Method and apparatus for impacting metal parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11717873-B2
Application number	US-202016752143-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2020
Priority date	Sep 19, 2013
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A driven member of a metal peening machine is disclosed. The metal peening machine is configured to drive the driven member into contact with a work surface of a metal workpiece to deform the metal workpiece. The driven member includes a shaft with an impact end. The driven member includes least one of a plurality of impact features, an impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, a non-round impact feature, and an asymmetrical impact feature that is coupled to and protrudes from the impact end of the shaft. The at least one of the plurality of impact features, the impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, the non-round impact feature, and the asymmetrical impact feature define at least one impact surface to be driven into contact with the work surface of the metal workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A driven member of a metal peening machine, the metal peening machine being configured to drive the driven member, in a driving direction, into contact with a work surface of a metal workpiece to deform the metal workpiece, the driven member comprising:
a shaft comprising an impact end; and
a plurality of impact features, wherein each one of the plurality of impact features:
is coupled to and protrudes, in a direction, a distance from the impact end of the shaft;
comprises an impact surface to be driven into contact with the work surface of the metal workpiece, the impact surface being one of flat or rounded;
has a width, perpendicular to the direction and at least as great as the distance; and
is fixed relative to the shaft, such that each one of the plurality of impact features is not movable relative to the shaft;

wherein:
the plurality of impact features are arranged, about the impact end, in a pattern which is asymmetrical relative to any possible plane, parallel to the direction, that bisects the pattern;
at least one of the impact features of the plurality of impact features defines an impact surface with a non-circular peripheral shape in a plane perpendicular to the driving direction; and
the non-circular peripheral shape of the impact surface is asymmetrical.

2. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impact features are non-uniformly spaced about the impact end.

3. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of impact features comprises a rounded bump protruding from the impact end of the shaft.

4. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impact features collectively define a textured impact surface.

5. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of impact features comprises an elongated ridge.

6. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of impact features protrudes from the impact end a first distance, and at least a second one of the plurality of impact features protrudes from the impact end a second distance, and wherein the first distance is different than the second distance.

7. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the impact features of the plurality of impact features defines an impact surface having a first peripheral shape, and at least a second one of the impact features of the plurality of impact features defines an impact surface having a second peripheral shape, wherein the first peripheral shape is different than the second peripheral shape.

8. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the impact features of the plurality of impact features defines an impact surface that has an elliptical peripheral shape.

9. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the impact features of the plurality of impact features defines an impact surface that has a rectangular peripheral shape or square peripheral shape.

10. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impact features comprises a plurality of elongated ridges.

11. The driven member of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the impact features of the plurality of impact features has an asymmetrical peripheral shape of in a plane parallel to the driving direction.

12. A driven member of a metal peening machine, the metal peening machine being configured to drive the driven member, in a driving direction, into contact with a work surface of a metal workpiece to deform the metal workpiece, the driven member comprising:
a shaft comprising an impact end; and
a plurality of impact features, wherein each one of the plurality of impact features:
is coupled to and protrudes, in a direction, distance from the impact end of the shaft;
comprises an impact surface to be driven into contact with the work surface of the metal workpiece, the impact surface being one of flat or rounded;
has a width, perpendicular to the direction and at least as great as the distance; and
is fixed relative to the shaft, such that each one of the plurality of impact features is not movable relative to the shaft;

wherein:
the plurality of impact features are arranged, about the impact end, in a pattern which is asymmetrical relative to any possible plane, parallel to the direction, that bisects the pattern; and
each one of the plurality of impact features has an asymmetrical peripheral shape, in a plane perpendicular to the driving direction or in a plane parallel to the driving direction.

13. A driven member of a metal peening machine, the metal peening machine being configured to drive the driven member, in a driving direction, into contact with a work surface of a metal workpiece to deform the metal workpiece, the driven member comprising:
a shaft comprising an impact end; and
a plurality of impact features, wherein:
each one of the plurality of impact features:
is coupled to and protrudes, in a direction, a distance from the impact end of the shaft;
comprises an impact surface to be driven into contact with the work surface of the metal workpiece, the impact surface being one of flat or rounded;
has a width, perpendicular to the direction and at least as great as the distance; and
is fixed relative to the shaft, such that each one of the plurality of impact features is not movable relative to the shaft; and

at least one of the plurality of impact features defines an impact surface with an asymmetrical shape in a plane perpendicular to the direction.

14. The driven member of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of impact features are uniformly spaced about the impact end.

15. The driven member of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of impact features are non-uniformly spaced about the impact end.

16. The driven member of claim 13 , wherein at least some of the plurality of impact features define an impact surface with an asymmetrical shape in a plane perpendicular to the direction.

17. The driven member of claim 13 , wherein all of the plurality of impact features define an impact surface with an asymmetrical shape in a plane perpendicular to the direction.

18. The driven member of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of impact features protrudes from the impact end a first distance, and at least a second one of the plurality of impact features protrudes from the impact end a second distance, and wherein the first distance is different than the second distance.

19. The driven member of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the impact features of the plurality of impact features defines an impact surface having a first peripheral shape, and at least a second one of the impact features of the plurality of impact features defines an impact surface having a second peripheral shape, wherein the first peripheral shape is different than the second peripheral shape.

20. The driven member of claim 13 , wherein each one of the plurality of impact features comprises a rounded bump protruding from the impact end of the shaft.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Lundquist Lauren K
• Jensen David G
• Kunz Mckay A
• Ramsey Gregory L
• Mcgraw Michael Delos
• Pillers James E
• Speer Nate

Classifications

• B21D31/06 Primary

  Deforming sheet metal, tubes or profiles by sequential impacts, e.g. hammering, beating, peen forming (forging hammers B21J7/00) · CPC title

• B21D1/06

  Removing local distortions · CPC title

• B21D1/12

  Straightening vehicle body parts or bodies (B21D1/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B21D22/00

  Shaping without cutting, by stamping, spinning, or deep-drawing (otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads B21D26/00) · CPC title

• B21D22/02

  Stamping using rigid devices or tools · CPC title