Vacuum tempering furnace with liftable heating cover and method of use

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of vacuum equipment, and proposes a vacuum temperature rising annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover, which comprises a vacuum equipment and a vacuum annealing furnace, the vacuum equipment and the vacuum annealing furnace are connected through a plug valve, a bearing plate is detachably connected inside the vacuum annealing furnace, a partition plate is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the upper end of the vacuum annealing furnace, the vacuum annealing furnace is divided into an installation cavity and an annealing cavity through the partition plate, the installation cavity and the annealing cavity are in communication, a driving part is fixedly installed on the vacuum annealing furnace, a heating cover driven to lift by the driving part is arranged in the vacuum annealing furnace, and a collection box is detachably installed at the bottom end of the vacuum annealing furnace. When the temperature rising annealing process is performed on the workpiece, the heating cover is first covered on the periphery of the workpiece to form a relatively closed heating space, the workpiece is radiantly heated by means of the molybdenum sheet heater arranged in the heating cover, which helps to establish a uniform and stable thermal field environment around the workpiece, thereby effectively improving the overall effect of the annealing process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vacuum temperature rise annealing technology, and in particular to a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism and its method of use with a liftable heating hood. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum coating annealing refers to the process of heat-treating a deposited thin film under vacuum or a protective atmosphere to change or optimize the film's properties. After vacuum coating, the film is directly transferred to the annealing chamber of the same equipment cluster for annealing, which avoids oxidation and contamination caused by exposure to the atmosphere.

[0003] In existing technologies, robotic arms are typically used to transfer workpieces into vacuum annealing furnaces for heat treatment. However, because radiant heaters cannot be placed on the side where the robotic arm is installed, the side near the vacuum coating equipment, or the side where the sealed door is located, the heat field distribution inside the furnace is significantly uneven. During the vacuum annealing heating stage, the existence of this structural heating blind zone easily leads to uneven heating of the workpiece, thereby affecting the uniformity of the material structure and the stability of the heat treatment effect. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problem of significant non-uniformity in the thermal field distribution inside the vacuum annealing furnace in the prior art, and to propose a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism and method with a liftable heating hood.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A vacuum temperature-rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating hood includes a vacuum device and a vacuum annealing furnace. The vacuum device and the vacuum annealing furnace are connected via a gate valve. The vacuum device is equipped with a placement plate for supporting the workpiece. The vacuum annealing furnace is equipped with a sealing door. A first cylinder is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the vacuum annealing furnace, and a clamping mechanism is fixedly connected to the output end of the first cylinder. A support plate is detachably connected inside the vacuum annealing furnace. A partition is fixedly connected to the upper inner wall of the vacuum annealing furnace, and the vacuum annealing furnace is divided into an installation chamber and an annealing chamber by the partition, and the installation chamber and the annealing chamber are connected. Based on the same device, this invention provides two different methods of use. The two methods share the device but use different control logic and parameter settings.

[0006] The vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating hood proposed in the first method of use includes: Preferably, the partition has a movable hole at its center, the inner contour of which matches the outer contour of the heating cover. A third cylinder is fixedly installed at the outer end of the vacuum annealing furnace, the output end of which is located in the mounting cavity. A sealing plate for blocking and sealing the opening on the bottom surface of the heating cover is fixedly connected to the output end of the third cylinder, and the sealing plate slides against the partition.

[0007] Preferably, a gas filling unit is fixedly installed on the vacuum annealing furnace. The gas filling unit consists of a high-purity gas source, a gas purifier, a mass flow controller, a piezoelectric valve and a pressure sensor, and an exhaust valve. A drive unit is fixedly installed on the vacuum annealing furnace. A heating cover driven by the drive unit is provided in the vacuum annealing furnace. A collection box is detachably installed at the bottom of the vacuum annealing furnace.

[0008] Preferably, the driving unit includes a second cylinder fixedly installed on the top surface of the vacuum annealing furnace. The output end of the second cylinder is fixedly connected to the heating hood. A stainless steel corrugated pipe fixedly connected to the top surface of the heating hood is fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the vacuum annealing furnace through a flange. The output end of the second cylinder is located in the stainless steel corrugated pipe. The inner diameter of the stainless steel corrugated pipe is relatively large, and the extension stroke of the stainless steel corrugated pipe should be greater than the distance between the initial position of the bottom surface of the heating hood and the top surface of the support plate.

[0009] Preferably, the heating hood is a double-layer water-cooled structure shell made of high-temperature resistant stainless steel. The heating hood is internally circulated with cooling water. Molybdenum sheet heaters, etched into a loop circuit pattern, are laid flat and fixed on the working surface inside the heating hood. The surface of the molybdenum sheet heaters is covered with a high-purity alumina ceramic insulating and thermally conductive coating formed by plasma spraying. Multiple layers of parallel-arranged molybdenum foil radiant heat insulation screens are provided between the molybdenum sheet heaters and the heating hood. A removable anti-pollution lining is installed on the innermost side of the heating hood. A temperature control cabinet and an external chiller are independently installed on the side of the vacuum annealing furnace. The temperature control cabinet is electrically connected to the vacuum annealing furnace. A blind-plug electrical female connector is fixedly installed on the top surface of the support plate. Blind-plug electrical male connectors, corresponding to the blind-plug electrical female connectors, are fixedly installed on the outer wall of the heating hood. The external chiller is connected to the water-cooled shell of the heating hood via flexible metal pipes and rotary joints.

