Forming tool for the production of a hollow component, and method for operating the forming tool

Abstract

A forming tool and a method of operating thereof for producing a hollow component by sheet-metal forming is disclosed having an upper tool and a lower tool, a mandrel that is driven into the hollow component to be formed and an auxiliary mandrel that is repositionable relative to the mandrel are positioned on the upper tool. The mandrel and the auxiliary mandrel are coupled to the upper tool by one spring-elastic actuation element in such a manner that the mandrel, when the upper tool is being lowered, is driven into the hollow component to be formed and comes to bear therein. A further lowering of the upper tool causes a compression of the coupling element, and the auxiliary mandrel carrying out a movement relative to the mandrel and being driven further into the hollow component.

Claims

1. A forming tool for producing a hollow component by sheet-metal forming, the forming tool comprising: an upper tool and a lower tool; a mandrel; an auxiliary mandrel repositionable relative to the mandrel; a spring-elastic actuator; and an auxiliary spring-elastic actuator, wherein the mandrel and the auxiliary mandrel are coupled to the upper tool by the spring-elastic actuator and the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator, respectively, when the upper tool is being lowered toward the lower tool, the mandrel is configured to move into a preform component having a U-shaped cross section to bear on an internal surface of the preform component, when the upper tool is being further lowered toward the lower tool to compress the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator, the auxiliary mandrel is configured to move relative to the mandrel further into the preform component to form the hollow component.

2. The forming tool according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel has an external contour configured to correspond to an internal contour of the hollow component.

3. The forming tool according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel has an inclined face, and the auxiliary mandrel is configured to slide across the inclined face.

4. The forming tool according to claim 3, wherein the inclined face runs at an angle of 10 to 50 degrees, in relation to a press stroke direction of the upper tool in which the upper tool is configured to be lowered or lifted.

5. The forming tool according to claim 3, wherein the inclined face runs at an angle of 10 to 40 degrees, in relation to a press stroke direction of the upper tool in which the upper tool is configured to be lowered or lifted.

6. The forming tool according to claim 1, wherein the spring-elastic actuator is a gas pressure spring.

7. The forming tool according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is at least partially disposed in an opening of the mandrel.

8. The forming tool according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is coupled to the spring-elastic actuator by a coupling mechanism.

9. The forming tool according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel in a resting position at which the mandrel is not moved into the preform component is mounted so as to project in relation to the auxiliary mandrel.

10. A forming tool for producing a hollow component by sheet-metal forming, the forming tool comprising: an upper tool and a lower tool; an auxiliary mandrel; and an auxiliary spring-elastic actuator, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is coupled to the upper tool by the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator, when the upper tool is being lowered toward the lower tool, the auxiliary mandrel is configured to move into a preform component having a U-shaped cross section to bear on an internal surface of the preform component, when the upper tool is being further lowered toward the lower tool, the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator is configured to be compressed, the upper tool is openable, and when the upper tool is being opened, the auxiliary mandrel is configured to move out of the formed hollow component, the upper tool is configured to be further lifted to cause the auxiliary mandrel to be conjointly lifted with the upper tool, and the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator is configured to be decompressed when the auxiliary mandrel is moved fully out of the formed hollow component.

11. The forming tool according to claim 10, further comprising a tool receptacle and a counter bearing, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is movable in a relative manner in the tool receptacle, the tool receptacle is coupled and moveable in a relative manner to the upper tool while incorporating the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator, and when the upper tool is being lowered to bear on the counter bearing, the counter bearing comes to bear on the tool receptacle before the upper tool reaches a lower dead center thereof.

12. The forming tool according to claim 10, further comprising a mandrel and a spring-elastic actuator, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is repositionable relative to the mandrel, the mandrel is coupled to the upper tool by the spring-elastic actuator, when the upper tool is being lowered toward the lower tool, the mandrel is configured to move into the preform component to bear on the internal surface of the preform component.

