Cooling device and heat treatment apparatus provided with same

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling device and a heat treatment apparatus including the same. The cooling device includes an input unit, an output unit, a plurality of cooling rollers, and a pair of support plates. The pair of support plates supports the plurality of cooling rollers. The pair of support plates face each other so as to sandwich a space in which a plurality of cooling rollers are disposed in a staggered manner. The pair of support plates is provided with bearings that respectively support the roller shafts of the plurality of cooling rollers. The conveyance path of the object to be processed is set such that the first surface of the object to be processed is in contact with one of the plurality of cooling rollers shifted toward the first side, and the second surface of the object to be processed is in contact with one of the plurality of cooling rollers shifted toward the second side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooling device and a heat treatment device including the cooling device. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent No. 7285360 discloses a heat treatment apparatus comprising an unwinding section, a heating treatment section, a cooling section, and a winding section. The cooling section is provided with a plurality of cooling rollers. In the cooling section, a strip of treated material is conveyed and cooled while being suspended on the cooling rollers.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 7285360 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] The present inventors desired to improve the workability when hanging a strip-shaped workpiece on a plurality of cooling rollers.

[0008] The cooling device disclosed herein comprises an input portion, an output portion, a plurality of cooling rollers and a pair of support plates. The input portion inputs a strip-shaped object to be processed. The output portion outputs the object to be processed. The pair of support plates supports the plurality of cooling rollers. The plurality of cooling rollers are arranged so that their axial directions are aligned and their positions are staggered in sequence along the height direction. The pair of support plates are opposed to each other with a space sandwiched between the plurality of staggered cooling rollers. The pair of support plates comprises bearings for supporting the roller shafts of the plurality of cooling rollers respectively. The conveying path of the object to be processed is set so that it is input from the input portion, is sequentially hung around the plurality of cooling rollers along the height direction, and is output from the output portion. The conveying path of the object to be processed is set so that the first surface of the object to be processed contacts the cooling roller that is offset to the first side among the plurality of cooling rollers, and the second surface of the object to be processed contacts the cooling roller that is offset to the second side among the plurality of cooling rollers. In this cooling device, the operability when hanging the strip-shaped object to be processed on the plurality of cooling rollers can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 Schematic diagram showing the heat treatment apparatus 10 and the cooling apparatus 50 .

[0010] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram showing the support structure of the cooling roller 52.

[0011] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram showing the support structure of the cooling roller 52.

[0012] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram showing the first support portion 56a. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in the following drawings, components and parts that play the same role are marked with the same figure marks for description. In addition, the dimensional relationships (length, width, thickness, etc.) in the figures do not reflect the actual dimensional relationships. The directions of up, down, left, right, front and back are represented by arrows U, D, L, R, F, and Rr, respectively. Here, the directions of up, down, left, right, front and back are only determined for the convenience of description and do not limit the invention of this application unless otherwise specified.

[0014] <Heat Treatment Apparatus 10>

[0015] Figure 1 Schematic diagram showing a heat treatment device 10 and a cooling device 50. The heat treatment device 10 is a device for heat-treating a strip-shaped (sheet-shaped) object to be processed A. In this embodiment, the heat treatment device 10 is a device for continuously drying a strip-shaped object to be processed while conveying it in a so-called roll-to-roll manner. The object to be processed A is not particularly limited as long as it is a strip-shaped object to be processed such as an electrode sheet of a secondary battery, a flexible copper clad laminate FCCL (Flexible Copper Clad Laminate), or a polyimide sheet, which is coated with an electrode material on both sides of a sheet substrate. The heat treatment device 10 can be used for the treatment of various strip-shaped (sheet-shaped) objects to be processed.

[0016] like Figure 1 As shown, the heat treatment apparatus 10 includes an unwinding section 30, a heating treatment section 40, a cooling section 50, and a winding section 60. In addition, the heat treatment apparatus 10 includes conveying devices 20 and 22. The cooling device 50 disclosed herein is used as the cooling section 50 in the heat treatment apparatus 10. The strip-shaped object A is transported and processed in the order of the unwinding section 30, the heating treatment section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60. The object A is unwound from an unwinding reel A1 provided in the unwinding section 30, subjected to heat treatment in the heating treatment section 40, cooled in the cooling section 50, and then wound up by a winding reel A2 provided in the winding section 60.

[0017] <Conveying Devices 20, 22>

[0018] The conveying devices 20 and 22 are devices for conveying the processed object A. The processed object A is conveyed along a predetermined conveying path. The conveying device 20 is a device that drives the unwinding shaft 32 of the unwinding section 30, on which the unwinding reel A1 is installed, to rotate, and the conveying device 22 is a device that drives the winding shaft 62 of the winding section 60, on which the winding reel A2 is installed, to rotate. In this embodiment, a motor is used as the conveying device 20 and 22. The conveying devices 20 and 22 can be composed of a device that controls the conveying of the processed object A. As the conveying devices 20 and 22, for example, a motor and an inverter can be used, or a servo motor can be used. In addition, the conveying devices 20 and 22 can also include a device for controlling the tension applied to the processed object A. As a device for controlling the tension, for example, a magnetic powder clutch can be used. The conveying devices 20 and 22 can also be implemented by a set of devices in which a device for controlling the conveying speed and a device for controlling the tension cooperate.

[0019] The unwinding shaft 32 is connected to the conveyor 20. The conveyor 20 drives the unwinding shaft 32 to rotate, unwinding the processed object A from the unwinding reel A1. The take-up shaft 62 is connected to the conveyor 22. The conveyor 22 drives the take-up shaft 62 to rotate, and the processed object A is taken up by the take-up reel A2. The conveyor 20 may be located in an atmospheric box within the space enclosed by the outer wall 31, and the conveyor 22 may be located in an atmospheric box within the space enclosed by the outer wall 61. The conveyor 20 may also be located outside the outer wall 31, and the conveyor 22 may also be located outside the outer wall 61.

