Heat treatment device

Abstract

To improve cooling efficiency in a furnace body.SOLUTION: A heat treatment device 10 includes a furnace body 41 and a cooling device 90. The furnace body 41 has a treatment space 40a in which an object A to be treated is heated in an inside thereof. The cooling device 90 cools the treatment space 40a in the furnace body 41. A first opening 41a and a second opening 41b are formed in the furnace body 41. The cooling device 90 includes an inner pipe 91, an outer pipe 92, a refrigerant supply device 93, and an air supply device 94. The inner pipe 91 is provided outside the furnace body 41. The inner pipe 91 connects the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b. The outer pipe 92 surrounds at least a part of the periphery of the inner pipe 91. The refrigerant supply device 93 supplies a refrigerant between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92. The air supply device 94 sends air from the first opening 41a toward the second opening 41b in the inner pipe 91.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

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 intends to improve the cooling efficiency inside the furnace body after heat-treating the workpiece.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The heat treatment apparatus disclosed herein includes a furnace body and a cooling device. The furnace body has a processing space inside which the workpiece is heat-treated. The cooling device cools the processing space inside the furnace body. The furnace body is formed with a first opening and a second opening. The cooling device includes an inner pipe, an outer pipe, a refrigerant supply device, and an air supply device. The inner pipe is provided outside the furnace body. The inner pipe connects the first opening and the second opening. The outer pipe surrounds at least a part of the periphery of the inner pipe. The refrigerant supply device supplies refrigerant between the inner pipe and the outer pipe. The air supply device sends air from the first opening toward the second opening inside the inner pipe. In such a heat treatment apparatus, the cooling efficiency inside the furnace body after heat-treating the workpiece is improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Mode for Carrying Out 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 for description. 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 back 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 back are merely defined for convenience of explanation and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise particularly mentioned.

[0008] 〈Heat Treatment Apparatus 10〉 Figure 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 conveying it. The workpiece A is not particularly limited as long as it is strip-shaped, such as, for example, an electrode sheet of a secondary battery in which electrode materials are respectively coated on both sides of a sheet base material, a flexible copper-clad laminate FCCL (Flexible Cupper Clad Laminate), a polyimide sheet, or the like. 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 a continuous heat treatment apparatus such as a roll-to-roll type heat treatment apparatus or a roller hearth kiln. 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 for controlling 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 for controlling the tension applied to the workpiece A. As the device for controlling 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 for controlling the conveying speed and a device for controlling the tension cooperate.

[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 object to be processed A, the tension applied to the object to be processed A, etc. so that the object to be processed A is conveyed according to predetermined conveyance conditions. The control device controls the unwinding tension when unwinding the object to be processed A, the in-furnace tension applied to the object to be processed A being processed, and the winding tension when winding up the processed object to be processed 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 object to be processed 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 object to be processed A. The unwinding section 30 houses an unwinding roll A1 in a state where the object to be processed 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. In the unwinding section 30, an unwinding shaft 32 and a plurality of rollers 35 are provided inside. The unwinding shaft 32 is a shaft to which the unwinding roll A1 around which the object to be processed A before heat treatment is wound is attached. In this embodiment, by rotating the unwinding shaft 32, the object to be processed 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 belt-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 of 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. As a result, 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 in which 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 towards 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 towards the outlet. As a result, in the heat treatment unit 40, the workpiece A advances while moving up and down from the inlet towards 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 towards the outlet while being folded back up and down. The heater 42 is also disposed in the gap between the workpiece A that is looped around the guide rollers 45b and 45c and folded back up and down. The heater 42 is disposed so as to face the workpiece A. The heater 42 may be fixed, for example, by a heater holder and a support column.

[0022] In this embodiment, as the heater 42, a plate-shaped far-infrared heating type heater is used. 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. Also, 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 in which hot air is blown onto the object to be processed or an infrared heating type lamp heater may be used. The heat-treated object A is carried out toward the cooling unit 50 through a guide roller 45d provided near the outlet.

