Patents by Inventor Manuela Ruthenberg

Manuela Ruthenberg 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).

  • Publication number: 20240133014
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sheet metal component including: annealing a flat steel product comprising 0.05-0.5% C, 0.5-3% Mn, 0.06-1.7% Si, ?0.06% P, ?0.01% S, ?1.0% Al, ?0.15% Ti, ?0.6% Nb, ?0.01% B, ?1.0% Cr, ?1.0% Mo, ?1.0% Cr+Mo, ?0.2% Ca, ?0.1% V, remainder iron and impurities in a continuous furnace under an atmosphere consisting of 0.1-15% hydrogen and remainder nitrogen with a specific dew point and temperature profile; applying a coating consisting of <15% Si, ?5% Fe, in total 0.1-5% of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal and a remainder Al and unavoidable impurities; heating the flat steel product to >Ac3 and ?1000° C. for a time sufficient to introduce a heat energy quantity >100,000-800,000 kJs; hot-forming the flat steel product to form the component; and cooling at least one section of the component at a cooling rate sufficient to generate hardening structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Maria Köyer, Manuela Ruthenberg, Janko Banik, Ulrich Etzold
  • Patent number: 11920243
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sheet metal component including: annealing a flat steel product comprising 0.05-0.5% C, 0.5-3% Mn, 0.06-1.7% Si, ?0.06% P, ?0.01% S, ?1.0% Al, ?0.15% Ti, ?0.6% Nb, ?0.01% B, ?1.0% Cr, ?1.0% Mo, ?1.0% Cr+Mo, ?0.2% Ca, ?0.1% V, remainder iron and impurities in a continuous furnace under an atmosphere consisting of 0.1-15% hydrogen and remainder nitrogen with a specific dew point and temperature profile; applying a coating consisting of ?15% Si, ?5% Fe, in total 0.1-5% of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal and a remainder Al and unavoidable impurities; heating the flat steel product to >Ac3 and ?1000° C. for a time sufficient to introduce a heat energy quantity >100,000-800,000 kJs; hot-forming the flat steel product to form the component; and cooling at least one section of the component at a cooling rate sufficient to generate hardening structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Maria Köyer, Manuela Ruthenberg, Janko Banik, Ulrich Etzold
  • Publication number: 20230366057
    Abstract: A sheet metal component made of a hot-formed flat steel product including a steel substrate consisting of, in mass. %, C: 0.1-0.4%, Mn: 0.5-3.0%, Si: 0.05-0.5% Cr: 0.005-1.0%, B: 0.0005-0.01% and optionally one or more of V, Ti, Nb, Al, Ni, Cu, Mo, and W, where the contents of the respective optionally present alloy element are V: 0.001-0.2%, Ti: 0.001-0.1%, Nb: 0.001-0.1%, Al: 0.01-0.2%, Ni: 0.01-0.4%, Co: 0.01-0.8% Mo: 0.001-1.0%, W: 0.001-1.0%, and the remainder iron and unavoidable impurities, wherein the unavoidable impurities include contents less than 0.1% P, less than 0.05% S, and less than 0.01% N, and an Al corrosion protection layer applied to the steel substrate, wherein the component is optionally hardened. An adhesive section having an SDR value of 3-30%, determined according to ISO 25178 is provided on the free outer face of the corrosion protection coating for adhering the sheet metal component to another component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Jennifer Schulz, Maria Köyer, Manuela Ruthenberg
  • Publication number: 20230366056
    Abstract: A flat steel product is provided, including a steel substrate made of a steel which consists of, in % by weight, 0.07-0.4% C, 1.0-2.5% Mn, 0.06-0.9% Si, ?0.03% P, ?0.01% S, ?0.1% Al, ?0.15% Ti, ?0.6% Nb, ?0.005% B, ?0.5% Cr, 50.5% Mo, where the sum of Cr and Mo is ?0.5%, and, as the remainder, Fe and unavoidable impurities, and including an anti-corrosion coating which is formed from, in % by weight, ?15% Si, ?5% Fe, ?5% of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal and, as the remainder, Al and unavoidable impurities. If the anti-corrosion coating contains ?0.1% by weight of the alkaline earth or transition metal, a solution containing at least one alkaline earth or transition metal is applied to the anti-corrosion coating of the flat steel product. Then, the flat steel product is flexibly cold-rolled to produce the portions of different thicknesses. Then, it is heated to 800-1000° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Maria Köyer, Manuela Ruthenberg, Janko Banik
  • Publication number: 20230332262
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a steel component comprising a substrate and a coating, to a corresponding sleet component and to the use thereof in the automotive sector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Janko Banik, Maria Köyer, Dirk Rosenstock, Manuela Ruthenberg
  • Patent number: 11739393
