Heat treatment device

Abstract

To maintain airtightness of a heat treatment device.SOLUTION: A heat treatment device 10 includes a furnace body 41, doors 46a, 46b, and piping 47. The furnace body 41 has a treatment space 40a in which an object A to be treated is heated in an inside thereof, and has openings 41a, 41b. The doors 46a, 46b close the openings 41a, 41b of the furnace body 41. A refrigerant flows through the piping 47. In the doors 46a, 46b, a seal material 46c is provided in a region R which is overlapped with a periphery of the openings 41a, 41b of the furnace body 41 when the doors 46a, 46b are closed. The piping 47 is arranged around the region R onto which the seal material 46c is pressed in the furnace body 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heat treatment apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent No. 7285360 discloses a heat treatment apparatus including an unwinding section, a heat treatment section, a cooling section, and a winding section. In the heat treatment section, a strip-shaped workpiece unwound from an unwinding roll provided in the unwinding section is heat-treated while being conveyed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inventor of the present invention desires to maintain airtightness in a heat treatment apparatus including a door configured to be openable and closable.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The heat treatment apparatus disclosed herein includes a furnace body, a door, and a pipe. The furnace body has a processing space inside which a workpiece is heat-treated and has an opening formed therein. The door closes the opening of the furnace body. A refrigerant flows through the pipe. A sealing material is provided on the door in a region that overlaps with the peripheral edge of the opening of the furnace body when the door is closed. The pipe is attached around the region where the sealing material is pressed against in the furnace body. In such a heat treatment apparatus, the airtightness of the heat treatment apparatus is maintained.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, members and parts having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals. Also, the dimensional relationships (length, width, thickness, etc.) in each figure do not reflect the actual dimensional relationships. The directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are represented by the arrows U, D, L, R, F, and Rr in the figure, respectively. Here, the directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are merely defined for convenience of explanation and do not limit the present invention of the present application unless otherwise specified.

[0008] 〈Heat treatment apparatus 10〉 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a heat treatment apparatus 10. The heat treatment apparatus 10 is a facility for heat-treating a strip-shaped (sheet-shaped) workpiece A. In this embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus 10 is a so-called roll-to-roll type apparatus for continuously drying a strip-shaped workpiece while transporting it. The workpiece A is not particularly limited as long as it is strip-shaped, such as an electrode sheet of a secondary battery in which electrode materials are coated on both sides of a sheet substrate, a flexible copper-clad laminate FCCL (Flexible Cupper Clad Laminate), or a polyimide sheet. The heat treatment apparatus 10 can be used for treating various strip-shaped (sheet-shaped) workpieces.

[0009] Note that the heat treatment apparatus disclosed herein is not limited to a roll-to-roll type apparatus for heat-treating a strip-shaped workpiece A, and can be applied to various heat treatment apparatuses. The configuration of the heat treatment apparatus disclosed herein is applicable, for example, to a so-called roller hearth kiln that conveys a workpiece by a plurality of conveying rollers arranged along the conveying direction. The configuration of the heat treatment apparatus disclosed herein is not limited to continuous heat treatment apparatuses such as roll-to-roll type heat treatment apparatuses and roller hearth kilns. The configuration of the heat treatment apparatus disclosed herein is also applicable to a so-called batch type heat treatment apparatus that heat-treats a workpiece while it is stationary in a furnace.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, the heat treatment apparatus 10 includes an unwinding unit 30, a heat treatment unit 40, a cooling unit 50, and a winding unit 60. The strip-shaped workpiece A is processed while being conveyed in the order of the unwinding unit 30, the heat treatment unit 40, the cooling unit 50, and the winding unit 60. The workpiece A is unwound from an unwinding roll A1 provided in the unwinding unit 30, heat-treated in the heat treatment unit 40, cooled in the cooling unit 50, and then wound around a winding roll A2 provided in the winding unit 60.

[0011] 〈Conveying devices 20, 22〉 The conveying devices 20, 22 are devices for conveying the workpiece A. The workpiece A is conveyed along a predetermined conveying path. The conveying devices 20, 22 are devices that respectively rotationally drive an unwinding shaft 32 to which the unwinding roll A1 of the unwinding unit 30 is attached and a winding shaft 62 to which the winding roll A2 of the winding unit 60 is attached. The conveying devices 20, 22 can be composed of a device that controls the conveyance of the workpiece A. As the conveying devices 20, 22, for example, a motor and an inverter may be used, or a servo motor or the like may be used. Further, the conveying devices 20, 22 may include a device that controls the tension applied to the workpiece A. As the device that controls the tension, for example, a powder clutch can be used. The conveying devices 20, 22 may be realized by a set of devices in which a device that controls the conveying speed and a device that controls the tension cooperate with each other.