[0023] 〈Cooling Unit 50〉 The cooling unit 50 is a facility where the object A to be processed that has been 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 a 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 A is conveyed in the cooling unit 50.

[0025] The cooling roller is a roller configured such that a refrigerant flows inside. The object 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 that has been 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 slack 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 necessary slack 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 unwinding unit 30, the heat treatment unit 40, the cooling unit 50, and the winding unit 60 described above are surrounded by outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61, respectively. Each of the unwinding unit 30, the heat treatment unit 40, the cooling unit 50, and the 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, the heat treatment unit 40, the cooling unit 50, and the winding unit 60 (the processing space 40a in the heat treatment unit 40). In this embodiment, the object to be processed A is processed in 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 piping of the vacuum pump 80. An atmosphere release valve 85 for opening the processing space 40a to the atmosphere is connected to the furnace body 41. 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 entrance 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 workpiece A passes through the connecting section 70, such as when replacing the unwinding roll A1. When the remaining amount of the workpiece A wound around the unwinding roll A1 decreases, the unwinding roll A1 is replaced with a new one. The end of the workpiece A on the replaced unwinding roll A1 and the end of the workpiece 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 workpiece A remaining 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 (in this embodiment, a reduced pressure state) of the cooling unit 50 when the door 74a is closed, for example, when replacing the take-up roll A2. The door 74a may be closed when the workpiece A is passing through the connecting portion 74, such as when replacing the take-up roll A2. When the amount of the workpiece A wound around the take-up roll A2 increases, the take-up roll A2 is replaced with a new one. The end of the take-up roll A2 after replacement and the end of the workpiece A are joined together. The take-up 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 take-up roll A2.

[0036] Incidentally, the heat treatment apparatus is started down after the heat treatment of the workpiece. During startup, the temperature inside the furnace body is lowered. If the high temperature state inside the furnace body continues for a long time, the equipment inside the furnace body may deteriorate. Also, due to the high temperature state inside the furnace body continuing for a long time, the deterioration of the members for maintaining the atmosphere inside the furnace body (for example, the sealing material provided on the door of the furnace body, etc.) also tends to progress. Hereinafter, the heat treatment apparatus disclosed here will be described by taking the configuration of the heat treatment unit 40 of the heat treatment apparatus 10 described above as an example.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the heat treatment unit 40. In FIG. 2, a cross-section of the upper part of the heat treatment unit 40 viewed from the front to the rear is schematically shown. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the heat treatment unit 40. In FIG. 3, a plan view of the heat treatment unit 40 viewed from above is schematically shown. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the direction in which the refrigerant flows is indicated by an arrow, and the direction in which the air flows is indicated by a white arrow.

[0038] The heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a furnace body 41 and a cooling device 90. In this embodiment, the furnace body 41 and the cooling device 90 are provided in the heat treatment section 40. The furnace body 41 is substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped. The furnace body 41 has a processing space 40a inside where the workpiece A is heat-treated. In the processing space 40a inside the furnace body 41, a heater 42, guide rollers 45, etc. are provided. In the processing space 40a, members for supporting the heater 42, guide rollers 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 furnace body 41 may have an inner surface composed of a heat insulating material and an outer surface 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 of the target workpiece A, etc.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, a first opening 41a and a second opening 41b are formed in the furnace body 41. In this embodiment, the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b are formed in the ceiling portion 41c of the furnace body 41. The first opening 41a and the second opening 41b penetrate the ceiling portion 41c of the furnace body 41. The first opening 41a is formed at the left end of the furnace body 41. The second opening 41b is formed at the right end of the furnace body 41. Note that the positions where the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b are formed are not particularly limited. The first opening 41a and the second opening 41b may be connected to the central portion of the ceiling portion 41c. The first opening 41a and the second opening 41b may be formed in a side surface portion of the furnace body 41, etc., other than the ceiling portion 41c. The cooling device 90 is connected to the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b.

