阅读说明：本技术 锥形结构构造 (Conical structure ) 是由 E.D.史密斯 R.K.塔卡塔 A.H.斯罗库姆 S.A.奈菲 于 2012-09-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明的系统将用于形成锥形结构的坯料供给到弯曲装置中,使得所述坯料上的每个点围绕锥形结构的峰点位置进行旋转运动；并且所述坯料沿着一个或多个相邻边缘与坯料的前趋部分相交。(The system of the invention feeds a blank for forming a conical structure into a bending device, so that each point on the blank performs a rotational movement around the peak position of the conical structure; and the blank intersects a predecessor portion of the blank along one or more adjacent edges.)

1. A system, comprising:

a triple roll machine configured to impart a controllable curvature to a blank used to form a tapered structure;

a feed system capable of imparting at least one of rotational and translational motion to the blank relative to a feed direction, wherein each point on an incoming blank sheet is a constant distance from a peak of the conical structure over a time period of: starting immediately from the first point of the blank feed into the three-roll machine until the last point of the blank has just left the three-roll machine; and

a control system configured to cause the feed system to feed stock to the triple roll such that the stock undergoes rotational movement about a peak of the frustoconical structure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to cause the triple roll machine to impart a curvature to the billet that varies linearly with the height of the frustoconical structure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the feed system comprises:

a roller operable to feed stock to the triple roller along the feed direction, and

a positioner operable to translate the blank in a direction different from the feed direction.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the location of the peak moves relative to the three rollers while stock is fed through the three rollers.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the feed system is capable of varying the feed angle of the billet relative to a feed direction such that each point on the billet translates tangentially to a respective virtual circle of constant radius centered at a peak point location of the frustoconical structure.

6. An apparatus for manufacturing a frusto-conical structure, the apparatus comprising:

a feed system operable to move a sheet of material in a first direction;

a bending device operable to: receiving the sheet of material from the feed system, moving the sheet of material in a second direction different from the first direction, and bending the sheet of material to form the frustoconical structure; and

a control system in communication with the feed system and the bending device, the control system configured to control the feed system and the bending device such that when the sheet of material is moved into the bending device, a portion of the sheet of material that has not been bent by the bending device is maintained at a substantially constant distance from an imaginary peak point of the frustoconical structure, wherein the imaginary peak point is located at a point at which the taper of the frustoconical structure would decrease to zero if the frustoconical structure were not truncated.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sheet of material comprises a sheet of metal.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sheet of material comprises a trapezoidal sheet.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the feed system is configured to drive the sheet of material in the first direction toward the bending device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the feed system includes rollers operable to translate the sheet of material in the first direction.

11. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the feed system is adjustable in two degrees of freedom for positioning the sheet of material relative to the bending device.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the feed system is operable to rotate the sheet of material relative to the bending device.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bending device comprises a three-roll machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the three-roll machine comprises a plurality of rollers arranged in a group.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of rollers are guidable to move the sheet of material in the second direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the portion of the sheet of material that has not been bent by the bending device is a first portion, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a welder controllable to join: a second portion of the sheet of material that has been bent by the bending means, and another portion of the frusto-conical structure that has been bent by the bending means.

17. An apparatus for manufacturing a frusto-conical structure, the apparatus comprising:

a feeding system comprising rollers operable to drive a metal sheet in a first direction, the feeding system being adjustable in two degrees of freedom for positioning the metal sheet;

a bending apparatus comprising a three-roll machine comprising a plurality of steerable rollers arranged in a group, the plurality of steerable rollers operable to: receiving the metal sheet from the feeding system, moving the metal sheet in a second direction different from the first direction, and bending the metal sheet to form the frustoconical structure;

a welder operable to join the metal sheet to itself or to another metal sheet; and

a control system in communication with the feed system, the bending device, and the welder, the control system configured to control the feed system and the bending device such that, when the sheet metal is driven into the bending device, a portion of the sheet metal that has not been bent by the bending device remains at a substantially constant distance from an imaginary peak of the frustoconical structure, wherein the imaginary peak is located at a point at which the taper of the frustoconical structure would decrease to zero if the frustoconical structure were not truncated, and the control system is configured to control the welder to join: a second sheet metal part which has been bent by the bending means, and another part of the frusto-conical structure which has been bent by the bending means.

18. An apparatus for manufacturing a frusto-conical structure, the apparatus comprising:

a feed system operable to move a sheet of material in a first direction;

a bending device operable to: receiving the sheet of material from the feed system, moving the sheet of material in a second direction different from the first direction, and bending the sheet of material to form the frustoconical structure; and

a control system in communication with the feed system and the bending device, the control system configured to control the feed system and the bending device in the following manner: such that when the sheet of material is moved into the bending device, the portion of the sheet of material that has not been bent by the bending device rotates around and is at a substantially constant radial distance from an imaginary peak point located at a point at which the taper of the frustoconical structure would decrease to zero if the frustoconical structure were not truncated.

Technical Field

This document relates to constructing a tapered structure.

Background

There are a variety of techniques and devices that can produce tapered structures, such as cones or frustoconical structures. One general approach to constructing a tapered structure involves: the metal blank is bent or otherwise deformed in a desired manner and then joined to itself at certain points or joined to other structures at certain points. Some construction techniques start with a flat metal blank and introduce in-plane deformation (i.e., compression) to properly shape the blank to build the structure. These in-plane deformations often require a relatively large amount of energy, thereby increasing the cost of producing the structure using those techniques.

Disclosure of Invention

In general, in one aspect, a blank for forming a tapered structure is fed into a bending apparatus such that: each point on the blank performs a rotational motion about a peak location of the conical structure; and the blank intersects a predecessor portion of the blank along one or more adjacent edges.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention described herein may be understood by reference to the following drawings, which are provided by way of example and not by way of limitation:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a construction system.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a three-roll machine.

Fig. 3-5 are schematic views of a deformed blank.

Fig. 6A-6C are schematic views of a blank undergoing a rotational motion about a peak.

Fig. 6D is a kinematic diagram illustrating the rotational movement of the blank about a point.

Fig. 7A is a perspective view of a construction system.

Fig. 7B is a top view of the construction system.

Fig. 8A is a perspective view of a construction system.

Fig. 8B is a top view of the construction system.

Fig. 9A is a perspective view of a construction system.

Fig. 9B is a top view of the construction system.

Fig. 10A is a perspective view of a construction system.

Fig. 10B is a top view of the construction system.

Fig. 11A is a perspective view of a construction system.

FIG. 11B is a top view of the construction system.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a set of rollers.

Fig. 13 is a graph.

Fig. 14 is a flowchart.

Like reference numerals refer to like structures.

Implementations may have one or more of the following features. The peak position moves along a fixed axis. The blank is trapezoidal. The bending device comprises a triple roll. Feeding a blank into a bending device does not impart an in-plane deformation to the blank. Further, joining the blank to the predecessor portion along the one or more adjacent edges. Joining the blank includes completing a technique selected from the group consisting of: welding, applying adhesive, and applying mechanical fasteners. Feeding the blank into the bending device comprises: the infeed angle of the billet is changed relative to the feed direction so that each point on the billet translates tangentially to a respective virtual circle of constant radius centered at the location of the peak point. Varying the feed angle includes: imparting at least one of rotational and translational motion to the blank relative to the feed direction.

In general, in another aspect, a system includes: a three-roll machine configured to impart a controllable degree of curvature to the blank; a supply system capable of: imparting a first translational component of motion to the billet at a first point on the billet; imparting a second translational component of motion to the billet at a second point on the billet; and rotating the billet about a point on the feed system.