[0012] The unwinding shaft 32 is connected to the conveying device 20. The unwinding shaft 32 is rotationally driven by the conveying device 20, and the workpiece A is unwound from the unwinding roll A1. The winding shaft 62 is connected to the conveying device 22. The winding shaft 62 is rotationally driven by the conveying device 22, and the workpiece A is wound onto the winding roll A2. The conveying devices 20 and 22 may be installed in an air box provided in a space surrounded by the outer walls 31 and 61, respectively. The conveying devices 20 and 22 may be provided outside the outer walls 31 and 61, respectively.

[0013] The heat treatment apparatus 10 can be configured to be able to convey the workpiece A at a high speed in order to improve the processing efficiency of the workpiece A. Although not particularly limited, the conveying speed of the workpiece A can be set to about 1 m / min to 200 m / min. In this embodiment, the conveying speed of the workpiece A is set to about 100 m / min. In the heat treatment apparatus 10, the conveying speed of the workpiece A is controlled by a control device (not shown).

[0014] The control device controls the conveyance speed of the workpiece A, the tension applied to the workpiece A, etc. so that the workpiece A is conveyed according to predetermined conveyance conditions. The control device controls the unwinding tension when unwinding the workpiece A, the in-furnace tension applied to the workpiece A being processed, and the winding tension when winding up the processed workpiece A, respectively. The control device is connected to the conveyance devices 20 and 22. Further, the control device may be connected to a tension detection roller 35b, a feed roller 35c, a dancer roller 35d, a tension detection roller 65c, etc. The control device feeds back the unwinding tension detected by the tension detection roller 35b to the conveyance device 20 and controls the torque of the unwinding shaft 32. Thereby, the unwinding tension is adjusted. Further, the control device feeds back the in-furnace tension detected by the tension detection roller 35b to which the workpiece A being processed is applied to the dancer roller 35d. The dancer roller 35d moves according to the detected in-furnace tension. Thereby, the in-furnace tension is adjusted. Note that the rotation speed of the feed roller 35c is controlled so that the position of the dancer roller 35d returns to the reference position in a state where the in-furnace tension is constant. Further, the control device feeds back the winding tension detected by the tension detection roller 65c to the conveyance device 22 and controls the torque of the winding shaft 62. Thereby, the winding tension is adjusted.

[0015] 〈Unwinding section 30〉 The unwinding section 30 is a facility for unwinding the workpiece A. The unwinding section 30 houses an unwinding roll A1 in a state where the workpiece A before heat treatment is wound around it. The unwinding section 30 has an outer wall 31 that surrounds the internal facilities and the unwinding roll A1. An unwinding shaft 32 and a plurality of rollers 35 are provided inside the unwinding section 30. The unwinding shaft 32 is a shaft to which the unwinding roll A1 around which the workpiece A before heat treatment is wound is attached. In this embodiment, when the unwinding shaft 32 is rotationally driven, the workpiece A is unwound from the unwinding roll A1 attached to the unwinding shaft 32.

[0016] Within the space surrounded by the outer wall 31 of the unwinding section 30, a plurality of rollers 35 for setting the conveyance path of the object to be processed A are provided. The object to be processed A unwound from the unwinding roll A1 is looped around the plurality of rollers 35 in a predetermined order and conveyed toward the heat treatment section 40. The plurality of rollers 35 includes a guide roller 35a, a tension detection roller 35b, a feed roller 35c, and a dancer roller 35d. The tension detection roller 35b is a roller for detecting the tension applied to the object to be processed A. A tension detector (not shown) is attached to the tension detection roller 35b. The dancer roller 35d is configured to be movable within a predetermined range. By moving the dancer roller 35d, the tension of the object to be processed A is adjusted. The feed roller 35c is rotationally driven by a driving device (not shown). By controlling the rotation of the feed roller 35c, the position of the dancer roller 35d is adjusted.

