Abstract: The improved method and apparatus for longitudinal orientation of a tubular thermoplastic film as it leaves an annular extrusion die aims at a better control of this orientation. On its travel between the exit orifice (21) and the draw-down means, the at least partly molten film passes an annular frictional device (101), and the frictional force set-up hereby is variable in controlled manner. This device is cooled from its interior (105) in controlled manner by means of a fluid cooling medium. The friction may be controlled by airlubrication with air pressed through holes (123) in the frictional device or through microporous metal, (102) or alternatively by sucking the film against the frictional device.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus has a lift mechanism to lower and raise a tool, such as a formation box that functions to form cavities in a web of flexible material. The lift mechanism has a series of arms, supported by belt driven carriages, which move in tandem to raise and lower the formation box. The arms are arranged into two sets such that when the arms within each set are moved closer to one another, the formation box is raised, and when the arms within each set are moved away from one another, the formation box is lowered. The common driving of all arms by a belt allows the indexing of the formation box to be well controlled.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bottomed cylindrical container, comprising a body wall, a bottom wall, and a ring-shaped foot downwardly extending from the bottom wall, said container being produced by thermo-molding a resin sheet, characterized in that said foot is formed by folding an inner wall by compressed fluid to be fusion-bonded with an outer wall, so as to form the foot comprising the inner wall and the outer wall. The present invention also provides a bottomed cylindrical container, comprising a body wall having a grounding edge at a lower end thereof, and a bottom wall, said container being produced by thermo-molding a resin sheet, characterized in that said bottom wall connects with an upper edge of an inner wall produced by folding back the body wall along the grounding edge and by fusion-bonding it to an inner periphery of the body wall. In addition, the present invention provides the methods for thermo-molding these containers and their apparatuses.

Abstract: A vacuum press machine includes a platen on which a workpiece is placed, an elastic release sheet provided above the workpiece, a frame arranged above the platen and movable toward and away from the platen. The frame urges the release sheet toward the platen with the workpiece therebetween so that a first space, which is air-tightly closed, is formed between the release sheet and the platen when the frame is moved to contact the platen. A portion of the release sheet covering the workpiece presses the workpiece as the first space is vacuumed. After the pressing, the frame is moved away from the platen, and a release sheet conveying mechanism introduces an unused portion of the release sheet to between the platen and the frame, and discharges the used portion of the release sheet from between the platen and the frame.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bottomed cylindrical container, comprising a body wall, a bottom wall, and a ring-shaped foot downwardly extending from the bottom wall, said container being produced by thermo-molding a resin sheet, characterized in that said foot is formed by folding an inner wall by compressed fluid to be fusion-bonded with an outer wall, so as to form the foot comprising the inner wall and the outer wall. The present invention also provides a bottomed cylindrical container, comprising a body wall having a grounding edge at a lower end thereof, and a bottom wall, said container being produced by thermo-molding a resin sheet, characterized in that said bottom wall connects with an upper edge of an inner wall produced by folding back the body wall along the grounding edge and by fusion-bonding it to an inner periphery of the body wall. In addition, the present invention provides the methods for thermo-molding these containers and their apparatuses.

Abstract: A mold structure (100) includes a press board (20), a lower mold (10) and at least one locking mechanism (40) configured for locking the press board to the lower mold. The at least one locking mechanism includes a locking element (41), a slidable block (46) and a driven apparatus (42). The locking element engages with the press board and the lower mold along a first direction. The locking element defines a locking hole (4124). The slidable block engages in the locking hole along a second direction. The driven apparatus drives the slidable block to move along the second direction for pressing the press board to the lower mold along the first direction.

Abstract: A vacuum forming machine includes a chamber configured to house a base member and a decorative sheet and including an exhaust port, an exhauster arranged to exhaust air from inside the chamber through the exhaust port, at least one static remover arranged to remove static electricity from a surface of the base member that has been loaded into the chamber, and a dust collector arranged so as to oppose the exhaust port.

