Batch heat treatment apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides an intermittent heat treatment apparatus. For example, in the case where multiple furnace bodies share a processing table and the processing table can be disassembled and assembled relative to the floor surface of the furnace body, the installation operation of the processing table can be automated or facilitated. The intermittent heat treatment apparatus includes: an intermittent heat treatment furnace main body; a processing table that is detachably installed on the intermittent heat treatment furnace main body and on which an object to be processed can be placed; and a transport cart that transports the processing table to the intermittent heat treatment furnace main body. The transport cart is provided with a first positioning mechanism (76), and when the processing table is placed on the transport cart, the first positioning mechanism (76) positions the processing table relative to the transport cart such that the angular position of the first rotating table relative to the transport cart is a preset angle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a batch-type heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating objects to be processed (such as laminated ceramic components such as ceramic capacitors, ceramic piezoelectric elements, and ceramic resistors). Background Art

[0002] When simultaneously heat-treating a plurality of objects to be processed arranged in a furnace, in order to stabilize the characteristics of the plurality of objects to be processed after heat treatment, it is necessary to impart the same heat history to each of the plurality of objects to be processed. Therefore, in the batch-type heat treatment furnace of Patent Document 1, the furnace bed on which the objects to be processed are placed is configured to include a main furnace bed and a sub-furnace bed. The main furnace bed has a circular shape when viewed from above and can rotate around an axis passing through its center. The sub-furnace bed is disposed in an opening formed in the main furnace bed. The sub-furnace bed has a circular shape when viewed from above and can rotate around an axis passing through its center. The objects to be processed are placed on the upper surface of the sub-furnace bed. When heat-treating the objects to be processed, the sub-furnace bed itself rotates (so-called self-rotation), and the main furnace bed rotates so that the sub-furnace bed also rotates around an axis passing through the center of the main furnace bed (so-called revolution). Accordingly, the plurality of objects to be processed placed on the upper surface of the sub-furnace bed are uniformly heated, and the same heat history is imparted to each of the objects to be processed.

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-77001 Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, in order to heat-treat an object to be processed using a batch-type heat treatment furnace, it is necessary to set the object to be processed in the heat treatment furnace, heat-treat the set object to be processed, and take out the heat-treated object to the outside of the heat treatment furnace. In order to make the setting of the object to be processed into the furnace and the taking out to the outside of the furnace efficient, the following scheme has been studied: The treatment table is made detachable from and attachable to the floor surface of the furnace body, and the object to be processed is placed on the detachable and attachable treatment table. However, in the case where the treatment table is made detachable from and attachable to the floor surface of the furnace body, a drive device for rotationally driving the treatment table is provided on the floor surface of the furnace body. Therefore, in order to attach the treatment table to the floor surface of the furnace body, it is necessary to align the treatment table with the drive part of the drive device in the rotational direction and connect them. Therefore, in the conventional batch-type heat treatment furnace, it is necessary to use the furnace body and the treatment table as a pair. As a result, for example, in the case of sharing a treatment table for a plurality of furnace bodies, there is a problem that the process of attaching the treatment table to each furnace body cannot be automated, or even when an operator attaches the treatment table to each furnace body, there is a problem that the operator cannot easily perform the attachment operation.

[0007] This specification discloses the following technology, that is, for example, in the case where a plurality of furnaces share a processing table and the processing table can be disassembled and assembled relative to the floor surface of the furnace body, the installation operation of the processing table can be facilitated.

[0008] The batch-type heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification includes: a batch-type heat treatment furnace main body; a processing table that is detachably mounted on the batch-type heat treatment furnace main body and can carry the object to be processed; and a transfer cart that transfers the processing table to the batch-type heat treatment furnace main body. The batch-type heat treatment furnace main body includes: a furnace body that includes a top wall, side walls, and a lift bed; and a driving device that is provided on the lift bed, and the processing table is detachably connected to the driving device and is rotationally driven. The lift bed can move between a first position where the lower end of the side wall is open and a second position where the lower end of the side wall is closed. When the lift bed is in the first position, the processing table is detachably connected to the driving part of the driving device. When the lift bed is in the second position in a state where the processing table is connected to the driving part of the driving device, the upper surface of the processing table is exposed in the furnace body. The processing table includes a first rotating table that has a circular shape in plan view and can rotate around a first axis passing through its center and extending in the vertical direction. When the angular position of the first rotating table and the angular position of the driving part of the driving device are in a specified positional relationship, the processing table becomes a state where it can be connected to the driving part of the driving device. The transfer cart includes a first positioning mechanism that positions the processing table relative to the transfer cart such that the angular position of the first rotating table relative to the transfer cart is a preset angle when the processing table is placed on the transfer cart.

[0009] In the above batch-type heat treatment apparatus, when installing the processing table on the batch-type heat treatment furnace main body, the processing table is placed on the transfer cart, and the transfer cart is used to transfer the processing table to the batch-type heat treatment furnace main body. Here, when the processing table is placed on the transfer cart, the first positioning mechanism is used to make the angular position of the first rotating table relative to the transfer cart a preset angle. Therefore, by appropriately positioning the transfer cart relative to the batch-type heat treatment furnace main body, the angular position of the first rotating table and the angular position of the driving part of the driving device can be in a specified positional relationship. Accordingly, it is not necessary to align the first rotating table and the driving part in the rotational direction, and the installation operation of installing the processing table on the driving device can be easily performed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram showing the schematic structure of the heat treatment furnace system according to Embodiment 1.

[0011] Figure 2It is a diagram for explaining each component of the batch heat treatment apparatus installed in the heat treatment furnace system related to Embodiment 1, and is a schematic diagram showing a batch-type heat treatment furnace main body, a treatment table detachably installed on the heat treatment furnace main body, and a transfer cart for transferring the treatment table.

