Electron beam irradiation device

Abstract

To provide an electron beam irradiation device permanently provided with a hanger supporting material for supporting a hanger in an irradiation chamber.SOLUTION: An electron beam irradiation device 1 includes: electron beam generation means 2 for generating electron beams; conveyance means 3 for conveying an irradiated object irradiated with electron beams; and an openable / closable irradiation chamber 4 for housing the electron beam generation means 2 and the conveyance means 3. The irradiation chamber 4 has a first screening part 5 and a second screening part 6, and at least one of the first screening part 5 and the second screening part 6 can travel horizontally so as to approach and separate from each other. The electron beam irradiation device 1 further has a hanger supporting material 7 that supports a hanger 11 and bridges a space between the first screening part 5 and the second screening part 6 along a horizontal movement direction while the irradiation chamber 4 is open. One of the first screening part 5 and the second screening part 6 has a fixing part 8 for fixing the hanger supporting material 7, and the other of the first screening part 5 and the second screening part 6 has a supporting part 9 for supporting the hanger supporting material 7 slidably in the horizontal movement direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electron beam irradiation apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] FIG. 21 shows a schematic structure of a conventional electron beam irradiation apparatus described in, for example, Patent Document 1. In the electron beam irradiation apparatus shown in FIG. 21, an irradiation chamber 100 is composed of a fixed shielding portion 101 and a movable shielding portion 102 arranged such that their respective openings face each other. An electron beam generation means 103 is attached to the fixed shielding portion 101, and a conveyance means 104 for conveying an irradiated object is attached to the movable shielding portion 102. In the electron beam irradiation apparatus shown in FIG. 21, the irradiated object is, for example, a wire or cable covered with an insulating layer, and the conveyance means 104 includes a roller 105 rotatably provided on the movable shielding portion 102 by bearings. The movable shielding portion 102 is movable in a horizontal direction so as to approach and separate from the fixed shielding portion 101 on a slide rail 106, and the irradiation chamber 100 can be opened and closed by the horizontal movement of the movable shielding portion 102.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] ​In an electron beam irradiation apparatus, during maintenance of the irradiation chamber, it is necessary to open the irradiation chamber 100 and remove equipment stored in the irradiation chamber 100, such as the roller 105 of the transport means 104, from the movable shielding section 102 for removal. In the removal of the roller 105, with the fixed shielding section 101 and the movable shielding section 102 separated, a pair of rod-shaped suspension support members 107 capable of supporting a suspension device 108 such as a chain block are placed parallel to each other between the separated fixed shielding section 101 and the movable shielding section 102, and both ends of the pair of suspension support members 107 are fixed to the ceiling walls of the fixed shielding section 101 and the movable shielding section 102, respectively. Then, the roller 105 is suspended and held by the suspension device 108, removed from the movable shielding section 102, and removed to the space between the fixed shielding section 101 and the movable shielding section 102. Then, the roller 105 is moved to a crane or similar equipment in the available space and transported by the crane.

