Thermoforming device and thermoforming method

Abstract

A thermoforming device includes: a base configured to hold a substrate; a hot plate including a heating surface facing vertically downward; a sheet transport portion that supplies a sheet onto the heating surface of the hot plate; and a substrate supply portion configured to attach the substrate to the base and detach the substrate from the base, and to dispose the substrate at a substrate supply position positioned in a lower area of the sheet which is opposite to a side of the sheet in which the heating surface is provided. In the thermoforming device, heating of the sheet using the hot plate and attachment and detachment of the substrate with respect to the base are performable at the same time, and the sheet heated and softened by the hot plate is attached to the substrate at the substrate supply position.

1 . A thermoforming device comprising:
 a base configured to hold a substrate;   a hot plate including a heating surface facing vertically downward;   a sheet transport portion that supplies a sheet onto the heating surface of the hot plate; and   a substrate supply portion configured to attach the substrate to the base and detach the substrate from the base, and to dispose the substrate at a substrate supply position positioned in a lower area of the sheet which is opposite to a side of the sheet in which the heating surface is provided, wherein   heating of the sheet using the hot plate and attachment and detachment of the substrate with respect to the base are performable at the same time, and   the sheet heated and softened by the hot plate is attached to the substrate at the substrate supply position.   
     
     
         2 . The thermoforming device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the substrate supply portion is provided to be movable between the substrate supply position and a substrate non-supply position separated from the substrate supply position, and attaches the substrate to the base and detaches the substrate from the base at the substrate non-supply position.   
     
     
         3 . The thermoforming device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the sheet transport portion is configured to continuously supply the sheet in an extending direction of the heating surface of the hot plate.   
     
     
         4 . The thermoforming device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the hot plate and the substrate disposed at the substrate supply position are provided to be movable relative to each other in a vertical direction.   
     
     
         5 . The thermoforming device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the sheet transport portion includes:   a sheet support portion that unwindably supports a roll sheet wound in roll shape,   a sheet unwinding portion that detachably holds a sheet end of the roll sheet wound in roll shape and is provided so as to be movable in an area between the hot plate and the substrate supply position such that the roll sheet is unwound in an extending direction of the heating surface, and   a sheet cutting portion that cuts the roll sheet, which is held by the sheet unwinding portion, at an upstream position of the heating surface in an unwinding direction.   
     
     
         6 . The thermoforming device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the sheet transport portion further includes:   a cut sheet holding portion that holds a sheet end of the roll sheet cut by the sheet cutting portion.   
     
     
         7 . The thermoforming device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sheet storage portion that stores a plurality of sheets cut in a predetermined size, wherein   the sheet transport portion transports and supplies the sheets one by one from the sheet storage portion to the heating surface of the hot plate.   
     
     
         8 . A thermoforming method in which a thermoforming device is used,
 the thermoforming device including:   a base configured to hold a substrate,   a hot plate including a heating surface facing vertically downward,   a sheet transport portion that supplies a sheet onto the heating surface of the hot plate, and   a substrate supply portion configured to attach the substrate to the base and detach the substrate from the base, and to dispose the substrate at a substrate supply position positioned in a lower area of the sheet which is opposite to a side of the sheet in which the heating surface is provided, and   the method comprising:   attaching the substrate to the base and disposing the base at the substrate supply position;   supplying the sheet to an area between the heating surface of the hot plate and the substrate supply position by the sheet transport portion;   heating the sheet by the hot plate;   causing a frame, which accommodates the base and the substrate, to be relatively close to the hot plate and to come into contact with the hot plate through the sheet; and   depressurizing the inside of a closed space enclosed by the sheet and the frame, and mold-shaping the sheet or attaching the sheet to the substrate; wherein   attaching of the substrate and heating of the sheet are performed at the same time.