    Abstract: A method for producing a steel component from a flat steel sheet is provided. The produced steel component includes a substrate and a coating. The method ensures that the steel component has an Hdiff content below a certain level. The low Hdiff content minimizes the risk of hydrogen-induced cracking of the steel component after hot forming, including during subsequent use of the steel component. The Hdiff content in the hot-formed steel component is ensured to be below a certain level by selecting furnace parameters depending on the rolling degree and the sheet thickness of the flat steel sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, ThyssenKrupp AG
    Inventors: Janko Banik, Maria Köyer, Dirk Rosenstock, Manuela Ruthenberg
  • Patent number: 11692234
    Abstract: A flat steel product for hot forming may be produced from a steel substrate that includes a steel comprising 0.1-3% by weight Mn and up to 0.01% by weight B, along with a protective coating that is applied to the steel substrate. The protective coating may be based on Al and may contain up to 20% by weight of other alloy elements. Also disclosed are methods for producing such flat steel products, steel components, and methods for producing steel components. Absorption of hydrogen is minimized during heating necessary for hot forming. This is achieved at least in part through an alloy constituent of 0.1-0.5% by weight of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal in the protective coating, wherein an oxide of the alkaline earth or transition metal is formed on an outer surface of the protective coating during hot forming of the flat steel product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignees: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Janko Banik, Ulrich Etzold, Norbert Rössler, Manuela Ruthenberg, Thiemo Wuttke
  • Publication number: 20220298597
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a steel component by forming of a flat steel product coated with an anticorrosion coating, and to a steel component produced from a steel substrate coated with anticorrosion coating. The steel component is produced by providing a flat steel product coated with an aluminum-based anticorrosion coating, heat-treating a blank formed from the coated flat steel product, in a furnace, where 0.0034° C./min?Q?0.021° C./min, with Q=(T*d)/(t*L), T=furnace temperature in ° C., d=blank thickness in mm, t=dwell time of the blank in the furnace in min, L=furnace length in m, and shaping the blank in a shaping tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicants: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Manuela RUTHENBERG, Maria KOYER
  • Patent number: 11401574
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a steel component by forming of a flat steel product coated with an anticorrosion coating, and to a steel component produced from a steel substrate coated with anticorrosion coating. The steel component is produced by providing a flat steel product coated with an aluminum-based anticorrosion coating, heat-treating a blank formed from the coated flat steel product, in a furnace, where 0.0034° C./min?Q?0.021° C./min, with Q=(T*d)/(t*L), T=furnace temperature in ° C., d=blank thickness in mm, t=dwell time of the blank in the furnace in min, L=furnace length in m, and shaping the blank in a shaping tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Manuela Ruthenberg, Maria Koyer
  • Publication number: 20220228248
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sheet metal component including: annealing a flat steel product comprising 0.05-0.5% C, 0.5-3% Mn, 0.06-1.7% Si, ?0.06% P, ?0.01% S, ?1.0% Al, ?0.15% Ti, ?0.6% Nb, ?0.01% B, ?1.0% Cr, ?1.0% Mo, ?1.0% Cr+Mo, ?0.2% Ca, ?0.1% V, remainder iron and impurities in a continuous furnace under an atmosphere consisting of 0.1-15% hydrogen and remainder nitrogen with a specific dew point and temperature profile; applying a coating consisting of ?15% Si, ?5% Fe, in total 0.1-5% of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal and a remainder Al and unavoidable impurities; heating the fat steel product to >Ac3 and ?1000° C. for a time sufficient to introduce a heat energy quantity>100,000-800,000 kJs; hot-forming the flat steel product to form the component; and cooling at least one section of the component at a cooling rate sufficient to generate hardening structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Maria Köyer, Manuela Ruthenberg, Janko Banik, Ulrich Etzold
  • Patent number: 11261514