[0020] In order to improve the processing efficiency of the processed object A, the heat treatment device 10 can be configured to transport the processed object A at a faster speed. The conveying speed of the processed object A can be set to about 1m / minute to 200m / minute, but there is no particular limitation to this. In this embodiment, the conveying speed of the processed object A can be set to about 100m / minute. In the heat treatment device 10, the conveying speed of the processed object A is controlled by a control device (not shown).

[0021] The control device controls the conveying speed of the processed object A, the tension applied to the processed object A, and other factors so that the processed object A is conveyed according to predetermined conveying conditions. The control device controls the unwinding tension when unwinding the processed object A, the in-furnace tension applied to the processed object A, and the winding tension when winding the processed object A. The control device is connected to the conveying devices 20 and 22. The control device may also be connected to the tension detection roller 35b, the feed roller 35c, the tension adjustment roller 35d, the tension detection roller 65c, and the like. The control device feeds back the unwinding tension detected by the tension detection roller 35b to the conveying device 20 to control the torque of the unwinding shaft 32. This adjusts the unwinding tension. Furthermore, the control device feeds back the in-furnace tension applied to the processed object A, as detected by the tension detection roller 35b, to the tension adjustment roller 35d. The tension adjustment roller 35d moves according to the detected in-furnace tension. This adjusts the in-furnace tension. The rotational speed of the feed roller 35c is controlled so that the position of the tension adjustment roller 35d returns to the reference position when the tension in the furnace remains constant. Furthermore, the control device feeds the winding tension detected by the tension detection roller 65c back to the conveyor device 22 to control the torque of the winding shaft 62. This adjusts the winding tension.

[0022] <Rewinding section 30>

[0023] The unwinding section 30 is a device for unwinding the processed object A. The unwinding section 30 houses an unwinding reel A1, which is wound with the processed object A before being heated. The unwinding section 30 includes an inner device and an outer wall 31 surrounding the unwinding reel A1. An unwinding shaft 32 and a plurality of rollers 35 are provided within the unwinding section 30. The unwinding shaft 32 is a shaft to which the unwinding reel A1, which is wound with the processed object A before being heated, is mounted. In this embodiment, the processed object A is unwound from the unwinding reel A1 mounted on the unwinding shaft 32 by driving the unwinding shaft 32 to rotate.

[0024] A plurality of rollers 35 are provided within the space enclosed by the outer wall 31 of the unwinding section 30. These rollers 35 define the conveying path for the processed object A. The processed object A, unwound from the unwinding reel A1, is wound around the plurality of rollers 35 in a predetermined order and conveyed toward the heating treatment section 40. The plurality of rollers 35 include a guide roller 35a, a tension detection roller 35b, a feed roller 35c, and a tension adjustment roller 35d. The tension detection roller 35b is a roller for detecting the tension applied to the processed object A. A tension detector (not shown) is attached to the tension detection roller 35b. The tension adjustment roller 35d is configured to be movable within a predetermined range. The tension of the processed object A is adjusted by the movement of the tension adjustment roller 35d. The feed roller 35c is driven to rotate by a drive device (not shown). The position of the tension adjustment roller 35d is adjusted by controlling the rotation of the feed roller 35c.

[0025] <Heating Processing Unit 40>

[0026] The heating treatment section 40 is a device that heats a strip of processed material A while conveying it. The heating treatment section 40 is connected to the unwinding section 30 via a connecting section 70. The connecting section 70 is provided with an exit for the unwinding section 30 and an entrance for the heating treatment section 40. A passage for the processed material A to pass through is formed in the connecting section 70. The processed material A is conveyed from the unwinding section 30 to the heating treatment section 40 via the connecting section 70. The passage for the processed material A formed in the connecting section 70 is set to a size slightly larger than the width and thickness of the processed material A. As a result, the atmospheres of the heating treatment section 40 and the unwinding section 30 are less likely to interfere with each other.

[0027] The heat treatment section 40 may include an outer wall 41, a heater, and guide rollers, but details thereof are omitted. The heat treatment section 40 has a processing space inside thereof for heating the unwound object A while conveying it. The outer wall 41 surrounds the processing space in which the heater and guide rollers are arranged.

[0028] The guide rollers set a conveyance path for the processed object A. The guide rollers are configured to rotate as the processed object A is conveyed.

[0029] The heater is a device for heating the object A. The object A is heated by the heater while being transported along a transport path defined by guide rollers. The structure of the heating treatment unit 40, including the guide rollers and heater, is not particularly limited. After the heat treatment, the object A is delivered to the cooling unit 50.

[0030] <Cooling Unit 50>

[0031] The cooling unit 50 is a device that cools the workpiece A after being heated by the heating unit 40 while conveying it. The cooling unit 50 is connected to the heating unit 40 via a connecting portion 72. The cooling unit 50 includes an input portion 50b, an output portion 50c, a plurality of cooling rollers 52, and a pair of support plates 53 and 54 (see FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The cooling unit 50 includes an outer wall 51 and a plurality of guide rollers 55 .

