Electron beam floating zone furnace feed device

Abstract

This invention discloses a feeding device for an electron beam levitation zone furnace, comprising a guide rail and a transmission assembly disposed inside the guide rail. The transmission assembly includes a clamping component with a centering function. The clamping component includes a housing and several sliders disposed on the inner side of the bottom wall of the housing. The sliders are arranged in a circumferential array. A first contact surface is provided on the side of the slider closest to the housing. A pressure cap is provided above the slider for pushing the slider to slide radially. A second contact surface is provided on the inner side of the bottom of the pressure cap. The second contact surface simultaneously contacts the first contact surface of all sliders during the pressing of the pressure cap. Both the first and second contact surfaces are inclined downwards from the inside out. A through hole is provided at the bottom end of the housing for the raw material rod to extend into the clamping component. The feeding device of this invention achieves precise centering by setting a clamping component with a centering function, ensuring that the geometric center of the raw material rod coincides precisely with the feed axis, and is suitable for metal purification and crystal growth in the metallurgical field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of high-purity refractory metal smelting equipment, and in particular relates to an electron beam suspension zone furnace feeding device. Background Technology

[0002] Electron beam levitation zone melting technology is a key process for preparing ultra-high purity metals, single crystals, and refractory materials. It uses a high-energy electron beam to locally heat rod-shaped raw materials in a vacuum environment to form a levitation molten zone, and then achieves the gradual melting and purification of materials by conveying the raw material rod. In this process, the feeding device, as the core actuator, directly determines the morphological stability, thermal field symmetry, and final crystal quality of the levitation molten zone by the accuracy, stability, and reliability of its clamping and feeding.

[0003] Currently, the feeding devices of electron beam levitation zone furnaces, especially the clamping and feeding parts of the raw material bars, mostly still adopt relatively traditional mechanical structures. The mainstream clamping solutions at present are multi-jaw mechanical chucks based on the principle of machine tool chucks or fastening methods using a combination of V-blocks and pressure plates, achieving radial clamping or lateral pressing of the raw material bars through screw pairs or hydraulic drives. However, this traditional clamping method exposes many serious technical bottlenecks when dealing with the preparation of high-value, high-requirement materials: the inherent manufacturing and assembly clearances of mechanical chucks make it difficult to ensure that the geometric center of the raw material bar is precisely aligned with the theoretical feed axis of the feeding system. This alignment error is directly transmitted to the levitation melting zone, leading to asymmetry in the melting zone and tilting of the solid-liquid interface, thus introducing defects such as striations and dislocations into the crystal. Secondly, the clamping end of the feeding device is close to the high-temperature melting zone of several thousand degrees Celsius and is subjected to intense heat radiation. In extreme cases, the raw material bar may be tightly "jawed" by the jaws due to thermal expansion, resulting in a "thermal jamming" phenomenon, which is not conducive to removing the raw material bar.

[0004] To alleviate these problems, solutions such as improving the machining accuracy of parts and adding graphite or tantalum sheets as elastic pads inside the chuck jaws were attempted. However, these are all passive compensation methods and cannot dynamically adapt to centering changes caused by thermal fluctuations or slight differences in bar diameter. Furthermore, the padding material may creep or contaminate the raw material under long-term high temperatures. The long-term operational stability and reliability of the entire feeding system at high temperatures cannot be fundamentally guaranteed.

