Heat Treatment System

Abstract

To reduce a time which is required for the recovery of an object to be treated after heat treatment.SOLUTION: A heat treatment system comprises: a heat treatment furnace; a conveyance device; a recovery device; and a feed device. The heat treatment furnace heat-treats an object to be treated which is stored in a sagger. The conveyance device conveys the sagger carried out from a carry-out port of the heat treatment furnace to a cay-in port of the heat treatment furnace. The recovery device recovers the object to be treated from the sagger. The feed device feeds the object to be treated to the sagger. The conveyance device comprises: a conveyance mechanism arranged along a conveyance passage; and a driving device for driving the conveyance mechanism, and is composed so as to convey the sagger mounted on the conveyance mechanism by driving the conveyance mechanism with the driving device. The recovery device is provided at a position in which the conveyance mechanism is not arranged, and comprises: a recovery part for recovering the object to be treated in the sagger; a movement device for moving the sagger between a mounting position on the conveyance mechanism and a recovery position above the recovery part; and an inversion mechanism for inverting the sagger in the recovery position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a technology for heat treating a workpiece. [Background technology]

[0002] A heat treatment furnace (e.g., a roller hearth kiln, a pusher kiln, etc.) may be used to heat treat an object to be treated. For example, when a powder or other object to be treated is heat treated in a heat treatment furnace, the object is heat treated while being contained in a sagger. After the heat treatment, the object to be treated after the heat treatment is recovered by inverting the sagger. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a heat treatment system including a heat treatment furnace and a recovery device that recovers the object to be treated after the heat treatment. The recovery device of Patent Document 1 includes a conveying roller that conveys the sagger, a recovery section that recovers the object to be treated in the sagger, and an inversion mechanism for inverting the sagger. The recovery section is disposed below the conveying roller. The inversion mechanism is configured to integrally invert a plurality of conveying rollers located above the recovery section and the sagger placed on the conveying rollers. When the sagger is conveyed to above the recovery section, the inversion mechanism inverts the sagger together with the plurality of conveying rollers. This causes the objects to fall from the sagger and are collected in a collection section located below. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7041300 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the recovery device of Patent Document 1, when the sagger is turned over, the conveying roller is rotated together with the sagger. However, when the sagger and the conveying roller are rotated together, the total weight becomes large, making it difficult to increase the rotation speed. This causes a problem that it takes a long time to recover the treated material.

[0005] This specification discloses a technique capable of shortening the time required to recover a workpiece after heat treatment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In a first aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, the heat treatment system includes a heat treatment furnace, a transport device, a recovery device, and a supply device. The heat treatment furnace includes an entrance and an exit, and heat-treats the workpiece contained in the sagger while transporting the sagger from the entrance to the exit. The transport device transports the sagger discharged from the exit of the heat treatment furnace to the entrance of the heat treatment furnace. The recovery device is provided on the transport path of the transport device, and recovers the workpiece heat-treated in the heat treatment furnace from the sagger. The supply device is provided on the transport path of the transport device between the recovery device and the entrance, and supplies the workpiece before heat treatment to the sagger not containing the workpiece. The transport device includes a transport mechanism arranged along the transport path and a drive device for driving the transport mechanism, and is configured to transport the sagger placed on the transport mechanism by driving the transport mechanism with the drive device. The recovery device is provided at a position where the conveying mechanism is not located, and includes a recovery section for recovering the material to be treated in the sagger, a moving device for moving the sagger between a loading position on the conveying mechanism and a recovery position above the recovery section, and an inversion mechanism for inverting the sagger at the recovery position.

[0007] In the above heat treatment system, by arranging the recovery section at a position where the transport mechanism is not arranged, the saggers are moved from above the transport mechanism to above the recovery section before being inverted. That is, the saggers are inverted without there being a transport mechanism between the saggers and the recovery section. Therefore, when inverting the saggers, it is not necessary to invert the transport mechanism (e.g., transport rollers) together with the saggers. This allows only the saggers to be inverted above the recovery section, and it is possible to avoid increasing the weight of the entire rotating part. This makes it possible to increase the rotation speed, thereby shortening the time required to recover the workpiece. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a heat treatment system according to first and second embodiments. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the heat treatment system according to the first and second embodiments. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a heat treatment furnace, and is a vertical cross-sectional view of the heat treatment furnace taken along a plane parallel to the conveying direction of the saggers. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3 . [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are top views showing the configuration of the recovery device of the first embodiment, in which (a) shows a state in which the sagger is located at a mounting position, and (b) shows a state in which the sagger is located at a recovery position. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are side views showing the configuration of the recovery device of Example 1, in which (a) shows the state in which the sagger is located at the mounting position, (b) shows the state in which the sagger is located above the mounting position, and (c) shows the state in which the sagger is located at the recovery position. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a side view of the hood of the first embodiment when viewed along the conveying direction. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the hood, the brush, the suction device, and the dust collection duct. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are top views showing the configuration of the recovery device of Example 2, in which (a) shows the state where the sagger is positioned on the loading side conveying rollers, (b) shows the state where the sagger is positioned above the recovery section, and (c) shows the state where the sagger is positioned on the unloading side conveying rollers. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are side views showing the configuration of the recovery device of Example 2, in which (a) shows the sagger being lifted by the lifting pins on the loading side conveying rollers, (b) shows the sagger being positioned above the recovery section, and (c) shows the sagger being lifted by the lifting pins on the unloading side conveying rollers. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side view of the hood of the second embodiment when viewed along the conveying direction.

[0009] The main features of the embodiments described below are listed below. Note that the technical elements described below are independent technical elements that exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing.

[0010] In a second aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification, in the first aspect described above, the inversion mechanism may be configured to include a gripping part that grips the sack, and the gripping part may rotate around a rotation axis to invert the sack gripped by the gripping part. The moving device may be configured to move the inversion mechanism gripping the sack with the gripping part between a placement position on the transport mechanism and a recovery position above the recovery part. According to this configuration, the inversion mechanism is moved to a recovery position above the recovery part while gripping the sack. The gripping part rotates around the rotation axis while gripping the sack, thereby inverting the sack. Therefore, the sack can be suitably rotated at the rotation position.

[0011] In a third aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification, in the second aspect described above, the recovery device may further include a hood that covers the recovery part from above. The hood may be configured to be able to accommodate the sagger and the gripping part. The gripping part gripping the sagger may be rotatable around a rotation axis while being accommodated in the hood. With this configuration, by inverting the sagger within the hood, it is possible to prevent the treated material from scattering outside the hood when the sagger is inverted.

