A PROCESS FOR THERMOFORMING A PLATE-LIKE ELEMENT OF COMPOSITE POLYMER MATERIAL AND A MOULD OPERATING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS

摘要

A process for thermoforming a plate-like element (10) of composite polymer material, in which a central region (11) and a peripheral region (12) are defined, comprising: - providing a mould (1) including a male member (3) and a female member (4) which may be displaced between an operating position in which they are pressed against one another, and a non-operating position in which they are spaced from one another, - disposing said plate-like element(10) on said mould such that its central region (11) is interposed between said male member and said female member and holding it at its peripheral region (12) while said male member (3) and said female member (4) are displaced towards the operating position in order to abut against and deform the plate-like element, - completing the displacement of the male member and the female member into the operating position and maintaining them in that position for a predetermined period of time, - displacing the male member and the female member into the non- operating position in order to remove the thermoformed plate-like element from the mould. The plate-like element(10) is held in its peripheral region (12) by a plurality of pins (7) having a free end associated with the mould and engaged in a corresponding plurality of holes (13) obtained in its peripheral region. The pins (7) are disposed on a mobile frame (6a) which may be removed from the mould(1) in order to move the plate-like element to and from the mould, while said plate-like element is held by the pins (7).