[0032] A strip-shaped object A is input from the input portion 50b. The input portion 50b is located at the connecting portion 72. The object A is output from the output portion 50c. The output portion 50c is located at the connecting portion 74. The input portion 50b and the output portion 50c are located at positions relative to each other. In addition, the positional relationship between the input portion 50b and the output portion 50c is not particularly limited. Similar to the connecting portion 70, a passage for the object A to pass through is formed in the connecting portion 72. The structure of the connecting portion 72 can be the same as that of the connecting portion 70, and therefore a detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0033] <Cooling roller 52>

[0034] The cooling roller 52 is a roller configured to circulate a refrigerant inside. The processed object A is cooled by contact with the surface of the cooling roller 52. The cooling roller 52 comprises a first cooling roller 52a and a second cooling roller 52b. The first cooling roller 52a is a cooling roller 52 around which the processed object A is wound with its first surface A3 in contact therewith. The second cooling roller 52b is a cooling roller 52 around which the processed object A is wound with its second surface A4 in contact therewith. In this embodiment, a driving device (not shown) is connected to the cooling roller 52. The cooling roller 52 rotates along the conveying direction in accordance with a set conveying speed. In this embodiment, the processed object A is cooled to about room temperature in the cooling section 50. The temperature of the cooled processed object A is not particularly limited.

[0035] A plurality of first cooling rollers 52a and a plurality of second cooling rollers 52b are provided (four each in this embodiment). The number of cooling rollers 52 is not particularly limited. For example, one first cooling roller 52a and one second cooling roller 52b may be provided.

[0036] A plurality of first cooling rollers 52a are arranged in a row at predetermined intervals along the height direction in front of the cooling section 50 (on the exit side). A plurality of second cooling rollers 52b are arranged in a row at predetermined intervals along the height direction in the rear of the cooling section 50 (on the input section 50b side). The intervals between adjacent first cooling rollers 52a and adjacent second cooling rollers 52b are each set to be narrower than the outer diameter of the cooling rollers 52. The arrangement of the first cooling rollers 52a and the second cooling rollers 52b is not particularly limited.

[0037] Here, the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b are arranged at the same pitch. The height of the second cooling roller 52b is sequentially arranged from the bottom to a position half the pitch higher than the first cooling roller 52a. Thus, the plurality of first cooling rollers 52a and the plurality of second cooling rollers 52b are arranged in a manner of staggered heights in front and behind the cooling section 50. In other words, the plurality of first cooling rollers 52a and the plurality of second cooling rollers 52b are staggered. Thus, the cooling section 50 can be set to a structure that is longer in the height direction. On the other hand, the floor space of the cooling section 50 can be reduced, thereby realizing space saving of the equipment.

[0038] The outer wall 51 surrounds a processing space 50a in which a plurality of cooling rollers 52 and a plurality of guide rollers 55 are arranged. In this embodiment, the cooling unit 50 is provided with a plurality of cooling rollers 52. The plurality of cooling rollers 52 and the plurality of guide rollers 55 define a conveying path for conveying the processed object A in the cooling unit 50.

[0039] <Guide Roller 55>

[0040] The guide rollers 55 (55a-55g) guide the processed object A. In this embodiment, the guide rollers 55 are generally cylindrical rollers. In the cooling section 50, the plurality of guide rollers 55 are used to set the conveyance path of the processed object A from the input section 50b (connecting section 72) through the plurality of cooling rollers 52 to the exit (connecting section 74). Among the plurality of guide rollers 55, the guide roller 55b is a tension detection roller that detects the tension applied to the processed object A.

[0041] The guide roller 55a is arranged so that its upper end is at the same height as the input portion 50b of the cooling unit 50. Guide rollers 55b and 55c are arranged at the lower portion of the cooling unit 50. Guide roller 55b is arranged below guide roller 55a. Guide roller 55c is arranged in front of guide roller 55b (on the right side of the paper). Guide rollers 55d and 55e are arranged at the upper portion of the cooling unit 50. Guide roller 55d is arranged above guide roller 55c. Guide roller 55e is arranged in front of guide roller 55d. Guide rollers 55f and 55g are arranged near the output portion 50c of the cooling unit 50. Guide roller 55g is arranged so that its lower end is at the same height as the output portion 50c of the cooling unit 50. The lower end of guide roller 55g is at approximately the same height as the upper end of guide roller 55a. Guide roller 55f is arranged at a position higher than one guide roller 55. The guide roller 55 f is arranged between the guide roller 55 g and the feed portion 50 c of the cooling unit 50 .

[0042] The object A is introduced into the cooling section 50 from the input section 50b of the cooling section 50 via the guide roller 55a. The object A is transported to the cooling section 50 in a roughly horizontal manner. The object A is hung on the guide roller 55a from above and transported downward. The object A is hung on the guide roller 55b from the left and transported forward. The object A is hung on the guide roller 55c from above and transported to the first cooling roller 52a located at the bottom. The object A is alternately hung on the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b from the bottom and transported from the second cooling roller 52b at the top toward the guide roller 55d. The object A is hung on the guide roller 55d from below and transported forward. The object A is hung on the guide roller 55e from above and transported downward. The object A is hung on the guide roller 55f from the right and transported backward. The processed object A is hooked on the guide roller 55g from above and folded forward. The processed object A is conveyed substantially horizontally toward the discharge portion 50c of the cooling unit 50.

[0043] The cooling unit 50 is connected to the winding unit 60 via the connecting unit 74. The connecting unit 74 includes the delivery portion 50c of the cooling unit 50 and the inlet of the winding unit 60. The cooled workpiece A is conveyed to the winding unit 60 through the connecting unit 74.

[0044] <Rewinding Unit 60>

[0045] The take-up section 60 is a device for taking up the processed object A. The take-up section 60 houses a take-up reel A2, which is used to take up the processed object A that has been cooled by the cooling section 50. The take-up section 60 includes an inner device and an outer wall 61 surrounding the take-up reel A2. The take-up section 60 is provided with a take-up shaft 62 and a plurality of rollers 65. The take-up reel A2 is mounted on the take-up shaft 62, which takes up the processed object A that has been heated in the heating section 40 and cooled in the cooling section 50. The take-up shaft 62 is driven to rotate, and the processed object A is taken up by the take-up reel A2.

