JP2007292391A - Heat treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heat treatment device capable of suppressing the dislocation of a treated object by suppressing vibration of a lifting wire. <P>SOLUTION: The heat treatment device 10 comprises longitudinal feed wires 41, 42, lifting wires 43, 44, an upper vibration preventing fitting 51 and a lower vibration preventing fitting 61. The longitudinal feed wires 41, 42 and the lifting wires 43, 44 extend in a direction along a conveying path including the interior of a furnace. The lifting wires 43, 44 perform at least lifting operation between the predetermined top dead center higher than the longitudinal feed wires 41, 42 and the predetermined bottom dead center lower than the longitudinal feed wires 41, 42. The treated object 20 is conveyed by the walking beam operation of the longitudinal feed wires 41, 42 and lifting wires 43, 44. The upper vibration preventing fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing fitting 61 are adjustable in the vertical position within a range of amplitude of vibration of the lifting wires 43, 44 in the arranged positions on the conveying path. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus for transporting an object to be processed such as a solar cell substrate by a walking beam operation of two members extending in a direction along a transport path in a furnace.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a mechanism for conveying an object to be processed such as a solar cell substrate in a furnace by a walking beam operation of a plurality of sets of wires has been adopted in a heat treatment apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  1A and 1B are explanatory views showing a configuration of a part of a conventional heat treatment apparatus 1 using a conveyance mechanism using a wire, wherein FIG. 1A is a side view and FIG. 1B is a front view.

  In the conventional heat treatment apparatus 1, for example, two elevating wires 3 are arranged inside two front and rear feed wires 2. The front / rear feed wire 2 is movable back and forth with a predetermined amplitude along the conveyance direction X of the workpiece 4, and the up / down wire 3 has a predetermined top dead center and a predetermined bottom dead center sandwiching the front / rear feed wire 2. Can be moved up and down.

  When the workpiece 4 is transported, first, the front / rear feed wire moves forward by the amplitude with the workpiece 4 placed (moves downstream in the transport direction X). Move from dead center to top dead center. At this time, the workpiece 4 placed on the front / rear feed wire is lifted by the lifting wire 3.

  Next, in a state where the workpiece 4 is lifted by the lifting / lowering wire 3, the front / rear feed wire 2 is retracted by the amplitude (moved upstream in the transport direction X), and then the lifting / lowering wire 3 is moved down from the top dead center. Descent to dead center. At this time, the workpiece 4 that has been lifted by the lifting wire 3 is placed on the front and rear feed wire 2. And the to-be-processed object 4 is conveyed further downstream in the conveyance direction X because the forward / backward feed wire 2 advances again. By repeating the walking beam operation as described above, the object to be processed is tact-conveyed.

Since the wire has a smaller heat capacity than a mesh belt conveyor or the like and consumes less energy for heat treatment, there is an advantage that the cost can be reduced.
JP 2004-286425 A

  However, in the conventional heat treatment apparatus 1, when the lifting / lowering wire 3 moves from the bottom dead center to the top dead center and when the lifting / lowering wire 3 moves from the top dead center to the bottom dead center, the lifting / lowering wire 3 vibrates in the vertical direction by inertial force. There is a problem. When the lifting / lowering wire 3 vibrates, a shift occurs in the position of the workpiece 4 on the lifting / lowering wire 3. If a shift occurs in the position of the workpiece 4 on the lifting / lowering wire 3, a defective delivery of the workpiece to the next process is likely to occur.

  The objective of this invention is providing the heat processing apparatus which can suppress the shift | offset | difference of a to-be-processed object by suppressing the vibration of the wire which raises / lowers.

  The heat treatment apparatus of the present invention includes a first member, a second member, an upper vibration preventing member, and a lower vibration preventing member. The first member and the second member extend in a direction along the conveyance path in the furnace. At least the first member is a wire, and the first member at least moves up and down between a predetermined top dead center higher than the second member and a predetermined bottom dead center lower than the second member. The upper vibration preventing member and the lower vibration preventing member are disposed in at least one place on the conveyance path. The upper vibration preventing member and the lower vibration preventing member can be adjusted in the vertical direction within the range of the amplitude of vibration of the first member at the arrangement position on the conveyance path. The upper vibration preventing member and the lower vibration preventing member prevent the first member from vibrating at each of the top dead center and the bottom dead center.

