Hydroforming apparatus and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of hydraulic forming, and provides a hydraulic forming device and method, and the hydraulic forming device comprises a hydraulic station, an internal high-pressure forming die and a locking hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic station provides a power source for the whole hydraulic system and controls the pressure and flow of hydraulic fluid. The internal high-pressure forming die comprises an upper die and a lower die, the upper die and the lower die define a forming cavity, the forming cavity is communicated with a forming die pressure cylinder, the forming die pressure cylinder is connected with the hydraulic station, and a locking hydraulic cylinder is arranged on the side, away from the forming cavity, of the upper die and / or the lower die. And the locking hydraulic cylinder is configured to be used for driving the upper die and the lower die to be closed, the locking hydraulic cylinder is connected with the hydraulic station, and the pressure of a hydraulic rod of the locking hydraulic cylinder is larger than the internal pressure of the forming cavity. The manufacturing cost of the locking hydraulic cylinder is far lower than the high equipment investment of a traditional internal high-pressure forming mode, and the equipment cost of a manufacturing enterprise is remarkably reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of hydroforming, and particularly relates to a hydroforming device and method. Background Art

[0002] As an innovative metal forming process, the internal high-pressure forming technology has been widely used in the automotive industry in recent years, especially playing an important role in promoting vehicle lightweighting and improving the strength and stiffness of components. This technology applies internal and external pressures to the metal material by introducing high-pressure fluid into the mold, causing it to be shaped within the mold.

[0003] However, with the increase in workpiece size and complexity, especially when producing larger-sized components, the internal high-pressure forming faces increasing challenges. For the forming of large-sized components, the high pressure within the mold may reach several hundred megapascals (MPa), thus requiring the mold to withstand a huge clamping force. Therefore, the existing clamping and locking device has a complex structure and high cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a hydroforming device and method to reduce costs.

[0005] To achieve the above and other related purposes, the present invention provides a hydroforming device, including:

[0006] A hydraulic station;

[0007] An internal high-pressure forming mold, the internal high-pressure forming mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold, the upper mold and the lower mold enclose to form a forming cavity, the forming cavity is communicated with a forming mold booster cylinder, and the forming mold booster cylinder is connected to the hydraulic station;

[0008] A locking hydraulic cylinder, disposed on one side of the upper mold and / or the lower mold away from the forming cavity, the locking hydraulic cylinder is configured to drive the upper mold and the lower mold to close the mold, the locking hydraulic cylinder is connected to the hydraulic station, and the hydraulic rod pressure of the locking hydraulic cylinder is greater than the internal pressure of the forming cavity.

[0009] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the locking hydraulic cylinder includes a pressure chamber, the pressure chamber is communicated with the hydraulic station, a piston is disposed on one side of the pressure chamber, the hydraulic rod is disposed on the piston, and the area of the pressure surface of the piston located within the pressure chamber is greater than the area of the parting surface of the forming cavity.

[0010] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the hydraulic pressures supplied by the hydraulic station to the forming mold booster cylinder and the locking hydraulic cylinder are the same.

[0011] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a liquid replenishing port is provided on the radial side surface of the locking hydraulic cylinder, and the liquid replenishing port is used to communicate the pressure chamber and the hydraulic station.

[0012] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the diameter of the hydraulic rod is smaller than the diameter of the piston.

[0013] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the locking hydraulic cylinder includes a lubricating chamber, the lubricating chamber is located on the side of the piston away from the pressure chamber, and the lubricating chamber is filled with lubricating oil to lubricate the piston and the hydraulic rod.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a filling port is provided on the radial side surface of the locking hydraulic cylinder, and the filling port is communicated with the lubricating chamber.

[0015] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the locking hydraulic cylinder is arranged on the upper side surface of the upper mold.

[0016] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the locking hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder body, the cylinder body is placed on the upper side surface of the upper mold, and the hydraulic rod extends upward from the cylinder body.

[0017] The present invention also proposes a hydroforming method, which is applied to the hydroforming device described above, and includes the following steps:

[0018] Connect the lower mold of the internal high-pressure forming die to the equipment moving workbench;

[0019] Arrange the locking hydraulic cylinder on the upper mold;

[0020] Connect the forming die booster cylinder and the locking hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic station through a high-pressure pipe;

[0021] Start the hydraulic station to synchronously increase the pressure of the hydraulic rod and the internal pressure of the forming cavity. The internal pressure of the forming cavity completes the workpiece forming, and the pressure of the hydraulic rod completes the clamping and locking of the upper mold and the lower mold.

