Metal deforming – By application of fluent medium – or energy field – With actuated tool engaging work
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-07
2001-07-31
Jones, David B. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By application of fluent medium, or energy field
With actuated tool engaging work
C072S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266986
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improvements in a nozzle to be used for hydrostatic forming, for example, of a frame of an automotive vehicle, and to a hydrostatic forming system using such a nozzle.
Hitherto a frame and the like of an automotive vehicle have been produced mainly by a hydrostatic forming system or apparatus. The hydrostatic forming system usually includes upper and lower dies mounted on a base, and hydrostatic forming nozzles secured to hydraulic cylinders. In hydrostatic forming with such a hydrostatic forming system, the tip end sections of the hydrostatic forming nozzles are respectively inserted into the opposite end sections of a tube (raw material) located between the upper and lower dies, under pressure of the hydraulic cylinders. Then, pressurized fluid is supplied through the nozzles into the tube, so that the tube is formed into a desired formed product.
However, difficulties have been encountered in the above earlier technique. That is, since each hydrostatic forming nozzle has usually a circular cross-section, the formed product or semi-product after the hydrostatic forming has a surplus section in addition to a product section corresponding to an actual product such as the automotive vehicle frame. The surplus section is a section into which the nozzle has been fitted. The actual product has, in general, a non-circular cross-section such as a rectangular cross-section, and therefore the above surplus section is unnecessary for the actual product. As a result, it is required to remove the surplus section, so that the surplus section is useless. This is not desirable to lower a production cost for the actual product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hydrostatic forming nozzle which can effectively overcome drawbacks encountered in conventional and earlier technique hydrostatic forming nozzles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydrostatic forming nozzle which can effectively save waste of raw material thereby lowering production cost of a product.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydrostatic forming nozzle which can effectively suppress formation of a surplus section in a formed product or semi-product, thereby raising a production efficiency for an actual product such as a frame of an automotive vehicle.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydrostatic forming nozzle which has a cross-sectional shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of an actual product which is obtained through a semi-product produced by a hydrostatic forming system using the hydrostatic forming nozzle.
An aspect of the present invention resides in a nozzle for hydrostatic forming, through which pressurized fluid is supplied into a tube located inside a die. The nozzle comprises a base section. A fitting section is connected to the base section and insertable into an end section of the tube so as to be fitted in the tube. The fitting section has an opening through which the pressurized fluid is ejected to be supplied into the tube. The fitting section has a generally rectangular cross-section.
Another aspect of the present invention resides in a hydrostatic forming system which comprises a die inside which a tube is located. A nozzle is provided including a base section, and a fitting section connected to the base section. The fitting section is insertable into an end section of the tube so as to be fitted in the tube. The fitting section has an opening through which pressurized fluid is ejected to be supplied into the tube, the nozzle having a generally rectangular cross-section.
A further aspect of the present invention resides in a hydrostatic forming method for a tube. The method comprises (a) preparing a nozzle including a fitting section which has a generally rectangular cross-section and is formed with an opening through which pressurized fluid is ejected; (b) locating the tube inside a die; (c) inserting the fitting section of the nozzle into an end section of the tube so as to be fitted in the tube end section; and (d) supplying the pressurized fluid through the opening of the nozzle into the tube located inside the die.
A still further aspect of the present invention resides in a product to be formed by a hydrostatic forming system including a die inside which a tube is located; and a nozzle including a base section, and a fitting section connected to the base section and insertable into an end section of the tube so as to be fitted in the tube, the fitting section having an opening through which pressurized fluid is ejected to be supplied into the tube, the nozzle having a generally rectangular cross-section. The product comprises a main section having a generally rectangular cross-section. An end section is integral with the main section, in which the fitting section of the nozzle having been extracted from the end section, the end section having a generally rectangular cross-section.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4567743 (1986-02-01), Cudini
patent: 4761982 (1988-08-01), Snyder
patent: 5815901 (1998-10-01), Mason et al.
patent: 198 12 884 A1 (1999-09-01), None
patent: 8-168814 (1996-07-01), None
Hayasaka Masanobu
Morita Tsukasa
Jones David B.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nissan Motor Co,. Ltd.
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