With Means To Advance Elongated Work (e.g., Pipe Elbow Crimper) Patents (Class 72/307)
  • Patent number: 7373797
    Abstract: In a process for bending workpieces, particularly pipes, wires, bars, semi-finished products, sheet metal or the like, with at least one bending device, at least one robot is to pick up the workpiece to be shaped and feeds it to the at least one bending device for shaping, in particular bending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Rosenberger Ag
    Inventor: Gerhard Rosenberger
  • Patent number: 7360386
    Abstract: The subject invention discloses a sweep unit assembly having a series of stations defining a path for an elongated article. A cradle is coupled to each of the stations. The stations are movable to introduce a first curve into the path and the article and each of the cradles are independently movable for introducing a second curve into the path and the article. A mount is included that supports at least one of the stations. The mount engages a base such that each of the stations are movably secured to the base and remain easily accessible for adjusting the stations and the cradles to impart various degrees of curvature into the path and the article. The sweep unit assembly is capable of imparting a curve into an elongated article formed of a metal and having a tensile strength greater than 80 KSI and a yield strength of 6 to 9 percent. The subject invention also discloses a method of adjusting the sweep unit assembly and a method of introducing a curve into the elongated article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Century, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry P. Bair
  • Publication number: 20080078226
    Abstract: A process of production of three-dimensional products from wire (1) or other suitable material, which process may be implemented in a system (8) that may include an advancement mechanism (9), a straightening mechanism (11), a length measuring arrangement (18) towards which advances the material (1), a gripper arrangement (14) suitable to hold the material with fixed grippers (15) and simultaneously with other grippers (16) to twist it to a desired angle around its longitudinal axis (X), and a rotatable bending mechanism (12) that can bend the material plastically in one plane and simultaneously can rotate at a desired angle around the longitudinal axis (X) of the wire (1) so that it may generate bends in different planes. The system (8) implementing the process may also carry a cutting arrangement (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventor: Antonios Anagnostopoulos
  • Patent number: 7313941
    Abstract: A corrugated sheet member bending machine is disclosed to include a base frame, a housing pivotally supported on the base frame and turnable within 90-degrees to fit different workpiece insertion angles and different workpieces, a set of drive rollers mounted on a wheel shaft and rotatable by a motor, a set of driven rollers pivotally supported on a sliding plate movable relative to the drive rollers by a hydraulic cylinder, a bottom die fixedly mounted inside the housing at the bottom, and a movable upper die movable by a hydraulic cylinder for stamping on the inserted workpiece against the bottom die to curve the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Inventor: Sen-Jung Chuang
  • Publication number: 20070283737
    Abstract: In the width-direction bending step for the blade member, the blade member is clamped by a pair of rotary press claws 13, 14 from both sides in the thickness direction to be compressed in the thickness direction, whereby the compressed portion is extended in the longitudinal direction of the blade member and the blade member is bent in the width direction. In the thickness-direction bending step for the blade member, a working die portion comprises: a thickness-direction bending shaft 31; and a thickness-direction bending cylinder 32 which is fitted in a turning paired state onto the thickness-direction bending shaft. The thickness-direction bending shaft 31 and the thickness-direction bending cylinder 32 are relatively rotated, whereby the blade member is bent in the thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventor: Suehiro Mizukawa
  • Patent number: 7260969
    Abstract: Bending machine for profiles in the form of bars sheared to size, including at least a drawing assembly, shearing apparatus and bending apparatus. At least part of the drawing assembly is movable between a first loading position, wherein it is upstream of and remote from the bending apparatus to take at least one of the bars sheared to size from an accumulation site, and a second drawing position, wherein it is upstream of and in proximity with the bending apparatus to draw/feed at least one bar towards the shearing apparatus and the bending apparatus and to cooperate with the shearing apparatus and the bending apparatus in performing the bending cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: M.E.P. Macchine Elettroniche Piegatrici SpA
    Inventors: Giorgio Del Fabro, Marcello Del Fabro
  • Patent number: 7254974
