Apparatus for the press hardening of components

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for the press hardening of components (2), having at least one furnace (3), having a press (8), which is arranged downstream of the at least one furnace (3), and having a transporting apparatus (4). In order to provide for cycle times which are as short as possible, means (5) for transporting the components (2) are mounted in a moveable manner in the transporting apparatus (4), wherein the means (5) with the components (2) can be moved, along the transporting apparatus (4), through the furnace (3) and into the press (8), wherein the transporting apparatus (4) is continuous between the furnace (3) and the press (8), and wherein the components (2) can be transported from the furnace (3) to the press (8) without being manipulated.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the press hardening of components (2): having at least one furnace (3), having a press (8), which is arranged downstream of the at least one furnace (3), and having a transporting apparatus (4), characterized in that means (5) for transporting the components (2) are mounted in a moveable manner in the transporting apparatus (4), wherein the means (5) with the components (2) can be moved, along the transporting apparatus (4), through the furnace (3) and into the press (8), and wherein the transporting apparatus (4) is continuous from a loading station (7) upstream of the furnace (3), as seen in the movement direction, at least into a pressing position in the press (8), wherein the components (2) can be transported from the furnace (3) to the press (8) without being manipulated and the transporting apparatus (4) is designed in the form of a guide rail, in which the means (5) for transporting the components (2) are guided, wherein a first drive mechanism (11) is provided in a region of the loading station (7) and provides for a slowed-down movement of the means (5), and wherein in the region of an exit of the furnace (3), the transporting apparatus (4) is assigned a second drive mechanism (12), which serves as an express exit and bridges a distance to the press, such that the means (5) with the components (2) heated in the furnace (3) are displaced at relatively high speed from the exit of the furnace (3) into the press (8).

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the furnace (3) is designed in the form of a continuous furnace.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the press (8) is designed in the form of a press with a horizontal pressing direction.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transporting apparatus (4) is guided outside the furnace (3) and/or the press (8).

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transporting apparatus (4) is guided within the furnace (3) and/or the press (8).

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the means (5) for transporting the components (2) have accommodating elements (6), on which the components (2) can be fastened in a hanging state.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the means (5) for transporting the components (2) have accommodating elements (6), on which the components (2) can be fastened in a standing state.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the means (5) for transporting the components (2) have covers, by means of which the components (2) can be covered at least in part.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a temperature-control device (21) is arranged in the furnace (3) and/or between the furnace (3) and the press (8) and/or in the press (8), and said device can actively control the temperature of individual regions of the components (2).

10. A method for the press hardening of components using an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising the following steps: a) the components (2) are fastened on means (5) for transporting the components (2), said means being mounted in a displaceable manner in a transporting apparatus (4), and the components (2) are transported, along the transporting apparatus (4), to a furnace (3), b) the components (2) fastened on the means (5) for transporting the components are introduced into the furnace (3), c) the components (2) fastened on the means (5) for transporting the components are transported through the furnace (3), along the transporting apparatus (4), wherein the components (2) are heated, d) the components (2) fastened on the means (5) for transporting the components are transported continuously, along the transporting apparatus (4), to a press (8), e) the components (2) are shaped in the press (8).

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein in step (d), the components are not manipulated as the components are transported from the furnace (3) to the press (8).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be described in more detail hereinbelow with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, in which, in schematic views,

(2) FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of an apparatus according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a continuous furnace in cross section, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a development of the apparatus according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates, in longitudinal section, an apparatus 1 for the press hardening of components 2. The apparatus 1 has a furnace 3, which is designed in the form of a continuous furnace. Running above the furnace 3 is a transporting apparatus 4, which has means 5 on which the components 2 can be fastened in a hanging state via accommodating elements 6.

(6) With the aid of the transporting apparatus 4, the components 2 can be transported from a loading station 7, in which the means 5 are charged with the components, through the furnace 3 and into a pressing position in a press 8, without any further manipulation being necessary at any time. For this purpose, the furnace 3 has, on the entry side, an entry door 9 and, on the exit side, an exit door 10, each designed in the form of sliding doors. The furnace 3 can be closed and opened via the entry door 9 and the exit door 10 in order, in the closed state, to achieve better heat distribution and, in particular, to keep the heat losses to a low level.

(7) The transporting apparatus 4 is designed as a kind of guide rail, in which the means 5 are guided. A first drive mechanism 11 is provided in the region of the loading station 7 and provides for a slowed-down movement of the means 5, and therefore simplifies the charging operation. In the region of an exit of the furnace 3, the transporting apparatus 4 is assigned a second drive mechanism 12, which serves as an express exit and bridges the distance to the press. The means 5 with the components 2 heated in the furnace are thus displaced at relatively high speed from the exit of the furnace into the press 8. The period of time over which the components 2 cool is thus kept to a low level.

(8) The components 2 thus arrive in the press 8 with a very low level of temperature loss and can be deformed directly in said press.

(9) In the case of this exemplary embodiment, the press 8 is designed in the form of a horizontal press, that is to say it has a horizontal pressing direction, and therefore the components 2 oriented in a hanging or vertical state can be pressed directly without having to be rotated or pivoted beforehand. Rather, the components 2 can be moved into the press simply in a state in which they hang on the means 5, without any manipulation being required.