Abstract: An apparatus for in-mold-decoration includes a male mold, a female mold comprising a surface facing the male mold, a foil, a press member, and a supporting member. The surface of the female mold defines a cavity. The foil is applied to the surface of the female mold. The press member is positioned between the male mold and the female mold, and capable of hermetically pressing the foil on the surface of the female mold. The supporting member is movably mounted to the surface of the female mold to prop up the foil toward the male mold before the press member presses the foil on the surface of the female mold.

Abstract: A fiber structure for forming the reinforcement of a part to be made is placed in a mold (22) having at least one wall formed by a flexible membrane, and then a resin composition is injected into the mold, the composition having a volatile material content of less than 25% by weight and being at a temperature of a value such that its viscosity lies in the range 0.1 Pa·s to 0.3 Pa·s. The resin is polymerized in the mold placed in an enclosure (20) with temperature being raised progressively and with polymerization including at least a final stage of polymerization under pressure in order to obtain a composite material part presenting residual porosity of less than 11% by volume.

Abstract: A reusable apparatus and method for forming a composite part through vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM). The reusable apparatus may be configured to vacuum seal a curable material, such as composite material, against a tool and disperse a permeating substance such as liquid resin through the curable material. The reusable apparatus may comprise a sheet of material such as rubber having a plurality of surface deviations facing the curable material and the tool. The surface deviations may provide paths for evenly distributed air flow as air is evacuated from between the sheet of material and the tool. Additionally, the surface deviations may allow the permeating substance to be evenly dispersed throughout the curable material. A vacuum outlet of the tool may be positioned between two sealing apparatuses to provide continuous vacuum suction proximate a perimeter of the sheet of material to prevent air from leaking in.

Abstract: A device is suggested for calibrating an extruded plastic profile (1) having a shaping extrusion die (3) and having a framework (6) which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the plastic profile (1) in relation to the extrusion die (3), which has a cooling tank (5) and, between the cooling tank (5) and the extrusion die (3), a dry calibration apparatus (4) which is replaceably attached to a carrier (12) and is connectable on one hand to supply lines for a coolant liquid feed and removal and on the other hand to a partial vacuum. To obtain advantageous mounting conditions, it is suggested that the carrier (12), which is adjustable in relation to the cooling tank (5) in the longitudinal direction of the plastic profile (1), form a distributor, connected to the supply lines (16, 17), having line transitions (25) for the coolant liquid and the partial vacuum in the placement area of the dry calibration apparatus (4), which is provided with corresponding line transitions.

Abstract: A chilled air pressure box is provided for thermoforming a plastic sheet. The chilled air pressure box comprises a box, a box perimeter, an inlet valve, a compressed air source and a chilled air source. The box has an interior space within the box and defines an inlet opening. The box perimeter is for sealingly interfacing with a vacuum mold. The inlet valve is substantially disposed within the interior space, adjacent and aligned with the inlet opening such that when the inlet valve is closed the inlet opening is substantially sealed and when the inlet valve is opened the inlet opening is not sealed. The compressed air source is capable of pressurizing the interior space with compressed air and interfaces with the box. The chilled air source communicates with the inlet opening.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a vacuum source line, a pressurized fluid source line and an inlet circuit communicative with the vacuum source line and operatively connectable to an inlet container. The apparatus further comprises an outlet circuit communicative with the vacuum source line and operatively connectable to an outlet line. The apparatus also comprises an outer cover circuit communicative with the vacuum source line and operatively connectable to the outer cover. Further, the apparatus comprises an inlet restrictor fluid circuit in communicative with the fluid source line and adapted to control flow between the inlet vacuum container and interior. Moreover, the apparatus comprises a controller operatively connected to the inlet vacuum circuit, the outlet vacuum circuit, the outer cover vacuum circuit and the inlet restrictor fluid circuit for controlling operation of the inlet vacuum circuit, the outlet vacuum circuit, the outer cover vacuum circuit and the inlet restrictor fluid circuit, respectively.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mold for the manufacture of holders, comprising at least two mold halves moveable relatively to each other in a first direction of movement and a mold cavity, the mold cavity, the mold being substantially defined by a female part and a matching male part, while at least the female part and/or the male part is arranged so as to be moveable such that within the mold, the male part and/or the female part can be brought into a first position wherein between a forward end, facing, in a first direction of movement, towards the mold cavity, and an opposite bottom part of the female part, there is a relatively large, first distance, and a second position wherein between said forward end and said bottom part there is relatively small second distance.

