Patent ID: 8926310
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: B29C,B29K,B29L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A cup thermoforming machine, comprising: a frame; a movable upper platen supported for vertical reciprocation by the frame and carrying a plurality of male dies each configured to interact with a horizontally extending heated web of thermoformable material; a stationary clamping grid carried by the frame above the heated web and having a respective clearance aperture for each of the male dies; a movable lower platen supported for vertical reciprocation by the frame beneath the clamping grid and carrying a plurality of female dies; and a web sag clearance zone provided between the clamping grid and a top-most surface of the lower platen that extends across and above an entirety of the plurality of female dies on the lower platen with a depth greater than a depth of the female dies when the lower platen is vertically reciprocated to a lowered position to provide clearance for a downwardly sagging portion of the heated web relative to the plurality of female dies; wherein positioning of the clamping grid above the heated web in combination with an upward movement of the plurality of female dies for clamping the heated web is configured to eliminate a contact between the heated web and the clamping grid which results in preventing damage to a surface finish of the heated web.