Cooling device and heat treatment apparatus provided therewith

Abstract

To improve operability upon hanging a belt-like object to be treated.SOLUTION: A cooling device 50 comprises a carry-in part 50b, a carry-out part 50c, plural cooling rollers 52, and a pair of support plates 53, 54. The pair of support plates 53, 54 support the plural cooling rollers 52. The pair of support plates 53, 54 are facing each other so as to sandwich a space disposed with the staggered plural cooling rollers 52. Each of the pair of support plates 53, 54 comprises bearings 52c for respectively supporting roller shafts 52a1, 52b1 of the plural cooling rollers 52. A conveyance passage for an object A to be treated is set in such a manner that, in the plural cooling rollers 52, a first face A3 of the object A to be treated is brought into contact with the cooling roller 52a shifted to a first side, and a second face A4 of the object A to be treated is brought into contact with the cooling roller 52b shifted to a second side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooling device and a heat treatment device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent No. 7285360 discloses a heat treatment device including an unwinding section, a heat treatment section, a cooling section, and a winding section. The cooling section is provided with a plurality of cooling rollers. In the cooling section, a strip-shaped workpiece is cooled while being transported while being wrapped around the cooling rollers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7285360 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present inventors wish to improve the workability when hanging a strip-shaped workpiece on a plurality of cooling rollers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The cooling device disclosed herein includes an inlet section, an outlet section, a plurality of cooling rollers, and a pair of support plates. The inlet section carries in a strip-shaped workpiece. The outlet section carries out the workpiece. The pair of support plates support the plurality of cooling rollers. The plurality of cooling rollers are staggered in a vertical direction with their axial directions aligned. The pair of support plates face each other across a space in which the staggered cooling rollers are arranged. The pair of support plates include bearings that support the roller shafts of the plurality of cooling rollers. The transport path for the workpiece is configured so that the workpiece is carried in from the inlet section, wrapped around the plurality of cooling rollers in a vertical direction, and then carried out from the outlet section. The transport path for the workpiece is configured so that a first surface of the workpiece contacts the cooling roller that is shifted to the first side among the plurality of cooling rollers, and a second surface of the workpiece contacts the cooling roller that is shifted to the second side. In such a cooling device, the workability when hanging a strip-shaped object to be treated on a plurality of cooling rollers is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a heat treatment device 10 and a cooling device 50. As shown in FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the support structure of the cooling roller 52. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the support structure of the cooling roller 52. As shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the first support portion 56a. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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

[0008] <Heat treatment device 10> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a heat treatment apparatus 10 and a cooling apparatus 50. The heat treatment apparatus 10 is equipment for heat-treating a strip-shaped (sheet-shaped) workpiece A. In this embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus 10 is an apparatus for continuously drying the strip-shaped workpiece A while transporting it using a so-called roll-to-roll method. The workpiece A is not particularly limited as long as it is strip-shaped, such as an electrode sheet for a secondary battery in which electrode materials are applied to both sides of a sheet substrate, a flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL), or a polyimide sheet. The heat treatment apparatus 10 can be used to treat various strip-shaped (sheet-shaped) workpieces.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, heat treatment apparatus 10 includes an unwinding section 30, a heat treatment section 40, a cooling section 50, and a winding section 60. Heat treatment apparatus 10 also includes conveying devices 20 and 22. The cooling device 50 disclosed herein is used as the cooling section 50 in heat treatment apparatus 10. A strip-shaped workpiece A is treated while being conveyed through unwinding section 30, heat treatment section 40, cooling section 50, and winding section 60, in that order. Workpiece A is unwound from unwinding roll A1 provided in unwinding section 30, heat-treated in heat treatment section 40, cooled in cooling section 50, and then wound around winding roll A2 provided in winding section 60.

[0010] <Conveyor devices 20, 22> The conveying devices 20 and 22 are devices that convey the workpiece A. The workpiece A is conveyed along a predetermined conveying path. The conveying devices 20 and 22 are devices that rotate the unwinding shaft 32 to which the unwinding roll A1 of the unwinding section 30 is attached and the winding shaft 62 to which the winding roll A2 of the winding section 60 is attached, respectively. In this embodiment, a motor is used as the conveying devices 20 and 22. The conveying devices 20 and 22 may be configured with a device that controls the conveyance of the workpiece A. For example, the conveying devices 20 and 22 may use a motor and an inverter, or a servo motor, etc. The conveying devices 20 and 22 may also include a device that controls the tension applied to the workpiece A. For example, a powder clutch may be used as the tension control device. The conveying devices 20 and 22 may be realized by a set of devices in which a device that controls the conveyance speed and a device that controls the tension work together.

[0011] 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 atmospheric boxes provided in spaces surrounded by the outer walls 31 and 61, respectively. The conveying devices 20 and 22 may also be provided outside the outer walls 31 and 61, respectively.

[0012] The heat treatment apparatus 10 may be configured to be able to transport the workpiece A at a high speed in order to improve the processing efficiency of the workpiece A. Although not particularly limited, the transport speed of the workpiece A may be set to approximately 1 m / min to 200 m / min. In this embodiment, the transport speed of the workpiece A is set to approximately 100 m / min. In the heat treatment apparatus 10, the transport speed of the workpiece A is controlled by a control device (not shown).