    Abstract: A method for producing a component made of a steel product coated with an Al—Si protective coating, includes: providing a substrate consisting of a steel produced coated with an Al—Si protective coating, heating the substrate to a temperature T1 such that the Al—Si protective coating is only partially pre-alloyed with Fe of the steel product, cooling the pre-alloyed substrate to room temperature, applying a corrosion protection oil to the surface of the pre-alloyed substrate, wherein the oil consists of a composition containing fatty acid ester, transporting the pre-alloyed substrate to which the oil has been applied, heating the pre-alloyed substrate to which the oil has been applied to a temperature T2 such that the Al—Si protective coating is fully alloyed with Fe of the steel product and the oil is removed without leaving residue, and shaping the re-heated substrate to form the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Janko Banik, Patrick Kuhn, Manuela Ruthenberg, Axel Schrooten, Sascha Sikora
  • Publication number: 20210155997
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a steel component by forming of a flat steel product coated with an anticorrosion coating, and to a steel component produced from a steel substrate coated with anticorrosion coating. The steel component is produced by providing a flat steel product coated with an aluminum-based anticorrosion coating, heat-treating a blank formed from the coated flat steel product, in a furnace, where 0.0034° C./min?Q?0.021° C./min, with Q=(T*d)/(t*L), T=furnace temperature in ° C., d=blank thickness in mm, t=dwell time of the blank in the furnace in min, L=furnace length in m, and shaping the blank in a shaping tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicants: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Manuela RUTHENBERG, Maria KOYER
  • Publication number: 20200255916
    Abstract: A flat steel product for hot forming may be produced from a steel substrate that includes a steel comprising 0.1-3% by weight Mn and up to 0.01% by weight B, along with a protective coating that is applied to the steel substrate. The protective coating may be based on Al and may contain up to 20% by weight of other alloy elements. Also disclosed are methods for producing such flat steel products, steel components, and methods for producing steel components. Absorption of hydrogen is minimized during heating necessary for hot forming. This is achieved at least in part through an alloy constituent of 0.1-0.5% by weight of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal in the protective coating, wherein an oxide of the alkaline earth or transition metal is formed on an outer surface of the protective coating during hot forming of the flat steel product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Janko Banik, Ulrich Etzold, Norbert Rössler, Manuela Ruthenberg, Thiemo Wuttke
  • Publication number: 20200216925
    Abstract: A method for producing a steel component from a flat steel sheet is provided. The produced steel component includes a substrate and a coating. The method ensures that the steel component has an Hdiff content below a certain level. The low Hdiff content minimizes the risk of hydrogen-induced cracking of the steel component after hot forming, including during subsequent use of the steel component. The Hdiff content in the hot-formed steel component is ensured to be below a certain level by selecting furnace parameters depending on the rolling degree and the sheet thickness of the flat steel sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Janko Banik, Maria Köyer, Dirk Rosenstock, Manuela Ruthenberg
  • Patent number: 10669603
    Abstract: A flat steel product for hot forming may be produced from a steel substrate that includes a steel comprising 0.1-3% by weight Mn and up to 0.01% by weight B, along with a protective coating that is applied to the steel substrate. The protective coating may be based on Al and may contain up to 20% by weight of other alloy elements. Also disclosed are methods for producing such flat steel products, steel components, and methods for producing steel components. Absorption of hydrogen is minimized during heating necessary for hot forming. This is achieved at least in part through an alloy constituent of 0.1-0.5% by weight of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal in the protective coating, wherein an oxide of the alkaline earth or transition metal is formed on an outer surface of the protective coating during hot forming of the flat steel product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, ThyssenKrupp AG
    Inventors: Janko Banik, Ulrich Etzold, Norbert Rössler, Manuela Ruthenberg, Thiemo Wuttke
  • Publication number: 20190185981
