Abstract:
In a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus and system, the system comprises a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus, a vacuum unit and a fluid circulation unit, and the apparatus comprises a first cavity and a second cavity, each including a sealed pressure chamber, a heat conduction film and a template. An object to be imprinted is put on a pattern-imprinting surface of the template. When the first and second cavities get close to each other, the vacuum unit vacuums the space between the pattern-imprinting surfaces of the two templates. Meanwhile, the fluid circulation unit drives a hot fluid to pass through the two sealed pressure chambers. With the iso-pressure characteristic of the hot fluid, the object to be imprinted is heated and pressed uniformly until a desired shape is formed, and then a cold fluid is driven to pass through the two sealed pressure chambers to cool the object to be imprinted.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus and system, and more particularly to a shaping apparatus and system using a fluid to apply pressure uniformly. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In a conventional hot-press forming, an object to be imprinted is placed in a mold cavity of an imprint mold, and the imprint mold includes a set of upper and lower templates, and each of the upper and lower templates has an pattern-imprinting surface with an imprint pattern, and the object to be imprinted is placed between surfaces having the imprint patterns on the upper and lower templates, and then the imprint mold is closed. Now, the upper and lower templates will form a sealed mold cavity, and the object to be imprinted is situated in the sealed mold cavity. After the imprint mold is closed, the imprint mold is heated to soften the object to be imprinted to a plastic state, and then the imprint mold presses at the object to be imprinted, such that the imprint patterns of the upper and lower templates are formed on the object to be imprinted, and finally the object to be imprinted is cooled, and the shaped product is removed from the imprint mold after the imprint mold is opened. 
         [0005]    The conventional pressing device uses hydraulic, pneumatic or other drivers as a source of an output pressure and operates together with a camshaft or a shaft connected directly to the imprint mold to apply pressure to the template. Compared with the shaft for transmitting pressure, the template has a plane of a large area, and the pressure of the template transmitted by the shaft is considered as a point pressure, so that the whole plane of the template may not be pressed easily. As a result, the object to be imprinted is pressed by the template with a non-uniform pressure, and it is difficult to improve the yield rate of the imprint product, and only imprint products with a small size can be manufactured. Small improvements were made afterwards. For example, a multi-axis pressure device using a silicone board as a shock absorbent was introduced. 
         [0006]    In general, the conventional heating device includes a borehole formed on the upper and lower templates or the imprint mold to form a water path, and heats or cools the object to be imprinted by a hot fluid or a cold fluid; or both heat pipe and water path are installed in staggered relation, wherein the heat pipe is used for heating the object to be imprinted, and the water path is provided for passing the cold fluid to cool the object to be imprinted. In the aforementioned conventional heating method, the imprint mold body is heated first, and then the heat energy is conducted to the object to be imprinted. The heat conduction may have a non-constant speed due to factors such as the size of the imprint mold, the installation position of the heat pipe or water path, and the size of the object to be imprinted, and thus the object to be imprinted may be softened and non-uniform, and a low yield rate of the imprint product may result. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, it is a primary objective of the invention to provide a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus, which overcomes the problem of low yield rate and also overcomes the non-uniform pressing and non-uniform heating problems of an object to be imprinted. 
