Patent ID: 8591678

Claim:
A vacuum forming machine for attaching a decorative sheet onto a base member, the vacuum forming machine comprising: a holder including a ring-shaped member arranged to hold and grip an outer periphery of the decorative sheet; upper and lower boxes separated by the decorative sheet and the holder; a pressure reducer arranged to reduce pressures inside the upper and lower boxes; a first valve arranged to adjust a degree of pressure reduction inside the upper box; a second valve arranged to adjust a degree of pressure reduction inside the lower box; a heater arranged to heat the decorative sheet; a temperature information collector including a temperature sensor arranged to directly detect a temperature of the decorative sheet; a pressure information collector including a plurality of pressure sensors arranged to sense the pressures inside the upper and lower boxes; and a controller programmed to control the opening/closing operations of the first and second valves based on the temperature of the decorative sheet and the pressures inside the upper and lower boxes while the pressure reducer is operating.