Description
Title of Invention
STEEL SI-IEET HEATING METHOD AND STEEI, SHEET HEATING
APPARATUS
Technical Field
[0001]
The present invention relates to a steel sheet lieating method and a steel
10 sheet heating apparatus for heating a steel sheet.
Background Art
[0002]
Hot press molding, which is increasingly employed as, for example, a
15 method for molding a steel sheet such as the material of an automobile component
using a high-tensile steel sheet, can mold a steel sheet in a stage of low deformation
resistance by molding it at high temperature, and furthermore can provide a
component etc. with high strength and high shape accuracy by press molding without
causing molding defects such as deformation after molding, by hardening by
20 q~~encliinbags ed on rapid cooling using the jetting of cooling water.
[0003]
In such a hot press molding method, press molding is performed such that a
steel sheet is heated at a prescribed teniperature, for example 700°C to 100O0C, in a
lieating furnace before press molding and then the steel sheet is conveyed to a hot
25 press molding apparatus.
[0004]
As the technology of heating thus using a lieating furnace, conventionally, a
mechanism in which a steel sheet is heated by heaters provided in, for example, an
upper portion and a lower pottion of the interior of a furnace \vliile tlie steel sheet is
30 horizontally supported by rollers and conveyed by the rollers in the furnace has
commonly becn used (Patent Literature 1).
Citation List
Patent Literature
[OOOS]
5 Patent Literature 1:
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0006]
10 However, in the conventional technology mentioned above, since a steel
sheet is conveyed by rolling rollers, the steel sheet may meander in the filmace.
Furthermore, the rollers constitute a shield, and the radiation efficiency is poor and
rapid heating is difficult. In addition, it is necessary to roll the rollers constantly
even at times other than conveyance in order to soak the rollers so that they are not
15 thenually deformed, and the energy efficiency is poor. Moreover, due to the
thermal shock near the entrance of the filmace and the thermal stress produced by the
unevenness of heating, there has been a concern that the roller will be degraded or
damaged. If the roller is damaged, the operation of tlie furnace stops.
Furthermore, for a surface-plated steel sheet, there have been concerns that the
20 plating material will adhere to the roller in the melting temperature range and further
the plating material adhering to the roller will adhere to the steel sheet again.
[0007]
The present invention is made in view of these points, and an object of the
present invention is to solve the issues mentioned above by a manner in which a steel
25 sheet is brought into a furnace and is heated in a state of being fixedly supported in
the vertical direction, instead of the conventional manner in which a steel sheet is
conveyed in a furnace while being horizontally supported by rollers.
Solution to Problem
30 [0008]
In order to achieve the above object, tlie present invention provides a steel
sheet heating method that heats a steel sheet to be pressed before hot press molding,
the steel sheet heating method including: bringing the steel sheet into a heating
furnace including a heater 011 an inside surface of the heating furnace in a state where
the steel sheet is supported in a vertical direction while an unnecessary portion of the
5 steel sheet that becomes unnecessary after molding is fixedly supported by a support
member; and performing heating at a prescribed temperature in the heating furllace,
then taking the steel sheet out of the heating furnace, and after that removing the
umecessary poltion.
The "after that" herein is not limited to the time inmlediately after being
10 taken out of the heating furnace, and may be the time of performing hot press
molding after the taking-out.
Examples of the "fixed suppo~t"in the present invention include holding the
unnecessaly portion mentioned above with a clamp and hanging the unnecessary
portion by locking it with the support member. It is preferable that the steel sheet
15 be fixedly supported at two or more places. This is because the steel sheet can
thereby be prevented from bending when the steel sheet has a long-length shape, for
example. When the steel sheet has a long length, for example when the length in
the longitudinal direction of tlie steel sheet is more than 1 m, the steel slieet is
preferably fixedly supported at both ends thereof.
20 [0009]
According to the present invention, since a steel sheet is heated in the
heating furnace in a state of being fixedly supported in tlie vertical direction by the
support member, there is no harmful effect like conventional ones occurring in
relation to the use of rollers, and the radiation efficiency is good and also the energy
25 eficiency is good. Furtl~ertnore, by the fixed support in the vertical direction by
means of the support member, the bending of tlie steel sheet can be suppressed.
