold which is vertically, and/or laterally adjustable is brought into contact with the material object causing at least a part of the material object to be deformed or bent about the first mold and thereby causing said at least a part to conform to the shape of said second and/or said first mold, whereby said material is formed into curves having a radius of 12 mm to 150 mm, said method comprising the steps of: a) placing a length or sheet of the material to be formed about the mold on a support apparatus comprising a heating station and a material forming station, b) bringing the heating elements at said heating station into direct or indirect contact with or in close proximity to said sheet material, c) allowing at least a portion of said material to be evenly heated to a predetermined temperature by said elements, d) isolating said heating elements from said material, so as to remove the influence of said heating elements, e) locating said material when heated on a molding station at, adjacent or near said heating station, f) placing the material on a first forming mold of a predetermined shape and configuration, g) bringing a second forming mold which is complementary to said first forming mold into contact with said material so that said material to be formed is sandwiched between said molds so as to conform to the shape of at least a portion of one or both of said molds, h) allowing said material to cool so that the shape so formed is maintained in said material.