System and method for contouring ring component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12233452-B2
Application number	US-202318151938-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2023
Priority date	Jan 14, 2022
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

A system includes a plurality of forming roller sets comprising an inner forming roller and an outer forming roller, each inner forming roller rotatable about an inner forming roller axis, each outer forming roller rotatable about an outer forming roller axis, each forming roller set being adjustable between an engagement configuration and a disengagement configuration, each forming roller set forming a profile on the ring component based on a forming roller set profile of the forming roller set, the system also including an actuating unit which controls the engagement and a disengagement of the forming roller sets with the ring component.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for contouring a ring component, the system comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of forming roller sets mounted to the frame;
each of the plurality of forming roller sets comprising an inner forming roller and an outer forming roller, the forming roller sets being arranged around a system axis such that, in use, the ring component passes between the inner forming roller and outer forming roller of each forming roller set;
wherein each inner forming roller is configured to rotate about its respective inner forming roller axis, and each the outer forming roller is configured to rotate about its respective outer forming roller axis, the inner forming roller axes being closer to the system axis than the outer forming roller axes, the inner forming rollers and the outer forming rollers being adjustable between at least an engagement configuration and a disengagement configuration, wherein, when in the engagement configuration, the inner forming roller and the outer forming roller of each forming roller set define in a space therebetween a forming roller set profile, such that, upon an engagement with the ring component, each forming roller set is configured to form a profile on the ring component based on the forming roller set profile of the forming roller set, the forming roller set profiles of at least two forming roller sets being different from each other; and
an actuating unit operably coupled to the plurality of forming roller sets, wherein the actuating unit is configured to control a configuration of the inner forming rollers and the outer forming rollers of the plurality of forming roller sets so as to control a timing of the engagement and a disengagement of the plurality of forming roller sets with the ring component, wherein the actuating unit is further configured to engage each of the forming roller sets so as to form each forming roller set profile on at least 360 degrees of the ring component, and wherein the timing of the engagement of each forming roller set with the ring component is staggered with respect to each of the other forming roller sets.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuating unit is configured to control the engagement and the disengagement of each forming roller set by changing a distance between the inner forming roller and the outer forming of the forming roller set.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of forming roller sets comprises a first forming roller set comprising a first forming roller set profile and a final forming roller set adjacent to the first forming roller set comprising a final forming roller set profile, and one or more intermediate forming roller sets, each intermediate forming roller set comprising an intermediate forming roller set profile.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the actuating unit is further configured to:
engage the first forming roller set with the ring component while the intermediate forming roller sets and final forming roller set are disengaged from the ring component;
engage the one or more intermediate forming roller sets with the ring component one after the other while the first forming roller set is engaged with the ring component;
engage the final forming roller set with the ring component while the first forming roller set and the one or more intermediate forming roller sets are engaged with the ring component;
disengage the first forming roller set from the ring component while the final forming roller set and the one or more intermediate forming roller sets are engaged with the ring component;
disengage the one or more intermediate forming roller sets from the ring component one after the other after the first forming roller set is disengaged from the ring component and while the final forming roller set is engaged with the ring component; and
disengage the final forming roller set after the one or more intermediate forming roller sets are disengaged from the ring component.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the actuating unit is further configured to:
engage at least one intermediate forming roller set with the ring component after a portion of the ring component formed with the first forming roller set profile of the first forming roller set passes the at least one intermediate forming roller set; and
engage the final forming roller set with the ring component after a portion of the ring component formed with the intermediate forming roller set profile of an adjacent intermediate forming roller set passes the final forming roller set.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuating unit is further configured to disengage each forming roller set from the ring component at least after a whole circumference of the ring component has been formed with the corresponding forming roller set.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the forming roller set profiles of the plurality of forming roller sets are different from each other.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more non-forming roller sets configured to selectively engage with and disengage from the ring component, wherein the actuating unit is further configured to engage the one or more non-forming roller sets with the ring component at least while at least one forming roller set from the plurality of forming roller sets is engaged with the ring component.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element disposed between at least two forming roller sets from the plurality of forming roller sets, wherein the heating element is configured to locally heat a portion of the ring component disposed between the at least two forming roller sets.

10. A method for contouring a ring component, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of forming roller sets, each of the plurality of forming roller sets comprising an inner forming roller configured to rotate about an inner forming roller axis, and an outer forming roller configured to rotate about an outer forming roller axis, the forming roller sets being arranged around a system axis such that a ring component can pass between the inner forming roller and outer forming roller of each forming roller set, the inner forming roller axis being closer to the system axis than the outer forming roller axis, each forming roller set being adjustable between at least an engagement configuration and a disengagement configuration, wherein, when in the engagement configuration, the inner forming roller and the outer forming roller of the forming roller set define in a space therebetween a forming roller set profile, such that, upon an engagement with the ring component, each forming roller set is configured to form a profile on the ring component based on the forming roller set profile of the forming roller set, the forming roller set profiles of at least two forming roller sets being different from each other;
selectively engaging the plurality of forming roller sets with the ring component;
selectively disengaging the plurality of forming roller sets from the ring component; and
selectively rotating each forming roller set at least while each forming roller set is engaged with the ring component so as to form each forming roller set profile on at least 360 degrees of the ring component;
wherein the timing of the engagement of each forming roller set with the ring component is staggered with respect to each of the other forming roller sets.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
engaging a first forming roller set from the plurality of forming roller sets with the ring component, while the remaining forming roller sets and the final forming roller set are disengaged from the ring component, wherein the first forming roller set comprises a first formin

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Bell Colin A

Classifications

• B21D5/004

  with program control · CPC title

• B21D53/92

  other parts for aircraft · CPC title

• B21D53/16

  rings, e.g. barrel hoops · CPC title

• B21H1/06 Primary

  rings of restricted axial length (extending closed shapes of metal bands by simultaneous rolling at two or more zones B21B5/00) · CPC title

• B21D5/14 Primary

  by passing between rollers (B21D5/06 takes precedence) · CPC title