         [0008]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention provides a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus, comprising a first cavity, a first heat conduction film, and a first template. The first cavity is disposed on a side of a molding machine, and the first cavity is a cavity with a first open surface, and a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet formed at the periphery of the cavity. The first heat conduction film is disposed on the first open surface for sealing the first cavity to form a first sealed pressure chamber, wherein a surface of the first heat conduction film with its backside aligning towards the first sealed pressure chamber is coupled to a surface of the first template, and another surface of the first template is a first pattern-imprinting surface. The molding machine is provided for driving the first cavity, and a cold fluid or a hot fluid is passed to the first sealed pressure chamber through the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet. The uniform-pressure shaping apparatus further comprises a second cavity, a second heat conduction film, and a second template. The second cavity is disposed on another side of the molding machine, wherein the second cavity is a cavity with a second open surface, and a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet are formed at the periphery of the cavity. The second heat conduction film is installed at a second open surface of the second cavity to seal the second cavity to form a second sealed pressure chamber. A surface of the second template is disposed on the second heat conduction film with its backside aligning towards the second sealed pressure chamber, and another surface is a second pattern-imprinting surface provided for placing an object to be imprinted thereon. If the first cavity and the second cavity are closed, a containing space is formed between the first pattern-imprinting surface and the second pattern-imprinting surface, and the object to be imprinted is situated in the containing space. A cold fluid or a hot fluid is passed through the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet into the second sealed pressure chamber. The uniform-pressure shaping apparatus further comprises a vacuum pipeline, with an end connected to the containing space, and another end connected to a vacuum unit, and the vacuum unit draws air from the containing space through the vacuum pipeline. The cold fluid or hot fluid is transmitted to the first sealed pressure chamber and the second sealed pressure chamber by a fluid circulation unit, and the hot fluid is used for heating and pressing the object to be imprinted, and the cold fluid is used for cooling the object to be imprinted. 
         [0009]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention provides a uniform-pressure shaping system to overcome the problems of a non-uniform pressing and heating process of an object to be imprinted and a low yield rate. 
         [0010]    The uniform-pressure shaping system comprises a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus, a vacuum unit and a fluid circulation unit. The uniform-pressure shaping apparatus comprises at least one cavity, a first template and a second template. A surface of the cavity is disposed on a side of a molding machine, and a heat conduction film is installed on another surface of the cavity, and the cavity is sealed by a heat conduction film to form a sealed pressure chamber. A surface of the first template is disposed on heat conduction film with its backside aligning towards the sealed pressure chamber, and another surface of the first template is a first pattern-imprinting surface with an imprint pattern. A surface of the second template is disposed on another side of the molding machine, and another surface of the second template is a second pattern-imprinting surface, and an object to be imprinted is placed on the second pattern-imprinting surface. The vacuum unit is connected to a containing space through a vacuum pipeline for drawing out air from the containing space to define a vacuum state. The containing space is a gap formed between the first pattern-imprinting surface and the second pattern-imprinting surface when the molding machine is closed, and the object to be imprinted is situated in the containing space. The fluid circulation unit includes a first pipeline, a second pipeline, a third pipeline, a fourth pipeline, a hot fluid storage tank and a cold fluid storage tank. An end of the first pipeline is coupled to a fluid inlet, and another end of the first pipeline is coupled to a hot fluid storage tank, and includes a first pressure valve and a first driver. The first driver is provided for driving a hot fluid contained in the hot fluid storage tank to enter into the sealed pressure chamber through the fluid inlet to heat the object to be imprinted. An end of the second pipeline is coupled to the fluid inlet, and another end of the second pipeline is coupled to a cold fluid storage tank, and includes a second pressure valve and a second driver. The second driver is provided for driving a cold fluid contained in the cold fluid storage tank to enter into the sealed pressure chamber through the fluid inlet to cool the object to be imprinted. An end of the third pipeline is coupled to a fluid outlet, and another end of the third pipeline is coupled to a cold fluid storage tank, and includes a third pressure valve and a third driver. The third driver is provided for driving the cold fluid or hot fluid in the sealed pressure chamber to exit from sealed pressure chamber to the cold fluid storage tank. An end of the fourth pipeline is coupled to the fluid outlet through a fourth pressure valve, and another end of the fourth pipeline is coupled to the hot fluid storage tank for providing a passage to flow the hot fluid to the hot fluid storage tank. If the first driver is operated and only the first pipeline, the sealed pressure chamber and the fourth pipeline are interconnected, the hot fluid will flow through the sealed pressure chamber, and the heat conduction film and the template will heat the object to be imprinted. If the first driver is operated and only the first pipeline and the sealed pressure chamber are interconnected, the hot fluid will flow into the sealed pressure chamber to accumulate pressure and produce a uniform pressure to be exerted onto the object to be imprinted through the heat conduction film. If the third driver is operated and only the third pipeline and the sealed pressure chamber are interconnected, the hot fluid will flow out from the sealed pressure chamber to release pressure. If the second driver is operated and only the second pipeline, the sealed pressure chamber and the third pipeline are interconnected, the cold fluid will flow through the sealed pressure chamber, and the heat conduction film and the template will cool the object to be imprinted. 