[0013] The control device controls the conveying speed of the workpiece A, the tension applied to the workpiece A, and the like so that the workpiece A is conveyed according to predetermined conveying 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 the processed workpiece A. The control device is connected to the conveying devices 20 and 22. The control device may also be connected to the tension detection roller 35b, feed roller 35c, dancer roller 35d, tension detection roller 65c, and the like. The control device feeds back the unwinding tension detected by the tension detection roller 35b to the conveying device 20 and controls the torque of the unwinding shaft 32. This adjusts the unwinding tension. The control device also feeds back the in-furnace tension detected by the tension detection roller 35b, around which the workpiece A being processed is hung, to the dancer roller 35d. The dancer roller 35d moves according to the detected in-furnace tension. This adjusts the in-furnace tension. The rotation speed of the feed roller 35c is controlled so that the position of the dancer roller 35d returns to the reference position while the tension in the furnace is constant. The control device also feeds back the winding tension detected by the tension detection roller 65c to the conveying device 22, and controls the torque of the winding shaft 62. In this way, the winding tension is adjusted.

[0014] <Unrolling section 30> The unwinding section 30 is equipment that unwinds the workpiece A. The unwinding section 30 houses an unwinding roll A1 around which the workpiece A before heat treatment is wound. The unwinding section 30 has an outer wall 31 that surrounds the internal equipment and the unwinding roll A1. The unwinding section 30 is provided with an unwinding shaft 32 and a plurality of rollers 35 inside. The unwinding shaft 32 is a shaft on which the unwinding roll A1 around which the workpiece A before heat treatment is wound is attached. In this embodiment, the workpiece A is unwound from the unwinding roll A1 attached to the unwinding shaft 32 by driving the unwinding shaft 32 to rotate.

[0015] A space surrounded by the outer wall 31 of the unwinding section 30 is provided with a plurality of rollers 35 that set a transport path for the workpiece A. The workpiece A unwound from the unwinding roll A1 is passed around the plurality of rollers 35 in a predetermined order and transported 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 workpiece 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. The tension of the workpiece A is adjusted by the movement of the dancer roller 35d. The feed roller 35c is rotationally driven by a drive device (not shown). The position of the dancer roller 35d is adjusted by controlling the rotation of the feed roller 35c.

[0016] <Heat Processing Unit 40> The heat treatment section 40 is a facility where a strip-shaped workpiece A is heat-treated while being transported. The heat treatment section 40 is connected to the unwinding section 30 via a connecting section 70. The connecting section 70 is provided with an outlet for the unwinding section 30 and an entrance for the heat treatment section 40. A passage for the workpiece A is formed in the connecting section 70. The workpiece A is transported from the unwinding section 30 to the heat treatment section 40 through the connecting section 70. The passage for the workpiece A formed in the connecting section 70 is set to dimensions slightly larger than the width and thickness of the workpiece A. This makes it less likely that the atmosphere in the heat treatment section 40 and the atmosphere in the unwinding section 30 will interfere with each other.

[0017] Although not shown in detail, the heat treatment section 40 may include an outer wall 41, a heater, and guide rollers. The heat treatment section 40 has an internal treatment space in which the unwound workpiece A is heat-treated while being transported. The outer wall 41 surrounds the treatment space in which the heater and guide rollers are arranged.

[0018] The transport path along which the workpiece A is transported is set by guide rollers. The guide rollers are configured to rotate following the transport of the workpiece A.

[0019] The heater is a facility for heating the workpiece A. The workpiece A is heat-treated by the heater while being transported along a transport path set by guide rollers. The configuration of the heat treatment unit 40, including the guide rollers and heater, is not particularly limited. The heat-treated workpiece A is transported toward the cooling unit 50.

[0020] <Cooling section 50> Cooling section 50 is a facility in which workpiece A that has been heat-treated in heat treatment section 40 is cooled while being transported. Cooling section 50 is connected to heat treatment section 40 via connecting section 72. Cooling section 50 includes a carry-in section 50b, a carry-out section 50c, a plurality of cooling rollers 52, and a pair of support plates 53, 54 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Cooling section 50 also includes a plurality of guide rollers 55 and an outer wall 51.

[0021] A strip-shaped workpiece A is carried in through the carrying-in section 50b. The carrying-in section 50b is provided in the connecting section 72. The workpiece A is carried out through the carrying-out section 50c. The carrying-out section 50c is provided in the connecting section 74. The carrying-in section 50b and the carrying-out section 50c are provided in positions facing each other. The positional relationship between the carrying-in section 50b and the carrying-out section 50c is not particularly limited. Similar to the connecting section 70, the connecting section 72 has a passage formed therein through which the workpiece A passes. The configuration of the connecting section 72 can be similar to the configuration of the connecting section 70, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0022] <Cooling roller 52> The cooling rollers 52 are configured to allow a refrigerant to flow therethrough. The workpiece A is cooled by contacting the surface of the cooling rollers 52. The cooling rollers 52 include a first cooling roller 52a and a second cooling roller 52b. The first cooling roller 52a is a cooling roller 52 that is rotated so that the first surface A3 of the workpiece A comes into contact with the first cooling roller 52a. The second cooling roller 52b is a cooling roller 52 that is rotated so that the second surface A4 of the workpiece A comes into contact with the first cooling roller 52a. In this embodiment, a driving device (not shown) is connected to the cooling rollers 52. The cooling rollers 52 rotate in the conveying direction at a set conveying speed. In this embodiment, the workpiece A is cooled to approximately room temperature in the cooling section 50. The temperature of the workpiece A to be cooled is not particularly limited.

[0023] A plurality of first cooling rollers 52a and a plurality of second cooling rollers 52b (four of each in this embodiment) are provided. The number of cooling rollers 52 is not particularly limited. For example, one of each of the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b may be provided.

