Hot-pressing apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a hot-pressing apparatus capable of quenching a workpiece at a sufficient cooling rate. The hot-pressing apparatus performs a hot-press forming of a workpiece using a lower die and an upper die, in which a cooling channel and a cooling channel, and a plurality of gas-introduction paths and a plurality of gas-introduction paths through which heat-conducting gas flows are provided in the lower die and the upper die. The plurality of gas-introduction paths penetrate through the dies. The hot-press forming is performed while the heat-conducting gas is supplied to the areas between the dies and the workpiece from the plurality of gas-introduction paths opening on the forming surfaces of the dies.

1 . A hot-pressing apparatus comprising a lower die having a lower forming surface, and an upper die having an upper forming surface facing the lower forming surface, which performs a hot-press forming in which the lower die and the upper die press a heated workpiece arranged therebetween, and at the same time, the forming surfaces of the lower die and the upper die are kept in contact with a surface of the workpiece to cool the workpiece,
 wherein the lower die and/or the upper die comprises:   a cooling channel through which a cooling medium flows; and   a plurality of gas-introduction paths through which heat-conducting gas flows,   the plurality of gas-introduction paths penetrate through the lower die and/or the upper die from the forming surface thereof to a surface other than that forming surface so as to run in the vicinity of the cooling channel, and open on the forming surface of the lower die and/or the upper die so as to coincide in position with gaps formed by deformation of the pressed workpiece between the workpiece and the lower die and/or the upper die where the plurality of gas-introduction paths are formed, and   the hot-press forming is performed while the heat-conducting gas is supplied to an area between the workpiece and the lower die and/or the upper die from the plurality of gas-introduction paths.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled)