1. An end plunger for end feeding in a hydroforming process, the end plunger comprising:
a body having a strength to communicate an end feeding force onto a blank, the body having:
a bearing surface at a base end for bearing the end feeding force;
an insertion end opposite the base end, the insertion end bearing a mandrel having a shape and size for insertion within a channel of the blank; and
a gripping surface for gripping the blank at its channel;
wherein the mandrel has one or more seals defining a sealing area for sealing against an interior volume of the blank channel, a length of the sealing area is more than a mean radius of the OD of the mandrel,
whereby, during an end feeding operation, a seal is lost at one axial location due to bulging of the blank, and a seal remains at an axial position where the blank has undergone less bulging.
2. The end plunger of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a fluid communication channel for conducting high pressure fluid between the sealed interior volume of the blank and one of a pressurized fluid injector and vent.
3. The end plunger of claim 1 wherein the body is formed of a single part having a plurality of independently attachable or removable seals.
4. The end plunger of claim 1 wherein the bearing surface is an adapter for coupling the end plunger to a ram of one of a pneumatic, and a hydraulic cylinder.
5. The end plunger of claim 1 wherein the gripping surface interfaces a butt end of the blank channel.
6. The end plunger of claim 1 wherein the mandrel has, across the sealing area, one or more of: a same cross-section; a same cross-sectional area; a same cross-sectional shape; a same cross-sectional shape and orientation; a same cross-sectional shape with a curvature andor torsion along the mandrel section; a circular cross-section; an elliptical cross-section; and a circular cross-section but for one or more flattened sides.
7. The end plunger of claim 1 wherein the sealing area is more than 2 cm long.
8. The end plunger of claim 1 wherein the body is generally cylindrical, and the bearing surface at the base end has a larger diameter than the mandrel.
9. The end plunger of claim 1 wherein the sealing area includes a plurality of independently releasable seals for sequential release during the end feeding.
10. The end plunger of claim 9 wherein the plurality of independently releasable seals comprise:
at least one toric seal;
2-5 seals;
at least one toric seal with a O (solid or hollow), X, U, V, T, square (solid or hollow), star or asterix profile;
a proximal seal designed to seal a lip of the blank;
a proximal seal having a pac-man or L shaped cross-section;
a distal seal defining an insertion tip of the insertion end;
different types, gages, strengths or dimensions of seals;
a seal that is actuable to seal or release;
a seal that is compression activated as a part of a gasket; or
a seal that is compression activated as a part of a gasket, where the activation is provided by electric, electromagnetic, fluid dynamic, andor mechanical actuation.
11. A method for end feeding, the method comprising:
placing a blank in a hydroforming die with a channel section of the blank lying in an entry channel of the die;
inserting a mandrel section of an end plunger into the channel section of the blank;
bringing a gripping surface of the end plunger into contact with the channel section of the blank;
establishing a first seal for sealing the end plunger against an interior volume of the blank at a first position remote from the channel section;
applying a high pressure forming fluid into the interior volume of the blank to bulge the blank outwardly, and end feeding the blank by applying an end feeding force to the end plunger, which communicates the force to the blank at the gripping surface, while the first seal isolates a section of the blank from the channel to the first seal, from the fluid pressure;
bulging the blank until the first seal is broken; and
maintaining a second seal between the blank and the end plunger at a position within the channel.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein applying the high pressure forming fluid comprises injecting the high pressure forming fluid through a fluid passage that extends through the end plunger.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising a previous step of preconfiguring the end plunger for establishing the first and second seals at appropriate locations for the die, the blank, the forming fluid pressure and temperature, and the end feeding procedure.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein establishing the first seal comprises actuating a gasket to effect the sealing.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein:
placing the blank in the hydroforming die comprises placing a plurality of channel sections of the blank in corresponding respective entry channels of the die;
inserting the mandrel section of the end plunger comprises inserting respective mandrel sections of respective end plungers in each of the plurality of channel sections; and
bringing the gripping surface of the end plunger into contact with the channel section of the blank, is performed for each end plunger at each channel section.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein end feeding is performed at two or more of the end plungers.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein end feeding is performed at two or more of the end plungers, and the forces of the end feeding are substantially balanced.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the blank is tubular, and the end feeding is provided coaxially at two opposite ends.
