AU664485B2

AU664485B2 - Forming apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU664485B2
Application number: AU48910/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ross George Payne
Original assignee: LORRAINE PAYNE
Current assignee: Payne Lorraine
Priority date: 1992-10-14
Filing date: 1993-10-08
Publication date: 1995-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-08
Also published as: AU4891093A

Description

664485

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION For a Standard Patent

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicants: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: ROSS GEORGE PAYNE and LORRAINE PAYNE ROSS GEORGE PAYNE WRAY ASSOCIATES, Primary Industry Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

House, 239 Adelaide Attorney code: WR Invention Title: "FORMING APPARATUS" Details of Associated Provisional Application: No: PL5309 The following statement is a full description invention, including the best method of performing it us:of this known to 1 I I -2- THIS INVENTION relates to a forming apparatus and in particular relates to an apparatus which can be used to form a laminate to accommodate to the curvature of a curved portion of a panel.

In the fabrication of furniture a laminate material such as that which is marketed under the trade marks "LAMINEX" or "MELAMINE" or "FORMICA" is used to provide a finish to the surface of the furnishings. In many cases the edge of the panels to which the laminate has been applied is required to have an arcuate profile and it is necessary that the laminate accommodate to that arcuate profile. In the past difficulties have been experienced in forming the laminate to an arcuate profile.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means of 15 forming laminate to an arcuate profile.

In one form the invention resides in a forming apparatus to form a laminate to the arcuate profile of the edge or corner of a base element, said forming means comprising a clamping means spaced from a work station, said clamping 20 means being adapted to clamp the base element to the workstation whereby the arcuate edge or corner of the base element is to be located at the work station, said base .element being intended to be overlaid by a sheet of laminate which is clamped to the base element by the 25 clamping means and which extends beyond the arcuate edge or corner, said apparatus further comprising a housing having an open face, said housing accommodating a heating means and being movable between a first position spaced from the work station and a second position at which the open face overlies the laminate located in the region of the arcuate edge or corner, a control means for controlling the operation of the heating means, the apparatus further comprising a forming member movable to a position in engagement with the laminate adjacent the arcuate edge or Air r" u corner and adapted to clamp the laminate into engagement with the base element, sa.d forming member being movable over the profile of the arcuate edge or corner in close engagement therewith to cause the laminate to accommodate to the surface of the arcuate edge or corner of the base element.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the heating means comprises a radiant heater supported by said housing. In addition said control means comprises a timing circuit which controls the supply of electrical current to the heating bar when the housing is at the second position.

In another form the invention resides in a method of applying a laminate to a base element where said base element has an arcuate edge or corner, said method 15 comprising applying an adhesive between the opposed faces of the laminate and the base element, clamping the laminate to the base element adjacent the arcuate edge or corner such that the laminate extends beyond the arcuate edge or corner, heating the laminate overlying the arcuate edge or corner sufficiently to render the portion of the laminate :...pliable, applying a clamping force between the laminate and the base element at a position adjacent the arcuate edge or corner by means of a forming member and progressively moving the forming member over the arcuate portion to bring 25 the laminate into close abutting relationship with the surface of the arcuate edge or corner.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment. The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:- Figure 1 is a front isometric view of the forming apparatus according to the embodiment showing the heating means in the raised position; Figure 2 is a front isometric view of the embodiment showing the heating means in the lowered position adjacent the working station; Figure 3 is a schematic sectional elevation of the embodiment showing the forming means prior to its application to the laminate and panel and activation of the press; Figure 4 is a schematic sectioal elevation of the embodiment after activation of the press showing the heating means in the lowered position adjacent the working station; Figure 5 is a schematic sectional elevation of the embodiment showing the forming member in engagement **with the laminate and panel adjacent the arcuate edge *i 1~ or corner; o Figure 6 is a schematic sectional elevacion of the embodiment showing the forming member subsequent to its movement around the arcuate edge or corner; and Figure 7 is a schematic sectional side elevation of go the press frame.

o The embodiment is intended to be used in applying a sheet of laminate 33 to a base element which comprises a panel 14 ":'where the panel has an edge 30 of arcuate profile.

The forming apparatus according to the embodiment comprises a press frame 11 having a workstation in the form of a support bed 12 and a platen 13 which is movable towards and away from the bed 12 to clamp the panel 14 therebetween.

