Patent Publication Number: US-2020291500-A1

Title: Portable carrier device for a furnace charge and handling system for the carrier device

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a national phase application derived from the international patent application no. PCT/EP2018/075513, filed Sep. 20, 2018, which in turn claims the benefits of the filing dates of the German patent application no. DE 10 2017 121 830.0, filed Sep. 20, 2017 and of the Austrian patent application no. AT A50905/2017, filed Oct. 30, 2017, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled, in particular sheet metal rolls or wire rolls, and a handling system and/or a method for handling a functional device of a temperature-control device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In stationary industrial furnaces, such as for example hood-type furnaces, a base of the hood-type furnace is first loaded with a charge (or batch) of component parts to be heated. Subsequently, a corresponding furnace hood is put over the charge, so that the furnace hood together with the base forms an annealing chamber. The annealing chamber can subsequently be set to an appropriate temperature, so that the charge can be heat-treated. 
     Several different furnace hoods (e.g. protective hood, warming hood, heating hood, cooling hood etc.) can be placed on the base. Thus, for example, a protective hood can initially seal the annealing chamber in order to constitute, for example, a protective gas atmosphere in the annealing chamber. Furthermore, a furnace hood can be configured as a cooling hood to cool the charge. Different furnace hoods can be slipped (or put) over the protective hood, so that, for example, interspaces occur between two furnace hoods, into which interspaces a particular heating medium or cooling medium can be introduced. 
     The furnace hoods are lifted by a manually controlled crane and are lowered onto the base or to their storing place. The furnace hoods must be placed on the base extremely precisely. Furthermore, the furnace hoods have to be aligned centeredly to each other. This requires a high degree of accuracy and results in that the placement of the furnace hoods takes a long time. 
     During the placing of the charge on the base and during the superimposing of the furnace hoods, no further charge can be heat-treated. Such a long set-up time reduces the effectiveness of the hood-type furnace. 
     The component parts to be heat-treated are fixed, for example, to so-called headstocks (or crown supports). The headstocks are formed columnarly (or in the form of columns), for example. Coils (metal strip coils or wire coils) as the component part to be heated can be slipped over the headstocks. A plurality of headstocks can thus be placed on the base of the hood-type furnace by a manually controlled crane and together form a charge (or batch). During the placing of the individual headstocks, no operation of the hood-type furnace is possible, so that again a long set-up time is required. 
     PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION 
     There may be a need to reduce the set-up time of a hood-type furnace and thus to increase the efficiency of a hood-type furnace. 
     According to exemplary embodiments of the invention, there is established a device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled, a handling system for handling a functional device of a temperature-control device, as well as a method for handling a functional device of a temperature-control device according to the independent patent claims. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is described a device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled, in particular rolled metal strips or metal wires (so-called coils), in a temperature-control device. The carrier device has a base body and a carrier element, to which a component part can be attached. The carrier element is detachably attached to the base body. The base body has a transport coupling, which is configured such that the transport coupling is detachably fixable to a handling system for handling the carrier device. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is described a handling system for handling a functional device of a temperature control device. The handling system has a transport device. The transport device has a base frame, which is transportable along a ground, and an attachment device, which is coupled to the base frame. The attachment device is configured to selectively attach the functional device to the base frame, wherein the base frame is configured such that the base frame is transportable for a transport of the functional device between a set-up location, at which the functional device is selectively attachable to the base frame, and a temperature-control location in the temperature-control device. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is described a method for handling a functional device of a temperature control apparatus. The method has providing a transport device having a base frame that is transportable along a ground and an attachment device that is coupled to the base frame. The method further has attaching the functional device selectively to the base frame by the attachment means. The method further has transporting the functional device by the base frame between a set-up location, at which the functional device is selectively attached to the base frame, and a temperature-control location in the temperature-control device. 
     The temperature-control device may describe a device, which may temperature-control (or temper) component parts to be temperature-controlled, i.e. may heat or cool the component parts. In particular, the temperature control device described herein may be a stationary furnace, such as for example a hood-type furnace. A hood-type furnace, for example, may set a component part to a predetermined temperature and heat-treat it. 
     A functional device may describe, for example, a device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled, such as the above described device according to the invention. Furthermore, a functional device may also be understood to be a guide cylinder or a furnace hood, which may, for example, be placed on a base of the temperature-control device. In a hood-type furnace, for example, several different furnace hoods may be placed on top of each other in a nested manner. For example, a furnace hood having a larger diameter may be placed over a furnace hood having a smaller diameter so that the smaller furnace hood may be located in the larger furnace hood. The innermost furnace hood may act as a protective hood, for example, so that a protective gas atmosphere may be formed in an inner annealing chamber. A further furnace hood, such as a warming hood and heating hood or a cooling hood, may be slipped (or put) over the protective hood. A heating hood may weigh, for example, between 20,000 kg (kilograms) and 25,000 kg. A cooling hood may weigh, for example, between 8,000 kg and 12,000 kg. A furnace hood may have, for example, a height between 4 m and 8 m (meters). A furnace hood may have, for example, a diameter between 4 m and 6 m. 
     In the described temperature-control device and/or hood furnace, different component parts, in particular metallic component parts, may be heat treated with a predetermined temperature-control curve. The component parts may consist, for example, of metal strips or metal wires. The metal strips or metal wires may be available in a coiled up manner in the form of a coil, and thus may achieve a better stacking. 
     A unit of component parts, which may be temperature-controllable in the temperature-control device in one temperature-control process is called a charge (or batch). 
