A process for the production of a reinforced aluminium alloy profile

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of aluminum profile production, in particular to a production process of reinforced aluminum alloy profile, comprising the following steps: a, taking an aluminum alloy ingot, forming a long strip-shaped profile with a cross section having a horizontal plate, a eave part and a slanted side wall connecting the two by extrusion molding, wherein the two ends of the slanted side wall are provided with outwardly extending support arms; b, cutting the long strip-shaped profile obtained in step a according to the required length to obtain a single section profile; c, taking a steel pipe with the same length as the single section profile, extruding and deforming the pipe by a stamping mechanism and placing it between the two support arms of the single section profile, so that the pipe is extruded and contacted with the slanted side wall to form a core pipe inside the profile, and the reinforced aluminum alloy profile is obtained. The present application solves the problem that the structural strength of the existing aluminum profile applied in the new energy battery box cannot be further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aluminum profile production, and specifically to a production process for reinforced aluminum alloy profiles. Background Technology

[0002] Most existing aluminum alloy profile structures are as shown in Chinese patent application CN 103628773 A, which describes an aluminum alloy profile including a cavity, an upper horizontal plate, a lower horizontal plate of the cavity extending to the left from its left end to form a left horizontal plate, and a mounting groove at the top of the horizontal plate; the lower horizontal plate of the cavity extending to the right from its right end and bending upwards; left and right guide grooves respectively provided on the left and right side plates of the cavity; and the upper horizontal plate extending to the right from its right end and bending downwards to form a retaining groove. The basic structure of the aluminum profile is mostly a thin-walled structure with uniform thickness, containing one or more cavities that conform to the design of the profile's shape.

[0003] Currently, in the profiles used in new energy battery boxes, as shown in Chinese patent application CN 113206341 A, a battery box includes: an upper box body, a lower box body, a connector, and a fixing member; the upper box body has a first side wall and a first eave protruding circumferentially from the first side wall, and the lower box body has a second side wall and a second eave protruding circumferentially from the second side wall; the first eave and the second eave are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction, and the first eave is provided with a first connecting hole, the second eave is provided with a second connecting hole and a mounting hole spaced apart from the second connecting hole; the connector passes through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole to fix the upper box body and the lower box body; the fixing member passes through the mounting hole to install the lower box body to an external device; the material density of the lower box body is greater than that of the upper box body; the height of the first side wall in the vertical direction is greater than that of the second side wall in the vertical direction. Structurally, for the load-bearing lower box body, a material density greater than that of the upper box body is used to reduce the weight of the battery box and ensure structural strength.

[0004] Currently, due to the material properties of aluminum, it is easily broken when subjected to direct impact in the width direction (i.e., inward force at the aforementioned first or second eaves position), especially when subjected to high-energy impact, and the structural strength cannot be further improved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides a production process for reinforced aluminum alloy profiles, which solves the problem that the structural strength of existing aluminum profiles cannot be further improved when used in new energy battery boxes.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution:

[0007] A manufacturing process for reinforced aluminum alloy profiles includes the following steps:

[0008] a. Take an aluminum alloy ingot, and form it by extrusion molding to form a long strip profile with a cross section having a horizontal plate, an eave, and an inclined sidewall connecting the two. The two ends of the inclined sidewall have outwardly extending support arms.

[0009] b. Cut the long strip of profile obtained in step a into single sections according to the required length.

[0010] c. Take a steel pipe of the same length as the single-section profile, and insert it between the two support arms of the single-section profile by extrusion and deformation through a stamping mechanism, so that the pipe is pressed and abutted against the inclined side wall to form the core tube inside the profile, thereby obtaining the reinforced aluminum alloy profile.

[0011] Preferably, in step c above, the horizontal plate and the eaves are parallel to each other, and the core tube, after being formed by a stamping mechanism, forms a longitudinal edge perpendicular to the horizontal plate, a horizontal edge parallel to the eaves, and a joint edge that is integrally attached to the inclined sidewall.

[0012] Preferably, in step a above, a protrusion is formed simultaneously on the inner surface of the inclined sidewall during its forming; in step c above, before the tube enters the stamping mechanism for extrusion deformation, an opening is formed along its axial direction, and then it is formed by the stamping mechanism, with the two sides of the opening abutting against the protrusion.

