Patent ID: 7560063
Filing Date: 2009-07-14
Classification: B29C,B29K,B29L

Abstract:
1. A thermoforming apparatus for producing shaped bodies of plastic sheet, such as cups, containers, lids, secondary packaging for foodstuffs or the like, comprising a forming station with a two-part forming tool, wherein the two-part forming tool comprises an upper tool table adapted to be adjustably fixed and having an upper tool with pre-stretch means movably mounted therein, and a movable lower tool table having a lower tool with cavities, wherein said movable lower tool table is guided through the intermediary of guide means and capable of being approached to said upper tool table and moved away from it by first drive means, wherein said guide means include a rotatable guide rail assembly whereby said lower tool table may be guided rectilinearly and rotated together with said guide rail assembly, and wherein the rotatable guide rail assembly includes two guide rails, pivot-mounted on a frame of the thermoforming apparatus, with the lower tool table being guided movably between those, in a rectilinear manner, to be approached towards the upper tool table and moved away from the latter, characterized in that said first drive means for said lower tool table have the form of a crankshaft drive mechanism, said eccentric shaft portion of said crankshaft drive mechanism is linked, preferably centrally, to said lower table through the intermediary of a connecting rod, said crankshaft drive mechanism are positioned inside said frame of said thermoforming apparatus at a side of said lower tool table facing away from said upper tool table such that the center point of the crankshaft axis, the center point of the eccentric axis portion thereof in the upper reversing point, the linking points of said rotatable guide rails, and the linking points at said lower tool table come to lie on an imaginary common straight line when the latter reaches its upper reversing point, said lower tool table is capable of being lifted by second drive means together with its first drive means within said guide means rectilinearly guiding it in a predetermined stroke for generating a die-cutting movement, and ejector drive means for lifting and lowering ejectors movably arranged in said lower tool are arranged at said lower tool table.