Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Other

Ranny Joe Nunley

Mike M Ghiran

David R Jensen

Kevin R Marks

Paul D Larsen

William M Crantas

David R Friddell

Sanjay Mahasukhlal Shah

Bruce Steven Shimanovski

George Thomas Winterhalter

William A Mueller

Edward D Paley

A high pressure pump includes a pump housing. A piston rod located within the pump housing defines a plurality of pump cavities and a plurality of piston cavities. Movement of the piston within the piston cylinder pumps the fluid from the piston cavities out of the high pressure pump. The continuous pumping of HWBF from the pump housing provides fluid at a relatively constant flow and pressure. The HWBF pressure is also at a higher pressure than traditional single stage high pressure pumps can provide.

High pressure dual-action hydraulic pump

A hydroform die includes a plurality of seal units to provide fluid to die cavities. The plurality of seal units each define a piston cylinder. A piston is located within the cylinder and is selectively moveable between an open and a closed position. Additionally, the piston at least partially defines a valve chamber located on a first side of the piston and a piston chamber located on a second side of the piston. A piston fluid passage is defined by the piston to fluidly connect the valve chamber and the piston chamber.

Gravity fill system with pressure check valve

An apparatus for in-die piercing of a tube as it is hydroformed creates a sharp edged, non countersunk hole, while sealing against pressurized fluid loss and ejecting the slug cleanly from the apparatus. A sharp edged die button inset into one of a pair of die blocks includes a hole shaped cutting edge surrounded by a compliant face seal flush with the cavity between the die blocks. A plunger is slidable within a central bore in the die button from a closed position flush with the cutting edge to a partially retracted pierce position, and finally to a further retracted ejection position. An ejection chute in the same die block opens into the bore at one end, at a point between the pierce and ejection positions of the plunger, and also opens at the other end out of the die block. The plunger is sealed relative to the die button bore. The plunger is retained in closed position until the tube is fully hydroformed to final shape, and the outer surface of the tube engages the face seal. Then, the plunger is retracted to pierce position, allowing a slug to be blown out through the cutting edge. The face seal and plunger seal prevent the loss of fluid. Then, the tube is de pressurized, and the plunger retracts farther, allowing the slug to be ejected.

Apparatus for piercing hydroformed part

An apertured part is pressed in a single cycle with no separate slug shearing operation. The press ram and bolster each contain fixed aperture forming punches which extend coaxially and slidably through piston like die supports, each of which is backed by a hydraulic fluid chamber. Separate systems control the fluid pressure in the two chambers so as to cause the dies supports to slide in one direction relative to the punches initially, then quickly in the other direction to shear the slug formed between the ends of the punches away from the part. The ram chamber is maintained at a high pressure throughout the first half of the stroke, while the bolster chamber begins at a low pressure and is allowed to rise to a higher, intermediate pressure that is still lower than the bolster chamber. Thus, the ram die support pushes the bolster die support down. However, when the pressure differential is removed, the two die supports quickly move up together over the fixed punches, shearing the slug out of the part.

Single-cycle closed die metal forging method

A control device for varying the displacement of variable volume fluid energy devices is disclosed. The control cylinder of the present invention is usable with variable volume pumps and motors having a control rod projecting from the pump housing and angular movement of the control rod varies the pump or motor displacement. The control cylinder includes a bore formed in the cylinder, a spool movable within the bore, a lever fixedly attached to the control rod for rotation therewith, a directional control valve manifold mounted to the cylinder for selectively moving the spool within the bore, and a scotch yoke for interconnecting the lever to the spool so that movement of the spool produces an angular movement of the control rod varying the pump displacement. The control device may also be directly applied to an apparatus requiring a linear input for control. A plurality of control devices may be combined to produce an analog input that is either angular or linear.

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Metamora, MI, United States of America

Ranny Joe Nunley