Forming device

Abstract

This molding device uses at least a part of a member of an existing press device and supplies a fluid to carry out expansion molding of a metal material.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a molding apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional forming apparatus for forming metal materials is disclosed in Patent Document 1. This forming apparatus forms parts of a desired shape by pressing a plate-shaped member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-188793 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Therefore, there has been a demand for reducing the introduction cost of a molding device that supplies a fluid to expand and mold a metal material.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a molding device that can reduce introduction costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure utilizes at least some of the components of an existing press apparatus to supply a fluid and expand and form a metal material.

[0007] This allows for the construction of a molding device that supplies fluid to expand and mold a metal material by reusing some of the components of an existing press device, thereby reducing the introduction cost of the molding device.

[0008] The fluid may be a gas.

[0009] The molding device may expand and mold the heated metal material.

[0010] Some of the members may be foundations. In this case, the foundation of an existing press machine can be used, thereby eliminating the cost of foundation construction.

[0011] Peripheral equipment for the forming device may be installed based on the foundation, in which case the layout can effectively utilize the foundation of the existing press device.

[0012] Some of the components may be high-pressure air generators, in which case capital investment in high-pressure air generators can be reduced.

[0013] Some components may be hydraulic units. In this case, the hydraulic unit of an existing press machine can be reused and the mechanical parts can be updated. This reuse mode can be adopted when the physical dimensional requirements of the existing press machine are not met but the hydraulic unit has the control function of the molding machine. This allows for reduced investment in the hydraulic unit portion of the molding machine.

[0014] Some of the components may be at least one of the press parts, such as the main cylinder, bed, crown, and slide. In this case, the mechanical parts of an existing press machine can be reused, and the hydraulic control parts, etc. can be updated. This reuse mode can be adopted when the physical dimensional requirements of the existing press machine are met but the hydraulic control is not possible. This allows for reduced investment in the mechanical parts of the molding machine. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a molding device that can reduce the introduction cost of the molding device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the molding device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a molding device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] (a) is a diagram showing a thermal expansion unit, and (b) is an enlarged view of the nozzle. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the mold when it is closed. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the load receiving mechanism. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view of an existing press machine that is used to manufacture the molding machine shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an existing press machine that is used to manufacture the molding machine shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a molding device according to a modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the entire building of the molding device. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the entire building in which the existing press machine was installed. [Figure 11] 1 is a diagram showing the basics of a forming device. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the foundation of an existing press device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a front view of a molding apparatus according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, molding apparatus 1 includes a mold 2, a lower base portion 110, an upper base portion 120, and a column portion 150. Mold 2 includes an upper mold 12 (first mold) and a lower mold 11 (second mold). Lower base portion 110 is provided below and facing lower mold 11. One horizontal direction is defined as the X-axis direction, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction is defined as the Y-axis direction. One side of the X-axis direction (the right side of the paper in FIG. 1) is defined as the positive side, and one side of the Y-axis direction (the front side of the paper in FIG. 1) is defined as the positive side.

[0019] The lower base portion 110 is a component known as a bed, and forms the foundation of the molding apparatus 1. A drive mechanism for moving the lower mold 11 may be housed within the lower base portion 110, or the lower mold 11 may be configured to be immobile. The lower base portion 110 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The lower base portion 110 has a plate-shaped base 111 (a portion for arranging the second mold) on its upper end. The lower mold 11 and a thermal expansion unit 50, which will be described later, are arranged on the base 111. The upper surface of the base 111 corresponds to the upper surface of the lower base portion 110. The lower mold 11 is attached to the base 111 via a die holder or the like.

[0020] The upper base portion 120 is provided above and opposite the upper mold 12. The upper base portion 120 is a component called a crown, and is a component that serves as the base of the upper structure of the molding apparatus 1. The upper base portion 120 houses a drive mechanism 3 that moves the upper mold 12, etc. The upper mold 12 is attached to a slide 21 (a portion where the first mold is placed) via a die holder or the like. The upper base portion 120 has a rectangular parallelepiped (or trapezoid) shape. The pillar portion 150 is a member that stands between the lower base portion 110 and the upper base portion 120. Multiple pillar portions 150 (four in this case) are formed to surround the periphery of the mold 2. The detailed configuration of the pillar portions 150 will be described later.

[0021] The molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a load receiving mechanism 70 that receives a load and stops the mold closing operation when the upper mold 12 and the lower mold 11 are closed. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , a total of four load receiving mechanisms 70 are provided on both sides of the mold 2 in the X-axis direction and on both sides of the thermal expansion unit 50 in the Y-axis direction. That is, the load receiving mechanisms 70 are provided at positions different from the mold 2 in the X- and Y-directions. The load receiving mechanisms 70 include a load receiving member 71 and a contact member 72. The load receiving member 71 is provided on the upper surface of the base 111. The contact member 72 is a member that comes into contact with the load receiving member 71. The contact member 72 is provided on the lower surface of the slide 21. The contact member 72 is provided above the load receiving member 71 in a position facing the load receiving member 71. The detailed configuration of the load receiving mechanism 70 will be described later.

