Forming of vacuum bag packaging
AssigneeClover Technologies Group, LLC
InventorsHeymo Hormann, John Werner, Craig Calsyn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for forming a vacuum bag packaging material into a desired shape includes subjecting the exterior of the packaging material to a vacuum to expand the packaging material. The expanded packaging material is then pressed into or against a forming device. Expanding the packaging material renders a filler material inside a sealed packaging membrane free flowing, such that the packaging material can assume the shape of the forming device during the pressing operation. When the vacuum is removed, the membrane recompresses upon the filler material and renders it non-free flowing such that the formed packaging material maintains the formed shape during ordinary handling.
Claims12
A method for forming a packaging material to a desired configuration, the packaging material including an unbound filler material surrounded by a sealed membrane having an internal pressure less than ambient pressure such that the membrane compresses the filler material to a non-free flowing state, the method comprising:
- placing the packaging material into a forming chamber at ambient pressure;
- applying a vacuum to the forming chamber, thereby expanding the packaging material and rendering the filler material substantially free flowing;
- urging the expanded packaging material and a forming die into engagement with one another, thereby forming the expanded packaging material into a shape at least partially corresponding to the forming die;
- and,
- returning the forming chamber to ambient pressure.
A method of forming packaging material to a desired configuration, the packaging material including an unbound filler material surrounded by a sealed membrane having an internal pressure less than an ambient pressure such that the membrane compresses the filler material into a non-free flowing state, the method comprising:
- expanding the membrane by subjecting the packaging material to a vacuum;
- engaging the packaging material with a forming die while the membrane is expanded;
- and
- removing the vacuum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.