Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-12
2004-08-10
Bryant, David P. (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C029S521000, C403S274000, C403S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06772499
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method of producing a metal section as used, for example, in the construction industry, in window construction, in the construction of vehicles or machines or similar application areas.
The known metal sections are generally produced from a piece of metal by rolling processes. A drawback of the known metal sections is that of having the same material thickness on all limbs of the profile, even though the loading requirements frequently only require a high level of stability in one axis, for example, as a resistance to bending. The material present in the axis which is subject to a lower degree of loading is unnecessary and leads to material being wasted and higher costs. In addition, in conventional rolled sections the limbs in, for example, the y-axis cannot be arranged in any desired manner, since it is still necessary for it to be possible to roll the subsequent section, as a result of which the limb in the y-axis cannot be arranged in the vicinity of the static optimum, i.e. approximately in the centre of a section.
Moreover, the production method may lead to the material being weakened by buckling or bending of the material. Moreover, desired metal sections are frequently impossible to produce owing to the fact that metals can only be rolled up to certain material thicknesses. In addition, it is not possible to produce metal sections corresponding to the individual required use with interrupted section limbs or with section limbs arranged longitudinally, transversely, diagonally, in curves or in some other manner. Even extruded sections, as are illustrated, for example, in a production method shown in the Document DE 30 25 706, are generally only produced from relatively expensive material, such as for example aluminium, and in addition, owing to the complicated manufacturing processes, are expensive and sometimes have to be sized again. Such pre-sized metal sections are unable to eliminate the abovementioned drawbacks in the production process. The known casting processes for metal sections are also expensive. A production method for sections made of castings is illustrated, for example, in the Document DE 448 116. In this method it is only possible to process section limbs which are produced on the rolling mill trains in the foundry from still glowing material. The method shown is still dependent on expensive tools in the foundry and is unsuitable for subsequent cold working or for metal sections with relatively intricate contours. In areas such as, for example, window construction, a multiplicity of different metal sections have to be processed in quick succession in accordance with the requirements on load-bearing capacity. In order to be able to cover the materials requirement, expensive storage and logistics are required. The processor is dependent on the correct sections being supplied at the correct time. In addition to the strength of limbs of a metal section in one axis, the requirements placed on individual section limbs may, however, also differ from one another in other ways, such as for example by sound and/or heat insulation, electrical conductivity, decorative coating, corrosion protection, defined buckling or crash behaviour in automotive construction or certain advantageous contours in terms of shaping and design integration, which requirements, however, owing to the technical features of currently known metal sections, can only be achieved by expensive re-machining of the finished sections or cannot be achieved at all. Also, combining section limbs made of different materials with one another, and specifically not only metallic materials, such as iron, copper, aluminium, alloys, etc., but also other materials, such as for example ceramic, glass, plastics, wood, etc., is currently possible only using expensively preformed parts and/or section limbs which can be joined with considerable assembly outlay such as by screwing, welding, adhesive bonding, etc.
In order to overcome the above-described drawbacks which result from the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective method of producing metal sections which as a priority permits high throughputs, low tool wear and reliable joining of the section limbs while making the production method and the sections which can be produced thereby as variable as possible.
The object according to the invention is achieved by means of a production method in which firstly a groove is made in another section limb by means of a microstructure-changing material deformation, then the abutting side of a section limb of the metal section is positioned in the groove situated on the inside of the other section limb and then, by means of a pressure at which the flow limit of the material situated beneath the said groove is exceeded, the material, situated next to the groove, of the other section limb is directly or indirectly caused to move towards the side faces of the one section limb to such an extent that at least a force-fitting join is achieved at the contact locations. If a groove is of wide enough design, it is also possible according to the invention to attach more than one section limb in a groove in a microstructure-changing manner.
In a further refinement of the invention, the groove is made and/or the material, situated next to the groove, of the other section limb is subsequently pressed onto the side faces of the one section limb by means of suitably shaped pressure rolls, along which the section limbs, which are placed one inside the other, pass and/or beyond which the section limbs move. However, it is also possible for the groove to be made and/or the material, situated next to the groove, of the other section limb to be pressed on by means of the stroke movement of a suitable and suitably shaped tool. The profile limbs may comprise any desired flat material or semifinished products. The channel depth and/or width of the groove may be smaller at one point of a cross-section than at another point, so that one or more protruding teeth are formed, the front edges of which press into the material of the one section limb during the microstructure-changing attachment or, in the event of a corresponding positive
egative shaping of the parts to be attached to one another, mesh with one another. Such a design of the groove may, for example, be achieved by means of a plurality of correspondingly angled and shaped pressure rolls or by bending up the other section limb prior to the microstructure-changing introduction of the groove and then bending it back.
Moreover, it is possible for the groove situated in the other section limb and the material, penetrating into the groove, of the one section limb to be at an angle to the vertical axis of the one section limb or for the vertical centre axis of the groove not to be at right angles to the horizontal surface of the other section limb, in order to achieve a greater contact area between the materials to be joined or to optimize the introduction of forces in the desired manner.
In addition to the introduction of the groove, it is possible for suitably shaped and aranged tools to machine at least one of the side walls of the groove in such a manner that the frictional resistance is increased in a manner known per se, such as for example by notches, perforations, roughening, graining, which effect can be achieved by rolls or else by stroke-executing tools. It is also possible, for example, in the same way to compress the underside of the penetrating section limb at least on one side and/or in an at least partially widening manner, or to effect other measures which increase the frictional resistance, such as notches in the longitudinal and/or transverse directions, perforations, graining, stamping, roughening and/or making projections in the section limb to be placed in the groove. However, machining which increases the frictional resistance may also be carried out by other means which are known per se, such as for example tools of other than rolls, for instance single-point tools, press tools, etc., or chemical proces
Attlington Investments Limited
Bryant David P.
Cozart Jermie E.
Katten Muchin Zavis & Rosenman
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