Patent Description:
A method for removing a relatively large thin-walled part such as one for use as an aircraft fuselage from a cylindrical tubular mold or a circular cone-shaped mold is to disassemble the mold and demold the thin-walled part. Another exemplary method is one as described in Patent Literature <NUM>, in which two edges of a cylindrical tubular skin having a partially open wall are used to demold the thin-walled part from inside the mold.

<CIT> discloses a demoulding device that removes a thin-walled part from a mould, the thin-walled part being tubular and having a partially open wall, the demoulding device comprising:contour units that are located in a circumferential direction of the thin-walled part and each of which includes a contact structure that contacts an outer surface of the thin-walled part and moves in a thin-walled surface outward direction extending away from the outer surface of the thin-walled part, the mechanism allows a radially outward movement of the vacuum pads.

In the case where the wall thickness of a thin-walled part is extremely small relative to the diameter of the thin-walled part, the use of the demolding method of the above-mentioned literature could cause a local deformation of the circumferential portion of the thin-walled part.

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a demolding device that can avoid deforming a thin-walled part when demolding the thin-walled part.

A demolding device of the present disclosure is a demolding device that removes a thin-walled part from a mold, the thin-walled part being tubular and having a partially open wall, the demolding device including: contour units that are located in a circumferential direction of the thin-walled part and each of which includes a contact structure that contacts an outer surface of the thin-walled part and moves in a thin-walled surface outward direction extending away from the outer surface of the thin-walled part; and a puller that engages with edges of the partially open wall of the thin-walled part and that applies a load to the thin-walled part, the load including a force component acting in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part, wherein in response to application of the load from the puller to the thin-walled part, each of the contour units moves the contact structure to keep the contact structure in contact with the thin-walled part.

According to the present disclosure, when the puller applies the load including a force component acting in the circumferential direction to the thin-walled part, the contact structure of each of the contour units follows the motion of the thin-walled part expanded outward by the applied load. Thus, the contact structure of each of the contour units maintains contact with the thin-walled part. This can prevent the thin-walled part from deforming due to the application of the load from the puller to the thin-walled part. Unlike in a conventional method where formation of a tubular part by thermal molding is followed by withdrawing the mold in the axial direction of the part, proper demolding can be accomplished even when the wall thickness of the tubular part varies in the axial direction or when an additional projecting part is located on a region of the inner wall surface of the tubular part.

The present disclosure can provide a demolding device that can avoid deforming a thin-walled part when demolding the thin-walled part.

Hereinafter, a demolding device and a demolding method according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The demolding device and the demolding method described below are merely exemplary embodiments.

<FIG> is an overall perspective view showing the configuration of a demolding device <NUM> according to the present disclosure. <FIG> shows the demolding device <NUM> as viewed along the arrow S in <FIG>. In the following description, two directions perpendicular to an axial direction Df of a tubular thin-walled part SP to be demolded by the demolding device <NUM> are referred to as a first perpendicular direction Ds and a second perpendicular direction Dt, respectively. For example, the first perpendicular direction Ds is the width direction of the thin-walled part SP, and the second perpendicular direction Dt is the up-down direction. In the case where the thin-walled part SP is shaped as a cylindrical tube, the first perpendicular direction Ds is the radial direction of the thin-walled part SP.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the demolding device <NUM> is a device that removes the tubular thin-walled part SP having a partially open wall from a mold ML. The demolding device <NUM> includes outer frames <NUM>, connectors <NUM>, frame support blocks <NUM>, a mold retainer <NUM>, a mold support block <NUM>, pullers <NUM>, contour units <NUM>, and control circuitry <NUM>.

Four outer frames <NUM> are aligned in the axial direction Df. Two frame support blocks <NUM> are aligned in the axial direction Df. Two of the four outer frames <NUM> are supported by one of the frame support blocks <NUM>. The other two of the four outer frames <NUM> are supported by the other of the frame support blocks <NUM>. One of the two outer frames <NUM> supported by the one frame support block <NUM> is at a location corresponding to one end of the thin-walled part SP in the axial direction Df. One of the two outer frames <NUM> supported by the other frame support block <NUM> is at a location corresponding to the other end of the thin-walled part SP in the axial direction Df.

