Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090065981 | METHOD OF PREPARING A MOLDED ARTICLE - The present invention relates to a method of preparing a molded article, and more particularly to a method of forming a shaped thermoplastic sheet (e.g., a fluid management structure). The method includes providing a mold apparatus ( | 03-12-2009 |
20090183455 | LOAD BEARING ASSEMBLY - A load bearing assembly ( | 07-23-2009 |
20100021664 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A SHAPED MULTILAYERED MOLDED ARTICLE - The present invention provides a method and apparatae used to prepare a shaped and molded multilayered article formed from a heated thermoplastic sheet and a first plastic sheet that are driven into melt-bonding contact by a stream of gas. The method involves applying a stream of gas ( | 01-28-2010 |
20100147284 | PARABOLIC SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTOR APPARATUS - A solar energy collector apparatus includes a solar collector panel having a parabolic shape, and a base comprising a pair of spaced apart support frames. Each support frame has a parabolic shape corresponding to the parabolic shape of the solar collector panel. Spaced apart rollers are positioned along an upper surface of each support frame to support the solar collector panel. A drive mechanism is coupled to the solar collector panel for rotation thereof. The solar collector panel includes a pair of spaced apart guide channels on an underside thereof for contacting the spaced apart rollers to insure that the solar collector panel rotates squarely with respect to the base. | 06-17-2010 |
20100269816 | STATIONARY PARABOLIC SOLAR POWER SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS FOR COLLECTING SOLAR ENERGY - A solar energy collector system includes a base, and a parabolic trough collector carried by the base for reflecting sunlight to a longitudinal focal line. The parabolic trough collector includes a center section horizontally positioned with respect to ground, and opposing end sections adjacent the center section. Each end section is angled towards the ground. A conduit is positioned along the longitudinal focal line to receive the reflected sunlight. The conduit circulates a heat transfer liquid therethrough to be heated by the reflected sunlight. | 10-28-2010 |
20110037198 | Method of forming a molded plastic article having at least one molded extension - A method of forming a molded plastic article having at least one molded extension extending from a second surface, and a first surface that is substantially free of sink mark defects. The method involves providing a mold (that includes a first mold portion with a recess. Part of the base of the recess is defined by the upper surface of a part ejector. A first plastic material is introduced into the recess to form a molded extension. After at least partial solidification of the molded extension, the part ejector is positioned to push the upper surface and upper portion of the molded extension out of the recess while a lower portion of the molded extension remains within the recess. A second plastic material is introduced into the mold so as to form a molded body in which the upper surface and upper portion of the molded extension are immersed and embedded. As a result the first surface of the molded body is substantially free of sink mark defects opposite the molded extension. | 02-17-2011 |
20110045117 | Method of preparing a molded article - A method of forming a shaped thermoplastic sheet includes providing a mold apparatus that includes, a first mold portion having an interior mold surface having a plurality of perforations and a perimeter edge. The mold apparatus further includes at least one sheet retainer having an upper surface having a plurality of perforations and a longitudinal axis that is oriented along at least a portion of the perimeter edge of the first mold portion. Each sheet retainer is reversibly and controllably: positionable along an x-, y- and/or z-axis relative to the perimeter edge; and rotatable around its longitudinal axis, toward and/or away from the perimeter edge. A heated thermoplastic sheet is formed and contacted (while at a thermoformable temperature) with the interior surface of the first mold portion and the exterior surfaces of the tubular sheet retainers. Reduced pressure is drawn through the perforations of the sheet retainers thereby retaining a portion of the heated thermoplastic sheet thereon. The sheet retainers are moved along the x-, y- and/or z-axes, and optionally rotated, with the sheet retained thereon, relative to the perimeter edge. Reduced pressure is drawn through the perforations of the interior mold surface, thereby drawing the heated thermoplastic sheet into intimate contour matching contact. The heated thermoplastic sheet is allowed to cool, and a shaped thermoplastic sheet retaining the contour of interior mold surface is formed. A sheet molding apparatus is also described. | 02-24-2011 |
