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Method for thermoforming sheet articles

  • US 5,928,597 A
  • Filed: 10/09/1997
  • Issued: 07/27/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of thermoforming a sheet article to a desired shape, comprising:

  • heating a sheet article to be thermoformed;

    inserting the heated sheet article into a pressure vessel having first and second vessel halves, wherein each vessel half includes a fluid chamber and a thin, at least partially flexible shell, and the thin, at least partially flexible shells are configured to cooperate for reforming the sheet article to the desired shape;

    closing the pressure vessel such that the sheet article is captured between the thin, at least partially flexible shells without completely reforming the article to the desired shape; and

    providing fluid of equal pressure in each fluid chamber to force the thin, at least partially flexible shells together to completely reform the sheet article to the desired shape and to simultaneously draw heat away from the thin, at least partially flexible shells through the fluid for cooling the sheet article as the sheet article is reformed.

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