[0010] Preferably, the anti-pollution liner matches the three-dimensional shape of the heating hood cavity, and the anti-pollution liner and each heating circuit of the molybdenum sheet heater are provided with a precision laser-cut array of through holes distributed in a honeycomb pattern. The total opening area of ​​the through hole array accounts for more than %. Two ejector plates are detachably connected to the support plate. The two ends of the ejector plates are semi-circular structures. Two positioning holes matching the outline of the ejector plates are opened on the placement plate.

[0011] Preferably, the clamping mechanism is a robotic arm.

[0012] A method of using the vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud as described above is provided, the method comprising the following steps: Step S1: Open the slide valve, start the first cylinder to drive the robot arm into the vacuum equipment, use the robot arm to clamp the placement plate, and move the workpiece on the placement plate into the vacuum annealing furnace. Step S2: The robot arm places the placement plate on the support plate, releases its grip on the placement plate and returns to its initial position, so that the ejector plate and the positioning hole are aligned vertically. The placement plate falls onto the support plate under the action of gravity, and the workpiece contacts the ejector plate and is in a semi-suspended state. Step S3: Start the third cylinder to drive the sealing plate to release the cover on the bottom surface of the heating cover, start the second cylinder to drive the heating cover to move vertically downward, so that the heating cover covers the workpiece, the bottom surface of the heating cover moves against the placement plate, and at the same time the blind plug electrical male connector is inserted into the blind plug electrical female connector. Step S4: Start the temperature control cabinet, external chiller and molybdenum sheet heater. The external chiller circulates the cooling water in the heating hood. The temperature control cabinet controls the heating temperature of the molybdenum sheet heater. The molybdenum sheet heater is used to heat the workpiece to complete the heating and heat preservation of the workpiece. Step S5: After the workpiece finishes the heating and heat preservation stage, the second cylinder is activated to move the heating cover vertically upwards, so that the heating cover moves into the installation cavity. The third cylinder is activated to move the sealing plate to seal and block the bottom surface of the heating cover. The gas charging unit is activated to quickly charge high-purity inert gas into the annealing cavity, so that the annealing cavity quickly rises to the set positive pressure. Then the inert gas is quickly discharged. During this process, the high-pressure gas forms strong convection during the charging and discharging stages, which effectively destroys the thermal boundary layer on the surface of the workpiece, thereby efficiently carrying away its heat and achieving rapid cooling of the workpiece. Step S6: When the workpiece reaches a state where it can be removed, a robotic arm is used to reach into the annealing chamber under an inert atmosphere to pick up the workpiece and transfer it to a dedicated storage box filled with inert gas or the next process chamber.

[0013] The second method of use proposes a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating hood, which includes: Preferably, the partition has a movable hole at its center, the inner contour of which matches the outer contour of the heating cover. A third cylinder is fixedly installed at the outer end of the vacuum annealing furnace, the output end of which is located in the mounting cavity. A sealing plate for blocking and sealing the opening on the bottom surface of the heating cover is fixedly connected to the output end of the third cylinder, and the sealing plate slides against the partition.

[0014] Preferably, a gas filling unit is fixedly installed on the vacuum annealing furnace. The gas filling unit consists of a high-purity gas source, a gas purifier, a mass flow controller, a piezoelectric valve and a pressure sensor, and an exhaust valve. A drive unit is fixedly installed on the vacuum annealing furnace. A heating cover driven by the drive unit is provided in the vacuum annealing furnace. A collection box is detachably installed at the bottom of the vacuum annealing furnace.

[0015] Preferably, the driving unit includes a second cylinder fixedly installed on the top surface of the vacuum annealing furnace. The output end of the second cylinder is fixedly connected to the heating hood. A stainless steel corrugated pipe fixedly connected to the top surface of the heating hood is fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the vacuum annealing furnace through a flange. The output end of the second cylinder is located in the stainless steel corrugated pipe. The inner diameter of the stainless steel corrugated pipe is relatively large, and the extension stroke of the stainless steel corrugated pipe should be greater than the distance between the initial position of the bottom surface of the heating hood and the top surface of the support plate.

[0016] Preferably, the heating hood is a double-layer water-cooled structure shell made of high-temperature resistant stainless steel. The heating hood is internally circulated with cooling water. Molybdenum sheet heaters, etched into a loop circuit pattern, are laid flat and fixed on the working surface inside the heating hood. The surface of the molybdenum sheet heaters is covered with a high-purity alumina ceramic insulating and thermally conductive coating formed by plasma spraying. Multiple layers of parallel-arranged molybdenum foil radiant heat insulation screens are provided between the molybdenum sheet heaters and the heating hood. A removable anti-pollution lining is installed on the innermost side of the heating hood. A temperature control cabinet and an external chiller are independently installed on the side of the vacuum annealing furnace. The temperature control cabinet is electrically connected to the vacuum annealing furnace. A blind-plug electrical female connector is fixedly installed on the top surface of the support plate. Blind-plug electrical male connectors, corresponding to the blind-plug electrical female connectors, are fixedly installed on the outer wall of the heating hood. The external chiller is connected to the water-cooled shell of the heating hood via flexible metal pipes and rotary joints.

[0017] Preferably, the anti-pollution liner matches the three-dimensional shape of the heating hood cavity, and the anti-pollution liner and each heating circuit of the molybdenum sheet heater are provided with a precision laser-cut array of through holes distributed in a honeycomb pattern. The total opening area of ​​the through hole array accounts for more than %. Two ejector plates are detachably connected to the support plate. The two ends of the ejector plates are semi-circular structures. Two positioning holes matching the outline of the ejector plates are opened on the placement plate.

