A vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function

Abstract

This utility model discloses a vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function, including a processing base. Connecting plates are fixedly connected to the bottom of both ends of the processing base, and supporting feet are installed at the bottom corners of the connecting plates. A processing groove is formed on the top of the processing base, and an inner groove is connected to the bottom of the processing groove. This utility model mold, through an integrated design of "mold adjustment - vacuum forming - cooling and curing - automatic edge trimming," solves the cumbersome operation of transferring the vacuum forming material to a separate device for secondary edge trimming, as required by traditional methods. In actual operation, the plastic sheet is heated and softened before directly entering the mold. After the lower mold position is adapted, preliminary mold closing, negative pressure forming, and synchronous cooling, automatic edge trimming is completed by the ring cutter integrated in the upper mold without transferring the workpiece. The entire processing flow is continuous and uninterrupted, reducing workpiece transfer and secondary positioning steps compared to traditional processes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vacuum forming mold technology, specifically a vacuum forming mold with automatic edge cutting function. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum forming is a widely used plastic processing technology. Its principle involves heating a flat, rigid plastic sheet until it softens, then vacuum-pressing it onto the surface of a mold, where it cools and solidifies. In actual production, when the size of the vacuum-formed part is smaller than the size of the original plastic material, the excess material extending beyond the mold needs to be trimmed.

[0003] In traditional vacuum forming processes, the vacuum-formed parts are usually cut off from the plastic raw material after vacuum forming, and then the edges are trimmed separately. This not only increases the number of production steps, but also consumes time and manpower. In addition, it is difficult to guarantee the trimming accuracy, which can easily affect product quality and production efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a vacuum forming mold with an automatic edge trimming function to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a vacuum forming mold with an automatic edge cutting function to solve the problems existing in the background technology. The technical solution of this utility model provides a solution that is significantly different from the existing technology, which is aimed at the problem that the existing technical solutions are too simple.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function, comprising a processing base, connecting plates fixedly connected to the bottom of both ends of the processing base, support feet installed at the bottom corners of the connecting plates, a processing groove opened on the top of the processing base, an inner groove connected to the bottom of the processing groove, a lower mold that can be adjusted vertically inside the inner groove, a support seat fixedly installed on the top of the connecting plates, the support seat having a gate-shaped structure spanning the processing base, and an upper mold that can be adjusted vertically at the bottom of the support seat, the upper mold and the lower mold being vertically corresponding and adapted to cooperate in completing the vacuum forming operation.

[0007] Preferably, an electric telescopic rod is fixedly installed at each of the four corners of the bottom of the inner groove. The telescopic end of the electric telescopic rod is set upward, and a support plate is fixedly connected to the top of the electric telescopic rod. The top surface of the support plate is fixedly connected to the bottom of the lower mold. The lower mold is driven to rise and fall vertically along the inner groove by the extension and retraction of the electric telescopic rod.

[0008] Preferably, at least two hydraulic rods are fixedly installed at equal intervals along the length of the top of the support base. The telescopic ends of the hydraulic rods are vertically downward and penetrate the top wall of the support base. A fixing plate is fixedly connected to the telescopic ends of the hydraulic rods. The bottom surface of the fixing plate is fixedly connected to the top of the upper mold. The upper mold is driven to rise and fall vertically by the telescopic movement of the hydraulic rods.

[0009] Preferably, the outer dimensions of the lower mold are adapted to the inner contour dimensions of the processing groove, and the top forming surface of the lower mold is adapted to the bottom forming surface of the upper mold, so as to ensure that a complete vacuum forming cavity can be formed when the mold is closed.

[0010] Preferably, limit blocks are fixedly installed at the bottom corners of both ends of the upper mold. The limit blocks have limit holes that extend vertically through them. A limit rod is fixedly installed on the top of the connecting plate at the position corresponding to the limit blocks. The limit rod is set vertically, and the top end of the limit rod slides through the limit hole, forming a guide and limit structure when the upper mold is raised or lowered.

