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
  • B21D22/00—Shaping without cutting, by stamping, spinning, or deep-drawing
  • B21D22/20—Deep-drawing
• • 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
  • B21D22/00—Shaping without cutting, by stamping, spinning, or deep-drawing
  • B21D22/20—Deep-drawing
  • B21D22/24—Deep-drawing involving two drawing operations having effects in opposite directions with respect to the blank
• • 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
  • B21D24/00—Special deep-drawing arrangements in, or in connection with, presses
  • B21D24/04—Blank holders; Mounting means therefor
• • 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
  • B21D24/00—Special deep-drawing arrangements in, or in connection with, presses
  • B21D24/10—Devices controlling or operating blank holders independently, or in conjunction with dies
  • B21D24/12—Devices controlling or operating blank holders independently, or in conjunction with dies mechanically
• • 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
  • B21D51/00—Making hollow objects
  • B21D51/16—Making hollow objects characterised by the use of the objects
  • B21D51/26—Making hollow objects characterised by the use of the objects cans or tins; Closing same in a permanent manner
• • 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
  • B21D51/00—Making hollow objects
  • B21D51/16—Making hollow objects characterised by the use of the objects
  • B21D51/38—Making inlet or outlet arrangements of cans, tins, baths, bottles, or other vessels; Making can ends; Making closures
  • B21D51/44—Making closures, e.g. caps

