Method for obtaining a three-dimensional curve in a tubular product, and method for manufacturing complex-curvature tubular products

Abstract

A method for obtaining a three-dimensional curve in a tubular product starting from a tube extending along a rectilinear longitudinal axis includes performing, by a first bending device, a first bending operation on a bending plane passing through the rectilinear longitudinal axis (x), so that the tube leaving the first bending device has a curved portion lying on the plane of curvature, and performing on the tube leaving the first bending device, by a second bending device, a second bending operation, so that the curved portion of the tube at the output of the second bending device has a first tangent and a second tangent (t1, t2) at its opposite ends lying on a cylindrical surface having generatrices orthogonal to two planes (A1, A2) respectively containing the first and second tangents (t1, t2). A method for manufacturing complex-curvature tubular products is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a three-dimensional curve in a tubular product starting from a tube extending along a rectilinear longitudinal axis (x), the method comprising the steps of: a) performing, by a first bending device, a first bending operation on a bending plane passing through said rectilinear longitudinal axis (x), in such a way that the tube leaving said first bending device comprises a curved portion having opposite ends, wherein a first tangent and a second tangent (t1, t2) to the curved portion at said opposite ends lie in said bending plane, wherein the curved portion comprises a first curve and a second curve lying on said bending plane, wherein an inflection point is interposed between said first curve and said second curve; and b) performing on the tube leaving said first bending device, by a second bending device, a second bending operation, in such a way that the curved portion of the tube has the first and second tangents (t1, t2) at said opposite ends lying on a cylindrical surface having generatrices orthogonal to a first plane (A1) containing the first tangent (t1) and to a second plane (A2) containing the second tangent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first bending device is a free-form bending device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second bending device is a form-bound bending device.

4. A method for manufacturing a complex-curvature tubular product starting from a tube extending along a rectilinear longitudinal axis (x), the method comprising the steps of: a) performing, by a first bending device, a plurality of first bending operations, each bending operation of said plurality of first bending operations being performed on a respective first straight portion of the tube and on a respective second straight portion of the tube, and on a bending plane passing through said rectilinear longitudinal axis (x), in such a way that the tube leaving said first bending device comprises a respective plurality of first curved portions, separated by second curved portions, each second curved portion having opposite ends, wherein a first tangent and a second tangent (t1, t2) to the second curved portion at said opposite ends lie in a same bending plane; and b) performing on the tube leaving said first bending device, by a second bending device, a plurality of second bending operations, each bending operation of said plurality of second bending operations being performed on one of said second curved portions, in such a way that the tube leaving said second bending device comprises, between each pair of consecutive first curved portions, a respective second bent curved portion having the first and second tangents (t1, t2) at said opposite ends lying on a cylindrical surface having generatrices orthogonal to a first plane (A1) containing the first tangent (t1) and to a second plane (A2) containing the second tangent (t2), wherein the complex-curvature tubular product thus obtained comprises first curved portions and second bent curved portions immediately adjacent to each other.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein step a) comprises performing the plurality of first bending operations in such a way that each second curved portion of the tube leaving said first bending device comprises a first curve and a second curve lying on the same bending plane, wherein an inflection point is interposed between said first curve and second curve.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said first bending device is a free-form bending device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said second bending device is a form-bound bending device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ELM coil as an example of a complex-curvature tubular product obtainable by a method according to the present invention,

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a corner portion of the tubular product of FIG. 1,

(3) FIG. 3 is a view analogous to FIG. 2, in which only the central axis of the tube is shown,

(4) FIG. 4 schematically shows a first step of the method according to the present invention for obtaining the tubular product of FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 5 is an elevation view of an inflection portion obtained in the first step of the method according to the present invention,

(6) FIG. 6 schematically shows a second step of the method according to the present invention for obtaining the tubular product of FIG. 1, and

(7) FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of a form-bound bending device of an apparatus for manufacturing tubular products according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) With initial reference to FIG. 1, a tubular product obtainable by a method according to the present invention is generally indicated with 10′. The tubular product 10′ comprises first curved portions 10a′ and second bent curved portions (in particular, corner portions) 10b″ alternating with each other and immediately adjacent. In particular, the second bent curved portions or corner portions 10b″ have a bending radius smaller than the bending radius of the first curved portions 10a′. As an example of a tubular product 10′ obtainable by the method of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows an ELM coil, which comprises a plurality of turns 12, each turn having a plurality of curved sides, corresponding to the first curved portions 10a′, and, between each pair of consecutive curved sides, a connecting portion, corresponding to a corner portion 10b″, with a bending radius smaller than the bending radius of the curved sides. For example, the coil 10′ may have six turns 12, each with four sides 10a′, joined to each other by corner portions 10b″. The number of turns and sides may vary, depending on different requirements the coil must meet.