     The device according to the invention described above may have one or a plurality of carrier elements. A carrier element may serve to attach the component part to the base body of the device. The carrier element may be configured, for example, as described below, columnarly (or in the form of a column) as a so-called head stock (or crown stock). For example, up to 14 or more carrier elements may be placed on the base body. The carrier element may be detachably attached to the base body, or may stand loosely on the base body. For example, the carrier element may be attached to the base body by a detachable snap-in connection or a clamp connection. One or a plurality of component parts may be attached to the carrier element. Thus, the carrier element may be equipped with the component parts distant from the base body and may subsequently be placed on the base body. Alternatively, the carrier element may be placed on the base body and may then be equipped with the component parts. 
     The base body may serve to support the carrier elements on the one hand and to transport them on the other hand. For example, a roller device may be arranged at the base body in order to convey and transport the base body above the ground. Alternatively, the base body may also be transportable or movable by rail transport. The base body may be, for example, configured as a frame-like structure consisting of rigidly connected steel beams (or steel girders). The device and its component parts may be embodied, for example, such that the device may be placeable as a whole on a base of the temperature-control device and may undergo the entire heat treatment of the component parts in the temperature-control device. 
     Furthermore, the base body may have a transport coupling to which a handling system, such as for example a crane or a handling system according to the invention and as described above may be detachably fixed. Thus, the device may be transported between a set-up location, where the base body may be equipped with the carrier elements and/or the component parts, and the temperature-control device. The transport coupling may enable a crane hook or an attachment device of the handling system to be coupleable. 
     The device together with the carrier elements and the component parts thus may define a charging unit, which may be inserted into the temperature-control device. In addition, a charging unit may also consist of the required furnace hoods. With the device according to the invention and as described above, the entire device may thus be equipped with the component parts to be temperature-controlled at a set-up location at a distance from the temperature-control device without having to interrupt a temperature-control process in the temperature-control device. Furthermore, the temperature-control device may be quickly and completely equipped with a charging unit without long set-up times being necessary. Thereby, the efficiency of a temperature control unit may be increased, because the set-up times may be greatly minimized due to the device being equipped outside of the temperature-control device. 
     Furthermore, the device may be quickly transported between the set-up location and the temperature-control device using the handling system according to the invention. The handling system may have in particular a corresponding transport device having a base frame and an attachment device. A functional device, such as the transport coupling of the device described above or a furnace hood, may be selectively attached to the attachment device. The base frame may have, for example, transport elements, such as for example roller elements, in order to be transportable along the ground. 
     With the above-described device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled and with the handling system, a possibility may thus be established to quickly fit (or load) a temperature-control device, especially a hood furnace, so that the set-up times may be significantly reduced. 
     Further exemplary embodiments of the above-described device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled are described in the following. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the carrier element may form a carrier column (so-called headstock, or crown stock), wherein the carrier column may be configured such that the component part may be pluggable (or slippable) over the column. In particular, if the component part is in the form of a coiled metal strip or metal wire, several component parts may be attached or plugged onto a carrier column one above the other. A supporting element or a supporting platform may be provided between the component parts or between a group of component parts, which may be pluggable (or attachable) to a carrier column in order to reduce the weight load of the component parts below. The supporting element may be connected to the carrier column in order to transfer the weight force of the component parts that may rest on the supporting element via the carrier column into the base body. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the carrier column may have a carrier tube onto which the component part may be pluggable via the carrier column, and a carrier beam. The carrier beam may be insertable and lockable into the carrier tube, wherein the carrier beam may have a transport section for coupling to a transport device. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the base body may have a bottom section, which may be placeable on a ground. The base body may be configured such that a weight force of the component part may be introduceable via the base body into the ground. The base body thus may form a ground platform. The base body may also be placed on a transport device, for example, to move the device along the ground. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the carrier element may be hangable (or suspendable) to the base body for detachable fastening, so that the carrier element may extend from the base body in the direction towards the ground. For example, in this embodiment example, the carrier element may stand on the ground and/or on the base of the temperature-control device, so that the weight force may be introduced via the carrier element into the ground. The base body, to which the carrier elements may be suspended or attached, may be arranged at a distance from the ground. The base body thus may connect the carrier elements, so that a handling system, such as for example a crane, may grip the base body at its transport coupling and may transport the entire device to a desired location. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the base body may have a receiving section, wherein the carrier element may have an attachment element, which may be configured such that the attachment element may be selectively attachable to the receiving section. Various attachment elements may be provided or corresponding recesses may be formed in the receiving section in order to selectively enable a coupling with the carrier element. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the receiving section may have a receiving rail and/or a receiving eyelet. The carrier element may have a gripping element, which may be selectively attachable to the base body with the receiving rail and/or the receiving eyelet for attachment of the carrier element to the base body. Alternatively, the carrier element may have a receiving rail and/or a receiving eyelet and the receiving section may have an engagement element. The gripping element may be controllable accordingly to selectively bring about or release a coupling. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the receiving section may have a receiving opening, wherein the attachment element may have an attachment pin, which may be attachable in the receiving opening. 
     In particular, in an example configuration, the attachment pin may have a neck section and a head section, wherein the head section may have a larger diameter than the neck section. The receiving opening may have a first opening region and a second opening region, wherein the first opening region may be larger than the diameter of the neck section, and the head section and the second opening region may be larger than the diameter of the neck section and smaller than the diameter of the head section. For example, the first aperture region may form a circular aperture, while the second aperture region may be formed as an elongated hole. The first opening area and the second opening area may be connected. Thus, a carrier element may first be inserted through the first opening area with the attachment pin and may subsequently be moved in the direction towards the second opening area. Herein, only the neck section may slide along the second opening area. Due to the larger diameter of the head section, which may be larger than the diameter or opening distance of the second opening area, the carrier element, in this position, may not be detached from the base body. 
