Patents by Inventor Franz-Josef Lenze
Franz-Josef Lenze has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10689725Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a component having improved elongation at break properties, in which a component is firstly produced, preferably in a hot forming or press curing process, and the component is heat treated after hot forming and/or press curing, where the heat treatment temperature T and the heat treatment time t essentially satisfy the numerical relationship T?900·t?0.087, where the heat treatment temperature T is in ° C. and the heat treatment time t is in seconds. The invention also relates to a component, in particular an automobile body component or the chassis of a motor vehicle, which has been produced by such a process. The invention further relates to the use of such a component as part of an automobile body or a chassis of a motor vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2017Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora, Janko Banik
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Patent number: 10184158Abstract: A method for hot forming, in particular for press hardening, a component is disclosed, wherein in a local region of the component a reduced martensitic hardness is produced by locally reducing a forming pressure which is exerted on a surface of the component.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2015Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG, THYSSENKRUPP AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Janko Banik, Sascha Sikora
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Publication number: 20170191142Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a component having improved elongation at break properties, in which a component is firstly produced, preferably in a hot forming or press curing process, and the component is heat treated after hot forming and/or press curing, where the heat treatment temperature T and the heat treatment time t essentially satisfy the numerical relationship T?900·t?0.087, where the heat treatment temperature T is in ° C. and the heat treatment time t is in seconds. The invention also relates to a component, in particular an automobile body component or the chassis of a motor vehicle, which has been produced by such a process. The invention further relates to the use of such a component as part of an automobile body or a chassis of a motor vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2017Publication date: July 6, 2017Applicant: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora, Janko Banik
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Patent number: 9616488Abstract: In a method for producing in particular structural components or chassis components for a motor vehicle by hot or semi-hot forming, a sheet metal blank is heated in a heating station at least in a first region from a starting temperature to a target temperature, and then the warm blank is transferred to a cooled pressing tool and is formed and press-hardened. The heating station includes at least one burner zone which includes at least one burner, in which zone the sheet metal blank is heated from the starting temperature to the target temperature, and at least one burner is operated with a combustion gas and an oxygen-containing gas and the sheet metal blank comes into direct contact with the burner flame.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2012Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBHInventors: Markus Pellmann, Frank Stelzer, Franz-Josef Lenze
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Publication number: 20160024609Abstract: The invention relates to a roller hearth furnace for the heat treatment of coated metal sheets as well as to a corresponding method. The objective of the invention is to put forward a roller hearth furnace that allows the alternating processing of AlSi-coated metal sheets and metal sheets with zinc alloy coatings for hot-working, whereby considerably less effort is involved for the alternating procedure than is the case in the state of the art. The roller hearth furnace according to the invention for the heat treatment of coated metal parts is characterized in that it has at least a first zone and a second zone, whereby in the first zone, a temperature below the melting temperature of the AlSi deposits or a temperature of more than approximately 900° C. [1652° F.] can be maintained, whereas in the second zone, a temperature of more than approximately 870° C. [1598° F.] can be reached.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2013Publication date: January 28, 2016Applicants: Schwartz GmbH, ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, Kirchhoff Automative Deutschland GmbHInventors: Markus Löcker, Franz Josef Lenze, Axel Schrooten, Alexander Wilden, Harald Lehmann
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Publication number: 20160010169Abstract: A method for hot forming, in particular for press hardening, a component is disclosed, wherein in a local region of the component a reduced martensitic hardness is produced by locally reducing a forming pressure which is exerted on a surface of the component.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Janko Banik, Sascha Sikora
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Publication number: 20150298199Abstract: In a method for producing in particular structural components or chassis components for a motor vehicle by hot or semi-hot forming, a sheet metal blank is heated in a heating station at least in a first region from a starting temperature to a target temperature, and then the warm blank is transferred to a cooled pressing tool and is formed and press-hardened. The heating station comprises includes at least one burner zone which includes at least one burner, in which zone the sheet metal blank is heated from the starting temperature to the target temperature, and at least one burner is operated with a combustion gas and an oxygen-containing gas and the sheet metal blank comes into direct contact with the burner flame.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2012Publication date: October 22, 2015Applicant: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbHInventors: Markus Pellmann, FRANK STELZER, FRANZ-JOSEF LENZE
