Blank Forming Device Using Electric Direct Heating Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016279731-A1
Application number	US-201514853339-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a blank forming device which includes: first and second blanks to be loaded at one side in a width direction and unloaded at the other side in the width direction; an upper electrode and a lower electrode to contact upper portions and lower portions of one side of the loaded first and second blanks; an upper moving electrode and a lower moving electrode to contact upper portions and lower portions of the other side of the first and second blanks and movably disposed in a length direction of the first and second blanks; and a sagging preventing part being disposed at the lower portions of the first and second blanks between the upper electrode and the upper moving electrode and between the lower electrode and the lower moving electrode to let the first and second blanks support sagged portions upward.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A blank forming device using an electric direct heating method, comprising:
first and second blanks configured to be loaded at one side of the blanks in a width direction and unloaded at another side of the blanks in the width direction; an upper electrode and a lower electrode configured to contact upper portions and lower portions of one side of the loaded first and second blanks; an upper moving electrode and a lower moving electrode configured to contact upper portions and lower portions of the other side of the first and second blanks and movably disposed in a length direction of the first and second blanks; and a sagging preventing part configured to be disposed at the lower portions of the first and second blanks between the upper electrode and the upper moving electrode and between the lower electrode and the lower moving electrode to let the first and second blanks support sagged portions upward.

2 . The blank forming device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper cover configured to be fixedly disposed over the upper electrode and the upper moving electrode; a chiller configured to be disposed over the upper cover to supply a coolant to a circumference of at least one of the upper electrode, the lower electrode, the upper moving electrode and the lower moving electrode; a transformer configured to be disposed over the upper cover to supply a voltage to at least one of the upper electrode, the lower electrode, the upper moving electrode and the lower moving electrode; and a bus bar configured to be disposed on the upper cover to connect between the transformer and each of the upper electrode, the lower electrode, the upper moving electrode and the lower moving electrode.

3 . The blank forming device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a moving part configured to move the upper moving electrode and the lower moving electrode in the length direction of the first and second blanks.

4 . The blank forming device according to claim 3 , further comprising
a pressing part configured to press the upper electrode or the lower electrode to the first and second blanks and press the upper moving electrode or the lower moving electrode to the first and second blanks.

5 . The blank forming device according to claim 3 , wherein
the moving part comprises: a motor configured to provide a torque; a lead screw configured to rotate by a rotation of the motor; a reference frame configured to be disposed to move by a rotation of the lead screw; a moving frame configured to be disposed at one side of the reference frame and has the lower moving electrode disposed thereabove; and a tension control cylinder configured to control a position of the moving frame based on the reference frame to control a tension applied to the first and second blanks.

6 . The blank forming device according to claim 5 , further comprising
a brake configured to stop the rotation of the lead screw.

7 . The blank forming device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a moving rail configured to be disposed in a direction in which the upper moving electrode or the lower moving electrode moves to supply power to the upper moving electrode or the lower moving electrode and guide motions thereof; and a shunt configured to be directly connected to the upper moving electrode or the lower moving electrode in the moving rail to apply a current.

8 . The blank forming device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sagging preventing part comprises: a sagging preventing cylinder configured to provide a force for supporting the first and second blanks upward; a plate configured to be disposed to move upward by the sagging preventing cylinder; and support protrusions configured to be disposed on the plate to contact lower surfaces of the first and second blanks.

9 . The blank forming device according to claim 8 , wherein
the plate is disposed on a moving rail to move in a direction in which the first and second blanks move, and the sagging preventing cylinder has a linear bearing disposed thereunder to move in the length direction of the first and second blanks.

10 . The blank forming device according to claim 8 , wherein
the support protrusions are arranged at a predetermined interval and are made from a material having lower hardness than that of the first and second blanks to prevent the first and second blanks from being damaged.

11 . A blank forming method using an electric direct heating method, comprising:
loading a blank through an inlet of a blank forming device; pressing an electrode on upper and lower surfaces of one side and other side of the blank and applying a current through the blank; stopping the application of the current and releasing the pressing of the electrode; releasing the pressing of the electrode and supporting a lower surface of a central portion of the blank to prevent the lower surface of the blank from sagging; and unloading the blank through an outlet of the blank forming device.

12 . The blank forming method according to claim 11 , wherein,
during the applying of a current through the blank, the electrode moves in a length direction of the blank to control a tension of the blank in a state in which the electrode presses the blank.

13 . The blank forming method according to claim 11 , wherein
in the loading of the blank, at least two blanks are input.

14 . The blank forming method according to claim 11 , further comprising
performing a braking operation of making the electrode move in a length direction of the blank and fixing a motion of the electrode.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hwang Jae Ryeon

Classifications

• B21D37/16 Primary

  Heating or cooling · CPC title

• H05B3/0014

  Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances · CPC title

• B23K2101/006

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H05B3/03

  Electrodes · CPC title

• H05B3/0009 Primary

  the material to be heated being in motion · CPC title