[0012] In a fourth aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification, in the third aspect, the gripper may include a pair of gripping pieces that grip the sack by contacting a pair of opposing side surfaces of the sack. The inversion mechanism may further include a pair of support parts that support the pair of gripping pieces. Each of the pair of support parts may be configured such that, when the sack and the gripper are housed in the hood, one end of the support part is located inside the hood and the other end is located outside the hood. The hood may include a first opening provided on the first side surface and a second opening provided on a second side surface perpendicular to the first side surface. The first opening may be configured to allow the sack to be inserted into the hood from the first side surface. The second opening may be configured such that, when the sack is housed in the hood, the other end of the support part protrudes outside the hood from the second opening, and may extend along the insertion direction of the sack. According to this configuration, with the sagger being gripped by the gripping portion, the sagger can be placed inside the hood from the side (first side surface) of the hood.

[0013] In a fifth aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification, in the fourth aspect described above, the inversion mechanism may further include a first cover that covers the second opening when the sagger held by the gripper is housed in the hood. According to this configuration, by providing the first cover on the inversion mechanism, the first cover moves integrally with the inversion mechanism. Therefore, when the sagger is inserted into the hood, the support part can pass through the second opening, and when the sagger is housed in the hood, the first cover can cover the second opening. This makes it possible to prevent the treated material from scattering outside the hood from the second opening when the sagger is inverted in the hood.

[0014] In a sixth aspect of the technique disclosed in the present specification, in the fourth or fifth aspect described above, the recovery device may further include a second cover for opening and closing the first opening. When the second cover opens the first opening, the sagger may be able to pass through the first opening, and when the second cover closes the first opening, the sagger may not be able to pass through the first opening. According to this configuration, by providing the second cover, when the sagger is housed in the hood, the second cover can cover the first opening. This makes it possible to prevent the treated material from jumping out of the hood from the first opening when the sagger is inverted in the hood.

[0015] In a seventh aspect of the technique disclosed in the present specification, in any one of the above first to sixth aspects, the inlet and outlet of the recovery device may be disposed on the transport path. The transport mechanism may be disposed along the transport path from the inlet of the recovery device to the outlet of the recovery device. The recovery unit may be disposed at a position offset from the transport path. According to this configuration, by disposing the recovery unit at a position offset from the transport path, the object to be processed is recovered at a position offset from the transport path. That is, the sagger can be inverted at a position offset from the transport path. Therefore, maintenance of the inversion mechanism and the recovery unit can be performed at a position shifted from the transport path.

[0016] In an eighth aspect of the technique disclosed in the present specification, in the seventh aspect, the recovery unit may be disposed in a left-right direction with respect to the transport path and / or above the transport path. With this configuration, the recovery unit can be appropriately offset from the transport path.

[0017] In a ninth aspect of the technique disclosed in the present specification, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the transport mechanism may include a first transport mechanism arranged on the loading side of the recovery device and a second transport mechanism arranged on the unloading side of the recovery device. The recovery unit may be arranged between the first transport mechanism and the second transport mechanism. With this configuration, by arranging the recovery unit between the first transport roller and the second transport roller, the recovery unit can be arranged on the transport path while being located at a position where the transport rollers are not arranged.

[0018] In a tenth aspect of the technique disclosed in the present specification, in any one of the first to ninth aspects above, the recovery device may further include a removal device that removes the workpiece adhering to the outer surface of the sagger located above the recovery section. When the sagger is inverted, the workpiece may adhere to the outer surface of the sagger. By including the removal device, the workpiece adhering to the outer surface of the sagger above the recovery section can be removed, and the workpiece can be prevented from adhering to the transport mechanism (bringing the workpiece onto the transport path).

[0019] In an eleventh aspect of the technique disclosed in the present specification, in any one of the third to sixth aspects, the recovery device may further include a suction device that sucks in gas inside the hood. With this configuration, the objects to be treated that are blown up by the inversion can be sucked in, and the inside of the hood can be made negative pressure to prevent the objects to be treated from scattering outside the hood. EXAMPLES

[0020] Example 1 A heat treatment system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the heat treatment system 1 includes a heat treatment furnace 10, a circulating transport device 30, a supply device 40, a recovery device 50, a cleaning device 44, a crack detection device 46, and a management device 48.

[0021] The heat treatment system 1 heat-treats the object to be treated housed in the sagger 2 (see FIG. 3). In this embodiment, the object to be treated housed in the sagger 2 is a powder of a positive electrode material for a lithium ion battery. In the heat treatment system 1 of this embodiment, the sagger 2 is configured to circulate between the supply device 40, the heat treatment furnace 10, the recovery device 50, the cleaning device 44, and the crack detection device 46. The object to be treated is heat-treated while the sagger 2 is transported in the heat treatment furnace 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the management device 48 is connected to the heat treatment furnace 10, the circulation transport device 30, the supply device 40, the recovery device 50, the cleaning device 44, and the crack detection device 46. The management device 48 controls the operations of the heat treatment furnace 10, the circulation transport device 30, the supply device 40, the recovery device 50, the cleaning device 44, and the crack detection device 46.

[0022] The heat treatment furnace 10 heat-treats the object to be treated in the sagger 2. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the heat treatment furnace 10 includes a furnace body 12 and a transport device (24, 26). The heat treatment furnace 10 heat-treats the object to be treated housed in the sagger 2 while the sagger 2 is transported within the furnace body 12 by the transport device (24, 26).

