Bending Patents (Class 72/369)
  • Patent number: 8387435
    Abstract: A method and a device for bending a metal hollow thick walled member to a predetermined angle without deviation of the bending center position and without separation from a half die when presser die moves up. With a pair of guide plates (GP1 and GP2) turnably attached to a center pin CP kept horizontal and the axis center of the center pin intersecting with the axis center of the metal hollow thick walled member PM, the member PM is mounted on a half die (82a). When die holding members (80a and 80b) fixedly connected to the above guide plates and kept horizontal are inclined and separated from each other as the center pin lowers, the member PM is bent to the predetermined angle and held on the half die (82b). When the center pin that can be moved vertically by a guide member moves down to a predetermined position, a contact portion (96b) contacts the inclined surface of a stopper (92b) to allow a base plate (16) to receive a pressing force from an upper die via the stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ihara Science Corporation
    Inventors: Takeyasu Bandou, Shinji Fukaya, Hisashi Shirayama, Hideichi Tsuboi
  • Publication number: 20130042531
    Abstract: A gate operator for opening and closing an exterior gate includes an elongate hollow housing for rigid vertical mounting relative to the ground. First and second spaced-apart hinge assemblies for securing to the gate are mounted within the housing for pivoting relative to the housing. A motor is mounted within the housing and is coupled to at least one of the first and second hinge assemblies for causing the at least one of the first and second hinge assemblies to pivot between first and second positions and thus cause the gate to pivot between opened and closed positions. A method for manufacturing the gate operator and a folded gate assembly utilizing the gate operator are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: ADVANTAGE GATE PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Arthur Douglas Hird, JR., John Martin
  • Patent number: 8322185
    Abstract: The various embodiments herein provide a mandrel assembly for tube bending. The mandrel assembly comprises a plurality of chains, a ring arranged between the plurality of chains links, a plurality of ball segments, a shank and a pin. The ring is placed between the set of chain links and the chain links are inserted into the one side of the ball segment and the other side of the ball segment is inserted with other set of chain links and the pin is held to hold the components firmly. The plurality of chains links are passed into a machined section of each of the plurality of ball segments and the pin is inserted into a groove of the ball segments to hold the plurality of chains and then connected to the shank thereby forming a mandrel joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventors: Mahmoud Farzin, Mohammad Salem
  • Patent number: 8316683
    Abstract: A product intermittently having a bent portion which curves three-dimensionally and a quenched portion is manufactured by performing bending downstream of a support means while feeding a metal material which is supported by the support means from an upstream side towards a downstream side. A portion of the metal material is heated by a heating means downstream of the support means. A bending moment is imparted to the portion of the metal material heated by the heating means to three-dimensionally change the position of a movable roller die which is disposed downstream of the heating means and has a plurality of rolls which feed the heated metal material in the axial direction, and the metal material is quenched by spraying a cooling medium at the portion of the metal material which was heated by a cooling means disposed between the heating means and the movable roller die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignees: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Pipe & Tube Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tomizawa, Naoki Shimada, Fumihiko Kikuchi, Shinjiro Kuwayama
  • Patent number: 8312629
    Abstract: In a method of making a tubular support bar for a dashboard support, a sheet metal blank is placed in a first forming tool and pressed in a first shaping step by a ram into a U-shaped cavity of a first bottom die to form a U-shaped member. While remaining in the first bottom die, the U-shaped member is provided with connecting elements in the form of weld nuts by a automated placement device. Subsequently, the U-shaped member is transferred to a second forming tool and undergoes a second shaping step between a top die and a second bottom die to form a slotted tube. The longitudinal edges of the slotted tube are then joined together to form the support bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Hitz, Hans-Jürgen Knaup
  • Patent number: 8245402
