EP3589756B1 - Procédé de formage d'une tôle et installation de fabrication avec dispositif de chauffage par conduction - Google Patents

Procédé de formage d'une tôle et installation de fabrication avec dispositif de chauffage par conduction Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3589756B1
EP3589756B1 EP18716509.7A EP18716509A EP3589756B1 EP 3589756 B1 EP3589756 B1 EP 3589756B1 EP 18716509 A EP18716509 A EP 18716509A EP 3589756 B1 EP3589756 B1 EP 3589756B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet metal
electrodes
conductive heating
sheet
roller
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EP18716509.7A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP3589756A1 (fr
Inventor
Bernd-Arno Behrens
Sven HÜBNER
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Leibniz Universitaet Hannover
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Leibniz Universitaet Hannover
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Priority claimed from DE102017104494.9A external-priority patent/DE102017104494B4/de
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Publication of EP3589756A1 publication Critical patent/EP3589756A1/fr
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    • HELECTRICITY
    • H05ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05BELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B3/00Ohmic-resistance heating
    • H05B3/0095Heating devices in the form of rollers
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21DMODIFYING 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
    • C21D1/00General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
    • C21D1/34Methods of heating
    • C21D1/40Direct resistance heating
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21DMODIFYING 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
    • C21D1/00General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
    • C21D1/62Quenching devices
    • C21D1/673Quenching devices for die quenching
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21DMODIFYING 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
    • C21D9/00Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/46Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for sheet metals
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21DMODIFYING 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
    • C21D7/00Modifying the physical properties of iron or steel by deformation
    • C21D7/13Modifying the physical properties of iron or steel by deformation by hot working

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for forming a sheet metal into a three-dimensional component by sheet metal forming, wherein the sheet metal is conductively heated by means of a conductive heating device to a temperature required for sheet metal forming.
  • the invention also relates to a production plant for producing three-dimensional components from sheet metal with a conductive heating device for carrying out a conductive heating process of a sheet metal.
  • the invention relates to the field of manufacturing sheet metal components, in which a three-dimensional component is manufactured from a flat sheet with plane-parallel or at least essentially plane-parallel surfaces by a sheet metal forming process, e.g. pressing, press hardening or form hardening, i.e. a molded part such as a vehicle component.
  • a sheet metal forming process e.g. pressing, press hardening or form hardening, i.e. a molded part such as a vehicle component.
  • the components In order to heat the sheet metal to the temperature required for pressing or press hardening, the components have previously been passed through continuous furnaces, which requires a great deal of energy and requires considerable equipment.
  • the desired press hardening process for example, the
  • Sheet metal is heated to a temperature of approx. 950°C and then cooled down during the forming process, i.e. during the pressing process. This cooling causes the sheet metal to harden at least in some places by converting the sheet material structure into a martensitic structure, which leads to the desired material properties of the three-dimensional component. For example, a tensile strength of at least 1,500 MPa with an elongation in the range of greater than 5% is required. But also with sheet materials, e.g. aluminum, magnesium, titanium, where no hardening should take place during pressing, but the sheet metal should be formed with the heated sheet using a pressing process. is carried out, there is a need for low-effort heating of the sheet metal.
  • sheet materials e.g. aluminum, magnesium, titanium
  • the invention is based on the object of further improving a method for forming a sheet metal into a three-dimensional component by sheet metal forming with regard to the conductive heating of the sheet metal. Furthermore, a production system suitable for this purpose is to be specified.
  • a method for forming a sheet metal into a three-dimensional component by sheet metal forming wherein the sheet metal is conductively heated by means of a conductive heating device to a temperature necessary for the sheet metal forming, wherein the conductive heating device has at least two rotatably mounted, roller-shaped electrodes for conductively applying current to the sheet metal, wherein the sheet metal is passed between at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation and is conductively heated by means of these electrodes, and the sheet metal, while still heated by the conductive heating by means of the at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation, is fed from the conductive heating device to a pressing device and there, while still heated by the conductive heating, is formed by pressing into the three-dimensional component.
  • the heating process by means of the conductive heating separate from the forming process, both spatially and in terms of the process steps.
  • the invention allows simple and efficient production of sheet metal components for all applications, e.g. for road vehicles, rail vehicles or aircraft.
  • the invention allows the processing of all types of sheet metal, e.g. sheet metal made of steel or, e.g. for aircraft, made of aluminum, magnesium, titanium or similar materials. If sheet metal materials are used which are not to be hardened during the sheet metal forming process, e.g. during pressing, a separate hardening process can be carried out after the sheet metal forming process.
  • the invention also allows simple and efficient production of press-hardened sheet metal components.
  • the forming to form the three-dimensional component takes place by a press hardening process, e.g. hardening is brought about directly during pressing by targeted cooling, as explained at the beginning.
  • a method for forming a sheet metal into a three-dimensional component by means of a press hardening process wherein the sheet metal is conductively heated by means of a conductive heating device to a temperature required for the press hardening process, wherein the conductive heating device has at least two rotatably mounted, roller-shaped electrodes for conductively applying current to the sheet metal, wherein the sheet metal is passed between at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation and is conductively heated by means of these electrodes, and the sheet metal is formed into the three-dimensional component by means of a forming process while still heated by the conductive heating by means of the at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation, and a press hardening process is carried out by targeted cooling of at least partial areas of the sheet metal or of the entire sheet metal.