[0012] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the treatment table is installed on the heat treatment furnace main body (the state where the lifting bed has descended).

[0013] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the treatment table is installed on the heat treatment furnace main body (the state where the lifting bed has ascended).

[0014] Figure 5 It is a lateral cross-sectional view of the heat treatment furnace main body on which the treatment table is installed ( Figure 4 V-V cross-sectional view).

[0015] Figure 6 It is a side view showing the state where the treatment table is installed on the lifting bed (wherein the illustration of the driving devices (20, 22) is omitted).

[0016] Figure 7 It is a top view showing the state where the treatment table is installed on the lifting bed ( Figure 6 a view of the treatment table and the lifting bed observed from above).

[0017] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram showing the schematic structure of the connecting portion connecting the treatment table and the driving mechanism (a diagram showing the state where the treatment table and the driving mechanism are not connected).

[0018] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram showing the schematic structure of the connecting portion connecting the treatment table and the driving mechanism (a diagram showing the state where the treatment table and the driving mechanism are connected).

[0019] Figure 10 It is a rear view of the transfer cart related to Embodiment 1 (wherein the illustration of the arm is omitted).

[0020] Figure 11 It is a right view of the transfer cart related to Embodiment 1.

[0021] Figure 12 It is a diagram for explaining the operation when the treatment table is lifted by the arm of the transfer cart (the state just before lifting).

[0022] Figure 13 It is a top view showing the positional relationship between the arm of the transfer cart, the placing table for placing the treatment table, and the guiding member of the treatment table.

[0023] Figure 14It is an enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the arm of the transfer cart and the guide member of the processing table (the state after lifting the processing table with the arm).

[0024] Figure 15 It is an enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the arm of the transfer cart and the guide member of the processing table (the state just before lifting the processing table with the arm).

[0025] Figure 16 It is a diagram for explaining the operation when the processing table is lifted by the arm of the transfer cart according to Embodiment 1 (the state after lifting).

[0026] Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0027] 10…Heat treatment furnace, 11…Furnace body, 12…Top wall, 14…Side wall, 16…Stand, 18…Lifting bed, 20…Drive mechanism, 22…Drive device, 24…Lifting device, 26…Furnace interior space, 28…Opening, 30…Processing table, 32…Large-diameter part, 33…Small-diameter part, 34…Main furnace bed, 35…Guide member, 35a…Guide surface, 36…Sub-furnace bed, 37…First support plate, 38…Claw, 40…Position sensor, 42…Second drive shaft, 44…Second connecting part, 46…First connecting part, 48…Second support plate, 50…Heater, 52…Gas supply device, 70…Transfer cart, 72…Arm, 74…Connecting frame, 76…Guide plate, 78…First stopper, 84…Handle, 86…Grip, 88…Lifting mechanism, 100…Heat treatment furnace system, 114…Second stopper, 120…Carrying table, 122…Support frame, 124…Guide part. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0028] (Feature 1) In the batch-type heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification, the first positioning mechanism can further position the processing table in such a manner that the center of the processing table is at a preset position with respect to the transfer cart when the processing table is placed on the transfer cart. According to such a configuration, the positioning of the processing table with respect to the drive device becomes easy, and the installation operation of installing the processing table on the drive device can be performed more easily.

[0029] (Feature 2) In the batch heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification, the first positioning mechanism may include: a first arm that extends linearly; and a second arm that is disposed separately from the first arm in a first direction and extends parallel to the first arm. The processing table may at least include: a first guiding member, a second guiding member disposed at a position different from the first guiding member, and a third guiding member disposed at a position different from the first guiding member and the second guiding member. The first guiding member abuts against one of the base end portion and the tip end portion of the first arm, the second guiding member abuts against the other of the base end portion and the tip end portion of the first arm, and the third guiding member abuts against the second arm, whereby the processing table can be positioned relative to the transfer cart. According to such a configuration, as long as the processing table is lifted by the first arm and the second arm, the processing table can be positioned in the circumferential direction and the left-right direction relative to the transfer cart.

[0030] (Feature 3) In the batch heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification, the first positioning mechanism may further include a first stopper member that is disposed on at least one of the first arm and the second arm and positions at least one of the first guiding member, the second guiding member, and the third guiding member in the arm length direction. According to such a configuration, by abutting the guiding member on the processing table side against the first stopper member on the arm side, the processing table can be positioned in the length direction of the transfer cart.

[0031] (Feature 4) In the batch heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification, a second positioning mechanism may be further included, and the second positioning mechanism positions the transfer cart relative to the lift table located at the first position at a preset transfer position. The transfer cart may include: a first wheel, and a second wheel that is disposed at a position separated from the first wheel in the left-right direction of the transfer cart. The second positioning mechanism may include: a first track that guides the first wheel, and a second track that guides the second wheel. According to such a configuration, by guiding the wheels of the transfer cart using the tracks, the transfer cart can be guided to the transfer position.

[0032] (Feature 5) In the batch heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification, one of the first track and the second track may have a convex shape that protrudes upward. One of the first wheel and the second wheel guided by one of the first track and the second track may have a concave shape corresponding to the convex shape. According to such a configuration, the positioning accuracy in the left-right direction (width direction) of the transfer cart can be improved.

[0033] (Feature 6) In the batch-type heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification, the second positioning mechanism may further include a second stopper member that positions the transfer cart in such a manner that the transfer cart does not move beyond the transfer position. With such a configuration, by moving the transfer cart to a position where the transfer cart abuts against the second stopper member, the transfer cart can be positioned at the transfer position.