[0040] 〈Cooling Device 90〉 The cooling device 90 cools the processing space 40a inside the furnace body 41. The cooling device 90 operates when the device is shut down, such as after the heat treatment of the object to be processed A, and reduces the temperature inside the furnace body 41. Although not particularly limited, the temperature inside the furnace body 41 can be reduced to about room temperature. The cooling device 90 can operate after the heater 42 is turned off after the heat treatment of the object to be processed A. The cooling device 90 includes an inner pipe 91, an outer pipe 92, a refrigerant supply device 93 (see FIG. 3), and an air supply device 94. In this embodiment, two cooling devices 90 are provided in the furnace body 41 in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 3). Note that the required number of cooling devices 90 varies depending on the dimensions of the furnace body 41, the cooling capacity of the cooling device 90, etc., so the number of cooling devices 90 is not particularly limited.

[0041] 〈Inner pipe 91〉 The inner pipe 91 is a pipe provided outside the furnace body 41. In this embodiment, the inner pipe 91 is a substantially U-shaped pipe. The cross-section of the inner pipe 91 is substantially circular. The inner pipe 91 has a first part 91a, a second part 91b, and a third part 91c. The first part 91a is a part that extends along the height direction on the left side of the furnace body 41. The third part 91c is a part that extends along the height direction on the right side of the furnace body 41. The second part 91b is a part that connects the first part 91a and the third part 91c. The first part 91a and the third part 91c are substantially the same length. The first part 91a and the third part 91c are shorter than the second part 91b. Note that the shape, dimensions, etc. of the inner pipe 91 are not particularly limited.

[0042] In this embodiment, the upper part of the first part 91a has a larger diameter than the lower part of the first part 91a. The upper end of the first part 91a is connected to the left end of the second part 91b in a substantially L shape. The second part 91b is a part that extends along the width direction of the furnace body 41. A substantially circular opening 91b1 is formed at the right end of the second part 91b. A flange part 91b2 that spreads in the outer diameter direction is provided at the right end of the second part 91b where the opening is formed. A lid 91e is attached to the flange part 91b2 from the right side. The opening 91b1 is closed by the lid 91e. A third part 91c extends downward from the side surface near the flange part 91b2 of the second part 91b. The diameter of the third part 91c is smaller than the diameter of the second part 91b. The diameters of the first part 91a to the third part 91c can be designed according to the position and dimensions of the air supply device 94, the diameters of the openings 41a and 41b, etc.

[0043] The inner pipe 91 is connected to the furnace body 41 via a pipe 41a1 that extends upward from the first opening 41a and a pipe 41b1 that extends upward from the second opening 41b. The lower end of the first part 91a is connected to the upper end of the pipe 41a1. The lower end of the third part 91c is connected to the upper end of the pipe 41a1. The inner pipe 91 connects the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b. Here, the inner pipe 91 connects the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b via the pipes 41a1 and 41b1. The internal space 91d of the inner pipe 91 is connected to the processing space 40a inside the furnace body 41 via the first opening 41a, the second opening 41b, and the pipes 41a1 and 41b1. The inner pipe 91 is surrounded by the outer pipe 92.

[0044] 〈Outer pipe 92〉 The outer pipe 92 is a pipe that surrounds at least a part of the periphery of the inner pipe 91. In the circumferential direction, the outer pipe 92 surrounds the periphery of the second part 91b of the inner pipe 91. The diameter of the outer pipe 92 is larger than the diameter of the second part 91b of the inner pipe 91. In this embodiment, the outer pipe 92 and the second part 91b of the inner pipe 91 form a double pipe. The outer diameter of the outer pipe 92 is smaller than the outer shape of the flange part 91b2 of the inner pipe 91. The right end part 92a of the outer pipe 92 is connected to the flange part 91b2 of the inner pipe 91. The outer pipe 92 extends along the width direction of the furnace body 41 from the inner side surface of the flange part 91b2 of the inner pipe 91. The outer pipe 92 is longer than the inner pipe 91. The left end part 92b of the outer pipe 92 is substantially circular. The left end part 92b of the outer pipe 92 is located outside the first part 91a of the inner pipe 91.