    Abstract: The present invention is a bending machine for bending material such as steel to form cutting dies for products such as cloth, leather or the like. Coiled material is fed through a material washer, straightener and printer by a material feeder to a bending head. If required the material is forwarded through the bending head to a heating unit and retracted to the bending unit to aid in bending. A nicking tool is also provided ahead of the bending tool to nick the material. The nicks enable the cutting die to cut notches in the product being cut. A support surface at the output end of the machine supports the material as it is bent into the required form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: 1500999 Ontario Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Elton Scott, Marcus de la Merced, Alois Slovak
  • Patent number: 7240528
    Abstract: An apparatus for bending orthodontic wires has means for guiding and holding a wire. In order to prevent forces resulting from compressive or stretching strain during the bending process, one of these means does not apply any longitudinal forces onto the wire by design. In another implementation, the apparatus for bending orthodontic wires has a gimbal-mounted gripper for bending the wire. Furthermore, a method is disclosed for applying two bends at the same longitudinal wire location in two different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Lingualcare, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Weise, Ruedger Rubbert
  • Patent number: 7222512
    Abstract: The invention concerns methods and devices for bending a cylindrical tube or the like (1) so as to obtain two consecutive sections (2, 3) of said tube forming between them a non-null angle alpha. The method is essentially characterised in that it consists in producing, in the wall (4) of the tube (1), a wave (20) defined between two flanks (22, 23) forming between them a non-null angle beta substantially centred on the separation plane (21) between the two sections, then in producing a permanent plastic deformation of the wave (20) until the value of the angle between the two sections (2, 3) is obtained. The device enables to implement said method. The invention is useful in particular but not exclusively, for producing pipes for transporting fluids in motor vehicles or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Inventors: Brigitte Dossmann, Robert Humbert
  • Patent number: 7188504
    Abstract: A wire bending device includes a bending head bearing two bending tools between which the wire to be bent is passed. Either tool is alternately capable of being fixed or being a pivot for rotation of the bending head therearound. The device also includes a mechanical device for feeding the wire axially in one direction or another; a mechanical device for rotatably driving the bending tools, in two different directions, about an axis of either bending tool; and a mechanical device for shifting the bending tools in a plane perpendicular to the axis about which the bending tools can rotate. There can be calculating controller for managing simultaneously the operation of the mechanical devices, so that the movements generated by the wire and bending tools are superposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ateliers de Constructions Mecaniques Latour et Fils
    Inventor: Yves Latour
  • Patent number: 7174760
    Abstract: A dual-directional pipe-bending machine bends a pipe in either direction and has a base, a transporting device and a pipe-bending assembly. The base has a bracket. The transporting device is mounted slidably on the bracket. The pipe is mounted on the transporting device. The pipe-bending assembly is mounted on the base and has a transversely moving bracket, a vertically moving bracket, a location-changing assembly, a rotating transmission device, a rotating bracket and two pipe-bending devices. The transversely and vertically moving brackets are mounted on the base. The location-changing assembly moves the transversely moving bracket and the vertically moving bracket. The rotating bracket connects to the vertically moving bracket. The rotating transmission device rotates the rotating bracket. The two pipe-bending devices are mounted on the rotating bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ying Lin Machine Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Kun Hu
  • Patent number: 7134310
    Abstract: A tube bender includes a worktable, a rail on the worktable, a tube-pushing device and a tube-bending device. The tube-pushing device is positioned on the worktable, having a moving base and a clamper at one side of the moving device. The clamper clamps a tube being bent, and a push driver moves the moving base together with the tube work to a preset location. The tube-bending device consists of a base unit, a guide unit and a driving unit, and when the tube work is moved to the tube-bending device, it is bent by the tube-bending device, with a guide roller and a main roller sandwiching the tube for preventing the bent section of the finished tube from disfiguring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ying Lin Machine Industrial Col., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Kun Hu
  • Patent number: 7111487
    Abstract: A curvature forming device has an upper member and a lower member. A clamping member is mounted on a spring within a recess in the upper member. An elongate deforming member is fixedly mounted in the same recess. The deforming member protrudes out of the recess more at one end than at the other. The upper member is pressed down against a flat anvil or die of a lower member, with a metal strip between them. The clamping member clamps the strip, whilst the deforming member deforms a small length of it. The upper member is raised and the strip moved forward a little bit. The upper member is then brought down again to clamp and deform the adjacent small length. Each deformed portion is generally fan shaped. These build up to produce a curve in the strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Ming Shyan Yong, Chee Mun Choy, Meng Kwong Ho
