Patents by Inventor Norbert Schaffrath
Norbert Schaffrath 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: 10689742Abstract: A device minimizes or eliminates surface flaws caused by metal dust on a metal strip to be coated in a continuous hot-dip coating process, where at least some segments of the metal strip to be coated are conveyed through the device in an axial direction. The device may comprise a blowing/sucking unit with blow-in openings for applying protective gas to the metal strip, which blow-in openings are positionable on first and second sides of the metal strip. The blowing/sucking unit may further include suction openings for extracting protective gas laden with metal vapor and/or metal dust, which suction openings are positionable on the first and second sides of the metal strip. The blowing/sucking unit may have a blow-in region in which the blow-in openings are arranged, and a suction region downstream of the blow-in region in which the suction openings are arranged.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2016Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignees: Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG, thyssenkrupp AGInventors: Sridhar Palepu, Michael Peters, Norbert Schaffrath, Sabine Zeizinger
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Publication number: 20180171458Abstract: A device minimizes or eliminates surface flaws caused by metal dust on a metal strip to be coated in a continuous hot-dip coating process, where at least some segments of the metal strip to be coated are conveyed through the device in an axial direction. The device may comprise a blowing/sucking unit with blow-in openings for applying protective gas to the metal strip, which blow-in openings are positionable on first and second sides of the metal strip. The blowing/sucking unit may further include suction openings for extracting protective gas laden with metal vapor and/or metal dust, which suction openings are positionable on the first and second sides of the metal strip. The blowing/sucking unit may have a blow-in region in which the blow-in openings are arranged, and a suction region downstream of the blow-in region in which the suction openings are arranged.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2016Publication date: June 21, 2018Applicants: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG, thyssenkrupp AGInventors: Sridhar Palepu, Michael Peters, Norbert Schaffrath, Sabine Zeizinger
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Patent number: 9745653Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous hot-dip coating of metal strip, preferably steel strip, comprising a melting bath vessel, a snout, which opens in the melting bath vessel, for introducing a metal strip, which is heated in a continuous furnace, into the melting bath in protective gas, and a deflecting roller, which is arranged in the melting bath vessel, for deflecting the metal strip, which is entering the melting bath, in a direction pointing out of the melting bath, wherein that end of the snout which is dipped into the melting bath has at least one runoff chamber which is bounded inward by an overflow wall, downward by a floor and outward by the wall of the snout, wherein the overflow edge of the overflow wall lies at least in sections below the melting bath surface, and wherein a suction line with a pump is connected to the runoff chamber, characterized in that the runoff chamber is provided with at least one through opening through which liquid molten metal can flow out of the melType: GrantFiled: April 4, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AGInventors: Norbert Schaffrath, Thorsten Müller, Friedhelm Macherey, Gernot Nothacker, Tim Rübenstrunk
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Patent number: 9695496Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for avoiding surface defects, which are caused by zinc dust, on galvanized metal strip in continuous strip galvanization, in which metal strip which is to be galvanized and is heated in a continuous annealing furnace is moved through a furnace pipe in protective furnace gas and is immersed into a zinc bath, wherein the furnace pipe is provided with injection openings via which the front side and the rear side of the metal strip can be acted upon with protective furnace gas, and wherein extraction openings for extracting protective furnace gas loaded with zinc vapor are arranged adjacent to the injection openings.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2013Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AGInventors: Norbert Schaffrath, Sabine Zeizinger, Michael Peters, Gernot Nothacker, Klaus Josef Peters
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Publication number: 20160102393Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous hot-dip coating of metal strip, preferably steel strip, comprising a melting bath vessel, a snout, which opens in the melting bath vessel, for introducing a metal strip, which is heated in a continuous furnace, into the melting bath in protective gas, and a deflecting roller, which is arranged in the melting bath vessel, for deflecting the metal strip, which is entering the melting bath, in a direction pointing out of the melting bath, wherein that end of the snout which is dipped into the melting bath has at least one runoff chamber which is bounded inward by an overflow wall, downward by a floor and outward by the wall of the snout, wherein the overflow edge of the overflow wall lies at least in sections below the melting bath surface, and wherein a suction line with a pump is connected to the runoff chamber, characterized in that the runoff chamber is provided with at least one through opening through which liquid molten metal can flow out of the melType: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2014Publication date: April 14, 2016Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AGInventors: Norbert SCHAFFRATH, Thorsten MÜLLER, Friedhelm MACHEREY, Gernot NOTHACKER, Tim RÜBENSTRUNK