[0017] 〈Heat Treatment Section 40〉 The heat treatment section 40 is a facility where the strip-shaped object to be processed A is heat-treated while being conveyed. The heat treatment section 40 is connected to the unwinding section 30 via the connecting section 70. The connecting section 70 is provided with an outlet of the unwinding section 30 and an inlet of the heat treatment section 40. A passage through which the object to be processed A passes is formed in the connecting section 70. The object to be processed A is conveyed from the unwinding section 30 to the heat treatment section 40 through the connecting section 70. The passage for the object to be processed A formed in the connecting section 70 is set to a dimension slightly larger than the width and thickness of the object to be processed A. Thereby, the atmosphere of the heat treatment section 40 and the atmosphere of the unwinding section 30 are less likely to interfere with each other.

[0018] The heat treatment section 40 includes an outer wall 41 (furnace body 41), a heater 42, and guide rollers 45 (45a to 45d). The outer wall 41 has an internal processing space 40a where the object to be processed A is processed while being conveyed. The outer wall 41 surrounds the processing space 40a in which the heater 42 and the guide rollers 45 are arranged.

[0019] 〈Guide Roller 45〉 The guide roller 45 is provided within the processing space 40a. The guide roller 45 is a roller that guides the workpiece A. The conveyance path along which the workpiece A is conveyed is set by the guide roller 45. The guide roller 45 is configured to rotate passively as the workpiece A is conveyed. In this embodiment, the guide roller 45 is a substantially cylindrical roller. The guide roller 45a is provided near the inlet (connection part 70) of the heat treatment unit 40. A plurality of guide rollers 45b are arranged at a predetermined pitch from the inlet toward the outlet below the heat treatment unit 40. A plurality of guide rollers 45c are arranged above the heat treatment unit 40, shifted by a half pitch from the plurality of guide rollers 45b. The guide roller 45d is provided near the outlet (connection part 72) of the heat treatment unit 40.

[0020] The workpiece A is hung on the guide roller 45a near the inlet of the heat treatment unit 40 and conveyed downward. Thereafter, the workpiece A is alternately looped around the upper and lower guide rollers 45b and 45c in order from the inlet toward the outlet. As a result, in the heat treatment unit 40, the workpiece A advances while moving up and down from the inlet toward the outlet.

[0021] 〈Heater 42〉 The heater 42 is a facility for heating the workpiece A. In this embodiment, the heater 42 is provided around the workpiece A that advances from the inlet toward the outlet while being folded back up and down. The heater 42 is hung on the guide rollers 45b and 45c and is also arranged in the gap between the workpiece A that is folded back up and down. The heater 42 is arranged so as to face the workpiece A. The heater 42 may be fixed by, for example, a heater holder and a support column.

[0022] In this embodiment, a plate heater of far-infrared heating type is used as the heater 42. As the heater 42, various heaters can be used according to the heating temperature, heating atmosphere, etc. As the heater 42, for example, in addition to the plate-shaped plate heater, for example, a cylindrical heater may be used. The material of the heater 42 is not particularly limited, and a metal sheath heater, a ceramic heater, a lamp heater, etc. may be used. Further, the heater 42 is not limited to a far-infrared heating type heater. In the case of an atmosphere furnace, as the heater 42, for example, a hot air heating type heater or an infrared heating type lamp heater in which hot air is blown onto the object to be processed may be used. The processed object A that has been heat-treated is carried out toward the cooling unit 50 through the guide roller 45d provided near the outlet.

[0023] 〈Cooling Unit 50〉 The cooling unit 50 is a facility in which the object to be processed A heat-treated in the heat treatment unit 40 is cooled while being conveyed. The cooling unit 50 is connected to the heat treatment unit 40 via the connecting portion 72. The connecting portion 72 is provided with an outlet of the heat treatment unit 40 and an inlet of the cooling unit 50.

[0024] Although detailed illustration is omitted, the cooling unit 50 may include cooling rollers, a plurality of guide rollers, and an outer wall 51. A plurality of cooling rollers may be provided in the cooling unit 50. The outer wall 51 surrounds a processing space in which a plurality of cooling rollers and a plurality of guide rollers are arranged. The plurality of cooling rollers and the plurality of guide rollers set a conveyance path along which the object to be processed A is conveyed in the cooling unit 50.

[0025] The cooling roller is a roller configured such that a refrigerant flows inside. The object to be processed A is cooled by contacting the surface of the cooling roller. A drive device (not shown) may be connected to the cooling roller. The cooling roller can rotate in accordance with a set conveyance speed along the conveyance direction.

[0026] In this embodiment, the object to be processed A is cooled to about room temperature in the cooling unit 50. The temperature of the object to be processed A to be cooled is not particularly limited. Note that the configuration of the cooling unit 50 such as the guide roller and the cooling roller is not particularly limited.