     In the following, further exemplary embodiments of the handling system described above for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled are described. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the handling system as described above may have a functional device. The functional device may consist, for example, of the device described above for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled, or of a furnace hood. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the base frame may be configured along a base plane, wherein the attachment device may be movable perpendicular to the base plane. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the transport device may have at least one first guide structure, which may be fixed to the base frame and may extends (at least with a directional component) perpendicular to the base plane. The attachment device may have a first guide carriage, which may be movably coupled to the first guide structure. The first guide carriage may be selectively coupleable to the functional device. 
     The first guide structure may consist, for example, of one or more beams (steel beams), which may be fixed to the base frame. Furthermore, the first guide structure may also consist of a framework (or timber frame construction) of beams (or girders). The beams may form, for example, simultaneously guide rails for the first guide carriage. For example, the first guide carriage may be movable along a column as a beam. Alternatively, two spaced beams may be provided, at which the first guide carriage may be movably arranged. 
     In order to put, for example, a furnace hood over another furnace hood or over the component parts the guide carriages may be movable up to a height of 15 m to 20 m (meters). Accordingly, the guide structures may have a height of 15 m to 20 m or 25 m. 
     The guide carriage may be drivable mechanically, for example by a chain drive, or electrically, for example by a servo motor. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the first guide carriage may have a controllable attachment element, in particular a clamping jaw. The controllable attachment element may be movable to a release position, in which the functional device may be decoupled from the controllable attachment element, and may be movable to a clamping position, in which the functional device may be coupled to the controllable attachment element. 
     The controllable attachment elements may be, for example, movable clamping jaws or an operable gripping element in order to implement a selective coupling to the functional unit. Furthermore, the controllable attachment element may have an extendable attachment bolt. The attachment element may be arranged translationally movable or pivotable between the release position and the clamping/fixing position. For this purpose, the functional unit may in particular have corresponding coupling areas, in which the controllable attachment element may engage. For example, a coupling area may have an attachment rail, an attachment sleeve, an attachment hook and/or an attachment eyelet, so that the controllable attachment element may engage selectively. 
     The second guide structure described below may be configured in correspondence to the first guide structure described above. Accordingly, the further first guide carriages, the second guide carriages and the further second guide carriages described below may be configured in correspondence to the guide carriage described above. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the transport device may have at least one second guide structure which may be fixed to the base frame and extends perpendicular to the base plane. The attachment device may have a second guide carriage, which may be movably coupled to the second guide structure. The second guide carriage may be selectively coupleable to the functional device, wherein the first guide carriage and the second guide carriage may be arranged such that the guide carriages may be present opposite to each other with respect to the functional device. 
     Thus, the functional device may, with advantage, be fixed, in particular clamped, between the first guide carriage and the second guide carriage. 
     In a further exemplary embodiment, a further third guide structure may also be fixed to the base body by a corresponding third guide carriage. In this way, plural attachment points to the functional device may be produced, and a robust coupling may be achieved. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the transport device may have a further attachment device, wherein the further attachment device may be movable perpendicular to the base plane. Thus, the attachment device and the further attachment device may be arranged one after the other along a direction perpendicular to the base plane. In particular, the attachment device and the further attachment device may be moved relative to each other. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the further attachment device may have a further first guide carriage, which may be movably coupled to the first guide structure, wherein the further first guide carriage may be selectively coupleable to the functional device or to a further functional device. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the further attachment device may have a further second guide carriage, which may be movably coupled to the second guide structure. The further second guide carriage may be selectively coupleable to the functional device or to the further functional device. The further first guide carriage and the further second guide carriage may be arranged such that the further guide carriages may be present opposite to each other with respect to the functional device. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the handling system may have a further functional device, which may be configured as a furnace hood. The further functional device may be selectively coupleable to the further attachment device, wherein the functional device may be, by the attachment device, and the further functional device may be, by the further attachment device, movable relative to each other. 
     Thus, for example, a further furnace hood may be put (or slipped) onto the device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled or onto a first furnace hood as a functional device. Alternatively, a further hood may be removed from the functional device by the further attachment device. Thus, a complete charging unit may be assembled outside of the temperature-control device by the handling system described. Firstly, the charge may be lifted onto the base. Subsequently, the protective hood may be put on. It may also be possible to place therewith the heating hood at the same time. When de-charging, the furnace hoods may be removed firstly before the charge may be lifted off. 
     Since the first and second guide structure and their movable attachment device may form a rigid unit, the functional units may be placed extremely accurately relative to each other. In a conventional use of a crane for the transport of functional units, the functional units may swing or sway on the crane rope so that a precise alignment of the functional units to each other may be extremely difficult and time-consuming. A centering (or an alignment) of the furnace hoods and/or a relative alignment of the functional units relative to each other may be made easier by the rigid unit of the handling system described above. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the handling system may further have at least one coupling element, which may be configured to couple the functional device with the further functional device selectively to one charging unit, such that the charging unit may be movable perpendicular to the base plane by the first attachment device or the second attachment device. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment, the functional device may form a gripper unit, to which a component part may be selectively coupleable, wherein the gripper unit may be selectively attachable to the base frame by the attachment device. 