Abstract: The invention relates to an imprint apparatus for carrying out a two-step process for transferring a pattern from a template to a target surface of a substrate. The apparatus works by creating an intermediate disc, e.g. from a flexible polymer stamp, by imprint from the template in a first imprint unit. A feeder device is then operated to feed the intermediate stamp to a second imprint unit, where it is used to make an imprint in a target surface of a substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a calibrating plate for an extrusion die for producing plastic profiles, comprising a substantially plate-shaped basic body (21), in which an opening (22) for guiding and calibrating the plastic profile (23) to be produced is provided, with at least one insert part (1) made of a material with high hardness being inserted into the basic body (21), which insert part comprises at least one holding section (2) and a shaping section (3), with both the holding section (2) as well as the shaping section (3) being formed partly as cylindrical surfaces with generatrices parallel to the extrusion axis (6), and with the insert part (1) being held in the axial direction in the plate-shaped basic body (21) by a delimiting stop (5).

Abstract: An imprint apparatus and method employ an effective pressure in imprint lithography. The imprint apparatus includes a compressible chamber that encloses an imprint mold having a mold pattern and a sample to be imprinted. The chamber is compressed to imprint the mold pattern on the sample. The mold is pressed against the sample with the effective pressure. The effective pressure is controlled by a selected ratio of a cavity area of the chamber to a contact area between the mold and the sample.

Abstract: The invention describes a tensioning rail (3) for a membrane (2) of a membrane press. To allow a simpler and more rapid assembly and disassembly of the membrane (2) than in known devices, the tensioning rail includes a support rail (8), in which at least one tensioning strip (13) is mounted detachably, whereby the tensioning strip (13) is designed for securely clamping onto the edge of the membrane (2). In this way it is possible to equip a new replacement membrane (2) with tensioning strips (13) independently and outside of the membrane press, which then only need to be attached to the support rail (8). In this case the support rail does not need to be disassembled, but remains on the membrane press the whole time. A further essential advantage is that the tensioning rail (3) can also be installed into existing membrane presses, for example as a replacement for an existing securing device for the membrane.

Abstract: Apparatus for making variously shaped pastry shells includes an annular baking ring supported on a horizontal lower plate to define an upward-facing female die. A gasket is disposed between the baking ring and the plate. An upper plate is positioned above and parallel to the lower plate, and includes a downward-facing male die configured to be inserted concentrically into the upper end of the female die and thereby define a die space having a flat floor and annular, vertical side walls between the dies. An annular collar is disposed concentrically about the male die and resiliently supported on the upper support plate such that, when the two plates are urged toward each other, the collar seals the upper and lower ends of the die space, and a volume of pastry dough disposed in the cavity of the female die is formed into a pastry shell conforming to the die space.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for cooling material during continuous vacuum forming. The apparatus includes one or more cooling regions positioned adjacent one or more vacuum regions. A rotatable support belt including perforations therein supports a flexible patterned belt. The flexible patterned belt includes apertures spaced along the length and width thereof. The one or more cooling regions provide a cooling fluid to be drawn through the apertures in the flexible patterned belt to form an area of cooling fluid on the flexible patterned belt which contacts a bottom surface of a hot material received on the flexible patterned belt in order to cool the bottom surface of the material and the flexible patterned belt. The vacuum regions are in fluid flow communication with the perforations of the support belt and the apertures of the flexible patterned belt for drawing the material onto the flexible patterned belt.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system to manufacture composite material parts comprising a supporting mandrel having at least one compacting zone configured to contain at least one composite material element to be compacted by applying a certain degree of vacuum. The system comprises also at least one compacting equipment comprising a frame having a plurality of interconnected arms along a predetermined perimeter, at least one vacuum bag attached to a side of the frame along its perimeter and configured to compact the element, at least one porous material attached to the vacuum bag along the frame's perimeter and configured to adhere in a removable way to the compacting zone and to impede the air influx during the compacting of element. The invention also relates to a compacting equipment and to a method to manufacture composite material parts.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a thermoplastic resin vessel, in which a cup-shaped vessel is thermally formed from a thermoplastic resin sheet by a plug, the method including the steps of: pre-forming a portion of the thermoplastic resin sheet corresponding to an orifice portion or a flange portion of the cup-shaped vessel; and clamping the pre-formed portion of the thermoplastic resin sheet to accomplish the forming. According to the manufacturing method, thickening of a vessel bottom part and warpage of the flange portion can be improved.