20110045118 | Method of preparing a molded article - A method of preparing a molded article, and more particularly to a method of forming a shaped thermoplastic sheet. The method includes providing a mold apparatus that includes a first mold portion with a contoured and perforated interior mold surface, and a perimeter edge. The mold apparatus also includes a frame that surrounds at least a portion of the perimeter edge of the first mold portion. At least one sheet retainer resides on the upper surface of the frame. Each sheet retainer includes a clamp portion that faces towards the perimeter edge of the first mold portion, and which includes a reversibly closeable clamp member which defines in part a clamp interior. Each sheet retainer is independently, reversibly and laterally attached to the upper surface of the frame, such that each clamp portion is reversibly and laterally positionable relative to the perimeter edge of the first mold portion. In the method of the present invention, each sheet retainer, with a first portion of a heated thermoplastic sheet retained within the clamp portion thereof, is independently, reversibly and laterally moved towards and/or away from the perimeter edge of the first mold portion. Independent reversible and lateral positioning of each sheet retainer provides control over the thickness of the heated thermoplastic sheet that is contacted with the interior mold surface of the first mold portion during the molding process. Accordingly, such independent lateral positioning of each sheet retainer provides control over the thickness of various portions of the final molded article. | 02-24-2011 |
20110045241 | METHOD OF FORMING A MOLDED PLASTIC ARTICLE HAVING MOLDED EXTENSIONS - A method of forming a molded plastic article with a second surface with molded extensions, and a first surface that is substantially free of sink mark defects. The method involves forming, from a first plastic material, a first molded section with at least one molded extension extending from the second surface. The molded extension is formed in a mold recess with a reversibly positionable slide. After formation of the first molded section, the slide is retracted to a second slide position thus forming within the molded extension a retainer cavity that is in fluid communication with an aperture in the first surface of the first molded section. A second plastic material is introduced into the mold over the first molded section, and a portion thereof passes through the aperture and into the retainer cavity, thereby forming a second molded section that is continuous with each retainer. The first and second molded sections, which together form the molded article, are fixedly attached to each other by at least one molded retainer, and the first surface of the second molded section, which defines the first surface of the molded article ( | 02-24-2011 |
20110088685 | SOLAR DISH COLLECTOR SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A solar dish collector system includes a solar dish collector panel for reflecting sunlight, and a conduit adjacent the solar dish collector panel. The conduit includes a supply tube to provide fluid to be heated by the reflected sunlight, and a return tube to return the heated fluid. A collector encloses open ends of the supply and return tubes, and is positioned to receive the reflected sunlight from the solar dish collector panel. The fluid from the supply tube at least partially fills the collector and is heated by the reflected sunlight while circulating therein. The heated fluid is then returned via the return tube. | 04-21-2011 |
20110193253 | METHOD OF FORMING A MOLDED ARTICLE BY WIRELESS CONTROL - The present invention relates to a method and molding system ( | 08-11-2011 |
20110240097 | CONCENTRATING SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTOR SYSTEM WITH PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS - A solar energy collector system includes a solar collector configured to reflect sunlight to a diffused focal point, and a photovoltaic cell assembly carried by the solar collector. The photovoltaic cell assembly includes a collector housing positioned at the diffused focal point to receive the reflected sunlight, and photovoltaic cells within the collector housing to generate electricity based on the reflected sunlight. The collector housing includes a cooling liquid to cool the photovoltaic cells when generating the electricity. | 10-06-2011 |
20110277926 | Method of Forming a Molded Article From Thermoformable Thermoplastic Sheets - The present invention relates to a method of forming a molded article (e.g., | 11-17-2011 |
20120018134 | Heat Exchange Panel - A heat exchange panel ( | 01-26-2012 |