[0045] The inner pipe 91 penetrates through the lower part of the outer pipe 92. Here, the first part 91a and the third part 91c of the inner pipe 91 penetrate through the lower part 92c on the left side and the lower part 92d on the right side of the outer pipe 92, respectively. The lower part 92c on the left side of the outer pipe 92 is connected to the side circumferential surface of the first part 91a. The lower part 92d on the right side of the outer pipe 92 is connected to the side circumferential surface of the third part 91c. An internal space 93a is formed between the outer pipe 92 and the inner pipe 91. The internal space 93a is isolated from the internal space 91d of the inner pipe 91 and the processing space 40a in the furnace body 41.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, the outer tube 92 is provided with a supply port 92e and a discharge port 92f. The outer tube 92 may be formed with a degassing port 92g. The degassing port 92g is formed at the central portion in the axial direction of the outer tube 92. The degassing port 92g is formed at a position opening upward. The supply port 92e is provided on the outer peripheral side surface on the right side of the outer tube 92. The supply port 92e is provided at the end of the outer tube 92 in the front-rear direction. The supply port 92e is provided at substantially the central portion of the outer tube 92 in the height direction. The discharge port 92f is provided at the left end portion 92b of the outer tube 92. The discharge port 92f is provided at the upper part of the left end portion 92b (see FIG. 2). The discharge port 92f is provided at a position higher than the supply port 92e. In this embodiment, the supply port 92e and the discharge port 92f are connected to the refrigerant supply device 93. Refrigerant is supplied to the internal space 93a by the refrigerant supply device 93 (see FIG. 3).

[0047] 〈Refrigerant Supply Device 93〉 The refrigerant supply device 93 is a device that supplies refrigerant between the inner tube 91 and the outer tube 92. The refrigerant supply device 93 is not particularly limited as long as it can supply refrigerant to the space (internal space 93a) between the inner tube 91 and the outer tube 92. In this embodiment, as the refrigerant supply device 93, a device that circulates refrigerant at a preset temperature, also called a chiller, is used. The temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the internal space 93a is lower than the ambient temperature of the processing space 40a, such as normal temperature or a temperature lower than normal temperature. Although not particularly limited, water or the like can be used as the refrigerant. The refrigerant supply device 93 is arranged outside the furnace body 41.

[0048] The refrigerant supply device 93 circulates the refrigerant by means of a pump. The refrigerant supply device 93 is connected to the supply port 92e and the discharge port 92f of the outer tube 92 via a hose, a joint, etc. The refrigerant supply device 93 supplies the refrigerant to the supply port 92e and discharges the refrigerant from the discharge port 92f by means of a pump. The refrigerant supply device 93 supplies the refrigerant from the right side to the left side of the outer tube 92. The refrigerant is cooled to a set temperature by heat exchange within the refrigerant supply device 93 and circulates through the space between the refrigerant supply device 93 and the inner tube 91 and the outer tube 92. The outer peripheral side surface of the inner tube 91 is cooled by the refrigerant. As a result, the internal space 91d of the inner tube 91 is cooled. Air is sent into the internal space 91d of the inner tube 91 by the air supply device 94.

[0049] 〈Air supply device 94〉 The air supply device 94 is a device that sends air from the first opening 41a toward the second opening 41b within the inner tube 91. The air supply device 94 is not particularly limited as long as it is a device capable of supplying air into the inner tube 91. In this embodiment, the air supply device 94 is provided in the internal space 91d of the inner tube 91. The air supply device 94 is provided above the second opening 41b. A sirocco fan is used as the air supply device 94. By using a sirocco fan as the air supply device 94, a large amount of air can be supplied into the inner tube 91 with a compact device. Note that the air supply device 94 is not limited to a sirocco fan, and a propeller fan, a turbo fan, etc. may be used. The air supply device 94 circulates air through the processing space 40a of the furnace body 41 and the internal space 91d of the inner tube 91 by sending air from the first opening 41a toward the second opening 41b.