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Patent number: 9068239Abstract: A forming tool and a method for the press-hardening and tempered forming of a blank from high and/or very high strength steels are provided, in which the blank is heated before the tempered forming and then formed hot or semi-hot in a forming tool, wherein the forming tool has means for tempering. This is achieved in that the forming tool makes precisely defined temperature guidance of the blank during forming, and in that a plurality of controllable means are provided in the forming tool for tempering the forming tool, by which a plurality of temperature zones can be tempered in the forming tool, wherein at least contact surfaces of forming tool elements used for the tempered forming are allocated to individual temperature zones.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2007Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora
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Publication number: 20130283882Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an installation for producing a component from sheet magnesium, comprising a forming tool, which comprises a punch and a die, for forming a semi-finished product made of sheet magnesium, in particular a semi-finished product in the form of a sheet magnesium blank, and a device for heating the semi-finished product to an elevated temperature, preferably to a temperature of at least 200° C., prior to the forming. In order to reduce the component costs, the invention proposes that the forming tool is designed without an internal heat source, is provided with a semi-finished product holder on which the heated semi-finished product can be placed in the forming tool without direct contact with the punch and the die, and comprises a drive which brings about a closing speed of the punch and the die in the range of 15 mm/s to 500 mm/s.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2011Publication date: October 31, 2013Applicants: MGF MAGNESIUM FLACHSTAHL GMBH, THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AGInventors: Sascha Sikora, Franz-Josef Lenze, Thorsten Koehler, Ralf Scheitza, Hans-Peter Vogt
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Patent number: 8434231Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a metal component, wherein a raw material (4, 34, 42, 74) is provided, the raw material (4, 34, 42, 74) is stamped and is further processed following the stamping process to form a component (90, 108, 114). The component (90, 108, 114) has at least partially stamped areas (16, 36, 48, 98), and the raw material (4, 34, 42, 74) is hot-stamped. The invention further relates to the use of a hot-stamped metal component, which is preferably produced using a method according to the invention, in a motor vehicle body, in particular as a reinforcing element in a B-column (114), a sill, or a longitudinal beam.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2011Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora, Andreas Ulrichs, Lothar Patberg
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Patent number: 8349098Abstract: A process for producing a component from a steel product coated with a protective Al—Si coating, and an intermediate product that arises during the course of such a process and that can be used to produce components of the type concerned here. The steel product coated with the Al—Si coating, undergoes a first heating stage in which the temperature and the duration of the heat treatment are set such that the Al—Si coating is only partially pre-alloyed with Fe from the steel product. Then, the steel product, in a second heating stage, is heated to a heating temperature, above the Ac1 temperature, at which the steel product has an at least partially austenitic structure, wherein the temperature and the duration of the second heating stage are set such that the Al—Si coating is fully alloyed with Fe from the steel product.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2009Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AGInventors: Friedhelm Macherey, Franz-Josef Lenze, Michael Peters, Manuela Ruthenberg, Sascha Sikora
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Publication number: 20120137498Abstract: The invention relates to a method for hot forming a blank consisting of an aluminium or steel alloy, in which the blank is heated before forming and subsequently formed in a forming tool at a temperature of at least 150° C., and to a device for carrying out the hot forming, having a forming tool which has a punch and a die. The object of proposing an economic method for hot forming is achieved for hot forming an aluminium or steel blank by placing an insulating material onto at least one surface of the blank before forming, wherein the insulating material has a lower thermal conductivity than the blank and the forming takes place with the applied insulating material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2011Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora, Harald Hofmann, Ralf Kolleck, Robert Veit
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Publication number: 20120074733Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a metal component, wherein a raw material (4, 34, 42, 74) is provided, the raw material (4, 34, 42, 74) is stamped and is further processed following the stamping process to form a component (90, 108, 114). The component (90, 108, 114) has at least partially stamped areas (16, 36, 48, 98), and the raw material (4, 34, 42, 74) is hot-stamped. The invention further relates to the use of a hot-stamped metal component, which is preferably produced using a method according to the invention, in a motor vehicle body, in particular as a reinforcing element in a B-column (114), a sill, or a longitudinal beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora, Andreas Ulrichs, Lothar Patberg
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Patent number: 8118954Abstract: A method for producing a metallic component (B) allows adjoining zones (Z1, Z2, Z3) having differing material properties to be produced in a manner which is simple in terms of production. This is achieved in that a sheet metal element (E) heated to a forming temperature is shaped in a forming tool (1) into an end-shaped component (B), wherein the forming tool (1) has a temperature adjustment means for adjusting the temperature of at least one of the portions (5, 7, 16) thereof that comes into contact with the sheet metal element (E) during the forming process, and in that the forming speed is controlled in consideration of the time for which the portion (5, 7, 16) of the forming tool (1) that is regulated with regard to the temperature thereof is in contact with the respective region (E1, E2, E3) of the sheet metal element (E) that rests against said portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2006Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AGInventors: Heiko Beenken, Thomas Heller, Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora
