A multi-opening oven assembly for simultaneously heating a plurality of blanks, for example aluminum blanks, before forming the heated blanks in a production line is provided. The oven assembly includes vertically aligned shelves to present a plurality of chambers for heating the blanks. A table including an entry side platform and an exit side platform moves vertically along the oven assembly. A rail system extends along the platforms and the shelves to convey the blanks in and out of the chambers. Once one set of heated blanks is removed from a first chamber, the table moves vertically to a second chamber and is ready to receive the next set of heated blanks. A continuous supply of heated blanks is provided for high throughput. The oven assembly is preferably disposed in a press adjacent a forming station of an existing production line and thus, no additional floor space is required.

A multi-opening oven assembly for simultaneously heating a plurality of blanks, for example aluminum blanks, before forming the heated blanks in a production line is provided. The oven assembly includes vertically aligned shelves to present a plurality of chambers for heating the blanks. A table including an entry side platform and an exit side platform moves vertically along the oven assembly. A rail system extends along the platforms and the shelves to convey the blanks in and out of the chambers. Once one set of heated blanks is removed from a first chamber, the table moves vertically to a second chamber and is ready to receive the next set of heated blanks. A continuous supply of heated blanks is provided for high throughput. The oven assembly is preferably disposed in a press adjacent a forming station of an existing production line and thus, no additional floor space is required.

Sleeve for mounting a ceramic roller in a roller hearth furnace, the sleeve has a receptacle for one end of the ceramic roller, the receptacle being surrounded by a lateral wall. The lateral wall has, in the axial direction, a waist portion and a clamping portion, wherein a wall thickness (d) of the lateral wall in the waist portion is smaller than in the vicinity of the waist portion, and a cross-sectional area of the receptacle in the clamping portion is smaller than in the vicinity of the clamping portion.

A ceramic roller can be mounted in a roller hearth furnace by the sleeve, even at high temperature. During production, the sleeve is provided with a reduced cross-sectional area in the clamping portion. When the sleeve is pressed axially onto the end of a ceramic roller, the reduced cross-sectional area produces an elastic force, with the sleeve being held on the ceramic roller.

A furnace roller for a roller hearth furnace has a hollow cylindrical ceramic roller body having an outer oxidic coating. The roller body has outer longitudinal fins and longitudinal grooves that run in linear longitudinal direction of the roller body. The configuration reduces the contact area between the roller body and the blanks to be transported. The furnace rollers are suitable for use in roller furnaces in hot forming lines for the press hardening of AlSi-coated steel blanks.

The transport roller disclosed herein includes: an outer tubular member which is tubular and is made of a metal material; an inner tubular member which is provided inside the outer tubular member, is tubular, and is made of a ceramic material; multiple ring-shaped projections which each have a ring shape along an outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular member, are made of a metal material, and are supporting the heating target; and protection members which are formed in respective portions of the ring-shaped projections in contact with the heating target, and each include a ceramic coating containing a ceramic component.

The transport roller disclosed herein includes: an outer tubular member which is tubular and is made of a metal material; an inner tubular member which is provided inside the outer tubular member, is tubular, and is made of a ceramic material; multiple ring-shaped projections which each have a ring shape along an outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular member, are made of a metal material, and are supporting the heating target; and protection members which are formed in respective portions of the ring-shaped projections in contact with the heating target, and each include a ceramic coating containing a ceramic component.

An apparatus for calcining a secondary battery cathode material includes: a calcination furnace including an inner space that includes a temperature rising space, a temperature maintaining space, and a cooling space, which sequentially communicate; a plurality of rollers for transferring a sagger, in which a cathode material is accommodated, from the temperature rising space to the cooling space via the temperature maintaining space; a plurality of heaters arranged along the inner space; a plurality of gas feeding parts for feeding gas to the inner space; and a plurality of exhaust parts for exhausting gas from the inner space, wherein the cross-sectional area of the temperature maintaining space is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the temperature rising space and the cross-sectional area of the cooling space.

An apparatus for calcining a secondary battery cathode material includes: a calcination furnace including an inner space that includes a temperature rising space, a temperature maintaining space, and a cooling space, which sequentially communicate; a plurality of rollers for transferring a sagger, in which a cathode material is accommodated, from the temperature rising space to the cooling space via the temperature maintaining space; a plurality of heaters arranged along the inner space; a plurality of gas feeding parts for feeding gas to the inner space; and a plurality of exhaust parts for exhausting gas from the inner space, wherein the cross-sectional area of the temperature maintaining space is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the temperature rising space and the cross-sectional area of the cooling space.

The present disclosure provides for a heating device. The heating device may comprise one or more transitory mechanisms. Each transitory mechanism may rotate, elevate, and/or otherwise manipulate the orientation of one or more heated objects to ensure even heat distribution and consistent cyclical movement through the heating device. The heating device may comprise a heating container. The heating container may at least partially enclose the heated objects for the duration of the heating process to ensure even heating of the heated objects. The heating device may comprise one or more heating elements. The heating elements may warm the heated objects to a predetermined temperature in preparation for the final heating within the heating container to reduce the required heating time within the heating container. The heating device may comprise one or more collecting mechanisms. The heating device may comprise a dispensing mechanism.

The present disclosure provides for a heating device. The heating device may comprise one or more transitory mechanisms. Each transitory mechanism may rotate, elevate, and/or otherwise manipulate the orientation of one or more heated objects to ensure even heat distribution and consistent cyclical movement through the heating device. The heating device may comprise a heating container. The heating container may at least partially enclose the heated objects for the duration of the heating process to ensure even heating of the heated objects. The heating device may comprise one or more heating elements. The heating elements may warm the heated objects to a predetermined temperature in preparation for the final heating within the heating container to reduce the required heating time within the heating container. The heating device may comprise one or more collecting mechanisms. The heating device may comprise a dispensing mechanism.