  • sheets of any shape ie sheets with any outer contour
  • sheets with other cross-sectional changes eg through recesses in the sheet
  • any complicated shaped blanks with any geometry can be conductively heated.
  • the in the press hardening process the martensitic structure mentioned above can be produced by targeted cooling using cooled pressing tools, which leads to the desired material properties.
  • Sheet metal forming can be described, for example, as a forming process without machining, in which the desired three-dimensional component is pressed into its final shape from a cut piece of sheet metal, usually a flat piece of sheet metal, e.g.
  • sheet metal material can only be given the desired shape through plastic deformation, i.e. without machining and at least essentially without bulk forming.
  • the term sheet metal forming can therefore describe a technical field that is clearly separated from the field of bulk forming, i.e. sheet metal forming does not necessarily have to be equated with every type of sheet metal forming.
  • a further advantage is that the invention is not limited to continuously heating metal sheets with the same outer contour in the conductive heating device. Rather, it is possible for metal sheets with different outer contours to be alternately passed through the conductive heating device and thereby heated.
  • the processing time of each individual sheet and the energy required for this can be reduced considerably. If the conductive heating device is designed accordingly, the sheet can be heated to the required temperature within a few seconds, e.g. in the range of 1 to 5 seconds.
  • a sheet metal that is provided as a substantially plate-shaped part with plane-parallel surfaces e.g. in the form of tailored rolled blanks, tailored blanks and tailored welded blanks, is formed into a three-dimensional component.
  • a three-dimensional component is understood here to be a component in which a cuboid enveloping the component has at least three times the thickness, in particular five times the thickness, of the sheet metal used with regard to each of its edge lengths.
  • neither a forming process nor a joining process is carried out on the sheet metal when the sheet metal is passed through the at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation.
  • Sheet metal is separated from a sheet metal stock in the form of a piece of sheet metal before the conductive heating is carried out, i.e. outside the conductive heating device.
  • the sheet metal or the piece of sheet metal can be provided with in principle any predetermined external contour for the conductive heating, in particular with a non-rectangular contour.
  • the piece of sheet metal can, for example, be cut out of a coil, in particular from a coil with a roll width of more than 10 cm.
  • sheet metal components when the sheet metal is passed through the at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation, at least one sheet metal section is not heated conductively or is heated conductively to a lower temperature.
  • sheet metal components can be provided that are adapted to the respective application and requirements.
  • many sheet metal components do not need to have the high tensile strengths mentioned above over their entire extent.
  • the desired high tensile strengths are often only necessary in some areas of the component, while in other areas higher elongations of, for example, 15% to 17% are desired, such as in the base of a B-pillar of a motor vehicle.
  • the sheet metal can be subjected to different heat treatments in the respective sub-areas during conductive heating and then, for example, subjected to the press hardening process. Therefore, the sheet metal is only heated to a temperature above the hardening point of the alloy in the areas of high tensile strength, so that the conditions for subsequent press hardening with a corresponding structural transformation are only given in these areas.
  • the contact pressure of these electrodes on the sheet is kept constant, either for the entire sheet or at least for partial sections of the sheet.
  • Such partial sections of the sheet can in particular be sections that are conductively heated by these electrodes to a temperature necessary for press hardening with a corresponding structural transformation.
  • a particularly uniform conductive heating of the sheet can be achieved during the process of passing through the electrodes.
  • the generation of the uniform contact pressure can be realized, for example, by an appropriate mechanical design of the conductive heating device, e.g. by one or both roller-shaped electrodes being suspended with a certain flexibility, e.g.
  • the roller-shaped electrodes can also be pressed against the sheet metal by a controllable pressing mechanism of the conductive heating device, e.g. pneumatically, hydraulically and/or electrically, ie also in combination with one another. If such a pressing mechanism is present, the contact pressure of the electrodes on the sheet metal can also be regulated by a contact pressure control device.
  • a controllable pressing mechanism of the conductive heating device e.g. pneumatically, hydraulically and/or electrically, ie also in combination with one another. If such a pressing mechanism is present, the contact pressure of the electrodes on the sheet metal can also be regulated by a contact pressure control device.
  • the input variable for controlling the contact pressure and accordingly the contact force For example, a variable that characterizes the sheet metal cross-section and is detected by a sensor device and/or the electrical current fed into the sheet metal, which is emitted by the conductive heating device, can be used.
  • a variable that characterizes the sheet metal cross-section and is detected by a sensor device and/or the electrical current fed into the sheet metal, which is emitted by the conductive heating device can be used.
  • the current density generated in the sheet metal by these electrodes is kept constant, either for the entire sheet metal or at least for partial sections of the sheet metal. This also equalizes the heating of the sheet metal during the passing process.
  • a current density control device can be used to keep the current density constant.