[0023] The furnace body 12 has an outer shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and the heat treatment space therein is surrounded by a ceiling wall 14a, a bottom wall 14b, a furnace inlet wall 14c, a furnace outlet wall 14d, and side walls 14e and 14f. As shown in FIG. 3, the ceiling wall 14a is arranged parallel to the bottom wall 14b (i.e., parallel to the XY plane). The furnace inlet wall 14c is arranged at the inlet end of the transport path and is arranged perpendicular to the transport direction (i.e., parallel to the YZ plane). The furnace outlet wall 14d is arranged at the outlet end of the transport path and is arranged parallel to the furnace inlet wall 14c (i.e., parallel to the YZ plane). As shown in FIG. 4, the side walls 14e and 14f are arranged parallel to the transport direction and perpendicular to the ceiling wall 14a and the bottom wall 14b (i.e., parallel to the XZ plane). In the heat treatment space in the furnace body 12, a plurality of heaters 16a, 16b and a plurality of conveying rollers 24 are arranged. The heaters 16a are arranged above the conveying rollers 24 at a predetermined interval in the conveying direction, and the heaters 16b are arranged below the conveying rollers 24 at a predetermined interval in the conveying direction. When the heaters 16a, 16b generate heat, the space 18 in the furnace body 12 is heated and the object to be treated housed in the sagger 2 is heated. As shown in FIG. 3, an opening 15a is formed in the furnace inlet wall 14c, and an opening 15b is formed in the furnace outlet wall 14d. The sagger 2 is conveyed into the heat treatment furnace 10 from the opening 15a by the conveying device (24, 26) and conveyed out of the heat treatment furnace 10 from the opening 15b. That is, the opening 15a is used as an inlet, and the opening 15b is used as an outlet.

[0024] The conveying device (24, 26) includes a plurality of conveying rollers 24 and a driving device 26. The conveying rollers 24 convey the sagger 2. The conveying device (24, 26) conveys the sagger 2 into the heat treatment furnace 10 through the opening 15a, and conveys the sagger 2 out of the heat treatment furnace 10 through the opening 15b. The conveying roller 24 is cylindrical, and its axis extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (i.e., in the Y direction). All of the conveying rollers 24 have the same diameter, and are disposed at equal intervals with a constant pitch in the conveying direction. The conveying rollers 24 are supported rotatably around their axes, and rotate when a driving force of the driving device 26 is transmitted to them. The driving device 26 is a driving device (e.g., a motor) that drives the conveying rollers 24. The driving device 26 is connected to the conveying rollers 24 via a power transmission mechanism. When the driving force of the drive unit 26 is transmitted to the transport rollers 24 via a power transmission mechanism (e.g., a mechanism using a sprocket and a chain), the transport rollers 24 rotate. The drive unit 26 drives each of the transport rollers 24 so that the transport rollers 24 rotate at approximately the same speed. The drive unit 26 is controlled by a control unit 28. In this embodiment, the multiple transport rollers 24 all have the same diameter, but this is not limited to the configuration. Transport rollers of different diameters may be installed inside the heat treatment furnace 10.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the circulating conveying device 30 conveys the saggers 2 discharged from the discharge outlet (i.e., the opening 15b) of the heat treatment furnace 10 to the discharge inlet (i.e., the opening 15a) of the heat treatment furnace 10. The circulating conveying device 30 includes a plurality of conveying rollers 32 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) and a driving device 34 (see FIG. 2). The conveying rollers 32 are cylindrical, and their axes extend in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. All of the conveying rollers 32 have the same diameter and are disposed at equal intervals in the conveying direction at a constant pitch. The conveying rollers 32 are supported so as to be rotatable about their axes, and rotate when a driving force of the driving device 34 is transmitted to the conveying rollers 32. The driving device 34 is a driving device (e.g., a motor) that drives the conveying rollers 32. The driving device 34 is connected to the conveying rollers 24 via a power transmission mechanism. When the driving force of the drive device 34 is transmitted to the transport rollers 32 via a power transmission mechanism (e.g., a mechanism using a sprocket and a chain), the transport rollers 32 rotate. The drive device 34 drives each of the transport rollers 32 so that the transport rollers 32 rotate at approximately the same speed. In this embodiment, all of the multiple transport rollers 32 have the same diameter, but this is not limited to the configuration. Transport rollers of different diameters may be installed on the transport path of the circulating transport device 30.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the supply device 40 is disposed on the conveying path of the circulating conveying device 30. The supply device 40 is disposed upstream of the entrance of the heat treatment furnace 10, and in this embodiment, it is disposed between the crack detection device 46 and the entrance of the heat treatment furnace 10. The supply device 40 is a device that supplies the object to be treated (i.e., powder) into the sagger 2. The supply device 40 may be configured to supply powder into the sagger 2, and the specific structure is not particularly limited. For example, the supply device 40 includes a supply unit and a leveling unit. The supply unit is configured to supply powder into the sagger 2. Specifically, the supply unit includes a supply port that drops the powder into the sagger 2 from above the sagger 2. The supply port is disposed so as to be located above the center of the sagger 2 when the sagger 2 is disposed in the supply unit. The supply unit includes a positioning device, and the positioning device positions the sagger 2 conveyed to the supply unit so as to be located below the supply port. The supply unit may be provided with a plurality of supply ports. The supply unit supplies powder into the sack 2 by dropping the powder from above, so when the powder is supplied to the sack 2 by the supply unit, the upper surface of the powder in the sack 2 rises at a position below the supply port. The leveling unit levels the powder supplied into the sack 2 by the supply unit. Specifically, the leveling unit is configured to level the upper surface of the powder by pressing the upper surface of the powder in the sack 2 with the side of a flat plate. By leveling the upper surface of the powder with the leveling unit, the upper surface of the powder contained in the sack 2 becomes approximately horizontal.

[0027] The recovery device 50 is disposed on the transport path of the circulating transport device 30. The recovery device 50 is disposed downstream of the discharge port of the heat treatment furnace 10, and in this embodiment, is disposed between the heat treatment furnace 10 and the cleaning device 44. The recovery device 50 is a device that recovers the object to be treated (i.e., powder) that has been heat-treated in the heat treatment furnace 10 from the sagger 2. The recovery device 50 is provided with transport rollers 32 along the transport path from the inlet to the outlet of the recovery device 50 (see Figs. 5 and 6). The sagger 2 is transported by the transport rollers 32 inside the recovery device 50. As shown in Figs. 5 to 8, the recovery device 50 includes a chute 52, a storage container 54, a hood 56, a gripper 58, a moving device 64, a brush 74, and a suction device 76.

[0028] The chute 52 collects the objects to be treated in the sagger 2. The sagger 2 that is carried into the collecting device 50 contains objects to be treated that have been heat-treated in the heat treatment furnace 10. The chute 52 collects the objects to be treated after the heat treatment. The chute 52 is disposed at a position where the conveying rollers 32 are not disposed. Specifically, the chute 52 is disposed at a position offset in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sagger 2 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "conveying direction") (in this embodiment, the -Y direction) with respect to the position where the conveying rollers 32 are disposed (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "conveying path"). In Fig. 5(a) and Fig. 5(b), the chute 52 is disposed on the lower side offset from the upper side, which is the conveying path, and in Fig. 6(a) and Fig. 6(b), the chute 52 is disposed on the left side offset from the right side, which is the conveying path.