[0022] The technical effect of the present invention is that in the hydroforming device and method of the present invention, pressure is applied to the mold through the hydraulic station, and the mold clamping force of the locking hydraulic cylinder and the pressure of the forming die booster cylinder increase synchronously. During this process, the stable pressurization of the hydraulic system ensures that the pressures required for mold clamping and forming can be achieved simultaneously. The cost of the locking hydraulic cylinder is much lower than the high investment in equipment in the traditional internal high-pressure forming method, significantly reducing the equipment cost of manufacturing enterprises, enabling small manufacturers to also adopt efficient internal high-pressure forming technology. Only one set of hydraulic station is required to meet the pressure requirements for mold clamping force and product forming during the forming process, avoiding the complex configuration of multiple equipment cooperation in the traditional method, and making equipment operation and maintenance more efficient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for describing the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an internal high-pressure forming die in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 It is an internal schematic diagram of the upper die of the internal high-pressure forming die in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a disassembled schematic diagram of the locking hydraulic cylinder in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Description of reference numerals: 10, internal high-pressure forming die; 11, upper die; 12, lower die; 13, forming die booster cylinder; 14, parting surface; 20, locking hydraulic cylinder; 21, piston; 22, hydraulic rod; 23, liquid replenishing port; 24, filling port; 25, pressure chamber; 26, cylinder block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0028] The following specific examples illustrate the embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments. Various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that, without conflict, the following embodiments and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0029] It should be noted that the diagrams provided in the following embodiments only illustrate the basic concept of the present invention in a schematic manner. Therefore, only the components related to the present invention are shown in the diagrams, rather than being drawn according to the number, shape, and size of the components in actual implementation. The type, quantity, and ratio of each component in actual implementation can be arbitrarily changed, and the component layout type may also be more complex.

[0030] As an innovative metal forming process, hydroforming has been widely used in the automotive industry in recent years, especially in promoting the lightweighting of automobiles and improving the strength and rigidity of parts. This technology introduces high-pressure fluid into the mold, exerts internal and external pressure on the metal material, and causes it to shape in the mold. Hydroforming can not only achieve efficient production of parts with complex shapes, but also significantly reduce the weight of parts while ensuring high strength and high rigidity, thereby effectively promoting the lightweighting process of automobiles.

[0031] As the automotive manufacturing industry continues to increase its requirements for vehicle performance, energy conservation, environmental protection and safety, high pressure forming technology is increasingly used in the production of automotive parts. Parts formed by this technology usually have excellent structural strength and good mechanical properties, which makes high pressure forming a key technology for manufacturing high-strength structural parts (such as automotive chassis, body frames, suspension systems, etc.). In addition, high pressure forming can effectively improve the stiffness and impact resistance of automotive parts, thereby significantly improving the operating stability and safety of the vehicle.

[0032] However, as the size and complexity of workpieces increase, especially when producing larger parts, hydroforming faces increasing challenges. For the forming of large parts, the high pressure in the mold can reach hundreds of megapascals (MPa), which requires the mold to be able to withstand huge clamping forces. Therefore, traditional hydroforming technology usually requires presses of thousands of tons or even more tonnage to provide the required clamping force. This not only means huge equipment investment, but also the forces and material loads that need to be handled during the production process are also very large, increasing the complexity and cost of equipment operation.

[0033] In addition, the purchase and maintenance costs of giant presses are high, and they require large space and consume high energy, which puts small manufacturers under great financial pressure in the application of technology. In order to maximize cost-effectiveness, improve production efficiency, and keep equipment investment low, how to complete the forming of large-sized parts with small-tonnage presses has become a key technical problem that needs to be solved in the current high-pressure forming technology.

[0034] The present invention provides a hydraulic forming device, comprising a hydraulic station, an internal high pressure forming die 10, and a locking hydraulic cylinder 20. The hydraulic station is the power source of the entire hydraulic system, provides power support, and controls the pressure and flow of the hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic station controls the actions of different components by delivering hydraulic oil to achieve the required functions of hydraulic forming.