[0013] Preferably, in step c above, when the pipe enters the stamping mechanism, one side of the opening abuts against the protrusion beforehand, and then after being squeezed by the stamping mechanism, the other side of the opening deforms and abuts against the protrusion.

[0014] Preferably, in step a above, grooves for locking the two sides of the opening are formed simultaneously on both sides of the protrusion during molding.

[0015] Preferably, in step a above, one or both support arms are provided with recesses that facilitate inward bending.

[0016] Preferably, the stamping mechanism includes a frame, on which a support block for supporting a single section of profile is provided, and the surface shape of the support block is the same as that of the single section of profile;

[0017] The upper frame of the support block is provided with a forming punch for extruding the pipe into the single-section profile, and the forming punch is connected to a moving mechanism for driving its reciprocating motion.

[0018] Preferably, the working surface at the lower end of the forming punch covers at least one side of the support arm so that the working side support arm bends and clamps the core tube.

[0019] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0020] This technical solution is based on the traditional aluminum profile extrusion and features structural design. An aluminum alloy ingot is formed by an extrusion die to obtain the corresponding structure. Then, a steel tube is directly embedded into the core tube inside the profile using a stamping mechanism. After deformation, the steel tube is largely encased by the external aluminum alloy profile. The stamping deformation process allows the tube to form different shapes, such as triangular or irregular cross-sections, to adapt to different structural design requirements. The deformed steel tube ensures sufficient structural connection with the external aluminum alloy profile, unlike the traditional direct installation of two materials. This reduces gaps between materials, avoiding structural loosening and lower-than-expected strength caused by gaps. Correspondingly, it reduces the need for stoppers and fillers to prevent such issues.

[0021] In production, stamping can also be regarded as a simulated impact test for the profile. The deformation of the core tube and the structural strength of the profile eaves and support arms can be tested during the stamping process. This allows for a certain psychological expectation of the product's structural strength and provides direction for subsequent improvements. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the molding process structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0026] Reference numerals: 1. Horizontal plate; 2. Eaves; 3. Sloping side wall; 31. Support arm; 311. Recessed opening; 32. Reinforcing rib; 33. Protrusion; 4. Core tube; 41. Longitudinal edge; 42. Horizontal edge; 43. Joint edge; 44. Opening; 5. Support block; 51. Forming punch. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The following will describe in detail the implementation of the present invention with reference to specific embodiments, so that the process of how the present invention uses technical means to solve technical problems and achieve technical effects can be fully understood and implemented accordingly.

[0028] Example 1

[0029] refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2A manufacturing process for reinforced aluminum alloy profiles includes the following steps:

[0030] a. Take an aluminum alloy ingot, and form it by extrusion molding to form a long strip profile with a cross-section having a horizontal plate 1, an eave 2, and a sloping sidewall 3 connecting the two. Both ends of the sloping sidewall 3 have outwardly extending support arms 31. Structurally, the sloping sidewall 3 is a double-layer structure with several reinforcing ribs 32 evenly distributed inside. This sloping sidewall 3 differs from a thin single-layer structure in that it has superior strength, can withstand greater impact forces and reduce deformation as the side of the battery box, and provides sufficient protection for the internal batteries. Structurally, unlike the traditional one-piece box structure, it is formed by stamping a large area of ​​sheet metal. Only this split aluminum profile can form this double-layered sloping sidewall 3 structure.

[0031] b. Cut the long strip of profile obtained in step a into single sections according to the required length.