         [0011]    The first pipeline further comprises a heater installed between the first pressure valve and the first driver for re-heating or maintaining the temperature of the hot fluid passing through the first pipeline. 
         [0012]    The second pipeline further comprises a heat exchanger installed between the second pressure valve and the second driver for re-cooling or maintaining the temperature of the cold fluid passing through the second pipeline. 
         [0013]    The hot fluid storage tank further includes a heating coil pipe installed therein for heating and storing a fluid in the hot fluid storage tank. 
         [0014]    The cold fluid storage tank further includes a cooling coil pipe installed therein for cooling and storing a fluid in the cold fluid storage tank. 
         [0015]    The uniform-pressure shaping apparatus further comprises a second cavity disposed on another side of the molding machine, and a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet formed at the periphery of the second cavity, wherein the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet are interconnected through a second sealed pressure chamber which is formed by dividing the second cavity through a second heat conduction film. A surface of the second template is disposed on a surface of the second heat conduction film with its backside aligning towards the second sealed pressure chamber. 
         [0016]    In summation, the uniform-pressure shaping apparatus and system of the present invention have one or more of the following advantages: 
         [0017]    (1) The uniform-pressure shaping apparatus and system use a hot fluid as a heat source, and the heat conduction film acting as a medium is very thin, so that heat can be conducted to heat the object to be imprinted uniformly. 
         [0018]    (2) The uniform-pressure shaping apparatus and system use a high-pressure fluid as a pressure source, so that the object to be imprinted is pressed uniformly by the distribution of equal forces of fluid molecules. 
         [0019]    (3) The uniform-pressure shaping apparatus and system use a high-pressure fluid as a pressure source, so that the size of the object to be imprinted is not limited due to the distribution of equal forces of fluid molecules. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of opening and closing a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a uniform-pressure shaping system in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2  for a schematic view of a uniform-pressure shaping apparatus and a schematic view of opening and closing the uniform-pressure shaping apparatus in accordance with the present invention respectively, the uniform-pressure shaping apparatus comprises a first cavity  12  and a second cavity  13 , wherein the first cavity  12  is disposed on a side of the molding machine  11 , and the second cavity  13  is disposed on another side of the molding machine  11 . The first cavity  12  is a cavity having a first open surface  120 , and the first cavity  12  includes a first fluid inlet  121  and a first fluid outlet  122  formed at the periphery of the first cavity  12 . The first heat conduction film  123  is installed at the first open surface  120  to seal the first cavity  12  to form a first sealed pressure chamber  124 . A surface of the first template  125  is disposed on the first heat conduction film  123  with its backside aligning towards the first sealed pressure chamber  124 , and another surface of the first template  125  is a first pattern-imprinting surface  126 . The second cavity  13  is a cavity having a second open surface  130 , and the second cavity  13  includes a second fluid inlet  131  and a second fluid outlet  132  formed at the periphery of the second cavity  13 . The second heat conduction film  133  is installed at the second open surface  130  to seal the second cavity  13  to form a second sealed pressure chamber  134 . A surface of the second template  135  is disposed on the second heat conduction film  133  with its backside aligning towards the second sealed pressure chamber  134 , and another surface of the second template  135  is a second pattern-imprinting surface  136 , and an object to be imprinted  14  is placed on the second pattern-imprinting surface  136 . When the first cavity  12  and the second cavity  13  are closed, a containing space  15  is formed between the first pattern-imprinting surface  126  and the