  • Patent number: 7104102
    Abstract: Bending machine (10) to obtain shaped elements from pre-cut profiles (11), equipped with a drawing assembly (14) which draws the profiles (11), first shearing means (13) arranged downstream of the drawing assembly (14) and bending means (12) arranged downstream of the first shearing means (13). Downstream of the bending means (12) are arranged second shearing means (15) to eliminate the terminal segments of the profiles (11) corresponding to the difference between the linear development of the shaped element to be produced and the length of the pre-cut profiles (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: M.E.P. Macchine Elettroniche Piegatrici SpA
    Inventors: Giorgio Del Fabro, Marcello Del Fabro
  • Patent number: 7104100
    Abstract: A tube bending device having draw-bending and compression-bending functions and capable of bending in all processes in a unit of device is provided. The device performing bending by rotating the tube at a predetermined angle with the tube pressured against a circumferential surface of a bending die, the device including a movable type of tube bending unit movable in a longitudinal direction of a tube to be processed or a fixed type of tube bending unit and a tube twisting unit for rotating the tube freely at a predetermined angle with a center of the tube being an axis core is characterized in that the tube bending unit has one or both of draw-bending and compression-bending functions and is provided rotatably in a vertical plane about an axis parallel to the axis core of the tube so that the displacement amount in a tube twisting operation can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Usui Kokusai Sangyo Kaisha Limited
    Inventor: Shigeru Saegusa
  • Patent number: 7093475
    Abstract: An orbital machine for bending tubes includes a fixed base frame on which is displaced in translation a guiding support cooperating with a feed-off arm driven in rotation around a horizontal axis and that forms an integral unit with a bending head having two tightening semi-rollers that are driven first according to a direction opposite in direction from the axis of the tube in a plane perpendicular to that of the bending plane XX? of the tube, and secondly in rotation to achieve at least one bending on the tube, the base frame including a loading device allowing the tube to be bent to be held first in a horizontal position oriented in the direction of the bending head and secondly in a position that is fixed in rotation and in translation while the different bendings are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: SILFAX
    Inventors: Serge Cappello, Jean-Paul Chastan, Jean-Paul Bruyas
  • Patent number: 7082804
    Abstract: The present invention is a bending machine for bending material such as steel to form cutting dies for products such as cloth, leather or the like. Coiled material is fed through a material washer, straightener and printer by a material feeder to a bending head. If required the material is forwarded through the bending head to a heating unit and retracted to the bending unit to aid in bending. A nicking tool is also provided ahead of the bending tool to nick the material. The nicks enable the cutting die to cut notches in the product being cut. A support surface at the output end of the machine supports the material as it is bent into the required form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: 1500999 Ontario Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Elton Scott, Marcus de la Merced, Alois Slovak
  • Patent number: 7062947
    Abstract: A machine for cutting and edge folding foils includes a cutting/folding station. At the cutting/folding station is a folding form about which the foils may be folded. A feeder feeds a length of foil to the cutting and folding station. At the folding station a cutter adjacent to the folding form creates a cut edge in the foil. The path of the cutter is such as to fold the cut edge of the foil around the folding form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Inventor: James Douglas Farfor
  • Patent number: 7055355
    Abstract: Method and device for bending a portion of an element in a bending machine (12) comprising a bending assembly (14), a supporting plane (18) and an electronic processing unit (32), wherein the bending process is filmed and displayed on a screen (36). The portion (24) is bent with a first movement of the bending assembly (14) to make a first bend of a nominal value. By means of reference indicator elements an angle of deviation is determined and the portion is again bent with a new movement of the bending assembly (14), taking into account the angle of deviation. All movements of the bending assembly (14) are acquired by a position transducer (15) and recorded by the electronic processing unit (32) in order to have a global parameter for obtaining an angle which corresponds to the nominal value, and in order to use the global parameter in subsequent analogous or similar bends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Inventor: Antonio Codatto
  • Patent number: 7040001