[0024] The multiple first cooling rollers 52a are arranged in a row at a predetermined pitch along the height direction in front of (the exit side of) the cooling section 50. The multiple second cooling rollers 52b are arranged in a row at a predetermined pitch along the height direction in the rear of (the entrance section 50b side of) the cooling section 50. The interval between adjacent first cooling rollers 52a and the interval between adjacent second cooling rollers 52b are each set to be narrower than the outer diameter of the cooling roller 52. The arrangement of the first cooling rollers 52a and the second cooling rollers 52b is not particularly limited.

[0025] Here, the first cooling rollers 52a and the second cooling rollers 52b are arranged at the same pitch. The height of the second cooling rollers 52b is arranged at a position half a pitch higher than the first cooling rollers 52a, starting from the bottom. As a result, the multiple first cooling rollers 52a and the multiple second cooling rollers 52b are arranged so that their heights are shifted sequentially before and after the cooling unit 50. In other words, the multiple first cooling rollers 52a and the multiple second cooling rollers 52b are arranged in a staggered pattern. This allows the cooling unit 50 to have a structure that is long in the height direction. On the other hand, the area occupied by the cooling unit 50 can be reduced, thereby saving space in the facility.

[0026] The outer wall 51 surrounds a processing space 50a in which a plurality of cooling rollers 52 and a plurality of guide rollers 55 are arranged. In this embodiment, the cooling section 50 is provided with a plurality of cooling rollers 52. The plurality of cooling rollers 52 and the plurality of guide rollers 55 define a transport path along which the workpiece A is transported in the cooling section 50.

[0027] <Guide Roller 55> The guide rollers 55 (55a to 55g) are rollers that guide the workpiece A. In this embodiment, the guide rollers 55 are substantially cylindrical rollers. In the cooling section 50, a transport path for the workpiece A is set by the multiple guide rollers 55 so that the workpiece A passes from the inlet section 50b (connecting section 72) through the multiple cooling rollers 52 toward the outlet (connecting section 74). Of the multiple guide rollers 55, the guide roller 55b is a tension detection roller that detects the tension applied to the workpiece A.

[0028] Guide roller 55a is positioned so that its upper end is at the same height as carry-in section 50b of cooling section 50. Guide rollers 55b and 55c are positioned at the bottom of cooling section 50. Guide roller 55b is positioned below guide roller 55a. Guide roller 55c is positioned in front of guide roller 55b (to the right of the drawing). Guide rollers 55d and 55e are positioned at the top of cooling section 50. Guide roller 55d is positioned above guide roller 55c. Guide roller 55e is positioned in front of guide roller 55d. Guide rollers 55f and 55g are positioned near carry-out section 50c of cooling section 50. Guide roller 55g is positioned so that its lower end is at the same height as carry-out section 50c of cooling section 50. The lower end of guide roller 55g and the upper end of guide roller 55a are at approximately the same height. Guide roller 55f is positioned one guide roller 55 higher. The guide roller 55f is disposed between the guide roller 55g and the discharge section 50c of the cooling section 50.

[0029] The workpiece A is introduced into the cooling section 50 from the carry-in section 50b through the guide rollers 55a. The workpiece A is transported to the cooling section 50 approximately horizontally. The workpiece A is hung from above around the guide rollers 55a and transported downward. The workpiece A is hung from the left side around the guide rollers 55b and transported forward. The workpiece A is hung from above around the guide rollers 55c and transported to the first cooling roller 52a located at the bottom. The workpiece A is alternately hung from below around the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b and transported from the top second cooling roller 52b towards the guide roller 55d. The workpiece A is hung from below around the guide roller 55d and transported forward. The workpiece A is hung from above around the guide roller 55e and transported downward. The workpiece A is hung on guide roller 55f from the right side and transported backward. The workpiece A is hung on guide roller 55g from above and turned back toward the front. The workpiece A is transported approximately horizontally toward the discharge section 50c of the cooling section 50.

[0030] The cooling section 50 is connected to the winding section 60 via a connecting section 74. The connecting section 74 includes an outlet section 50c of the cooling section 50 and an entrance of the winding section 60. The cooled workpiece A is transported to the winding section 60 through the connecting section 74.

[0031] <Winding section 60> The winding section 60 is a facility that winds up the workpiece A. The winding section 60 houses a winding roll A2 for winding up the workpiece A that has been cooled by the cooling roller 52. The winding section 60 has an outer wall 61 that surrounds the internal facilities and the winding roll A2. The winding section 60 is provided with a winding shaft 62 and a plurality of rollers 65. The winding shaft 62 is attached with the winding roll A2 on which the workpiece A that has been heat-treated in the heat treatment section 40 and cooled in the cooling section 50 has been wound. The winding shaft 62 is driven to rotate, causing the workpiece A to be wound onto the winding roll A2.

[0032] A space surrounded by the outer wall 61 of the winding section 60 is provided with a plurality of rollers 65 that define a transport path for the workpiece A. The rollers 65 define a transport path for the workpiece A in the winding section 60. The workpiece A transported from the cooling section 50 is hooked onto rollers 65 near the entrance (connecting section 74) of the winding section 60, then looped around the rollers 65 in a predetermined order, and wound onto the winding roll A2. The 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 to ensure the necessary slack in the workpiece A, for example, when replacing the winding roll A2. A tension detector (not shown) is attached to the tension detection roller 65c. When the winding roll A2 is replaced, the feed roller 65d feeds out the surplus length required for attaching the object A to the replaced winding roll A2.