[0022] Next, the functions of the forming apparatus 1 will be described in more detail. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment (however, the load-receiving mechanism 70 in FIG. 1 is omitted). As shown in FIG. 2, the forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus that forms a metal pipe material having a closed cross section by expansion forming. In this embodiment, the forming apparatus 1 is installed on a horizontal surface. The forming apparatus 1 includes the above-mentioned mold 2, a drive mechanism 3, a holding unit 4, a heating unit 5, a fluid supply unit 6, a cooling unit 7, and a control unit 8. In this specification, a metal pipe refers to a hollow article after forming in the forming apparatus 1 is completed, and a metal pipe material 40 refers to a hollow article before forming in the forming apparatus 1 is completed. The metal pipe material 40 is a pipe material made of a hardenable steel.

[0023] The drive mechanism 3 is a mechanism that moves at least one of the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 12. In Fig. 2, the drive mechanism 3 has a configuration that moves only the upper mold 12. The drive mechanism 3 includes a slide 21 that moves the upper mold 12 so that the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 12 are aligned with each other, a pull-back cylinder 22 as an actuator that generates a force that pulls the slide 21 upward, a main cylinder 23 as a drive source that pressurizes the slide 21 downward, and a drive source 25 that imparts a drive force to the main cylinder 23.

[0024] The holding unit 4 is a mechanism for holding the metal pipe material 40 disposed between the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 12. The holding unit 4 includes a lower electrode 26 and an upper electrode 27 that hold the metal pipe material 40 at one end in the extension direction of the mold 2, and a lower electrode 26 and an upper electrode 27 that hold the metal pipe material 40 at the other end in the extension direction of the mold 2. The lower electrode 26 and the upper electrode 27 on both sides in the extension direction hold the metal pipe material 40 by sandwiching the vicinity of the end of the metal pipe material 40 from above and below. Grooves having a shape corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the metal pipe material 40 are formed on the upper surface of the lower electrode 26 and the lower surface of the upper electrode 27. The lower electrode 26 and the upper electrode 27 can be moved up and down independently by the drive mechanism of the thermal expansion unit 50.

[0025] The heating unit 5 heats the metal pipe material 40. The heating unit 5 is a mechanism that heats the metal pipe material 40 by passing electricity through the metal pipe material 40. The heating unit 5 heats the metal pipe material 40 between the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 12 while the metal pipe material 40 is separated from the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 12. The heating unit 5 includes a lower electrode 26 and an upper electrode 27 on both sides in the extension direction, and a power source 28 that applies current to the metal pipe material via these electrodes 26, 27. The heating unit 5 may be arranged in a process upstream of the molding device 1 and may be an external heating unit.

[0026] The fluid supply unit 6 is a mechanism for supplying high-pressure fluid into the metal pipe material 40 held between the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 12. The fluid supply unit 6 supplies high-pressure fluid to the metal pipe material 40, which has been heated by the heating unit 5 to a high temperature, thereby expanding the metal pipe material 40. The fluid supply unit 6 is provided on both ends of the mold 2 in the extension direction. The fluid supply unit 6 includes a nozzle 31 that supplies fluid into the metal pipe material 40 from an opening at the end of the metal pipe material 40, a drive mechanism 32 that moves the nozzle 31 toward and away from the opening of the metal pipe material 40, and a supply source 33 that supplies high-pressure fluid into the metal pipe material 40 through the nozzle 31. The drive mechanism 32 brings the nozzle 31 into close contact with the end of the metal pipe material 40 while ensuring a seal (see FIG. 3(b)) during fluid supply and exhaust, and moves the nozzle 31 away from the end of the metal pipe material 40 at other times. The fluid supply unit 6 may supply a gas such as high-pressure air or an inert gas as the fluid. The fluid supply unit 6 may be integrated into the same device as the holding unit 4 having a mechanism for moving the metal pipe material 40 in the vertical direction, including the heating unit 5.

[0027] Fig. 3(a) is a schematic side view showing a thermal expansion unit 50 that unitizes the components of the holding unit 4, the heating unit 5, and the fluid supply unit 6. Fig. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the state when the nozzle 31 seals the metal pipe material 40.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3( a), the thermal expansion unit 50 includes the lower electrode 26 and upper electrode 27, an electrode mounting unit 51 mounting the electrodes 26 and 27, the nozzle 31 and drive mechanism 32, a lifting unit 52, and a unit base 53. The electrode mounting unit 51 includes a lifting frame 54 and electrode frames 56 and 57. The electrode frames 56 and 57 function as part of a drive mechanism 60 that supports and moves the electrodes 26 and 27. The drive mechanism 32 drives the nozzle 31 to lift and lower the electrode mounting unit 51. The drive mechanism 32 includes a piston 61 that holds the nozzle 31 and a cylinder 62 that drives the piston. The lifting unit 52 includes a lifting frame base 64 attached to the upper surface of the unit base 53 and a lifting actuator 66 that lifts and lowers the lifting frame 54 of the electrode mounting unit 51 via the lifting frame base 64. The lifting frame base 64 has guide portions 64a and 64b that guide the lifting frame 54 as it moves up and down relative to the unit base 53. The lifting unit 52 functions as part of the drive mechanism 60 of the holding part 4. The thermal expansion unit 50 has multiple unit bases 53 with different inclination angles of their upper surfaces, and by replacing these, it is possible to change and adjust the inclination angles of the lower electrode 26, upper electrode 27, nozzle 31, electrode mounting unit 51, drive mechanism 32, and lifting unit 52 all at once.

