Patent ID: 6056679
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: B31B

Abstract:
An apparatus for forming an article from a sheet of material, the apparatus comprising:a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an inner peripheral female die surface defining an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end;a male die having an upper end, a lower end, and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the lower end and the upper end of the male die, the male die shaped such that at least a portion of the male die is receivable in the opening of the female die;means for positioning the male die and the female die between a forming position wherein at least a portion of the male die is inserted into the opening of the female die so as to form the article from the sheet of material and an article discharge position wherein the male die is removed from the opening of the female die; andmeans for selectively supplying a stream of air between the formed article and the inner peripheral female die surface after the article is formed to release the formed article from the inner peripheral female die surface.