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing a solid housing, in particular a valve housing for an electromagnetically operable valve, is characterized in that the following method steps are used: a) providing a sheet metal strip made of a magnetic or magnetizable material, b) introducing an additive into a middle area of the sheet metal strip and fusing there for forming a non-magnetizable structure, c) cutting the sheet metal strip into a sheet metal piece of desired width, d) deforming the sheet metal piece into a sleeve shape, e) mutual fastening of the cut edges now facing each other and running in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve for forming a sleeve blank, f) final machining of the sleeve blank until a desired geometry of the housing is achieved. The housing is suitable in particular for use in fuel injectors in fuel injector systems of mixture-compressing spark-ignition internal combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Max Seitter, Juergen Graner, Tilla Haubold, Stefan Oetinger
  • Patent number: 8249733
    Abstract: A computing system is communicated with a metal fabrication device for analyzing performance of an industrial robot. The metal fabrication device includes the industrial robot, and a plate bender. The computing system is operable to generate an analysis report of the performance of the industrial robot by providing section model creating function, bending point obtainting function, bending operation monitoring function, workpiece modeling function for the metal fabrication device. The quality of a finished workpiece bent by the industrial robot from a metal plate may be analyzed from the analysis report generated by the computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhi-Hui Wang, Ze-Jun Dai, Xiao-Yun Yuan
  • Publication number: 20120192612
    Abstract: A pipe manipulator is configured to move a pipe in an apparatus for bending a pipe. The apparatus includes a feeding device, a heating device configured to annularly surround the pipe. at least one bending arm disposed axially downstream from the heating device in a pipe feed direction, and a bending lock disposed on the at least one bending arm and configured to grasp a pipe section to be bent and to move around a bending axis of rotation during a feeding of the pipe. The pipe manipulator includes a receiving sleeve axially displaceable in the pipe feed direction and disposed displaceably in the feeding device at an end of the pipe. The receiving sleeve is configured to reach into the pipe and to firmly clamp the pipe from an inside of the pipe and to guide the pipe in a defined manner axially through the heating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: AWS SCHAEFER TECHNOLOGIE GMBH
    Inventor: August-Wilhelm Schaefer
  • Patent number: 8220811
    Abstract: An arm material for an upper arm or a lower arm is provided which constitutes a double wishbone suspension or the like of an automobile and which has a flat, hollow, closed cross-sectional shape and enables further decreases in size, decreases in weight, and increases in strength. An arm material for an automobile suspension has a body made from a parts material made by metal. The parts material made by metal has a flat, hollow, closed cross-sectional shape having a pair of opposing long sides and is formed from a single member in its lengthwise direction. The body has at least a first bent portion which is bent in a plane roughly parallel to the pair of long sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoaki Shimada, Michitaka Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120138185
    Abstract: A method and preprocessed tube for producing a tube with a bent progression or bend embodied as a transverse progression. For the bent position of the tube or for each fold of the transverse progression, two miter cuts are made into an essentially straight tube, creating two tube sections with miter cut surfaces extending along cutting planes and a cutting wedge. The miter cuts are placed such that the cutting planes intersect at a point located inside the tube wall, and at this point a bendable bar is left intact connecting the two tube sections. A folding of the miter cut surfaces of the two tube sections onto each other around the bar acting as a hinge allows both tube sections to be welded together around their miter cut surfaces. An additional centering aid formed by a protrusion and a recess can be provided in the opposite miter cut surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: WITZENMANN GMBH
    Inventor: Hans Tubach
  • Patent number: 8141403
    Abstract: A method urges a blank along an axial direction between a movable bending tool and a stationary counter-tool and, while the blank is being moved forwards, of moving the bending tool from a neutral position, in which the blank is not bent, to a working position, in which the blank is bent to the desired bending centerline radius, the working position being rotated with respect to the neutral position by a given angle of rotation depending on the desired bending centerline radius. The method further includes urging the blank between a pair of shoes upstream of the bending tool so as to make the deformation of the blank easier, and the step of moving the bending tool from the neutral position to the working position is carried out by controlling at least two degrees of freedom of the movement of the bending tool in the plane defined by the axial direction and by a transverse direction perpendicular to the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: BLM S.p.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Gemignani, Matteo Strano
