Vacuum forming regulator bag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9751251-B2
Application number	US-201414313931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2014
Priority date	Apr 12, 2011
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A vacuum-forming system for deforming a forming blank is disclosed. The system includes a tool and at least one regulator bag disposed adjacent to the tool. The regulator bag includes a sealed bag having an exterior and an interior and a first volume and a defined passage from the interior to the exterior of the regulator bag. The passage is configured such that the regulator bag has a rate of deflation wherein the sealed bag will deflate from the first volume to a second volume over a determined period of time while the exterior of the sealed bag is at a determined reduced pressure. The system also includes a vacuum membrane coupled to the tool, the membrane configured to form a vacuum space enclosing the forming blank and the at least one regulator bag.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of regulating deformation of a forming blank during a vacuum forming process, the method comprising the steps of:
placing at least one gas-filled regulator bag adjacent to a tool, the regulator bag comprising a defined passage from an interior having a first volume to an exterior;
placing at least a portion of the forming blank adjacent to the regulator bag;
enclosing the forming blank, the at least one regulator bag, and at least a portion of the tool with a vacuum membrane to form a vacuum space; and
reducing pressure within the vacuum space to a determined first pressure, thereby causing the regulator bag to deflate.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
placing a flexible support over the regulator bag;
wherein the step of placing at least a portion of the forming blank adjacent to the regulator bag comprises placing the forming blank at least partially on the flexible support.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
maintaining the first pressure within the vacuum space until the regulator bag has deflated to a determined second volume.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
heating the forming blank to a determined first temperature.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the forming blank is heated to the first temperature before reducing the pressure within the vacuum space.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of:
cooling the forming blank to a determined second temperature after the regulator bag has deflated to a determined second volume.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
changing the pressure within the vacuum space to a second pressure after the regulator bag has deflated to a determined third volume.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the third volume is greater than the second volume.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
holding the first pressure within the vacuum space until the forming blank is fully formed.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming blank comprises a foam material.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Piedmont Gregory
• Malis Mike

Classifications

• B29C51/16 Primary

  Lining or labelling · CPC title

• B29C51/10 Primary

  Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum · CPC title

• B29C2791/006

  Using vacuum · CPC title

• B65D33/16

  End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices (valves of valve bags {B65D31/14}; closures of filled bags B65D77/10) · CPC title