[0005] In the conventional electron beam irradiation device described above, the suspension support members 107 are installed on the ceiling walls of the fixed shielding section 101 and the movable shielding section 102 in order to transport the roller 105. Therefore, installing the suspension support members 107 requires labor and time, and since the ceiling walls of the fixed shielding section 101 and the movable shielding section 102 are located at a height of approximately 3m from the floor, the installation of the suspension support members 107 is performed at a height, making it necessary to ensure the safety of the workers. In addition, the suspension support members 107 need to be managed, and if a storage place is not secured, there is a possibility that the suspension support members 107 may be lost.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an electron beam irradiation apparatus in which a suspension support material for supporting the suspension device is permanently installed in the irradiation chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to an electron beam irradiation apparatus comprising: an electron beam generating means for generating an electron beam; a transport means for transporting an object to be irradiated by the electron beam; and an openable and closable irradiation chamber housing the electron beam generating means and the transport means, the irradiation chamber comprising a first shielding section and a second shielding section, wherein at least one of the first shielding section and the second shielding section is horizontally movable so as to move toward and away from each other. The electron beam irradiation apparatus of the present invention further comprises a suspension support material for supporting a suspension device, the suspension support material being stretched between the first shielding section and the second shielding section in the direction of the horizontal movement when the irradiation chamber is open, the suspension support material being further comprising one of the first shielding section and the second shielding section having a fixing section for fixing the suspension support material, and the other of the first shielding section and the second shielding section having a support section for slidably supporting the suspension support material in the direction of the horizontal movement. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the electron beam irradiation apparatus of the present invention, since the suspension support material for supporting the suspension device is permanently installed in the irradiation chamber, when opening the irradiation chamber for maintenance and removing equipment stored in the irradiation chamber, such as transport means, it is not necessary to install the suspension support material on the ceiling of the irradiation chamber. This reduces the labor and time required for the work, and also eliminates the need to ensure the safety of the workers. Furthermore, with the electron beam irradiation apparatus of the present invention, there is no need to manage the suspension support material, and there is no possibility of losing the suspension support material. In addition, with the electron beam irradiation apparatus of the present invention, the suspension support material permanently installed in the irradiation chamber does not obstruct the opening and closing of the irradiation chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a front view of the electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber closed. [Figure 2] This is a rear view of the electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber closed. [Figure 3] This is a plan view of the electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber closed. [Figure 4] This is a bottom view of the electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber closed. [Figure 5]It is a right side view of an electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber closed. [Figure 6] It is a left side view of an electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber closed. [Figure 7] It is a sectional view taken along the line A - A of FIG. 3, with parts other than the irradiation chamber omitted. [Figure 8] It is a sectional view taken along the line B - B of FIG. 3. [Figure 9] It is a plan view of an electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber open. [Figure 10] It is a bottom view of an electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber open. [Figure 11] It is a right side view of an electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber open. [Figure 12] It is a left side view of an electron beam irradiation apparatus with the irradiation chamber open. [Figure 13] It is a sectional view taken along the line A - A of FIG. 9, with parts other than the irradiation chamber omitted. [Figure 14] It is a sectional view taken along the line B - B of FIG. 9. [Figure 15] (A) It is a perspective view showing an enlarged support part, and (B) it is a perspective view showing an enlarged fixing part. [Figure 16] (A) It is a perspective view showing an enlarged support part of another form, and (B) it is a perspective view showing an enlarged fixing part of another form. [Figure 17] It is a sectional view of an electron beam irradiation apparatus of another form with the irradiation chamber closed. [Figure 18] It is a sectional view of the electron beam irradiation apparatus of FIG. 17 with the irradiation chamber open. [Figure 19] It is a sectional view of an electron beam irradiation apparatus of another form with the irradiation chamber closed. [Figure 20] It is a sectional view of the electron beam irradiation apparatus of FIG. 19 with the irradiation chamber open. [Figure 21] It is a sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a conventional electron beam irradiation apparatus.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, an electron beam irradiation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 7, 8, 13, 14, and 17-20, for convenience of explanation, a part of the configuration is simplified or omitted.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1-14, the electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes an electron beam generation means 2 for generating an electron beam, a transport means 3 for transporting an irradiated object to be irradiated with the electron beam, and an openable and closable irradiation chamber 4 for housing the electron beam generation means 2 and the transport means 3. In FIGS. 1-8, the irradiation chamber 4 is in a closed state, and in FIGS. 9- FIG. 14, the irradiation chamber 4 is in an open state.

[0012] The irradiated object to be irradiated with the electron beam is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include long wire materials and strip materials such as electric wires, optical cables, wires, rubber hoses, tubes, films, and sheets. In the present embodiment, an electric wire will be described as an example of the irradiated object.