  • Publication number: 20120067103
    Abstract: A method of forming a stent includes the steps of forming a composite member into a stent pattern, forming openings through an outer member of the composite member, processing the composite member to remove a portion of the composite member without adversely affecting the outer member, and swaging the outer member to create a plurality of lumens. The composite member may be formed of an outer member with an hourglass-shaped inner member, wherein the processing step removes the inner member and the swaging step forms two lumens from the hourglass shaped cavity. The composite member may be formed of an outer member, an inner member, and an intermediate member, wherein the processing step removes the intermediate member and the swaging step presses portions of the outer member into contact with the inner member to form two lumens separated by the inner member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Bienvenu, John Kantor
  • Patent number: 8117882
    Abstract: A method for manufacture of a multi-layer pipe (5) by means of a bending roller with individual material layers (1, 2) to be combined into the multi-layer pipe (5) being placed one upon the other, and the multi-layer material thus formed being shaped into a multi-layer pipe (5) by means of the bending roller, and in the final stage of pipe shaping in the bending roller and/or a subsequently used bending machine a material layer (1) acting as an internal pipe being pressed non-positively into a material layer (2) acting as an external pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Bergrohr GmbH Siegen
    Inventor: Bernd Berg
  • Publication number: 20110296796
    Abstract: A method for the production of a frame-shaped spacer for insulating glass panes which includes individual glass plates spaced by adhering the spacer to them, including the steps of selecting a metallic hollow profile bar, which includes an outer wall, an inner wall opposite the outer wall and two flanks which are parallel to one another, the inner wall and the outer wall being narrower than the hollow profile bar, and forming the spacer from the hollow profile bar, so that their flanks face the glass plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventor: Karl Lenhardt
  • Publication number: 20110289994
    Abstract: A technique enables extending the useful life of tubing deployed in a wellbore. The technique involves routing a damaged or distorted tubing through a straightening device. The tubing straightening device bends and counter bends the tubing along predetermined axes as it passes through the tubing straightening device. The bending and counter bending are selected so the tubing exits the straightening device with a predetermined form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: David P. Smith, Doug Pipchuk
  • Publication number: 20110277529
    Abstract: An embodiment of a method for profiling a tube of given length, whereby, after inserting the tube between at least one pair of rolls having respective coplanar, parallel axes of rotation crosswise to the tube, the rolls are moved onto the tube and pressed gradually against the tube, which, at the same time, is moved axially back and forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: VAVIT S.R.L.
    Inventor: Vittorio Renato Valle
  • Publication number: 20110271734
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Publication number: 20110259075
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a beam mounted in see-saw pivotal relation on a fulcrum and spaced apart cradles support the pipe. An actuator initially drives the second cradle and the beam apart to pivot the pipe about the first cradle until the pipe is in contact with the die and thereafter drives the beam away from the second cradle to bend the pipe against the die. The mechanical advantage of the levered operation requires only a single actuator motion to bend the pipe. An external mandrel allows the pipe to be incrementally fed through the bending machine and secures the pipe against cross-sectional distortion during the bending process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Bryan R. Kirchmer, Laprentis Eugene McIntosh
  • Publication number: 20110221214
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an impact absorbing member, starting with a closed or substantially closed hollow section with a mid section and two end sections, wherein at least one the end sections is bent to form a supporting member, whereby at least one imprint is made in the part of the section to be deformed by the bending operation. The invention also relates to an improved impact absorbing member formed by a manufacturing process including bending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Norsk Hydro ASA
    Inventors: Denis Gaisne, Olivier Grandsire, Jean-Philippe Leclerq, Odd-Perry Sovik, Alejandro Velasquez
  • Publication number: 20110067476
