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:
Aug. 10, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 18, 1997
Gaylord Brown, Punta Gorda, FL (US);
Trafalgar House Company, South Attelboro, MA (US);
Abstract
A method of forming and removing thin walled plastic articles from a plurality of dies in a thermoforming apparatus is described. In the method, a plurality of articles are formed and trimmed in a plurality of dies of a thermoforming apparatus. The apparatus includes a flat movable extractor plate. After the articles are formed they are removed from the apparatus by opening the dies sufficient to permit entrance of the flat movable extractor plate between the dies. The extractor plate has a non-porous top plate and a bottom plate having a plurality of spaced holes. A suction chamber is formed by the top and bottom plates with that suction chamber connected to the outlet end of a vacuum source and the inlet end of the vacuum is connected to a pressure control valve with a vent valve between the inlet end of the vacuum source and the pressure control valve. The extractor plate is moved between the plurality of dies, a vacuum is applied from the vacuum source to the suction chamber controlled by the pressure control valve and vent valve to provide suction sufficient to hold the articles formed in the plurality of dies to the extractor plate without deformation of the articles. The extractor plate is withdrawn from between the dies, carrying the articles formed in the plurality of dies. The suction is released and air pressure is applied to the suction chamber for rapid release of the formed articles.