Each of the outer frames <NUM> is, for example, U-shaped to open at one end in the second perpendicular direction Dt. The mold ML, with which the thin-walled part SP is in close contact, is located inside the U-shaped openings of the outer frames <NUM>. Each of the outer frames <NUM> supports contour units <NUM>. Any one of the outer frames <NUM> and another outer frame <NUM> adjacent to the one outer frame <NUM> are coupled by connectors <NUM> extending in the axial direction Df. The outer frames <NUM> are not limited to the configuration described above. The outer frames <NUM> may be any kind of outer frames that have strength and stiffness sufficient for proper operation of the demolding device <NUM>.

The contour units <NUM> supported by each outer frame <NUM> are located in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part SP. Each of the contour units <NUM> includes a contact structure <NUM> that contacts the outer surface SPf of the thin-walled part SP. Each of the contour units <NUM> supports the contact structure <NUM>, which can move in a thin-walled surface outward direction Dw extending away from the outer surface of the thin-walled part SP. In the present embodiment, the contact structure <NUM> is either a contour roller <NUM> or a contour board <NUM>. One of the outer frames <NUM> is at a location corresponding to one end of the thin-walled part SP in the axial direction Df. Thus, the contact structure <NUM> of the contour unit <NUM> supported by the one outer frame <NUM> contacts one end of the outer surface SPf of the thin-walled part SP in the axial direction Df. Another of the outer frames <NUM> is at a location corresponding to the other end of the thin-walled part SP in the axial direction Df, and the contact structure <NUM> of the contour unit <NUM> supported by the other outer frame <NUM> contacts the other end of the outer surface SPf of the thin-walled part SP in the axial direction Df. Those locations in the axial direction Df at which the contact structures <NUM> contact the thin-walled part SP are not limited to the axial ends of the outer surface SPf. In response to load application from the pullers <NUM> to the thin-walled part SP, the contour units <NUM> move the contact structures <NUM> to keep the contact structures <NUM> in contact with the thin-walled part SP.

The mold support block <NUM> includes a support <NUM>, a support shaft <NUM> connected to the support <NUM>, and a support base <NUM> supporting the support shaft <NUM>. The mold support block <NUM> indirectly supports one end of the mold ML in the axial direction Df. Specifically, a connection ring CR having a smaller diameter than the mold ML is connected to the one end of the mold ML. The support <NUM> is arc-shaped and supports the connection ring CR. Thus, the one end of the mold ML is indirectly supported by the support <NUM>. The support shaft <NUM> extends in the second perpendicular direction Dt. In the present embodiment, the dimension of the support shaft <NUM> in the first perpendicular direction Ds is smaller than the dimension of the opening of the partially open wall of the thin-walled part SP in the first perpendicular direction Ds. This makes it possible to move and withdraw the demolded thin-walled part SP in the axial direction Df without having to detach the mold ML and the mold support block <NUM> from each other. The connection ring CR and the support <NUM> of the mold support block <NUM> may be detachably fastened by means such as bolts.

The mold retainer <NUM> supports the other end of the mold ML in the axial direction Df. For example, the mold retainer <NUM> is shaped as a hollow rectangular parallelepiped, and the inner wall of the mold retainer <NUM> supports the other end of the thin-walled part SP. The mold retainer <NUM> is not limited to having a particular structure. For example, the mold retainer <NUM> may have a framework structure made up of frames combined together. The connection between the mold retainer <NUM> and the other end of the mold ML in the axial direction Df is not limited to using particular means. For example, the mold retainer <NUM> and the mold ML may be connected by a portion of the frames of the framework structure mentioned above.

