Patent · US Expired

Method for mechanically expanding elliptical tubes

US5604982A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
8References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 5, 1995
Grant dateFeb 25, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 5, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/53122
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An elliptical cross section tube of novel construction that is capable of being expanded by a conventional conical tool of the type used to expand round cross section tubes. The tube is also reinforced by integral internal webs. The unexpanded tube cross section has concave lengthwise channels and concave internal webs that are all internally tangent to a circle representing a cross section of the expansion tool's conical head. As the head of the tool is pushed through the tube, it pushes the channels out into the fin hole while flattening the webs. The tube is thus mechanically bonded to the tube, and is left with a pair of internal reinforcing webs.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.