US 11,865,757 B2
Method and apparatus for processing a formable material
Mitchell L Gritzner, Montgomery, IL (US); Dana R. Hanson, St. Charles, IL (US); and Matthew Owen Banach, Sugar Grove, IL (US)
Assigned to Processing Technologies International, LLC, Aurora, IL (US)
Filed by Processing Technologies International, LLC, Aurora, IL (US)
Filed on Aug. 11, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/990,307.
Prior Publication US 2022/0048229 A1, Feb. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 48/00 (2019.01); B29C 48/08 (2019.01); B29C 51/22 (2006.01); B29C 48/025 (2019.01); B29C 51/10 (2006.01); B29C 48/355 (2019.01)
CPC B29C 48/0017 (2019.02) [B29C 48/025 (2019.02); B29C 48/08 (2019.02); B29C 48/355 (2019.02); B29C 51/10 (2013.01); B29C 51/225 (2013.01)] 38 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of processing a formable material, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining an apparatus comprising:
a) a first unit comprising a sheet die configured to controllably discharge a material in flowable form delivered from a supply to the sheet die;
b) a sheet control assembly; and
c) a second unit comprising a rotary drum having a peripheral forming surface,
the sheet control assembly upstream of the rotary drum and configured to continuously control material discharged from the sheet die to be applied as a formable sheet to the peripheral forming surface on the rotary drum;
selectively controllably relatively situating the first and second units between: i) an operating relationship wherein the sheet die is situated relative to the sheet control assembly to discharge material at an entry location on the sheet control assembly; and ii) a setup relationship wherein a space is one of defined or enlarged, as an incident of the first and second units being changed from the operating relationship, within which an operator can maneuver to gain access to a region of at least one of the first unit and second unit;
changing the first and second units from the setup relationship into the operating relationship by guidingly moving at least one of the first and second units relative to the other of the first and second units in a first predetermined path;
with the first and second units in the operating relationship: A) causing the material from the supply to be discharged from the sheet die at the entry location; B) causing the sheet control assembly to treat the discharged material which is a moldable sheet of predetermined thickness; C) causing the moldable sheet to be applied to the peripheral forming surface on the rotary drum as the rotary drum is turned around an axis; D) causing the applied sheet to separate from and advance away from the rotary drum; and E) causing further processing of the sheet downstream of the rotary drum,
wherein the step of obtaining an apparatus comprises obtaining an apparatus comprising a third unit, the third unit comprising the rotary drum:
selectively controllably relatively situating the first and third units between: a) an operating relationship wherein the rotary drum is situated so that the moldable sheet from the sheet control assembly can be applied to the peripheral surface on the rotary drum; and b) a setup relationship wherein a space is one of defined or enlarged, as an incident of the first and third units being changed from their operating relationship, within which an operator can maneuver to gain access to a region of at least one of the first, second, and third units; and
wherein the method further comprises the steps of: i) placing the first and second units into their operating relationship; ii) changing the first and third units from their setup relationship into their operating relationship by guidingly moving at least one of the first and third units relative to the other of the first and third units in a second predetermined path; and iii) with the first and second units in their operating relationship and the first and third unit in their operating relationship, carrying out steps A)-E).