EXPANDED METAL AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20110067372A1
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael H. Wallner, Paul Wallner
• Original Assignee: Wallner Tooling\Expac, Inc.
• Inventors: Wallner, Michael H., Wallner, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,696,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/525
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2265/06 Details of supporting structures for filtering material, e.g. cores
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/2041 the material being filamentary or fibrous
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/521 using folded, pleated material
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 31/04 Expanding other than provided for in groups B21D1/00 - B21D28/00, e.g. for making expanded metal B21D47/00 takes precedence; enlarging tube ends B21D41/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/18 Expanded metal making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12361 having aperture or cut

Abstract

An expanded metal is provided including a plurality of integral strands defining diamond shapes, each diamond shape having a long dimension as measured from two opposing vertices and a short dimension, generally transverse to the long direction, as measured between two other opposing vertices, such that the long dimension is less than twice the short dimension.

Claims

1. An expanded metal comprising a plurality of integral strands defining diamond shapes, each diamond shape having a long dimension as measured from two opposing vertices and a short dimension, generally transverse to the long direction, as measured between two other opposing vertices, wherein the long dimension is less than twice the short dimension.

2. The expanded metal of claim 1 wherein the short dimension is equal to the long dimension.

3. The expanded metal of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said metal is expanded beyond in plastic yield point.

4. The expanded metal of claim 1 wherein each strand has a width of 0.017 inch.

5. A filter comprising a filter medium reinforced with an expanded metal, wherein said filter is pleated and said expanded metal comprises a plurality of integral strands defining diamond shapes, each diamond shape having a long dimension as measured from two opposing vertices and a short dimension, generally transverse to the long direction, as measured between two other opposing vertices, wherein the long dimension is less than twice the short dimension.

6. The filter of claim 5 wherein the short dimension is equal to the long dimension.

7. The filter of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of said metal is expanded beyond in plastic yield point.

8. A method of forming expanded metal comprising;

feeding a base plate through a cutting die to form an expanded metal; and

stretching the expanded metal by at least 15%.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein stretching comprises stretching the expanded metal by at least 30%.

10. A method of forming expanded metal comprising;

feeding a base plate through a cutting die to form an expanded metal; and

stretching the expanded metal wherein at least a portion of the expanded metal is stretched beyond its plastic yield point.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said expanded metal comprises a plurality of integral strands defining a plurality of adjacent diamonds, wherein each diamond has four vertices, wherein each strand extends between two vertices, wherein said stretching causes said strands to rotate about said vertices causes at least a portion of at least some of said vertices to stretch beyond their plastic yield point.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said strands do not stretch beyond their plastic yield point.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of at least some of said strands stretch beyond their plastic yield point.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said expanded metal comprises a plurality of integral strands defining a plurality of adjacent diamonds, wherein each diamond has four vertices, wherein each strand extends between two vertices, wherein said stretching causes at least a portion of at least some of said strands to stretch beyond their plastic yield point.

15. A method of forming expanded metal comprising;

feeding a base plate by a cutting die;

shearing portions of said base plate with said cutting die to form an expanded metal comprising a plurality of integral strands defining a plurality of diamond shapes, each diamond shape having a long dimension as measured from two opposing vertices and a short dimension, generally transverse to the long direction, as measured between two other opposing vertices; and

stretching the expanded metal along by an amount sufficient to render the short dimension more than half of the long dimension.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein stretching comprises stretching the expanded metal by an amount sufficient to render the short dimension equal the long dimension.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the length of each strand does increase after stretching.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the cutting die comprises a plurality of blades, each blade having opposite converging sides extending at opposite angles relative to a common straight line, wherein said angles are each less than 30°

.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said angles are each 26°

.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said angles are each 22°

.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the cutting die comprises a plurality of blades, wherein each blade comprises a width greater than 1.25 inches.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein each blade comprises a width of 1.33 inches.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein each blade comprises a width of 1.5 inches.

24. A method of forming expanded metal comprising;

feeding a base plate by a cutting die;

shearing portions of said base plate with said cutting die to form an expanded metal comprising a plurality of integral strands defining diamond having a long dimension and a short dimension generally transverse to the long direction, the cutting die comprises a plurality of blades, each blade having opposite converging sides extending at opposite angles relative to a common straight line, wherein said angles are each less than 30°

; and

stretching the expanded metal by an amount sufficient to render the short dimension more than half of the long dimension.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein each blade comprises a width greater than 1.25 inches.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said angles are each 26°

.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein each blade comprises a width of 1.33 inches.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein said angles are each 22°

.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein each blade comprises a width of 1.5 inches.

30. A method of forming expanded metal comprising;

feeding a base plate by a cutting die;

shearing portions of said base plate with said cutting die to form an expanded metal comprising a plurality of integral strands defining diamonds, each diamond having a long dimension and a short dimension generally transverse to the long dimension; and

stretching the expanded metal by an amount sufficient to reduce said long dimension by at least 15%.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said stretching comprises stretching to reduce said long direction by at least 18%.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said stretching comprises stretching to reduce said long direction by at least 20%.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein said stretching comprises stretching to reduce said long direction by at least 23%.