Infrared heating device

Abstract

To provide an infrared heating apparatus capable of executing in a short time heating processing such as binder removing processing and burning processing.SOLUTION: An infrared heating apparatus comprises: a placement section 34 on which an object C is placed; a heater lamp 31 that radiates infrared rays to heat the object C; a furnace chamber 21 in which the placement section 34 and the heater lamp 31 are disposed and which is configured closable in an airtight manner; a gas supplying section that supplies gas into the furnace chamber 21; and a gas exhaust section that discharges gas from the furnace chamber. The apparatus further comprises: a steam supplying section 60 that supplies steam into the furnace chamber other than the gas supplied from the gas supplying section; and pressure control means 3b that controls pressure in the furnace chamber to be positive pressure or negative pressure.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an infrared heating device. More specifically, it relates to an infrared heating device comprising a placement part for placing an object, a heater lamp for irradiating infrared light to heat the object, a furnace chamber in which the placement part and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed, a gas supply part for supplying gas into the furnace chamber, and a gas exhaust part for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an infrared heating device as described above, for example, the one described in Patent Document 1 is known. In this device, atmospheric gas is introduced into the furnace from the gaps of the far-infrared heaters in the ceiling part of the furnace. When the debinding process (hereinafter simply referred to as "debinding") progresses, C (carbon) contained in the binder component increases in the furnace. Therefore, if it is not discharged (exhausted) outside the furnace, the heater etc. will be contaminated by the C (carbon) component and the heating efficiency will decrease. However, this device has no exhaust structure and cannot solve the problem of contamination. Also, since this device heats by continuously conveying the object, the inside of the furnace cannot be made airtight, and it has been difficult to control and manage the atmosphere. Therefore, it has taken time for debinding and heating (firing).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In view of such a conventional situation, an object of the present invention is to provide an infrared heating device capable of performing heat treatment such as debinding treatment and firing treatment in a short time.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above objective, the infrared heating device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a mounting section for placing an object, a heater lamp for irradiating infrared light to heat the object, a furnace chamber in which the mounting section and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed, a gas supply section for supplying gas into the furnace chamber, and a gas exhaust section for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber, wherein the device further comprises a steam supply section for supplying steam into the furnace chamber separately from the gas supplied by the gas supply section, a pressure control means for controlling the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive or negative pressure, and a cooling means for cooling the furnace wall of the furnace chamber, and the steam supply section has a heating section for heating the steam before supplying it into the furnace chamber.

[0006] In this infrared heating device according to the present invention, a heater lamp is placed in a furnace chamber that is configured to be sealed, and the object on the placed surface is heated by infrared light from the heater lamp, so the object can be heated (temperature increased) rapidly. At this time, components such as binders and solvents present inside the object become combustible in a short time, and organic components (carbon) are rapidly released by combining with oxygen inside. On the other hand, this rapid temperature increase can cause significant thermal stress on the object, potentially leading to cracks and other damage. According to the above configuration, a steam supply unit is further provided to supply steam into the furnace chamber in addition to the gas supplied from the gas supply unit. This allows steam to be supplied from the steam supply unit into the furnace chamber during the heating process, making it easier for oxygen to penetrate into the object, further promoting the heating process (reaction) and preventing the occurrence of cracks and other damage. Furthermore, the system is equipped with pressure control means for controlling the pressure inside the furnace chamber to either positive or negative pressure. When the furnace chamber is under positive pressure, pressure is applied to the inside of the furnace chamber when steam is introduced, allowing the steam to be uniformly filled into the furnace chamber, distributed uniformly to the target object, and further accelerating the heating process (reaction). On the other hand, when the furnace chamber is under negative pressure, the exhaust of gas from the furnace chamber is accelerated. In this way, by controlling the pressure inside the furnace chamber along with the supply of steam, it becomes possible to expedite the processing.

[0007] Furthermore, cooling means such as chillers are provided on the furnace walls to cool the entire heating furnace. By heating the steam in the heating section before supplying it to the furnace chamber, the temperature drop of the steam can be suppressed and condensation in the furnace chamber can be prevented.

[0008] In this configuration, the heating unit is provided on the ceiling of the furnace wall and preferably has a plurality of nozzles protruding into the furnace chamber. The plurality of nozzles preferably have a plurality of through holes on all four sides of the circumferential surface of the nozzle body, and the tip of the nozzle body is closed. This allows the steam to be evenly distributed over the entire object placed on the support unit.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the steam supply unit supplies steam from the top of the furnace chamber, and the gas exhaust unit exhausts the gas from inside the furnace chamber from at least one side of the furnace chamber. Since steam is supplied from the top and gas is exhausted from at least one side, the generated gas is less likely to accumulate inside the furnace chamber, and exhaust is performed smoothly.The above-described mounting unit is a rectangular tray having a long side parallel to the longitudinal direction of the heater lamp, and the gas exhaust unit exhausts the gas from inside the furnace chamber from both sides of the furnace chamber facing the short side of the tray.As a result, the generated gas flows to both sides along the long side of the tray, suppressing the accumulation of generated gas and enabling more efficient exhaust.

[0010] On the other hand, in the above configuration, the steam supply unit may supply the steam from the upper part of the furnace chamber, and the gas exhaust unit may exhaust the gas from the furnace chamber from the upper part of the furnace chamber.

[0011] In the above configuration, the pressure control means is preferably configured to control the pressure inside the furnace chamber to a positive pressure while the steam is being supplied into the furnace chamber. By creating a positive pressure inside the furnace chamber, pressure is applied to the inside of the furnace chamber when steam is introduced, allowing the steam to be uniformly filled into the furnace chamber, distributed uniformly to the target object, and further promoting the heating process (reaction).

[0012] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the device may also include a step temperature setting unit that sets multiple heating steps to raise the furnace temperature and multiple cooling steps to lower the furnace temperature, and an output adjustment unit that adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the rise and fall of the furnace temperature, wherein the step temperature setting unit sets the heating rate and cooling rate for each step in the process of repeating the heating step and the cooling step alternately at least twice, and the output adjustment unit adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the heating rate and the cooling rate to irradiate infrared light from the heater lamp. According to the inventors' experiments, it was found that when the temperature was raised in a short time, the oxygen concentration inside the furnace decreased during the heating process. On the other hand, even when the temperature after heating was kept for a certain period of time, there was almost no change in the oxygen concentration inside the furnace. That is, it is presumed that debynection is promoted during heating. Then, by lowering the temperature after this rapid temperature rise and then rapidly raising the temperature again, and repeating the heating and cooling process at least twice, it becomes possible to perform debynection and other processes in a short time.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the steam supply unit may further include a storage tank for storing hot water, a mixed gas supply unit for supplying a mixed gas into the hot water, and a heating pipe for heating and supplying the steam generated in the storage tank to the heating unit. In this case, the steam supply unit may further include a furnace temperature measuring unit for measuring the furnace temperature inside the furnace chamber, and a supply start temperature setting unit for setting the supply start temperature when supplying the steam into the furnace chamber, and the steam supply unit may supply the steam from the heating unit to the furnace chamber when the furnace temperature exceeds the supply start temperature. Furthermore, the steam supply unit may further include a heating temperature setting unit for setting the temperature of the storage tank, the temperature of the heating pipe, and the temperature of the heating unit, respectively. In this way, condensation can be prevented by controlling the supply of steam. In any of the above configurations, for example, the object is an MLCC. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the features of the infrared heating device of the present invention described above, it is possible to perform heating treatments such as binder removal and firing in a short amount of time.

