초록 ▼

The apparatus forms a profilated collimator strip out of a band of deformable material. It contains a first and a second forming tool, both of which contain a row of forming teeth. The teeth may be hexagonal to form corresponding deformations having sidewalls greater in width than the top or bottom

The apparatus forms a profilated collimator strip out of a band of deformable material. It contains a first and a second forming tool, both of which contain a row of forming teeth. The teeth may be hexagonal to form corresponding deformations having sidewalls greater in width than the top or bottom walls. In operation, the teeth are disposed oppositely and staggered with respect to each other. The apparatus also contains a device for performing a relative movement between the two tools, whereby the tools approach each other. The apparatus also includes a device for moving one of the tools parallel to the other one in an indexing step by step motion. In the method for forming a profilated collimator strip, a band is placed on one tool, whereby a portion of the band is located in the space between the two tools which are positioned oppositely to each other. Then the tools are approached to each other, the teeth thereby pressing the band into the predetermined shape. When the tools are subsequently retracted from each other, one tool is moved in a step motion parallel to the other tool. Thereby, an additional portion of the band is introduced into the space to be formed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for forming a profiled collimator strip out of a band of a deformable material, comprising (a) a first forming tool having a first end face containing a first plurality of teeth along a first plane; (b) a second forming tool having a second end face containing a second plurality

1. An apparatus for forming a profiled collimator strip out of a band of a deformable material, comprising (a) a first forming tool having a first end face containing a first plurality of teeth along a first plane; (b) a second forming tool having a second end face containing a second plurality of teeth along a second plane, whereby said second end face is arranged opposite and parallel to said first end face, and whereby said second plurality of teeth has the same pitch as and is staggered with respect to said first plurality of teeth; (c) means for performing relative movements between said first and second tools parallel to said first and second planes when said first tool is in said retracted position, said relative movements being indexing step by step movements in the same direction; and (d) means for performing relative movements between said first and second tools, said relative movements comprising a closing movement whereby one of said tools moves from a retracted position linearly towards the other one of said tools until a forming position is reached, and said movements comprising an opening movement which is in opposite direction with respect to said closing movement. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second forming tools comprise metal blocks. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shape of said first and second plurality of teeth is trapezoidal, and wherein a first and second plurality of recesses having a trapezoidal shape are provided between said first and second plurality of teeth, respectively. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein in said forming position the distance between the top portion of each of said first teeth and the bottom portion of its adjacent second recess is smaller than the distance between a sidewall of each of said first teeth and a sidewall of its adjacent second recess. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first plurality of teeth is arranged along a first linear direction, and wherein said second plurality of teeth is arranged along a direction common to the first linear direction. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein end portions of said first and second teeth extend perpendicularly to said first linear direction and having width extending common to the first linear direction, respectively. 7. A method for forming a profiled collimator strip out of a band of deformable material, comprising the steps of (a) positioning a first portion of said band between a first forming tool having a first end face which contains a first pluraity of teeth arranged along a first linear direction, and a second forming tool having a second end face containing a second plurality of teeth arranged along a direction common to the first linear direction, said second plurality of teeth being arranged parallel and staggered with respect to said first plurality of teeth; (b) moving said first forming tool from a retracted position towards said second forming tool into a forming position, thereby pressing said first portion of said band between said first and second forming tools, said first band portion thereby adopting a profile determined by the shape of said first and said second teeth; (c) moving said first forming tool back to said retracted position; and (d) advancing said second die with said band perpendicularly to said first and second directions such that an adjacent second portion thereof is positioned between said first and second tools, wherein said advancing of said second die and band is performed in a step by step movement in the same direction by one tooth at a time. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said band is supported by one of said forming tools. 9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said first and second directions are horizontal directions, and wherein said first forming tool is moved vertically from said retracted position into said forming position, while said second forming tool is kept in a fixed portion, and wherein said second forming tool is advanced horizontally by at least one tooth while said first moving tool is in said retracted position having its teeth retracted from said band. 10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said advancing of said band comprises advancing three to five teeth at a time. 11. The method according to claim 7, wherein a preformed strip of material is positioned between said first and second forming tools. 12. The method according to claim 9, comprising the following steps in the order indicated: (a) disengaging said first tool from said strip of material in a vertical direction; (b) moving said second tool along said first tool in horizontal direction; and (c) pressing said first tool against said band of material, thereby forming an additional second portion of said band under pressure.