[0027] The cooled object to be processed A is conveyed to the winding unit 60 through the connecting portion 74. Note that the cooling unit 50 does not necessarily have to be provided in the heat treatment apparatus 10.

[0028] The cooling unit 50 is connected to the winding unit 60 via the connecting portion 74. The connecting portion 74 includes an outlet of the cooling unit 50 and an inlet of the winding unit 60. The cooled object to be processed A is conveyed to the winding unit 60 through the connecting portion 74.

[0029] 〈Winding Unit 60〉 The winding unit 60 is a facility for winding the object to be processed A. The winding unit 60 houses a winding roll A2 for winding the object to be processed A cooled through the cooling unit 50. The winding unit 60 has an outer wall 61 surrounding the internal facilities and the winding roll A2. The winding unit 60 is provided with a winding shaft 62 and a plurality of rollers 65. A winding roll A2 around which the object to be processed A heat-treated in the heat treatment unit 40 and cooled in the cooling unit 50 is wound is attached to the winding shaft 62. When the winding shaft 62 is rotationally driven, the object to be processed A is wound around the winding roll A2.

[0030] Inside the space surrounded by the outer wall 61 of the winding unit 60, a plurality of rollers 65 for setting the conveyance path of the object to be processed A are provided. The plurality of rollers 65 set the conveyance path along which the object to be processed A is conveyed in the winding unit 60. The object to be processed A conveyed from the cooling unit 50 is hung on the roller 65 near the entrance (connection part 74) of the winding unit 60 and then wound around the plurality of rollers 65 in a predetermined order and wound around the winding roll A2. The plurality of rollers 65 include a guide roller 65a, a dancer roller 65b, a tension detection roller 65c, and a feed roller 65d. The dancer roller 65b is configured to be movable within a predetermined range. The dancer roller 65b can be moved, for example, when the winding roll A2 is replaced to ensure the necessary extra length of the object to be processed A. A tension detector (not shown) is attached to the tension detection roller 65c. The feed roller 65d feeds out the extra length required for pasting when pasting the object to be processed A onto the winding roll A2 after replacement when the winding roll A2 is replaced.

[0031] 〈Vacuum pump 80〉 The heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a vacuum pump 80. The internal spaces of the above-described unwinding unit 30, heat treatment unit 40, cooling unit 50, and winding unit 60 are surrounded by outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61, respectively. Each of the unwinding unit 30, heat treatment unit 40, cooling unit 50, and winding unit 60 has a space isolated from the external space by the outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61, respectively. The internal spaces of the outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61 communicate with each other during the processing of the object to be processed A. The vacuum pump 80 is connected to each of the outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61. The vacuum pump 80 decompresses the internal spaces of the unwinding unit 30, heat treatment unit 40, cooling unit 50, and winding unit 60 (the processing space 40a in the heat treatment unit 40). In this embodiment, the object to be processed A is processed under a predetermined vacuum atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure.

[0032] Note that the connection form of the vacuum pump 80 is not particularly limited. A plurality of vacuum pumps 80 may be provided, and the plurality of vacuum pumps 80 may be respectively connected to each of the unwinding section 30, the heat treatment section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60. A pipe may branch from one vacuum pump 80, and the interiors of a plurality of sections among the unwinding section 30, the heat treatment section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60 may be depressurized.

[0033] Vacuum valves 81 to 84 for adjusting the degree of vacuum of each section are provided in the pipe of the vacuum pump 80. The vacuum valves 81 to 84 are configured to be able to switch between connecting each section to the vacuum pump 80 and disconnecting each section from the vacuum pump 80. When the degree of vacuum of each section is not adjusted, on-off valves may be used instead of the vacuum valves 81 to 84.

[0034] A door 70a is provided at the inlet of the heat treatment section 40 (in this embodiment, the connecting section 70). The door 70a is closed when replacing the unwinding roll A1 or the like. By closing the door 70a when replacing the unwinding roll A1 or the like, the atmosphere of the heat treatment section 40 (in this embodiment, the depressurized state) can be maintained. The door 70a may be closed when the object to be processed A passes through the connecting section 70 when replacing the unwinding roll A1 or the like. When the remainder of the object to be processed A wound around the unwinding roll A1 becomes small, the unwinding roll A1 is replaced with a new one. The end of the object to be processed A on the replaced unwinding roll A1 and the end of the object to be processed A before replacement are joined together. The unwinding roll A1 can be replaced while maintaining the atmosphere of the heat treatment section 40 with the object to be processed A left in the processing space 40a, and the recovery of the apparatus after replacing the unwinding roll A1 is accelerated.