[0015] Other objects, structures, and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following section on embodiments of the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram of an infrared heating device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a conceptual diagram of the steam supply section of the infrared heating device according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram of the control device. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing a section of the reactor chamber that has been crushed. [Figure 5] This is a longitudinal cross-section of the reactor chamber. [Figure 6] This is a floor plan of the furnace chamber. [Figure 7] This diagram shows each nozzle, with (a) being a perspective view of the nozzle and (b) being a cross-sectional view of the nozzle. [Figure 8]It is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the relationship between each nozzle and the suction port. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of the profile of the processing step. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing the change in the temperature inside the furnace in the profile illustrated in FIG. 9.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] (Overall Configuration) Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings as appropriate. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 10, the infrared heating device 1 according to the present invention generally includes a gas supply system 2, a gas discharge system 3, a steam supply system 6, a camera 7, a control device 8, and a heating furnace 20. The tray 34, which is a placement part for placing the object C to be processed, is a horizontally long rectangular dish shape with a rim, and presents a rectangle having a long side parallel to the longitudinal direction L1 of the heater lamp 31 described later. In the present embodiment, a case where a large number of MLCCs (multi-layer ceramic capacitors) as the object C are placed on the tray 34 and the process from degreasing (debinding) to sintering is continuously performed will be described as an example below.

[0018] (Gas Supply System 2) The gas supply system 2 includes a supply path 2a1, a solenoid valve 2b1, and a gas cylinder 2c1, and supplies the gas in the gas cylinder 2c1 to a nozzle 30, which is a gas supply port (gas supply part) provided in plurality at the upper part of the firing furnace 20. Further, the gas supply system 2 includes a supply path 2a2, a solenoid valve 2b2, and a gas cylinder 2c2, and supplies the cooling gas in the gas cylinder 2c2 to a plurality of cooling nozzles 50 provided directly below the tray 34. Examples of the cooling gas include nitrogen N2 gas.

[0019] (Gas Discharge System 3) On the other hand, the gas discharge system 3 includes a discharge passage 3a and an ejector 3b. In this embodiment, the gas inside the furnace chamber 21 is forcibly exhausted from the left and right gas exhaust ports (gas discharge sections) 35, 35 located on both sides of the furnace chamber 21 opposite the short side of the tray 34. The ejector 3b functions as a pressure control means controlled by the control device 8 to control the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 to positive or negative pressure. In addition to supplying and exhausting gas, the control device 8 performs processes from degreasing to main firing according to set conditions (profile, programming).

[0020] (Steam supply system 6) The steam supply system 6 has a steam supply unit 60 that supplies steam We into the furnace chamber 21 separately from the gas supplied from the gas supply nozzle 30. In this embodiment, the steam supply unit 60 supplies steam We from the upper part (ceiling) 20a of the heating furnace 20.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the steam supply unit 60 generally includes a heating unit 61 that heats the steam We before supplying it into the furnace chamber 21, a storage tank 62 that stores the hot water H that generates the steam We supplied to the heating unit 61, and a mixed gas tank 63 that serves as a mixed gas supply unit that supplies a mixed gas into the storage tank 62.

[0022] The heating unit 61 has a box 61a provided on the ceiling 23a of the heating furnace 20 and a plurality of steam supply nozzles 61b that penetrate the ceiling 23a from inside the box 61a and protrude into the furnace chamber 21. The box 61a is equipped with a heater 61c for heating the internal space. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the furnace wall 23 of the furnace chamber 21 is provided with a cooling water channel 36 as a cooling means to cool the heating furnace 20. Therefore, by heating the steam We in the heating unit 61 just before supplying it to the furnace chamber 21, the temperature drop of the steam We is suppressed and condensation inside the furnace chamber 21 is prevented. The heating unit 61 is also equipped with a temperature sensor 61d for measuring the internal temperature.

[0023] The storage tank 62 has a heater 62b installed in the tank body 62a to heat the hot water H to a predetermined temperature. The mixed gas supplied from the mixed gas tank 63 is supplied into the hot water H via the supply pipe 62c, and steam (bubbles) is generated inside the tank body 62. The generated steam We is then supplied to the heater 61 via the discharge pipe 62d and heating pipe 64. The heating pipe 64 is heated to, for example, 30°C to 50°C to prevent the steam We from cooling down. A temperature sensor 64a is also provided in the heating pipe 64 to measure the internal temperature.

[0024] The mixed gas tank 63 is equipped with a flow control unit 63a such as an MFC (mass flow controller), which controls the amount of gas supplied to the tank body 62a. The mixed gas contains, for example, at least hydrogen and nitrogen, and its mixing ratio is adjusted as appropriate.

[0025] (Heater lamp 31) The heater lamp 31 heats the tray 34 using infrared radiation. Meanwhile, the temperature measuring unit 32 measures the temperature of the tray 34 using a thermocouple. The temperature monitoring unit 32 allows the output adjustment unit 88a of the control device 8 (described later) to control the heating power of the heater lamp 31, and to perform heating or cooling according to the profile set (programmed) by the profile setting unit 80 (described later).

[0026] (Control device 8) The control device 8 is configured, for example, as a personal computer and, as shown in Figure 3, generally comprises a profile setting unit 80 for setting at least the debying conditions and firing conditions of the MLCC as the object C, a monitoring unit 87, a control unit 88, and a recording unit 89.

[0027] The dashed lines in Figures 1 and 2 indicate the electrical control system. All components, measuring units, sensors, etc., connected to these lines send signals or data to the control device 8, which is controlled by the control unit 88 of the control device 8. Camera 7 sequentially records the conditions inside the heating furnace 20 to the recording unit 89 of the control device 8. In other words, the control device 8 can easily set and change the temperature profile, which determines when and at what temperature to heat or cool during processing (from degreasing to final firing), as well as the timing of both gas supply and exhaust. It can also perform heating or cooling and record the image from camera 7 along with the resulting temperature data.

