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:
May. 11, 2004
Filed:
May. 19, 2003
George Thomas Winterhalter, Berkley, MI (US);
Mircea M. Ghiran, Lake Orion, MI (US);
Bruce Steven Shimanovski, Southfield, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
Hydroforming apparatus is provided with retractable part locators that are adapted when extended to receive and hold end portions of a tubular part to be hydroformed and thereby support and hold the part between the hydroforming dies when the dies are open. Seal units mounted on separate elevators have a retractable seal carrier and the seal carriers are adapted when the seal units are elevated to advance and initially engage the respective tubular part end portions while the part is being so held. The part locators are adapted to release the end portions of the part and retract out of the way of the seal carriers to permit the seal carriers to then further advance on the respective end potions of the part to a position closely adjacent the end faces of the dies while also centering the part lengthwise with respective to the dies prior to die closure. The seal unit elevators are adapted to lower the seal units with the tubular part to a position aligning the end portions of the part with open ends of the die cavity when the dies close. And the retractable part locators, following the hydroforming of the part and elevation of the part with the seal units by the seal unit elevators, are adapted to again extend and clamp the now hydroformed part to the part locators prior to disengagement of the seal carriers from the part.