[0035] like Figure 1 , 2As shown, the internal high-pressure forming die 10 includes an upper die 11 and a lower die 12. The upper die 11 and the lower die 12 enclose a forming cavity, which is communicated with the pressurizing cylinder 13 of the forming die. The pressurizing cylinder 13 of the forming die is connected to the hydraulic station. The pressurizing cylinder of the forming die adjusts the hydraulic pressure by connecting to the hydraulic station, so as to ensure that the workpiece is formed under high pressure.

[0036] The locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is arranged on one side of the upper die 11 and / or the lower die 12 away from the forming cavity. The locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is configured to drive the upper die 11 and the lower die 12 to close. The upper die 11 and the lower die 12 are driven to close by the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 to ensure that the die always remains closed during the forming process. In order to ensure that the die will not be pushed open under high pressure, the pressure of the hydraulic rod 22 of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is set to be greater than the pressure inside the forming cavity, ensuring the stability and tightness of the die during the forming process.

[0037] The locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is connected to the hydraulic station, and the pressure of the hydraulic rod 22 of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is greater than the internal pressure of the forming cavity. By providing sufficient pressure, the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 ensures that the upper die 11 and the lower die 12 can be tightly combined during the high-pressure forming process, thus avoiding the loosening or separation of the die due to excessive internal fluid pressure.

[0038] Generally, a hydraulic system requires multiple hydraulic stations to drive different hydraulic devices respectively. Sharing one hydraulic station for the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 and the pressurizing cylinder 13 of the forming die can reduce the number of hydraulic stations, thereby reducing the procurement cost of the equipment. Multiple hydraulic stations require a large amount of space. Especially in large forming equipment, multiple hydraulic stations will increase the volume and weight of the overall system. Sharing one hydraulic station can effectively save space, making the equipment more compact and suitable for production environments with limited space.

[0039] As Figure 3 shown, the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 includes a pressure chamber 25, which is communicated with the hydraulic station. A piston 21 is arranged on one side of the pressure chamber 25. The hydraulic rod 22 is arranged on the piston 21. The area of the pressure surface of the piston 21 located in the pressure chamber 25 is greater than the area of the parting surface 14 of the forming cavity. The parting surface 14 refers to the inner wall of the forming cavity corresponding to the upper die 11. The hydraulic pressure supplied by the hydraulic station to the pressurizing cylinder 13 of the forming die and the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is the same.

[0040] The clamping force F_lock is jointly determined by the pressure surface area (S_cylinder) of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 and the pressure (P) provided by the hydraulic station. The formula is: F_lock = S_cylinder × P.

[0041] The resultant reaction force F_total is the force exerted by the fluid pressure inside the forming cavity on the mold parting surface 14, and the formula is: F_total = S_surface × P.

[0042] Since the area S_cylinder of the piston 21 of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is larger than the area S_surface of the mold parting surface 14 of the forming cavity, the clamping force F_lock is greater than the resultant reaction force F_total. This difference in force enables the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 to continuously provide sufficient clamping pressure, thereby ensuring that the mold always remains tightly closed.

[0043] When the hydraulic station increases the pressure of the hydraulic oil through pressurization, the clamping force (F_lock) generated by the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 will be greater than the resultant reaction force (F_total) inside the forming cavity. This ensures the self-locking characteristic of the clamping force, that is, once the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 acts on the mold, the mold will automatically remain in the closed state and will not loosen due to changes in the pressure of the hydraulic oil, thus completing the self-locking function of the mold.

[0044] By driving the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 and the forming mold booster cylinder 13 simultaneously with one hydraulic station, the use of traditional multiple hydraulic stations is avoided. This not only reduces the equipment complexity but also lowers the costs of equipment procurement and maintenance. Since the mold can self-lock without additional external force (the clamping force is provided by the forming mold itself), this design makes the entire forming process simpler, more efficient, reduces the dependence on the clamping force that the equipment can provide, and improves the forming accuracy and production efficiency.

