Apparatus and method for manufacturing oscillators

Abstract

This invention stabilizes the burner flame and manufactures oscillators with three-dimensional curved surfaces that have improved precision compared to conventional designs. [Solution] The vibrator manufacturing apparatus comprises a burner, a mold 20 used for processing the reflow material RM, and a frame-shaped partition 40 surrounding the mold 20 and having an airflow control unit. The airflow control unit is periodically provided along the partition 40, with the circumferential direction D1 being the axis of the direction connecting the burner and the mold 20, with the mold 20 as the center. The airflow control unit generates a flow that swirls the airflow produced by the burner flame within the area enclosed by the partition 40 and discharges it to the outside of the partition 40.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vibrator manufacturing apparatus and a vibrator manufacturing method for manufacturing a vibrator having a three-dimensional curved surface.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, BRG is known as an inertial sensor using a vibrator that has a three-dimensional curved surface and vibrates in a wineglass mode. BRG is an abbreviation for Bird-bath Resonator Gyroscope. For a vibrator of such a configuration, the Q value representing the vibration state is 10 6 or higher, so higher accuracy than before is expected. Examples of this type of vibrator manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method include those described in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The method for manufacturing a vibrator described in Patent Document 1 prepares a mold that has a recess and a support portion protruding from the center of the bottom surface of the recess and is capable of vacuum depressurization inside the recess, and a reflow material such as quartz glass, sets the reflow material on the recess, and depressurizes the inside of the recess while heating with a burner flame. As a result, part of the reflow material softened by heating is pulled into the recess, while the center of the softened portion is supported by the support portion, making it possible to manufacture a vibrator that includes a curved surface portion having a three-dimensional curved surface, and a bottomed cylindrical connection portion recessed toward the center of the hemispherical portion formed by the curved surface portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the manufacturing of oscillators using a burner flame, fluctuations or variations in the burner flame lead to variations in heat input to the reflow material, impairing the symmetry of the three-dimensional curved surface and degrading the quality of the oscillator. The burner flame is affected, for example, by external wind and variations in the burner's gas flow. Therefore, it is conceivable to stabilize the burner flame by installing a screen to surround it, thereby reducing the influence of external wind. However, as a result of diligent research by the inventors, it has been newly discovered that, in the manufacturing of oscillators with three-dimensional curved surfaces, it is difficult to stabilize the burner flame by simply installing a screen, and the quality of the oscillator cannot be controlled.

[0006] In view of the above, this disclosure aims to provide a vibrator manufacturing apparatus and a vibrator manufacturing method that can stabilize the flame of a burner and manufacture vibrators having a three-dimensional curved surface with improved accuracy compared to conventional methods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the oscillator manufacturing apparatus is an oscillator manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an oscillator (100) having a curved surface portion (110) having a three-dimensional curved surface, A burner (10) for heating a plate-shaped reflow material (RM), A mold (20) having a cavity (21) recessed from the upper surface (20a) where the reflow material is placed, facing the burner, and a vent (23) that connects the cavity to the outside and is used to reduce the pressure of the space created by the reflow material covering the cavity and the cavity, It comprises a frame-shaped partition (40) surrounding the mold, The circumferential direction of the partition (D1) is defined as the direction along the partition, with the mold as the center and the direction connecting the mold and the burner as the axis. The partition has airflow control units (41-44) that are periodically arranged along the circumferential direction of the partition and generate an airflow that swirls the airflow (AC) produced by the flame of the burner within the inner region surrounded by the partition, and discharges it to the outside of the partition.

[0008] This oscillator manufacturing apparatus has an airflow control system that, when heating a plate-shaped reflow material placed on a mold with a burner, surrounds the mold with a screen and causes the airflow generated by the burner to swirl within the area inside the screen before being discharged outside the screen. As a result, the burner flame is stabilized and the heat input to the reflow material is stabilized, making it possible to manufacture oscillators with three-dimensional curved surfaces with improved accuracy compared to conventional methods.

