Abstract: A vacuum and pressure tight cooling or ventilating device, specifically designed for thermoforming stations, comprises a shutter element for opening and closing respectively the cooling and ventilating device, the shutter element being mounted on an air inlet section of the ventilating device which, in turn, is completely arranged outside of its related thermoforming station.

Abstract: A thermoforming station and method for molding a sheet-like plastics material provide to use a bell element including a cover which can be opened on a sidewall in order to provide a large opening for ventilating and cooling the molded plastics material thereby reducing up to 50% the time conventionally required for making a thermoformed evenly cooled product.

Abstract: An improved on-line thermoforming machine comprises at least a loading station (2) for loading a sheet-like plastic material (in plate or coil form), at least a heating station (3), a thermoforming station (4) and a unloading station (5) for unloading the thermoformed plastic material, the heating station (3) being provided with heating ovens which, in their deactuated condition, do not cause any increase of the side size of the machine with respect to the size necessary for the heating operations. With respect to conventional on-line thermoforming machines, the inventive thermoforming machine has the advantage of a width size which is substantially a half of that of the prior machines, thereby the subject thermoforming machine can be easily transported without the need of disassembling the machine and assembling it again at the working place.