A central cooling process system for a vacuum brazing production line

Abstract

The application discloses a central cooling treatment system for a vacuum brazing production line, comprising a treatment station, a first shuttle unit, a second shuttle unit and a control center; the treatment station comprises a controlled cooling area, a free cooling area and an air cooling area. The control center controls the first shuttle unit or the second shuttle unit to move to the end of the continuous vacuum brazing equipment, connects with the continuous vacuum brazing equipment through the second connecting door valve and the third connecting door valve, and then conveys the rack loaded with the brazing parts in the vacuum brazing chamber to the loading box; then, the first shuttle unit is controlled to move to one end of the controlled cooling unit, or the second shuttle unit is controlled to move to one end of the free cooling unit or the air cooling unit, the second connecting door valve and the first connecting door valve are connected with the controlled cooling unit, the free cooling unit or the air cooling unit, and then the rack loaded with the brazing parts in the loading box is conveyed to the controlled cooling unit, the free cooling unit or the air cooling unit for cooling treatment. The application is used to further improve the production efficiency of the vacuum brazing production line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vacuum brazing technology, and more particularly to a central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum brazing equipment is a high-end device that brazes metal materials in a vacuum environment, and it is widely used in high-end manufacturing fields such as automobiles, aerospace, and new energy. To meet the demands of modern high-volume, high-efficiency production, vacuum brazing equipment has evolved from intermittent to continuous processes in recent years. Continuous vacuum brazing equipment enables continuous workpiece feeding, heating and brazing, and cooling and unloading, eliminating the need for frequent furnace start-ups and shutdowns, thus improving production efficiency and quality consistency, making it well-suited for large-scale industrial mass production.

[0003] For vacuum brazing of aluminum-based and copper-based workpieces with good thermal conductivity, continuous vacuum brazing equipment demonstrates excellent applicability. However, when processing workpieces with poor thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel and titanium alloys, this type of equipment still has significant limitations. Due to the low thermal conductivity of these materials, excessively rapid cooling during the cooling stage of vacuum brazing can generate significant thermal stress, easily leading to workpiece deformation and affecting its dimensional stability. In more severe cases, it can even cause defects such as cracks at the weld joint, reducing weld quality and posing safety hazards for subsequent use. Therefore, for vacuum brazing of workpieces such as stainless steel, tool steel, and titanium alloys, slow cooling methods such as vacuum temperature-controlled cooling and placement cooling are usually required to control thermal stress deformation and ensure the strength of the weld joint. This results in cooling times that often last for several hours, and the long cooling time makes the cooling process a bottleneck in the cycle time of continuous vacuum brazing, not only making it difficult to fully utilize the advantages of continuous production of the equipment but also limiting the overall efficiency of vacuum brazing of workpieces made of materials such as stainless steel, tool steel, and titanium alloys. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention proposes a central cooling system for vacuum brazing production lines, resolving the compatibility problem of continuous vacuum brazing equipment for vacuum brazing workpieces with poor thermal conductivity, and further improving the production efficiency of vacuum brazing production lines.

[0005] This invention provides a central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line. The central cooling system includes a processing station, a first shuttle unit, a second shuttle unit, and a control center. The processing station includes a controlled cooling zone, a released cooling zone, and an air-cooled zone. The controlled cooling zone includes a controlled cooling chamber and a controlled cooling sealing valve, which can be closed to divide the controlled cooling chamber into multiple controlled cooling units. The released cooling zone includes a released cooling chamber and a released cooling sealing valve, which can be closed to divide the released cooling chamber into multiple released cooling units. The air-cooled zone includes an air-cooled chamber and an air-cooled sealing valve, which can be closed to divide the air-cooled chamber into multiple air-cooled units. Each controlled cooling unit, released cooling unit, and air-cooled unit has a first connecting valve at both ends. Each first shuttle unit, second shuttle unit, controlled cooling unit, released cooling unit, and air-cooled unit is connected to an independent gas filling device for filling the unit with protective gas.

[0006] Both the first shuttle unit and the second shuttle unit include a material box, a first vacuum regulating device, a first vacuum device connected to the material box, and a second connecting valve located at the end of the material box; the material box of the first shuttle unit is also equipped with a first heater, the power output of which is controlled by the control center.

[0007] The vacuum brazing production line includes multiple continuous vacuum brazing equipment, and the chamber at the end of the continuous vacuum brazing equipment is the vacuum brazing chamber; a third connecting valve is installed at the end of the vacuum brazing chamber.

[0008] The control center controls the first or second shuttle unit to move to the end of the continuous vacuum brazing equipment, connecting it to the equipment via the second and third connection valves to transfer the rack containing the brazed parts from the vacuum brazing chamber to the material container. Then, the control center controls the first shuttle unit to move to one end of the controlled cooling unit, or the control center controls the second shuttle unit to move to one end of the decooling unit or air-cooling unit, connecting it to the controlled cooling unit, decooling unit, or air-cooling unit via the second and first connection valves to transfer the rack containing the brazed parts from the material container to the controlled cooling unit, decooling unit, or air-cooling unit for cooling. This cooling process includes at least one of temperature-controlled cooling, placement cooling, and air cooling.

