Method of making pre-formed tubular members
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorChi-Mou Ni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making a pre-formed tubular member includes the steps of providing a tubular member extending longitudinally and providing a bending assembly having a mandrel with at least one ball and a bending die. The method also includes the steps of positioning the at least one ball inside of the tubular member. The method further includes the steps of bending the tubular member about the bend die to form a bent pre-formed tubular member having at least one curved portion having a recess therein.
Claims15
A method of making a pre-formed tubular member, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a tubular member extending longitudinally;
- providing a bending assembly having a mandrel with at least one ball and a bend die;
- positioning the at least one ball inside of the tubular member;
- and
- bending the tubular member about the bend die to form a bent pre-formed tubular member having at least one curved portion with a collapsed wall to form a caved in portion on the at least one curved portion.
A method of making a curved hydroformed tubular member, said method comprising the steps of:
- making a bent pre-formed tubular member wherein said step of making the bent pre-formed tubular member comprises providing a tubular member extending longitudinally and a bending assembly having a mandrel with at least one ball and a bend die;
- positioning the bent pre-formed tubular member having at least one curved portion with a collapsed wall forming a caved in portion on the at least one curved portion between open die halves mating with one another to define a tubular cavity portion;
- progressively closing the die halves to progressively deform the bent pre-formed tubular member within the tubular cavity portion;
- applying hydraulic pressure to expand and conform the bent pre-formed tubular member to the tubular cavity portion to form a curved hydroformed tubular member;
- and
- separating the die halves and removing the curved hydroformed tubular member from the die.
A method of making a curved hydroformed tubular member, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a tubular member extending longitudinally;
- providing a bending assembly having at least one ball and a bend die;
- positioning the at least one ball inside of the tubular member;
- bending the tubular member about the bend die to form a bent pre-formed tubular member having at least one curved portion with a collapsed wall to form a caved in portion on the at least one curved portion;
- positioning the bent pre-formed tubular member between open die halves mating with one another to define a tubular cavity portion;
- progressively closing the die halves to progressively deform the bent pre-formed tubular member within the tubular cavity portion;
- applying hydraulic pressure to expand and conform the bent pit-formed tubular member to the tubular cavity portion to form a curved hydroformed tubular member;
- and
- separating the die halves and removing the curved hydroformed tubular member from the die.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.