[0046] Within the space enclosed by the outer wall 61 of the take-up section 60, multiple rollers 65 are provided. These rollers 65 define the conveying path for the processed object A. The multiple rollers 65 define the conveying path for the processed object A within the take-up section 60. After being delivered from the cooling section 50, the processed object A is hooked onto the rollers 65 near the entrance (connecting portion 74) of the take-up section 60. Thereafter, the processed object A is wound around the multiple rollers 65 in a predetermined order and taken up by the take-up reel A2. The multiple rollers 65 include a guide roller 65a, a tension adjustment roller 65b, a tension detection roller 65c, and a feed roller 65d. The tension adjustment roller 65b is configured to move within a predetermined range. For example, when the take-up reel A2 is replaced, the tension adjustment roller 65b can move to ensure the required margin length for the processed object A. The tension detection roller 65c is equipped with a tension detector (not shown). When the take-up reel A2 is replaced, and the processed object A is attached to the replaced take-up reel A2, the feed roller 65d delivers the required margin length.

[0047] Vacuum pump 80

[0048] The heat treatment device 10 is equipped with a vacuum pump 80. The internal spaces of the above-mentioned unwinding section 30, heat treatment section 40, cooling section 50 and winding section 60 are surrounded by outer walls 31, 41, 51 and 61 respectively. Each of the unwinding section 30, heat treatment section 40, cooling section 50 and winding section 60 has a space isolated from the external space by the outer walls 31, 41, 51 and 61 respectively. When the object A is treated, the internal spaces of the outer walls 31, 41, 51 and 61 are connected. The outer walls 31, 41, 51 and 61 of each section are respectively connected to a vacuum pump 80. The vacuum pump 80 decompresses the internal space of the unwinding section 30, heat treatment section 40, cooling section 50 and winding section 60 (the processing space 50a in the cooling section 50). In this embodiment, the object A is processed in a predetermined vacuum atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure.

[0049] The connection method of the vacuum pump 80 is not particularly limited. Multiple vacuum pumps 80 may be provided, each connected to the unwinding section 30, the heating section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60. Pipes may branch from a single vacuum pump 80 to reduce the pressure inside multiple sections of the unwinding section 30, the heating section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60.

[0050] Vacuum valves 81 to 84 are provided in the piping of the vacuum pump 80 to adjust the vacuum level of each component. Vacuum valves 81 to 84 are configured to switch between connecting and disconnecting each component from the vacuum pump 80. If the vacuum level of each component is not adjusted, on-off valves can be used instead of vacuum valves 81 to 84.

[0051] A door 70a is provided at the entrance of the heating treatment section 40 (the connecting section 70 in this embodiment). The door 70a is closed when, for example, the unwinding reel A1 is replaced. By closing the door 70a when, for example, the unwinding reel A1 is replaced, the atmosphere of the heating treatment section 40 (in a decompressed state in this embodiment) can be maintained. The door 70a can also be closed when, for example, the unwinding reel A1 is replaced or when the processed object A is passing through the connecting section 70. When the remaining amount of the processed object A wound on the unwinding reel A1 becomes less, the unwinding reel A1 is replaced with a new one. The end of the processed object A of the replaced unwinding reel A1 is joined to the end of the processed object A before the replacement. The unwinding reel A1 can be replaced in a state where the atmosphere of the heating treatment section 40 remains unchanged while the processed object A remains in the processing space, and the device can be quickly restored after the unwinding reel A1 is replaced.

[0052] In addition, a door 74a is provided at the output portion 50c of the cooling unit 50 (the connecting portion 74 in this embodiment). The door 74a is similar to the door 70a. By closing the door 74a when replacing the winding reel A2, the atmosphere of the cooling unit 50 (in a decompressed state in this embodiment) can be maintained. The door 74a can also be closed when replacing the winding reel A2 or when the processed object A is passing through the connecting portion 74. When the processed object A wound on the winding reel A2 increases, the winding reel A2 is replaced with a new one. The end of the replaced winding reel A2 is engaged with the end of the processed object A. The winding reel A2 can be replaced in a state where the atmosphere of the cooling unit 50 remains unchanged while the processed object A is left in the processing space 50a, and the device can be quickly restored after replacing the winding reel A2.

[0053] In a cooling device, a strip-shaped object to be processed is cooled while being transported along a set conveying path. The conveying path is set along a plurality of cooling rollers. The object is input from an input portion, wound around a plurality of cooling rollers, and output from an output portion. In the cooling device, the strip-shaped object to be processed is cooled by contact with the cooling rollers. When the object to be processed is processed using the cooling device, the object to be processed is first passed from the input portion, between the plurality of cooling rollers, and then through the output portion while the cooling device is stopped. The cooling device is then operated, cooling the object to be processed while being transported. The inventors hope to improve the operability of passing the object to be processed through a plurality of cooling rollers.

[0054] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Schematic diagram showing the support structure of the cooling roller 52. Figure 2 , the support structure of the cooling roller 52 is shown as viewed from the right side. Figure 3 , the support structure of the cooling roller 52 is shown as viewed from the left side.

[0055] <Plurality of cooling rollers 52>

[0056] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the plurality of cooling rollers 52 (the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b) are respectively provided with roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 and roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2. The roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 are generally cylindrical shaft-shaped members. The roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 serve as the rotational axes of the cooling rollers 52. The roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 of the cooling rollers 52 extend in the direction (left-right direction) in which the pair of support plates 53 and 54 face each other. Therefore, the axial directions of the plurality of cooling rollers 52 are aligned. The roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 are supported by the pair of support plates 53 and 54 via bearings 52c.

