US 12,076,772 B2
Incremental sheet forming system with resilient tooling
Justin Michael Nardone, Mountain Lakes, NJ (US)
Assigned to Figur Machine Tools LLC, Boonton, NJ (US)
Filed by FIGUR MACHINE TOOLS LLC, Boonton, NJ (US)
Filed on Sep. 29, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/375,110.
Application 17/881,003 is a division of application No. 16/866,172, filed on May 4, 2020, granted, now 11,440,073, issued on Sep. 13, 2022.
Application 18/375,110 is a continuation of application No. 17/881,003, filed on Aug. 4, 2022, granted, now 11,819,898.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/006,802, filed on Apr. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/844,177, filed on May 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0042507 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B21D 22/02 (2006.01); B21D 22/22 (2006.01); B21D 22/26 (2006.01)
CPC B21D 22/02 (2013.01) [B21D 22/22 (2013.01); B21D 22/26 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for incrementally forming a work piece made from metal or plastic sheet material, the work piece having first and second opposed surfaces positioned on an X-Y plane of an “X”, “Y”, “Z” three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, which comprises:
a. a primary forming tool assembly positioned adjacent to and facing the first surface of the work piece, the primary forming tool assembly comprising a tool shaft having a tip that faces the first surface of the work piece;
b. a secondary forming tool assembly having a compressible and resilient outer surface layer of material and positioned facing the second surface of the work piece; and
c. a sheet holding assembly for holding the work piece between the primary forming tool assembly and the secondary forming tool assembly, wherein:
at least two of the sheet holding assembly, the primary forming tool assembly and the secondary forming tool assembly are configured and arranged for independently moving in a predetermined sequence and pattern relative to each other,
the tip of the tool shaft of the primary forming tool assembly is configured and arranged to be positioned-at a predetermined Z coordinate along the Z-axis to exert a forming force in an area of contact on the first surface of the work piece while the secondary forming tool assembly is positioned to exert a counter force against the second surface of the work piece thereby to support the work piece, and
the tip of the tool shaft is further configured and arranged to be adjustably positioned at each of a predetermined set of X-Y coordinates relative to the work piece parallel to the X-Y plane, while the tip of the tool shaft remains in contacting relation with the first surface of the work piece at substantially the same predetermined Z coordinate position so as to follow a predetermined path of formation relative to the work piece substantially parallel to the X-Y plane.