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Publication number: 20150167138Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for avoiding surface defects, which are caused by zinc dust, on galvanized metal strip in continuous strip galvanization, in which metal strip which is to be galvanized and is heated in a continuous annealing furnace is moved through a furnace pipe in protective furnace gas and is immersed into a zinc bath, wherein the furnace pipe is provided with injection openings via which the front side and the rear side of the metal strip can be acted upon with protective furnace gas, and wherein extraction openings for extracting protective furnace gas loaded with zinc vapour are arranged adjacent to the injection openings.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2013Publication date: June 18, 2015Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AGInventors: Norbert Schaffrath, Sabine Zeizinger, Michael Peters, Gernot Nothacker, Klaus Josef Peters
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Patent number: 8652275Abstract: A process for melt dip coating a strip of high-tensile steel with alloy constituents including zinc and/or aluminum includes the following steps. The strip is heated in a continuous furnace initially in a reductive atmosphere to a temperature of approximately 650° C., at which the alloy constituents diffuse to the surface in small amounts. The surface, consisting predominantly of pure iron, is converted into an iron oxide layer by a short heat treatment at a temperature of up to 750° C. in a reaction chamber which is integrated in a continuous furnace and has an oxidizing atmosphere. In a subsequent annealing treatment at a higher temperature in a reductive atmosphere, this iron oxide layer prevents the alloy constituents from diffusing to the surface. In the reductive atmosphere, the iron oxide layer is converted into a pure iron layer to which the zinc and/or aluminum are applied in the molten bath with optimum adhesion.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2005Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel AGInventors: Ronny Leuschner, Manfred Meurer, Wilhelm Warnecke, Sabine Zeizinger, Gernot Nothacker, Michael Ullmann, Norbert Schaffrath
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Patent number: 8636854Abstract: A method for coating a flat steel product manufactured from a high strength steel with a metallic coating, wherein the flat steel product is initially subjected to a heat treatment, in order then, in the heated state, to be hot-dip galvanized with the metallic coating in a melting bath containing overall at least 85% zinc and/or aluminum. The heat treatment includes heating the steel product in a reducing atmosphere, followed by converting a surface of the flat product to an iron oxide layer by a heat treatment lasting 1 to 10 secs in an oxidizing atmosphere, followed by annealing in a reducing atmosphere over a period of time which is longer than the duration of the formation of the iron oxide layer such that the iron oxide layer is reduced at least on its surface to pure iron, followed by cooling the product to a melting bath temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2006Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel AGInventors: Ronny Leuschner, Manfred Meurer, Wilhelm Warnecke, Sabine Zeizinger, Gernot Nothacker, Michael Ullmann, Norbert Schaffrath
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Publication number: 20090199931Abstract: A method for coating a flat steel product manufactured from a high strength steel with a metallic coating, wherein the flat steel product is initially subjected to a heat treatment, in order then, in the heated state, to be hot-dip galvanized with the metallic coating in a melting bath containing overall at least 85% zinc and/or aluminum. The heat treatment includes heating the steel product in a reducing atmosphere, followed by converting a surface of the flat product to an iron oxide layer by a heat treatment lasting 1 to 10 secs in an oxidizing atmosphere, followed by annealing in a reducing atmosphere over a period of time which is longer than the duration of the formation of the iron oxide layer such that the iron oxide layer is reduced at least on its surface to pure iron, followed by cooling the product to a melting bath temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2006Publication date: August 13, 2009Inventors: Ronny Leuschner, Manfred Meurer, Wilhelm Warnecke, Sabine Zeizinger, Gernot Nothacker, Michael Ullmann, Norbert Schaffrath
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Publication number: 20080308191Abstract: A process for melt dip coating a strip of high-tensile steel with alloy constituents including zinc and/or aluminum includes the following steps. The strip is heated in a continuous furnace initially in a reductive atmosphere to a temperature of approximately 650° C., at which the alloy constituents diffuse to the surface in small amounts. The surface, consisting predominantly of pure iron, is converted into an iron oxide layer by a short heat treatment at a temperature of up to 750° C. in a reaction chamber which is integrated in a continuous furnace and has an oxidizing atmosphere. In a subsequent annealing treatment at a higher temperature in a reductive atmosphere, this iron oxide layer prevents the alloy constituents from diffusing to the surface. In the reductive atmosphere, the iron oxide layer is converted into a pure iron layer to which the zinc and/or aluminium are applied in the molten bath with optimum adhesion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2005Publication date: December 18, 2008Applicant: ThyssenKrupp Steel AGInventors: Ronny Leuschner, Manfred Meurer, Wilhelm Warnecke, Sabine Zeizinger, Gernot Nothacker, Michael Ullmann, Norbert Schaffrath