[0028] The profile setting unit 80 generally includes a step temperature setting unit 81, a temperature setting unit 82, a gas quantity setting unit 83 for adjusting the amount of gas supplied into the furnace chamber 21 and the amount of gas exhausted from the furnace chamber 21, and a steam supply setting unit 84 for setting the supply of steam We.

[0029] The step temperature setting unit 81 sets multiple heating steps S1 to raise the furnace temperature in the furnace chamber 21 and multiple cooling steps S2 to lower the furnace temperature in the furnace chamber 21. The step temperature setting unit 81 sets the heating rate and cooling rate for each of the debying process and firing process, which include at least two alternating heating steps S1 and cooling steps S2. In this specification, the heating step S1 and cooling step S2 alternating at least two alternating processes are referred to as pulse processing S. The set heating rate is +5°C / sec to +25°C / sec, and the cooling rate is -25°C / sec to -5°C / sec.

[0030] The temperature setting unit 82 includes a supply start temperature setting unit 82a for setting the supply start temperature when steam We is supplied into the furnace chamber 21, and a heating temperature setting unit 82b for setting the temperature of the storage tank 62, the heating pipe 64, and the heating unit 61, respectively. The step temperature setting unit 81 sets the peak temperature and keep temperature at each step during processing.

[0031] The gas volume setting unit 83 includes a supply volume setting unit 83a for setting the amount of gas supplied into the furnace chamber 21, and an exhaust volume setting unit 83b for setting the amount of gas exhausted from the furnace chamber 21. The steam supply setting unit 84 sets the on / off of the supply of steam We during heat treatment such as debynexation and calcination.

[0032] The control unit 88 includes an output adjustment unit 88a that adjusts the output of the heater lamp 31 based on the heating rate and cooling rate. The output adjustment unit 88a adjusts the output of the heater lamp 31 based on the heating rate and cooling rate set by the step temperature setting unit 81 to emit infrared light from the heater lamp 31.

[0033] The monitoring unit 87 monitors the internal furnace conditions, including the temperature (furnace temperature) measured by the temperature measurement unit 32, the heating temperatures of the temperature sensors 61d and 64a, and the oxygen concentration measured by the oxygen concentration sensor 39 inside the furnace. The control unit 88 controls the supply and exhaust of gas, the supply and stop of steam We, and the output of heater lamps, etc., based on the conditions (profile) set by the profile setting unit 80 and the various data monitored by the monitoring unit 87. The recording unit 89 records the various data monitored by the monitoring unit 87, the control of the control unit 88, and the status of the camera 7 and other devices during processing.

[0034] (heating furnace 20) As shown in Figures 2-4, the heating furnace 20 has an inner surface in which parabolas with six vertices in cross-section converge like the shape of a flower, and the furnace walls 23 have the same shape along the left and right longitudinal directions L1. At the focal points F (F1, F2a, F2b, F3a, F3b) of each parabola, rod-shaped heater lamps are positioned along the longitudinal direction L1 so that their central filaments are located. Therefore, infrared light emitted from the filaments of the heater lamps 31 at focal points F is reflected by the furnace walls 23, which are reflective surfaces, travels parallel to the surface, and converges in the central part of the internal space 22 of the furnace chamber 21, heating this area evenly.

[0035] This point will be explained in particular with reference to Figure 5. In this figure, heater lamps 31 are provided at four locations on the left and right sides and one location at the bottom. Of the optical paths of light generated from the foci F (F1, F2a, F2b, F3a, F3b) of each parabola where the filament is located, those passing near the ends of the parabola and through the center are described by dashed lines. The light from the left and right foci F2a, F2b, F3a, F3b positions the tray 34 within the four diamond-shaped regions in the center, and it can be seen that it is heated evenly. In addition, the lower foci F1 heats the central part including the contact member 32a, allowing for accurate temperature measurement. In addition to direct irradiation of the tray 34 from each foci F, light that enters the parabolic plane of the region of the other foci is reflected by that plane and also irradiates the tray 34.

[0036] Therefore, even if the tray 34 has a width in the front-to-back direction L2 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L1, it can be heated uniformly. The cross-sectional shape may be elliptical in addition to parabolic, with the filament of the heater lamp 31 positioned at one focal point and the center of the tray 34 at the other focal point. However, the parabolic shape provides superior uniformity of heating across the entire tray 34. In the case of an ellipse, the uneven heating can be mitigated by increasing the light-emitting area of ​​the filament.

[0037] The heater lamp 31, although not shown in the diagram, has a spiral filament, which is the heating element (light-emitting element), housed in a straight quartz tube along the longitudinal direction L1 and supported on both sides, with halogen gas or the like sealed inside. Power is supplied from terminals on both sides, and the heating state is controlled by the control device 8 via thyristors or the like. When power is supplied and the filament emits light, the infrared light emitted from it is reflected by the furnace wall 23, resulting in the heating described above. There are five heater lamps 31, excluding the top one.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, cooling water channels 36 are appropriately formed in the furnace chamber 21 as means of cooling the furnace wall 23, and overheating of the furnace chamber 21 is prevented by circulating cooling water through the cooling water channels 36. Because the furnace wall 23 is cooled by these cooling water channels 36, when steam We is supplied into the furnace chamber 21, condensation may form on the inner surface of the furnace wall 23 and water droplets may adhere to it. Therefore, in the present invention, as described above, the steam We is heated in the heating section 61 to suppress the temperature drop of the steam We and prevent the occurrence of condensation in the furnace chamber 21. Furthermore, the control device 8 controls the supply of steam We into the furnace chamber 21 when the furnace temperature has risen above a predetermined temperature, thereby further suppressing the occurrence of condensation.

[0039] The furnace chamber 21 of the heating furnace 20 has a front opening 24 and a rear opening 25 arranged in the front-to-back direction L2, making it easy to clean the internal space 22. Each opening is sealed by a front cover 26 and a rear cover 27. A through hole 28a is formed in the center of the furnace chamber 21, and an observation window 28 made of a transparent heat-resistant material such as quartz is provided there, where images are taken by the camera 7. In Figure 8, only one heater lamp is schematically shown as a representative example, but the terminals at both ends of each lamp protrude through to the outside of the furnace chamber 21, and the airtightness of the internal space 22 is maintained at each end by seals 31a and fixing caps 31b.

[0040] The rear cover 27 is used primarily only for cleaning, and the tray 34 is normally inserted and removed by opening and closing the front cover 26. The rear cover 27 is supported by a lower hinge and opens and closes using the hinge as a pivot point. In contrast, the front cover 26 is opened and closed by moving it horizontally using an operating device (not shown).

