A tube flanging method includes the steps of: disposing a tube such that an edge thereof is exposed to the outside of a forming mold while the tube is inserted into the forming mold; applying an external force to the exposed edge of the tube to expand the exposed edge of the tube; applying an external force to the expanded edge to bend the expanded edge toward an outer surface of the forming mold; and applying an external force to the bent edge to form a flange, the flange having a linearly integrated cross section and being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube. With this configuration, it is possible to bend the tube to form the flange at a uniform thickness.

A tube flanging method includes the steps of: disposing a tube such that an edge thereof is exposed to the outside of a forming mold while the tube is inserted into the forming mold; applying an external force to the exposed edge of the tube to expand the exposed edge of the tube; applying an external force to the expanded edge to bend the expanded edge toward an outer surface of the forming mold; and applying an external force to the bent edge to form a flange, the flange having a linearly integrated cross section and being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube. With this configuration, it is possible to bend the tube to form the flange at a uniform thickness.

Pipe joint, which is formed from the end portions of pipe sections to be joined together with the portions including a collar, and from flange parts which, as seen from the junction, are placed on different sides of the collars and tightened with applicable fixing members, such as with screws and nuts. The collar of the pipe section is formed from the wall of the end of the pipe section by shaping with a shaping member. The joint surface of the collar of at least one of the pipe sections to be joined is arranged to be divergent by the amount of an angle ?, ? from the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe section. A method and to a flange part arrangement are disclosed.

Pipe joint, which is formed from the end portions of pipe sections to be joined together with the portions including a collar, and from flange parts which, as seen from the junction, are placed on different sides of the collars and tightened with applicable fixing members, such as with screws and nuts. The collar of the pipe section is formed from the wall of the end of the pipe section by shaping with a shaping member. The joint surface of the collar of at least one of the pipe sections to be joined is arranged to be divergent by the amount of an angle ?, ? from the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe section. A method and to a flange part arrangement are disclosed.

Method for forming a collar in a muffler shell including: providing a muffler shell made of a metal sheet and forming a muffler housing, the muffler shell having an exhaust gas opening, providing a collar forming head having a rotational axis and at least two movable expanders, introducing a collar forming head into a muffler housing, moving the expanders of the collar forming head introduced into the muffler shell radially away from the rotational axis of the collar forming head from a retracted position to an expanded position rotating the collar forming head around the of the collar forming head, bringing the rotating expanded collar forming head in contact with the metal sheet forming an outwardly projecting collar around the exhaust gas opening by flaring the edge of the metal sheet.

A roller hemming apparatus is disclosed. A roller hemming apparatus for hemming an outer panel with respect to an inner panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a tool body mounted at a front end of an arm of a robot, a pre-hemming roller mounted to a front side of a mounting block, which is disposed at a lower portion of the tool body, through a first mounting bracket, a main hemming roller mounted to a rear side of the mounting block through a second mounting bracket, and at least one heater mounted at a lateral side of the mounting block and configured to heat a flange portion of the outer panel.

A roller hemming apparatus is disclosed. A roller hemming apparatus for hemming an outer panel with respect to an inner panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a tool body mounted at a front end of an arm of a robot, a pre-hemming roller mounted to a front side of a mounting block, which is disposed at a lower portion of the tool body, through a first mounting bracket, a main hemming roller mounted to a rear side of the mounting block through a second mounting bracket, and at least one heater mounted at a lateral side of the mounting block and configured to heat a flange portion of the outer panel.

The present invention relates to methods of working sheet metal and an apparatus. Methods include providing a sheet metal workpiece having first and second surfaces opposed to each other and at least one edge, bending the workpiece to form at least a first sidewall portion, the first sidewall portion thereby defining a curved fold region in the sheet metal workpiece adjacent the first sidewall portion. The first anvil tool and a first forming tool are provided for contact with and constraint of the first and second surfaces of the sheet metal workpiece respectively. The forming tool and/or anvil tool are then slid along the curved fold region to cause shear material transfer in the curved fold region to further deform the curved fold region. Methods can allow for formation of components of similar shape as made at present by deep drawing methods, but with less wastage of the starting material.

A flaring tool includes a motor, a main shaft, a cone, a clutch mechanism, a detection device, and a control device. The main shaft is operably coupled to the motor, and configured to move forward along a first axis while rotating around the first axis when the motor is rotated in a forward direction. The cone is eccentrically supported at a front end portion of the main shaft to be rotatable around a second axis that is different from the first axis. The clutch mechanism is configured to be actuated in response to a forward movement of the main shaft being obstructed due to the cone abutting an end portion of a pipe. The detection device is configured to detect the actuation of the clutch mechanism. The control device is configured to control the rotation of the motor based on a detection result of the detection device.

A flaring tool includes a motor, a main shaft, a cone, a clutch mechanism, a detection device, and a control device. The main shaft is operably coupled to the motor, and configured to move forward along a first axis while rotating around the first axis when the motor is rotated in a forward direction. The cone is eccentrically supported at a front end portion of the main shaft to be rotatable around a second axis that is different from the first axis. The clutch mechanism is configured to be actuated in response to a forward movement of the main shaft being obstructed due to the cone abutting an end portion of a pipe. The detection device is configured to detect the actuation of the clutch mechanism. The control device is configured to control the rotation of the motor based on a detection result of the detection device.