The pullers <NUM> are located in correspondence with the opposite ends of the thin-walled part SP in the axial direction Df. Each of the pullers <NUM> engages with the opposite edges of the opening of the partially open wall of the thin-walled part SP and applies a load including a force component acting in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part SP. Those locations at which the pullers <NUM> engage with the thin-walled part SP are not limited to the edges of the thin-walled part SP. For example, the pullers <NUM> may engage with the vicinities of the edges of the thin-walled part SP to apply loads.

<FIG> is a perspective view of the thin-walled part SP of <FIG>. <FIG> shows the thin-walled part SP of <FIG> as viewed in the axial direction Df. The thin-walled part SP is used, for example, as an aircraft fuselage. As shown in <FIG>, the thin-walled part SP is shaped as a tube having a partially open wall. The thin-walled part SP includes a first edge SPa and a second edge SPb. The first edge SPa and the second edge SPb are the edges of the opening of the partially open wall of the thin-walled part SP and opposite to each other in the first perpendicular direction Ds. The thin-walled part SP includes stringers ST joined to the inner surface of the thin-walled part Sp. As shown in <FIG>, the wall thickness ts of the thin-walled part SP is, for example, from <NUM>/<NUM> to <NUM>/<NUM> of the maximum width Wm of the hollow interior of the thin-walled part SP on the outer circumference of the mold. The thin-walled part SP may include another opening for a window or door. In <FIG>, such an opening for a window or door in the thin-walled part SP is omitted.

The following will describe the contour units <NUM>. In the present embodiment, contour units 60A or contour units 60B can be used as the contour units <NUM>. <FIG> is a perspective view showing the configuration of the contour unit 60A. <FIG> is a perspective view showing the configuration of the contour unit 60B. There is no limitation on which of the contour units <NUM> located in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part SP are the contour units 60A or 60B. Hereinafter, the configurations of the contour units 60A and 60B will be described with reference to the drawings.

The contour unit 60A of <FIG> includes a pair of contour rollers <NUM> which are an example of the contact structures <NUM>, a pair of arms <NUM>, a connector <NUM>, a slider <NUM>, a base <NUM>, and a cylinder <NUM> including a piston <NUM>. The control circuitry <NUM> controls the operation of the cylinder <NUM>.

One of the contour rollers <NUM> includes a rotation axis 61a, which is rotatably supported by one end of one of the arms <NUM> and one end of the other arm <NUM>. Likewise, the other contour roller <NUM> includes a rotation axis 61a, which is rotatably supported by the other end of the one arm <NUM> and the other end of the other arm <NUM>.

The connector <NUM> couples the longitudinal center of the one arm <NUM> to the longitudinal center of the other arm <NUM>. The distal end of the slider <NUM> is connected to the connector <NUM>. The slider <NUM> is connected to the base <NUM> and moves in the thin-walled surface outward direction Dw. To the slider <NUM> is secured the distal end of the piston <NUM>. In this configuration, the control circuitry <NUM> controls the cylinder <NUM> to move the piston <NUM> in the thin-walled surface outward direction Dw, and in conjunction with this movement the pair of contour rollers <NUM> move in the thin-walled surface outward direction Dw. The cylinder <NUM> may be any actuator that moves the piston <NUM> in the thin-walled surface outward direction Dw. For example, the cylinder <NUM> may be a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder.

The contour unit 60B of <FIG> has substantially the same configuration as the contour unit 60A of <FIG>. The components of the contour unit 60B that are identical to components of the contour unit 60A are denoted by the same reference signs as the components of the contour unit 60A.

The contour unit 60B includes a pair of contour boards <NUM> and a pair of arms 62A instead of the contour rollers <NUM>, arms <NUM>, and rotation axes 61a of the contour unit 60A. One of the contour boards <NUM> is connected between one end of one of the arms 62A and one end of the other arm 62A. The other contour board <NUM> is connected between the other end of the one arm 62A and the other end of the other arm 62A. The control circuitry <NUM> controls the cylinder <NUM> to move the piston <NUM> in the thin-walled surface outward direction Dw, and in conjunction with this movement the pair of contour boards <NUM> move in the thin-walled surface outward direction Dw.

