Heat processing apparatus

Abstract

To improve thermal uniformity when thermally processing a processed product.SOLUTION: A heat processing apparatus 10 includes a furnace body 20, an air supply port 30, and a dispersing member 40. The furnace body 20 includes a pair of side walls 23, 24. The pair of side walls 23, 24 faces each other across a processing space 20a where a processed product A is conveyed or placed. The air supply port 30 is disposed in each of the side walls 23, 24. The dispersing member 40 includes plural blowout holes 41. The dispersing member 40 disperses air supplied from the air supply port 30 and supplies the air to the processing space 20a of the furnace body 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a thermal processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-216753 discloses a heat treatment device in which a circulation fan, a heater, and a heat-resistant filter are arranged on each of a first side surface side and a second side surface side of a furnace body. The circulation fan is configured to generate circulating hot air. The heater is configured to heat the circulating hot air. The heat-resistant filter is configured to purify the circulating hot air. A hot air straightening means is arranged between the heat-resistant filter and the workpiece. The hot air straightening means is configured to adjust the air volume of the hot air supplied to the workpiece from the first side surface side and the air volume of the hot air supplied to the workpiece from the second side surface side, respectively. In this heat treatment device, the air volume is adjusted so that the air volume of the hot air supplied to the workpiece from the first side surface side is not the same as the air volume of the hot air supplied to the workpiece from the second side surface side, thereby preventing a decrease in temperature in the center of the width direction of the workpiece.

[0003] JP 2020-190339 A discloses a hot air heating device including a housing, a main blower, and a hot air supply unit. The main blower generates circulating air in the furnace. The hot air supply unit is provided separately from the heater section that heats the atmosphere in the furnace and the main blower. The hot air supply unit is provided in the furnace so as to be able to blow hot air to the heated portion of the workpiece. The hot air supply unit varies at least one of the wind speed, air volume, and temperature of the air passing through the heater section. It is said that such a hot air heating device reduces the energy consumption of the hot air heating device as a whole. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-216753 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-190339 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present inventors wish to improve the thermal uniformity when heat treating an object to be treated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The heat treatment apparatus disclosed herein includes a furnace body, an air supply port, and a dispersion member. The furnace body has a pair of side walls that face each other across a treatment space in which the workpiece is transported or placed. The air supply port is provided in the side walls. The dispersion member has a plurality of blowing holes. The dispersion member disperses air supplied from the air supply port and supplies it to the treatment space of the furnace body. In such a heat treatment apparatus, the thermal uniformity is improved when the workpiece is heat-treated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a heat treatment apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the heat treatment apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the heat treatment apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the dispersion member 40. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, one of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote members and parts that perform the same function. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships (length, width, thickness, etc.) in each drawing do not reflect the actual dimensional relationships. The directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are respectively indicated by arrows U, D, L, R, F, and Rr in the drawings. Here, the directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are merely defined for the convenience of explanation, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified.

[0009] 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams showing a heat treatment apparatus 10. In FIG. 1, a cross section of the heat treatment apparatus 10 seen from the rear to the front is shown. In FIG. 2, a cross section of the furnace body 20 seen from the top to the bottom is shown. In FIG. 2, the state in which the door 25a is open is shown by a broken line. In FIG. 2, the heater 50 is omitted. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the heat treatment apparatus 10. In FIG. 3, the inside of the heat treatment apparatus 10 seen from the left to the right is shown.

[0010] <Heat treatment device 10> As shown in FIG. 1, the heat treatment device 10 includes a furnace body 20, an air supply port 30, and a dispersion member 40. The heat treatment device 10 is a device for heat-treating a workpiece A. In the heat treatment device 10, a sheet-shaped workpiece A is heat-treated. The heat treatment device 10 includes a furnace body 20 provided with a treatment space 20a in which the workpiece A is transported or placed when the workpiece A is treated. The heat treatment device 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is a device that can heat-treat the workpiece A in the furnace body 20. In this embodiment, the heat treatment device 10 is a so-called batch-type heat treatment device. In this embodiment, the workpiece A is treated in a state where it is placed in the treatment space 20a.