[0013] The electron beam generation means 2 generates an electron beam and irradiates the irradiated object with the electron beam. The electron beam generation means 2 is not particularly limited, and for example, it may have a conventionally known structure including a power supply tank 20, an acceleration tank 21, a scanning chamber 22, and a pump chamber 23. The electron beam generation means 2 of this structure forms a beam-shaped electron beam by accelerating electrons generated by heating a filament in the power supply tank 20 in an acceleration tube in the acceleration tank 21, and then scans the electron beam with a scanning tube 220 in the scanning chamber 22, and emits the electron beam from an opening window 221 of the scanning tube 220 to irradiate the irradiated object with the electron beam. The opening window 221 of the scanning tube 220 is covered with a metal foil (window foil) through which the electron beam can pass. The internal sections of the acceleration tube and the scanning tube are in a vacuum state by a vacuum pump in the pump chamber 23 at least during the period when the electron beam is generated. The slide rail 24 supports the power supply tank 20 so as to be reciprocally movable in the horizontal direction.

[0014] In the present embodiment, the electron beam generation means 2 emits an electron beam in the horizontal direction, and the side of the opening window 221 of the scanning tube 220 is an electron beam irradiation area.

[0015] The transport means 3 moves the object to be irradiated from outside the irradiation chamber 4 to the electron beam irradiation area inside the irradiation chamber 4, and transports the object so that it moves to the outside of the irradiation chamber 4 after passing through the electron beam irradiation area. In this embodiment, the transport means 3 is equipped with a pair of upper and lower rollers 30 and 31, and is a device that transports a long object to be irradiated so that it passes back and forth multiple times through the electron beam irradiation area set between the pair of upper and lower rollers 30 and 31. The upper roller 30 is attached to the irradiation chamber 4 by a pair of bearings 35, etc., and the lower roller 31 is attached to the irradiation chamber 4 by a pair of bearings 36, etc.

[0016] The long object to be irradiated is transported from the object inlet 40 formed in the irradiation chamber 4, through multiple free rollers 32-34, and then wrapped multiple times around a pair of upper and lower rollers 30, 31, before being transported to the electron beam irradiation area. Then, it is transported to the outside of the irradiation chamber 4 through another free roller located at a different position on the same axis as the free rollers 32-34, via the object outlet 41 formed in the irradiation chamber 4.

[0017] The irradiation chamber 4 is made of a lead-based metal to block the outflow of electron beams to the outside. In this embodiment, the irradiation chamber 4 is a rectangular box-shaped structure and comprises a ceiling wall 41, a bottom wall 42 opposite the ceiling wall 41, a front wall 43, a rear wall 44 opposite the front wall 43, and a pair of side walls facing each other, surrounding the internal space 40. In this embodiment, each of the ceiling wall 41, bottom wall 42, front wall 43, rear wall 44, and the pair of side walls is formed by overlapping two walls, but it may also be formed by overlapping three or more walls, or it may consist of a single thick wall.

[0018] The irradiation chamber 4 is openable and closable. When closed, it seals the internal space 40, and each wall prevents the electron beam from escaping to the outside. When the irradiation chamber 4 is open, it exposes components such as the transport means 3 inside the irradiation chamber 4.

[0019] The irradiation chamber 4 comprises a first shielding section 5 and a second shielding section 6. At least one of the first shielding section 5 and the second shielding section 6 is horizontally movable so as to move closer to and further away from each other. The direction of horizontal movement is in the direction connecting the front wall 41 and the rear wall 42 of the irradiation chamber 4. In this embodiment, the first shielding section 5 is fixed to the frame so as not to move, and the second shielding section 6 is supported by a pair of slide rails 10 so as to be horizontally movable.

[0020] The first shielding section 5 comprises a first ceiling wall 41A that forms part of the ceiling wall 41, a first bottom wall 42A that forms part of the bottom wall 42, a front wall 43, and a pair of opposing first side walls that form part of a pair of side walls, and has an opening 50 at a position opposite to the front wall 43. The first shielding section 5 is equipped with a scanning tube 220 of the electron beam generating means 2, and the scanning tube 220 extends horizontally through the front wall 43 such that the opening window 221 faces the rear wall 44 within the first shielding section 5.

