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Press apparatus and methods for fusing overlapped thermoplastic sheet materials

  • US 5,725,711 A
  • Filed: 12/23/1996
  • Issued: 03/10/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a method of bonding together workpieces of thermoplastic sheet material supported in press-type apparatus having a platen, an inflatable diaphragm set having a pair of membranes positioned in the platen, a heat source movable into and from contact with the inflatable diaphragm set, and a source of pressurized fluid, the steps of:

  • clamping the supported workpieces with the platen and with the membranes of said compliant diaphragm set in an non-inflated condition;

    moving the heat source into contact with the diaphragm set to thereby commence heating the clamped workpieces with heat conducted through the membranes of said non-inflated diaphragm set;

    inflating the diaphragm set around its periphery with pressurized fluid flowed from the source of pressurized fluid to between said membranes to thereby further clamp the clamped workpieces;

    continuing the heating of the additionally clamped workpieces by continuing the contact of the heat source with the inflated diaphragm set until the workpieces are sufficiently heated for thermal bonding purposes;

    retracting the heat source from contact with the inflated diaphragm set;

    flowing pressurized fluid from the source of pressurized fluid between the membranes of diaphragm set sufficient to cool the heated and clamped workpieces thereby causing bonding of the workpieces together while clamped; and

    deflating said pair of membranes of the inflated diaphragm set and unclamping the bonded workpieces prior to removal of the bonded workpieces from the press-type apparatus.

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