[0041] The tray 34 has a flat top surface and a flange around its perimeter to prevent MLCCs from spilling out, and is formed horizontally along the longitudinal direction L1 with approximately the same cross-section. The temperature measuring unit 32 has a support arm 32b inserted into a hole formed in a small block-shaped contact member 32a that contacts the tray 34, and a thermocouple junction 32c is placed inside, and is connected to the control device 8 via a cable through a connector 32d. Both the tray 34 and the contact member 32a are made of the same material that absorbs infrared light, and can be made of, for example, ceramics, silicon carbide (SiC), or silicon carbide (SiC) coated with zirconia (ZrO2).

[0042] Furthermore, directly below the tray 34, multiple cooling nozzles 50 are arranged at appropriate intervals along the longitudinal direction L1 to blow cooling gas toward the underside of the tray 34. Each cooling nozzle 50 has multiple nozzle holes 50a formed on its upper surface at appropriate intervals along the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction L2). This allows the entire tray 34 to be cooled evenly and quickly. As described above, the tray 34 is heated by infrared light from the heater lamp 31. The infrared heating device 1 according to the present invention does not directly heat or cool the object C itself, but heats and cools it via the tray 34. In particular, when firing a large quantity of fine objects C such as MLCCs, rapid and uniform heating and cooling can be performed, and variations in individual objects C can be suppressed. Moreover, since the temperature measuring unit 32 is in contact with the underside of the tray 34, temperature control can be performed appropriately.

[0043] The front cover 26 is provided with a pair of support arms 33 made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz. By using a material that does not easily absorb infrared light (a material with high infrared light transmittance), heat transfer to the front cover 26 is prevented, and the irradiation of infrared light to the tray 34 is not obstructed, improving temperature control and response. The aforementioned support arm 32b is positioned between the support arms 33, 33, and the aforementioned contact member 32a is positioned between them.

[0044] Multiple through-holes 29 are formed on the upper surface of the furnace chamber 21, and multiple nozzles 30, which serve as gas supply ports, and multiple steam supply nozzles 61b are installed in an airtight manner. These nozzles 30 and 61b are made of a material that does not easily absorb infrared light (a material with high infrared light transmittance), such as a quartz tube, so that the irradiation of infrared light onto the tray 34 is not obstructed. Multiple nozzle holes 30b are formed around the tubular nozzle body 30a so that the gas is dispersed in all directions.

[0045] The nozzles 30 and 61b described above ensure that the gas and vapor We are evenly distributed over the flat tray 34. Furthermore, the gas is exhausted by the ejector 3b from gas exhaust ports 35, 35 located on the left and right sides along the longitudinal direction L1 of the tray 34, at approximately the same height as the tray 34. This combination of supplying and exhausting gas and vapor We ensures that the layer of gas and vapor We is uniformly distributed over the object C on the tray 34. In the case of MLCCs, by constantly flowing and refreshing the gas and vapor We layer while maintaining a uniform flow, adverse effects such as solvent loss due to de-biosis and oxidation of the paste can be prevented.

[0046] Incidentally, in the commonly used tunnel furnaces described in the above-mentioned literature, the materials to be subjected to debying and calcination are sequentially transported by conveying devices such as belts during processing. Therefore, it is not possible to ensure airtightness inside the furnace, and thus it is not possible to switch and control the pressure inside the furnace between positive and negative pressure. For example, in the case of negative pressure, air is drawn from inside the furnace to exhaust the gases generated inside, but the gas heated by the burner or heater is also discharged together, causing the furnace temperature to drop easily, making strong exhaust difficult. Also, in the case of positive pressure, various gases generated from the materials are not discharged and remain inside the furnace, making stable processing such as calcination and debying difficult.

[0047] On the other hand, the heating furnace 20 according to the present invention heats (raises the temperature of) the tray 34 with infrared light from the heater lamp 31, so the furnace temperature does not drop rapidly due to exhaust. Also, since the temperature measuring unit 32 is provided on the tray 34, the temperature of the object can be measured accurately. As described above, exhaust from the gas exhaust ports 35, 35 is performed by the ejector 3b. Therefore, by controlling the amount of gas supplied into the furnace chamber 21 and the amount of gas exhausted from the furnace chamber 21, it is possible to control the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 during processing while avoiding a drop in the furnace temperature. By increasing the amount of gas exhausted by the ejector 3b relative to the amount of gas supplied into the furnace chamber 21, a negative pressure is created inside the furnace chamber 21, and by decreasing the amount of gas exhausted by the ejector 3b, a positive pressure is created inside the furnace chamber 21, thereby controlling the switching between positive and negative pressure inside the furnace chamber 21.

[0048] By creating negative pressure inside the furnace chamber 21, various gases generated from the object C can be forcibly exhausted from the furnace chamber 21 without lowering the furnace temperature. Since gases generated inside the furnace chamber 21 do not accumulate, adverse effects on the object C can be minimized. In addition, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of generated gases to the surface of the heater lamp 31 and the inner surface of the furnace wall 23, thereby preventing a decrease in thermal efficiency.

[0049] On the other hand, if the furnace chamber 21 is under positive pressure, pressure will be applied inside the furnace chamber 21 when steam We is introduced, so the introduced steam We can be uniformly filled into the furnace chamber 21 and distributed uniformly to the target object C. Conversely, if the furnace chamber 21 is under negative pressure, the exhaust of gas from the furnace chamber 21 is promoted and the accumulation of generated gas can be suppressed.

[0050] Next, as a method of using the infrared heating device 1, the process of debinding (de-bindering, degreasing) an MLCC with a copper paste containing glass frit attached to the electrode as the target object C, and then continuously firing the MLCC in the same furnace chamber after the de-bindering process, will be explained using the profiles shown in Figures 9 and 10 as an example.

[0051] First, the control device 8 sets a profile, for example, as shown in Figure 9. In this example, the processing process consists of 14 steps, and the peak temperature (°C), heating rate (°C / min), peak temperature maintenance time (sec), supply gas (nitrogen-hydrogen mixed gas and nitrogen gas), steam on / off (Dry / Wet), and exhaust volume (L / min) are set for each step. This profile shows the temperature (vertical axis)-time (horizontal axis) relationship as shown in Figure 10. In this case, the supply start temperature setting unit 81a sets the supply start temperature when supplying steam We into the furnace chamber 21 to, for example, 100°C. As a result, for example, in step 2, steam We will be supplied into the furnace chamber 21 when the furnace temperature exceeds 100°C.

[0052] Next, the object C is spread out on the tray 34 and transferred onto the support arms 33, 33 using a robot arm or the like. Then, the opening / closing actuator (not shown) is extended to close the front cover 26 in an airtight state, and the tray 34 is set in the center of the furnace chamber 21.