[0009] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the method for manufacturing an oscillator is a method for manufacturing an oscillator (100) having a curved surface portion (110) having a three-dimensional curved surface, Prepare a plate-shaped reflow material (RM) that softens upon heating, A mold (20) is prepared having a cavity (21) recessed from the upper surface (20a) on which the reflow material is placed, and a vent (23) that connects the cavity to the outside and is used to reduce the pressure of the space created by the reflow material covering the cavity and the cavity. A frame-shaped partition (40) having an airflow control unit (41-44) is prepared, and the mold is surrounded by the partition. The reflow material is placed in a mold surrounded by a partition, and the reflow material is heated by the flame of the burner (10), This includes reducing the pressure of a cavity covered with reflow material through a vent, and deforming the flame-heated reflow material toward the cavity, In surrounding the mold with a screen, the circumferential direction (D1) of the screen is defined as the circumferential direction of the screen, passing through the center of the mold and with the axis being the normal direction to the upper surface. The screen is provided with airflow control units that are periodically installed along the circumferential direction of the screen. In heating the reflow material, the airflow control unit causes the airflow (AC) generated by the burner to swirl within the inner region surrounded by the partition, creating a flow that is then discharged to the outside of the partition.

[0010] In this oscillator manufacturing method, when a plate-shaped reflow material placed on a mold is heated with a burner, the mold is surrounded by a screen equipped with an airflow control unit. The airflow control unit causes the airflow generated by the burner flame to swirl within the area inside the screen and discharge outside the screen. As a result, the burner flame is stabilized and the heat input to the reflow material is stabilized, making it possible to manufacture oscillators with three-dimensional curved surfaces with improved precision compared to conventional methods.

[0011] The reference numerals in parentheses attached to each component indicate an example of the correspondence between that component and the specific components described in the embodiments described later. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram of the oscillator manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a vibrator manufactured by a vibrator manufacturing machine. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the screen. [Figure 4] This figure shows the simulation analysis results of airflow in the absence of a partition. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram of the airflow when a partition is present, as in the comparative example. [Figure 6] This figure shows the diameter evaluation results for the oscillators of the comparative example and the example. [Figure 7] This figure shows the processing time of the vibrators for the comparative example and the example. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram of the airflow in the oscillator manufacturing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view showing the oscillator manufacturing apparatus of the second embodiment. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram of the airflow in the oscillator manufacturing apparatus of the second embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing the oscillator manufacturing apparatus of the third embodiment. [Figure 12] This is an explanatory diagram of the airflow in the oscillator manufacturing apparatus of the third embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view showing the vibrator manufacturing apparatus of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] It is an explanatory diagram of an air flow in the vibrator manufacturing apparatus of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 15] It is a modified example of the vibrator manufacturing apparatus of the fourth embodiment and an explanatory diagram of an air flow. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following respective embodiments, portions that are the same or equivalent to each other will be described with the same reference numerals. Further, when only a part of the constituent elements is described in an embodiment, the constituent elements described in the preceding embodiment can be applied to the other parts of the constituent elements. In the following embodiments, as long as no particular trouble occurs in the combination, the respective embodiments can be partially combined with each other even if not particularly explicitly stated.

[0014] (First Embodiment) The vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment will be described.

[0015] [Basic Configuration] As shown in FIG. 1 for example, the vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a burner 10, a mold 20, a cooling body 30, and a partition 40. In the vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1, a plate-shaped reflow material RM is arranged on the upper surface 20a of the mold 20, the reflow material RM is softened by the flame F of the burner 10, and is deformed by reducing the pressure in the cavity 21 of the mold 20, whereby the vibrator 100 shown in FIG. 2 can be manufactured.

