Abstract: Vacuum forming apparatus in which a thermoplastic sheet material is pushed, by at least one plug, into a recess formed in a female mold, and evacuation is applied to the recess to bring the sheet material into intimate contact with a wall surface of the recess. At least one of the female mold and the plug is moved in a first direction in which the plug and a bottom of the recess relatively move toward each other. At least one of the female mold and the plug is moved in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, in which second direction the plug and a peripheral edge of the recess relatively move toward each other.

Abstract: Vacuum forming method and apparatus in which a thermoplastic sheet material is pushed, by at least one plug, into a recess formed in a female mold, and evacuation is applied to the recess to bring the sheet material into intimate contact with a wall surface of the recess. At least one of the female mold and the plug is moved in a first direction in which the plug and a bottom of the recess relatively move toward each other. At least one of the female mold and the plug is moved in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, in which second direction the plug and a peripheral edge of the recess relatively move toward each other.