Method for manufacturing a solid housing

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a solid housing, in particular a valve housing for an electromagnetically operable valve, includes the following operations or steps: a) providing a base element made of a magnetic or magnetizable material, b) carburizing and/or nitride-hardening of at least one subarea of the base element by diffusion of carbon and/or nitrogen under thermal treatment for forming a non-magnetizable structure in the area of the diffusion zone, and c) finishing the base element so created until an intended geometry of the housing is achieved. The housing is suitable in particular for use in fuel injectors in fuel injector systems of mixture-compressing spark-ignition internal combustion engines.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method for manufacturing a solid valve housing for an electromagnetically operable valve, the method comprising:
 a) providing a base element made of a magnetic material or a magnetizable material;   b) at least one of carburizing and nitride-hardening at least one subarea of the base element by diffusing at least one of carbon and nitrogen under thermal treatment for forming a non-magnetizable structure; and   c) finishing the resulting base element until an intended geometry of the housing is achieved;   wherein the housing includes at least three zones and two directly adjacent zones have different magnetic properties.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the base element is ferromagnetic, has a ferritic material structure or has a martensitic material structure. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the base element is provided in cylindrical form. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the base element is provided prior to the thermal treatment and a change of magnetic properties of a solid cylindrical form or a hollow cylindrical form having an inner longitudinal opening. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one subarea of the base element is at least one of carburized and nitride-hardened in at least one of a C-containing and an N-containing environment. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a diffusion zone, which forms the non-magnetizable zone, is created by diffusing at least one of C and N thereinto. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the base element is provided with a cover outside the diffusion zone. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cover is one of a mechanical protective cover and a coating which is applied using a thermal protection paste. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the base element is contoured so that the base element is at least one of carburized and nitride-hardened throughout, so as to create an entirely magnetically influenced edge zone. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein a groove-like recess is provided on the base element in whose place a local diffusion zone solely remains after removal of the edge zone. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein finishing of the base element is done via at least one of ironing, tumbling, swaging, flanging, and flaring.