[0016] For the sake of explanation, as shown by the arrows in Figure 1, the two orthogonal axes in the plane formed by the mounting surface 30a of the cooling body 30 on which the mold 20 is placed, and the directions along the two sides of the outer casing of the mounting surface 30a, will be referred to as the "X direction" and the "Y direction". The direction orthogonal to the XY plane to which the X and Y directions belong will be referred to as the "Z direction". The arrows indicating the X, Y, and Z directions in Figures 1 and subsequent figures correspond to the above-mentioned X, Y, and Z directions.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the resonator 100 is a three-dimensional, substantially symmetrical structure comprising a curved surface portion 110 including the outer shape of a roughly hemispherical three-dimensional curved surface, and a bottomed cylindrical recess 120 extending from the apex side of the virtual hemisphere formed by the curved surface portion 110 toward the inner center of the hemisphere. The resonator 100 may also be called a Bird-bath Resonator. For example, the resonator 100 is mounted on a mounting substrate (not shown) with the side with the larger outer diameter as the front surface and the opposite side as the back surface, with the mounting surface 121, which is the bottom surface of the recess 120 on the back surface, forming a BRG. For example, the resonator 100 is formed by creating the curved surface portion 110 and the recess 120 in the reflow material RM using a resonator manufacturing apparatus 1, then removing unnecessary parts by polishing or laser processing, and forming a conductive film (not shown) at least on the back surface by sputtering or the like. The transducer 100 has a rim 111 at the end of the curved surface 110 opposite to the recess 120, and the rim 111 can vibrate in wineglass mode when a voltage is applied from a mounted substrate (not shown). The transducer 100 has dimensions on the order of millimeters, such as the thickness of the curved surface 110 and recess 120 being on the order of micrometers (10 μm to 100 μm), the height dimension of the recess 120 along the extension direction being 2.5 mm, and the outer diameter of the surface side of the rim 111 being 5 mm.

[0018] The reflow material RM is a plate-like component made of any material that softens upon heating, such as borosilicate glass or quartz. While not limited to these, reflow material RM is typically used with a thickness on the order of micrometers, ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometers.

[0019] The burner 10 is a heat source for heating and softening the reflow material RM with a flame F. The burner 10 is connected to a gas supply system (not shown) that supplies fuel gas such as propane and oxygen gas, and a gas flow regulator (not shown) that adjusts the flow rate of the gas supplied from the gas supply system. The burner 10 emits a flame F when, for example, the fuel gas and oxygen gas with adjusted flow rates are mixed internally and ignited at a gas outlet that discharges the mixed gas. The burner 10 is connected to a Z-stage (not shown) that is movable in the Z direction, and its distance from the mold 20 is adjustable.

[0020] The mold 20 is made of any material that can withstand the flame F of the burner 10, such as carbon, and is used for processing the reflow material RM. The mold 20 has an upper surface 20a on which the reflow material RM is placed, a cavity 21 which is a recess that is recessed from the upper surface 20a, a support column 22 protruding from the bottom surface of the cavity 21, and ventilation holes 23 provided in the cavity 21. The cavity 21 is the part that forms the three-dimensional curved shape of the curved part 110 of the vibrator 100, and is not limited to these shapes, for example, a hemispherical or cylindrical shape. The support column 22 is the part that supports a part of the reflow material RM that has been heated and softened by the burner 10 and is used to form the recess 120 of the vibrator 100. The support column 22 is, for example, provided at the center of the cavity 21 when the mold 20 is viewed from the direction normal to the upper surface 20a, and is substantially cylindrical in shape. The ventilation holes 23 are, for example, multiple holes provided in the vicinity of the support column 22 within the cavity 21, and are through-holes that communicate with the outside of the mold 20. They are used to reduce the pressure in the space formed by the reflow material RM and the cavity 21. The ventilation holes 23 communicate with the outside on the lower surface of the mold 20 opposite to the upper surface 20a and are connected to the ventilation holes 31 of the cooling body 30.

[0021] The cooling body 30 is for cooling the mold 20 and is made of any material, such as a metal material with high thermal conductivity and heat resistance. The cooling body 30 has ventilation holes 31, which are through holes connecting the mounting surface 30a on which the mold 20 is placed to other surfaces, and the ventilation holes 31 are connected to ventilation holes 23 of the mold 20. The cooling body 30 has an opening in the ventilation holes 31 that is different from the mounting surface 30a and is connected to a negative pressure source such as a vacuum mechanism (not shown), allowing for depressurization of the cavity 21 of the mold 20 via the ventilation holes 31. The cooling body 30 may have another ventilation hole (not shown) for, for example, adsorbing and fixing the lower surface of the mold 20 by vacuum. The cooling body 30 is configured to be connected to a heat sink (not shown) located on the opposite side of the mold 20, and to dissipate heat by a coolant supplied from a chiller (not shown) into the heat sink. The cooling body 30 is, for example, positioned on an XY stage (not shown) that is movable in the X and Y directions, and is configured to allow adjustment of the position of the mold 20 relative to the burner 10. The cooling body 30 has, for example, a positioning groove 32 on its mounting surface 30a for aligning the partition 40, and the partition 40 is fitted into the positioning groove 32. The positioning groove 32 is frame-shaped to match the dimensions of the partition 40.