[0011] Preferably, a cooling device is fixedly installed on both sides of the upper mold. The air outlet pipe of the cooling device passes through the side wall of the upper mold and extends into its interior. The end of the air outlet pipe located inside the upper mold is connected to a multi-stage connecting pipe. The multi-stage connecting pipe is distributed along the forming surface of the upper mold, and multiple air outlet holes are opened on the pipe wall of the multi-stage connecting pipe.

[0012] Preferably, the bottom outer side of the upper mold is provided with an annular groove, the top two ends of the annular groove are connected to a groove, the top of the groove is connected to an electric rod, and the telescopic end of the electric rod is connected to an annular cutter.

[0013] Any aspects of this utility model not described in detail are well-known technologies to those skilled in the art.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: This utility model mold, through its integrated design of "mold adjustment - vacuum forming - cooling and curing - automatic edge cutting", solves the cumbersome operation of transferring the plastic sheet to a separate device for secondary edge cutting after traditional vacuum forming. In actual operation, the plastic sheet is directly put into the mold after being heated and softened. After the lower mold position is adapted, the mold is initially closed, formed by negative pressure, and cooled synchronously, the edge cutting can be completed automatically by the ring cutter integrated in the upper mold without transferring the workpiece. The entire processing flow is continuous and uninterrupted, reducing the workpiece transfer and secondary positioning links compared with traditional processes. The lower mold of this invention achieves horizontal lifting and lowering through synchronous drive of four corner electric telescopic rods. Combined with the limiting function of the processing groove, it avoids sheet fitting deviation caused by the tilting of the lower mold. When the upper mold descends, the precise sliding cooperation between the limiting block and the limiting rod provides a precise foundation for vacuum forming. Furthermore, during the cooling stage, the multi-stage connecting pipe and evenly distributed air outlets ensure that the cold airflow fully covers the forming surface, effectively preventing warping and deformation of the plastic sheet caused by local differences in cooling rate. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0016] In the diagram: 1. Machining base; 2. Connecting plate; 3. Machining groove; 4. Inner groove; 5. Lower mold; 6. Support base; 7. Upper mold; 8. Electric telescopic rod; 9. Support plate; 10. Hydraulic rod; 11. Fixing plate; 12. Limiting block; 13. Limiting rod; 14. Refrigeration device; 15. Multi-stage connecting pipe; 16. Annular groove; 17. Groove; 18. Electric rod; 19. Annular cutter. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0018] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "setting" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances. The embodiments of this utility model will be described below based on its overall structure.

[0019] Please see Figure 1-5 A vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function includes a processing base 1. Connecting plates 2 are fixedly connected to the bottom of both ends of the processing base 1. Support feet are installed at the bottom corners of the connecting plates 2. A processing groove 3 is opened on the top of the processing base 1, and an inner groove 4 is connected to the bottom of the processing groove 3. A lower mold 5, whose position can be adjusted vertically, is set inside the inner groove 4. A support seat 6 is fixedly installed on the top of the connecting plates 2. The support seat 6 has a gate-shaped structure spanning the processing base 1, and an upper mold 7, whose position can be adjusted vertically, is set at the bottom of the support seat 6. The upper mold 7 and the lower mold 5 are vertically corresponding and adapted to each other to complete the vacuum forming operation. The gate-shaped support seat 6 achieves stable installation of the upper mold 7. The corresponding adaptation design of the upper and lower molds 5 ensures accurate mold alignment during vacuum forming. At the same time, the lower mold 5 can be vertically adjusted along the inner groove 4 to adapt to the processing needs of plastic sheets of different thicknesses, improving the mold's versatility and processing flexibility. The overall structural layout is reasonable, providing a stable foundation for subsequent vacuum forming and automatic edge trimming processes.

