Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a product with a spatially structured surface from a semi-finished product, a semi-finished product required for this purpose and a product produced in this way. The method is characterized in that a patterned target bending location is produced in the semi-finished product, and in that the semi-finished product is then subjected to a pressure over its surface, which is dosed in such a way that the pressure causes a plastic deformation of the semi-finished product along the target bending location, so that a product with a spatially structured surface is produced.
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing a product with a spatially structured surface from a semi-finished product, wherein at first a patterned target bending location is produced in the semi-finished product, and thereafter the semi-finished product is subjected to a pressure over its surface which is dosed in such a way that the pressure causes a plastic deformation of the semi-finished product along the target bending location, so that a product with a spatially structured surface is produced.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the patterned target bending location is produced by arranging in the semi-finished product at least one recess which preferably extends from a surface of the semi-finished product in the direction of the interior of the semi-finished product or vice versa.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one recess is produced in the semi-finished product in such a way that its depth and/or width changes at least partially along the pattern of the target bending location.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one recess is formed at least partially linearly and/or a plurality of recesses are arranged along an imaginary line.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one linear recess is at least partially rectilinear and/or curved, in particular spiral.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of recesses are arranged along at least one at least straight and/or partially curved line in the semi-finished product.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the patterned target bending location is designed at least partially as a meshed structure consisting of a plurality of recesses, preferably with an open-cell and/or closed-cell structure.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the meshed structure of the target bending location is at least partially implemented as a polyhedral structure.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recess is produced thermally, mechanically, chemically and/or by applying material next to the target bending location.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein an overpressure and/or underpressure is applied to at least one surface of the semi-finished product, the pressure being applied in particular variably, uniformly and/or alternately.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a pressure medium, which is preferably a gas, a fluid, a foam, a sand and/or a plate with an elastic surface, is used to apply the pressure.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a protective cover is applied to at least one surface of the semi-finished product before pressure is applied to the semi-finished product.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the semi-finished product is formed against a damping means.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the semi-finished product and/or a pressure medium is heated in such a way that the plastic forming of the semi-finished product is favored or made possible.
15. The method according to claim 1, wherein two layers of the semi-finished product are joined to one another in such a way that a pressure sufficient for forming can be applied between the two semi-finished product layers.
16. A semi-finished product for plastic forming thereof into a product having a spatially structured surface according to claim 1, wherein the semi-finished product has a patterned target bending location with at least one recess.
17. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein the at least one recess of the patterned target bending location extends from a surface of the semi-finished product in the direction of the interior of the semi-finished product or vice versa.
18. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein the patterned target bending location has a second recess which extends from a second surface of the semi-finished product in the direction of a first surface of the semi-finished product.
19. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein the patterned target bending location has at least one recess which is linear and has an at least partially rectilinear and/or curved, in particular spiral, course.
20. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein the patterned target bending location has a plurality of recesses which are arranged along an at least partially rectilinear and/or curved line.
21. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein the patterned target bending location has at least one recess whose depth and/or width changes at least partially along the pattern of the target bending location.
22. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein the patterned target bending location has at least one recess formed as a perforation.
23. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein a cross-section of the recess is formed in such a way that when the semi-finished product reaches a defined forming angle (α) at the recess, further forming of the semi-finished product is inhibited by a touch contact forming in the cross-section of the recess.
24. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein the semi-finished product has a thermally, chemically and/or mechanically activatable plastic.
25. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein the semi-finished product consists of a composite material comprising at least an outer layer and a core layer, wherein the patterned target bending location is arranged in at least one of the layers.
26. The semi-finished product according to claim 25, wherein at least one outer layer and/or the core layer are/is made of metal, ceramic, glass, stone, plastic and/or wood.
27. The semi-finished product according to claim 25, wherein at least one recess of the patterned target bending location at least partially penetrates an outer layer.
28. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein it has two interconnected, overlapping semi-finished product layers, at least one of the two semi-finished product layers having a patterned target bending location.
