Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02576487 2007-06-06
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AN I/O ENDFORMING TOOL FOR FORMING TUBES
AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to endforming tooling, particularly segmented
inside/outside,
herein I/O segmented jaws for forming the end of tubes for use, particularly,
in automotive
applications and to the manufacture thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I/O endforming tooling forms the end of tubing generally used in automotive
applications and comprises inside and outside segmented forming parts, called
fingers and
jaws, contained in a barrel assembly . The UO fingers are expanded by a
tapered mandrel that
stabs the tooling axially to expand the segments radially. The fingers, which
are the inside
tube forming segments, are returned to the start closed position by an
elastomer band, which
circumferentially wraps around the fingers at their non-tube forming base. The
I/O jaws act in
an opposite fashion and are collapsed by a cone ring moving axially along the
segments to
cause radial collapse onto the tube. Conventional prior art assemblies returns
the jaws to the
desired open position using coiled metal springs located between segments
contained in
individual pockets.
However, there is a need to provide an improved I/O jaws assembly having equal
spacing between jaw segments and having a more uniform and higher initial
force over the
movement of the I/O jaws than conventional equipment, while significantly
reducing
manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved I/O endforming
tool for
forming the ends of tubes.
It is a further object to provide a method of manufacture of said I/O
endforming tool.
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Accordingly, in one aspect the invention provides an UO endforming tool for
forming
an end of a tube, said tool comprising a cone ring expandable and contractable
conical I/O
jaw means, a barrel assembly, a plurality of I/O fingers and mandrel means,
wherein said UO
jaw means comprises a plurality of conical jaw segments, one segment adjacent
two
neighbouring segments, each segment having a recess within each of its sides
adjacent each
neighbouring segment and biasing means retained within each recess to effect a
biasing effect
between adjacent jaw segments the improvement wherein each recess formed at a
portion of
the outer circumference of each segment as to define a radial trough when said
jaw means is
in its expanded position; and said biasing means comprises a solid, non-
metallic deformable
member retained within a circumferential recess defined by a pair of adjacent
said troughs
when said jaw means is in it contracted position.
Preferably, the deformable member has a body in the shape of a right-vertical
obligate
cylinder having a pair of opposite vertical sides of greater length than the
length of the pair of
vertical adjacent sides. More, preferably, at least one of the vertical sides
of greater length
defines a vertical recess. More, preferably, each of the vertical sides of
greater length of the
body defines a recess to constitute the body having a waist.
Preferably, at least one of the troughs of each jaw segment defines has an
inner trough
radial recess and the deformable member has a protrusion partly receivable
within the inner
trough radial recess.
A most preferred deformable member is formed of a polyurethane.
Thus, in the form of a peanut-shaped member, the non-metallic material acts
like a
non-compressible liquid and when compression is attempted, deforms into the
space provided
by the shape of the body and the open-ended pocket it sits in.
The present invention provides the following improvements and advantages over
the
prior art.
It offers an extended life span over the prior art coiled metal spring, while
giving a
"price against performance" advantage.
Since the deformable biasing member is non-magnetic, it does not attract metal
chips,
which can reduce the performance of the prior art metal springs.
The member provides a more uniform and higher initial spring rate, which is
important when the UO jaws want to continue grabbing the tube after it has
been formed into
them. i.e. in deep groove/dimpling applications
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The solid deformable member will not break or score the jaw segment surfaces.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a means of effecting the addition
of the
plurality of deformable members to their respective recesses of adjacent
fingers in the
assembly of the jaw assembly, wherein the plurality of deformable members are
integrally
formed at and around the inner circumferential surface of a band, said band
being of a
suitable diameter as to allow the members to be fitted around the jaw assembly
when it is in
its expanded, assembled mode. The band arrangement facilitates entry and
retention within
the recesses of the members, simultaneously. The band is of a suitable
thickness as to not
interfere with the contraction and expansion of the jaw assembly in operation.
Conventional prior art manufacturing methods require 2 drilled flat bottom
holes for
each segment made, whereas the recess for the solid member of the present
invention results
from a single drilled hole for each pair of segments subsequently made, with
an alignment
notch provided at point of I/O jaw turning, which provides considerable
savings in time and
handling over conventional turn, saw, and spring pocket operations.