[0029] The nozzle 31 is a cylindrical member into which the end of the metal pipe material 40 can be inserted. The nozzle 31 is supported by a drive mechanism 32 so that the center line of the nozzle 31 coincides with the reference line SL1. The inner diameter of the supply port 31a at the end of the nozzle 31 on the metal pipe material 40 side is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the metal pipe material 40 after expansion molding (see FIG. 3(b)). In this state, the nozzle 31 supplies high-pressure fluid from an internal flow path 63 to the metal pipe material 40. An example of the high-pressure fluid is gas.

[0030] Returning to Fig. 2, the cooling unit 7 is a mechanism for cooling the mold 2. By cooling the mold 2, the cooling unit 7 can rapidly cool the expanded metal pipe material 40 when it comes into contact with the molding surface of the mold 2. The cooling unit 7 includes flow paths 36 formed inside the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 12, and a water circulation mechanism 37 that supplies cooling water to the flow paths 36 and circulates the water.

[0031] The control unit 8 is a device that controls the entire molding device 1. The control unit 8 controls the drive mechanism 3, the holding unit 4, the heating unit 5, the fluid supply unit 6, and the cooling unit 7. The control unit 8 repeatedly performs the operation of molding the metal pipe material 40 in the mold 2.

[0032] Specifically, the control unit 8 controls the timing of transfer from a transfer device such as a robot arm to place the metal pipe material 40 between the open lower mold 11 and upper mold 12. Alternatively, the control unit 8 may wait for an operator to manually place the metal pipe material 40 between the lower mold 11 and upper mold 12. The control unit 8 also controls the actuators of the holding unit 4 to support the metal pipe material 40 with the lower electrodes 26 on both sides in the extension direction, and then lower the upper electrode 27 to sandwich the metal pipe material 40. The control unit 8 also controls the heating unit 5 to electrically heat the metal pipe material 40. As a result, an axial current flows through the metal pipe material 40, and the metal pipe material 40 itself generates heat through Joule heat due to its own electrical resistance.

[0033] The control unit 8 controls the drive mechanism 3 to lower the upper mold 12 and bring it close to the lower mold 11, thereby closing the mold 2. Meanwhile, the control unit 8 controls the fluid supply unit 6 to seal the openings at both ends of the metal pipe material 40 with the nozzle 31 and supply fluid. As a result, the metal pipe material 40, softened by heating, expands and comes into contact with the molding surface of the mold 2. The metal pipe material 40 is then molded to fit the shape of the molding surface of the mold 2. Once the metal pipe material 40 comes into contact with the molding surface, it is quenched by the mold 2, which has been cooled by the cooling unit 7, thereby quenching the metal pipe material 40.

[0034] Next, the load receiving mechanism 70 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The load receiving mechanism 70 receives a load during the mold closing operation of the mold 2. Therefore, the operation of the mold 2 will be described first with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the mold 2 during mold closing. As shown in FIG. 4(a), when the bottom surface of the cavity 16 at the center of the lower mold 11 is taken as a reference line LV2, a step is formed on the upper surface of the lower mold 11 by the first protrusion 11b, the second protrusion 11c, the third protrusion 11d, and the fourth protrusion 11e. The cavity 16 is formed between the protrusions 11c and 11d, which are spaced apart in the Y-axis direction. When the bottom surface of the cavity 24 at the center of the upper mold 12 is taken as a reference line LV1, a step is formed on the lower surface of the upper mold 12 by the first protrusion 12b, the second protrusion 12c, the third protrusion 12d, and the fourth protrusion 12e. A cavity 24 is formed between the protrusions 12c and 12d spaced apart in the Y-axis direction.

