Patent ID: 7624611

Claim:
A method for forming a cup-shaped member, the method comprising: a first pressing step of pressing a plate into a first cup-shaped intermediate molded body that has a substantially uniform wall thickness; and a second pressing step of pressing the first cup-shaped intermediate molded body into a second cup-shaped intermediate molded body, the second cup-shaped intermediate molded body including at least one annular bearing surface that extends perpendicular to an axial direction of the second cup-shaped intermediate molded body, the at least one annular bearing surface being disposed on a radial-inward projection that radially inwardly extends from an inner circumferential periphery of the second cup-shaped intermediate molded body and has an increased wall thickness, wherein during the second pressing step, an outer circumferential periphery of the first cup-shaped intermediate molded body is ironed to facilitate plastic flow that is radially inwardly directed from the inner circumferential periphery thereof by restraining plastic flow that is directed toward an open end periphery and a bottom of the first cup-shaped intermediate molded body to thereby form the at least one annular bearing surface on the radial-inward projection, and wherein during the first pressing step, the plate is formed into the first cup-shaped intermediate molded body that has a generally part-spherical bottom wall, and during the second pressing step, the generally part-spherical bottom wall of the first cup-shaped intermediate molded body is pressed to facilitate plastic flow that is directed from the generally part-spherical bottom wall toward an area in which the at least one annular bearing surface is formed.