[0018] Preferably, the clamping mechanism includes a bracket fixedly connected to the first cylinder, the bracket having a clamping groove, a push plate fixedly connected to the side of the bracket away from the first cylinder, the bottom surface of the push plate being on the same plane as the top surface of the support plate, two ejector plates being longitudinally slidably mounted on the support plate, a fourth cylinder fixedly mounted on the side of the vacuum annealing furnace away from the sealing door, a connecting plate fixedly connected to the bottom surfaces of the two ejector plates, and a connecting rod being mounted between the output end of the fourth cylinder and the connecting plate via a pin.

[0019] A method of using the vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud as described above is provided, the method comprising the following steps: Step S1: Start the first cylinder to drive the bracket to move towards the vacuum equipment. During this process, the bottom surface of the push plate will come into contact with the top surface of the support plate. Due to the close contact between the push plate and the top surface of the support plate, the solid impurities on the support plate will be pushed away from the surface of the support plate, so that the solid impurities fall into the collection box under the action of gravity. The staff can remove the collection box and replace or clean it.

[0020] Step S2: Open the slide valve and start the first cylinder to drive the bracket into the vacuum equipment. The bracket clamps the placement plate through the clamping groove. The first cylinder transfers the workpiece on the placement plate to the vacuum annealing furnace through the bracket. Step S3: The placement plate is positioned directly above the support plate, and the ejector plate aligns vertically with the positioning hole. At this point, the fourth cylinder is activated. The fourth cylinder drives one end of the connecting rod to move linearly, while the other end of the connecting rod drives the ejector plate upwards and inserts it into the positioning hole. The ejector plate limits the placement plate's movement, so when the first cylinder resets the support, it does not move the placement plate. After the support completely detaches from the placement plate, the placement plate falls onto the support plate under gravity. At this point, the workpiece contacts the ejector plate, leaving the workpiece in a semi-suspended state. Step S4: Start the third cylinder to drive the sealing plate to release the cover on the bottom surface of the heating cover, start the second cylinder to drive the heating cover to move vertically downward, so that the heating cover covers the workpiece, the bottom surface of the heating cover moves against the placement plate, and at the same time the blind plug electrical male connector is inserted into the blind plug electrical female connector. Step S5: Start the temperature control cabinet, external chiller and molybdenum sheet heater. The external chiller circulates the cooling water in the heating hood. The temperature control cabinet controls the heating temperature of the molybdenum sheet heater. The molybdenum sheet heater is used to heat the workpiece to complete the heating and heat preservation of the workpiece. Step S6: After the workpiece finishes the heating and heat preservation stage, the second cylinder is activated to move the heating cover vertically upwards, so that the heating cover moves into the installation cavity. The third cylinder is activated to move the sealing plate to seal and block the bottom surface of the heating cover. The gas filling unit is activated to quickly fill the annealing cavity with high-purity inert gas, so that the annealing cavity quickly rises to the set positive pressure. Then the inert gas is quickly discharged. During this process, the high-pressure gas forms strong convection during the filling and discharge stages, which effectively destroys the thermal boundary layer on the surface of the workpiece, thereby efficiently carrying away its heat and achieving rapid cooling of the workpiece. Step S7: When the workpiece reaches a state where it can be removed, a robotic arm is used to reach into the annealing chamber under an inert atmosphere to pick up the workpiece and transfer it to a dedicated storage box filled with inert gas or the next process chamber.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. When performing a temperature rise annealing process on a workpiece, the present invention first places a heating cover around the workpiece to form a relatively closed heating space. The workpiece is then radiated and heated by a molybdenum sheet heater arranged inside the heating cover. This helps to establish a uniform and stable thermal field environment around the workpiece, thereby effectively improving the overall effect of the annealing process.

[0022] 2. When the heating cover is not in operation, the bottom surface of the heating cover can be sealed by a door to prevent airflow turbulence caused by the heating cover during the gas quenching process, thereby helping to ensure the stability and uniformity of the gas quenching process.

[0023] 3. The present invention uses an ejector plate structure to support the workpiece in a semi-suspended state, which helps to reduce the contact area between the workpiece and the support plate, thereby significantly reducing the thermal impact caused by uneven heat conduction and effectively promoting the circulation of hot air, so that the workpiece is heated more evenly during the heating process.