  In this configuration, the positions of the upper vibration prevention member and the lower vibration prevention member are adjusted in the vertical direction so that the first member abuts at the top dead center or the bottom dead center. The first member abuts on the upper vibration preventing member or the lower vibration preventing member at the top dead center and the bottom dead center, thereby suppressing vibration.

  The upper vibration preventing member and the lower vibration preventing member are disposed at least near the boundary between the heating region and the cooling region or in the heating region.

  The vicinity of the boundary between the heating region and the cooling region often corresponds to the vicinity of the center portion of the first member in the transport direction. By arranging the upper vibration preventing member and the lower vibration preventing member in the vicinity of the central portion of the first member in the transport direction in which the amplitude of vibration of the first member is maximized, the vibration of the first member can be efficiently suppressed.

  Moreover, the vibration of the 1st member in a heating area | region is efficiently suppressed by arrange | positioning an upper vibration prevention member and a lower vibration prevention member in a heating area | region.

  Furthermore, when a plurality of conveyance paths are arranged in the horizontal direction in the furnace, the upper vibration prevention member and the lower vibration prevention member can be arranged so that the position in the vertical direction can be adjusted for each conveyance path.

  In this configuration, the strength with which the first member contacts the upper vibration preventing member at the top dead center and the strength with which the first member contacts the lower vibration preventing member at the bottom dead center are adjusted for each conveyance path. Can do. For this reason, the vibration of the first member is efficiently suppressed for each conveyance path.

  According to the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, the first member can be kept in contact with the upper vibration preventing member or the lower vibration preventing member at the top dead center and the bottom dead center, thereby suppressing the vibration of the first member. For this reason, the shift | offset | difference of the position of the to-be-processed object on a 1st member can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defective delivery of the workpiece to the next process.

  FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the heat treatment apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. As an example, the heat treatment apparatus 10 performs heat treatment on the solar cell substrate that is the workpiece 20 while carrying the wires 41, 42, 43, and 44 by the walking beam operation.

  The heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a heating chamber 70 and a cooling chamber 80 along the conveyance path in the arrow X direction. The heating chamber 70 and the cooling chamber 80 are arranged in this order from the upstream side in the transport direction indicated by the arrow X.

  The heat treatment apparatus 10 includes outer wall members 11 to 14, front and rear feed wires (corresponding to the second member of the present invention) 41 and 42, elevating wires (corresponding to the first member of the present invention) 43 and 44, and upper vibration. A prevention metal fitting (corresponding to the upper vibration prevention member of the present invention) 51 and a lower vibration prevention metal fitting (corresponding to the lower vibration prevention member of the present invention) 61 are provided. However, the outer wall member 13 on one side surface is not shown in FIG.

  The outer wall members 11 to 14 are made of a heat insulating material, and respectively cover the upper surface, the lower surface, and the left and right side surfaces of the conveyance path through which the workpiece 20 is conveyed. At least the upper and lower outer wall members 11 and 12 are provided with heaters (not shown) on the inner surface. Each of the outer wall members 11 to 14 is divided into a plurality along the conveyance path.

  Each of the front / rear feed wires 41 and 42 and the elevating wires 43 and 44 includes two predetermined members separated by, for example, about 3.7 m so as to pass through the heating chamber 70 and the cooling chamber 80 along the conveyance path. It is supported in tension.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a partial configuration of the heat treatment apparatus 10, FIG. 3 (A) is a side sectional view, and FIG. 3 (B) is a front sectional view.

  The front and rear feed wires 41 and 42 are arranged in parallel to each other at a predetermined interval in the horizontal direction. The longitudinal feed wires 41 and 42 are reciprocally movable in the direction along the transport direction X with a predetermined amplitude (for example, about 5 mm).

  The elevating wires 43 and 44 are arranged in parallel to each other at a predetermined interval in the horizontal direction slightly inside the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42. The elevating wires 43 and 44 are movable up and down between a predetermined top dead center higher than the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42 and a predetermined bottom dead center lower than the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42. The elevating wires 43 and 44 move, for example, 20 mm upward and 20 mm downward from the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42. That is, in this embodiment, the top dead center is at a position 20 mm higher than the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42, and the bottom dead center is at a position 20 mm lower than the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42.