[0009] In one possible implementation, there are multiple first shuttle units and multiple second shuttle units.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the control center controls the flow rate of the protective gas introduced into the first shuttle unit or the second shuttle unit and the pumping rate of the first vacuum device by controlling the first vacuum regulating device, thereby regulating the working vacuum level in the first shuttle unit or the second shuttle unit.

[0011] In one possible implementation, a temperature measuring device is installed in the loading box of the first shuttle unit, and the control center uses the temperature feedback signal from the temperature measuring device to precisely regulate the temperature inside the first shuttle unit.

[0012] In one possible implementation, a process library is pre-installed in the control center. The process library includes cooling process data based on the characteristics of the brazed parts, such as material, joint type, and size and shape. After receiving the production task for the brazed parts, the control center automatically obtains the characteristic information of the brazed parts and intelligently retrieves the cooling process that matches the characteristic information from the process library to implement the cooling treatment of the brazed parts.

[0013] In one possible implementation, each cooling unit is equipped with a second heater independently controlled by the control center. When a cooling unit is connected to the first shuttle unit, the control center controls the output power of the second heater in that cooling unit to match the temperature in the cooling unit with the temperature in the material box. When a cooling unit contains a rack carrying brazed parts, the control center controls the output power of the second heater in that cooling unit to cool the brazed parts according to a preset cooling curve.

[0014] In one possible implementation, each controlled cooling unit and each cooled air unit is equipped with an independent second vacuum device and a second vacuum regulating device independently controlled by the control center, for the purpose of having a controllable working vacuum level within the unit; each air-cooled unit is equipped with an independent third vacuum device and a third vacuum regulating device independently controlled by the control center, for the purpose of enabling the air-cooled unit to switch between an air-cooled working environment and a connecting and conveying working environment.

[0015] In one possible implementation, each air-cooled unit is equipped with an air-cooling device independently controlled by the control center for air-cooling the brazed components within the air-cooled unit.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the central cooling system further includes a third shuttle unit; the third shuttle unit includes a second loading bin, a fourth vacuum regulating device, a fourth vacuum device connected to the second loading bin, and a fourth connection valve located at the end of the second loading bin; the control center controls the third shuttle unit to move to the other end of the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooled unit, and connects to the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooled unit through the fourth connection valve and the first connection valve, and transfers the rack carrying the brazed parts into or out of the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooled unit through the second loading bin.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the first vacuum device, the second vacuum device, the third vacuum device, and the fourth vacuum device are all used to evacuate the corresponding units.

[0018] In one possible implementation, there are multiple third shuttle units; each third shuttle unit is connected to an independent inflation device for filling the third shuttle unit with protective gas.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the control center controls the flow rate of the protective gas introduced into the third shuttle unit and the pumping rate of the fourth vacuum device by controlling the fourth vacuum regulating device, thereby regulating the working vacuum level in the third shuttle unit.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling sealing valve, and the air-cooled sealing valve are all opened and closed independently under the control of the control center. When the cooling processes in two adjacent controlled cooling units, two adjacent released cooling units, or two adjacent air-cooled units are consistent, the control center controls the controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling valve, or the air-cooled sealing valve to open, so that the spaces of the two adjacent units are merged into one, and the brazed parts in the space are cooled uniformly. When the cooling processes in two adjacent controlled cooling units, two adjacent released cooling units, or two adjacent air-cooled units are inconsistent, the control center controls the controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling valve, or the air-cooled sealing valve to close, so that each unit executes its own cooling process to cool the brazed parts therein.

[0021] In one possible implementation, when a certain controlled cooling unit, cooling release unit, or air-cooled unit needs to connect with the first shuttle unit, the second shuttle unit, or the third shuttle unit, the control center first controls the sealing valves on both sides of the unit to close, so that the space of the unit is isolated from other units, thereby ensuring that the connection behavior of the unit does not interfere with the normal cooling process in other units.

[0022] In one possible implementation, each cooling control unit is equipped with a temperature measuring device; when the spaces of multiple adjacent cooling control units are merged into one, the control center uses the temperature feedback signals from each cooling control unit to uniformly allocate the output share of the second heater in each cooling control unit, so that the temperature in the merged space remains uniform.

[0023] The applicant discovered that when a single rack carrying brazed components is cooled in a confined space, the temperature distribution uniformity within that space is poor, resulting in a higher proportion of brazed components affected by temperature unevenness due to edge effects. Conversely, when multiple racks carrying brazed components are cooled in a larger space, the temperature distribution is more uniform, and the proportion of brazed components affected by temperature unevenness due to edge effects is lower. In this application, when the cooling processes in two adjacent controlled cooling units, two adjacent venting cooling units, or two adjacent air-cooled units are identical, the control center controls the opening of a sealing valve to merge the spaces of the two adjacent units into one, allowing for unified cooling of the brazed components within that space, thereby improving the consistency of the batch of brazed components' quality.