Abstract: A method of reducing the volume of a non-returnable blow-molded brewery-specific beer keg and other non-returnable containers. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

Abstract: The electric service load of a machine having at least one electric heater and at least one electric motor may be managed as follows. Where the electrical service load of the machine exceeds a threshold, which may result from transient in-rush current attendant upon start-up of an electric motor, or where this load is expected to exceed the threshold, at least one of the heaters may be de-energized. The heater may remain de-energized either for a pre-determined period of time or until the electrical service load falls below a further threshold.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reinforcing cloth of a sheet pad includes: fixing a sheet on a mold having an outer shape substantially identical to a shape of the reinforcing cloth and provided with a plurality of air holes interconnecting an internal space with an outer surface; forming a closed space between the mold and a cover member by covering the sheet fixed on the mold with the cover member; heating the sheet; shaping the heated sheet into a shape following the outer shape of the mold by exhausting air from the closed space through the air holes; and demolding the sheet from the mold after removing the cover member.

Abstract: A pipe mold (1) produces plastic pipe with an internal wall having a first wall portion (23, 25) and a second wall portion (27). The pipe mold (1) includes a two stage cooling plug (35) to assist in setting the pipe wall. The first cooling stage (37) is controlled to remove heat from the pipe wall to partially set the plastic without excessive cooling. The partially set plastic pipe then passes over a second stage (39) where less precision in the cooling of the pipe occurs. The partially set plastic is more tolerant and subject to less damage. Preferably both the first and second stages (37, 39) include separate temperature sensors (120, 122) and control arrangements (124, 126) for varying the cooling medium of each stage. In a preferred embodiment a cooling medium is circulated through a first stage at a temperature and at a flow rate to maintain the first stage (37) within a narrow temperature range about the temperature of the cooling medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a molded article, and more particularly to a method of forming a shaped thermoplastic sheet (e.g., a fluid management structure). The method includes providing a mold apparatus (1) that includes a first mold portion (11) having a contoured and perforated interior mold surface (14), and a perimeter edge (17). The mold apparatus also includes a frame (35) that surrounds at least a portion of the perimeter edge (17) of the first mold portion (11). At least one sheet retainer (148) resides on the upper surface (38) of the frame (35). Each sheet retainer (148) includes a clamp portion (151) that faces towards (or in the direction of) the perimeter edge (17) of the first mold portion (11), and which includes a reversibly closeable clamp member (154) which defines in part a clamp interior (157).

Abstract: A system for producing composite or bonded metal components including: first and second pressure chambers, each pressure chamber having an elastically deformable chamber wall; means for circulating fluid at an elevated temperature and pressure through each said pressure chamber; and at least one mould assembly including at least one separate mould section providing a mould cavity within which a composite or bonded metal lay-up can be located; wherein when the system is in use, the pressure chambers are held together with the elastically deformable chamber walls located in opposing relation, the at least one mould assembly containing a said lay-up being accomodated between the chamber walls while fluid at elevated temperature and pressure is circulated through each pressure chamber such that the lay-up can be compressed and cured or formed.