[0034] (Feature 7) In the batch-type heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification, the processing table may further include at least one second rotating table that is disposed inside the first rotating table in a top view. The at least one second rotating table may be configured to be rotatable about a second axis that passes through its center and extends in the vertical direction. In a top view, the position of the center of the second rotating table may be different from the position of the center of the first rotating table. The driving device may include: a first drive shaft that rotationally drives the first rotating table; and a second drive shaft that rotationally drives the second rotating table. It may also be such that when the processing table is positioned relative to the lift bed with the first drive shaft located on the first axis of the first rotating table and the second drive shaft located on the second axis of the second rotating table, the processing table can be connected to the driving device. In such a configuration, by placing the object to be processed on the upper surface of the second rotating table, the object to be processed can be rotated (self-rotated) as the second rotating table rotates, and in addition, the object to be processed can be rotated (revolved) about the first axis as the first rotating table rotates. Accordingly, heat treatment can be uniformly performed on the object to be processed. In addition, although the alignment of the processing table and the driving device becomes complicated by disposing the second rotating table inside the first rotating table, the alignment of the processing table and the driving device can be easily performed by the transfer cart having a positioning mechanism.

[0035] (Feature 8) In the batch-type heat treatment apparatus disclosed in this specification, the batch-type heat treatment furnace main body may further include: a position sensor that detects the angular position of the processing table; and a control device that controls the driving device based on the detection result of the position sensor. It may be that when the processing table is removed from the lift bed, the control device controls the driving device so that the angular position of the first rotating table is a preset initial angle. With such a configuration, when the processing table is removed from the lift bed, the angular position of the first rotating table is the initial angle, so that the disassembly and assembly operations of the processing table can be easily performed.

[0036] Embodiment

[0037] Hereinafter, the heat treatment furnace system 100 according to this embodiment will be described. First, the schematic structure of the heat treatment furnace system 100 will be described. As Figure 1As shown, in the area where the heat treatment furnace system 100 is provided, there are provided: a loading area A, an unloading area B, and a heat treatment area C. The heat treatment furnace system 100 includes: a plurality of treatment tables 30; a plurality of heat treatment furnace bodies 10, which are provided in the heat treatment area C; and a transfer carriage 70, which transfers the treatment tables 30 between the respective areas A, B, and C. That is, the heat treatment furnace system 100 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of intermittent heat treatment devices, and the plurality of intermittent heat treatment devices include: a treatment table 30, a heat treatment furnace body 10, and a transfer carriage 70.

[0038] The treatment table 30 includes: an upper surface for placing the object to be treated W. In the loading area A, the treatment table 30 is placed on the placing table 120 ( Figure 12 shown in etc.) described later. In the loading area A, the object to be treated W before heat treatment is placed on the upper surface of the treatment table 30. The treatment table 30 on which the object to be treated W is placed is transferred to the heat treatment area C by the transfer carriage 70. In the heat treatment area C, a transfer path connecting the loading area A and the unloading area B is provided, and a plurality of heat treatment furnace bodies 10 are provided along the transfer path. The heat treatment furnace body 10 is an intermittent heat treatment furnace for heat-treating the object to be treated W. In the present embodiment, the treatment table 30 can be installed in each of the plurality of heat treatment furnace bodies 10. Therefore, in the heat treatment furnace body 10 for installing the treatment table 30, an appropriate heat treatment furnace body 10 is selected according to the operating conditions of the heat treatment furnace system 100. The treatment table 30 transferred to the heat treatment area C is transferred to the selected heat treatment furnace body 10 and installed in the selected heat treatment furnace body 10. After the treatment table 30 is installed, the heat treatment furnace body 10 heat-treats the object to be treated W placed on the treatment table 30. When the heat treatment of the object to be treated W is completed, next, the treatment table 30 is taken out from the heat treatment furnace body 10. The taken-out treatment table 30 is transferred to the unloading area B by the transfer carriage 70, and each treatment table 30 is unloaded in the unloading area B. That is, a placing table 120 for placing the treatment table 30 is also provided in the unloading area B. The treatment table 30 transferred to the unloading area B by the transfer carriage 70 is unloaded onto the placing table 120 in a state where the object to be treated W is placed thereon. Then, after the object to be treated W is taken out from the treatment table 30, the treatment table 30 is transferred from the unloading area B to the loading area A by the transfer carriage 70.

[0039] As is clearly understood from the above description: The heat treatment furnace system 100 of this embodiment includes: a plurality of heat treatment furnace bodies 10, and a plurality of processing tables 30, which are respectively installed on the plurality of heat treatment furnace bodies 10 in a detachable manner. Therefore, during the operation of the heat treatment furnace body 10 (for example, during the heat treatment of the workpiece W), the next workpiece W to be heat-treated can be placed on another processing table 30 for standby. In addition, after the heat treatment of the workpiece W, the processing table 30 on which the heat-treated workpiece W is placed can be detached from the heat treatment furnace body 10. Therefore, after detaching the processing table 30, a new processing table 30 (i.e., the processing table 30 on which the workpiece W before heat treatment is placed) can be installed on the heat treatment furnace body 10, and the next workpiece W can be heat-treated. Therefore, according to the heat treatment furnace system of this embodiment, the plurality of heat treatment furnace bodies 10 can be operated efficiently, and thus the heat treatment of the workpiece W can be performed efficiently. It should be noted that the processing table 30 detached from the heat treatment furnace body 10 can be placed on the loading table 120 provided in the unloading area B, and the heat-treated workpiece W can be cooled.