[0053] Next, the control unit 88 turns on the heater lamp 31 to start heating, opens the solenoid valve 2b1 to supply nitrogen gas to the nozzle 30, and activates the ejector 3b to exhaust the gas inside the furnace chamber 21 from the gas exhaust port 35. Then, according to the set profile, the output adjustment unit 88a adjusts the output of the heater lamp 31 based on the set heating rate and cooling rate to emit infrared light from the heater lamp 31. The control unit 88 also controls the gas supply, exhaust, and steam on / off based on the gas amount setting unit 83 and the steam supply setting unit 84. Steam We is supplied into the furnace chamber 21 when the furnace temperature exceeds 100°C.

[0054] In the example shown in Figures 9 and 10, the step temperature setting unit 81 sets step 3 to a heating step S1 with a heating rate of 5°C / min, and step 4 to a cooling step S2 with a heating rate of -5°C / min (cooling rate of 5°C / min). Steps 5 to 10 are set by the step temperature setting unit 81 to alternately repeat the heating step S1 and the cooling step S2. Therefore, in steps 3 to 10, the heating step S1 and the cooling step S2 are repeated alternately four times, and this heat treatment process becomes pulse heat treatment S.

[0055] Furthermore, in this example, the supply amount setting unit 83a and the exhaust amount setting unit 83b set the amount of gas exhausted into the furnace chamber 21 to be less than the gas supply amount during the heating step S1 (steps 3, 5, 7, 9), and the amount of gas exhausted into the furnace chamber 21 to be more than the gas supply amount during the cooling step S2 (steps 4, 6, 8, 10). In other words, the inside of the furnace chamber 21 is controlled to a positive pressure during the heating step S1, and to a negative pressure during the cooling step S2.

[0056] As mentioned above, this profile is set to repeatedly perform heating (positive heating rate) and cooling (negative heating rate) multiple times. In addition to MLCCs, electronic components such as inductors, coils, and high-frequency circuit boards are manufactured by mixing binders (resins, organic materials) into the material, and it is necessary to remove the contained binders when commercializing the product. In the tunnel furnaces commonly used as shown in the above literature, the combustion efficiency is low, so debiase (degreasing) is performed by heating to a predetermined temperature and then maintaining that temperature for a long period of time (several hours to tens of hours).

[0057] Furthermore, in conventional tunnel furnaces, heat treatment is performed by heating the internal air (gas) with burners or heaters, making it difficult to rapidly change the temperature of the air. Moreover, because the generated gas is discharged along with the furnace, the internal temperature tends to drop, making strong exhaust difficult. In addition, under positive pressure, various gases generated from the material being processed are not discharged and remain trapped inside the furnace, making stable processing such as calcination and debying difficult.

[0058] However, in the infrared heating device 1 according to the present invention, the tray 34 is heated (temperature increased) by infrared light from the heater lamp 31 in an airtight furnace chamber 21, so that the temperature of the object C can be rapidly increased. As a result, binders and solvents present inside the object C can be burned in a short time, and organic components (carbon) are rapidly released by combining with oxygen inside. According to the inventors' experiments, it was found that when the temperature was increased in a short time, the oxygen concentration inside the furnace decreased during the heating process. On the other hand, even when the temperature after heating was maintained for a certain period of time, there was almost no change in the oxygen concentration inside the furnace. In other words, it is presumed that de-biosis is promoted during the heating process. Then, by lowering the temperature after this rapid temperature increase and then rapidly raising the temperature again, and repeating the heating and cooling process multiple times, de-biosis can be achieved in a short time.

[0059] As described above, a rapid rise in temperature can cause significant thermal stress on the object C, potentially leading to cracks and other damage. Therefore, in this example, the steam supply setting unit 84 is set to turn on the supply of steam We during the de-bisphaging process (steps 2-11). This allows steam We to be supplied from the steam supply unit 60 into the furnace chamber 21 during the de-bisphaging process, facilitating oxygen penetration into the object C, further promoting de-bisphaging, and preventing the occurrence of cracks and other damage. In this example, the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 is controlled to a positive pressure during the heating step S1 and to a negative pressure during the cooling step S2.

[0060] In particular, for products with a large object C, it takes time for the steam to penetrate into the interior of the object C (product). Therefore, by making the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 positive when heating to promote de-aethering (reaction), the penetration of oxygen into the object C is promoted, and by making the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 negative when cooling to promote exhaust, exhaust is promoted, thus enabling the de-aethering process to be expedited. Even for products with a small amount of binder components in the object C, the de-aethering process is promoted by making the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 positive when heating to promote the process.

[0061] In this example, step 11 corresponds to the secondary debynealization process. Above 900°C, if the target material C does not contain a binder, no gas will be generated due to debynealization, so the exhaust volume is reduced to less than the supply gas volume, and the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 is controlled to a positive pressure.

[0062] In this example profile, the de-aiping process (steps 2-11) is followed by the firing process (step 12). As described above, the control device 8 of the present invention allows for the continuous setting of the conditions (profiles) for the de-aiping process and the firing process. Therefore, unlike conventional methods, there is no need to separate the de-aiping process and the firing process into different processes / devices, and the processes from de-aiping to main firing can be performed continuously in the same furnace. Furthermore, since the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 can be controlled to positive or negative pressure, switching between positive and negative pressure during the de-aiping process can promote the de-aiping process and also promote the exhaust of gases generated during the de-aiping process. Thus, even if the de-aiping process and the firing process are performed continuously in the same furnace, the quality of the object C will not deteriorate.

[0063] Once firing is complete, in steps 13 and 14, the power to the heater lamp 31 is reduced or stopped to allow it to cool down. Furthermore, if necessary, nitrogen gas may be blown onto the tray 34 from the cooling nozzle 50 to promote the cooling of the object C and the tray 34. In these cooling processes after firing (steps 13 and 14), the supply of steam We is set to OFF by the steam supply setting unit 84, and the supply of steam We is completed during the firing process. The operating devices are moved in the reverse order of setup, the tray is replaced, and the firing process is completed. With the infrared heating device 1 according to the present invention, as shown in Figure 10, the de-by-beaming process and the firing process are completed in a very short time.

[0064] Next, we will list the possibilities of other embodiments of the present invention. Similar components will be denoted by the same reference numerals. In the above embodiment, the cooling nozzle 50 is positioned directly below the tray 34, but the position of the cooling nozzle 50 is not limited to directly below the tray 34. For example, the cooling nozzle 50 may be positioned diagonally below the tray 34. By positioning the cooling nozzle 50 on the underside of the tray 34 in this way, the tray 34 can be efficiently cooled without affecting the object C. It is also possible to position the cooling nozzle 50 near the tray 34, as long as it does not affect the object C.