[0032] c. Take a steel tube of the same length as the single-section profile, deform it using a stamping mechanism, and insert it between the two support arms 31 of the single-section profile, so that the tube is pressed and abutted against the inclined sidewall 3, forming the core tube 4 inside the profile, thus obtaining the reinforced aluminum alloy profile. Its structure is as follows: Figure 1As shown, by adding an internal steel core tube 4, based on the traditional aluminum profile, and specifically addressing the situation where the structural strength cannot be further improved due to the material properties of a single material, the internal core tube 4 can increase the overall toughness of the profile. Unlike the brittle nature of aluminum, when subjected to inward force at the eaves 2, the addition of the core tube 4 makes the profile less prone to breakage, thereby structurally increasing the upper limit of the profile's strength. Under stress, it can better ensure the integrity of the entire new energy battery box, reduce the direct impact of external forces on the internal cells, and provide greater protection for the battery. The steel core tube 4 is located inside the entire profile, while the outside is made of traditional aluminum alloy, ensuring external corrosion resistance while reducing the overall weight of the battery box. The entire profile structure has both the hardness of aluminum profiles and the internal support provided by the core tube 4 to increase toughness under impact, resulting in a high upper limit of structural strength and wide applicability. During the forming process, the structure of the stamping mechanism includes a frame, on which a support block 5 for supporting the single-segment profile is provided. The surface shape of the support block 5 is consistent with the single-segment profile. The materials have the same shape. The upper frame of the support block 5 is equipped with a forming punch 51 for extruding the tube into the single-segment profile. The forming punch 51 is connected to a moving mechanism for driving its reciprocating motion. After the single-segment profile is formed, it is placed on the support block 5 with the same shape, which provides support for all parts of the profile. Then, the tube is placed between the two support arms 31, and then the forming punch 51 extrudes and deforms the tube, thereby forming the structure and embedding it between the two support arms 31. At the same time, its surface is flush with the inclined sidewall 3. Fitting; Specifically: In step c above, the horizontal plate 1 and the eaves 2 are parallel to each other. After the core tube 4 is formed by the stamping mechanism, it forms a longitudinal edge 41 perpendicular to the horizontal plate 1, a horizontal edge 42 parallel to the eaves 2, and a joining edge 43 that is integrally fitted to the inclined sidewall 3. Structurally, the core tube 4 has a longitudinal edge 41, a horizontal edge 42, and a joining edge 43 connecting the two. The longitudinal edge 41 and the horizontal edge 42 are set perpendicular to each other. The cross-section of the core tube 4 is triangular. The joining edge 43 is fitted to the surface of the inclined sidewall 3. Among them, the longitudinal edge 41 extends in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plate 1, while the horizontal edge 42 is set parallel to the horizontal plate 1 and the eaves 2. In this way, when applied to the new energy battery box, the stable triangular structure of the core tube 4 can provide sufficient structural support for the eaves 2, which is the outer edge. Moreover, after the upper box and the lower box of the battery box are subjected to force, the two core tubes 4 can form mutual structural support, further improving the structural strength of the profile when applied to the battery box.

[0033] In order to ensure the stability of the core tube 4 after deformation, the working surface of the lower end of the forming punch 51 covers at least one side of the support arm 31 so that the support arm 31 on the working side bends and clamps the core tube 4. In this way, during the stamping process, the support arms 31 on one or both sides can be squeezed at the same time, so that they deform synchronously with the core tube 4, further improving the fitting effect.

[0034] This technical solution is based on the traditional aluminum profile extrusion and structural design. The aluminum alloy ingot is formed by extrusion die to obtain the corresponding structure. Then, a steel tube is directly embedded in the core tube 4 inside the profile by extrusion deformation by a stamping mechanism. After deformation, the steel tube is mostly wrapped by the external aluminum alloy profile. The stamping deformation forming process allows the tube to form different shapes on the original basis, such as triangular or irregular cross-sections, to adapt to different structural design requirements. The deformed steel tube can ensure sufficient structural connection with the external aluminum alloy profile. Unlike the traditional direct installation of two materials, it can reduce the gap between the materials and avoid problems such as structural loosening and lower than expected strength caused by gaps. Correspondingly, it can reduce the need for stop parts, fillers, etc. to avoid this situation.

[0035] In production, stamping can also be regarded as a simulated impact test for the profile. The deformation of the core tube 4 and the structural strength of the profile eaves 2 and support arm 31 can be tested during the forming process. This allows for a certain psychological expectation of the product's structural strength and provides direction for subsequent improvements.

[0036] The moving mechanism can be a hydraulic press or other related driving component used for stamping and forming, which is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0037] Example 2

[0038] Also refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 Compared to Embodiment 1, the profile structure shown in this embodiment is different. In step a above, a protrusion 33 is simultaneously formed on the inner surface of the inclined sidewall 3 during its forming process. In step c above, before the tube enters the stamping mechanism for extrusion deformation, an opening 44 is cut along its axial direction, and then formed by the stamping mechanism, with both sides of the opening 44 abutting against the protrusion 33. Correspondingly, the inclined sidewall 3 has an arc-shaped structure. This reduces the deformation of the core tube 4 and makes it easier for the core tube 4 to fit onto the inclined sidewall 3, thereby reducing production difficulty.

