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Die cushion apparatus for hot stretch-forming

  • US 7,004,007 B2
  • Filed: 10/14/2003
  • Issued: 02/28/2006
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A die cushion apparatus for use in a stretch-forming process involving heated tooling, said die cushion apparatus comprising:

  • a lower plate;

    an upper plate that undergoes different thermal expansion than said lower plate; and

    a plurality of guidance devices mounted between said upper and lower plates, said plurality of guidance and including;

    a guide post;

    a bearing sleeve circumscribing at least a portion of said guide post; and

    a cylinder circumscribing at least a portion of said bearing sleeve;

    wherein one of said guide post and said cylinder is mounted in fixed relation to one of said upper and lower plates, and the other of said guide post and said cylinder is mounted in laterally translatable relation to the other of said upper and lower plates to accommodate lateral relative displacement between said upper and lower plates due to different thermal expansion thereof, thereby preventing binding of said plurality of guidance devices.

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