US 4,730,761 A · Cutting flexible formed products from foam retaining sheet

Abstract

A method for cutting flexible formed shell product from a flexible plastic foam sheet. In the method, a foam shell formed in the sheet is drawn into and positioned in a die unit lower cavity and the die assembly is clamped together. A cutting die unit having dual curved serrated knife elements then descends and severs the formed shell from the sheet at all locations except for two short segments located at opposite ends of the formed shell. Then as a separate step, the partly severed formed shell is punched out from the flexible foam sheet, so as to provide multiple formed products. The products are usually formed as multiple units oriented in an end-to-end relationship in the foam sheet and which are simultaneously severed from the sheet. Cutting die apparatus adapted for cutting the formed products from the foam sheet is also disclosed.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method for cutting a flexible formed shell product from a flexible plastic foam sheet, comprising:

(a) providing at least one formed foam shell integrally attached to a foam sheet, and positioning the formed shell within a cavity of a cutting die assembly having spaced die units;
(b) clamping said formed shell into the cutting die assembly, then moving the die units together and clamping the foam sheet and attached formed shell in the die assembly;
(c) cutting the formed shell from the plastic foam sheet at all points along the shell edge except for at least one link located at opposite ends of the formed shell, which links serve to loosely retain the shell to the sheet;
and then
(d) breaking the connecting links and removing the formed shell product from the foam sheet.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cutting flexible formed products from foam retaining sheet

Life of this patent

Cutting flexible formed products from foam retaining sheet

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11