  • the current density control device can, for example, use the current voltage between the electrodes measured directly at the electrodes as an input variable in order to control a corresponding controllable voltage source that provides the electrical energy for the conductive heating.
  • the current density control device can, for example, be designed in the sense of a constant voltage control with regard to the voltage between the electrodes measured directly at the electrodes.
  • the control of the voltage source by the current density control device can alternatively or additionally be carried out on the basis of other input signals, e.g. on the basis of the mentioned size characterizing the sheet metal cross-section.
  • the current density is kept constant by measuring the voltage (potential difference) between the electrodes and regulating it to a constant value and/or a variable characterizing the sheet cross-section is continuously measured when the sheet is passed through the at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation and the voltage applied to these electrodes is regulated as a function of this.
  • a higher temperature of the sheet is generated by the conductive heating than at the end of the passing through. In this way, the undesirable temperature gradient caused by the cooling effect that occurs in the heated area of the sheet as the sheet is passed through the electrodes can be counteracted.
  • the at least two two roller-shaped electrodes ultimately provide a sheet of metal that is evenly heated over its entire surface for the subsequent pressing or press hardening process.
  • the temperature of the sheet achieved by conductive heating can, for example, be continuously reduced from an initial temperature value T-i that is higher than a final temperature value T2 while the sheet is being passed through the at least two roller-shaped electrodes, e.g. linearly or according to another transition curve.
  • the cooling process of the part of the sheet that has already passed through the electrodes can be counteracted by a heat-insulated chamber into which the heated area of the sheet is moved.
  • the pressing device must be expanded accordingly, in particular with a cooling device for targeted cooling of the sheet during shaping, i.e. during the pressing process.
  • the automatic transport device is then set up to transport the sheet to the pressing device while it is still heated by the conductive heating by means of the at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation and to place it there for the press hardening process.
  • the automatic transport device can be, for example, an industrial robot, a conveyor belt or a combination of such elements.
  • a conductive heating device for carrying out a conductive heating process of a sheet metal, in particular a conductive heating device of a production plant of the type explained above, wherein the conductive heating device has at least two roller-shaped electrodes which have a feed-through gap between the electrodes which is set up for the sheet metal to be passed through between these electrodes and which, without sheet metal in the feed-through gap, has a smaller width than the thickness of the sheet metal, wherein the arrangement of the at least two roller-shaped electrodes has a flexibility through which the feed-through gap between the electrodes can be expanded to the size of the thickness of the sheet metal by means of the sheet metal to be passed through.
  • the conductive heating device is particularly suitable for carrying out a method of the type explained above. Due to the flexible suspension of the electrodes, the electrodes can adapt to the sheet metal to be passed through without the sheet metal being significantly changed, as would be the case, for example, in a rolling process. A change in the shape of the sheet during passage through the roller-shaped electrodes is not intended in the present invention.
  • the conductive heating device has a contact pressure control device which is designed to keep the contact pressure of the electrodes on the sheet constant during the passage of the sheet through the electrodes, either for the complete sheet or at least for partial sections of the sheet.
  • the contact pressure control device can be designed as a mechanical and/or electronic device, whereby pneumatic, hydraulic and/or electrical actuators can be used to generate the contact pressure. By keeping the contact pressure constant, a uniform surface pressure and thus a uniform contact resistance between the electrodes and the sheet is ensured.
  • the conductive heating device has at least one current density control device which is designed to keep the current density generated by the electrodes during conductive heating in the sheet constant while the sheet is being passed through the electrodes, either for the entire sheet or at least for partial sections of the sheet.
  • the current density control device is designed as an electronic device.
  • the conductive heating device has at least one optical sensor device which is set up to continuously measure a variable characterizing the sheet metal cross-section as the sheet metal is passed through the at least two roller-shaped electrodes set in rotation and to supply it as an input signal to the current density control device.
  • the current density control device can thus regulate the current density depending on the supplied signal that characterizes the sheet metal cross-section.
  • the optical sensor device can have, for example, a laser distance measuring device, an electronic camera and/or other elements.
  • the laser distance measuring device can be used, for example, to measure the respective sheet metal width.
  • the camera can be used to record the respective sheet metal profile both in terms of the outer contours and in terms of recesses in the sheet metal.
  • variable characterizing the sheet metal cross-section is recorded at a position in front of the electrodes in the direction of movement of the sheet metal. In this way, the quantity characterizing the sheet metal cross-section is recorded in advance of the conductive heating process, so that a corresponding control of the current density is possible with little effort and without control stability problems.
  • the arrangement of the at least two roller-shaped electrodes which have the feedthrough gap between the electrodes set up for the passage of the sheet between these electrodes, has at least one spacer, by means of which a minimum distance between the electrodes is maintained even when there is no sheet between them.
  • the arrangement of the at least two roller-shaped electrodes has a flexibility by means of which the feedthrough gap between the electrodes can be expanded to the size of the thickness of the sheet by means of the sheet to be passed through and can thus be changed. If there is no sheet between the electrodes, the feedthrough gap can thus be reduced. In such cases, the spacer can prevent the electrodes from coming into contact with one another.
