Device for producing at least one undercut in a slotted or closed profiled sheet section

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9895734-B2
Application number	US-201414897635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2014
Priority date	Jun 17, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A device for manufacturing at least one undercut in a sheet-metal profile that is slotted or closed may include an inner core portion and an outer core portion, which together can be inserted within the sheet-metal profile and/or may support a semi-finished sheet-metal product from which the sheet-metal profile is formed. The inner core portion and the outer core portion may have faces that mate with one another such that when the inner core portion rotates or translates relative to the outer core portion, the outer core portion is forced away from the inner core portion. To cause this behavior, the faces may be undulating, inclined, or cam-like, for example. In effect, a cross-sectional profile of the device may be reduced at least for purposes of extracting the device from the sheet-metal profile after the undercuts have been formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for manufacturing at least one undercut in a sheet-metal profile that is slotted or closed, the device comprising:
a core that either supports a semi-finished sheet-metal product from which the sheet-metal profile is formed or is insertable within the sheet-metal profile, wherein the core comprises:
a first core outer portion,
a second core outer portion, wherein at least one of the first core outer portion or the second core outer portion includes a depression or a protrusion for shaping an undercut in the sheet-metal profile, and
an inner core portion that is disposed between and movable relative to the first and second core outer portions, the inner core portion having at least one active face that is either inclined or cam-shaped,
wherein moving the inner core portion in a first direction relative to the first and second outer core portions causes the first and second outer core portions to diverge, wherein moving the inner core portion in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the first and second outer core portions causes the first and second outer core portions to converge; and

a mounting on which the first and second outer core portions are movably positioned, the mounting defining an opening there through that is penetrated by the inner core portion, and having at least one guide bar extending therefrom;
a compression spring into which the guide bar is inserted so as to be radially supported on the guide bar;
a compression body coupled to the inner core portion, and defining at least one through bore that is penetrated by the at least one guide bar extending from the mounting.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the mounting comprises a guide for holding the first and second outer core portions in a manner that prevents movement in the first direction and the second direction but permits the first and second outer core portions to diverge and converge.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the compression spring is supported on the mounting, wherein moving the inner core portion in the first direction and relative to the first and second outer core portions requires overcoming a force of the compression spring.

4. A device for manufacturing at least one undercut in a sheet-metal profile that is slotted or closed, the device comprising:
a core that either supports a semi-finished sheet-metal product from which the sheet-metal profile is formed or is insertable within the sheet-metal profile, wherein the core comprises:
a first outer core portion having a first clearance defined in a side thereof,
a second outer core portion having a second clearance defined in a side thereof, wherein at least one of the first outer core portion or the second outer core portion includes a depression or a protrusion for shaping an undercut in the sheet-metal profile, and
an inner core portion having a third clearance defined in a side thereof and having at least one active face that is either inclined or cam-shaped, the inner core portion being disposed between and movable relative to the first and second outer core portions,
wherein moving the inner core portion in a first direction relative to the first and second outer core portions causes the first and second outer core portions to diverge,
wherein moving the inner core portion in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the first and second outer core portions causes the first and second outer core portions to converge; and

an end stop having a guide configured to receive the first and second outer core portions in a manner that permits the first and second outer core portions to converge and diverge depending on the positioning of the inner core portion, the guide of the end stop comprising a web-shaped guide element having a cross-sectional profile that tapers in a direction of the first and second outer core portions,
wherein each of the first, second, and third clearances respectively defined in the side of the first outer core portion, the second outer core portion, and the inner core portion are configured to receive the web-shaped guide element,
wherein the first and second outer core portions are moveable in a substantially linear manner together with the inner core portion, wherein the first and second outer core portions selectively mate with the end stop, with the inner core portion being moveable in the first direction relative to the first and second outer core portions when the first and second outer core portions are positioned against the end stop.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the end stop includes mutually facing stop faces that delimit the divergence of the first and second outer core portions.

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe Ag

Inventors

• Groβerueschkamp Thomas
• Floeth Thomas
• Brueggenbrock Michael

Classifications

• B21D5/015 Primary

  for making tubes · CPC title

• B21D13/04 Primary

  by rolling · CPC title

• B21D53/88

  other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards · CPC title