METHOD FOR PRECISION BENDING OF A SHEET OF MATERIAL AND SLIT SHEET THEREFOR

摘要

A method for precision bending of a sheet of material (31, 41, 61, 91, 231)along a bend line (35, 45, 62-66, 96, 235) and the resulting sheet aredisclosed. A method includes a step of forming and longitudinally extendingslits (33, 43, 68, 92, 233) through the sheet of material in axially spacedrelation to define bending webs (37, 47, 71, 72, 106, 237), forming stressreducing structures such as enlarged openings (39, 49, 69, 73) or transverselyextending slits (239) at each of adjacent ends of pairs of slits in order toreduce crack propagation across the bending webs. In another aspect, theelongated slits (43, 68, 92, 233) are formed with pairs of longitudinallyextending slit segments (51, 52; 74, 76; 98, 99; 127) proximate to and onopposite sides of and substantially parallel to the desired bend line.Longitudinally extending slit segments further are connected by at least oneintermediate transversely extending slit segment (53, 77, 101, 128). Sheets ofslit material suitable for bending also are disclosed.