[0011] <Furnace body 20> The furnace body 20 has a pair of side walls 23, 24 that face each other with the processing space 20a in between. In this embodiment, the furnace body 20 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The furnace body 20 is placed on a stand 20b. The furnace body 20 has a bottom wall 21, a ceiling wall 22, a front wall 25 (see FIG. 2), and a rear wall 26 (see FIG. 2). The pair of side walls 23, 24 and the rear wall 26 are supported by the bottom wall 21. The ceiling wall 22 is supported by the pair of side walls 23, 24 and the rear wall 26. The bottom wall 21 and the ceiling wall 22 face each other with the processing space 20a in between in the height direction (up-down direction) of the furnace body 20. An exhaust pipe 22a is connected to the ceiling wall 22. The exhaust pipe is a pipe for exhausting atmospheric gas from inside the furnace body. An exhaust device such as an exhaust pump can be connected to the exhaust pipe 22a. The pair of side walls 23, 24 face each other across the processing space 20a in the width direction (left-right direction) of the furnace body 20. The front wall 25 and the rear wall 26 face each other across the processing space 20a in the depth direction (front-rear direction) of the furnace body 20 (see FIG. 2).

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the furnace body 20 has a door 25a for carrying in and out the workpiece A. In this embodiment, the front wall 25 of the furnace body 20 is attached to the door 25a. The door 25a is connected to the right side wall 24 via an opening / closing mechanism 25b. The form of the opening / closing mechanism 25b is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism 25b includes a frame 25b1, a shaft 25b2, and an arm 25b3. The frame 25b1 is attached to the front of the side wall 24. The frame 25b1 is approximately L-shaped in a plan view seen from above. The frame 25b1 supports the shaft 25b2. The shaft 25b2 is a member that serves as an axis when the door 25a is opened and closed. The shaft 25b2 is approximately cylindrical in shape along the vertical direction, and is rotatably supported by the frame 25b1 via a bearing. The arm 25b3 is attached to the shaft 25b2. The arm 25b3 is aligned along the width direction of the door 25a and is attached to the approximate center of the door 25a in the width direction. The furnace body 20 may be provided with a handle for increasing the airtightness of the inside of the furnace body 20 after the door 25a is closed. By tightening the handle on the periphery of the door 25a, the front wall 25 may be pressed firmly against the furnace body 20, thereby increasing the airtightness of the furnace body 20.

[0013] The furnace body 20 is made of a heat insulating material having heat insulating properties. The furnace body 20 insulates the heat of the treatment space 20a. The furnace body 20 may be made of a heat insulating material in which ceramic fiber boards formed into a predetermined shape are stacked in the thickness direction. The ceramic fiber board is, for example, a plate material formed into a plate shape by adding an inorganic filler and an inorganic / organic binder to so-called bulk fiber. The furnace body 20 may be made of a refractory material having fire resistance. An example of the refractory material is a heat-resistant brick. The thickness of the furnace body 20 is set to a required thickness that sufficiently insulates the heat of the treatment space 20a. The outside of the furnace body 20 may be covered with an outer wall. A metallic material having excellent rigidity and heat resistance is used as the outer wall, and for example, stainless steel or the like can be used. The upper surface and side surface of the furnace body 20 may be covered with a cover 20c. A cover 20c is placed on the upper surface of the ceiling wall 22 of the furnace body 20. The cover 20c is disposed at a distance from the outer surfaces of the side walls 23, 24 of the furnace body 20.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the furnace body 20 is provided with a support member 28 that supports the workpiece A. The support member 28 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the workpiece A. In this embodiment, the support member 28 is a substantially cylindrical member. The support member 28 is bridged across a pair of side walls 23, 24. In other words, both ends of the support member 28 are supported by the pair of side walls 23, 24, respectively. A plurality of support members 28 are arranged at substantially the same height. The plurality of support members 28 are arranged at intervals along the front-rear direction. By arranging the plurality of support members 28 at intervals, the temperature is less likely to vary above and below the support member 28.

[0015] The workpiece A is processed while being supported by the support members 28. The support form of the workpiece A is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the heat treatment device 10 heats a plurality of sheet-like workpieces A. Although not particularly limited, the heat treatment device 10 can process workpieces A that will be about 30 to 300 μm after treatment. The workpiece A is supported by the plurality of support members 28 via a base plate 11 and a rack 12 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). The base plate 11 is a substantially rectangular plate-like member supported by the plurality of support members 28. The rack 12 on which the workpiece A is placed is placed on the base plate 11.

