TRANSLATABLE HEAT SHRINK OVEN FOR APPLYING HEAT SHRINK FILM TO A SILICONE RUBBER BLADDER

摘要

A heat shrink apparatus for heat shrinking a shrink film to a bladder. The heat shrink apparatus may include a support structure, a bladder support system, and a heat chamber. The bladder support system for supporting the bladder thereon may have two spaced apart parallel rows of a plurality of resilient members pivotally and/or resiliently attached to the support structure. The heat chamber may be hollow with opposing end openings and may have one or more heating elements therein. The heat chamber may translate over the shrink film and the bladder along the support structure between the two spaced apart parallel rows, shrinking the shrink film to the bladder. As the heat chamber translates, it may contact ends of the resilient members, thereby pivoting or deflecting the resilient members from a first position to a second position such that the heat chamber can pass between the two parallel rows.