# US 2018/0021833 A1 · Hot press machine, hot press method, and method of manufacturing vehicle body component

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- Number: US 2018/0021833 A1
- Document ID: US20180021833A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/642,990
- Filed: 2017-07-06
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19
- Assignees: TOA Industries Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: TOA Industries Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yasutaka SUZUKI; Tadashi IWANUMA; Satoshi MIZUSHINA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021833A1

## CPC

- B21D 22/022: {by heating the blank or stamping associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence)}
- B21D 37/16: Heating or cooling
- B21D 39/031: {Joining superposed plates by locally deforming without slitting or piercing}
- 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)

## Abstract

The invention provides a hot press machine which reduces the cooling time of a superposed member and enhances the productivity. A hot press machine of the invention includes a first die, a second die disposed on the first die, a first refrigerant flow passage for guiding a refrigerant into the first die or the second die, a plurality of grooves formed in a press forming surface of the first die or the second die, and a second refrigerant flow passage for guiding a refrigerant into the grooves. The hot press machine performs press forming and quenching by pressing a superposed member between the first die and the second die, the superposed member comprising a first steel sheet and a second steel sheet superposed and joined on the first steel sheet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hot press machine comprising:
a first die,
a second die disposed on the first die,
a first refrigerant flow passage for guiding a refrigerant into the first die or the second die,
a plurality of grooves formed in a press forming surface of the first die or the second die; and
a second refrigerant flow passage for guiding a refrigerant into the grooves,
wherein the hot press machine is configured to perform press forming and quenching by pressing a superposed member between the first die and the second die, the superposed member comprising a first steel sheet and a second steel sheet superposed and joined on the first steel sheet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hot press machine of claim 1, wherein the grooves extend in parallel in one direction and arrayed at a predetermined pitch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The hot press machine of claim 1, wherein the second refrigerant flow passage comprises a refrigerant flow-in passage provided in one of the first die and the second die and guiding the refrigerant into the groove, and a refrigerant flow-out passage provided in the one of the first die and the second die and guiding the refrigerant out of the groove.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The hot press machine of claim 1, wherein the grooves are formed in both of the press forming surfaces of the first die and the second die, and the grooves of the first die and the grooves of the second die are disposed in shifted positions in a horizontal direction so as not to overlap in a vertical direction.

### Claim 5

A hot press method comprising:
a first step of forming a superposed member by superposing and joining a second steel sheet on a first steel sheet;
a second step of heating the superposed member; and
a third step of performing press forming and quenching by pressing the heated superposed member between a first die and a second die and bringing a refrigerant into direct contact with a superposed portion of the superposed member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The hot press method of claim 5, wherein the third step comprises providing a hot press machine comprising a first refrigerant flow passage for guiding a refrigerant into the first die or the second die, a plurality of grooves formed in a press forming surface of the first die or the second die and corresponding to the superposed portion of the superposed member, and a second refrigerant flow passage for guiding a refrigerant into the grooves, and setting the heated superposed member on the first die in a state where the refrigerant flows through the first refrigerant flow passage, and pressing the superposed member between the first die and the second die and simultaneously bringing the refrigerant into direct contact with the superposed portion of the superposed member by letting the refrigerant flow through the grooves.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The hot press method of claim 6, further comprising stopping the flow of the refrigerant through the grooves and simultaneously opening the first die and the second die.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The hot press method of claim 6, further comprising opening the first die and the second die after stopping the flow of the refrigerant through the grooves.

### Claim 9

A method of manufacturing a vehicle body component, the method comprising:
a first step of forming a superposed member by superposing and joining a second steel sheet as a vehicle body reinforcement member on a first steel sheet;
a second step of heating the superposed member; and
a third step of performing press forming and quenching the heated superposed member between a first die and a second die,
wherein the third step further comprising providing a hot press machine comprising a first refrigerant flow passage for guiding a refrigerant in the first die or the second die, a plurality of grooves formed in a press forming surface of the first die or the second die and corresponding to a superposed portion of the superposed member, and a second refrigerant flow passage for guiding a refrigerant into the grooves, setting the heated superposed member on the first die in a state where the refrigerant flows through the first refrigerant flow passage, and pressing the superposed member between the first die and the second die and simultaneously bringing the refrigerant into direct contact with the superposed portion of the superposed member by letting the refrigerant flow through the grooves.