[0065] In the above embodiment, copper paste was used in the MLCC, but silver paste can also be used. In this case, oxygen may be used as the gas in addition to nitrogen. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an MLCC coated with a copper paste containing glass frit as an external electrode was described as the object C. However, the object C and its firing process are not limited to the above embodiment. The infrared heating device 1 according to the present invention can also be used, for example, in the firing process of the chip, which is a step before the external electrode firing process of the MLCC.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the gas supplied to the heating furnace 20 and the cooling gas were described separately, but it is also possible to switch between the two types of gases. Of course, it is not limited to two types, and one or more types of gases may be used.

[0067] The configuration of the infrared firing apparatus 1 can be modified in ways other than those described above, as long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the cross-sectional shape of the furnace wall is set to six parabolas, it is also possible to set it to a shape formed by collecting five or four parabolas.

[0068] In the above embodiment, steam was supplied from the top of the furnace chamber 21 and gas was exhausted from both sides of the furnace chamber 21 that faced each other across the tray. However, it is not limited to both sides, and gas may be exhausted from at least one side of the furnace chamber 21. On the other hand, if the amount of gas to be exhausted is large, steam may be supplied from the top of the furnace chamber 21, and gas may also be exhausted from the top of the furnace chamber 21.

[0069] Furthermore, the profiles in the above embodiments shown in Figures 9 and 10 are merely examples and are not limited thereto. In the example of the above profiles, during the de-bying process, the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 was controlled to a positive pressure during the heating step S1 and to a negative pressure during the cooling step. However, steam We may be supplied into the furnace chamber 21 and the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 may be controlled to a positive pressure throughout the de-bying process. This promotes the penetration of oxygen into the target material C and speeds up the de-bying process. In addition, during the firing process, the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 may be controlled to a negative pressure to promote exhaust. Furthermore, as in the above embodiment, the pressure inside the furnace chamber 21 may be controlled to a negative pressure after the firing process.

[0070] While embodiments of the present invention are configured as described above, they may more comprehensively include the following configurations. The other invention having the following configurations aims to provide a de-biomer device and a de-biomer method using the same that can significantly reduce the de-biomer processing time.

[0071] To achieve the above objective, the de-biotherm device is characterized by comprising: a placement section for placing an object containing a binder component; a heater lamp for irradiating infrared light to heat the object; a furnace chamber in which the placement section and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed; a gas supply section for supplying gas into the furnace chamber; and a gas exhaust section for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber. The device also comprises a step temperature setting section for setting multiple heating steps to raise the furnace temperature and multiple cooling steps to lower the furnace temperature, and an output adjustment section for adjusting the output of the heater lamp based on the rise and fall of the furnace temperature. The step temperature setting section sets the respective heating rate and cooling rate in a de-biotherm process that includes at least two or more alternating heating and cooling steps (de-biotherm process, pulse process), and the output adjustment section adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the heating rate and cooling rate to irradiate infrared light from the heater lamp.

[0072] Here, the debacterization device according to the present invention comprises a placement section for placing an object containing a binder component, a heater lamp for irradiating the object with infrared light to heat it, a furnace chamber in which the placement section and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed, a gas supply section for supplying gas into the furnace chamber, and a gas exhaust section for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber. Therefore, the object containing the binder component is heated by infrared light from the heater lamp in the furnace chamber in which the heater lamp is arranged and which is configured to be sealed, so that the object can be rapidly heated (temperature increased). At this time, components such as binders and solvents present inside the object become combustible in a short time, and organic components (carbon) are rapidly released by combining with oxygen inside. According to the inventors' experiments, it was found that when the temperature was raised rapidly, the oxygen concentration inside the furnace decreased during the heating process. On the other hand, when the temperature was maintained for a certain period after heating, there was almost no change in the oxygen concentration inside the furnace. This suggests that debyphosphatidation is promoted during the heating process. According to the above configuration, the device includes a step temperature setting unit that sets multiple heating steps to raise the internal temperature of the furnace chamber and multiple cooling steps to lower the internal temperature of the furnace chamber, and an output adjustment unit that adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the rise and fall of the internal temperature of the furnace. The step temperature setting unit sets the respective heating rate and cooling rate in the de-biking process, which includes at least two alternating heating and cooling steps (pulse processing). The output adjustment unit adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the heating rate and cooling rate to irradiate infrared light from the heater lamp. In this way, by rapidly raising the temperature, then lowering it and rapidly raising it again, and repeating heating and cooling at least two times, the de-biking time can be significantly shortened, enabling de-biking in a short time.

[0073] In the above configuration, the system further includes a steam supply unit that supplies steam into the furnace chamber separately from the gas, and a pressure control means that controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive or negative pressure. The steam supply unit supplies steam into the furnace chamber during the de-byfiltration process, and the pressure control means controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive pressure during the heating step and to negative pressure during the cooling step. For example, if it takes time for the steam to penetrate into the inside of the object, controlling the pressure to positive during the heating step, which promotes de-byfiltration, promotes the penetration of oxygen into the object, and controlling the pressure to negative during the cooling step promotes exhaust, thereby further speeding up the de-byfiltration process.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the system may further include a steam supply unit that supplies steam to the furnace chamber separately from the gas, and a pressure control means that controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive or negative pressure, wherein the steam supply unit supplies the steam to the furnace chamber during the de-bissing process, and the pressure control means controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive pressure during the de-bissing process. By creating a positive pressure inside the furnace chamber, pressure is applied inside the furnace chamber when steam is introduced, allowing the steam to be uniformly filled into the furnace chamber and distributed uniformly to the target object, thereby further promoting the de-bissing process. In any of the above configurations, the heating rate and the cooling rate may be, for example, 5°C / sec to 25°C / sec.

[0075] Furthermore, in any of the above configurations, a cooling means for cooling the outer wall of the furnace chamber is further provided, and the steam supply unit may have a heating unit that heats the furnace wall of the furnace chamber before supplying the steam into the furnace chamber. To cool the entire heating furnace, a cooling means such as a chiller is provided on the furnace wall, and the furnace wall is cooled. By heating the steam in the heating unit before supplying it into the furnace chamber, it is possible to prevent condensation from occurring inside the furnace chamber, suppress the decrease in steam temperature, and prevent condensation from occurring inside the furnace chamber.