Here, the unnecessary portion that becomes unnecessary after moldiug refers to a
portion that beconles unnecessary as a product after the steel sheet is molded. The
"fixedly supportu~gth e unnecessary poltion by means of the support member" refers
30 to fixedly supporting the whole or part of the unnecessary portion by means of the
support member.
[OO 101
I11 tlie method, the steel sheet niay be moved in a vertical direction in tlie
heating filmace.
[OO 1 11
5 Furthermore, tension may be applied to the steel sheet fixedly supported.
[OO121
According to another aspect, the present invention provides a steel sheet
heating apparatus that heats a steel sheet to be pressed before hot press molding, the
steel sheet heating apparatus including: a heating furnace capable of accommodating
10 the steel sheet in a vertical state; and a conveyance apparatus that allows the steel
sheet to pass through a coilveyance path of the heating furnace in a state of being
supported in a vertical direction by a support member. The heating furnace
includes the conveyance path of the steel sheet formed between side walls facing
each other and a heater that is provided on at least one surface of the side walls and
15 heats the steel sheet. The conveyance apparatus includes the suppoit member that
fixedly suppoits an unnecessary portion of the steel sheet tliat becomes unnecessary
after molding and a ~novingm echanism that moves the support member along a rail
provided from above an upstream side of an entrance to above a downstream side of
an exit of the heating furnace.
20 [0013]
In this case, a vertical drive mechanistn tliat moves the sippo~mt ember in a
vertical direction may be fu~tl~ienrc luded.
[00 141
In addition, a shearing mechanism that shears the unnecessary portion on
25 the downstream side of the exit of the heating fitmace may be further included.
[00 151
Furthennore, a mcclianisni that applies tension to the steel sheet fixedly
supported rnay be fitrtber included.
30 Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0016]
According to the present invention, there is no Iiarnlfi~l effect like
conventional ones occurring in relation to the use of rollers when a steel sheet to be
pressed is heated before hot press molding, and the radiation efficiency is good and
also the energy efficiency is good. Furthermore, a steel sheet to be pressed can be
5 heated more uniformly than in the past.
Brief Description of ~ r a w i n ~ s
[0017]
[FIG. 11 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steel sheet heating apparatus according to
10 an embodiment.
[FIG. 21 FIG. 2 is an illustration diagram of a heating furnace in the steel sheet
heating apparatus of FIG. 1 as viewed fiom the entrance side in the conveyance
direction.
[FIG. 31 FIG. 3 is a front view of a support member.
15 [FIG. 41 FIG. 4 is a fiont view of a steel sheet supported by a support body of the
support member.
[FIG. 51 FIG. 5 is a front view of a main postion of a steel sheet sl~owinga nother
example of an extension member.
[FIG. 61 FIG. 6 is an illustration diagram schetnatically describing the steel sheet
20 heating apparatus and a hot press molding apparatus.
Description of Embodiments
[0018]
Hereinbelow, embodiments of the present invention are described. FIG. 1
25 shows an ove~viewo f a steel sheet heating apparatus I according to an embodiment;
a l~eating fn~nace 10 in the steel sheet heating apparatus 1 of the embodiment
includes side wall bodies 12 and 13 in a facing manner individually on both sides of
a base 11, and the long, narrow space beheen the side wall bodies 12 and 13 fornis a
conveyance path 14 of a steel sheet K. Heaters 15 and 15 are provided on the inside
30 of the side wall bodies 12 and 13, respectively (FIG. I is depicted with part of the
heating furnace 10 broken off for convenience of illustration).
[00 191
As the heater 15, for example, an electric heater, a far-infrared heatel; a
nca~infraredla mp, an induction heating ineans, or the like may be used. Although
in the embodiment the heater 15 is provided individually on both surfaces of the side
5 wall bodies 12 and 13, the heater 15 may be provided only on one side wall surface
depending on the type, size, shape, etc. of the steel sheet.
