METHOD OF PREPARING A MOLDED ARTICLE

摘要

A method of forming a shaped thermoplastic sheet and apparatus are desc.pi.bed The method Includes providing a mold apparatus (1 ) that includes, a first mold portion (11) having an inte.pi.or mold surface (14) having a plurality of perforations (26) and a pe.pi.meter edge (17) The mold apparatus (11 ) further includes at least one sheet retainer (35) having an upper surface (38) having a plurality of perforations (41 ) and a longitudinal axis (44) that is o.pi.ented along at least a portion of the perimeter edge ( 17) of the first mold portion (11) Each sheet retainer (35) is reversibly and controllably (.iota.) positionable along an X-, y- and/or z-axis relative to the perimeter edge (17), and (.iota..iota.) rotatable around its longitudinal axis (44), toward and/or away from the pe.pi.meter edge (17) A heated thermoplastic sheet (95) is formed and contacted (while at a thermoformable temperature) with the interior surface (14) of the first mold portion (11 ) and the exte.pi.or surfaces (38) of the tubular sheet retainers (35) Reduced pressure is drawn through the perforations (41 ) of the sheet retainers (35) thereby retaining a portion of the heated thermoplastic sheet (95) thereon.