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Publication number: 20120040205Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a press-hardened metal component, in which a blank (2) or a semi-finished product (30, 40, 50, 60) is press hardened in a forming tool (12), wherein the blank (2) or the semi-finished product (30, 40, 50, 60) has partial regions (4, 36) with reduced wall thickness and the partial regions (4, 36) with reduced wall thickness are not press hardened. The invention also relates to a press-hardened metal component made of steel or a steel alloy, in particular for a motor vehicle, preferably produced by a method according to the invention, which is not press hardened in at least one partial region (4, 36), wherein at least one partial region (4, 36) that is not press hardened has a reduced wall thickness in comparison with the partial regions that are press hardened.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2010Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora, Andreas Ulrichs, Lothar Patberg
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Publication number: 20110240179Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a component having improved elongation at break properties, in which a component (6) is firstly produced, preferably in a hot forming or press curing process (4), and the component (6) is heat treated after hot forming and/or press curing (4), where the heat treatment temperature T and the heat treatment time t essentially satisfy the numerical relationship T?900·T?0.087, where the heat treatment temperature T is in ° C. and the heat treatment time t is in seconds. The invention also relates to a component, in particular an automobile body component or the chassis of a motor vehicle, which has been produced by such a process. The invention further relates to the use of such a component as part of an automobile body or a chassis of a motor vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora, Janko Banik
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Publication number: 20110056594Abstract: A process for producing a component from a steel product coated with a protective Al—Si coating, and an intermediate product that arises during the course of such a process and that can be used to produce components of the type concerned here. The steel product coated with the Al—Si coating, undergoes a first heating stage in which the temperature and the duration of the heat treatment are set such that the Al—Si coating is only partially pre-alloyed with Fe from the steel product. Then, the steel product, in a second heating stage, is heated to a heating temperature, above the Ac1 temperature, at which the steel product has an at least partially austenitic structure, wherein the temperature and the duration of the second heating stage are set such that the Al—Si coating is fully alloyed with Fe from the steel product.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2009Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AGInventors: Friedhelm Macherey, Franz-Josef Lenze, Michael Peters, Manuela Ruthenberg, Sascha Sikora
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Publication number: 20090178740Abstract: A forming tool and a method for the press-hardening and tempered forming of a blank from high and/or very high strength steels are provided, in which the blank is heated before the tempered forming and then formed hot or semi-hot in a forming tool, wherein the forming tool has means for tempering. This is achieved in that the forming tool makes precisely defined temperature guidance of the blank during forming, and in that a plurality of controllable means are provided in the forming tool for tempering the forming tool, by which a plurality of temperature zones can be tempered in the forming tool, wherein at least contact surfaces of forming tool elements used for the tempered forming are allocated to individual temperature zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2007Publication date: July 16, 2009Applicant: ThyssenKrupp Steel AGInventors: Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora
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Publication number: 20080196800Abstract: A method for producing a metallic component (B) allows adjoining zones (Z1, Z2, Z3) having differing material properties to be produced in a manner which is simple in terms of production. This is achieved in that a sheet metal element (E) heated to a forming temperature is shaped in a forming tool (1) into an end-shaped component (B), wherein the forming tool (1) has a temperature adjustment means for adjusting the temperature of at least one of the portions (5, 7, 16) thereof that comes into contact with the sheet metal element (E) during the forming process, and in that the forming speed is controlled in consideration of the time for which the portion (5, 7, 16) of the forming tool (1) that is regulated with regard to the temperature thereof is in contact with the respective region (E1, E2, E3) of the sheet metal element (E) that rests against said portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2006Publication date: August 21, 2008Inventors: Heiko Beenken, Thomas Heller, Franz-Josef Lenze, Sascha Sikora
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Patent number: 6832501Abstract: The invention is for a method to produce components from a blank made of deep-drawable material using a free-flowing action medium. The method consists in clamping the blank in a forming device in which the action medium applies a pressure to the blank, preforming the blank be elevating the pressure exercised by the action medium in restricted areas of the blank and finish forming the preformed blank with a forming tool.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2002Date of Patent: December 21, 2004Assignee: Thyssenkrupp Stahl AGInventors: Tino Gruszka, Franz-Josef Lenze