[0045] As Figure 3 shown, a fluid replenishing port 23 is provided on the lateral side in the radial direction of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20, and the fluid replenishing port 23 is used to connect the pressure chamber and the hydraulic station. Through the connection with the hydraulic station, the fluid replenishing port 23 allows the replenishment of hydraulic oil in the hydraulic system. The flow and circulation of hydraulic oil in the entire system are the key to ensuring the normal operation of the hydraulic device. The function of the fluid replenishing port 23 is to ensure that the quantity and pressure of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic cylinder remain at a certain level to prevent abnormal system operation due to insufficient hydraulic oil. Through the fluid replenishing port 23, a communication channel is established between the pressure chamber of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 and the hydraulic station. When the hydraulic oil inside the hydraulic cylinder decreases due to leakage or temperature change during the working process, the fluid replenishing port 23 can timely replenish the hydraulic oil to ensure the stability of the oil quantity and pressure in the hydraulic system and avoid the failure of the clamping function due to insufficient oil quantity.

[0046] The liquid filling port 23 is arranged on the side of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 to facilitate the replenishment of hydraulic oil and the adjustment of the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder. There is usually enough space on the side of the hydraulic cylinder to conveniently set up the connecting pipeline and the liquid replenishment channel of the hydraulic station. At the same time, the side position can also reduce the interference of the liquid filling operation on other components of the hydraulic cylinder and avoid affecting the normal operation of the hydraulic cylinder. The main work of the hydraulic cylinder is to push the hydraulic rod 22 to perform tasks through the piston 21. The movement of the piston 21 usually occurs at the two ends of the hydraulic cylinder. Arranging the liquid filling port 23 on the side avoids interfering with the main working area during the movement of the piston 21, ensuring the normal movement and force transmission of the hydraulic cylinder, and also facilitating the replenishment and maintenance of hydraulic oil.

[0047] As Figure 3 shown, the diameter of the hydraulic rod 22 is smaller than the diameter of the piston 21. The piston 21 in the hydraulic cylinder bears a greater hydraulic pressure, so the diameter of the piston 21 is usually larger than that of the hydraulic rod 22. The hydraulic rod 22 is usually connected to the piston 21 and transmits force through the movement of the piston 21. To ensure the smooth movement of the piston 21, the diameter of the hydraulic rod 22 is relatively small compared to the piston 21, which helps to reduce the friction of the hydraulic system.

[0048] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 includes a lubricating cavity located on the side of the piston 21 away from the pressure cavity 25, and the lubricating cavity is filled with lubricating oil to lubricate the piston 21 and the hydraulic rod 22. The function of the lubricating cavity is to ensure that the hydraulic rod 22 and the piston 21 can be fully lubricated during operation, avoiding wear and overheating caused by friction.

[0049] As Figure 3 shown, a filling port 24 is provided on the side of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 in the radial direction, and the filling port 24 is communicated with the lubricating cavity. Through the filling port 24, maintenance personnel can easily check and add lubricating oil to ensure that the amount of lubricating oil in the lubricating cavity is sufficient. This can greatly simplify the daily maintenance of the hydraulic cylinder, reduce the downtime, and improve the production efficiency. Regularly replenishing the lubricating oil helps to ensure that there is always a good lubricating state between the hydraulic rod 22 and the piston 21, avoiding the lubricating oil from drying out or thinning over time, resulting in increased friction, and thus improving the long-term stability of the system.

[0050] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is arranged on the upper side of the upper die 11. This design is to ensure the fastening, stability and convenient operation of the hydraulic cylinder, and is usually used in the hydraulic system that requires precise control of the mold. The locking hydraulic cylinder 20 transmits the hydraulic pressure to the upper side of the mold to ensure that the upper die 11 is always in a locked state during operation, preventing the upper die 11 from shifting or loosening, and ensuring the accuracy and safety during the processing.

[0051] As Figure 3 shown, the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 includes a cylinder block 26 which is placed on the upper side of the upper die 11, and the hydraulic rod 22 extends upward from the cylinder block 26. This structural design enables the force of the hydraulic system to be directly transmitted to the upper die 11, ensuring that the hydraulic rod 22 can extend upward and generate the required thrust force. Through this layout, the hydraulic cylinder can provide a strong locking force for the upper die 11. After the hydraulic rod 22 extends out, it can contact other components (such as a crossbeam) to further stabilize the upper die 11. A crossbeam is designed above the hydraulic rod 22 for the hydraulic rod 22 to press against. The function of the crossbeam is usually to provide a support surface or contact surface to ensure that the thrust force of the hydraulic rod 22 can be evenly distributed on the upper die 11, avoiding excessive local stress on the hydraulic rod 22.