[0016] 2, the rack 12 is substantially rectangular in plan view from above. The rack 12 has a smaller dimension than the base plate 11 in plan view. A plurality of racks 12 may be arranged on the base plate 11 in at least one of the width direction and the surface direction. In this embodiment, the plurality of racks 12 are arranged in two rows in the width direction.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, the rack 12 has a flat plate portion 12a and legs 12b. The flat plate portion 12a is a substantially rectangular plate that is slightly larger than the sheet-shaped workpiece A. The workpiece A is placed on the flat plate portion 12a. The legs 12b protrude downward from the four corners of the substantially rectangular flat plate portion 12a. In the heat treatment device 10, a plurality of racks 12 on which the workpiece A is placed are stacked and treated. The plurality of racks 12 are stacked such that the legs 12b are aligned in the height direction. As a result, the plurality of workpieces A are lined up in the height direction with their positions aligned in the surface direction.

[0018] The base plate 11, the rack 12, and the workpiece A are carried in with the door 25a open (see FIG. 2). The furnace body 20 is provided with a positioning member 29 for positioning the base plate 11 and the rack 12 in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the positioning member 29 is a substantially cylindrical member having substantially the same dimensions as the support member 28. The positioning member 29 is bridged across the side walls 23 and 24 (see FIG. 2). The positioning member 29 is provided at a position higher than the upper end of the support member 28. When the base plate 11 is carried in, the rear end of the base plate 11 hits the positioning member 29, so that the positioning accuracy of the base plate 11 can be improved. This improves the positioning accuracy of the rack 12 and the workpiece A, and the processing conditions of the workpiece A can be stabilized.

[0019] The heat treatment device 10 is provided with a heater 50 for heat-treating the workpiece A. The heater 50 is a facility for heat-treating the workpiece A. In this embodiment, a cylindrical ceramic heater is used as the heater 50. The heaters 50 are arranged above and below the multiple support members 28 at predetermined intervals along the front-rear direction. This makes it easier to make the temperature of the workpiece A uniform. The heater 50 is hung across the side walls 23, 24. An end of the heater 50 protrudes from the side walls 23, 24 of the furnace body 20 into the space between the furnace body 20 and the cover 20c (see FIG. 1). The shape of the heater 50 is not particularly limited as long as it can heat the workpiece A.

[0020] In the heat treatment device 10, the workpiece A can be treated under different treatment conditions in the treatment space 20a by changing the output of the heater 50. For example, in the heat treatment device 10, the workpiece A can be heat-treated at a first treatment temperature for a predetermined time, and then heat-treated at a second temperature higher than the first treatment temperature for a predetermined time. In the heat treatment device 10, for example, the workpiece A may be degreased at about 100 to 500°C (first treatment temperature), and then the temperature inside the furnace may be increased, and the workpiece A may be fired at about 1300 to 1500°C (second treatment temperature). Treatment conditions such as treatment temperature, treatment time, and temperature increase pattern may be appropriately set according to the workpiece A to be treated. The treatment conditions may be controlled by a control device (not shown) that controls the output of the heater 50. The furnace body 20 may be provided with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the treatment space 20a. The output of the heater 50 may be adjusted based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. Further, the furnace body 20 may be connected to an air supply pipe for supplying an atmospheric gas to the processing space 20a.

[0021] In the heat treatment apparatus 10, the workpiece A is heat-treated while air is supplied to the treatment space 20a. The heat treatment apparatus 10 is provided with an air supply port 30 for supplying air.

[0022] <Air supply port 30> The air supply port 30 is provided in the side walls 23, 24 as shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, a pipe 32 having an inner diameter of 25 mm passes through the air supply port 30. The inner diameters of the air supply port 30 and the pipe 32 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, recesses 23a, 24a are provided in the side walls 23, 24, respectively. The air supply port 30 is formed in the bottom surfaces 23a1, 24a1 of the recesses 23a, 24a recessed outward in the width direction from the inner wall surfaces 23b, 24b. The recesses 23a, 24a are recessed in a substantially rectangular shape (here, substantially square shape) from the inner wall surfaces 23b, 24b of the side walls 23, 24. A dispersion member 40, which will be described later, is disposed in the recesses 23a, 24a.

[0023] The air supply port 30 is formed in the approximate center of the approximately square bottom surfaces 23a1, 24a1. The air supply port 30 opens toward the inside of the furnace body 20. In this embodiment, the air supply port 30 provided in the side wall 23 and the air supply port 30 provided in the side wall 24 face each other in the width direction of the furnace body 20.