Definitions

• This invention relates to the method and apparatus for forming a can shell from sheet metal or sheet aluminum, for example, such as the methods and apparatus or tooling disclosed in U.S. Patents No. 4,713,958, No. 4,716,755, No. 4,808,052, No. 4,955,223, No. 6,658,911 and No. 7,302,822.
• the disclosures of these patents are herein incorporated by reference to supplement the detail description of the present invention.
• the present invention is directed to improved method and apparatus or tooling for high speed production of can shells and which provide all of the desirable features mentioned above.
• the tooling assembly of the invention is also ideally suited for producing a can shell such as disclosed in applicant's Patent No. 7,341 ,163 and in applicant's published patent application No. US-2005-0029269, the disclosures of which are also herein incorporated by reference.
• the method and apparatus or tooling assembly of the invention are especially suited for use on a single or double action press and for producing uniform and precision can shells at a high rate of speed and with the minimum generation of heat in order to avoid thermal changing of the tooling assembly during operation.
• a can shell is formed by a tooling assembly including an annular inner pressure sleeve which is located within an annular outer pressure sleeve, and both of the sleeves have integral pistons within corresponding annular air piston chambers.
• the outer pressure sleeve is supported within an annular blank and draw die secured to an upper retainer mounted on an upper die shoe of a single or double action press.
• the retainer also supports a die center piston which may be supported for relative axial movement, and the die center piston supports a die center punch within the inner pressure sleeve.
• the die center piston defines a chamber supplied with air through a port at a controlled higher pressure.
• the air chamber is connected to the Docket 7941-C 3 air piston chamber for the inner pressure sleeve by a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongated air spring passages.
• the air piston chamber for the outer pressure sleeve is supplied with air at a controlled substantially lower pressure through a separate port in the upper retainer.
• the die center punch carries an adjustable punch insert which initiates the draw of a cup within a die cut sheet metal disk held between the outer pressure sleeve and an opposing fixed die core ring supported by a lower retainer mounted on a fixed lower die shoe of the press.
• the inner pressure sleeve and the opposing die core ring have mating contoured surfaces which form an annular inner crown wall and an upper chuckwall portion of the shell.
• An annular skirt portion of the die center punch extends around the punch insert and has a contoured surface which mates with a contoured surface on the die core ring to form a lower portion of the chuckwall while the punch insert completes the drawing of the cup.
• the opposing panel punch has a peripheral contoured surface which forms the center panel, an annular inclined panel wall and the annular countersink as the die center punch returns to its home position.
• the annular air piston chamber for the outer pressure sleeve is connected by air passages to the air spring passages, and the air piston chamber for the inner pressure sleeve and the air piston chamber for the outer pressure sleeve receive the same controllable air supply pressure, thereby avoiding the need for different air supplies at different pressures to operate the tooling assembly on the movable die shoe.
• FIG. 1 is an axial section of a tooling assembly constructed and operated in accordance with the invention
• FIG. 2 is an axial section of the tooling assembly shown in FIG. 1 and constructed and operated in accordance with a modification or another embodiment of the invention.
• FIGS. 3-11 are enlarged fragmentary sections of the tooling assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and illustrating the progressive steps for producing a can shell on a single or double action press in accordance with the invention.
• a greatly enlarged shell 15 is formed from sheet metal or aluminum having a thickness of about 0.0082 inch.
• the shell 15 includes a flat circular center panel 16 which is connected by a frusto-conical or inclined annular panel wall portion 17 and a substantially cylindrical panel wall portion 18 to an annular countersink 19 having an inclined or frusto-conical inner wall portion 21 and a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration.
• the countersink 19 also has a slightly inclined annular outer wall portion 22 connected to an annular inclined lower chuckwall portion 23 which is connected to an upwardly curved upper chuckwall portion 24 by a slight angular break 25.
• the curved upper wall portion 24 of the chuckwall connects with an inclined or frusto-conical annular inner wall portion 26 of a crown portion 28 having a downwardly curved outer peripheral lip portion 29.
• the cross-sectional configuration or profile of the shell 15 is more specifically disclosed in applicants' above-mentioned published patent application No. US-2005-0029269. However, the method and apparatus of the invention may also be adapted to produce shells having different profiles in axial cross-section.
• a tooling assembly 35 includes an annular upper retainer 38 which is mounted on an upper die shoe 40 of a single or double action mechanical press.
• the retainer 38 has a cylindrical portion 41 which projects upwardly into a mating cavity 42 within the upper die shoe 40 and defines a pressurized air chamber 44.
• An annular blank and draw die 48 has an outwardly projecting upper flange portion 49 which is secured to the retainer 38 by a set of circumferentially spaced screws 51.
• a flat ground annular spacer 52 is secured to the upper flange portion of the blank and draw die 48 and provides for precisely spacing the die 48 axially relative to the upper retainer 38.
• An annular outer pressure sleeve 55 is supported for axial movement within the blank and draw die 48 and includes an integrally formed piston 56 having radial plastic wear pins 57.
• a die center piston 60 is supported for axial movement within the upper retainer 38 and includes a lower portion 62 which supports a die center punch 65 removably secured to the die center piston 60 by a center cap screw 66.
• a flat ground annular hard spacer 67 is positioned between the die center punch 65 and a shoulder on the lower portion 62 of the die center piston 60 to provide for precisely selecting the axial position of the die center punch 65 on the die center piston 60.
• An annular punch insert 68 forms the end of the die center Docket 7941-C 5 punch 65 and is secured by a set of peripherally spaced cap screws 69.
• a cylindrical pressurized air reservoir chamber 70 is formed within the center portion of the die center piston 60 and is closed at the top by a cap plate 71.
• the reservoir chamber 70 receives pressurized air through a port 74 formed within the retainer 38 and connected to an annular groove 75 and a set of radial passages 76 formed within the die center piston 60.
• An annular inner pressure sleeve 80 is supported for axial movement within the outer pressure sleeve 55 and includes an integral piston 82 confined within an annular air piston chamber 84 defined between the piston 82 and a radial shoulder 86 on the lower portion 62 of the die center piston 60.
• the air piston chamber 84 receives pressurized air through a plurality of three circumferentially spaced air passages 88 which extend axially from the shoulder 86 to the air reservoir chamber 70 within the die center piston 60.
• Suitable two-piece air seal rings are carried by the piston 82 of the inner pressure sleeve 80 and also by the piston 56 of the outer pressure sleeve 55 as well as by the upper portion of the die center piston 60.
• the piston 56 of the outer pressure sleeve 55 is confined within an annular air pressure chamber 89 which extends to a stop shoulder 90 and connects with an annular air chamber 91.
• the chambers 89 & 91 receive pressurized air through a port 92 in the retainer 38.
• the tooling assembly 35 also includes a fixed annular lower retainer 94 which is mounted on a stationery lower die shoe 95 of the single or double action press.
• the lower retainer 94 supports a fixed die core ring 98 having an annular upper portion 99 and also supports a fixed annular retainer 102 which receives and confines an annular cut edge die 105.
• a flat annular ground spacer 107 is secured to the retainer 102 to confine the cut edge die 105 and provides for precisely positioning the cut edge die axially with respect to the upper annular portion 99 of the die core ring 98.
• An annular lower pressure sleeve 110 is positioned between the cut edge die 105 and the upper portion 99 of the die core ring 98 and has an integral piston 112 supported for axial movement within an annular pressurized air pressure chamber 1 14 defined between the lower retainer 94 and die core ring 98.