Abstract: A vacuum forming apparatus has a forming die, a plurality of holding devices, a pressing device and a pair of supplemental holding devices. The forming die has at least one suction hole for creating a vacuum. The holding devices hold a resin sheet that has been softened by heating. The pressing device moves relative to the forming die to close a space therebetween and form an airtight state therebetween. Each of the supplemental holding devices includes a clamp member and a support member. The supplemental holding devices are movably arranged to move toward each other. The clamp members clamp the resin sheet on two sides of a selected sag area where the resin sheet will be made to sag. The support members extend along two side portions of the selected sag area for supporting a bottom surface of the resin sheet where the resin sheet will be made to sag.

Abstract: The invention concerns a cooling and molding water tank for a plastic complicated profile. A plurality of molding blocks and water collection plates are provided along the length inside the tank, and they are spaced each other. The advantage of this invention is that: the cooling water flows alternately in cycle or periphery-inner-periphery. It makes the complicated profile cool homogeneously and efficiently upon the high speed extrusion pulling and provides the profile with good molding effect and quality.

Abstract: A transcript apparatus has a vacuum-forming chamber 60 in which a transcription die 41 and a forming product 13 transcribed from the die 41 are disposed face to face with each other, a movable body 19 supporting one of the die 41 and the product 13 to allow the die 41 and the product 13 to be movable closer to or away from each other, a balance cylinder 50 placed in parallel to a moving direction of the movable body 19 and connected to the movable body 19 via a piston rod 52, a pressure detector 64 detecting a pressure inside the chamber 60, and a pressure control section 68 operative to control a pressure of working fluid supplied to the chamber 60 depending on an output from the pressure detector 64 to cancel fluctuation in load acting on the movable body 19 in the moving direction thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method and a system to create and maintain a desired environment in the vicinity of a nano-imprint lithography template by creation of a partial vacuum using channels or holes in the template holding the nano-imprint mold.

Abstract: A device for making panels with three-dimensional curvature from a sheet material, includes a forming impression (5) defined by a membrane (6) including an elastically stretchable skin (11), preferably in combination with a skeleton formed by a grid pattern of flexurally elastic battens (10) which are mobile in longitudinal translation relative to the skin, and a set of elements for selectively deforming the impression acting on the battens (10) of the membrane to impart thereto an adaptable three-dimensional curvature. The invention is particularly useful for making sails.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for corrugating and winding up rolls of a plastic film. The plastic film is corrugated as it is continuously wound onto a roll, by a film drawing drum conformed with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves to perform open-end corrugation or folds which extend crosswise the film; the plastic film is corrugated crosswise, causing the same film to penetrate into the grooves of the drawing drum by suction of air through a plurality of suction holes which open out into the grooves of the drum.

Abstract: A method for thermoforming a thin thermoplastic carrier with uniformity of thickness at optical quality. The sheet to be thermoformed is heated and placed on a vented platform equipped with a mold insert. The thermoformer's platens clamp a shroud over the sheet. A low pressure air stream is introduced into the shroud and deflected from a direct path leading to the mold insert.

Abstract: A section of a foil is sandwiched between an upper die and a first lower die and heat deformed into a cavity of the first lower die while simultaneously synchronously displacing the upper die, the first lower die, and the foil downstream. Then the upper die is raised and recirculated back upstream while cooling the section of foil in the cavity of the first lower die and displacing the lower die with the section of the foil downstream. Another section of the foil is sandwiched between the upper die and a second lower die and heat deformed into a cavity of the second lower die while simultaneously synchronously displacing the upper die, the second lower die, and the foil downstream. The first lower die is disengaged from the foil in the downstream station and recirculated back upstream to the upstream station. These steps are then repeated.

