Punch assembly for hydroforming die
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorMike M. Ghiran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A punch assembly for a hydroforming die includes a servo motor, a ball screw connected to the servo motor, and a ball nut disposed about the ball screw for movement along the ball screw. The punch assembly also includes a link mechanism connected to the ball nut and a plunger operatively connected to the link mechanism and movable relative to the hydroforming die to allow fluid within a tubular member to force a wall portion of the tubular member outward against the plunger and be sheared by the hydroforming die to produce an opening in the tubular member.
Claims15
A punch assembly for a hydroforming die comprising:
- a servo motor;
- a ball screw connected to said servo motor;
- a ball nut disposed about said ball screw for movement along said ball screw;
- a link mechanism connected to said ball nut;
- and
- a plunger operatively connected to said link mechanism and movable relative to the hydroforming die to allow fluid within a tubular member to force a wall portion of the tubular member outward against said plunger and be sheared by the hydroforming die to produce an opening in the tubular member.
A hydroforming die assembly comprising:
- a lower die half having a die forming cavity;
- an upper die half having a die forming cavity and a punch cavity extending axially therein and communicating with said die forming cavity;
- and
- a punch assembly being disposed in said punch cavity and operatively supported by said upper die half, said punch assembly having a servo motor and a movable plunger operatively connected to said servo motor for piercing an opening in a tubular member disposed between said upper die half and said lower die half;
- wherein said punch assembly comprises a ball screw connected to said servo motor, a ball nut disposed about said ball screw for movement along said ball screw, and a link mechanism connected to said ball nut and said plunger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.