• the chamber 114 receives pressurized air through a port (not shown) within the lower retainer 94.
• a circular panel punch 1 8 is positioned within the upper portion 99 of the die core ring 98 and is secured for axial movement with a panel punch piston Docket 7941 -C 6
• a flat annular ground spacer 126 is positioned between the panel punch 118 and the panel punch piston 122 to provide for precisely positioning the panel punch 118 axially on the piston 122.
• Suitable two piece air seal rings are carried by the lower pressure sleeve piston 112 and the panel punch piston 122 to form sliding airtight seals.
• An axially extending air pressure passage 127 is formed within the center of the panel punch piston 122 and receives pressurized air through a cross passage 128 and an annular chamber 129.
• the passage 127 provides a jet of pressurized air upwardly through a center opening 131 within the panel punch 118 for holding the shell 15 against the outer pressure sleeve 55 as the sleeve moves upwardly near the end of the pressed stroke, as shown in FIG. 11, to provide for rapid lateral removal of the completed shell in a conventional manner.
• a modified tooling assembly 35' is constructed the same as the tooling assembly 35 except that the die center piston 60' does not have the internal chamber 70. Instead, the air spring passages 88' receive pressurized air through radial passages 135 connected to the annular chamber 91 which receives pressurized air through the port 92.
• This pressurized air may be on the order of 125 to 170 p.s.i. so that the same air pressure is applied against the piston 56 of the outer pressure sleeve 55 and the piston 82 of the inner pressure sleeve 80.
• the air reservoir chamber 70 receives pressurized air through the port 74, annular chamber 75 and passages 76 on the order of 160 to 170 p.s.i., whereas the piston 56 of the outer pressure sleeve 55 receives lower pressurized air through the port 92 on the order of 80 to 90 p.s.i.
• the inner pressure sleeve 80 has an end or nose portion 140 which is normally flush or level with the flat bottom surface of the die center punch insert 68 during the initial downstroke (FIG. 3) and the final up stroke of the upper die shoe 40 (FIG. 11).
• the nose portion 140 has an annular reverse S- curved surface 143 which includes an outwardly curved bottom end surface 144 and an inwardly curved upper surface 147.
• the bottom end of the outer pressure sleeve 55 has a slightly arcuate or concaved surface 151 which opposes and mates with an arcuate crown surface 153 formed on the upper end portion 99 of the die core Docket 7941-C 7 ring 98.
• the annular upper end portion 99 of the die core ring 98 also has an outwardly curved surface 154, an inclined orfrusto-conical surface 156, an inwardly curved surface 157, an outwardly curved surface 158 and an inwardly curved surface 161.
• the contoured S-shaped surfaces 154, 156, 157 and 158 oppose and mate with the corresponding contoured S-shaped surfaces 147, 143 and 144 on the bottom end of the inner pressure sleeve 80.
• the panel punch 118 has a flat top circular surface 162 surrounded by an inclined or frusto-conical surface 163, a substantial cylindrical surface 164 and an inclined or frusto-conical surface 165 which opposes an S-curved surface 66 on the lower end of a cylindrical skirt portion 167 of the die center punch 65.
• the blank and draw die 48 cooperates with the cut edge die 105 to blank a substantially circular disk 170 of thin sheet metal or aluminum.
• Continued downstroke of the upper die shoe (FIG.
• the die center punch insert 68 has a corner surface 173 with a large radius, larger than the outwardly curved surface 144 of the S-shaped surface 143 on the inner pressure sleeve 80.
• the punch insert 68 initiates the drawing of a cup portion C (FIG. 5) from a center portion of the disk 170 within the outer pressure sleeve 55 and die core ring 98.
• the inner crown wall 26 of the shell 15 is formed between the surfaces 147, 143 and 144 on the inner pressure sleeve 80 and the mating surfaces on the die core ring 98 (FIG. 5).
• Continuing downstroke of the upper die shoe 40 causes the punch insert 68 of the die center punch 65 to cooperate with the pressurized panel punch 118 to continue drawing of the cup portion C while the outer portion of the disk 170 slides between the outer pressure sleeve 55, the die core ring 95 and the blank and draw die 48.
• continued downstroke of the upper die shoe 40 causes the annular skirt portion 167 of the die center punch 65 to extend from the inner Docket 7941 -C 8 pressure sleeve 80 until the contoured end surface 166 on the skirt portion 167 cooperates with the surfaces 158 and 161 to form the chuckwall portions 23 and 24 connected by the slight angular break 25.
• the bottom contoured surfaces 143, 144 & 147 of the inner pressure sleeve 80 form and clamp an intermediate annular portion of the disk 70 against the mating contoured surfaces 157, 156 and 154 of the die core ring 98 to form the annular portions 23, 24 and 26 (FIG. 11) of the shell 15.
• the crown portion 28 and outer curled lip portion 29 of the shell 15 are simultaneously formed on the die core ring 98 with a controlled force on the piston 56 of the outer pressure sleeve 55.
• the die center punch 65 moves upwardly as does the opposing lower panel punch 118 while the inner pressure sleeve 80 maintains a controlled constant pressure to hold the shell portions 26 and 28 between the mating surfaces on the inner pressure sleeve 80 and the die core ring 98.
• This controlled pressure of the inner pressure sleeve 80 is maintained while the panel punch 118 moves upwardly by the force exerted by the panel punch piston 122 so that the peripheral surfaces 163, 164 and 165 form the annular portions 17, 18, 19 and 21 on the shell 15, as shown in FIG. 10.
• the completed shell 15 moves upwardly from the die core ring 98 and panel punch 118 with the upward movement of the outer pressure sleeve 55 as a result of the air jet stream directed upwardly against the panel wall 16 through the center hole 131 in the panel punch 118.
• the compact tooling assembly is adapted to be operated on a single action mechanical press as well as a double action press, and the reduced overall height of the tooling assembly enables the tooling assembly Docket 7941-C 9 to be used in most single action high speed presses existing in the field.
• the air reservoir chamber 70 and the set of circumferentially spaced air spring passages 88 within the die center piston 60 provide for using lower pressure air within the piston chamber 84, and the lower pressure air on the piston 82 of the inner pressure sleeve 80 reduces the generation of heat in the upper portion of the tooling assembly during high speed operation so that the tooling assembly produces more uniform and precise shells.
• the pressurized air within the chamber 70 and/or 91 and the passages 88 or 88' also perform as air springs. These air springs not only reduce the generation of heat, but also provide for precisely selecting the resilient force exerted on the piston 82 of the inner pressure sleeve 80 to assure the desired precise clamping force on the disk 170 by the inner pressure sleeve 80 against the fixed die core ring 98.
• the tooling assembly 35 also permits the use of the lower pressure plant supply air, such as 70 to 90 p.s.i.
• the operation and timing of the press with the contoured surfaces on the bottom end of the inner pressure sleeve 80 and the contoured surfaces on the bottom of the skirt portion 167 of the die center punch with respect to the corresponding contoured surfaces on the top end of the die core ring 98 and the peripheral surfaces on the top of the panel punch 118 dependably produce a shell 15 with very uniform wall thickness and without wrinkling or fractures in the sheet metal forming the shell.
• the tooling can also form the shell with less air pressure which also helps to provide a higher buckle strength for the shell.
• the air pressure in the port 92 (FIG.
• the air pressure for the port 92 (FIG. 2) for pressurizing both the outer pressure sleeve and the piston 82 for the inner pressure sleeve 80 may be between 1 10 and 130 p.s.i period.
• These advantages of lower air pressure result in lower heat which is especially desirable when operating the tooling assembly in a press at high speeds such as 650 strokes per minute with a Docket 7941 -C 10 press stroke of about 1.75 inch.
• the contoured surface 166 on the die center punch 65 forms the chuckwall with a precision slight angular break 25 which also increases the buckle strength of the shell.
• the tooling further provides for forming an inclined panel wall 17 (FIGS. 8 & 9) and countersink 19 in the shell 15 without compressing the sheet metal between dies so that these portions of the shell maintain a precisely uniform thickness and provide a more uniform buckle strength.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Shaping Metal By Deep-Drawing, Or The Like (AREA)