[0029] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the chute 52 is a rectangular cylinder whose cross-sectional area decreases downward. The upper end of the chute 52 is larger than the outer shape of the sack 2 when viewed from above (see Figures 5(a) and 5(b)). A storage section 54 is connected to the lower end of the chute 52 (see Figures 6(a) and 6(b)). When the sack 2 is inverted above the chute 52, the material to be treated contained in the sack 2 passes through the chute 52 and is stored in the storage container 54.

[0030] The hood 56 is installed so as to cover the upper surface of the chute 52. The lower end of the hood 56 is connected to the upper end of the chute 52, and the space between the chute 52 and the hood 56 is sealed. The height dimension of the hood 56 is made larger than the height dimension of the sagger 2. The hood 56 is provided with a space large enough to accommodate the sagger 2.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 7, among the sides of the hood 56 parallel to the conveying direction, the side located on the conveying path side (the side on the +Y direction side) has an opening 56a (hereinafter also referred to as the first opening 56a). The first opening 56a has a size that allows the sagger 2 to pass through, and in this embodiment, the first opening 56a is sized to match the entire side surface of the hood 56 on the conveying path side. In other words, the hood 56 does not have a side surface on the conveying path side. Note that the first opening 56a may be large enough to allow the sagger 2 to pass through, and a part of the side surface of the hood 56 may be open.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 6, openings 56b (hereinafter also referred to as second openings 56b) are provided on two side surfaces (two side surfaces on the +X direction side and the -X direction side) of the hood 56 perpendicular to the conveying direction. The second openings 56b are provided at a height position at approximately the center of the hood 56 when the hood 56 is viewed along the X direction, and extend along the Y direction. The end of the second openings 56b on the +Y direction side communicates with the outside, and the end on the -Y direction side does not communicate with the outside. The second openings 56b are configured so that a gripper 58 (described later) can pass through when the sagger 2 is inserted into the hood 56.

[0033] As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the gripper 58 abuts against a pair of opposing side surfaces of the sack 2 to grip the sack 2. The gripper 58 includes a pair of gripping pieces 60 and a rotating shaft 62 to which the gripping pieces 60 are fixed at the tip. The gripping pieces 60 abut against a side surface of the sack 2 perpendicular to the conveying direction to grip the sack 2. That is, the pair of gripping pieces 60 can be opened and closed by an actuator (not shown). When the pair of gripping pieces 60 are closed, the pair of support pieces 60 grip the sack 2, and when the pair of gripping pieces 60 are opened, the sack 2 is released from the pair of support pieces 60. The rotating shaft 62 is cylindrical and supported by a support frame 66 (described later) so as to be rotatable around its axis. When the rotating shaft 62 rotates, the gripping pieces 60 rotate integrally with the rotating shaft 62. When the rotating shaft 62 is rotated with the sagger 2 being gripped by the gripping pieces 60, the sagger 2 gripped by the gripping pieces 60 also rotates (turns over).

[0034] The moving device 64 moves the sagger 2 between a position where it is placed on the transport rollers 32 in the recovery device 50 (the position shown in FIG. 6(a) and hereinafter also referred to as the placement position) and a position above the chute 52 (the position shown in FIG. 5(b) and FIG. 6(c) and hereinafter also referred to as the recovery position). The moving device 64 includes a lifting pin 65 for raising and lowering the sagger 2 located at the placement position, a support frame 66 for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft 62, a moving base 68a, and a guide rail 68.

[0035] The lifting pins 65 are disposed below the sack 2 located at the placement position. As shown in FIG. 5(a) and FIG. 5(b), the lifting pins 65 are disposed between the conveying rollers 32. The lifting pins 65 are configured to be movable in the vertical direction. When the lifting pins 65 rise, they pass between the conveying rollers 32, and the upper ends of the lifting pins 65 come into contact with the lower surface of the sack 2 located at the placement position. In this embodiment, four lifting pins 65 are disposed, and the four lifting pins 65 support the sack 2 from below. The lifting pins 65 rise and fall to move the sack 2 in the vertical direction. The support frame 66 is fixed to the moving base 68a. The moving base 68a moves along the guide rail 68, and the support frame 66 moves along the guide rail 68. The guide rail 68 extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (Y direction) above the placement position and the collection position. The support frame 66 moves the gripping portion 58 in the Y direction along the guide rails 68. That is, in a state in which the gripping portion 58 grips the sagger 2, the support frame 66 moves the gripping portion 58, thereby moving the sagger 2 in the Y direction.

[0036] Here, the movement of the sack 2 between the placement position on the conveying path and the recovery position above the chute 52 will be described. The sack 2 is conveyed into the recovery device 50 by the conveying rollers 32. When the sack 2 is conveyed to the placement position in the recovery device 50, the lifting pins 65 rise (the state of FIG. 6(a)). Then, the upper ends of the lifting pins 65 come into contact with the lower surface of the sack 2, and the sack 2 rises. As a result, the sack 2 leaves the conveying rollers 32 and moves above the conveying rollers 32. Next, the pair of gripping pieces 60 move in a direction approaching each other and come into contact with the side surface of the sack 2. As a result, the pair of gripping pieces 60 grip the sack 2 (the state of FIG. 5(a) and FIG. 6(b)). When the sack 2 is gripped by the gripping portion 58, the lifting pins 65 descend. Then, the lift pin 65 leaves the sack 2 held by the holding part 58. Next, the holding part 58 is moved laterally (in the -Y direction in this embodiment) by the support frame 66, and the sack 2 is housed in the hood 56 through the first opening 56a (the state shown in Figs. 5(b) and 6(c)). At this time, as shown in Fig. 5(b), the holding piece 60 holding the sack 2 is housed in the hood 56 together with the sack 2. The end of the rotating shaft 62 to which the holding piece 60 is fixed at the tip is housed in the hood 56 on the holding piece 60 side, and the end on the opposite side protrudes from the second opening 56b and is located outside the hood 56. That is, when the sack 2 is inserted into the hood 56 through the first opening 56a, the rotating shaft 62 moves laterally along the second opening 56b in a state where it has passed through the second opening 56b. This allows the sack 2 to be housed within the hood 56 while being held by the holding portion 58.

