JP4378549B2 - Firing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a baking apparatus for baking a substrate such as a glass plate used for a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, or the like.

  This type of firing device is called a roller hearth type continuous firing device, and includes a firing furnace and a plurality of ceramic conveying rollers arranged continuously in the length direction in the firing furnace. It is known that a substrate is placed on a conveying roller via a setter glass, and the substrate is heat-treated in this state (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

This conventional apparatus has the following problems. First, since it is necessary to use a setter glass having a large heat capacity, a large amount of power is consumed to raise the temperature of the setter glass. Second, since the width dimension of the apparatus is regulated by the width dimension of the setter glass, there is a limit to reducing the width dimension of the apparatus. Thirdly, since it is necessary to use a ceramic roller having a high component cost, it is difficult to reduce the apparatus cost.
JP 2003-262473 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a firing apparatus that can solve all the above problems, reduce power consumption, reduce the lateral width of the apparatus, and reduce the apparatus cost.

  The firing apparatus according to the present invention has a firing furnace, heaters provided on both sides of the firing furnace, and two transport paths extending in the furnace length direction with a space between each other, and a substrate on each transport path. Is provided with a conveying means that conveys the gas in a state of being parallel to the conveying direction, and an air supply pipe and an exhaust pipe that extend between the two conveying paths.

  In the baking apparatus according to the present invention, since it is not necessary to use a setter glass, power consumption can be reduced. Further, since the substrate is transported in a standing state, the lateral width of the apparatus can be reduced. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to use a ceramic roller or the like, the apparatus cost can be reduced. In addition, the substrate being transported can be heated from the outside by a heater, and dust can be exhausted and ventilated from the inside by the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe. When the substrate is, for example, a panel for a plasma display, the binder and the like adhering to the substrate can be vaporized and the vaporized gas can be ventilated. In addition, since two substrate transfer paths are formed on both sides of the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe, in addition to efficient dust removal and ventilation, the substrates can be efficiently transferred in two rows.

  Furthermore, the air supply pipe is composed of an air supply main pipe and a plurality of air supply branch pipes branched from the air supply main pipe, and a plurality of air supply ports are formed in the length direction of the air supply branch pipe. When the pipe is composed of an exhaust main pipe and a plurality of exhaust branch pipes branched from each exhaust main pipe, and a plurality of exhaust ports are formed in the length direction of the exhaust branch pipe, air supply and Exhaust can be performed.

  Also, the supply main pipe and the exhaust main pipe extend vertically with a predetermined distance in the substrate transfer direction, and the supply branch pipe and the exhaust branch pipe extend vertically adjacent to each other in the transfer direction or the opposite direction. The supply branch pipe and the exhaust branch pipe can be arranged in a compact manner.

  In addition, inwardly protruding grid-like heat barriers are provided on both side surfaces in the firing furnace, and a plurality of heat generators are arranged in portions corresponding to the eyes of the grid formed by the heat barrier and can be individually temperature controlled. If it consists of a body, the temperature control performance of each part in a furnace can be improved, and each part in a furnace can be heated to desired temperature.

  In addition, when the transport means includes a transport body that receives the lower edge portion of the substrate and a guide that guides the movement of the upper edge portion of the substrate, the transport device can transport the substrate without applying its own weight.

  In addition, when the transport means includes a hanging bracket that suspends the upper edge of the substrate, a transport chain to which the suspension bracket is attached, and a guide that guides the movement of the lower edge of the substrate, the transport means is It can be configured simply.

  Further, the conveying means includes a conveying chain, a hanging metal fitting that suspends the upper edge of the substrate above the conveying chain, and a support that is interposed between the conveying chain and the hanging metal fitting. Since a guide for guiding the lower edge of the substrate is not required, the conveying means can be configured simply.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a firing apparatus that can reduce power consumption, reduce the width of the apparatus, and reduce the apparatus cost.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  In the following description, the front and rear refer to the side on which the substrate is transported and forward (the right side in FIG. 1), the opposite side refers to the rear, and the left and right refers to the left and right sides when viewed from the rear. Shall.

  FIG. 1 shows the overall structure of the firing furnace 11. From the entrance 11A to the exit 11B of the firing furnace 11, the inside of the furnace is divided into four sections. The four sections are a burnout section, a firing section, a slow cooling section, and a cooling section. The temperature and temperature profiles of these four sections are shown together in FIG.

  Hereinafter, the configuration in the burnout section will be described in detail.

  2 and 3, the baking apparatus includes a baking furnace 11, a heater 12 that heats the inside of the baking furnace 11, and a transfer apparatus that transfers the substrate P in the baking furnace 11 in a state standing parallel to the transfer direction. 13 and.

  The firing furnace 11 has a horizontal rectangular tube shape with a rectangular cross section extending vertically and extending in the front-rear direction, and includes a top wall 21, a bottom wall 22, and left and right side walls 23, 24. These furnace walls 21 to 24 are made of a ceramic fiber molded heat insulating material. In addition, a special coating for suppressing dust generation is applied to required portions of the inner surfaces of the furnace walls 21 to 24.