[0022] The partition 40 is, for example, a frame-shaped member positioned on the mounting surface 30a of the cooling body 30 and surrounding the mold 20. The partition 40 is, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape with a height in the Z direction greater than that of the mold 20, and suppresses the fluctuating and unevenness of the flame F of the burner 10 caused by external wind and airflow in the inner region surrounded by the partition 40. In this embodiment, the partition 40 has a plurality of cylindrical bodies 41, as shown in Figure 3, for example.

[0023] For the sake of explanation, as shown in Figure 3, the circumferential direction along the partition 40, with the mold 20 as the center and the Z-direction connecting the mold 20 and the burner 10 as the axis, will be referred to as the "partition circumferential direction D1". Furthermore, the inner region enclosed by the partition 40 will be simply referred to as the "inner region".

[0024] The multiple cylindrical bodies 41, for example, straddle the inner circumferential surface 40a on the mold 20 side and the outer circumferential surface 40b on the opposite side of the partition 40, and are arranged periodically along the circumferential direction D1 of the partition. The multiple cylindrical bodies 41 are, for example, integrated with the partition 40 and configured to connect the inner circumferential surface 40a and the outer circumferential surface 40b. The multiple cylindrical bodies 41 are, for example, a gas introduction mechanism in which the end on the outer circumferential surface 40b side extends in a direction tangential to the circumferential direction D1 of the partition, and a pipe (not shown) is connected to it, allowing air to be introduced into the inner region from an air supply source (not shown). The cylindrical bodies 41 are, for example, arranged in groups of four at equal intervals, and the direction from the end on the outer circumferential surface 40b side to the end on the inner circumferential surface 40a side is the air introduction direction, and when viewed from the Z direction, all air introduction directions are unified to be either clockwise or counterclockwise. In other words, the multiple cylindrical bodies 41 are configured to generate an airflow in which the air introduced into the inner region swirls in the same direction along the circumferential direction D1 of the partition. That is, in this embodiment, the multiple cylindrical bodies 41 function as an airflow control unit that controls the airflow generated when the reflow material RM is heated by the flame F of the burner 10, and suppresses fluctuations and variations in the flame F of the burner 10. The airflow control by the cylindrical bodies 41 and its effects will be described later.

[0025] In Figure 3, a representative example is shown where four cylindrical bodies 41 are provided on the partition 40, but this is not the only example, and the number and arrangement can be changed as appropriate. For example, the cylindrical bodies 41 may be placed above the upper end surface 40c of the partition 40 that is opposite to the cooling body 30, or they may be separate from the partition 40 and attached to the upper end surface 40c of the partition 40. Thus, the configuration of the cylindrical bodies 41 can be changed as appropriate. In addition, although the above describes an example in which air is introduced into the inner region by multiple cylindrical bodies 41, any gas that does not obstruct the flame of the burner 10 is acceptable, and gases other than air may be introduced.

[0026] The above describes the basic configuration of the vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1 and the vibrator 100 manufactured therein according to this embodiment.

[0027] [Effects of screens] Next, the effects of the screen 40 and the cylindrical body 41 will be explained.

[0028] When heating the reflow material RM placed in the mold 20 with the flame F of the burner 10, if the flame F of the burner 10 fluctuates or varies, variations in heat input to the reflow material RM occur, and the symmetry of the oscillator 100 decreases. Conventionally, methods to suppress the fluctuating flame F of the burner 10 have been considered, for example, by optimizing the structure of the burner 10 so that the fuel gas and oxygen gas supplied inside the burner 10 swirl, or by surrounding the burner 10 itself with a frame-shaped partition.

