COLD FORMED PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR MAKING
Described is a method of making a cold formed product. The method includes the steps of forming a rod in diameter of annealed steel. At least a portion of the rod is positioned in a cavity and end portion of the rod is impacted to form a bulge in the rod in the cavity. The bulge is cold formed with a die to form an opening through the rod at the bulge surrounded by a upset portion. The opening and upset portion supporting a fastener positioned through the opening.
Described in the present application is a formed product and method for making the product. Specifically, the application is directed to a method of making a product by cold forming a rod into a desired shape.
Cold forming metal rods, particularly annealed steel, into parts and other products have had wide applicability in a variety of industries, including automotive and consumer products. These parts and products cold formed from metal rods may be bent, flattened, or formed into a variety of shapes, and are useful for making latches, levers, hooks, structural frames, and other components of numerous products. One problem with using metal rods for cold forming parts and products is the rods typically have a circular cross section, and the formed parts and products are typically attached to other components. A variety of means for attaching parts formed from metal rods have been proposed, including separate fasteners and hole(s) through the formed parts.
In the past, it was necessary to take the blank through a number of operations in multiple machines to form the part or product. For example, the metal rod was first partially flattened to form a portion with a flat surface, and then a drilled with another machine to form an opening through the flattened portion of rod for fastening the formed part. This approach is effective in making certain parts, but the diameter of the opening in the rod and the thickness of the upset formed from the rod surrounding the opening in the flattened section is limited. The diameter of the opening and surrounding upset section is limited both in the size of the rod and of the fastener that could be used without risking failure of the part. Moreover, this manufacturing sequence increases the cost as multiple machines in cold forming and drilling are needed to complete making of the part or product.
Accordingly, there has been a recognized need for a means and way of cold forming parts and products from metal rod with openings more simply and inexpensively, and with broader applications.
Presently disclosed is a method for making parts by cold forming comprising the steps of: forming a metal rod of a desired diameter and placing at least a portion of the rod in a cavity, impacting at least one of end portion of the rod to form a bulge in the rod in the cavity where an opening was desired in the finished product, cold forming the budge in the rod to form an opening through the rod at the bulge surrounded by a upset portion as part of the rod to support a fastener through the opening in the formed product.
Also disclose is method of a making a cold formed product comprising the steps of: forming a rod between 0.125 and 0.625 inch diameter of annealed steel, positioning in a cavity a portion of the rod where an opening is desired in the part or other product, impacting the rod at least one end portion to form a bulge in the rod in the cavity, and cold forming the rod at least at the budge with a die to form an opening through the rod at the bulge surrounded by a upset portion to support a fastener positioned through the opening in the formed product.
The method may also include the step of bending the rod into a desired cold formed product. The upset portion cold formed in the rod at the bulge may be generally between 0.25 and 1.25 inches in diameter or between 1.5 and 2.5 times the diameter of the rod used to form the part. The opening cold formed in the rod at the bulge may be generally between 0.05 and 0.375 in diameter.
Also disclosed is a method of making a cold formed product comprising the steps of: forming a rod between 0.125 and 0.625 inch in diameter of annealed steel, positioning at least two portions of the rod in two cavities, said two portions spaced from each end portion of the rod, and impacting at least one end portion of the rod to form bulges in the rod in each cavity; and cold forming at the bulges in the rod with at least one die an opening through the rod at each bulge surrounded by a upset portion to support a fastener for the formed product.
This method of making a cold formed product may also include the step of bending the cold formed rod into a desired product. The upset portion cold formed in the rod at the bulge may be generally between 0.25 and 1.25 inches in diameter or between 1.5 and 2.5 times the diameter of the rod used. The opening cold formed in the rod at the bulge may be generally between 0.05 and 0.375 in diameter.
Described is a novel method of cold forming parts and other products. The disclosed method may be useful in making a variety cold formed products inexpensively. The following description may be modified within the scope of the following claims without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Reference will be made to the attached figures, wherein numerals correspond to described components.
In the first embodiment, illustrated in
In the second embodiment, illustrated in
In the third embodiment, illustrated in
In the fourth embodiment, illustrated in
In the embodiments illustrated in
The steps of manufacturing the cold formed product 100 are illustrated in
According to
It is further contemplated that the rod may be other than annealed steel. For example, the rod may be mild steel or other metal suitable for cold forming.