[0039] Meanwhile, to further improve the processing effect and enhance stability, in step a above, grooves for securing the openings 44 are simultaneously formed on both sides of the protrusion 33 during forming. This allows the openings 44 to be secured within the grooves on both sides of the protrusion 33 during the tube deformation process, acting as guides for the openings 44 and limiting the structure of the finished core tube 4, preventing loosening after processing. In specific processing, in step c above, when the tube enters the stamping mechanism, one side of the opening 44 pre-contacts the protrusion 33, and then, after being pressed by the stamping mechanism, the other side of the opening 44 deforms and abuts against the protrusion 33. This ensures a uniform processing flow during the stamping process and guarantees the consistency of the finished core tube 4.

[0040] Corresponding to the structure in Embodiment 1 where "the working surface of the lower end of the forming punch 51 covers at least one side of the support arm 31", in step a above, one or both sides of the support arm 31 are provided with a relief opening 311 to facilitate its inward bending. In this way, the aluminum material at the relief opening 311 position is thinner, making it easier to bend and deform under force and fit against the core tube 4, thereby improving the stability of the processing and forming.

[0041] In the above structure, the steel material of the core tube 4 must be selected with high toughness and not easy to break; while the aluminum profile can be selected with high hardness but relatively low toughness compared to the core tube 4; and, as in the structure of this embodiment, a double-layer structure as in embodiment one and a corresponding reinforcing rib 32 structure can also be added to the inclined sidewall 3.

[0042] Although the invention has been specifically shown and described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes in form and detail may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, all of which shall be within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. A manufacturing process for reinforced aluminum alloy profiles, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: a. Take an aluminum alloy ingot and form it by extrusion molding to form a long strip profile with a cross section having a horizontal plate (1), an eave (2) and a sloping side wall (3) connecting the two. The two ends of the sloping side wall (3) have outwardly extending support arms (31). b. Cut the long strip of profile obtained in step a into single sections according to the required length. c. Take a steel pipe with the same length as the single section profile, and insert it between the two support arms (31) of the single section profile by a stamping mechanism to make the pipe press against the inclined side wall (3) to form the core tube (4) inside the profile, and obtain the reinforced aluminum alloy profile. In step c above, the horizontal plate (1) and the eaves (2) are parallel to each other. After the core tube (4) is formed by the stamping mechanism, it forms a longitudinal edge (41) perpendicular to the horizontal plate (1), a horizontal edge (42) parallel to the eaves (2), and a joint edge (43) that is integrally attached to the inclined side wall (3).

2. The manufacturing process of a reinforced aluminum alloy profile according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step a above, a protrusion (33) is formed on the inner surface of the inclined sidewall (3) during its forming process; in step c above, before the tube enters the stamping mechanism for extrusion deformation, it is cut along its axial direction to form an opening (44), and then formed by the stamping mechanism, with the two sides of the opening (44) abutting against the protrusion (33).

3. The manufacturing process of a reinforced aluminum alloy profile according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step c above, when the pipe enters the stamping mechanism, one side of the opening (44) abuts against the protrusion (33) in advance, and then after being squeezed by the stamping mechanism, the other side of the opening (44) deforms and abuts against the protrusion (33).

4. The manufacturing process of a reinforced aluminum alloy profile according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step a above, grooves for locking the two sides of the protrusion (33) are formed simultaneously during molding.

5. The manufacturing process of a reinforced aluminum alloy profile according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step a above, one or both of the support arms (31) are provided with a relief opening (311) to facilitate their inward bending.

6. The manufacturing process of a reinforced aluminum alloy profile according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The stamping mechanism includes a frame, on which a support block (5) for mounting a single section profile is provided, and the surface shape of the support block (5) is the same as that of the single section profile. The upper frame of the support block (5) is provided with a forming punch (51) for extruding the pipe into the single section profile, and the forming punch (51) is connected to a moving mechanism for driving its reciprocating motion.

7. The manufacturing process of a reinforced aluminum alloy profile according to claim 6, characterized in that: The working surface of the lower end of the forming punch (51) covers at least one side of the support arm (31) so that the working side support arm (31) bends and clamps the core tube (4).

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