Method of forming an integral grid reinforcement in a part using an electro-hydraulic forming process
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsSergey Fedorovich Golovashchenko, John Joseph Francis Bonnen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of reinforcing a part formed from a sheet metal panel that has a predetermined area that requires reinforcement by forming a grid pattern of V-shaped channels in the predetermined area. The grid pattern may be formed by wire electrodes in an electro-hydraulic forming tool having a one-sided die. Alternatively, the grid pattern may be formed by a plurality of electrodes that are arranged in an array that is aligned in at least two directions on the opposite side of the part from the one-sided die.
Claims18
A method of reinforcing a part comprising:
- forming a metal panel into a three dimensional shape that includes a predetermined area requiring reinforcement;
- placing the predetermined area between a one-sided die and an electro-hydraulic chamber that includes a first plurality of wire electrodes that extend in a first direction;
- discharging a stored electrical charge through the sires to form a first set of grooves into a V-shaped cross-section having an internal radius of less than one-half the thickness of the panel in the one-sided die;
- placing the predetermined area between the one-sided die and the electro-hydraulic chamber that includes a second plurality of wire electrodes that extend in a second direction that is different than the first direction;
- and
- discharging a stored electrical charge through the wires to form a second set of grooves into a V-shaped cross-section having an internal radius of less than one-half the thickness of the panel, wherein the first and second sets of grooves intersect at a predetermined angle.
(canceled)
A method of reinforcing a part comprising:
- forming a panel that includes a predetermined area requiring reinforcement;
- placing the predetermined area between a one-sided die and an array of electrodes that are aligned in a first direction and in a second direction, that intersect;
- and
- discharging the plurality of electrodes to form a first plurality of channels in the first direction and a second plurality of channels in a second direction.
A part comprising:
- a metal panel that is formed into an intermediate part shape that includes a predetermined area requiring reinforcement;
- a plurality of intersecting V-shaped channels formed in the metal panel at the area requiring reinforcement, wherein a first set of the V-shaped channels are disposed to resist deformation in a first direction and a second set of V-shaped channels are disposed to resist deformation in a second direction, wherein the first and second directions are different.
A system for reinforcing a part formed from a metal panel comprising:
- a first forming tool that forms the metal panel into an intermediate three dimensional part shape that includes a predetermined area that requires added strength;
- a second forming tool that forms a plurality of channels into the predetermined area in a grid pattern after the first forming tool forms the part shape that reinforces the predetermined area in at least two directions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.