Optical filter production batch drying device

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of optical filter production batch drying device, including drying cabinet, the cabinet door of being installed in the front end of drying cabinet, multiple material racks being arranged in the inside of drying cabinet, heat cycle assembly being installed in the top of drying cabinet, material rack is slidably connected with the inner wall of drying cabinet by drawer slide rail, the inside of each material rack is fixedly installed with multiple fixed rods of equidistant distribution, bracket assembly is arranged on the surface of fixed rod, and bracket assembly is used to support optical filter;The utility model is by being provided with adjustable inclination angle bracket assembly, and it is realized point contact support by cooperating rubber fulcrum, change traditional flat laying type bearing mode, make optical filter be placed in inclined state, ensure the fluidity of surface liquid film under the action of gravity, effectively avoid the formation of bottom waterlogging and water stain circle, simultaneously, point contact design increases filter bottom ventilation gap, promote hot air to penetrate from below, speed up evaporation rate, to improve drying efficiency and uniformity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of optical filter production technology, specifically to a batch drying device for optical filter production. Background Technology

[0002] In the production process of optical filters, after processes such as cleaning, coating, and bonding, the products usually need to be dried to remove residual moisture or organic solvents on the surface. Because optical filters have the characteristics of high precision, high cleanliness, and easy damage to the surface coating, the drying process not only requires efficient and thorough removal of moisture, but also needs to avoid problems such as product deformation, film scratches, or water stains caused by uneven temperature, airflow impact, contact friction, etc. Existing batch drying equipment for optical filter production mostly uses hot air circulating drying ovens to dry optical filters in batches. However, the optical filters need to be laid flat and fixed, with a large area of ​​contact between the bottom and the support surface, which makes it difficult for local moisture to evaporate. In addition, the stacked materials inside obstruct airflow, resulting in uneven temperature distribution and large temperature differences between the upper and lower layers or front and back areas. This leads to inconsistent drying degrees of optical filters in different positions within the same batch. Based on this, we propose a batch drying equipment for optical filter production to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides a batch drying device for optical filter production, which improves drying efficiency and uniformity. It solves the problem that existing batch drying devices for optical filter production mostly use hot air circulating drying boxes to dry optical filters in batches. However, the optical filters need to be laid flat and fixed, with a large area of ​​contact between the bottom and the support surface, which makes it difficult for local moisture to evaporate. In addition, the stacked internal materials obstruct airflow, resulting in uneven temperature distribution and large temperature differences between upper and lower layers or front and back areas, causing the degree of drying of filters in different positions in the same batch to be inconsistent.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a batch drying device for optical filter production, comprising a drying oven, a door installed at the front end of the drying oven, multiple material racks arranged inside the drying oven, and a heat circulation component installed on the top of the drying oven. The material racks are slidably connected to the inner wall of the drying oven via drawer slide rails. Multiple equally spaced fixing rods are fixedly installed on the inner side of each material rack. A bracket assembly is provided on the surface of the fixing rods, and the bracket assembly is used to support the optical filters. The heat circulation assembly includes a circulating fan fixedly installed on the top of the drying chamber and air ducts fixedly installed on the left and right ends of the drying chamber. The air outlet of the circulating fan is connected to the upper end of the air ducts on the left and right sides through two connecting pipes respectively. Heating elements are installed inside the connecting pipes. The upper surface of the drying oven has a return air inlet, which is connected to the air inlet of the circulating fan to form a return air path. Air outlets are opened on both the left and right sides of the inner wall of the drying oven, and the air duct is connected to the inside of the drying oven through the air outlets.

[0005] Furthermore, one end of the door is rotatably connected to the front of the drying oven via a hinge, and the other end of the door is equipped with a locking structure. The surface of the door is provided with a transparent observation window, which is used to observe the working status inside the drying oven.

[0006] Furthermore, the material racks are distributed in multiple layers at equal intervals along the vertical direction, and each layer of material racks can be pulled out independently.

