Molding method and apparatus using film as molding material

A method of thermally molding a product by using a film sheet in a molding apparatus which comprises a pair of upper and lower metal molds for clamping said film sheet for molding, a pair of film pushing rings disposed facing said upper and lower metal molds and adapted to operate independently from said upper and lower metal molds, means for fixing one film pushing ring around one of said metal molds on which the molded product is left when the clamping exercised by said metal molds is released, and a pickup jig for picking up the molded product left on said one of the metal molds, the method comprising the steps of:

• clamping said film sheet gripped by said pair of film pushing rings between said pair of upper and lower metal molds thereby thermally molding said film sheet into said molded product;
• fixing one of the film pushing rings by said fixing means;
• releasing the clamping exercised by said pair of upper and lower metal molds while fixing said one of the film pushing rings to said one of said metal molds on which the molded product is left by said fixing means and also while attracting the molded product to said on of said molds through suction to leave the molded product on said one of said molds;
• taking out the molded product left on one of said molds by attracting the molded product to said pickup jig through suction;
• and
• releasing the fixing of the film pushing rings exercised by said fixing means.