Thermoforming oven with separating heating elements

A thermoformer oven comprising:

• a rail for supporting material to be thermoformed along an imaginary plane and including a first side and a second side opposite to the first side;
• a first heating element positioned on the first side of the rail;
• a second heating element positioned on the first side of the rail;
• one or more actuator configured to shift the first and second heating elements toward one another in directions with vector components of motion parallel to the imaginary plane, wherein the one or more actuator is a linear actuator configured to extend and retract an actuating end;
• a first rail portion extending along a lateral axis that is parallel to the imaginary plane;
• a second rail portion spaced apart from the first rail portion along the lateral axis;
• a first carriage shiftably coupled to the first rail portion and supporting the first heating element;
• a second carriage shiftably coupled to the second rail portion and supporting the second heating element;
• a first support bar operatively associated with the first heating element;
• a second support bar operatively associated with the second heating element;
• a third heating element operatively associated with the first support bar and positioned on the second side of the rail;
• a fourth heating element operatively associated with the second support bar and positioned on the second side of the rail;
• a first link arm rotatably coupled to the actuating end of the one or more actuator and the first heating element;
• and
• a second link arm rotatably coupled to the actuating end of the one or more actuator and the second heating element.

A thermoformer oven comprising:

• one or more surface extending along a longitudinal axis for supporting material to be heated;
• a frame comprising one or more gantry extending parallel to the one or more surface and transversely relative to the longitudinal axis;
• a proximal carriage assembly configured to shift along the one or more gantry;
• a distal carriage assembly positioned distal to the proximal carriage assembly and configured to shift along the one or more gantry, wherein the proximal carriage assembly and the distal carriage assembly are configured to shift along the longitudinal axis;
• a proximal heater bank operatively associated with the proximal carriage assembly;
• a distal heater bank operatively associated with the distal carriage assembly;
• one or more actuator configured to shift the proximal carriage assembly and the distal carriage assembly toward one another along the one or more gantry, wherein the one or more actuator comprises a linear actuator with an actuating end;
• a guide block operatively associated with the actuating end;
• a proximal link arm pivotally connected to the guide block and the proximal heater bank;
• a distal link arm pivotally connected to the guide block and the distal heater bank;
• a guide track supported on the frame and defining:
• a proximal slot including:
• a lateral portion extending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis with a first end proximal to the guide block and a second end opposite to the first end, and
• a longitudinal portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first end of the lateral portion, and
• a distal slot including:
• a lateral portion extending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis with a first end proximal to the guide block and a second end opposite to the first end, and
• a longitudinal portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first end of the lateral portion;
• a proximal guide operatively associated with the proximal heater bank and extending into the proximal slot;
• and
• a distal guide operatively associated with the distal heater bank and extending into the distal slot.