[0024] An air supply device 31 is connected to the air supply port 30. In this embodiment, the air supply device 31 is a blower that compresses air outside the furnace body 20. The air supply device 31 is not particularly limited as long as it can supply air to the processing space 20a through the air supply port 30. The air supply device 31 is not limited to a blower, and a ventilator, a compressor, etc. may be used. The air supply device 31 is not limited to air, and may be a device that can supply an atmospheric gas such as nitrogen, argon, oxygen, etc. at a required pressure according to the processing conditions.

[0025] The air supply device 31 supplies air to the air supply port 30 through a pipe 32. The pipe 32 extending from the air supply device 31 branches into two at a branch point 32a, and each of the two branches is connected to the furnace body 20 from the outside of the side walls 23, 24. The two branched pipes 32 are connected to the air supply port 30 from through holes 23c, 24c formed in the side walls 23, 24, respectively. The air supplied from the air supply port 30 is supplied to the processing space 20a through a dispersion member 40.

[0026] <Dispersion member 40> FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the dispersion member 40. In FIG. 4, a plan view of the dispersion member 40 seen along the width direction of the furnace body 20 is shown typically. In FIG. 4, the air supply port 30 facing the dispersion member 40 is shown by a broken line. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 4. In FIG. 5, a cross-section of the dispersion member 40 seen along the front-rear direction of the furnace body 20 is shown typically. In FIG. 5, the air flow is virtually indicated by arrows. The dispersion member 40 provided on the side wall 24 side will be described below. The dispersion member 40 provided on the side wall 23 side can be configured in the same way, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 4, the dispersion member 40 has a plurality of blowing holes 41. The dispersion member 40 is a member that disperses the air supplied from the air supply port 30 and supplies the air to the processing space 20a of the furnace body 20. In this embodiment, the dispersion member 40 has a supply surface 40a and a side portion 40b. The material of the dispersion member 40 is not particularly limited, but may be made of a material that can withstand the processing temperature in the heat treatment device 10. In this embodiment, the dispersion member 40 is made of alumina.

[0028] The supply surface 40a is a surface that supplies air supplied from the air supply port 30 to the processing space 20a. The supply surface 40a is substantially square. The supply surface 40a faces the processing space 20a of the furnace body 20. A plurality of blowing holes 41 are formed on the supply surface 40a. In the heat treatment device 10, as shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of blowing holes 41 are provided in a range facing the area where the workpiece A is processed. The height of the dispersion member 40 is substantially the same as the height of the stacked racks 12 (see FIG. 3).

[0029] The supply surface 40a is along the surface direction of the side wall 24. In other words, the supply surface 40a is arranged so that the inner wall surface 24b of the side wall 24 is approximately parallel. The supply surface 40a has approximately the same shape as the bottom surface 24a1 of the recess 24a of the side wall 24. A side portion 40b extends from the peripheral portion of the supply surface 40a toward the bottom surface 24a1 of the recess 24a. The side portion 40b is provided continuously to the peripheral portion of the supply surface 40a. The dispersion member 40 is formed in an approximately box shape. The side portion 40b extends from the peripheral portion of the supply surface 40a along the side surface 24a2 of the recess 24a toward the bottom surface 24a1. The dimensions of the side surface 24a2 of the recess 24a and the side portion 40b of the dispersion member 40 are approximately the same. Therefore, the supply surface 40a of the dispersion member 40 is arranged along the side wall 24.

[0030] The dispersion member 40 is attached to the side wall 24 by the attachment member 42. The four corners of the supply surface 40a of the dispersion member 40 are formed with insertion holes 40a1 through which the attachment member 42 is inserted. In this embodiment, the attachment member 42 is a ceramic (alumina) pin. The attachment member 42 is attached to the attachment hole 24d in the bottom surface 24a1 of the recess 24a of the side wall 24. Therefore, the dispersion member 40 is configured to be replaceable by removing the attachment member 42. The dispersion member 40 may be replaced with one having a different opening pattern of the blowing holes 41 according to the processing conditions of the object A to be processed. In addition, the dispersion member 40 may be removed during maintenance. A supply space 40c is provided between the attached dispersion member 40 and the side wall. The supply space 40c is formed by the dispersion member 40 and the bottom surface 24a1 of the recess 24a of the side wall 24. The supply space 40c is connected to the air supply port 30. Air is supplied from the air supply port 30 to the supply space 40c.