[0020] like Figure 1-5As shown, electric telescopic rods 8 are fixedly installed at the four corners of the bottom of the inner groove 4. The electric telescopic rods 8 are controlled to operate synchronously by a synchronous control system in the prior art. The telescopic ends of the electric telescopic rods 8 are set upwards, and a support plate 9 is fixedly connected to the top of the electric telescopic rods 8. The top surface of the support plate 9 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the lower mold 5. The lower mold 5 is equipped with a vacuum adsorption device for vacuum forming in the prior art. The lower mold 5 is driven to rise and fall vertically along the inner groove 4 by the telescopic movement of the electric telescopic rods 8. The use of electric telescopic rods 8 distributed at the four corners to drive the lower mold 5 to rise and fall can ensure the force is balanced during the rising and falling process of the lower mold 5 compared with driving from one side or both sides, and avoid the forming deviation caused by the tilting of the lower mold 5. The setting of the support plate 9 further increases the contact area between the electric telescopic rods 8 and the lower mold 5, improves the stability of the installation of the lower mold 5, and ensures that the lower mold 5 always remains horizontal when adjusting the position or vacuum forming, thus ensuring the forming accuracy.

[0021] like Figure 1-5 As shown, at least two hydraulic rods 10 are fixedly installed at equal intervals along the length of the top of the support base 6. The hydraulic rods 10 operate synchronously through a synchronous control system in the prior art. The telescopic ends of the hydraulic rods 10 are vertically downward and penetrate the top wall of the support base 6. A fixing plate 11 is fixedly connected to the telescopic end of the hydraulic rods 10. The bottom surface of the fixing plate 11 is fixedly connected to the top of the upper mold 7. The upper mold 7 is driven to rise and fall in the vertical direction by the telescopic movement of the hydraulic rods 10.

[0022] like Figure 1-5 As shown, the outer dimensions of the lower mold 5 are adapted to the inner contour dimensions of the processing groove 3, and the top forming surface of the lower mold 5 is matched with the bottom forming surface of the upper mold 7, ensuring that a complete vacuum forming cavity can be formed when the mold is closed. The matching design between the lower mold 5 and the processing groove 3 can accurately limit the horizontal position of the lower mold 5, preventing the lower mold 5 from shifting horizontally during lifting or forming. The matching structure of the upper mold 7 and the forming surfaces of the lower mold 5 can form a sealed and complete vacuum forming cavity when the mold is closed, ensuring that the heated plastic sheet can completely adhere to the inner wall of the cavity, reducing forming defects and improving the forming quality and appearance consistency of the vacuum-formed parts.

[0023] like Figure 1-5 As shown, limit blocks 12 are fixedly installed at the bottom corners of both ends of the upper mold 7. Limiting holes are opened on the limit blocks 12 in the vertical direction. Limiting rods 13 are fixedly installed on the top of the connecting plate 2 at the position corresponding to the limit blocks 12. The limiting rods 13 are set in the vertical direction, and the top end of the limiting rods 13 slides through the limiting holes to form a guide limiting structure when the upper mold 7 is raised and lowered. Through the sliding cooperation between the limit blocks 12 and the limiting rods 13, precise guidance is provided for the raising and lowering process of the upper mold 7, avoiding the upper mold 7 from shifting due to the running error of the hydraulic rod 10 or external force interference during raising and lowering, and ensuring the alignment accuracy of the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 5 when they are closed.

[0024] like Figure 1-5 As shown, cooling devices 14 are fixedly installed on both side walls of the upper mold 7. The cooling devices 14 adopt existing technology, and their working principle is omitted here. The air outlet pipe of the cooling device 14 passes through the side wall of the upper mold 7 and extends into its interior. The end of the air outlet pipe located inside the upper mold 7 is connected to a multi-stage connecting pipe 15. The multi-stage connecting pipe 15 is distributed along the forming surface of the upper mold 7, and multiple air outlet holes are opened on the pipe wall of the multi-stage connecting pipe 15. The cooling device 14 delivers cold air to the forming surface of the upper mold 7 through the multi-stage connecting pipe 15. The distribution design of the multi-stage connecting pipe 15 along the forming surface and the setting of multiple air outlet holes enable the cold air to evenly cover all areas of the forming surface, avoiding uneven shrinkage caused by local cooling speed differences in the thermoformed part. Rapid and uniform cooling can shorten the curing time of the thermoformed part, improve production efficiency, and reduce the deformation of the thermoformed part caused by insufficient cooling, ensuring the dimensional accuracy and structural stability of the thermoformed part.

