Method and device for producing a 3-D substrate coated with a laminate

A device for producing a 3D-substrate that is coated with a laminate, the device comprising:

• a forming tool including,
• a lower stationary tool half which includes a tool trough that envelops a tool trough interior space in which a lowerable table is arranged,
• an upper tool half which includes a pressure bell that envelops a pressure bell interior space, wherein the pressure bell is arrangeable in a closed pressure position adjacent to the tool trough and in a raised release position that is remote from the tool trough,
• wherein an arrangement is providable in the raised release position of the pressure bell,
• so that a 3D-substrate that is to be coated is insertable into the forming tool and the 3D-substrate is fixable to the lowerable table in the tool trough and the lowerable table is lowerable to a bottom dead center,
• so that a one layer or multi-layer initially flat laminate that has a visible side and an opposite contact side or a flexible transfer foil that is provided with a blank made from the laminate is applicable at a circumferential edge of the pressure bell or adjacent thereto wherein an arrangement is providable in the closed pressure position of the pressure bell,
• so that the laminate or the transfer foil separates the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space pressure tight from each other,
• so that a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa is initially providable in the tool trough interior space,
• so that an initial vacuum of less than or equal to 30 kPa is providable in the pressure bell interior space and subsequently a pressure medium pressure of 2-18 bar is providable in the pressure bell interior space by introducing a fluid pressure medium,
• so that the laminate is heatable while the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space are provided with a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa,
• wherein the tool trough includes at least one retraction cavity for at least one movable heat radiator arrangement which includes at least one upward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement is movable in the closed pressure position of the pressure bell and after the pressure medium pressure is set at less than or equal to 30 kPa within the tool trough interior space from the at least one retraction cavity into an intermediary space between the laminate and the 3D substrate to be coated and the laminate is heatable in a controlled manner by the at least one upward radiating heat radiator to form a heated laminate,
• wherein the heated laminate is applicable over a glue layer to the 3D-substrate and coatable thereto,
• wherein ambient pressure is providable in the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space and renders the pressure bell separable from the tool trough by lifting the pressure bell from the tool trough and the 3D-substrate that is coated with the laminate is removable from the tool trough interior space,
• wherein the glue layer that is provided with activatable glue is arranged at a contact side of the laminate and the glue layer arranged at the laminate contact side is activatable by activating the at least one upward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the movable heat radiator arrangement is additionally provided with at least one activatable downward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the movable heat radiator arrangement is introducible into the intermediary space between the laminate material and the 3D-substrate so that a surface of the 3D-substrate is heatable in a controlled manner by the at least one downward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement is retractable into the retraction cavity after completion of heat treatments,
• wherein the 3D-substrate is configured to penetrate a laminate plane in an upper dead center of the lowerable table and move the heated laminate along in a tent shape while a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa is maintained in the pressure bell interior space and in the tool trough interior space wherein the pressure bell interior space is pressure configured to be sealed from the tool trough interior space by the laminate while the lowerable table is being raised from the lower dead center to the upper dead center,
• wherein a fluid pressure medium or compressed air is introducible into the pressure bell interior space after the lowerable table has reached the upper dead center in order to adjust a pressure medium pressure of 2-18 bar in the pressure bell interior space while maintaining a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa in the tool trough interior space so that the laminate is pressed and coated onto the substrate above the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement,
• wherein a respective box is applied at two opposite side walls of the tool trough,
• wherein the box respectively defines a retraction cavity for a displaceable half heat radiator arrangement,
• wherein two of the half heat radiator arrangements form the heat radiator arrangement after insertion into the trough interior;
• a transport arrangement for laminate pieces that are cut to size is provided, the transport arrangement including:
• a magazine which includes a stock of the laminate material pieces,
• a transport frame that is movable over the magazine and that lifts and retains the laminate piece through a vacuum,
• wherein the transport frame that supports the laminate piece is movable below the pressure bell in its top dead center and applicable at this location to a circumferential seal surface of the pressure bell, and
• wherein the transport frame contacting the pressure bell retains the laminate piece when the pressure bell is lowered.