  • a further advantage of the minimum distance ensured by the spacer is that a new sheet can be automatically drawn in by the rotation of the roller-shaped electrodes.
  • the spacer can be designed, for example, as a stop for the movement of the electrodes. According to an advantageous development of the invention, it is provided that the flexibility is realized by an elastic, loose mounting of one or both of the at least two roller-shaped electrodes and/or by supporting one or both of these electrodes via a respective support roller with an elasticity.
  • roller-shaped electrodes are supported by one or more respective support rollers, the design of the roller-shaped electrodes can be simplified, e.g. their diameter can be reduced, since they are supported by the support rollers and can therefore themselves be less rigid.
  • the conductive heating device may further comprise a temperature control device which controls the advance of the sheet through the electrodes and/or the regulates the current density passing through the sheet in such a way that the sheet emerging from the electrodes reaches a desired target temperature.
  • the temperature control device can, for example, receive an input signal from a temperature sensor which detects the temperature of the sheet after it emerges from the electrodes.
  • the temperature sensor can, for example, be designed as a pyrometer.
  • the temperature control device can, for example, influence the voltage applied to the electrodes by the electrical energy source.
  • the roller-shaped electrodes can be made of a sufficiently hard copper alloy, e.g. CuCoBe or CuBe2.
  • the electrical contact from the electrical energy source, which provides the current for the conductive heating, to the electrodes can be made, e.g. via a respective sliding contact or several sliding contacts, or via the axis of rotation of the respective electrode.
  • the invention is particularly suitable for sheets in which sudden changes in the cross-section occur over the longitudinal extent, e.g. sudden changes greater than 5% or greater than 50%.
  • Conductive heating is carried out using direct current or alternating current, for example, with direct current being preferred as no adverse inductive effects occur. In addition, faster adjustment of the current density is possible when the sheet metal cross-section changes.
  • the current used for conductive heating can be taken from a two-phase network or a three-phase network, eg a three-phase network.
  • a further advantage of the invention is that the method of conductive heating of the sheet metal can be combined with sheet metal forming by rolling the sheet metal.
  • the rolling or forming of the sheet metal can be carried out directly with the involvement of the roller-shaped electrode or by separate rollers.
  • a conductive rolling process can be implemented in which the sheet metal cross-section can be continuously reduced by a rolling process.
  • the required heating of the sheet metal can be carried out by conductive heating.
  • the invention allows the electrical power ratios that change due to the reduction in sheet thickness to be adapted flexibly and in sections to the required forming parameters.
  • An extension of the sheet metal that occurs during rolling can be compensated in the system, for example, by keeping the sheet metal under tension in front of and behind the roller arrangement using tension elements, e.g. tension rollers. In this way, undesirable sagging of the sheet metal is avoided.
  • the tension elements can be operated using an electric drive, for example.
  • the described conductive heating of the sheet can be advantageously carried out with direct current, particularly in the case of thin sheets. It is also advantageous to feed the electrical energy supply signal, ie the voltage or the current, in pulsed form, eg with a sawtooth curve. This allows an improved and in particular more sensitive metering of the electrical energy supply signal and thus an improved temperature setting of the sheet for the forming process.
  • the method described above can be advantageously combined with all embodiments of the method that were previously explained.
  • the area of the sheet metal heated by conductive heating is arranged in a protective gas environment.
  • the conductive heating device can have a casing for this purpose, for example.
  • the roller-shaped electrodes can advantageously have a high-strength copper alloy, e.g. CuCoBe, at least on the outer circumference. In this way, good current transmission is ensured with a relatively high strength of the roller-shaped electrode.
  • a high-strength copper alloy e.g. CuCoBe
  • the production plant shown has a sheet metal cutting device 1, a conductive heating device 2 and a pressing device 3.
  • the sheet metal from a sheet metal supply 6, e.g. a coil, is fed to the sheet metal cutting device 1 via an automatic transport device 61.
  • the sheet metal 4 to be further processed is separated from the sheet metal supply 6 in the form of a piece of sheet metal, e.g. as a shaped blank.
  • the sheet 4 is then fed to the conductive heating device 2 via a further automatic transport device 12.
  • the sheet 4 is conductively heated by passing the sheet between at least two rotating roller-shaped electrodes and conductively heated by means of these electrodes.
  • the sheet 4 heated by the conductive heating device 2 is then fed to the pressing device 3 via a further automatic transport device 23.
  • the pressing device 3 the sheet 4 still heated by the conductive heating process is heated by means of a pressing process or a press hardening process and thereby solidified in the desired manner at least in some areas by targeted cooling.
  • This produces a three-dimensional component 5 which in the Figure 1 is shown by way of example in the form of a B-pillar of a motor vehicle.
  • Each of the transport devices 61, 12, 23 can be designed, for example, as an industrial robot, as a conveyor belt or other conveying means, or as a combination thereof.
  • the sheet 4 has relatively significant changes in width and thus in the sheet cross-section over its longitudinal extent (in the vertical direction).
  • the sheet width changes almost abruptly from a value a to a value b that is essentially only half as large.
  • This significant change in the sheet cross-section represents a particular challenge in conductive heating, which is solved in a particularly efficient manner by the present invention.