[0031] In this embodiment, the dispersion member 40 is connected to the side wall 24 via a sealant 43. In other words, the sealant 43 is disposed between the side portion 40b of the dispersion member 40 and the bottom surface 24a1 of the side wall 24. The sealant 43 can be made of a material that can withstand the temperature rise of the furnace body 20 during the treatment of the object A. In this embodiment, glass wool having thermal insulation properties is used as the sealant 43. The sealant 43 is compressed by the dispersion member 40 and the side wall 24. This reduces the gap between the dispersion member 40 and the side wall 24, and the airtightness of the supply space surrounded by the dispersion member 40 and the side wall 24 can be improved.

[0032] In this embodiment, the air supply port 30 faces the supply surface 40a. The air supply port 30 is provided in the approximate center of the bottom surface 24a1 of the recess 24a, and faces the approximate center of the supply surface 40a.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of blowing holes 41 are formed on the supply surface 40a of the dispersion member 40. In this embodiment, the blowing holes 41 are holes with an inner diameter of 5 mm. The diameter of the blowing holes 41 is set to be smaller than the diameter of the air supply port 30. The diameter of the blowing holes 41 is not particularly limited. The blowing holes 41 include a plurality of first blowing holes 41a and a plurality of second blowing holes 41b. The plurality of first blowing holes 41a are regularly provided at substantially equal intervals along the front-rear direction and the height direction. The first blowing holes 41a are formed at the intersections of a lattice shown imaginarily by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 4. Here, the vertical lines along the height direction are referred to as V1 to V6 from the rear to the front, and the horizontal lines along the front-rear direction are referred to as H1 to H6 from the top to the bottom.

[0034] The first blowing holes 41a are formed at the intersections of the lattice described above, except for the four corners through which the mounting member 42 is inserted. The first blowing holes 41a are not formed in the approximate center of the supply surface 40a (between V3 and V4, and between H3 and H4). The blowing holes 41 (here, the first blowing holes 41a) are provided at positions that do not face the air supply port 30.

[0035] In the supply surface 40a, the second blowing holes 41b are provided separately from the first blowing holes 41a. The second blowing holes 41b are formed in the peripheral region 40a3, which is between V2 and V5 and between H2 and H5, and excludes the region between V3 and V4 and between H3 and H4. The second blowing holes 41b are provided between the first blowing holes 41a in the region. Here, the second blowing holes 41b are provided so that the distances between the second blowing holes 41b and the four first blowing holes 41a are approximately the same. In other words, the second blowing holes 41b are provided between adjacent vertical lines and between adjacent horizontal lines in the peripheral region 40a3.

[0036] As described above, in the supply surface 40a of the dispersion member 40, the blowing holes 41 are not formed in the opposing position 40a2 facing the air supply port 30. The second blowing holes 41b are formed in the peripheral region 40a3 surrounding the opposing position 40a2. The peripheral region 40a3 has a higher opening density of the blowing holes 41 than the other regions because the second blowing holes 41b are formed therein. In other words, in the supply surface 40a, a region (peripheral region 40a3) where the opening density of the blowing holes 41 is high is provided outside the opposing position 40a2 facing the air supply port 30. The region (peripheral region 40a3) where the opening density of the blowing holes 41 is high is provided so as to surround the opposing position 40a2. Outside the peripheral region 40a3, the opening density of the blowing holes 41 is low. The opening density is expressed as the opening area of ​​the blowing holes 41 per unit area.

[0037] Incidentally, when a sheet-shaped workpiece is heat-treated in a heat treatment device, the temperature of the workpiece may not be uniform. According to the knowledge of the present inventor, if the temperature varies within the surface of the workpiece, when the workpiece is deformed during the heat treatment (for example, the workpiece expands or contracts due to a temperature change), the deformation rate during the heat treatment may not be uniform within the surface of the workpiece. In this case, the workpiece after the heat treatment may be distorted, such as curved. In addition, when a plurality of workpieces are heat-treated at once, there may be a difference in the quality of the product after the heat treatment. In addition, when the workpiece is a ceramic sheet material, the thermal conductivity is low and the temperature is not uniform within the surface of the workpiece. For this reason, the workpiece is likely to be distorted and there may be a difference in the quality of the product after the heat treatment.

[0038] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a furnace body 20, an air supply port 30, and a dispersion member 40. The furnace body 20 has a pair of side walls 23, 24. The pair of side walls 23, 24 face each other across a treatment space 20a in which the workpiece A is transported or placed. The air supply port 30 is provided in the side walls 23, 24. The dispersion member 40 has a plurality of blowing holes 41 (see FIG. 4). The dispersion member 40 disperses air supplied from the air supply port 30 and supplies it to the treatment space 20a of the furnace body 20.

