Patent Holding Company

Peguform France

Francis Vendangeot

Thierry Renault

Jacques Heinry

Nicolas Hochet

A method and system for molding thermoplastic sandwich material to form a deep-drawn article utilizing a unique clamping technique and mechanism are described. The method includes the steps of positioning a blank of thermoplastic sandwich material having a cellular core over a female die having an article-defining cavity defined by inner surfaces of the female die. Then, an inner portion of the blank is forced into the female die along a substantially vertical axis and against the inner surfaces of the female die to obtain deep-drawn material. During the step of forcing at least one outer portion of the blank immediately adjacent the female die is clamped to guide the at least one outer portion of the blank to travel into the article-defining cavity at an acute angle with respect to the vertical axis. Thickness of at least one side wall of the deep-drawn material is substantially the same as thickness of the blank of thermoplastic sandwich material. The deep-drawn material does not significantly stretch or tear during the step of forcing due to the clamping technique and mechanism.

System for molding thermoplastic sandwich material and deep-drawn article produced thereby

Method for molding a thermoplastic sandwich material

The invention relates to a method of making a reinforced composite panel of the sandwich type having a cellular core. In the method: a stack is formed that is made up of: at least one first skin ( ) made of a reinforced thermoplastics material; a first reinforcing ply ( ) made of a reinforced thermoplastics material; a cellular core ( ) made of a thermoplastics material; a second reinforcing ply ( ) made of a reinforced thermoplastics material; and a second skin ( ) made of a reinforced thermoplastics material; each of the first and second reinforcing plies ( ) having a surface area that is smaller than the surface area of each of the first and second skins ( ), and said first and second reinforcing plies being positioned symmetrically about the plane formed by the cellular core at determined places against said skins; the stack is pre-assembled; the pre-assembled stack is heated in an oven; and said panel is formed by subjecting the heated stack to cold-pressing in a mold, under a pressure lying in the range 1&times;10 Pa to 3&times;10 Pa.

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Chateaubriant, France

Francis Vendangeot