Priority Applications (13)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=45816504

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (14)

Families Citing this family (26)

Family Cites Families (22)

• 2010
  • 2010-09-20 US US12/924,077 patent/US8573020B2/en active Active
• 2011
  • 2011-09-15 JP JP2013529123A patent/JP6059147B2/ja active Active
  • 2011-09-15 MX MX2013003118A patent/MX336490B/es unknown
  • 2011-09-15 PH PH1/2013/500520A patent/PH12013500520A1/en unknown
  • 2011-09-15 WO PCT/US2011/001590 patent/WO2012039747A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2011-09-15 KR KR1020137009866A patent/KR101726913B1/ko active Active
  • 2011-09-15 ES ES11827079T patent/ES2874229T3/es active Active
  • 2011-09-15 BR BR112013007066-8A patent/BR112013007066B1/pt active IP Right Grant
  • 2011-09-15 AU AU2011306082A patent/AU2011306082B2/en active Active
  • 2011-09-15 EP EP11827079.2A patent/EP2618952B1/en active Active
  • 2011-09-15 CA CA2811693A patent/CA2811693C/en active Active
  • 2011-09-15 CN CN201180045277.0A patent/CN103118817B/zh active Active
  • 2011-09-15 PL PL11827079T patent/PL2618952T3/pl unknown
• 2013
  • 2013-03-17 IL IL225289A patent/IL225289A/en active IP Right Grant
• 2015
  • 2015-11-17 JP JP2015224482A patent/JP6117895B2/ja active Active

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