19. A kit comprising:
an end plunger having a body for communicating an end feeding force onto a blank, the body having a mandrel section for insertion into a blank, the mandrel section having a proximal seal for sealing the end plunger against an interior volume of the blank at a first section of the blank, and a distal seal for sealing the end plunger against the interior volume at a second section of the blank;
and one or more of the following:
a die having a cavity with a shape to receive and enclose the blank with the end plunger inserted into the blank, with a gripping surface of the end plunger gripping the blank, while a channel section of the blank extends through an entry channel of the die, which has a diameter that closely matches an outer diameter of the channel section, in which the first section is within the channel and the second section lies beyond the channel; or
instructions for enclosing the blank in a die with the end plunger inserted into the blank, with a gripping surface of the end plunger gripping the blank, while a channel section of the blank extends through an entry channel of the die, which has a diameter that closely matches an outer diameter of the channel section, in which the first section is within the channel and the second section lies beyond the channel.
20. The kit of claim 19 further comprising the blank, or instructions for producing the blank.
21. An end plunger for end feeding in a hydroforming process, the end plunger comprising:
a body formed of a plurality of parts, including one independently attachable or removable module for each of a plurality of seals, the body having a strength to communicate an end feeding force onto a blank, the body comprising:
a bearing surface at a base end for bearing the end feeding force;
an insertion end opposite the base end, the insertion end bearing a mandrel having a shape and size for insertion within a channel of the blank; and
a gripping surface for gripping the blank at its channel;
wherein the plurality of seals are provided on the mandrel, and define a sealing area for sealing against an interior volume of the blank channel,
wherein a length of the sealing area is great enough so that during an end feeding operation, a seal is lost at one of the plurality of seals due to bulging of the blank, and a seal remains at another of the plurality of seals at an axial position where the blank has undergone less bulging.
22. The end plunger of claim 21 wherein the body comprises a fluid communication channel for conducting high pressure fluid between the sealed interior volume of the blank and one of a pressurized fluid injector and vent.
23. The end plunger of claim 21 wherein the gripping surface interfaces a butt end of the blank channel.
24. The end plunger of claim 21 wherein the mandrel has, across the sealing area, one or more of: a same cross-section; a same cross-sectional area; a same cross-sectional shape; a same cross-sectional shape and orientation; a same cross-sectional shape with a curvature andor torsion along the mandrel section; a circular cross-section; an elliptical cross-section; and a circular cross-section but for one or more flattened sides.
25. The end plunger of claim 21 wherein the sealing area length is more than a mean radius of the OD of the mandrel.
26. The end plunger of claim 21 wherein the body is generally cylindrical, and the bearing surface at the base end has a larger diameter than the mandrel.
27. The end plunger of claim 21 wherein the sealing area includes a plurality of independently releasable seals for sequential release during the end feeding.
28. The end plunger of claim 27 wherein the plurality of independently releasable seals comprise:
at least one toric seal;
2-5 seals;
at least one toric seal with a O (solid or hollow), X, U, V, T, square (solid or hollow), star or asterix profile;
a proximal seal designed to seal a lip of the blank;
a proximal seal having a pac-man or L shaped cross-section;
a distal seal defining an insertion tip of the insertion end;
different types, gages, strengths or dimensions of seals;
a seal that is actuable to seal or release;
a seal that is compression activated as a part of a gasket; or
a seal that is compression activated as a part of a gasket, where the activation is provided by electric, electromagnetic, fluid dynamic, andor mechanical actuation.
29. An end plunger for end feeding in a hydroforming process, the end plunger comprising:
a body having a strength to communicate an end feeding force onto a blank, the body comprising:
a bearing surface at a base end for bearing the end feeding force;
an insertion end opposite the base end, the insertion end bearing a mandrel having a shape and size for insertion within a channel of the blank;
a plurality of independently releasable seals on the mandrel for sequential release during the end feeding, the plurality of seals defining a sealing area for sealing against an interior volume of the blank channel;
a spacer for separating the independently releasable seals; and
a gripping surface for gripping the blank at its channel;
wherein a length of the sealing area is great enough so that during an end feeding operation, one of the plurality of seals is lost due to bulging of the blank, and another of the plurality of seals remains at an axial position where the blank has undergone less bulging.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for creating a write-through cache scheme, comprising:
sending a store data command to a cache line of a cache array from a processing unit;
sending a write-through command to a system bus in response to the store data command;
employing a hardware implemented bus controller to automatically sense, within the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller, without employing software within the hardware implemented bus controller, the write-through command; and
automatically generating a clean command by the hardware implemented bus controller in the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller, without employing software within the hardware implemented bus controller, in response to sensing the write-through command, wherein employing the hardware implemented bus controller to automatically sense the write-though command, comprises:
filtering a memory address associated with the store data command using a stored memory range, wherein the stored memory range specifies memory addresses for which write-through commands are required.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the write-through command comprises at least one of a DCLAIM command or a Read With Intent to Modify (RWITM) command.
