EP1242204A1 - Production d'une bande d'acier mince - Google Patents

Production d'une bande d'acier mince

Info

Publication number
EP1242204A1
EP1242204A1 EP00972472A EP00972472A EP1242204A1 EP 1242204 A1 EP1242204 A1 EP 1242204A1 EP 00972472 A EP00972472 A EP 00972472A EP 00972472 A EP00972472 A EP 00972472A EP 1242204 A1 EP1242204 A1 EP 1242204A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
strip
enclosure
rolling mill
rolled
rolls
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP00972472A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Walter Blejde
Graham Minter
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Castrip LLC
Original Assignee
Castrip LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Castrip LLC filed Critical Castrip LLC
Publication of EP1242204A1 publication Critical patent/EP1242204A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D11/00—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths
    • B22D11/14—Plants for continuous casting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B1/00—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations
    • B21B1/46—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting
    • B21B1/463—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting in a continuous process, i.e. the cast not being cut before rolling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B9/00—Measures for carrying out rolling operations under special conditions, e.g. in vacuum or inert atmosphere to prevent oxidation of work; Special measures for removing fumes from rolling mills
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D11/00—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths
    • B22D11/06—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths into moulds with travelling walls, e.g. with rolls, plates, belts, caterpillars
    • B22D11/0622—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths into moulds with travelling walls, e.g. with rolls, plates, belts, caterpillars formed by two casting wheels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D11/00—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths
    • B22D11/06—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths into moulds with travelling walls, e.g. with rolls, plates, belts, caterpillars
    • B22D11/0637—Accessories therefor
    • B22D11/0697—Accessories therefor for casting in a protected atmosphere
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B1/00—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations
    • B21B1/22—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling plates, strips, bands or sheets of indefinite length
    • B21B1/24—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling plates, strips, bands or sheets of indefinite length in a continuous or semi-continuous process
    • B21B1/26—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling plates, strips, bands or sheets of indefinite length in a continuous or semi-continuous process by hot-rolling, e.g. Steckel hot mill
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B45/00—Devices for surface or other treatment of work, specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills
    • B21B45/04—Devices for surface or other treatment of work, specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills for de-scaling, e.g. by brushing
    • B21B45/08—Devices for surface or other treatment of work, specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills for de-scaling, e.g. by brushing hydraulically