[0021] The second shielding section 6 comprises a second ceiling wall 41B that forms part of the ceiling wall 41, a second bottom wall 42B that forms part of the bottom wall 42, a rear wall 44, and a pair of opposing second side walls that form part of a pair of side walls, and has an opening 60 at a position opposite to the rear wall 44. The second shielding section 6 is equipped with a conveying means 3, and rollers 30 and 31 are rotatably supported by bearings 35 and 36 fixed inside the second shielding section 6. The rollers 30 and 31 extend horizontally parallel to each other between the pair of second side walls at a position closer to the front wall 43 from the rear wall 44 inside the second shielding section 6.

[0022] The first ceiling wall 41A and the second ceiling wall 41B have the same thickness, and when the irradiation chamber 4 is closed, the first shielding section 5 and the second shielding section 6 come close together and integrate, so that their upper surfaces and lower surfaces are flush, forming the ceiling wall 41 as a whole. The first bottom wall 42A and the second bottom wall 42B have the same thickness, and when the irradiation chamber 4 is closed, they are connected so that their upper surfaces and lower surfaces are flush, forming the bottom wall 42 as a whole. The pair of first side walls and the pair of second side walls have the same thickness, and when the irradiation chamber 4 is closed, they are connected so that their outer surfaces and inner surfaces are flush, forming a pair of side walls as a whole.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1-3, 5-9, and 11-14, the electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes at least one suspension support member 7 for supporting the suspension device 11. The suspension device 11 is a device capable of moving up and down while suspending and holding a heavy object, such as a chain block, and is not limited to a specific device. The suspension support member 7 is to which the suspension device 11 is detachably attached.

[0024] The suspension support member 7 is permanently installed in the irradiation chamber 4 and is provided to extend from the first shielding section 5 to the second shielding section 6. When the irradiation chamber 4 is open, it is stretched between the first shielding section 5 and the second shielding section 6 along the direction of horizontal movement of the second shielding section 6. The suspension support member 7 is sufficiently longer than its width and thickness, and preferably has a shape that extends straight in a straight line, such as a rod or plate. The length of the suspension support member 7 is not particularly limited as long as it can reach from the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding section 5 to the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding section 6 when the irradiation chamber 4 is open. The material of the suspension support member 7 is not particularly limited and can be made of any material such as metal, wood, or resin, as long as it has the strength to prevent bending or breaking even when heavy objects such as rollers 30 and 31 of the conveying means 3 housed in the shielding chamber 4 are suspended via the suspension 11. In this embodiment, the suspension support member 7 is made of H-shaped steel, which has a cross-sectional shape similar to the Roman letter "H".

[0025] The number and arrangement of the suspension support members 7 permanently installed in the irradiation chamber 4 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, a pair of suspension support members 7 are provided on the ceiling wall 41 of the irradiation chamber 4 at intervals and parallel to each other. The pair of suspension support members 7 are provided on the ceiling wall 41 so as to be positioned above the pair of bearings 35 located on the left and right of the upper roller 30 and the pair of bearings 36 located on the left and right of the lower roller 31 in a plan view.

[0026] The pair of suspension support members 7 are fixed to one of the first shielding section 5 and the second shielding section 6 via a fixing part 8 on the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding section 6 in this embodiment, and are slidably supported in the direction of horizontal movement of the second shielding section 6 via a support part 9 on the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding section 5 in this embodiment.