     It is pointed out that the embodiments described here represent only a limited selection of possible embodiment variants of the invention. Thus, it is possible to combine the features of individual embodiments in a suitable manner, so that for the skilled person, with the explicit embodiments herein, a plurality of different embodiments is to be considered as obviously disclosed. In particular, some embodiments of the invention are described by device claims and other embodiments of the invention by process claims. However, it will immediately become clear to the person skilled in the art when reading this application that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, in addition to a combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter of the invention, also an arbitrary combination of features belonging to different types of subject matter of the invention is possible. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For further explanation and better understanding of the present invention, examples of embodiments are described below with reference to the attached drawings. In the figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of a base body of the device from  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of a base body, in which carrier elements can be suspended, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of carrier elements, which are configured to be suspended in the base body shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of the base body from  FIG. 3  and the carrier elements from  FIG. 4  according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of a handling system for handling a functional device of a temperature-control device. 
         FIG. 7  shows a schematic illustration of a furnace base, on which rests a base body according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  shows a schematic illustration of a handling system which places functional units onto a furnace base. 
         FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11  are schematic illustrations of a handling system and a furnace base, wherein the handling system carries furnace hoods in order to put them over a furnace hood that is resting on the furnace base, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 12  shows a schematic illustration of a handling system which has assembled a charging unit, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  and  FIG. 14  are schematic illustrations of a carrier element and/or a carrier column according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16  are schematic illustrations of a carrier element having two carrier elements provided one above the other. 
         FIG. 17  to  FIG. 22  are schematic illustrations of a gripper unit and a process sequence of the gripper unit, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Same or similar component parts in different figures are provided with the same reference numerals. The illustrations in the figures are schematic. 
       FIG. 1  shows a device  100  for carrying component parts  101  to be temperature-controlled, in particular rolled metal strips or metal wires, in a temperature-control device  701 . The carrier device may have a base body  102  and a carrier element  103 , to which a component part  101  may be attachable, wherein the carrier element  103  may be detachably attachable to the base body  102  or lies loosely on it. The base body  102  may have a transport coupling  104 , which may be configured such that the transport coupling  104  may be detachably fixable to a handling system  600  for handling the device  100 . 
     The device  100  may have a plurality of carrier elements  103 . A carrier element  103  may serve to fasten the component part  101  to the base body  102  of the device. The carrier element  103  may be formed like a column as a so-called headstock. The carrier element  103  may be detachably attached to the base body  102 . For example, the carrier element  103  may be attached to the base body  102  by a detachable snap-in connection or a clamp connection. A plurality of component parts  101  may be attached to the carrier element  103 . The carrier element  103  may be equipped with the component parts  101 , for example, at a distance from the base body  102 , and then attached to the base body  102 . Alternatively, the carrier element  103  may be attached to the base body  102  and may then be equipped with the component parts  101 . 
     The base body  102  may serve to support the carrier elements  103  on the one hand and to transport them on the other hand. The base body  102  may have a transport coupling  104 , to which a handling system  600  (see  FIG. 6 ) may be detachably fixable. Thus, the device  100  may be transported between a set-up location, where the base body  102  may be equipped with the carrier elements  103  and/or the component parts  101 , and the temperature-control device  701  (see  FIG. 7 ). The transport coupling  104 , for example, may consist of a bolt so that an attachment device of the handling system  600  may be coupleable thereto. 
     The base body  102  together with the carrier elements  103  and the component parts  101  may define a charging unit, which may be introduced into the temperature-control device  701 . With the device  100  according to the invention and described above, the entire device  100  may thus be equipped with the component parts  101  to be temperature-controlled at a set-up location remote from the temperature-control device  701  without having to interrupt a temperature-control process in the temperature-control device  701 . 
     The carrier element  103  may form a carrier column (so-called headstock), wherein the carrier column  103  may be configured such that the component part  101  may be pluggable over the column as a coiled metal strip or metal wire. Plural component parts  101  may be attached and/or plugged onto a support column one above the other. A support element  105  or a support platform may be provided between the component parts  101  or between a group of component parts  101 , which may be plugged onto to a support column, in order to reduce the weight load of the component parts  101  there underneath. The support element  105  may be connected to the carrier column  103  in order to transfer the weight force of the component parts  1  resting on the support element  105  via the carrier column into the base body  102 . 
     The support elements  105  also may have engagement openings  107 , in which gripping elements, such as the rods  1703  from  FIG. 17  and  FIG. 18 , may engage in order to raise and lower the support element  105 . Component parts  101 , such as wire coils and/or sheet metal rolls, for example, may be stacked on the support elements  105 . By raising and lowering the support elements  105 , the component parts  101  stacked on them may be removed from a carrier element  103 , or a carrier element  103  may be equipped with the component parts  101 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a base body  102  from  FIG. 1 . The base body  102  may have a base section which may be placeable on a ground (or floor). The base body  102  may be configured such that a weight force of the component part  101  may be introduceable via the base body into the ground. The base body  102  thus may form a ground platform. The base body  102  may be formed as a frame-like structure consisting of rigidly connected steel beams. For example, the device  100  and its component parts may be configured such that the device  100  as a whole may be placed on a base of the temperature-control device  701  and may pass through the entire heat treatment of the component parts  101  in the temperature-control device  701 . 