A method for demolding the thin-walled part SP will be described with reference to the drawings. <FIG> shows the puller <NUM> in an initial position relative to the thin-walled part SP. <FIG> shows an engager <NUM> of the puller <NUM> which is in engagement with the first edge SPa of the thin-walled part SP. <FIG> shows the first edge SPa of the thin-walled part SP which is being expanded outward by the puller <NUM>. <FIG> shows the thin-walled part SP which has been demolded. The example illustrated in <FIG> is one in which the contour units 60B as shown in <FIG> are used as the contour units <NUM>. In <FIG>, only one half of the thin-walled part SP in the first perpendicular direction Ds is depicted for convenience of illustration. In reality, the other half of the thin-walled part SP, which is not shown in the figures, is demolded in the same manner as the one half of the thin-walled part SP.

As shown in <FIG>, the puller <NUM> includes a pair of engagers <NUM> and an actuator <NUM>. The engagers <NUM> engage with the first edge SPa and the second edge SPb of the thin-walled part SP, respectively. The actuator <NUM> moves the engagers <NUM>. The actuator <NUM> is, for example, a hydraulic cylinder. The control circuitry <NUM> controls the operation of the actuator <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the thin-walled part SP formed by molding is initially supported in close contact with the mold ML. In this stage, the puller <NUM> is away from the first edge SPa of the thin-walled part SP.

Next, the actuator <NUM> is operated to move a slider <NUM> supporting the engager <NUM> outward in the first perpendicular direction Ds. Thus, as shown in <FIG>, the engager <NUM> engages with the first edge SPa of the thin-walled part SP. The manner in which the puller <NUM> engages with the thin-walled part SP is not limited to that described above.

Next, as shown in <FIG>, the actuator <NUM> is operated to move the slider <NUM> further outward in the first perpendicular direction Ds. Thus, the first edge SPa of the thin-walled part SP expands outward in the first perpendicular direction Ds. Meanwhile, the contour units <NUM> are subjected to position change control by the control circuitry <NUM>. Thus, the contour boards <NUM> of the contour units <NUM> are moved in the thin-walled surface outward direction Dw.

From the state of <FIG>, the actuator <NUM> is operated to move the slider <NUM> further outward in the first perpendicular direction Ds. Meanwhile, as shown in <FIG>, the contour boards <NUM> are moved further in the thin-walled surface outward direction Dw under control of the control circuitry <NUM>. The above operations are repeated until the thin-walled part SP is completely removed from the mold ML.

The contour units <NUM> are subjected to position change control by the control circuitry <NUM>. Specifically, under control of the control circuitry <NUM>, the contact structures <NUM> of the contour units <NUM> are moved in a direction extending outward from the wall of the thin-walled part SP along with the progress of demolding. The demolding device <NUM> effects the movement of the slider <NUM> in conjunction with the movement of the contact structures <NUM> of the contour units, thus keeping the contact structures <NUM> in contact with the outer surface SPf while performing the demolding process. The contact structures <NUM> of the contour units <NUM>, which are in contact with the outer surface SPf of the thin-walled part SP, slide in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part SP and at the same time move in the direction extending outward from the wall of the thin-walled part SP. Specifically, the positions to which the contour rollers <NUM> or contour boards <NUM> are to be moved every time the slider <NUM> of the puller <NUM> moves the engager <NUM> are uniquely defined in association with the position to which the engager <NUM> is moved. The following is a detailed description of an example where the contour units 60B including the contour boards <NUM> are used as the contour units <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an example where five contour units 60B are located on the circumference of the thin-walled part SP. Each of the five contour units 60B is denoted by the reference sign 60E, 60F, or 60D to differentiate the contour units from one another in the following description. The contour unit 60E is located diametrically opposite to the opening of the partially open wall of the thin-walled part SP. The two contour units 60D are located symmetrically with respect to the contour unit 60E in the first perpendicular direction Ds, and the other contour units 60C are located symmetrically with respect to the contour unit 60E in the first perpendicular direction Ds.