[0035] First, when heating the metal pipe material 40, the thermal expansion unit 50 places the metal pipe material 40 between the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 12. At this time, the slide 21 moves downward from the mold closing start position (the so-called top dead center, the position shown in FIG. 1) and moves the upper mold 12 to a position in front of the metal pipe material 40, as shown in FIG. 4(a). In the state shown in FIG. 4(a), the metal pipe material 40 is heated. Next, the upper mold 12 moves to the position shown in FIG. 4(b). At this time, a main cavity portion MC is formed between the bottom surface of the cavity 24 of the upper mold 12 (the surface that becomes the reference line LV1) and the bottom surface of the cavity 16 of the lower mold 11 (the surface that becomes the reference line LV2). Between the protrusions 12c and 12d of the upper mold 12 and the protrusions 11c and 11d of the lower mold 11, sub-cavities SC1 and SC2 are formed. The sub-cavities SC1 and SC2 are connected to the main cavity MC and have a smaller volume than the main cavity MC. The main cavity MC forms the pipe portion 41a (see FIG. 4(d)) of the metal pipe 41, and the sub-cavities SC1 and SC2 form the flange portions 41b and 41c of the metal pipe 41, respectively (see FIG. 4(c)). With the upper mold 12 in the position shown in FIG. 4(b), a low-pressure fluid is supplied to the metal pipe material 40 (primary blow). As a result, portions of the metal pipe material 40 enter the sub-cavities SC1 and SC2, forming the flange portions 40a and 40b. The metal pipe material 40 takes on a shape corresponding to the main cavity MC. The position of the upper mold 12 where the primary blow is performed is sometimes referred to as the intermediate position.

[0036] Next, once the primary blow is complete, the upper mold 12 moves further downward and aligns with the lower mold 11 to form a completely closed state, as shown in FIG. 4(c). This position is sometimes referred to as the mold closing completion position (so-called bottom dead center). The intermediate position in FIG. 4(b) is considered a position just before the completion position because the mold 2 is not completely closed and mold closing is not yet complete. When the upper mold 12 reaches the completion position, the flange portions 40a and 40b are completely crushed and formed into flange portions 41b and 41c. Next, a fluid is supplied to the metal pipe material 40 at high pressure (secondary blow). As a result, the pipe portion 41a of the metal pipe 41 assumes a shape corresponding to the main cavity portion MC, as shown in FIG. 4(d). The upper mold 12 then moves upward and returns to the mold closing start position (see FIG. 1). The metal pipe 41 is thus completed.

[0037] Next, the configuration and operation of the load receiving mechanism 70 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5(a) is a diagram showing the load receiving mechanism 70 during electrical heating of the metal pipe material 40 of Fig. 4(a). Fig. 5(b) is a diagram showing the load receiving mechanism 70 during the primary blow of Fig. 4(b). Fig. 5(a) is a diagram showing the load receiving mechanism 70 during the secondary blow at the completed mold closing position of Fig. 4(d). Note that Fig. 5 also shows the reference lines LV1 and LV2 shown in Fig. 4.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5( a), the load-receiving member 71 is a hydraulic cylinder. The load-receiving member 71 includes a cylinder portion 73, a rod portion 74, and a load receiving portion 76. The cylinder portion 73 is a cylindrical member that extends upward and has its lower end fixed to the base 111. The rod portion 74 is a member that is inserted into the cylinder portion 73 so as to be movable forward and backward and extends upward from the upper end of the cylinder portion 73. A piston portion 77 is provided inside the cylinder portion 73 at the lower end of the rod portion 74. The piston portion 77 is hydraulically pressurized from below. The load receiving portion 76 is provided at the upper end of the rod portion 74. The load receiving portion 76 comes into contact with the contact member 72 and receives a load from the slide 21 via the contact member 72. Note that the load-receiving member 71 is not limited to a hydraulic cylinder and may be an elastic body such as a gas cylinder or a Belleville spring.

[0039] The load receiving mechanism 70 receives a load when the upper mold 12 and the lower mold 11 are closed, and stops the mold closing operation. The load receiving mechanism 70 stops the mold closing operation at a position before the mold closing completion position. In this embodiment, the load receiving member 71 comes into contact with the contact member 72, thereby receiving the load from the slide 21 via the contact member 72 (see FIG. 5(b)). As a result, the load receiving member 71 temporarily stops the movement of the upper mold 12 together with the slide 21, thereby stopping the mold closing operation of the mold 2. The load receiving member 71 stops the slide 21 and the upper mold 12 at a position (position shown in FIG. 4(b)) before the completion position when the primary blow is performed. Therefore, the protrusion amount of the rod portion 74 is set in advance so that the contact member 72 and the load receiving portion 76 come into contact with each other at an intermediate position.

[0040] The pressure applied to the piston portion 77 is set to a first pressure, which is a pressure that stops the movement of the slide 21 without moving when a load is received from the slide 21 via the contact member 72. In other words, the load-receiving member 71 can stop the mold closing operation at the first pressure before the mold closing operation is completed. As a result, the primary blow (first fluid supply) to the metal pipe material 40 is performed with the load-receiving mechanism 70 stopping the mold closing operation. The load-receiving member 71 can freely adjust the first pressure depending on the device, molded product, etc.

[0041] Once the primary blow is complete, the slide 21 attempts to move downward under even higher pressure. As a result, the load-receiving member 71 allows the mold closing operation when a pressure higher than the first pressure is applied. That is, the piston portion 77 pushes back the hydraulic pressure inside the cylinder portion 73, causing the rod portion 74 to sink into the cylinder portion 73. This causes the slide 21 to move downward together with the upper mold 12. This allows the upper mold 12 to move to the completion position (see FIG. 5(c)). As a result, the secondary blow (second fluid supply) to the metal pipe material 40 is performed when the upper mold 12 has reached the completion position.

