Apparatus For Shaping A Tubular Object Made Of Thermoplastic Material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for shaping a tubular object made of glass or glass ceramics or any other thermoplastic material, comprising the following method steps: the object is heated up to softening; an inner shaping tool and an outer shaping tool are provided for shaping the outside and inside jacket surface of the object, of which at least the inner shaping tool consists at least in the region of its shaping surface of open-pored material with a permeability of between 10 −11 and 10 −16 m 2 ; a free-flowing pressurized medium is conducted through the open-pored material towards the surface of the object to be shaped; the inner shaping tool is introduced into the object; the outer shaping tool is applied on to the object in order to shape the same.

1 . (canceled) 
   
   
       2 . An apparatus for shaping a tubular object made of glass or glass ceramics or any other thermoplastic material, comprising:
 a device for heating the object;   an inner shaping tool comprising an inner shaping tool shaping surface, said inner shaping tool shaping surface comprising an open-pored material having a porosity of 50 μm or less with a permeability of between 10 −11  and 10 −16  m 2 ;   an outer shaping tool comprising an outer shaping tool shaping surface, said outer shaping tool shaping surface comprising an open pored material having a porosity of 50 μm or less with a permeability of between 10 −11  and  10   −16  m 2 ;   wherein the inner shaping tool is connected to a free-flowing pressurized medium source such that a free-flowing pressurized medium flows from the free-flowing pressurized medium source through the open-pored material towards the surface of the object to be shaped; and   wherein the outer shaping tool is connected to a free-flowing pressurized medium source such that a free-flowing pressurized medium flows from the free-flowing pressurized medium source through the open-pored material towards the surface of the object to be shaped.   
   
   
       3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus  claim 2 , wherein the open-pored material is comprised of graphite or sintered metal. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a device is provided for turning the object about a longitudinal axis relative to at least one of:
 the inner shaping tool; and   the outer shaping tool.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the inner shaping tool shaping surface comprises an open pored material having a porosity of 20 μm or less. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the outer shaping tool shaping surface comprises an open pored material having a porosity of 20 μm or less.