[0057] The roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are mounted on roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. The roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are roughly cylindrical members with a larger diameter than the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. The roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are the parts that come into contact with the object A being processed. A refrigerant path is provided within the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2. The refrigerant path extends from the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 to the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2. By supplying refrigerant to the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2, the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are cooled. The object A being processed is cooled by contact with the cooled roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 during transport.

[0058] The plurality of cooling rollers 52 are staggered in a staggered arrangement along the height direction. Here, the first cooling roller 52a of the plurality of cooling rollers 52 is positioned on the first side (in front) of the support plates 53 and 54. The second cooling roller 52b of the plurality of cooling rollers 52 is positioned on the second side (behind) of the support plates 53 and 54. The first cooling rollers 52a and the second cooling rollers 52b are alternately arranged along the height direction.

[0059] The transport path of the processed object A is set to be Figure 1 ) is input, and is sequentially wound around a plurality of cooling rollers 52, and is output from the output portion 50c (refer to Figure 1 ) output. With respect to the conveying path of the processed object A, the first surface A3 is hung in a manner such that the first cooling roller 52a is in contact with the cooling roller offset to the first side among the plurality of cooling rollers 52, and the second surface A4 is in contact with the cooling roller offset to the second side among the plurality of cooling rollers 52 (the second cooling roller 52b). The processed object A is alternately hung on the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b. As a result, the length of contact between the processed object A and the cooling roller 52 becomes longer, and the processed object A can be effectively cooled. The plurality of cooling rollers 52 are supported by a pair of support plates 53 and 54.

[0060] <A pair of support plates 53, 54>

[0061] The pair of support plates 53 and 54 are opposite to each other. The pair of support plates 53 and 54 are provided relative to the outer wall 51 (see Figure 1 ) is placed in a processing space 50a that is isolated from the outside of the processing space. A pair of support plates 53 and 54 face each other in the axial direction (left-right direction) of the cooling roller 52. In the processing space 50a, the support plate 53 is located on the right side, and the support plate 54 is located on the left side. The pair of support plates 53 and 54 sandwich a space in which the plurality of cooling rollers 52 are arranged in a staggered manner. In this embodiment, the pair of support plates 53 and 54 sandwich a space in which the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are arranged. The pair of support plates 53 and 54 include bearings 52c that respectively support the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 of the plurality of cooling rollers 52.

[0062] The pair of support plates 53 and 54 extend in the height direction. The pair of support plates 53 and 54 extend in the height direction to a position higher than the roller shaft 52b1 of the highest cooling roller 52 among the plurality of cooling rollers 52. The width (the dimension in the front-to-back direction) of the pair of support plates 53 and 54 is set so that, when viewed in the axial direction, the side surfaces of the plurality of roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are exposed relative to the pair of support plates 53 and 54. In this embodiment, the width of the pair of support plates 53 and 54 is narrower than the distance between the position where the roller shaft 52a1 of the first cooling roller 52a and the position where the roller shaft 52b1 of the second cooling roller 52b are aligned in the height direction.

[0063] The material of the support plates 53 and 54 is not particularly limited. For example, stainless steel plates can be used as the support plates 53 and 54. The thickness and material of the support plates 53 and 54 can be set based on the weight of the plurality of cooling rollers 52, the tension applied to the workpiece A during transport, and the like.

[0064] Support plate 53

[0065] The support plate 53 supports the right end portion of the cooling roller 52. Figure 2 As shown, a through hole 53c is formed in the support plate 53. The shape of the through hole 53c is roughly circular. The shape of the through hole 53c is not particularly limited, and can be either polygonal or elliptical. From the perspective of the strength of the support plate 53, the through hole 53c is preferably roughly circular. The through hole 53c is a through hole for allowing the operator to pass his hand or tool through and operate before and after the processing of the processed object A, when the operation (feeding operation) of hanging the processed object A on the cooling roller 52 is performed. The size of the through hole 53c can also be set by taking into account the strength of the support plate 53. The through hole 53c can be set to a size that is not too large so that the support plate 53 can withstand the tension applied by the processed object A during transportation. The size of the through hole 53c can be more than 10 cm and less than 30 cm, but there is no particular limitation on this.

[0066] The through holes 53c are formed to be the same in number as the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b. The through holes 53c are formed in the substantially central portion of the support plate 53 in the width direction (front-back direction) of the support plate 53. The through holes 53c are formed in a position slightly closer to the side surface 53a on the first side. The through holes 53c are formed in a pair of support plates 53 and 54 (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 ) in a direction opposite to the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b. The through hole 53c is provided at a position overlapping with the conveyance path of the processed object A. Here, the through hole 53c is provided at a position overlapping with the portion of the processed object A that is hooked from the first cooling roller 52a to the second cooling roller 52b. The portion of the processed object A that is hooked from the first cooling roller 52a to the second cooling roller 52b overlaps with the lower portion of the through hole 53c.

[0067] like Figure 2As shown, the support plate 53 includes support portions 56a and 56b (a first support portion 56a and a second support portion 56b). The support portions 56a and 56b are components that support the cooling roller 52. Bearings 52c are provided on the support portions 56a and 56b. The first support portion 56a is provided on the side surface 53a on the first side. The first support portion 56a supports the first cooling roller 52a. The second support portion 56b is provided on the side surface 53b on the second side. The second support portion 56b supports the second cooling roller 52b. The side surface 53a on the first side faces forward. The side surface 53b on the second side faces backward. The side surface 53a on the first side and the side surface 53b on the second side are flat surfaces and are generally rectangular in shape, with the height direction being longer than the thickness direction (relative direction).