    Abstract: A method for producing a component made of a steel product coated with an Al—Si protective coating, includes: providing a substrate consisting of a steel produced coated with an Al—Si protective coating, heating the substrate to a temperature T1 such that the Al—Si protective coating is only partially pre-alloyed with Fe of the steel product, cooling the pre-alloyed substrate to room temperature, applying a corrosion protection oil to the surface of the pre-alloyed substrate, wherein the oil consists of a composition containing fatty acid ester, transporting the pre-alloyed substrate to which the oil has been applied, heating the pre-alloyed substrate to which the oil has been applied to a temperature T2 such that the Al—Si protective coating is fully alloyed with Fe of the steel product and the oil is removed without leaving residue, and shaping the re-heated substrate to form the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Janko Banik, Patrick Kuhn, Manuela Ruthenberg, Axel Schrooten, Sascha Sikora
  • Patent number: 10287647
    Abstract: A steel component formed from a flat steel having a yield point of 150-1100 MPa and a tensile strength of 300-1200 MPa and coated with an anticorrosion coating of an alloy that includes 35-70% by weight aluminum, 35-60% by weight zinc, 0.1-10% by weight magnesium, up to 10% by weight Si, and up to 5% by weight Fe. A blank obtained from the flat steel product is heated to at least 800° C. and formed into the steel component. Alternatively, the steel component may be formed into the steel component first and then heated to at least 800° C. Regardless, the steel component may then be hardened by sufficiently rapid cooling the steel component from a sufficiently high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Maria Köyer, Sascha Sikora, Janko Banik, Manuela Ruthenberg, Jennifer Schulz
  • Patent number: 10081857
    Abstract: A metallic flat product is disclosed which is subjected to surface finishing by hot-dip coating and which is preferably composed of steel. The metallic flat product includes a metallic alloy layer (11) and a metallic surface layer (12?), which metallic alloy layer and metallic surface layer differ from one another in terms of their chemical composition. The two layers (11, 12?) are produced in a one process step and define a continuous transition region (13) in which a mixture of the two different chemical compositions is present. The metallic alloy layer (11) has a thickness of less than 8 ?m, preferably less than 6 ?m, and the surface layer (12?) is formed from aluminum or zinc. The flat product has an improved coating, by means of which the flat product more effectively satisfies the requirements with regard to good deformability and has good anti-corrosion protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Jegor Bergen, Frank Spelleken, Michael Peters, Manuela Ruthenberg, Friedhelm Macherey, Florian Spelz
  • Publication number: 20170260601
    Abstract: A flat steel product for hot forming may be produced from a steel substrate that includes a steel comprising 0.1-3% by weight Mn and up to 0.01% by weight B, along with a protective coating that is applied to the steel substrate. The protective coating may be based on Al and may contain up to 20% by weight of other alloy elements. Also disclosed are methods for producing such flat steel products, steel components, and methods for producing steel components. Absorption of hydrogen is minimized during heating necessary for hot forming. This is achieved at least in part through an alloy constituent of 0.1-0.5% by weight of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal in the protective coating, wherein an oxide of the alkaline earth or transition metal is formed on an outer surface of the protective coating during hot forming of the flat steel product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicants: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, ThyssenKrupp AG
    Inventors: Janko BANIK, Ulrich ETZOLD, Norbert RÖSSLER, Manuela RUTHENBERG, Thiemo WUTTKE
  • Patent number: 9670573
    Abstract: A method for the hot-dip coating of metal strip, in particular steel strip, in a metallic melting bath (3) is disclosed. In the method, the metal strip (1) to be coated is heated in a continuous furnace (2) and is introduced into the melting bath (3) through a snout (6) which is connected to the continuous furnace and which is immersed into the melting bath. To be able to satisfy the requirements placed on the coated strip (1) with regard to good deformability of the strip, as far as possible without cracking and peeling, and with regard to high anti-corrosion protection in a more effective and reliable manner, the disclosure proposes that, in the region delimited by the snout (6), a melt is used which is intentionally implemented differently, in terms of its chemical composition, than the chemical composition of the melt used in the melting bath (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Jegor Bergen, Frank Spelleken, Michael Peters, Manuela Ruthenberg, Friedhelm Macherey, Florian Spelz