High volume production of low permeation plastic fuel tanks using parallel offset twinsheet pressure forming
AssigneeVisteon Global Technologies, Inc.
InventorsErich James Vorenkamp, Barbara Krell, Lawrence Eugene Vaughn, III, Larry Dean Land
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Abstract
Processes are disclosed for producing plastic containers from thermoplastic sheets where the thermoplastic sheets are processed in parallel to form a low permeation plastic container. A plurality of thermoplastic sheets are progressively heated to a first temperature in a pre-conditioning stage. A group of the thermoplastic sheets are selected from the plurality of thermoplastic sheets and rapidly heated to a second temperature in a final heat stage. The group of thermoplastic sheets are then processed in a forming stage to form the low permeation plastic container.
Claims20
A method of high volume production of a low permeation plastic container, the method comprising:
- a) progressively heating by multi-stage convection a plurality of thermoplastic sheets to a first temperature;
- b) removing a group of thermoplastic sheets from the plurality of thermoplastic sheets;
- c) heating the group of thermoplastic sheets to a second temperature;
- and
- d) forming the group of thermoplastic sheets into a container after heating the group of thermoplastic sheets to the second temperature.
A method of high volume production of a low permeation plastic container, the method comprising:
- a) progressively heating a plurality of thermoplastic sheets in a multi-stage convection oven to a first temperature;
- b) removing a group of thermoplastic sheets from the plurality of thermoplastic sheets;
- c) heating the group of thermoplastic sheets to a second temperature;
- and
- d) forming the group of thermoplastic sheets into a container after heating the group of thermoplastic sheets to the second temperature.
A method for high volume production of a low permeation plastic fuel tank, the method comprising:
- a) progressively raising the temperature of a plurality of thermoplastic sheets to a pre-processing temperature in a multi-stage convection oven within a pre-conditioning stage;
- b) indexing at least two, but less than all, of the thermoplastic sheets to a final heat stage;
- c) further increasing the temperature of the at least two thermoplastic sheets to a processing temperature;
- d) indexing the at least two thermoplastic sheets to a forming stage;
- e) urging each of the at least two thermoplastic sheets into contact with a mold;
- and
- f) fusing the at least two thermoplastic sheets to form a plastic fue tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.