Forming device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025387822-A1
Application number	US-202519311516-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2025
Priority date	May 24, 2023
Publication date	Dec 25, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A forming device includes: a fluid supply unit that is disposed at an end portion of a metal pipe material and that supplies a fluid into the metal pipe material through an opening of the end portion; and a sealing mechanism that performs sealing against leakage of the fluid from the metal pipe material when the fluid is supplied by the fluid supply unit into the metal pipe material that is heated by a heating unit, in which the sealing mechanism performs the sealing by contact between the metal pipe material and a non-resin material, without applying an axial force to the metal pipe material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A forming device comprising:
a fluid supply unit that is disposed at an end portion of a metal pipe material and that supplies a fluid into the metal pipe material through an opening of the end portion; and a sealing mechanism that performs sealing against leakage of the fluid from the metal pipe material when the fluid is supplied by the fluid supply unit into the metal pipe material that is heated by a heating unit, wherein the sealing mechanism performs the sealing by contact between the metal pipe material and a non-resin material, without applying an axial force to the metal pipe material.

2 . The forming device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fluid supply unit is disposed in an inner portion of the metal pipe material, and the sealing mechanism is disposed in at least one of the inner portion and an outer portion of the metal pipe material, and performs the sealing using a sealing surface moved by the sealing mechanism in a radial direction toward the metal pipe material when the fluid is supplied by the fluid supply unit.

3 . The forming device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the sealing mechanism includes a nozzle base member, a nozzle member that is provided on a front side of a shaft portion of the nozzle base member, a clamp mechanism that is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the nozzle member and that clamps the metal pipe material, and a hydraulic cylinder.

4 . The forming device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a holding unit for the sealing so that the metal pipe material does not buckle when the fluid is supplied by the fluid supply unit.

5 . The forming device according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a forming die that forms a metal pipe from the metal pipe material and that includes a lower main die and an upper main die that are formed of a steel block.

6 . The forming device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the holding unit holds the metal pipe material disposed between the lower main die and the upper main die.

7 . The forming device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the holding unit includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode that interpose vicinities of end portions of the metal pipe material from an up-down direction.

8 . The forming device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the lower main die and the upper main die are provided with respective recessed portions in which the metal pipe material is accommodated, and in a state in which the lower main die and the upper main die are in close contact with each other, the respective recessed portions form a space having a target shape in which the metal pipe material is to be formed.

9 . The forming device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a drive mechanism that moves at least one of the lower main die and the upper main die.

10 . The forming device according to claim 9 ,
wherein the drive mechanism includes
a slide that moves the upper main die so that the lower main die and the upper main die are joined together,
a pull-back cylinder as an actuator that generates a force for pulling the slide upward,
a main cylinder as a drive source that downward-pressurizes the slide, and
a drive source that applies a driving force to the main cylinder.

11 . The forming device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a cooling unit that cools the forming die.

12 . The forming device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the cooling unit includes flow paths formed inside the lower main die and the upper main die, and a water circulation mechanism that supplies a cooling water to the flow paths and causes the cooling water to circulate through the flow paths.

13 . The forming device according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a control unit that repeatedly performs an operation of forming the metal pipe material using the forming die.

14 . The forming device according to claim 13 ,
wherein the control unit closes the forming die by controlling the drive mechanism to lower the upper main die and bring the upper main die closer to the lower main die.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Heavy Industries

Inventors

• Yamauchi Kei

Classifications

• B21D26/02 Primary

  by applying fluid pressure · CPC title

• B21D26/033

  Deforming tubular bodies (corrugating tubes by applying fluid pressure B21D15/03, B21D15/10) · CPC title

• B21D26/045 Primary

  Closing or sealing means · CPC title

• B21D37/16

  Heating or cooling · CPC title