Patents by Inventor Hans Jürgen Hecken

Hans Jürgen Hecken 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).

  • Patent number: 8695685
    Abstract: A method and a device for producing steel strips by belt casting, wherein a molten metal is output from a feed vessel onto a circulating casting belt of a horizontal belt casting system under protective gas by a gutter and a siphon-like outlet area designed as a casting nozzle. At least one plasma jet, which renders the area of action inert and heats the area of action, influences the outlet-side area of the casting nozzle and the molten metal exiting therefrom at least during the casting process. For this purpose, at least one plasma torch, which produces a plasma jet and is directed at the outlet area of the casting nozzle in a direction opposite the casting direction, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hellfried Eichholz, Jochen Wans, Karl-Heinz Spitzer, Hans-Jürgen Hecken
  • Patent number: 8302663
    Abstract: The invention relates to a casting nozzle for a horizontal strip casting system, especially for casting steel strip. The casting nozzle is connected to a feed channel and is designed as a rectangular refractory hollow block, the outlet region of which being only slightly above the cooled continuous belt which accommodates the outflowing melt. The hollow block is subdivided at least once in the direction of casting and a narrow sealing element is arranged on the partition side of the segments, the width of the remaining gaps in the partition area being selected as to close when the casting nozzle is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignees: Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, SMS Siemag AG
    Inventors: Hellfried Eichholz, Sven Klawiter, Rune Schmidt-Jürgensen, Karl-Heinz Spitzer, Hans-Jürgen Hecken, Jochen Schlüter
  • Patent number: 8272426
    Abstract: An apparatus for casting near-net-shape, rectangular metal strands includes a horizontally circulating metal conveyor belt (7) with a cooled bottom a melt feeder (3?) for casting the metal onto the conveyor belt(7), and an arrangement for feeding the solidified pre-strip under mechanical tension to a driver (16). A cooled pressure device (11, 12, 13) is arranged above the cast product (4) in a region of the deflection roller (8) of the metal conveyor belt (7) which is located downstream in a casting direction, for applying an adjustable pressure from above to the cast product (4) solidifying into the pre-strip (5); and immediately behind the metal conveyor belt (7) a cooling device (17, 19, 19?)for cooling the bottom of the pre-strip (5) over its entire width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: SMS Siemag AG
    Inventors: Jörg Bausch, Hans Jürgen Hecken
  • Patent number: 8261812
    Abstract: A method of casting near-net-shape, rectangular metal strands includes providing a horizontally circulating metal conveyor belt (7) with a cooled bottom and a melt feeder (3?) for casting the metal melt onto the conveyor belt (7), smooth/pinch rollers (14) for feeding the solidified pre-strip under mechanical tension to a driver (16), a pressure device (11, 12, 13) arranged above the cast product (4) in a region of the deflection roller (8) of the metal conveyor belt (7) which is located downstream in a casting direction, for applying an adjustable pressure from above to the cast product (4) solidifying into the pre-strip (5). Immediately behind the metal conveyor belt (7) and upstream of the pinch rollers, a cooling device (17, 19, 19?) is provided for cooling the bottom of the pre-strip (5) after the pre-strip leaves the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jörg Bausch, Hans Jürgen Hecken
  • Publication number: 20120138257
    Abstract: The invention relates to a casting nozzle for a horizontal strip casting system, especially for casting steel strip. The casting nozzle is connected to a feed channel and is designed as a rectangular refractory hollow block, the outlet region of which being only slightly above the cooled continuous belt which accommodates the outflowing melt. The hollow block is subdivided at least once in the direction of casting and a narrow sealing element is arranged on the partition side of the segments, the width of the remaining gaps in the partition area being selected as to close when the casting nozzle is operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Hellfried Eichholz, Sven Klawiter, Rune Schmidt-Jürgensen, Karl-Heinz Spitzer, Hans-Jürgen Hecken, Jochen Schlüter
  • Publication number: 20120125557
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing steel strips by means of belt casting, wherein a molten metal is output from a feed vessel onto a circulating casting belt of a horizontal belt casting system under protective gas by means of a gutter and a siphon-like outlet area designed as a casting nozzle. According to the method, at least one plasma jet, which renders the area of action inert and heats the area of action, influences the outlet-side area of the casting nozzle and the molten metal exiting therefrom at least during the casting process. For this purpose, at least one plasma torch, which produces a plasma jet and is directed at the outlet area of the casting nozzle in a direction opposite the casting direction, is provided according to the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: SMS SIEMAG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Hellfried Eichholz, Jochen Wans, Karl-Heinz Spitzer, Hans-Jürgen Hecken
  • Patent number: 7794648
    Abstract: A tundish carriage with a lifting device (1) for a tundish (2) for liquid steel materials, in particular in a multi-strand caster, wherein the tundish (2) is supported, with a possibility to be lifted or lowered, by controlled electromechanical or hydraulic lifting devices (1a, 1b) on a carriage frame (7), prevents a quadruple arrangement of piston-cylinder units and a complicated synchronization control, with security for personnel and a noticeable simplification of construction, by providing a single vertical support (9) and only two lifting devices (1a, 1b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Richard Theis, Hans Juergen Hecken
  • Publication number: 20100132911
    Abstract: In the casting close-to-the final dimension of rectangular strands made of metal and the subsequent further processing thereof into metal strips according to the DSC method (direct strip casting) in a horizontal continuous casting installation the cast product (4) is deformed during the solidification thereof into the preliminary strip (5) due to uneven heat dissipation because the top of the strip is cooled only by convection of ambient air and by heat radiation, while the bottom of said strip is in direct contact with a cooled metal conveyor belt (7). In this manner, the initially complete contact between the cast product (4) and the metal conveyor belt (7) is lost and the strip edges of the cast product arch upwards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Joerg Bausch, Hans Juergen Hecken
  • Publication number: 20100104989
    Abstract: The invention relates to a burner arrangement (1) in particular for heating, drying or keeping warm, in particular a distributor (5) of a continuous casting unit and consisting of a flat arrangement of at least one burner (2). The burner(s) (2) is/are embodied as a porous burner (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Martin Assmann, Udo Falkenreck, Hans-Jürgen Hecken, Jochen Schlüter, Walter Weischedel
  • Publication number: 20100035194
    Abstract: The invention relates to a burner arrangement (1) in particular for heating or keeping warm, in particular casting stream protection devices and/or immersion casting devices of a continuous casting plant, comprising a reservoir (5) that can receive, in particular a shroud tube or an immersion tube, said reservoir comprising a base (6) and a cover (7). The wall (8) of the reservoir (5) is formed by at least one porous burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Martin Assmann, Udo Falkenreck, Hans-Jürgen Hecken, Jochen Schlüter, Walter Weischedel
  • Publication number: 20080185120
    Abstract: A tundish carriage with a lifting device (1) for a tundish (2) for liquid steel materials, in particular in a multi-strand caster, wherein the tundish (2) is supported, with a possibility to be lifted or lowered, by controlled electromechanical or hydraulic lifting devices (1a, 1b) on a carriage frame (7), prevents a quadruple arrangement of piston-cylinder units and a complicated synchronization control, with security for personnel and a noticeable simplification of construction, by providing a single vertical support (9) and only two lifting devices (1a, 1b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Richard Theis, Hans Juergen Hecken