[0024] In one possible implementation, depending on the specific cooling process requirements of the brazed parts, the third shuttle unit, under the control of the control center, connects to the controlled cooling unit and the air cooling unit successively, enabling it to transfer the rack carrying the brazed parts from the controlled cooling unit to the air cooling unit for further placement and cooling; under the control of the control center, the third shuttle unit connects to the air cooling unit and the air cooling unit successively, enabling it to transfer the rack carrying the brazed parts from the air cooling unit to the air cooling unit for further air cooling.

[0025] In one possible implementation, when the brazed part has completed all cooling treatment in the central cooling system, the rack carrying the brazed part is transferred to the unloading area for unloading via a third shuttle unit.

[0026] When the first or second shuttle unit is connected to the continuous vacuum brazing equipment, the vacuum brazing chamber and the material container are connected to form a vacuum-sealed body isolated from the atmospheric environment. When the first or second shuttle unit is connected to the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooling unit, the material container is connected to the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooling unit to form a vacuum-sealed body isolated from the atmospheric environment. When the third shuttle unit is connected to the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooling unit, the second material container is connected to the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooling unit to form a vacuum-sealed body isolated from the atmospheric environment.

[0027] In existing continuous vacuum brazing equipment, a cooling chamber is usually included downstream of the vacuum brazing chamber. After the brazing process is completed in the vacuum brazing chamber, the brazed parts continue to enter the cooling chamber for cooling. When this type of vacuum brazing equipment is used for vacuum brazing of workpieces with poor thermal conductivity, the brazed parts need to stay in the cooling chamber for several hours to complete the cooling process, which greatly slows down the production cycle of the brazed parts in the continuous vacuum brazing equipment.

[0028] The vacuum brazing production line adapted to the central cooling system of this application includes multiple continuous vacuum brazing devices. The end chamber of each continuous vacuum brazing device is a vacuum brazing chamber, excluding a cooling chamber. The vacuum brazing process in the continuous vacuum brazing device only proceeds up to the brazing step; the subsequent cooling process is centrally completed by the central cooling system. Specifically, the control center selects and controls either the first or second shuttle unit to connect with the continuous vacuum brazing device and the controlled cooling unit, release cooling unit, or air-cooling unit to transfer the brazed parts from the vacuum brazing chamber to the controlled cooling zone, release cooling zone, or air-cooling zone for cooling, based on the cooling process requirements of the brazed parts that have completed the brazing step. Since the air-cooling zone, release cooling zone, and air-cooling zone each include multiple units, the central cooling system can simultaneously meet the cooling needs of brazed parts in multiple continuous vacuum brazing devices. This frees the production cycle of the continuous vacuum brazing device from the time-consuming cooling process, significantly improving the production efficiency of the vacuum brazing production line.

[0029] When the control center detects that the first step of the cooling process for the brazed parts in a continuous vacuum brazing equipment is temperature-controlled cooling, it will select a first shuttle unit to connect with the continuous vacuum brazing equipment, transferring the brazed parts in the vacuum brazing chamber to the controlled cooling unit. When the first shuttle unit connects with the continuous vacuum brazing equipment, the control center has already adjusted the temperature within the first shuttle unit to an initial temperature matching the preset cooling curve of the brazed parts by controlling the first heater, and has also adjusted the working vacuum level within the first shuttle unit to match the working vacuum level inside the vacuum brazing chamber by controlling the first vacuum regulating device.

[0030] During the transfer process from the first shuttle unit carrying the brazed component to the controlled cooling unit, the output power of the first heater is controlled to dynamically adjust the temperature inside the loading bin to match the preset cooling curve of the brazed component, thus allowing the brazed component to undergo partial temperature-controlled cooling in the first shuttle unit. After the first shuttle unit transfers the brazed component to the controlled cooling unit, the brazed component continues to undergo subsequent temperature-controlled cooling treatment in the controlled cooling unit.

[0031] When the control center detects that the first step of the cooling process for brazed parts in a continuous vacuum brazing machine is placement cooling or air cooling that does not require additional heat, it will select to dispatch a second shuttle unit to connect with the continuous vacuum brazing machine, transferring the brazed parts in the vacuum brazing chamber to the placement cooling or air cooling unit. When the second shuttle unit connects with the continuous vacuum brazing machine, the control center has already adjusted the working vacuum level within the second shuttle unit to match the working vacuum level inside the vacuum brazing chamber by controlling the first vacuum regulating device.

[0032] In the central cooling system, when brazed components require further cooling and / or air cooling after temperature-controlled cooling, the control center activates a third shuttle unit to connect sequentially with the controlled cooling unit, then with the release cooling unit and / or air cooling unit, transferring the brazed components to these units for subsequent processing. While the third shuttle unit is connecting to the controlled cooling unit, release cooling unit, or air cooling unit, the control center has already adjusted the working vacuum level within the third shuttle unit to match the working vacuum level of the connected controlled cooling unit, release cooling unit, or air cooling unit via a fourth vacuum regulating device.

