Patent ID: 6981863

Claim:
A system for molding thermoplastic sandwich material to form a deep-drawn article, the system comprising: a female die having an article-defining cavity defined by inner surfaces of the female die; a male die for forcing an inner portion of a blank of thermoplastic sandwich material having a cellular core into the female die along a substantially vertical axis and against the inner surfaces of the female die to obtain deep-drawn material; and a clamping mechanism for clamping at least one outer portion of the blank immediately adjacent the female die to guide the at least one outer portion of the blank to travel into the article-defining cavity at an acute angle with respect to the vertical axis during forcing of the inner portion of the blank into the female die so that thickness of at least one side wall of the deep-drawn material is substantially the same as thickness of the blank of thermoplastic sandwich material and so that the deep-drawn material does not significantly stretch or tear as the inner portion of the blank is forced into the female die.