Bent member and an apparatus and method for its manufacture

摘要

Provided are a bent member having a bend having a minute bend radius which is, for example, not more than 1 to 5 times the thickness of the member, and a device and a method for manufacturing the bent member. A first support means (11) disposed at a first position (A) supports a rectangular pipe (16) while feeding the rectangular pipe (16) in the longitudinal direction, a heating means (12) disposed at a second position (B) partially heats the rectangular pipe (16), and a cooling means (13) disposed at a third position (C) cools the rectangular pipe (16). When working the rectangular pipe (16), a shear force application means (14) which is disposed in a downstream region (D) is moved two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally in two directions at the same time, the two directions being the feeding direction of the rectangular pipe (16) and the direction substantially parallel to one lateral cross-section of the rectangular pipe (16), said lateral cross-section being located at a position in the longitudinal direction and being that which is heated by the heating means (12). By doing so, a shear force is applied to the heated portion of the rectangular pipe (16), and as a result, a bent member (21) is manufactured.