EP1523644B1 - Device for controlling the temperature of objects - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for tempering objects according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

The term "tempering" is used here as a generic term for all types, as the temperature of the air to be applied to the objects is set to a certain value. "Temperieren" can thus mean, for example, "heating", which is particularly important in the design of the device as a dryer. However, "tempering" can also be "cooling" if the objects are to be brought to a lower temperature.

A device of the type mentioned is from the US 2002/0 056 710 A1 known. There, for example, printed circuit boards are guided in parallel juxtaposed and vertically stacked conveyor belts through a plurality of heating or cooling zones, which are each associated with corresponding heating or cooling devices. As a result, the achievable throughput of printed circuit boards is increased. The use of inert gas is mentioned in this document, but not the way in which this is performed. Despite the partially juxtaposed conveyor belts of the space requirement of this device due to the dimensions of tempered objects is rather low.

Devices similar to those of the type mentioned are known in the automotive industry from the market, where painted vehicle bodies or body parts to be dried or cooled. To increase the drying or cooling capacity, a plurality of tempering devices arranged in parallel, that is to say drying or cooling devices, are frequently used, which are guided either as "individual tubes" by separate housings or, lying side by side, through one and the same housing. The space requirement of these known devices, however, is relatively large.

Object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned in such a way that it meets the structural conditions at the place where it is to be installed, and can be easily adapted to different capacities.

This object is achieved by a device having the features mentioned in claim 1.

With the present invention, use is made of the knowledge that the "precious good" at the site of the device less the height than the base area. Because the temperature control devices are not arranged next to each other, but one above the other in the housing, the base area is saved for a given throughput. By arranging the plurality of tempering devices one above the other, the working principle of the so-called "A-locks" can be used or reinforced, which is already used in known dryers.

According to the invention, the air path on which the tempered air flows to a first tempering device, passes through a second tempering device. In this way, air ducts can be saved since a part of the air path to the first temperature control device is provided by the second temperature control device.

According to the invention, a device is also provided with which the transition of tempered air from the second tempering device into the first tempering device can be interrupted if necessary. Thus, the device can thus be run with two different capacities: With a larger capacity, in which both tempering are in operation, and with a smaller capacity, which corresponds to the capacity of that, second tempering, through which the airway leads first. Thus, an adaptation to the respective Temperierbedarf be made; in contrast to devices in which the air connection between the at least two tempering permanently, so both temperature control must always be operated simultaneously and in parallel.

In the simplest case, the connection in question can be interrupted by hand through a corresponding part, which is inserted into the airway. For example, a grate, through which the air flows from the second temperature control device into the first temperature control device, can be replaced manually with a closed metal plate.

More comfortable is the embodiment in which the device for interrupting the airway is a controllable flap or a closable blind.

If the at least two tempering devices at least partially divide the air path, on which the air is discharged from the utility rooms, a reduction of the apparatus expenditure, in particular of the required air ducts, is possible again.

As already mentioned above, the device can be designed as a dryer; for tempering the air, it then has at least one heating unit.

It is particularly preferred if the dryer according to the invention has as many heating units as drying devices. If individual drying devices are taken out of operation within the entire dryer then correspondingly many heating units can also be put out of action, which is associated with considerable energy savings. In addition, it is possible to drive in the different drying equipment within the same dryer with different air temperatures.

As also mentioned above, the device according to the invention can also be designed as a cooler. In this case, at least one fan may be provided, which sucks fresh air and brings as tempered air in the Nutzräumme the cooling devices.

If the cooling effect of the air of the outside atmosphere does not suffice, at least one cooling aggregate can additionally be provided, which cools the air introduced into the working spaces of the cooling devices.

The items to be tempered may in particular also be vehicle bodies.

Figur 1:

einen vertikalen Schnitt, genommen senkrecht zur Bewegungsrichtung der zu trocknenden Gegenstände, durch einen erfindungsgemäßen Trockner, der sowohl für das Ausführungsbeispiel der Figur 2 als auch das jenige der Figur 3 gültig ist;

Figur 2:

einen Schnitt gemäß Linie II-II von Figur 1 durch ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Trockners;

Figur 3:

einen Schnitt gemäß Linie II-II von Figur 1 durch ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Trockners.

Auführungsbeispiele of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing; show it:

FIG. 1:

a vertical section, taken perpendicular to the direction of movement of the objects to be dried, by a dryer according to the invention, for both the embodiment of the FIG. 2 as well as the one who FIG. 3 is valid;

FIG. 2:

a section according to line II-II of FIG. 1 by a first embodiment of a dryer according to the invention;

FIG. 3:

a section according to line II-II of FIG. 1 by a second embodiment of a dryer according to the invention.

Above the housing 1, a circulating air heating unit 25 is arranged. The air heated by this occurs via lateral connecting channels 4, 5 in the upper "floor" of the housing 1 and there in each of the lateral outer wall adjacent pressure chamber 6, 7 a first, provided with the reference numeral 100 drying device. The pressure chambers 6, 7 are bounded inwardly by a vertical partition wall 8, 9, in which there are provided with filters 10, 11 openings. For maintenance of the filters 10, 11 or cleaning the pressure chambers 6, 7, the latter can be committed, as indicated schematically in the left pressure chamber 6.

