Process of forming bend-controlling structures in a sheet of material, the resulting sheet and die sets therefor

A process of forming bend-controlling structures in a sheet of material, the structures being positioned along a desired bend line on alternating sides of the bend line and in longitudinally displaced relation with each structure having a central portion extending substantially parallel to the bend line and end portions diverging away from opposite ends of the central portion to define bending straps between longitudinally adjacent end portions, the process comprising the steps of:

• forming the structures by using a right-end portion forming die and a separate left-end portion forming die to form completed bend-controlling structures, the right-end portion forming die and the left-end forming die each including an end portion and a segment of a central portion of the structure, the forming step being accomplished by positioning the dies for location of the segments of the central portion of each of the dies in alignment with each other, one of the end portion forming dies being positioned after or before the other of the end portion forming dies.

A set of dies for forming bend-controlling structures in a sheet of material, the bend controlling structures including central portions to be positioned in substantially parallel relation along a desired bend line and end portions diverging away from the bend line at opposite ends of the central portion, the set of dies comprising:

• at least one end portion forming die set having mating die surfaces formed to produce at least one end portion of a desired shape;
• and
• a central portion forming die set having mating die surfaces formed to produce at least a segment of a central portion of the bend-controlling structure using a single stroke of the central portion forming die set, so that the central portion forming die set produces the at least a segment of the central portion after or before the at least one end portion forming die set produces the at least one end portion of the desired shape.

A set of dies for forming bend-controlling structures in a sheet of material, the bend controlling structures including central portions to be positioned in substantially parallel relation along a desired bend line and end portions diverging away from the bend line at opposite ends of the central portion, the set of dies comprising:

• a right-end portion forming die set having mating die surfaces formed to produce a right-end portion of a desired shape and a segment of the central portion of the structures;
• and
• a left-end portion forming die set having mating die surfaces formed to produce a left-end portion of a desired shape and a segment of the central portion of the structure, so that the left-end portion forming die set produces the left-end portion of the desired shape after or before the right-end portion forming die set produces the right-end portion of the desired shape.

A process of forming at least one bend-controlling structure in a sheet of material, the structure having a central portion extending substantially parallel to a desired bend line and having end portions diverging away from opposite ends of the central portion, comprising the steps of:

• simultaneously forming a pair of diverging end portions in the sheet of material at a desired location along the bend line using one of a predetermined forming die, punch and stamp;
• and
• forming a central portion connecting the pair of diverging end portions after or before the step of forming a pair of diverging end portions.