    Abstract: A metal encaustic tile making machine includes a machine base, a corrugation forming roller unit controlled to corrugate a continuous sheet of metal sheet material into a corrugated metal sheet, an angle forming unit controlled to stamp the corrugated metal sheet into a metal encaustic tile having angles, a cutting unit controlled to cut the finished metal encaustic tile from the continuous sheet of metal sheet material, a slide carrying the angle forming unit and the cutting unit on the machine base, and a motor controlled to move the slide forwards/backwards along two parallel guide rails at the machine base via a transmission screw to fit the delivering speed of the continuous sheet of metal sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Inventor: Sen-Jung Chuang
  • Patent number: 7028521
    Abstract: A pipe feeding mechanism includes a rack, a power source, first and second planetary gears, a clutch for releaseably securing an output shaft to an input shaft in the first planetary gear, and a brake for releaseably blocking rotation of a sun gear of the first planetary gear; the input shaft of the first planetary gear is connected to the power source; the first planetary gear will be stopped from functioning, and the output shaft thereof rotated at a same speed as the input shaft thereof during a return stroke of pipe feeding cycle after the clutch is switched to a clutching position, and the brake device a releasing position; the first planetary gear will be allowed to function together with the second planetary gear to increase output torque during a forward stroke after the clutch is switched to a releasing position, and the brake device a braking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Chiao Sheng Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Tzung Fan
  • Patent number: 7021110
    Abstract: A device is disclosed for preparing a U-shaped spacer having a longitudinal axis, wherein the spacer has first and second opposing sides extending from a spacer bottom, and wherein the spacer is to be used as a spacer between glass sheets on insulating frames. A method for producing such spacer features is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventor: Barent A. Rosskamp
  • Patent number: 7021107
    Abstract: A bending processor for a pipe has a pipe bending unit and a pipe twisting unit. The pipe bending unit is rotated by a predetermined angle while pressing the processed pipe against the circumferential face of a bending die, and performs the bending processing. The pipe bending unit may be movable in the longitudinal direction of the processed pipe or may be fixed. The pipe twisting unit is freely rotated by a predetermined angle with the center of the processed pipe as an axis. The pipe bending unit has a tensile bending function and a compression bending function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Usui Kokusai Sangyo Kaisha Limited
    Inventor: Shigeru Saegusa
  • Patent number: 7017380
    Abstract: A bending assembly on a bending machine for the bending of rod and/or bar-shaped workpieces (8) includes a bending tool (10) and a bending drive unit (11) with a swivel arm (21) and a bending-drive motor (22). The bending tool (10) has at least one workpiece thrust block (12, 13), and the swivel arm (21) has at least one thrust pad (17, 18). The bending-drive motor (22) rotates the swivel arm (21) with the thrust pad (17, 18) around a bending axis (14) that extends in the transverse direction of the workpiece. The workpiece is bent when the thrust pad (17, 18) forces it against and around the associated workpiece thrust block (12, 13). The shaft of the bending drive motor (22) extends parallel to the bending axis (14), and both ends of the shaft are drive-connected to the swivel arm (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Trumpf Rohrtechnik GmbH &Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Schmauder, Winfried Richter
  • Patent number: 7010951
    Abstract: A feeding mechanism of a pipe bending machine is equipped with several auxiliary hydraulic cylinders in addition to an original power source for providing power to feed a pipe; the auxiliary hydraulic cylinders are joined to an auxiliary fixing member at output rods thereof, which fixing member is displaceable along a toothed locating rod secured on the bending machine, and is equipped with an engaging device capable of releaseably engaging the toothed locating rod to fix the fixing member in position; thus, the feeding mechanism can feed a pipe with increased force output when the fixing member is made unmovable along the locating rod by the engaging device, and when the auxiliary hydraulic cylinders operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Chiao Sheng Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sheng-Tsung Wang
  • Patent number: 7007534
    Abstract: The present invention regards methods of projecting, producing and bending continuous stretches of circular cylindrical bodies, such as stretches of piping, handrails and rails for stair lifts. The invention also regards a tool for use with the method, application of a tool, and a length of pipe and fittings prepared for use with the method. During the project planning, the orientation of the fitting (52) is given in relation to the first piece of pipe (50), by the cut angle of the fitting (52) and the rotational angle (?) of the fitting about the longitudinal axis of the pipe (50) relative to a defined spatial direction gen by a mark (53, 54) on the piece of pipe (50) and the fitting (52). During construction, the piece of pipe (50) is arranged with one side in a defined spatial direction, the fitting (52), which has a given cut angle, is fitted to the piece of pipe (50) and the fitting (52) is rotated through a pre-determined rotational angle (?) that is measured relative to the defined spatial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Skipskonsult AS
