The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 07, 1992
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1990
Tetsuya Fujii, Nishikasugai, JP;
Toru Kai, Inazawa, JP;
Akiyoshi Nagano, Ama, JP;
Toshihiko Mori, Nagoya, JP;
Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., Nishikasugai, JP;
Abstract
A vacuum forming process, and an apparatus for carrying out the same, for imparting a predetermined shape to a sheet material. The process includes the steps of placing a thermally softened sheet material onto a molding surface of a mold and evacuating air remaining between the molding surface of the mold and the sheet material, thereby bringing the sheet material into a close contact with the molding surface of the surface of the mold. The vacuum forming process and apparatus is adapted for giving a predetermined shape to a sheet material having a low elongation ratio. In particular, when giving a predetermined shape to the sheet material, part of the sheet material is pressed with a pressing member against the molding surface of the mold, a peripheral portion of the sheet material is held with a holding member, and holding forces exerted by a plurality of holding portions of the holding member are varied in order to control movement amounts of the sheet material resulting from a pressing force of the pressing member. In this manner, a predetermined shape can be given to a sheet material without causing wrinkles thereto, even when the sheet material has a low elongation ratio.