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US 8,709,332 B2Granted
Thermoforming sheet loading apparatus and method
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsZvi Rapaport, Chad E. Howard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing an article includes simultaneously holding, with a vacuum device, a first object and a second object that are overlapped and abutted against each other. The method also includes simultaneously transporting the first and second objects relative to a machine. Still further, the method includes attaching the first and second objects together with the machine.
Claims23
A method of manufacturing an article with a machine comprising:
- providing a first object and a second object in a first location wherein the first object and the second object are overlapping and abutting against each other;
- applying suction with a vacuum device to the first object at the first location to cause the first object to be secured to the vacuum device;
- simultaneously transporting the first object, which is secured to the vacuum device, and the second object, which is secured to the first object, away from the first location toward the machine;
- placing the first object and the second object in the machine after simultaneously transporting the first object and the second object from the first location toward the machine;
- and
- attaching the first and second objects together with the machine to form the article after placing the first object and the second object in the machine.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a thermoformed bladder comprising:
- providing a vacuum device with a suction head, a handling device with a first vacuum rack and a second vacuum rack, and a thermoforming machine with a heating device and a mold;
- providing a first sheet, a second sheet, and an insert in a stack on a support surface, the first and second sheets made of a polymer, wherein the first and second sheets are abuttingly layered over each other in the stack, and wherein the first and second sheets are stacked over the insert in the stack;
- applying suction with the suction head of the vacuum device to the first sheet in the stack to cause the first sheet to be secured to the suction head;
- simultaneously transporting the first sheet, which is secured to the suction head, and the second sheet, which is secured to the first sheet, away from the support surface and toward the handling device;
- placing the first sheet and the second sheet in the handling device after simultaneously transporting the first sheet and the second sheet;
- coupling the first sheet to the first vacuum rack via suction and coupling the second sheet to the second vacuum rack via suction;
- moving the first sheet and first vacuum rack away from the second sheet and the second vacuum rack;
- seizing the insert with the vacuum device;
- placing the insert between the first and second sheets with the vacuum device after moving the first sheet and the first vacuum rack away from the second sheet and the second vacuum rack;
- heating the first and second sheets with the heating device;
- attaching a first portion of the insert to the first sheet, attaching a second portion of the insert to the second sheet, and extending a connecting member of the insert that is connected to both of the first and second portions of the insert;
- and
- fusing the first and second sheets together and molding at least one of the first and second sheets to form a three dimensionally curved surface using the mold.
10 more elements
A method of manufacturing an article with a machine comprising:
- providing a first object and a second object in a first location wherein the first object and the second object are overlapping and abutting against each other;
- applying suction with a suction member to the first object to secure the first object to the suction member;
- lifting the suction member away from the first location with the first object secured to the suction member and with the second object secured to and suspended from the first object;
- transporting the first object, which is secured to the vacuum device, and the second object, which is suspended from the first object, away from the first location toward the machine after lifting the suction member;
- placing the first object and the second object in the machine after transporting the first object and the second object;
- and
- fusing the first object and second object together with the machine to form the article after placing the first object and the second object in the machine.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.