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:
Apr. 19, 2005
Filed:
Oct. 17, 2002
Chongmin Kim, Davisburg, MI (US);
Gary A. Kruger, Troy, MI (US);
Mark G. Konopnicki, Rochester, MI (US);
John Norman Johnson, Allenton, MI (US);
James Gregory Schroth, Troy, MI (US);
Michelle R. Goff, Grand Blanc, MI (US);
Chongmin Kim, Davisburg, MI (US);
Gary A. Kruger, Troy, MI (US);
Mark G. Konopnicki, Rochester, MI (US);
John Norman Johnson, Allenton, MI (US);
James Gregory Schroth, Troy, MI (US);
Michelle R. Goff, Grand Blanc, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A method is disclosed for forming sheet metal articles, such as automotive body panels, having significant curvatures in front-to-back and side-to-side directions. Opposing, complementary, preforming and final shape forming tools are used in a single press. A sheet of superplastically or quick plastically formable sheet metal alloy, heated to a forming temperature, is first stretched against the preform tool using pressurized gas to form a preform that has experienced most of the metal stretching required for the final part shape. The preform is removed from the preform tool and formed against the opposing tool with pressurized gas to obtain the final sheet metal part shape.