[0029] During the processing of the reflow material RM, a gas flow from the burner 10 is generated as airflow around the mold 20 and its surroundings. If this airflow is disturbed, the flame F of the burner 10 will fluctuate. Causes of airflow turbulence include external wind and the spreading of the gas flow due to its contact with the reflow material RM, which has been deformed into a three-dimensional shape. It is difficult to suppress this airflow turbulence with the conventional methods described above.

[0030] When the inventors performed a simulation analysis using the finite element method, they found that, as shown in Figure 4 for example, the gas flow from the burner 10 hits the reflow material RM, which has deformed into a roughly bowl shape, and spreads out in a disorderly manner, causing turbulence in the airflow. In Figure 4, the analysis results are for a model that has the burner 10, mold 20, and cooler 30, but no screen 40, and half of the mold 20 and cooler 30 are shown, with the simulated airflow indicated by a thick arrow.

[0031] Therefore, as shown in Figure 5, it is conceivable to surround the mold 20 with a comparative example partition CS that does not have a cylindrical body 41. The comparative example partition CS is a perfect cylinder, and no through holes or grooves are formed on the inner circumferential surface on the mold 20 side, nor does it have any other shaped members. In this case, although the influence of external wind can be reduced, it is difficult to prevent airflow turbulence caused by the three-dimensional curved reflow material RM. Note that in Figure 5, as in Figure 4, half of the mold 20 and cooling body 30 are shown, and the airflow is indicated by thick arrows.

[0032] As a result of diligent research by the inventors, it was found that by causing the airflow to swirl in the inner region enclosed by the screen and generating a flow that is discharged to the outside of the screen, fluctuations in the flame F of the burner 10 can be suppressed, and the symmetry of the oscillator 100 can be improved.

[0033] Specifically, multiple transducers 100 were manufactured using two transducer manufacturing apparatuses: one using a comparative example partition CS, and the other using a partition 40 with four cylindrical bodies 41 to introduce air. The variation in diameter was then evaluated. For the two transducer manufacturing apparatuses described above, all components except the partitions used were identical, and quartz glass was used as the reflow material RM. Furthermore, while measuring the temperature of the support column 22 of the mold 20 with a radiation thermometer (not shown), the reflow material RM was heated and deformed under reduced pressure. When the temperature reached 580°C, the burner 10 was moved away from the mold 20, and the resulting transducers were evaluated with N=4. Hereinafter, for the sake of explanation, the transducer 100 manufactured by the transducer manufacturing apparatus using the comparative example partition CS will be referred to as the "comparative example," and the transducer 100 manufactured by transducer manufacturing apparatus 1 will be referred to as the "example."

[0034] As shown in Figure 6, the comparative examples had diameters of 4747.6 μm, 4749.8 μm, 4754.8 μm, and 4757.6 μm, respectively, with an average diameter ±3σ of 4754.3 μm ± 13.7 μm. σ represents the standard deviation, and the diameter, as shown in Figure 2, is the diameter D at a position on the extension of the plane formed by the mounting surface 121 on the surface side of the oscillator's rim 111. The diameter was measured using a microscope. On the other hand, the examples had diameters of 4780.2 μm, 4780.9 μm, 4779.0 μm, and 4782.3 μm, respectively, with an average diameter ±3σ of 4780.6 μm ± 4.2 μm. The diameter variation was smaller and the symmetry was improved compared to the comparative examples. Furthermore, the time required from the start to the end of heating, i.e., the processing time, was 10.9 seconds, 10.9 seconds, 11.5 seconds, and 11.4 seconds for the comparative example, and 9.9 seconds, 10.0 seconds, 10.1 seconds, and 10.1 seconds for the example, as shown in Figure 7. Also, the average processing time ±3σ was 11.4 seconds ±1.12 seconds for the comparative example and 10.03 seconds ±0.29 seconds for the example, showing less variation in the example. This is thought to be because, as shown in Figure 8, for example, the air introduced from the cylindrical body 41 caused swirling of the airflow in the inner region and discharge from the upper end surface 40c upwards, stabilizing the flame F of the burner 10 and stabilizing the heat input to the reflow material RM.