Several positions are predefined for the puller <NUM> and for each of the contour units 60B. Four positions P0, P1, P2, and P3 are defined for each slider <NUM>. Likewise, four positions Q0, Q1, Q2, and Q3 are defined for the piston <NUM> of each of the contour units 60C, 60D, and 60E. The position P0 is the initial position of the slider <NUM>. The position Q0 is the initial position of the piston <NUM>. When each slider <NUM> of the puller <NUM> is in the position P0, one of the engagers <NUM> is in engagement with the first edge SPa of the thin-walled part SP and the other engager <NUM> is in engagement with the second edge SPb. When the piston <NUM> of each contour unit 60C, 60D, or 60E is in the position Q0, the contour board <NUM> of each contour unit 60C, 60D, or 60E is in surface contact with the outer surface SPf of the thin-walled part SP.

When each slider <NUM> of the puller <NUM> moves from the position P0 to the position P3 in sequence, the piston <NUM> of each contour unit 60C, 60D, or 60E takes a position in accordance with the position of the slider <NUM>. Specifically, as shown in <FIG>, when each slider <NUM> of the puller <NUM> moves from the position P0 to the position P1, the piston <NUM> of each contour unit 60C moves to the position Q1, and the pistons <NUM> of the contour units 60D and 60E remain in the position Q0. The position information shown in <FIG> which specifies the positions of the contour units 60C, 60D, and 60E in association with the different positions of the puller <NUM> is stored, for example, in a memory.

Subsequently, when each slider <NUM> of the puller <NUM> moves from the position P1 to the position P2, the piston <NUM> of each contour unit 60C moves from the position Q1 to the position Q2. Meanwhile, the piston <NUM> of each contour unit 60D moves from the position Q0 to the position Q1. The piston <NUM> of the contour unit 60E remains in the position Q0. In this way, the pistons <NUM> of the contour units 60B move in accordance with the extent to which the thin-walled part SP expands along with the progress of demolding. The three positions P0 to P2 and the three positions Q0 to Q2 are merely examples, and the number of the positions may be freely chosen. The sliders <NUM> of the puller <NUM> and the pistons <NUM> of the contour units 60B may be moved continuously.

As described above, the control circuitry <NUM> controls the amount of movement of the contact structure <NUM> of each of the contour units 60B based on the memory-stored position information specifying the position of each contour unit 60B in association with the position of the puller <NUM>. The memory may be included in the demolding device <NUM> separately from the control circuitry <NUM>. The movement of each slider <NUM> of the puller <NUM> and the movement of the piston <NUM> of each contour unit 60B may be effected by means of gears or rods.

The outer frames <NUM> may be divisible frames. <FIG> shows a divisible outer frame <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the outer frame <NUM> includes a top portion 10t at one end in the second perpendicular direction Dt. The top portion 10t can be divided into a first portion 10a and a second portion 10b in the first perpendicular direction Ds. A frame support block <NUM> for the first portion 10a and another frame support block <NUM> for the second portion 10b are aligned in the first perpendicular direction Ds. Each of the frame support blocks <NUM> slides on a base 20a in the first perpendicular direction Ds. The division of the outer frame <NUM> into the first portion 10a and the second portion 10b makes handling of the outer frame <NUM> easy. The first portion 10a and the second portion 10b may be coupled, for example, by using a connector that extends on both the first portion 10a and the second portion 10b and fastening the connector to the first portion 10a and the second portion 10b by means such as bolts.

As shown in <FIG>, the contour boards <NUM> of the contour units 60B may be used for one end region of the thin-walled part SP in the second perpendicular direction Dt, and the contour rollers <NUM> of the contour units 60A may be used for the middle and lower regions of the thin-walled part SP in the second perpendicular direction Dt. When the thin-walled part SP is subjected to a pressure arising from the engagement of the engagers <NUM> of the puller <NUM>, the one end region of the thin-walled part SP is more resistant to deformation than the other end region of the thin-walled part SP and, on the one end region, unidirectional movement in the second perpendicular direction Dt away from the one end region is dominant over movement in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part SP. The contour boards <NUM> are suitable for use on such a region where the unidirectional movement is dominant.