[0024] 4. In the present invention, during the heating process of the workpiece, oxides, deposits or other solid by-products often precipitate on the surface or inside of the workpiece. These solid impurities gradually form and peel off as the temperature rises, and slide down the surface of the workpiece under the action of gravity. These falling impurities are captured and stored in a collection box, thereby realizing the automatic separation and recycling of impurities. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first internal structure of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 3 This is Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the locally enlarged structure A proposed in the paper; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the second internal structure of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the support plate, blind-insertion electrical socket, placement plate and top plate of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the heating cover structure of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 8 This is Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the B-part enlarged structure proposed in the paper; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-pollution liner structure of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the collection box structure of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting plate, blind-insertion electrical female seat, placement plate, ejector plate, fourth cylinder, connecting plate and connecting rod connection structure of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 12 This is Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 11 The proposed bottom view; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the support, clamping groove and push plate connection structure of a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating cover according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0026] In the diagram: 1. Vacuum equipment; 2. Vacuum annealing furnace; 3. Slide valve; 4. Sealing door; 5. First cylinder; 6. Support plate; 7. Partition plate; 8. Mounting cavity; 9. Annealing cavity; 10. Gas filling section; 11. Connecting rod; 12. Heating cover; 13. Collection box; 14. Support; 15. Clamping groove; 16. Push plate; 17. Second cylinder; 18. Stainless steel corrugated pipe; 19. Molybdenum sheet heater; 20. High-purity alumina ceramic insulating and thermally conductive coating; 21. Molybdenum foil radiant heat insulation screen; 22. Anti-pollution lining; 23. Temperature control cabinet; 24. External chiller unit; 25. Blind-plug electrical female connector; 26. Blind-plug electrical male connector; 27. Placement plate; 28. Ejection plate; 29. ​​Third cylinder; 30. Sealing plate; 31. Fourth cylinder; 32. Connecting plate. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0028] Example 1 This embodiment relates to a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud, see reference. Figures 1 to 10As shown, the vacuum environment temperature rise annealing mechanism includes a vacuum device 1 and a vacuum annealing furnace 2. The vacuum device 1 and the vacuum annealing furnace 2 are connected by a slide valve 3. The vacuum device 1 is equipped with a placement plate 27 for supporting the workpiece, and the vacuum annealing furnace 2 is equipped with a sealing door 4.

[0029] A first cylinder 5 is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the vacuum annealing furnace 2. A clamping mechanism is fixedly connected to the output end of the first cylinder 5. The clamping mechanism is a robotic arm.

[0030] The vacuum annealing furnace 2 has a detachable support plate 6 inside. A partition 7 is fixedly connected to the upper inner wall of the vacuum annealing furnace 2, dividing it into an installation chamber 8 and an annealing chamber 9, which are connected. A gas filling section 10 is fixedly installed on the vacuum annealing furnace 2. The gas filling section 10 consists of a high-purity gas source, a gas purifier, a mass flow controller, a piezoelectric valve and pressure sensor, and an exhaust valve. The gas filling section 10 serves as a module for providing and controlling the inert atmosphere to the vacuum annealing furnace 2. Its structure and installation method are as follows: the high-purity gas source is placed in a safe position next to the vacuum annealing furnace 2, and its outlet is connected sequentially to the gas purifier and mass flow controller via stainless steel pipes. The controller and piezoelectric valve are integrated on a gas panel outside the vacuum annealing furnace 2, and the whole is in the atmospheric environment. The outlet pipe of the piezoelectric valve is connected to the vacuum feedthrough that penetrates the furnace wall of the vacuum annealing furnace 2 through a manual or pneumatic isolation valve to introduce gas into the furnace cavity. A capacitive thin-film vacuum gauge is installed on the cavity wall of the vacuum annealing furnace 2 to monitor the pressure in real time. Its signal is fed back to the control system, forming a pressure closed-loop control with the mass flow controller and the piezoelectric valve. The exhaust valve is installed on the furnace cavity wall, and its outlet end is connected to a dedicated buffer tank or waste gas treatment device, which finally discharges to the workshop pipeline network, which can effectively prevent pipeline pressure fluctuations or pollutants from flowing back into the furnace cavity of the vacuum annealing furnace 2.

[0031] A drive unit is fixedly installed on the vacuum annealing furnace 2. The drive unit includes a second cylinder 17 fixedly installed on the top surface of the vacuum annealing furnace 2. The output end of the second cylinder 17 is fixedly connected to the heating cover 12. By directly converting the linear extension and retraction motion of the piston rod of the second cylinder 17 into the vertical lifting and lowering motion of the heating cover 12, the heating cover 12 can flexibly descend to the working position to perform heating operations or rise back to its original position for workpiece loading and unloading and air quenching operations, according to process requirements. A stainless steel flange is fixedly connected to the top surface of the heating cover 12 on the inner top wall of the vacuum annealing furnace 2. The output end of the second cylinder 17 is located in the stainless steel bellows 18. The inner diameter of the stainless steel bellows 18 is relatively large, and the extension and retraction stroke of the stainless steel bellows 18 should be greater than the distance between the initial position of the bottom surface of the heating cover 12 and the top surface of the support plate 6. The elastic deformation of the precisely formed corrugated thin-walled structure of the stainless steel bellows 18 can accurately compensate for and adapt to the displacement generated during the lifting and lowering of the heating cover 12, thereby continuously maintaining the sealing integrity of the vacuum chamber during dynamic movement. At the same time, its own metal structure ensures an extremely low outgassing rate and does not affect the cleanliness of the chamber.