[0020]
A conveyance apparatus 20 of the steel sheet heating apparatus 1 according
to the embodiment includes a forward rail housing 21 provided from above the
10 entrance 10a side of tlie heating furnace 10 (the back side of the drawing) to above
the exit lob side of the lieating furnace 10 (the front side of the drawing) and a
backward rail housing 22 provided parallel to the forward rail housing 21. Each of
the forward rail housing 21 and the backward rail lousing 22 is supported by support
columns 23. A suppost member moving path 24a and a support member moving
15 path 24b in a curved line form in a planar view, which sele also as a horizontal rail,
are stretched between the ends of the forward rail housing 21 and the backward rail
housing 22.
[0021]
The forward rail housing 21 and the backward rail housing 22 basically
20 have the same configuration; a detailed description thereof is given as follows based
on the folward rail housing 21 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3: the forward rail housing
21 houses a chain conveyor 21b serving as a drive mechanism on the upper side of
the interior of a main body unit 21a in which tlie lower surface side is opened and the
cross section is shaped like a trench, and houses a rail body 21c on the lower side.
25 As shown in FIG. 1, the chain conveyor 21b is stretched between a gear sprocket 25
provided on the support member moving path 24a side and a gear sprocket 26
provided on the support member moving path 24b side, and nloves cyclically
between the forward rail housing 21, the support member moving path 24a, the
backward rail housing 22, and the support member moving path 24b by the operation
30 of a drive source 28 such as a motor connected to the gear sprocket 25 via a shaft 27.
[0022]
A support member 30 in the etnbodinlerlt is supported directly by the rail
body 21c. As shown in FIG. 3, the suppolt rneniber 30 includes two hanging
members 31 and 32. The hanging members 31 and 32 have tlie same configuration,
a~idth us the hanging nleniber 31 is taken representatively for description; as shown
5 in FIG. 2, the hanging member 31 is provided with a rail running member 33 and a
cylinder 34, at a bracket 3 la.
[0023]
The rail running member 33 includes an engaging unit 33a engaging with
the chain conveyor 21b and a running unit 33c provided with rollers 33b capable of
10 running the ail body 21c mentioned above. The cylinder 34 is fixed to the bracket
31a, and a rod member 34a that extends and contracts by the operation of the
cylinder 34 is suspended below the bracket 31a and has a support body 34b at its
lower end. Therefore, the support body 34b n~oves vertically by the operation of
the cylinder 34.
15 [0024]
As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of protrusions 35 are provided on a lower
portion of the support body 34b in the vertical direction (in the example of the
drawing, on four places). The steel sheet K is locked with the protrusions 35 and is
suppolted between the support bodies 34b and 34b of the hanging members 3 1 and
20 32. That is, extension members Ka and Kb that have no relation to the original
product, i.e. are unnecessary portions that become unnecessaly after molding, have
been formed at both ends of the steel sheet K in advance, and a locking portion 36 to
be locked with the protlusion 35 of the support body 34b is formed in the extension
members Ka and Kb; and by the locking portion 36 being locked with the protrusion
25 35, the steel sheet K is locked with the protrusions 35 and is supported between the
s~ippolbt odies 34b and 34b of the hanging me~ilbers3 1 and 32.
[0025]
In the exatnplc of the embodiment, the extension members Ka and Kb are in
a T-shaped configuration, and the inside thereof is notched to form the locking
30 portions 36; but instead, as shown in FIG. 5, the steel sheet K may be supported
between the suppo~bt odies 34b and 34b of the hanging menibers 3 1 aud 32 in such a
tliatllier that a hole 37 is formed in the extension member Ka extending fsom an end
of the steel sheet K in tlie horizontal direction and the protlusion 35 of tlie support
body 34b is inserted into tlie hole 37.
[0026]
5 Instead of tlius supporting the steel sheet K by hanging the steel slieet K
between tlie support bodies 34b and 34b of the hanging members 31 and 32 using the
., extension members Ka and Kb, for example, a clamping meclianism (not shown) that
clamps the extension members Ka and Kb may be provided in the hanging lneliibers
3 1 and 32, and thus the extension members Ka and Kb may be clamped to fixedly
10 support the steel sheet K in the vertical direction.