    Abstract: A straightening arrangement for straightening a chassis frame, comprising a plurality of bridges (11). Each bridge comprises a horizontal beam (12) and a vertical beam (13) whose lower end is fixed to the horizontal beam, a floor anchorage which detachably fastens the bridge to the floor, a device (15) arranged horizontally on the beam construction, and a chain attachment fitting (18). The bridge is locked in at least two directions, perpendicular to one another and also to the chassis frame. The horizontal device is arranged, in the straightening of a chassis frame which is bent in the lateral direction, to apply a horizontally directed force. The chain attachment fitting is arranged in the straightening of a chassis frame, which is bent in the vertical direction or is crooked, to secure a chain that is attached to the chassis frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventor: Franco Giacomini
  • Publication number: 20110027606
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a corner of a frame-type spacer for insulating glass panels by (a) making a metal hollow profile rod available, which rod has an outer wall, two parallel flanks, and an inner wall, (b) indenting the inner wall and the two flanks in the position of the hollow profile rod where the corner is supposed to be formed, and (c) bending the hollow profile rod by a defined angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventor: Karl Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 7877877
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid housing, in particular a valve housing for an electromagnetically operable valve. The method includes providing at least three flat metal plates side by side, each having different magnetic properties directly adjacent to the others. The at least three plates are joined to the directly adjacent bordering edges to form a sheet metal section. The sheet metal section shaped into a sleeve shape. Furthermore, the bordering edges, which are now opposite one another, and run in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve to form a sleeve blank are joined together. The sleeve blank is machined until a desired geometric shape of the housing is achieved. The housing may be suitable in particular for use in fuel injectors in fuel injector systems of internal combustion engines operating by spark ignition of a compressed fuel-air mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Ferdinand Reiter
  • Publication number: 20110016941
    Abstract: In an arrangement for bending tubular workpieces, in which a workpiece is supplied to a bending head for bending and is supported from the inside during the bending process in the bending region by means of a mandrel introduced into the workpiece, with the mandrel comprising a mandrel element and a traveler, sitting movably in the workpiece and the traveler being longitudinally displaceable in the workpiece by means of a feed device (14), the traveler is produced from a magnetizable material and the feed device comprises a magnetic device which is applied to a position corresponding to the position of the traveler outside of the workpiece, with a positive magnetic engagement being formed between the magnetic device and the traveler, with the traveler being displaceable in the workpiece via the magnetic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: WAFIOS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Jürgen WOLF
  • Publication number: 20110005291
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming conduit or pipe of various sizes into undulating, helical pipe by feeding a length of conduit at a controlled rate through a bending mechanism while also continuously rotating the pipe at a controlled rate so that bending occurs in multiple axis directions and the diameter of the helical path of the conduit centerline of the coil is less than the conduit diameter, the pitch is greater than the pipe diameter, and a straight open channel is retained through the pipe coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: UNDULTEC, INC.
    Inventors: LUBOMYR M. CYMBALISTY, FREDERICK ARTHUR HEMPHILL
  • Patent number: 7861566
    Abstract: A bending press for making tubing from a substantially planar and longitudinally extending metal sheet has a support extending transversely generally parallel to the sheet vertically offset from the sheet, and a bender at one of the edges of the sheet and slidable transversely generally parallel to the sheet on the support. The bender has a pair of bending tools, a tie rod extending transversely in the direction adjacent the pair of tools, and an actuator braced transversely in the direction between the tie rod and the tools and extensible in the direction to tension the rod and press the tools against opposite faces of the sheets at the one edge to deform the one edge. A clamp is engageable between the bender and the support for releasably locking the bender to the support at any of a plurality of positions offset transversely therealong generally parallel to the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: SMS Meer GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Kolbe, Uwe Feldmann, Frank Viegen, Karl Böhmer
  • Publication number: 20100281942
    Abstract: Method for bending pipes (T) or similar elongated elements in a pipe bending machine includes a seat for positioning the pipe (T) to be bent, a forming roller (R) having a predetermined radius (RR) around which the pipe is bent and appropriated devices for seizing and moving the pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: ALENIA AERMACCHI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Tiziano Carlini