Between the vertical partitions 8, 9 and the vertical, lateral boundary walls 12, 13 of the working space 14 of the drying device 100, an air distribution space 15 or 16 is formed in each case. The heated air passes from the air distribution chambers 15, 16 via nozzles 17, 18 in the side walls 12, 13 in a tunnel-like working space 14 and acts there, as indicated by the arrows, an object to be dried, in the example shown, a freshly painted vehicle body 19th

The heated air is then sucked out of the useful space 14 via bottom channels 20, 21 provided with adjustable intake openings and returns to the recirculating-air heating unit 25 via vertical connecting channels 22, 23 provided on both sides of the housing 1. Thus, the circulating-air circuit is through the drying device 100 closed. The connection channels 22, 23 are in FIG. 1 not directly visible but covered by the pressure chambers 6 and 7 and indicated by the dashed, upward arrows only symbolically.

The objects 19 to be dried are moved by the dryer unit 100 accommodated in the upper "floor" of the housing 1 by means of a conveyor 24 perpendicular to the drawing plane of FIG FIG. 1 transported through.

An almost completely identical drying device 100 'is located below the first dryer device 100 in the lower "floor" of the housing 1. Also, this dryer device 100' comprises a work space 14 'with side walls 12', 13 ', which air distribution spaces 15' 16 'limit inward , The air distribution chambers 15 '16' are connected to the work space 14 'via nozzles 17', 18 '. Outside the air distribution spaces 15 ', 16' are, separated from them by vertical partitions 8 ', 9', pressure chambers 6 ', 7', from which hot air through filter 10 ', 11' in the intermediate walls 8 ', 9' in the air distribution spaces 15 ', 16' can get. The heated air is sucked out of the usable space 14 'via bottom channels 20', 21 'and from there into the same vertical connection channels 22, which have already been described above for the drying device 100 arranged in the upper "floor".

While in the upper "floor" located dryer device 100, the hot air is fed into the pressure chambers 6, 7 directly or via the connecting channels 4, 5 of the circulating air heating unit 25, the supply of hot air takes place in the pressure chambers 6 ', 7' the lower dryer 100 'from the pressure chambers 6, 7 ago, which are associated with the upper "floor". For this purpose, gratings 26, 27 are provided in the bottoms of the two upper pressure chambers 6, 7, via which the hot air into vertical, laterally of the bottom channels 20 lying connecting channels 28, 29 in the lower "floor" belonging pressure chambers 6 ', 7' arrive can.

As the FIG. 2 makes clear that what has been described above is only one segment of a complete dryer. In FIG. 2 Close to the left and right of the illustrated segment more, essentially identically designed segments. These differ from the middle segment essentially at most in the temperature of the air introduced into the respective utility rooms. Of course, the conveyor systems 24, 24 'pass all of these segments from an inlet lock located at one end of the dryer housing to an outlet lock located at the other end of the dryer housing; both locks are in FIG. 2 not shown and basically have a known construction, in particular that of an A-lock.

In the above based on the FIGS. 1 and 2 described drying device 100, 100 'located in the lower and upper "floor" of the housing 1 are preferably operated simultaneously. In order to achieve that with a reduced capacity requirement of the total dryer located in the lower "floor" dryer device 100 'can be turned off, the gratings 26, 27 are closed by eg manually insertable sheets. The air capacity of the heating unit 25 is adapted in this case to the reduced demand, for example with a frequency converter.

In a second embodiment, which now based on the FIGS. 1 and 3 is described, the adaptation to a smaller dryer capacity requirement takes place in a different way. The FIG. 1 was in the description of the first embodiment as a section along the line II of FIG. 2 to understand; she will now be in the description of the second embodiment as a section along line II of FIG. 3 used.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 is similar to the one of FIG. 2 very strong; corresponding parts are therefore in FIG. 3 with the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 and 2 provided. In order to achieve that with a reduced capacity requirement of the total dryer that in the lower "floor" of FIG. 3 Drying device 100 'can be switched off, are compared to the embodiment of FIG. 2 the following changes have been made:

About the housing 1 are now two circulating air heating units 25, 25 ', each only half the air power of the heating unit 25 of the embodiment of FIG. 2 to own. With the same air output, a doubling of the length of the housing 1 would be possible. Both heating units 25, 25 'are connected via connecting channels 4, 4' and 5, 5 'to the pressure chambers 6, 7 on both sides of the upper working space 14. In the connecting channel 4 'which the in FIG. 3 right circulating air heating unit 25 'is assigned, there is a flap 30, with this connection channel 4' can be closed. The same applies to the opposite connection channel 5 '. In a corresponding manner, further flaps 31 are used in the connecting channels 28, 29, which connect the upper pressure chambers 6, 7 with the lower pressure chambers 6 ', 7', with which these connecting channels 28, 29 can be closed if necessary.