[0035] Also, a door 74a is provided at the outlet of the cooling unit 50 (in this embodiment, the connecting portion 74). Similar to the door 70a, the door 74a can maintain the atmosphere of the cooling unit 50 (in this embodiment, a reduced-pressure state) when the door 74a is closed, for example, when replacing the winding roll A2. The door 74a may be closed when the workpiece A is passing through the connecting portion 74, for example, when replacing the winding roll A2. When the amount of the workpiece A wound around the winding roll A2 increases, the winding roll A2 is replaced with a new one. The end of the winding roll A2 after replacement and the end of the workpiece A are joined together. The winding roll A2 can be replaced while maintaining the atmosphere of the cooling unit 50 with the workpiece A left in the processing space, which speeds up the recovery of the apparatus after replacing the winding roll A2.

[0036] By the way, in a heat treatment apparatus, an opening may be formed in the furnace body for feeding a strip-shaped workpiece along a conveyance path, performing maintenance inside the furnace body, or the like. Hereinafter, the heat treatment apparatus disclosed herein will be described by taking the configuration of the heat treatment unit 40 as an example.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heat treatment unit 40 with the door 46 opened. In FIG. 2, illustration of the heater 42, the guide roller 45, etc. inside the heat treatment unit 40 is omitted. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the heat treatment unit 40 with the door 46 closed. In FIG. 3, a plan view of the heat treatment unit 40 as seen from the left side is schematically shown.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, the heat treatment unit 40 includes a furnace body 41, a door 46, and a pipe 47. The furnace body 41 is substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The furnace body 41 has a processing space 40a inside where the object to be processed A is heat-treated. In the processing space 40a inside the furnace body 41, a heater 42, a guide roller 45, etc. are provided (see FIG. 1). In the processing space 40a, members for supporting the heater 42, the guide roller 45, etc. may be provided. The furnace body 41 is not particularly limited as long as it can block the internal atmosphere. The furnace body 41 may be composed of a metal plate (such as a stainless steel plate) having a required thickness. The furnace body 41 may contain a heat insulating material. The inner surface of the furnace body 41 may be composed of a heat insulating material and the outer surface may be composed of a metal plate. The configuration such as the material and thickness of the furnace body 41 is appropriately set according to the processing temperature, pressure, etc. of the target object to be processed A. Further, the furnace body 41 may contain a reinforcing material for reinforcing the furnace body 41.

[0039] Openings 41a and 41b are formed in the furnace body 41. In this embodiment, two openings 41a and 41b are formed in the side surface portion 41c on the right side of the furnace body 41. The openings 41a and 41b open in a substantially rectangular shape with the central portion 41c1 of the side surface portion 41c interposed therebetween. The opening 41a is formed on the rear side of the heat treatment unit 40, and the opening 41b is formed on the front side of the heat treatment unit 40. Most of the side surface portion 41c is open except for the central portion 41c1, the upper portion 41c2, the lower portion 41c3, the front portion 41c4, and the rear portion 41c5. The opening areas of the openings 41a and 41b are not particularly limited, but may be 80% or more, or 90% or more, with respect to the area inside from the outer edge at the position corresponding to the processing space 40a in the side surface portion 41c.

[0040] The heat treatment unit 40 is provided with doors 46a and 46b respectively corresponding to the openings 41a and 41b. The doors 46a and 46b close the openings 41a and 41b of the furnace body 41. During the heat treatment of the workpiece A, the openings 41a and 41b are closed by the doors 46a and 46b. The door 46a is provided on the rear side of the heat treatment unit 40, and the door 46b is provided on the front side of the heat treatment unit 40. The doors 46a and 46b are opened when feeding the workpiece A along the conveying path or performing maintenance inside the furnace body 41. The larger the area of the openings 41a and 41b, the better the workability of operations such as feeding and maintenance. The doors 46a and 46b are opened and closed about the vertical axis.

