Device and method for forming piping components
AssigneeYamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMamoru Rachi, Yoji Tashiro, Tamio Yoshino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for being hollow work pieces has a pressurizing arrangement that allows the pressure to be adjusted in an internal cavity defined within the work pieces between subsequent bending operations on any one work piece. The internal cavity is defined by sealing caps that are secured to the ends of the work piece.
Claims20
A method of making multiple bends to a work piece, wherein the work piece is generally tubular in configuration, the work piece comprising a first end and a second end, a first end cap substantially closing the first end and a second end cap substantially closing the second end, an internal cavity being defined within the work piece between the first end cap and the second end cap, the method comprising:
- introducing a fluid into said internal cavity through one of said first and second end caps;
- pressurizing the fluid to a first pressure within said internal cavity;
- conducting a first bending operation;
- after conducting the first bending operation but before conducting a second bending operation, adjusting the fluid to a second pressure within said internal cavity, said second pressure corresponding to a desired pressure for conducting the second bending operation;
- and
- after conducting the second bending operation but before conducting a third bending operation, adjusting the fluid to a third pressure within said internal cavity, said third pressure corresponding to a desired pressure for conducting the third bending operation.
A method for bending a work piece, wherein a middle portion of a work piece is bent by a bending machine mounted on a platform when a first end of the work piece, which has an internal cavity filled with a pressurized liquid and defined, in part, by a first end cap and a second end cap, is cantilevered by a chucking section, the method comprising connecting a coupler to the first end cap, the first pressurizing coupler thereby being fluidly connected to the internal cavity such that an internal pressure of the work piece can be adjusted through the coupler, moving the bending machine relative to the chucking section to move the work piece from a setting position to a bending position at which the work piece can be bent by the bending section;
- adjusting the internal pressure during bending and, following the bending of the work piece, releasing the cantilevering support by the chucking section, detaching the pressurizing coupler, and moving the chucking section to the setting position relative to the bending machine.
A device for bending a work piece, wherein the work piece is generally tubular in configuration, the work piece comprising a first end and a second end, a first end cap substantially closing the first end and a second end cap substantially closing the second end, an internal cavity being defined within the work piece between the first end cap and the second end cap, the device comprising:
- a bending device and a chucking carriage, the chucking carriage being moveable relative to the bending device, a pressurizing coupler axially moveable relative to the chucking carriage, the pressurizing coupler being configured to removably connect with the first end cap, the pressurizing coupler comprising a fluid passage that is in communication with the internal cavity of the work piece when the pressurizing coupler is connected with the first end cap;
- and
- pressure adjusting means for altering a pressure in the internal cavity of the work piece to a bend specific pressure prior to a second bending operation and subsequent to a first bending operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.