[0007] Furthermore, the bracket assembly includes a bracket seat rotatably mounted on the surface of the fixed rod, a support plate fixedly mounted on the bottom of the bracket seat, a U-shaped frame fixedly mounted on the upper part of the support plate, and a locking bolt located at the rear end of the bracket seat. The bracket seat can be adjusted to tilt around the axis of the fixed rod. The U-shaped frame is tilted as a whole and is used to place optical filters. The bearing surface of the U-shaped frame is provided with multiple rubber support points.

[0008] It is important to note that the inclined U-shaped frame is not a simple inclined placement structure, but rather forms a specific airflow coupling relationship with the air supply direction: when hot air is blown in horizontally from the left and right air outlets, the surface of the inclined filter forms a certain angle with the mainstream airflow, which helps guide the airflow along its inclined surface, forming a boundary layer acceleration effect, significantly improving the surface heat transfer coefficient, and further accelerating the moisture evaporation rate; this angle optimization design (preferably 10° to 20°) is the optimal range determined after multiple sets of experimental verifications, maximizing drying efficiency while ensuring stability.

[0009] Furthermore, the support plate has an L-shaped structure, and the screw end of the locking bolt is threaded with the fixing rod. When the locking bolt is rotated, the end of the locking bolt is pressed against the surface of the fixing rod.

[0010] It is important to note that the structure in which the bracket seat rotates around the axis of the fixed rod and is pressed and limited by the locking bolt constitutes a "friction angle adjustment mechanism". Its core lies in using the static friction between the metal and rubber composite contact surfaces to achieve stepless adjustment and reliable locking, avoiding the assembly complexity and local stress concentration problems caused by using gear or slot structures. This structure allows for manual and rapid adjustment of the tilt angle of each bracket without stopping the machine, adapting to the drying needs of optical filters of different thicknesses or materials, and has good engineering applicability.

[0011] Furthermore, the rubber supports are made of high-temperature resistant silicone and are evenly distributed on the bearing surface of the U-shaped frame.

[0012] Furthermore, the heating element consists of multiple equally spaced electric heating tubes, which are fixedly installed inside the connecting pipe to heat the circulating airflow. A temperature sensor is also installed inside the connecting pipe to monitor the hot air temperature in real time.

[0013] Furthermore, a dust filter is installed inside the air outlet. The dust filter has a detachable structure and is used to purify the hot air entering the drying chamber. Multiple air outlets are set up one-to-one with multiple material racks.

