Patent ID: 8381663

Claim:
A method for producing a plate-shaped element for supporting or carrying an object, including a core of foamed plastic having a generally rectangular shape, said core being holohedrally covered with a plastic sheet or film of high-impact material at least on its surfaces, said method comprising the steps: providing two heated or softened plastic sheets or films covering a surface of the core and whose dimensions exceed dimensions of the surface of the core; clamping or sealing peripheral borders of the sheets outside the core; connecting the plastic sheets in a region of a peripheral side edge of the core between a surface of the core and an adjoining peripheral border of the core; evacuating a hollow space formed between the plastic sheets by applying a vacuum source before connecting the plastic sheets; and applying a differential pressure or vacuum via tubular or slot-shaped hollow means arranged about the periphery of the core between the sheets during clamping or sealing, said hollow means, for the formation of partially overlapping edge areas in the region of the connection of the sheets, being progressively removed from the area of connection between the two sheets immediately before terminating the evacuation step.