[0033] <Vacuum Pump 80> The heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a vacuum pump 80. The internal spaces of the unwinding section 30, the heat treatment section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60 are surrounded by outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61, respectively. The unwinding section 30, the heat treatment section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60 each have a space isolated from the outside by the outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61. The internal spaces of the outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61 are connected when the workpiece A is being treated. A vacuum pump 80 is connected to the outer walls 31, 41, 51, and 61 of each section. The vacuum pump 80 reduces the pressure in the internal spaces of the unwinding section 30, the heat treatment section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60 (the treatment space 50a in the cooling section 50). In this embodiment, the workpiece A is treated under a predetermined vacuum atmosphere lower than atmospheric pressure.

[0034] The connection form of the vacuum pumps 80 is not particularly limited. A plurality of vacuum pumps 80 may be provided, and the plurality of vacuum pumps 80 may be connected to the unwinding section 30, the heat processing section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60, respectively. Pipes may branch out from one vacuum pump 80, and the interiors of a plurality of sections among the unwinding section 30, the heat processing section 40, the cooling section 50, and the winding section 60 may be decompressed.

[0035] Vacuum valves 81 to 84 for adjusting the degree of vacuum at each part are provided in the piping of the vacuum pump 80. The vacuum valves 81 to 84 are configured to be able to switch between connecting and disconnecting each part from the vacuum pump 80. When the degree of vacuum at each part is not adjusted, opening and closing valves may be used instead of the vacuum valves 81 to 84.

[0036] A door 70a is provided at the entrance of the heat treatment unit 40 (the connecting unit 70 in this embodiment). The door 70a is closed when, for example, the unwinding roll A1 is replaced. By closing the door 70a when, for example, the unwinding roll A1 is replaced, the atmosphere in the heat treatment unit 40 (in this embodiment, a reduced pressure state) can be maintained. The door 70a may be closed while the workpiece A is passing through the connecting unit 70, for example, when the unwinding roll A1 is replaced. When the remaining workpiece A wound around the unwinding roll A1 becomes small, 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 the atmosphere in the heat treatment unit 40 is maintained, leaving the workpiece A in the treatment space, and the device can be restored quickly after the unwinding roll A1 is replaced.

[0037] Furthermore, a door 74a is provided at the discharge section 50c of the cooling section 50 (in this embodiment, the connecting section 74). Like the door 70a, the door 74a can be closed when, for example, replacing the winding roll A2, thereby maintaining the atmosphere of the cooling section 50 (in this embodiment, a reduced pressure state). The door 74a may be closed while the workpiece A is passing through the connecting section 74, for example, when replacing the winding roll A2. When the amount of workpiece A wound around the winding roll A2 increases, the winding roll A2 is replaced with a new one. The end of the replaced winding roll A2 and the end of the workpiece A are joined together. The winding roll A2 can be replaced while maintaining the atmosphere of the cooling section 50, leaving the workpiece A in the treatment space 50a, and the device can be restored quickly after replacing the winding roll A2.

[0038] In a cooling device, a strip-shaped workpiece is cooled while being transported along a set transport path. The transport path is set to follow a plurality of cooling rollers. The workpiece is transported through an inlet section, passed around a plurality of cooling rollers, and transported through an outlet section. In the cooling device, the strip-shaped workpiece is cooled by contact with the cooling rollers. When a workpiece is processed using such a cooling device, the cooling device is stopped, and the workpiece is first passed through the inlet section, between the plurality of cooling rollers, and through the outlet section. The cooling device is then operated, and the workpiece is transported while being cooled. The inventors wish to improve the operability of passing the workpiece through a plurality of cooling rollers.

[0039] 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams showing the support structure of the cooling roller 52. Fig. 2 shows the support structure of the cooling roller 52 as seen from the right side, and Fig. 3 shows the support structure of the cooling roller 52 as seen from the left side.

[0040] <Multiple cooling rollers 52> As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the multiple cooling rollers 52 (first cooling roller 52a, second cooling roller 52b) each include a roller shaft 52a1, 52b1 and a roller body 52a2, 52b2. The roller shafts 52a1, 52b1 are substantially cylindrical shaft-shaped members. The roller shafts 52a1, 52b1 are members that serve as the rotation shafts of the cooling rollers 52. The roller shafts 52a1, 52b1 of the cooling rollers 52 extend in a direction (left-right direction) in which the pair of support plates 53, 54 face each other. Therefore, the axial directions of the multiple cooling rollers 52 are aligned. The roller shafts 52a1, 52b1 are supported by the pair of support plates 53, 54 via bearings 52c.

[0041] The roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are attached to the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. The roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are generally cylindrical members with diameters larger than those of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. The roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are the portions that come into contact with the workpiece A. A path through which a refrigerant passes is provided inside the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2. The path through which the refrigerant passes connects the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 to the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2. The roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 are cooled by the supply of the refrigerant to the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2. The workpiece A is cooled by coming into contact with the cooled roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2 during transport.

[0042] The multiple cooling rollers 52 are arranged in a staggered manner with their positions shifted in order along the height direction. Here, of the multiple cooling rollers 52, the first cooling roller 52a is arranged on a first side (front) of the support plates 53, 54. Of the multiple cooling rollers 52, the second cooling roller 52b is arranged on a second side (rear) of the support plates 53, 54. The first cooling rollers 52a and the second cooling rollers 52b are arranged alternately along the height direction.