(9) With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, a single second bent curved portion or corner portion 10b″ of the tubular product or coil 10′ is shown, in particular a corner portion arranged at one of the lower corners or at the upper right corner of the coil of FIG. 1. The central axis of the tubular product 10′ is indicated with x. As shown in FIG. 3, the corner portion 10b″ has a three-dimensional development; in other words, the central axis x does not lie in a plane. In the corner portion 10b″ opposite ends 11b″ and 12b″ may be identified, at which the corner portion 10b″ is joined to respective first curved portions 10a′.

(10) The present invention arises from the general observation that, for two straight skew lines in space, there are two mutually parallel planes, each containing one of the straight lines. The planes, which will be referred to in the following as A1 and A2, are placed at a distance d from each other. The tangents t1, t2 to the corner portion 10b″ (more precisely, the tangents t1, t2 to the central axis x of the corner portion 10b″) at the opposite ends 11b″ and 12b″ of the angle portion 10b″ lie on two respective planes A1 and A2 parallel to each other and placed at a distance d from each other.

(11) In the illustrated example, the corner portion 10b″ is formed by the superposition or combination of a smooth double S-curve and a sharp curve. In particular, the tangent t1 to the corner portion 10b″ at the first end 11b″ lies on a first plane A1, and the tangent t2 to the corner portion 10b″ at the second end 12b″ lies on a second plane A2, parallel to the first plane A1. The distance between the two planes A1 and A2 is indicated with d in FIGS. 2 and 3. The central axis x at the corner portion 10b″ is shaped as a double S-curve lying on a cylindrical surface, the generatrices of which are orthogonal to the A1 and A2 planes. More generally, the central axis x at the corner portion 10b″ is shaped as a double S-curve, the tangents of which to the ends of the double S-curve lie on a cylindrical surface, the generatrices of which are orthogonal to the A1 and A2 planes.

(12) With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the method of manufacturing the tubular product 10′ starting from a tube 10 made of metal material will be described.

(13) The tube 10 is represented in the drawings as a tube with a circular cross section, but it may have a cross section with a different shape.

(14) The longitudinal axis, initially rectilinear, of the tube 10 is indicated with x. 10a indicates first straight portions of the tube 10 corresponding, in the final tubular product 10′, to the first curved portions 10a′, while 10b indicates second straight portions of the tube 10 corresponding, in the final tubular product 10′, to the second bent curved portions or corner portions 10b″. As shown in FIG. 4, the first straight portions 10a alternate with the second straight portions 10b and extend immediately adjacent to the second straight portions 10b.

(15) The tubular product 10′ is obtained according to the present invention by a manufacturing method comprising the steps of: a) performing a plurality of first bending operations, each on a respective first straight portion 10a and on a respective second straight portion 10b of the tube 10, by a first bending device 20, and b) performing a plurality of second bending operations, each on a respective second portion 10b of the tube 10 which has already been subjected to a respective first bending operation, by a second bending device 22.

(16) In particular, FIG. 4 shows step a), wherein the tube 10 is fed, by a feeding device 18 (of a per se known type and, therefore, only schematically shown in the drawings), to the first bending device 20 for performing the first bending operations.

(17) The first bending operations are each performed on a respective first straight portion 10a of the tube 10 and on a respective second straight portion 10b, and each on a bending plane passing through the longitudinal axis x of the tube, in such a way that the tube 10 leaving the first bending device 20 comprises a corresponding plurality of first curved portions 10a′ separated by second curved portions 10b′. The first curved portions 10a′ and the second curved portions 10b′ may lie on the same bending planes or on different bending planes. The curvature of the second curved portions 10b′ is slight and therefore imperceptible in the representation of FIG. 4. Each of the second curved portions 10b′ corresponds to the double S-curve, lying, however, on a plane passing through the longitudinal axis x of the tube. One of the second curved portions 10b′ is specifically represented in FIG. 5. It should be noted that the curvatures of the second curved portion 10b′ are exaggerated in FIG. 5 for clarity reasons. The second curved portion 10b′ comprises a first curve 11b′ and a second curve 12b′ lying on the same bending plane. The first curve 11b′ and the second curve 12b′ have respective bending radii R1 and R2 (referring more precisely to the central axis x), which in FIG. 5 are represented as if they were the same value; however, this condition is not required. An inflection point 13b′ is interposed between the first curve 11b′ and the second curve 12b′. By way of reference, FIG. 5 also shows the ends 11b″ and 12b″ which, differently from what is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, still lie in the same plane, i.e., the plane of the first curve 11b′ and of the second curve 12b′. FIG. 5 also shows the tangents t1 and t2 and the distance d between the planes A1 and A2.