[0035] According to this embodiment, the vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1 is configured such that a mold 20 positioned opposite the burner 10 is surrounded by a frame-shaped partition 40, and a plurality of cylindrical bodies 41 are periodically arranged along the circumferential direction D1 of the partition. In this vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1, air is introduced into the inner region by the plurality of cylindrical bodies 41, the airflow swirls within the inner region, and is discharged to the outside of the partition 40. As a result, in this vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1, the airflow in the inner region is controlled, the flame F of the burner 10 is stabilized, and consequently, variations in heat input to the reflow material RM are reduced, making it possible to manufacture a vibrator 100 with improved symmetry.

[0036] (Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the transducer manufacturing apparatus 1 will now be described. The transducer manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the partition 40 has been changed, as shown in Figure 9, for example. This embodiment will mainly describe this difference. Note that in Figure 9, the burner 10 has been omitted for clarity. Also, in Figure 10, which will be described later, half of the mold 20 and the cooling body 30 are shown, similar to Figure 5, and the airflow is indicated by a thick arrow.

[0037] In this embodiment, the partition 40 has a plurality of through holes 42 that are periodically formed along the circumferential direction D1 of the partition. The plurality of through holes 42 connect the inner circumferential surface 40a and the outer circumferential surface 40b of the partition 40 and are outlets that discharge a portion of the airflow generated by the burner 10 to the outside of the partition 40. The plurality of through holes 42 are provided, for example, near the lower end on the cooling body 30 side. The plurality of through holes 42 are arranged periodically along the circumferential direction D1 of the partition, as shown in Figure 10, for example, and function as an airflow control unit that generates a flow that discharges the airflow in the inner region to the outside by discharging a portion of the airflow to the outside of the partition 40. As a result, the flame F of the burner 10 is stabilized, the variation in heat input to the reflow material RM is reduced, and it is possible to manufacture an oscillator 100 with improved symmetry.

[0038] In Figure 9, a representative example is shown in which all of the through-holes 42 are circular with the same diameter, are arranged at equal intervals, and are all at the same height on the screen 40. However, the design is not limited to this. For example, the multiple through-holes 42 may be of any other shape, such as an ellipse or polygon, and some may have different heights, dimensions, or spacing, as long as it is possible to stabilize the airflow inside the screen 40. The number of holes can also be changed as appropriate.

[0039] This embodiment also provides a vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1 that achieves the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

[0040] (Third embodiment) A third embodiment of the transducer manufacturing apparatus 1 will now be described. The transducer manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the partition 40 has been changed, as shown in Figure 11, for example. This embodiment will mainly describe this difference. Note that the burner 10 is omitted in Figure 11 for clarity. Also, in Figure 12, which will be described later, half of the mold 20 and the cooling body 30 are shown, similar to Figure 5, and the airflow is indicated by a thick arrow.

[0041] In this embodiment, the partition 40 has a plurality of plate portions 43 that are periodically separated from each other along the circumferential direction D1 of the partition. The plurality of plate portions 43 are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the height direction D2 on the inner circumferential surface 40a of the partition 40, for example, and extend from the lower end on the cooling body 30 side to the opposite upper end. The plurality of plate portions 43 are rectangular in shape, for example, with the same length in the extension direction along the inner circumferential surface 40a and the same height in the direction normal to the inner circumferential surface 40a, and are arranged at equal intervals. As shown in Figure 12, for example, the partition 40 functions as an airflow control unit, where the region sandwiched between adjacent plate portions 43 is an airflow path, and the plurality of plate portions 43 cause the airflow to swirl, generating a flow that is discharged upward from the upper end surface 40c side of the partition 40. As a result, the flame F of the burner 10 is stabilized, heat input variations to the reflow material RM are reduced, and it is possible to manufacture an oscillator 100 with improved symmetry.

[0042] The length, height, shape, spacing, and number of the multiple plate sections 43 are not limited to the above example and may be appropriately changed within a range that allows for stable airflow inside the partition 40.

[0043] This embodiment also provides a vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1 that achieves the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

[0044] (Fourth Embodiment) A fourth embodiment of the transducer manufacturing apparatus 1 will now be described. The transducer manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the partition 40 has been changed, as shown in Figure 13, for example. This embodiment will mainly describe this difference. Note that the burner 10 is omitted in Figure 13 for clarity. Also, in Figures 14 and 15, the airflow from the fan 44, which will be described later, is indicated by a thick arrow, similar to Figure 5.