[0037] When the sack 2 is accommodated in the hood 56, the rotating shaft 62 is rotated 180 degrees around its axis. Then, the gripping pieces 60 and the sack 2 gripped by the gripping pieces 60 rotate 180 degrees together with the rotating shaft 62, and the sack 2 opens downward. The chute 52 is disposed below the hood 56. By turning the sack 2 in the hood 56, the material to be processed accommodated in the sack 2 is collected in the chute 52. Next, the rotating shaft 62 is rotated another 180 degrees around its axis. Then, the sack 2 rotates 180 degrees together with the rotating shaft 62, and the sack 2 opens upward. At this time, the rotating shaft 62 rotates in the opposite direction to when the sack 2 is turned over. The rotating shaft 62 may rotate in the same direction as when the sack 2 is turned over. Next, the gripping parts 58 are moved in the +Y direction by the support frame 66, and the sack 2 is taken out of the hood 56 through the first opening 56a. When the sack 2 moves above the placement position, the lifting pins 65 rise until their upper ends abut the lower surface of the sack 2. Next, the pair of gripping pieces 60 move in directions away from each other. This releases the sack 2 from being gripped by the gripping parts 58, and the sack 2 is now supported by the lifting pins 65. Next, the lifting pins 65 descend, and the sack 2 is returned to the placement position on the transport rollers 32. Thereafter, the sack 2 is transported out of the recovery device 50 by the transport rollers 32.

[0038] In addition, the moving device 64 is equipped with a cover 70 (hereinafter also referred to as the first cover 70) arranged perpendicular to the conveying direction, and a cover 72 (hereinafter also referred to as the second cover 72) arranged parallel to the conveying direction.

[0039] The first cover 70 is attached to the support frame 66. The first cover 70 is a rectangular plate-like shape and is larger than the second opening 56b. The first cover 70 is arranged so as to be located along the second opening 56b on the outside of the hood 56 when the sagger 2 is housed in the hood 56. The first cover 70 covers the second opening 56b when the sagger 2 is housed in the hood 56. The first cover 70 may be configured to be movable so as to be pressed toward the second opening 56b after the sagger 2 is housed in the hood 56. By providing the first cover 70, the second opening 56b is blocked by the first cover 70 when the sagger 2 is housed in the hood 56. Therefore, when the sagger 2 is inverted in the hood 56, it is possible to suppress the treated material from scattering outside the hood 56 from the second opening 56b.

[0040] The second cover 72 is disposed on the opposite side of the hood 56 with respect to the gripping portion 58. The second cover 72 is a rectangular plate-like shape and is larger than the first opening 56a. The second cover 72 is fixed to the lower end of the connecting frame 72a. The upper end of the connecting frame 72a is fixed to the moving base 68a. That is, when the moving base 68a is moved, the second cover 72 moves together with the gripping portion 58. The second cover 72 is disposed in a position that covers the first opening 56a when the sagger 2 is housed in the hood 56. By providing the second cover 72, the first opening 56a is blocked by the second cover 72 when the sagger 2 is housed in the hood 56. Therefore, when the sagger 2 is inverted in the hood 56, it is possible to prevent the treated material from scattering outside the hood 56 from the first opening 56a.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 8, the brush 74 and the suction device 76 are disposed in the hood 56. Specifically, the brush 74 and the suction device 76 are disposed near the first opening 56a. The brush 74 and the suction device 76 extend along the X direction. The brush 74 is disposed so as to come into contact with the bottom surface of the sack 2 when the sack 2 is removed from the hood 56. The brush 74 peels off the object to be treated attached to the outer surface (particularly the bottom surface) of the sack 2 from the outer surface of the sack 2 when the sack 2 is removed from the hood 56. The suction device 76 is disposed near the brush 74. The suction device 76 sucks the object to be treated peeled off from the sack 2 by the brush 74. When the sack 2 is turned upside down in the hood 56, the object to be treated (i.e., powder) is stirred up in the hood 56. When the powder is stirred up in the hood 56, the powder may adhere to the outer surface of the sack 2. By removing the material to be treated (i.e., powder) adhering to the outer surface of the sagger 2 with the brush 74 and the suction device 76, the amount of material to be treated adhering to the outer surface of the sagger 2 is reduced when the sagger 2 is taken out of the hood 56. This makes it possible to prevent the material to be treated from adhering to the conveying rollers 32 when the sagger 2 is returned from the recovery position to the placement position on the conveying rollers 32.

[0042] Further, the dust collection duct 78 is connected to the hood 56. Specifically, the hood 56 is provided with a third opening 56c on the side (the side on the -Y direction side) facing the first opening 56a. The third opening 56c is sized to be equal to or smaller than the inner diameter of the dust collection duct 78. One end of the dust collection duct 78 is connected to the third opening 56c, and the other end is connected to a suction device (not shown). As a result, air in the hood 56 is sucked through the dust collection duct 78, and the space in the hood 56 is in a slightly negative pressure state. When the sagger 2 is turned upside down in the hood 56, the object to be treated (i.e., powder) is blown up in the hood 56. By putting the space in the hood 56 in a slightly negative pressure state, the object to be treated can be prevented from scattering outside the hood 56.

[0043] In the recovery device 50 of this embodiment, the chute 52 is disposed at a position offset from the conveying path, and the sack 2 is moved above the chute 52. This eliminates the need to invert the sack 2 together with the conveying rollers 32, and allows only the sack 2 to be inverted. This makes it possible to increase the inversion speed of the sack 2, and as a result, the time required to recover the treated material can be shortened.

[0044] In addition, in this embodiment, the sagger 2 is inverted at a position offset from the conveying roller 32, so that scattering of the treated material on the conveying roller 32 can be suppressed. If the treated material scatters on the conveying roller 32, the treated material adheres to the conveying roller 32 and the mechanism for driving the conveying roller 32 (for example, a sprocket or a chain). If the treated material accumulates on the conveying roller 32 or the mechanism for driving the conveying roller 32, the treated material accumulated on the outer surface of the sagger 2 adheres to the sagger 2, and the treated material adhered to the outer surface of the sagger 2 may enter the chute 52, causing contamination. In this embodiment, the amount of the treated material scattered on the conveying path can be reduced, so that the risk of contamination can be reduced. In addition, the treated material is less likely to adhere to the conveying roller 32, so that the transfer of the treated material between the outer surface (bottom surface) of the sagger 2 and the conveying roller 32 can be suppressed from contaminating the inside of the recovery device 50 with the treated material.

