System and methods for thermoforming articles
OwnerTsung-Tai Chien, Meng-Chun Hu +2inventors
InventorsTsung-Tai Chien, Meng-Chun Hu, I-Hsien Tseng, Guo-Chang Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and processes for thermoforming an article are disclosed. The system can include a first heating station that can include a first heating zone and a second heating zone. The system can further include a first cooling station for reducing the temperature of the heated article to a range of about 50° C. to about 70° C. while exposing the article to atmospheric pressure. The system can also include a second cooling station that can expose an article to a pressure above atmospheric pressure.
Claims21
A method for thermoforming an article, the method comprising:
- receiving an article;
- exposing the article to a first heating zone, the first heating zone comprising one or more thermal elements and one or more first air circulation devices, wherein the first heating zone is adapted to expose the article to a temperature in a range of about 70° C. to about 250° C.;
- exposing the article to a second heating zone, the second heating zone comprising one or more second air circulation devices, wherein the second heating zone is adapted to expose the article to a temperature in a range of about 70° C. to about 250° C.;
- subsequent to exposing the article to the second heating zone, exposing the article to a first cooling station, the first cooling station comprising one or more third air circulation devices, wherein the first cooling station is adapted to reduce a temperature of at least a portion of the article to a range of about 40° C. to about 90° C.;
- and
- subsequent to exposing the article to the first cooling station, exposing the article to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
A system for thermoforming an article, the system comprising:
- a heating station that is at least partially enclosed, the heating station comprising a first heating zone and a second heating zone, the second heating zone being in fluid communication with the first heating zone, wherein the first heating zone comprises one or more thermal energy elements and one or more first air circulation devices, wherein the second heating zone comprises one or more second air circulation devices, wherein at least the first heating zone is adapted to expose at least one article to a temperature in a range of about 70° C. to about 250° C.;
- a first cooling station comprising one or more third air circulation devices, the first cooling station being exposed to atmospheric pressure;
- a second cooling station, the second cooling station comprising a chamber adapted to expose the at least one article to a pressure above atmospheric pressure;
- and
- an article movement mechanism, the article movement mechanism adapted to transfer the at least one article from the heating station to the first cooling station, and further adapted to transfer the at least one article from the first cooling station to the second cooling station.
21-86. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.