(18) Preferably, the first bending device 20 is a free-form bending device, in which the desired bend is imparted to the tube by a movable part of the device exerting a deformation force on the advancing tube. An example of a bending device of this type is a roller-type bending machine.

(19) A roller-type bending machine is generally capable of bending the tube only in a certain bending plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the tube. In order to change the bending plane, it is possible to change the relative orientation of the rollers with respect to the tube.

(20) Another example of a free-form bending device is the so-called penetration bending machine, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,675 A. With such machines it is easier to change the plane of curvature of the tube.

(21) FIG. 6 shows step b) of the method according to the present invention, wherein the tube 10 leaving the first bending device 20 is subjected to the second bending operations by a second bending device 22 located downstream of the first bending device 20.

(22) The second bending operations are each performed on a respective second curved portion 10b′ of the tube 10, in such a way that the tubular product 10′ leaving the second bending device 22 comprises, between each pair of consecutive first curved portions 10a′, a respective second bent curved portion or corner portion 10b″.

(23) With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the second bending device 22 is a form-bound bending device, comprising, in a per se known manner, a mold or die 24, having a groove 28a, and at least one shoe or clamping vise 26 with a respective groove 28b. The shoe or clamping vise 26 is configured to act on the tube 10, in cooperation with the die 24, to bend the tube 10 according to a given curve. The second bending device 22 is configured to execute a corner curve superimposed on the second curved portion 10b′ and lying on a cylindrical surface having generatrices orthogonal to the planes A1 and A2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. More generally, the second bending device 22 is configured to execute a corner curve superimposed on the second curved portion 10b′, so that the resulting three-dimensional curve has tangents to the opposite ends of the curve lying on a cylindrical surface having generatrices orthogonal to the A1 and A2 planes shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the illustrated example, the grooves 28a and 28b are shaped to receive the double S-curve, and the groove 28a of the die 24 extends along a surface 28c of the die 24 which may be at least partly cylindrical. In particular, the grooves 28a and 28b may be dimensioned in such a way that the corner curve has a bending radius R3 (more precisely, a bending radius R3 at the central axis x) which is smaller than the bending radii R1 and R2 of the first curve 11b′ and 12b′. The corner portion 10b″ shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is thus obtained.

(24) The method according to the present invention may also comprise measuring the extent of advancement of the tube 10 and/or marking the tube 10 during advancement, respectively by a measuring device (not shown, but in any case, of a per se known type) and a marking device (not shown, but in any case, of a per se known type), such as an ink or laser marking device.

(25) The method according to the present invention may be carried out, for example, by first performing all the first bending operations by the first bending device 20, to obtain all the first curved portions 10a′ and the second curved portions 10b′ of the tubular product 10′, and then performing all the second bending operations by the second bending device 22, to obtain all the second corner portions 10b″ of the tubular product 10′.

(26) Alternatively, the method according to the present invention may be carried out, for example, by performing in sequence the first and second bending operations by the first and second bending devices 20 and 22 respectively to obtain a portion of the tubular product 10′ each time comprising at least two first curved portions 10a′ and, between each pair of first curved portions 10a′, a second corner portion 10b″.

(27) In particular, when used for manufacturing an ELM coil having a plurality of turns 12, the method according to the present invention may be carried out either by making the turns all together, i.e. by first performing all the first bending operations and then all the second bending operations, or proceeding turn by turn, that is to say by first performing the first bending operations envisaged for a first coil and then the second bending operations envisaged for the first coil and then repeating these operations for the subsequent turns.

(28) As already mentioned, a further aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing complex-curvature tubular products starting with a metal tube extending along a rectilinear longitudinal axis x. This apparatus comprises, in addition to the feeding device 18, the first bending device 20 and the second bending device 22, support means (not shown, but in any case, of a known type) arranged between the first bending device 20 and the second bending device 22 to support the tube 10 leaving the first bending device 20.

(29) The apparatus 30 may further comprise the measuring device and/or the marking device.

(30) In the preceding description, a method has been described for obtaining a three-dimensional curve in a tubular product 10′, applied to the manufacturing of a complex-curvature tubular product comprising first curved portions 10a′ and second corner portions 10b″. As may be appreciated, this specific method may find a more general application to obtain a three-dimensional curve comprising a first curve component having opposite ends extending on a plane, and a second curve component obtained by bending on a cylindrical surface the plane on which the ends of the first curve component lie.

(31) The principle of the invention remaining unchanged, embodiments and constructional details may be modified with respect to those described and illustrated herein purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of protection as described and claimed herein. For example, the method of to the present invention may be not limited only to first and second bending operations, but further bending operations may be performed before the first bending operations, between the first and second bending operations, or after the second bending operations.