Patent Application
20100140831
The present invention relates to a molded object-forming apparatus, and a method of forming a molded object. In particular, the molded object-forming apparatus, and the method relate to forming a molded synthetic trim cap for a channel letter.
Three dimensional channel letters are well-known in the sign industry. A channel letter includes a three-dimensional letter or numeral-shaped “can,” typically made of thin sheet metal, closed at an end which faces the sign or wall, and open at another end which faces outward, with lights supported inside the “can,” and a transparent synthetic face or cap attached to the open end. The face or cap has the same letter or numeral shape as the can, with a flange for attaching the edges of the trim cap to the open end of the can. When the sign is turned on at night, light shines through the transparent faces or caps of the respective channel letters so the sign can be seen.
Traditionally, faces have been cut by hand or computer controlled cutting machines, with an outer plastic edge trim pressed tight against the cut out face and then glued together thus forming the trimmed face. This process is time-consuming and expensive. The trimmed face is then attached to the channel letter.
It is desirable to provide an apparatus and method to form a synthetic trimmed face with an automatic machine, with all steps performed on a single machine at a single location.
It is further desirable that the trimmed face forming machine and method be suitable for forming other molded objects.
As broadly embodied herein, a molded object forming-apparatus includes a processor storing a shape of an object, preferably a letter or a numeral. A support frame is provided, upon which all of the components of the apparatus are mounted. A table moves on the support frame between a plurality of positions. A first vacuum device holds a mold material, e.g., plywood or MDF, at a first table position on the support frame. A cutting apparatus is positioned above the support frame, table, and mold materials at a second table position. A first moving apparatus moves the table to the second table position. At the second table position, hydraulic alignment pins engage and secure the table into a cutting position, a lifting device latches onto the mold material, and lifts it upward off of the table toward the cutting apparatus, and the alignment pins disengage from the table. As the mold material moves toward the cutting apparatus, the table returns to the first table position on the support frame. The cutting apparatus performs a first cutting operation on the mold material. The first cutting operation can be performed in a raised or a lowered position. In cases where the mold material is being formed for a channel letter trimmed face, having a letter shape, the first cutting operation cuts out an inner portion of the respective letter, e.g., the inner portion of a letter “A,” or a letter “R.” Scrap material cut off the mold in this first cutting operation drops downward into a trash bin below the support frame. This is possible because the table earlier moved back to the first table position.
The first moving apparatus returns the table to the second table position beneath the cutting apparatus, the alignment pins engage and secure the table into the cutting position, and the lifting device lowers the mold material back down onto the table, but the lifting device nevertheless continues holding the mold material. The first vacuum device turns back on and holds the mold material onto the table. A cutter in the cutting apparatus descends to the level of the mold material, and performs a second cutting operation on the mold material, e.g., cutting out the rest of the letter “A” or “R.”
After cutting the outside of each letter or shape, the first vacuum device turns off, and the lifting device lifts upward off of the table with only the uncut scrap material. The first vacuum device turns back on, holding the cutout material, the alignment pins disengage from the table, and the first moving apparatus moves the table with the cutout mold material to the first table position. The lifting device then releases the scrap molding material into the trash bin.
The first moving apparatus then moves the table back to the second table position. The alignment device engages and secures the table into an exact second position. The table waits at the second table position until the synthetic material reaches a desired state of softness.
At the third table position a sheet of synthetic material is held by a synthetic material holding device above the support frame, and heated by a heating device.
When the synthetic material reaches a desired state of softness, the first, or a second moving apparatus moves the table to a third position, and alignment pins engage and secure the table into a plastic molding position. The synthetic material is lowered down onto the mold, and drawn downward by a second vacuum device. The synthetic material acquires the shape of the mold, with downwardly extending side portions extending into horizontally-extending side portions.