  • Publication number: 20100286757
    Abstract: A stent graft 30 has a bare end stent 31 which partially overlaps the next stent 32 with the end 36 of the graft material 34 being shaped to follow the distal peaks 35 of the end stent and the proximal peaks 47 of the next stent. The proximal peaks 37 of the end stent have a greater radius of curvature than the distal peaks 35 of the end stent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicants: William Cook Europe ApS, Cook Incorporated
    Inventors: Jesper Schade Petersen, Marianne Soerensen, Tina Moerk
  • Patent number: 7802459
    Abstract: A bender for conduit which may make ninety degree bends in a length of conduit. The bender includes a bending frame, a bending deck, a rising shoe assembly and a traveling shoe assembly. A length of conduit is oriented parallel to the bending deck and then a desired portion of the conduit inserted into the traveling shoe assembly and a corresponding portion of the conduit is inserted into the rising shoe assembly. The rising shoe assembly is translated along an axis substantially perpendicular to the bending deck. The traveling shoe assembly is then translated along an axis substantially parallel to the bending deck. The complimentary translations of the rising shoe assembly and traveling shoe assembly cooperatively make a ninety degree bend in the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Inventors: James Lee Lovsin, Ryan Daniel Sochol, James Michael Worth, Erin Virdone
  • Publication number: 20100236590
    Abstract: An improved mobility device for assisting in the movement of the limbs is set forth. The device includes an arm support section. A vertical shaft is also provided. A handgrip section connects the arm support section to an upper angled section of the vertical shaft. The handgrip section is angled below a vertical plane perpendicular to the shaft. The handgrip section is substantially centered over the vertical shaft. A method of forming an improved mobility device is also set forth. The method includes the following steps. First, a tubular aluminum bar is provided. Next, the bar is bent outwardly, away from a central plane of a shaft of the bar to form an upper angled shaft portion. The bar is then curved back toward the central plane of the bar at an angle below a plane perpendicular to the central plane to form a handgrip section, wherein the handgrip section is substantially centered over the shaft. The bar is then bent to form an arm support section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventor: R. Gary Diaz
  • Publication number: 20100224348
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an ejector nozzle tube, includes forming an essentially rectangular plate-type blank 1 to have an undulating configuration on two opposite edge areas 2, 3, subsequently bending the blank around an axis 4, which is arranged centrically and parallel to the edge areas 2, 3, with the edge areas 2, 3 being superposed and subsequently joining the edge areas by point connections 6, providing for the formation of ejector nozzles 5 between the point connections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Predrag TODOROVIC
  • Patent number: 7770428
    Abstract: A high-strength hot bend pipe which has a balance between an excellent strength of at least X70 grade and toughness and which has excellent tensile properties and a weld metal with excellent low temperature toughness is manufactured. A UOE steel pipe having a base metal with a composition of C: 0.03-0.12%, Si: 0.05-0.50%, Mn: 1.4-2.2%, S: at most 0.01%, Al: at most 0.06%, N: at most 0.008%, and a remainder of Fe and impurities, with the carbon equivalent (Ceq) being at most 0.36% and the weld cracking parameter (Pcm) being at most 0.22%, and having a weld metal with a weld cracking parameter (Pcm) of at most 0.28%, a B content of at most 5 ppm, and an O content of at most 280 ppm is heated to a temperature range of 900-1100° C. and subjected to bending, and then is immediately cooled to a temperature range of 300° C. or lower at a cooling rate of at least 3° C./sec, and then is tempered in a temperature range of 300-500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Takahashi, Akio Yamamoto, Masahiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 7765841
    Abstract: A disclosed device and method are useful for monitoring a tube bending process. An example sensor detects a force associated with moving a mandrel in tubing during at least a portion of a tube bending process. The detected force is used to determine a quality of the tube bending process. For example, a detected pulling force provides an indication of whether a bent portion of a tube is within an acceptable range of a desired configuration. The detected pulling force is also useful to provide an indication of whether a condition of a mandrel or a machine used during the process is as expected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: OES, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Hogendoorn, Michael Reeve, Mark Adam Livingston Donkers
  • Patent number: 7744708