[0041] 〈Doors 46a and 46b〉 The doors 46a and 46b are substantially rectangular plate-shaped members each slightly larger than the openings 41a and 41b. The thickness of the doors 46a and 46b is approximately the same as that of the furnace body 41 so as to be able to insulate the inside and outside of the furnace. A sealing material 46c is provided on the inner surfaces 46a1 and 46b1 of the doors 46a and 46b. As the sealing material 46c, for example, a sheet gasket such as a carbon fiber-based one, a rubber sealing material such as a silicon-based one, an O-ring such as fluororubber or EPDM can be used. The sealing material 46c may be arranged in a recess provided on the inner surfaces 46a1 and 46b1 of the doors 46a and 46b (for example, a recess having a groove-shaped cross section). The sealing material 46c is continuously provided at the peripheral edges of the doors 46a and 46b. By providing the sealing material 46c at the boundary of the opening / closing part (in this embodiment, the doors 46a and 46b) of the heat treatment apparatus 10, the atmosphere inside the processing space 40a is easily maintained.

[0042] The sealing material 46c is continuous in a substantially rectangular shape. The sealing material 46c is provided in a region R that overlaps the peripheral edges of the openings 41a, 41b of the furnace body 41 when the doors 46a, 46b are closed. The sealing material 46c is continuously provided in the circumferential direction at positions surrounding the openings 41a, 41b. Since the sealing material 46c is continuous in the circumferential direction, when the doors 46a, 46b are closed, the sealing material 46c is pressed against the furnace body 41 around the openings 41a, 41b. As a result, the airtightness of the processing space 40a is easily maintained.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, the furnace body 41 and the doors 46a, 46b are connected via hinges 48. Although not particularly limited, two hinges 48 are provided vertically for each of the doors 46a, 46b. Since the doors 46a, 46b are each attached to a plurality of hinges 48, the opening and closing of the doors 46a, 46b is stabilized.

[0044] The doors 46a and 46b are provided with handles 46d. The handles 46d are provided on the front side (right side of the drawing) of the door 46a and the rear side (left side of the drawing) of the door 46b. Locks 46e are provided above and below the handles 46d. By fastening the locks 46e, the sealing performance of the doors 46a and 46b can be enhanced. Further, when the heat treatment unit 40 is a vacuum furnace, the doors 46a and 46b can be prevented from unintentionally opening due to the time lag in stopping the supply of the recompression gas in the processing space 40a during recompression. Electromagnetic locks 46f are provided on the upper parts of the doors 46a and 46b, respectively. The electromagnetic lock 46f is a safety device that is released when conditions such as the furnace internal pressure, furnace internal temperature, and conveyance stop are met. An operation box 46g is provided between the doors 46a and 46b. The operation box 46g is composed of a select switch, an emergency stop button, etc. for applying the electromagnetic lock 46f and releasing the electromagnetic lock 46f after the above conditions are met. The upper ends of the doors 46a and 46b and the upper part 41c2 of the furnace body 41 may be connected via a door closer 46h. By connecting the doors 46a and 46b and the furnace body 41 via the door closer 46h, the momentum when the doors 46a and 46b are closed is weakened. Thereby, damage to the sealing material 46c can be reduced.

[0045] When the doors 46a and 46b are closed, the sealing material 46c is pressed against the peripheries of the openings 41a and 41b formed in the side surface part 41c. In the furnace body 41, a pipe 47 is attached around the region R where the sealing material 46c is pressed.

[0046] 〈Pipe 47〉 The pipe 47 is a pipe through which the refrigerant flows. The refrigerant is supplied to the pipe 47 by a refrigerant supply device (not shown). Although not particularly limited, water or the like can be used as the refrigerant. The temperature of the refrigerant supplied inside the pipe 47 is lower than the ambient temperature of the processing space 40a, such as normal temperature. The type and temperature of the refrigerant are not particularly limited and may be appropriately set according to the ambient temperature of the processing space 40a or the like. Refrigerant supply devices may be connected to the pipes 47a and 47b respectively. The pipes 47a and 47b may be connected to a common refrigerant supply device.

[0047] In this embodiment, the pipe 47 is attached around the doors 46a and 46b. The pipe 47 includes a pipe 47a attached around the door 46a and a pipe 47b attached around the door 46b. The pipes 47a and 47b are arranged continuously in a substantially rectangular shape around the doors 46a and 46b respectively. The pipe 47a is attached to the lower part 41c3, the central part 41c1, the upper part 41c2, and the rear part 41c5 of the side surface part 41c. The pipe 47b is attached to the lower part 41c3, the central part 41c1, the upper part 41c2, and the front part 41c4 of the side surface part 41c. At the central part 41c1, the pipes 47a and 47b are bundled together. At the central part 41c1, the pipes 47a and 47b are bent in a substantially arc shape backward so as not to interfere with 46e. The refrigerant flows through the pipes 47a and 47b along the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3.