     The base body  102  may have a receiving section  201  having receiving rails  202 . The carrier element  103  may have a gripper element, which may be selectively attachable to the base body  102  having the receiving rail  202  for fixing the carrier element  103  to the base body  102 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic illustration of a base body  102 , in which a carrier element  103  may be suspendable.  FIG. 4  shows a schematic illustration of carrier elements  103 , which may be configured to be suspended in the base body  102  shown in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 5  shows a schematic illustration of the base body  102  from  FIG. 3  and the carrier elements  103  from  FIG. 4 . 
     The carrier element  103  may be suspendable to the base body  102  for detachable fixing, so that the carrier element  103  may extend from the base body  102  in the direction towards the ground. For example, the carrier element  103  may stand on the ground or on the base of the temperature control device  701  so that the weight force may be lead via the carrier element  103  into the ground. The base body  102 , to which the carrier elements  103  may be suspended and/or attached, may be arranged at a distance from the ground. The base body  102  may thus connect the carrier elements  103  so that a handling system  600  may grip the base body  102  at its transport coupling  104  and may transport the entire device to a desired location. 
     The receiving section  201  may have a receiving opening  301 , wherein the attachment element  401  of a carrier element  103  may have an attachment pin, which may be attachable in the receiving opening  301 . 
     In particular, the attachment pin  401  may have a neck section  402  and a head section  403 , wherein the head section  403  may have a larger diameter than the neck section  402 . The receiving opening  301  may have a first opening area  302  and a second opening area  303 , wherein the first opening area  302  may be larger than the diameter of the neck section  402  and the head section  403 , and the second opening area  303  may be larger than the diameter of the neck section  402  and smaller than the diameter of the head section  403 . The first opening area  302  may form, for example, a circular opening, while the second opening area  303  may be formed as an elongated hole. The first opening area  302  and the second opening area  303  may be connected. Thus, a carrier element  103  may first be inserted with the attachment pin through the first opening area  302  and may then be moved in the direction towards the second opening area  303 . Only the neck section  402  may slide along the second opening area  303 . Due to the larger diameter of the head section  403 , which may be larger than the diameter or opening distance of the second opening area  303 , the carrier element  103  may not be detached from the base body  102  in this position. 
       FIG. 6  shows a handling system  600  for handling a functional device of a temperature control device  701 . The handling system  600  may have a transport device. The transport device may have a base frame  601 , which may be transportable along a ground, and an attachment device  602 , which may be coupled to the base frame  601 . The attachment device  602  may be configured to selectively attach the functional device to the base frame  601 . The base frame  601  may be configured such that the base frame  601  may be transportable for transporting the functional device between a set-up location, at which the functional device may be selectively attachable to the base frame  601 , and a temperature-control location in the temperature-control device  701 . 
     A functional device may describe, for example, a device  100  described above for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled  101 . Furthermore, a functional device may also be understood to be a guide cylinder  801  or a furnace hood  902 ,  903 , which may be put, for example, on a base of the temperature-control device  701 . In a hood furnace, for example, a large number of different furnace hoods  902 ,  903  may be placed one above the other. For example, a furnace hood  903  having a larger diameter may be placed over a furnace hood  902  having a smaller diameter (see  FIG. 10 ), so that the smaller furnace hood  902  may be located within the larger furnace hood  903 . The innermost furnace hood  902  may act as a protective hood, for example, so that a protective gas atmosphere may be formed in an inner annealing chamber. Another furnace hood  903 , such as for example a heating hood or a cooling hood, may be slided over the protective hood  902 . 
     The base frame  601  may be formed along a base plane, wherein the attachment device  602  may be movable perpendicular to the base plane. The transport device may have at least one first guide structure  603 , which may be fixed to the base frame  601  and may extend (at least with a directional component) perpendicular to the base plane. The attachment device  602  may have a first guide carriage  604 , which may be movably coupled to the first guide structure  603 . The first guide carriage  604  may be selectively coupleable to the functional device. 
     The first guide structure  603  may consist, for example, of one or more beams (steel beams), which may be fixed to the base frame  601 . For example, the beams simultaneously may form guide rails for the first guide carriage  604 . For example, the first guide slide  604  may be movable along a column as a beam. In particular, two spaced beams of the first guide structure  603  may be provided, at which the first guide carriage  604  may be movably arranged. 
     The first guide carriage  604  may have a controllable attachment element  605 , in particular a clamping jaw. The controllable attachment element  605  may be movable to a release position, in which the functional device may be decoupled from the controllable attachment element  605 , and may be movable to a clamping position, in which the functional device may be coupled to the controllable attachment element  605 . In  FIG. 6 , the attachment elements  605 ,  611  may be in the release position. The controllable attachment element  605  may be, for example, a movable clamping jaw or an operable gripping element for implementing a selective coupling with the functional unit. 
     The second guide structure  606  described in the following may be configured according to the first guide structure  603  described above. Accordingly, the further first guide carriages  609 , the second guide carriages  607  and the further second guide carriages  610  described below may be formed in correspondence to the first guide carriage  603  described above. 
     The second guide structure  606  may also be fixed to the base frame  601  and may extend perpendicular to the base plane. The attachment device  602  may have a second guide slide  607 , which may be movably coupled to the second guide structure  606 . The second guide carriage  607  may be selectively coupleable to the functional device, wherein the first guide carriage  604  and the second guide carriage  607  may be arranged such that the guide carriages  604 ,  607  may be opposite to each other with respect to the functional device. Furthermore, a further attachment device  608  may be provided, which may be movable perpendicular to the base plane. Thus, the attachment device  602  and the further attachment device  608  may be arranged one after the other, or one above the other, along a direction perpendicular to the base plane. In particular, the attachment device  602  and the further attachment device  608  may be moved relative to each other. 
     The further attachment device  608  may have a further first guide carriage  609  which may be movably coupled to the first guide structure  603 , wherein the further first guide carriage  609  may be selectively coupleable to the functional device or to a further functional device. The further attachment device  608  may have a further second guide carriage  610 , which may be movably coupled to the second guide structure  607 . The further second guide slide  607  may be selectively coupleable to the functional device or to the further functional device. The further first guide carriage  609  and the further second guide carriage  610  may be arranged such that the further guide carriages  609 ,  610  may be opposite to each other with respect to the functional device. 