  • the Figure 2 shows the conductive heating device 2 in side view.
  • Two roller-shaped electrodes 20 can be seen, which are rotatably mounted and rotate in opposite directions, as indicated by the curved arrows.
  • the electrodes 20 can be set in rotation, for example by a motor. It is advantageous to guide the sheet 4 through the electrodes 20 at a uniform speed.
  • the sheet 4 can be moved forwards continuously or discontinuously, e.g. step by step.
  • the sheet 4 is guided in the direction indicated by the arrow pointing to the right through a feed-through gap formed between the electrodes 20, the electrodes 20 resting against the sheet 4 with a certain contact pressure.
  • the electrodes 20 are electrically connected to an electrical energy supply device 24, e.g. a controllable voltage source.
  • the energy supply device 24 feeds the current required for the conductive heating of the sheet 4 into the electrodes 20.
  • a current density control device 23 is provided.
  • This current density control device 23 has a voltage measuring device which measures the voltage applied directly to the electrodes 20, ie the potential difference between the electrodes 20, via separate lines.
  • the current density control device 23 generates a control signal that is fed to the energy supply device 24.
  • the voltage applied by the energy supply device 24 to the electrodes 20 can be influenced via the control signal in such a way that the current density ultimately remains the same even if the cross-sectional area of the sheet varies.
  • the conductive heating device 2 can also have a contact pressure control device 22, which keeps the contact pressure of the electrodes 20 on the sheet metal 4 constant.
  • the contact pressure control device 22 can act directly on the electrodes 20, or indirectly via support rollers 21, which serve to support the electrodes 20.
  • the support rollers 20 can, for example, have an elastic coating on the outer circumference.
  • an optical sensor device 26 may be present, e.g. in the form of laser distance meters, by means of which the respective sheet width is detected before reaching the electrode 20 and is fed as a corresponding input signal to the current density control device 23.
  • the present invention a particularly uniform conductive heating of the sheet 4 is possible.
  • the high resistance of the sheet 4 compared to the electrodes 20 results in a circuit arrangement in which the current flows evenly across the cross section of the sheet 4 and heats it accordingly evenly conductively.
  • the electrodes 20 essentially have a line contact with the sheet 4.
  • conductive heating is carried out by the current flowing through it.
  • the electrodes 20 are rotated about their rotatable bearing and a new strip of the sheet 4 is arranged between the electrodes 20. This new strip can have a differently dimensioned cross section, but this is compensated for by the current density control device 23.
  • the entire process of passing the sheet 4 through through the electrodes 20 can also be continuous, which does not change the previously explained principle of operation.
  • a change in the current is therefore made for the new strip of the sheet so that the current density in the respective strip of the sheet remains constant. This is supported by the signal from the voltage measuring device, which measures the voltage directly at the electrodes 20, and by the signal from the optical sensor device 26.
  • the electrodes 20 can have a cooling device, e.g. a liquid cooling system. In this way, a relatively wear-free and thus continuous heating of the sheets 4 can be ensured.
  • a cooling device e.g. a liquid cooling system.
  • the Figure 4 shows as further features of the conductive heating device a warming chamber 26 arranged downstream of the electrodes 20.
  • the warming chamber 26 can be preheated, for example.
  • the warming chamber 26 minimizes any cooling of the preceding section of the sheet 4 that occurs during the passage of the sheet 4 through the electrodes 20.
  • an undesirable cooling effect of the preceding sheet sections can be minimized by heating the areas of the sheet 4 that first pass through the electrodes 20 to a higher temperature T2 than the actual target temperature Ti that is generated at the end of the sheet 4.
  • T2 the actual target temperature
  • the Figure 5 shows a section of the roller-shaped electrodes 20 and the sheet metal 4 that passes between the electrodes 20 in side view.
  • the electrodes 20 in this case have an outer structured surface with elevations 30 that stand out from the deeper areas 31 of the surface of the electrode 20. This means that only the raised areas 30 come into mechanical and electrical contact with the sheet metal, so that the current flow for conductive heating of the sheet metal 4 can only be transmitted via this.
  • the elevations 30 thus form non-insulating areas, the deeper areas 31 form insulating areas of the electrodes 20.
  • the Figure 6 shows the arrangement according to Figure 5 in an even more enlarged detail.
  • the current flow I through the sheet 4. It can be seen that the direction of flow of the current I is not only vertical, but has a significant component in the horizontal direction, i.e. in this case in the longitudinal direction of the sheet 4. This increases the path that the electrical current flow I has to travel through the sheet 4 in comparison to the thickness of the sheet 4, so that the effective ohmic resistance of the sheet 4, which is used for conductive heating, is also increased.
  • the Figure 7 shows the sheet metal 4 again as an example with the corresponding dimensions and directions.
  • the sheet metal 4 has a thickness dimension D. This is comparatively small compared to the length dimension L (corresponding to the longitudinal direction) and the transverse dimension Q (corresponding to the transverse direction).
  • the insulation regions 31 and the non-insulation regions 30 do not necessarily have to be offset from one another only in the longitudinal direction L; alternatively or additionally, they can also be offset from one another in the transverse direction Q.