[0005] Therefore, developing an electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device that can achieve active and precise centering, has efficient and uniform heat dissipation capabilities, and can ensure long-term stable operation under extreme thermal environments has become an urgent technical requirement for breaking through the bottleneck of high-end material preparation and improving process quality and product consistency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a feeding device for an electron beam levitation zone furnace. This feeding device, by incorporating a clamping component with a centering function, can clamp the raw material bar and achieve active and precise centering, ensuring that the geometric center of the raw material bar precisely coincides with the theoretical feed axis of the feeding system. This solves the problem that existing feeding devices cannot guarantee the precise coincidence of the geometric center of the raw material bar with the theoretical feed axis of the feeding system, leading to the production of products with crystal defects.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device, characterized in that it includes a guide rail and a transmission assembly disposed inside the guide rail. The transmission assembly includes a clamping component with a centering function. The clamping component includes a housing and a plurality of sliders disposed on the inner side of the bottom wall of the housing. The plurality of sliders are arranged in a circumferential array. A first contact surface is provided on the side of the slider near the housing. A pressure cap is provided above the slider for pushing the slider to slide radially. A second contact surface is provided on the inner side of the bottom of the pressure cap. The second contact surface simultaneously contacts the first contact surface of all sliders during the pressing down of the pressure cap. Both the first contact surface and the second contact surface are inclined downward from the inside out. A through hole is opened at the bottom end of the housing for the raw material rod to extend into the clamping component. A cooling assembly is provided on the housing.

[0008] The above-mentioned feeding device for an electron beam levitation zone furnace is characterized in that an adjusting bolt is provided at the top of the pressure plate; the bottom end of the adjusting bolt is conical, and a conical hole matching the shape of the bottom end of the adjusting bolt is provided on the pressure plate.

[0009] The above-mentioned electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device is characterized in that the first contact surface and the second contact surface are both conical surfaces or inclined surfaces, and the taper or inclination is the same.

[0010] The above-mentioned electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device is characterized in that a contact piece is fixedly connected to the side of a plurality of sliders away from the outer shell, and the contact piece is provided with a plurality of raised grooves on the side away from the slider.

[0011] The above-mentioned feeding device for an electron beam levitation zone furnace is characterized in that a spring is provided between adjacent sliders, and the two ends of the spring are respectively fixedly connected to the adjacent sliders on both sides; the central section of the spring is an arc segment and the opening faces the center of the pressure cover.

[0012] The above-mentioned electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device is characterized in that a cooling assembly is provided on the outer shell, the cooling assembly includes a liquid cooling cavity formed in the interlayer of the outer shell, the liquid cooling cavity is connected to a plurality of liquid inlet holes and liquid outlet holes; a plurality of inclined guide plates are provided inside the liquid cooling cavity to increase the flow path of the coolant inside the liquid cooling cavity.

[0013] The above-mentioned feeding device for an electron beam levitation zone furnace is characterized in that the transmission assembly further includes a ball screw and a bracket for connecting the ball screw and the clamping component, wherein the bracket is provided with a threaded hole that matches the adjusting bolt.

[0014] The above-mentioned electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device is characterized in that a plurality of elastic sheets are provided at equal intervals in the axial direction on the inner wall of the through hole, and the raw material rod is in contact with the elastic sheets when it is inserted into the through hole; the end of the elastic sheet extending out of the inner wall of the through hole is inclined inward.

[0015] The above-mentioned electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device is characterized in that a plurality of heat dissipation grooves are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the slider, and the plurality of heat dissipation grooves are arranged in a circular array with the axis of the pressure cover as the center.

[0016] The above-mentioned electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device is characterized in that a plurality of heat dissipation fins are provided in the gap between the outer shell and the pressure cover, one end of the heat dissipation fins is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer shell, and the other end has a gap with the pressure cover.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. This invention, by setting up a clamping component with a centering function, can clamp the raw material bar and achieve active and precise centering, ensuring that the geometric center of the raw material bar is precisely aligned with the theoretical feed axis of the feeding system, avoiding phenomena such as asymmetry of the melting zone and tilting of the solid-liquid interface caused by centering errors, thereby improving the crystal quality.

[0018] 2. This invention synchronously drives all sliders by setting pressure caps at the top of several sliders, which serves as the basis for the sliders to synchronously approach and clamp the raw material bar. By setting the sliders to slide and connect to the bottom of the outer shell, the sliding path of the sliders is fixed. Combined with the design of setting springs between adjacent sliders, the sliders achieve error equalization, promote displacement coordination and buffer impact through the elastic deformation of the springs, so as to achieve smoother and synchronous movement of the sliders. It can also drive the sliders to move radially away when the pressure caps rise, releasing the raw material bar and avoiding the raw material bar from getting stuck due to thermal expansion of the sliders at high temperature, which would be difficult to remove. In particular, the springs are designed with the central arc segment opening facing the central axis. The arc segment springs produce a gradual change in stiffness when compressed. The initial stage has high flexibility to facilitate the rapid response of the sliders. When approaching the center, the stiffness increases to provide precise positioning force and has a self-centering guiding function, which further improves the synchronization accuracy of the sliders and thus improves the centering accuracy of the raw material bar.