[0068] The first support portion 56a and the second support portion 56b protrude from the first side surface 53a and the second side surface 53b of the support plate 53, respectively. Therefore, the bearing 52c supports the cooling roller 52 at positions forward and rearward of the support plate 53. The first support portion 56a protrudes forward from the first side surface 53a. The second support portion 56b protrudes rearward from the second side surface 53b.

[0069] The first support portion 56a and the second support portion 56b may be formed integrally with the support plate 53. The first support portion 56a and the second support portion 56b may be components different from the support plate 53 and mounted on the support plate 53. In this embodiment, the first support portion 56a and the second support portion 56b are separate from the support plate 53 and mounted on the support plate 53. The first support portion 56a is mounted on the side surface 53a on the first side of the support plate 53. The second support portion 56b is mounted on the side surface 53b on the second side of the support plate 53. The mounting structure of the first support portion 56a relative to the support plate 53 will be described below. The mounting structure of the second support portion 56b relative to the support plate 53 is the same as the mounting structure of the first support portion 56a, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0070] Figure 4 Schematic diagram showing the first support portion 56a. Figure 4 , there is shown a mounting structure of the support plate 53 and the support portion 56a that supports the first cooling roller 52a. The first support portion 56a is a plate-shaped member having substantially the same thickness as that of the support plate 53.

[0071] like Figure 4As shown, a second through hole 53d is formed in the support plate 53. The second through hole 53d penetrates the support plate 53 in the thickness direction. The diameter of the second through hole 53d is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 53c. The second through hole 53d is provided close to the position where the first support portion 56a is provided. The second through hole 53d is provided close to the side surface 53a on the first side. Two second through holes 53d are provided above and below each first support portion 56a. The upper second through hole 53d is provided at a height corresponding to the upper portion of the first support portion 56a. The lower second through hole 53d is provided at a height corresponding to the lower portion of the first support portion 56a.

[0072] The second through-hole 53d is a generally rectangular shape with chamfered corners. A third through-hole 53d2 is formed from a surface 53d1 of the inner circumference of the second through-hole 53d, which faces the first side surface 53a of the support plate 53. The support portion 56a has mounting holes 56a1 formed therein. Two mounting holes 56a1 are formed at positions corresponding to the upper and lower third through-holes 53d2.

[0073] The first support portion 56a is mounted to the support plate 53 using mounting members 53d3. For example, bolts or the like can be used for the mounting members 53d3. The mounting members 53d3 extend through the third through-hole 53d2. The mounting members 53d3 extend from the inner circumference of the second through-hole 53d toward the first side surface 53a and are mounted in the mounting holes 56a1. The mounting holes 56a1 can be, for example, bolt holes into which the mounting members 53d3 are inserted. The first support portion 56a is mounted to the support plate 53 at two locations, the upper portion and the lower portion. This allows the first support portion 56a to be stably mounted to the support plate 53.

[0074] The first supporting portion 56a and the support plate 53 can also be reinforced by a reinforcing plate 53e. The reinforcing plate 53e is a stainless steel plate of a roughly rectangular shape installed across the first supporting portion 56a and the support plate 53. The material, shape, etc. of the reinforcing plate 53e are not particularly limited. The reinforcing plate 53e is installed on the surface of the outer side of the first supporting portion 56a and the support plate 53. The reinforcing plate 53e connects the upper and lower parts of the first supporting portion 56a to the support plate 53. By providing the reinforcing plate 53e, the first supporting portion 56a can be stably installed on the support plate 53. In addition, by providing the reinforcing plate 53e, it becomes easy to withstand the load applied along the axial direction of the cooling roller 52 during the processing of the processed object A.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the cooling device 50 includes an input portion 50b (see Figure 1 )、output unit 50c (refer to Figure 1 ), a plurality of cooling rollers 52 and a pair of support plates 53, 54. The input portion 50b inputs the processed object A. The output portion 50c outputs the processed object A. Figure 2and Figure 3 As shown, a pair of support plates 53 and 54 support multiple cooling rollers 52. The multiple cooling rollers 52 are arranged in a staggered manner with their axial directions aligned and staggered in sequence along the height direction. A pair of support plates 53 and 54 are opposite to each other in a manner that sandwiches a space in which the multiple cooling rollers 52 in a staggered arrangement are arranged. A pair of support plates 53 and 54 are provided with bearings 52c that respectively support the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 of the multiple cooling rollers 52. The conveying path of the processed object A is set so that it is input from the input part 50b, is sequentially wound around the multiple cooling rollers 52 along the height direction, and is then output from the output part 50c. The conveying path of the processed object A is set so that the first surface A3 of the processed object A contacts the cooling roller 52a that is offset to the first side among the multiple cooling rollers 52, and the second surface A4 of the processed object A contacts the cooling roller 52b that is offset to the second side among the multiple cooling rollers 52.

[0076] In the cooling device 50, the conveying path of the processed object A is set to a path that is hung on the staggered cooling rollers 52 along the height direction. The processed object A is hung in sequence along the height direction relative to the multiple staggered cooling rollers 52. Before processing the processed object A, it is necessary to hang the processed object A on the multiple cooling rollers 52 in sequence. The cooling rollers 52 are arranged in a space sandwiched by a pair of support plates 53 and 54. Therefore, when the processed object A is hung on the cooling rollers 52 in sequence, the processed object A can be alternately transferred from the outside (front and rear) of the pair of support plates 53 and 54 to the front and rear while being hung on the multiple cooling rollers 52.

