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:
Sep. 05, 2006
Filed:
May. 31, 2001
Ronald K. Anderson, Galesburg, IL (US);
Xiaoyong Fu, Galesburg, IL (US);
Sheldon Wayne Mandel, East Galesburg, IL (US);
Steven G. Tirrell, Jackson, TN (US);
Ronald K. Anderson, Galesburg, IL (US);
Xiaoyong Fu, Galesburg, IL (US);
Sheldon Wayne Mandel, East Galesburg, IL (US);
Steven G. Tirrell, Jackson, TN (US);
Maytag Corporation, Newton, IA (US);
Abstract
A sheet of plastic to be thermoformed into an appliance liner is brought to a substantially uniform temperature, preferably to a temperature differential of less than 5° F. throughout, by directing a fluid medium upon opposing side surfaces of the sheet. In the most preferred form of the invention, the fluid medium is constituted by air which is heated, impinged upon the opposing surfaces and recirculated, with the temperature and flow rate of the air being controlled based on sensed operating parameters.