Fin mill machine
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsRonald L. Pardi, Alfred J. Michelini, Rodger A. Lisk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fin mill machine (12) for forming strip stock (14) into corrugated fins (16) to form heat exchanger fins or the like. The fin mill machine (12) includes a tension control subsystem (20) employing a pneumatic cylinder (32) to create the tension which is controlled by a feedback loop which automatically adjusts cylinder pressure based upon measurements from a strain gauge (44). The fin mill machine also includes a height measurement subsystem (22) which continually measures the average height of the fins in a packed state, which allows for manual or automatic feedback to the tension subsystem (20) to adjust the average fin height.
Claims12
A fin mill machine for forming strip stock into corrugated fin material comprising:
- a pneumatic cylinder and friction material for receiving the strip stock and applying pressure thereto;
- tension measurement means for measuring the tension in the strip stock after it passes through the pneumatic cylinder;
- tension feedback means for adjusting the pressure in the pneumatic cylinder based on the tension as measured by the tension measurement means;
- forming means for forming corrugations in the strip stock;
- a first packing station adjacent to the forming means for causing the corrugations to become packed together between the forming means and the first packing station;
- and
- height measurement means for measuring the height of the corrugations between the forming means and the packing station.
A fin mill machine for forming strip stock into finished fins comprising:
- a pneumatic cylinder and friction material for receiving the strip stock and applying pressure thereto;
- tension measurement means for measuring the tension in the strip stock after it passes through the pneumatic cylinder;
- first tension feedback means for adjusting the pressure in the pneumatic cylinder based on the tension as measured by the tension measurement means;
- second tension feedback means adapted for manual adjustment of the pneumatic cylinder pressure;
- switch means for selectively switching the feedback between the first tension feedback means and the second tension feedback means;
- forming means for forming corrugations in the strip stock;
- a first packing station adjacent to the forming means for causing the corrugations to become packed together between the forming means and the first packing station;
- and
- height measurement means for measuring the height of the corrugations between the forming means and the packing station.
A fin mill machine for forming strip stock into finished fins comprising:
- a pneumatic cylinder and friction material for receiving the strip stock and applying pressure thereto;
- tension measurement means for measuring the tension in the strip stock after it passes through the pneumatic cylinder;
- tension feedback means for adjusting the pressure in the pneumatic cylinder based on the tension as measured by the tension measurement means;
- forming means for forming corrugations in the strip stock;
- a first packing station adjacent to the forming means for causing the corrugations to become packed together between the forming means and the first packing station;
- height measurement means for measuring the height of the corrugations between the forming means and the packing station;
- and
- height measurement feedback means for receiving a desired height measurement input and adjusting the tension in the pneumatic cylinder based on a comparison with the measured height of the corrugations for the height measurement means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.