A strip-shape softened resin sheet (S) which is continuously extruded from a molten resin extruder is cut to a unit resin sheet and a press molded product is manufactured by press-molding the unit resin sheet in a press-molding machine 20. Prior to press-molding the unit resin sheet (U) by the press-molding machine, the unit resin sheet (U) is heated by a heating machine 16. The heating machine 16 comprises a first heating furnace 84 and a second heating furnace 86. The first heating furnace 84 includes a series of heaters 84-3 and 84-4 whose heat source is infrared ray in a far-infrared region and the second heating furnace 86 includes a series of heaters 86-3 and 86-4 whose heat source is the infrared ray in a middle-infrared region. In the first furnace 84, the unit resin sheet (U) is continuously conveyed with a low velocity and is gradually heated by the far-infrared ray up to temperature which is slightly lower than the temperature which is suitable for press-molding the unit resin sheet (U). In the second furnace 86, the unit resin sheet (U) is stopped and is rapidly heated by the middle-infrared ray. By efficiently heating the unit resin sheet (U), a cycle time can be shortened and the production speed can be improved.

A strip-shape softened resin sheet (S) which is continuously extruded from a molten resin extruder is cut to a unit resin sheet and a press molded product is manufactured by press-molding the unit resin sheet in a press-molding machine 20. Prior to press-molding the unit resin sheet (U) by the press-molding machine, the unit resin sheet (U) is heated by a heating machine 16. The heating machine 16 comprises a first heating furnace 84 and a second heating furnace 86. The first heating furnace 84 includes a series of heaters 84-3 and 84-4 whose heat source is infrared ray in a far-infrared region and the second heating furnace 86 includes a series of heaters 86-3 and 86-4 whose heat source is the infrared ray in a middle-infrared region. In the first furnace 84, the unit resin sheet (U) is continuously conveyed with a low velocity and is gradually heated by the far-infrared ray up to temperature which is slightly lower than the temperature which is suitable for press-molding the unit resin sheet (U). In the second furnace 86, the unit resin sheet (U) is stopped and is rapidly heated by the middle-infrared ray. By efficiently heating the unit resin sheet (U), a cycle time can be shortened and the production speed can be improved.

A thermoforming device according to the present invention has a masking plate and a heater block. A plurality of the heater blocks are disposed with a space therebetween in a planar direction of the masking plate. The thickness of the masking plate is 0.2-3.0 mm. The distance of the space is 1-15 mm, and the distance of the space is set at least five times larger than the thickness of the masking plate. Heat to be transmitted to the masking plate from a high temperature heater block is more easily transmitted in the thickness direction of the masking plate than in the surface direction of the masking plate, and is more easily transmitted to the sheet than to a portion, of the masking plate, corresponding to a low temperature heater block, whereby a temperature difference is provided between different zones of the masking plate.

A thermoforming device according to the present invention has a masking plate and a heater block. A plurality of the heater blocks are disposed with a space therebetween in a planar direction of the masking plate. The thickness of the masking plate is 0.2-3.0 mm. The distance of the space is 1-15 mm, and the distance of the space is set at least five times larger than the thickness of the masking plate. Heat to be transmitted to the masking plate from a high temperature heater block is more easily transmitted in the thickness direction of the masking plate than in the surface direction of the masking plate, and is more easily transmitted to the sheet than to a portion, of the masking plate, corresponding to a low temperature heater block, whereby a temperature difference is provided between different zones of the masking plate.

The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing an artificial leather shoe upper which comprises steps of preparing plural pieces of artificial leather upper material, setting a thermoforming machine, placing the plural pieces of artificial leather upper material in the thermoforming machine, pumping out excess air of a lower die block of the thermoforming machine, thermoforming the plural pieces of artificial leather upper material to obtain a semi-finished product, and demoulding, image recognition, laser cutting and coloring the semi-finished product to obtain the artificial leather shoe upper.

A tool for a thermoforming process to form a moulded product from wet pulp fibre material includes two or more moulds each having a moulding surface, an actuator assembly, and a fluid extraction system. At least one of the moulds is displaceable by the actuator assembly between first and second positions and has fluid extraction paths extending through the mould to transport fluid away from the moulding surface. One of the moulds has a first layer that is substantially rigid to form a support member and is in communication with a heating subsystem of the fluid extraction system, and a second layer that is, in use of the tool, between the first layer and the wet pulp fibre material. The second layer is formed of a material that has interconnected internal voids forming part of the fluid extraction paths and has a lower heat transfer coefficient than the first layer.

A tool for a thermoforming process to form a moulded product from wet pulp fibre material includes two or more moulds each having a moulding surface, an actuator assembly, and a fluid extraction system. At least one of the moulds is displaceable by the actuator assembly between first and second positions and has fluid extraction paths extending through the mould to transport fluid away from the moulding surface. One of the moulds has a first layer that is substantially rigid to form a support member and is in communication with a heating subsystem of the fluid extraction system, and a second layer that is, in use of the tool, between the first layer and the wet pulp fibre material. The second layer is formed of a material that has interconnected internal voids forming part of the fluid extraction paths and has a lower heat transfer coefficient than the first layer.

A three-dimensional decorative piece that is made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin and can retain bulkiness and shape by a core and a method of producing the same. The three-dimensional decorative piece includes an upper layer molded body made of an upper layer material with a metal vapor-deposited layer and having a three-dimensional shape with a convex portion formed on its front surface side through a high-frequency dielectric heating, a core formed by curing a flowable synthetic resin filled in the convex portion of the upper layer molded body, and a substrate bonded a back surface side of the core by fusion.

The method of the present invention for producing a shaped film includes a step of arranging a thermoplastic resin film to divide a space into a first space located on one surface side of the film, and a second space located on the other surface side, a step of heating the thermoplastic resin film, a step of curving the thermoplastic resin film in one space by using a difference in pressure between the first space and the second space, a step of stopping the curving step of the thermoplastic resin film in a state where at least a convex curved surface of both surfaces of the film is exposed into the space, and a step of cooling the curved film.

A thermoforming method includes forming a skin comprising a plurality of plies thermoplastic resin and fiber, securing an edge of the skin to a mandrel, heating, via a heating element, the skin to a forming temperature, moving a thermoforming apparatus with respect to the mandrel, rolling at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus along the skin in a direction away from the clamped edge of the skin in response to the thermoforming apparatus moving with respect to the mandrel, and in response to the at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus rolling along the skin, compressing the skin between the at least one roller and the mandrel, consolidating the plurality of plies of material, and bending the skin to conform to a shape of the mandrel. The consolidated and formed skin is then cooled and removed from the mandrel.