[0039] According to the heat treatment device 10, air is supplied to the workpiece A from the air supply port 30 provided on the side walls 23, 24. The air supplied from the air supply port 30 is dispersed by the dispersion member 40 and supplied to the treatment space 20a of the furnace body 20 from the multiple blowing holes 41 of the dispersion member 40. The air is uniformly blown from the side to the left and right direction to the workpiece A. The temperature variation of the workpiece A is reduced by convection. In addition, the air supplied to the treatment space 20a is supplied to the treatment space 20a in a dispersed state by the dispersion member 40 and blown to the workpiece A. The air can also be dispersed in the front and rear directions of the side walls 23, 24. The air dispersed in the front and rear directions is blown to the workpiece A, thereby reducing the temperature variation of the workpiece A. The effect of reducing the temperature variation of the workpiece A is more remarkable, for example, when the workpiece A is in a sheet shape. By uniformly heating the workpiece A during heat treatment, distortion of the product after heat treatment is reduced. In addition, by dispersing air in the height direction, even when multiple workpieces A arranged in the height direction are treated, the temperature of the multiple workpieces A is less likely to vary. This reduces quality differences in the products after heat treatment.

[0040] The heat treatment device 10 described above can also be used when treating a workpiece A that may react with the gas in the furnace body 20. In the heat treatment device 10, the air supplied from the air supply port 30 is dispersed by the dispersion member 40, so that the gas in the treatment space 20a is less likely to remain locally and is more likely to diffuse. Therefore, the reaction between the gas and the workpiece A is less likely to be uneven. As a result, there is less difference in quality between the products after the heat treatment.

[0041] In the above-described embodiment, a supply space 40c (see FIG. 5) to which air is supplied from the air supply port 30 is provided between the dispersion member 40 and the side walls 23, 24. Air supplied from the air supply port 30 is supplied from the plurality of blowing holes 41 through the supply space 40c to the treatment space 20a. By supplying air from the plurality of blowing holes 41 to the treatment space 20a through the supply space 40c, the momentum of the air supplied from the plurality of blowing holes 41 tends to become uniform. By blowing air with uniform momentum onto the workpiece A, the temperature of the workpiece A during heat treatment tends to be uniform.

[0042] In the above-described embodiment, the dispersion member 40 has a supply surface 40a that is aligned with the surface direction of the side walls 23, 24. The plurality of blowing holes 41 are formed on the supply surface 40a. In other words, the supply surface 40a of the dispersion member 40 and the side walls 23, 24 are substantially parallel. Since the supply surface 40a on which the plurality of blowing holes 41 are formed is aligned with the surface direction of the side walls 23, 24, the distance between the blowing holes 41 and the object A to be treated is easily adjusted. This makes it easy to uniformize the temperature of the object A in the height direction and the front-rear direction.

[0043] In the embodiment described above, the air supply port 30 faces the supply surface 40a (see FIG. 5). This makes it easier to stabilize the flow of air between the air supply port 30 and the blowing holes 41. As a result, the force of the air blown into the processing space 20a is easier to stabilize.

[0044] In the above-described embodiment, the multiple blowing holes 41 are provided at positions that do not face the air supply port 30. Therefore, the air supplied from the air supply port 30 is supplied to the processing space 20a after hitting the supply surface 40a. As a result, the momentum of the air supplied from the air supply port 30 is weakened before being supplied to the processing space 20a. This makes it easier to make the momentum of the air supplied from the multiple blowing holes 41 uniform.

[0045] In the above-described embodiment, on the supply surface 40a, a region (peripheral region 40a3) with a high opening density of the blow holes 41 is provided so as to surround the opposing position 40a2 outside the opposing position 40a2 facing the air supply port 30 (see FIG. 4). According to trials by the inventors, by providing a region with a high opening density surrounding the opposing position 40a2, air is more likely to be uniformly supplied to the processing space 20a. In addition, outside the peripheral region 40a3, the opening density of the blow holes 41 is lower. This prevents strong air from being supplied from the blow holes 41 formed in the peripheral portion, and makes it easier to supply air uniformly to the processing space 20a.

[0046] In the above-described embodiment, the side walls 23, 24 are provided with recesses 23a, 24a in which the dispersion member 40 is disposed. The supply surface 40a is disposed along the side walls 23, 24. With this configuration, protruding portions such as steps and recessed portions are unlikely to be formed on the side walls 23, 24. This makes it easier to stabilize convection in the processing space 20a.

