# US 10,369,606 B2 · Temperature adjustment station and method for operating the temperature adjustment station

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- Number: US 10,369,606 B2
- Document ID: US10369606B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/378,951
- Filed: 2016-12-14
- Published: 2017-06-15
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-15
- Assignees: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
- Applicants: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
- Inventors: Georg Frost; Martin Hesselmann; Markus Kettler; Max Niesse
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369606B2

## CPC

- B21C 51/00: Measuring, gauging, indicating, counting, or marking devices specially adapted for use in the production or manipulation of material in accordance with subclasses B21B - B21F
- B21D 22/022: {by heating the blank or stamping associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence)}
- B21D 22/208: {by heating the blank or deep-drawing associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence)}
- B21D 37/16: Heating or cooling
- C21D 1/673: for die quenching
- C21D 9/48: deep-drawing sheets
- B21C: MANUFACTURE OF METAL SHEETS, WIRE, RODS, TUBES, PROFILES OR LIKE SEMI-MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS OTHERWISE THAN BY ROLLING; AUXILIARY OPERATIONS USED IN CONNECTION WITH METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL
- B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F)
- C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Temperature adjustment station for the contact heating of a blank, for the at least partial hardening of the 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, is regulated or controlled when the temperature adjustment station is closed, wherein a contact plate is coupled to the upper die via at least one movable bearing, and/or a contact plate is coupled to the lower die via at least one movable bearing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Temperature adjustment station according to claim 1, further comprising a main drive and/or actuators to regulate the contact pressure depending on a contact surface and/or a cross-sectional area of the contact plate and/or a yield strength of the contact plate and/or a coefficient of adhesion and/or an actual temperature.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

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 a main drive of the temperature adjustment station, and/or actuators are provided for changing the contact pressure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

Method according to claim 8, wherein the contact pressure is regulated or controlled according to the following formula:
p
<
Rp
0.2
⁡
(
T
)
*
AQ
Plate
AK
Blank
*
μ