[0027] The fixing part 8 secures a portion of the suspension support material 7 to the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding section 6 so that it does not move. In this embodiment, the fixing part 8 secures one end of the suspension support material 7 in the longitudinal direction to the second ceiling wall 41B so that it does not move. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15(B), the fixing part 8 includes a base 80 whose cross-sectional shape resembles the Roman letter "H". The base 80 includes a pair of upper and lower parallel horizontal plate sections 800 and a vertical plate section 801 that connects the pair of upper and lower horizontal plate sections 800. The lower horizontal plate section 800 is fixed to the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding section 6 using bolts or screws 82, etc. The upper horizontal plate section 800 receives a portion of the suspension support material 7 above the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding section 6, and a portion of the suspension support material 7 is fixed using bolts or screws 81, etc. As a result, the suspension support material 7 moves horizontally together with the second shielding section 6. The height (vertical size of the vertical plate portion 801) and width (horizontal size of the horizontal plate portion 800) of the base 80 are greater than the height and width of the suspension support member 7, but they may be the same size as the height and width of the suspension support member 7.

[0028] The support portion 9 supports the suspension support member 7 so that it can slide in the direction of the horizontal movement of the second shielding portion 6. The support portion 9 supports the suspension support member 7 so that it can slide, for example, by sliding the horizontally moving suspension support member 7. In this embodiment, the sliding member is a wheel 92 that slides the suspension support member 7 on the upper side, as shown in Figure 15(A). The wheel 92 can smoothly slide the suspension support member 7. The wheel 92 is rotatably supported by a bearing 93.

[0029] The support section 9 includes a base 90 for installing the wheel 92 on the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding section 5. The base 90 includes a horizontal plate section 900 and a pair of parallel vertical plate sections 901 provided on the horizontal plate section 900 at a distance from each other. The horizontal plate section 900 is fixed to the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding section 5 using bolts or screws 91. A bearing 93 is also fixed to the horizontal plate section 900 using bolts or screws 94. The pair of vertical plate sections 901 sandwich a suspension support member 7 that slides over the wheel 94, and guides the suspension support member 7 to move straight horizontally.

[0030] The structure of the fixing part 8 is not particularly limited, as long as it can fix a portion of the suspension support member 7 to the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding part 6. Also, the structure of the support part 9 is not particularly limited, as long as it can support the second shielding part 6 so as to be slidable in the direction of horizontal movement.

[0031] For example, if a round steel with a circular cross-section is used for the suspension support member 7, as shown in Figure 16(B), the fixing part 8 may include a lower clamping member 84 fixed to the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding part 6 using bolts or screws 86, and an upper clamping member 83 fixed to the lower clamping member 84 using bolts or screws 85, and by clamping a part of the suspension support member 7 with the pair of upper and lower clamping members 83 and 84, a part of the suspension support member 7 may be fixed to the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding part 6 so as not to move.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16(A), the support section 9 is equipped with a bearing 95 which is fixed to the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding section 5 using bolts or screws 96. The bearing 95 incorporates a linear bush (or slide bush) 97. The linear bush 97 is a linear motion mechanism that utilizes the rolling of steel balls, and by passing the suspension support member 7 through its interior, the suspension support member 7 can be smoothly slid. By providing the linear bush 97, the support section 9 supports the suspension support member 7 so that it can slide in the direction of the horizontal movement of the second shielding section 6, and also guides the suspension support member 7 to move straight horizontally.

[0033] The electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 of this embodiment, as described above, is an electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 in which an irradiation chamber 4 housing an electron beam generating means 2 and a transport means 3 is provided with a first shielding part 5 and a second shielding part 6, and at least one of the first shielding part 5 and the second shielding part 6 (the second shielding part 6 in this embodiment) is horizontally movable so as to move closer to and further apart from each other. The electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 further comprises a suspension support member 7 for supporting a suspension device 11, the suspension support member 7 being stretched between the first shielding part 5 and the second shielding part 6 along the direction of the horizontal movement when the irradiation chamber 4 is open, one of the first shielding part 5 and the second shielding part 6 (the second shielding part 6 in this embodiment) is provided with a fixing part 8 for fixing the suspension support member 7, and the other of the first shielding part 5 and the second shielding part 6 (the first shielding part 5 in this embodiment) is provided with a support part 9 that supports the suspension support member 7 so as to be slidable in the direction of the horizontal movement.

