Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D9/00—Bending tubes using mandrels or the like
  • B21D9/15—Bending tubes using mandrels or the like using filling material of indefinite shape, e.g. sand, plastic material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D26/00—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces
  • B21D26/02—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure
  • B21D26/033—Deforming tubular bodies
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D7/00—Bending rods, profiles, or tubes
  • B21D7/06—Bending rods, profiles, or tubes in press brakes or between rams and anvils or abutments; Pliers with forming dies

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to the field of forming tubular members into shaped parts using hydraulic pressure and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for forming from a tube a shaped part having at least one bend and a substantially larger cross section in at least a portion of the tube between the bend or bends and an end or ends of the tube
• U S Patent No 2,892,254 to Garvin discloses a hydraulic press for shaping metal parts Hydraulic presses such as that disclosed by the Garvin Patent generally have two opposing dies that close to form a cavity The cavity defines the desired resultant shape of the part
• a tube is placed in the cavity between the dies of a hydraulic press The dies close and the ends of the tube are sealed
• the tube is filled with liquid which is then pressurized to expand the tube until it conforms to the shape of the cavity defined by the dies of the hydraulic press In this manner, the tube is expanded to form the desired shaped part
• the expansion of a tube is limited because as the tube is expanded the wall thickness of the expanded portion is progressively thinned
• frictional constraints typically limit expansion of the cross section to fifty percent.
• the tube first must be placed in a bender
• tubes having wall thicknesses of about 0.065 inches and greater having wall thicknesses of about 0.065 inches and greater.
• the apparatus includes a hydraulic
• portion can be enlarged by as much as sixty- five percent of the original cross section while
• Fig 1 is a partial perspective view of a portion of the preferred embodiment of the
• FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a portion of the preferred embodiment of the
• FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• the present invention is directed towards an apparatus and method for forming from a
• tube a shaped part having a bend and a substantially larger cross section in at least a portion
• the tube may be comprised of any material that permits the formation of a bend and a substantially larger cross section in at least a portion of the tube between the bend and an end.
• the tube is comprised of metal.
• the present invention works especially well with
• the wall thickness of the tube depends upon the diameter of the tube and the type of
• the present invention works best for wall thicknesses in the range of
• the present invention works best for wall thicknesses of 0.049
• the tube is expanded with any type of liquid that provides for the expansion of the
• the liquid may comprise water.
• the liquid may comprise water.
• liquid may comprise a mixture or may include additives.
• the liquid may include
• the liquid is comprised of approximately 95%
• water and 5% additives including a lubricant and a rust inhibitor.
• the present invention uses a hydraulic press for bending the tube and forming the
• the hydraulic press has first and second dies that move between a first or open position and a second or closed position. In the first or open position, the dies are spaced
• the dies are configured such that the first die is above the second die.
• both dies move towards each other from the first or open position to
• the upper die moves vertically downward to engage the lower die, thereby
• the dies are configured such that either the first die or
• the second die move.
• the first die travels vertically upward towards the second
• die or both dies move towards one another to enclose on the tube. Additionally, the dies may
• the dies travel in a horizontal path as opposed to a vertical path.
• the dies have matching or corresponding cavities that hold the tube. In this
• the cavities define the desired shape of the
• An assembly retains at least one end of the tube during the bending and expansion
• the assembly is configured to follow the end of the tube as the tube is being bent.
• the assembly maintains pressure on the end of the tube during the expansion
• the assembly is pivotally
• the assembly pivots or moves from a first or downward position to a second or
• the assembly begins in the first or downward position.
• the tube is placed
• the tube is received by a bore in the assembly, which retains the end of the tube.
• the assembly pivots towards the second or upward position in order to ride on and follow the end of the tube.
• the assembly pivots about a pin
• the assembly pivots about the pin to the second or upward
• the assembly includes a cylinder that pushes on the end of the tube while the tube is
• the cylinder exerts force on a locking block, which retains the end of
• the cylinder is a hydraulic cylinder.
• the cylinder is a hydraulic cylinder.
• the cylinder can be electric or pneumatic.
• the cylinder exerts a specific force on the tube depending upon the type of material
• the present invention includes a sealing mechanism to seal the ends of the tube.
• sealing mechanism extends over or into the ends of the tube, thereby sealing the tube and