A device for producing a 3D-substrate that is coated with a laminate, the device comprising:

• a forming tool including,
• a lower stationary tool half which includes a tool trough that envelops a tool trough interior space in which a lowerable table is arranged,
• an upper tool half which includes a pressure bell that envelops a pressure bell interior space, wherein the pressure bell is arrangeable in a closed pressure position adjacent to the tool trough and in a raised release position that is remote from the tool trough,
• wherein an arrangement is providable in the raised release position of the pressure bell,
• so that a 3D-substrate that is to be coated is insertable into the forming tool and the 3D-substrate is fixable to the lowerable table in the tool trough and the lowerable table is lowerable to a bottom dead center,
• so that a one layer or multi-layer initially flat laminate that has a visible side and an opposite contact side or a flexible transfer foil that is provided with a blank made from the laminate is applicable at a circumferential edge of the pressure bell or adjacent thereto wherein an arrangement is providable in the closed pressure position of the pressure bell,
• so that the laminate or the transfer foil separates the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space pressure tight from each other, so that a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa is initially providable in the tool trough interior space,
• so that an initial vacuum of less than or equal to 30 kPa is providable in the pressure bell interior space and subsequently a pressure medium pressure of 2-18 bar is providable in the pressure bell interior space by introducing a fluid pressure medium,
• so that the laminate is heatable while the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space are provided with a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa,
• wherein the tool trough includes at least one retraction cavity for at least one movable heat radiator arrangement which includes at least one upward radiating heat radiator, wherein the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement is movable in the closed pressure position of the pressure bell and after the pressure medium pressure is set at less than or equal to 30 kPa within the tool trough interior space from the at least one retraction cavity into an intermediary space between the laminate and the 3D substrate to be coated and the laminate is heatable in a controlled manner by the at least one upward radiating heat radiator to form a heated laminate,
• wherein the heated laminate is applicable over a glue layer to the 3D-substrate and coatable thereto,
• wherein ambient pressure is providable in the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space and renders the pressure bell separable from the tool trough by lifting the pressure bell from the tool trough and the 3D-substrate that is coated with the laminate is removable from the tool trough interior space,
• wherein the glue layer that is provided with activatable glue is arranged at a contact side of the laminate and the glue layer arranged at the laminate contact side is activatable by activating the at least one upward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the movable heat radiator arrangement is additionally provided with at least one activatable downward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the movable heat radiator arrangement is introducible into the intermediary space between the laminate material and the 3D-substrate so that a surface of the 3D-substrate is heatable in a controlled manner by the at least one downward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement is retractable into the retraction cavity after completion of heat treatments,
• wherein the 3D-substrate is configured to penetrate a laminate plane in an upper dead center of the lowerable table and move the heated laminate along in a tent shape while a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa is maintained in the pressure bell interior space and in the tool trough interior space wherein the pressure bell interior space is pressure configured to be sealed from the tool trough interior space by the laminate while the lowerable table is being raised from the lower dead center to the upper dead center, and
• wherein a fluid pressure medium or compressed air is introducible into the pressure bell interior space after the lowerable table has reached the upper dead center in order to adjust a pressure medium pressure of 2-18 bar in the pressure bell interior space while maintaining a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa in the tool trough interior space so that the laminate is pressed and coated onto the substrate above the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement,
• wherein a respective box is applied at two opposite side walls of the tool trough,
• wherein the box respectively defines a retraction cavity for a displaceable half heat radiator arrangement,
• wherein two of the half heat radiator arrangements form the heat radiator arrangement after insertion into the trough interior;
• a transport path for the 3D-substrate to be coated, the transport path including:
• a rail that is stationary and fixed at the tool trough and provided with a linear arrangement,
• wherein at least one slide is movable along the rail,
• wherein the slide transports transport plates from an application station to a retaining station and transports the transport plates from the retaining station to a retrieval station,
• wherein a carrier plate is applicable to the transport plate arranged in the placement station, wherein the carrier plate supports a 3D-substrate to be coated or plural 3D-substrates to be coated,
• wherein lifting and pivot arms mounted at movable slides transport the carrier plate that is arranged in the retaining station and retains one or plural 3D-substrates to be coated from the retaining station into a position below the raised pressure bell and place the 3D-substrate within a cut out at an intermediary frame at the tool trough on a table top of the table that is in its upper dead center, and
• wherein the coated product is retrievable in the retrieval station.