[0052] The present invention also proposes a hydroforming method applied to the hydroforming device, including the following steps:

[0053] S1. Connect the lower die 12 of the internal high-pressure forming die 10 to the equipment moving workbench. During implementation, the lower die 12 can be connected to the workbench by bolts or a quick locking device to ensure its stability during operation. The key to this step is to ensure that the lower die 12 is firmly fixed to the workbench so that the relative position of the die and the workbench does not shift during the forming process, ensuring the forming accuracy.

[0054] S2. Set the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 on the upper die 11 to ensure a firm connection at its joint with the upper die 11. The locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is usually fixed by bolts or other quick connection devices. The position of the hydraulic cylinder is usually set at the upper end of the upper die 11 and is connected to the hydraulic station through pipelines to transmit hydraulic power. The purpose of installing the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is to ensure that the upper die 11 can firmly press the workpiece and perform mold locking under hydraulic action.

[0055] S3. Connect the forming die booster cylinder 13 and the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 to the hydraulic station through high-pressure pipes. The pipelines between the booster cylinder and the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 need to ensure good sealing to avoid leakage during the flow of high-pressure liquid. The pipelines should be connected to the hydraulic station through appropriate interfaces to ensure that hydraulic oil can be transmitted to the booster cylinder and the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 with sufficient pressure.

[0056] S4. Start the hydraulic station to synchronously increase the pressure of the hydraulic rod 22 and the internal pressure of the forming cavity. The internal pressure of the forming cavity completes the workpiece forming, and the pressure of the hydraulic rod 22 completes the mold clamping and locking of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12. Through the control system, the hydraulic station will synchronously start the boosting cylinder 13 of the forming mold and the locking hydraulic cylinder 20, so that the pressure of the hydraulic rod 22 (from the locking hydraulic cylinder 20) and the internal pressure of the forming cavity (from the boosting cylinder) increase synchronously. The function of the boosting cylinder is to increase the pressure in the forming cavity to complete the forming of the workpiece. At the same time, the hydraulic rod 22 of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 will push the upper mold 11 downward to lock the lower mold 12 and the upper mold 11 together to complete the mold clamping. The internal pressure of the forming cavity is used for the plastic deformation of the workpiece to form the required shape and size. The locking hydraulic cylinder 20 makes the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 closely combined through the pressure of the hydraulic rod 22 to ensure the mold clamping state and prevent the mold from loosening or misaligning during the forming process.

[0057] In summary, in the hydraulic forming device and method of the present invention, the hydraulic station applies pressure to the mold, and the clamping force of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 and the pressure of the boosting cylinder 13 of the forming mold increase synchronously. During this process, the stable boosting of the hydraulic system ensures that the pressures required for mold clamping and forming can be achieved simultaneously. The cost of the locking hydraulic cylinder 20 is much lower than the high investment in equipment in the traditional internal high-pressure forming method, significantly reducing the equipment cost of manufacturing enterprises, enabling small manufacturers to also adopt efficient internal high-pressure forming technology. Only one set of hydraulic station is required to meet the requirements of the clamping force and the pressure required for product forming during the forming process, avoiding the complex configuration of multiple equipment cooperation in the traditional method and making the equipment operation and maintenance more efficient. The forming method of the present invention has lower requirements for equipment, the equipment structure is simple, and there are fewer mechanisms. Therefore, it can significantly reduce the volume and complexity of the equipment, reduce energy consumption and improve production efficiency. One piece of equipment can be applicable to the forming requirements of products with different tonnages, greatly improving the flexibility and adaptability of the equipment. Whether it is small-sized parts or large-sized parts, they can be formed through simple adjustment and configuration, improving the versatility and usability of the equipment.

[0058] The above embodiments are only illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not used to limit the present invention. Any person familiar with this technology can modify or change the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or changes completed by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field without departing from the spirit and technical idea disclosed by the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

[0059] In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other devices, systems, components, methods, parts, materials, articles, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention.