  • the electrodes 20 can be designed on their outer surface like a gear with straight teeth or with helical teeth. In the latter case, the insulation regions and non-insulation regions can run diagonally across the surface of the electrode 20.
  • the non-insulation regions can also be point-shaped or island-shaped, e.g.
  • Figure 8 shows a conductive heating device with a movable current transmission element 40, which has a first contact surface 41 and a second contact surface 42 for alternating electrical contacting of the roller-shaped electrode 20.
  • the actuator shown in the drawing can move the current transmission element 40, which in this case is frame-shaped, in a first direction of movement 43 and a second direction of movement 44 perpendicular thereto.
  • the movement in the second direction of movement 44 can be used to make alternating electrical contact with the first and second contact surfaces 41, 42 on the electrode 20.
  • the movement in the first direction of movement 43 can move the current transmission element with the first or second contact surface 41, 42 resting on the electrode 20 along with the surface movement of the electrode 20.
  • the current transmission element performs a kind of rocking movement, which in the Figure 8 by the dashed second position of the current transmission element 40. The exact sequence of movements will be explained below using the Figure 1 1 described.
  • the power transmission element 40 is connected to a stationary electrical energy source 45, e.g. a transformer, via a flexible electrical line 46. This provides the electrical energy for carrying out the conductive heating via the power transmission element 40.
  • a stationary electrical energy source 45 e.g. a transformer
  • each of the electrodes 20 is connected to the electrical energy source 45 via its own current transmission element 40.
  • the respective current transmission element 40 is connected to a fixed current transmission block 47 via the flexible line 46.
  • the respective current transmission block 47 is connected to a connection terminal 48 via an electrical line 49.
  • the electrical energy from the electrical energy source 45 is provided via the two connection terminals 48.
  • the Figure 10 shows an alternative embodiment (not claimed) with the movable current transmission elements 40. These are electrically contacted via current transmission blocks 50 that are firmly coupled to the electrical energy source 45. In this case, the movement of the current transmission elements 40 is also carried out by the electrical energy source 45 and the current transmission blocks 50.
  • the Figure 1 1 shows the sequence of the rocking motion of a current transmission element 40 in four cycles a, b, c, d.
  • the first contact surface 41 is initially coupled to the electrode 20.
  • the current transmission element 40 moves in the first direction of movement 43 until the position in figure b is reached.
  • the current transmission element 40 is now moved in the second direction of movement 44 so that, as figure c shows, the second contact surface 42 now contacts the electrode 20.
  • the current transmission element 40 is now moved again in the first direction of movement in the opposite direction until the position shown in figure d is reached.
  • the current transmission element 40 now moves again in the second direction of movement in such a way that the state in figure a is reached again.
  • the current transmission element 40 can be made entirely of copper or at least on its first and second contact surfaces 41, 42.
  • the Figure 12 shows in a similar view as the Figure 2 a conductive heating device in which only a roller-shaped electrode 20 is present for conductive heating of the sheet 4.
  • a counter electrode for guiding the current through the sheet 4
  • the sheet 4 is guided along the electrode 20, which rotates as in the previously described embodiments.
  • a counter roller 60 is provided, which is designed in a similar roller shape to the electrode 20.
  • the counter roller 60 is electrically neutral, i.e. it is not connected to an electrical energy source.
  • a first electrical energy source 61 e.g. a direct current source
  • a second electrical energy source 62 e.g. also a direct current source
  • the first electrical energy source 61 can thus conductively heat the sheet 4 in the area between the leading electrode 63 and the contact point between the electrode 20 and the sheet 4.
  • the second electrical energy source 62 can conductively heat the sheet 4 between the contact point of the sheet 4 with the electrode 20 and the trailing electrode 64.
  • the electrical energy sources 61, 62 have a common potential. This potential is set to a certain value, as is the case with several simultaneous resistance spot welds on a car body, if no common mass or earthing is provided.
  • this rolling process can already be carried out by the electrode 20 and the counter roller 60 if a corresponding contact pressure is established between these rollers.
  • separate rollers 65 can be present which either continue and support a rolling process already carried out by the counter roller 60 and the electrode 20, or carry out their own rolling process of the sheet metal 4.
  • the rollers 65 can optionally be arranged in front of the electrode 20 and/or behind the electrode 20 in the direction of movement of the sheet metal 4.
  • leading electrode 63 and the trailing electrode 64 a wide variety of embodiments can be advantageously implemented.
  • these electrodes 63, 64 can be designed as fixed, ie immobile electrodes, such as sliding contacts, or also as rotating, roller-shaped electrodes.
  • Figure 12 shows, by way of example, only contacting by the leading electrode 63 and the trailing electrode 64 on one side of the sheet (here the underside), but contacting on the opposite side of the sheet is also possible. Double contacting is particularly advantageous, ie by arranging a leading electrode 63 on both sides of the sheet and/or a trailing electrode 64 on both sides of the sheet.
  • the respective electrodes can be located directly opposite each other on the sheet or can be spaced apart from each other.
  • Diagonal contacting is particularly advantageous here because it ensures uniform ohmic resistances and thus homogeneous heating.