  A plurality of zones Zn (n is an integer, Z2, Z3, Z4 in the figure) are formed in the firing furnace 11 continuously arranged in the front-rear direction. Further, a plurality of, in this case, three sections D1, D2, and D3 are formed in each zone Zn.

  Inwardly projecting lattice-like heat barriers 25 are provided on both the left and right side surfaces in the firing furnace 11, respectively. The heat barrier 25 is the same material as the heat insulating material forming the furnace walls 21 to 24 of the firing furnace 11. The vertical line of the lattice formed by the heat barrier 25 extends so as to correspond to the boundary between two adjacent zones Zn, and the horizontal line indicates adjacent sections Dn (n is an integer, D1, D2 in the figure) in each zone Zn. , It extends to correspond to the boundary of D3).

  The heater 12 is composed of a plurality of heating elements 26 that are respectively disposed in portions corresponding to the grids formed by the heat barrier 25. Each heating element 26 is made of a resistance metal wire formed in a serpentine shape and is embedded in the corresponding inner surfaces of the side walls 33 and 34.

  Each zone Zn is provided with an air supply pipe 31 and an exhaust pipe 32.

  The air supply pipe 31 includes a vertical air supply main pipe 41 and three horizontal air supply branch pipes 42 branched from three portions in the length direction of the air supply main pipe 41. The air supply main pipe 41 extends in the vertical direction through the top wall 21 at the center in the left-right direction at the front end of each zone Zn. Each supply branch pipe 42 has a peripheral wall having an inverted triangular cross section and extends rearward near the upper ends of the corresponding sections D1, D2, and D3. A plurality of pairs of air supply ports 43 are formed facing downward at a plurality of locations in the length direction of the V-shaped bottom portion of the peripheral wall. The two air supply ports 43 that form a pair have an angle of about 45 degrees that is opposite to the vertical line.

  The exhaust pipe 32 includes a vertical exhaust main pipe 44 and four horizontal exhaust branch pipes 45 branched from four locations in the length direction of the air supply main pipe 41. The exhaust main pipe 44 extends in the vertical direction through the top wall 21 at the center in the left-right direction at the rear end of each zone Zn. Each exhaust branch pipe 45 has a peripheral wall having a square cross section and extends forward. Of the four exhaust branch pipes 45, the uppermost exhaust branch pipe 45 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the top wall 21, and the second and third exhaust branch pipes 45 are the upper surfaces of the corresponding supply branch pipes 42. The lowermost exhaust branch pipe 45 is in contact with the upper surface of the bottom wall 22. Further, among the four exhaust branch pipes 45, a plurality of pairs of exhaust ports 46 are formed downward at the flat bottom portion of the peripheral wall of the uppermost exhaust branch pipe 45. A plurality of pairs of exhaust ports 46 are formed upward on the flat top of the peripheral wall of the second to fourth exhaust branch pipes 45 in pairs. The two exhaust ports 46 that form a pair have an angle of about 45 degrees facing in opposite directions with respect to the vertical line.

  The conveying device 13 includes a row of conveying rollers 51 extending in the front-rear direction disposed near the bottom of the baking furnace 11 and a pair of left and right guide roller rows 52 extending in the front-rear direction disposed near the top of the baking furnace 11. And.

  The transport roller row 51 includes a plurality of horizontal transport rollers 53 arranged in a row at a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction and extending in the left-right direction. Both end portions of each conveying roller 53 are protruded laterally through both side walls 23 and 24 so as to cross the upper portion of the lowermost exhaust branch pipe 45 below the lowermost heating element 26. A pair of left and right annular substrate receiving grooves 54 are formed on a portion of the outer surface of the transport roller 53 in the firing furnace 11. Both substrate receiving grooves 54 are located on both sides of the air supply pipe 31 and the exhaust pipe 32.

  The left and right guide roller rows 52 have the same structure, and are arranged at the same interval as the interval between both substrate receiving grooves 54. Each guide roller row 52 includes a plurality of vertical guide rollers 55 arranged in two rows at predetermined intervals in the front-rear and left-right directions. The left and right guide rollers 55 are attached to the vertical roller shaft 56 with an interval slightly larger than the thickness of the substrate P. The roller shaft 56 is passed through the top wall 21.

  With the lower edges of the two substrates P entering the substrate receiving grooves 54 and the upper edges sandwiched between the left and right guide rollers 55, the two substrates P are simultaneously conveyed forward in the baking furnace 11. To go. At this time, all the transport rollers 53 are rotationally driven in the clockwise direction in FIG. When the substrate P is a plasma display panel, a binder or the like is applied to the surface thereof. The substrate P is transported with its surface facing inward. When passing through the preheating section, the binder and the like are vaporized, and this is efficiently guided out of the furnace 11 by the air supply pipe 31 and the exhaust pipe 32.

  Next, various variations of the transport device 13 will be described. In the following description, corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals for convenience.

