Trim tool with adjustable trim centers
AssigneeFabri-Kal Corporation
InventorJohn Broadwater
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermoforming trim tool which comprises a punch side and a die side. The punch side moves to the die side in order to trim molded articles from a heated thermoforming sheet that is disposed therebetween. While the punch side of the tool comprises a plurality of punches, the die side of the tool comprises a plurality of dies, and both the punches and the dies are engaged with upper mount plates. Each of the upper mount plates is engaged with a lower mount plate via one or more location keys. Each of the location keys is configured to provide that the upper mount plates are shifted a pre-determined distance relative to the lower mount plate, thereby providing trim centers which are adjusted to account for pre-determined shrinkage in the sheet.
Claims16
A thermoforming trim tool for trimming molded articles from sheet, said thermoforming trim tool comprising:
- a shoe;
- a lower mount plate engaged with the shoe;
- location keys engaged with the lower mount plate;
- pins on the location keys at locations on the location keys selected to provide desired offsets with regard to trim centers of the thermoforming trim tool;
- upper mount plates secured to the lower mount plate, said upper mount plates comprising holes which receive the pins on the location keys.
A thermoforming trim tool for trimming molded articles from sheet, said thermoforming trim tool comprising:
- a punch side and a die side, wherein each of the punch side and the die side comprises:
- (i) a shoe, (ii) a lower mount plate engaged with the shoe, (iii) location keys engaged with the lower mount plate, (iv) pins on the location keys at locations on the location keys selected to provide desired offsets with regard to trim centers of the thermoforming trim tool, and (v) upper mount plates secured to the lower mount plate, wherein said upper mount plates comprising holes which receive the pins on the location keys.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.