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US 7,401,487 B2Granted
Apparatus and methods for material fabrication
AssigneeL-3 Communications Integrated Systems L.P.
InventorDumitru Tiprigan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for fabricating materials by die-forming that may be implemented to form a joggle in a bendable workpiece by securing the workpiece to each of at least two respective adjacent working areas, and then by displacing at least one of the at least two working areas relative to an adjacent working area in order to induce the joggle within the workpiece.
Claims35
A die-forming apparatus, comprising:
- a first die platform, said first die platform comprising a first working member having a side working surface, a first securing member oriented in spaced relationship with said first working member so as to define a first working area between said side working surface of said first working member and said first securing member and a base working surface that is oriented perpendicular to said side working surface of said first die platform;
- a second die platform disposed adjacent to said first die platform, said second die platform comprising a second working member having a side working surface, a second securing member oriented in spaced relationship with said second working member so as to define a second working area between said side working surface of said second working member and said second securing member and a base working surface that is oriented perpendicular to said side working surface of said second die platform;
- at least one workpiece die configured to be positioned within at least one of said first and second working areas;
- wherein said first working area is open on a side opposite said base working surface of said first die platform to receive a bendable workpiece and said second working area is open on a side opposite said base working surface of said second die platform to receive said bendable workpiece;
- wherein at least one of said first and second die platforms is movable relative to the other of said first and second die platforms in a direction that is parallel to said base working surface of said first die platform and said base working surface of said second die platform and that is in a direction perpendicular to said side working surface of said first die platform and said side working surface of said second die platform so that said first and second working areas are positionable in an aligned relationship with each other;
- and
- wherein at least one of said first and second die platforms is movable relative to the other of said first and second die platforms and in a direction that is parallel to said base working surface of said first die platform and said base working surface of said second die platform and in a direction that is perpendicular to said side working surface of said first die platform and said side working surface of said second die platform so that said first and second working areas are positionable from said aligned relationship to a non-aligned relationship with each other.
4 more elements
A method of die-forming a bendable workpiece, comprising:
- positioning said bendable workpiece within first and second working areas, said second working area being disposed adjacent to said first working area;
- positioning a workpiece die within at least one of said first or second working areas so that a portion of said bendable workpiece is positioned between said workpiece die and a first working surface of at least one of said first or second working areas, said first working area being defined between said first working surface of said first working area and a second working surface of said first working area that is oriented perpendicular to said first working surface;
- and
- inducing a bend in said bendable workpiece by displacing said second working area relative to said first working area with said portion of said bendable workpiece positioned between said at least one workpiece die and said first working surface of said first or second working areas;
- wherein said first working area is open on a side opposite said second working surface of said first working area;
- and
- wherein said method further comprises positioning said bendable workpiece within said first working area through said open side of said first working area opposite said second working surface of said first working area, and displacing said second working area relative to said first working area in a direction that is parallel to said second working surface of said first working area and in a direction that is perpendicular to said first working surface of said first working area to induce said bend in said bendable workpiece.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.