[0027]
As shown by the broken line of FIG. 3, a tension application niechanistn 39
that includes a cylinder 38 and rods 38a and 38a protruding on both sides may be
provided between, for example, the rod members 34a and 34a of the two hanging
15 members 31 and 32. By putting the cylinder 38 of the tension application
mechanism 39 into operation, the rods 38a extend and contract to allow the spacing
between the hanging members 31 and 32 to become wider; thereby, tension can he
applied to the steel sheet K supported between the support bodies 34b and 34b of the
hanging members 31 and 32.
20 [0028]
Referring to FIG. 1 again for description, the steel slieet heating apparatus 1
includes, as mentioned above, the forward rail housing 21 and the backward rail
liousing 22 provided parallel to the forward rail housing 21, and the backward rail
housing 22 has the same configuration as the for\vard rail housing 21.
25 [0029]
In the embodiment, as described above, the support tneniber moving path
24a and the support meniber moving path 24b are stretched between the ends of the
forward rail housing 21 and the backward rail housing 22, and the hanging menibers
31 and 32 of the support member 30 that has been located on the backward rail
30 housing 22 side can be nioved to the fonuasd rail housing 21 side, that is, to the
entsance 10a side of the heating furnace 10, via the support member tiioving path 24b.
Furthermole, the hat~gi~n~iegm bers 31 and 32 of the suppost member 30 that has
been located on the forurard rail housing 21 side, i.e. 011 the exit 10b side of the
heating furnace 10, can be moved to the backward rail housing 22 side via the
support member moving path 24a. For the hanging lnembers 31 and 32 to be
5 inserted into the furnace, heat-resistant steel or the like with high heat resistance and
thermal shock properties is used; and the hanging members 31 and 32 may be
protected with a heat insulating material, which should usually be considered as a
means for protecting the furnace equipment, and may be provided with a flow path
inside and use a cooling means based on a cooling medium snch as cooling water or
10 air.
[0030]
In the embodiment, a shearing mechanism 40 that shears the extension
members Ka and Kb of the steel sheet K that has undergone the heating by the
heating furnace 10 and is located on the exit lob side of the heating furnace 10 while
15 being supported by the hanging members 31 and 32 of the support member 30 is
provided on the exit lob side of the heating furnace 10.
[003 11
The shearing mechanism 40 includes a pair of shearing apparatuses 41 and
42. The shearing apparatuses 41 and 42 have the same structure; for example, a
20 detailed description of the shearing apparatus 42 is given as follows: the shearing
apparatus 42 includes a base 43 and shearing members 44 and 45 provided
perpendicular to the base 43 and facing each other. The shearing lnembers 44 and
45 move along the base 43 by means of a drive mechanism (not shown), and can
come close to and go away fsom each other freely. Blades 44a and 45a are provided
25 on the facing surface sides of the shearing members 44 and 45, respectively.
Tl~erefore,b y the shearing members 44 and 45 co~ningc lose togethel; by means of
the blades 44a and 45a thereof, the extension members Ka and Kb of the steel sheet
K supported between the hanging members 31 and 32 can be sheared.
[0032]
30 A conveyance robot 50 including an articulated arm that holds the steel
sheet K supposted by the hanging ~ne~nbe3r 1s and 32 of the suppost member 30 may
be placed on the exit lob side of the heating furnace 10. Tl~ec onveyance robot 50
has the function of setting two clamp-type chucks 52 and 52 to ON or OFF by the
rotational movement operation of a handle 51. The conveyance robot 50 includes a
moving mechanism (not shown) that can move fsom the position on the exit lob side
5 of the heating furnace 10 freely, and can convey the held steel sheet to a 110t press
molding apparatus described later.
[0033]
The steel sheet heating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment is
configured in the above manner; next, a steel sheet heating method using the steel
10 sheet heating apparatus 1 is described.
