Method of manufacturing a damper tube

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10920847-B2
Application number	US-201816045271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2018
Priority date	Jul 25, 2018
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a damper tube is provided. The method includes providing a tube having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The method includes providing a reinforcing insert, at least partly, within the first end of the tube. The method includes flattening a portion of the first end of the tube. The method also includes bending at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion of the first end of the tube into a loop. The method further includes connecting an edge of the loop to the tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a damper tube, the method comprising:
providing a tube having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end;
providing a spacer tool, at least partly, within the first end of the tube;
flattening a portion of the first end of the tube such that the tube contacts the spacer tool;
removing the spacer tool from the flattened portion of the first end of the tube;
providing a reinforcing insert within the flattened portion of the first end of the tube;
bending at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion of the first end of the tube into a loop; and
connecting an edge of the loop to an outer side surface of the tube.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein bending the at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion further includes providing a first tool in contact with the at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion of the first end of the tube, the first tool adapted to at least partly bend the at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion of the first end of the tube.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein bending the at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion further includes replacing the first tool with a second tool in contact with the partly bent at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion of the first end of the tube, the second tool adapted to bend the partly bent at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion of the first end of the tube into the loop.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein bending the at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion further includes removing the second tool from the loop.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein bending the at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion further includes heating the at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion of the first end of the tube.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the reinforcing insert within the flattened portion further includes re-flattening the flattened portion of the first end of the tube such that the tube contacts the reinforcing insert.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the edge of the loop is connected to the outer side surface of the tube by welding.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer tool has a planar shape disposed within the first end of the tube.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing insert has a planar shape disposed within the first end of the tube.

Assignees

• Tenneco Automotive Operating Co Inc

Inventors

• Mohammadi Amirahmad

Classifications

• B21D53/88

  other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards · CPC title

• F16F9/3242 Primary

  of cylinder ends, e.g. caps · CPC title

• F16F9/54

  Arrangements for attachment {(grommet-type rubber mounting springs per se F16F1/3732; construction of cylinder ends F16F9/3242; attachments to vehicles B60G13/001, B60G15/00)} · CPC title

• F16F9/3271

  Assembly or repair · CPC title