[0034] With the above structure, as shown in Figure 13, when the electron beam irradiation device 1 of this embodiment moves the second shielding part 6 away from the first shielding part 5 to open the irradiation chamber 4, the suspension support member 7 moves horizontally along with the horizontal movement of the second shielding part 6, and on the side of the first shielding part 5 across which the suspension support member 7 is placed, the suspension support member 7 slides in the direction of horizontal movement while being supported by the support part 9. The same applies when the second shielding part 6 is brought closer to the first shielding part 5 to close the irradiation chamber 4. Therefore, even if the suspension support member 7 is permanently installed in the irradiation chamber 4, the suspension support member 7 does not obstruct the opening and closing of the irradiation chamber 4.

[0035] Furthermore, when removing equipment stored in the irradiation chamber 4, such as the rollers 30 and 31 of the transport means 3, for maintenance of the irradiation chamber 4, a lifting device 11 is attached to a lifting device support member 7 that spans between the first shielding section 5 and the second shielding section 6. The rollers 30 and 31 are then suspended and held one by one by the lifting device 11 and removed from inside the second shielding section 6 into the open space between it and the first shielding section 5. The rollers 30 and 31 can then be removed by transferring them from the lifting device 11 to a crane or the like.

[0036] Thus, according to the electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 of this embodiment, since the suspension support material 7 for supporting the suspension device 11 is permanently installed in the irradiation chamber 4, when the irradiation chamber 4 is opened for maintenance to remove equipment such as the rollers 30 and 31 of the transport means 3, it is not necessary to install the suspension support material 7 on the ceiling of the irradiation chamber. This reduces the labor and time required for the work, and also eliminates the need to ensure the safety of the workers.

[0037] Furthermore, according to the electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 of this embodiment, since the suspension support material 7 is permanently installed in the irradiation chamber 4, there is no need to manage the suspension support material 7, and there is no possibility of losing the suspension support material 7.

[0038] Although embodiments of the electron beam irradiation apparatus of the present invention have been described above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0039] For example, in the electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 of the above-described embodiment, the irradiation chamber 4 may be opened and closed by the first shielding part 5 being horizontally movable and the second shielding part 6 not moving, or the irradiation chamber 4 may be opened and closed by both the first shielding part 5 and the second shielding part 6 being horizontally movable.

[0040] Furthermore, in the electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 of the above-described embodiment and the modified electron beam irradiation apparatus, the first shielding portion 5 may be provided with a fixing portion 8 for fixing the suspension support material 7, and the second shielding portion 6 may be provided with a support portion 9 for slidably supporting the suspension support material 7.

[0041] Furthermore, in the electron beam irradiation apparatus 1 of the above-described embodiment and the modified electron beam irradiation apparatus, the electron beam generating means 2 emits an electron beam in the vertical direction, and a pair of rollers 30 and 31 of the transport means 3 may be arranged on the left and right sides in the electron beam irradiation area below the opening window 221 of the scanning tube 220. In this modified electron beam irradiation apparatus, one of the first shielding section 5 and the second shielding section 6 may be equipped with the electron beam generating means 2, and the other of the first shielding section 5 and the second shielding section 6 may be equipped with the transport means 3, or one of the first shielding section 5 and the second shielding section 6 may be equipped with both the electron beam generating means 2 and the transport means 3.