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the production of thin steel strip. It has particular application to the production of steel strip by continuous casting and inline hot rolling of the strip to a final gauge or thickness.
  • Steel strip produced by continuous thin slab casting or by twin roll strip casting may be subjected to inline hot rolling to reduce the strip to the final gauge.
  • molten metal is introduced between a pair of contra-rotated horizontal casting rolls which are cooled so that metal shells solidify on the moving roll surfaces and are brought together at the nip between them to produce a solidified strip product delivered downwardly from the nip between the rolls.
  • nip is used herein to refer to the general region at which the rolls are closest together.
  • the molten metal may be poured from a ladle into a smaller vessel from which it flows through a metal delivery nozzle located above the nip so as to direct it into the nip between the rolls, so forming a casting pool of molten metal supported on the casting surfaces of the rolls immediately above the nip and extending along the length of the nip.
  • This casting pool is usually confined between side plates or dams held in sliding engagement with end surfaces of the rolls so as to dam the two ends of the casting pool against outflow, although alternative means such as electromagnetic barriers have also been proposed.
  • the strip leaving the hot rolling mill was subjected to water cooling and then coiled. With this procedure, the strip may need to be subsequently descaled or pickled prior to some end uses.
  • the hot rolled strip is subjected to descaling prior to coiling at temperatures in the range 900°C to 600°C the rate of rescaling will be very low.
  • the strip can be coiled with very low scale of the order of only 1 to 2 micron thick and there will be no further appreciable scale development.
  • the resulting coils can be sent directly to end users for many applications such as in the production of drums and any painted strip products. In other applications, they will allow much faster pickling than the material not subjected to descaling immediately prior to coiling.
  • a method of producing steel strip comprising: continuously casting a steel strip; guiding the strip through an enclosure containing an atmosphere which inhibits oxidation of the strip surface - 3 -
  • the strip may be passed out of said enclosure prior to passing through the rolling mill.
  • the rolling mill may be disposed within the enclosure so that the strip passes through the rolling mill before leaving the enclosure.
  • the strip is continuously cast by supporting a casting pool of molten steel on a pair of chilled casting rolls forming a nip between them and the solidified strip is produced by rotating the rolls in mutually opposite directions such that the solidified strip moves downwardly from the nip.
  • the atmosphere in said enclosure may be formed of inert or reducing gases or it may be an atmosphere containing oxygen at a level lower than the atmosphere surrounding the enclosure.
  • the atmosphere in the enclosure is formed by sealing the enclosure to restrict ingress of oxygen containing atmosphere, causing oxidation of the strip within the enclosure during an initial phase of casting thereby to extract oxygen from the sealed enclosure and to cause the enclosure to have an oxygen content less than the atmosphere surrounding the enclosure, and thereafter maintaining the oxygen content in the sealed enclosure at less than that of the surrounding atmosphere by continuous oxidation of the strip passing through the sealed enclosure thereby to control the thickness of the resulting scale on the strip.
  • the rolling mill hot rolls the strip at a temperature in the range of 750 to 1250°C. - 4 -
  • the invention further provides apparatus for producing steel strip comprising: a continuous caster for continuously casting steel strip; strip guide means to guide the strip through a transit path away from the caster; an oxidation inhibiting enclosure to confine the strip throughout said transit path to control formation of scale on the strip; a rolling mill operable to roll the strip as it is produced; a descaler operable to descale the strip as it leaves the rolling mill; and a coiler to receive the rolled and descaled strip.
  • the continuous caster includes: a pair of generally horizontal casting rolls forming a nip between them; metal delivery means to deliver molten steel into the nip between the casting rolls to form a casting pool of molten steel supported on the rolls; means to chill the casting rolls; and means to rotate the casting rolls in mutually opposite directions whereby to cast said strip and to deliver it downwardly from the nip.
  • Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section through a steel strip casting and rolling installation constructed and operated in accordance with the present invention
  • Figure 2 illustrates essential components of a twin roll caster incorporated in the installation
  • Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section through part - 5 -
  • Figure 4 is a cross-section through end parts of the caster.
  • Figure 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-5 in Figure 4;
  • Figure 6 is a view on the line 6-6 in Figure 4.
  • Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of part of a modified installation constructed and operated in accordance with the invention.
  • the illustrated casting and rolling installation comprises a twin roll caster denoted generally as 11 which produces a cast steel strip 12 which passes in a transit path 10 across a guide table 13 to a pinch roll stand 14.
  • the strip passes into a hot rolling mill 15 comprising roll stands 16 in which it is hot rolled to reduce its thickness.
  • the thus rolled strip exits the rolling mill and passes to a run out table 17 on which it may be force cooled by water jets 18.
  • the strip is then passed through a descaler 19 before passing between pinch rolls 20A of a pinch roll stand 20 to a coiler 50.
  • Twin roll caster 11 comprises a main machine frame 21 which supports a pair of parallel casting rolls 22 having casting surfaces 22A.
  • Molten metal is supplied during a casting operation from a ladle 23 through a refractory ladle outlet shroud 24 to a tundish 25 and thence through a metal delivery nozzle 26 into the nip 27 between the casting rolls 22.
  • Hot metal thus delivered to the nip 27 forms a pool 30 above the nip and this pool is confined at the ends of the rolls by a pair of side closure dams or plates 28 which are applied to stepped ends of the rolls by a pair of thrusters 31 comprising hydraulic cylinder units 32 connected to side plate holders 28A.
  • pool 30 (generally referred to as the "meniscus" level) may rise above the lower end of the delivery nozzle so that the lower end of the delivery nozzle is immersed within this pool.
