초록 ▼

A laminate assembly having rigid sheets about a thermoplastic interlayer has interfacial surfaces evacuated and peripheral edges sealed by applying localized vacuum and heat to only the periphery and marginal edge portions. A flexible heating blanket having marginally embedded heating elements overl

A laminate assembly having rigid sheets about a thermoplastic interlayer has interfacial surfaces evacuated and peripheral edges sealed by applying localized vacuum and heat to only the periphery and marginal edge portions. A flexible heating blanket having marginally embedded heating elements overlies the laminate assembly and is biased theretoward by a flexible channel-shaped ring. The channel-shaped ring establishes a conduit about the periphery of the laminate assembly which is evacuated to remove entrapped air, and the heating element is energized to bond and seal the marginal edge portions of the assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of manufacturing a laminate assembly, said laminate assembly comprising two matched rigid sheets about a thermoplastic interlayer, comprising the steps of: positioning heating means over a first exposed major surface of the laminate assembly in alignment with the marginal edge portions ther

A method of manufacturing a laminate assembly, said laminate assembly comprising two matched rigid sheets about a thermoplastic interlayer, comprising the steps of: positioning heating means over a first exposed major surface of the laminate assembly in alignment with the marginal edge portions thereof; forming an evacuatable peripheral conduit about the laminate assembly by sealingly engaging a first channel arm of an endless channel shaped member to marginal portions of said heating means and sealingly engaging an opposing channel arm of the channel shaped member to the opposite exposed major surface of the laminate assembly, the channel arms terminating short of the center portion of the major surfaces of the laminate assembly and biased against the heating means and the opposite exposed major surface with a force sufficient to seal the peripheral conduit when a vacuum is drawn therein; drawing a vacuum in the peripheral conduit to evacuate the interfacial surfaces between said sheets and said interlayer; and heating the marginal edge portions of the laminate assembly with said heating means to bond the interlayer to the sheets about the marginal edge portions thereof to seal the periphery of the laminate assembly, wherein at least one exposed major surface thereof provides visual access to the effect of the practice of said drawing step and said heating step. An apparatus for manufacturing a laminate assembly, said laminate assembly having two matched rigid sheets about a thermoplastic interlayer, comprising: means for heating the marginal edge portions of said laminate assembly; and a flexible endless channel shaped member, said channel shaped member including a first channel arm sealingly engagable to said heating means and an opposing channel arm sealingly engagable to an exposed major surface of the laminate assembly, the channel arms of the channel shaped member terminating short of the center portion of the major surfaces of the laminate assembly to form an evacuatable peripheral conduit about the laminate assembly, wherein the channel arms are biased against the heating means and the exposed major surface with a force sufficient to seal the peripheral conduit when a vacuum is drawn therein, wherein said exposed major surface provides visual access of the effect of said heating means and a vacuum in said peripheral conduit on said laminate assembly.