[0040] On the other hand, if the plurality of heat treatment furnace bodies 10 share the processing table 30, then the operation of installing the processing table 30 on the heat treatment furnace body 10 is required. As will be described later, the processing table 30 of this embodiment includes a main furnace bed 34 and a sub-furnace bed 36. In order to install the processing table 30 on the heat treatment furnace body 10, it is necessary to accurately position the processing table 30 relative to the heat treatment furnace body 10 in the rotational direction. Therefore, in the heat treatment furnace body 10 of this embodiment, when the rotation of the processing table 30 is stopped, the processing table 30 is stopped in such a manner that the processing table 30 is in a preset position (position in the rotational direction). In addition, when the processing table 30 is lifted by the transport cart 70, it is set that: the state of the processing table 30 relative to the transport cart 70 becomes a predetermined state (the position in the traveling direction of the transport cart 70 and the position in the rotational direction of the processing table 30 become a predetermined state). Accordingly, the operation of installing the processing table 30 on the heat treatment furnace body 10 can be easily performed. Hereinafter, the processing table 30, the transport cart 70, and the heat treatment furnace body 10 will be described in detail.

[0041] First, the processing table 30 will be described. As Figures 6 to 9As shown, the processing table 30 includes: a main hearth 34, and four sub-hearths 36 provided on the main hearth 34. The main hearth 34 has: a small-diameter portion 33 at the upper end, and a large-diameter portion 32 below the small-diameter portion 33. The small-diameter portion 33 and the large-diameter portion 32 have a disc-shaped outer shape and are integrated such that their central axes are on the same straight line. A recess 34a that can be engaged with a driving mechanism 20 of a heat treatment furnace main body 10 described later is formed at the center of the lower surface of the large-diameter portion 32. In addition, a chuck 38 (refer to Figure 6 , Figure 7 ) is mounted on the lower surface of the large-diameter portion 32. The chuck 38 is configured such that its upper end is fixed near the outer peripheral edge of the large-diameter portion 32, and its lower end extends downward from the lower surface of the large-diameter portion 32. The position in the circumferential direction of the large-diameter portion 32 where the chuck 38 is fixed serves as a reference position for controlling the rotation stop position of the processing table 30. When the processing table 30 is installed on the heat treatment furnace main body 10, the central axis of the main hearth 34 (i.e., the line passing through the centers of the small-diameter portion 33 and the large-diameter portion 32 and extending in the vertical direction) coincides with the axis of the heat treatment furnace main body 10. It should be noted that four guide members 35 (refer to Figures 7 to 9 ) are fixed to the lower surface of the large-diameter portion 32 of the main hearth 34 by means of a first support plate 37. The guide member 35 is a frustum-shaped member with a large diameter on the upper end side (i.e., the processing table 30 side) and a small diameter on the lower end side, and is used to position the processing table 30 relative to the transfer cart 70, as described later. As Figure 7 shown, the four guide members 35 are respectively arranged outside the small-diameter portion 33 (i.e., outside the arrangement position of the sub-hearth 36) and are arranged at positions equidistant from the center of the large-diameter portion 32, and are arranged at equal intervals (i.e., intervals of 90°) in the circumferential direction. More specifically, the centers of the four guide members 35 are located on a straight line connecting the center of the main hearth 34 and the centers of the four sub-hearths 36.

[0042] The sub-hearth 36 has a disc-shaped shape and is provided so as to be rotatable relative to the main hearth 34. Specifically, a through-hole is formed in the main hearth 34 that penetrates from its upper end surface (small-diameter portion 33) to its lower end surface (large-diameter portion 32), and the sub-hearth 36 is rotatably arranged in the through-hole. That is, the sub-hearths 36 can respectively rotate around their axes (i.e., the lines passing through the centers of the sub-hearths 36 and extending in the vertical direction). In this embodiment, the four sub-hearths 36 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (i.e., the four sub-hearths 36 are arranged at intervals of 90° in the circumferential direction). Each of the four sub-hearths 36 has an engagement surface 36a (refer to Figure 8 , Figure 9)。The axes of the four auxiliary hearths 36 are respectively parallel to the axis of the main hearth 34 and are arranged at equal intervals relative to the axis of the main hearth 34. The upper surfaces of the main hearth 34 and the auxiliary hearths 36 are flush, and the object to be processed W can be placed on the upper surface of the auxiliary hearth 36.

[0043] The main hearth 34 and the auxiliary hearths 36 can respectively change and stop the rotation direction and rotation speed. Since the object to be processed W is placed on the upper surface of the auxiliary hearth 36, when the main hearth 34 rotates, the object to be processed W performs so-called revolution, and when the auxiliary hearth 36 rotates, the object to be processed W performs so-called rotation. The rotation directions of the hearths 34 and 36 can be set arbitrarily. For example, as Figure 5 shown, both the main hearth 34 and the auxiliary hearths 36 can rotate counterclockwise, or both the main hearth 34 and the auxiliary hearths 36 can rotate clockwise. Or, the main hearth 34 can rotate clockwise while the auxiliary hearth 36 rotates counterclockwise, or the main hearth 34 can rotate counterclockwise while the auxiliary hearth 36 rotates clockwise. By appropriately controlling the rotation speed and rotation direction of the main hearth 34 and the auxiliary hearths 36, the object to be processed W placed on the auxiliary hearth 36 can be heated evenly.

[0044] It is clearly known from the above description that when the main hearth 34 rotates, correspondingly, the auxiliary hearth 36 also rotates (revolves) around the axis of the main hearth 34. Therefore, when the position where the main hearth 34 stops rotating changes, the position where the auxiliary hearth 36 stops also changes. As described above, a recess 34a is formed on the lower surface of the main hearth 34, and an engaging surface 36a is formed on the lower surface of the auxiliary hearth 36. The recess 34a and the engaging surface 36a are respectively connected to the driving mechanism 20 of the heat treatment furnace main body 10. Therefore, if the position where the main hearth 34 stops rotating is the same position, the position where the auxiliary hearth 36 stops is also always a constant position, which can facilitate the alignment when connecting the processing table 30 to the driving mechanism 20 of the heat treatment furnace main body 10.