[0048] During the heat treatment of the object to be processed A, with the doors 46a and 46b closed, the object to be processed A is heated in the processing space 40a. At this time, the refrigerant is supplied to the pipes 47a and 47b. The supply of the refrigerant is started, for example, before the heater 42 (see FIG. 1) is activated.

[0049] In the above-described embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a furnace body 41, doors 46a and 46b, and a pipe 47. The furnace body 41 has a processing space 40a inside which the workpiece A is heat-treated, and openings 41a and 41b are formed. The doors 46a and 46b close the openings 41a and 41b of the furnace body 41. A refrigerant flows through the pipe 47. A sealing material 46c is provided in a region R of the doors 46a and 46b that overlaps the peripheral edge of the openings 41a and 41b of the furnace body 41 when the doors 46a and 46b are closed. The sealing material 46c is indirectly cooled by the refrigerant flowing through the adjacent pipe 47. As a result, even when the temperature in the processing space 40a rises, the rise in the temperature of the furnace body 41 at the portion in contact with the sealing material 46c is reduced. Consequently, the deterioration of the sealing material 46c is reduced, and the airtightness in the processing space 40a of the heat treatment apparatus 10 is easily maintained. Further, in the heat treatment apparatus 10, the pipe 47 is attached around the furnace body 41 in the region R where the sealing material 46c is pressed. The pipe 47 to which the refrigerant is supplied is provided on the furnace body 41 side instead of the driven door 46a and 46b sides, which simplifies the attachment structure of the pipe 47 and improves the maintainability during replacement of the pipe 47 or the like. Also, regardless of the thickness of the doors 46a and 46b, it is easy to shorten the distance between the pipe 47 through which the refrigerant flows and the sealing material 46c.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the pipe 47 is attached around the doors 46a and 46b. Thereby, interference between the pipe 47 and the doors 46a and 46b is prevented even when the doors 46a and 46b are opened and closed. Also, the attachment structure of the furnace body 41 and the pipe 47 can be simplified.

[0051] In the heat treatment apparatus 10, a vacuum pump 80 for decompressing the processing space 40a is connected to the furnace body 41. In a decompressed state, the sealing material 46c improves the adhesion to the furnace body 41. As a result, the cooling efficiency of the sealing material 46c can be improved.

[0052] Note that the attachment structure of the pipe 47 to the furnace body 41 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the pipe 47 is provided in the vicinity of the doors 46a and 46b around the doors 46a and 46b. In the heat treatment apparatus 10, the pipe 47 is provided at a position passing through the space surrounded by the furnace body 41, the doors 46a and 46b, and the hinge 48 when the doors 46a and 46b are closed.

[0053] 〈Hinge 48〉 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the hinge 48. FIG. 4 shows a cross section viewed from above the portion where the furnace body 41 and the door 46b are connected. Since the structure of the portion where the furnace body 41 and the door 46a are connected can be the same as the configuration of the portion where the furnace body 41 and the door 46b are connected, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The hinge 48 includes a first member 48a, a second member 48b, a third member 48c, a first shaft 48d, and a second shaft 48e. As shown in FIG. 4, the hinge 48 is a so-called multi-axis hinge having a plurality of shaft members. Thereby, the door 46b is easily pressed well in balance around the opening 41b. As a result, the airtightness in the processing space 40a (see FIG. 1) is easily maintained. Note that the hinge 48 is not limited to a multi-axis hinge.

[0054] The first member 48a is a member connected to the furnace body 41. The first member 48a includes a portion 48a1 connected to the furnace body 41 and a portion 48a2 connected to the first shaft 48d. The first member 48a is connected to the front portion 41c4 of the side surface portion 41c of the furnace body 41 by bolts 48a3. The first member 48a is connected to the furnace body 41 via a spacer 49. The second member 48b is a member connected to the door 46b. A recess 46b3 for receiving the second member 48b is provided on the side surface 46b2 of the door 46b. In the recess 46b3, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped space is formed. The second member 48b is attached to the inner peripheral surface 46b4 on the furnace body 41 side in the recess 46b3 by bolts 46b5.