[0050] The air supply device 94 is driven by an electric motor 94a. As the electric motor 94a, for example, a servo motor can be used. The air supply device 94 is driven by the electric motor 94a via shafts 94b, 94f, pulleys 94c, 94e, and a belt 94d. A shaft 94b extends from the electric motor 94a. A pulley 94c is connected to the shaft 94b. The pulley 94c is connected to a pulley 94e via the belt 94d. The pulley 94c and the belt 94d may be housed in a cover 94g. The pulley 94e is arranged at a position where the rotation axis of the pulley 94e coincides with the rotation axis of the air supply device 94. The pulley 94e is connected to the air supply device 94 via the shaft 94f. Note that the drive mechanism of the air supply device 94 is not limited to the above-described form. For example, an electric motor 94a (motor) may be directly connected to the air supply device 94 without using a belt or the like.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 2, a pulley 94e is connected to one end of the shaft 94f, and an air supply device 94 is connected to the other end. The shaft 94f is inserted through a through hole 91e1 formed in the lid 91e. A magnetic seal 91e2 is provided on the outer surface of the lid 91e. The magnetic seal 91e2 blocks the internal space 91d of the inner tube 91 from the outside. A support member 91e3 for supporting the shaft 94f is attached to the inner surface of the lid 91e. The support member 91e3 has a bearing. The shaft 94f is rotatably supported via the bearing. The blades of the air supply device 94 (a sirocco fan in this embodiment) are rotationally driven by the electric motor 94a. Thereby, an air flow is formed in the internal space 91d.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a furnace body 41 and a cooling device 90. The furnace body 41 has a processing space 40a inside which the workpiece A is heat-treated. The cooling device 90 cools the processing space 40a inside the furnace body 41. A first opening 41a and a second opening 41b are formed in the furnace body 41. The cooling device 90 includes an inner pipe 91, an outer pipe 92, a refrigerant supply device 93, and an air supply device 94. The inner pipe 91 is provided outside the furnace body 41. The inner pipe 91 connects the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b. The outer pipe 92 surrounds at least a part of the periphery of the inner pipe 91. The refrigerant supply device 93 supplies refrigerant between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92. The air supply device 94 sends air from the first opening 41a toward the second opening 41b inside the inner pipe 91.

[0053] In the heat treatment apparatus 10, at the time of startup of the apparatus, air is sent from the first opening 41a toward the second opening 41b by the air supply device 94 into the space inside the inner pipe 91. Thereby, the atmosphere in the space inside the inner pipe 91 and the processing space 40a of the furnace body 41 circulates. In the heat treatment apparatus 10, refrigerant is supplied between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92 by the refrigerant supply device 93. Thereby, the inner pipe 91 is cooled. The atmosphere inside the processing space 40a is supplied into the inner pipe 91 from the first opening 41a. As the inner pipe 91 is cooled, the air passing through the inside of the inner pipe 91 is cooled. The air cooled inside the inner pipe 91 is supplied from the second opening 41b into the processing space 40a of the furnace body 41. In the processing space of the furnace body 41 and the space inside the inner pipe 91 (inner space 91d), the atmosphere circulates while being cooled inside the inner pipe 91. Thereby, after the heat treatment apparatus 10 is shut down, the processing space 40a of the furnace body 41 is cooled quickly. In other words, in the heat treatment apparatus 10, the cooling efficiency of the processing space 40a of the furnace body 41 is improved. By quickly lowering the temperature inside the furnace body 41, deterioration of members (for example, a sealing material provided on the door of the furnace body, etc.) for maintaining the atmosphere inside the furnace body 41 can be reduced.