  • Casting rolls 22 are water cooled so that shells solidify on the moving roller surfaces and are brought together at the nip 27 between them to produce the solidified strip 12 which is delivered downwardly from the nip between the rolls.
  • a short length of imperfect strip is produced as the casting conditions stabilise.
  • the casting rolls are moved apart slightly and then brought together again to cause this leading end of the strip to break away in the manner described in
  • twin roll caster may be of the kind which is illustrated and described in some detail in granted Australian Patents 631728 and 637548 and United States Patents 5,184,668 and 5,277,243 and reference may be made to those patents for appropriate constructional details which form no part of the present invention.
  • the installation is manufactured and assembled to form a single very large scale enclosure denoted generally as 37 defining a sealed space 38 within which the steel strip 12 is confined throughout a transit path from the nip between the casting rolls to the entry nip 39 of the pinch - 7 -
  • Enclosure 37 is formed by a number of separate wall sections which fit together at various seal connections to form a continuous enclosure wall. These comprise a wall section 41 which is formed at the twin roll caster to enclose the casting rolls and a wall section 42 which extends downwardly beneath wall section 41 to engage the upper edges of scrap box 33 when the scrap box is in its operative position so that the scrap box becomes part of the enclosure.
  • the scrap box and enclosure wall section 42 may be connected by a seal 43 formed by a ceramic fibre rope fitted into a groove in the upper edge of the scrap box and engaging flat sealing gasket 44 fitted to the lower end of wall section 42.
  • Scrap box 33 may be mounted on a carriage 45 fitted with wheels 46 which run on rails 47 whereby the scrap box can be moved after a casting operation to a scrap discharge position.
  • Cylinder units 40 are operable to lift the scrap box from carriage 45 when it is in the operative position so that it is pushed upwardly against the enclosure wall section 42 and compresses the seal 43. After a casting operation the cylinder units 40 are released to lower the scrap box onto carriage 45 to enable it to be moved to scrap discharge position.
  • Enclosure 37 further comprises a wall section 48 disposed about the guide table 13 and connected to the frame 49 of pinch roll stand 14 which includes a pair of pinch rolls 14A against which the enclosure is sealed by sliding seals 60. Accordingly, the strip exits the enclosure 38 by passing between the pair of pinch rolls 14A and it passes immediately into the hot rolling mill 15.
  • the spacing between pinch rolls 14 and the entry to the rolling mill should be as small as possible so as to control the formation of scale prior to entry into the rolling mill.
  • Most of the enclosure wall sections may be lined with fire brick and the scrap box 33 may be lined either with fire brick or with a castable refractory lining. - 8 -
  • the enclosure wall section 41 which surrounds the casting rolls is formed with side plates 51 provided with notches 52 shaped to snugly receive the side dam plate holders 28A when the side dam plates 28 are pressed against the ends of the rolls by the cylinder units 32.
  • the interfaces between the side plate holders 28A and the enclosure side wall sections 51 are sealed by sliding seals 53 to maintain sealing of the enclosure. Seals 53 may be formed of ceramic fibre rope.
  • the cylinder units 32 extend outwardly through the enclosure wall section 41 and at these locations the enclosure is sealed by sealing plates 54 fitted to the cylinder units so as to engage with the enclosure wall section 41 when the cylinder units are actuated to press the side plates against the ends of the rolls.
  • Thrusters 31 also move refractory slides 55 which are moved by the actuation of the cylinder units 32 to close slots 56 in the top of the enclosure through which the side plates are initially inserted into the enclosure and into the holders 28A for application to the rolls.
  • the top of the enclosure is closed by the tundish, the side plate holders 28A and the slides 55 when the cylinder units are actuated to apply the side dam plates against the rolls.
  • the complete enclosure 37 is sealed prior to a casting operation to establish the sealed space 38 whereby to limit the supply of oxygen to the strip 12 as it passes from the casting rolls to the pinch roll stand 14. Initially the strip will take up all of the oxygen from the enclosure space 38 to form heavy scale on the strip.
  • the sealing of space 38 controls the ingress of oxygen containing atmosphere below the amount of oxygen that could be taken up by the strip.
  • the oxygen content in the enclosure space 38 will remain depleted so limiting the availability of oxygen for oxidation of the strip.
  • the formation of scale is controlled without the need to continuously feed a reducing or non-oxidising gas into the enclosure space 38.
  • the enclosure space can be purged immediately prior to the commencement of casting so as to reduce the initial oxygen level within the enclosure and so reduce the time for the oxygen level to be stabilised as a result of the interaction of oxygen from the scaled enclosure due to oxidation of the strip passing through it.
  • the enclosure may conveniently be purged with nitrogen gas. It has been found that reduction of the initial oxygen content to levels of between 5% to 10% will limit the scaling of the strip at the exit from the enclosure to about 10 microns to 17 microns even during the initial start-up phase.
  • the temperature of the strip passing from the caster will be of the order of 1400°C and the temperature of the strip presented to the mill may be about 1200°C.
  • the strip may have a width in the range 0.9 m to 2.0 m and a thickness in the range 0.7 mm to 2.0 mm.
  • the strip speed may be of the order of 1.0 m/s. It has been found that with strip produced under these conditions it is quite possible to control the leakage of air into the enclosure space 38 to such a degree as to limit the growth of scale on the strip to a thickness of less than 5 microns at the exit from the enclosure space 38, which equates to an average oxygen level of 2% with that enclosure space.
  • the volume of the enclosure space 38 is not particularly critical since all of the oxygen will rapidly be taken up by the strip during the initial start up phase of a casting operation and the subsequent formation of scale is determined solely by the rate of leakage of atmosphere into the enclosure space though the seals. It is preferred to control this leakage rate so that the thickness of the scale at the mill entry is in the range 1 micron to 5 microns.
  • Experimental work has shown that the strip needs some scale on its surface to prevent welding and sticking during hot rolling. Specifically, this work suggests that a minimum thickness of the order of 0.5 to 1 micron is necessary to ensure satisfactory