    Abstract: A method for producing a tubular bar, more particularly a stabilizer bar, is provided. The method comprises providing a tubular bar of desired size having an outer and inner surface, heating the bar to an elevated temperature, quenching the bar by application of a cooling fluid to the surfaces of the bar, and forming the tube to a desired shape without annealing. The method further provides for the composition of a high-strength, high formability carbon steel alloy to be used in conjunction with the method. Advantageously, the bar is formable without thermal processing subsequent to quenching. In this fashion, metal tubular bars, such as stabilizer bars, may be formed at reduced cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Tenaris Connections Limited
    Inventors: Edgardo Oscar López, Lorenzo Vito Caserta, Hernán Juan Desimone, Cuauhtémoc Martinez Salazar
  • Publication number: 20100011832
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new bending apparatus and bending method of a tube material which makes it possible to achieve all of bending by a large bending radius not requiring large scale equipment or die, bending resistant to wrinkling and buckling at an inner side of the bending, and bending with a high productivity, that is, a ram bending apparatus using a punch 12 and a set of rolls 13, 13 for three-point bending of a tube material wherein the punch 12 has a groove 12a of a width of the width of a circular tube 11 or more and wherein the set of rolls 13, 13 are supported by a frame 14. The rolls 13, 13 can freely move on the frame 14 in directions away from each other in a state contacting the punch 12. The frame 14 has a hollow space 14a enabling free movement of the descending punch 12 and the circular tube 11 bent along with this during the bending of the circular tube 11.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Masaaki Mizumura, Yukihisa Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20090301376
    Abstract: An improved water tight, chambered planing pontoon assembly incorporates a hollow shell with a cross sectional shape in the form of an upper portion and lower portion. The upper portion of the shape is generally semi-cylindrical extending downward and terminates with opposing chines extending the full length of the tube. The lower portion of the shape is formed by equal and opposing planing surfaces which extend upward at acute angles from a vertical center line, then turn outward, perpendicular to the vertical center line, meeting at the chines. The tube terminates on the bow end with an elongate semi-cone and on the opposite end with a water tight bulkhead. The upper and lower portions of the tube are formed of one homogeneous sheet of metal. The semi-cone with opposing chine portions is formed of one homogeneous sheet of metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Phillip L. Hoover, Terry L. Hoover, William G. Price, Donn R. Huber
  • Publication number: 20090272170
    Abstract: In a closing machine (1) for closing an open end of a work piece (9) by pressing a die (4) heated by a high frequency heating device (2) against the work piece (9) rotating about an axial center, the die (4) comprises a die main body (601) which contacts the work piece (9) and a holder (611) which surrounds the die main body (601). The die main body (601) is formed from cemented carbide whereas the holder (611) is formed from a steel material. The holder (611) is subjected to induction heating by the high-frequency heating device (2), whereas the die main body (601) is heated by heat transfer from the holder (611).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: KAYABA INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taiji Hattori
  • Publication number: 20090255310
    Abstract: A high-strength beam includes first and second sections bent in opposite directions as part of a roll-forming process. A frame includes side frame members incorporating the double-bent beam and at least one energy management tube attached to the beam. In one form, the beam is tubular and has a cross-sectional dimension of greater than 25 mm and a material strength of at least about 60 KSI tensile strength. A roll form apparatus includes a roll former device and a sweep station in-line with the roll former device for sweeping the continuous beam in first and second opposing directions. Also, a method of roll-forming comprises steps of: roll-forming a sheet of material into a continuous beam and sweeping first and second sections of the beam in opposite directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Richard D. Heinz, Bruce W. Lyons, Bryan E. Gould
  • Publication number: 20090241630
    Abstract: A work is placed on a pair of dies and a knock out die, and a punch is caused to descend, whereby the work is subjected to bending into a box-shape. In order to reduce a camber generated by an internal stress after the bending, on a surface of the knock out die, widths of friction-reduced regions at side portions thereof are made to be larger than a width of the friction-reduced region at a center portion thereof, with the result that a distribution of friction at the respective portions of the knock out die during processing is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Matsui
  • Patent number: 7594417
