Manufacturing Systems Limited

Manufactruing Systems Limited

Christopher John Nicholls

Andrew Leo Haynes

Gabriel Ioan Giurgiu

Samuel Gwynn Buckingham

A method of forming a material includes presenting a formable material to a space between opposing forming surfaces of opposed forming tools from whence said material is carried as said opposing forming surfaces advance in a machine direction. The method includes pressurising, as said opposing forming surfaces advance, said material between said opposing forming surfaces in a reduced space between said opposing forming surfaces defining at least in part a pressure forming zone, said reduced space between said opposing forming surfaces being maintained constant until a form of at least one of said opposing forming surfaces is profiled into said material and is retainable thereon. The method also includes releasing the profiled material from between the said opposing forming surfaces, as the space of the pressure forming zone increases between said opposing forming surfaces as the opposing forming surfaces advance.

Forming apparatus

A method of forming a material includes presenting a formable material to a space between opposing forming surfaces of opposed forming tools from when said material is carried as said opposing forming surfaces advance in a machine direction. The method includes pressurizing, as said opposing forming surfaces advance, said material between said opposing forming surfaces in a reduced space between said opposing forming surfaces defining at least in part a pressure forming zone, said reduced space between said opposing forming surfaces being maintained constant until a form of at least one of said opposing forming surfaces is profiled into said material and is retainable thereon. The method also includes releasing the profiled material from between the said opposing forming surfaces, as the space of the pressure forming zone increases between said opposing forming surfaces as the opposing forming surfaces advance.

This invention relates to methods for forming a polymer, including continuously depositing a polymer extrudate that is above its glass transition temperature onto a lower molding surface of a first mold in a manner that reduces shear stress in the polymer extrudate, heating the lower molding surface to maintain the polymer extrudate above the glass transition temperature, applying an upper molding surface of a second mold to at least the exposed upper surface of the polymer, allowing the polymer to transition to below the glass transition temperature while within or between the upper and lower molding surfaces, and providing heat sinks spaced relative to each other through the pressure forming zone, wherein a heat sink more advanced through the pressure forming zone is controlled to a lower temperature to progressively reduce the temperature of the polymer as it advances through the pressure forming zone.

Forming methods

This invention relates to methods for forming polymer(s) including heating of a polymer to be formed to a temperature above its glass transition temperature, continuously depositing (preferably by flowing or laying) the polymer onto a moulding surface (herein the 'lower moulding surface') of a first mould, (preferably in a manner that reduces, eliminates or minimises shear stress or other stress in the polymer so deposited), the polymer remaining above the glass transition temperature, applying a moulding surface (herein the 'upper surface') of the polymer while the polymer remains at a temperature above the glass transition temperature, and allowing the polymer to transition to below the glass transition temperature while within or between the upper and lower moulding surfaces, wherein the polymer is removed from the moulding surfaces. Apparatus is also provided.

The present invention relates to method of forming a material, including the steps of, presenting a formable material to a space from where the material can be carried by and/or between opposing surfaces of the space, as the opposing surfaces advance in an advancing direction. Also pressurising, as the opposing surfaces advance, the material between the opposing surfaces in a reduced space between the opposing surfaces defining at least in part a pressure forming zone. The reduced space between the opposing surfaces being maintained at least substantially constant until such time as the form of at least one of the opposing surfaces is profiled into the material and is retainable thereon. Thereafter releasing the now profiled material from between the opposing surfaces, as the space increases between the opposing surfaces as the surfaces advance. The relative movement between adjacent tools of at least one set of forming tools over the zone before the pressure forming zone is only towards the forming tools of the other opposing surface.

A forming apparatus for forming a formable material. Each forming tool of a second forming tool set is adapted to co-act with one or more forming tools of a first forming tool set, or vice versa, to form a co-acting forming tool in a pressure forming zone. There is a first forming tool set guide or guides about which the first forming tool set can be moved about a first circuit. There is also a second forming tool set guide or guides about which the second forming tool set can be moved about a second circuit. A drive drives the tools in a machine direction. At least on part of the circuit, adjacent forming tools of one the forming tool sets are movably supported such that the only relative movement of the adjacent forming tools is towards or away from the forming tools of the other forming tool set.

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North Shore, New Zealand

Christopher John Nicholls