[0043] The transport path of the workpiece A is set up so that the workpiece A is carried in through the carry-in section 50b (see FIG. 1), passed around the plurality of cooling rollers 52 in order, and then carried out through the carry-out section 50c (see FIG. 1). The transport path of the workpiece A is set up so that the first surface A3 of the workpiece A contacts the cooling roller (first cooling roller 52a) shifted to the first side among the plurality of cooling rollers 52, and the second surface A4 of the workpiece A contacts the cooling roller (second cooling roller 52b) shifted to the second side. The workpiece A is alternately passed around the first cooling roller 52a and the second cooling roller 52b. This increases the length of contact between the workpiece A and the cooling rollers 52, allowing the workpiece A to be cooled efficiently. The plurality of cooling rollers 52 are supported by a pair of support plates 53 and 54.

[0044] <A pair of support plates 53, 54> The pair of support plates 53, 54 face each other. The pair of support plates 53, 54 are provided in a processing space 50a isolated from the outside by an outer wall 51 (see FIG. 1). The pair of support plates 53, 54 face each other in the axial direction (left-right direction) of the cooling roller 52. In the processing space 50a, the support plate 53 is provided on the right side, and the support plate 54 is provided on the left side. The pair of support plates 53, 54 sandwich a space in which a plurality of cooling rollers 52 are arranged in a staggered manner. In this embodiment, the pair of support plates 53, 54 sandwich a space in which roller bodies 52a2, 52b2 are arranged. The pair of support plates 53, 54 include bearings 52c that support roller shafts 52a1, 52b1 of the plurality of cooling rollers 52, respectively.

[0045] The pair of support plates 53, 54 extend in the height direction. The pair of support plates 53, 54 extend in the height direction to a position higher than the roller shaft 52b1 of the cooling roller 52 that is located at the highest position among the multiple cooling rollers 52. The width (dimension in the front-to-rear direction) of the pair of support plates 53, 54 is set so that, when viewed in the axial direction, the side surfaces of the multiple roller bodies 52a2, b2 are exposed from the pair of support plates 53, 54. In this embodiment, the width of the pair of support plates 53, 54 is narrower than the distance between the position where the roller shaft 52a1 of the first cooling roller 52a is aligned in the height direction and the position where the roller shaft 52b1 of the second cooling roller 52b is aligned in the height direction.

[0046] The material of the support plates 53, 54 is not particularly limited. For example, stainless steel plates can be used as the support plates 53, 54. The thickness and material of the support plates 53, 54 should be set according to the weight of the multiple cooling rollers 52, the tension applied to the workpiece A during transportation, etc.

[0047] <Support plate 53> The support plate 53 supports the right end of the cooling roller 52. As shown in FIG. 2 , a through hole 53c is formed in the support plate 53. The shape of the through hole 53c is generally circular. The shape of the through hole 53c is not particularly limited and may be polygonal or elliptical. From the viewpoint of the strength of the support plate 53, it is preferable that the through hole 53c be generally circular. The through hole 53c is a work hole through which an operator passes his or her hand or tool when feeding the workpiece A onto the cooling roller 52 (feeding operation) after processing the workpiece A. The dimensions of the through hole 53c may be set in consideration of the strength of the support plate 53. The dimensions of the through hole 53c may be set not too large so that the support plate 53 can withstand the tension applied by the workpiece A during transportation. Although not particularly limited, the dimensions of the through hole 53c may be approximately 10 cm to 30 cm.

[0048] The through holes 53c are formed in the same number as the first cooling rollers 52a and the second cooling rollers 52b. The through holes 53c are each formed in approximately the center of the support plate 53 in the width direction (front-rear direction) of the support plate 53. The through holes 53c are formed slightly closer to the first side surface 53a. The through holes 53c are formed in positions overlapping with the transport path of the workpiece A in the direction in which the pair of support plates 53, 54 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) face each other. Here, the through holes 53c are provided in positions overlapping with the workpiece A hung from the first cooling roller 52a to the second cooling roller 52b. The workpiece A hung from the first cooling roller 52a to the second cooling roller 52b overlaps the lower part of the through holes 53c.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, the support plate 53 has support portions 56a, 56b (first support portion 56a and second support portion 56b). The support portions 56a, 56b are members that support the cooling roller 52. The support portions 56a, 56b are provided with bearings 52c. The first support portion 56a is provided on the first side surface 53a. The first support portion 56a supports the first cooling roller 52a. The second support portion 56b is provided on the second side surface 53b. The second support portion 56b supports the second cooling roller 52b. The first side surface 53a faces forward. The second side surface 53b faces rearward. The first side surface 53a and the second side surface 53b are flat surfaces and have a substantially rectangular shape that is longer in the height direction than in the thickness direction (opposing direction).

[0050] The first support portion 56a and the second support portion 56b protrude from the first side surface 53a and the second side surface 53b of the support plate 53, respectively. Therefore, the bearing 52c supports the cooling roller 52 in front of and behind the support plate 53. The first support portion 56a protrudes forward from the first side surface 53a. The second support portion 56b protrudes rearward from the second side surface 53b.

[0051] The first support portion 56a and the second support portion 56b may be configured integrally with the support plate 53. The first support portion 56a and the second support portion 56b may be separate members from the support plate 53 and attached to the support plate 53. In this embodiment, the first support portion 56a and the second support portion 56b are separate members from the support plate 53 and attached to the support plate 53. The first support portion 56a is attached to a side surface 53a on the first side of the support plate 53. The second support portion 56b is attached to a side surface 53b on the second side of the support plate 53. The following describes the attachment structure of the first support portion 56a to the support plate 53. The attachment structure of the second support portion 56b to the support plate 53 is similar to the attachment structure of the first support portion 56a, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0052] 4 is a schematic diagram showing the first support portion 56a. Fig. 4 shows the attachment structure of the support plate 53 and the support portion 56a that supports the first cooling roller 52a. The first support portion 56a is a plate-like member having approximately the same thickness as the support plate 53.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 4, second through holes 53d are formed in the support plate 53. The second through holes 53d penetrate the support plate 53 in the thickness direction. The second through holes 53d have a smaller diameter than the through holes 53c. The second through holes 53d are provided close to the position where the first support portions 56a are provided. The second through holes 53d are provided close to the side surface 53a on the first side. Two second through holes 53d are provided above and below each first support portion 56a. The upper second through hole 53d is provided at a height corresponding to the upper part of the first support portion 56a. The lower second through hole 53d is provided at a height corresponding to the lower part of the first support portion 56a.