    Inventor: Terje E. Myklebust
  • Patent number: 7004003
    Abstract: Bending machine for profiles comprising at least a drawing assembly able to draw the profiles, a first shearing device arranged downstream of the drawing assembly and bending means arranged downstream of the first shearing means. A second shearing device is arranged upstream of at least part of the drawing assembly and is able to shear the profiles to eliminate excess parts thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: M.E.P. Macchine Elettroniche Piegatrici SpA
    Inventors: Giorgio Del Fabro, Marcello Del Fabro
  • Patent number: 7000442
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for making a rotary die blade from a straight blade blank to be conformable to the contour of the rotary die block include inserting a blade blank between a first press face of a first presser and a second press face of a second presser; and compressing the blade blank by urging either of the first press face or the second press face to the other, thereby elongating the blade blank along its length; wherein the compressive force is differentiated such that a stronger compressive force is applied to the peripheral portion of the blade blank than the inner portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: Suehiro Mizukawa
  • Patent number: 6968722
    Abstract: A plate-processing device intended for bending and cutting of bending and bendable plate-like objects. A bending and cutting tool is arranged to be moved by actuators. At least two tube sectors, which are arranged within each other and move relative to each other, of which the tube sector that revolves around the axis of revolution has a bending or cutting tool. The mutual movement of the tube sectors is brought about by actuators acting between the tube sectors and expandable by means of pressure of a medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Rondeco Oy
    Inventor: Markku Karhumäki
  • Patent number: 6957558
    Abstract: An encaustic metal tile fabrication equipment includes a roller unit operated to roll an encaustic metal sheet into a corrugated encaustic metal sheet, a shape forming mechanism having a first shape forming mold unit and a second shape forming mold unit and operated to process the corrugated encaustic metal sheet into an encaustic metal tile having a bend with a recessed portion, and a cutting unit operated to cut the finished encaustic metal tile to the desired size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Inventor: Sen-Jung Chuang
  • Patent number: 6857303
    Abstract: A machine for bending and twisting flat metal wire for producing a motor vehicle wiper arm. The machine includes device for feeding and maintaining the wire, and at least a mechanism capable of gripping and releasing the wire in output of the feeding and maintaining device, and which is, under the action of a driver associated with a transmission device, mobile in several directions, rotating about the axis moving the wire, and moving, in one direction or another, in a direction perpendicular to the surfaces of the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Ateliers de Constructions Mecaniques Latour et Fils
    Inventor: Yves Latour
  • Patent number: 6854313
    Abstract: Tube bending/crimping apparatus has a frame, a toggle assembly and a carriage assembly. The toggle assembly has overlapping male dies with tapering working tips that form a self-centering wedge. The carriage assembly has a shaft with a pinion that engages a rack on the frame to move the carriage assembly. A handle on the shaft is linked to the shaft by a cam clutch and a plunger, so that when the plunger is engaged, pushing the handle moves the carriage assembly forward. When the plunger is disengaged, the carriage assembly is easily moved back to the starting position. Mechanical stops for the handle assure consistent advancement. A receiving element on the carriage assembly has grooves for several sizes and orientations of tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Inventors: Gary A. Knudson, Patrick D. Flood
  • Patent number: 6854311
    Abstract: A bending machine for the bending of tube, rod and bar shaped workpieces (24, 24a) includes a machine base unit (2), a collet (6) for mounting a workpiece, and a tool assembly (15) with at least one bending tool. The bending tool can be opened and closed in the transverse direction of the workpiece by the relative movement of tool components to form a workpiece holder. The tool assembly (15) is mounted on a swivel support (10) to rotate around a tool axis of rotation (16) extending axially of the workpiece, and the swivel support (10) is mounted on the machine base unit (2) to be rotatable around a swivel support axis of rotation (11) extending in the axial direction (12) of the workpiece. The swivel support axis of rotation (11) and the tool axis of rotation (16), and the tool axis of rotation (16) and the workpiece holder, are radially offset relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Trumpf Rohrtechnik GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Schmauder, Winfried Richter, Jürgen Wolf, Stephan Lausterer, Erwin Holder, Stefan Deuter, Rainer Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6813922