The alignment pins disengage from the table, and the first or a second moving apparatus moves the table with the molded material to the second table position. The alignment pins engage and secure the table into the cutting position where the cutting apparatus cuts the undesirable excess synthetic portions off of the molded object.
The alignment pins disengage from the table, and the first moving apparatus moves the table with the molded and trimmed part to the first table position, and the molded trimmed face or object is removed from the support frame.
Preferably, each of the first and second moving apparatuses include a pair of parallel elongated rails, a sliding device having a rail gripping surface, and a support surface for supporting the table, and a transfer device for transferring the sliding device and the table from one elongated rail to the other elongated rail.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the apparatus and method particularly described in the written description, depicted in the drawings, and recited in the claims of this application.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In accordance with the invention, and as broadly embodied in
As broadly embodied herein, the apparatus 10 further includes a support frame 20, supporting a transfer table or table 22, movable between a plurality of table positions.
In accordance with the invention, and as broadly embodied in
In accordance with the invention, a plurality of hydraulic pins is provided at each table position. A first set of hydraulic transfer pins 24 are provided at a first table position 32. When fired into corresponding apertures on table 22, the transfer pins 24 allow the table 22 to move along a first moving apparatus 33 between the first table position 32 and a second table position 34. The first set of transfer pins 24 can then retract, and a second set of transfer pins 24 are provided at the second table position 34. When fired into the corresponding apertures on the table 22, the second set of transfer pins 24 allow the table 22 to move between the second table position 34 and a third table position 56. In another embodiment, the hydraulic transfer pins may not be necessary, and another means may be used to transfer the table to the second table position 34 or to the third table position 56.
In accordance with the invention, alignment pins are provided at the second table position 34 and the third table position 56 in order to properly position the table 22 in the second table position 34 or the third table position 56, respectively. In another embodiment, the alignment pins may not be necessary, and another means may be used to align the table.
In accordance with the invention, a first vacuum device 26, preferably a vacuum suction pump, leads via a manifold 28 to a plurality of suction openings 29 in the table 22. Vacuum drawn via the suction openings 29 allows a molding material 30 to be drawn into contact with, and be held by, table 22. Preferably, mold material 30 is made of plywood or MDF®, which are well known in the art.
As broadly embodied herein, the mold material 30 is secured to the table 22 at the first table position 32.
A first moving apparatus 33 is provided for moving the table 22 and the mold material 30 from the first table position 32 to the second table position 34. As broadly embodied herein, first moving apparatus 33 preferably includes a first pair of elongated rails 35, with one rail positioned on either side of the table 22, and a block 36, configured to support the table 22, and movable along the rails 35 between the first table position 32 and the second table position 34.
In accordance with the invention, a lifter 38 is provided at the second table position 34, configured to attach to the mold material 30, and lift it up off of the table 22, into proximity with a cutting apparatus 40. As broadly embodied herein, and described in detail below with respect to
Preferably, referring to
As broadly embodied in
Referring to
In accordance with the invention, and as broadly depicted in
In accordance with the invention, the cutting apparatus 40 is provided to perform a first cutting operation on the mold material 30, such as cutting an inside portion of the mold material 30. A trash bin 50 is provided to receive scrap material cut off the mold material 30 during the first cutting operation.
In accordance with the invention, and as broadly depicted in
Referring to
The cutting apparatus 40 is configured to lower to the level of the table 22 and perform a second cutting operation on the mold material 30, such as cutting an outside portion of the mold material 30. The movement of the cutting apparatus is described below with respect to
In accordance with the invention, and as broadly depicted in
A second moving apparatus 51 is provided for moving the table 22 and the mold material 30 from the second table position 34 to the third position 56. As broadly embodied herein, second moving apparatus 51 includes a second pair of elongated rails 53, with one rail positioned on either side of the table 22, and a block 36, configured to support the table 22, and movable along the rails 53 between the second table position 34 and the third table position 56.
In another possible embodiment, as described below, a single pair of elongated rails is provided to move from the first table position 32 to the second table position 34 or directly to the third table position 56, and vice versa.