Abstract: A transcript apparatus has a base frame 7 supported on one end of a body frame 3, a support frame 5 supported on the other of the body frame 3, plural die bars 9 through which the frame 7 and the frame 5 are integrally connected, a movable body 19 placed between the guide frames 3B, 3B located on both sides of the body frame 3 and freely movable along the die bars 9, guide means 21 disposed on the guide frames 3B, 3B on both sides to guide the movable body 19 to a position symmetric to a center of the movable body 19, and drive means mounted on the frame 5 for moving the movable body 19 along the guide means, wherein a given pattern is transcribed from a transcription die 41 mounted on the movable body 19 to a forming product 13 placed on the frame 7.

Abstract: A molding apparatus for patterning a workpiece includes a first support member for supporting the mold, a second support member arranged opposite to the first support member, and a pressing mechanism for pressing the mold and the work together using the support members to pattern the workpiece. In this structure, either the surface of the first support member for supporting the mold or the surface of the second support member for supporting the workpiece is smaller in area than both surfaces of the mold and the workpiece.

Abstract: A method of forming a shaped thermoplastic sheet is described. The method includes providing a mold apparatus (1) that includes, a first mold portion (11) having an interior mold surface (14) having a plurality of perforations (26) and a perimeter edge (17). The mold apparatus (11) further includes at least one sheet retainer (35) having an upper surface (38) having a plurality of perforations (41) and a longitudinal axis (44) that is oriented along at least a portion of the perimeter edge (17) of the first mold portion (11). Each sheet retainer (35) is reversibly and controllably: (i) positionable along an x-, y- and/or z-axis relative to the perimeter edge (17); and (ii) rotatable around its longitudinal axis (44), toward and/or away from the perimeter edge (17). A heated thermoplastic sheet (95) is formed and contacted (while at a thermoformable temperature) with the interior surface (14) of the first mold portion (11) and the exterior surfaces (38) of the tubular sheet retainers (35).

Abstract: The device contains the transformable mandrel (12) made of plane elements (14) pivotedly connected in-between with the use of gas-proof fabric (15,16), the means for preliminary and final mandrel transformation including the flexible vacuum chamber and traverse-pusher (11) with the drive (10), and the mechanism for putting the transformable mandrel into its initial plan state made in the form of two parallel slabs (6, 7) with the drive for their reciprocal travel (9). The means for preliminary mandrel transformation is made in the form of the system of pushers placed in rows on the lower and the upper slabs with individual drives. The perforations in the slabs provide the possibility for the pushers to interact with the transformable mandrel placed between the slabs whereas the mandrel with sheet blank article is put into the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A base sheet of transparent polycarbonate material has a formed shape including a center portion and a peripheral portion. The center portion is formed by a non-contact forming operation occurring at a temperature above the glass transition temperature and below the melt temperature of the transparent polycarbonate material, thereby resulting in the center portion of the base sheet being free of visual distortion. A top coat layer is disposed over the base sheet. The top coat layer has a greater resistance to abrasion than the polycarbonate material and provides UV protection to the base sheet. A primer coating is disposed between the base sheet and the top coat layer to facilitate bonding therebetween. The peripheral portion can have a shape created by a contact forming operation occurring at a temperature above the glass transition temperature and below the melt temperature of the polycarbonate material.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermoshaping a thermoplastic foil has a lower tool carried on the frame and having an upper face formed with an array of upwardly open mold cavities, and an upper beam vertically displaceable above the lower tool. A punch plate fixed on the upper beam is provided with an array of downwardly projecting punches fittable in the cavities. A hold-down plate below the punch plate is limitedly vertically shiftable relative thereto. The hold-down plate is formed with an array of holes through which pass the punches. An actuator downwardly shifts the upper beam when the foil is extending horizontally between the lower tool and the hold-down plate for first pressing the foil with the hold-down plate against the upper face of the lower tool and then pushing the punches through the holes against the foil into the cavities to form pockets in the foil at the cavities.