[0045] Next, the heat treatment furnace main body 10 will be described. As Figures 2 to 5 shown, the heat treatment furnace main body 10 includes: a stand 16, and a furnace body 11 supported by the stand 16. The stand 16 is provided at a specified position in the heat treatment area C. The furnace body 11 is supported by the stand 16, so as to form a space for disassembling and assembling the processing table 30 below the furnace body 11.

[0046] The furnace body 11 is made of refractory materials and includes: a cylindrical side wall 14, and a circular plate-shaped top wall 12. The lower end of the side wall 14 is fixed to the stand 16, and its upper end extends to the top wall 12. The top wall 12 abuts against the upper end of the side wall 14 and closes the opening at the upper end of the side wall 14. An exhaust port (not shown) is formed in the center of the top wall 12.

[0047] The furnace body 11 is further provided with a lifting bed 18. The lifting bed 18 is formed into a box shape that is square when viewed from above, and a driving device (20, 22) for rotationally driving the processing table 30 is accommodated therein. The driving device (20, 22) includes: a driving source 22 and a driving mechanism 20. The driving source 22 is a general-purpose motor for rotationally driving the processing table 30 (i.e., a motor without a servo function). The driving force generated by the driving source 22 is transmitted to the processing table 30 (specifically, the main furnace bed 34 and the sub-furnace bed 36) via the driving mechanism 20.

[0048] As Figure 8 、 Figure 9 shown, the driving mechanism 20 includes: a first connecting portion 46 connected to the concave portion 34a of the main furnace bed 34, and a second connecting portion 44 connected to the lower surface of the sub-furnace bed 36. The first connecting portion 46 is transmitted with the rotational driving force of the driving source 22 via a transmission member (such as a chain) not shown. A circular plate-shaped second support plate 48 is fixed to the lower end of the first connecting portion 46. The second support plate 48 abuts against the lower surface of the main furnace bed 34 and supports the main furnace bed 34. A second driving shaft 42 is fixed to the lower surface of the second connecting portion 44. The second driving shaft 42 passes through a through hole not shown in the second support plate 48, and its lower end is transmitted with the rotational driving force of the driving source 22 via a transmission member (such as a chain) not shown. By transmitting the rotational driving force of the driving source 22 to the first connecting portion 46 and the second connecting portion 44 respectively, the main furnace bed 34 rotates (self-rotates), and accordingly, the sub-furnace bed 36 performs self-rotation and revolution.

[0049] The concave portion 34a of the processing table 30 (main furnace bed 34) is connected to the first connecting portion 46, and the engaging surface 36a of the processing table 30 (sub-furnace bed 36) is connected to the second connecting portion 44, whereby the processing table 30 is mounted on the driving mechanism 20. Accordingly, the processing table 30 is placed on the upper surface of the second support plate 48 of the driving mechanism 20, and the processing table 30 is supported by the driving mechanism 20. When the processing table 30 is mounted on the driving mechanism 20, as Figures 2 to 4 shown, the processing table 30 is supported above the lifting bed 18. Here, the lifting bed 18 can be lifted between a position near the lower end of the furnace body 11 (an example of the second position described in the claims) and a position near the floor surface (an example of the first position described in the claims) by a lifting device 24 provided on the gantry 16. If the lifting bed 18 is positioned near the floor surface, the lower end of the side wall 14 is opened, and the processing table 30 can be disassembled and assembled relative to the driving mechanism 20 ( Figure 3 the state shown).

[0050] Further, if the lift bed 18 is positioned near the lower end of the furnace body 11 with the processing table 30 installed on the drive mechanism 20, the processing table 30 closes the lower end opening of the side wall 14( Figure 4 in the state shown). When the processing table 30 closes the lower end opening of the side wall 14, a furnace inner space 26 for heat-treating the object to be processed W is formed by the processing table 30 and the furnace body 11. As Figure 4 、 Figure 5 shown, in the furnace inner space 26, the upper surfaces of the main furnace bed 34 and the sub-furnace bed 36 are exposed, and the object to be processed W placed on the upper surface of the sub-furnace bed 36 is received in the furnace inner space 26. It should be noted that a heater 50 ( Figure 10 shown in) and a gas supply device 52 ( Figure 10 shown in) are provided in the furnace inner space 26. The object to be processed W is heated by the heater 50, and the atmosphere in the furnace inner space 26 is controlled by the gas supply device 52.

[0051] It should be noted that, as Figure 6 、 Figure 7 shown, a position sensor 40 for detecting the chuck 38 installed on the processing table 30 is provided on the lift bed 18. Regarding the detection signal output from the position sensor 40, it becomes ON when facing the chuck 38 and becomes OFF when not facing the chuck 38. As Figure 7 shown, since the chuck 38 is a plate with a certain width, when the main furnace bed 34 is within a preset angle range, the detection signal output from the position sensor 40 becomes ON.

[0052] The heat treatment furnace main body 10 further includes a control unit. The control unit is constituted by, for example, a computer having a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The control unit is connected to the production management device and the position sensor 40, and is input with an instruction from the production management device and a detection signal from the position sensor 40. The control unit controls the operations of the respective parts of the heat treatment furnace main body 10 based on the input instruction or detection signal. That is, the control unit lifts and lowers the lift bed 18 by controlling the lifting device 24, controls the rotation of the processing table 30 by controlling the drive devices (20, 22), and controls the furnace inner temperature and the furnace inner atmosphere by controlling the heater 50 and the gas supply device 52.

