Patent Publication Number: US-2015068021-A1

Title: Method for Producing Surrounding Connection of Heat-insulating Protecting Component

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an assembly of dies for producing W-shaped flanges of a heat-insulating protective component, and a method for producing the W-shaped flanges of the heat-insulating protective component by using the assembly of dies. The present invention is particularly suitable for manufacturing and processing heat-insulating protective component with multiple layers; this kind of protective component can endure stronger vibration without its heat-insulating effect being affected due to the layering structure on the peripheral materials of the protective component. 
     Heat-insulating component especially metal heat-insulating protective component is commonly applied in modern industries. Due to the intrinsic properties of metal, a metal heat-insulating protective component has high rigidity, great endurance against impact and can be applied anytime at anywhere. Also, its installation and replacement are convenient and its service life is long. However, developing an effective connection method is crucial for the production of metal heat-insulating protective component. Advantages in quality and cost of this kind of product are compromised due to improper connection technique. For example, use of specialized machines for assembling dies for producing this kind of product contains limitations such as costly input and long product manufacturing cycle. If methods like cementing, welding and riveting etc are used for fixation, there are limitations caused by temperature, environment and the materials being used. Nowadays, most heat-insulating components are L-shaped or Z-shaped. Literature about W-shaped flanges is seldom reported. The main reason is not related to the unsuitability of this kind of structure, but to the complicated steps and procedures if this kind of structure is manufactured by conventional method. In particular, heat-insulating components are produced voluminously, their outer shapes and measurements vary with different specifications, and some may also require controlled tolerance at their peripheral parts within 1 mm; therefore, stamping is required throughout the whole production process to voluminously produce the W-shaped flanges. However, up till now it is still almost impossible to produce the W-shaped flanges by stamping; complicated procedures also require exceptionally costly input in various aspects; voluminous industrial production can hardly be achieved. Accordingly, connection method designed to attain higher efficiency and lesser procedures is crucial for facilitating production and lowering the production cost. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an assembly of dies for producing W-shaped flanges of a heat-insulating protective component. By using the assembly of dies of the present invention, only 2 procedures are required to produce the W-shaped flanges of the heat-insulating protective component. Also, the present invention is adaptable to different dispositions, in terms of thickness and number of layers, of metal plates and heat-insulating material with fillers. 
     An assembly of dies for producing W-shaped flanges of a heat-insulating protective component comprises a terrace-forming die and a bending die, wherein the terrace-forming die comprises an upper mould D 10 , an upper mould left cutting edge D 11 , an upper mould right cutting edge D 15 , first to sixth upper mould inner terrace sides D 12 , D 13 , D 14 , D 16 , D 17  and D 18 , a lower mould D 20 , a lower mould left cutting edge D 21 , a lower mould right cutting edge D 25  and first to sixth lower mould inner terrace sides D 22 , D 23 , D 24 , D 26 , D 27  and D 28 ; when the terrace-forming die reaches a closed position, gaps exist between the upper mould left cutting edge D 11  and the lower mould left cutting edge D 21  and between the lower mould right cutting edge D 15  and the lower mould right cutting edge D 25  respectively; also when the terrace-forming die reaches a closed position, a space formed between the first to sixth upper mould inner terrace sides D 12 , D 13 , D 14 , D 16 , D 17  and D 18  and the corresponding first to sixth lower mould inner terrace sides D 22 , D 23 , D 24 , D 26 , D 27  and D 28  is wider than thickness of materials being fed; the bending die comprises a bending die upper mould D 30  and a bending die lower mould D 40 , wherein the bending die upper mould D 30  comprises a left side surface D 32  and a right side surface D 34  both perpendicular to a bottom surface D 35  of the bending die upper mould D 30 , and also comprises a left arc surface D 31  and a right arc surface D 33  joined to the left side surface D 32  and the right side surface D 34  respectively; the left arc surface D 31  and the right arc surface D 33  are arced surfaces oriented towards two corresponding outer sides of the bending die upper mould D 30 . 
     A method for producing the W-shaped flanges of the heat-insulating protective component by using the assembly of dies as described above, wherein the method comprises the following steps: preparing layers of materials in accordance with required outer shapes, measurements and predetermined requirements for each layer; fixing the layers of materials together by tools to form a composite base plate; disposing the composite base plate at a terrace-forming die to stamp it into a terraced composite base plate; disposing the terraced composite base plate as formed on a bending die lower mould D 40 ; moving a bending die upper mould D 30  towards the bending die lower mould D 40 ; imposing obstruction forces laterally to two sides of the terraced composite base plate by making use of a left arc surface D 31  and a right arc surface D 33  of the bending die upper mould D 30  so that the two sides of the terraced composite base plate bend inwardly towards the terraced composite base plate; continuing moving the bending die upper mould D 30  downwardly towards the bending die lower mould D 40 ; imposing vertical compression against the two sides of the terraced composite base plate by making use of a bottom surface D 35  of the bending die upper mould D 30  so that the two terraced sides of the terraced composite base plate are each stamped as a W-shaped flange. 
     Preferably, the heat-insulating protective component made of metal comprises an upper metal base plate  1 , a lower metal base plate  3  and heat-insulating material  3  between the upper metal base plate  1  and the lower metal base plate  3 . 
     The present invention has the following advantages: only two stamping procedures are required to produce the W-shaped flanges of the heat-insulating protective component, thereby saving financial input into manpower and die apparatus and thus lowering the cost and enhancing production efficiency. Also, since the parts of materials where they are chopped for materials feeding eventually point inwardly, the finished product of the present invention has smooth sides without any burr. Further, since the two sides are formed by stacked up layers, the two sides are more rigid, accordingly, when the product of the present invention is applied to a heat-insulating device, thinner materials can be used for production while ensuring product quality and rigidity, thereby reducing financial input into material purchase. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows layers of materials unfolded and fixed in place before being used to produce the product of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows the structure of the terrace-forming die and the materials to be stamped disposed on the terrace-forming die. 
         FIG. 3  shows the formation of the terraced composite base plate when the terrace-forming die reaches a closed position. 
         FIG. 4  shows the terraced composite base plate as formed after stamping. 
         FIG. 5  shows the structure of the bending die. 
         FIG. 6  shows the formation of the W-shaped flanges at the terrace sections of the terraced composite base plate by using the bending die, and an enlarged view showing one of the W-shaped flanges as formed. 
     