29. The semi-finished product according to claim 27, wherein a suitable means for introducing a pressure medium is arranged on at least one semi-finished product layer.
30. The semi-finished product according to claim 28, wherein the two semi-finished product layers are joined by a frame-like bar running around their edge.
31. The semi-finished product according to claim 16, wherein it has an internal cavity.
32. A product with a spatially structured surface, wherein it has been produced from a semi-finished product and/or by a method according to claim 1.
Description
[0050] FIG. 1 a perspective overall view of a semi-finished product according to the invention;
[0051] FIG. 2a to FIG. 2d four cross-sectional views of different semi-finished products according to the invention in accordance with a second to fifth embodiment;
[0052] FIG. 3a a semi-finished product according to a sixth embodiment in a state prior to plastic forming into a product according to the invention;
[0053] FIG. 3b a semi-finished product according to the sixth embodiment in a state after plastic forming into a product according to the invention;
[0054] FIG. 4a to FIG. 4c the manufacturing method according to the invention by means of exemplary working steps;
[0055] FIG. 5 a section of a top view of a product with a spatially structured surface produced by means of the manufacturing method according to the invention;
[0056] FIG. 6 a top view of a semi-finished product according to the invention with a patterned target bending location whose recesses partly have different depths;
[0057] FIG. 7 a cross-section through a product made from two layers of semi-finished material according to the invention;
[0058] FIG. 8 a cross-section through a semi-finished product made from two layers of semi-finished product connected by a frame-like bar; and
[0059] FIGS. 9a to 9c the cross-section shown in FIG. 8 with three different resulting product shapes after forming indicated by dashed lines;
[0060] The semi-finished product 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a flat, rectangular plate (e.g. of metal) which is flat in its initial state and has a first surface 2 facing upwards and a second surface 3 facing downwards. According to the invention, a target bending location 4 is now formed on the surface 2 of the semi-finished product 1 in the form of a meshed structure in plan view. In the embodiment shown here, this meshed target bending location comprises a plurality of interconnected linear recesses 5, all of which extend from the first surface 2 in the direction of the second surface 3 of the semi-finished product 1 into the latter. Each recess 5 causes a local reduction in the bending stiffness of the semi-finished product 1, as a result of which a product 10 with a spatially structured surface can be formed when sufficient pressure is applied to the semi-finished product 1.
[0061] Since the meshed target bending location 4 has a polyhedral pattern in the plan view of the plate-shaped semi-finished product 1 (in this example, made up of several triangles), a correspondingly spatially structured surface in the form of a polyhedrically structured spatial pattern will also be formed as a result of the forming process. This will therefore consist of a large number of polyhedron surfaces angled towards each other, also in spatial dimension.
[0062] FIG. 2a shows a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a semi-finished product 1 according to the invention with a target bending location 4 formed by several recesses 5. In this case, the semi-finished product 1 is, like the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a flat plate in which a plurality of first recesses 5 have been made on the first surface 2, which are shown here schematically as U-shaped recesses. Of course, the recesses 5 can also have completely different cross-sectional shapes, since the result of the forming can also be controlled via the cross-sectional shape of the recess 5. In the embodiment shown here, the recesses 5 each extend to about half the thickness of the semi-finished product 1, the depth also being selected only by way of example. The recesses 5 can be formed as a series of holes which follow an imaginary line. However, it is also conceivable that they extend linearly over the surface 2 of the semi-finished product 1, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
[0063] FIG. 2b illustrates a third embodiment of a semi-finished product 1, in which the target bending location 4 has a first recess 5 and a second recess 6. The first recess 5 extends from the first surface 2 in the direction of the second surface 3, and the second recess 6 extends from the second surface 3 in the direction of the first surface 2. In the section of the semi-finished product 1 shown here, only one recess 5 or 6 is shown in each case, although further recesses 5, 6 can of course be present in further areas. The recesses 5, 6 of the target bending location 4 are designed to be essentially identical and each extends about one third into the semi-finished product 1. The target bending location 4 thus has two recesses 5, 6 which are U-shaped in cross section and form a meshed structure in the plan view of the semi-finished product 1. Just as in the first embodiment, the constriction along the target bending location 4 leads to a reduced bending stiffness of the semi-finished product 1 in this area. The recesses 5, 6 on both sides are here arranged congruently on top of each other in the semi-finished product 1 as an example. It is also conceivable, however, that recess 5 could be deliberately displaced relative to recess 6.