[0054] The second through hole 53d has a generally rectangular shape with chamfered corners. A third through hole 53d2 is formed from an inner circumferential surface 53d1 of the second through hole 53d that is closest to the first support portion 56a toward the first side surface 53a of the support plate 53. Mounting holes 56a1 are formed in the support portion 56a. The two mounting holes 56a1 are formed at positions corresponding to the upper and lower third through holes 53d2.

[0055] The first support portion 56a is attached to the support plate 53 by an attachment member 53d3. The attachment member 53d3 may be, for example, a bolt. The attachment member 53d3 is inserted through the third through hole 53d2. The attachment member 53d3 penetrates from the inner circumferential surface of the second through hole 53d toward the first side surface 53a and is attached to the attachment hole 56a1. The attachment hole 56a1 may be, for example, a bolt hole into which the attachment member 53d3 fits. The first support portion 56a is attached to the support plate 53 at two locations, an upper portion and a lower portion. This allows the first support portion 56a to be stably attached to the support plate 53.

[0056] The first support portion 56a and the support plate 53 may be reinforced by a reinforcing plate 53e. The reinforcing plate 53e is a substantially rectangular stainless steel plate attached across the first support portion 56a and the support plate 53. The material, shape, etc. of the reinforcing plate 53e are not particularly limited. The reinforcing plate 53e is attached to the outer surfaces of the first support portion 56a and the support plate 53. The reinforcing plate 53e connects the upper and lower parts of the first support portion 56a to the support plate 53. The provision of the reinforcing plate 53e allows the first support portion 56a to be stably attached to the support plate 53. Furthermore, the provision of the reinforcing plate 53e makes it easier to withstand a load that may be applied in the axial direction of the cooling roller 52 during processing of the workpiece A, etc.

[0057] In the embodiment described above, the cooling device 50 includes a loading section 50b (see FIG. 1), a discharge section 50c (see FIG. 1), a plurality of cooling rollers 52, and a pair of support plates 53 and 54. The loading section 50b loads the workpiece A. The discharge section 50c loads the workpiece A. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pair of support plates 53 and 54 support the plurality of cooling rollers 52. The plurality of cooling rollers 52 are staggered in the height direction with their axial directions aligned. The pair of support plates 53 and 54 face each other across a space in which the staggered plurality of cooling rollers 52 are arranged. The pair of support plates 53 and 54 include bearings 52c that support roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 of the plurality of cooling rollers 52, respectively. The transport path of the workpiece A is set so that it is carried in through the carry-in section 50b, wrapped around the plurality of cooling rollers 52 in order along the height direction, and then carried out through the carry-out section 50c. The transport path of the workpiece A is set so that the first surface A3 of the workpiece A contacts the cooling roller 52a of the plurality of cooling rollers 52 that is shifted to the first side, and the second surface A4 of the workpiece A contacts the cooling roller 52b that is shifted to the second side.

[0058] In the cooling device 50, the transport path for the workpiece A is set as a path along which the workpiece A is passed around cooling rollers 52 arranged in a staggered pattern along the height direction. The workpiece A is passed around the staggered cooling rollers 52 in order along the height direction. Before processing the workpiece A, it is necessary to pass the workpiece A around the cooling rollers 52 in order. The cooling rollers 52 are arranged in a space sandwiched between a pair of support plates 53, 54. Therefore, when passing the workpiece A around the cooling rollers 52 in order, the workpiece A can be passed around the cooling rollers 52 while being passed around alternately from the outside (front and rear) of the pair of support plates 53, 54 to the front and rear.

[0059] 2, in the above-described embodiment, support plate 53 of the pair of support plates 53, 54 is formed with through-hole 53c. This allows an operator to place a hand or a tool through through-hole 53c and hang workpiece A on multiple cooling rollers 52. This makes it easier to transfer workpiece A between cooling rollers 52, improving the workability of hanging workpiece A on cooling rollers 52. Furthermore, the weight of support plate 53 can be reduced, thereby reducing the weight of the entire apparatus.

[0060] The through-hole 53c is formed at a position overlapping with the transport path of the workpiece A in the direction in which the pair of support plates 53, 54 face each other. This makes it easier to access the workpiece A from the through-hole 53c. This can improve the workability of hanging the workpiece A on the multiple cooling rollers 52.

[0061] In the embodiment described above, the through hole 53c is provided in approximately the center of the support plate 53. This can improve the workability of transferring the workpiece A, both when transferring the workpiece A from the front cooling roller 52 (in this embodiment, the first cooling roller 52a) to the rear cooling roller 52 (in this embodiment, the second cooling roller 52) and when transferring the workpiece A from the rear cooling roller 52 to the front cooling roller 52.

