Method for producing a vehicle axle
Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000
United States of America Patent
Stats
-
May 25, 2010
Grant Date -
Jul 1, 2004
app pub date -
Sep 23, 2003
filing date -
Mar 23, 2001
priority date (Note) -
Expired
status (Latency Note)
Importance
Abstract
Method and apparatus for providing a hollow, elongated construction element, for example for use as a vehicle front axle. The method includes (1) directing a first blank through a furnace (2) for heating the blank to a working temperature. The blank is directed between a pair of rollers (3, 4) having profiled surfaces, the blank being preformed in one or more steps to form an intermediate product having a predetermined profile along its longitudinal extent. The blank is fed to a forging press having a number of cooperating die pads, the blank being worked in a plurality of steps (5, 8, 11) to form a substantially finished product, having a cross section substantially in the form of a hat profile of predetermined varying height, width and material thickness along its length. A second blank (14), having essentially the same profile as the hat profile of the first blank in the dividing plane of the cooperating die pads, is placed in connection with the hat profile. In a later step (15), the first (1) and the second blank (14) are joined together, at least along their respective edges, to form a composite hollow construction element (18). One embodiment of the disclosed invention is also the construction element that is produced according to the above-described method.
First Claim
Other Claims data not available