[0042] The operation of the load-receiving mechanism 70 from electrical heating to secondary blowing will be described. First, during electrical heating (the state shown in FIG. 4(a)), as shown in FIG. 5(b), the contact member 72 is positioned above and away from the load-receiving portion 76 of the load-receiving member 71. When electrical heating is completed and the slide 21 moves downward, the contact member 72 comes into contact with the load-receiving portion 76 of the load-receiving member 71 as shown in FIG. 5(b). As a result, the load-receiving member 71 receives the load of the slide 21, stops the movement of the slide 21, and stops the mold closing operation of the upper mold 12. This allows the upper mold 12 to stop at an intermediate position (see FIG. 4(b)). After the primary blowing is completed, the slide 21 attempts to move downward due to a high pressure for mold clamping. As a result, a pressure higher than the first pressure acts on the load-receiving member 71, causing the piston portion 77, the rod portion 74, and the load-receiving portion 76 to sink downward. Therefore, the lower mold 11 moves together with the slide 21 to the mold closing completion position (see FIG. 4(c)). When the secondary blowing of the metal pipe material 40 is completed, the slide 21 returns to the mold closing start position (see FIG. 1). The load receiving member 71 applies pressure to the piston portion 77, returning to the state shown in FIG. 5(a).

[0043] The molding apparatus 1 described above may be manufactured directly from the time of manufacturing the apparatus. However, it may also be manufactured by modifying an existing press apparatus by adding components. That is, by adding a load-receiving mechanism 70 to an existing press apparatus, which receives a load when the mold is closed and stops the mold-closing operation, a molding apparatus 1 capable of expansion molding a metal pipe material 40 having a closed cross section may be manufactured.

[0044] 6 and 7 are diagrams showing an existing press apparatus 100, which is the basis for manufacturing the molding apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The existing press apparatus 100 is a molding apparatus in a stage prior to the assembly of components specific to a molding apparatus for hot expansion molding. That is, FIG. 6 shows the existing press apparatus 100 obtained by removing the components specific to a molding apparatus for hot expansion molding from the molding apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1. Also, FIG. 7 shows the existing press apparatus 100 obtained by removing the components specific to a molding apparatus for hot expansion molding from the molding apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the existing press apparatus 100 is an apparatus obtained by removing at least the load receiving mechanism 70, the holding unit 4, the heating unit 5, the fluid supply unit 6, and the cooling unit 7 from the molding apparatus 1. The existing press apparatus 100 has a slide 21 and a base 111 as arrangement units for arranging the upper mold 12 and the lower mold 11. The existing press device 100 also has a lower base portion 110, an upper base portion 120, a drive mechanism 3, and a column portion 150. For example, the existing press device 100 corresponds to a forming device such as a hydraulic press.

[0045] By adding a load receiving mechanism 70, a mold 2, a holding unit 4, a heating unit 5, a fluid supply unit 6, a cooling unit 7, and a control unit 8 to such an existing press device 100, it is possible to manufacture a molding device 1 capable of expansion molding as shown in Figures 1 and 2. This makes it possible to reuse the frame and the like of the existing press device 100 for the molding device 1, and also to reuse the drive mechanism 3.

[0046] In this way, the forming apparatus 1 reuses some of the components of the existing press apparatus 100 to form an apparatus that expands and forms metal material by sharing the fluid. Here, the forming apparatus 1 reuses the frame and other components of the existing press apparatus 100 as some of its components. The forming apparatus 1 also reuses the drive mechanism 3, which includes a hydraulic control section and a mechanical section, of the existing press apparatus 100 as some of its components. Note that the forming apparatus 1 may reuse only the hydraulic unit 200, which constitutes the hydraulic control section, of the drive mechanism 3. Alternatively, the forming apparatus 1 may reuse at least one of the press parts 210, including the main cylinder, bed, crown, and slide.

[0047] Next, the functions and effects of the molding device 1, the manufacturing method for the molding device 1, and the load-receiving member 71 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0048] Here, it is sometimes necessary to mold a metal pipe material having a closed cross section. Furthermore, when molding such a metal pipe material, it is sometimes necessary to temporarily stop the mold closing operation at a position before the mold closing completion position, for example, when multiple expansions are performed. However, depending on the drive mechanism of the molding device, it may be difficult to accurately stop the mold closing operation at a position before the mold closing completion position. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately stop the mold at the desired position during mold closing.

[0049] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a molding device, a manufacturing method for a molding device, and a load-receiving member that can stop a mold at a desired position with high precision when the mold is closed.