[0025] like Figure 1-5 As shown, an annular groove 16 is provided on the outer bottom of the upper mold 7. A groove 17 is provided at the center of both ends of the top of the annular groove 16. An electric rod 18 is connected to the top of the groove 17. The electric rod 18 operates synchronously using a synchronous control system in the prior art. An annular cutter 19 is connected to the telescopic end of the electric rod 18. The annular cutter 19 is integrated into the bottom of the upper mold 7. After the vacuum forming is completed, it can be automatically trimmed by driving the electric rod 18 directly. There is no need to transfer the vacuum forming part to other equipment for secondary trimming, which reduces the process flow and improves production efficiency. The setting of the annular groove 16 provides storage space for the annular cutter 19 and avoids interference between the cutter and other parts when the mold is closed. At the same time, the structure of the annular cutter 19 can be adapted to the trimming requirements of annular or quasi-annular vacuum forming parts. The trimming position is accurate, reducing the error of manual trimming and improving the trimming quality and product consistency.

[0026] Working principle: During use, the plastic sheet to be processed and softened by heating is laid flat on the processing groove 3 of the processing base 1, so that the sheet covers the top surface area of ​​the lower mold 5. According to the thickness of the plastic sheet, the electric telescopic rods 8 at the four corners of the bottom of the inner groove 4 are activated by the synchronous control system in the prior art. The electric telescopic rods 8 extend and retract synchronously, driving the support plate 9 and the lower mold 5 to rise and fall vertically along the inner groove 4 until the top surface of the lower mold 5 is tightly attached to the bottom surface of the plastic sheet, completing the position adaptation of the lower mold 5. Then, the hydraulic rod 10 at the top of the support base 6 is activated. Under the action of the synchronous control system, the hydraulic rod 10 extends and retracts synchronously downward, pushing the fixed plate 11 and the upper mold 7 to descend vertically. During this process, the limiting blocks 12 at both ends of the upper mold 7 slide along the limiting rod 13 at the top of the connecting plate 2. Through the precise cooperation between the limiting hole and the limiting rod 13, the descent trajectory of the upper mold 7 is ensured to be accurate until the bottom surface of the upper mold 7 contacts the top surface of the plastic sheet, forming a preliminary mold closing state. After the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 5 complete the initial mold closing, the vacuum adsorption equipment inside the lower mold 5 starts to work. Through the adsorption holes on the mold forming surface, a negative pressure is formed inside the mold, which tightly adsorbs the heated and softened plastic sheet onto the top forming surface of the lower mold 5. At the same time, the hydraulic rod 10 continues to apply the mold closing pressure, so that the bottom forming surface of the upper mold 7 is completely attached to the plastic sheet. Utilizing the concave and convex adaptation structure of the upper and lower mold forming surfaces, a sealed and complete vacuum forming cavity is formed. Under the combined action of negative pressure and mold closing pressure, the plastic sheet is completely attached to the inner wall of the forming cavity, realizing the shaping of the vacuum forming part. During the vacuum forming process, the cooling device 14 runs continuously, and the generated cold air is delivered to the multi-stage connecting pipe 15 inside the upper mold 7 through the air outlet pipe. Then, it is evenly blown onto the surface of the plastic sheet on the inner wall of the forming cavity through the air outlet holes of the multi-stage connecting pipe 15, avoiding warping deformation caused by uneven shrinkage, and quickly cooling and solidifying the vacuum forming part to ensure the dimensional accuracy and structural stability of the vacuum forming part. After the vacuum-formed part cools and solidifies, the hydraulic rod 10 moves the upper mold 7 slightly upward, causing the vacuum-formed part to slightly separate from the forming surface of the upper mold 7. Then, the electric rod 18 in the groove 17 is activated by the synchronous control system. The electric rod 18 extends and retracts synchronously downward, driving the annular cutter 19 to descend vertically along the annular groove 16. The blade of the annular cutter 19 is used to cut off the excess plastic sheet on the outside of the vacuum-formed part. Since the distance between the annular cutter 19 and the forming cavity is fixed, and the synchronous operation of the electric rod 18 ensures that the cutter descends horizontally, achieving precise automatic edge cutting. The waste generated during cutting is temporarily stored in the annular groove. Within 16, to avoid interfering with subsequent processes, after the edge trimming is completed, the electric rod 18 drives the annular cutter 19 to rise back into the annular groove 16 for storage. The hydraulic rod 10 continues to drive the upper mold 7 to reset upwards until the upper mold 7 is completely removed from the processing groove 3 area. At the same time, the vacuum adsorption equipment stops working, and the electric telescopic rod 8 drives the lower mold 5 to rise and fall along the inner groove 4, pushing the cooled, solidified, and trimmed thermoformed part out of the processing groove 3. The staff or automated equipment can then remove the thermoformed part, completing a complete thermoforming and automatic edge trimming process. Then, the next batch of processing cycles can begin.