[0077] In the above embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, support plate 53 of the pair of support plates 53 and 54 is formed with a through-hole 53c. This allows an operator to pass their hand or a tool through the through-hole 53c to hang the processed object A on the multiple cooling rollers 52. This facilitates the transfer of the processed object A between the cooling rollers 52, improving the operability of hanging the processed object A on the cooling rollers 52. Furthermore, the support plate 53 can be made lighter, thereby reducing the weight of the entire apparatus.

[0078] The through hole 53c is formed at a position overlapping the conveyance path of the processed object A in the direction in which the pair of support plates 53 and 54 face each other. This makes it easy to access the processed object A through the through hole 53c. This improves the operability of hanging the processed object A on the plurality of cooling rollers 52.

[0079] In the above-described embodiment, the through hole 53c is provided in the substantially central portion of the support plate 53. Thus, when the object A is transferred from the front cooling roller 52 (the first cooling roller 52a in this embodiment) to the rear cooling roller 52 (the second cooling roller 52 in this embodiment), and when the object A is transferred from the rear cooling roller 52 to the front cooling roller 52, the operability of the operation of transferring the object A can be improved.

[0080] The through hole 53c is formed in one of the pair of support plates 53 and 54 (the right support plate 53 in this embodiment), but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The through hole may also be formed in the other support plate 54.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the pair of support plates 53 and 54 include support portions 56a and 56b on the first side surfaces 53a and 54a and the second side surfaces 53b and 54b, respectively, for supporting the plurality of cooling rollers 52. Providing the support portions 56a and 56b on the side surfaces 53a and 53b facilitates the protrusion of the cooling rollers 52 from the side surfaces 53a and 53b of the support plate 53. This improves the ease of hanging the workpiece A on the plurality of cooling rollers 52.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the support portions 56a and 56b protrude from the first side surfaces 53a and 54a and the second side surfaces 53b and 54b of the pair of support plates 53 and 54, respectively. This reduces the overlap area between the cooling rollers 52 and the support plates 53 in the axial direction of the cooling rollers 52. As a result, the ease of hanging the workpiece A on the plurality of cooling rollers 52 can be improved.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the support plate 53 is provided with a second through-hole 53d proximate to the location where the support portions 56a and 56b are provided. The support portions 56a and 56b are attached to the support plate 53 using a mounting member 53d3 extending from the inner circumference of the second through-hole 53d toward the closer of the first side surface 53a and the second side surface 53b. Therefore, attachment and detachment of the support portions 56a and 56b and the cooling roller 52 can be easily performed from the outside (here, the right side) of the support plate 53. This improves maintenance efficiency, such as replacement and inspection of the cooling roller 52.

[0084] In this embodiment, the support plate 53 of the pair of support plates 53 and 54 is formed with a through hole 53c. Figure 3 As shown, the support plate 54 is provided with a refrigerant pipe 91 for supplying refrigerant to the cooling roller 52 .

[0085] <Support Plate 54>

[0086] The support plate 54 supports the left end portion of the cooling roller 52. Similar to the support plate 53, the support plate 54 includes support portions 56a and 56b (first support portion 56a and second support portion 56b) on the first side surface 54a and the second side surface 54b for supporting the cooling roller 52. The structure of the support portions 56a and 56b is the same as that of the support plate 53 described above, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0087] Refrigerant pipes 91 are connected to the ends of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1, though details are omitted from the illustration. Refrigerant pipes 91 are connected to a refrigerant supply device 90. Refrigerant is supplied from the refrigerant supply device 90 to the refrigerant pipes 91. Refrigerant is supplied from the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 to the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2. Refrigerant pipes 91 are connected to each of the cooling rollers 52.

[0088] In this embodiment, the cooling roller 52 has a so-called double-tube structure. This double-tube structure is formed at the ends of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. In the cooling roller 52, refrigerant flows in and out from the left end of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. The roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 have inner and outer tubes. Refrigerant flows in through a refrigerant pipe 91 connected to the left end of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1, passes between the outer and inner tubes of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1, passes through the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2, passes through the inner tubes of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1, and flows out of the refrigerant pipe 91. The refrigerant pipe 91 may also include an inlet pipe for flowing refrigerant into the cooling roller 52 and an outlet pipe for flowing refrigerant into the cooling roller 52. The structure of the cooling roller 52 is not limited to the above configuration. For example, the refrigerant flow path may be configured so that the refrigerant circulates between multiple cooling rollers 52.

[0089] A through hole 53c is formed in one of the pair of support plates 53 and 54 (see Figure 2 A refrigerant pipe 91 is provided on the other support plate 54 to supply refrigerant to the cooling roller 52. By providing the through-hole 53c on the support plate 53 on the side opposite to the refrigerant pipe 91, the refrigerant pipe 91 does not interfere with the operation of hanging the workpiece A on the cooling roller 52. This improves the operability of hanging the workpiece A on the cooling roller 52.

[0090] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in the cooling section 50, guide rollers 55a to 55g that define the transport path for the processed object A are supported by the aforementioned pair of support plates 53 and 54, a pair of support plates 57a and 57b, and a pair of support plates 58a and 58b. The pair of support plates 57a and 57b are located on the input section 50b side of the cooling section 50. The pair of support plates 57a and 57b are approximately the same height as the input section 50b and the output section 50c. The pair of support plates 58a and 58b are located on the output section 50c side of the cooling section 50. The pair of support plates 58a and 58b are approximately the same height as the pair of support plates 53 and 54. The support plates 57a and 58a are each located on a substantially flush surface with the support plate 53. The support plates 57b and 58b are each located on a substantially flush surface with the support plate 53.