[0042] Furthermore, Figures 17 and 18 show alternative forms of the support portion 9 in the electron beam irradiation device 1 of the above-described embodiment and the modified electron beam irradiation device. In this modified electron beam irradiation device 1, the support portion 9 comprises a guide rail 97 provided on the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding portion 5 and a running member 98 that runs on the guide rail 97. The guide rail 97 extends straight along the direction of horizontal movement of the second shielding portion 6. The number and arrangement of the guide rails 97 are determined according to the number and arrangement of the suspension support members 7. In this embodiment, a pair of guide rails 97 are provided on the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding portion 5 at intervals and parallel to each other. The running member 98 is not particularly limited as long as it can run on the guide rail 97, but preferably it is a wheel that rolls on the guide rail 97. The running member 98 is fixed to the suspension support member 7 and travels along the guide rail 97 as the suspension support member 7 moves horizontally along with the horizontal movement of the second shielding section 6. As the running member 98 travels along the guide rail 97, the suspension support member 7 is supported so as to be slidable in the direction of the horizontal movement of the second shielding section 6 and is also guided to move horizontally in a straight line.

[0043] Furthermore, Figures 19 and 20 show alternative forms of the support portion 9 in the electron beam irradiation device 1 of the above-described embodiment and the modified electron beam irradiation device. In this modified electron beam irradiation device 1, the support portion 9 is a hole wall 99 having a cavity formed in the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding portion 5 on its inside. The hole wall 99 is open at one end and closed at the other end. The cavity extends straight from one end to the other along the direction of horizontal movement of the second shielding portion 6, and a horizontally moving suspension support member 7 can be inserted through the opening at one end of the hole wall 99. The number and arrangement of the hole walls 99 are in accordance with the number and arrangement of the suspension support members 7. In this embodiment, a pair of hole walls 99 are formed in the first ceiling wall 41A of the first shielding portion 5 at intervals and parallel to each other. The cross-sectional shape and size of the hole wall 99 are substantially the same as the cross-sectional shape and size of the suspension support member 7. As a result, the hole wall 99 is in close contact with the suspension support member 7 inserted into the inner cavity, preventing any gap from forming between the hole wall 99 and the suspension support member 7 inside the hole wall 99. When the suspension support member 7 moves horizontally in conjunction with the horizontal movement of the second shielding section 6, it slides within the hole wall 99, thereby supporting the suspension support member 7 so that it can slide in the direction of the horizontal movement of the second shielding section 6, and is also guided to move horizontally in a straight line.

[0044] When the irradiation chamber 4 is closed, the suspension support member 7 abuts against the other end of the hole wall 99, and the cavity inside the hole wall 99 is filled by the suspension support member 7. In this modified electron beam irradiation device 1, the suspension support member 7 constitutes a part of the irradiation chamber 4 and also plays a role in preventing the electron beam from flowing out to the outside. For this reason, the suspension support member 7 has a solid structure and is preferably made of the same material as the irradiation chamber 4.

[0045] In this modified electron beam irradiation device 1, the fixing part 8 is a hole wall 87 having a cavity formed in the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding part 6 on its inner side. The hole wall 87 is open at one end and closed at the other end, and the end of the suspension support member 7 is fixed inside the hole wall 87. However, the fixing part 8 may have the same structure as in the embodiment described above and be provided on the second ceiling wall 41B of the second shielding part 6.

[0046] As described above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus of the present invention includes the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in Section 1 below in order to solve the problems of this disclosure.

[0047] Item 1. An electron beam generating means for generating an electron beam, A transport means for transporting the object to be irradiated by the electron beam, An electron beam irradiation apparatus comprising: an openable and closable irradiation chamber housing the electron beam generating means and the transport means, the irradiation chamber comprising a first shielding section and a second shielding section, wherein at least one of the first shielding section and the second shielding section is horizontally movable so as to move closer to and further away from each other; A suspension support member for supporting a suspension device, further comprising a suspension support member stretched between the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion along the direction of horizontal movement when the irradiation chamber is open, One of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion is provided with a fixing portion for fixing the suspension support material, An electron beam irradiation device wherein the other of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion is provided with a support portion that supports the suspension support material so as to be slidable in the direction of the horizontal movement.

[0048] Furthermore, the electron beam irradiation apparatus of the present invention includes, as a preferred embodiment of the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 1 above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 2 below.