13. A method of producing a hollow component by a U-to-O forming tool, the method comprising: providing a sheet-metal blank; preforming the sheet-metal blank into a preform component having a U-shaped cross section; placing the preform component in the forming tool, the forming tool including an upper tool and a lower tool, a spring-elastic actuator and an auxiliary spring elastic actuator, and a mandrel and an auxiliary mandrel repositionable relative to the mandrel, wherein the mandrel and the auxiliary mandrel are coupled to the upper tool by the spring-elastic actuator and the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator, respectively, lowering the upper tool toward the lower tool to move the mandrel into the preform component to bear on an internal surface of the preform component; and then further lowering the upper tool toward the lower tool to compress the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator and cause the auxiliary mandrel to move relative to the mandrel further into the preform component to form the hollow component.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is moved into the preform component from an end of the preform component in a movement direction, and an angle between at least a part of the movement direction and a press stroke direction of the upper tool in which the upper tool is lowered or lifted is more than 1 degree.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising opening the forming tool after forming the hollow component, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is moved into the preform component from an end of the preform component in a movement direction, and when the forming tool is being opened, the auxiliary mandrel is moved out in an opposite movement direction from the end of the preform component, and the mandrel is then lifted by the auxiliary spring-elastic actuator in a press stroke direction of the upper tool in which the upper tool is lowered or lifted.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is moved into the preform component from an end of the preform component in a movement direction, and an angle between at least a part of the movement direction and a press stroke direction of the upper tool in which the upper tool is lowered or lifted is more than 10 degrees.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the auxiliary mandrel is moved into the preform component from an end of the preform component in a movement direction, and an angle between at least a part of the movement direction and a press stroke direction of the upper tool in which the upper tool is lowered or lifted is more than 20 degrees.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The forming tool described here can be carried out according to the method described above, and/or can be combined with the forming tool described at the outset.

(2) Further advantages, features, properties and aspects of the present invention are the subject matter of the description hereunder. Preferred variants of design embodiments are explained in the schematic figures. Said figures serve for the ready understanding of the invention. In the figures:

(3) FIGS. 1 to 4 show a forming tool according to the invention, and a method sequence for the production of a hollow component;

(4) FIGS. 5a to 5c show various cross-sectional views through a hollow component prior to, during, and after forming;

(5) FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of forming tools for U-to-O forming, having an upper tool and a lower tool; and

(6) FIGS. 7 to 10 show an alternative variant of a design embodiment of a forming tool according to the invention, and a method sequence for the production of a hollow component.

(7) The same reference signs are used for the same or similar components in the figures, even when a repetition of the description is omitted for the sake of simplicity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a forming tool 1 according to the invention. A support unit 3 is suspended from an indicated upper tool 2. The support unit 3 is configured from a mandrel 4, from an auxiliary mandrel 5, and from a respective coupling. The auxiliary mandrel 5, by way of a coupling mechanism 7, is coupled so as to be movable in relative manner in an opening 6 of the mandrel 4.

(9) The mandrel 4 per se has an external contour 8 which corresponds to the internal contour 9 of the hollow component 10 to be produced. The hollow component 10 is illustrated by the solid lines 11 in a longitudinal sectional view. The dashed line 12 shows part of the preform component after the U-forming step and prior to the O-forming step. The mandrel 4 on account of a lowering movement of the upper tool 2 in the press stroke direction 13 is driven into an end 14 of the hollow component 10 to be produced in such a manner until the mandrel 4 comes to bear on the internal contour 9 of the hollow component 10, as is illustrated in FIG. 2.

(10) A further lowering of the upper tool 2 in the press stroke direction 13 leads to a compression of a spring-elastic actuation means 15 of the mandrel 4, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. The mandrel 4 per se is thus positioned in the hollow component 10 to be produced.

(11) However, the auxiliary mandrel 5 by virtue of the coupling mechanism 7 carries out a movement relative to the mandrel 4. Here, an inclined face 16 is disposed in the mandrel 4, or in the opening 6 of the mandrel 4, respectively, wherein the inclined face 16 is oriented at an angle of in particular more than 1, preferably more than 10, in relation to the press stroke direction 13. The auxiliary mandrel 5 thus is driven in at least partially in a lateral manner, or in a transverse direction 17, respectively, into the end 14 of the hollow component 10 to be produced.

(12) The upper tool 2 is now further lowered in the press stroke direction 13 such that the spring-elastic actuation means 15 of the mandrel 4, as well as a spring-elastic actuation means 18 of the auxiliary mandrel 5, are further compressed without the mandrel 4 and the auxiliary mandrel 5 carrying out any further movement. To this end, a detent 19, or a detent cam, can be provided, for example, such that a further inward pushing movement of the auxiliary mandrel 5 is restricted.

(13) The coupling mechanism 7 can be suspended from a repositioning block 20, for example, which comes to bear on the detent 19. The actuation means 18 of the auxiliary mandrel 5 can thus also be compressed by a further lowering movement of the upper tool 2 in the press stroke direction 13, without the auxiliary mandrel 5 carrying out any further relative movement. However, the dashed line 12 is simultaneously formed by a forming surface (not illustrated in more detail) of the upper tool 2 such that the hollow component 10 is formed so as to have a closed cross-sectional geometry.

(14) When the forming tool 1 is now opened, the auxiliary mandrel 5 initially carries out a relative movement up to the vertical V, and is thus moved out of the end 14 of the hollow component 10 having the closed cross section such that the mandrel 4 is moved out of the hollow component 10 by further opening in the direction opposite to the press stroke direction 13.