[0050] The molding apparatus 1 is equipped with a load receiving mechanism 70 that receives a load and stops the mold closing operation when the upper mold 12 and the lower mold 11 are closed. This load receiving mechanism 70 stops the mold closing operation at an intermediate position just before the mold closing completion position. Therefore, while the upper mold 12 is closing, the load is received by the load receiving mechanism 70 before it reaches the mold closing completion position. The load receiving mechanism 70 can directly receive the load and stop the operation of the actual mold closing operation, rather than by controlling the drive mechanism 3, etc. As a result, the molds can be stopped accurately at the desired position during mold closing. Furthermore, this molding apparatus 1 can reuse some components of an existing press apparatus 100, thereby reducing the introduction cost of the molding apparatus 1.

[0051] When performing expansion molding of the metal pipe material 40, the primary blow (first fluid supply) to the metal pipe material 40 may be performed while the load receiving mechanism 70 has stopped the mold closing operation, and the secondary blow (second fluid supply) to the metal pipe material 40 may be performed when the upper mold 12 has reached the completion position. In this case, the primary blow can be performed on the metal pipe material 40 while the load receiving mechanism 70 has stopped the upper mold 12 accurately at the desired position.

[0052] The load receiving mechanism 70 has a load receiving member 71 made up of a hydraulic cylinder provided at a position on the lower mold 11 side in the facing direction. The hydraulic cylinder can generate a large pressure, so that the load receiving mechanism 70 can generate a pressure sufficient to receive the load of the mold closing operation.

[0053] The manufacturing method of the molding device 1 is to manufacture a molding device 1 that enables expansion molding of metal pipe material 40 having a closed cross section by adding a load receiving mechanism 70 to an existing press device 100 that has a slide 21 and a base 111 for positioning an upper mold 12 and a lower mold 11 that face each other, and that receives the load when the slide 21 closes the mold and stops the mold closing operation.

[0054] The manufacturing method of the molding apparatus 1 enables expansion molding of a metal pipe material 40 having a closed cross section by adding a load receiving mechanism 70 to an existing press apparatus 100. As a result, even if an existing press apparatus 100 is not capable of expansion molding, simply adding the load receiving mechanism 70 makes it possible to easily perform expansion molding while reusing the existing structure. In addition, the load receiving mechanism 70 can accurately stop the upper mold 12 at a desired position. As a result, the mold can be accurately stopped at a desired position when closing the mold. Furthermore, this manufacturing method of the molding apparatus 1 makes it possible to reuse some components of the existing press apparatus 100, thereby reducing the introduction cost of the molding apparatus 1.

[0055] The load-receiving member 71 receives the load and stops the mold closing operation when the upper mold 12 and the lower mold 11 of the molding device 1 are closed, and stops the mold closing operation with a first pressure before the mold closing completion position is reached, and allows the mold closing operation when a pressure higher than the first pressure is applied.

[0056] When the load-receiving member 71 is incorporated into the molding apparatus 1, the load of the upper mold 12 and the lower mold 11 is received by the load-receiving member 71 before the upper mold 12 and the lower mold 11 reach the mold closing completion position during mold closing. The load-receiving member 71 can directly receive the load and stop the actual mold closing operation, rather than by controlling the drive mechanism 3, thereby accurately stopping the upper mold 12 at the desired position. The load-receiving member 71 can then resume the mold closing operation when a pressure higher than the first pressure is applied, thereby allowing the upper mold 12 to reach the completion position. As a result, the mold can be accurately stopped at the desired position during mold closing. Furthermore, the use of this load-receiving member 71 makes it possible to reuse some components of the existing press apparatus 100, thereby reducing the introduction cost of the molding apparatus 1.

[0057] The forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment utilizes at least some of the components of an existing press apparatus 100 to supply a fluid and perform expansion forming of a metal material.

[0058] According to this, it is possible to configure a molding device 1 that supplies a fluid to expand and mold a metal material by reusing some of the components of an existing press device 100. This reduces the introduction cost of the molding device 1.

[0059] The fluid may be a gas.

[0060] The forming apparatus 1 may perform expansion forming on a heated metal material.

[0061] Some of the components may be the hydraulic unit 200. In this case, the hydraulic unit 200 of the existing press apparatus 100 can be reused and the mechanical parts can be updated. For example, when the physical dimensional requirements of the existing press apparatus 100 required for the molding apparatus 1 are not met, but the hydraulic unit 200 has the control function of the molding apparatus 1, this reuse mode can be adopted. This makes it possible to reduce investment in the hydraulic unit 200 portion of the molding apparatus 1.

[0062] Some of the components may be at least one of the press parts 210, such as the main cylinder, bed, crown, and slide. In this case, the mechanical parts of the existing press device 100 can be reused, and the hydraulic control parts, etc. can be updated. This reuse mode can be adopted when the physical dimensional requirements of the existing press device 100 required for the molding device 1 are met, but hydraulic control is not possible. This makes it possible to reduce investment in the mechanical parts of the molding device 1.

[0063] A molding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a molding apparatus for molding a metal pipe material having a closed cross section, and includes a first mold and a second mold facing each other, and a load-receiving mechanism that receives a load and stops the mold closing operation when the first mold and the second mold are closed, and the load-receiving mechanism stops the mold closing operation at a position just before the completion position of mold closing.