[0019] 3. This invention, by setting an elastic sheet inside the through hole, allows the elastic sheet to fit tightly against the outer wall of the raw material bar when its diameter increases due to thermal expansion. This provides additional radial support for the raw material bar, enhancing the stability of the feeding process, and effectively buffers the stress generated by the thermal expansion of the raw material bar, preventing stress concentration damage to the raw material bar or the feeding device. Furthermore, the elastic sheet accelerates heat conduction from the raw material bar, working in conjunction with cooling components to accelerate heat dissipation, helping to maintain the feeding device within a suitable temperature range and reducing the adverse effects of high temperatures on equipment performance and lifespan. At the same time, it prevents the raw material bar from being jammed by the jaws due to thermal expansion caused by the clamping end of the feeding device being adjacent to a high-temperature melting zone of several thousand degrees Celsius and subjected to intense heat radiation.

[0020] 4. This invention, by setting up cooling components and heat dissipation parts, ensures that the feeding device can operate stably for a long time in extreme hot environments; by setting up liquid cooling chambers, heat dissipation tanks and heat dissipation fins, it quickly removes the heat accumulated by radiation from the high-temperature melting zone, reduces the temperature of each component, avoids material performance degradation or deformation, and ensures stable operation of the feeding device in high-temperature environments. In addition, multiple liquid inlet and outlet holes are set up, and the flow rate and velocity of the coolant can be adjusted as needed to flexibly control the degree of cooling and meet the requirements of different working conditions; combined with the structural design of the clamping components, it avoids the raw material bar from easily getting stuck in high-temperature service environments.

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the electron beam levitation zone furnace of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electron beam suspension zone furnace feeding device of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission component of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Cross-sectional view at point AA; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Cross-sectional view at point BB; Figure 6 for Figure 5 Cross-sectional view at point D; Figure 7 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point C in the middle.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: Detailed Implementation

[0024] Example 1 like Figures 1 to 4As shown, the electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device of this embodiment includes a guide rail 1 and a transmission assembly disposed inside the guide rail 1. The transmission assembly includes a clamping component with a centering function. The clamping component includes a housing 4 and a plurality of sliders 6 disposed on the inner side of the bottom wall of the housing 4. The plurality of sliders 6 are arranged in a circumferential array. A first contact surface 601 is provided on the side of the slider 6 near the housing 4. A pressure cover 7 is provided above the slider 6 for pushing the slider 6 to slide radially. A second contact surface 701 is provided on the inner side of the bottom of the pressure cover 7. The second contact surface 701 simultaneously contacts the first contact surface 601 of all sliders 6 during the pressing of the pressure cover 7. Both the first contact surface 601 and the second contact surface 701 are inclined downward from the inside out. A through hole 401 is provided at the bottom end of the housing 4 for the raw material rod 5 to extend into the clamping component.

[0025] In practical use, in this embodiment, a guide rail 1 is used to control the feeding direction, which, in conjunction with the transmission component, feeds the raw material rod 5 into the electron beam suspension zone furnace. Several sliders 6 are circumferentially arranged and slidably connected on the inner side of the bottom wall of the outer shell 4. The center of the circle formed by the sliders 6 allows the raw material rod 5 to enter. A pressure cap 7 is provided above the sliders 6 to push them inward. A first contact surface 601 and a second contact surface 701 are respectively provided on the sliders 6 and the pressure cap 7, angled downwards from the inside out. During the downward pressing of the pressure cap 7, the second contact surface 701 contacts the first contact surface 601 and transmits force to it, enabling smooth and synchronous driving of all sliders 6 towards the center. This allows the raw material rod 5 located at the center to be clamped by the sliders 6, actively centering the raw material rod 5. A through hole 401 is provided at the bottom of the outer shell 4 to allow the raw material rod 5 to extend into the clamping component. Preferably, in this embodiment, the dimensions of the sliders 6 are all the same to ensure that the central axis of the sliders 6 coincides with the feed axis of the feeding system. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the bottom end of the slider 6 and the inner side of the bottom wall of the outer shell 4 are respectively provided with protrusions and grooves of matching shapes, which are used to realize the sliding connection of the fixed path.