[0034]
First, the steel sheet K to be molded by hot press molding is supported at the
hanging members 31 and 32 of the support member 30 located on the forward rail
housing 21 side, on the entrance 10a side of the heating furnace 10. Then, tension
15 is applied to the supported steel sheet in the l~orizontal direction by the tension
application mechanism 39 shown in FIG. 3.
[0035]
In this state, the drive mechanism of the forward rail housing 21 is put into
operation to drive the chain conveyor 21b, and thereby the hanging members 31 and
20 32 of the support memnber 30 supporting the steel sheet K are moved to the heating
fi~rnace1 0; and the steel sheet K is heated to a prescribed temperature, for example
700°C to 1000°C, by the heaters 15 in the heating furnace 10. At this time, the
cylinders 34 of the hanging members 31 and 32 niay be put into operation to extend
and contract the rod members 34a, and thus the steel sheet K supl~orted at the
25 hanging members 31 and 32 can be nloved in the vertical direction.
[0036]
After the steel sheet K is heated to the prescribed temperature, the chain
conveyor 21 b of the forward rail housing 21 is driven, and tlins the hanging nle~nbers
3 1 and 32 of the support member 30 supporting the steel sleet K are taken out of the
30 heating filmace 10 and are moved to the space on the exit lob side of the heating
furnace 10. The steel sheet K may be heated in the heating fnrnace 10 while being
conveyed constantly, or may be heated in a state of being stationary in the heating
After the hanging members 31 and 32 of the support member 30 supporting
5 the steel sheet K have stopped in a prescribed position in the space on the exit lob
side of the heating fi~rnace 10, the conveyance robot 50 is brought close to the steel
sheet K, and the steel sheet K is held by the chucks 52 and 52. After that, the
tension applied to the steel sheet K the tension application mechanism 39 is released;
and the shearing apparatuses 41 and 42 are put into operation, and the extension
10 members Ka and Kb of the steel sheet K supported between the hanging members 3 1
and 32 are sheared by the shearing members 44 and 45. Thus, the conveyance robot
50 enters a state of supporting the steel sheet K from which the extension members
Ka and Kb, which are unnecessary portions after molding, have been removed.
[0038]
15 After that, as shown in FIG. 6, while the steel sheet K is held by the chucks
52 and 52, the steel sheet K is conveyed by an articulated arm 53 of the conveyance
robot 50 to a lower mold 63 of a molding and rapid cooling stage 62 of a hot press
molding apparatus 60, ~vhich stage performs press molding and rapid cooling
treatment. Then, after the steel sheet K is set in a prescribed position, prescribed
20 press molding by the pressing of an upper tnold 64 and rapid cooling treatment are
performed on the steel sheet K, and the steel sheet K is processed into a prescribed
product.
[0039]
Thus, by the embodiment of tlie present invention, tlie steel sheet K is
25 brought into and heated by the heating furnace 10 including the heaters 15 on the
surfaces of the side yall bodies 12 and 13 in a state where the steel sheet K is fixedly
supported in the vertical direction via the extension members Ka and Kb, which are
unnecessary portions that become unnecessary after press molding, by the hanging
members 31 and 32 of the support member 30; therefore, as compared with a
30 conventional systetn in which a steel sheet is heated while being supported in a
horizontal state by rollers, firstly, the steel sheet K can be heated more uniformly
than in tlie past without the steel sheet K meandering. Ful-ther~iiores, ince there is
no shield between the heater 15 and the steel sheet K, the lieat from the heater 15 can
be given to the steel sheet K with good efficiency, and the radiation efficiency is
good and more rapid heating than in the past is possible. In addition, since at times
5 other than heating there is no need to put the support meniber 30 in movement, the
energy efficiency is better than in the past. In addition, sinee rollers are not used,
there is no possibility of shutdown due to damage to rollers.