[0055] The third member 48c is a member that connects the first member 48a and the second member 48b. The third member 48c is connected to the first member 48a and the second member 48b via a first shaft 48d and a second shaft 48e. The first shaft 48d is a shaft member that connects the first member 48a and the third member 48c. The second shaft 48e is a shaft member that connects the second member 48b and the third member 48c. The first shaft 48d and the second shaft 48e are shaft members having a substantially cylindrical shape. The first shaft 48d is inserted through a substantially central portion of a part 48a2 of the first member 48a and the third member 48c. The second shaft 48e is inserted through a substantially central portion of the second member 48b and the third member 48c.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, the pipe 47 is provided at a position passing through a space surrounded by the furnace body 41, the door 46b, and the hinge 48 when the door 46b is closed. With such a configuration, the pipe 47 can be brought closer to the door 46b. As a result, the cooling efficiency for cooling the sealing material 46c is improved, and the sealing material 46c is less likely to deteriorate. Further, the pipe 47 and the door 46b do not interfere with each other when the door 46b is opened and closed.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, a spacer 49 is provided between the hinge 48 and the furnace body 41. Thus, by attaching the hinge 48 to the furnace body 41 or the door 46b via the spacer 49, a space through which the pipe 47 passes is easily provided.

[0058] As described above, specific embodiments have been described in detail, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. Thus, the technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the above-described embodiments.

[0059] Note that this specification includes the following items 1 to 6. The following items 1 to 6 are not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0060] Item 1: A furnace body having a processing space inside which an object to be processed is heat-treated and having an opening formed therein, and A door that closes the opening of the furnace body, and A pipe through which a refrigerant flows and is provided with a sealing material is provided in a region of the door that overlaps with the peripheral edge of the opening of the furnace body when the door is closed, the pipe is attached around the region of the furnace body where the sealing material is pressed against, a heat treatment apparatus.

[0061] Item 2: the furnace body and the door are connected via a hinge, when the door is closed, the pipe passes through the space surrounded by the furnace body, the door, and the hinge, the heat treatment apparatus according to Item 1.

[0062] Item 3: the hinge includes a first member connected to the furnace body, a second member connected to the door, a third member connecting the first member and the second member, a first shaft connecting the first member and the third member, and a second shaft connecting the second member and the third member, the heat treatment apparatus according to Item 2.

[0063] Item 4: the sealing material is provided continuously in the circumferential direction at a position surrounding the opening, the heat treatment apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 3.

[0064] Item 5: the pipe is attached around the door, the heat treatment apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 4.

[0065] Item 6: a vacuum pump for decompressing the processing space is connected to the furnace body, the heat treatment apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 5.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0066] A Workpiece A1 Pay-off roll A2 Take-up roll R Region 10 Heat treatment apparatus 20, 22 Conveying device 30 Pay-out section 31, 41, 51, 61 Outer wall 32 Pay-out shaft 35 Roller 40 Heat treatment section 40a Treatment space 41 Furnace body 41a, 41b Opening 41c Side surface 41c1 Central part 41c2 Upper part 41c3 Lower part 41c4 Front part 41c5 Rear part 42 Heater 45 Guide roller 46, 46a, 46b Door 46a1, 46b1 Inner surface 46b2 Side surface 46b3 Depression 46b4 Inner peripheral surface 46b5 Bolt 46c Sealing material 46d Handle 46e Lock 46f Electromagnetic lock 46g Operation box 46h Door closer 47, 47a, 47b Pipe 48 Hinge 48a First member 48b Second member 48c Third member 48d First shaft 48e Second shaft 49 Spacer 50 Cooling section 60 Take-up section 62 Take-up shaft 65 Roller 70, 74 Connecting part 70a, 74a Door 72 Connecting part 80 Vacuum pump 81 - 84 Vacuum valve

Claims

1. A furnace body having a processing space inside where an object to be processed is heat-treated and having an opening formed therein, A door for closing the opening of the furnace body, A pipe through which a refrigerant flows are provided, A sealing material is provided in a region of the door that overlaps the peripheral edge of the opening of the furnace body when the door is closed, The pipe is attached around the region of the furnace body where the sealing material is pressed against, A heat treatment apparatus.

2. The furnace body and the door are connected via a hinge, The pipe passes through a space surrounded by the furnace body, the door, and the hinge when the door is closed. The heat treatment apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. The hinge includes a first member connected to the furnace body, a second member connected to the door, a third member connecting the first member and the second member, a first shaft connecting the first member and the third member, and a second shaft connecting the second member and the third member. The heat treatment apparatus according to Claim 2.

4. The sealing material is provided continuously in the circumferential direction at a position surrounding the opening. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

5. The pipe is attached around the door. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

6. A vacuum pump for decompressing the processing space is connected to the furnace body. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

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