20120211919 | Thermoplastic Molding Process and Apparatus - A system and method for forming an article from thermoplastic material and fiber. The method includes heating thermoplastic material to form a molten thermoplastic material for blending with the fiber. The molten thermoplastic material is blended with the fibers to form a molten composite material having a concentration of fiber by weight. The molten composite material may then be extruded through dynamic dies to deliver discrete controlled material that is gravitated onto a lower portion of a mold. The lower portion of the mold may be moved in space and time while receiving the flow of composite material to deposit a predetermined quantity of molten composite material thereon conforming to mold cavities of the lower and an upper portion of the mold. The upper portion of the mold may be pressed against the predetermined quantity of molten composite material and closing on the lower portion of the mold to form the article. | 08-23-2012 |
20130193611 | Composite Polymeric Flowforming with X-Y Translating Mold Base - A system for forming an article from composite polymeric material reinforced with fibers and other additives utilizing an extrusion system to heat and deliver the molten composite polymeric material onto a lower mold body riding on an x-y controlled structure. The combination of the x-y control of a lower mold and a volumetrically controlled extrusion device allow a “near net shape” deposition of molten composite material into the cavities of the lower mold, which is then moved over a conveyance system to a press containing the upper mold half which is used to compress and form the composite material into a final part under moderate pressures. | 08-01-2013 |
20130307191 | Expanded Compression Molding of Composite Plastics - Composite polymeric articles significantly larger than the size of a compression molding press are produced by providing a plurality of expandable pillows interposed between an upper plate and the upper exterior surface of an outside the press upper mold. The upper plate has a plurality of downwardly extending paired vertical arms attached to opposite sides of the upper plate. Each vertical arm has a lower portion having a eyelet (or aperture), and each pair of vertical arms together forms an aligned pair of eyelets. When the upper and lower mold portions are pressed together, the eyelets reside below the exterior lower surface of the outside the press lower mold portion. Each eyelet is dimensioned to reversibly receive a horizontal or lateral arm that is deployed below the exterior lower surface of the outside the press lower mold portion. A plastic material is introduced onto the interior surface of the lower mold portion, which is compressed between the upper and lower mold portions via a press having a press area that does not extend out over the outside the press portions of the upper and lower mold portions. The lateral arms are extended through the paired and aligned eyelets. The plurality of expandable pillows are expanded, and the lateral arms are brought into compressive abutment with the exterior lower surface of the outside the press lower mold portion. The plastic material residing between the outside the press upper mold portion and the outside the press lower mold portion is then correspondingly compressed. | 11-21-2013 |
20140059974 | Polymer Composite Beam with In-Molded Flange Inserts - A solid molded polymer composite beam is described that includes at least a first flange; a second flange; at least one web extending between the two flanges wherein the first and second flanges are configured normal to the at least one web; the first flange and the second flange each contains an in-molded rigid insert in the plane of the flanges normal to the at least one web. The method of manufacture and insertion of the in-molded rigid inserts is also described. | 03-06-2014 |
20140246011 | Solar Heat Exchange Panel - A solar heat exchange panel that includes a lower plate and an upper plate that together define an interior volume containing a flowing heat transfer fluid. The upper plate includes a plurality of upward extensions and downward extensions that cover the top surface of the solar heat transfer panel and are configured to capture solar radiant energy. The lower plate plate includes a plurality of upwardly extending hollow lower plate extensions. The lower plate extensions are aligned with the bottom portions of each upward extension of the upper plate and almost touching. Each of the downward extensions form the upper plate extend down and are joined to the base of the lower plate. In operation, a heat transfer fluid introduced into an inlet on one end of the solar heat transfer panel passes through the defined interior volume and is intimately contacted with the solar heated surfaces extending down into the solar heat transfer panel from the upper plate. A substantially infrared transparent plate across the top surface of the solar heat transfer panel creates a top interior space that encloses a path of flowing air which is simultaneously heated along with the enclosed heat transfer fluid in the lower interior space. | 09-04-2014 |