3. A system, comprising:
a processing core;
a data cache coupled to the processing core;
a state machine coupled to the data cache, the state machine being implemented in hardware without employing software instructions and being configured to automatically detect a write-through command, the state machine further being configured to automatically send out a clean command, generated by the hardware of the state machine, upon detection of a write-through command, wherein the clean command causes a cache coherency operation to be performed in at least one processing core of the system, wherein the state machine automatically senses the write-through command by filtering a memory address associated with a store data command using a stored memory range, wherein the stored memory range specifies memory addresses for which write-through commands are required.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the write-through command comprises at least one of a DCLAIM command or a Read With Intent to Modify (RWITM) command.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein employing the hardware implemented bus controller to automatically sense the write-through command, comprises:
implementing a state machine in hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller; and
monitoring for a store data command requiring a write-through command using the state machine of the hardware implemented bus controller.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein employing the hardware implemented bus controller to automatically sense the write-through command, further comprises:
automatically generating a write-through command in response to the state machine sensing a store data command requiring a write-through command.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the write-through command is a DCLAIM command if the processing unit has a target cache line of the store data command in the cache array, and wherein the write-through command is a Read With Intent to Modify (RWITM) command if the processing unit does not have the target cache line of the store data command in the cache array.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically generating a clean command by the hardware implemented bus controller comprises:
outputting the clean command to a system bus coupled to the processing unit;
reflecting the clean command to the cache array; and
pushing data corresponding to the clean command to a main memory if the data is non-coherent in the cache array.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein if the memory address associated with the store data command falls within the stored memory range, the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller maintains a write-through coherency property for the memory address without software assistance, and wherein if the memory address associated with the store data command falls outside the stored memory range, the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller ignores the memory address and software assumes responsibility for any write-through coherency on the memory address.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein employing the hardware implemented bus controller to automatically sense the write-through command, comprises:
filtering the memory address associated with the store data command using a storage control attribute for a page of memory, wherein the storage control attribute specifies memory addresses associated with the page of memory for which write-through commands are required.
11. An apparatus, comprising:
a processing core;
a cache array coupled to the processing core;
a hardware implemented bus controller coupled to the processing core; and
a system bus coupled to the processing core and the hardware implemented bus controller, wherein the processing core sends a store data command command to a cache line of the cache array, and sends a write-through command to a system bus in response to the store data command, and wherein the hardware implemented bus controller:
automatically senses, within the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller, without employing software within the hardware implemented bus controller, the write-through command; and
automatically generates a clean command in the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller, without employing software within the hardware implemented bus controller, in response to sensing the write-through command, wherein the hardware implemented bus controller automatically senses the write-through command by:
filtering a memory address associated with the store data command using a stored memory range, wherein the stored memory range specifies memory addresses for which write-through commands are required.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the hardware implemented bus controller implements a state machine in hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller, and wherein the hardware implemented bus controller automatically senses the write-through command by monitoring for a store data command requiring a write-through command using the state machine of the hardware implemented bus controller.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the hardware implemented bus controller automatically generates a write-through command in response to the state machine sensing a store data command requiring a write-through command.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the write-through command is a DCLAIM command if the processing core has a target cache line of the store data command in the cache array, and wherein the write-through command is a Read With Intent to Modify (RWITM) command if the processing core does not have the target cache line of the store data command in the cache array.
15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the hardware implemented bus controller automatically generates a clean command by:
outputting the clean command to the system bus;
reflecting the clean command to the cache array; and
pushing data corresponding to the clean command to a main memory if the data is non-coherent in the cache array.
16. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein if the memory address associated with the store data command falls within the stored memory range, the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller maintains a write-through coherency property for the memory address without software assistance, and wherein if the memory address associated with the store data command falls outside the stored memory range, the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller ignores the memory address and software assumes responsibility for any write-through coherency on the memory address.
17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the hardware implemented bus controller automatically senses the write-through command by:
filtering the memory address associated with the store data command using a storage control attribute for a page of memory, wherein the storage control attribute specifies memory addresses associated with the page of memory for which write-through commands are required.
18. A system, comprising:
a plurality of processors; and
a system bus coupled to the plurality of processors, wherein at least one processor of the plurality of processors comprises a hardware implemented bus controller, and wherein the hardware implemented bus controller:
automatically senses, within the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller, without employing software within the hardware implemented bus controller, a write-through command; and
automatically generates a clean command in the hardware of the hardware implemented bus controller, without employing software within the hardware implemented bus controller, in response to sensing the write-through command, wherein the hardware implemented bus controller automatically senses the write-through command by filtering a memory address associated with a store data command using a stored memory range, wherein the stored memory range specifies memory addresses for which write-through commands are required.