[0076] In the above configuration, it is preferable that the furnace chamber be equipped with an oxygen measuring instrument for measuring the oxygen concentration inside the furnace chamber. Furthermore, in the above configuration, for example, the object is an MLCC with an internal Ni electrode formed thereon, and a firing process is performed continuously after the debynetrolysis treatment.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above configuration, a steam supply unit that supplies steam into the furnace chamber separately from the gas, and a pressure control means that controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive or negative pressure are further provided, and the firing process is performed in the same furnace chamber after the de-bisque treatment. The steam supply unit supplies steam into the furnace chamber during the de-bisque treatment, and the pressure control means controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive pressure during the de-bisque treatment and to negative pressure during the firing process. By creating a positive pressure inside the furnace chamber during the de-bisque treatment, pressure is applied inside the furnace chamber when steam is introduced, so the steam can be uniformly filled into the furnace chamber and distributed uniformly to the object, thereby promoting the de-bisque treatment. By creating a negative pressure inside the furnace chamber during the firing process, the gas generated by firing can be quickly exhausted outside the furnace chamber, thereby suppressing adverse effects on the product and shortening the firing time.

[0078] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objective, the characteristics of a de-biase method using a de-biase device are that, in a de-biase method using a de-biase device, the de-biase device comprises a placement section for placing an object containing a binder component, a heater lamp for irradiating infrared light to heat the object, a furnace chamber in which the placement section and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed, a gas supply section for supplying gas into the furnace chamber, and a gas exhaust section for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber, and has a step temperature setting section for setting multiple heating steps to raise the furnace temperature and multiple cooling steps to lower the furnace temperature, and an output adjustment section for adjusting the output of the heater lamp based on the rise and fall of the furnace temperature, and sets the respective heating rate and cooling rate in a de-biase process which includes at least two or more alternating heating steps, and adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the heating rate and the cooling rate to irradiate infrared light from the heater lamp.

[0079] In the above configuration, the de-bisking device further comprises a steam supply unit that supplies steam into the furnace chamber separately from the gas, and a pressure control means that controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to a positive or negative pressure, wherein the steam supply unit supplies the steam into the furnace chamber during the de-bisking process, and the pressure control means controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to a positive pressure during the de-bisking process.

[0080] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the de-bisking device further comprises a steam supply unit that supplies steam into the furnace chamber separately from the gas, and a pressure control means that controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive or negative pressure. The steam supply unit supplies the steam into the furnace chamber during the de-bisking process, and the pressure control means controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive pressure during the heating step and to negative pressure during the cooling step.

[0081] In addition to the embodiments described above, the invention may more comprehensively include the following configurations. The objective of the further invention having the configurations described below is to provide an MLCC manufacturing apparatus and an infrared heating apparatus capable of continuously performing debyneating and calcination processes in the same furnace, and a method for manufacturing MLCCs.

[0082] To achieve the above objective, the MLCC manufacturing apparatus is characterized by comprising a mounting section for placing MLCCs, a heater lamp for irradiating infrared light to heat the MLCCs, a furnace chamber in which the mounting section and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed, a gas supply section for supplying gas into the furnace chamber, and a gas exhaust section for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber, further comprising a profile setting section for setting at least debying conditions and firing conditions for the MLCCs, and an output adjustment section for adjusting the output of the heater lamp based on the rise and fall of the furnace temperature in the furnace chamber, wherein the profile setting section includes at least a step temperature setting section for setting multiple heating steps to raise the furnace temperature in the furnace chamber and multiple cooling steps to lower the furnace temperature, and by irradiating the MLCCs with infrared light based on the output adjustment of the output adjustment section, the binder component is removed from the MLCCs and the gas containing the removed binder component is exhausted to perform a debying treatment, and thereafter, a firing treatment is performed in which the MLCCs from which the binder component has been removed are fired in the same furnace chamber.

[0083] Herein, the MLCC manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a mounting section for placing MLCCs, a heater lamp for irradiating infrared light to heat the MLCCs, a furnace chamber in which the mounting section and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed, a gas supply section for supplying gas into the furnace chamber, and a gas exhaust section for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber. Therefore, since the MLCCs are heated by infrared light from the heater lamp in a furnace chamber in which the heater lamp is arranged and which is configured to be sealed, the target object can be rapidly heated (temperature increased). According to the above configuration, the MLCC further comprises a profile setting unit for setting at least debynement conditions and firing conditions, and an output adjustment unit for adjusting the output of the heater lamp based on the rise and fall of the furnace temperature inside the furnace chamber. The profile setting unit includes at least a step temperature setting unit for setting multiple heating steps to raise the furnace temperature inside the furnace chamber and multiple cooling steps to lower the furnace temperature. Therefore, based on the settings of the step temperature setting unit and the output adjustment of the output adjustment unit, infrared light is irradiated to remove binder components from the MLCC and exhaust the gas containing the removed binder components to perform debynement treatment, after which firing treatment can be performed in which the MLCC from which the binder components have been removed is fired in the same furnace chamber.

[0084] In the above configuration, the furnace further comprises a steam supply unit that supplies steam to the furnace chamber separately from the gas, and a pressure control means that controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive or negative pressure. The profile setting unit further comprises a steam supply setting unit that sets the steam supply, and a gas quantity adjustment unit that adjusts the amount of gas supplied to the furnace chamber and the amount of gas exhausted from the furnace chamber. The steam supply setting unit is set to turn on the steam supply during the de-bypassing process and to turn off the steam supply during the firing process. The gas quantity adjustment unit controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to positive pressure by making the gas supply amount greater than the gas exhaust amount during the de-bypassing process, and controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to negative pressure by making the gas supply amount less than the gas exhaust amount during the firing process. By making the furnace chamber positive pressure during the de-bypassing process, pressure is applied inside the furnace chamber when steam is introduced, so that the steam can be uniformly filled into the furnace chamber and distributed uniformly to the object, thereby promoting the de-bypassing process. Furthermore, by creating negative pressure inside the furnace during the firing process, the gases generated during firing can be quickly exhausted to the outside of the furnace, thereby suppressing any adverse effects on the product.

[0085] In the above configuration, the step setting unit sets a processing step (pulse processing) in which the heating step and the cooling step are repeated alternately at least twice during the de-bifacement process, and sets the respective heating rate and cooling rate. The output adjustment unit adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the heating rate and cooling rate to irradiate the infrared light from the heater lamp. By rapidly raising the temperature, then lowering it and then rapidly raising it again, and repeating the heating and cooling process at least twice, the de-bifacement time can be significantly shortened, enabling de-bifacement processing in a short time.

[0086] Furthermore, in any of the above configurations, a cooling means for cooling the outer wall of the furnace chamber is further provided, and the steam supply unit may have a heating unit that heats the furnace wall of the furnace chamber before supplying the steam into the furnace chamber. To cool the entire furnace, a cooling means such as a chiller is provided on the furnace wall, and the furnace wall is cooled. By heating the steam in the heating unit before supplying it into the furnace chamber, it is possible to prevent condensation from occurring inside the furnace chamber, suppress the drop in temperature inside the furnace chamber, and prevent condensation from occurring inside the furnace chamber.