[0047] In the heat treatment device 10, the side walls 23, 24 may be made of a heat insulating material or a refractory material. With this configuration, the furnace body 20 is less likely to be damaged even when the workpiece A is treated at a higher temperature. For example, even when a heater 50 is provided in the treatment space 20a of the furnace body 20 and the workpiece A is sintered, the furnace body 20 is less likely to be damaged. The heat treatment device 10 can heat treat the workpiece A in a wide temperature range (for example, a maximum temperature of about 1300 to 1500°C) compared to a heat treatment device that heat treats the workpiece by supplying heated air into the furnace.

[0048] In addition, in the heating device, there are cases where it is desired to adjust the air flow in the processing space 20a. For example, in a heat treatment device that supplies heated air into a furnace to heat-treat the workpiece, when changing the pattern of holes for supplying air into the furnace according to the dimensions of the workpiece, it may be necessary to adjust the piping connected to the holes. In the heat treatment device 10 described above, the air flow in the processing space 20a can be adjusted simply by replacing the dispersion member 40, and it is easy to adjust the air flow according to the dimensions of the workpiece A.

[0049] In the heat treatment apparatus 10, as described above, the objects A to be treated are placed on the multiple stacked racks 12. In the heat treatment apparatus 10, the objects A to be treated are heat-treated while being arranged in a vertical direction. In the heat treatment apparatus 10, the multiple blowing holes 41 are provided in an area facing the area where the objects A to be treated are treated (see Figs. 3 and 4). This makes it easy to uniformly supply air to the objects A to be treated arranged in a vertical direction. As a result, the quality of the product after heat treatment is less likely to vary.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, in the heat treatment apparatus 10, the workpiece A is placed in the treatment space 20a and treated. The heat treatment apparatus 10 is a so-called batch furnace. In the heat treatment apparatus 10, for example, the door 25a can be opened and the dispersion member 40 can be easily attached and detached. The dispersion member 40 can be easily removed for maintenance or replaced according to treatment conditions.

[0051] The configuration of the heat treatment device 10 is not limited to a batch furnace, but can be applied to a so-called continuous heat treatment device (continuous furnace) that heat-treats the workpiece while transporting it along the transport direction. When the configuration of the heat treatment device 10 is applied to a continuous heat treatment device, a furnace body that is long along the transport direction can be used. In a continuous heat treatment device, a transport device for transporting the workpiece A in the treatment space is provided. The transport device can be transport rollers arranged along the transport direction. In a continuous heat treatment device, a side wall of the furnace body may be provided with a plurality of air supply ports along the transport direction. Also, in correspondence with the air supply ports, a long dispersion member may be provided in the furnace body along the transport direction, or a plurality of dispersion members may be arranged along the transport direction. With a heat treatment device of such a configuration, air is blown from the side wall side of the workpiece when it is transported along the transport direction, making it easier to make the temperature uniform. The momentum of the air supplied from the plurality of air supply ports arranged along the transport direction does not need to be constant. The pattern of the blowing holes formed in the dispersion member does not need to be constant along the transport direction. When the heat treatment conditions vary along the conveying direction, the force of the air supplied from the plurality of air supply ports and the pattern of the blowing holes formed in the dispersion member may be changed as appropriate.

[0052] The air supply port 30, the dispersion member 40, and the mounting structure of the air supply port 30, the dispersion member 40, and the furnace body 20 are not limited to the above-mentioned configuration.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the side walls 23, 24 are provided with recesses 23a, 24a into which the dispersion member 40 fits. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the furnace body 20 does not necessarily have to be provided with the recesses 23a, 24a. In addition, the supply surface of the dispersion member does not necessarily have to be arranged along the side walls 23, 24, and may protrude from the side walls 23, 24 or may be recessed relative to the side walls 23, 24.

[0054] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the dispersion member 40 is formed in a substantially box-like shape with a supply surface 40a and a side portion 40b, but is not limited to such a shape. The dispersion member may be a plate-like member having a dimension that covers the recess of the side wall. The shape of the dispersion member does not need to be substantially rectangular in a plan view, and may be polygonal or elliptical including a circle. The shape of the dispersion member, the opening pattern of the blowing holes, the opening density, etc. may be appropriately set according to the processing conditions of the object A to be processed, etc. In addition, the dispersion member may be made of a porous material in which a large number of holes are formed. In the dispersion member made of a porous material, the large number of holes formed in the porous material correspond to the above-mentioned "multiple blowing holes". In the dispersion member made of a porous material, the holes are provided substantially uniformly throughout the dispersion member. This can improve the dispersibility of the air.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the air supply port 30 is provided in the side walls 23, 24 so as to face the supply surface 40a of the dispersion member 40. The air supply port 30 opens toward the inside of the furnace body 20. The configuration of the air supply port 30 is not limited to this form. For example, the air supply port 30 may be provided on the side surface 24a2 of the recess 24a. Moreover, the number of air supply ports 30 is not limited to one, and a plurality of air supply ports may be provided to improve dispersion.