Accordingly, in a further aspect the invention provides a method of
manufacturing an
expandable and contractable I/O jaw means comprising a plurality of conical
jaw segments,
wherein each segment is adjacent two neighbouring segments at their radially
adjacent sides
for use in an UO endforming tool assembly, said method comprising providing an
integrally-
formed, open-ended, hollow conical member having a body and a radially
upstanding
circumferential flange adjacent the end of greater outside diameter of said
body the
improvement comprising
(a) drilling a plurality of radial cylindrical recesses within and
symmetrically
aligned around said flange;
(b) slicing said member through said body and said flange through said
recesses to
provide said plurality of jaw segments, wherein each segment has a portion
defining a radial
trough at the outer circumference of said segment at each of said radially
adjacent sides;
which troughs define a plurality of deformable member-receiving cylindrical
recesses within
and when said I/O jaw assembly is in the contracted position;
(c) inserting said deformable members between and within adjacent troughs
prior
to said I/O jaws being contracted.
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Preferably, in a further aspect the invention provides a method as hereinabove
defined
further comprising the step of drilling at least one notch-receiving recess
within each of said
radial, cylindrical recesses prior to step (b)
The improved process accuracy increases consistency and, therefore, of I/O
tooling
quality.
The non-metallic member has advantages over the prior art helical coil metal
springs
in providing greater force, higher grease and fluid resistance and tolerance,
and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be better understood, preferred embodiments
will now
be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein
FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of an UO endforming tool assembly,
according to the prior art;
FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of a barrel assembly with assembled fmgers
and jaws,
according to the prior art;
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a barrel assembly with assembled fingers
and jaws,
along the line B-B' of Fig. 2, according to the prior art;
FIG. 4 is an exploded, side-sectional view of a jaw assembly (in part) of the
tool
assembly of Fig. 1;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line A-A' of Fig. 4;
FIG. 6 is an exploded side-sectional view of a jaw assembly (in part),
according to the
invention;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line C-C' of Fig. 6;
FIG. 8 is a side-sectional view of a contracted jaw assembly, according to the
invention; and FIG. 8A is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 8;
FIG. 8B is a sectional view along the line D-D' of Fig. 8;
FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of an expanded jaw assembly, according to the
invention; and FIG. 9A is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 9;
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a deformable member in an
expanded
mode of use in the jaw assembly, according to the invention;
FIG. 10A is an end view of the member of Fig. 10, viewed along the sight line
"S";
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FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of a deformable member in its contracted mode;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a jaw assembly, according to the invention,
showing
arrangement of the deformable members as they would be within and between
adjacent jaw
segments;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a jaw segment and associated helical spring,
according to the prior art;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a jaw segment and associated deformable
member,
according to the invention;
FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a band of deformable members of
use
in the practise of the invention;
FIG. 15A is a diagrammatic axial sectional view of the band of FIG. 15;
FIG. 15B is a side, radial view of the band of FIG. 15; and
wherein the same numerals denotes like parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 shows generally as 10, a prior art I/O endforming tool assembly for
forming the
end of a tube 12. The tool assembly 10 can be used to expand or contract the
tube at its end.
Assembly 10 in its basic form has a cone ring 14 which receives tube 12, and
which
reduces jaw assembly 16 within barrel assembly 18, which has a lifting handle
20 and a back
plate 22. An I/O finger assembly 24 comprises a plurality of fingers 26 and a
flange 28,
which abuts backplate 22, within barrel assembly 18. A stabbing member or
mandrel 30 has
a lifting handle 32 and is part of a mandrel assembly (not shown).
Figs. 2 and 3 are views of barrel assembly 18 having a barrel 34 surrounding
jaw
assembly 16, which in turn embraces fingers 36 of finger assembly 24.
Figs. 4 and 5 are exploded views of jaw assembly 16, which comprises a
plurality of
conical jaw segments 38 and coil springs 40. Each jaw segment 38 has a pair of
smooth
radial sides 42, 44, wherein each of sides 42, 44 is adjacent a side 44, 42,
respectively, of a
neighbouring segment 38. Each side 42, 44 has a cylindrical recess or pocket
46, essentially
midway of side 42, 44, which faces an opposing pocket 46 of adjacent opposing
side 44, 42,
respectively.