[0033] Through the above process, the central cooling system of this application can simultaneously meet the different cooling process requirements of various brazed parts operating in the vacuum brazing production line, realize efficient and flexible production of multiple continuous vacuum brazing equipment, and enable the vacuum brazing production line to operate intelligently.

[0034] Since the first shuttle unit, the second shuttle unit, the third shuttle unit, as well as the controlled cooling unit, the released cooling unit, and the air-cooled unit are all equipped with vacuum devices and vacuum regulation devices, the brazed parts can be conveyed and cooled under a working vacuum atmosphere that strictly meets the cooling process requirements.

[0035] In this application, when the first, second, and third shuttle units connect with the receiving object, the working vacuum level within each shuttle unit is adjusted to match the working vacuum level within the receiving object. This ensures a stable atmosphere within the vacuum seal formed during connection and prevents the connection activity from significantly impacting the existing atmosphere within the receiving object. Furthermore, maintaining a stable atmosphere within the vacuum seal formed during connection is particularly beneficial for the connection of the first shuttle unit with continuous vacuum brazing equipment or a controlled cooling unit. This prevents unplanned temperature fluctuations caused by atmosphere flow factors, helps maintain stable brazed component temperatures, and avoids adverse effects on the strength of the welded joint.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the second vacuum regulating device includes a first controller and a second controller; the first controller is used to precisely control the flow rate of the protective gas entering the cooling control unit and the cooling release unit, and the second controller is used to precisely control the pumping rate of the second vacuum device; the control center precisely regulates the working vacuum level in each cooling control unit and the cooling release unit by controlling the coordinated operation of the first controller and the second controller.

[0037] The applicant discovered that existing vacuum brazing processes often lack active control over the working vacuum level during the temperature-controlled cooling process. While the cooling process of the brazed parts is controlled precisely to match the pre-designed cooling curve, the joint strength still falls short of design expectations. Microscopic analysis of these brazed parts revealed a small number of subtle micropore defects in the weld joint cross-section. Research indicates that during temperature-controlled cooling, as the surface temperature decreases, the adsorption effect of gas molecules on the brazed surface gradually outweighs the desorption effect, accumulating diffusion potential energy. Since the brazed part temperature remains relatively high at this point, and the interface at the weld joint still possesses residual activity, the adsorbed gas molecules preferentially diffuse at the weaker interface structure of the weld joint, causing these micropore defects and affecting the joint strength.

[0038] In one possible implementation of this application, when the brazed component is subjected to temperature-controlled cooling or placement cooling in a controlled cooling unit or a release cooling unit, the control center actively adjusts the working vacuum level within the controlled cooling unit or release cooling unit to dynamically match the working vacuum level with changes in the temperature of the brazed component. This active adjustment includes: reducing the flow rate of protective gas entering the controlled cooling unit or release cooling unit as the temperature of the brazed component decreases, while simultaneously increasing the pumping rate of the second vacuum device to improve the working vacuum level. Furthermore, the rate of change of the working vacuum level is proportional to the k-th power of the rate of change of the brazed component temperature, significantly reducing the probability of gas molecule adsorption, where 1.5 ≤ k ≤ 2.5. Through this control method, the micropore defects at the weld joint profile are significantly improved, thereby further enhancing the joint strength of the brazed component and improving the welding quality.

[0039] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. The cooling process of continuous vacuum brazing equipment is separated from the equipment body and centrally handled by a central cooling system. This allows the continuous vacuum brazing equipment to focus solely on the brazing process, eliminating the need to reduce production cycle time due to excessive cooling time. The controlled cooling zone, release cooling zone, and air cooling zone within the system are separated into multiple independent units via sealing valves. These units can simultaneously handle the cooling tasks of multiple continuous vacuum brazing units, enabling parallel processing of the cooling process and solving the core problem of cooling slowing down the overall production cycle in traditional continuous vacuum brazing equipment. Furthermore, the first shuttle unit can simultaneously perform some temperature-controlled cooling operations while transporting the brazing parts, further shortening the overall cooling time. This fully leverages the production continuity advantage of continuous vacuum brazing equipment and significantly improves the production efficiency of the vacuum brazing production line.

[0040] 2. The system features three cooling zones: controlled cooling, ventilated cooling, and air cooling. These zones, coupled with flexibly manageable first, second, and third shuttle units, allow for precise matching of cooling process requirements for brazed parts of different materials, joint types, and sizes. For workpieces with poor thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel, tool steel, and titanium alloys, the controlled cooling unit enables slow, controlled cooling according to a preset temperature curve, controlling thermal stress and preventing defects such as workpiece deformation and weld joint cracks. For workpieces that do not require additional heat during cooling, the ventilated cooling unit provides natural slow cooling, or the air cooling unit provides rapid air cooling, achieving personalized adaptation of the cooling process. Furthermore, the control center has a pre-set process library that can intelligently retrieve matching cooling processes based on the characteristics of the brazed parts, improving the efficiency and accuracy of cooling process adaptation and expanding the applicability of the continuous vacuum brazing equipment.

