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:
Feb. 28, 2006
Filed:
Jul. 03, 2003
William C. Dykstra, Rockford, MI (US);
George D. Pfaffmann, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Xin Wu, Detroit, MI (US);
William C. Dykstra, Rockford, MI (US);
George D. Pfaffmann, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Xin Wu, Detroit, MI (US);
Hot Metal Gas Forming Intellectual Property, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of forming an elongated tubular blank into a tubular structural component having a predetermined outer configuration, the method comprising: providing a shape imparting shell formed from a low permeability, rigid material which includes an inner surface defining the predetermined shape, plugging the open ends of the tubular blank, placing the plugged blank into the shell, and forming the tubular blank into the tubular component by inductively heating axial portions of the blank by axially spaced conductors adjacent the shell while or before forcing gas at a high pressure into the plugged blank until the blank conforms to at least a portion of the inner surface of the shell to form the structural component.