  • the Figure 13 shows another variant of a conductive heating device, which is based on the variant of the Figure 12 This requires an additional electrical
  • Energy source 24 is provided, which is connected between two rollers acting as electrodes 20. In this way, additional heating of the sheet 4 between the electrodes 20 is possible.
  • the device described can advantageously be combined with the previously described embodiments of the device.
  • the current transmission arrangements can be designed according to the Figures 8 to 1 1 combine advantageously with it.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Control Of Resistance Heating (AREA)

Claims (15)

  1. Procédé de transformation d'une tôle (4) en une pièce tridimensionnelle (5) par mise en forme de la tôle,
    dans lequel
    la tôle (4) est chauffée par conduction, à l'aide d'un dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2), à une température nécessaire pour la mise en forme de la tôle,
    le dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2) comprend au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20), montées de manière rotative, destinées à alimenter en courant la tôle (4) par conduction,
    la tôle (4) est passée entre au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20), mises en rotation, et est chauffée par conduction au moyen de ces électrodes (20), et
    la tôle (4), à l'état encore chauffé par le chauffage par conduction au moyen desdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20), mises en rotation, est amenée depuis le dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2) à un dispositif de pressage (3) et y est transformée par pressage, à l'état encore chauffé par le chauffage par conduction, en la pièce tridimensionnelle (5),
    les électrodes cylindriques (20), mises en rotation, entre lesquelles la tôle (4) est passée, présentent une première électrode sur un côté de la tôle (4) et une deuxième électrode sur l'autre côté opposé de la tôle (4),
    caractérisé en ce que
    le flux de courant, généré par les électrodes (20) pour le chauffage par conduction de la tôle (4), à travers la tôle (4) présente une direction de flux qui s'étend dans la direction de l'épaisseur de la tôle, moyennant quoi le chauffage par conduction est effectué par le courant qui la traverse dans une bande de la tôle (4) située juste entre les électrodes (20), dans laquelle les électrodes (20) ont un contact sensiblement linéaire avec la tôle (4).
  2. Procédé selon la revendication précédente,
    caractérisé en ce que lors du passage de la tôle (4) à travers lesdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) mises en rotation, on n'effectue ni opération de mise en forme ni opération d'assemblage sur la tôle (4).
  3. Procédé selon l'une des revendications précédentes,
    caractérisé en ce qu'avant la réalisation du chauffage par conduction, la tôle (4) est séparée d'une réserve de tôle (6) sous la forme d'un morceau de tôle.
  4. Procédé selon l'une des revendications précédentes,
    caractérisé en ce que, lors du passage de la tôle (4) à travers lesdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) mises en rotation, au moins une portion de la tôle n'est pas chauffée par conduction ou est chauffée par conduction à une température plus faible.
  5. Procédé selon l'une des revendications précédentes,
    caractérisé en ce que, lors du passage de la tôle (4) à travers lesdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) mises en rotation, la pression d'appui de ces électrodes (20) sur la tôle (4) est maintenue constante, soit pour la tôle (4) complète, soit au moins pour des portions de la tôle (4).
  6. Procédé selon l'une des revendications précédentes,
    caractérisé en ce que, lors du passage de la tôle (4) à travers lesdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) mises en rotation, la densité de courant générée par ces électrodes (20) dans la tôle (4) est maintenue constante, soit pour la tôle (4) complète, soit pour au moins des portions de la tôle (4).
  7. Procédé selon la revendication précédente,
    caractérisé en ce que la densité de courant est maintenue constante en mesurant la tension entre les électrodes (20) et en la régulant à une valeur constante et/ou en mesurant en continu une grandeur caractérisant la section transversale de la tôle lors du passage de la tôle (4) à travers lesdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20), mises en rotation, et en régulant la tension appliquée à ces électrodes (20) en fonction de cette mesure.
  8. Procédé selon l'une des revendications précédentes,
    caractérisé en ce qu'au début du passage de la tôle (4) à travers lesdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) mises en rotation, le chauffage par conduction génère une température de la tôle (4) plus élevée qu'à la fin du passage de la tôle.
  9. Installation de fabrication pour la fabrication de pièces tridimensionnelles (5) en tôle, en particulier installation de fabrication pour la mise en oeuvre d'un procédé selon l'une des revendications précédentes, comprenant au moins les éléments d'installation suivants :
    a) un dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2) destiné à réaliser une opération de chauffage par conduction d'une tôle (4), qui comprend au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20), montées de manière rotative, destinées à alimenter en courant la tôle (4) par conduction, la tôle (4) pouvant être passée entre au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) mises en rotation, et pouvant être chauffée par conduction au moyen de ces électrodes (20), les électrodes cylindriques (20) mises en rotation, entre lesquelles la tôle (4) est passée, présentant une première électrode sur un côté de la tôle (4) et une deuxième électrode sur l'autre côté opposé de la tôle (4),
    le flux de courant, généré par les électrodes (20) pour le chauffage par conduction de la tôle (4), à travers la tôle (4) présentant une direction de flux qui s'étend dans la direction de l'épaisseur de la tôle, moyennant quoi le chauffage par conduction est effectué par le courant qui la traverse dans une bande de la tôle (4) située juste entre les électrodes (20), dans laquelle les électrodes (20) ont un contact sensiblement linéaire avec la tôle (4),
    b) un dispositif de pressage (3) disposé en aval du dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2), qui est conçu pour transformer la tôle (4) en la pièce tridimensionnelle (5) par mise en forme de la tôle au moyen d'un pressage de la tôle chauffée,
    c) un dispositif de transport automatique (23) qui est conçu pour transporter la tôle (4), à l'état encore chauffé par le chauffage par conduction au moyen desdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20), mises en rotation, vers le dispositif de pressage (3), et pour la placer dans celui-ci en vue de l'opération de pressage.