[0054] The heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a vacuum pump 80 that reduces the pressure in the processing space 40a within the furnace body 41. In a vacuum state, no convection occurs within the processing space 40a, and it may take a long time to cool the furnace body 41. In this embodiment, an atmosphere release valve 85 for opening the processing space 40a to the atmosphere is connected to the furnace body 41. When starting up the heat treatment apparatus 10, the atmosphere release valve 85 can be opened. After the atmosphere release valve 85 is opened, as described above, air cooled by the refrigerant can be circulated through the processing space 40a of the furnace body 41. Therefore, even in the heat treatment apparatus 10 equipped with the vacuum pump 80, the cooling efficiency of the processing space 40a can be improved.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b are formed in the ceiling portion 41c of the furnace body 41. In the processing space 40a, the hotter the air is, the easier it is to gather closer to the ceiling portion 41c. By forming the first opening 41a and the second opening 41b in the ceiling portion 41c of the furnace body 41, the cooling efficiency of the air can be improved.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 2, the air supply device 94 sends air from the first opening 41a of the inner pipe 91 toward the second opening 41b. As a result, in the inner pipe 91, air flows from left to right. On the other hand, the refrigerant supply device 93 supplies refrigerant from the supply port 92e (see FIG. 3) toward the discharge port 92f. As a result, between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92, the refrigerant flows from right to left. In other words, the refrigerant supply device 93 supplies refrigerant between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92 in a direction opposite to the direction in which air is sent into the inner pipe 91. By setting the direction in which air is sent and the direction in which refrigerant is supplied to be opposite directions, the cooling efficiency of the inner pipe 91 is improved.

[0057] Here, the direction in which the refrigerant is supplied is determined by the direction from the supply port 92e toward the discharge port 92f. Note that the direction in which air is sent and the direction in which refrigerant is supplied do not necessarily have to be opposite directions and may be the same direction.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, the discharge port 92f is provided at a position higher than the supply port 92e. As a result, the space between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92 is more likely to be filled with the refrigerant. Consequently, the cooling efficiency of the air circulating between the space inside the inner pipe 91 and the processing space 40a can be improved. Further, the discharge port 92f may be provided at a position higher than the upper end of the inner pipe 91.

[0059] Note that the refrigerant flow path is not particularly limited as long as it can cool the inner pipe 91.

[0060] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a screw blade 92h is provided between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92. The screw blade 92h is spirally wound along the outer peripheral side surface of the inner pipe 91 and the inner peripheral side surface of the outer pipe 92. As a result, a spiral flow path for the refrigerant is formed between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92. With such a configuration, the flow path of the refrigerant flowing between the inner pipe 91 and the outer pipe 92 becomes longer, and the cooling efficiency of the inner pipe 91 can be improved. Consequently, the cooling efficiency of the air passing through the inside of the inner pipe 91 can be improved.

[0061] Also, a plate for adjusting the flow path of the air supplied by the air supply device 94 may be provided inside the inner pipe 91. A plate that inhibits the air from flowing linearly along the inner pipe 91 may be provided inside the inner pipe 91. For example, a spiral plate may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the inner pipe 91. As a result, the air flow path can be formed along the spiral plate. The spiral plate may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the second portion 91b. When a spiral plate is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the inner pipe 91, the flow of the air supplied by the air supply device 94 can be disturbed. As a result, the residence time of the air inside the inner pipe 91 can be extended, and the cooling efficiency of the air can be improved. Also, since the air is more likely to hit the inner peripheral surface of the inner pipe 91, the heat transfer area from the refrigerant can be increased. Consequently, the cooling efficiency of the air can be improved.

[0062] The above has been described in detail with specific embodiments, 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.

[0063] Note that this specification includes the following items 1 to 7. The following items 1 to 7 are not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0064] Item 1: A furnace body having an internal processing space where an object to be processed is heat-treated, A cooling device for cooling the processing space in the furnace body and comprising The furnace body is formed with a first opening and a second opening, The cooling device is provided outside the furnace body, an inner pipe connecting the first opening and the second opening, an outer pipe surrounding at least a part of the periphery of the inner pipe, a refrigerant supply device for supplying a refrigerant between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, and an air supply device for sending air from the first opening toward the second opening in the inner pipe and comprising A heat treatment device.

