# US 9,433,992 B1 · Bulge forming apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,433,992 B1 - Document ID: US9433992B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/673,978 - Filed: 2015-03-31 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-31 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Paul J. Tauzer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433992B1 ## CPC - B21D 26/033: Deforming tubular bodies (corrugating tubes by applying fluid pressure B21D15/03, B21D15/10) - B21D 22/12: using enclosed flexible chambers - B21D 26/00: Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces (stamping using resilient pads B21D22/10) - B21D 26/02: by applying fluid pressure - B21D 26/047: Mould construction (B21D26/037 - B21D26/045 take precedence) - B21D 26/055: Blanks having super-plastic properties - B29C 51/02: Combined thermoforming and manufacture of the preform - B29C 51/26: Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations - B29C 2049/465: {being incompressible} - B29C 2949/08: Preforms made of several individual parts, e.g. by welding or gluing parts together - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract A bulge forming apparatus including a valve, and a forming die connected to the valve, the forming die including a forming chamber, the forming chamber being configured to receive a blank part and having a working surface, a seal disposed between the working surface and the blank part such that a sealed volume is formed between the blank part and the working surface, and a passage disposed through the forming die such that one end of the passage is open to the sealed volume and another end of the passage is coupled to the valve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bulge forming apparatus comprising: a valve; a forming die connected to the valve, the forming die including a forming chamber, the forming chamber being configured to receive a blank part and having a working surface, a seal disposed between the working surface and the blank part such that a sealed volume is formed between the blank part and the working surface, and a passage disposed through the forming die such that one end of the passage is open to the sealed volume and another end of the passage is coupled to the valve; and a pressure chamber configured to accept insertion of the valve and forming die wherein the valve is configured to release gas from the sealed volume into the pressure chamber as a pressure within the pressure chamber is decreased. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure chamber is configured to hold an incompressible fluid so that both the valve and forming die are submersed in the incompressible fluid wherein the incompressible fluid is disposed within a working volume formed by the blank part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the valve is configured to release gas from the sealed volume into the incompressible fluid within the pressure chamber due to a decrease in the sealed volume. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the valve is configured to release gas from the sealed volume into the incompressible fluid within the pressure chamber as a pressure within the pressure chamber is decreased. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a fluid pressurization unit connected to the pressure chamber, the fluid pressurization unit being configured to pressurize the incompressible fluid within the pressure chamber and the working volume to effect expansion of the blank part against at least part of the working surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one end of the passage is disposed at a portion of the forming chamber that allows a largest expansion of the blank part within the forming chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a check valve. ### Claim 8 A bulge forming apparatus comprising: a tooling fixture including a check valve, and a forming die connected to the check valve, the forming die including a forming chamber, the forming chamber being configured to receive a blank part and having a working surface, a seal disposed between the working surface and the blank part such that a sealed volume is formed between the blank part and the working surface, and a passage disposed through the forming die such that one end of the passage is open to the sealed volume and another end of the passage is coupled to the check valve; and a pressure chamber having an interior that is sized for insertion of the tooling fixture within the interior, wherein the pressure chamber is configured to seal the tooling fixture within the interior and the check valve is configured to release gas from the sealed volume into the interior of the pressure chamber as a pressure within the pressure chamber is decreased. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one end of the passage is disposed at a portion of the forming chamber that allows a largest expansion of the blank part within the forming chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pressure chamber is configured to hold an incompressible fluid so that the tooling fixture is submersed in the incompressible fluid and the incompressible fluid is disposed within a working volume formed by the blank part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 10, wherein the check valve is configured to release gas from the sealed volume into the incompressible fluid within the pressure chamber due to a decrease in the sealed volume. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 10, wherein the check valve is configured release gas from the sealed volume into the incompressible fluid within the pressure chamber as a pressure within the pressure chamber is decreased. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The bulge forming apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a fluid pressurization unit, connected to the pressure chamber, the fluid pressurization unit being configured to pressurize the incompressible fluid within the pressure chamber and the working volume to effect expansion of the blank part against at least part of the working surface.