TOOL FOR SHAPING AND/OR PARTIALLY PRESS HARDENING A WORKPIECE AND METHOD FOR SHAPING AND/OR PARTIALLY PRESS HARDENING A WORKPIECE

Abstract

A tool may be used to shape and/or partially press harden a workpiece. In some examples, the tool may comprise a main body having a surface, as well as a heat conducting system containing a thermal medium. The heat conducting system is integrated in the tool in such a way that, for the heating of the surface, a heat radiating from a heat source is conducted by means of the heat conducting system to the surface of the main body. Further, the heat conducting system may comprise a thermal oil or a melt as the thermal medium. The surface of the main body may be configured to face the workpiece during the shaping or partial press hardening of the workpiece.

Claims

1.-9. (canceled)

10. A tool for at least one of shaping or partially press hardening a workpiece, the tool comprising: a main body having a surface; and a heat conducting system containing a thermal oil or a melt as a thermal medium, the heat conducting system being integrated in the main body such that heat radiating from a heat source is conducted by the heat conducting system to the surface.

11. The tool of claim 10 wherein the heat source is disposed within the heat conducting system.

12. The tool of claim 10 wherein the surface is configured to face the workpiece during the at least one of shaping or partially press hardening the workpiece.

13. The tool of claim 10 wherein the heat conducting system comprises a main channel that extends substantially parallel to the surface.

14. The tool of claim 13 wherein the heat conducting system comprises supply channels that are in fluid connection to the main channel.

15. The tool of claim 10 wherein the thermal medium is disposed statically in the heat conducting system.

16. The tool of claim 10 wherein the thermal medium flows through the heat conducting system.

17. The tool of claim 10 further comprising a base plate, wherein an interspace between the base plate and the main body is part of the heat conducting system.

18. A method for shaping and/or partially press hardening a workpiece with the tool of claim 10.

19. A method for exchanging a heat source from the tool of claim 10.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a tool according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0014] In the various FIGURES, same parts are always provided with the same reference symbols and are therefore generally also named or mentioned only once in each case.

[0015] In FIG. 1, a tool 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is represented. It is here preferably provided that this is constituted by a tool 1 for shaping, in particular hot shaping and/or partial press hardening. For instance, with the tool 1, workpieces (not represented here) made of a manganese-boron steel or of a composite, in particular TriBond, are shaped. For this the tool 1 comprises a main body 2, on the workpiece-facing side of which can be found a surface 6, which enters into contact with the workpiece in the course of the shaping. It is here further provided that this surface 6 of the tool 1 has an operating temperature of more than 400° C., in particular an operating temperature between 500° C. and 550° C., when the workpiece is deformed or shaped by the tool 1. In addition, it is preferably provided that the tool comprises besides the main body 2 a base plate 5 and, by the arrangement of the base plate 5 and the main body 2, an interspace is formed. As a result of the preferred filling of this interspace with a thermal oil or a melt (salt melt), the interspace acquires the functionality of a heat conducting system 3, which conducts to the surface 6 a heat radiating from a heat source 4. For an as far as possible uniform distribution, the heat conducting system 3 comprises a main channel 7, which extends substantially parallel to the surface 6 of the main body 2, in particular planarly, and particularly preferably runs directly beneath the surface 6. In particular, the distance of the main channel from the surface 6 is preferably less than 6 cm, preferably less than 4 cm, and particularly preferably less than 2 cm. It is further provided that the heat conducting system 3 is of rib-like configuration. The heat conducting system 3 here comprises a plurality of supply channels 8, which are respectively fluidically connected to the main channel 7. In particular, the heat sources 4 are disposed within the supply channels 8. It is here conceivable that the heat sources 4 are fitted directly on the base plate 5, and/or the heat sources 4 are directly surrounded, in particular circumflowed, by the thermal oil or the melt (salt melt) (closed system). The heat source 4 is here arranged on the tool 1 preferably without contact with the main body 2. In particular, it is imaginable that for maintenance works on the heat sources 4, in particular heating cartridges, the base plate 5 is released from the main body 2. For this purpose, it is provided that the base plate 5 is attached detachably to the main body 2.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0016] 1 tool [0017] 2 main body [0018] 3 heat conducting system [0019] 4 heat source [0020] 5 base plate [0021] 6 surface [0022] 7 main channel [0023] 8 supply channel