     The further first guide carriage  609  and the further second guide carriage  610  may be coupled together, for example by reinforcing bars (or struts)  613 . Thus the further attachment device  608  and the first guide structure  603  and the second guide structure  606  may be stiffened and/or reinforced. 
     Furthermore, roller elements  612  may be arranged on the base frame  601 . The roller elements  612  may serve to move the base frame  601  along the ground. 
       FIG. 7  shows, in an exemplary manner, a furnace base  701  of a temperature-control device, on which a base body  102  from  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 2  may be placed. The component parts  101  may be attached to the base body  102 . The base body  102  of the attachment device  602  of the handling system  600  may be liftable from the furnace base  701  and transportable. For example, a total mass consisting of, for example, the component parts  101  and the furnace hoods of a hood-type furnace of 50,000 kg may be placed on the furnace base  701  (annealing base). 
       FIG. 8  shows the handling system  600 , which may place a device  100  (e.g. from  FIG. 1 ) consisting of a base body  102 , on which corresponding carrier elements  103  with component parts  101  may be attached, on the furnace base  701 . The first guide carriage  604  and the second guide carriage  607  may each be moved to a lower position along the guide structures  603 ,  606 . The controllable attachment elements  605  of the guide carriages  604 ,  607  may therein be set in the clamping position and may thus fix and/or couple the base body  102 . A guide cylinder  801  may be placed over the carrier elements  103 . The guide cylinder  801  may be coupled to the base body  102 , or may rest on the base frame  102  and additionally may stabilize the carrier elements  103  with the component parts  101 . Thus, by moving the guide slides  604 ,  607  along the guide structures  603 ,  606 , the base body  102  may be raised or lowered together with the guide cylinder  801 . 
     The further attachment device  608  consisting of the further first and second guide carriages  609 ,  610  may be in an inactive state, wherein the further attachment elements  611  may be in the release position. 
       FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11  show, in an exemplary manner, a process for forming a charging unit  1201  (see  FIG. 12 ) by the handling system  600 . 
       FIG. 9  first shows the device  100 , the base body  102  of which may rest on the furnace base  701 . The guide cylinder  801  may be slipped over the carrier elements  103 . The device  100  may, for example, also be placed on the furnace base  701  by the handling system  600  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     The further attachment device  608  of the handling system  600  may carry a further furnace hood  902 , in which a smaller furnace hood  903  may be nested. The furnace hoods  902 ,  903  may be firmly connected by a coupling element  901 . The coupling element  901  may, for example, fix the furnace hood  903  in the larger furnace hood  902  by a bolt-and-lug connection. The further first guide carriage  609  and the further second guide carriage  110  may be moved along the guide structures  603 ,  606  to a topmost position. The further attachment elements  611  may have been set, e.g. swivelled over, to the clamping position. The attachment elements  611  of the further guide carriages  609 ,  610  may be coupled to the further outer furnace hood  902 . The furnace hood  902  may have, for example, a coupling area, which may consist, for example, of a circumferential guide rail or a ring groove, in which the further attachment elements  611  may engage. 
     The guide carriages  604 ,  607  of the attachment device  602  may have been moved to the lowest position along the guide structures  603 ,  606 , wherein their controllable attachment elements  605  may be in the release position. 
       FIG. 10  shows that, in this configuration, the handling system  600  may be moved over the furnace base  701  and/or over the device  100  by the roller elements  612 . Due to the rigid structure of the handling system  600 , an exact positioning and centering of the furnace hoods  902 ,  903  over the furnace base  701  or the device  100  may quickly be possible. In particular, the rigidity of the handling system  600  may be increased by coupling and stiffening the mounting carriages  609 ,  610  with the connecting reinforcement bar  613 . 
     After an exact alignment of the handling system  600 , the further guide carriages  609 ,  610  may be moved downwards along the guide structures  603 ,  606  as shown in  FIG. 11 , until the furnace hoods  902 ,  903  may be slipped over the device  100  and, for example, may rest on the furnace base  701 . 
     Then, the other attachment elements  611  may be set to the release position, and the handling system  600  may be removed from the furnace base  701 . The hood-type furnace as a temperature-control device may thus be finally converted, so that a temperature-control process of the component parts  101  may be carried out. 
     After the temperature-control process of the component parts  101 , the handling system  600  may be used again, and may remove the furnace hoods  902 ,  903  from the furnace base  701  by the attachment device, and may lift off the component parts  101  together with the device  100  by the attachment device  602  so that component parts  101  may be quickly determined again on the furnace base  701 . 
       FIG. 12  shows a schematic illustration of a handling system  600  after the assembling of a charging unit  1201 . A unit of component parts  101 , which may be temperature-controlled in the temperature-control device in one temperature-control process, is called a charge (or batch). The charging unit  1201  may define a unit of the charge and the various superimposed hoods that may surround the charge to be temperature-controlled. 
       FIG. 13  and  FIG. 14  show detailed views of a carrier element  103  from  FIG. 1 . The carrier element  103  shown may consist of a carrier tube  1301  and a carrier beam  1302 . The support element  105  may have a central opening so that it may be plugged onto the carrier tube  1301 . By attachment means, each support element  105  may be fixed at a desired position along the carrier tube  1301 . Alternatively, the support element  105  may be made integral and non-detachable with the carrier tube  1301 . The support element  105  may form e.g. a bottom area, from which the carrier tube  1301  may extend. 
     The component parts  101  may consist for example of rolled up metal strips or metal wires. These may also be slipped over the carrier tube  1301  and accordingly may rest on a support element  105 . The carrier tube  1301  may further have guide rails  1304 , which may engage in corresponding guide grooves of the support elements  105  and may guide the component parts  101 . 
     The support element  105  may further have engagement openings  107 , in which gripping elements (e.g. the rods of the rod unit  1703  from  FIG. 17 ) may engage in order to raise and lower the support element  105 . By lifting and lowering the support element  105  or the carrier beam  1302 , the component parts  101  placed thereover may be removed from the carrier beam  1302 , or a carrier beam  1302  may be equipped with the component parts  101 . 