[0053] It should be noted that in this embodiment, when the rotation of the processing table 30 stops after the heat treatment of the object to be processed W is completed, the control unit controls the drive devices (20, 22) so that the processing table 30 stops at a preset position (angular position). That is, the control unit controls the drive devices (20, 22) based on the detection signal output from the position sensor 40, whereby the processing table 30 stops at the preset position. Since the processing table 30 stops at the preset position, the positional relationship between the main hearth 34 and the sub-hearth 36 at the time of stopping is constant. As a result, the positional relationship between the first connecting portion 46 and the second connecting portion 44 of the drive mechanism 20 is also constant. As will be described later, in this embodiment, when the conveying cart 70 lifts the processing table 30, the conveying cart 70 lifts the processing table 30 in such a way that the processing table 30 is in a preset positional relationship with respect to the conveying cart 70. Then, the conveying cart 70 is positioned at a preset position with respect to the heat treatment furnace main body 10, whereby it is positioned in a positional relationship capable of connecting the processing table 30 with respect to the drive mechanism 20. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the operation of installing the processing table 30 on the heat treatment furnace main body 10 is facilitated. It should be noted that as a method of stopping the processing table 30 at the preset position (angular position), various known methods can be adopted. For example, the control unit can stop the rotation of the drive devices (20, 22) when the detection signal output from the position sensor 40 switches from OFF to ON, or the rotation speed of the processing table 30 can be switched to low speed at the end of the heat treatment, and then the rotation of the drive devices (20, 22) can be stopped when the detection signal output from the position sensor 40 switches from OFF to ON. By stopping the processing table 30 from a state of rotating at low speed, the accuracy of the stop position of the processing table 30 can be improved.

[0054] Next, the conveying cart 70 will be described. As Figure 10 , Figure 11 shown, the conveying cart 70 includes: a vehicle body frame (80, 82), and a pair of arms 72 supported by the vehicle body frame (80, 82) so as to be able to move up and down.

[0055] As Figure 11 , Figure 13 shown, the pair of arms 72 are arranged at intervals in the width direction of the conveying cart 70 and extend parallel to each other in the front-rear direction of the conveying cart 70. The rear ends of the pair of arms 72 are connected by a connecting frame 74, and the pair of arms 72 and the connecting frame 74 are integrated. The integrated pair of arms 72 can be lifted and lowered in the vertical direction by a lifting mechanism 88 provided at the upper end of the vehicle body frame (80, 82). Specifically, by an operator operating the handle 86, the lifting mechanism 88 is actuated, and the pair of arms 72 move in the vertical direction.

[0056] AsFigure 13 As shown, a rectangular guide plate 76 in plan view is fixed to the upper surface of each of a pair of arms 72. Further, a first stopper member 78 is provided on the inner side surface of each arm 72 (i.e., the surface facing the other arm 72). The guide plate 76 and the first stopper member 78 are linked with four guide members 35 provided on the lower surface of the processing table 30, whereby the position (position in the traveling direction of the transfer cart 70) and posture (angular position in the rotational direction) of the processing table 30 relative to the pair of arms 72 are accurately controlled. That is, two guide members 35 abut against the inner edge of the guide plate 76 of one arm 72, and the remaining two guide members 35 abut against the inner edge of the guide plate 76 of the other arm 72, whereby the posture (position in the rotational direction) of the processing table 30 relative to the pair of arms 72 is determined. Further, one guide member 35 abuts against the first stopper member 78 of one arm 72, and the other guide member 35 abuts against the first stopper member 78 of the other arm 72, whereby the position of the processing table 30 relative to the pair of arms 72 (position in the traveling direction of the transfer cart 72) is determined. Accordingly, the position and posture of the processing table 30 relative to the transfer cart 70 can be accurately controlled.

[0057] The vehicle body frame (80, 82) includes: a pair of horizontal frames 80 extending along the front-rear direction of the transfer cart 70, and a pair of vertical frames 82 attached to the rear ends of the horizontal frames 80. The pair of vertical frames 82 are arranged parallel to each other at intervals in the width direction of the transfer cart 70 and extend along the height direction of the transfer cart 70. The pair of vertical frames 82 are connected by a handle 84 for an operator to hold. By connecting the pair of vertical frames 82, the pair of horizontal frames 80 and the pair of vertical frames 82 are integrated.

[0058] The pair of horizontal frames 80 are arranged parallel to each other at intervals in the width direction of the transfer cart 70, and are arranged parallel to the floor surface near the floor surface on which the transfer cart 70 travels. An inner front wheel 90 and an abutting member 81 located further forward than the inner front wheel 90 are attached to the front end of the horizontal frame 80. The inner front wheel 90 is a wheel whose steering angle cannot be changed. The abutting member 81 is used to position the transfer cart 70 in its traveling direction. An inner rear wheel 92 is attached to the rear end of the horizontal frame 80. The inner rear wheel 92 is a wheel whose steering angle can be changed. Therefore, by the operator changing the direction of the force applied to the handle 84, the traveling direction of the transfer cart 70 can be changed.