When the thin-walled part SP is subjected to a pressure arising from the engagement of the engagers <NUM> of the puller <NUM>, sliding movement in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part SP is more dominant on the middle region and the other end region of the thin-walled part SP than on the one end region. The contour rollers <NUM>, which are more able to follow the motion of the thin-walled part SP than the contour boards <NUM>, are suitable for use on the regions where the sliding movement is dominant. The step shown in <FIG> is the same as the step of <FIG>, the step shown in <FIG> is the same as the step of <FIG>, the step shown in <FIG> is the same as the step of <FIG>, and the step shown in <FIG> is the same as the step of <FIG>.

As described above, the contour units 60A and 60B are configured to effect the sliding of the contact structures <NUM> on the thin-walled part SP by means of rotation of rollers or sliding of plates. The contour units 60A and 60B are not limited to the configurations described above and may have any configurations in which the sliding of the contact structures <NUM> is effected by means of rotation of rollers or sliding of plates. For example, the contour unit 60A may include two or more contour rollers <NUM> or one contour roller <NUM>. For example, the contour unit 60B may include two or more contour boards <NUM> or one contour board <NUM>. However, in the case where the contour units 60A are configured as described above and their contour rollers <NUM> are arranged in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part SP, a load can be applied distributively over the outer surface SPf of the thin-walled part SP. This can reliably prevent local deformation of the thin-walled part SP. For the same reason, the contour unit 60B preferably includes two or more contour boards <NUM> or includes a contour board <NUM> shaped to extend in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part SP.

As shown in <FIG>, the contour units 60B may be used for a region of the circumference of the thin-walled part SP having a cross-section generally in the shape of a true circle, and the contour units 60A may be used for the rest of the circumference of the thin-walled part SP. As shown in <FIG>, the thin-walled part may be a thin-walled part SP1 having a cross-section generally in the shape of a rectangle. When the thin-walled part SP1 is viewed as divided into two portions in the second perpendicular direction Dt, the contour units 60B may be used for one of the two portions, and the contour units 60A may be used for the other of the two portions. As shown in <FIG>, the thin-walled part may be a thin-walled part SP2 having a cross-section generally in the shape of a rhombus. When the thin-walled part SP2 is viewed as divided into two portions in the second perpendicular direction Dt, the contour units 60B may be used for one of the two portions, and the contour units 60A may be used for the other of the two portions. As shown in <FIG>, the thin-walled part may be a thin-walled part SP3 having a cross-section generally in the shape of an ellipse, and the contour units 60A may be used for the entire circumference of the thin-walled part SP3.

Although in <FIG> the first and second edges SPa and SPb of the thin-walled part SP are located at one end in the second perpendicular direction Dt, the present disclosure is not limited to this location of the first and second edges SPa and SPb. For example, the thin-walled part SP having the first and second edges SPa and SPb at the other end in the second perpendicular direction Dt or the thin-walled part SP having the first and second edges SPa and SPb at either end in the first perpendicular direction Ds can also be demolded by the demolding device <NUM>.

Although in the above embodiments two pullers <NUM> are located in the axial direction Df of the thin-walled part SP, the present disclosure is not limited to this puller arrangement. Three or more pullers <NUM> may be located in the axial direction Df.

Although in the above embodiments the thin-walled part SP to be demolded is one used as, for example, an aircraft fuselage, the present disclosure is not limited to this kind of thin-walled part SP. The demolding device <NUM> can demold the thin-walled part SP that is used, for example, as a nose or nacelle of an aircraft or as a fairing of a flying object.

In the above embodiments, whether demolding of the thin-walled part SP has been completed may be determined based on values detected by load cells located on the engagers <NUM> of the pullers <NUM> or may be confirmed visually.

