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US 10,328,470 B2Granted
Roll dimpler apparatus and method for preparing metal blanks
AssigneeWelker Engineered Products Company
InventorsTimothy Thomas, Sean Murphy, Douglas Holt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device and method of preparing metal blanks including applying a series of dimples in metal feed stock.
Claims20
A method for preparing a sheet of metal for processing into a stack of metal blanks, the method comprising:
- adjusting one or more dimpler head mechanisms to a position sufficient to accommodate an expected material thickness of the sheet of metal;
- and
- decoiling a roll of metal into the sheet of metal, where the decoiling generates a force urging the sheet of metal through the one or more dimpler head mechanisms, where the dimpler head mechanisms each include a male dimpling wheel and a female dimpling wheel, and, where friction between the male dimpling wheel, the sheet of metal and the female dimpling wheel induces rotation of at least the male dimpling wheel as the sheet of metal passes through the dimpler head mechanisms and forms a repeating dimple pattern in the sheet of metal.
A method comprising:
- providing a frame comprising at least one dimpler head mechanisms, where the at least one dimpler head mechanism includes a male dimpling wheel and a female dimpling wheel;
- adjusting the male dimpling wheel and the female dimpling wheel to accommodate an expected material thickness of a sheet of metal;
- adjusting the at least one dimpler head mechanism laterally within the frame to provide a repeating dimple pattern at a desired location on the expected sheet of metal;
- urging the sheet of metal between the at least one dimpler head mechanism, where friction between the male dimpling wheel, the sheet of metal and the female dimpling wheel induces rotation of at least the male dimpling wheel as the sheet of metal passes through the dimpler head mechanisms and a repeating dimple pattern of dimples having a height between 0.001 inches and 0.015 inches is formed in the sheet of metal.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- providing a frame comprising at least one dimpler head mechanisms, where the at least one dimpler head mechanism includes a male dimpling wheel and a female dimpling wheel;
- adjusting the male dimpling wheel and the female dimpling wheel to accommodate an expected material thickness of a sheet of metal;
- adjusting the at least one dimpler head mechanism laterally within the frame to provide a repeating dimple pattern at a desired location on the expected sheet of metal;
- urging the sheet of metal between the at least one dimpler head mechanism, where friction between the male dimpling wheel, the sheet of metal and the female dimpling wheel induces rotation of at least the male dimpling wheel as the sheet of metal passes through the dimpler head mechanisms and a repeating dimple pattern is formed in the sheet of metal;
- and
- stacking the sheet of metal with the repeating dimple pattern onto other sheets of metal with a repeating dimple pattern forming a stack of dimpled sheets of metal;
- and
- suction lifting solely a top dimpled sheet of metal from the stack.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.