[0026] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the top of the pressure cap 7 is provided with an adjusting bolt 8; the bottom end of the adjusting bolt 8 is tapered, and the pressure cap 7 is provided with a tapered hole 702 that matches the shape of the bottom end of the adjusting bolt 8.

[0027] In practical use, in this embodiment, adjusting bolts 8 are used to adjust the vertical height of the pressure cap 7. By designing the bottom end of the adjusting bolt 8 as conical to match the conical hole 702 on the pressure cap 7, automatic centering and automatic compensation can be achieved. When the conical bottom surface contacts the conical hole 702, a radial force is generated. Even if there is a slight deviation between the installation axis of the adjusting bolt 8 and the theoretical force center of the pressure cap 7, the pressure cap 7 can be forced to automatically adjust its position through the inclined sliding effect, converting the vertical downward pressure of the bolt into a force that is evenly distributed in all directions. This ensures that the slider 6 below the pressure cap 7 can converge towards the center evenly and synchronously, thereby ensuring that the center of the raw material bar 5 is precisely aligned with the feed axis of the feeding system. Meanwhile, the conical structure can reduce lateral forces and prevent the bolts from being subjected to huge bending moments (lateral forces) when the force-bearing surface of the gland 7 is not completely horizontal, which would cause the friction between the threaded pairs to increase sharply, resulting in jamming or even seizing. Furthermore, during the pressing process, the contact area between the conical end face and the gland 7 is very small, which helps to tighten the contact surface and prevent the bolts from loosening or the gland 7 from shifting due to insufficient friction in a vibrating environment, thereby maintaining the long-term stability of the clamping state.

[0028] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, both the first contact surface 601 and the second contact surface 701 are tapered or inclined surfaces, and the taper or inclination is the same.

[0029] In actual use, in this embodiment, by setting the first contact surface 601 and the second contact surface 701 to the same taper, it is ensured that during the downward movement of the pressure cap 7, the second contact surface 701 can simultaneously contact the first contact surface 601 of all sliders 6 from the beginning, and there will be no misalignment where some sliders 6 are subjected to force first and some are subjected to force later. This ensures that the thrust obtained by each slider 6 is consistent, and thus makes the radial feed of all sliders 6 exactly the same. This structurally ensures the synchronicity and uniformity of clamping and centering, and avoids the raw material bar 5 from deviating from the central axis due to uneven force.

[0030] like Figure 4 As shown, further, in this embodiment, each of the sliders 6 is fixedly connected to a contact piece 9 on the side away from the outer shell 4, and the contact piece 9 is provided with a plurality of raised grooves 901 on the side away from the slider 6.

[0031] In practical use, in this embodiment, a contact piece 9 is provided on the side wall of the slider 6, and multiple raised textures 901 are provided on the contact piece 9. When the slider 6 moves towards the center to clamp the raw material bar 5, the raised textures 901 on the contact piece 9 can increase the friction between the contact piece 9 and the raw material bar 5, making the clamping more stable and reliable. This effectively prevents the raw material bar 5 from sliding or shaking during the feeding process, further ensuring that the geometric center of the raw material bar 5 is precisely aligned with the theoretical feed axis of the feeding system, thus improving the stability of the melting process and the crystal quality. At the same time, the raised design can also disperse the clamping force to a certain extent, avoiding damage to the surface of the raw material bar 5 due to local stress concentration, and ensuring the integrity and surface quality of the raw material bar 5 during the feeding process.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, a spring 10 is provided between adjacent sliders 6, and the two ends of the spring 10 are fixedly connected to the adjacent sliders 6 on both sides; the central section of the spring 10 is an arc segment and the opening faces the axis of the pressure cover 7.