     The carrier beam  1302  may be inserted into the carrier tube  1301 . After the insertion of the carrier beam  1302 , the latter may be secured against being pulled out again, for example, by a locking element  1303 , such as for example a bolt. At the upper end of the carrier beam  1302 , the beam section  108  may be formed, for example as an eyelet or bolt, so that a transport device  1605 , such as a crane hook, may grip the carrier beam  1302 , and thus transport the entire carrier element  103 . A carrier element  103  equipped accordingly with component parts  101  may, for example, be arranged on a base body  102  according to  FIG. 1  and/or a furnace base  701  from  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16  show a further exemplary embodiment, on which two support elements  105 ,  105 ′ together with their carrier tubes  1301 ,  1301 ′ may be stacked on top of each other along the carrier beam  1302 . The second support element  105 ′ and the second carrier tube  1301 ′ may be configured according to the carrier element  1301  from  FIG. 13  and  FIG. 14 . On each support element  105 ,  105 ′, for example, three component part units  101 ,  101 ′, such as wire coils, may be arranged. Herein, the support elements  105 ,  105 ′ may be connected with the respective carrier tubes  1301 ,  1301 ′ in a force transmitting manner. Thus, the weight force of the component parts  101 ′ may be transmitted via the support element  105 ′ to the corresponding carrier tubes  1301 ,  1301 ′ and the carrier beams  1302 . The weight force of the upper component parts  101 ′ may thus not be transferred to the lower component parts  101  of the lower support element  105 , so that the load on the lower component parts  101  may remain low. In other words, the support elements  105 ,  105 ′ may be fixed to the carrier tube  1301 ,  1301 ′ at a distance from each other along the carrier tube  1301 ,  1301 ′ so that the component parts  101  and the component parts  101 ′ may be spaced apart from each other. 
     The lowest support element  105  may further form, for example, a stand, so that the carrier unit  103  may stand independently. 
       FIG. 17  to  FIG. 22  show a gripper unit  1701  and an operation of this gripper unit  1707  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The gripper unit  1701  may serve to grip the component parts  101 , e.g. the wire coils from  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 13 , in order to attach them to or detach them from a base body  102  according to  FIG. 1  and/or a furnace base  701  from  FIG. 7 , for example. The gripper unit  1701  shown as an example may have a gripper frame  1702 . The gripper frame  1702  may have a U-shape consisting of two parallel beams which may be connected to a common base beam. 
     In the interior of the gripper frame  1702  several rods of a rod unit  1703  may run from one side of the gripper frame  1702  in the direction towards the open side of the U-shaped gripper frame  1702  (see  FIG. 19, 20 ). The rods  1703  may be configured such that they may be retracted into the corresponding engagement openings  107 . In this respect, the engagement openings  107  may form passage openings through the support elements  105 . The gripper frame  1702  may initially be adjusted to a predetermined height. Subsequently, the gripper frame  1702  may move horizontally in the direction of the support element  105 , whereby the rods  1703  may retract into the engagement openings  107 . The two parallel bars of the U-shaped base frame  1702  may be formed such that one or more carrier columns and/or carrier elements  103  may be enclosed. Accordingly, the rods of the rod unit  1703  may engage in corresponding engagement openings  107  of plural support elements  105  of adjacent carrier columns. 
     The rods of the rod unit  1703  may be dimensioned such that they may protrude on the opposite side after the retracting into the support element  105 . The free ends may, for example, be reinforced by reinforcing elements, e.g. a, reinforcing beam  1704 , in order to enable a higher maximum transport weight of the rod unit  1703 . 
     On the open side of the U-shaped base frame  1702 , for example, a corresponding reinforcing beam  1704  may be arranged on the gripper frame  1702  as a reinforcing element. The reinforcing beam  1704  may be arranged on the gripper frame  1702  rotatably or swivelably around a rotation axis  1705  as shown. Additionally or alternatively, the reinforcing beam  1704  may also be moved laterally along the axis of rotation  1705 . The rods  1703  may thus rest on the reinforcement beam  1704 , for example, or may be stored in corresponding openings of the reinforcement beam  1704 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 17  to  FIG. 22 , the rod unit  1703  may further be moved (horizontally) relative to the base frame  1702  so that the rods of the rod unit  1703  may be retractable from the outside into the interior of the U-shaped base frame  1702  through through-holes  1706  in the base beam of the gripper frame  1702 . According to this embodiment, a method of operation is illustrated in  FIG. 17  to  FIG. 22 . 
     As can be taken from  FIG. 17 , the rod unit  1703  may first be drawn out of the gripper frame  1702  and the reinforcing beam  1704  may be turned around the rotation axis  1705  into an opening position, so that the open side of the U-shaped base frame  1702  may be open. The gripper unit  1701  may subsequently be moved horizontally such that the carrier elements  103  to be transported may be in the middle of the U-shaped base frame  1702 . 
     Then, as shown in  FIG. 18 , the reinforcing beam  1704  may be rotated around the rotation axis  1705  so that the open side of the gripper frame  1702  may be closed. 
     Then, as shown in  FIG. 19 , the rod unit  1703  may be moved in the direction towards the carrier beam  1704  and, for example, along the rotation axis  1705 . Thereby the engagement openings  107  of the support elements  105  may be aligned such that the rods of the rod unit  1703  may be pushed through the engagement openings  107 . After the rods of the rod unit  1703  may have been completely pushed into the interior of the U-shaped base frame  1702 , the ends of the respective rods of the rod unit  1703  may rest on the reinforcing beam  1704  or may be supported in corresponding receiving openings of the reinforcing beam  1704 . Due to the bearing of the rods of the rod unit  1703  in the through-openings  1706  of the base frame  1702  and the reinforcing beam  1704 , the rods of the rod unit  1703  may be reinforced and may therefore carry a high weight of component parts  103 . 
     After the bars of bar unit  1703  have been retracted, the gripper frame  1702  may be raised or lowered in order to move the support elements  105  along the carrier elements  103  accordingly and/or to transport the support elements  105  together with the component part  101  to desired locations. As shown in  FIG. 20 , the gripper unit  1701  may place the carrier elements  103  on a base body  102  and/or on a furnace base  701 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 21 , for releasing the carrier units  103 , the rods of the rod unit  1703  may first be moved out of the interior of the U-shaped base frame  1702 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 21 , the reinforcing bar  1704  may be swivelled around the rotation axis  1705  into an opening position, so that the open side of the U-shaped base frame  1702  may be open and the inside may be accessible. Subsequently, the gripper unit  1701  may again be moved horizontally or vertically, and may handle and/or transport a new charge of component parts  103 . 
     The gripper unit  1701 , for example, may represent a functional device according to the present invention, and may be gripped by the controllable attachment elements  605 , for example of the first guide carriage  604  of the handling system  600  from  FIG. 6 , and may be transported accordingly. 
     Supplementarily, it should be pointed out that “having” does not exclude other elements or steps, and that “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. It should also be pointed out that features or steps that are described with reference to one of the above embodiment examples can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiment examples described above. Reference numerals in the claims are not to be considered as a limitation. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 List of reference numerals: 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 100 
                 device 
               