[0062] The through-hole 53c is formed in one of the pair of support plates 53, 54 (in this embodiment, the right support plate 53), but is not limited to this. A through-hole may also be formed in the other support plate 54.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, the pair of support plates 53, 54 are provided with support portions 56a, 56b on the first side surfaces 53a, 54a and the second side surfaces 53b, 54b, which support the plurality of cooling rollers 52. By providing the support portions 56a, 56b on the side surfaces 53a, 53b, the cooling rollers 52 can be easily removed from the side surfaces 53a, 53b of the support plate 53. This can improve the workability of the operation of hanging the workpiece A on the plurality of cooling rollers 52.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, the support portions 56a, 56b protrude from the first side surfaces 53a, 54a and the second side surfaces 53b, 54b of the pair of support plates 53, 54, respectively. This reduces the area of ​​the cooling roller 52 that overlaps with the support plate 53 in the axial direction of the cooling roller 52. As a result, the workability of hanging the workpiece A on the multiple cooling rollers 52 can be improved.

[0065] In the embodiment described above, the support plate 53 has a second through hole 53d formed in the vicinity of the positions where the support portions 56a and 56b are provided. The support portions 56a and 56b are attached to the support plate 53 by an attachment member 53d3 that penetrates from the inner circumferential surface of the second through hole 53d toward the closer of the first-side side surface 53a and the second-side side surface 53b. This makes it easy to attach and detach the support portions 56a and 56b and the cooling roller 52 from the outside (here, the right side) of the support plate 53. As a result, the ease of maintenance, such as replacement and inspection, of the cooling roller 52 can be improved.

[0066] In this embodiment, of the pair of support plates 53, 54, a through hole 53c is formed in the support plate 53. As shown in Fig. 3, the support plate 54 is provided with a refrigerant pipe 91 that supplies a refrigerant to the cooling roller 52.

[0067] <Support plate 54> The support plate 54 supports the left end of the cooling roller 52. Similar to the support plate 53, the support plate 54 has support portions 56a, 56b (first support portion 56a and second support portion 56b) on a first side surface 54a and a second side surface 54b that support the cooling roller 52. The configuration of the support portions 56a, 56b is the same as that of the support plate 53 described above, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0068] Although detailed illustration is omitted, refrigerant piping 91 is connected to the ends of roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. Refrigerant piping 91 is connected to a refrigerant supply device 90. Refrigerant is supplied from refrigerant supply device 90 toward refrigerant piping 91. The refrigerant is supplied from roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 to roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2. Refrigerant piping 91 is connected to each of cooling rollers 52.

[0069] In this embodiment, the cooling roller 52 has a so-called double-pipe structure. The double-pipe structure is formed at the ends of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. In the cooling roller 52, a refrigerant flows in and out of the left ends of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1. The roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1 have an inner pipe and an outer pipe. The refrigerant flows in through a refrigerant pipe 91 connected to the left ends of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1, passes between the outer and inner pipes of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1, passes through the roller bodies 52a2 and 52b2, passes through the inner pipes of the roller shafts 52a1 and 52b1, and flows out of the refrigerant pipe 91. The refrigerant pipe 91 may include an inlet pipe for introducing the refrigerant into the cooling roller 52 and an outlet pipe for introducing the refrigerant into the cooling roller 52. The configuration of the cooling roller 52 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the coolant flow path may be set so that the coolant circulates between the plurality of cooling rollers 52 among the plurality of cooling rollers 52 .

[0070] Of the pair of support plates 53, 54, one support plate 53 is formed with a through hole 53c (see FIG. 3). The other support plate 54 is provided with a refrigerant pipe 91 that supplies a refrigerant to the cooling roller 52. Because the through hole 53c is provided on the support plate 53 opposite the refrigerant pipe 91, the work of hanging the workpiece A on the cooling roller 52 is not hindered by the refrigerant pipe 91. This can improve the workability of hanging the workpiece A on the cooling roller 52.

[0071] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the cooling section 50, the guide rollers 55a-55g that set the transport path for the workpiece A are supported by the pair of support plates 53, 54, the pair of support plates 57a, 57b, and the pair of support plates 58a, 58b. The pair of support plates 57a, 57b are provided on the carry-in section 50b side of the cooling section 50. The pair of support plates 57a, 57b are at approximately the same height as the carry-in section 50b and the carry-out section 50c. The pair of support plates 58a, 58b are provided in pairs on the carry-out section 50c side of the cooling section 50. The pair of support plates 58a, 58b are at approximately the same height as the pair of support plates 53, 54. The support plates 57a, 58a are provided on approximately the same plane as the support plate 53. The support plates 57b, 58b are provided on approximately the same plane as the support plate 53.

[0072] Guide roller 55a is supported by a pair of support plates 57a and 57b. Guide roller 55b is supported by a connecting plate 57a1 connecting support plate 53 and support plate 57a and a connecting plate 57b1 connecting support plate 54 and support plate 57b. Guide rollers 55c and 55d are supported by a pair of support plates 53 and 54. Guide rollers 55e to 55g are supported by a pair of support plates 58a and 58b. Adjustment members 53f, 57c, and 58c are provided on the right support plates 53, 57a, and 58a to adjust the horizontality of guide roller 55. Note that the support form of guide roller 55 is not limited to this form.

[0073] Adjacent support plates (here, support plate 53 and support plate 57a, support plate 53 and support plate 58a, support plate 54 and support plate 57b, and support plate 54 and support plate 58b) may be connected by a detachable frame 59. Connecting adjacent support plates by frame 59 can improve the strength of the support plates. Frame 59 can be removed when replacing cooling roller 52, for example. Support plate 54 and support plate 57a may be connected by detachable frame 59.