• seal cone having tapered walls that is substantially similar to that disclosed in
• the sealing mechanism is preferably composed of a hardened steel such as D2 Steel, which is a hardened
• the tube is placed between the upper and lower dies of the
• the tube is bent, and the liquid inside the tube is pressurized by the fluid control device.
• the assembly presses on the ends of the tube during
• the pressurized liquid serves as a mandrel to prevent the tube from
• the liquid is pressurized to a specific pressure or pressure range depending upon
• the liquid initially is pressurized to
• control device to be within the pressure range of 3,000 to 60,000 pounds per square inch.
• the pressurized liquid must be below the lesser of either a pressure
• the bursting pressure, P burst is defined as:
• the liquid initially is pressurized to be about 3,000 pounds per square
• portion of the tube causes the cross section to expand by as much as sixty-five percent.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the rotating hydro forming apparatus 10.
• the present invention is used in connection with a hydraulic
• the hydraulic press 12 has first and second dies 16, 18
• the dies 16, 18 are spaced
• dies 16, 18 are disposed in parallel spaced relation to
• First die 16 includes a cavity 20 that holds the tube 14 and defines a portion of the
• the cavities define the desired shape of
• An assembly 22 is pivotally mounted to one of the dies 16, 18. Preferably, assembly
• assembly 22 is mounted to the first or lower die 16.
• assembly 22 may be mounted to the
• Assembly 22 is configured to follow the end of the tube 14 as the
• Assembly 22 is shown in a first or downward position in Figs. 1 and 3. In this
• the tube 14 may be placed between the dies 16, 18 such that an end of the tube is
• the tube 14 is received by a bore 24, which retains the
• a cylinder 28 pushes on the end of the tube 14 while the tube is being bent. As shown
• cylinder 28 exerts force on locking block 30 via a piston rod 32, which
• cylinder 28 forces the tube into the cavity 20. Additionally, the force exerted by cylinder 28
• cylinder 28 may be hydraulic or pneumatic.
• cylinder 28 is a hydraulic cylinder.
• the cylinder 28 exerts a specific force on the tube 14 depending upon the type of
• dies 16, 18 are configured such that either first die 16 or second die 18 move.
• first die 16 or second die 18 move.
• first die 16 may travel vertically upward towards second die 18, or both dies 16, 18 may move
• dies 16, 18 may be configured
• the dies 16, 18 bend the tube 14 as the dies move into the second or closed position.
• assembly 22 pivots in a manner necessary to follow the end of the
• assembly 22 pivots about a pin 26, which is aligned with bore 24, as shown
• Assembly 22 pivots about pin 26 to a second or upward position, as shown in Figs.
• assembly 22 retains the ends of tube 14 as it is being bent.
• a sealing mechanism 34 is configured to seal the ends of the
• the sealing mechanism extends into the ends of the tube, thereby sealing the tube and
• mechanism 34 is a seal cone having tapered walls that is substantially similar to that disclosed
• sealing mechanism 34 is preferably composed of a hardened steel such as D2 Steel, which is a
• the tube 14 is placed between the dies 16, 18 of the hydraulic
• the assembly 22 presses on the ends of the tube 14 during the bending process to feed tube material into the expanding portion between the bend and the end to
• the tube 14 may be comprised of any material having a yield point to permit the
• the tube is comprised of metal.
• the present invention works especially well with common steel grades, such as SAE 1008 or 1018.
• the present invention also may be used with difficult-to-form metals such as Stainless Steel 304L
• the pressurized liquid serves as a mandrel to prevent the tube 14 from
• the liquid is pressurized to a specific pressure or pressure range depending upon
• the liquid initially is
• fluid control device 36 to be within a range above a yield point of the tube and below a
• the liquid is increased to about 60,000 pounds per square inch to cause the tube material to
• portion of the tube causes the cross section to expand by as much as sixty- five percent.
• the tube 14 may be expanded with any type of liquid that provides for the expansion
• the liquid may comprise water.
• the liquid may comprise water.
• the liquid may comprise a mixture or may include additives.
• the liquid may comprise a mixture or may include additives.
• the liquid may be any suitable liquid.
• the liquid may be any suitable liquid.
• the specific applications may require.
• the specific applications may require.
• the specific applications may require.
• liquid is comprised of approximately 95% water and 5% additives, including a lubricant and a

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Shaping Metal By Deep-Drawing, Or The Like (AREA)
• Bending Of Plates, Rods, And Pipes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=37727596

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (14)

• 2005
  • 2005-07-26 EP EP05775704A patent/EP1907147A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-07-26 JP JP2008523850A patent/JP2009502511A/ja active Pending
  • 2005-07-26 WO PCT/US2005/026482 patent/WO2007018499A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-07-26 MX MX2007016408A patent/MX2007016408A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2005-07-26 CA CA002616550A patent/CA2616550A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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