(10) The accommodating elements 6 of the means 5 come into contact with the components 2 in connection regions 13, which are located outside a useful region 14 of the components 2. In particular the connection regions 13, as shown in the exemplary embodiments, are formed as lugs on the useful region 14. A coating present in the useful region 14 thus does not come into contact with the accommodating elements 6 of the means 5, and therefore even relatively aggressive coatings, which could result in the means 5 or the accommodating elements 6 being corroded, can be handled straightforwardly, in that the connection regions 13 may be configured without any coating.

(11) Even the use of contact-sensitive coatings is readily possible, since there is no contact with the means 5 taking place in the useful region 14. Rather, the useful regions 14 are guided contactlessly through the furnace 3 into the press 8.

(12) The components 2 can be released from the means 5, for example, during the pressing operation, by the connection regions 13 being separated off in the press 8. It is also conceivable, however, for the components 2 to be displaced out of the press again via the means 5 and only then to be separated from the means 5.

(13) In the exemplary embodiment shown, the components 2 are retained on the accommodating elements 6 of the means 5 via two coupling locations 15, 16. The coupling locations 15, 16 here are designed in the form of projecting pins, which engage in eyelets formed in the connection regions 13 of the components 2. The components 2 are thus retained in a form-fitting manner, by being pushed onto the pins of the coupling locations 15, 16. It is also readily possible, however, for the accommodating elements 6 to be configured separately. For example, the accommodating elements 6 may also be designed in the form of active grippers, and therefore the shape of the connections regions 13 of the components 2 does not have to meet such specific requirements. If appropriate, it is also possible to dispense with a separate configuration of the connection regions.

(14) FIG. 2 illustrates a cross section through the furnace 3 and the transporting apparatus 4. The means 5 are guided in a moveable manner, via wheels 17, in the transporting apparatus 4, which is designed in the form of a guide rail. The components 2 here are fastened in a hanging state on the means 5, and thus on the transporting apparatus 4, via the accommodating elements 6, and the components 2 can therefore be guided through the furnace 3 without there being any contact with the useful region 14 of the components 2.

(15) Gas burners 20, for example, are introduced in side walls 18, 19 of the furnace 3. Optimum temperature distribution in the furnace 3 can be achieved by way of an appropriate number of gas burners 20. The gas burners 20 serve, for example, for introducing heat energy into the furnace. It is possible here for temperatures of up to 1200 C. to be generated in the furnace 3.

(16) It is also possible to subdivide the furnace 3 into different temperature zones, in order to meet different process requirements.

(17) FIG. 3 illustrates the apparatus 1 with an additional temperature-control device 21, which is arranged between the furnace 3 and press 8. Active partial temperature control of the components, that is to say active heating or cooling of sub-regions, can take place in the temperature-control apparatus 21. For heating purposes, the temperature-control device 21 may have, for example, infrared lamps, in order to general local heating of the components 2 via radiant heat. Cooling can be carried out, for example, with the aid of air nozzles formed in the temperature-control device 21.

(18) As an alternative, or in addition, to an active temperature-control device 21, provision may also be made to provide the means 5 with covers, so that certain regions of the components 2 can be covered prior to transportation through the furnace 3, said regions therefore being subjected to a lower level of heating. This makes it possible for individual regions of the components 2 to be kept cooler.

(19) The partial temperature differences make it possible to influence ductility or a degree of hardness or strength adjustment in individual regions of the finished components.

(20) Rather than being limited to the exemplary embodiments shown, the invention can be modified in various ways. Instead of the furnace being designed with a transporting apparatus which is arranged above the furnace and on which the components are guided in a hanging state, it is also conceivable to have a configuration in which the components are transported in a standing state on the means. It is also possible for the components, which in the exemplary embodiment are designed in the form of straightforward metal sheets, to be in more complicated forms and be designed, for example, in the form of profiles or tubes or to be formed by a combination of a plurality of elements, which are, for example, welded to one another.

(21) The apparatus according to the invention can be used for the heat treatment, and deformation, of coated components, in particular coated metal sheets, controlled cooling possibly taking place at the same time without the transporting apparatus being affected in thermochemical terms by the coating or without any risk of the coating being damaged by contact with the transporting apparatus. Dispensing with additional manipulators, by virtue of the transporting apparatus transporting the components continuously from a loading station, through the furnace, to the press, considerably reduces cycle times, in particular the time taken from the exit from the furnace to the start of the pressing operation. It is thus the case here that the same means are used to introduce the components into the furnace, guide them through the furnace and transport them into the press.

(22) All the features and advantages, including design details, spatial arrangements and method steps, which can be gathered from the claims, the description and the drawing may be essential to the invention both in themselves and in a wide variety of different combinations.

(23) TABLE-US-00001 List of Designations 1 Apparatus 2 Components 3 Furnace 4 Transporting apparatus 5 Means 6 Accommodating elements 7 Loading station 8 Press 9 Entry door 10 Exit door 11 Drive mechanism 12 Drive mechanism 13 Connection region 14 Useful region 15 Coupling location 16 Coupling location 17 Wheels 18 Side wall 19 Side wall 20 Gas burners 21 Temperature-control device