The platen is movable towards and away from the bed 12 by a suitable mechanism to provide 5 the appropriate clamping force between the platen 13. and the support bed 12.

The press frame 11 further supports a heater housing which extends for the length of the press and is supported by an articulated linkage 16 to be movable between a raised position as shown at Figure 1 at which it lies above the work station in front of the press frame 11 to a lowered position as shown at Figure 2 where it lies adjacent the panel at the work station. The heater housing 15 is formed with an open face and snpports at least one radiant heater which extends the length of the heater housing 15. The operation of the heater bar is controlled through a control circuit and activating switch which is controlled in part by the position of the heater housing. When the heater housing 15 is in the raised position and during the operation of the forming machine the radiant heater is maintained ON. On lowering the heater housing 15 to the work station a timer is activated such that while the eooe heater housing is in position over the work station the 20 heater bar will only operate for a predetermined period of time. On the completion of that time the radiant heater will be switched OFF to prevent any further heating by the heater. On the heater housing 15 being returned to the raised position the heater is reactivated.

25 As a result of the control circuit it is ensured that the heat which is applied by the heater bar to the panel at the ***work station can be readily determined and no consideration needs to be given to the warmup period on such application which would be required if the heater was switched ON only 30 when it is located at the work station.

e* C..

The press frame 11 is further provided with a forming means 17 which is pivotally supported from two side brackets 18 provided at each end of the press 11 and is pivotable about a pivot 19 provided on each bracket 18. The forming means 6 comprises a radial arm 20 at each end which is pivotally supported from the pivot 19. The outer radial ends of the radial arms are interconnected by a cross beam 21 which is strengthened by an upwardly extending truss frame 32 which aliv serves as a handle for the forming means 17. The cross beam 21 supports a former bar 22 which extends the full distance between the radial arms 20 and which is supported from the cross beam 21 by a plurality of telescopic rods 23 which extend from the upper face of the former bar 22 and are supported from the cross bar 21. The former bar 22 is further supported by a drive mechanism 24 which causes movement of the former bar 22 towards and away from the panel 14. The drive mechanism comprises a plurality of upstanding brackets 25 provided on the cross beam 21 and which support at their outer end a rotating shaft 26 which in turn supports a plurality of second radial arms 27 the outer ends of which are connected to the former bar 22 by a plurality of elongate links 28. On rotation of the shaft 26 through a suitable drive mechanism the former bar 22 is moved into and out of face to face contact with the panel 14. The telescopic rods 23 serve in guiding the former bar 22 in its movement. The rotation of the' shaft 26 to affect movement of the former bar is effected through a fluid operated cylinder 31 supported on the forming means 17.

The radial arms 20 are associated with a gasstrut spring balancing system to facilitate controlled manual rotation about the pivots 19.

On rotation of the radial arms 20 about the pivots the face 30 of the former bar 22 is caused to move through a circular path concentric with the arcuate edge 30 of the panel 14.

The lower surface 29 of the former bar which is to be in contact with the panel 14 is coated with a suitable heat and wear resistant low friction material such as "TEFLON".

7 In use the apparatus of the embodiment is to be used to apply a laminate material 33 to a panel 14, by clamping the laminate material to the work piece and causing it to adopt the curvature of the work piece at the edges thereof. The panel 14 is located in position on the face of the bed 12 of the press 11 such that the centre of curvature of the arcuate edge 30 is alignd. with the axis between the pivots 19 for the radial arms 20 and a suitable stop 31 is provided on the bed 12 to ensure the accurate positioning of the work piece. The sheet of laminate 33 is then placed in position over the panel 14 however before application of the laminate to the panel 14 the abutting surface of both items are coated with a suitable adhesive. The press frame is then activated as shown at Figure 4 to bring the platen 13 into clamping engagement with the panel and to clamp the laminate into engagement with the work piece. Once the work piece is clamped into position the heater housing is then placed such that its open face lies directly above the laminate in the region above the arcuate edge 30 of the 20 panel 14. The operation of the heater is timed as indicated above and after the predetermined period of time the heater is deactivated at which time the heater housing is moved to its raised position.