Abstract: A calibration basket is configured for a calibration station disposed in an apparatus for producing plastic tubes. The calibration basket contains calibration tools that are successively disposed at a distance from each other across the circumference of the tube. The calibration tools are embodied as calibration strips that extend in the longitudinal direction of the tube that is to be calibrated, are disposed so as to be adjustable on displacement spindles, and are provided with one respective sliding surface that enters in contact with the tube. Recesses that are connected to discharge ports are embodied in a sliding surface and are provided within the calibration strip. The discharge ports extend in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the calibration strip.

Abstract: A thermoforming apparatus including a pallet for use with a thermoforming machine that thermoforms a plastic billet into a usable form, the pallet including a billet support surface for supporting thereon a billet, and a gripper mounted on the pallet and arranged for movement between a first position, wherein the gripper does not grip a billet placed on the billet support surface, and a second position, wherein the gripper grips the billet placed on the billet support surface.

Abstract: A nanoimprinting configuration includes a UV light diffuser that randomizes a collimated UV light beam so as to diffuse the shadowing effect from any defect object that resides in the UV optical path. In addition, a combination center circular pad and outer ring-shaped pad form a donut-shaped “non-contact” area between the two pad pieces. The size and shape of the two pad combination are designed to avoid direct gel pad contact above the patterned imprint zone on the disk substrate. The purpose of the gel pad, non-contact configuration is to eliminate any possible surface deformation incurred along the loading column and thereby avoid the elastic propagation of any deformations to the stamper resist surface.

Abstract: A device for calibrating an extruder plastic profile having a calibration unit for the profiled strand coming-out of a molding profile nozzle is described, the calibration unit having a molding body (1) enclosing the profiled strand, having calibration surfaces (5), which press against the profiled strand, and vacuum slots (6), which run in the calibration surfaces (5) transversely to the passage direction of the profiled strand (2) and are connectable to a partial vacuum source. In order to provide advantageous construction conditions, it is suggested that at least individual vacuum slots (6) penetrate the molding body (1) transversely to the passage direction (2) and be closed on outside of the molding body (1) using a removable cover (12).

Abstract: A calibration device for calibrating extruded continuous profiles, in particular tubes, includes a housing and a plurality of segment bodies which are received in the housing in a substantially in circular manner, with axially neighboring segment bodies partially overlapping in a circumferential direction. Each segment body is made from a single-piece workpiece and has a contoured inner surface, wherein the inner surfaces of the segment bodies jointly define a calibration opening for passage of a tube. An operating device retains the segment bodies in the housing and allow adjustment of each segment body in radial direction.

Abstract: A chilled air pressure box is provided for thermoforming a plastic sheet. The chilled air pressure box comprises a box, a box perimeter, an inlet valve, a compressed air source and a chilled air source. The box has an interior space within the box and defines an inlet opening. The box perimeter is for sealingly interfacing with a vacuum mold. The inlet valve is substantially disposed within the interior space, adjacent and aligned with the inlet opening such that when the inlet valve is closed the inlet opening is substantially sealed and when the inlet valve is opened the inlet opening is not sealed. The compressed air source is capable of pressurizing the interior space with compressed air and interfaces with the box. The chilled air source communicates with the inlet opening.

Abstract: A mold tool for forming a reinforced matrix composite part for a gas turbine engine, comprising a body. The body comprises a body surface capable of receiving a first portion of a composite preform. A first endplate and second endplate are attached to the body and include a substantially planar surface disposed perpendicular to the body surface. A first and second set of plates are attached to the first and second endplate adjacent to the body surface and have a geometries that includes a first and second cavity bounded by the first and second plate and first and second endplate. The first and second cavities have a volume sufficient to receive a second portion of a composite preform. The second cavity is in fluid communication with the first cavity, which is in fluid communication with a vacuum source.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a plurality of seat elements is provided. The plurality of seat elements are styled to have a range of styling features. The method includes a step of determining the range of styling feature by selecting characteristics of a middle ply of foam and/or the exterior ply of the trim cover and selecting a number and position of panels that are sewn to form the trim cover. The seat elements are fabricated on a common mold apparatus.