A device for producing a 3D-substrate that is coated with a laminate, the device comprising:

• a forming tool including,
• a lower stationary tool half which includes a tool trough that envelops a tool trough interior space in which a lowerable table is arranged,
• an upper tool half which includes a pressure bell that envelops a pressure bell interior space, wherein the pressure bell is arrangeable in a closed pressure position adjacent to the tool trough and in a raised release position that is remote from the tool trough,
• wherein an arrangement is providable in the raised release position of the pressure bell,
• so that a 3D-substrate that is to be coated is insertable into the forming tool and the 3D-substrate is fixable to the lowerable table in the tool trough and the lowerable table is lowerable to a bottom dead center,
• so that a one layer or multi-layer initially flat laminate that has a visible side and an opposite contact side or a flexible transfer foil that is provided with a blank made from the laminate is applicable at a circumferential edge of the pressure bell or adjacent thereto wherein an arrangement is providable in the closed pressure position of the pressure bell,
• so that the laminate or the transfer foil separates the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space pressure tight from each other,
• so that a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa is initially providable in the tool trough interior space,
• so that an initial vacuum of less than or equal to 30 kPa is providable in the pressure bell interior space and subsequently a pressure medium pressure of 2-18 bar is providable in the pressure bell interior space by introducing a fluid pressure medium,
• so that the laminate is heatable while the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space are provided with a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa,
• wherein the tool trough includes at least one retraction cavity for at least one movable heat radiator arrangement which includes at least one upward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement is movable in the closed pressure position of the pressure bell and after the pressure medium pressure is set at less than or equal to 30 kPa within the tool trough interior space from the at least one retraction cavity into an intermediary space between the laminate and the 3D substrate to be coated and the laminate is heatable in a controlled manner by the at least one upward radiating heat radiator to form a heated laminate,
• wherein the heated laminate is applicable over a glue layer to the 3D-substrate and coatable thereto,
• wherein ambient pressure is providable in the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space and renders the pressure bell separable from the tool trough by lifting the pressure bell from the tool trough and the 3D-substrate that is coated with the laminate is removable from the tool trough interior space,
• wherein the glue layer that is provided with activatable glue is arranged at a contact side of the laminate and the glue layer arranged at the laminate contact side is activatable by activating the at least one upward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the movable heat radiator arrangement is additionally provided with at least one activatable downward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the movable heat radiator arrangement is introducible into the intermediary space between the laminate material and the 3D-substrate so that a surface of the 3D-substrate is heatable in a controlled manner by the at least one downward radiating heat radiator.
• wherein the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement is retractable into the retraction cavity after completion of heat treatments,
• wherein the 3D-substrate is configured to penetrate a laminate plane in an upper dead center of the lowerable table and move the heated laminate along in a tent shape while a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa is maintained in the pressure bell interior space and in the tool trough interior space wherein the pressure bell interior space is pressure configured to be sealed from the tool trough interior space by the laminate while the lowerable table is being raised from the lower dead center to the upper dead center,
• wherein a fluid pressure medium or compressed air is introducible into the pressure bell interior space after the lowerable table has reached the upper dead center in order to adjust a pressure medium pressure of 2-18 bar in the pressure bell interior space while maintaining a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa in the tool trough interior space so that the laminate is pressed and coated onto the substrate above the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement,
• wherein a respective box is applied at two opposite side walls of the tool trough, wherein the box respectively defines a retraction cavity for a displaceable half heat radiator arrangement,
• wherein two of the half heat radiator arrangements form the heat radiator arrangement after insertion into the trough interior,
• wherein the pressure bell is arrestable or interlockable in its lower dead center by motor driven adjustable locking bolts that are arranged at the pressure bell, and
• wherein the pressure bell is arrestable or interlockable at a frame that is fixed at the tool trough and made from a steel plate.