[0040]
Furthennore, in the embodiment described above, since the support body
10 34b supporting the steel sheet K can be moved ve~tieallyb y putting the cylinder 34
of the support member 30 into operation, the heating unevenness can be suppressed
by putting the cylinder 34 into operation to move the steel sheet K in the vertical
direetion while the steel sheet K is located in the heating furnace 10, and thereby
more uniform heating can be made. Therefore, also heating unevenness in the
15 vertical direetion due to the arrangement of beaters 15 and the variation in heating
output characteristics can be prevented.
[0041]
Furthermore, in the elnboditnent described above, sinee the steel sheet K to
be heated is fixedly supported in the vertieal direetion via the extension members Ka
20 and Kb by the hanging tnembers 31 and 32 of the support member 30 and, in
particular, is fixedly supported at two places of both ends, the steel sheet K does not
bend even when the steel sheet K has a shape long in the horizontal direction.
Furtheirnore, since tension is applied to the steel sheet K to be heated in the
horizontal direction by tlie tension application mechanism 39, the deforn~ationd ue to
25 tlie lednction in rigidity and the thermal expansion of the steel sheet K during heating
can be suppressed.
[0042]
Furthermore, since the extension me~ilbers Ka and Kb of the steel sheet K
used when the steel sheet K is fixedly supported in the vertical direction are
30 unnecessary poi-tions that become unnecessary after press molding, the steel sleet K
itself can be heated uniformly in whole. Moreover, in the case where the steel sheet
K is a plated steel sheet, even when it is heated in the melting temperature range,
there is no concern that the molteu plating material will adhere to the steel sheet K
again.
[0043]
5 In the eillbodinlent described above, since the extension nlembers Ka and
Kb are, immediately after heating, sheared and removed in the steel sheet.heating
apparatus 1 by the shearing mechanism 40 installed in the steel sheet heating
apparatus 1, the extension members Ka and Kb, which are unnecessary portions, can
be removed in a state of high temperature and low strength, and there is no influence
10 on the shape, quality, and performance of the product after molditig. The extension
members Ka and Kb left on the hanging members 31 and 32 of the support member
30 after shearing may be collected to a collection box or the like via a chute (not
shown) or the like. In the case where the press mold can be provided with a
shearing mechanism, the extension members Ka and Kb may be sheared and
15 retnoved simultaneously with the pressing in the hot press molding apparatus 60.
[0044]
The hanging members 3 1 and 32 of the support member 30 after the steel
sheet K is conveyed by the conveyance robot 50 in the above way may be moved to
the backward rail liousing 22 side though the support member moving path 24a and
20 then moved to the entrance 10a side of the heating furnace 10 through the support
member moving path 24b, and the steel sheet K to be processed next may be set at
the hanging members 31 and 32 of the support member 30 again in a prescribed
position on the entrance 10a side of the heating furnace 10.
[0045]
25 As is clear from FIG. 1, the steel sheet heating apparatus 1 uses the heating
f~~rnac1e0 that heats the steel sheet K in a vertical state from both sides, and the
for\vard rail housing 21 and the backward rail housing 22 of the conveyance
apparatus 20 are installed above the heating furnace 10; therefore, the occupied floor
area is much smaller than that of a cot~ventio~lhalo rizontal suppol-t-type heating
30 furnace, and thus a large number of steel sheet heating apparatuses 1 call be
juxtaposed. Therefore, productivity is very good in operation with the same floor
area.
[0046]
Furthermore, in the enlbodiment described above, the movement of the
hanging nlembers 31 and 32 of the support ~nenlber 30 is based on the chain
5 conveyor 21b installed in the forward rail housing 21 and the backward rail housing
22, and an arraugeme~lti n which the drive mechanism is installed outside the heating
filmace 10 and the fo~ward rail housing 21 does not receive radiant heat directly
from the opening of the heating furnace as shown in FIG. 2 is possible; thus, the
thermal effect from the heating filmace 10 on the drive system can be suppressed to a
10 minimum. When a thern~als hield is provided as appropriate, the support member
30 itself may be equipped with a self-propelled drive mechanism, as a matter of
course.