second pattern-imprinting surface  136 , and the object to be imprinted  14  placed on the second pattern-imprinting surface  136  is situated in the containing space  15 . An end of the vacuum pipeline  16  is coupled to the containing space  15 , and another end of the vacuum pipeline  16  is coupled to a vacuum unit  2 , and the vacuum unit  2  is provided for drawing air from the containing space  15  to define a vacuum state. The fluid circulation unit  3  transmits a hot fluid or a cold fluid to the first sealed pressure chamber  124  and the second sealed pressure chamber  134 . The hot fluid is used for heating and pressing the object to be imprinted  14 , and the cold fluid is used for cooling the object to be imprinted  14 . 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIG. 3  for a schematic view of a uniform-pressure shaping system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the uniform-pressure shaping apparatus  1  is a device having two sealed pressure cavities, but the invention is not limited to such arrangement only. The uniform-pressure apparatus  1  comprises a first cavity  12  and a second cavity  13 , wherein an opening formed on a surface of the first cavity is sealed by a first heat conduction film  123  to form a first sealed pressure chamber  124 , and another surface of the first cavity is disposed on a side of a molding machine  11 , and the first cavity  12  includes a first fluid inlet  121  and a first fluid outlet  122  formed at the periphery of the first cavity  12 , and the first fluid inlet  121  and the first fluid outlet  122  are interconnected through the first sealed pressure chamber  124 . An opening formed on a surface of the second cavity  12  is sealed by a second heat conduction film  133  to form a second sealed pressure chamber  134 , and another surface of the second cavity  12  is disposed on another side of the molding machine  11 , and a second fluid inlet  131  and a second fluid outlet  132  are formed at the periphery of the second cavity  13 , and the second fluid inlet  131  and the second fluid outlet  132  are interconnected through the second sealed pressure chamber  134 . A first template  125  includes a first pattern-imprinting surface  126 , and a surface with its backside aligning towards the first pattern-imprinting surface  126  is disposed on the first heat conduction film  123  with its backside aligning towards the first sealed pressure chamber  124 . A second template  135  has a second pattern-imprinting surface  136 , and a surface with its backside aligning the second pattern-imprinting surface  136  is disposed on the second heat conduction film  133  with its backside aligning towards the second sealed pressure chamber  134 , and an object to be imprinted  14  is placed on the second pattern-imprinting surface  136 . When the molding machine  11  is closed, a containing space  15  is formed between the first pattern-imprinting surface  126  and the second pattern-imprinting surface  136 , and the object to be imprinted  14  is situated in the containing space  15 . A fluid circulation unit  3  comprises a hot fluid storage tank  35 , a cold fluid storage tank  36 , a first pipeline  31 , a second pipeline  32 , a third pipeline  33  and a fourth pipeline  34 . The hot fluid storage tank  35  is connected to the uniform-pressure shaping apparatus  1  through the first pipeline  31  and the fourth pipeline  34  for providing a hot fluid to heat and press the templates  125 ,  135  and the object to be imprinted  14 , and the cold fluid storage tank  36  is connected to the uniform-pressure shaping apparatus  1  through the second pipeline  32  and the third pipeline  33  for providing a cold fluid to cool the templates  125 ,  135  and the object to be imprinted  14 . The hot fluid storage tank  35  includes a heating coil pipe  351  for heating a fluid contained in the hot fluid storage tank  35 , and the cold fluid storage tank  36  includes a cooling coil pipe  361  for cooling a fluid contained in the cold fluid storage tank  36 . Ends of the first pipeline  31  and the fourth pipeline  34  are connected to the sealed pressure chambers  124 ,  134  through the fluid inlets  121 ,  131  and the fluid outlets  122 ,  132  respectively, and other ends of the first pipeline  31  and the fourth pipeline  34  are connected to the hot fluid storage tank  35 . The first pipeline  31  comprises a first pressure valve  311  installed at a