The present invention relates to a method for providing a product viewing window in a container. The container has at least a body ply and a liner ply, wherein the body ply has at least one aperture therethrough. The liner ply is adhered to the inner surface of the body ply and has a portion extending across the aperture, forming a window into the container. The method involves providing a window-finishing machine that comprises at least two platens and, optionally, a machine pocket positioned between them, a heating element extending through at least one of the platens, and a pressurized air device that is adapted to release pressurized air into the container through at least one of the platens. The container is engaged between the platens in an airtight manner and, optionally, the container window is positioned adjacent the inside wall of the machine pocket. The heating element heats the window of the container to the desired temperature, pressurized air is injected into the container such that the window is forced at least partially through the aperture of the container (and optionally into contact with the machine pocket wall), and the container window is then cooled to the desired temperature.

A thermoforming device includes: a base configured to hold a substrate; a hot plate including a heating surface facing vertically downward; a sheet transport portion that supplies a sheet onto the heating surface of the hot plate; and a substrate supply portion configured to attach the substrate to the base and detach the substrate from the base, and to dispose the substrate at a substrate supply position positioned in a lower area of the sheet which is opposite to a side of the sheet in which the heating surface is provided. In the thermoforming device, heating of the sheet using the hot plate and attachment and detachment of the substrate with respect to the base are performable at the same time, and the sheet heated and softened by the hot plate is attached to the substrate at the substrate supply position.

A method for processing a compensation layer, used in a vehicle interior, to increase a pressure resistance of the compensation layer. The method includes providing an unprocessed compensation layer. The compensation layer includes a first layer formed of fiber stitches, a second layer formed of fiber stitches, and a plurality of pile fiber bundles, each formed of pile fibers, connecting the first and second layers. The method further includes displacing the first and second layers substantially translatorily towards one another to thereby deform the pile fiber bundles into a deformed state, such that a distance between the first and second layers is reduced. The method also includes fixing the pile fiber bundles in the deformed state, such that the pressure resistance of the compensation layer in the deformed state is greater than the pressure resistance of the unprocessed compensation layer.

A thermoforming device includes: an upper hot plate including a first heating surface configured to heat a sheet from above; a lower hot plate including a second heating surface configured to heat the sheet from below; and a substrate-supplying unit including a base configured to hold a molded substrate, and configured to attach the molded substrate to and detach the molded substrate from the base and to dispose the molded substrate at a molding position below the first heating surface with the sheet interposed therebetween, in which the upper hot plate and the lower hot plate are configured to heat the sheet simultaneously from an upper surface and a lower surface of the sheet, the lower hot plate is provided to be movable in a horizontal direction with respect to a position below the upper hot plate, and the thermoforming device die-molds or adheres, onto the molded substrate held by the base, the sheet softened by being heated by the upper hot plate and the lower hot plate.

A method of vacuum forming an object includes heating a plastic sheet. After heating the plastic sheet, a vacuum is applied to pull the sheet against an outer surface of a flexible mold so that the plastic sheet has a formed shape that conforms to a contoured shape of the outer surface of the flexible mold. A rigid core is withdrawn from a cavity in the flexible mold. The flexible mold is then withdrawn from the plastic sheet by applying force to the flexible mold in a single direction, thereby causing flexing of the flexible mold past the undercut. An apparatus for vacuum forming a plastic sheet includes the flexible mold.

A method of vacuum forming an object includes heating a plastic sheet. After heating the plastic sheet, a vacuum is applied to pull the sheet against an outer surface of a flexible mold so that the plastic sheet has a formed shape that conforms to a contoured shape of the outer surface of the flexible mold. A rigid core is withdrawn from a cavity in the flexible mold. The flexible mold is then withdrawn from the plastic sheet by applying force to the flexible mold in a single direction, thereby causing flexing of the flexible mold past the undercut. An apparatus for vacuum forming a plastic sheet includes the flexible mold.

A forming tool is used, which has a tool trough arranged in a stationary manner and a pressure bell, which can be lowered onto and lifted away from the tool trough. An arrangement is created in which a single- or multi-layer, initially flat, flexible laminate separates the trough interior from the pressure-bell interior in a pressure tight manner. A table, on which the 3-D substrate to be coated is located, assumes a lowered position within the trough interior; there is a considerable, free intermediate space (between the laminate and the 3-D substrate. A radiant-heater assembly is inserted into said intermediate space. The radiant-heater assembly has a carrier, on the top side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached and on the bottom side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached.

A thermoforming device includes: a base configured to hold a substrate; a hot plate including a heating surface facing vertically downward; a sheet transport portion that supplies a sheet onto the heating surface of the hot plate; and a substrate supply portion configured to attach the substrate to the base and detach the substrate from the base, and to dispose the substrate at a substrate supply position positioned in a lower area of the sheet which is opposite to a side of the sheet in which the heating surface is provided. In the thermoforming device, heating of the sheet using the hot plate and attachment and detachment of the substrate with respect to the base are performable at the same time, and the sheet heated and softened by the hot plate is attached to the substrate at the substrate supply position.

The disclosure relates to containers and other shaped articles that have a relatively thick substrate layer and one or more relatively thin liner sheets peelably adhered thereto. Animal litter can be placed atop the liner sheets, preferably in a concave portion to contain the litter. The liner sheets have perforations extending therethrough that permit the passage of non-soiled litter, but do not permit the passage of at least one of animal feces and soiled animal litter, such as clumps of litter and urine. After an animal has deposited waste on or in the litter, the liner sheet can be peeled from the container and waste unable to pass through the perforations can be collected.

The disclosure relates to containers and other shaped articles that have a relatively thick substrate layer and one or more relatively thin liner sheets peelably adhered thereto. Animal litter can be placed atop the liner sheets, preferably in a concave portion to contain the litter. The liner sheets have perforations extending therethrough that permit the passage of non-soiled litter, but do not permit the passage of at least one of animal feces and soiled animal litter, such as clumps of litter and urine. After an animal has deposited waste on or in the litter, the liner sheet can be peeled from the container and waste unable to pass through the perforations can be collected.