Metal deforming – By application of fluent medium – or energy field – Using fixed die
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-29
2001-06-19
Jones, David (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By application of fluent medium, or energy field
Using fixed die
C072S062000, C072S370220
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247344
ABSTRACT:
I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a a method of producing a hollow profile with flange. and more particular to a method of producing a hollow profile with a flange from an initial hollow profile by exerting a fluidic internal high pressure.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional hollow profiles with flange are generally extruded. In automobile construction, the flange is in this case used for joining the hollow profile to further parts of the vehicle. An extruded hollow profile with flange has the disadvantage, however, that the hollow profile can be bent and/or expanded only with great difficulty, since on the one hand the root of the flange on the hollow profile—also referred to as the junction—acts almost as it were like a tie bar against the shaping force and on the other hand the material accumulation at this junction and the flange itself do not allow adequate expansions for shaping reliably to the requirements of the process. To do so in the case of an enlargement in cross section, the material required for this change would have to be taken completely from the region underneath the junction. On account of the increased extent to which the wall is made thinner as a result, leading quickly to failure of the component during shaping, this considerably restricts the degree of enlargement.
It is known from DE 195 05 364 A1 in the case of a hollow profile for a motor vehicle body to integrate functional parts such as a guide rail or a thickened running surface by roll-forming the hollow profile from a sheet bar.
The invention is based on the object of presenting a method by means of which a hollow profile with flange can be produced in a simple way to the requirements of the process, on which profile great enlargements and/or dimensional changes in cross section have to be performed with respect to an initial form to achieve the desired final form.
The present invention is aimed at one or more of the problems identified above.
III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the object of presenting a method by means of which a hollow profile with flange can be produced in a simple way to the requirements of the process, on which profile great enlargements and/or dimensional changes in cross section have to be performed with respect to an initial form to achieve the desired final form.
Thanks to the invention, non-expandable junctions, as in the case of extruded profiles, are avoided. In addition to the simple forming of flange shapes of any desired design on a hollow profile, the technique of roll-forming used for this purpose brings about a significant improvement in the bending of a hollow profile with flange. By means of fluidic internal high-pressure shaping, not only the expanding action but also very exactly contoured circumferential surfaces and high-quality surface finishes are obtained for shaping the hollow profile, it generally being possible at the same time to accomplish high degrees of shaping by the flowing of the sheet material achieved under the high pressure and its substantially uniform material flow. The hydraulic expansion of the initial hollow profile with flange into the final form is only made possible to the requirements of the process by the use of a roll-formed initial hollow profile, since the preformed flange, which comprises two separate layers of sheet metal due to the roll-forming, no longer represents an obstacle for the expansion of the hollow profile, so that part of the flange is spread open during expansion and the flange in its final form is shortened in comparison with the initial form. With the initial flange of the roll-formed initial hollow profile designed to a suitable length together with the internal high-pressure shaping technique, it is consequently possible to achieve virtually any desired final hollow profile form in which—starting from an initial hollow profile of small cross-sectional area—even relatively great expansions and/or dimensional changes in cross section are required locally, seen over the entire extent of the hollow profile.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4563230 (1986-01-01), Nocivelli
patent: 5070717 (1991-12-01), Boyd et al.
patent: 5561902 (1996-10-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 5823034 (1998-10-01), Nelepovitz
patent: 525415 (1954-01-01), None
patent: 1925014 (1970-11-01), None
patent: 4214557 (1993-11-01), None
patent: 44 25 984 A1 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 195 05 364 A1 (1996-08-01), None
patent: 8-168814 (1996-07-01), None
patent: 1212654 (1986-02-01), None
Calcaterra Mark P.
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Jones David
LandOfFree
Method of producing a hollow profile with flange does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method of producing a hollow profile with flange, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of producing a hollow profile with flange will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2544282