[0056] Although the detailed description has been given above with reference to specific embodiments, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. Thus, the technology described in the claims includes various modifications and alterations of the above-described embodiments.

[0057] This specification includes the following items 1 to 10. The following items 1 to 10 are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0058] Section 1: a furnace body having a pair of side walls opposed to each other across a treatment space in which the workpiece is transported or placed; An air supply port provided in the side wall; a dispersion member having a plurality of blowing holes and dispersing the air supplied from the air supply port to supply it to the treatment space of the furnace body; Equipped with Heat treatment equipment.

[0059] Section 2: Item 2. The heat treatment device according to item 1, wherein a supply space to which air is supplied from the air supply port is provided between the dispersion member and the side wall.

[0060] Section 3: The dispersion member has a supply surface aligned along a surface direction of the side wall, 3. The heat treatment device according to item 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of blowing holes are formed on the supply surface.

[0061] Section 4: Item 4. The heat treatment device according to item 3, wherein the air supply port faces the supply surface.

[0062] Section 5: 5. The heat treatment device according to item 4, wherein the plurality of blowing holes are provided at positions not facing the air supply port.

[0063] Item 6: 6. The heat treatment device according to item 5, wherein on the supply surface, a region in which the opening density of the blowing holes is high is provided on the outside of a position facing the air supply port so as to surround the position.

[0064] Section 7: The side wall is provided with a recess in which the dispersion member is disposed, 7. The heat treatment device according to any one of items 3 to 6, wherein the supply surface is disposed along the side wall.

[0065] Section 8: 8. The heat treatment device according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein the plurality of blowing holes are provided in a range facing a region where the workpiece is treated.

[0066] Section 9: 9. The heat treatment device according to any one of items 1 to 8, wherein the side wall is made of a heat insulating material or a refractory material.

[0067] Section 10: 10. The heat treatment device according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein the object to be treated is placed in the treatment space and treated. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] A. Processing object 10 Heat treatment device 11 Base plate 12 Rack 12a Flat plate part 12b Legs 20 Furnace body 20a Processing space 20b Mount 20c cover 21 Bottom wall 22 Ceiling Wall 22a Exhaust pipe 23,24 side wall 23a, 24a Depression 23a1,24a1 Bottom 23b,24b Inner wall surface 23c,24c through hole 24a2 side 24d mounting hole 25 Front wall 25a Door 25b Opening / closing mechanism 25b1 frame 25b2 shaft 25b3 Arm 26 Back wall 28 Support member 29 Positioning member 30 Air supply port 31 Air supply device 32 Piping 32a Junction 40 Dispersion member 40a supply side 40a1 Insertion hole 40a2 Opposite position 40a3 Surrounding area 40b Side 40c supply space 41 Air outlet 41a 1st outlet 41b 2nd outlet 42 Mounting material 43 Sealing material 50 Heater

Claims

1. a furnace body having a pair of side walls opposed to each other across a treatment space in which the workpiece is transported or placed; An air supply port provided in the side wall; a dispersion member having a plurality of blowing holes and dispersing the air supplied from the air supply port to supply it to the treatment space of the furnace body; Equipped with Heat treatment equipment.

2. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a supply space to which air is supplied from the air supply port is provided between the dispersion member and the side wall.

3. The dispersion member has a supply surface aligned along a surface direction of the side wall, The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blowing holes are formed on the supply surface.

4. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the air supply port faces the supply surface.

5. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of blowing holes are provided at positions not facing the air supply port.

6. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein an area in which the opening density of the blowing holes is high is provided on the outer side of a position on the supply surface facing the air supply port so as to surround the position.

7. The side wall is provided with a recess in which the dispersion member is disposed, The thermal processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the supply surface is disposed along the side wall.

8. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blowing holes are provided in a range facing a region where the workpiece is treated.

9. 3. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the side wall is made of a heat insulating material or a refractory material.

10. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the object to be treated is placed in the treatment space and treated.

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