As shown in
As illustrated, a single bulge 126 may been formed near one end portion 122 or 124 of the rod 120. The embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
As shown in
The opening 112 may be generally circular and has a diameter between 0.125 and 0.625 inch in diameter between. The upset 114 may have a diameter between 0.25 and 1.25 inches in diameter or between 1.5 and 2.5 times the diameter of the rod used to form the part. The opening cold formed in the rod at the bulge may be generally between 0.05 and 0.375 in diameter to provide for substantial fastening of the fastener to the cold formed product. As will be appreciated , the upset 114 has a diameter greater than the head diameter of a fastener sized to fit within the opening 112.
Finally, in an optional step, the cold formed product is bent into a desired shape. Possible shapes are illustrated in
The step of bending is typically a final step in the method, but the bending of the rod may be formed prior to any of the above described steps. For example, if it is desired to produce products having a variety of upset and opening diameters, it may be desired to bend the rod before to performing the step or steps of cold forming the opening 112 and upset 114.
In the second cold forming step, shown in
In either a concurrent or separate cold forming steps as illustrated in
The finished cold formed product is shown in
The above described process has been described as forming a product through various cold forming steps applied to a cold formed steel rod. As described, the method may be applied to cold form other materials, including aluminum, copper or stainless steel forming the metal rod.
The drawings and above description are intended to be exemplary rather than limiting, and those having skill in the art will recognize that various obvious alternatives of the above-described apparatus may be used without departing from the scope of the invention with the following claims.
Claims
1. A method of a making a cold formed product comprising the steps of:
- a. forming a rod between 0.125 and 0.625 inch in diameter of annealed steel,
- b. positioning at least a portion of the rod in a cavity and impacting end portions of the rod to form a bulge in the rod in the cavity,
- c. cold forming the budge in the rod with a die to form an opening through the rod at the bulge surrounded by a upset portion as part of the rod to support a fastener positioned by the rod through the opening.
2. The method of a making a cold formed product as claimed in claim 1 comprising in addition the following step:
- d. bending the rod into a desired cold formed product.
3. The method of a making a cold formed product as claimed in claim 1 the opening cold formed in rod at the bulge is between 0.05 and 0.375 inch in diameter.
4. The method of a making a cold formed product as claimed in claim 1 the upset portion cold formed in the rod at the bulge is between 0.25 and 1.25 inches in diameter.
5. The method of a making a cold formed product as claimed in claim 1 the upset portion cold formed in the rod at the bulge is between 1.5 and 2.5 times the diameter of the rod.
6. A method of a making a cold formed product comprising the steps of:
- a. forming a rod between 0.125 and 0.625 inch in diameter of annealed steel,
- b. positioning at least two portion of the rod in a cavity or cavities spaced from each end portion of the rod and impacting end portions of the rod to form bulges in the rod in the cavity or cavities,
- c. cold forming the bulges in the rod with at least one die to form openings through the rod at each bulge each surrounded by a upset portion as part of the rod to support a fastener positioned through each opening in the rod.
7. The method of a making a cold formed product as claimed in claim 5 comprising in addition the following step:
- d. bending the rod into a desired cold formed product.
8. The method of a making a cold formed product as claimed in claim 5 the opening cold formed in the rod at the bulge is between 0.05 and 0.375 inch in diameter.
9. The method of a making a cold formed product as claimed in claim 5 the upset portion cold formed in rod at the bulge is between 0.25 and 1.25 inches in diameter.
10. The method of a making a cold formed product as claimed in claim 5 the upset portion cold formed in rod at the bulge is between 1.5 and 2.5 times the diameter of the rod.
11. A method of a making a formed product comprising the steps of:
- a. forming a metal rod,
- b. positioning at least a portion of the rod in a cavity,
- c. impacting end portions of the rod to form a bulge in the rod in the cavity,
- d. flattening the budge in the rod and forming an opening through the rod surrounded by a upset portion at the bulge as part of the rod to position and support a fastener positioned by the rod through the opening.
12. The method of a making a formed product as claimed in claim 9 comprising in addition the following step:
- e. bending the rod into a desired shape.
13. The method of making a formed product as claimed in claim 9 where the rod includes first and second end portions and a bulge is formed near each of the first and second end portions;
14. The method of making a formed product as claimed in claim 9 where the opening is less than the diameter of the rod.
15. The method of making a formed product as claimed in claim 9 where the upset has a diameter at least approximately three times the diameter of the rod.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 9, 2014
Publication Date: Dec 10, 2015
Inventor: Mike HOOD (Logan, OH)
Application Number: 14/299,396