Patent ID: 6265044
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: B29C,B29K,B29L,B32B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of covering a profiled surface of a base member with a sheet by bonding together the sheet and the base member under vacuum, comprising the steps of:(a) providing a base member having provided surface and a sheet of thermoplastic material;(b) setting the base member on an outside surface of a mold member of a vacuum mold assembly with the profiled surface facing outward, the mold member having a plurality of vacuum holes opening at one end to the outside surface of the mold member and connected at the other end to a vacuum source;(c) providing one of said profiled surface of the base member and one surface of the sheet with a portion forming spaced vacuum passages extending across said profiled surface of the base member and said one surface of the sheet, said spaced vacuum passages being parallel and having a pitch set to vary inversely with elongation of the sheet on the base member;(d) while keeping the sheet in a pre-stretched condition, placing the sheet over the base member so that the vacuum passages formed by said portion are provided between said profiled surface of the base member and said one surface of the sheet and held in fluid communication with at least one of the vacuum holes in the vacuum mold member; and(e) activating the vacuum source to evacuate air from the vacuum passages though the vacuum hole in the mold member so that the sheet is drawn by vacuum down onto the profiled surface to thereby effect elongation of the sheet and bonding between the sheet and the profiled surface.