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US 6,474,534 B2Granted
Hydroforming a tubular structure of varying diameter from a tubular blank made using electromagnetic pulse welding
AssigneeMagna International Inc.
InventorsGianfranco Gabbianelli, Seetarama S. Kotagiri, Richard Ashley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of hydroforming a tubular structure of varying diameter along its longitudinal axis, comprising the formation of a tubular blank member by welding together, at their periphery, tubes of different diameters using electromagnetic pulse welding.
Claims19
A method of hydroforming a tubular part comprising:
- providing a first tubular member having a first diameter;
- providing a second tubular member having a second diameter which is greater than the first diameter of said first tubular member;
- effecting relative movement between said first tubular member and said second tubular member so that a first portion of said first tubular member is telescopically disposed within a second portion of said second tubular member and so that said first and second portions are disposed in axially overlapping relation with one another;
- applying an electromagnetic pulse of sufficient magnitude in a vicinity of said overlapping first and second portion of said first and second members to rapidly force said first and second portions into peripheral welded engagement with one another, so as to form a welded tubular structure;
- placing said welded tubular structure into a hydroforming die assembly;
- and
- hydroforming said welded tubular structure so as to expand said welded tubular structure outwardly into conformity with die surfaces of said hydroforming die assembly.
4 more elements
A method of hydroforming a tubular part comprising:
- providing a first tubular member having a first diameter, the end of said first tubular member having an end face;
- providing a second tubular member having a second diameter which is approximately equal to the first diameter of said first tubular member, the end of said second tubular member having an end face;
- providing a beveled surface on the end face of said first tubular member, said beveled surface at an obtuse angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first tubular member;
- providing a beveled surface on the end face of said second tubular member mutually opposite of said beveled surface on said end face of said first tubular member;
- bringing the beveled ends of said first and said second tubular members together in contact with one another, defining a contact region;
- applying an electromagnetic pulse of sufficient magnitude in a vicinity of said contact region to rapidly force said beveled surfaces of said first and said second tubular members into welded engagement with one another, so as to form a welded tubular structure;
- placing said welded tubular structure into a hydroforming die assembly;
- and
- hydroforming said welded tubular structure so as to expand said welded tubular structure outwardly into conformity with die surfaces of said hydroforming die assembly.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.