    Abstract: A digitally controlled machine for bending, forming, or curving raw parts, such as rods, wires or profiled sections, comprises a conventional main frame (1) and a rotating bending head capable of bending articles in different planes. The rod (4) is horizontally displaced along a transport axis (5) by a feed station, located upstream, and is brought through a bending shank (7) borne by the main frame (1). The rod is then brought through a lathe (10) of the bending head. The lathe is formed by a bending roll (8) and a folding pin (9), and is capable of rotating in a horizontal plane about an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of the bending roll (8). The bending shank (7) is movably mounted in translation in a transport axis (5) and is continuously displaced between one or more projecting bending positions wherein the shank is proximate to the roll (8) and one or more retracted positions, facing upstream, which completely clear the bending zone between the lathe and the main frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Numalliance
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Patent number: 6782728
    Abstract: A machine for high rate serial bending of a tube includes a bending head provided with a radius block and a backing block including, at the periphery, a groove with a semicircular cross-section and a driver for the backing block in rotation coaxial to the radius block, so as to drive the tube to be bent and wind it on the radius block. The radius block includes a disc including a beveled panel arranged along a chord of the disc and it includes device for moving the bending head relative to the axis of the tube along a path passing through the pins of the radius block and the backing block and a device for axially rotating the radius block independently from the displacement of the backing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Ateliers de Constructions Mecaniques Latour et Fils
    Inventor: Yves Latour
  • Publication number: 20040112108
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for making a rotary die blade from a straight blade blank to be conformable to the contour of the rotary die block include inserting a blade blank between a first press face of a first presser and a second press face of a second presser; and compressing the blade blank by urging either of the first press face or the second press face to the other, thereby elongating the blade blank along its length; wherein the compressive force is differentiated such that a stronger compressive force is applied to the peripheral portion of the blade blank than the inner portion thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventor: Suehiro Mizukawa
  • Patent number: 6735995
    Abstract: A shaping device for producing a U-shaped conductor includes a holding portion, a feeding portion, a core metal portion and a shaping portion. The core metal portion includes a core metal and an upper guide portion. The core metal forms a die. The upper guide portion restrains upward movement of the conductor material during the shaping operation. The shaping portion includes a shaping element and a lower guide. The shaping element shapes the conductor material into the U-shape by urging the conductor material along the core metal. The lower guide restrains downward movement of the conductor material during the shaping operation. It is possible to move the shaping element downwardly after the conductor material is shaped into the U-shape. The conductor material can be fed forward without returning the shaping element to its initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Shizu
  • Patent number: 6725700
    Abstract: The bending device 25 comprises a positioning jig 10 having a clearance opening 8 formed therein for passing an elongate material 1, fixed to a device body, and a movable bending jig 28 having a clearance opening 30 formed therein for passing the material 1, provided at a position to which the material 1 is supplied from the positioning jig 10. The bending jig 28 is attached to a dome portion 26 which is part of a rotating member 24 rotated along a spherical surface having the center on the material 1 passing through the positioning jig 10. As the rotating member 24 rotates along the spherical surface, the bending jig 28 moves along the spherical surface. As a result, the material 1 is bent by being supplied with its supply direction changed from the positioning jig 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Opton
    Inventor: Teruaki Yogo
  • Patent number: 6694794
    Abstract: A draw-bending machine comprises a base frame (2), a bending head (3) movably in engagement with the base frame (2), a support and positioning device (9) for the bending head (3), and handling and locking means (51) of a pipe (6) to be bent. The support and positioning device (9) consists of a first support arm (10) movable relative to the base frame (2) and a second support arm (17) having a first end (17a) hinged on an end (10a) of the first support arm (10) and a second end (17b) hinged on the bending head (3). The handling and locking means (51) comprises a first gripping unit (25) adapted to shift the pipe (6) to an operating space that can be reached by the bending head (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Fabbrica Macchine Curvatubi Crippa Agostino S.p.A.