[0033] In practical use, in this embodiment, a spring 10 is set between the two sliders 6. When the sliders 6 move closer to or away from the center of the outer shell 4 under the action of the adjusting bolt 8, the spring 10 will undergo corresponding elastic deformation. Specifically, when the sliders 6 move closer, the spring 10 is compressed, and the elastic restoring force generated by it can help the sliders 6 move more smoothly and evenly towards the center, so that the clamping force of each slider 6 on the raw material bar 5 is more consistent, further improving the centering accuracy of the raw material bar 5. When the sliders 6 move away from the center, the spring 10 can quickly return to its original shape by its own elasticity, driving the sliders 6 back to the initial position, preparing for the next clamping operation. This not only enhances the stability and reliability of the clamping part of the feeding device, but also buffers the impact force on the sliders 6 during movement to a certain extent, extending the service life of the sliders 6 and related components. By making the center segment of the spring 10 an arc segment with its opening facing the axis of the outer shell 4, the curvature of the arc segment can naturally form a centripetal guide surface. Combined with the sliding of the fixed path of the slider 6, it can promote displacement coordination and improve the centering accuracy of the spring 10. At the same time, the arc structure can effectively disperse stress concentration and reduce the risk of fatigue fracture.

[0034] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, further, in this embodiment, the outer shell 4 is provided with a cooling assembly, the cooling assembly includes a liquid cooling cavity 402 opened in the shell interlayer of the outer shell 4, the liquid cooling cavity 402 is connected with a plurality of liquid inlet holes 404 and liquid outlet holes 403; the liquid cooling cavity 402 is provided with a plurality of inclined guide plates 405 inside, for increasing the flow path of the coolant inside the liquid cooling cavity 402.

[0035] In practical use, the cooling components in this embodiment can promptly remove heat from the outer casing 4. By providing a liquid cooling chamber 402 with inlet holes 404 and outlet holes 403, a continuous cooling cycle can be formed, quickly removing the heat accumulated in the outer casing 4 due to radiation from the high-temperature melting zone. This effectively reduces the temperature of the outer casing 4 and its internal components, preventing material performance degradation or deformation due to overheating and ensuring stable operation of the feeding device in high-temperature environments. The multiple inlet holes 404 and outlet holes 403 allow for adjustment of the coolant flow rate and velocity according to actual needs, flexibly controlling the cooling level to meet the requirements of different operating conditions. Preferably, the liquid cooling chamber 402 in this embodiment has a uniform thickness, resulting in uniform coolant distribution and a more consistent cooling effect, further improving the cooling efficiency of the feeding device. By setting several inclined guide plates 405 inside the liquid cooling cavity 402, the flow path of the coolant inside the liquid cooling cavity 402 is significantly changed. After entering the liquid cooling cavity 402, the coolant can form an inclined flow trajectory under the obstruction and guidance of the guide plates 405. The contact time and contact area between the coolant and the inner wall of the liquid cooling cavity 402 are greatly increased, so that the coolant can more fully absorb the heat accumulated by the components due to the radiation of the high-temperature melting zone, thereby greatly improving the cooling effect, ensuring that the feeding device can operate more stably in the high-temperature environment, further ensuring the overall thermal balance and stable operation of the feeding device, and improving the reliability and service life of the entire electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device.

[0036] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the transmission assembly further includes a ball screw 2 and a bracket 3 for connecting the ball screw 2 and the clamping component. The bracket 3 is provided with a threaded hole that matches the adjusting bolt 8.

[0037] In practical use, this embodiment uses a ball screw 2 as the vertical transmission component, which improves positioning accuracy. Specifically, one end of the bracket 3 is fixedly connected to the nut 12 moving on the ball screw 2, and the other end is threadedly connected to the clamping component. In this embodiment, the end of the bracket 3 connected to the clamping component is placed at the top of the outer shell 4 and is bolted to the top of the outer shell 4. By providing a threaded hole on the bracket 3 that matches the adjusting bolt 8, the adjusting bolt 8 can pass through the threaded hole and contact the pressure cap 7, thereby enabling the pressure cap 7 to drive the slider 6 to clamp the raw material bar 5.