[0032] The vacuum annealing furnace 2 is equipped with a heating cover 12 that is driven and raised by a drive unit. The heating cover 12 is a double-layer water-cooled structure shell made of high-temperature resistant stainless steel. Circulating cooling water flows inside the heating cover 12, effectively preventing the heating cover 12 from overheating due to prolonged exposure to high-temperature radiation and heat conduction during the workpiece heating stage. This maintains its structural stability and suitable operating temperature. Active cooling prevents heat accumulation from causing thermal damage to the connected drive unit, ensuring the reliability and service life of the drive unit in high-temperature environments. A molybdenum sheet heater 19, etched into a loop circuit shape, is fixed to the working surface inside the heating cover 12 using high-temperature ceramic bolts and elastic washers. This embodiment does not limit the specific fixing method of the molybdenum sheet heater 19, as long as stable installation of the molybdenum sheet heater 19 is achieved. For example, it can be connected using high-temperature ceramic bolts and elastic washers. The surface of the molybdenum sheet heater 19 is covered with a high-purity alumina ceramic insulating and thermally conductive coating 20 formed by plasma spraying, achieving an electrical insulation strength of over 2000V and high thermal efficiency. Radiation: A multi-layered parallel molybdenum foil radiation insulation screen 21 is provided between the molybdenum sheet heater 19 and the heating cover 12 to reduce reverse heat loss. The innermost side of the heating cover 12 is detachably equipped with an anti-pollution liner 22. This embodiment does not limit the specific fixing method of the anti-pollution liner 22, as long as it can be detachably installed, for example, by connecting it with a spring-assisted high-temperature quick-release buckle. The anti-pollution liner 22 matches the three-dimensional shape of the inner cavity of the heating cover 12. The anti-pollution liner 22 and the corresponding position of each heating circuit of the molybdenum sheet heater 19 are provided with a precision laser-cut and honeycomb-shaped array of through holes. The total opening area of ​​the through hole array accounts for more than 70%. While ensuring extremely high infrared radiation transmittance, it prevents contaminants from being directly deposited on the surface of the heater. During operation, the heating cover 12 completely covers the workpiece in its internal space, forming a relatively sealed heating chamber, effectively isolating external environmental interference, ensuring the stable distribution of the heat field around the workpiece, thereby significantly improving the temperature uniformity and controllability during the heating stage.

[0033] A temperature control cabinet 23 and an external chiller unit 24 are independently installed on the side of the vacuum annealing furnace 2. The temperature control cabinet 23 is electrically connected to the vacuum annealing furnace 2. A blind-plug type electrical female connector 25 is fixedly installed on the top surface of the support plate 6. A blind-plug type electrical male connector 26 corresponding to the blind-plug type electrical female connector 25 is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the heating cover 12. The temperature control cabinet 23 serves as a module for controlling the heating temperature of the molybdenum sheet heater 19. Its installation method is as follows: the connection between the temperature control cabinet 23 and the vacuum annealing furnace 2 is achieved through shielded power cables and signal cables. These cables are connected to the fixed furnace body of the vacuum annealing furnace 2. On the main electrical interface board, power and signals are then introduced from the atmospheric side into the vacuum chamber through the high-current vacuum feeder and multi-pin thermocouple vacuum feeder sealed on the furnace wall of the vacuum annealing furnace 2. In the chamber, these lines are connected to the blind-plug electrical female connector 25. Finally, when the heating cover 12 descends to the working position, the blind-plug electrical male connector 26 integrated on the heating cover 12 will dock with the blind-plug electrical female connector 25, thereby forming a complete and reliable electrical circuit from the temperature control cabinet 23 to the molybdenum sheet heater 19 and the thermocouple. The on / off state of this circuit is incorporated into the system safety interlock logic.

[0034] An external chiller unit 24 is connected to the water-cooled shell of the heating shroud 12 via flexible metal pipes and a rotary joint. The external chiller unit 24 serves as a module for controlling the circulation of cooling water within the water-cooled shell of the heating shroud 12. Its installation method is as follows: the constant-temperature cooling water output from the external chiller unit 24 is transported to a fixed inlet on the furnace body of the vacuum annealing furnace 2 via a flexible, pressure-resistant pipe with a metal braided layer. The cooling water inside the furnace body of the vacuum annealing furnace 2 enters its rotating end via the fixed end of a high-performance dual-channel rotary joint. The rotating end of the rotary joint passes through a section... The metal corrugated pipe is flexibly connected to the inlet of the water-cooled shell of the heating cover 12 to absorb displacement and vibration during the lifting process. After the water flows through the cooling channel designed inside the heating cover 12 to complete heat exchange, it flows out from its outlet and is connected to another passage of the rotary joint through another short pipe. Finally, it returns to the external chiller unit 24 through the fixed water outlet and flexible return water pipeline on the furnace body of the vacuum annealing furnace 2, thus forming a complete cycle. The pipeline system integrates a water flow sensor, a water pressure gauge and a temperature sensor, and its signals are connected to the main control system to achieve safety interlock.

[0035] Two ejector plates 28 are detachably connected to the support plate 6. The ejector plates 28 have semi-circular ends. The placement plate 27 has two positioning holes that match the outline of the ejector plates 28. The distance between the two ejector plates 28 is set to 0.8 times the length of the bottom surface of the workpiece on the same side. The length of the side wall of the two ejector plates 28 is set to 0.8 times the length of the bottom surface of the workpiece on the same side. The ejector plates 28 support the workpiece in a semi-suspended state, which effectively reduces the contact area between the workpiece and the placement plate 27 and the support plate 6. The ejector plates 28 are made of pure copper, which uses its excellent thermal conductivity to balance the temperature of the contact area and avoid uneven heating of the workpiece due to local thermal conduction differences.

[0036] A movable hole is provided at the center of the partition 7. The inner contour of the movable hole matches the outer contour of the heating cover 12 to avoid the partition 7 affecting the lifting and lowering movement of the heating cover 12. A third cylinder 29 is fixedly installed at the outer end of the vacuum annealing furnace 2. The output end of the third cylinder 29 is located in the mounting cavity 8. A sealing plate 30 is fixedly connected to the output end of the third cylinder 29 to block and close the opening on the bottom surface of the heating cover 12. The sealing plate 30 slides against the partition 7. When the heating cover 12 is not in working state, the bottom surface of the heating cover 12 is closed by the sealing plate 30, which can prevent the airflow from being disturbed by the heating cover 12 during the gas quenching process, thereby helping to ensure the stability and uniformity of the gas quenching process.