[0045] In addition, if the sack 2 is inverted together with the conveying roller 32, the mechanism for inverting them becomes complicated, and many parts, including the conveying roller 32, are arranged above the chute 52. By arranging many parts above the chute 52, there is a possibility that parts may get mixed into the chute 52, and there is a risk that substances (parts, etc.) other than the object to be processed may get mixed into the chute 52. In this embodiment, since only the sack 2 is inverted above the chute 52, foreign matter other than the object to be processed is less likely to get mixed into the chute 52. In addition, since the mechanism for inverting the sack 2 can be prevented from becoming complicated, the inversion mechanism is less likely to break down. Furthermore, since the chute 52 (i.e., the position where the sack 2 is inverted) is arranged at a position offset from the conveying path, it is not necessary to move the conveying roller 32 when performing maintenance on the chute 52 or the inversion mechanism. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the sack 2 is inverted together with the conveying roller 32, the maintenance of the chute 52 and the inversion mechanism can be made easier.

[0046] In addition, in this embodiment, since the placement position and the recovery position are different, the sack 2 is held at a position different from the recovery position. For example, if the sack 2 has damage such as a crack, there is a risk that the sack 2 will break when the gripping portion 58 presses the sack 2 to hold it. Even if the sack 2 breaks as a result of holding it, the sack 2 will break at a position different from the recovery position, so that it is possible to prevent fragments of the sack 2 from being mixed into the chute 52.

[0047] The cleaning device 44 is a device that cleans the inner surface of the sack 2 after the powder has been collected by the collection device 50. The cleaning device 44 may be configured to clean the inner surface of the sack 2, and there is no particular limitation on the specific structure. For example, the cleaning device 44 uses a rotating brush to peel off substances adhering to the inner surface of the sack 2 while sucking in air and the like from within the sack 2. The sucked in air and the like contains the peeled off substances. By cleaning the inner surface of the sack 2 with the cleaning device 44, the powder remaining on the inner surface of the sack 2 can be completely removed.

[0048] The crack detection device 46 is a device for inspecting whether the sack 2 is cracked by detecting the crack in the sack 2. The sack 2 is repeatedly used in the heat treatment furnace 10 for the heat treatment of the object to be treated. The crack detection device 46 inspects whether the sack 2 is cracked after being used in the heat treatment furnace 10 for the heat treatment of the object to be treated and before being reused. The crack detection device 46 may be configured to detect the crack in the sack 2, and the specific configuration is not particularly limited. For example, the crack detection device 46 may detect the crack in the sack 2 using a laser. The crack detection device 46 may also detect the crack in the sack 2 by sealing gas in the sack 2 and measuring the pressure in the sack 2. When the crack in the sack 2 is detected, the sack 2 is taken out from the conveying path of the circulation conveying device 30. If no cracks are detected in the sagger 2, the sagger 2 is transported to the supply device 40 by the circulating transport device 30.

[0049] In this embodiment, the circulating transport device 30 is a roller conveyor that transports the sacks 2 by the transport rollers 32, but is not limited to this configuration. It is sufficient to transport the sacks 2 discharged from the discharge outlet of the heat treatment furnace 10 to the inlet of the heat treatment furnace 10, and for example, the circulating transport device may be a belt conveyor that transports the sacks 2 by a belt. In this embodiment, when the sacks 2 are moved between the placement position and the recovery position, the lift pins 65 lift the sacks 2, but is not limited to this configuration. It is sufficient to lift the sacks 2 between the transfer rollers 32 and a position above them at the placement position, and for example, an elevator may be provided to lift the sacks 2.

[0050] In this embodiment, the chute 52 of the recovery device 50 is disposed at a position offset from the conveying path in the vertical direction and to the side (Y direction), but is not limited to this configuration. The chute 52 may be disposed at a position offset from the conveying path, and for example, the chute 52 may be offset only to the side of the conveying path or only to the top. In these cases, it is not necessary to invert the sagger 2 together with the conveying rollers 32, and only the sagger 2 can be inverted.

[0051] Example 2 In the above embodiment, the chute 52 of the recovery device 50 is disposed at a position offset from the conveying path, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. As long as the sagger 2 can be turned over at a position where the conveying rollers 32 are not disposed, for example, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the chute 152 of the recovery device 150 may be disposed at a position on the conveying path where the conveying rollers 32 are not disposed.

[0052] The recovery device 150 includes a chute 152, a hood 156, a gripping portion 158, a moving device 164, a first cover 170, and a second cover 172. In this embodiment, the recovery device 150 also includes a brush 74 and a suction device 76 (not shown), but since this has substantially the same configuration as in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0053] In the recovery device 150, a plurality of conveying rollers 32a (hereinafter also referred to as the inlet conveying rollers 32a) arranged on the inlet side (+X direction side) of the recovery device 150 and a plurality of conveying rollers 32b (hereinafter also referred to as the outlet conveying rollers 32b) arranged on the outlet side (-X direction side) of the recovery device 150 are arranged on the conveying path. Between the inlet conveying rollers 32a and the outlet conveying rollers 32b, an area where the conveying rollers 32, 32a, and 32b are not arranged is provided. The chute 152 is arranged in an area where the conveying rollers 32, 32a, and 32b are not arranged between the inlet conveying rollers 32a and the outlet conveying rollers 32b. A hood 156 is connected to the upper end of the chute 152, and a storage container 154 is connected to the lower end of the chute 152.

[0054] The hood 156 is installed so as to cover the upper surface of the chute 152. The hood 156 is provided with a space large enough to accommodate the sagger 2. The two sides of the hood 156 perpendicular to the conveying direction (the two sides on the +X direction side and the -X direction side) are provided with openings 156a (hereinafter also referred to as the first openings 156a). As shown in FIG. 11, the first openings 156a are large enough to allow the sagger 2 to pass through, and in this embodiment, the upper and lower sides of the side of the hood 156 are not open, and only the center part of the side of the hood 156 is open. The first openings 156a may be large enough to allow the sagger 2 to pass through, and may be large enough to match the entire side of the hood 156 perpendicular to the conveying direction.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 10, slits 156b (an example of a second opening) are provided on two side surfaces of the hood 156 parallel to the conveying direction (two side surfaces on the +Y direction side and the -Y direction side). The slits 156b are provided at a height position at approximately the center of the hood 156 when the hood 156 is viewed along the Y direction. The slits 156b extend along the X direction on the entire side surface of the hood 156, and both the end of the slits 156b on the +Y direction side and the end on the -Y direction side communicate with the outside. Therefore, the hood 156 is divided into an upper hood and a lower hood by the first opening 156a and the slits 156b. The slits 156b are configured so that the gripper 158 passes through when the sack 2 is inserted into the hood 156.