[0064] The molding apparatus is equipped with a load-receiving mechanism that receives a load and stops the mold closing operation when the first and second molds are closed. This load-receiving mechanism stops the mold closing operation at a position just before the mold closing completion position. Therefore, while the first and second molds are closing, the load is received by the load-receiving mechanism before they reach the mold closing completion position. The load-receiving mechanism can stop the operation by directly receiving the load in relation to the actual mold closing operation, rather than by controlling the drive mechanism, etc. As a result, the molds can be stopped accurately at the desired position when the molds are closed. Furthermore, this molding apparatus makes it possible to reuse some components of existing press machines, thereby reducing the introduction cost of the molding apparatus.

[0065] When performing expansion molding of a metal pipe material, a first fluid may be supplied to the metal pipe material while the load receiving mechanism has stopped the mold closing operation, and a second fluid may be supplied to the metal pipe material when the mold has reached the completion position. In this case, the first fluid can be supplied to the metal pipe material while the load receiving mechanism has stopped the mold accurately at a desired position.

[0066] The load-receiving mechanism has a hydraulic cylinder provided at a position on at least one side of the first die and the second die in the opposing direction. The hydraulic cylinder can generate a large pressure, so that the load-receiving mechanism can generate a pressure sufficient to receive the load of the mold closing operation.

[0067] A manufacturing method for a molding device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is to manufacture a molding device that enables expansion molding of metal pipe material having a closed cross section by adding a load-receiving mechanism to an existing press device having a placement section for placing a first mold and a second mold that face each other, and that receives a load when the placement section closes the molds and stops the mold closing operation.

[0068] The manufacturing method for a molding device enables expansion molding of metal pipe material having a closed cross section by adding a load receiving mechanism to an existing press device. As a result, even if an existing press device is not capable of expansion molding, simply adding a load receiving mechanism makes it possible to easily perform expansion molding while reusing the existing structure. In addition, the load receiving mechanism can accurately stop the mold at a desired position. As a result, the mold can be accurately stopped at a desired position when the mold is closed. Furthermore, this manufacturing method for a molding device makes it possible to reuse some components of an existing press device, thereby reducing the introduction cost of the molding device.

[0069] A load-receiving member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a load-receiving member that receives a load and stops the mold closing operation when the first mold and the second mold of a molding device are closed, and stops the mold closing operation with a first pressure before the mold closing completion position is reached, and allows the mold closing operation when a pressure higher than the first pressure is applied.

[0070] When the load-receiving member is incorporated into a molding apparatus, the load-receiving member receives the load of the first and second molds during mold closing before they reach the mold closing completion position. The load-receiving member 71 can directly receive the load and stop the actual mold closing operation, rather than relying on control of a drive mechanism, allowing the molds to be stopped accurately at the desired position. The load-receiving member can then resume the mold closing operation when a pressure higher than the first pressure is applied, allowing the molds to reach the completion position. As a result, the molds can be stopped accurately at the desired position during mold closing. Furthermore, using this load-receiving member makes it possible to reuse some components of existing press machines, thereby reducing the introduction cost of the molding machine.

[0071] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0072] Although the load-receiving member 71 has been provided on the base 111 and the slide 21, it may be disposed anywhere as long as it can receive the load caused by mold closing. Also, although the load-receiving member 71 has been provided on the lower mold 11 side, it may be provided on the upper mold 12 side. Furthermore, the load-receiving member 71 may be provided on both the upper mold 12 side and the lower mold 11 side.

[0073] For example, as shown in Fig. 8, a load-receiving member 71 may be provided at the position of the mold 2 to directly receive the load of the mold 2. In this case, it is preferable that the load-receiving member 71 is provided at a position where it does not interfere with the molded product. For example, the load-receiving member 71 may be provided between the upper mold 12 and the die holder 80. In this case, the rod portion 74 may penetrate the upper mold 12 and come into contact with the lower mold 11 to receive the load.

[0074] The position where the load receiving member 71 stops the mold closing operation does not have to be the position of the primary blow, and it may be stopped anywhere between the mold closing start position and the mold closing completion position.

[0075] In the above-described embodiment, a molding apparatus for hot expansion molding has been described as an example. However, the type of molding apparatus in which the load-receiving member according to the present disclosure is adopted is not particularly limited, and any molding apparatus that can mold a metal pipe material with a closed cross section can be used.

[0076] The stop position of the mold may be adjusted by adjusting the thickness and length of each component of the load receiving mechanism 70. For example, the thickness of the contact member 72, the length of the load receiving portion 76, and the installation height of the base 111 may be adjusted manually. Such adjustments are made when changing the type of metal pipe or the length or thickness of the flange portion. The stop position of the mold may be adjusted by providing an actuator for the load receiving mechanism 70 that automatically adjusts the vertical dimension.

[0077] Furthermore, some of the components that the molding device 1 uses from the existing press device 100 are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment.