[0037] The vacuum annealing furnace 2 is detachably equipped with a collection box 13 at the bottom. During the workpiece heating process, oxides, deposits and other solid by-products often precipitate on the surface or inside of the workpiece. As the temperature rises, these impurities gradually form and peel off, and slide down the workpiece surface under the action of gravity. By setting up the collection box 13, the falling impurities are captured and stored in a concentrated manner, thereby realizing the automatic separation and recycling of impurities.

[0038] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the slide valve 3 is opened, the first cylinder 5 is started to drive the robot arm into the vacuum equipment 1, the robot arm clamps the placement plate 27, and the first cylinder 5 moves the workpiece located on the placement plate 27 into the vacuum annealing furnace 2 through the robot arm. The robotic arm places the placement plate 27 onto the support plate 6. The robotic arm then stops gripping the placement plate 27 and returns to its initial position, so that the ejector plate 28 aligns with the positioning hole. The placement plate 27 then falls onto the support plate 6 under gravity. At this point, the workpiece comes into contact with the ejector plate 28, and the workpiece is in a semi-suspended state. The third cylinder 29 is activated to move the sealing plate 30 to stop blocking the bottom surface of the heating cover 12. The second cylinder 17 is activated to move the heating cover 12 vertically downward. The heating cover 12 covers the workpiece, and the bottom surface of the heating cover 12 moves against the placement plate 27. At this time, the blind-plug electrical male connector 26 is inserted into the blind-plug electrical female connector 25. The temperature control cabinet 23, the external chiller unit 24 and the molybdenum sheet heater 19 are activated. The external chiller unit 24 circulates the cooling water in the heating cover 12. The temperature control cabinet 23 controls the heating temperature of the molybdenum sheet heater 19. The molybdenum sheet heater 19 is used to heat the workpiece, thereby completing the heating and heat preservation of the workpiece. After the workpiece finishes the heating and heat preservation stage, the second cylinder 17 is activated to move the heating cover 12 vertically upward, so that the heating cover 12 moves into the mounting cavity 8. The third cylinder 29 is activated to move the sealing plate 30 to seal and block the bottom surface of the heating cover 12. The gas filling section 10 is activated to quickly fill the annealing cavity 9 with high-purity inert gas, so that the annealing cavity 9 quickly rises to the set positive pressure. Then the inert gas is quickly discharged. During this process, the high-pressure gas forms strong convection during the filling and discharge stages, which effectively destroys the thermal boundary layer on the surface of the workpiece, thereby efficiently carrying away its heat and achieving rapid cooling of the workpiece. When the workpiece reaches a state where it can be removed, a robotic arm can be used to reach into the annealing chamber 9 under an inert atmosphere, pick up the workpiece, and transfer it to a dedicated storage box filled with inert gas or the next process chamber.

[0039] Example 2 refer to Figures 11 to 13 This embodiment is basically the same in structure as Embodiment 1, except for the technical features involved in the transfer of the workpiece from the vacuum equipment 1 to the vacuum annealing furnace 2, as follows: The clamping mechanism includes a bracket 14 fixedly connected to the first cylinder 5. The bracket 14 has a clamping groove 15, the height of which matches the thickness of the placement plate 27, so that the two form a tight fit. This helps to ensure the stability of the workpiece during the transfer process and avoids shaking or misalignment caused by dimensional deviations. In addition, the extension stroke of the first cylinder 5 needs to be comprehensively determined according to the actual structural specifications of the vacuum equipment 1 and the vacuum annealing furnace 2 used. The stroke design must fully consider the height difference and spacing between the inlet and outlet of the two cylinders, as well as the safety margin required in the process, to ensure that the first cylinder 5 can accurately and smoothly complete the transfer task of the workpiece between the coating and annealing stations. A push plate 16 is fixedly connected to the side of the bracket 14 away from the first cylinder 5. The bottom surface of the push plate 16 is on the same plane as the top surface of the support plate 6. Two ejector plates 28 are longitudinally slidably installed on the support plate 6. A fourth cylinder 31 is fixedly installed on the side of the vacuum annealing furnace 2 away from the sealing door 4. A connecting plate 32 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the two ejector plates 28. A connecting rod 11 is installed between the output end of the fourth cylinder 31 and the connecting plate 32 by a pin.

[0040] In this embodiment, the first cylinder 5 is activated to drive the bracket 14 to move toward the vacuum device 1. During this process, the bottom surface of the push plate 16 will come into contact with the top surface of the support plate 6. During the contact process, due to the close contact between the push plate 16 and the top surface of the support plate 6, the solid impurities on the support plate 6 will be pushed away from the surface of the support plate 6, so that the solid impurities fall into the collection box 13 under the action of gravity. The staff can remove the collection box 13 and replace or clean it.

[0041] Open the slide valve 3, start the first cylinder 5 to drive the bracket 14 into the vacuum equipment 1, the bracket 14 clamps the placement plate 27 through the clamping groove 15, and the first cylinder 5 transfers the workpiece on the placement plate 27 to the vacuum annealing furnace 2 through the bracket 14. With the placement plate 27 positioned directly above the support plate 6 and the ejector plate 28 aligned vertically with the positioning hole, the fourth cylinder 31 is activated. The fourth cylinder 31 drives one end of the connecting rod 11 in a linear motion, while the other end of the connecting rod 11 drives the ejector plate 28 upwards, inserting it into the positioning hole. The ejector plate 28 limits the placement plate 27, so when the first cylinder 5 resets the bracket 14, it does not move the placement plate 27. After the bracket 14 completely detaches from the placement plate 27, the placement plate 27 falls onto the support plate 6 under gravity. At this point, the workpiece contacts the ejector plate 28, leaving it in a semi-suspended state.