[0056] 9 and 10, the gripping portion 158 grips the sagger 2 by contacting the side surface of the sagger 2 parallel to the transport direction. The gripping portion 158 includes a pair of gripping pieces 160 and a rotating shaft 162 to which the gripping pieces 160 are fixed. Note that the gripping portion 158 differs from the configuration of the above-mentioned Example 1 in that it grips the side surface of the sagger 2 parallel to the transport direction, but the other configurations are substantially the same. For this reason, a detailed description of the gripping portion 158 will be omitted.

[0057] The moving device 164 moves the sagger 2 between a position placed on the loading-side conveying rollers 32a (position shown in FIG. 9(a)), a position above the chute 152 (positions shown in FIG. 9(b) and FIG. 10(b)), and a position placed on the unloading-side conveying rollers 32b (position shown in FIG. 9(c)). That is, in this embodiment, the moving device 164 moves the sagger 2 along the conveying path.

[0058] The moving device 164 includes lifting pins 165 for lifting and lowering the sack 2, a support frame 166 for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft 162, and a guide rail 168. The lifting pins 165 are disposed between the carry-in side conveying rollers 32a disposed near the chute 152, and between the carry-out side conveying rollers 32b disposed near the chute 152. The lifting pins 165 are configured to be movable in the vertical direction. When the lifting pins 165 rise, they pass between the carry-in side conveying rollers 32a or the carry-out side conveying rollers 32b, and the upper end of the lifting pins 165 abuts against the lower surface of the sack 2 located above the lifting pins 165. In this embodiment, four lifting pins 165 are disposed, and the lifting pins 165 rise and fall to move the sack 2 in the vertical direction. The support frame 166 is fixed to a moving base 168a. The moving base 168a moves while being guided by the guide rail 168, so that the support frame 166 moves along the guide rail 168. The guide rail 168 extends along the conveying path (i.e., in the X direction) on the conveying path. The support frame 166 moves the gripper 158 in the X direction along the guide rail 168. That is, in a state where the gripper 158 grips the sagger 2, the support frame 166 moves the gripper 158, so that the sagger 2 moves in the X direction.

[0059] The first cover 170 is a cover for closing the slit 156b. The first cover 170 is attached to the support frame 166. The first cover 170 is a rectangular plate-like shape, and is larger than the slit 156b. The first cover 170 is disposed so as to be positioned along the slit 156b on the outside of the hood 156 when the sack 2 is housed in the hood 156. The first cover 170 covers the sack 156b when the sack 2 is housed in the hood 156. The first cover 170 may be configured to be movable so as to be pressed toward the slit 156b after the sack 2 is housed in the hood 156.

[0060] The second cover 172 is a cover for closing the first opening 156a. The second cover 172 is attached to a side surface of the hood 156 that is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The second cover 172 is a rectangular plate-like shape and is larger than the first opening 156a. The second cover 172 is configured to be openable and closable, and is disposed so as to cover the first opening 156a when closed. The upper end of the second cover 172 is attached to the side surface of the hood 156. The second cover 172 is movable (i.e., openable and closable) between a position that covers the first opening 156a and a position that is perpendicular to the side surface of the hood 156 by a drive device (not shown).

[0061] The operation of conveying the sack 2 in the recovery device 150 will be described. In this embodiment, the moving device 164 moves the sack 2 along the conveying path. The sack 2 is conveyed by the carry-in conveying rollers 32a, and when it is conveyed to the vicinity of the position where the chute 152 is arranged, the lifting pins 165 rise. Then, the upper end of the lifting pins 165 abuts against the lower surface of the sack 2, and the sack 2 rises, and the sack 2 is lifted from the carry-in conveying rollers 32a. Next, the sack 2 is gripped by the gripping portion 158 (the state of Fig. 9(a) and Fig. 10(a)). When the sack 2 is gripped by the gripping portion 158, the lifting pins 165 descend and move away from the sack 2. At this time, the second cover 172 is in an open state.

[0062] Next, the gripping part 158 ​​is moved along the conveying path (in the -X direction in this embodiment) by the support frame 166, and the sack 2 is received in the hood 56 from the first opening 156a on the side of the carry-in conveying roller 32a (the +X direction side). When the sack 2 is received in the hood 156, the second cover 172 is closed (the state shown in Fig. 9(b) and Fig. 10(b)). At this time, as shown in Fig. 9(b), the gripping piece 160 gripping the sack 2 is received in the hood 156 together with the sack 2. The end of the rotating shaft 162 to which the gripping piece 160 is fixed is received in the hood 156, and the end on the opposite side protrudes from the slit 156b and is positioned outside the hood 156. Next, the rotating shaft 162 is rotated 180 degrees around its axis to turn the sack 2 upside down. As a result, the objects to be treated contained in the sagger 2 are collected in the chute 152. The sagger 2 is inverted with the second cover 172 closed. This makes it possible to prevent the objects to be treated from scattering outside the hood 56 from the first opening 56a. Furthermore, when the sagger 2 is contained in the hood 156, the slits 156b are covered by the first cover 170. This makes it possible to prevent the objects to be treated from scattering outside the hood 156 from the slits 156b.

[0063] Next, the rotating shaft 62 is rotated another 180 degrees around the axis to return the sack 2 to its original state (opening upward). Next, the second cover 172 is opened. Then, the support frame 166 moves the gripping portion 158 along the conveying path (in the -X direction in this embodiment). As a result, the sack 2 is taken out of the hood 56 from the first opening 156a on the unloading conveying roller 32b side (-X direction side). When the sack 2 moves onto the unloading conveying roller 32b, the lifting pin 165 rises until the upper end of the lifting pin 165 abuts against the lower surface of the sack 2. Next, the pair of gripping pieces 60 move in a direction away from each other, and the state in which the sack 2 is gripped by the gripping portion 158 is released. Next, the lifting pin 165 descends and the sack 2 is placed on the unloading conveying roller 32b (the state shown in FIG. 9(c) and FIG. 10(c)). Thereafter, the sagger 2 is transported outside the recovery device 50 by the discharge-side transport rollers 32b.

