US 9,182,019 B2Granted

Thermoforming trim press

AssigneeJere F. Irwin

InventorsJere F. Irwin, Dale L. Vantrease

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Abstract

A thermoforming trim press and a drive assembly for a thermoforming trim press are provided. The drive assembly includes a frame, a drive motor, a drive linkage, a first bevel gear, and a second bevel gear. The drive motor is supported by the frame. The first bevel gearbox is supported by the frame and has an input shaft coupled with a drive gear, an output shaft coupled with a ring gear, and a housing supporting the input shaft, the output shaft, the drive gear and the output shaft in meshed gear rotation. The second bevel gearbox is supported by the frame in opposed relation with the first bevel gearbox and has an input shaft coupled with a drive gear, an output shaft coupled with a ring gear, and a housing supporting the input shaft, the output shaft, the drive gear and the output shaft in meshed gear rotation, the second bevel gearbox driven via the drive linkage with the output shaft driving in counter-rotation relative to the output shaft of the first bevel gearbox. A method for driving a moving platen on a trim press is also provided using opposed, identical beveled gearboxes.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A thermoforming trim press, comprising:

a frame;
a drive gear assembly having a drive motor communicating with a first bevel gearbox and a second bevel gearbox through a drive linkage, the first bevel gearbox supported by the frame and having an input shaft coupled with a drive gear, an output shaft coupled with a ring gear, and a housing supporting the input shaft, the output shaft, the drive gear and the ring gear in meshed gear rotation, and the second bevel gearbox supported by the frame in opposed relation with the first bevel gearbox, coupled for co-rotation with the first bevel gearbox through the drive linkage, and having an input shaft coupled with a drive gear, an output shaft coupled with a ring gear, and a housing supporting the input shaft, the output shaft, the drive gear and the ring gear in meshed gear rotation, the second bevel gearbox driven via the drive linkage with the output shaft driving in counter-rotation relative to the output shaft of the first bevel gearbox;
a stationary platen;
a moving platen configured to reciprocate to and fro relative to the stationary platen;
and
a crank arm assembly coupled between each end of each output shaft and a respective pivotal coupling with the moving platen and configured to move the moving platen in reciprocating axial movement.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/741,223Filed 14 Jan 2013 · us provisional application
Priority: 13 Jan 2012
Published: US 2013/0180347 A118 Jul 2013
Granted: 10 Nov 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

F16H 19/02
Gearings comprising essentially only toothed gears or friction members and not capable of conveying indefinitely-continuing rotary motion: for…
B29C 51/38
Moulds: opening, closing or clamping means
F16H 1/20
Without gears having orbital motion: involving more than two intermeshing members
F16H 37/065
With a plurality of driving or driven shafts; with arrangements for dividing torque between two or more intermediate shafts: with a plurality of…