[0027] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within this invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function, comprising a processing base (1), wherein connecting plates (2) are fixedly connected to the bottom of both ends of the processing base (1), and supporting feet are installed at the bottom corners of the connecting plates (2), characterized in that: The processing base (1) has a processing groove (3) on its top. The bottom of the processing groove (3) is connected to an inner groove (4). The inner groove (4) is equipped with a lower mold (5) whose position can be adjusted in the vertical direction. The top of the connecting plate (2) is fixedly installed with a support seat (6). The support seat (6) has a gate-shaped structure that spans the processing base (1). The bottom of the support seat (6) is equipped with an upper mold (7) whose position can be adjusted in the vertical direction. The upper mold (7) and the lower mold (5) are vertically aligned and adapted to each other to complete the vacuum forming operation.

2. The vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function according to claim 1, characterized in that: Electric telescopic rods (8) are fixedly installed at the four corners of the bottom of the inner groove (4). The telescopic ends of the electric telescopic rods (8) are set upwards, and a support plate (9) is fixedly connected to the top of the electric telescopic rods (8). The top surface of the support plate (9) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the lower mold (5). The lower mold (5) is driven to rise and fall vertically along the inner groove (4) by the telescopic movement of the electric telescopic rods (8).

3. The vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least two hydraulic rods (10) are fixedly installed at equal intervals along the length of the top of the support base (6). The telescopic ends of the hydraulic rods (10) are vertically downward and penetrate the top wall of the support base (6). A fixing plate (11) is fixedly connected to the telescopic end of the hydraulic rods (10). The bottom surface of the fixing plate (11) is fixedly connected to the top of the upper mold (7). The upper mold (7) is driven to rise and fall in the vertical direction by the telescopic movement of the hydraulic rods (10).

4. The vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer dimensions of the lower mold (5) are adapted to the inner contour dimensions of the processing groove (3), and the top forming surface of the lower mold (5) is adapted to the bottom forming surface of the upper mold (7) to ensure that a complete vacuum forming cavity can be formed when the mold is closed.

5. A vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function according to claim 1, characterized in that: Limiting blocks (12) are fixedly installed at the bottom corners of both ends of the upper mold (7). Limiting holes are provided on the limiting blocks (12) in the vertical direction. Limiting rods (13) are fixedly installed on the top of the connecting plate (2) at the position corresponding to the limiting blocks (12). The limiting rods (13) are set in the vertical direction, and the top end of the limiting rods (13) slides through the limiting holes to form a guide limiting structure when the upper mold (7) is raised or lowered.

6. The vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A refrigeration device (14) is fixedly installed on both sides of the upper mold (7). The air outlet pipe of the refrigeration device (14) passes through the side wall of the upper mold (7) and extends into its interior. The end of the air outlet pipe located inside the upper mold (7) is connected to a multi-stage connecting pipe (15). The multi-stage connecting pipe (15) is distributed along the forming surface of the upper mold (7), and multiple air outlet holes are opened on the pipe wall of the multi-stage connecting pipe (15).

7. A vacuum forming mold with automatic edge trimming function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom outer side of the upper mold (7) is provided with an annular groove (16), and the top two ends of the annular groove (16) are connected to a groove (17). The top of the groove (17) is connected to an electric rod (18), and the telescopic end of the electric rod (18) is connected to an annular cutter (19).

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