[0078] Figure 9 is a schematic plan view showing the entire building 300 of the molding apparatus 1. The molding apparatus 1 comprises a main body 320 (the portion shown in Figures 1 and 2) having the thermal expansion unit 50 and the mold, a high-pressure air generator 301, a control unit 302, a transformer unit 303, a bus bar 304, and a foundation 310. The high-pressure air generator 301 supplies high-pressure air to the thermal expansion unit 50 of the main body 320. The control unit 302 is a unit that controls the molding apparatus 1. The transformer unit 303 supplies power to the thermal expansion unit 50 via the bus bar 304.

[0079] The main body 320, high-pressure air generator 301, control unit 302, transformer unit 303, and bus bar 304 are installed on the foundation 310 of the building 300. As shown in Fig. 11, the foundation 310 has a basement 311 below the main body 320. An exhaust tank 312 that stores exhaust gas discharged from the main body 320 is provided in the basement 311.

[0080] Figure 10 is a schematic plan view showing the entire building 300 when the existing press apparatus 100 was installed. The existing press apparatus 100 comprises a main body 420 (the portion shown in Figure 6) and a high-pressure air generator 301 on a foundation 310. As shown in Figure 12, no exhaust tank 312 is installed in the basement 311 below the main body 420.

[0081] The molding apparatus 1 can use the foundation 310 and the high-pressure air generator 301 as part of the existing press apparatus 100. Specifically, the molding apparatus 1 is configured by providing the control unit 302, the transformer unit 303, the bus bar 304, and the exhaust tank 312 (see FIG. 11 ) on the foundation 310, and incorporating the thermal expansion unit 50 and the like into the main body 420 to form the main body 320. In this configuration, the control unit 302, the transformer unit 303, the bus bar 304, and the exhaust tank 312, which are peripheral devices of the main body 320, are installed with reference to the foundation 310. In other words, each peripheral device is installed on the main body 320 by utilizing the structure of the foundation 310. Note that the peripheral devices are not limited to these, and a laser device for cutting metal pipes, a preforming device for bending metal pipes in advance, and the like may also be installed. Furthermore, the location of each peripheral device is not particularly limited, and the peripheral devices may be installed on the floor above ground or underground. Although not shown, it is possible to reuse not only the base 310 and the high-pressure air generator 301 but also at least one of the press parts, such as the main cylinder, bed, crown, and slide. In this case, the mechanical parts of an existing press device can be reused, thereby reducing investment in the mechanical parts of the molding device 1.

[0082] As described above, some of the components reused from the existing press machine 100 may be the foundation 310. In this case, by reusing the foundation 310 of the existing press machine 100, the cost of foundation construction can be saved.

[0083] Peripheral devices of the forming apparatus 1 may be installed based on the foundation 310. In this case, a layout that makes effective use of the foundation of the existing press apparatus 100 can be achieved.

[0084] Some of the components may be the high-pressure air generator 301. In this case, capital investment for the high-pressure air generator 301 can be reduced.

[0085] Some of the components may be at least one of the press parts, such as the main cylinder 23, the bed 110, the crown 120, and the slide 21. In this case, the mechanical parts of the existing press machine can be reused, and the hydraulic control parts and the like can be updated.

[0086] [Form 1] A forming device that utilizes at least some of the components of an existing press device to supply fluid and expand and form metal material. [Form 2] 2. The molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a gas. [Form 3] 3. The molding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, which expands and molds the heated metal material. [Form 4] 4. The molding apparatus according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the part of the members is a base. [Form 5] A molding apparatus according to aspect 5, wherein peripheral devices in the molding apparatus are installed based on the foundation. [Form 6] 6. The molding apparatus according to any one of aspects 1 to 5, wherein the one of the members is a high-pressure air generator. [Form 7] 7. The molding apparatus according to any one of aspects 1 to 6, wherein the part of the members is a hydraulic unit. [Form 8] 8. The molding device according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, wherein the one or more members is at least one press part selected from the group consisting of a main cylinder, a bed, a crown, and a slide. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1...molding device, 11...lower mold (first mold), 12...upper mold (second mold), 21...slide (positioning section), 40...metal pipe material, 70...load-receiving mechanism, 71...load-receiving member, 111...base, 100...existing press device, 200...hydraulic unit, 210...pressed parts, 301...high-pressure air generator, 310...foundation.

Claims

1. A molding device that utilizes at least some components of an existing press device and is modified into a molding device that supplies a fluid to expand and mold a metal material, A molding apparatus further comprising a load-receiving mechanism for stopping the mold closing operation when the mold is closed, which is added to the existing press apparatus.

2. The molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a gas.

3. The molding device according to claim 1 , wherein the heated metal material is expansion molded.

4. the part of the members is a foundation of a building in which the existing press device is installed, The molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein peripheral devices of the molding apparatus are installed based on the foundation.

5. The molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the part of the members is a high-pressure air generator.

6. The molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the part of the members is a hydraulic unit.

7. The molding device according to claim 1 , wherein the part of the members is at least one press part selected from the group consisting of a main cylinder, a bed, a crown, and a slide.

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