Die cushion apparatus for hot stretch-forming
First Claim
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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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-contained die cushion assembly for use in a stretch-forming process involving heated tooling. A lower plate is mounted below an upper plate that undergoes different thermal expansion than the lower plate. Guidance devices are mounted between the upper and lower plates and include a guide post, a bearing sleeve circumscribing the guide post, and a cylinder circumscribing the bearing sleeve. The guide post is mounted in fixed relation to the upper plate, and the cylinder is mounted in laterally translatable relation to the lower plate to accommodate lateral relative displacement between the upper and lower plates due to different thermal expansion thereof, thereby preventing binding of the guidance devices.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A die cushion apparatus for use in a stretch-forming process involving heated tooling, said die cushion apparatus comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A self-contained die cushion assembly for use in a stretch-forming process involving heated tooling, said self-contained die cushion assembly comprising:
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a lower plate having corners and sides; an upper plate that undergoes different thermal expansion than said lower plate, said upper plate having corners and sides; and a plurality of guidance devices mounted between said upper and lower plates, said plurality of guidance devices being positioned substantially at midpoints of said sides of said upper and lower plates and not at said corners of said upper and lower plates, said plurality of guidance devices 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 said guide post is mounted in fixed relation to said upper plate, and said cylinder is mounted in laterally translatable relation to the said lower plate to accommodate lateral relative displacement between said upper and lower plates due to different thermal expansion thereof from heat generated by said heated tooling, thereby preventing binding of said guide post within said cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A guidance device for mounting between upper and lower plates of a die cushion apparatus for a hot stretch-forming process wherein said upper plate undergoes different thermal expansion than said lower plate, said guidance device including:
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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 guide post within said cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification