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US 8,910,500 B2Granted
Low friction end feeding in tube hydroforming
AssigneeNational Research Council of Canada
InventorsJavad Gholipour Baradari, Priti Wanjara, Eugen Marius Banu, Horatiu Daniel Chiriac
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An end plunger for end feeding during a hydroforming process (such as tube hydroforming) has at least one releasable seal. The effect of the releasable seal is that it avoids pressurizing the blank in a nip area, thereby reducing friction and wear, and allowing increased end feeding with a given end feeding force. The releasable seal may be actuable, for sealing or releasing. The plunger may be modular or monolithic. A kit and method may incorporate the end plunger.
Claims29
An end plunger for end feeding in a hydroforming process, the end plunger comprising:
- a body having a strength to communicate an end feeding force onto a blank, the body having:
- a bearing surface at a base end for bearing the end feeding force;
- an insertion end opposite the base end, the insertion end bearing a mandrel having a shape and size for insertion within a channel of the blank;
- and
- a gripping surface for gripping the blank at its channel;
- wherein the mandrel has one or more seals defining a sealing area for sealing against an interior volume of the blank channel, a length of the sealing area is more than a mean radius of the OD of the mandrel,
- whereby, during an end feeding operation, a seal is lost at one axial location due to bulging of the blank, and a seal remains at an axial position where the blank has undergone less bulging.
4 more elements
A method for end feeding, the method comprising:
- placing a blank in a hydroforming die with a channel section of the blank lying in an entry channel of the die;
- inserting a mandrel section of an end plunger into the channel section of the blank;
- bringing a gripping surface of the end plunger into contact with the channel section of the blank;
- establishing a first seal for sealing the end plunger against an interior volume of the blank at a first position remote from the channel section;
- applying a high pressure forming fluid into the interior volume of the blank to bulge the blank outwardly, and end feeding the blank by applying an end feeding force to the end plunger, which communicates the force to the blank at the gripping surface, while the first seal isolates a section of the blank from the channel to the first seal, from the fluid pressure;
- bulging the blank until the first seal is broken;
- and
- maintaining a second seal between the blank and the end plunger at a position within the channel.
5 more elements
A kit comprising:
- an end plunger having a body for communicating an end feeding force onto a blank, the body having a mandrel section for insertion into a blank, the mandrel section having a proximal seal for sealing the end plunger against an interior volume of the blank at a first section of the blank, and a distal seal for sealing the end plunger against the interior volume at a second section of the blank;
- and one or more of the following:
- a die having a cavity with a shape to receive and enclose the blank with the end plunger inserted into the blank, with a gripping surface of the end plunger gripping the blank, while a channel section of the blank extends through an entry channel of the die, which has a diameter that closely matches an outer diameter of the channel section, in which the first section is within the channel and the second section lies beyond the channel;
- or
- instructions for enclosing the blank in a die with the end plunger inserted into the blank, with a gripping surface of the end plunger gripping the blank, while a channel section of the blank extends through an entry channel of the die, which has a diameter that closely matches an outer diameter of the channel section, in which the first section is within the channel and the second section lies beyond the channel.
2 more elements
An end plunger for end feeding in a hydroforming process, the end plunger comprising:
- a body formed of a plurality of parts, including one independently attachable or removable module for each of a plurality of seals, the body having a strength to communicate an end feeding force onto a blank, the body comprising:
- a bearing surface at a base end for bearing the end feeding force;
- an insertion end opposite the base end, the insertion end bearing a mandrel having a shape and size for insertion within a channel of the blank;
- and
- a gripping surface for gripping the blank at its channel;
- wherein the plurality of seals are provided on the mandrel, and define a sealing area for sealing against an interior volume of the blank channel,
- wherein a length of the sealing area is great enough so that during an end feeding operation, a seal is lost at one of the plurality of seals due to bulging of the blank, and a seal remains at another of the plurality of seals at an axial position where the blank has undergone less bulging.
4 more elements
An end plunger for end feeding in a hydroforming process, the end plunger comprising:
- a body having a strength to communicate an end feeding force onto a blank, the body comprising:
- a bearing surface at a base end for bearing the end feeding force;
- an insertion end opposite the base end, the insertion end bearing a mandrel having a shape and size for insertion within a channel of the blank;
- a plurality of independently releasable seals on the mandrel for sequential release during the end feeding, the plurality of seals defining a sealing area for sealing against an interior volume of the blank channel;
- a spacer for separating the independently releasable seals;
- and
- a gripping surface for gripping the blank at its channel;
- wherein a length of the sealing area is great enough so that during an end feeding operation, one of the plurality of seals is lost due to bulging of the blank, and another of the plurality of seals remains at an axial position where the blank has undergone less bulging.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.