Forming a bend in a corrugation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018297097-A1
Application number	US-201615776338-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 21, 2016
Priority date	Nov 19, 2015
Publication date	Oct 18, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention concerns a forming device intended to form a bend in a corrugation, the forming device comprising:
a bottom frame ( 4 ) having a planar mounting surface ( 6 ) intended to receive a sheet metal plate having a corrugation projecting relative to a planar portion of the sheet metal plate, a projecting counter-form ( 5 ) arranged on the mounting surface and intended to be accommodated in the corrugation, the projecting counter-form having a stationary portion ( 7 ) and a movable portion ( 8 ) that is hinged, relative to the stationary portion, about an axis perpendicular to the mounting surface, a top frame ( 34 ) arranged above the bottom frame, a press configured to lower the top frame towards the bottom frame, and a hollow upper die carried by the top frame between the top frame ( 34 ) and the bottom frame ( 4 ), the hollow upper die ( 36, 37 ) being arranged above the movable portion of the projecting counter-form.

First claim

1 . A sheet metal forming device intended to form a bend in a corrugation, the forming device comprising:
a bottom frame having a planar mounting surface intended to receive a sheet metal plate having a corrugation that needs to be bent, the corrugation that needs to be bent projecting relative to a planar portion of the sheet metal plate, a projecting counter-form arranged on the mounting surface and intended to be accommodated in the corrugation that needs to be bent, the projecting counter-form having a stationary portion and a movable portion that is hinged, relative to the stationary portion, about an axis perpendicular to the mounting surface, a top frame arranged above the bottom frame, a press configured to lower the top frame towards the bottom frame, and a hollow upper die carried by the top frame between the top frame and the bottom frame, the hollow upper die being arranged above the movable portion of the projecting counter-form, the upper die comprising: an inner side half-die that has a planar bottom surface parallel to the mounting surface and an inner imprint side surface intended to delimit a sidewall of the corrugation situated on the inside of the bend, the inner imprint side surface having a longitudinal axis parallel to the planar mounting surface, and an outer side half-die that has a planar bottom surface parallel to the mounting surface and an outer imprint side surface intended to delimit a sidewall of the corrugation situated on the outside of the bend, the outer imprint side surface having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the inner imprint side surface, the hollow upper die being oriented or orientable relative to the bottom frame such that the longitudinal axes of the inner and outer imprint side surfaces form a bending angle with respect to the stationary portion of the projecting counter-form, the hollow upper die being coupled to the top frame in order to transmit the force of the press towards the bottom frame.

2 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inner side half-die is mounted to as to be able to slide relative to the top frame, such that it can slide along an axis parallel to the actuation direction (P) of the press between a deployed position in which the inner side half-die is offset towards the mounting surface relative to the outer side half-die and a retracted position in which the inner side half-die is aligned with the outer side half-die, and
the outer side half-die is coupled to the top frame in order to transmit the force of the press towards the bottom frame, the inner side half-die being capable of sliding from the deployed position to the retracted position in contact with the bottom frame as the top frame lowers towards the bottom frame under the effect of the press.

3 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising two sidewall clamps carried by the top frame to either side of the hollow upper die and arranged between the top frame and the bottom frame, each sidewall clamp being mounted so as to be able to slide on the top frame along an axis parallel to the actuation direction (P) of the press, each sidewall clamp comprising a planar bottom surface parallel to the mounting surface of the bottom frame, the device further comprising return springs interposed between the top frame and the sidewall clamps in order to elastically return the sidewall clamps to a deployed position towards the bottom frame.

4 . The device as claimed in claim 3 in combination with claim 2 , wherein a first of the sidewall clamps is adjacent to the inner side half-die and engages with the inner side half-die in order to keep the bottom surface of the inner side half-die aligned with the bottom surface of the first sidewall clamp and elastically return the inner side half-die to the deployed position of the inner side half-die under the effect of the return springs.

5 . The device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the return springs are gas lift cylinders.

6 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a guide block arranged between the top frame and the bottom frame and mounted pivoting on the top frame about an axis perpendicular to the mounting surface, the hollow upper die being mounted on the guide block such that the bending angle can be adjusted by pivoting the guide block relative to the top frame.

7 . The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a pivoting range of the guide block encompasses bending angles situated to either side of a neutral orientation aligned with the stationary portion of the counter-form, and wherein each of the two half-dies is able to slide relative to the guide block, so as to be able to slide between a deployed position and a retracted position along an axis parallel to the actuation direction of the press, each of the two half-dies being able to act as the inner side half-die depending on the direction of the bending angle with respect to the neutral orientation.

8 . The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the guide block further comprises removable fasteners for selectively holding each of the two half-dies in the retracted position.

9 . The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein each of the two sidewall clamps is arranged in such a way as to engage with the half-die adjacent to said sidewall clamp when, depending on the orientation of the guide block, the half-die adjacent to said sidewall clamp is the inner side half-die, such that, for both directions of the bending angle relative to the neutral orientation, the bottom surface of the inner side half-die is kept aligned with a bottom surface of the adjacent sidewall clamp and the inner side half-die is elastically returned to the deployed position under the effect of return springs.

10 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a link bar extending transverse to and above the stationary portion of the counter-form and linking the two sidewall clamps rigidly together.

11 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movable portion of the counter-form has a cross-sectional shape that matches a cross-sectional profile of the corrugation that needs to be bent, the inner imprint side surface having a profile that matches a first cross-sectional half-profile of the corrugation that needs to be bent and the outer imprint side surface having a profile that matches a second cross-sectional half-profile of the corrugation that needs to be bent.

12 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a shaft mounted pivoting in the bottom frame about an axis perpendicular to the planar mounting surface of the bottom frame, the shaft having a circular end surface aligned with the planar mounting surface,
the movable portion of the counter-form having a first length portion attached to the end surface of the shaft along a radius of the circular end surface and a second length portion extending on the planar mounting surface in the continuation of the first length portion and in sliding contact with the planar mounting surface, and the stationary portion of the counter-form being oriented in a direction intersecting with the center of the end surface, the stationary portion of the counter-form having a first length portion attached to the planar mounting surface and a second length portion extending on the end surface of the shaft in the continuation of the first length portion and in sliding contact with the end surface.

13 . The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first length portion of the movable portion of the counter-form and the second length portion of the stationary portion of the counter form each extend towards the center of the end surface without reachi

Assignees

• Gaztransport Et Technigaz

Inventors

• Perrot Olivier
• Conejero Thomas
• Goslis Frèdèric
• Nota Cyril

Classifications

• F17C3/06

  on the inner surface, i.e. in contact with the stored fluid · CPC title

• B21D11/10

  Bending specially adapted to produce specific articles, e.g. leaf springs {(making or bending leaf springs B21D53/886)} · CPC title

• B21D11/206 Primary

  Curving corrugated sheets · CPC title

• B21D13/10

  into a peculiar profiling shape · CPC title

• B21D13/02

  by pressing · CPC title