               
                 101 
                 component part 
               
               
                 102 
                 base body 
               
               
                 103 
                 carrier element 
               
               
                 104 
                 transport coupling 
               
               
                 105 
                 support element 
               
               
                 106 
                 ground section 
               
               
                 107 
                 engagement opening 
               
               
                 108 
                 transport section 
               
               
                 201 
                 receiving section 
               
               
                 202 
                 receiving rail 
               
               
                 301 
                 receiving opening 
               
               
                 302 
                 first opening area 
               
               
                 303 
                 second opening area 
               
               
                 401 
                 mounting element 
               
               
                 402 
                 neck section 
               
               
                 403 
                 head section 
               
               
                 600 
                 handling system 
               
               
                 601 
                 base frame 
               
               
                 602 
                 attachment device 
               
               
                 603 
                 first guide structure 
               
               
                 604 
                 first guide carriage 
               
               
                 605 
                 controllable attachment element 
               
               
                 606 
                 second guide structure 
               
               
                 607 
                 second guide carriage 
               
               
                 608 
                 further attachment device 
               
               
                 609 
                 further first guide carriage 
               
               
                 610 
                 further second guide carriage 
               
               
                 611 
                 further attachment element 
               
               
                 612 
                 roller element 
               
               
                 613 
                 reinforcement bar 
               
               
                 701 
                 furnace base 
               
               
                 801 
                 guide cylinder 
               
               
                 901 
                 coupling element 
               
               
                 902 
                 furnace hood 
               
               
                 903 
                 further furnace hood 
               
               
                 904 
                 coupling area 
               
               
                 905 
                 further coupling area 
               
               
                 1201 
                 charging unit 
               
               
                 1301 
                 carrier tube 
               
               
                 1302 
                 carrier beam 
               
               
                 1303 
                 locking element 
               
               
                 1304 
                 guide rail 
               
               
                 1605 
                 transport device 
               
               
                 1701 
                 gripper unit 
               
               
                 1702 
                 gripper frame 
               
               
                 1703 
                 rod unit 
               
               
                 1704 
                 reinforcing beam 
               
               
                 1705 
                 rotation axis 
               
               
                 1706 
                 passage opening