The heated portion of the laminate is then caused to be formed by activation of the forming means 17. This is initiated by rotation of the shaft 26 through the drive means causing the former bar 22 to be brought into clamping engagement with the laminate at a position inward of the arcuate surface 30. The forming means 17 is then caused to 30 rotate about the pivots 19 and as a result of such rotation ***the forming surface 29 of the former bar 22 is caused to move around the arcuate surface 30. The effect of such movement is to bend the portion of the laminate 32 which has been previously heated to conform with that arcuate surface 30. On completion of the rotation of the forming 8 means 17 the shaft 26 is then caused to rotate to withdraw the former bar 22 from engagement with the surface of the laminate and the forming means is then returned to its rest position. The press is deactivated and the work piece is removed from the press.

The heating of the portion of the laminate directly above the arcuate surface must be sufficient to enable the laminate to undergo plastic deformation without any damage being incurred on the laminate. In addition the heating should not be such that there is separation of the laminate or any scorching of the laminate. Therefore the heatin4 step needs to be fairly precise in relation to the amount of heat that is applied to the surface prior to the forming of the laminate.

To accommodate for differing curvatures of the arcuate surface the position of the telescopic rods 23 on the beam 21 can be adjusted and the spacing of the former bar from the pivot axis by retraction or extension of the gas .eoo.i Sstruts.

20 A further feature of the apparatus is thatthe bed 12 may be moved up or down to accommodate varying sizes of work pieces 14 the work pieces 14 may be a whole cabinet and so the bed 12 would be lowered to near the floor by a screw thread gear system, comprising of a new screw thread which is fixed to the press frame 11 at its top and bottom.

A gear wheel 36 threadable mounted over the screw 35 and housed in the bed 12 a pinion gear 37 suitably meshed to the gear wheel so that when the drive shaft 38 is turned by a suitable power source the pinion gear 37 is turned and so the gear wheel 36 is rotated around and along the screw shaft so moving the bed 12 with it.

9 It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiment described above.

11 o *o*o* oo o ooo*

Claims

3. An apparatus as claimed at claim 2 wherein the control means comprises a timing circuit which controls the period of operation of the heating means when the housing is at its second position. a -I I I 1i
4. An apparatus as claimed at claim 3 wherein the control circuit enables activation of the heating means when the housing is at the first position. An apparatus as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the forming member is supported from a frame pivotally supported between a pair of spaced pivots to each side of the workstation and where the centre of curvature of the arcuate edge or corner is coincidental with the pivot ayis of the frame, said forming member being movable on the frame towards and away from the base element.
6. An apparatus as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface of the forming element which is engagable with the laminate is formed or coated wiLh a wear and heat resistant low friction material.
7. An apparatus as claimed at any one of the preceding claims, wherein the workstation comprises a support bed, the vertical position of the support bed being adjustable to readily accommodate variation in the thicknesses of base elements.
8. An apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. A method of applying a laminate to a base element where the base o "oelement has an arcuate edge or corner, utilising a forming apparatus as defined in any one of the preceding claims, said method comprising applying an adhesive between the opposed faces of the laminate and the base element, clamping the laminate to the base element adjacent the arcuate edge or corner such that the laminate extends beyond the arcuate edge or corner, heating the laminate overlying the arcuate edge or corner sufficiently to render the portion of the laminate pliable, pplying a clamping force between the laminate and the base element at a position I 12 adjacent the arcuate edge or corner by means of a forming member and progressively moving the forming member over the ate portion to bring the laminate into close abutting relationship with the surface of the edge or corner DATED this EIGHTH day of OCTOBER 1993 ROSS GEORGE PAYNE and LORRAINE PAYNE Applicants. WRAY ASSOCIATES Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicants. *s *T *h I _1 13 ABSTRACT A forming apparatus to form a laminate to the arcuate profile of the edge or corner of a base element, said forming means comprising a clamping means located to be spaced from a work station, clamping means being adapted to clampingly support the base element whereby the arcuate edge or corner of the base element is to be located at the work station, said base element being intended to be overlaid by a sheet of laminate which is clamped to the base element by the clamping means and which extends beyond the arcuate edge or corner, said apparatus further eer comprising a housing having an open face, said housing accommodating a heating means and being movable between a first position spaced from the work station and a second position at which the open face overlies the laminate to be seese located in the region of the arcuate edge or corner, a control means for controlling the operation of the heating *'"*means, the apparatus further comprising a forming member ses: movable to a position in engagement with the laminate adjacent the arcuate edge or corner and adapted to clamp eooe the laminate into engagement with the base element, said forming member being movable over the profile of the arcuate edge or corner in close engagement therewith to .cause the laminate to accommodate to the surface of the *oo arcuate edge or corner of the base element. I