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US 9,546,746 B2Granted
Tubular support structure with variable wall thickness
AssigneeL & W Engineering
InventorsScott Jones, Joshua Forquer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support structure may include a metallic tube having two opposing ends. The first end may have a first length, a first wall thickness, and a first outer diameter. The second end may have a second length, a second wall thickness, and a second outer diameter. A transition area may be disposed between the first length and the second length. The first wall thickness may be greater than the second wall thickness thereby providing variable thickness.
Claims20
A method of making a tubular support, comprising:
- drawing a metallic tube having a longitudinal axis to extend its length and selectively changing its wall thickness;
- forming a first end of the tube having a first length, a first wall thickness and a first outer diameter;
- forming a second end of the tube having a second length, a second wall thickness and a second outer diameter;
- and
- disposing a transition area between the first end and the second end, wherein the second wall thickness is less than the first wall thickness;
- wherein disposing the transition area between the first end and the second end includes mechanically varying the wall thickness of the tube by manipulating a mandrel positioned within the tube in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis to transition from the first wall thickness to the second wall thickness.
3 more elements
A method of forming a tubular support, comprising
- forming a metallic tube via an outer tool and an inner tool, wherein the outer tool has an opening receiving the tube;
- inserting the inner tool concentrically into the tube to form a first section having a first length, a first wall thickness, and a first outer diameter;
- manipulating the inner tool to change the relationship of the inner tool relative to the outer tool to form a second section having a second length, a second wall thickness, and a second outer diameter;
- disposing a transition area between the first section and the second section;
- wherein the first wall thickness is greater than the second wall thickness;
- and
- wherein manipulating the inner tool to change the relationship of the inner tool relative to the outer tool to form the second section includes displacing the inner tool radially with respect to the opening of the outer tool to form the second wall thickness less than the first wall thickness.
4 more elements
A method of forming a tubular support, comprising:
- providing a hollow tube;
- inserting an inner tool into the hollow tube;
- mechanically reducing a first section of the hollow tube by moving the hollow tube through an opening of an outer tool a first length, the first section having a first wall thickness and a first outer diameter;
- forming a transition area by changing a relationship between the inner tool and the outer tool via manipulating the inner tool radially with respect to the opening of the outer tool;
- and
- mechanically reducing a second section of the hollow tube by moving the hollow tube through the opening of the outer tool a second length, the second section having a second wall thickness and a second outer diameter;
- wherein the transition area is disposed between the first section and the second section, and wherein the second wall thickness is different from the first wall thickness.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.