# US 10,369,612 B2 · Method and system for producing ring-shaped member for vehicle, and synchronizer ring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,612 B2 - Document ID: US10369612B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/748,901 - Filed: 2016-12-16 - Published: 2018-08-02 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-16 - Assignees: Nsk Ltd. - Applicants: Nsk Ltd. - Inventors: Kazuto Kobayashi; Hiroshi Koyama; Yuu Yasuda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369612B2 ## CPC - B21D 28/30: in annular parts, e.g. rims - B21D 28/36: using rotatable work or tool holders - B21D 28/00: Shaping by press-cutting; Perforating - B21D 28/02: Punching blanks or articles with or without obtaining scrap (cutting nails or pins from strips or sheet material B21G3/26); Notching - B21D 28/28: in tubes or other hollow bodies - B21D 51/16: characterised by the use of the objects (making heat exchangers B21D53/02) - B21D 53/16: rings, e.g. barrel hoops - B21D 53/84: other parts for engines, e.g. connecting-rods - B21K 1/30: with gear-teeth - F16D 23/025: {Synchro rings} - F16D 23/06: and a blocking mechanism preventing the engagement of the main clutch prior to synchronisation - F16D 2250/0023: Shaping by pressure - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - B21K: MAKING FORGED OR PRESSED METAL PRODUCTS, e.g. HORSE-SHOES, RIVETS, BOLTS OR WHEELS (making particular articles by working sheet metal without essentially removing material B21D; processing wire B21F; making pins, needles or nails B21G; making particular articles by rolling B21H; forging machines, pressing machines, hammering machines, in general B21J; making chains B21L; plating B23K) - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES ## Abstract A method and a system for producing a ring-shaped member. A punching process is carried out on an axial intermediate part of a first intermediate annular material so as to produce a pair of ring-shaped members. A punching step includes a step in which a first punching process is carried out over a first range of the axial intermediate part in the circumferential direction, and a step in which a second punching process is carried out over a second range of the axially-oriented intermediate part, which is at least partially different than the first range, in the circumferential direction. The first punching process is carried out such that at least one tab is formed. The second punching process is carried out such that at least one separate tab is formed, thereby producing the pair of ring-shaped members. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle, the method comprising: punching out an axial intermediate portion of a ring-shaped workpiece entirely in a circumferential direction so that a first ring-shaped member and a second ring-shaped member each having at least one claw piece are formed, wherein the punching step comprises: performing a first punching process on a first region of the intermediate portion in the circumferential direction; and performing a second punching process on a second region of the intermediate portion which is at least partially different from the first region in the circumferential direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the first punching process is performed so that at least one claw piece is formed; and the second punching process is performed so that at least another one claw piece is formed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the first punching process comprises punching out the intermediate portion simultaneously at a plurality of segmented areas of the first region by using a plurality of punching tools, wherein the plurality of segmented areas are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and the second punching process comprises punching out the intermediate portion simultaneously at another plurality of segmented areas of the second region by using the plurality of punching tools, wherein the another plurality of segmented areas are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a punching tool used in the first punching process has substantially the same shape as a punching tool used in the second punching process. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising forming a concave surface extending in the circumferential direction on an inner circumference of the intermediate portion before the punching step. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped member is a synchronizer ring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: preparing a first punching tool and a second punching tool that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction such that an angular interval between a circumferential center of the first punching tool and a circumferential center of the second punching tool is 90° or more and less than 270°, wherein both the first punching tool and the second punching tool are used in each of the first punching process and the second punching process. ### Claim 8 A system of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle, the system comprising: a first device configured to punch out an axial intermediate portion of a ring-shaped workpiece entirely in a circumferential direction so that a first ring-shaped member and a second ring-shaped member, each having a tubular portion and at least one claw piece, are formed, wherein: the first device has a punching tool that is arranged movably in a radial direction of the tubular portion to punch out the ring-shaped workpiece, a distal end surface of the punching tool has two first areas and one second area, each of the two first areas having a relatively large width in an axial direction of the tubular portion and extending in the circumferential direction, the second area having a relatively small width in the axial direction and extending in the circumferential direction, the second area of the punching tool is arranged between the two first areas of the punching tool, in the circumferential direction, the second area has a circumferential length that corresponds to the at least one claw piece, and wherein the first device is configured to: perform a first punching process on a first region of the intermediate portion in the circumferential direction; and perform a second punching process on a second region of the intermediate portion which is at least partially different from the first region in the circumferential direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein: the punching tool is configured to form the at least one claw piece by a single punching operation with respect to the intermediate portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the punching tool has a first punch and a second punch that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction and each are arranged movably in the radial direction to punch out the ring-shaped workpiece, each of the first punch and the second punch having the distal end surface that has the two first areas and the one second area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the distal end surface of the punching tool is arranged in the first region in the first punching process, wherein the distal end surface of the punching tool is arranged in the second region in the second punching process. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein an angular interval between a circumferential center of the first punch and a circumferential center of the second punch is 90° or more and less than 270°. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of manufacturing a ring-shaped member for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the ring-shaped member is a synchronizer ring.