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metal Rolling (AREA)
  • Continuous Casting (AREA)
  • Heat Treatment Of Articles (AREA)
  • Dry Formation Of Fiberboard And The Like (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne une machine à couler (11) à deux cylindres permettant la production d'une bande d'acier mince (12), laquelle suit un chemin (10) de transit passant à travers une table (13) de guidage pour arriver sur un poste (14) à rouleaux pinceurs. Une fois sortie dudit poste (14) à rouleaux pinceurs, la bande traverse un laminoir (15) comprenant deux cages (16) de laminage dans lesquelles ladite bande subit un laminage à chaud destiné à réduire son épaisseur. La bande laminée passe ensuite dans une table (17) de coulage sur laquelle elle peut être refroidie par air forcé au moyen de jets (18) d'eau. La bande déjà laminée est alors décalaminée dans une décalamineuse (19) comprenant des gicleurs (61, 62) d'eau supérieur et inférieur, laquelle décalamineuse permet d'éliminer la couche de calamine présente sur les surfaces supérieure et inférieure de la bande. La bande décalaminée arrive ensuite au niveau d'une bobineuse (50) via un autre poste (20) à rouleaux pinceurs.
EP00972472A 1999-11-03 2000-11-02 Production d'une bande d'acier mince Withdrawn EP1242204A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPQ385099 1999-11-03
AUPQ3850A AUPQ385099A0 (en) 1999-11-03 1999-11-03 Production of thin steel strip
PCT/AU2000/001344 WO2001032335A1 (fr) 1999-11-03 2000-11-02 Production d'une bande d'acier mince