  10. Installation de fabrication selon la revendication 9,
    caractérisée en ce que le dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2) comprend au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) qui présentent un interstice de passage entre les électrodes aménagé pour le passage de la tôle (4) entre ces électrodes (20), qui, sans tôle (4) située dans l'interstice de passage, a une largeur inférieure à l'épaisseur de la tôle (4), l'agencement desdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) présentant une souplesse grâce à laquelle l'interstice de passage entre les électrodes (20) peut être élargi à la dimension de l'épaisseur de la tôle (4) au moyen de la tôle (4) à faire passer.
  11. Installation de fabrication selon la revendication précédente,
    caractérisée en ce que le dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2) comprend un dispositif de régulation de pression d'appui (22) adapté pour maintenir constante la pression d'appui des électrodes (20) sur la tôle (4) pendant le passage de la tôle (4) à travers les électrodes (20), soit pour la tôle complète, soit pour au moins des portions de la tôle (4).
  12. Installation de fabrication selon l'une des revendications 9 à 11,
    caractérisée en ce que le dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2) comprend au moins un dispositif de régulation de la densité de courant (23) adapté pour maintenir constante la densité de courant générée dans la tôle (4) par les électrodes (20) lors du chauffage par conduction pendant le passage de la tôle (4) à travers les électrodes (20), soit pour la tôle complète, soit pour au moins des portions de la tôle (4).
  13. Installation de fabrication selon la revendication précédente,
    caractérisée en ce que le dispositif de chauffage par conduction (2) comprend au moins un dispositif de détection optique (26) conçu pour mesurer en continu une grandeur caractérisant la section transversale de la tôle lors du passage de la tôle (4) à travers lesdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20), mises en rotation, et pour l'envoyer comme signal d'entrée au dispositif de régulation de la densité de courant (23).
  14. Installation de fabrication selon l'une des revendications 10 à 13,
    caractérisée en ce que l'agencement desdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20), qui présentent l'interstice de passage entre les électrodes (20) aménagé pour le passage de la tôle (4) entre ces électrodes (20), comprend au moins un élément écarteur grâce auquel une distance minimale est maintenue entre les électrodes (20) même lorsqu'aucune tôle (4) ne se trouve entre elles.
  15. Installation de fabrication selon l'une des revendications 10 à 14,
    caractérisée en ce que la souplesse est réalisée par un support élastique lâche de l'une ou des deux desdites au moins deux électrodes cylindriques (20) et/ou par l'appui de l'une ou des deux de ces électrodes (20) par l'intermédiaire d'un rouleau d'appui (21) respectif ayant une élasticité.
EP18716509.7A 2017-03-03 2018-03-01 Procédé de formage d'une tôle et installation de fabrication avec dispositif de chauffage par conduction Active EP3589756B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102017104494.9A DE102017104494B4 (de) 2017-03-03 2017-03-03 Verfahren zur Umformung eines Blechs und Fertigungsanlage mit konduktiver Erwärmungseinrichtung
DE102017115900 2017-07-14
DE102017130510 2017-12-19
PCT/EP2018/055059 WO2018158374A1 (fr) 2017-03-03 2018-03-01 Procédé de façonnage d'une tôle, installation de finition et dispositif de chauffage par conduction

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3589756A1 EP3589756A1 (fr) 2020-01-08
EP3589756B1 true EP3589756B1 (fr) 2024-05-15

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EP (1) EP3589756B1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2018158374A1 (fr)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102020125946A1 (de) 2020-10-05 2022-04-07 HEGGEMANN Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren zur Bearbeitung einer elektrisch leitfähigen Blechplatine
CN113186374A (zh) * 2021-04-30 2021-07-30 华中科技大学 一种高温紧邻金属热处理装置及方法

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE728300C (de) * 1939-09-06 1942-11-25 Aeg Einrichtung zum unmittelbaren fortlaufenden Erwaermen von Blechen mittels durch die Bleche geleiteten Wechselstroms
DE102014102033B4 (de) 2014-02-18 2016-09-22 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover Verfahren zum konduktiven Erwärmen eines Blechs und Erwärmungseinrichtung dafür
JP6450608B2 (ja) * 2015-03-05 2019-01-09 高周波熱錬株式会社 加熱方法及び加熱装置並びにプレス成形品の作製方法

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EP3589756A1 (fr) 2020-01-08

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