(15) The auxiliary mandrel 5, or the repositioning block 20 of the auxiliary mandrel 5, respectively, can furthermore be disposed on a lifting angle 23 such that the relative movement of the auxiliary mandrel 5 can be influenced. In particular, the position of the auxiliary mandrel 5 in relation to the vertical direction, prior to the lowering procedure, consequently the driving-in direction in the transverse direction, can be set by the lifting angle 23. To this end, the lifting angle 23 per se is in particular configured so as to be settable or adjustable, respectively. The position of the auxiliary mandrel 5 relative to the mandrel 4 is set by setting the lifting angle 23.

(16) Mutually dissimilar cross-sectional geometries are illustrated in FIGS. 5 a) to c). A planar sheet-metal blank 21 is initially provided according to FIG. 5 a), said sheet-metal blank 21 being formed to the preform component 22 according to FIG. 5 b). The outer end of each leg of the U-shaped preform component 22 is illustrated here by the dashed line 12; however, said preform component 22 is of one piece and a materially integral component part of the sheet-metal blank 21, said dashed line 12 serving only as a comparison for the dashed lines from FIGS. 1 to 3. In a further lowering movement the section line B-B from FIG. 4 is generated, and the hollow component 10 that is closed in the cross section is produced by O-forming. The cross-sectional geometry can be simultaneously set in a corresponding manner by the auxiliary mandrel 5 that is driven in.

(17) FIG. 6 on the left side shows a forming tool 24 for the production of a U-shaped preform component 22. The forming tool 1 according to the invention for carrying out an O-forming procedure is shown on the right side. First, the U-shaped preform component 22 is produced from the sheet-metal blank 21, said U-shaped preform component 22 is subsequently placed into the forming tool 1, and the hollow component 10 that is closed in the cross section is produced by O-forming. The support unit 3, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, having the mandrel 4 and the auxiliary mandrel 5 is suspended from the upper tool 2 of the forming tool 1. The forming tool 1 furthermore has a lower tool 25. The hollow component 10 is shaped between the upper tool 2 and the lower tool 25.

(18) FIG. 7 to FIG. 10 show a forming tool 1 which is used in a preferred refinement or an alternative variant of design embodiment to the forming tool 1 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4. The forming tool 1 according to FIGS. 7 to 10 herein can be embodied either alone by way of the variant illustrated, in each case relating to the right image plane. Alternatively however, the forming tool 1 can also be used as a forming tool 1 combined with the unit composed of the mandrel 4 and the auxiliary mandrel 5 on the left image plane, and the unit composed of the auxiliary mandrel 26, the tool receptacle 27 and the counter bearing 28 on the right image plane. Herein, the respective auxiliary mandrel 5, 26 is driven into either end side of a hollow component 10 to be formed.

(19) Reference is made to the description of the figures pertaining to FIGS. 1 to 4 for the unit on the left image plane.

(20) The unit on the right image plane is described hereunder. The auxiliary mandrel 26 according to the right image side is mounted so as to be movable in relative manner in a tool receptacle 27. In particular, the auxiliary mandrel 26 by way of a coupling mechanism 7 is mounted on a repositioning block 20. The repositioning block 20 is coupled to the upper tool 2 by way of a spring-elastic actuation means 18.

(21) The tool receptacle 27 comes to bear on the counter bearing 28 when the upper tool 2 is lowered. A further lowering of the upper tool compresses the spring-elastic actuation means 15 of the tool receptacle 27. The auxiliary mandrel 26, moved in relative manner in the tool receptacle 27, by way of an incline 29 is repositioned at an angle in relation to the press stroke direction 13, and is driven into the hollow component 10 to be formed.

(22) A lifting angle 23 which is movable relative to the repositioning block 20 is furthermore provided. The lifting angle 23 is preferably coupled directly to the upper tool 2. When the upper tool 2 is being lifted, after having reached the lower dead center illustrated in FIG. 10, the repositioning block 20 of the auxiliary mandrel 26 is thus entrained by the lifting angle 23, wherein the tool receptacle 27 on account of the compressed spring-elastic actuation element 18 still bears on the counter bearing. On account thereof, the auxiliary mandrel 26 is initially withdrawn from the end 14 of the hollow component 10 formed. Lifting of the tool receptacle 27 is performed only once the auxiliary mandrel 26 has been withdrawn. To this end, the spring-elastic actuation element 15 of the tool receptacle 27 is preferably completely decompressed.

(23) The unit that in relation to the image plane is illustrated on the right can be disposed alone in a forming tool 1 for the production of a hollow component 10. However, the unit can also be combined with the support unit 3 relating to the left image plane, such that driving into the hollow component 10 to be formed is performed from both ends 14.