An apparatus for manufacturing a pouch, includes a die in which a pair of forming grooves are formed with a partition wall therebetween in a top surface thereof; and a pair of punches disposed above the die configured to form a pair of accommodation parts in a pouch film while being respectively inserted into the pair of forming grooves in a state of pressing the pouch film, wherein a pressing surface of each of the punches, which is configured to press the pouch film, has an inclined angle that is inclined upward from one end thereof disposed at a side of the partition wall toward an opposite end thereof.

To solve the above problems, a pouch molding method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a seating step of seating a pouch film on a top surface of a die; a stripper descending step of allowing a stripper disposed above the die to descend; a fixing step of fixing the pouch film using the stripper; a molding preparation step of allowing a Blank holder disposed at a central portion of the die to ascend to contact one surface of the pouch film and allowing a punch disposed at a central portion of the stripper to descend to contact the other surface of the pouch film; and a molding step of allowing the punch and the Blank holder to descend along with each other to form a cup part in the pouch film.

A crisscross thermoforming assist plug assembly having a pair of oppositely outwardly facing thermoforming assist plugs each carried by a respective one of a pair of thermoforming assist plug linkage arrangements, where at least one link of the linkage arrangement is used to extend one of the assist plugs in one direction crosses but does not contact in a side view or profile of the thermoforming assist plug assembly, and at least one link of the other linkage arrangement is used to extend the other one of the assist plugs in an opposite direction. The links of the linkage arrangement preferably pivot about a common pivot axis that preferably is an elongate pivot shaft extending transversely between elongate upper rails of a frame of the assembly. At least one of the links of the linkage arrangement is a drive link that extends or retracts one of the plugs that crosses a drive link that extends and/or retracts the other one of the plugs. The drive links preferably form a crisscross arrangement when actuated in a manner that substantially simultaneously extends the respective plugs into the mold cavity and/or substantially simultaneously retracts the respective plugs from the mold cavity.

A method of producing a laminated article comprising placing a first metal skin, a core, and a second metal skin freely onto each other as discreet layers to provide a layered component; and forming the layered component into a shaped article via a die prior to producing a laminated article by applying pressure and heat to the shaped article, wherein at least the first skin moves relative to the core and/or second skin during the forming.

A method for manufacturing first and second trim parts of a vehicle, the first trim part having a first thickness and the second trim part having a second thickness different from the first thickness. The method includes introducing the first trim part and the second trim part between a front and a back tool of the forming mold, the front tool having a front fixed part and a front movable insert movable with respect to the front fixed part along a main direction, the back tool having a back fixed part and a back movable insert movable with respect to the back fixed part along the main direction; and adjusting settings of the forming mold to different values for the first and second trim parts.

A method of producing a laminated article comprising placing a first metal skin, a core, and a second metal skin freely onto each other as discrete layers to provide a layered component; and forming the layered component into a shaped article via a die prior to producing a laminated article by applying pressure and heat to the shaped article, wherein at least the first skin moves relative to the core and/or second skin during the forming.

A method of molding a thermoplastic resin material includes: a first molding step in which a second mold that, with a first mold, nips and presses the thermoplastic resin material and molds a product, is divided into plural sections, and one section at the divided second mold is structured so as to be able to enter into and exit from another section, and the one section is made to protrude-out with respect to the another section, and, at the one section, the thermoplastic resin material is pressed, and a portion of the product is molded; and a second molding step in which, after the first molding step, the one section is retracted into the another section, and, at the another section, the thermoplastic resin material is pressed, and a remaining portion of the product is molded.

A pouch-type battery case according to an embodiment of the invention may accommodate an electrode assembly, in which electrodes and separators are alternately stacked. The pouch-type battery case may include: a pair of recess parts, each of which has a recessed shape; a pair of terraces that are disposed around the pair of recess parts and are inclined downward in a direction closer to each other in a state; in which the battery case is unfolded; and a bridge disposed between the pair of recess parts, configured to connect the pair of recess parts to each other, having a pair of connection surfaces formed to be inclined upward from a bottom surface of each of the pair of recess parts in a direction closer to each other. In the state in which the battery case is unfolded, an angle formed by the pair of terraces may be an obtuse angle.

An apparatus and related method of utilizing articulating vacuum plates to manipulate a film or polymeric sheet and form a three dimensional article is provided. The apparatus can be in the form of an articulating vacuum plate system which includes one or more plates or mold parts that are configured to support a sheet, constructed for example, from a polymeric film, in a two dimensional configuration or a three dimensional configuration in a first mode. The apparatus is constructed so that the plates and/or mold parts can articulate or move so as to reconfigure the sheet from a generally planar configuration into a second three dimensional configuration in a second mode for further forming, optionally while the plates and/or mold parts apply vacuum to the sheet while the plates and/or mold parts articulate, so that the plates and/or mold parts bend or otherwise manipulate the configuration and shape of the sheet.

A molding device for thermoforming, comprising a two-part mold that makes it possible to define an open and a closed state of the mold is provided. The first part of the two-part mold comprises a means of suction for pressing the sheet against its working surface. The means of suction includes a main means of suction and at least one secondary means of suction that is designed for and capable of generating suction in a specific limited area of the working surface, at least partially independently relative to the main means of suction. The second part of the mold comprises an added-on hollow shaping part, that is arranged so that it is located, when the mold is closed, directly facing the specific limited area of the working surface of the first part of the mold. The secondary means of suction can be controlled independently of the main means of suction.