CONTINUOUS FORMING SYSTEM UTILIZING UP TO SIX ENDLESS BELTS
First Claim
1. A system for providing shape, surface features, or both, to a moldable material, comprising:
- at least two opposed flat endless belts spaced apart a distance, each having an inner surface and an outer surface;
a mold cavity defined at least in part by the inner surfaces of the at least two opposed flat endless belts; and
a drive mechanism for imparting motion to the at least two opposed flat endless belts.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for providing shape and/or surface features to a moldable material includes, in an exemplary embodiment, at least two first opposed flat endless belts spaced apart a first distance, with each having an inner surface and an outer surface. The system also includes at least two second opposed flat endless belts disposed substantially orthogonal to the first two opposed endless belts and spaced apart a second distance. A mold cavity is defined at least in part by the inner surfaces of the at least two opposed flat endless belts. The system further includes a drive mechanism for imparting motion to at least two of the opposed flat endless belts.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for providing shape, surface features, or both, to a moldable material, comprising:
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at least two opposed flat endless belts spaced apart a distance, each having an inner surface and an outer surface; a mold cavity defined at least in part by the inner surfaces of the at least two opposed flat endless belts; and a drive mechanism for imparting motion to the at least two opposed flat endless belts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of continuously forming a moldable material to have a desired shape or surface feature or both, comprising:
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introducing the moldable material into an end of a mold cavity formed at least in part by the inner surfaces of opposed flat belts; exerting pressure on the moldable material through the opposed flat belts; transferring the moldable material along the mold cavity by longitudinal movement of the opposed flat belts; removing the molded material from the mold cavity after sufficient time has passed for the material to cure or harden into the molded configuration and thereby form molded material. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A forming apparatus for forming a moldable material, said apparatus comprising:
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a first belt; a second belt opposed to said first belt, said first and second belts spaced apart a distance, each of said first and second belts comprising an inner surface and an outer surface; a mold cavity defined by said inner surfaces of said first and second belts; and a belt drive mechanism operationally coupled to said first and second belts.
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Specification