Phased split die
AssigneeStackpole Limited
InventorsGerd Hinzmann, Mark Haiko, Frank Ma, Allan Wilson, Keith Buckley-Golder, Robert Round
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to a device to compact parts with an undercut out of powder metal, including a pair of dies linearly moveable relative to one another and then phased, and an associated linearly displaceable pair of punches to produce said parts with said undercut.
Claims40
A toolset to compact a part out of powder material, comprising:
- (a) an upper die moveable along an axis relative to a lower die;
- (b) at least one upper punch associated with said upper die for relative movement within said upper die;
- (c) at least one lower punch associated with said lower die for relative movement within said upper die;
- (d) said lower punch and said lower die defining a lower chamber for receiving said powder material when said dies are in an open position;
- (e) said upper die being:
- (i) engageable with said lower die to define a closed position to place said chambers in communication and thereby define a mold cavity and moveable in said closed position with said lower die along said axis relative to said lower punch so as to transfer said powder material to an upper chamber formed between said upper die and said upper punch;
- and
- (ii) said upper punch moveable in said closed position relative to said lower die by a drive acting between said dies to a closed and displaced position;
- (f) said upper and lower punches moveable toward each other with said dies in said closed and displaced position to compact said powder material so as to produce said part;
- and
- (g) said dies moveable to said open position for ejection of said compacted part.
A device to compact parts out of powder material in a press having an upper and lower arm comprising:
- (a) an upper die linearly moveable relative to a lower die between an open position, a closed position and an eject position;
- (b) first drive means to effect relative movement between said dies along an axis;
- (c) at least one upper punch associated with said upper die to permit linear relative movement along said axis;
- (d) second drive means to effect relative movement between said upper die and said upper punch;
- (e) at least one lower punch associated with said lower die to permit relative movement along said axis;
- (f) third drive means to effect relative movement between said lower punch and said lower die;
- (g) said lower punch defining a lower chamber with said lower die to receive said powder material when said dies are in said open position;
- (h) said upper die being moveable by said first drive means to contact said lower die in said closed position and moveable conjointly with said lower die relative to said lower punch so as to transfer said powder material into an upper chamber formed between said upper die and said upper punch;
- (i) said upper die being displaceable in a plane normal to said axis relative to said lower die in said closed position to define a mold cavity for said component;
- and
- (j) said dies being moveable to an eject position to permit ejection of said part after compaction in said cavity by relative movement of said punches along said axis.
A method of producing a compacted part out of powder material by utilizing a toolset having an upper die, a lower die, at least one upper punch associated with said upper die, and at least one lower punch associated with said lower die, said method comprising the sequential steps of:
- (a) positioning said upper die in spaced relationship with said lower die in an open position in which;
- (i) said upper punch defines an upper chamber with said upper die;
- and
- (ii) said lower punch is disposed at a position relative to said lower die to define a lower chamber for receiving said powder material when said dies are in said open position;
- (b) charging said lower chamber with said powder material;
- (c) moving said upper die relative to said lower dies to contact said lower die and seal said chambers;
- (d) moving said upper die and lower die relative to said lower punch to transfer said powder material to said upper chamber;
- (e) displacing said upper punch and upper die relative to said lower die by relative motion therebetween in a plane transverse to said axis to define a mold cavity for said part;
- (f) compacting said powder material between said upper and lower punches in said dies in said closed position to produce said compacted part;
- and
- (g) moving said dies to an eject position so as to eject said compacted part.
A toolset for a powder molding machine, said toolset having a pair of die sets each having a die and a punch with said punch being moveable relative to its respective die, said punch and die cooperating to define a chamber in each respective die set, said die sets being movable relative to one another to a closed position to place said chambers in communication and thereby to define a mold cavity, said punches being movable relative to one another in a direction parallel to a common axis to reduce the volume of said mold cavity and to compress powder therein, a drive acting between said dies to move one die relative to the other when in said closed position in a plane normal to said common axis, and independently of movement along said common axis, to displace said chambers relative to one another, and said dies being separable in the direction of said common axis to permit a molded component to be removed.
A toolset for mounting in a powder compacting press that has an axis of reciprocation, said toolset comprising:
- a first die set including a first die and a first punch movable within said first die and positioned relative to said first die to form a first chamber for receiving a charge of powder;
- a second die set including a second die and a second punch movable within said second die and positioned relative to said second die to form a second chamber;
- said second die being movable parallel to said axis of reciprocation toward said first die to meet said first die at an interface to place said first and second chambers in communication to define a closed mold cavity for containing the charge of powder, said second die being movable relative to said first die with said first and second dies in contact at said interface to a transversely displaced position.
A method for making compacted powder parts with a tool set including a pair of die sets each having a die and a punch positioned relative to its die to define respective chambers, said method comprising the sequential steps of:
- a) establishing the toolset in a position in which said chambers are in communication to form a closed mold cavity with a charge of powder captured therein;
- b) displacing a first of said dies relative to a second of said dies while maintaining said chambers in closed communication;
- c) compacting the powder to form a compacted powder part;
- and
- d) ejecting the compacted powder part from the toolset.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.