    Inventor: Aurelio Crippa
  • Publication number: 20040025559
    Abstract: Tube bending/crimping apparatus has a frame, a toggle assembly and a carriage assembly. The toggle assembly has overlapping male dies with tapering working tips that form a self-centering wedge. The carriage assembly has a shaft with a pinion that engages a rack on the frame to move the carriage assembly. A handle on the shaft is linked to the shaft by a cam clutch and a plunger, so that when the plunger is engaged, pushing the handle moves the carriage assembly forward. When the plunger is disengaged, the carriage assembly is easily moved back to the starting position. Mechanical stops for the handle assure consistent advancement. A receiving element on the carriage assembly has grooves for several sizes and orientations of tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Gary A. Knudson, Patrick D. Flood
  • Patent number: 6644079
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the orienting of the ends of a finite length segment of tube following a bend thereof through a predefined angle. At least one straight finite length segment of tube is supplied to the tube bender for bending the tube about a bend axis. The two ends of the tube, following the bend, are measured to determine the distance between the end face of each leg to the bend axis. Appropriate adjustment is made to a pushing member to keep the ends of the tube in a generally coplanar relation. Additional measurement is performed to facilitate adjustment between the tube supply device and the tube bending mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Burr Oak Tool and Gauge Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Galen B. Harman, Derrick S. Small, James G. Milliman
  • Publication number: 20030192361
    Abstract: The present invention provides an unified folding system for processing in one work line all working processes needed in cutting and folding a cutting blade in a shape suitable to a sheet matter molding. A cutting blade supplied from a transferring unit of the cutting blade is cut in a length suitable to a sheet matter molding configuration in a cutting molding unit adjacent thereto, simultaneously the cutting tip used in cutting is transferred together with the cutting blade to a folding device side through a guide member set which is to be contacted with the cutting molding unit, the cutting blade transferred to the folding device is folded in a predetermined shape by a folding member which performs a going-straight movement and a rotating movement, and thereby, at this time, the cutting tip is detached outside by a tare. Accordingly, a working efficiency and a productivity in the cutting and folding of the cutting blade are improved and increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventor: Byung-Jun Song
  • Patent number: 6629442
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cutting blade bending apparatus. The apparatus comprises a nozzle section for feeding a cutting blade into a bending area through a guide opening which is defined therein in a lengthwise direction of the cutting blade; a first bending member for bending the cutting blade fed into the bending area, in one direction; a second bending member for bending the cutting blade fed into the bending area, in the other direction; a first rotating body for firmly supporting the first bending member and guiding rotation of the second bending member; a second rotating body for firmly supporting the second bending member and guiding rotation of the first bending member, the second rotating body being rotated independent of the first rotating body; and a driving section for rotatably driving, at a time, one of the first and second rotating bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Inventor: Hong-Soon Park
  • Patent number: 6612143
    Abstract: A robotic bending apparatus for bending archwires and other types of elongate, bendable medical devices into a desired configuration includes a first gripping tool and a moveable gripping tool. The first gripping tool can be either fixed with respect to a base or table for the robot or positioned at the end of robot arm. The moveable gripping tool is mounted to the end of a moveable robot arm having a proximal portion also mounted to the base. The robot preferably comprises a six axis bending robot, in which the distal end of the moveable arm can move relative to the fixed gripping tool about three translational axes and three rotational axes. The gripping tools preferably incorporate force sensors which are used to determine overbends needed to get the desired final shape of the archwire. The robot may also include a resistive heating system in which current flows through the wire while the wire is held in a bent condition to heat the wire and thereby retain the bent shape of the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: OraMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Werner Butscher, Friedrich Riemeier, Rüdger Rubbert, Thomas Weise