[0038] like Figure 7 As shown, further, in this embodiment, the inner wall of the through hole 401 is provided with a plurality of elastic sheets 11 at equal intervals in the axial direction, and the raw material rod 5 is in contact with the elastic sheets 11 when it extends into the through hole 401; one end of the elastic sheet 11 extending out of the inner wall of the through hole 401 is inclined inward.

[0039] In practical use, this embodiment provides multiple elastic sheets 11 within the through hole 401. The portion of the elastic sheet 11 extending out of the inner wall of the through hole 401 is inclined inward, so that when the raw material rod 5 is inserted into the through hole 401, the outer surface of the raw material rod 5 is in contact with the elastic sheet 11. When the diameter of the raw material rod 5 increases due to thermal expansion, the elastic sheet 11 can undergo elastic deformation. The close contact with the outer surface of the raw material rod 5 not only provides additional radial support for the raw material rod 5, further enhancing the stability of the raw material rod 5 during the feeding process, but also effectively buffers the stress generated when the raw material rod 5 is thermally expanded, avoiding damage to the raw material rod 5 or the feeding device due to stress concentration. Moreover, in this embodiment, the end of the elastic sheet 11 extending out of the inner wall of the through hole 401 is inclined inward to form a conical sidewall. This conical sidewall design makes its contact area with the raw material rod 5 larger, dispersing the clamping force, further reducing the impact of local stress on the surface of the raw material rod 5, and improving the reliability and adaptability of the entire feeding device. In this embodiment, the elastic sheet 11 is made of metal, which can always maintain a tight fit with the outer wall of the raw material bar 5 due to the characteristics of its elastic metal material; and the heat on the raw material bar 5 is conducted to the elastic sheet 11, and the elastic sheet 11 then conducts the heat to the outer shell 4. With the help of the cooling component, the heat dissipation can be accelerated, which helps to maintain the feeding device in a suitable temperature range and reduce the adverse effects of high temperature on the performance and life of the equipment.

[0040] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the slider 6 has several heat dissipation grooves 602 at both the upper and lower ends, and the heat dissipation grooves 602 are arranged in a circular array with the axis of the cover 7 as the center.

[0041] In practical use, this embodiment features multiple heat dissipation grooves 602 on the slider 6. These grooves are arranged in a circumferential array along the axis of the slider 6 and extend through both ends of the slider 6 and the sidewall of the contact piece 9 (but do not extend to the first contact surface 601). This structure significantly increases the heat dissipation surface area of ​​the slider 6. When the feeding device operates near the high-temperature melting zone, the heat generated by thermal radiation and friction in the slider 6 can be quickly dissipated into the outer shell 4 through the heat dissipation grooves 602. The hot airflow inside the outer shell 4 is conducted to the liquid cooling cavity 402 through the sidewall of the outer shell 4, effectively reducing the temperature of the slider 6 itself. The circumferential array of the heat dissipation grooves 602 makes the heat dissipation effect more uniform, avoiding local overheating and thus improving the overall reliability and stability of the feeding device.

[0042] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, further, in this embodiment, a plurality of heat dissipation fins 406 are provided in the gap between the outer shell 4 and the pressure cover 7. One end of the heat dissipation fin 406 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer shell 4, and the other end has a gap with the pressure cover 7.

[0043] In practical use, this embodiment incorporates heat dissipation fins 406. Since the sidewalls of both the outer shell 4 and the pressure cap 7 are cylindrical, the heat dissipation fins 406 are arranged in a ring array, greatly increasing the heat dissipation area. When the feeding device operates in a high-temperature environment, the heat dissipation fins 406 can quickly absorb the heat generated by the components inside the outer shell 4 and, through contact with the heat source, rapidly transfer the heat into the coolant, further improving the overall heat dissipation efficiency of the feeding device. Simultaneously, by creating a gap between the other end of the heat dissipation fins 406 and the pressure cap 7, the pressure cap 7 does not interfere with the heat dissipation fins 406 during its up-and-down movement, ensuring the smoothness and stability of the clamping mechanism's movements.