[0042] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating hood, comprising a vacuum device (1) and a vacuum annealing furnace (2), wherein the vacuum device (1) and the vacuum annealing furnace (2) are connected by a gate valve (3), wherein the vacuum device (1) is provided with a placement plate (27) for supporting workpieces, and the vacuum annealing furnace (2) is provided with a sealing door (4), characterized in that, A first cylinder (5) is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the vacuum annealing furnace (2). A clamping mechanism is fixedly connected to the output end of the first cylinder (5). A bearing plate (6) is detachably connected inside the vacuum annealing furnace (2). A partition (7) is fixedly connected to the upper inner wall of the vacuum annealing furnace (2). The vacuum annealing furnace (2) is divided into an installation cavity (8) and an annealing cavity (9) by the partition (7), and the installation cavity (8) and the annealing cavity (9) are connected.

2. The vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 1, characterized in that, The partition (7) has a movable hole at its center. The inner contour of the movable hole matches the outer contour of the heating cover (12). A third cylinder (29) is fixedly installed at the outer end of the vacuum annealing furnace (2). The output end of the third cylinder (29) is located in the mounting cavity (8). A sealing plate (30) for blocking and sealing the bottom opening of the heating cover (12) is fixedly connected to the output end of the third cylinder (29). The sealing plate (30) slides against the partition (7).

3. A vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 2, characterized in that, The vacuum annealing furnace (2) is fixedly installed with an air filling part (10), which consists of a high-purity gas source, a gas purifier, a mass flow controller, a piezoelectric valve and a pressure sensor, and an exhaust valve. The vacuum annealing furnace (2) is fixedly installed with a drive part, and a heating cover (12) driven to rise and fall by the drive part is provided in the vacuum annealing furnace (2). A collection box (13) is detachably installed at the bottom of the vacuum annealing furnace (2).

4. A vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive unit includes a second cylinder (17) fixedly installed on the top surface of the vacuum annealing furnace (2). The output end of the second cylinder (17) is fixedly connected to the heating cover (12). The inner top wall of the vacuum annealing furnace (2) is fixedly connected to a stainless steel corrugated pipe (18) fixedly connected to the top surface of the heating cover (12) by a flange. The output end of the second cylinder (17) is located in the stainless steel corrugated pipe (18). The inner diameter of the stainless steel corrugated pipe (18) is large, and the extension stroke of the stainless steel corrugated pipe (18) should be greater than the distance between the initial position of the bottom surface of the heating cover (12) and the top surface of the support plate (6).

5. A vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heating cover (12) is a double-layer water-cooled structure shell made of high-temperature resistant stainless steel. The heating cover (12) is filled with circulating cooling water. A molybdenum sheet heater (19) etched into a loop circuit shape is laid flat and fixed on the working surface inside the heating cover (12). The surface of the molybdenum sheet heater (19) is covered with a layer of high-purity alumina ceramic insulating and thermally conductive coating (20) formed by plasma spraying. A multi-layer parallel molybdenum foil radiation heat insulation screen (21) is provided between the molybdenum sheet heater (19) and the heating cover (12). The innermost side of the heating cover (12) The vacuum annealing furnace (2) is detachably installed with a pollution-proof liner (22). A temperature control cabinet (23) and an external chiller unit (24) are independently installed on the side of the vacuum annealing furnace (2). The temperature control cabinet (23) is electrically connected to the vacuum annealing furnace (2). A blind-plug type electrical female connector (25) is fixedly installed on the top surface of the support plate (6). A blind-plug type electrical male connector (26) corresponding to the blind-plug type electrical female connector (25) is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the heating cover (12). The external chiller unit (24) is connected to the water-cooled shell of the heating cover (12) through a flexible metal pipe and a rotary joint.

6. A vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 5, characterized in that, The anti-pollution liner (22) matches the three-dimensional shape of the inner cavity of the heating cover (12). The anti-pollution liner (22) and the corresponding position of each heating circuit of the molybdenum sheet heater (19) are provided with a through hole array that is precisely laser-cut and distributed in a honeycomb pattern. The total opening area of ​​the through hole array accounts for more than 70%. Two ejector plates (28) are detachably connected to the support plate (6). The two ends of the ejector plate (28) are semi-circular structures. Two positioning holes that match the outer contour of the ejector plate (28) are opened on the placement plate (27).

7. A vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 6, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism is a robotic arm.

8. A vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 6, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism includes a bracket (14) fixedly connected to the first cylinder (5), a clamping groove (15) is provided on the bracket (14), a push plate (16) is fixedly connected to the side of the bracket (14) away from the first cylinder (5), the bottom surface of the push plate (16) is on the same plane as the top surface of the bearing plate (6), two ejector plates (28) are longitudinally slidably installed on the bearing plate (6), a fourth cylinder (31) is fixedly installed on the side of the vacuum annealing furnace (2) away from the sealing door (4), a connecting plate (32) is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the two ejector plates (28), and a connecting rod (11) is installed between the output end of the fourth cylinder (31) and the connecting plate (32) by a pin.