[0059] Further, a first outer wheel 94 is attached to the right side surface (i.e., the outer side surface) of the horizontal frame 80 on the right side in the traveling direction (see Figure 11)。The first outer wheels 94 are respectively arranged at a more forward position and a more rearward position of the right horizontal frame 80. The second outer wheels 96 are installed on the left side surface (i.e., the outer side surface) of the horizontal frame 80 on the left side in the traveling direction (refer to Figure 10 ). Similarly to the first outer wheels 94, the second outer wheels 96 are also respectively arranged at a more forward position and a more rearward position of the left horizontal frame 80. The first outer wheels 94 and the second outer wheels 96 are wheels whose steering angles cannot be changed, and are respectively guided by the guide rails 110 and 112 provided on the floor surface. The upper surfaces of the guide rails 110 and 112 are located at a position higher than the floor surface. Therefore, the first outer wheels 94 and the second outer wheels 96 do not directly contact the floor surface. As Figure 10 shown, the upper surface of the guide rail 110 is a horizontal plane. Therefore, the contact surface of the first outer wheel 94 guided by the guide rail 110 is also a flat surface. On the other hand, the upper surface of the guide rail 112 is a triangular shape protruding upward. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface of the second outer wheel 96 in contact with the guide rail 112 is a concave shape corresponding to the shape of the upper surface of the guide rail 112. By guiding the second outer wheel 96 with the upwardly protruding triangular guide rail 112, the traveling direction and the position in the width direction of the transfer cart 70 can be adjusted with good accuracy.

[0060] The above-mentioned guide rails 110 and 112 are provided at the workplaces for loading and unloading the processing table 30, and for installing and disassembling the processing table 30 with respect to the drive mechanism 20. Such workplaces are respectively provided in the loading area A, the unloading area B, and the heat treatment area C. As Figure 11 shown, a second stopper 114 is arranged at a position adjacent to the guide rails 110 and 112. When the transfer cart 70 moves guided by the guide rails 110 and 112 (for example, when moving from the Figure 11 left side to the right side), the abutting member 81 installed at the front end of the horizontal frame 80 abuts against the second stopper 114, restricting the transfer cart 70 from moving beyond the second stopper 114. Therefore, the transfer cart 70 moves in a state where the first outer wheels 94 and the second outer wheels 96 are guided by the guide rails 110 and 112, so that the traveling direction and the position in the width direction of the transfer cart 70 are controlled with good accuracy. In addition, by the abutting member 81 abutting against the second stopper 114, the position in the traveling direction is controlled with good accuracy. Accordingly, the transfer cart 70 can be accurately positioned at the preset positioning positions in each workplace.

[0061] It should be noted that, as Figure 12 shown, in the loading area A or the unloading area B, the loading table 120 is arranged to be clamped by the above-mentioned guide rails 110 and 112. The processing table 30 is placed on the loading table 120. As Figure 13As shown, the placement table 120 includes a pair of support frames 122 that extend parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. On the outer side surfaces of the support frames 122 (the surfaces facing the arm 72), two guide portions 124 are provided at intervals along the axial direction of the support frames 122. When the processing table 30 is placed on the placement table 120, the two guide members 35 of the processing table 30 abut against the two guide portions 124 of one support frame 122, and the two guide members 35 of the processing table 30 abut against the two guide portions 124 of the other support frame 122. Accordingly, the posture (position in the rotational direction) of the processing table 30 with respect to the placement table 120 is controlled to a desired posture.

[0062] Here, when the processing table 30 placed on the placement table 120 is placed on the transport cart 70, first, the transport cart 70 approaches the placement table 120 in a state where the first outer wheel 94 and the second outer wheel 96 are guided by the guide rails 110 and 112. Then, when the abutting member 81 of the transport cart 70 abuts against the second stopper member 114, the movement of the transport cart 70 is stopped. At this time, the height of the pair of arms 72 is set in advance to a position lower than the lower surface of the processing table 30. Next, the handle 86 is operated to activate the lifting mechanism 88, causing the pair of arms 72 to rise. At this time, as Figure 14 、 Figure 15 shown, while the guide plate 76 of the arm 72 is guided by the guide surface 35a of the guide member 35, the arm 72 rises, and the upper surface of the guide plate 76 abuts against the first support plate 37 fixed to the lower surface of the processing table 30. The guide plate 76 of the arm 72 is guided by the guide surfaces 35a of the four guide members 35, thereby finely adjusting the position and posture of the processing table 30 with respect to the arm 72. After the upper surface of the guide plate 76 abuts against the first support plate 37, the arm 72 further rises, and thus, as Figure 16 shown, the processing table 30 is placed on the transport cart 70.

[0063] In order to install the processing table 30 placed on the transport cart 70 onto the heat treatment furnace main body 10, first, while guiding using the guiding rails 110 and 112 provided near the heat treatment furnace main body 10, the transport cart 70 is positioned at a preset position. As described above, the transport cart 70 is accurately positioned at the preset position relative to the heat treatment furnace main body 10. In addition, the position and posture of the processing table 30 relative to the arm 72 of the transport cart 70 are preset positions and postures. Furthermore, the positional relationship between the first connection part 46 and the second connection part 44 of the drive mechanism 20 of the heat treatment furnace main body 10 is also a preset relationship. Therefore, as long as the arm 72 is lowered, the processing table 30 can be installed on the drive mechanism 20 of the heat treatment furnace main body 10. It should be noted that when removing the processing table 30 from the drive mechanism 20, the above sequence can be reversed. In addition, regarding the sequence of unloading the processing table 30 removed from the drive mechanism 20 onto the loading table 120 provided in the unloading area B, the sequence opposite to that of loading the processing table 30 placed on the loading table 120 onto the transport cart 70 can be used.