[0064] FIG. 2c illustrates a fourth embodiment of a semi-finished product 1 with a meshed target bending location 4. In this case, the target bending location 4 has a perforation 7 in the section of the semi-finished product 1 shown, which extends from the first surface 2 to the second surface 3 of the semi-finished product, exemplarily as a continuous bore. The perforation 7 also causes a local reduction in the bending stiffness, as a result of which the semi-finished product 1 first deforms plastically at the relevant target bending location when sufficient pressure is applied to the first surface 2 or the second surface 3 of the semi-finished product 1.
[0065] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2d, the semi-finished product 1 consists of a composite material with an outer layer 11 and a core layer 12. The outer layer 11 can consist of a relatively bending-resistant material, such as metal or wood, while the core layer 12 consists of a less bending-resistant material, such as a softer metal or plastic. In the present case, the first recess 5 of the target bending location 4 is applied to the first surface 2 of the semi-finished product 1 and completely penetrates the outer layer 11. This does not have to be mandatory, but facilitates the forming.
[0066] FIG. 3a illustrates a fifth embodiment of the semi-finished product 1 according to the invention in the state before plastic forming of the semi-finished product 1, while FIG. 3b shows the state after plastic forming and thus the finished product 10. Basically, the cross-sectional shape of recess 5 of this fifth embodiment is similar to the cross-sectional shape of recess 5 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2a. This is because both of them are U-shaped. However, the dimensions of the first recess 5, in particular the width or spacing of the flanks 8a and 8b of the recess 5, are deliberately selected to be smaller here. Thus, further forming is inhibited relatively early on when a certain forming angle α is reached during plastic forming of the semi-finished product 1.
[0067] FIGS. 4a to 4c now explain the manufacturing process in more detail using individual exemplary work steps. First, the semi-finished product 1 is positioned as a flat plate in a differential pressure device 13. In the embodiment shown here, the differential pressure device 13 has a left-hand pressure chamber 13a and a right-hand pressure chamber 13b. The semi-finished product 1 corresponds to that of FIG. 1 and has the same target bending location 4 formed as a polyhedral pattern. The actual application of a pressure to the semi-finished product 1 takes place inside the differential pressure device 13 after the semi-finished product 1 has been clamped between the left and the right pressure chambers 13a and 13b of the differential pressure device 13. The pressure chambers 13a and 13b are designed in such a way that, in the closed state, they allow spatial expansion of the semi-finished product 1 by plastic deformation.
[0068] In the drawing shown in FIG. 4b, the semi-finished product 1 is thus clamped between the left-hand pressure chamber 13a and the right-hand pressure chamber 13b of the differential pressure device 13 and a suitable pressure medium 14, such as compressed air, water, oil, etc., is applied to it in the right-hand pressure chamber 13b. The application of a pressure medium 14 takes place in such a way that a differential pressure is formed between the right-hand pressure chamber 13a and the left-hand pressure chamber 13b of the differential pressure device 13, which differential pressure is so great that the inserted semi-finished product 1 is plastically deformed along its target bending location 4 into the left-hand part 13a of the differential pressure device 13. The completed plastic deformation of the semi-finished product 1 into the product 10 is shown in FIG. 4c. It is also apparent from FIG. 4c that a protective cover 9 was inserted between the right-hand pressure chamber 13b and the semi-finished product 1, or the finished product 10, to prevent direct contact of the pressure medium 14 with the semi-finished product 1 during the manufacturing process. The arrangement of this protective cover 9 is not always necessary, but makes particular sense when, for example, there is a risk of undesirable influence of the pressure medium 14 on the semi-finished product 1.