  A metal upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and a lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are disposed at the end of the cooling chamber 32 on the heating chamber 31 side in the transport direction X. In this embodiment, the lower vibration preventing fitting 61 is formed vertically symmetrical with the upper vibration preventing fitting 51.

  In the vicinity of the attachment position of the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51, a protruding member 52 is provided so as to protrude in the horizontal direction from the outer wall members 83 and 84 on the left and right side surfaces of the cooling chamber 80. A mounting member 53 is fixed to the protruding member 52 by a bolt 54. The mounted metal fitting 53 has a screw hole.

  The upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 has a long hole 51A that is long in the vertical direction. The upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 is attached to the metal fitting 53 so that the position in the vertical direction can be adjusted by a bolt 55 and a nut 56 that pass through the screw hole of the metal fitting 52 and the long hole 51A. At this time, the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 can be adjusted in the vertical direction at least within the range of the amplitude of vibration of the lifting wires 43 and 44 at the top dead center at the arrangement position in the transport direction X.

  Similarly, the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 is a metal fitting to be mounted so that the position in the vertical direction can be adjusted at least within the range of the vibration amplitude of the lifting wires 43 and 44 at the bottom dead center at the arrangement position in the transport direction X. 63 is attached.

  As described above, the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 is disposed at a position where the elevating wires 43 and 44 come into contact with each other from below at the top dead center, and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 is arranged so that the elevating wires 43 and 44 are located above at the bottom dead center. It arrange | positions in the position contact | abutted from. The strength at which the elevating wires 43 and 44 are in contact with the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 at the top dead center and the strength at which the elevating wires 43 and 44 are in contact with the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 at the bottom dead center are as follows. And it adjusts by changing the position of each up-down direction of lower vibration prevention metal fitting 61. As a result, the vibration of the lifting wires 43 and 44 is efficiently suppressed.

  When the workpiece 20 is transported, first, the forward and backward feed wires 41 and 42 are moved forward (moved downstream in the transport direction X) by a predetermined amplitude while the workpiece 20 is placed, and then moved up and down. The wires 43 and 44 rise from the bottom dead center to the top dead center. At this time, the workpiece 20 placed on the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42 is lifted by the lifting wires 43 and 44.

  The elevating wires 43 and 44 are in contact with the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 at the top dead center, whereby the vibrations of the elevating wires 43 and 44 are suppressed. For this reason, the shift | offset | difference of the position of the to-be-processed object 20 on the raising / lowering wires 43 and 44 is suppressed.

  Next, in a state where the workpiece 20 is lifted by the lifting wires 43 and 44, the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42 are retracted by the amplitude (moved upstream in the transport direction X), and then the lifting wires 43 and 44 are moved. Falls from top dead center to bottom dead center. At this time, the workpiece 20 that has been lifted by the lifting wires 43 and 44 is placed on the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42. The elevating wires 43 and 44 are in contact with the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 at the bottom dead center, thereby suppressing the vibration of the elevating wires 43 and 44. For this reason, the shift | offset | difference of the position of the to-be-processed object 20 on the raising / lowering wires 43 and 44 is suppressed also here.

  And the to-be-processed object 20 is conveyed further downstream in the conveyance direction X because the forward / backward feed wires 41 and 42 advance again.

  As described above, the workpiece 20 is tact-transferred in the transfer direction X by repeating the walking beam operation between the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42 and the elevating wires 43 and 44.

  Here, the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are arranged in a position that does not interfere with the object to be processed 20 when the object to be processed 20 is lifted by the lifting wires 43 and 44 in the transport direction X. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when a plurality of conveyance paths are arranged in the furnace, the upper vibration prevention metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration prevention metal fitting 61 are provided separately for each conveyance path, and the vertical direction for each conveyance path. The position of is adjustable.

  According to the heat treatment apparatus 10, the displacement of the position of the workpiece 20 on the lifting wires 43 and 44 can be suppressed by suppressing the vibration of the lifting wires 43 and 44. Specifically, when the solar cell substrate is transported as the workpiece 20, the conventional heat treatment apparatus that does not include the upper vibration preventing bracket 51 and the lower vibration preventing bracket 61 has a width direction perpendicular to the transport direction X. While the displacement of the workpiece 20 was 5 mm to 10 mm, according to the heat treatment apparatus 10 of the present invention, the displacement of the workpiece 20 in the width direction was suppressed within 1.5 mm. For this reason, generation | occurrence | production of the delivery defect of the to-be-processed object 20 to the next process can be suppressed.

