Temperature adjustment station and method for operating the temperature adjustment station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017165731-A1
Application number	US-201615378951-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 14, 2016
Priority date	Dec 15, 2015
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a temperature adjustment station for the contact heating of a blank and to a method for operating the temperature adjustment station. According to the invention, the contact pressure exerted on the blank is regulated or controlled in the temperature adjustment station such that linear expansion of the blank does not have a negative effect on the contact plate itself.

First claim

1 . Temperature adjustment station for the contact heating of a blank, in particular for the at least partial hardening of a blank, having an upper die and a lower die, with at least one contact plate, wherein the contact pressure exerted on the blank, the temperature of which is to be adjusted, can be regulated or can be controlled when the temperature adjustment station is closed.

2 . Temperature adjustment station according to claim 1 , wherein the contact plate is designed as an elongate contact plate, in particular the contact plate has a length L which corresponds at least to 1.2 to 2 times the width.

3 . Temperature adjustment station according to claim 1 , wherein the contact pressure is regulated or controlled depending on the contact surface and/or the cross-sectional area of the contact plate and/or the yield strength of the contact plate and/or the coefficient of adhesion and/or the actual temperature.

4 . Temperature adjustment station according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following heating sources: inductive heating, burner heating or resistance heating, is provided for heating the at least one contact plate.

5 . Temperature adjustment station according to claim 1 , wherein, in the case of resistance heating, the contact plate as the resistor is heated itself, or in that the contact plate can be heated via heat conductors or heating cartridges.

6 . Temperature adjustment station according to claim 1 , wherein a contact plate is coupled to the upper die via at least one movable bearing, and/or in that a contact plate is coupled to the lower die via at least one movable bearing.

7 . Temperature adjustment station according to claim 1 , wherein the change in the contact pressure as a result of the regulation or control is performed by the main drive of the temperature adjustment station, and/or in that actuators are provided for changing the contact pressure.

8 . Temperature adjustment station according to claim 1 , wherein the contact pressure can be set differently in at least two locally adjacent regions.

9 . Method for operating a temperature adjustment station according to claim 1 , wherein, when the temperature adjustment station is closed, the contact pressure exerted on the blank is regulated or controlled.

10 . Method according to claim 9 , wherein the contact pressure is regulated or controlled according to the following formula:

p
<

Rp
0.2



(
T
)

*

AQ
Plate

AK
Blank

*
μ

Assignees

• Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh

Inventors

• Frost Georg
• Hesselmann Martin
• Kettler Markus
• Niesse Max

Classifications

• B21D22/208 Primary

  by heating the blank or deep-drawing associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence) · CPC title

• F27D2019/0034

  through control of a heating quantity such as fuel, oxidant or intensity of current · CPC title

• F27D11/06

  Induction heating, i.e. in which the material being heated, or its container or elements embodied therein, form the secondary of a transformer · CPC title

• F27D11/02 Primary

  Ohmic resistance heating · CPC title

• C21D9/48

  deep-drawing sheets · CPC title