[0047]
The preferred embodiment(s) of the present disclosure haskave been
15 described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, whilst the present
disclosure is not limited to the above examples. A person skilled in the art may find
various alterations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims, and it
should be understood that they will naturally come under the technical scope of the
present disclosure.
20
Industrial Applicability
[0048]
The present inveution is useful for the heating of a steel sheet before the
steel sheet is molded by hot press molding.
Reference Signs List
[0049]
1 steel sheet heating apparatus
10 heating furnace
30 10a entrance
lob exit
11 base
12, 13 side wall body
14 conveyance path
15 heater
5 20 conveyance apparatus
2 1 forward rail housing
21a main body unit
21b chain conveyor
21c rail body
10 22 backward rail housing
23 support column
24a, 24b suppost member moving path
25,26 gear sprocket
27 shaft
15 28 drive source
30 support member
3 1,32 hanging member
3 la bracket
33 rail running member
20 33a engagingunit
33b roller
33c running unit
34 cylinder
34a rod member
25 34b support body
3 5 protrusion
36 locking portion
37 hole
3 8 cylinder
30 38, rod
3 9 tension application mechanism
41,42 shearing apparatus
43 base
44,45 shearing member
5 44a, 45a blade
50 conveyance robot
51 handle
52 chuck
53 articulated arm
10 60 hot press molding apparatus
62 molding and rapid cooling stage
63 lower mold
64 upper mold
K steel sheet
15 Ka, Kb extension member
CLAIMS
Claim 1
A steel sheet heating method that heats a steel sheet to be pressed before hot
press molding,
5 the steel sheet heating method comprising:
bringing the steel sheet into a heating f~rnaceincluding a heater on an inside
surface of the heating furnace in a state where the. steel sheet is supported in a
vertical direction while an unnecessary portion of the steel sheet that becomes
unnecessary after molding is fixedly supported by a support member; and
10 performing heating at a prescribed temperature in the heating furnace, then
taking the steel sleet out of the heating furnace, and after that removing the
annecessary portion.
Claim 2
15 The steel sheet heating method according to claim 1,
wherein the steel sheet is moved in a vertical direction in the heating furnace.
Claim 3
The steel sheet heating method according to claim 1 or 2,
20 wherein tension is applied to the steel sheet fixedly supported.
Claim 4
A steel sheet heating apparatus that heats a steel sheet to be pressed before
hot press molding,
25 the steel sheet heating apparatus comprising:
a heating furnace capable of acco~lnnodating the steel slieet in a vertical
state; and
a conveyance apparatus that allo\vs the steel sheet to pass through a
conveyance path of the heating furnace in a state of being supported in a vertical
30 direction by a support member,
wherein the heating filmace includes the conveyance path of the steel sheet
follned bctwcc~sl idc \vatls facing each other and a heatei that is p~ovidcdo n at least
one surface of the sidc wa!ls and hcats the steel sh~eeta, nd
wherein the conveyance apparatus includes the support member that
supports the steel sheet while fixedly st~ppoifinga n ~~~mecesspaorryt io~lo f the steel
5 sheet that hecomcs ululeccssary after molding and a moving mechanism that liloves
the si~ppolt~ ne~llbcarlo lig a rail provided fro111 above an upstrea~iis ide of an
e~itraliccto above a downstream side of an exit of the heating filmace.
Clai~i5l
10 The steel sheet heating apparatus according to claim 4, fu~tlierc omprising a
vertical drive mechauism that ~iiovctsh e support ~llcliibcri n a vertical diccction.
Clai~i6i
The steel sheet heating apparatus accordillg to claim 4, further colliprising a
15 shearing inechauusm that shea~sth e ulniecessary portion on the do~vristreams ide of
the exit of the lieatuig furllace.
Clailil7
The steel sheet heatilig apparatus according to clai~i5l , filrtlier colliprisi~lga
20 shearing ~i~eclianistmha t shears the unnecessary portion on the dounstream side of
the exit of the heating furnace.
Claim S
The steel sheet heating apparatus according to ally one of clai~ils 4 to 7,
25 further coniprising a mechanism that applies telisioil to the steel sheet fixedly
supported.