The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for deep-drawing a tray (1) from fiber-based sheet material (2), such as polymer coated board. The apparatus comprises a female moulding tool (3), which comprises a cavity (7) for forming the tray bottom outwardly, a male moulding tool (4), which comprises a plunger plate (11) for forming the tray bottom inwardly, the plunger plate being movable with respect to the cavity for forming the tray, and clamps (6, 15) with an interface for holding the sheet material and forming a tray rim flange. According to the invention by laterally distancing at least one of the moulding tools (3, 4) from the sheet material leeway is provided for free forming of the tray side walls while wrinkling or tearing of the same is avoided. Spacer plates (13) may be positioned behind the plunger plate (11), to adjust its position in relation to the cavity (7) of the female moulding tool (3). The cavity may have a separate bottom plate (8) and spacer plates (9) there below, or screw means may be provided for adjusting the distance of the bottom of the cavity from the clamp interface and thereby varying the depth of the tray.

A molding tool (1000), in particular a thermoforming tool, for producing a container (10) is provided. The molding tool comprises a mold bottom (200) and a mold insert (100) receiving the mold bottom (200), wherein the mold insert (100) is constructed of at least two mold insert parts (110, 120) that together with the mold bottom (200) define a cavity (300) provided for reshaping a two-dimensional web of material into a container, wherein a first mold insert part (110) is mounted stationary in the molding tool (1000) and a second mold insert part is axially movable in the molding tool (1000).

Method of forming a plate including providing a sheet of polyethylene terephthalate foam and thermoforming the polyethylene terephthalate foam into a plate. The plate comprising a bottom wall having an outer perimeter, an upper surface, and a lower support surface defining a horizontal reference plane. The plate further comprising a sidewall extending upwardly and outwardly from the outer perimeter at an angle “a” of between about 30° to about 35° relative to a vertical axis perpendicular to the horizontal reference plane. The plate further including a rim extending laterally outwardly from an upper edge of the sidewall and a turndown flange extending downwardly from an outer edge of the rim and terminating at a free end.

Three-dimensional decorative articles are produced from blanks of heat-shrinkable plastic sheet material, using a mold base having an outer surface with a recess over which a blank is placed, and a convex mold insert that moves into the recess by gravity as the blank softens and cooperates with the interior wall of the recess to shape the sheet material into a three-dimensional decorative article. A guide peg extends outward from the bottom of the recess past the outer surface of the mold base and extends through a hole formed in the blank, and through a guide hole in the mold insert to support the mold insert before heating and to guide the mold insert as it moves into the recess of the mold base.

A method of manufacturing a plastic container having a curled rim (320) comprises the steps of providing a sheet of plastic material; drawing a portion thereof into a mould (120) to form a bottom and wall (310′) of the container, leaving a surrounding portion of material to form a rim (320) of the container; cutting the rim loose from a remaining portion of material; and curling the rim. In the curling step, an inner part of the rim is supported by a supporting member while an outer part is pressed by a pressing member (230) moving relative to the supporting member for the rim to be bent around the supporting member.

A tool for thermoforming a container having a base and an upstanding sidewall walls or walls. The tool includes a mould having a profile shaped to form the exterior shape of the container and a plug adapted to be inserted in the mould to define the interior of the container. The plug has a lower face adapted to define the profile of the base of the container. The profile of the lower face of the plug has at least one groove therein defining, in use, a rib upstanding in the interior of the base of the container.

Method of forming a container having a rolled rim, including providing a thermoformable sheet, and thermoforming the sheet to form a hollow body. The hollow body has an open first end and an opposite closed second end with a sidewall extending between the first end and the second end, and a rim structure formed at the first end of the hollow body. The rim structure includes an inner wall portion, a flange, and a skirt. The method further includes coining an upper section of the inner wall portion of the rim to form a controlled inner diameter, and rolling the rim structure to form a rigid rolled rim along an outer diameter of the open first end of the hollow body, the skirt extending toward the sidewall after being rolled.

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling. The deflection can include curling the spacer at or near the peripheral edge. The methods can be performed incrementally and/or in a reciprocating fashion.

An apparatus for thermoforming plastic containers (2) comprising at least one thermoforming device (3) suitable for thermoforming a flat sheet (4) for making a container (2) equipped with an upper flange (5) projecting outward and at least one extracting device (6) associable with the thermoforming device (3) for extracting the thermoformed container (2) from it; when the extracting device (6) is associated with the thermoforming device (3) for extracting the already thermoformed container (2), the extracting device (6) and the thermoforming device (3) define a perimetric mould (7) suitable for hot bending the annular flange (5) of the already thermoformed container (2) before it is extracted from the thermoforming device (3).

A device for attaching a mouthpiece to an innerliner of an aircraft water tank is provided. A cylinder portion of an innerliner is thermally deformed to conform to an inner circumferential portion of a cylinder-like portion, and an inner circumferential portion of a dome portion of the innerliner is attached to a skirt portion by an adhesive. A lower mold includes two sections inserted inside the innerliner from the inner side of a mouthpiece in a folded state. The two sections are opened inside the innerliner and a holding member holds the two sections in an open state. The lower mold can be disposed in the innerliner sealed from the inner side of the mouthpiece, and abutment of an outer abutting surface of an upper mold against a first annular surface and abutment of an inner abutting surface of the lower mold against a second annular surface can be performed.