Apparatus for molding articles
US6338618B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 18, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jan 15, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 18, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB32B38/12
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for forming an article from at least one layer of formable material includes a mold for receiving the at least one layer of formable material. The mold has first and second thin mold sections and a seal associated with at least one of the mold sections for effecting a sufficiently sealed relationship between the mold sections. Each mold section has a non-planar configuration, and one mold section has at least one aperture. A vacuum source is in fluid communication with the at least one aperture for applying a vacuum pressure to the at least one aperture when the mold sections are sufficiently sealed together in order to reduce air pressure within the mold. As a result, ambient air pressure is used to forcefully bias the mold sections sufficiently together so as to form the at least one layer of formable material to a contour corresponding to the non-planar configurations of the mold sections. Furthermore, each mold section is sufficiently rigid such that the mold sections do not substantially flex when the mold sections are forcefully biased together.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.