[0041] 3. Multiple design features ensure the stability and uniformity of the cooling process, effectively improving the quality of brazed parts. Firstly, all shuttle and cooling units are equipped with independent vacuum devices, vacuum regulation devices, and gas filling devices. This allows for precise control of the working vacuum and protective gas atmosphere within the unit, ensuring that the brazed parts are transported and cooled in a vacuum environment that meets process requirements, preventing oxidation defects caused by air ingress. Secondly, when adjacent cooling units have the same cooling process, the control center can control the opening of the sealing valve, merging unit spaces, reducing temperature unevenness caused by edge effects, improving the temperature distribution uniformity of batch brazed parts, and ensuring consistent welding quality. By actively regulating the working vacuum of the controlled cooling unit and the released cooling unit, the working vacuum dynamically matches the temperature of the brazed parts. That is, the working vacuum gradually increases as the temperature decreases, significantly reducing the adsorption and micro-diffusion of gas molecules at the weld joint, effectively improving micropore defects in the weld joint profile, significantly increasing the joint strength of the brazed parts, reducing safety hazards in subsequent use, and solving the problem of unsatisfactory welding quality caused by only controlling temperature and not vacuum in traditional controlled cooling processes.

[0042] 4. The entire system is intelligently controlled through the control center, automatically managing the connection and scheduling of shuttle units with continuous vacuum brazing equipment and cooling units. It automatically retrieves cooling processes and adjusts temperature and working vacuum levels, eliminating the need for manual operation and reducing errors caused by human intervention, thus improving the stability and reliability of the production process. Simultaneously, each cooling unit can be independently isolated via sealing valves, ensuring that connection or maintenance of one unit does not interfere with the normal cooling operation of other units, guaranteeing the continuity of system operation. The combination of multiple shuttle units and multiple cooling units allows for flexible transfer of brazed parts between different cooling units, meeting the needs of step-by-step implementation of complex cooling processes and achieving flexible and intelligent operation of the production line.

[0043] 5. Adopting a modular design, the number of units in the controlled cooling zone, venting cooling zone, and air cooling zone can be flexibly adjusted according to the production line scale. The number of shuttle units can also be configured as needed, adapting to the requirements of vacuum brazing production lines with different capacities. Simultaneously, the system can directly interface with existing continuous vacuum brazing equipment without requiring large-scale modifications to the original equipment, reducing the cost and difficulty of production line upgrades. Furthermore, the flexible control design of the sealing valves allows for both independent unit operation and combined unit operation, accommodating the needs of small-batch personalized production and large-batch standardized production, enhancing the system's practicality and scalability.

[0044] The above general description and the description below are exemplary and illustrative only and are not intended to limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0045] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations and drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements having the same reference numerals in the drawings are shown as similar elements, and the drawings do not constitute a limitation of scale. Wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structural layout of a central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure label: 1. Central cooling system; 2. Continuous vacuum brazing equipment; 101, Cooling controlled zone; 1011, Cooling controlled sealing valve; 1012, Cooling controlled unit; 1013, Second heater; 1014, First connection valve; 102, Cooling release zone; 1021, Cooling release sealing valve; 1022, Cooling release unit; 103, Air-cooled zone; 1031, Air-cooled sealing valve; 1032, Air-cooled unit; 1033, Air-cooled device; 20, First shuttle unit; 201, First heater; 202, Second connection valve; 30, Second Shuttle Unit; 40. Control Center; 50, Inflation device; 60, First vacuum device; 70, Third shuttle unit; 701, Fourth connecting valve; 702, Fourth vacuum device; 80, Vehicle; 90, Vacuum brazing chamber; 100, Third connecting valve; 110, Material container; 120, Second loading bin. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The specific embodiments of the present invention are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. In the following description, for ease of explanation, several details are used to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention can still be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses may be shown in a simplified manner to simplify the drawings.

[0047] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of the invention described herein.

[0048] In this invention, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "middle," "outer," "front," and "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this invention and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to require it to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Furthermore, some of the aforementioned terms may have other meanings besides indicating orientation or positional relationship; for example, the term "upper" may in some cases indicate a dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0049] Furthermore, the terms "set up," "connect," and "fix" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0050] like Figure 1As shown, this application provides a central cooling system 1 for a vacuum brazing production line. The central cooling system 1 includes a processing station, a first shuttle unit 20, a second shuttle unit 30, and a control center 40. The processing station includes a controlled cooling zone 101, a release cooling zone 102, and an air-cooled zone 103. The controlled cooling zone 101 includes a controlled cooling chamber and a controlled cooling sealing valve 1011, which can be closed to divide the controlled cooling chamber into multiple controlled cooling units 1012. The release cooling zone 102 includes a release cooling chamber and a release cooling sealing valve 1021, which can be closed to divide the release cooling chamber into multiple release cooling units 1022. The air-cooled zone 103 includes an air-cooled chamber and an air-cooled sealing valve 1031, which can be closed to divide the air-cooled chamber into multiple air-cooled units 1032. Each cooling control unit 1012, cooling release unit 1022, and air-cooled unit 1032 is equipped with a first connection valve 1014 at both ends. Each first shuttle unit 20, second shuttle unit 30, cooling control unit 1012, cooling release unit 1022, and air-cooled unit 1032 is connected to an independent gas filling device 50 for filling each unit with protective gas.