    
    
     Reference signs in the figures are detailed as follows:  1  and  2 : Upper metal base plate and lower metal base plate;  3 : heat-insulating material;  4  and  7 : left outer vertical section of the terraced composite base plate and right outer vertical section of the terraced composite base plate;  5  and  8 : left middle horizontal section of the terraced composite base plate and right middle horizontal section of the terraced composite base plate;  6 : left inner vertical section of the terraced composite base plate; D 10 : upper mould of the terrace-forming die; D 11  and D 15 : left cutting edge of the upper mould of the terrace-forming die and right cutting edge of the upper mould of the terrace-forming die; D 12 , D 13 , D 14 , D 16 , D 17  and D 18 : first to sixth inner terrace sides of the upper mould of the terrace-forming die; D 20 : lower mould of the terrace-forming die; D 21  and D 25 : left cutting edge of the lower mould of the terrace-forming die and right cutting edge of the lower mould of the terrace-forming die; D 22 , D 23 , D 24 , D 26 , D 27  and D 28 : first to sixth inner terrace sides of the lower mould of the terrace-forming die; D 30 : upper mould of the bending die; D 31  and D 33 : left arc surface of the upper mould of the bending die and right arc surface of the upper mould of the bending die; D 32  and D 34 : left side surface of the upper mould of the bending die and right side surface of the upper mould of the bending die; D 35 : bottom surface of the upper mould of the bending die; D 40 : lower mould of the bending die 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows three stacked up layers of materials unfolded and fixed in place before being used to produce the product of the present invention, wherein an upper metal base plate  1  and a lower metal base plate  2  is cut in measurements identical to measurements of the product, and a layer in between the upper metal base plate  1  and the lower metal base plate  2  is cut and formed by using heat-insulating material  3  which has low heat conductive rate. The upper metal base plate  1 , the lower metal base plate  2  and the heat-insulating material  3  as cut and formed are fixed together by tools. 
     In  FIG. 2 , a structure of a terrace-forming die used during a first stamping step is shown; the terrace-forming die comprises an upper mould D 10 , an upper mould left cutting edge D 11 , an upper mould right cutting edge D 15 , first to sixth upper mould inner terrace sides D 12 , D 13 , D 14 , D 16 , D 17  and D 18 , a lower mould D 20 , a lower mould left cutting edge D 21 , a lower mould right cutting edge D 25  and first to sixth lower mould inner terrace sides D 22 , D 23 , D 24 , D 26 , D 27  and D 28 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the upper mould D 10  moves downwardly, the upper mould left cutting edge D 11  and the upper mould right cutting edge D 15  first contact the lower mould left cutting edge D 21  and the lower mould right cutting edge D 25  respectively so as to chop the upper metal base plate  1  and the lower metal base plate  2  to attain materials feeding; next the upper mould D 10  continues to move downwardly until the terrace-forming die reaches a completely closed position; when the terrace-forming die reaches a closed position, gaps exist between the upper mould left cutting edge D 11  and the lower mould left cutting edge D 21  and between the lower mould right cutting edge D 15  and the lower mould right cutting edge D 25  respectively; also when the terrace-forming die reaches a closed position, a space formed between the first to sixth upper mould inner terrace sides D 12 , D 13 , D 14 , D 16 , D 17  and D 18  and the corresponding first to sixth lower mould inner terrace sides D 22 , D 23 , D 24 , D 26 , D 27  and D 28  is wider than thickness of the materials being fed. After the terrace-forming die is completely closed, a product with terraces at its two sides as shown in  FIG. 4  can be stamped and formed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first stamping step produces a terraced composite base plate which has two terraced sides. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the terraced composite base plate is placed in a direction indicated in accordance with  FIG. 5  on a bending die lower mould D 40 . When a bending die upper mould D 30  moves downwardly, a left arc surface D 31  of the bending die upper mould D 30  and a right arc surface D 33  of the bending die upper mould D 30  first contact a left outer vertical section  4  and a right outer vertical section  7  of the terraced composite base plate respectively. Due to obstruction by the arc surfaces D 31  and D 33  lateral to the two terraced sides of the terraced composite base plate, the left outer vertical section  4  and the right outer vertical section  7  of the terraced composite base plate starts to bend inwardly. Since each of the two terraced sides are formed in one piece, inward bending of the left outer vertical section  4  and the right outer vertical section  7  of the terraced composite base plate will also drive a left middle horizontal section  5 , a right middle horizontal section  8 , a left inner vertical section  6  and a right inner vertical section  9  of the terraced composite base plate to bend inwardly. When the bending die upper mould D 30  continues to move downwardly, obstruction lateral to the two terraced sides of the terraced composite base plate pushes the two terraced sides into a cavity formed by a left side surface D 32  of the bending die upper mould D 30 , a right side surface D 34  of the bending die upper mould D 30 , the arc surfaces D 31  and D 33  and a bottom surface D 35  of the bending die upper mould D 30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the bending die upper mould D 30  continues to descend, a downward vertical force is applied to the left outer vertical section  4  and the right outer vertical section  7  of the terraced composite base plate so that the two terraced sides of the terraced composite base plate are each stamped as a W-shaped flange.