Patent ID: 9289950
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: B29C

Claim Text:
1. A mandrel for forming a component with a cavity, the mandrel having a longitudinal axis and defining a cavity profile, the mandrel comprising: a support structure; a plurality of main sectors carried by the support structure and each having a main forming surface; a plurality of intermediate sectors carried by the support structure and each having an intermediate forming surface; and a drive device, wherein: the main sectors and intermediate sectors are alternately arranged around the axis, the main sectors being moveable relative to the support structure between a radially inner main retracted position and a radially outer main forming position in which each main forming surface defines a part of the cavity profile, and in which the main sectors are spaced apart to define circumferential gaps; the intermediate sectors being moveable relative to the support structure between a radially inner intermediate retracted position and a radially outer intermediate forming position in which the intermediate sectors extend into the respective gaps, and in which each intermediate forming surface defines a further part of the cavity profile; the drive device is configured to move the main sectors and intermediate sectors from their respective retracted positions to their respective forming positions; the drive device comprises a plurality of drive units, each drive unit including a carrier block on which a main sector and an adjacent intermediate sector are mounted, each carrier block being arranged to move the mounted main sector and the mounted adjacent intermediate sector from their respective retracted positions to their respective forming positions and being configured such that each main sector reaches its main forming position before any of the adjacent intermediate sectors reaches its intermediate forming position; and a lost motion connection is provided between each drive unit and the respective main sector.