A device for producing a 3D-substrate that is coated with a laminate, the device comprising:

• a forming tool including,
• a lower stationary tool half which includes a tool trough that envelops a tool trough interior space in which a lowerable table is arranged,
• an upper tool half which includes a pressure bell that envelops a pressure bell interior space, wherein the pressure bell is arrangeable in a closed pressure position adjacent to the tool trough and in a raised release position that is remote from the tool trough,
• wherein an arrangement is providable in the raised release position of the pressure bell,
• so that a 3D-substrate that is to be coated is insertable into the forming tool and the 3D-substrate is fixable to the lowerable table in the tool trough and the lowerable table is lowerable to a bottom dead center,
• so that a one layer or multi-layer initially flat laminate that has a visible side and an opposite contact side or a flexible transfer foil that is provided with a blank made from the laminate is applicable at a circumferential edge of the pressure bell or adjacent thereto wherein an arrangement is providable in the closed pressure position of the pressure bell,
• so that the laminate or the transfer foil separates the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space pressure tight from each other,
• so that a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa is initially providable in the tool trough interior space,
• so that an initial vacuum of less than or equal to 30 kPa is providable in the pressure bell interior space and subsequently a pressure medium pressure of 2-18 bar is providable in the pressure bell interior space by introducing a fluid pressure medium,
• so that the laminate is heatable while the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space are provided with a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa,
• wherein the tool trough includes at least one retraction cavity for at least one movable heat radiator arrangement which includes at least one upward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement is movable in the closed pressure position of the pressure bell and after the pressure medium pressure is set at less than or equal to 30 kPa within the tool trough interior space from the at least one retraction cavity into an intermediary space between the laminate and the 3D substrate to be coated and the laminate is heatable in a controlled manner by the at least one upward radiating heat radiator to form a heated laminate,
• wherein the heated laminate is applicable over a glue layer to the 3D-substrate and coatable thereto,
• wherein ambient pressure is providable in the tool trough interior space and the pressure bell interior space and renders the pressure bell separable from the tool trough by lifting the pressure bell from the tool trough and the 3D-substrate that is coated with the laminate is removable from the tool trough interior space,
• wherein the glue layer that is provided with activatable glue is arranged at a contact side of the laminate and the glue layer arranged at the laminate contact side is activatable by activating the at least one upward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the movable heat radiator arrangement is additionally provided with at least one activatable downward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the movable heat radiator arrangement is introducible into the intermediary space between the laminate material and the 3D-substrate so that a surface of the 3D-substrate is heatable in a controlled manner by the at least one downward radiating heat radiator,
• wherein the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement is retractable into the retraction cavity after completion of heat treatments,
• wherein the 3D-substrate is configured to penetrate a laminate plane in an upper dead center of the lowerable table and move the heated laminate along in a tent shape while a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa is maintained in the pressure bell interior space and in the tool trough interior space wherein the pressure bell interior space is pressure configured to be sealed from the tool trough interior space by the laminate while the lowerable table is being raised from the lower dead center to the upper dead center,
• wherein a fluid pressure medium or compressed air is introducible into the pressure bell interior space after the lowerable table has reached the upper dead center in order to adjust a pressure medium pressure of 2-18 bar in the pressure bell interior space while maintaining a pressure medium pressure of less than or equal to 30 kPa in the tool trough interior space so that the laminate is pressed and coated onto the substrate above the at least one movable heat radiator arrangement,
• wherein a respective box is applied at two opposite side walls of the tool trough, wherein the box respectively defines a retraction cavity for a displaceable half heat radiator arrangement,
• wherein two of the half heat radiator arrangements form the heat radiator arrangement after insertion into the trough interior,
• wherein a double elbow arrangement is provided for lifting the pressure bell from its lower dead center to its upper dead center,
• wherein the double elbow arrangement includes two elbow levers respectively provided with a separate drive, and
• wherein blocking one elbow lever and activating the other elbow lever renders the pressure bell pivotable into a service position in which the circumferential seal surface at an edge of the pressure bell is essentially vertically oriented.