Patent ID: 7332121

Claim:
A thermoforming apparatus for producing shaped bodies of plastic sheet, such as cups, containers, lids, secondary packagings for foodstuffs or the like, comprising a forming station with a two-part forming tool, wherein said two-part forming tool comprises an upper tool table adapted to be adjustably fixed and having an upper tool with pre-stretch means movably mounted therein, and a movable lower tool table having a lower tool with cavities, wherein said movable lower tool table is guided through the intermediary of guide means and capable of being approached to said upper tool table and moved away from it by drive means, and wherein said upper tool table includes associated first drive means for adjusting said upper tool table in its position relative to the upper dead center of said lower tool table in correspondence with the respective shaped body to be produced, and said upper tool table includes associated second drive means for driving said stretch means movably mounted in said upper tool, wherein said first drive means of said lower tool table is a crank drive, wherein said lower tool table together with its first drive means is liftable, within said guide means linearly guiding said lower tool table, through the intermediary of a second drive means, such that a predetermined stroke could be achieved, for performing a die-cutting movement, and wherein the pre-stretch means are driveable, through the intermediary of said second drive means of said lower tool table, such that a stroke of at least 120 mm may be performed in less than 300 ms.