[0014] It should be noted that the device also includes a control system, which is electrically connected to the circulating fan, heating tube, and temperature sensor. The control system is used to set the drying temperature, running time, and wind speed parameters, and has over-temperature protection, fault alarm, and data recording functions. The inner wall of the drying oven is made of SUS304 stainless steel and has been mirror polished. An external insulation layer is provided. A composite filter (filter screen and drying treatment) is installed at the return air vent to prevent external dust from entering the circulation system. The filter structure integrates a moisture-absorbing material layer to remove trace amounts of moisture carried in the return air, reduce the overall humidity load, and improve drying efficiency.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of this application has the following beneficial effects: 1. This batch drying device for optical filters uses an adjustable tilt bracket assembly with rubber fulcrums for point contact support, changing the traditional flat-laying method. This allows the optical filters to be placed at an angle, ensuring the fluidity of the surface liquid film under gravity and effectively preventing water accumulation and water stains at the bottom. At the same time, the point contact design increases the ventilation gap at the bottom of the filter, promoting hot air penetration from below and accelerating the evaporation rate, thereby improving drying efficiency and uniformity. 2. This batch drying device for optical filter production adopts a drawer-type multi-layer material rack structure. The bracket assembly is mounted on a fixed rod by rotation and is angularly positioned by locking bolts. Users can flexibly adjust the tilt angle according to different sizes or process requirements, which enhances the adaptability and practicality of the equipment. Combined with rubber support points made of high-temperature resistant silicone, flexible contact is achieved. 3. In this batch drying device for optical filter production, hot air enters the drying chamber through the air outlet via the left and right side air ducts, forming a horizontal and vertical composite flow path to ensure that each layer of material can receive stable and uniform hot air coverage, thus guaranteeing the uniformity of temperature distribution. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the internal structure of the drying oven of this utility model. Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the overall structure of this utility model. Figure 3 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the material rack structure of this utility model. Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the retractable frame structure of this utility model; Figure 5 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the internal structure of the air duct of this utility model. Figure 6 The diagram shown is a side view of the bracket seat of this utility model.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Drying oven; 2. Oven door; 3. Material rack; 4. Fixing rod; 41. Bracket base; 42. Pallet; 43. U-shaped frame; 44. Locking bolt; 5. Circulating fan; 6. Air duct; 7. Connecting pipe; 71. Electric heating element; 8. Return air outlet; 9. Air supply outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0019] Please see Figures 1-6 This embodiment of an optical filter production batch drying device includes a drying chamber 1, a door 2 installed at the front end of the drying chamber 1, multiple material racks 3 disposed inside the drying chamber 1, and a heat circulation assembly installed at the top of the drying chamber 1. The material racks 3 are slidably connected to the inner wall of the drying chamber 1 via drawer slide rails. Multiple equally spaced fixing rods 4 are fixedly installed on the inner side of each material rack 3. The surface of the fixing rods 4 is provided with a bracket assembly for supporting optical filters. One end of the door 2 is rotatably connected to the front end of the drying chamber 1 via a hinge. The other end of the door 2 is provided with a locking structure. The surface of the door 2 is provided with a transparent observation window for observing the internal working status of the drying chamber 1. The heat circulation assembly includes a circulating fan 5 fixedly installed on the top of the drying chamber 1 and air ducts 6 fixedly installed on the left and right ends of the drying chamber 1. The air outlet of the circulating fan 5 is connected to the upper end of the air ducts 6 on the left and right sides respectively through two connecting pipes 7. A heating element is installed in the connecting pipe 7. A return air inlet 8 is provided on the upper end face of the drying oven 1. The return air inlet 8 is connected to the air inlet of the circulating fan 5 to form a return air path. Air outlets 9 are provided on both the left and right ends of the inner wall of the drying oven 1. The air duct 6 is connected to the inside of the drying oven 1 through the air outlets 9.

[0020] In this embodiment, the material rack 3 has multiple layers evenly distributed along the vertical direction, and each layer of material rack 3 can be pulled out independently.

[0021] It should be noted that the optical filter is placed in the bracket assembly, and multiple material racks 3 are stacked and can be pulled out independently. During drying, the airflow is driven by the circulating fan 5 and delivered by multiple air outlets 9 on both sides. The heating element heats the airflow to achieve the delivery of high-temperature airflow, while the return air outlet 8 returns the air, forming a circulation. During the airflow circulation, filtration is performed to achieve dust protection.

[0022] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 In this embodiment, the bracket assembly includes a bracket seat 41 rotatably mounted on the surface of the fixed rod 4, a support plate 42 fixedly mounted on the bottom of the bracket seat 41, a U-shaped frame 43 fixedly mounted on the upper end of the support plate 42, and a locking bolt 44 disposed at the rear end of the bracket seat 41. The bracket seat 41 can be tilted around the axis of the fixed rod 4. The U-shaped frame 43 is tilted as a whole and is used to place optical filters. The bearing surface of the U-shaped frame 43 is provided with multiple rubber support points. The support plate 42 has an L-shaped structure. The screw end of the locking bolt 44 is threadedly engaged with the fixed rod 4. When the locking bolt 44 is rotated, the end of the locking bolt 44 is pressed against the surface of the fixed rod 4. The rubber support points are made of high-temperature resistant silicone and are evenly distributed on the bearing surface of the U-shaped frame 43.