The upper and lower floor channels 20, 21, 20 ', 21' open in the embodiment of FIG. 3 not in the same connection channel. Rather, the dryer located in the upper "floor" of the housing 1 has 100 own, up to the in FIG. 3 left circulating air heating unit 25 leading connecting channels 22, 23 which terminate at the level of the horizontal false ceiling 3, while the bottom channels 20 ', 21' of the lower dryer 100 'in their own vertical connecting channels 22', 23 'open, which pierce the false ceiling 3 and to that in FIG. 3 right circulating air heater 25 'lead.

That in the FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrated embodiment is operated as follows:

When the full capacity of the dryer is needed, both recirculating air heaters 25 and 25 'are used. When the flap 30 is open, both circulating air heating units 25, 25 'blow air heated into the lateral pressure chambers 6, 7 of the upper dryer device 100, which partially circulates in the already described manner over the working space 14 of the upper dryer device 100, via the upper floor channels 20 , 21 aspirated and the vertical connection channels 22, 23 are fed back to the first circulating air heating unit 25. Through the gratings 26, 27 in the bottom of the pressure chambers 6, 7 of the upper dryer device 100 enters the other part of the two circulating air heating units 25, 25 'generated hot air in the two pressure chambers 6', 7 'of the lower "floor" , is circulated over the local working space 14 'for drying the local objects 19', sucked through the lower floor channels 20 ', 21' and guided over the vertically extending connecting channels 28 ', 29' up to the second circulating air heating unit 25 '.

If, on the other hand, only a smaller drying capacity is required, the drying device 100 'located in the lower floor can be shut down as follows: vertically extending connecting channels 28 ', 29' up to the second circulating air heating unit 25 'out.

If, on the other hand, only a smaller drying capacity is required, the drying device 100 'located in the lower floor can be shut down as follows: FIG. 3 right circulating air heating unit 25 'is taken out of service; the flap 30 is closed as well as the flap 31 '. This in FIG. 3 left circulating air heating unit 25, however, remains in function; the heated air from this is circulated exclusively on the upper usable space 14 and dries the articles 19 passed therethrough.

In the above description of the FIGS. 1 to 3 It was assumed that the device shown is a dryer in each case. However, the same construction can also be used for coolers; the only change that has to be made for this purpose is that the respective circulating air heating units 25, 25 'are replaced by cooling units. A designed as a cooler device may be connected to an acting as a dryer device, between the two devices only a short airlock or similar device must be provided, which separates the warmer atmosphere of the dryer from the cool atmosphere of the radiator.

Possibly. can also be dispensed with a refrigeration unit. In this case, fresh air can be injected into the pressure chambers 6, 7, 6 ', 7' of the cooler, which impinges on the objects 19, 19 'to be cooled in the utility rooms 14, 14'. The thus heated air is sucked through the bottom channels 20, 21, 20 ', 21' and guided over the now serving as exhaust ducts vertical connecting lines 22, 23, 22 ', 23' to a fan that promotes the air either in the atmosphere or but supplies all or part of it to a subsequent zone or other facilities.

If the fresh air is very cold, it may also be necessary to achieve a desired air temperature in the individual case, to provide a heater in the radiator, which warms the fresh air accordingly.

Claims (10)

1. Apparatus for thermally conditioning objects comprising

   a) a housing (1);

   b) at least two thermally conditioning facilities (100, 100') which are arranged parallel in their operation, are accommodated in the housing (1) and each comprise:

   ba) a tunnel-like useful space (14, 14') in which the objects can be impinged by thermally conditioned air;

   bb) a conveying system (24, 24'), by which the objects can be moved through the useful space (14, 14'),

   wherein

   c) the at least two thermally conditioning facilities (100, 100') are arranged one above the other in the housing (1), substantially over the same floor area,
   characterised in that

   d) the air path on which the thermally conditioned air flows to a first thermally conditioning facility (100') leads through a second thermally conditioning facility (100),

   e) there is provided in the air path a device (26) by which the passage of thermally conditioned air from the second thermally conditioning facility (100) into the first thermally conditioning facility (100') can be interrupted if required
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the device (26) for interrupting the air path is a controllable flap.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the device (26) for interrupting the air path is a closable louvre.
4. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least two thermally conditioning facilities (100, 100') at least regionally divide the air path (22) on which the air is discharged from the useful spaces (14, 14').
5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is designed as a drier and has at least one heating unit (25, 25') for thermally conditioning the air.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that the same number of heating units (25, 25') are provided as there are drying facilities (100, 100').
7. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that they are designed as coolers.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that at least one fan, which sucks in fresh air and introduces it as thermally conditioned air into the useful spaces (14, 14') of the cooling facilities (100, 100'), is provided.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterised by at least one cooling unit, which cools the air introduced into the useful spaces (14, 14') of the cooling facilities (100, 100').
10. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that claim 1, characterised in that the object to be thermally conditioned is a vehicle body.

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