The configuration for implementing the control by the control circuitry <NUM> is not limited to that illustrated above. The functionality of the elements disclosed herein may be implemented using circuitry or processing circuitry which includes general purpose processors, special purpose processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), conventional circuitry and/or combinations thereof which are configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functionality. Processors are considered processing circuitry or circuitry as they include transistors and other circuitry therein. In the disclosure, the circuitry, units, or means are hardware that carry out or are programmed to perform the recited functionality. The hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein or otherwise known which is programmed or configured to carry out the recited functionality. When the hardware is a processor which may be considered a type of circuitry, the circuitry, means, or units are a combination of hardware and software, the software being used to configure the hardware and/or processor.

According to the present disclosure, when the puller applies the load including a force component acting in the circumferential direction to the thin-walled part, the contact structure of each of the contour units follows the motion of the thin-walled part expanded outward by the applied load and maintains contact with the thin-walled part. This can prevent the thin-walled part from deforming due to the application of the load from the puller to the thin-walled part. Unlike in a conventional method where formation of a tubular part by thermal molding is followed by withdrawing the mold in the axial direction of the part, proper demolding can be accomplished even when the wall thickness of the tubular part varies in the axial direction or when an additional projecting part is located on a region of the inner wall surface of the tubular part.

In the above disclosure, the edges of the partially open wall of the thin-walled part may include a first edge and a second edge that are opposite to each other in a horizontal direction, the puller may include a pair of engagers that engage with the first edge and the second edge of the thin-walled part, and an actuator that moves the engagers, and the puller may move the engagers by operation of the actuator to apply the load to the thin-walled part.

According to the above disclosure, the load application to the thin-walled part is effected by the at least one pair of engagers moving in engagement with the first and second edges of the thin-walled part. Thus, the load including a force component acting in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part can easily be applied to the thin-walled part.

In the above disclosure, the demolding device may further include control circuitry that controls the puller and the contour units, and the control circuitry may control an amount of movement of the contact structure of each of the contour units in conjunction with application of the load from the puller to the thin-walled part.

According to the above disclosure, the contact structure of each of the contour units can be moved to follow the motion of the thin-walled part expanded by application of the load including a force component acting in the circumferential direction to the first and second edges of the thin-walled part. This ensures the prevention of deformation of the thin-walled part.

In the above disclosure, the demolding device may further include a memory storing position information specifying positions of the contour units in association with a position of the puller, and the control circuitry may move the contact structure of each of the contour units based on the position information stored in the memory.

According to the above disclosure, the control circuitry can easily move the contact structures of the contour units.

In the above disclosure, the contact structure of each of the contour units may be a contour roller that moves on the thin-walled part or a contour board that comes into surface contact with the thin-walled part.

According to the above disclosure, the contour roller can be brought into contact with a region of the thin-walled part where sliding movement on the thin-walled part is relatively dominant when the load including a force component acting in the circumferential direction is applied to the thin-walled part, and the contour board can be brought into surface contact with another region of the thin-walled part where the sliding movement is not so dominant during the load application.

In the above disclosure, a wall thickness of the thin-walled part may be <NUM>/<NUM> or more of a maximum width of a hollow interior of the thin-walled part on an outer circumference of the mold.

Claim 1:
A demolding device (<NUM>) that removes a thin-walled part (SP) from a mold (ML) the thin-walled part being tubular and having a partially open wall, the demolding device comprising:
contour units (<NUM>, 60A, 60B) that are located in a circumferential direction of the thin-walled part and each of which includes a contact structure (<NUM>) that contacts an outer surface of the thin-walled part and moves in a thin-walled surface outward direction (Dw) extending away from the outer surface of the thin-walled part; and characterized by
a puller (<NUM>) that engages with edges of the partially open wall of the thin-walled part and that applies a load to the thin-walled part, the load including a force component acting in the circumferential direction of the thin-walled part, wherein
in response to application of the load from the puller to the thin-walled part, each of the contour units moves the contact structure to keep the contact structure in contact with the thin-walled part.