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Coil springs 40 are aligned essentially circumferentially (line C-C' in Fig.
14) within
pocket 46, whereby the biasing action of springs 40 is also essentially
circumferential as
denoted by the arrows in Fig. 5.
Figs. 6 and 7 show a jaw assembly 50 in exploded position comprising jaw
segments
52 and solid, non-metallic deformable biasing members 54, formed of
polyurethane in the
embodiment shown.
Each of jaw segments 52 has radial sides 56 and 58 which oppose adjacent jaw
segments sides 58, 56, respectively. Each of jaw segments 52 has a pair of
radial semi-
cylindrical troughs 60, one at each of the outer circumference of sides 56 and
58, when the
jaw assembly is in its expanded position, but wherein each pair of opposing
troughs define an
open-ended cylindrical recess 62 when the jaws assembly is in its contracted
position as
shown in Figs. 8, 8A and 8B with member 54 in contracted mode denoted CD.
Figs. 9 and 9A show the jaws assembly in its expanded position, with non-
contracted
member 54 denoted EX.
Member 54 as shown in Figs. 10 and 10A, has a body which, is in essence, a
peanut-
shaped right-vertical obligate cylinder having opposing vertical sides 64, 66
of greater length
than intervening adjacent opposing vertical sides 68, 70 when base surface
member 54 is
placed horizontally. Each of sides 64 and 66 has at a mid-portion thereof, a
vertical recess
72, which constitutes a waist of body 54. Side 70 has a rounded protrusion 74
(Figs. 8A, 9A)
running the vertical length of member 54 receivable within complementary inner
recess 76
(Figs. 8A, 9A) to reduce rotation of member 54 within recess 62.
Fig. 11 shows member 54 in a contracted mode.
Fig. 12 illustrates how members 54 would be aligned around the circumference
and
within recesses 62 of jaw assembly 50.
Fig. 13 shows the essentially circumferential (line E-E') disposition of coil
spring 40
within trough 60.
Fig. 14 shows the essentially radial disposition (along line R-R') of member
54 within
trough 60. It can be seen that in both examples the biasing action of coil
spring 40 and
deformable member 54 is essentially circumferential within jaw assembly 16 and
50,
respectively.
Figs. 15, 15A and 15B show views of a polyurethane band 80 having a plurality
of
equally, circumferentially-spaced integrally-formed deformable members 54A
around the
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inner surface 82 of band 80. This arrangement allows for members 54A to be
fitted
simultaneously around and within recesses 60 of the fingers of the jaw
assembly 16, when the
latter is in its expanded mode prior to contraction. Such an integral
arrangement assists the
retention of members 54A within recesses 60 during fitting.
In the manufacture of the jaws assembly according to the prior art, a jaws
material,
typically, tool steel, is turned to provide the inner and outer conically
shaped member having
an integral flange. The cone is sliced into the desired number of segments -
typically, 8 or 16
segments. Each of the inner radial faces of the segments are drilled to
provide metal spring
pockets in the middle of the faces. On a typical 8 segment assembly, this
involves the drilling
of 16 pockets, which must be accurately aligned to share the coil springs with
its neighbours.
This is a costly procedure in time and finance.
In the manufacture of the jaws of the jaws assembly according to the
invention, the
aforesaid turned conically-shaped block is radially drilled at the desired
locations on the
circumference, dependent on the number of segments desired. This requires only
8 drillings,
if 8 segments are desired, i.e. 1 drilled recess per segment. The drilled
block is then sliced
through each recess to give each segment a pair of semi-cylindrical troughs
each of which is
fully aligned with its neighbour into which each pair of segments is
subsequently retained
deformable member 54.
It can be readily understood, that the process and product according to the
invention
has the aforesaid stated advantages over the prior art.
Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred
embodiments
of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted
to those particular
embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments, which are
functional or
mechanical equivalence of the specific embodiments and features that have been
described
and illustrated.
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