# US 2014/0190234 A1 · Method for Producing a Press-Hardened Molded Part, and Press-Hardening Tool > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190234 A1 - Document ID: US20140190234A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/237,385 - Filed: 2012-08-27 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-30 - Assignees: Kirchhoff Automotive Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Markus Löcker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190234A1 ## CPC - B21D 22/208: {by heating the blank or deep-drawing associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence)} - B62D 25/04: Door pillars {; windshield pillars} - B62D 29/007: {predominantly of special steel or specially treated steel, e.g. stainless steel or locally surface hardened steel} - C21D 1/673: for die quenching - C21D 8/0294: involving a localised treatment - C21D 2221/10: Differential treatment of inner with respect to outer regions, e.g. core and periphery, respectively - 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) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - 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 invention relates to a method that is used to produce a press-hardened molded part (3) having at least two regions that differ regarding the strength of the regions by means of a press-hardening tool. A blank heated to a forming temperature is formed in the press-hardening tool and held in the press-hardening tool during the cooling for the purpose of heat-treating. In order to set the regions of lower strength, said regions are cooled more slowly than the other regions. During the forming step, the entire blank and thus also the regions of the blank intended to be set to a lower strength are in contact with a molding surface of the tool (1). After the conclusion of the forming step, the tool surface (2) in contact with the molded part is changed in such a way that the one or more regions to be set with lower strength have no tool contact during the cooling step that follows the forming step. According to the invention, the tool surface associated with the one or more regions of lower strength of the molded part (3) is formed by tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) that can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface and the tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) are adjusted after the forming step in order to change the tool surface (2), and the molding side of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) that forms the molding surface for the forming process is larger than the region of the molded part that is to be set with lower strength and that is associated with such a tool segment (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4). The invention further relates to a press-hardening tool having a shaping surface (2) for producing a press-hardened molded part (3) having at least two regions that differ regarding the strength of the regions. According to a first alternative, the tool surface associated with the regions of lower strength is formed by tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) that can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface, and the molding surface of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) that forms the molding surface (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4) for the forming process is larger than the region of the molded part that is to be set with lower hardness due to strength by means of such a tool segment (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing a press-hardened molded part (3, 3.1, 3.2) comprising at least two regions that differ regarding the strength of the regions by using a press-hardening tool, in which a blank heated to a forming temperature is formed and is held in the press-hardening tool for the purpose of heat treating, wherein for adjusting the strength in the at least one region of lower strength this region is cooled more slowly compared to the regions to be adjusted with higher strength, characterized in that during the forming step, the entire blank and thus also the regions of the blank intended to be adjusted to a lower strength are in contact on a molding surface (2) of the tool (1, 1.1, 1.2) and after the conclusion of the forming step, the tool surface in contact with the molded parts (3, 3.1, 3.2) is changed in such a way that the one or more regions to be adjusted with lower strength have no tool contact during the cooling step that follows the forming step, wherein the tool surface assigned to the one or more regions of lower strength of the molded parts (3, 3.1, 3.2) is formed by tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6), can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface, and the tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) for changing the tool surface (2) are adjusted after the forming step and wherein the sidewall which is developing the molding surface for the forming process of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) is larger than the region of the molded part to be adjusted with lower strength that is assigned to such tool segment (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tool surface is changed in such a way that the one or more regions of the molded part (3, 3.1, 3.2) to be adjusted with lower strength are in a tool cavity during the cooling process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the blank has been heated to a uniform forming temperature before this blank which is at its forming temperature is subjected to the press-hardening process. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3) The method according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a steel sheet blank, for example a steel sheet plate, which is heated to an austenitizing temperature, is used as blank. ### Claim 5 The press-hardening tool with a formative surface (2) for producing a press-hardened molded part (3, 3.1, 3.2) comprising at least two regions that differ with regard to their strength, characterized in that the tool surface (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5) assigned because of lower strength of the molded part is constituted by tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6) that can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface and that the forming area (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5) of the one or the more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) constituting the molding area for the forming process of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) is larger than the region of lower hardness that can be respectively adjusted by the strength of the molded part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The press-hardening tool according to claim 5, characterized in that the molding area (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5) of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) is larger on all sides than the region of the molded part (3, 3.1, 3.2) which is to be adjusted with lower strength which is in contact with it at the completion of the forming step. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5, 6) The press-hardening tool according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) of the press-hardening tool (1, 1.1, 1.2) can be respectively adjusted inside the tool like a slider. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5, 6, 7) The press-hardening tool according to any of the claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the mold halves of the press-hardening tools that are interacting with each other comprise adjacent adjustable tool segments at opposite positions with reference to a molded part therein. ### Claim 9 The press-hardening tool with a formative surface for producing a press-hardened molded part comprising at least two regions that differ regarding their strength, characterized in that the tool surface assigned to the one or the more regions of lower strength of the molded part is constructed of a material that has a lower thermal conductivity relative to the material of the remaining tool surface, namely such that the cooling rate of the regions of the molded part abutting thereon is smaller than that required for hardening to produce the regions with higher strength. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The press-hardening tool according to claim 9, characterized in that the tool surface assigned to the one or the more regions of lower strength of the molded parts is constructed by one or more multiple mold inserts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The press-hardening tool according to claim 10, characterized in that the mold inserts are manufactured from a ceramic material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9, 10, 11) The press-hardening tool according to any of the claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the tool surface assigned to the one or the more regions of lower strength of the molded part is constructed by tool segments that can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5, 6, 7, 8, 12) The press-hardening tool according to claim 12, characterized in that this comprises one or multiple additional features according to any of the claims 5 to 8.