[0074] Although the present invention has been described in detail above using specific embodiments, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. Thus, the technology described in the claims includes various modifications and alterations of the above-described embodiments.

[0075] This specification includes the following items 1 to 9. The following items 1 to 9 are not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0076] Section 1: a loading section for loading a strip-shaped object to be processed; a discharge unit that discharges the object to be processed; A plurality of cooling rollers; a pair of support plates that support the plurality of cooling rollers; Equipped with The plurality of cooling rollers are arranged in a staggered pattern with their axial directions aligned and their positions shifted sequentially along the height direction, the pair of support plates face each other across a space in which the plurality of cooling rollers are arranged in a staggered arrangement, and each support plate includes a bearing that supports a roller shaft of each of the plurality of cooling rollers; The transport path of the object to be processed is set so that the object is transported from the transport section, and is wound around the plurality of cooling rollers in order along a height direction so that a first surface of the object to be processed contacts a cooling roller shifted to a first side among the plurality of cooling rollers, and a second surface of the object to be processed contacts a cooling roller shifted to a second side, and then is transported from the transport section. Cooling device.

[0077] Section 2: Item 1. The cooling device according to item 1, wherein at least one of the pair of support plates has a through hole formed therein.

[0078] Section 3: Item 3. The cooling device according to item 2, wherein the through-hole is formed at a position overlapping with a transport path of the workpiece in the direction in which the pair of support plates face each other.

[0079] Section 4: Item 4. The cooling device according to item 2 or 3, wherein the through hole is provided in the center of the support plate.

[0080] Section 5: The through hole is formed in one of the pair of support plates, 5. The cooling device according to any one of items 2 to 4, wherein the other support plate is provided with a refrigerant pipe for supplying a refrigerant to the cooling roller.

[0081] Item 6: 6. The cooling device according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the pair of support plates are provided with support portions on the first side surface and the second side surface for supporting the plurality of cooling rollers.

[0082] Section 7: Item 7. The cooling device according to item 6, wherein the support portions protrude from the first side surface and the second side surface of the pair of support plates, respectively.

[0083] Section 8: a second through hole is formed in the support plate in the vicinity of a position where the support portion is provided, The support portion is attached to the support plate by an attachment member that penetrates from the inner surface of the second through hole toward the closer of the first side surface and the second side surface. A cooling device according to item 6 or 7.

[0084] Section 9: a heat treatment section in which the object to be treated is heat-treated; A cooling device according to any one of items 1 to 8, which cools the heat-treated object; A heat treatment device comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10 Heat treatment device 20,22 Conveyor device 30 Unwinding section 31, 41, 51, 61 Exterior wall 32 Unwinding shaft 35 Laura 40 Heat treatment section 50 Cooling device (cooling section) 50a Processing space 50b Loading area 50c unloading section 51 Exterior Wall 52 Cooling roller 52a First cooling roller 52b Second cooling roller 52a1, 52b1 Roller shaft 52a2, 52b2 Roller body 52c bearing 53,54 Support plate 53a,53b,54a,54b Side 53c through hole 53d 2nd through hole 53d1 side 53d2 3rd through hole 53d3 Mounting material 53e Reinforcement plate 53f, 57c, 58c Adjustment members 55 Guide roller 56a 1st support part (support part) 56a1 Mounting hole 56b Second support part (support part) 57a,57b,58a,58b Support plate 57a1, 57b1 Connection board 59 frames 60 Winding section 62 Winding shaft 65 Laura 70,72,74 Connection part 70a,74a Door 80 Vacuum Pump 81~84 Vacuum valve 90 Refrigerant supply device 91 Refrigerant piping A. Processing object A1 Unwinding roll A2 winding roll A3 1st page A4 2nd side

Claims

1. a loading section for loading a strip-shaped object to be processed; a discharge unit that discharges the object to be processed; A plurality of cooling rollers; a pair of support plates that support the plurality of cooling rollers; Equipped with The plurality of cooling rollers are arranged in a staggered pattern with their axial directions aligned and their positions shifted sequentially along the height direction, the pair of support plates face each other across a space in which the plurality of cooling rollers are arranged in a staggered arrangement, and each support plate includes a bearing that supports a roller shaft of each of the plurality of cooling rollers; a transport path for the object to be processed is set so that the object is transported from the transport-in section, and is wound around the plurality of cooling rollers in order along a height direction so that a first surface of the object to be processed contacts a cooling roller shifted to a first side among the plurality of cooling rollers, and a second surface of the object to be processed contacts a cooling roller shifted to a second side, and then is transported from the transport-out section; Cooling device.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pair of support plates has a through hole formed therein.

3. The cooling device according to claim 2 , wherein the through-hole is formed at a position overlapping a transport path of the workpiece in a direction in which the pair of support plates face each other.

4. The cooling device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the through hole is provided in a central portion of the support plate.

5. The through hole is formed in one of the pair of support plates, 4. The cooling device according to claim 2, wherein the other support plate is provided with a refrigerant pipe for supplying a refrigerant to said cooling roller.

6. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pair of support plates are provided with support portions on the first side surface and the second side surface, which support the plurality of cooling rollers.

7. The cooling device according to claim 6 , wherein the support portions protrude from the first side surface and the second side surface of the pair of support plates, respectively.

8. a second through hole is formed in the support plate in the vicinity of a position where the support portion is provided, 7. The cooling device of claim 6, wherein the support portion is attached to the support plate by an attachment member that penetrates from the inner surface of the second through hole toward the closer of the first side surface and the second side surface.

9. a heat treatment section in which the object to be treated is heat-treated; a cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which cools the heat-treated object; A heat treatment device comprising:

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