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:
Nov. 10, 2009
Filed:
Feb. 14, 2008
S. George Luckey, Jr., Dearborn, MI (US);
Peter A. Friedman, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Yingbing Luo, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Warren Copple, Trenton, MI (US);
S. George Luckey, Jr., Dearborn, MI (US);
Peter A. Friedman, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Yingbing Luo, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Warren Copple, Trenton, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming a ductile sheet or work piece into a part or component. The method includes using a forming apparatus wherein the workpiece is placed between and upper die and a blank holder and then lowered onto a punch such that continued lowering of the upper die draws the workpiece around the punch. Once the draw process is complete, gas pressure acts on one side of the workpiece to press the workpiece against a forming surface of the punch to complete the forming process.