The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 31, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 17, 1998
Albert S Kuo, Chesterfield, MO (US);
Other;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for coldworking holes using a pre-lubricated tubular seamless sleeve made of shape memory alloys. The apparatus uses a pre-lubricated tubular seamless sleeve made of shape memory alloys, a mandrel having a larger diameter end, a nose cap with rough conical surface, and a spacer with rough complementary conical surface. The sleeve is placed and sufficiently firmly held between the conical surfaces of the nose cap and spacer which are carried in a mandrel pulling means. The larger diameter end of the mandrel passes forwardly through and out of the sleeve whose diameter is therefore elastically expanded by the passing mandrel and thereafter restores to its original diameter because of the superelastic property of the shape memory alloys. The smaller diameter portion of the mandrel is surrounded and within the sleeve. The sleeve together with the mandrel are then inserted into a hole in an associated workpiece. The nose cap being carried on the mandrel pulling means is placed against the workpiece. The mandrel retracts backwardly through and out of the sleeve; thereby expands the sleeve wall against the hole wall and exerts radially outward forces on the sleeve, which in turn transmits the coldworking forces to the hole wall. After the mandrel is pulled out of the hole, the sleeve diameter restores to its original diameter because of the superelastic property of shape memory alloys, and therefore it can be easily removed out of the hole.