[0045] In this embodiment, the partition 40 has, for example, a substantially cylindrical fan 44 positioned inside the inner circumferential surface 40a and at the same height as the partition 40. The fan 44 has, for example, a plurality of blades 441 that are spaced apart from each other at equal intervals along the circumferential direction D1 of the partition, and the plurality of blades 441 are connected at the lower end on the cooling body 30 side and the upper end on the opposite side, and may also be called a sirocco fan. As shown in Figure 14, for example, the fan 44 rotates along the circumferential direction D1 of the partition by a drive unit (not shown), causing airflow to flow from the inside to the outside of the fan 44 through the gaps between the blades 441. The fan 44 then rotates between the inner circumferential surface 40a and the fan 44 in the inner region, generating a flow that discharges air upward from the upper end surface 40c. In other words, in this embodiment, the fan 44 functions as an airflow control unit. The drive unit, which is not shown in the diagram, is located, for example, below the mold 20 or outside the partition 40, and applies mechanical force such as a motor or magnetic force to the fan 44 to rotate the fan 44. This stabilizes the flame F of the burner 10, reduces variations in heat input to the reflow material RM, and makes it possible to manufacture an oscillator 100 with improved symmetry.

[0046] This embodiment also provides a vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1 that achieves the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

[0047] (Modified version of the fourth embodiment) The oscillator manufacturing apparatus 1 may be configured such that, as shown in Figure 15, for example, the cooling body 30 has a stepped portion 33 that is recessed downwards outside the area where the mold 20 is placed, and a screen 40 and a fan 44 are placed in the area of ​​the cooling body 30 outside the stepped portion 33. In this case, the oscillator manufacturing apparatus 1 has a screen 40 at a height that surrounds the stepped portion 33 and the mold 20, and the fan 44 is positioned below the reflow material RM to be processed. In addition, the screen 40 is provided with a plurality of through holes 42 at the height of the fan 44, so that the airflow generated by the rotation of the fan 44 can be discharged to the outside through the through holes 42. In other words, in this modified example, the oscillator manufacturing apparatus 1 is configured such that the airflow in the area inside the screen 40 is directed downwards below the mold 20 by the rotation of the fan 44, swirls, and is discharged to the outside through the plurality of through holes 42. This makes it possible to manufacture an oscillator 100 with a stable flame F from the burner 10 and, consequently, improved symmetry.

[0048] This modified version also provides a vibrator manufacturing apparatus 1 that achieves the same effects as the fourth embodiment described above.

[0049] (Other embodiments) This disclosure is described in accordance with the embodiments, but it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to such embodiments or structures. This disclosure also includes various modifications and variations within the equivalence range. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including one, more, or less of those elements, fall within the scope and concept of this disclosure.

[0050] It goes without saying that, in each of the above embodiments, the elements constituting the embodiment are not necessarily essential unless explicitly stated to be particularly essential or unless they are clearly considered essential in principle. Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, when numerical values ​​such as the number, numerical values, quantities, or ranges of the components of the embodiment are mentioned, the embodiment is not limited to those specific numbers unless explicitly stated to be particularly essential or unless it is clearly limited to a specific number in principle. Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, when the shape, positional relationship, etc., of the components are mentioned, the embodiment is not limited to those shapes, positional relationships, etc., unless explicitly stated or unless it is clearly limited to a specific shape, positional relationship, etc., in principle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 10...Burner, 20...Mold, 20a...Top surface, 21...Cavity, 23...Ventilation hole, 40...Screen, 40a...Inner circumferential surface, 40b...Outer circumferential surface, 41...Cylindrical body (airflow control unit), 42...Through hole (airflow control unit), 43...Plate section (airflow control unit), 44...Fan (airflow control unit), 441...Blade section, 100...Vibrator, 110...Curved surface section, D1...Screen circumferential direction, RM...Reflow material

Claims

1. A vibrator manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a vibrator (100) having a curved surface portion (110) having a three-dimensional curved surface, A burner (10) for heating a plate-shaped reflow material (RM), A mold (20) having a cavity (21) that faces the burner and is recessed from the upper surface (20a) on which the reflow material is placed, and a vent hole (23) that connects the cavity to the outside and is used to reduce the pressure of the space created by the reflow material covering the cavity and the cavity, The system comprises a frame-shaped partition (40) surrounding the aforementioned type, A vibrator manufacturing apparatus, wherein the circumferential direction (D1) of the partition is defined as the circumferential direction of the partition, with the mold as the center and the direction connecting the mold and the burner as the axis, the partition is periodically provided along the circumferential direction of the partition, and the partition has airflow control units (41-44) that cause the airflow generated by the burner to swirl in the inner region surrounded by the partition and discharge to the outside of the partition.

