US 6,532,786 B1 · Numerically controlled forming method

Abstract

The present invention is a method for forming sheet material into contoured parts. The invention method includes these steps: A die is fashioned having an outside surface corresponding to the inside surface of the desired part. A plastically deformable sheet of material is clamped to the die so that the material is tangent to the die at a tangent area. A forming path is defined that follows the part's outside surface definition beginning at a point adjacent to the tangent area and tracing around the tangent area in circuits that incrementally offset away from the tangent area until all of the outside surface of the part is traced. A forming tool is then moved along the forming path as the die and the sheet of material remain stationary so that the end of the forming tool presses the sheet material against the die thereby gradually forming the sheet material against the die to produce a finished formed part.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for forming a sheet of plastically deformable material from an initial substantially flat shape into a defined contoured shape having a first contoured surface definition and an opposite corresponding second contoured surface definition that is substantially evenly spaced from the first surface definition by the thickness of the sheet of plastically deformable material when formed, the method for forming the sheet of plastically deformable material comprising the following steps:

(a) fashioning a forming die having a forming surface that substantially matches the first contoured surface definition,
(b) holding the sheet of plastically deformable material in a fixed relationship with surface of the forming die so that the sheet of material contacts the forming die at a tangent area,
(c) defining a forming path that traces the second contoured surface definition,
(d) orienting the forming path in relation with the surface of the forming die so that the position of the forming path in relation to the surface of the forming die substantially corresponds to the relative position of the second surface definition in relation to the first surface definition,
(e) providing a forming tool having a contact surface for making contact with a small area,
(f) holding the forming die stationary, and,
(g) moving the forming tool in relation to the stationary forming die and the sheet of plastically deformable material, such that the contact surface of the forming tool moves along the forming path, the contact surface of the forming tool coming into contact with the plastically defomable sheet of material as it moves along the forming path, the forming tool deforming the sheet of plastically deformable material so as to at least substantially conform it to the surface of the stationary forming die, the sheet of plastically deformable material thereby formed into a shape that substantially conforms to the defined shape when the contact surface of the forming tool has completely moved along the forming path.

4 more elements

A method for forming a sheet of plastically deformable material from an initially, substantially flate shape into a shape that substantially conforms to a defined shape having a first surface and a second surface, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) fashioning a forming die having a forming surface that substantially matches the first surface of the defined shape,
(b) fixing the sheet of plastically deformable material to the surface of the forming die so that the sheet of material contacts the forming die at a tangent area,
(c) defining a forming path that follows the second surface of the defined shape, the forming path starting at a starting point adjacent to the tangent area and continuing around the tangent area in a first circuit until it returns to the starting point, the forming path offsetting by a path spacing distance away from the tangent area and the starting point and then continuing around the tangent area in a second circuit that is offset from the first circuit and that is also on the second surface of the defined shape, the forming path continuing in this progressive manner about the second surface of the defined shape until the forming path reaches an end point where all of the second surface of the defined shape has been traced,
(d) orienting the forming path in relation to the surface of the forming die so that the relationship of the forming path to the surface of the forming die substantially corresponds to the relationsip between the first surface and the second surface of the defined shape,
(e) providing a forming tool having a contact surface for applying pressure to a small area,
(f) holding the forming die stationary, and,
(g) moving the forming tool in relation to the sheet of plastically deformable material and the stationary forming die so that the contact surface of the forming tool follows the forming path such that the forming tool forms the sheet of plastically deformable material so that it substantially conforms to the outer surface of the stationary forming die, whereby the sheet of plastically deformable material is formed into a shape that is substantially the same as the defined shape when the forming tool has completed its movement along the forming path.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Numerically controlled forming method

Life of this patent

Numerically controlled forming method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20