[0064] In this embodiment, the chute 152 is also disposed at a position where the conveying rollers 32, 32a, and 32b are not disposed. This eliminates the need to invert the sack 2 together with the conveying rollers 32, and allows only the sack 2 to be inverted.

[0065] Points to note regarding the heat treatment system 1 described in the embodiment will be described below. The circulating transport device 30 in the embodiment is an example of a "transport device", the transport rollers 32 are an example of a "transport mechanism", the chute 52 and the storage container 54 are an example of a "collection section", and the rotating shaft 62 is an example of a "support section".

[0066] Although specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples exemplified above. Furthermore, the technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technology exemplified in this specification or drawings achieves multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of the objectives itself has technical utility. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1: Heat treatment system 2: Box 10: Heat treatment furnace 30: Circulation transport device 32, 32a, 32b: conveying rollers 34: Drive unit 40: Feeding device 44:Cleaning device 46: Crack detection device 50, 150: Recovery device 52, 152: Shoot 56, 156: Food 56a, 156a: first opening 56b, 156b: second opening 58, 158: Grip part 60, 160: Grip piece 62, 162: Rotation axis 64, 164: Mobile device 66, 166: Support frame 68, 168: Guide rail 70, 170: 1st cover 72, 172: 2nd cover 74: Brush 76:Suction device 78: Dust collection duct

Claims

1. a heat treatment furnace having an inlet and an outlet, for heat-treating the workpiece contained in the sagger while transporting the sagger from the inlet to the outlet; a conveying device that conveys the sagger discharged from the discharge outlet of the heat treatment furnace to the discharge inlet of the heat treatment furnace; a recovery device that is provided on a transport path of the transport device and recovers the workpiece that has been heat-treated in the heat treatment furnace from the sagger; a supply device that is provided on the transport path of the transport device between the recovery device and the entrance and that supplies the workpiece before heat treatment to the sagger in which the workpiece is not contained, the conveying device includes a conveying mechanism disposed along the conveying path, and a driving device that drives the conveying mechanism, and is configured to convey the sagger placed on the conveying mechanism by driving the conveying mechanism with the driving device; The recovery device includes: a recovery unit that is provided at a position where the transport mechanism is not disposed and that recovers the object to be processed in the sagger; a moving device that moves the sagger between a placement position on the transport mechanism and a collection position above the collection section; an inversion mechanism for inverting the sagger at the recovery position; A hood configured to cover the collection section from above and accommodate the sagger, the hood includes an opening for receiving the sagger within the hood; The recovery device further includes a cover that opens and closes the opening, A heat treatment system, wherein the cover is configured to move with the sagger when the sagger is housed within the hood by the moving device and to close the opening when the sagger is housed within the hood.

2. A heat treatment furnace having an inlet and an outlet, for heat-treating a workpiece contained in a sagger while transporting the sagger from the inlet to the outlet; a conveying device that conveys the sagger discharged from the discharge outlet of the heat treatment furnace to the discharge inlet of the heat treatment furnace; a recovery device that is provided on a transport path of the transport device and recovers the workpiece that has been heat-treated in the heat treatment furnace from the sagger; a supply device that is provided on the transport path of the transport device between the recovery device and the entrance and that supplies the workpiece before heat treatment to the sagger in which the workpiece is not contained, the conveying device includes a conveying mechanism disposed along the conveying path, and a driving device that drives the conveying mechanism, and is configured to convey the sagger placed on the conveying mechanism by driving the conveying mechanism with the driving device; The recovery device includes: a recovery unit that is provided at a position where the transport mechanism is not disposed and that recovers the object to be processed in the sagger; a moving device that moves the sagger between a placement position on the transport mechanism and a collection position above the collection section; and an inversion mechanism for inverting the sagger at the collection position, the transport mechanism includes a first transport mechanism disposed on an input side of the recovery device and a second transport mechanism disposed on an output side of the recovery device; The recovery unit is disposed between the first transport mechanism and the second transport mechanism.

3. the inversion mechanism includes a gripping portion that grips the sagger, and is configured such that the sagger gripped by the gripping portion is inverted by rotating the gripping portion around a rotation axis; The heat treatment system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the moving device is configured to move the inversion mechanism, with the sagger gripped by the gripping section, between a loading position on the transport mechanism and a recovery position above the recovery section.

4. The recovery device further includes a hood that covers the recovery section from above, The hood is configured to be able to accommodate the sagger and the grip portion, The heat treatment system according to claim 3 , wherein the gripping portion that grips the sagger is rotatable about the rotation axis while being housed in the hood.

5. The hood has an opening for receiving the sagger within the hood, The gripping portion includes a pair of gripping pieces that abut against a pair of opposing side surfaces of the sagger to grip the sagger, The inversion mechanism further includes a pair of support portions supporting the pair of gripping pieces, each of the pair of support portions is configured such that, when the sagger and the grip portion are housed in the hood, one end of the support portion is located within the hood and the other end of the support portion is located outside the hood; The opening is A first opening provided on the first side surface; a second opening provided on a second side surface perpendicular to the first side surface, the first opening is configured to allow the sagger to be inserted into the hood from the first side surface, The heat treatment system of claim 4, wherein the second opening is configured so that the other end of the support portion protrudes from the second opening to the outside of the hood when the sagger is housed in the hood, and extends along an insertion direction of the sagger.

6. The recovery device further includes a cover for opening and closing the opening, The heat treatment system according to claim 5 , wherein the cover comprises a first cover that covers the second opening when the sagger held by the holding portion is housed within the hood.

7. The cover further includes a second cover that opens and closes the first opening, 7. The heat treatment system of claim 6, wherein when the second cover opens the first opening, the sagger is able to pass through the first opening, and when the second cover closes the first opening, the sagger is unable to pass through the first opening.

8. An inlet and an outlet of the recovery device are disposed on the transport path, the transport mechanism is disposed along the transport path from the inlet of the recovery device to the outlet of the recovery device, The heat treatment system according to claim 1 , wherein the recovery section is disposed at a position offset from the transport path.

9. The heat treatment system according to claim 8 , wherein the recovery unit is disposed to the left or right of the transport path and / or above the transport path.

10. The heat treatment system according to claim 1 , wherein the recovery device further comprises a removal device that removes the object adhered to an outer surface of the sagger located above the recovery section.

11. The heat treatment system according to claim 4 , wherein the recovery device further comprises a suction device that sucks gas from within the hood.

Images