[0049] Item 2. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to Item 1, wherein the support portion comprises a sliding member for sliding the suspension support material.

[0050] Furthermore, the present invention includes, as preferred embodiments of the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 2 above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in items 3 and 4 below.

[0051] Item 3. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to Item 2, wherein the sliding member is a wheel that slides the suspension support material on the upper side.

[0052] Item 4. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to Item 2, wherein the sliding member is a linear bush that slides the suspension support material on the inside.

[0053] Furthermore, the present invention includes, as a preferred embodiment of the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 1 above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 5 below.

[0054] Item 5. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to Item 1, wherein the support portion comprises a guide rail extending along the direction of the horizontal movement and a running member that travels along the guide rail and is fixed to the suspension support material.

[0055] Furthermore, the present invention includes, as a preferred embodiment of the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 5 above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 6 below.

[0056] Item 6. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to Item 5, wherein the running member is a wheel that rolls along the guide rail.

[0057] Furthermore, the present invention includes, as a preferred embodiment of the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in items 1 to 6 above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 7 below.

[0058] Item 7. The fixing part is provided on the ceiling wall of one of the first shielding part and the second shielding part. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the support portion is provided on the ceiling wall of the other of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion.

[0059] Furthermore, the present invention includes, as a preferred embodiment of the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 1 above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 8 below.

[0060] Item 8. The support portion is a hole wall formed in the ceiling wall of the other of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion so as to extend along the direction of the horizontal movement, and having a cavity on the inside into which the suspension support material is inserted. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to item 1, wherein the hole wall is in close contact with the suspension support material.

[0061] Furthermore, the present invention includes, as a preferred embodiment of the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in items 1 to 8 above, the electron beam irradiation apparatus described in item 9 below.

[0062] Item 9. The second shielding portion is horizontally movable so as to approach and move away from the first shielding portion. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second shielding portion comprises the transport means. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 Electron beam irradiation device 2. Electron beam generating means 3. Conveying means 4 Irradiation room 5 First shielding part 6 Second shielding part 7. Support material for suspension devices 8 Fixed part 9 Support part 11. Lifting equipment 92 Wheel (sliding member) 97 Guide rail 98 Wheels (running components) 99 Hole wall 950 Linear bushing (sliding member)

Claims

1. An electron beam generating means for generating an electron beam, A transport means for transporting the object to be irradiated by the electron beam, An electron beam irradiation apparatus comprising: an openable and closable irradiation chamber housing the electron beam generating means and the transport means, the irradiation chamber comprising a first shielding section and a second shielding section, wherein at least one of the first shielding section and the second shielding section is horizontally movable so as to move closer to and further away from each other; A suspension support member for supporting a suspension device, further comprising a suspension support member stretched between the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion along the direction of horizontal movement when the irradiation chamber is open, One of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion is provided with a fixing portion for fixing the suspension support material, An electron beam irradiation device wherein the other of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion is provided with a support portion that supports the suspension support material so as to be slidable in the direction of the horizontal movement.

2. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support portion comprises a sliding member for sliding the suspension support material.

3. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sliding member is a wheel that slides the suspension support material on the upper side.

4. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sliding member is a linear bush that slides the suspension support material on the inside.

5. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support portion comprises a guide rail extending along the direction of horizontal movement and a running member that travels along the guide rail and is fixed to the suspension support material.

6. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the running member is a wheel that rolls along the guide rail.

7. The fixing portion is provided on the ceiling wall of one of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is provided on the ceiling wall of the other side of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion.

8. The support portion is a hole wall formed in the ceiling wall of the other side of the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion, extending along the direction of the horizontal movement, and having a cavity into which the suspension support material is inserted. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hole wall is in close contact with the suspension support material.

9. The second shielding portion is horizontally movable so as to approach and move away from the first shielding portion. The electron beam irradiation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second shielding portion comprises the transport means.

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