[0023] It should be noted that the bracket seat 41 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the fixing rod 4 through its internal through hole, and a low-friction washer (such as a polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE washer) is provided between the two, so that the bracket seat 41 can be easily rotated manually to adjust the angle. After adjusting to the required tilt angle (usually 10° to 20°, preferably 15°), tighten the locking bolt 44, and its screw end can fit tightly against the surface of the fixing rod 4 to form a reliable radial clamping force, preventing the angle from shifting due to vibration during the drying process. Six high-temperature resistant silicone rubber support points are fixed on the bearing surface of the U-shaped frame 43 to form a stable six-point support system. The height error of all support points is controlled within ±0.1mm to ensure that the filter is placed stably.

[0024] Please see Figure 5 In this embodiment, the heating element is a plurality of electric heating tubes 71 arranged at equal intervals. The electric heating tubes 71 are fixedly installed inside the connecting pipe 7 for heating the circulating airflow. A temperature sensor is installed inside the connecting pipe 7 for real-time monitoring of the hot air temperature.

[0025] It should be noted that the electric heating element 71 is a stainless steel finned heating element, model SRM-3. The heating element is fixed to the side wall opening of the connecting pipe 7 via a flange, facilitating future maintenance and replacement. The temperature sensor is a Pt100 platinum resistance sensor, installed in the middle area of ​​the air duct 6, away from the direct heat from the heating element, to accurately reflect the average temperature of the hot air. The sensor signal is connected to the PLC controller and participates in PID closed-loop temperature control, achieving a temperature control accuracy of ±1℃, meeting the requirements of the optical device drying process, facilitating the control of the incoming hot air temperature, and synchronously adjusting the drying temperature.

[0026] Another implementation of the heating element in this embodiment is a far-infrared ceramic heating plate. The far-infrared ceramic heating plate is embedded in the side wall of the connecting pipe 7 or in the outer circumferential coating of the air duct 6. It heats the airflow through a combination of radiation and convection heat transfer. The far-infrared ceramic heating plate has a rapid heating effect and a uniform surface temperature distribution, which avoids local overheating and damage to the optical elements.

[0027] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 5 In this embodiment, a dust filter is installed inside the air outlet 9. The dust filter has a detachable structure and is used to purify the hot air entering the drying chamber 1. Multiple air outlets 9 are set up one-to-one with multiple material racks 3.

[0028] It should be noted that each air outlet 9 has a built-in independent modular dust removal filter unit. Since multiple air outlets 9 are set up one-to-one with multiple material racks 3, the air intake of each layer is filtered independently, avoiding the risk of dust settling on the upper floors and contaminating the products on the lower floors. The return air outlet 8 is equipped with a composite filter device, including a pre-filter G4 (to intercept large particles) and a HEPA high-efficiency filter (H13 grade, filtration efficiency 99.97%@0.3μm), and integrates a molecular sieve moisture-absorbing layer to reduce the humidity of the return air and improve the overall dehumidification efficiency.

[0029] The working principle of the above embodiments is as follows: During operation, the operator places the cleaned optical filters diagonally onto the bracket assemblies of each layer of material rack 3, adjusts the bracket seat 41 to a suitable tilt angle (generally 15°), and secures it by rotating the locking bolt 44. Then, the material rack 3 is pushed into the drying chamber 1 along the drawer slide rail, the chamber door 2 is closed, and the locking mechanism is tightened to ensure a good seal. After starting the equipment, the control system operates according to the preset program: the circulating fan 5 starts working, drawing humid and hot air from the top of the drying chamber 1 through the return air vent 8. After being filtered and dehumidified by the composite filter, the air is sent to the fan inlet; the airflow flows through the left and right connecting pipes 7 to the air duct 6, during which time it is heated to the set temperature (e.g., 70°C) by the electric heating element 71; the heated clean hot air enters the drying chamber 1 through the air outlets 9 on both sides. Each air outlet 9 corresponds to a material area, achieving zoned air supply. Hot air forms a composite airflow field inside the chamber, mainly horizontal and supplemented by an upward trend, evenly covering the surface of the inclined filters on each layer. Since the filters are inclined and the bottom is only supported by rubber fulcrums, the moisture naturally slides down the inclined surface under the action of gravity and evaporates quickly. The ventilation gap at the bottom also helps the hot air to penetrate, significantly improving the drying efficiency. At the same time, the Pt100 temperature sensor continuously monitors the temperature inside the air duct and feeds it back to the PLC controller to achieve precise constant temperature control. The whole process lasts about 30-40 minutes. After drying is completed, the system automatically stops heating and issues an audible and visual prompt. The operator opens the chamber door 2, pulls out the material racks 3 layer by layer, takes out the dried optical filters, and moves on to the next process.

