# US 9,751,127 B2 · Pulling-up-type continuous casting apparatus and pulling-up-type continuous casting method

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- Number: US 9,751,127 B2
- Document ID: US9751127B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/037,925
- Filed: 2014-10-09
- Published: 2016-10-06
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-26
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Naoaki Sugiura; Yusuke Yokota
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751127B2

## CPC

- B22D 11/168: {for adjusting the mould size or mould taper}
- B22D 11/041: for vertical casting (B22D11/043, B22D11/049 - B22D11/059 take precedence)
- B22D 11/1245: {using specific cooling agents}
- B22D 11/145: {for upward casting}
- B22D 11/188: {responsive to thickness of solidified shell}
- B22D 11/20: for removing cast stock
- B22D 46/00: Controlling, supervising, not restricted to casting covered by a single main group, e.g. for safety reasons (controlling or regulating in general G05)
- B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22)

## Abstract

A pulling-up-type continuous casting apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a holding furnace that holds molten metal, and a shape defining member disposed above a molten-metal surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast as molten metal passes through an opening formed in the shape defining member. The opening is formed in such a manner that a size of the opening on a top surface of the shape defining member is larger than that on a bottom surface of the shape defining member. With this configuration, a cast-metal article having excellent surface quality can be produced even when molten metal is drawn up in an oblique direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pulling-up continuous casting apparatus comprising:
a holding furnace that holds molten metal;
a shape defining member disposed above a molten-metal surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast as the molten metal passes through an opening formed in the shape defining member;
an image pickup unit that takes an image of the molten metal that has passed through the shape defining member; and
an image analysis unit that detects a fluctuation on the molten metal from the image and determines a solidification interface based on presence/absence of the fluctuation, wherein
the opening is formed in such a manner that a size of the opening on a top surface of the shape defining member is larger than that on a bottom surface of the shape defining member, and
a shape of the opening is modified based on a position of the solidification interface determined by the image analysis unit and a pulling-up angle of the molten metal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pulling-up continuous casting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cut-out or an inclined part is formed on a periphery of the opening on the top surface of the shape defining member.

### Claim 3

A pulling-up continuous casting method comprising:
disposing a shape defining member above a molten-metal surface of molten metal held in a holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast;
pulling up the molten metal while making the molten metal pass through an opening formed in the shape defining member;
taking an image of the molten metal that has passed through the shape defining member; and
detecting a fluctuation on the molten metal from the image and determining a solidification interface based on presence/absence of the fluctuation, wherein
the opening is formed in such a manner that a size of the opening on a top surface of the shape defining member is larger than that on a bottom surface of the shape defining member, and
a shape of the opening is modified based on a position of the solidification interface determined based on the presence/absence of the fluctuation and a pulling-up angle of the molten metal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The pulling-up continuous casting method according to claim 3, wherein a cut-out or an inclined part is formed on a periphery of the opening on the top surface of the shape defining member.

### Claim 5

A pulling-up continuous casting method comprising:
disposing a shape defining member above a molten-metal surface of molten metal held in a holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast;
pulling up the molten metal while making the molten metal pass through the shape defining member;
taking an image of the molten metal that has passed through the shape defining member; and
detecting a fluctuation on the molten metal from the image and determining a solidification interface based on presence/absence of the fluctuation, wherein
when the molten metal is pulled up in an oblique direction, a degree of submergence of the shape defining member under the molten-metal surface is increased compared to when the molten metal is pulled up in a vertical direction, and
the degree of submergence is determined based on a position of the determined solidification interface and a pulling-up angle of the molten metal.