    Abstract: In a rotary tube bender, a first set of pressure sensors is located between the normally disposed mating surfaces of a wiper die insert and its wiper die holder; and a second set of pressure sensors is located between the axially disposed surfaces of the wiper die insert and the wiper die holder. Signal outputs of the first and second sets of pressure sensors over the course of bending cycles are compared to previously determined nominal signal outputs for drift indicative of whether a realignment or replacement of the wiper die should be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike M. Ghiran, Spyros P. Mellas, William M. Crantas, Kevin R. Marks, Douglas T. Wohlenhaus
  • Patent number: 7584637
    Abstract: A method of bending a metal object, such as a tube, is provided that uses real time, closed-loop feedback of the actual springback of the object in order to modify the applied bending force or preprogrammed bending coordinates so that the final desired bend geometry is achieved. The variability of springback from object to object is thus accounted for and the number of objects that must be scrapped due to incorrect bends (over bend or under bend) is reduced. The method is carried out using an apparatus such as a rotary draw bender with a measuring device operable to measure actual bend coordinates of metal objects bent by the bender. A controller is operatively connected to the bender and the measuring device and is configured to control the bender to bend the metal objects at least partly based on measured bend coordinates provided by the measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike M. Ghiran, Spyros P. Mellas, William M. Crantas, Kevin R. Marks, David R. Friddell, Paul D. Larsen
  • Patent number: 7574885
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a fluid conduit, in particular a fluid conduit for a CO2 refrigerating plant. The aim of said invention is to develop a quick and inexpensive method. For this purpose, several pipes (5-9) are simultaneously supplied by means of at least one roller (11) which is provided with peripheral grooves (14) and are helically wound in a parallel direction with respect to each other, wherein each pipe (5-9) is guided along a helical line and the helical lines of all pipes (5-9) are parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventor: Christian Boerge Hansen
  • Publication number: 20090199612
    Abstract: A high-strength hot bend pipe which has a balance between an excellent strength of at least X70 grade and toughness and which has excellent tensile properties and a weld metal with excellent low temperature toughness is manufactured. A UOE steel pipe having a base metal with a composition of C: 0.03-0.12%, Si: 0.05-0.50%, Mn: 1.4-2.2%, S: at most 0.01%, Al: at most 0.06%, N: at most 0.008%, and a remainder of Fe and impurities, with the carbon equivalent (Ceq) being at most 0.36% and the weld cracking parameter (Pcm) being at most 0.22%, and having a weld metal with a weld cracking parameter (Pcm) of at most 0.28%, a B content of at most 5 ppm, and an O content of at most 280 ppm is heated to a temperature range of 900-1100° C. and subjected to bending, and then is immediately cooled to a temperature range of 300° C. or lower at a cooling rate of at least 3° C./sec, and then is tempered in a temperature range of 300-500° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Nobuaki Takahashi, Akio Yamamoto, Masahiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 7553148
    Abstract: A production apparatus for bending a multi-channel tube having an outer tube and a partition partitioning an interior of the outer tube into two or more channel holes is provided with a bending mold configured to bend the multi-channel tube in a bend radius; a pressure mold configured to press the multi-channel tube toward the bending mold; a chuck portion configured to hold and draw the multi-channel tube along the bending mold; and mandrels respectively inserted into the channel holes, each of the mandrels including; a mandrel body configured to support inner surfaces of each channel hole; a support device rotatably and movably supporting the mandrel body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Takamatsu, Hiromi Takasaki, Susumu Satou
  • Publication number: 20090158806
    Abstract: Method for bending tubular articles with a relative ratio of the bending radius (R) and the outer diameter (D) of the finished pipe which is less than 3, comprising the following steps: forging an article made of material with a predefined composition depending on the final use and with a predefined length (L) in the longitudinal direction and an outer diameter (D); providing a die having an asymmetrical bottom die half with seat for the pipe; and a top die half with punch asymmetrically arranged in the longitudinal direction (X-X) with respect to the vertical centre axis of the die; heating the article in an oven to the required temperature for forging depending on the specific composition of the material; positioning the article inside the bottom die half in the longitudinal direction; closing of the two die halves so as to start bending of the article; opening the die; and extracting the bent article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: IBF S.p.A.