[0069] FIG. 5 illustrates the spatially structured surface created in this way in the finished product 10. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the meshed target bending location 4, which is made of several linear recesses 5, now forms the edges of spatially angled polyhedra (in this case triangular surfaces). The polyhedra thus emerge spatially from the plane or shape of the original semi-finished product 1 and form a spatially structured surface, which in this example consists of individual angled triangular surfaces.
[0070] FIG. 6 shows an example of a semi-finished product 1 according to the invention with a patterned target bending location 4, some of whose recesses 5 have two to three different depths. These different depths are indicated in FIG. 6 by lines of different thickness. Thus, it is conceivable that a recess 5 initially has a depth of about one third of the thickness of the semi-finished product 1. This initial depth of the recess 5 then increases in the course of the recess towards a node point arranged centrally in the semi-finished product, in which several line-shaped recesses meet—for example to half the thickness of the semi-finished product 1. Close to the node point, the depth then increases to two thirds of the thickness of the semi-finished product 1, indicated by the thickest line in FIG. 6. The areas with the greatest depth of recess 5 will buckle correspondingly earlier during forming than the areas with a smaller recess depth. The variable depth of the recesses can considerably increase the design scope as already explained above.
[0071] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of a further example of a finished product 10. This is a product 10 which has been produced from two layers of semi-finished material 1a and 1b joined at their edges. Due to the sectional view, only a first recess 5 per semi-finished product layer 1a and 1b can be seen here, although the two target bending locations 4 of the two semi-finished product layers 1a and 1b naturally have a patterned structure in the surface of the semi-finished product layers 1a and 1b.
[0072] The forming itself is performed by generating pressure between the two layers of semi-finished products 1a and 1 b, which are still flat and lying on top of each other in the initial situation. For this purpose, for example a liquid or gaseous pressure medium 14 is pressed between the two layers of semi-finished products 1a and 1b. Based on the highly simplified example, this results in a product 10 with a cushion-like shape, the surfaces of which are structured or folded in a multiple and meshed manner.
[0073] As can be seen in the example shown in FIG. 8, the two semi-finished product layers 1a and 1b can also be connected by a frame-like bar 15 at their outer edges. The target bending locations 4 of the two semi-finished product layers 1a and 1b, as shown here, can also be arranged not congruently one above the other in the semi-finished product layers 1a and 1b respectively.
[0074] As shown in FIG. 9a to FIG. 9c by means of three different examples, depending on how the pressure is applied between the two layers of semi-finished products 1a and 1b, quite different deformations can occur in the semi-finished products 1a and 1b. Thus, a convex outwardly curved product 10 can be obtained by applying a uniform overpressure between the two semi-finished product layers 1a and 1b, as indicated in FIG. 9a by means of the dashed line.
[0075] If a vacuum is introduced between the two semi-finished product layers 1a and 1b, the deformation pattern shown in FIG. 9b can result.
[0076] Alternating overpressure and underpressure can result in alternating inward and outward indentations in the semi-finished product layers 1a and 1b along the patterned target bending locations 4 and their recesses 5, as can be seen from the dashed line indicated in FIG. 9c.
REFERENCE SIGNS
[0077] 1 semi-finished product [0078] 1a first semi-finished product layer [0079] 1b second semi-finished product layer [0080] 2 first surface [0081] 3 second surface [0082] 4 target bending location with meshed structure [0083] 5 first recess [0084] 6 second recess [0085] 7 perforation [0086] 8a, 8b flanks of the recess [0087] 9 protective cover [0088] 10 product [0089] 11 outer layer [0090] 12 core layer [0091] 13 differential pressure device [0092] 13a left chamber [0093] 13b right chamber [0094] 14 pressure medium [0095] 15 α forming angle
