Patent ID: 7455510
Filing Date: 2008-11-25
Classification: B29C,B29K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A forming apparatus for forming a sheet of polymeric material, said forming apparatus comprising: a first mold half having a bottom wall and a first side wall defining a first interior space said first side wall having a first edge, said first edge having a desired non-planar contour or curve portion above or below a horizontal plane at said first edge for forming a complementary non-planar contour or curve in an edge portion of the polymeric material; a second mold half having a second edge having a non-planar contour or curve portion above or below a horizontal plane at said second edge complementary with said first edge, wherein said first and second halves selectively clamp the sheet between said first and second edges for forming the sheet therebetween, whereby the sheet is moved by pressure into one of said first and second mold halves; a cooling mechanism disposed within one of said first and second mold halves for actively cooling a polymeric material said cooling mechanism separate from a mechanism forming said pressure for moving said sheet; and a sensing mechanism attached to one of said first and second halves for sensing a size of the sheet within one of said first and second mold halves.