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1242204A1 true EP1242204A1 (fr) 2002-09-25

Family

ID=3817998

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00972472A Withdrawn EP1242204A1 (fr) 1999-11-03 2000-11-02 Production d'une bande d'acier mince

Country Status (12)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1242204A1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2003512934A (fr)
KR (1) KR20020063886A (fr)
CN (1) CN1387467A (fr)
AR (1) AR026348A1 (fr)
AU (1) AUPQ385099A0 (fr)
BR (1) BR0015292A (fr)
CA (1) CA2389288A1 (fr)
PE (1) PE20010876A1 (fr)
RU (1) RU2002114358A (fr)
TW (1) TW499340B (fr)
WO (1) WO2001032335A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102896476A (zh) * 2012-11-09 2013-01-30 福州宝井钢材有限公司 一种汽车外板钢带的加工方法

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102006019544A1 (de) * 2005-12-01 2007-06-06 Sms Demag Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Entzunderung von Dünnbrammen und Bändern in Warmbandstraßen, Bandbehandlungsanlagen oder dergleichen
KR101304851B1 (ko) * 2011-09-05 2013-09-05 주식회사 포스코 표면 스케일을 저감하기 위한 쌍롤식 박판 주조 방법
CN102764761B (zh) * 2012-07-26 2015-02-25 武汉钢铁(集团)公司 难加工材料近终成形制造方法
CN103658177B (zh) * 2012-08-31 2016-01-27 宝山钢铁股份有限公司 一种短流程生产高强度薄带钢的方法
CN102896477B (zh) * 2012-11-09 2015-08-19 福州宝井钢材有限公司 一种汽车钢带的加工方法
CN103966521B (zh) * 2013-01-25 2016-08-24 宝山钢铁股份有限公司 一种短流程生产耐大气腐蚀薄带钢的方法
US9156082B2 (en) 2013-06-04 2015-10-13 Nucor Corporation Method of continuously casting thin strip
CN114713783A (zh) * 2017-09-22 2022-07-08 纽科尔公司 用于在具有测量延迟的双辊带铸造中的周期性干扰的迭代学习控制
CN111590041B (zh) * 2020-06-29 2021-10-12 上海大学 一种使用铝锂合金板材的生产装置的热处理方法

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR100187553B1 (ko) * 1994-03-25 1999-06-01 다나카 미노루 박판주조스트립의 제조방법
BR9505870A (pt) * 1994-04-04 1996-02-21 Nippon Steel Corp Método e aparelho de fundição continua de cilindro duplo
AUPN101495A0 (en) * 1995-02-10 1995-03-09 Bhp Steel (Jla) Pty Limited Casting steel strip

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO0132335A1 *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102896476A (zh) * 2012-11-09 2013-01-30 福州宝井钢材有限公司 一种汽车外板钢带的加工方法
CN102896476B (zh) * 2012-11-09 2015-07-08 福州宝井钢材有限公司 一种汽车外板钢带的加工方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR20020063886A (ko) 2002-08-05
RU2002114358A (ru) 2003-12-10
PE20010876A1 (es) 2001-08-29
CA2389288A1 (fr) 2001-05-10
BR0015292A (pt) 2002-07-09
AUPQ385099A0 (en) 1999-11-25
TW499340B (en) 2002-08-21
JP2003512934A (ja) 2003-04-08
WO2001032335A1 (fr) 2001-05-10
CN1387467A (zh) 2002-12-25
AR026348A1 (es) 2003-02-05

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
AU704312B2 (en) Casting steel strip
US6675869B2 (en) Production of thin steel strip
EP1251982B1 (fr) Coulee d'une bande en acier
AU2001291505A1 (en) Production of thin steel strip
EP1989009B1 (fr) Procédé pour fabriquer une bande de coulée à faible rugosité de surface
EP0830223B1 (fr) Absorbeurs de chaleur sans contact pour la coulee en bandes
US7117925B2 (en) Production of thin steel strip
EP1242204A1 (fr) Production d'une bande d'acier mince
US8562766B2 (en) Method for making a low surface roughness cast strip
WO2003086683A1 (fr) Coulage d'une bande d'acier
AU772742B2 (en) Production of thin steel strip
US20020046824A1 (en) Method of producing steel strip

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20020503

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Free format text: AL;LT;LV;MK;RO;SI

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20050601