Patent ID: 7611660

Claim:
A method for continuous vacuum forming a material comprising the steps of: extruding an extruded sheet having an elevated temperature in the range of about 250° F. to about 450° F.; dispensing said extruded sheet on a rotating flexible patterned belt, said flexible patterned belt having apertures spaced along the length and width thereof; applying vacuum pressure in one or more vacuum regions positioned adjacent said flexible patterned belt for drawing said extruded sheet into forming contact with said flexible patterned belt; and applying cooling fluid in one or more cooling regions positioned adjacent said vacuum regions, said cooling fluid being drawn through said apertures of said flexible patterned belt to contact a bottom surface of said extruded sheet for cooling said extruded sheet below said elevated temperature during forming said extruded sheet, wherein the vacuum region removes the cooling fluid from the flexible patterned belt at said one or more cooling regions.