As broadly depicted in
In accordance with the invention, and as broadly illustrated and described below with respect to
In accordance with the invention, and as broadly depicted in
In accordance with the invention, the table 22 is configured to move on the rails 35 back into the second table position 34. The cutting apparatus 40 is provided to lower to the level of the table 22. The cutting apparatus 40 is provided to perform a third cutting operation, if necessary, such as cutting an excess of synthetic material 52 that did not acquire the shape of the mold 31.
In accordance with the invention, the table 22 is configured to move on the rails 35 back into the first table position 32, where the synthetic material 52, now in the shape of the mold 31, can be removed from the table 22.
In accordance with the invention, the mold 30, having been cut to the desired shape of the object 18 may be re-used. In the case of re-use, the mold 31, already in the desired shape of the object 18, may be placed on a table 22 and advanced to the third table position 56, without the need for the first or second cutting operations at the second table position 34. It will be understood that the table 22 may move to the third table position 56 via the first moving apparatus 33 and the second moving apparatus 51, or it may move directly from the first table position 32 to the third table position 56 on a single pair of elongated rails, as described below.
In accordance with the invention, it will be understood that the molded object forming apparatus may consist of only two table positions, rather than three. When the apparatus consists of two table positions, it will be understood that the first table position will be configured to include the cutting apparatus described above, and the second table position will include the heating apparatus described above.
In a preferred embodiment, the molded synthetic material is an acrylic or other moldable plastic.
As shown in
As shown in
In accordance with the invention, the first set of hydraulic alignment pins 42 are fired and transfer pins 24 are retracted to enable the table 22 to move via the second moving apparatus 51 along the second pair of elongated rails 53 between the second table position 34 and the third table position 56.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As broadly embodied in the drawings, embodiments of the invention may include methods of using the molded-object forming apparatus in the manner described above with respect to the apparatus.
In accordance with the invention, the processor 12 associated with the molded-object forming apparatus 10 may store a shape of an object 18.
In accordance with the invention, the mold material 30 is secured on the table 22 at first table position 32. In one embodiment, the first vacuum device 26 secures the mold material 30 into place on the table 22.
The first moving apparatus 33 moves the table 22 and the mold material 30 from the first table position 32 to the second position 34.
In accordance with the invention, the lifter 38 at the second table position 34 attaches to the mold material 30, and lifts it up off of the table 22, into proximity with a cutting apparatus 40. As broadly embodied herein, and referring to
Referring to
In accordance with the invention, and as broadly depicted in
In accordance with the invention, the cutting apparatus 40 performs a first cutting operation on the mold material 30, such as cutting an inside portion of the mold material 30. Scrap material cut off the mold material 30 during the first cutting operation falls into trash bin 50.
In accordance with the invention, the table 22 moves back into second table position 34. As broadly embodied herein, and referring to
The table 22 again moves to the first table position 32. Scrap material cut off the mold material 30 during the second cutting operation falls into the trash bin 50.
In accordance with the invention, the table 22 moves back into second table position 34.
The second moving apparatus 51 moves the table 22 and the mold 30 from the second table position 34 to the third table position 56. As broadly embodied herein, and referring to
At the third table position 56, the heating device 54 heats the synthetic material 52.
In accordance with the invention, the second vacuum device 60 draws the synthetic material 52 onto the mold 31 on the table 22. Vacuum drawn via the suction allows the synthetic material 52 to acquire the shape of the mold 31. It should be understood that the invention may encompass a single vacuum device for all vacuum operations, or it may encompass multiple vacuum devices.
In accordance with the invention, the table 22 moves back into the second table position 34. As broadly embodied herein, and referring to
In accordance with the invention, the table 22 moves back into the first table position 32, and the hardened synthetic material 52, now in the shape of the mold 31, can be removed from the table 22.
Having thus described the invention with particular reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