2. The vibrator manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airflow control unit is provided in multiple locations and connects the inner circumferential surface (40a) of the partition facing the mold with the outer circumferential surface (40b) which is the opposite surface of the inner circumferential surface, and is a through hole (42) which serves as an outlet for the airflow.

3. The vibrator manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airflow control unit is provided in multiple locations on the inner circumferential surface (40a) of the partition facing the mold, and is composed of plate portions (43) that extend inclined with respect to the height direction (D2) of the partition.

4. The vibrator manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airflow control unit is provided in multiple locations and is a cylindrical body (41) that straddles the inner circumferential surface (40a) of the partition facing the mold and the outer circumferential surface (40b) opposite the inner circumferential surface, and extends along the tangential direction of the outer circumferential surface, and is a gas introduction mechanism that introduces gas into the area surrounded by the partition along the circumferential direction of the partition.

5. The vibrator manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airflow control unit is a fan (44) disposed inside the partition and having a plurality of plate-shaped blades (441) arranged along the circumferential direction of the partition, and rotates along the circumferential direction of the partition to discharge the airflow to the outside of the partition.

6. A method for manufacturing an oscillator (100) having a curved surface portion (110) having a three-dimensional curved surface, Prepare a plate-shaped reflow material (RM) that softens upon heating, A mold (20) is prepared having a cavity (21) recessed from the upper surface (20a) on which the reflow material is placed, and a vent (23) that connects the cavity to the outside and is used to reduce the pressure of the space created by the reflow material covering the cavity and the cavity. A frame-shaped partition (40) having airflow control units (41-44) is prepared, and the mold is surrounded by the partition, The reflow material is placed in the mold surrounded by the aforementioned partition, and the reflow material is heated by the flame of the burner (10), The process includes reducing the pressure of the cavity covered with the reflow material through the vents, and deforming the reflow material heated by the flame toward the cavity, In surrounding the mold with the aforementioned partition, the partition is prepared such that the circumferential direction (D1) is defined as the circumferential direction of the partition, passing through the center of the mold and with the axis being the normal direction to the upper surface, and the partition has the airflow control unit that is periodically provided along the circumferential direction of the partition. A method for manufacturing an oscillator, wherein, in heating the reflow material, the airflow control unit causes the airflow (AC) generated by the burner to swirl within the inner region surrounded by the partition, and then discharges it to the outside of the partition.

7. In swirling the aforementioned airflow using the airflow control unit, A method for manufacturing a vibrator according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of airflow control units are provided on the partition, each being a cylindrical body (41) that straddles the inner circumferential surface (40a) of the partition facing the mold and the outer circumferential surface (40b) opposite the inner circumferential surface, and extends along the tangential direction of the outer circumferential surface, and gas is introduced from the airflow control units into the area surrounded by the partition to cause the airflow to swirl.

8. In swirling the aforementioned airflow using the airflow control unit, The method for manufacturing a vibrator according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of through holes (42) connecting the inner circumferential surface (40a) of the partition facing the mold and the outer circumferential surface (40b) which is the opposite surface of the inner circumferential surface, or a plurality of plate portions (43) arranged apart from each other on the inner circumferential surface, are formed in the partition as the airflow control unit, and the airflow is made to swirl by being discharged along the through holes or the plate portions.

9. In swirling the aforementioned airflow using the airflow control unit, The method for manufacturing an oscillator according to claim 6, wherein the airflow control unit is configured with a fan (44) having a plurality of plate-shaped blades (441) arranged along the circumferential direction of the partition, and the airflow is made to swirl by rotating the fan along the circumferential direction of the partition.

Images