A thermoforming trim tool which comprises a punch side and a die side. The punch side moves to the die side in order to trim molded articles from a heated thermoforming sheet that is disposed therebetween. While the punch side of the tool comprises a plurality of punches, the die side of the tool comprises a plurality of dies, and both the punches and the dies are engaged with upper mount plates. Each of the upper mount plates is engaged with a lower mount plate via one or more location keys. Each of the location keys is configured to provide that the upper mount plates are shifted a pre-determined distance relative to the lower mount plate, thereby providing trim centers which are adjusted to account for pre-determined shrinkage in the sheet.

A method for forming an article includes providing a sheet of material, optionally conditioning the sheet with a surface of a roller, forming the sheet to provide a web, and separating an article from the web to provide the article. An apparatus adapted to form the article from a sheet is provided.

A method for forming an article includes providing a sheet of material, optionally conditioning the sheet with a surface of a roller, forming the sheet to provide a web, and separating an article from the web to provide the article. An apparatus adapted to form the article from a sheet is provided.

A method for thermoforming an article includes extruding a sheet of material, conditioning the sheet with a roller, thermoforming the sheet to provide a web, and cutting the web to provide the article.

An apparatus for making containers (2) comprising a rotor (6) rotatably mounted on a supporting structure (5), a thermoforming device (7) comprising a supporting unit (11) mounted on the rotor (6) and a closing unit (12) which is stationary relative to the rotation of the rotor (6), a feeding device (8) for feeding to the supporting unit (11) a first article (13) for making a supporting skeleton (3), a positioning device (16) for positioning a sheet of thermoformable material (14) between the supporting unit (11) and the closing unit (12), and an extracting device (9) configured to extract the containers (2) from the supporting unit (11), the rotor (6) rotating in a stepping fashion to position the supporting unit (11) one after another in a loading predetermined angular position in which the feeding device (8) feeds a first article (13) to it, a thermoforming predetermined angular position in which the closing unit (12) and the supporting unit (11) are coupled for thermoforming the sheet of thermoformable material (14) on the first article (13), and an unloading predetermined angular position in which the extracting device (9) picks up the finished container (2) from the supporting unit (11).

An apparatus for making containers (2) comprising a rotor (6) rotatably mounted on a supporting structure (5), a thermoforming device (7) comprising a supporting unit (11) mounted on the rotor (6) and a closing unit (12) which is stationary relative to the rotation of the rotor (6), a feeding device (8) for feeding to the supporting unit (11) a first article (13) for making a supporting skeleton (3), a positioning device (16) for positioning a sheet of thermoformable material (14) between the supporting unit (11) and the closing unit (12), and an extracting device (9) configured to extract the containers (2) from the supporting unit (11), the rotor (6) rotating in a stepping fashion to position the supporting unit (11) one after another in a loading predetermined angular position in which the feeding device (8) feeds a first article (13) to it, a thermoforming predetermined angular position in which the closing unit (12) and the supporting unit (11) are coupled for thermoforming the sheet of thermoformable material (14) on the first article (13), and an unloading predetermined angular position in which the extracting device (9) picks up the finished container (2) from the supporting unit (11).

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.

Method of forming, in particular a thermoforming method, a foil into a container, in particular a brewing container, especially a coffee capsule, using a plug assist and/or pressure difference in axial main forming direction, directing the foil into a forming tool creating a blank with a cavity and pressing the foil towards the forming tool bottom in order to create a floor for the blank and characterising the method in that the floor of the blank experiences a material distribution, especially a material shifting and/or material compression, during which a constant pressure difference within the blank's cavity is guaranteed and a circumferential annular gap is created.

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).

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).