  FIG. 4 shows a transport roller 61 that receives the lower edge portion of one substrate P, and a guide roller 62 that guides the upper edge of the substrate P. One annular substrate receiving groove 63 is formed on the outer surface of the conveying roller 61. One annular substrate pushing groove 64 is formed on the outer surface of the guide roller 62.

  FIG. 5 shows an example in which two substrates P are transferred simultaneously. Two substrate receiving grooves 63 are formed on the outer surface of the conveyance roller 61 similar to the conveyance roller 61 shown in FIG. Similarly, two annular substrate push grooves 64 are formed on the outer surface of the guide roller 62.

  In FIG. 6, the lower edge portion of the substrate P is received by the transport body 71. The carrier 71 is a chain of a ceramic conveyor or a belt of a mesh belt conveyor. A lower end portion of a gate-shaped bar-shaped support fitting 72 is attached to the transport body 71. An upward substrate receiving notch 73 into which the lower edge portion of the substrate P enters is formed at the top of the support fitting 72. The upper edge portion of the substrate P is sandwiched between a pair of left and right guide rollers 74.

  In FIG. 7, a pair of left and right substrate receiving notches 73 are formed in a support fitting 72 similar to the support fitting 72 shown in FIG. The upper edge portions of the two substrates P are sandwiched between two pairs of left and right guide rollers 74, respectively.

  In FIG. 8, the transport body 71 is arranged so as to move on the top of the baking furnace 11, the hanging metal fitting 81 is attached to the conveyance body 71, and the upper edge portion of the substrate P is suspended by the hanging metal fitting 81. Is. The lower edge portion of the substrate P is guided between the left and right guide rollers 74. FIG. 9 shows the basic structure of FIG. 8 in two columns. Two suspension fittings 81 are attached to the carrier 71. The lower edges of the two substrates P are sandwiched between two pairs of left and right guide rollers 74, respectively.

  Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, a substrate support 91 is attached to the transport body 71. The substrate support 91 rises so that the openings face each other at an interval larger than the length in the front-rear direction of the substrate P in the standing state, and has a height larger than the vertical length of the substrate P. A vertical vertical member 92 having a U-shaped cross section, a horizontal cross member 93 having a U-shaped cross section that connects the upper ends of both vertical members 92 with the opening facing down, and suspended from the cross member 93 And a suspension fitting 81 that suspends the upper edge of the substrate P.

  In FIG. 12, two substrates P are simultaneously transported by the substrate support 91 shown in FIGS. Two suspension brackets 81 are attached to the cross member 93 of the substrate support 91 side by side.

It is explanatory drawing of the baking furnace of the baking apparatus by this invention. It is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view in the preheating section of the baking apparatus by this invention. It is a cross-sectional view of the same baking apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the variation of the conveying means of the baking apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other variation of the conveyance means. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further another variation of the conveyance means. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further another variation of the conveyance means. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further another variation of the conveyance means. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further another variation of the conveyance means. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further another variation of the conveyance means. It is explanatory drawing which looked at FIG. 10 from the side. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further another variation of the conveyance means.

Explanation of symbols

11 Firing furnace
12 Heater
13 Transport device
25 Heat barrier
26 Heating element
31 Air supply pipe
32 Exhaust pipe
51 Conveyor roller row
52 Guide roller train P Substrate Zn zone
Dn compartment

Claims (5)

A firing furnace, heaters provided on both sides of the firing furnace, and two transport paths extending in the length direction of the furnace at an interval from each other, and a substrate is erected in parallel with the transport direction on each transport path A transport means for transporting in a heated state, and an air supply pipe and an exhaust pipe extending between both transport paths ,
The air supply pipe is composed of an air supply main pipe and a plurality of air supply branch pipes branched from the air supply main pipe, and a plurality of air supply ports are formed in the length direction of the air supply branch pipe. The exhaust main pipe and a plurality of exhaust branch pipes branched from each exhaust main pipe, and a plurality of exhaust ports are formed in the length direction of the exhaust branch pipe,
A firing apparatus in which an air supply main pipe and an exhaust main pipe extend in a vertical direction at a predetermined distance in a substrate transfer direction, and an air supply branch pipe and an exhaust branch pipe are vertically adjacent to each other and extend in a transfer direction or the opposite direction . A plurality of heating elements that are provided with inwardly projecting grid-like heat barriers on both sides in the firing furnace, and in which the heaters are respectively arranged in portions corresponding to the eyes of the grid formed by the heat barrier and can be individually temperature controlled. The firing apparatus according to claim 1 . The firing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport means includes a transport body that receives a lower edge portion of the substrate, and a guide that guides the movement of the upper edge portion of the substrate. Conveying means, wherein the hanging bracket are suspended over the edge of the substrate, and conveyor chain fitted with hanging bracket to claim 1 or 2 and a guide for guiding the movement of the lower edge portion of the substrate Firing equipment. Conveying means, conveying chains and, a hanging metal fitting is suspended the upper edge of the substrate above the conveyor chain, claim and a support member which is interposed between the conveyor chain and hanging bracket 1 Or the baking apparatus of 2 .

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