[0044] The operation process of this embodiment is as follows: the raw material rod 5 is inserted into the through hole 401 and passes through the central cavity composed of several sliders 6, keeping the position unchanged. Then, the adjusting bolt 8 is rotated to press down the pressure cover 7. Under the restriction of the spring plate 10 and the bottom wall of the outer shell 4, the slider 6 is driven to move closer to the center, so that the geometric center of the raw material rod 5 is precisely aligned with the feed axis and the raw material rod 5 is clamped. Then, the ball screw 2 drives the raw material rod 5 to be sent into the interior of the electron beam suspension zone furnace.

[0045] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any limitation on the present invention. Any simple modifications, alterations, or equivalent structural transformations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A feeding device for an electron beam levitation zone furnace, characterized in that, The system includes a guide rail (1) and a transmission assembly disposed inside the guide rail (1). The transmission assembly includes a clamping component that has a centering function. The clamping component includes a housing (4) and a plurality of sliders (6) that are slidably connected to the inner side of the bottom wall of the housing (4). The plurality of sliders (6) are arranged in a circumferential array. A first contact surface (601) is provided on the side of the slider (6) near the housing (4). A pressure cap (7) is provided above the slider (6) for pushing the slider (6) to slide radially. A second contact surface (701) is provided on the inner side of the bottom of the pressure cap (7). The second contact surface (701) simultaneously contacts the first contact surface (601) of all sliders (6) during the pressing of the pressure cap (7). Both the first contact surface (601) and the second contact surface (701) are inclined downward from the inside to the outside. A through hole (401) is provided at the bottom end of the housing (4) for the raw material rod (5) to extend into the clamping component.

2. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the pressure cap (7) is provided with an adjusting bolt (8); the bottom of the adjusting bolt (8) is conical, and the pressure cap (7) is provided with a conical hole (702) that matches the shape of the bottom of the adjusting bolt (8).

3. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first contact surface (601) and the second contact surface (701) are both conical or inclined surfaces, and the taper or inclination is the same.

4. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A contact piece (9) is fixedly connected to the side of each slider (6) away from the outer shell (4), and the side of the contact piece (9) away from the slider (6) has a number of raised grooves (901).

5. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A spring (10) is provided between adjacent sliders (6), and the two ends of the spring (10) are fixedly connected to the adjacent sliders (6) on both sides respectively; the center section of the spring (10) is an arc segment and the opening faces the axis of the pressure cover (7).

6. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer shell (4) is provided with a cooling assembly, which includes a liquid cooling cavity (402) opened in the shell interlayer of the outer shell (4), and the liquid cooling cavity (402) is connected to a plurality of liquid inlet holes (404) and liquid outlet holes (403). The liquid cooling chamber (402) is provided with several inclined guide plates (405) to increase the flow path of the coolant inside the liquid cooling chamber (402).

7. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission assembly also includes a ball screw (2) and a bracket (3) for connecting the ball screw (2) and the clamping component, the bracket (3) having a threaded hole that matches the adjusting bolt (8).

8. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the through hole (401) is provided with a plurality of elastic sheets (11) at equal intervals in the axial direction. When the raw material rod (5) is inserted into the through hole (401), it fits against the elastic sheet (11). The end of the elastic sheet (11) away from the side wall of the through hole (401) is inclined inward.

9. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slider (6) has several heat dissipation grooves (602) at both the upper and lower ends, and the heat dissipation grooves (602) are arranged in a circular array with the axis of the cover (7) as the center.

10. The electron beam levitation zone furnace feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A number of heat dissipation fins (406) are provided in the gap between the outer shell (4) and the pressure cover (7). One end of the heat dissipation fin (406) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer shell (4), and the other end has a gap with the pressure cover (7).

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