[0051] Both the first shuttle unit 20 and the second shuttle unit 30 include a material container 110, a first vacuum regulating device, a first vacuum device 60 connected to the material container 110, and a second connection valve 202 disposed at the end of the material container 110. The material container 110 of the first shuttle unit 20 is also provided with a first heater 201, the power output of which is controlled by the control center 40.

[0052] The vacuum brazing production line includes multiple continuous vacuum brazing devices 2, and the chamber at the end of the continuous vacuum brazing device 2 is a vacuum brazing chamber 90. A third connecting valve 100 is provided at the end of the vacuum brazing chamber 90.

[0053] After the brazing process in a continuous vacuum brazing equipment is completed, the control center 40 controls the first shuttle unit 20 or the second shuttle unit 30 to move to the end of the continuous vacuum brazing equipment 2, and connects to the continuous vacuum brazing equipment 2 through the second connection valve 202 and the third connection valve 100, so that the material rack carrying the brazed parts in the vacuum brazing chamber 90 is transferred to the material box 110. Then, the first shuttle unit 20 is controlled to move to one end of the controlled cooling unit 1012, or the second shuttle unit 30 is controlled to move to one end of the cooling release unit 1022 or the air cooling unit 1032, and connects to the controlled cooling unit 1012, the cooling release unit 1022 or the air cooling unit 1032 through the second connection valve 202 and the first connection valve 1014, so that the material rack carrying the brazed parts in the material box 110 is transferred to the controlled cooling unit 1012, the cooling release unit 1022 or the air cooling unit 1032 for cooling treatment.

[0054] In one implementation, the controlled cooling sealing valve, the venting cooling sealing valve, and the air-cooled sealing valve all have atmosphere isolation and temperature isolation functions.

[0055] In one implementation, such as Figure 1 As shown, there are multiple first shuttle units 20 and multiple second shuttle units 30.

[0056] In one implementation, the control center controls the flow rate of the protective gas introduced into the first shuttle unit or the second shuttle unit and the pumping rate of the first vacuum device by controlling the first vacuum regulating device, thereby regulating the working vacuum level in the first shuttle unit or the second shuttle unit.

[0057] In one implementation, a temperature measuring device is installed in the loading box of the first shuttle unit, and the control center uses the temperature feedback signal from the temperature measuring device to precisely regulate the temperature in the first shuttle unit.

[0058] In one implementation, a process library is pre-installed in the control center. The process library includes cooling process data related to the characteristic information of the brazed parts. The characteristic information includes at least one of the material, joint type, and size and shape of the brazed parts. After receiving the production task for the brazed parts, the control center automatically obtains the characteristic information of the brazed parts and intelligently retrieves the cooling process that matches the characteristic information to implement the cooling treatment of the brazed parts.

[0059] In one implementation, such as Figure 1 As shown, each cooling unit 1012 is equipped with a second heater 1013 independently controlled by the control center 40. When a cooling unit 1012 is connected to the first shuttle unit 20, the control center 40 controls the output power of the second heater 1013 in that cooling unit 1012 to match the temperature inside the cooling unit 1012 with the temperature inside the material box 110. When a cooling unit 1012 contains a rack carrying brazed parts, the control center 40 controls the output power of the second heater 1013 in that cooling unit 1012 to cool the brazed parts according to a preset cooling curve.

[0060] In one implementation, each controlled cooling unit and each cooled air unit is equipped with an independent second vacuum device and a second vacuum regulating device independently controlled by the control center, for ensuring a controllable working vacuum level within the unit. Each air-cooled unit is equipped with an independent third vacuum device and a third vacuum regulating device independently controlled by the control center, for enabling the air-cooled unit to switch between an air-cooled working environment and a connecting and conveying working environment.

[0061] In one implementation, such as Figure 1As shown, each air-cooled unit 1032 is equipped with an air-cooling device 1033 independently controlled by the control center 40, which is used to air-cool the brazed parts in the air-cooled unit 1032.

[0062] In one implementation, such as Figure 1 As shown, the central cooling system 1 also includes a third shuttle unit 70. The third shuttle unit 70 includes a second loading bin 120, a fourth vacuum regulating device, a fourth vacuum device 702 connected to the second loading bin 120, and a fourth connection valve 701 located at the end of the second loading bin 120. The control center 40 controls the third shuttle unit 70 to move to the other end of the controlled cooling unit 1012, the decooling unit 1022, or the air-cooling unit 1032, and connects to the controlled cooling unit 1012, the decooling unit 1022, or the air-cooling unit 1032 through the fourth connection valve 701 and the first connection valve 1014. The second loading bin 120 transfers the rack carrying the brazed parts into or out of the controlled cooling unit 1012, the decooling unit 1022, or the air-cooling unit 1032.