[0087] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objective, the manufacturing method of MLCC is characterized by using an infrared heating device comprising a mounting section for placing MLCCs, a heater lamp for irradiating infrared light to heat the MLCCs, a furnace chamber in which the mounting section and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed, a gas supply section for supplying gas into the furnace chamber, and a gas exhaust section for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber, wherein the infrared heating device further comprises a profile setting section for setting at least de-bying conditions and firing conditions for the MLCCs, the profile setting section includes at least a step setting section for setting multiple heating steps to raise the furnace temperature and multiple cooling steps to lower the furnace temperature, and an output adjustment section for adjusting the output of the heater lamp based on the rise and fall of the furnace temperature, and by irradiating the MLCCs with infrared light based on the output adjustment of the output adjustment section, binder components are removed from the MLCCs and gas containing the removed binder components is exhausted to perform a de-bying treatment, and then a firing treatment is performed in which the MLCCs from which the binder components have been removed are fired in the same furnace chamber. [Industrial applicability]

[0088] The infrared heating device of the present invention can be used for heating MLCCs and other electronic components, as well as other components that require temperature and gas atmosphere control. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 1: Infrared heating device (de-bisphasic device, MLCC manufacturing device), 2: Gas supply system, 2a1, 2a2: Supply path, 2b1, 2b2: Solenoid valve, 2c1, 2c2: Gas cylinder, 3: Gas discharge system, 3a: Discharge path, 3b: Ejector (pressure control means), 4a: Current supply path, 6: Steam supply system, 7: Camera, 8: Control device, 20: Heating furnace, 21: Furnace room, 22: Internal space, 23: Furnace wall, 23a: Ceiling (upper part), 24: Front opening, 25: Rear opening Part, 26: Front cover, 27: Rear cover, 28: Observation window, 29: Through hole, 30: Gas supply nozzle (gas supply port, gas supply part), 30a: Nozzle body, 30b: Nozzle hole, 31: Heater lamp, 31a: Seal, 31b: Fixing cap, 32: Temperature measurement part, 32a: Contact member, 32b: Support arm, 32c: Thermocouple joint, 32d: Connector, 33: Support arm, 34: Tray (mounting part, susceptor, setter), 35: Gas exhaust port ( 36: Gas discharge section, 39: Cooling water channel (cooling means), 50: Oxygen concentration meter (sensor), 50a: Cooling nozzle, 60a: Nozzle hole, 61: Steam supply section, 61: Heating section, 61a: Box, 61b: Steam supply nozzle, 61b1: Nozzle body, 61b2: Nozzle hole, 61c: Heater, 61d: Temperature sensor, 62: Storage tank, 62a: Tank body, 62b: Heater, 62c: Supply pipe, 62d: Discharge pipe, 63: Mixed gas tank (mixed gas 63a: Flow control unit (MFC), 64: Heating piping, 64a: Temperature sensor, 80: Profile setting unit, 81: Step temperature setting unit, 82: Temperature setting unit, 82a: Supply start temperature setting unit, 82b: Heating temperature setting unit, 83: Gas amount setting unit, 83a: Supply amount setting unit, 83b: Exhaust amount setting unit, 84: Steam supply setting unit, 87: Monitoring unit, 88: Control unit, 88a: Output adjustment unit, 89: Recording unit, L1: Longitudinal direction, L2: Front-back direction, C: Object (MLCC), H: Hot water, We: Steam

Claims

1. A mounting section on which the object is placed, A heater lamp that emits infrared light to heat the aforementioned object, A furnace chamber in which the mounting section and the heater lamp are arranged and which is configured to be sealed, A gas supply unit that supplies gas into the furnace chamber, A gas exhaust section for exhausting gas from the furnace chamber, An infrared heating device comprising, A steam supply unit that supplies steam into the furnace chamber separately from the gas supplied from the gas supply unit, Pressure control means for controlling the pressure inside the reactor chamber to a positive or negative pressure, The furnace chamber is further provided with a cooling means for cooling the furnace wall, The steam supply unit is an infrared heating device having a heating unit that heats the steam before supplying it into the furnace chamber.

2. The infrared heating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating section is provided on the ceiling of the furnace wall and has a plurality of nozzles protruding into the furnace chamber.

3. The infrared heating device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of nozzles have a plurality of through holes provided on all four sides of the circumferential surface of the nozzle body, and the tip of the nozzle body is closed.

4. The infrared heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the steam supply unit supplies the steam from the upper part of the furnace chamber, and the gas exhaust unit exhausts the gas from inside the furnace chamber from at least one side surface of the furnace chamber.

5. The infrared heating device according to claim 4, wherein the mounting section is a rectangular tray having a long side parallel to the longitudinal direction of the heater lamp, and the gas exhaust section exhausts the gas inside the furnace chamber from both sides of the furnace chamber facing the short side of the tray.

6. The infrared heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the steam supply unit supplies steam from the upper part of the furnace chamber, and the gas exhaust unit exhausts gas from the upper part of the furnace chamber.

7. The infrared heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressure control means controls the pressure inside the furnace chamber to a positive pressure while the steam is being supplied into the furnace chamber.

8. The infrared heating device according to claim 2, comprising: a step temperature setting unit that sets multiple heating steps to raise the internal temperature of the furnace chamber and multiple cooling steps to lower the internal temperature of the furnace chamber; and an output adjustment unit that adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the rise and fall of the internal temperature of the furnace, wherein the step temperature setting unit sets the heating rate and cooling rate for each step in the process of repeating the heating step and the cooling step alternately at least two times, and the output adjustment unit adjusts the output of the heater lamp based on the heating rate and the cooling rate to irradiate the heater lamp with infrared light.

9. The infrared heating apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a storage tank for storing hot water, a mixed gas supply unit for supplying a mixed gas into the hot water, and heating piping for heating and supplying the steam generated in the storage tank to the heating unit.

10. The infrared heating device according to claim 9, further comprising: a furnace temperature measuring unit for measuring the furnace temperature inside the furnace chamber; and a supply start temperature setting unit for setting the supply start temperature when supplying steam into the furnace chamber, wherein the steam supply unit supplies the steam from the heating unit to the furnace chamber when the furnace temperature exceeds the supply start temperature.

11. The infrared heating device according to claim 10, further comprising a heating temperature setting unit for setting the temperature of the storage tank, the temperature of the heating pipe, and the temperature of the heating unit, respectively.

12. The infrared heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the object is an MLCC.

Images