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  Furnace, and hot forming line including such a furnaceUSPTO Application #: 20080036124Title: Furnace, and hot forming line including such a furnace Abstract: A furnace for heat treatment of steel sheets or steel sheet structures includes a heating zone formed by at least two furnace modules which are detachably connected to one another to thereby define a starting furnace module and an end furnace module. In order to meet increasing output requirements and capacity demands, at least one add-on furnace module is provided for placement between the starting and end furnace modules. (end of abstract) Agent: Henry M Feiereisen, LLC - New York, NY, US Inventors: OTTO BUSCHSIEWEKE, Christoph Mainka, Stefan Adelbert USPTO Applicaton #: 20080036124 - Class: 266103000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Metallurgical Apparatus, Means Treating A Continuum Of Work, With Heating Means The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080036124. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2006 027 625.6, filed Jun. 13, 2006, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a furnace for heat treatment of steel sheets or steel sheet structures, and to a hot forming line for making a hardened profiled steel sheet structure. [0003] Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art. [0004] German Pat. No. DE 1 010 547 describes a continuous furnace for heat treatment of elongate objects such as rods or metal sheets. The furnace includes a heat channel which is made of two portions arranged exchangeably behind one another. The use of a continuous furnace in a hot forming line for making hardened profiled steel sheet structures is described in German Pat. Nos. DE 101 28 200 B4 and DE 102 54 695 B3. Continuous furnaces can be designed up to a temperature of 1,300.degree. C., optionally also under a protective atmosphere. [0005] Heretofore, a hot forming line is constructed to meet a certain output or production rate. This is also the base for designing the capacity of the continuous furnace within the hot forming line. As the costs for these constructions are substantial, overdimensioning of the furnace is undesired. On the other hand, the production rate of the hot forming line and furnace cannot be reliably predicted for the future, when the hot forming line is initially put into operation. It is thus conceivable that the furnace and the hot forming line reach their operational limits as a result of a change in a customer's wish or increased output demand. To address this problem, either another hot forming line needs to be built or the existing hot forming line needs to be modified. Both approaches are accompanied by significant increase in labor and costs. [0006] It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved furnace and hot forming line to obviate prior art shortcomings SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a furnace for heat treatment of a steel sheet or a steel sheet structure includes a heating zone formed by at least two furnace modules which are detachably connected to one another to thereby define a starting furnace module and an end furnace module, and at least one add-on furnace module which is constructed for placement between the starting and end furnace modules. [0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a hot forming line for making a hardened profiled steel sheet structure from a steel sheet includes a first manipulator for advancing a steel sheet, a continuous furnace receiving the steel sheet from the first manipulator for heating a steel sheet to a temperature above a microstructural transformation temperature in the austenitic state, a second manipulator receiving the heated steel sheet from the continuous furnace, a press tool receiving the heated steel sheet from the second manipulator for shaping the sheet steel into a profiled steel sheet structure, and a third manipulator removing the profiled steel sheet structure from the press tool, wherein the continuous furnace includes least two furnace modules which are detachably connected to one another to thereby define a starting furnace module and an end furnace module, and at least one add-on furnace module which is constructed for placement between the starting and end furnace modules. [0009] The present invention resolves prior art problems by composing the heating zone of single furnace modules that are detachably connectable to one another. In effect, the furnace is designed as a modular system by which the capacity of the furnace can be easily adapted to the situation at hand and to the customer's need. A later demand for increased output can now be satisfied by simply adding one or more add-on furnace modules. As a result, the productivity or efficiency of a hot forming line, which has integrated therein such a furnace, can be enhanced, and the hot forming line can thus also be adjusted to the situation at hand. Downtimes are minimal as any modification can easily be implemented because the furnace modules can be standardized and can be constructed with their own heating units, conveyors, insulations, air supply and air discharge ducts as well detachment and coupling means. [0010] According to another feature of the present invention, the add-on furnace module may have a length which corresponds to a total length of the starting and end furnace modules. [0011] According to another feature of the present invention, the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module may be coupled to one another via end flanges, with a seal being disposed between end the flanges. [0012] According to another feature of the present invention, at least one of the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module may have an inert gas supply. [0013] As a result of the modular construction of the furnace in the form of single standardized furnace modules, which can be selectively and detachably connected with one another, the capacity and thus the productivity of a hot forming line can be adjusted to the need at hand. The throughput can be increased, using standardized components. This provides benefits as far as logistics and assembly is concerned. The furnace can be modified to increase throughput in a less time-consuming and labor intensive manner and with little costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0014] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: [0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a furnace according to the present invention, further depicting an add-on furnace module; [0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the furnace with installed add-on furnace module; [0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic cutaway view of a coupling region between two furnace modules; [0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the coupling region, as viewed in a direction of arrow IV in FIG. 3; [0019] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a hot forming line according to the present invention, and [0020] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the hot forming line of FIG. 5 with integrated pre-forming station. Continue reading... Full patent description for Furnace, and hot forming line including such a furnace Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Furnace, and hot forming line including such a furnace patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Furnace, and hot forming line including such a furnace or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Conductive thermosets by extrusion Next Patent Application: Central fastening element for an axially symmetric gas spring Industry Class: Metallurgical apparatus ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Furnace, and hot forming line including such a furnace patent info. 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