Patent · US Expired

Method and device for forming tubular work into shaped hollow product by using tubular hydroforming

US6415638B1 · kind B1 · utility

12Cited by
5References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 24, 2000
Grant dateJul 9, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 24, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB21D22/105
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

For forming a tubular work into a shaped hollow product by using hydroforming process, a method and a device are described. In the method, female and male dies are prepared. The female die has a longitudinally extending cavity which has a polygonal cross section when receiving the male die. The tubular work is placed into the cavity of the female die. The interior of the tubular work is then fed with a hydraulic fluid, and the pressure of the fluid is increased to a given level. The given level is smaller than a critical level that causes a bulging of the tubular work. The male die is then pressed against the tubular work to deform the same while keeping the hydraulic fluid at the given level, thereby forming a shaped hollow product that has a polygonal cross section that conforms to that of the cavity. The pressing work is continued until a circumferential length of the shaped hollow product becomes shorter than that of the tubular work.

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