[0091] Guide roller 55a is supported by a pair of support plates 57a and 57b. Guide roller 55b is supported by connecting plate 57a1, which connects support plate 53 and support plate 57a, and by connecting plate 57b1, which connects support plate 54 and support plate 57b. Guide rollers 55c and 55d are supported by a pair of support plates 53 and 54. Guide rollers 55e to 55g are supported by a pair of support plates 58a and 58b. Adjustment members 53f, 57c, and 58c for adjusting the horizontality of guide roller 55 are provided on the right support plates 53, 57a, and 58a. The support method for guide roller 55 is not limited to this method.

[0092] Adjacent support plates (here, support plate 53 and support plate 57a, support plate 53 and support plate 58a, support plate 54 and support plate 57b, and support plate 54 and support plate 58b) may also be connected by a detachable frame 59. Connecting adjacent support plates by frame 59 can improve the strength of the support plates. Frame 59 can be removed when replacing the cooling roller 52, for example. Support plate 54 and support plate 57a may also be connected by a detachable frame 59.

[0093] While the above detailed description has been given by citing specific embodiments, these are merely examples and do not limit the claims. Thus, the technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the above-described embodiments.

[0094] In addition, this specification includes the following items 1 to 9. The following items 1 to 9 are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0095] Item 1:

[0096] A cooling device, wherein:

[0097] The cooling device has:

[0098] An input portion for inputting a strip-shaped object to be processed;

[0099] an output unit configured to output the processed object;

[0100] a plurality of chill rollers; and

[0101] a pair of support plates supporting the plurality of cooling rollers,

[0102] The plurality of cooling rollers are arranged in a staggered manner with their axial directions aligned and their positions staggered in sequence along the height direction.

[0103] The pair of support plates face each other with a space in which the plurality of cooling rollers arranged in a staggered manner is sandwiched therebetween, and include bearings for supporting roller shafts of the plurality of cooling rollers, respectively.

[0104] The conveying path of the processed object is set to be input from the input part, hung in sequence along the height direction in a manner such that the first surface of the processed object contacts the cooling roller offset to the first side among the multiple cooling rollers, and the second surface of the processed object contacts the cooling roller offset to the second side among the multiple cooling rollers, and then output from the output part.

[0105] Item 2:

[0106] The cooling device according to item 1, wherein

[0107] A through hole is formed in at least one of the pair of support plates.

[0108] Item 3:

[0109] The cooling device according to item 2, wherein

[0110] The through hole is formed at a position overlapping with the transport path of the processed object in the opposing direction of the pair of support plates.

[0111] Item 4:

[0112] The cooling device according to item 2 or 3, wherein

[0113] The through hole is provided in the center portion of the support plate.

[0114] Item 5:

[0115] The cooling device according to any one of items 2 to 4, wherein

[0116] The through hole is formed in one of the pair of support plates.

[0117] The other support plate is provided with a refrigerant pipe for supplying refrigerant to the cooling roller.

[0118] Item 6:

[0119] The cooling device according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein

[0120] The pair of support plates includes support portions on the side surface on the first side and the side surface on the second side for supporting the plurality of cooling rollers.

[0121] Item 7:

[0122] The cooling device according to item 6, wherein

[0123] The support portion protrudes from the side surface on the first side and the side surface on the second side of the pair of support plates.

[0124] Item 8:

[0125] The cooling device according to item 6 or 7, wherein

[0126] The support plate has a second through hole formed close to a position where the support portion is provided.

[0127] The support portion is mounted on the support plate using a mounting member that penetrates from the inner peripheral surface of the second through hole toward the nearer side surface between the first side surface and the second side surface.

[0128] Item 9:

[0129] A heat treatment device, wherein

[0130] The heat treatment device has:

[0131] a heating treatment unit for performing a heating treatment on the object to be treated; and

[0132] A cooling device according to any one of items 1 to 8, which cools the object to be processed after the heat treatment.

Claims

1. A cooling device, wherein: The cooling device has: An input portion for inputting a strip-shaped object to be processed; an output unit configured to output the processed object; multiple cooling rollers; as well as a pair of support plates supporting the plurality of cooling rollers, The plurality of cooling rollers are arranged in a staggered manner with their axial directions aligned and their positions staggered in sequence along the height direction. The pair of support plates face each other with a space in which the plurality of cooling rollers arranged in a staggered manner is sandwiched therebetween, and include bearings for supporting roller shafts of the plurality of cooling rollers, respectively. The conveying path of the processed object is set to be input from the input part, hung in sequence along the height direction in a manner such that the first surface of the processed object contacts the cooling roller offset to the first side among the multiple cooling rollers, and the second surface of the processed object contacts the cooling roller offset to the second side among the multiple cooling rollers, and then output from the output part.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein: A through hole is formed in at least one of the pair of support plates.

3. The cooling device according to claim 2, wherein: The through hole is formed at a position overlapping with the transport path of the processed object in the opposing direction of the pair of support plates.

4. The cooling device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The through hole is provided in the center portion of the support plate.

5. The cooling device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The through hole is formed in one of the pair of support plates. The other support plate is provided with a refrigerant pipe for supplying refrigerant to the cooling roller.

6. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The pair of support plates includes support portions on the side surface on the first side and the side surface on the second side for supporting the plurality of cooling rollers.

7. The cooling device according to claim 6, wherein: The support portion protrudes from the side surface on the first side and the side surface on the second side of the pair of support plates.

8. The cooling device according to claim 6, wherein: The support plate has a second through hole formed close to a position where the support portion is provided. The support portion is mounted on the support plate using a mounting member that penetrates from the inner peripheral surface of the second through hole toward the nearer side surface between the first side surface and the second side surface.

9. A heat treatment device, wherein: The heat treatment device has: a heating treatment unit for performing a heating treatment on the object to be treated; and A cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which cools the object to be processed after the heat treatment.

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