Methods of forming components utilizing ultra-high strength steel and components formed thereby

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10767756-B2
Application number	US-201615291394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2016
Priority date	Oct 13, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A component and method for forming the component utilizing ultra-high strength steel is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a blank of ultra-high strength steel and forming the blank into an unfinished component. Next, heating the unfinished component and moving an inner tooling member and an outer tooling member relative to one another to sandwich the heated component therebetween. Further, moving a punch member from a withdrawn, unactuated position to an extended, actuated position to contact the component while sandwiched between the inner and outer tooling members to form a feature including at least one of a thickened region having an increased thickness relative to an adjacent region, a recessed annular groove, a recessed pocket, a through hole, a flange, a through hole having a tab extending outwardly therefrom, or spline teeth. Then, quenching the feature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a component utilizing ultra-high strength steel including the steps of:
providing a blank of ultra-high strength steel;
cold forming the blank into an unfinished component, wherein the unfinished component has a predetermined tubular shape;
heating the unfinished component;
after cold forming the flat blank into an unfinished component, moving an inner tooling member and an outer tooling member relative to one another in a direction transverse to a central axis of the predetermined tubular shape to sandwich and hold the heated component therebetween by pressing the unfinished component between the tooling members, wherein the inner tooling member is disposed within a tubular wall portion of the unfinished component and the outer tooling member is disposed outside of the tubular wall portion;
while the component is sandwiched and held between the inner and outer tooling members and after heating the unfinished component, moving a punch member in a direction transverse to the central axis from a withdrawn, unactuated position to an extended, actuated position to contact the component while sandwiched and held between the inner and outer tooling members to form a feature including at least one of a thickened region having an increased thickness relative to an adjacent region, a recessed annular groove, a recessed pocket, a through hole, a flange, a through hole having a tab extending outwardly therefrom, or spline teeth; and
quenching the feature.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including maintaining the inner tooling member in a stationary position and moving the outer tooling member from a withdrawn, unactuated position to an extended, actuated position to sandwich the heated component therebetween.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 , further including moving the punch member from the extended, actuated position back to the withdrawn, unactuated position prior to quenching the feature.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2 , further including quenching the feature while the punch member is in the extended, actuated position.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including maintaining the outer tooling member in a stationary position and moving the inner tooling member from a withdrawn, unactuated position to an extended, actuated position to sandwich the heated component therebetween.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 , further including moving the punch member from the extended, actuated position back to the withdrawn, unactuated position prior to quenching the feature.

7. The method as set forth in claim 5 , further including quenching the feature while the punch member is in the extended, actuated position.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including moving the inner and outer tooling members from a withdrawn, unactuated position to an extended, actuated position to sandwich the heated component therebetween.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including heating the unfinished component in an inert atmosphere between 850 degrees Celsius and 950 degrees Celsius.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including quenching the feature to a temperature between 150 degrees Celsius and 250 degrees Celsius.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the flat blank of ultra-high strength steel is provided of the 22MnB5 ultra high strength steel type.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a clutch housing cylindrical shape having a radial ring portion and a cylindrical drum portion and forming a plurality of spline teeth in the cylindrical drum portion of the clutch housing using the inner and outer tooling members while forming the finished shape.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a clutch hub having a radial ring portion and a cylindrical drum portion and including a tubular neck and forming a plurality of generally triangular openings in the radial ring portion of the unfinished shape and forming a plurality of spline teeth in the cylindrical drum portion of the clutch hub using the inner and outer tooling members while forming the finished shape and attaching a drive gear to the tubular neck.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a a CVT plunger and forming the unfinished shape with a thick center and a thick outer edge and forming the finished shape of a generally bell-shaped body defining a centrally disposed opening with the quenching die.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a CVT cylinder having a first end and a second end and a shoulder formed at the first end and an opening longitudinally extending from the first end to the second end.

16. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a planetary gear carrier having a first piece and a second piece and forming the first piece into the unfinished shape with a plurality of apertures circumferentially disposed in a spaced relationship about the first piece and including a plurality of legs extending longitudinally and forming the second piece into the unfinished shape with a plurality of apertures circumferentially disposed in a spaced relationship about the second piece and joining the first piece with the second piece after forming the finished shape of the first piece and the finished shape of the second piece using the inner and outer tooling members.

17. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a reaction shell having a cylindrical first portion of a first diameter and a cylindrical second portion of a second diameter being larger than the first diameter and forming a plurality of bores in the cylindrical first portion and in the cylindrical second portion and forming a plurality of radially outwardly extending spline teeth in the cylindrical second portion of the reaction shell using the inner and outer tooling members while forming the finished shape.

18. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a differential housing having a drum shape with a tubular neck portion defining a central opening and including a plurality of arms extending radially and longitudinally from the neck portion and wherein the arms alternate circumferentially between the arm including a radially inwardly extending shoulder and the arm having a generally L-shaped cross section and forming at least one aperture in each of the arms.

19. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a differential cover for enclosing a plurality of pinion gears having a bell shaped body extending between a generally cylindrical first end and an opposite annular second end and attaching a ring gear to the tubular neck following forming the finished shape using the inner and outer tooling members.

20. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including forming the component as a torque converter cover having a front portion with a general drum shape including a radial wall having an outer peripheral portion defining a lock-up surface and an integral cylindrical portion having an inner surface extending longitudinally from the radial wall and a back portion having a ring shape with a center opening and a curved cross section and forming a plurality of spline teeth in the inner surface of the front portion using the inner and outer tooling members while forming the finished s

Assignees

• Magna Powertrain Usa Inc

Inventors

• Sabo John Richard
• Sulaj Sokol

Classifications

• B21D53/34

  brake drums · CPC title

• F16H41/28

  with respect to manufacture, e.g. blade attachment · CPC title

• B21D53/28

  gear wheels · CPC title

• F01M2011/0091

  characterised by used materials · CPC title

• F16D13/683

  for clutches with multiple lamellae · CPC title