[0030] It should be noted that the control method of this utility model is controlled by a controller. The control circuit of the controller can be implemented by those skilled in the art through simple programming. The power supply is also common knowledge in the field. Furthermore, this utility model is mainly used to protect mechanical devices, so the control method and circuit connection will not be explained in detail here.

[0031] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0032] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A batch drying apparatus for optical filter production, characterized in that: Includes a drying oven (1), a door (2) installed at the front of the drying oven (1), multiple material racks (3) set inside the drying oven (1), and a heat circulation assembly installed on the top of the drying oven (1). The material racks (3) are slidably connected to the inner wall of the drying oven (1) via drawer slide rails. Multiple equally spaced fixing rods (4) are fixedly installed on the inner side of each material rack (3). The surface of the fixing rods (4) is provided with a bracket assembly, which is used to support optical filters. The heat circulation assembly includes a circulating fan (5) fixedly installed on the top of the drying box (1) and air ducts (6) fixedly installed on the left and right ends of the drying box (1). The air outlet of the circulating fan (5) is connected to the upper end of the air ducts (6) on the left and right sides respectively through two connecting pipes (7). A heating element is installed in the connecting pipe (7). The upper end face of the drying box (1) is provided with a return air port (8), which is connected to the air inlet of the circulating fan (5) to form a return air path. Both the left and right ends of the inner wall of the drying box (1) are provided with air outlets (9), and the air duct (6) is connected to the inside of the drying box (1) through the air outlets (9).

2. The batch drying apparatus for optical filter production according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the door (2) is rotatably connected to the front end of the drying oven (1) via a hinge. The other end of the door (2) is provided with a latch structure. The surface of the door (2) is provided with a transparent observation window, which is used to observe the internal working status of the drying oven (1).

3. The batch drying apparatus for optical filter production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material rack (3) has multiple layers evenly spaced along the vertical direction, and each layer of material rack (3) can be pulled out independently.

4. The batch drying apparatus for optical filter production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bracket assembly includes a bracket seat (41) rotatably mounted on the surface of the fixed rod (4), a support plate (42) fixedly mounted on the bottom of the bracket seat (41), a spiral frame (43) fixedly mounted on the upper end of the support plate (42), and a locking bolt (44) located at the rear end of the bracket seat (41). The bracket seat (41) can be tilted around the axis of the fixed rod (4). The spiral frame (43) is tilted as a whole and is used to place optical filters. The bearing surface of the spiral frame (43) is provided with multiple rubber supports.

5. The batch drying apparatus for optical filter production according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support plate (42) has an L-shaped structure. The screw end of the locking bolt (44) is threaded with the fixing rod (4). When the locking bolt (44) is rotated, the end of the locking bolt (44) is pressed against the surface of the fixing rod (4).

6. The batch drying apparatus for optical filter production according to claim 5, characterized in that: The rubber supports are made of high-temperature resistant silicone and are evenly distributed on the bearing surface of the spiral frame (43).

7. The batch drying apparatus for optical filter production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating element consists of multiple equally spaced electric heating tubes (71). The electric heating tubes (71) are fixedly installed inside the connecting tube (7) to heat the circulating airflow. A temperature sensor is installed inside the connecting tube (7) to monitor the hot air temperature in real time.

8. The batch drying apparatus for optical filter production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air outlet (9) is equipped with a dust filter screen. The dust filter screen is a detachable structure. The dust filter screen is used to purify the hot air entering the drying box (1). Multiple air outlets (9) are set up one-to-one with multiple material racks (3).

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