The present invention provides a container forming apparatus, a container forming method, a container, and an instant food packaging method using the container. The container forming apparatus, which is a container forming apparatus for forming a container by thermoforming, comprises: a bottom forming part for forming the bottom portion of the container; a side forming part extending upwardly inclined from the bottom forming part and configured to form a part of the side portion of the container; a first form part configured to rise upward and pressurize the container to separate and take out the formed container; and a second form part disposed outside the first form part and configured to form the remaining parts of the container except the part of the side portion.

A method of laminating a contoured part including heating a flexible membrane, positioning the heated flexible membrane into thermal contact with the contoured part, maintaining the heated flexible membrane in thermal contact with the contoured part to raise a surface temperature of the contoured part, moving the flexible membrane out of thermal contact with the contoured part, positioning a laminate between the flexible membrane and the contoured part, conforming the laminate to a surface of the contoured part, and heating the conformed laminate and contoured part to adhere the conformed laminate to the surface of the contoured part. The laminate may be conformed to a surface of the contoured part by applying a vacuum between the flexible membrane and the contoured part.

Thermoformed locking assembly comprising a first web portion including locking lug having lug undercut defining a cantilevered lug ledge having lug engaging surface, second web portion including locking recess having recess undercut defining an opposing recess ledge having recess engaging surface and a lug stop opposite the recess undercut. Locking recess configured to receive locking lug and lug stop configured to position locking lug in locking recess with the lug engaging surface in engagement with the recess engaging surface when first web portion is moved towards second web portion.

The present invention relates to vacuum forming process for moulding a thermoset material and a start-up process for moulding a thermoset material. The present invention also relates to articles produced by the vacuum forming process.

A mold includes a first section, a second section, and a weakened region that joins the first section to the second section. The weakened region is breakable, deflectable, or deformable in response to a first threshold force to enable the first section to be removed from a shell independently of the second section after the shell is formed over the mold. The first threshold force is less than a second threshold force that would damage or permanently deform the shell. The first section is a first mold of at least a portion of one or more first teeth of a dental arch and the second section is a second mold of at least a portion of one or more second teeth of the dental arch.

A method includes determining a first shape of a main body of a mold associated with a dental arch for a patient. The method further includes determining a second shape of a separable feature of the mold. The method further includes determining a third shape and configuration of a receiving element of the main body to receive the separable feature. The method further includes outputting instructions for fabricating the separable feature and the main body that includes the receiving element for receiving the separable feature.

A method includes determining a first shape of a main body of a mold associated with a dental arch for a patient. The method further includes determining a second shape of a separable feature of the mold. The method further includes determining a third shape and configuration of a receiving element of the main body to receive the separable feature. The method further includes outputting instructions for fabricating the separable feature and the main body that includes the receiving element for receiving the separable feature.

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 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 mold includes a first section, a second section, and a weakened region that joins the first section to the second section. The weakened region is breakable, deflectable, or deformable in response to a first threshold force to enable the first section to be removed from a shell independently of the second section after the shell is formed over the mold. The first threshold force is less than a second threshold force that would damage or permanently deform the shell. The first section is a first mold of at least a portion of one or more first teeth of a dental arch and the second section is a second mold of at least a portion of one or more second teeth of the dental arch.