[0065] Item 2: The heat treatment device according to Item 1, wherein the refrigerant supply device supplies a refrigerant between the inner pipe and the outer pipe in a direction opposite to the direction in which air is sent into the inner pipe.

[0066] Item 3: The heat treatment device according to Item 1 or 2, wherein a flow path for the refrigerant to flow in a spiral shape is formed between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.

[0067] Item 4: The heat treatment device according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the first opening and the second opening are formed in the ceiling portion of the furnace body.

[0068] Item 5: The heat treatment apparatus further includes a vacuum pump for reducing the pressure in the treatment space within the furnace body. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an atmosphere release valve for releasing the treatment space to the atmosphere is connected to the furnace body.

[0069] Item 6: The outer pipe is provided with a supply port for supplying a refrigerant and a discharge port for discharging the refrigerant, The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the discharge port is provided at a position higher than the supply port.

[0070] Item 7: The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a plate for adjusting the air flow path is provided inside the inner pipe.

Explanation of Signs

[0071] A Workpiece A1 Unwinding roll A2 Winding roll 10 Heat treatment apparatus 20, 22 Conveying device 30 Unwinding section 31, 41, 51, 61 Outer wall 32 Unwinding shaft 35 Roller 40 Heat treatment section 40a Treatment space 41 Furnace body 41a First opening 41a1, 41b1 Pipe 41b Second opening 41c Ceiling section 42 Heater 45 Guide roller 50 Cooling section 60 Winding section 62 Winding shaft 65 Roller 70, 72, 74 Connecting section 70a, 74a Door 80 Vacuum pump 81 - 84 Vacuum valve 85 Atmosphere release valve 90 Cooling device 91 Inner tube 91a First part 91b Second part 91b1 Opening 91b2 Flange part 91c Third part 91d Internal space 91e Cover 91e1 Through-hole 91e2 Magnetic seal 91e3 Support member 92 Outer tube 92a Right end part 92b Left end part 92c,92d Lower part 92e Supply port 92f Discharge port 92g Degassing port 92h Screw blade 93 Refrigerant supply device 93a Internal space 94 Air supply device 94a Electric motor 94b,94f Shaft 94c,94e Pulley 94d Belt 94g Cover

Claims

1. A furnace body having an internal processing space where an object to be processed is heat-treated, and a cooling device for cooling the processing space within the furnace body, comprising: The furnace body is formed with a first opening and a second opening, The cooling device is provided outside the furnace body, an inner pipe connecting the first opening and the second opening, an outer pipe surrounding at least a part of the periphery of the inner pipe, a refrigerant supply device for supplying refrigerant between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, and an air supply device for sending air from the first opening toward the second opening through the inner pipe. Heat treatment apparatus.

2. The refrigerant supply device supplies refrigerant between the inner pipe and the outer pipe in a direction opposite to the direction in which air is sent through the inner pipe, according to the heat treatment apparatus described in claim 1.

3. A spiral refrigerant flow path is formed between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, according to the heat treatment apparatus described in claim 1 or 2.

4. The first opening and the second opening are formed in the ceiling portion of the furnace body, according to the heat treatment apparatus described in claim 1 or 2.

5. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 further comprises a vacuum pump for reducing the pressure of the processing space within the furnace body, and an atmosphere release valve for releasing the processing space to the atmosphere is connected to the furnace body.

6. The outer pipe is provided with a supply port for supplying refrigerant and a discharge port for discharging refrigerant, and the discharge port is provided at a position higher than the supply port, according to the heat treatment apparatus described in claim 1 or 2.

7. A plate for adjusting the air flow path is provided inside the inner pipe, according to the heat treatment apparatus described in claim 1 or 2. ​

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