A vacuuming forming method for creating an embellished reproduction of an image. The image is printed on to a thermoformable substrate to create a printed substrate. A chemical compound is applied to a surface of a perforated sheet to form artistic embellishments on the surface and create an embellished sheet. The printed substrate is positioned over the embellished sheet placed on a vacuum table. Heat is applied to the printed substrate and sufficient vacuum is provided to the vacuum table to press the printed substrate on to the embellished sheet to form an embellished reproduction of the image from the printed substrate. The perforated sheet can have a three-dimensional surface, which can be included in the embellished reproduction.

A method of forming an automatic dishwashing pouch comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of material (10); identifying one or more regions of the material; heating the material with a heating device having a non-uniform heating profile, the non-uniform heating profile arranged to heat the identified region(s) to a greater temperature than other regions of the material; and forming the material in a mould to form the automatic dishwashing pouch, the automatic dishwashing pouch including a plurality of cavities (12).

A method of forming an automatic dishwashing pouch comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of material (10); identifying one or more regions of the material; heating the material with a heating device having a non-uniform heating profile, the non-uniform heating profile arranged to heat the identified region(s) to a greater temperature than other regions of the material; and forming the material in a mould to form the automatic dishwashing pouch, the automatic dishwashing pouch including a plurality of cavities (12).

The present invention provides a receptacle molding apparatus, a receptacle and a receptacle molding method. The receptacle molding apparatus, which is for molding a receptacle by means of heat molding, comprises: a first mold portion comprising a body molding part, which is for molding a body of a receptacle, a skirt molding part, which extends upward from the body molding part so as to mold a skirt of the receptacle, and a flange molding part which extends in the direction from the upper end of the skirt molding part toward the outside so as to mold the lower surface of a flange of the receptacle; and a second mold portion which is provided above the first mold portion, can move vertically and enable pressure-molding of the upper surface of the flange, and has a pressing surface for pressing a sheet which is to be molded into the flange from above at a position corresponding to the flange molding part. The pressing surface comprises an extension part which is a part extending further than the inner end part of the flange molding part in the direction toward the center of the body molding part.

The present invention provides a receptacle molding apparatus, a receptacle and a receptacle molding method. The receptacle molding apparatus, which is for molding a receptacle by means of heat molding, comprises: a first mold portion comprising a body molding part, which is for molding a body of a receptacle, a skirt molding part, which extends upward from the body molding part so as to mold a skirt of the receptacle, and a flange molding part which extends in the direction from the upper end of the skirt molding part toward the outside so as to mold the lower surface of a flange of the receptacle; and a second mold portion which is provided above the first mold portion, can move vertically and enable pressure-molding of the upper surface of the flange, and has a pressing surface for pressing a sheet which is to be molded into the flange from above at a position corresponding to the flange molding part. The pressing surface comprises an extension part which is a part extending further than the inner end part of the flange molding part in the direction toward the center of the body molding part.

The invention is directed to a mould configuration (1) suited for use in a thermoforming forming station arranged to form one or more objects comprising a mould (2) made from a polymer material by additive manufacturing and provided a mould volume (6) consisting of a recess (6a) corresponding with the shape of the object as an upper zone (6b). A lower zone is divided from the upper zone by a recess wall (8). The lower zone (7) is provided with one or more open spaces (9) which fluidly connect the lower surface (8a) of the recess wall (8) with one or more openings (10) in the bottom (5) of the mould (2), a heat exchanger module (11) facing the bottom (5) of the mould (2) comprising cooling means (12) and cooling medium displacement means (13) and cooling medium inlet openings (14) and cooling medium outlet openings (15).

An apparatus (1) for thermoforming dental aligners provides a support structure (10) on which a rotary table (11) is mounted on which a plurality of operating modules (20) are mounted at an equidistant angle, each comprising a moulding support (21) suitable to house a dental arch (I) and a mounting support (22) suitable to house a disc of thermoformable material (F). The rotation of the table (11) brings the operating modules (20) in succession, at a heating device (30) in which the disc (F) is heated and softened and then at a moulding device (40) in which the mounting support is lowered into a lowered position (PA) to realize a moulding chamber (41) in which by means of an overpressure the disc (F) goes to copy the shape of the dental arch (I) to realize an aligner. An operator can load all the operating modules (20) and start the apparatus (1) in an automatic cycle, which sequentially produces all the aligners without the apparatus needing to be manned by the operator.

An apparatus (1) for thermoforming dental aligners provides a support structure (10) on which a rotary table (11) is mounted on which a plurality of operating modules (20) are mounted at an equidistant angle, each comprising a moulding support (21) suitable to house a dental arch (I) and a mounting support (22) suitable to house a disc of thermoformable material (F). The rotation of the table (11) brings the operating modules (20) in succession, at a heating device (30) in which the disc (F) is heated and softened and then at a moulding device (40) in which the mounting support is lowered into a lowered position (PA) to realize a moulding chamber (41) in which by means of an overpressure the disc (F) goes to copy the shape of the dental arch (I) to realize an aligner. An operator can load all the operating modules (20) and start the apparatus (1) in an automatic cycle, which sequentially produces all the aligners without the apparatus needing to be manned by the operator.

The invention relates to a method for producing a cushion for an orthopedic device, the cushion having a first component, which comprises a first film layer and a second film layer, and a second component that are joined with each other in such a way that there is at least one fluid-filled volume between the first component and the second component, the method comprising the following steps: inserting the first film layer, which has at least one opening, and the second film layer into a tool, which has an upper mold and a lower mold; applying a differential pressure to at least one of the film layers, so that the at least one film layer moves at least in sections towards the upper mold or the lower mold, thereby creating a distance between the two films; joining the two film layers along at least one connection line.

The invention relates to a method for producing a cushion for an orthopedic device, the cushion having a first component, which comprises a first film layer and a second film layer, and a second component that are joined with each other in such a way that there is at least one fluid-filled volume between the first component and the second component, the method comprising the following steps: inserting the first film layer, which has at least one opening, and the second film layer into a tool, which has an upper mold and a lower mold; applying a differential pressure to at least one of the film layers, so that the at least one film layer moves at least in sections towards the upper mold or the lower mold, thereby creating a distance between the two films; joining the two film layers along at least one connection line.