Metal deforming – With use of control means energized in response to activator... – Including use of sensor responsive to information carried by...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-19
2004-02-10
Crane, Daniel C. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
With use of control means energized in response to activator...
Including use of sensor responsive to information carried by...
C072S016200, C072S302000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688147
ABSTRACT:
REFERENCE REGARDING FEDERAL SPONSORSHIP
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO SOURCE CODE APPENDIX
Attached hereto and incorporated herein is Appendix A, which is a compact disc (CD) containing the source codes for the following language computer programs comprising the radians software (Visual Basic), the PMAC code (PMAC Basic) and the radians software installation program, which program (configure) the processors and computers disclosed herein to implement the methods and procedures described herein. The contents of the CD directory are outlined in the printed material accompanying the compact disc. These source codes are subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the appendix, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, and machine, apparatus and mechanisms for forming curved panels and, in particular, to improvements therein for more precisely and accurately controlling the curvature, whether convex or concave, of such panels and for improved support thereof.
2. Description of Related Art and Other Considerations
Curved panels are used for decorative and functional purposes, such as related to the construction of ceilings, walls, column enclosures and, in general, architectural skins. While such use in the construction of ceilings, walls and skins comprise the most used applications of the panels formed by the method and apparatus of the present invention, it is to be understood that other uses and applications are intended to be encompassed within the general concepts described, illustrated and claimed and, therefore, any specific application is intended to be merely illustrative of its preferred use, and not limiting as to its application.
A ceiling or wall, for example, is composed of a plurality of panels, whether curved or not, so the combination effects a decorative and/or functional result for use, for example, in small and large installations, such as homes, offices and large convention and business establishments, e.g., planetariums, museums, theaters, airports, convention centers, casinos and subway stations. Most often, such panels are perforated for sound-absorbing or acoustical purposes. They are colored, anodized or otherwise treated, for example, to provide an attractive appearance. To enhance the aesthetic appearance of the building, their curvature may be simple or complex so that, when curved or otherwise bent or arced, they bestow a collectively softened look to the interior, or even exterior if so desired, of the building and, in many cases, to form a free-flowing, undulating or simply curved effect. Light-weight metals, such as aluminum, or decorative metals, such as copper, are conventionally employed as the composition of the panels, so that they may be made larger, stronger and curvier than that previously available. When thousands or more of such panels are interconnected, suspended overhead and aligned, the result forms connecting hills and valleys in a landscape.
Such a panel used in the above-described applications and in the present invention, are formed from a flat, perforated blank. The blank may have any geometrical shape, e.g., triangular, rectangular or other configuration. It is cut away at its corners, or wherever suitable. In the case of a rectangularly shaped blank, the four corners are cut away so that their circumferential edge portions can be bent to form an interior face and flanges angularly extending therefrom. If all four flanges of a rectangularly shaped blank were bent, they could be made to meet and thus to form an enclosing border.
In panels previously marketed by the assignee of the present invention and fabricated by use of machines and methods not publically disclosed or otherwise made publically known until divulged herein, the bending of such rectangularly shaped blanks was performed in a two-step operation. The first bending entailed the bending first of opposed parallelly disposed flanges extending longitudinally along the interconnecting perforated interior face or portion into an angled orientation from the perforated panel face. These parallelly extending flanges were then stretched or shrunk, that is dimensionally changed, in sequential fashion along their lengths extending along the corresponding longitudinal dimension of the panel in construction. Such stretching or shrinking exerted stresses on the face of the blank so as to bias the face in a curved fashion. A stretching of the flanges produced a panel being concavely configured. A shrinking of the flanges produced a panel being convexly configured. Thereafter, the remaining flanges were bent to form a border enclosing a perforated interior portion or face which is either concavely or convexly curved, in accordance with the stretching or shrinking of the parallelly extending flanges. Brackets of conventional construction were then secured to selected ones of the flanges to enable the panels to be hung.
The machines and methods, which are referred to above as not having been publically disclosed or otherwise made publically known, employ two stretching and shrinking mechanisms, one for each flange. Each mechanism includes paired opposing jaws positioned on either side of its panel flange, and the jaws are disposed to grip the flange segment sandwiched therebetween. Each jaw mechanism is supported on a head, and one of the shrinking or stretching jaws is moveable while the other is stationary during the stretching or shrinking operation. The heads are moveable with respect to one another only to accommodate different panel widths between the panel flanges and, when so accommodated, are fixed in place.
The preferred jaw mechanisms are fabricated by W. Eckold AG Werkzeugmaschinen of Switzerland and are described in its forming tools and spare parts brochure entitled “Eckold-Kraftformer Piccolo, KF 320, KF 314”, pages 6-8 thereof relating to spare parts FWA and FWR. In the preferred mechanisms, each jaw is composed of a pair of jaw halves, and one pair of jaw halves is positioned on one side of the flange and the other pair of jaw halves is positioned on the other side of the flange. This arrangement may be termed a sandwich of a flange segment between opposing jaw halves. Each pair of jaw halves is so constructed that the jaw halves within each pair can move mutually either towards or away from one other in a plane which is essentially parallel to the surfaces of the segment of the panel flange. Such relative movement between the jaw halves is dependant upon the configuration of the jaw half driving components which are coupled to a hydraulically operated driver. The jaw driving components include camming type elements which provide a very small and limited lateral movement of one pair of jaw halves in one jaw mechanism from the mating pair of jaw halves in the other jaw mechanism. This very small lateral jaw movement permits the panel flanges to be moved from one stretching or shrinking operation to the next such operation on an adjacent panel flange segment. Due to reasons discussed below, such lateral jaw movement is often insufficient to avoid some contact between the stationary jaw member and the adjacent flange surface. Additional lateral movement of the other jaw mechanism, when it is moved away from the stationary jaw mechanism, avoids contact the its adjacent flange surface.
In operation, when the jaw halves of opposed mechanisms engage opposite sides of the segment of the flange, the thus engaged flange segment is either shrunk or stretched.
The machines and methods, which are referred to above as not having been publically disclosed or otherwise made publically known, also include panel supporting and incrementally moving rollers. These rollers respectively support and grip the panel being worked on so as to incrementally move it and its flange portions into a stationary position between the jaws for stretching or shrinking a specifi
Burokas Vincent A.
Gordon Charles M.
Harkness Bruce R.
Mellough Daniel J.
Stewart Gregory
Ceilings Plus, Inc.
Crane Daniel C.
Sternfels Lewis B.
LandOfFree
Panel curving machine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Panel curving machine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Panel curving machine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3345925