[0063] In one implementation, the first vacuum device, the second vacuum device, the third vacuum device, and the fourth vacuum device are all used to evacuate the corresponding units.

[0064] In one implementation, such as Figure 1 As shown, there are multiple third shuttle units 70. Each third shuttle unit 70 is connected to an independent inflation device 50 for filling the third shuttle unit 70 with protective gas.

[0065] In one implementation, the control center controls the flow rate of the protective gas introduced into the third shuttle unit and the pumping rate of the fourth vacuum device by controlling the fourth vacuum regulating device, thereby regulating the working vacuum level in the third shuttle unit.

[0066] In one implementation, the controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling sealing valve, and the air-cooled sealing valve are all opened and closed independently under the control of the control center. When the cooling processes in two adjacent controlled cooling units, two adjacent released cooling units, or two adjacent air-cooled units are consistent, the control center controls the controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling valve, or the air-cooled sealing valve to open, merging the spaces of the two adjacent units into one, and uniformly cooling the brazed components within that space. When the cooling processes in two adjacent controlled cooling units, two adjacent released cooling units, or two adjacent air-cooled units are inconsistent, the control center controls the controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling valve, or the air-cooled sealing valve to close, allowing each unit to execute its own cooling process to cool the brazed components within it.

[0067] In one implementation, when a certain controlled cooling unit, cooling release unit, or air-cooled unit needs to connect with the first shuttle unit, the second shuttle unit, or the third shuttle unit, the control center first controls the sealing valves on both sides of the unit to close, so that the space of the unit is isolated from other units, thereby ensuring that the connection behavior of the unit does not interfere with the normal cooling process in other units.

[0068] In one possible implementation, each cooling control unit is equipped with a temperature measuring device. When the spaces of multiple adjacent cooling control units are merged into one, the control center uses the temperature feedback signals from each cooling control unit to uniformly allocate the output of the second heater within each unit, ensuring that the temperature in the merged space remains uniform.

[0069] In one implementation, based on the specific cooling process requirements of the brazed components, the third shuttle unit, under the control of the control center, connects sequentially to the controlled cooling unit and the air cooling unit, enabling it to transfer the rack carrying the brazed components from the controlled cooling unit to the air cooling unit for further cooling. Alternatively, under the control of the control center, the third shuttle unit connects sequentially to the air cooling unit and the air cooling unit, enabling it to transfer the rack carrying the brazed components from the air cooling unit to the air cooling unit for further air cooling.

[0070] In one implementation, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first shuttle unit 20, the second shuttle unit 30, and the third shuttle unit 70 all include a carrier 80 and a movable power supply device. The material container 110 and the second material container 120 are respectively mounted on the carrier 80. The carrier 80 can move while carrying the material container 110 or the second material container 120. The movable power supply device can supply power to the carrier 80 and each device of the first shuttle unit 20, the second shuttle unit 30, and the third shuttle unit 70. The power signal of the movable power supply device can be fed back to the control center 40. If the control center 40 detects that the power of the movable power supply device is low, it can control the shuttle unit to move to a charging station for charging.

[0071] In one possible implementation, the second vacuum regulating device includes a first controller and a second controller; the first controller is used to precisely control the flow rate of the protective gas entering the cooling control unit and the cooling release unit, and the second controller is used to precisely control the pumping rate of the second vacuum device; the control center precisely regulates the working vacuum level in each cooling control unit and the cooling release unit by controlling the coordinated operation of the first controller and the second controller.

[0072] This invention effectively solves the problems of insufficient adaptability and low production efficiency of existing continuous vacuum brazing equipment when processing workpieces with poor thermal conductivity. It realizes the centralized, intelligent and flexible processing of the vacuum brazing cooling process, which not only improves the production line efficiency and product quality, but also expands the scope of application of the production line and reduces production and upgrade costs. It has outstanding substantive features and significant progress.