    Inventor: Urbano Faina
  • Patent number: 7541085
    Abstract: A flexible core element having a large bonding surface area suitable for sandwich type construction comprising a plurality of first hexagonal nodes defining a first surface, a plurality of second hexagonal nodes defining a second surface spaced apart from and parallel to the first surface, and a plurality of rectangular wall members which interconnect said first hexagonal nodes to said second hexagonal nodes and define the depth of the core element. Each hexagonal node corresponds to an open hexagonal cell on its obverse surface and serves as a bonding surface. The core element is fabricated from a continuous sheet of material that has been die-cut with a repeating geometrical design, creased and folded, concertina style, in upon itself to make a double-sided core material that is flexible, able to vent, exhibits good bend and shear strength, and has a large surface bonding area rendering it suitable in the construction of lightweight sandwich panels and offering a wide array of other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Inventor: Robert L. J. Burdon
  • Patent number: 7536891
    Abstract: A roll-forming or bending machine is provided for forming an angled or rounded and simultaneously tapered hollow body or similar workpiece from a material blank. The machine has at least one tapered roll and at least one counter element, between which a forming pressure can be applied to the material blank. The one counter element has an elastic surface and is constructed as a bending table for supporting the material blanks, so that the one or more rolls apply forming pressure on the material blank on the bending table. The bending table is guided so that it can move in the longitudinal direction and can rotate about a rotational axis, and the rolls can move perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, allowing a change in the relative position of the roll and rotational axis of the bending table caused by a rotational movement of the bending table to be compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Weil Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Weil, Klaus Bassler
  • Publication number: 20090090158
    Abstract: A method includes making coiled tubing at a coiled tubing manufacturing unit coupled to a coiled tubing transportation system. One or more coiled tubing reels are transported from the coiled tubing manufacturing unit to one or more moveable well drilling systems using the coiled tubing transportation system. The coiled tubing transportation system runs from the tubing manufacturing unit to one or more movable well drilling systems, and then back to the coiled tubing manufacturing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Ian Alexander Davidson, Cameron James Geddes, Randall Lynn Rudolf, Bruce Allen Selby, Duncan Charles MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20090071222
    Abstract: In a bending method of bending a pipe material of metal in pipe working, at first particles are fed into a flow passage of the pipe material, the particles being removable in a liquid phase. The pipe material with the particles is bent. The particles in an at least partially liquid phase are removed from the pipe material, to clean the flow passage. The particles are meltable, or soluble in dissolving liquid. Specifically, in the removing step, the dissolving liquid is supplied into the flow passage, the particles are dissolved in the dissolving liquid, and compressed air is blown in the flow passage to eject the fluid obtained by dissolving the particles in the dissolving liquid. The particles are granulated sugar, and the dissolving liquid is warmed water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Katsusuke Iida, Takashi Urabe
  • Publication number: 20090064752
    Abstract: In straightening a tube using a roll straightening machine provided with drum type straightening roll pairs vertically opposingly disposed, at least an outer layer portion of a roll main body is made of elastic material having spring type hardness Hs (JIS K 6301 A type) of 50 to 100 in at least three pairs of straightening rolls on an outlet side of the roll straightening machine, and an offset amount is imparted to a tube engaged in the three pairs, at least, of straightening opposing rolls such that ? defined by an equation (1) ranges from 1.0×10?3 to 1.5×10?3. The offset amount is set at each of three positions along a tube axis where the upper and lower rolls of each pair horizontally cross. Therefore, an S/N ratio can be enhanced in an eddy current test from inside of the tube to improve inspection efficiency, and excellent quality accuracy can be ensured in a heat transfer tube used in a steam generator and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: SATOSHI TSUYUGUCHI, Kouichi Kuroda, Tomio Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20090007620
    Abstract: A method and a device for bending and reshaping profiles by means of roller bending or matrix bending. The profile that is to be worked on is bent or reshaped under the influence of one or several bending tools. In order to be able to bend and reshape also brittle profiles that are difficult to bend, an oscillator whose oscillations are supplied to the profile that is to be bent or reshaped, at least in the reshaping zone, is assigned to at least one of the bending or reshaping tools, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2004
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventor: Walter Erich Spath