  Further, since the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are disposed in the vicinity of the center of the elevating wires 43 and 44 in the transport direction X where the amplitude of vibration of the elevating wires 43 and 44 is the largest, the elevating wire 43 , 44 can be efficiently suppressed. Further, since the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are disposed outside the heating chamber 70, the vertical positions of the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 can be easily adjusted.

  Further, since the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are arranged so that the position in the vertical direction can be adjusted for each conveyance path, the elevating wires 43 and 44 prevent the upper vibration at the top dead center and the bottom dead center. The strength of contact with the metal fitting 51 or the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 can be adjusted for each conveyance path. For this reason, the vibration of the raising / lowering wires 43 and 44 can be efficiently suppressed for every conveyance path | route.

  The upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are not limited to being formed vertically symmetrical with each other. Further, the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 may be arranged at different positions in the transport direction X. Further, the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 may be arranged at a plurality of locations in the transport direction X.

  Further, the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 may be disposed inside the heating chamber 31. In this case, the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are made of a heat resistant material. In this case, the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 may be fixed at predetermined positions so as not to move in the vertical direction. By arranging the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 inside the heating chamber 31, the vibration of the elevating wires 43 and 44 inside the heating chamber 31 can be efficiently suppressed.

  Furthermore, it is desirable that the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are arranged at least near the center of the lifting wires 43 and 44 in the transport direction X. When the length is L, a plurality of them may be arranged at intervals of L / 2n (n is a natural number). For example, if the upper vibration preventing metal fitting 51 and the lower vibration preventing metal fitting 61 are arranged at intervals of L / 4, L / 6, L / 8, etc. in the transport direction X, the vibration of the elevating wires 43 and 44 is efficient. Well suppressed.

  Further, as described above, the walking beam operation is not limited to the one in which the forward / backward movement operation of the front / rear feed wires 41 and 42 and the up / down operation of the elevating wires 43 and 44 are performed at a predetermined timing. For example, the front and rear feed wires 41 and 42 may be fixed at predetermined positions, and the elevating wires 43 and 44 may repeat the ascending, advancing, descending, and retreating operations in this order.

It is explanatory drawing which shows a part of structure of the conventional heat processing apparatus using the conveyance mechanism by a wire, (A) is side surface sectional drawing, (B) is front sectional drawing. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the schematic structure of the heat processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a part of heat processing apparatus, (A) is side sectional drawing, (B) is front sectional drawing. It is front sectional drawing which shows the structure of the outline of the heat processing apparatus with which the several conveyance path | route was arrange | positioned in parallel in the furnace.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Heat processing apparatus 20 To-be-processed object 41, 42 Front / rear feed wire (front / rear feed wire)
43,44 Elevating wire (elevating wire)
51 Upper vibration prevention bracket (Upper vibration prevention member)
61 Lower vibration prevention bracket (lower vibration prevention member)
70 Heating chamber (heating area)
80 Cooling chamber (cooling area)

Claims (3)

A first member and a second member extending in a direction along a conveyance path including the inside of the furnace, wherein at least the first member is a wire, and the first member has a predetermined top dead center higher than the second member; In a heat treatment apparatus that moves up and down at least between a predetermined bottom dead center lower than the second member and conveys an object to be processed by a walking beam operation of the first member and the second member,
An upper vibration preventing member and a lower vibration preventing member that are disposed at at least one location on the transport path and in which the first member prevents vibration generated at each of the top dead center and the bottom dead center, A heat treatment apparatus, comprising: an upper vibration preventing member and a lower vibration preventing member whose vertical positions are adjustable within a range of vibration amplitude of the first member. A heating area and a cooling area are provided along the conveyance path,
The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper vibration preventing member and the lower vibration preventing member are disposed at least near a boundary between the heating region and the cooling region or in the heating region.   In the furnace, a plurality of the conveyance paths are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction, and the upper vibration prevention member and the lower vibration prevention member are arranged so that the position in the vertical direction can be adjusted for each conveyance path. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

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