[0064] The heat treatment furnace system 100 of this embodiment includes: a plurality of heat treatment furnace main bodies 10, and a plurality of processing tables 30 shared by each of these plurality of heat treatment furnace main bodies 10. Therefore, the plurality of heat treatment furnace main bodies 10 can be operated efficiently, and thus the heat treatment of the workpiece W can be carried out efficiently. In addition, although the operation of installing the processing table 30 onto the heat treatment furnace main body 10 is required, as described above, it is controlled such that the position where the processing table 30 stops rotating is a preset position, and the position where the transport cart 70 is positioned relative to the heat treatment furnace main body 10 is also a preset position. In addition, the position and posture of the processing table 20 relative to the transport cart 70 are also preset positions and postures. Therefore, the processing table 30 can be easily positioned relative to the drive mechanism 20 in a positional relationship where the processing table 30 can be connected, and thus the operation of installing the processing table 30 onto the heat treatment furnace main body 10 can be easily performed.

[0065] It should be noted that in the above embodiment, the operator operates the transport cart 70, and the operator connects the processing table 30 to the drive mechanism 20 of the heat treatment furnace main body 10. However, the technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to such a solution. For example, the transport cart 70 can be automated, and the transport cart 70 autonomously connects the processing table 30 to the drive mechanism 20. Accordingly, the transport cart 70 can be automated, and the heat treatment furnace system can be made labor-saving.

[0066] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, four guiding members 35 are provided on the processing table 30, and these guiding members 35 are guided by the guiding plate 76 of the transfer cart 70, whereby the processing table 30 is positioned relative to the transfer cart 70. However, the technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to such a solution. For example, a structure may be adopted in which a guiding plate is provided on the processing table 30, and guiding members are provided at the base end portion and the distal end portion of the arm 72 of the transfer cart 70, respectively. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the first stopper members 78 are provided on the two arms 72, respectively. However, the first stopper members 78 may be provided only on one of the two arms 72.

[0067] As described above, specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification have been described in detail. However, these specific examples are merely examples and do not limit the claims. The technology described in the claims includes solutions obtained by various modifications and changes to the above-exemplified specific examples. In addition, the technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or through various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of application.

Claims

1. An intermittent heat treatment device, wherein, Comprising: Batch heat treatment furnace main body; A processing table which is detachably installed on the batch heat treatment furnace main body and can carry the object to be processed; and A transport trolley which transports the processing table to the batch heat treatment furnace main body, The batch heat treatment furnace main body comprises: A furnace body which has a top wall, side walls and a lifting bed; and A driving device which is arranged on the lifting bed, and the processing table is detachably connected to the driving part of the driving device and is rotationally driven for the processing table, The lifting bed can move between a first position where the lower end of the side wall is opened and a second position where the lower end of the side wall is closed, When the lifting bed is in the first position, the processing table is detachably connected to the driving part of the driving device, When the lifting bed is in the second position in a state where the processing table is connected to the driving part of the driving device, a state where the upper surface of the processing table is exposed in the furnace body is formed, The processing table comprises a first rotating table which is circular in plan view and can rotate around a first axis passing through its center and extending in the vertical direction, When the angular position of the first rotating table and the angular position of the driving part of the driving device are in a specified positional relationship, the processing table becomes a state capable of being connected to the driving part of the driving device, The transport trolley comprises a first positioning mechanism which positions the processing table relative to the transport trolley such that the angular position of the first rotating table relative to the transport trolley is a preset angle when the processing table is placed on the transport trolley.

2. The batch heat treatment device according to claim 1, wherein When the processing table is placed on the transport trolley, the first positioning mechanism further positions the processing table such that the center of the processing table is in a preset position with respect to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the transport trolley.

3. The batch heat treatment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The first positioning mechanism comprises: A first arm which extends linearly; and A second arm which is separated from the first arm in a first direction and extends parallel to the first arm, The processing table at least comprises: a first guiding member, a second guiding member provided at a position different from the first guiding member, and a third guiding member provided at a position different from the first guiding member and the second guiding member, The first guiding member abuts against one of the base end portion and the terminal end portion of the first arm, the second guiding member abuts against the other of the base end portion and the terminal end portion of the first arm, and the third guiding member abuts against the second arm, whereby the processing table is positioned relative to the transport trolley.

4. The batch heat treatment device according to claim 3, wherein The first positioning mechanism further includes a first stopper member provided on at least one of the first arm and the second arm to position at least one of the first guide member, the second guide member, and the third guide member in the arm length direction.

5. The intermittent heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the intermittent heat treatment apparatus further includes a second positioning mechanism that positions the transfer cart relative to the lift table at the first position at a preset transfer position. The transfer cart includes: a first wheel and a second wheel provided at a position separated in the left-right direction of the transfer cart relative to the first wheel. The second positioning mechanism includes: a first rail that guides the first wheel and a second rail that guides the second wheel.

6. The intermittent heat treatment apparatus according to claim 5, wherein one of the first rail and the second rail has a convex shape that protrudes upward. One of the first wheel and the second wheel guided by one of the first rail and the second rail has a concave shape corresponding to the convex shape.

7. The intermittent heat treatment apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second positioning mechanism further includes a second stopper member that positions the transfer cart in such a manner that the transfer cart does not move beyond the transfer position.

8. The intermittent heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the processing table further includes at least one second turntable that is disposed inside the first turntable in a top view. The second turntable is configured to be rotatable about a second axis passing through its center and extending in the vertical direction. In a top view, the position of the center of the second turntable is different from the position of the center of the first turntable. The drive device includes: a first drive shaft that rotationally drives the first turntable; and a second drive shaft that rotationally drives the second turntable. When the processing table is positioned relative to the lift table such that the first drive shaft is on the first axis of the first turntable and the second drive shaft is on the second axis of the second turntable, the processing table can be connected to the drive device.

9. The intermittent heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the intermittent heat treatment furnace main body further includes: a position sensor that detects the angular position of the processing table; and a control device that controls the drive device based on the detection result of the position sensor. When the processing table is removed from the lift table, the control device controls the drive device so that the angular position of the first turntable is a preset initial angle.

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