Patent ID: 8701453

Claim:
A hydro-mechanical tool for forming a metal blank, comprising: a punch having a die forming surface; a blank holder ring that engages a first side of the blank; a container ring engages a second side of the blank, and cooperates with a movable wall that moves relative to the container ring to define a chamber that has a variable volume; at least one recessed area formed in the forming surface of the punch into which a portion of the blank is drawn by the action of the punch, and a protrusion provided on the surface of the punch to reduce the volume of liquid required to form the blank into a detail area of the forming surface; and a volume of liquid contained within the liquid container ring and on the wall, wherein the forming surface engages the blank while the blank is retained between the blank holder ring and the liquid container ring, and the liquid causes the blank to conform to the forming surface when the punch is driven into the blank wherein the wall defines at least one port that is in fluid flow communication with a source of pressurized liquid and opens into a surface on the wall that faces the blank, wherein hydro-mechanical forming pressure is applied to the blank in localized areas where the port opens into the surface of the wall to form the blank into a detail area of the forming surface.