[0073] The embodiments of this application are not limited to the structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from their scope. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line, characterized in that, It includes a processing station, a first shuttle unit, a second shuttle unit, and a control center; the processing station includes a controlled cooling zone, a released cooling zone, and an air-cooled zone; the controlled cooling zone includes a controlled cooling chamber and a controlled cooling sealing valve, which can be closed to divide the controlled cooling chamber into multiple controlled cooling units; the released cooling zone includes a released cooling chamber and a released cooling sealing valve, which can be closed to divide the released cooling chamber into multiple released cooling units; the air-cooled zone includes an air-cooled chamber and an air-cooled sealing valve, which can be closed to divide the air-cooled chamber into multiple air-cooled units; each controlled cooling unit, released cooling unit, and air-cooled unit is equipped with a first connection valve at both ends; each first shuttle unit, second shuttle unit, controlled cooling unit, released cooling unit, and air-cooled unit is connected to an independent gas filling device for filling the unit with protective gas; Both the first shuttle unit and the second shuttle unit include a material box, a first vacuum regulating device, a first vacuum device connected to the material box, and a second connecting valve located at the end of the material box; the material box of the first shuttle unit is also equipped with a first heater, the power output of which is controlled by the control center. The vacuum brazing production line includes multiple continuous vacuum brazing equipment, and the chamber at the end of the continuous vacuum brazing equipment is the vacuum brazing chamber; a third connecting valve is installed at the end of the vacuum brazing chamber. The control center controls the first shuttle unit or the second shuttle unit to move to the end of the continuous vacuum brazing equipment, and connects to the continuous vacuum brazing equipment through the second and third connecting valves to transfer the rack containing the brazed parts in the vacuum brazing chamber to the material box. Then, the control center controls the first shuttle unit to move to one end of the controlled cooling unit, or controls the second shuttle unit to move to one end of the cooling release unit or air cooling unit, and connects to the controlled cooling unit, cooling release unit or air cooling unit through the second and first connecting valves to transfer the rack containing the brazed parts in the material box to the controlled cooling unit, cooling release unit or air cooling unit for cooling treatment.

2. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each cooling control unit is equipped with a second heater independently controlled by the control center. When a cooling control unit is connected to the first shuttle unit, the control center controls the output power of the second heater in that cooling control unit to match the temperature in the cooling control unit with the temperature in the material box. When a cooling control unit contains a rack carrying brazed parts, the control center controls the output power of the second heater in that cooling control unit to cool the brazed parts according to a preset cooling curve.

3. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each controlled cooling unit and cooling release unit is equipped with an independent second vacuum device and a second vacuum adjustment device independently controlled by the control center, which are used to ensure a controllable working vacuum level within the unit; each air-cooled unit is equipped with an independent third vacuum device and a third vacuum adjustment device independently controlled by the control center, which are used to enable the air-cooled unit to switch between air-cooled working environment and connection and transmission working environment.

4. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each air-cooled unit is equipped with an air-cooling device independently controlled by the control center, used to air-cool the brazed components within the unit.

5. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central cooling system also includes a third shuttle unit; the third shuttle unit includes a second loading bin, a fourth vacuum regulating device, a fourth vacuum device connected to the second loading bin, and a fourth connection valve located at the end of the second loading bin; the control center controls the third shuttle unit to move to the other end of the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooled unit, and connects to the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooled unit through the fourth connection valve and the first connection valve, and transfers the rack carrying the brazed parts into or out of the controlled cooling unit, the cooling release unit, or the air-cooled unit through the second loading bin.

6. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling sealing valve, and the air-cooled sealing valve are all opened and closed independently under the control of the control center. When the cooling processes in two adjacent controlled cooling units, two adjacent released cooling units, or two adjacent air-cooled units are consistent, the control center controls the controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling valve, or the air-cooled sealing valve to open, so that the spaces of the two adjacent units are merged into one, and the brazed parts in the space are cooled uniformly. When the cooling processes in two adjacent controlled cooling units, two adjacent released cooling units, or two adjacent air-cooled units are inconsistent, the control center controls the controlled cooling sealing valve, the released cooling valve, or the air-cooled sealing valve to close, so that each unit executes its own cooling process to cool the brazed parts.

7. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 6, characterized in that, When a certain cooling control unit, cooling release unit, or air-cooled unit needs to connect with the first shuttle unit, the second shuttle unit, or the third shuttle unit, the control center first controls the sealing valves on both sides of the unit to close, so that the space of the unit is isolated from other units.

8. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each cooling control unit is equipped with a temperature measuring device; when the spaces of multiple adjacent cooling control units are merged into one, the control center uses the temperature feedback signals from each cooling control unit to uniformly allocate the output of the second heater in each cooling control unit, so that the temperature in the merged space remains uniform.

9. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 5, characterized in that, According to the specific cooling process requirements of the brazed parts, the third shuttle unit, under the control of the control center, connects to the controlled cooling unit and the air cooling unit in sequence, and can transfer the rack carrying the brazed parts from the controlled cooling unit to the air cooling unit for further placement and cooling; under the control of the control center, the third shuttle unit connects to the air cooling unit and the air cooling unit in sequence, and can transfer the rack carrying the brazed parts from the air cooling unit to the air cooling unit for further air cooling.

10. The central cooling system for a vacuum brazing production line according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second vacuum regulating device includes a first controller and a second controller; the first controller is used to precisely control the flow rate of protective gas entering the cooling control unit and the cooling release unit, and the second controller is used to precisely control the pumping rate of the second vacuum device; the control center precisely regulates the working vacuum level in each cooling control unit and the cooling release unit by controlling the coordinated operation of the first controller and the second controller.

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