position proximate to the fluid inlets  121 ,  131  and a first driver  312  for driving the hot fluid contained in the hot fluid storage tank  35  to enter into the sealed pressure chambers  124 ,  134 . The fourth pipeline  34  includes a fourth pressure valve  341  installed at a position proximate to the fluid outlets  122 ,  132 . Ends of the second pipeline  32  and the third pipeline  33  are connected to the sealed pressure chamber  124 ,  134  through the fluid inlets  121 ,  131  and the fluid outlets  122 ,  132  respectively, and other ends of the second pipeline  32  and the third pipeline  33  are connected to the cold fluid storage tank  36 . The second pipeline  32  comprises a second pressure valve  321  installed at a position proximate to the fluid inlets  121 ,  131  and a second driver  322  for driving a cold fluid contained in the cold fluid storage tank  36  to enter into the sealed pressure chambers  124 ,  134 . The third pipeline  33  comprises a third pressure valve  331  installed at a position proximate to the fluid outlets  122 ,  132  and a third driver  332  for driving a hot fluid contained in the sealed pressure chambers  124 ,  134  to flow from the sealed pressure chambers  124 ,  134  to the cold fluid storage tank  36 . 
         [0025]    When the molding machine  11  is closed, the vacuum unit  2  is operated to vacuum the containing space  15 , while the first pipeline  31  and the fourth pipeline  34  remain interconnected with the sealed pressure chamber  124 ,  134 , and the second pipeline and the third pipeline remain closed, and the first driver  312  is operated to transmit a hot fluid contained in the hot fluid storage tank  35  to enter into the sealed pressure chambers  124 ,  134  to perform a heating process. If the heat conduction films  123 ,  133  and the templates  125 ,  135  are heated by the hot fluid, the heat will be transmitted to the object to be imprinted  14  uniformly to achieve the uniform temperature effect. After the object to be imprinted  14  is heated to a plastic state, the fourth pipeline is shut down or the fourth pressure valve  341  is turned off, and the first driver  312  continues driving the hot fluid into the sealed pressure chamber  124 ,  134  for accumulating pressure. When the pressure in the cavities has reached a desired level, the first pipeline is shut down, namely the first pressure valve  311  is turned off, to maintain the desired level of pressure. With the uniform pressure characteristic of the fluid, pressure can be transmitted uniformly to the object to be imprinted  14  through the heat conduction films  123 ,  133  and the templates  125 ,  135  to achieve the uniform pressure effect. If the object to be imprinted  14  is heated, pressed, transprinted, and shaped, then the third pipeline will be opened, namely the third pressure valve  331  will be turned on, to release the pressure. Meanwhile, the third driver  332  is operated to draw out the hot fluid contained in the sealed pressure chamber  124 ,  134  from the fluid outlet  122 ,  132  to the cold fluid storage tank  36 . After the hot fluid is cooled by the cooling coil pipe  361 , the fluid can be reused. If the hot fluid contained in the sealed pressure chamber  124 ,  134  is almost exhausted, the second pipeline  32  will be opened, namely the second pressure valve  321  will be turned on. Meanwhile, the second driver  322  is operated to drive the cold fluid contained in the cold fluid storage tank  36  to enter into the sealed pressure chambers  124 ,  134  to perform the cooling process. After the object to be imprinted  14  is cooled, transprinted and shaped, the molding machine  11  is opened to remove the object to be imprinted  14 . 
         [0026]    A heater  313  can be installed between the first driver  312  and the first pressure valve  311  to expedite heating the hot fluid or adjusting the temperature of the hot fluid. A heat exchanger  323  can be installed between the second driver  322  and the second pressure valve  321  to expedite cooling the cold fluid or adjusting the temperature of the cold fluid. 
         [0027]    In summation of the description above, the present invention improves over the prior art and complies with the patent application requirements, and thus the invention is duly filed for patent application. While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those generally skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.