  • Patent number: 6598446
    Abstract: A machine for bending pipes (2; 63; 78) sections or similar of a given section (S1; S2; S3) has a guide device (6) having a longitudinal axis (9) for guiding the pipes (2; 63; 78) in a feed direction (D1) parallel to the axis (9); and a bending member (7) movable with respect to the guide device (6) in a plane (P1) perpendicular to the feed direction (D1), and having an annular guide (50), which has a passage section (45; 61; 76) for the pipes (2; 63; 78) substantially equal to the section (S1; S2; S3) of the pipes (2; 63; 78) and is defined by rollers (40; 52; 82; 67) rotating about respective axes (41; 53; 83; 68) lying in a plane coplanar with the passage section (45; 61; 76).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Tauring S.p.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Meliga
  • Patent number: 6591655
    Abstract: An apparatus for bending pipes comprising a bending unit and a bending finger as well as with an infeed unit and a unit for holding and moving the pipe that is to be bent. The bending unit comprises two symmetrically located bending dies, each of which has an annular groove open on the outside, between which the pipe is inserted during the bending operation. The bending finger is pivoted on a pivoted support and the axes of rotation of the support and the bending finger are parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Inventor: Matthias Scheerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20030115925
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the orienting of the ends of a finite length segment of tube following a bend thereof through a predefined angle. At least one straight finite length segment of tube is supplied to the tube bender for bending the tube about a bend axis. The two ends of the tube, following the bend, are measured to determine the distance between the end face of each leg to the bend axis. Appropriate adjustment is made to a pushing member to keep the ends of the tube in a generally coplanar relation. Additional measurement is performed to facilitate adjustment between the tube supply device and the tube bending mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Galen B. Harman, Derrick S. Small, James G. Milliman
  • Publication number: 20030089153
    Abstract: A digitally controlled machine for bending, forming, or curving raw parts, such as rods, wires or profiled sections, comprises a conventional main frame (1) and a rotating bending head capable of bending articles in different planes. The rod (4) is horizontally displaced along a transport axis (5) by a feed station, located upstream, and is brought through a bending shank (7) borne by the main frame (1). The rod is then brought through a lathe (10) of the bending head. The lathe is formed by a bending roll (8) and a folding pin (9), and is capable of rotating in a horizontal plane about an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of the bending roll (8). The bending shank (7) is movably mounted in translation in a transport axis (5) and is continuously displaced between one or more projecting bending positions wherein the shank is proximate to the roll (8) and one or more retracted positions, facing upstream, which completely clear the bending zone between the lathe and the main frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventor: Joel Etienne
  • Publication number: 20030061853
    Abstract: A draw-bending machine comprises a base frame (2), a bending head (3) movably in engagement with the base frame (2), a support and positioning device (9) for the bending head (3), and handling and locking means (51) of a pipe (6) to be bent. The support and positioning device (9) consists of a first support arm (10) movable relative to the base frame (2) and a second support arm (17) having a first end (17a) hinged on an end (10a) of the first support arm (10) and a second end (17b) hinged on the bending head (3). The handling and locking means (51) comprises a first gripping unit (25) adapted to shift the pipe (6) to an operating space that can be reached by the bending head (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventor: Aurelio Crippa
  • Publication number: 20030037585
    Abstract: A machine for high rate serial bending of a tube includes a bending head provided with a radius block and a backing block including, at the periphery, a groove with a semicircular cross-section and a driver for the backing block in rotation coaxial to the radius block, so as to drive the tube to be bent and wind it on the radius block. The radius block includes a disc including a beveled panel arranged along a chord of the disc and it includes device for moving the bending head relative to the axis of the tube along a path passing through the pins of the radius block and the backing block and a device for axially rotating the radius block independently from the displacement of the backing block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Inventor: Yves Latour