[0060] Throughout the specification, reference to "an embodiment", "embodiment", or "specific embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in an embodiment", "in embodiments", or "in a specific embodiment" in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It should be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the invention described and shown herein may be made in accordance with the teachings herein and will be considered part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0061] It should also be understood that one or more of the elements shown in the figures may also be implemented in a more separated or more integrated manner, or even removed in some cases as they are inoperable or provided because they may be useful in a particular application.

[0062] In addition, unless otherwise explicitly specified, any marked arrows in the figures should be considered merely exemplary and not restrictive. Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the term "or" as used herein generally intends to mean "and / or". In cases where the term is anticipated to be unclear due to the ability to provide separation or combination, the combination of components or steps will also be considered to be specified.

[0063] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise indicated, "a", "an", and "the" include plural references. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise indicated, the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on".

[0064] The foregoing description of the embodiments shown in the present invention (including what is described in the abstract of the specification) is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of the invention and examples of the invention have been described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications will be apparent to and can be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention. As noted, these modifications can be made to the present invention in accordance with the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present invention and these modifications will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0065] The systems and methods have been described generally herein to facilitate an understanding of the details of the present invention. Additionally, various specific details have been given to provide an overall understanding of embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other devices, systems, components, methods, materials, parts, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0066] Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to its specific embodiments, modifications, various changes and substitutions are also within the foregoing disclosure, and it should be understood that in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular environment or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms used in the following claims or to the specific embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention, but the present invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention will be determined only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hydraulic forming device, characterized in that: include: Hydraulic station; An internal high pressure forming mold, the internal high pressure forming mold comprising an upper mold and a lower mold, the upper mold and the lower mold together form a forming cavity, the forming cavity is connected to a forming mold booster cylinder, and the forming mold booster cylinder is connected to the hydraulic station; A locking hydraulic cylinder is arranged on a side of the upper mold and / or the lower mold away from the molding cavity. The locking hydraulic cylinder is configured to drive the upper mold and the lower mold to close the mold. The locking hydraulic cylinder is connected to the hydraulic station, and the hydraulic rod pressure of the locking hydraulic cylinder is greater than the internal pressure of the molding cavity.

2. A hydraulic forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking hydraulic cylinder includes a pressure chamber, which is connected to the hydraulic station. A piston is arranged on one side of the pressure chamber, and the hydraulic rod is arranged on the piston. The area of ​​the pressure surface of the piston in the pressure chamber is larger than the area of ​​the parting surface of the molding cavity.

3. A hydraulic forming device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The hydraulic station supplies the same hydraulic pressure to the forming die booster cylinder and the locking hydraulic cylinder.

4. A hydraulic forming device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A fluid replenishing port is disposed on a radial side of the locking hydraulic cylinder, and the fluid replenishing port is used to connect the pressure chamber and the hydraulic station.

5. A hydraulic forming device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The diameter of the hydraulic rod is smaller than the diameter of the piston.

6. A hydraulic forming device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The locking hydraulic cylinder comprises a lubrication chamber, which is located at a side of the piston away from the pressure chamber, and the lubrication chamber is filled with lubricating oil to lubricate the piston and the hydraulic rod.

7. A hydraulic forming device according to claim 6, characterized in that: A filling port is arranged on the radial side of the locking hydraulic cylinder, and the filling port is communicated with the lubrication cavity.

8. A hydraulic forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking hydraulic cylinder is arranged on the upper side surface of the upper die.

9. A hydraulic forming device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The locking hydraulic cylinder comprises a cylinder body, the cylinder body is placed on the upper side of the upper die, and the hydraulic rod extends upward from the cylinder body.

10. A hydraulic forming method, characterized in that: The hydroforming device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 comprises the following steps: Connecting the lower die of the internal high pressure forming die to the moving workbench of the equipment; The locking hydraulic cylinder is arranged on the upper die; Connecting the forming die booster cylinder and the locking hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic station via high-pressure pipes; The hydraulic station is started to make the hydraulic rod pressure and the internal pressure of the molding cavity rise synchronously, the internal pressure of the molding cavity completes the workpiece forming, and the hydraulic rod pressure completes the mold clamping and locking of the upper mold and the lower mold.

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