9. A method of using a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: Step S1: Open the slide valve (3), start the first cylinder (5) to drive the robot into the vacuum equipment (1), and use the robot to clamp the placement plate (27) to move the workpiece on the placement plate (27) into the vacuum annealing furnace (2); Step S2: The robot arm places the placement plate (27) on the support plate (6), releases the gripper on the placement plate (27) and returns to the initial position, so that the ejector plate (28) aligns with the positioning hole. The placement plate (27) falls onto the support plate (6) under the action of gravity, and the workpiece contacts the ejector plate (28) and is in a semi-suspended state. Step S3: Start the third cylinder (29) to drive the sealing plate (30) to remove the cover on the bottom surface of the heating cover (12), start the second cylinder (17) to drive the heating cover (12) to move vertically downward, so that the heating cover (12) covers the workpiece, and the bottom surface of the heating cover (12) moves against the placement plate (27). At the same time, the blind-plug electrical male connector (26) is inserted into the blind-plug electrical female connector (25). Step S4: Start the temperature control cabinet (23), external chiller (24) and molybdenum sheet heater (19). The external chiller (24) circulates the cooling water in the heating cover (12). The temperature control cabinet (23) controls the heating temperature of the molybdenum sheet heater (19). The molybdenum sheet heater (19) is used to heat the workpiece to complete the heating and heat preservation of the workpiece. Step S5: After the workpiece finishes the heating and heat preservation stage, start the second cylinder (17) to drive the heating cover (12) to move vertically upward, so that the heating cover (12) moves into the mounting cavity (8). Start the third cylinder (29) to drive the sealing plate (30) to seal and block the bottom surface of the heating cover (12). Start the gas filling part (10) to quickly fill the annealing cavity (9) with high-purity inert gas, so that the annealing cavity (9) quickly rises to the set positive pressure. Then the inert gas is quickly discharged. During this process, the high-pressure gas forms strong convection during the filling and discharge stages, which effectively destroys the thermal boundary layer on the surface of the workpiece, thereby efficiently carrying away its heat and realizing the rapid cooling of the workpiece. Step S6: When the workpiece reaches a state where it can be removed, a robotic arm is used to reach into the annealing chamber (9) under an inert atmosphere to pick up the workpiece and transfer it to a dedicated storage box filled with inert gas or the next process chamber.

10. A method of using a vacuum temperature rise annealing mechanism with a liftable heating shroud according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: Step S1: Start the first cylinder (5) to drive the bracket (14) to move towards the vacuum equipment (1). During this process, the bottom surface of the push plate (16) will come into contact with the top surface of the support plate (6). During the contact process, due to the close contact between the push plate (16) and the top surface of the support plate (6), the solid impurities on the support plate (6) will be pushed away from the surface of the support plate (6), so that the solid impurities fall into the collection box (13) under the action of gravity. The staff can remove the collection box (13) and replace or clean it. Step S2, open the slide valve (3), start the first cylinder (5) to drive the bracket (14) into the vacuum equipment (1), the bracket (14) clamps the placement plate (27) through the clamping groove (15), and the first cylinder (5) transfers the workpiece located on the placement plate (27) to the vacuum annealing furnace (2) through the bracket (14); In step S3, the placement plate (27) is positioned directly above the support plate (6), and the ejector plate (28) is aligned vertically with the positioning hole. At this time, the fourth cylinder (31) is activated. The fourth cylinder (31) drives one end of the connecting rod (11) to move linearly, and the other end of the connecting rod (11) drives the ejector plate (28) to move upward and insert into the positioning hole. The ejector plate (28) limits the placement plate (27), so when the first cylinder (5) drives the bracket (14) to reset, it will not drive the placement plate (27) to move together. After the bracket (14) is completely separated from the placement plate (27), the placement plate (27) falls onto the support plate (6) under the action of gravity. At this time, the workpiece comes into contact with the ejector plate (28), so that the workpiece is in a semi-suspended state. Step S4: Start the third cylinder (29) to drive the sealing plate (30) to remove the cover on the bottom surface of the heating cover (12), start the second cylinder (17) to drive the heating cover (12) to move vertically downward, so that the heating cover (12) covers the workpiece, and the bottom surface of the heating cover (12) moves against the placement plate (27). At the same time, the blind-plug electrical male connector (26) is inserted into the blind-plug electrical female connector (25). Step S5: Start the temperature control cabinet (23), external chiller (24) and molybdenum sheet heater (19). The external chiller (24) circulates the cooling water in the heating cover (12). The temperature control cabinet (23) controls the heating temperature of the molybdenum sheet heater (19). The molybdenum sheet heater (19) is used to heat the workpiece to complete the heating and heat preservation of the workpiece. Step S6: After the workpiece finishes the heating and heat preservation stage, start the second cylinder (17) to drive the heating cover (12) to move vertically upward, so that the heating cover (12) moves into the mounting cavity (8). Start the third cylinder (29) to drive the sealing plate (30) to seal and block the bottom surface of the heating cover (12). Start the gas filling part (10) to quickly fill the annealing cavity (9) with high-purity inert gas, so that the annealing cavity (9) quickly rises to the set positive pressure. Then the inert gas is quickly discharged. During this process, the high-pressure gas forms strong convection during the filling and discharge stages, which effectively destroys the thermal boundary layer on the surface of the workpiece, thereby efficiently carrying away its heat and realizing the rapid cooling of the workpiece. Step S7: When the workpiece is ready to be removed, the robotic arm is inserted into the annealing chamber (9) under an inert atmosphere to pick up the workpiece and transfer it to a dedicated storage box filled with inert gas or the next process chamber.

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