JP5518303B2 - Heat treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating an object to be heated.

Conventionally, a heat treatment apparatus as disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 is a flat panel display (FPD: Flat Display) such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display (PDP), and an organic EL display. Panel display). The heat treatment apparatus accommodates, in a heating chamber, a specific solution previously applied to a substrate such as a glass plate (object to be heated) and dried by heating, and is exposed to hot air having a predetermined temperature introduced into the heating chamber. This is an apparatus for heat treatment (firing).
Japanese Patent No. 2971771

  The heat treatment apparatus of the prior art has openings and gaps for taking in and out the object to be heated and is not completely sealed, and the vicinity of the openings and gaps tends to be relatively low in temperature. Therefore, the generated gas generated by vaporizing a specific solution or the like applied on the substrate with the heat treatment is cooled and solidified in the vicinity of the opening or the gap to become a so-called sublimation product. The sublimated material is in the form of particles or tar, which not only contaminates the inside of the heat treatment apparatus and degrades the quality of the heated object, but also leaks out of the heat treatment apparatus when the heated object is taken in and out. There was a problem that.

  Usually, the heat treatment apparatus is installed in a clean room having a relatively high cleanliness. Therefore, when the sublimate leaks from the heat treatment apparatus as in the conventional heat treatment apparatus, there is a problem that the cleanliness of the clean room is also lowered.

  In view of the problems described above, in the heat treatment apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the air and generated gas in the heat treatment apparatus are exhausted from the inside to the outside of the heat treatment apparatus to prevent leakage to the outside. The static pressure in the heat treatment apparatus is reduced. In such a configuration, there was a certain effect on the problem that the sublimate was discharged from the heat treatment apparatus. However, in the conventional heat treatment apparatus, since the static pressure in the heat treatment apparatus differs depending on the location, if an opening provided at a position where the static pressure does not become sufficiently low is opened for taking in and out the object to be heated, There has been a problem that air that may contain generated gas and sublimates leaks.

  In addition, assuming that there is a place where the static pressure does not become sufficiently low as described above, if the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means provided for sucking and exhausting air in the heat treatment apparatus is set high, the object to be heated can be taken in and out. For this reason, opening the opening can prevent leakage of product gas and the like, but there is a problem that a portion in which the static pressure in the heat treatment chamber is excessively low is formed. Therefore, in such a configuration, when an opening provided in a portion where the static pressure is excessively low opens, outside air flows into the heat treatment chamber through the opening, and the temperature distribution in the heat treatment apparatus becomes uneven. There was a problem of becoming.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat treatment apparatus that is less likely to cause leakage of a generated gas or a sublimate generated by heat treatment accompanying opening and closing of a replacement opening and uneven temperature distribution in the heat treatment chamber.

A heat treatment apparatus related to the present invention provided to solve the above-described problems includes a heat treatment chamber capable of accommodating an object to be heated, a plurality of replacement ports capable of inserting and removing the object to be heated with respect to the heat treatment chamber, An exhaust means that can change the exhaust capacity for sucking and exhausting the gas from the inside to the outside of the heat treatment chamber, and when any of the replacement ports is in the open state, The exhaust capability of the exhaust means is adjusted so that the static pressure in the heat treatment chamber at a position adjacent to the replacement port becomes lower than that before the replacement port is opened.
In addition, the invention according to claim 1 based on the above characteristics is characterized in that a heat treatment chamber capable of accommodating an object to be heated, a plurality of exchange ports capable of inserting and removing the object to be heated with respect to the heat treatment chamber, and the heat treatment chamber An exhaust means for changing the exhaust capacity for sucking and exhausting gas from the inside to the outside, and an exhaust port for exhausting the gas from the heat treatment chamber to the outside. The static pressure at a position adjacent to the replacement port in the heat treatment chamber differs depending on the distance between each replacement port and the exhaust port in a state where the exhaust means is in an operating state. When any one of the exhaust means is open, the static pressure in the heat treatment chamber at a position adjacent to each replacement port is lower than that before opening any of the replacement ports. The exhaust capacity is adjusted. It is a heat treatment apparatus to be.

  In the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, the static pressure in the heat treatment chamber at a position adjacent to the exchange port that is in the open state at a position adjacent to the open one of the plurality of exchange ports that is open, the exchange port is in the open state. Since the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means is adjusted so that the pressure is lower than before, even if the object to be heated is taken in and out, it is possible to prevent the generated gas or sublimate from leaking.

  In the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention described above, when any of the replacement ports is in an open state, the static pressure in the heat treatment chamber at a position adjacent to the replacement port is equal to or lower than the atmospheric pressure outside the heat treatment chamber. Thus, it is desirable that the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means be adjusted.

  In such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the generated gas, the sublimate, and the like from leaking through the replacement port more reliably by opening the replacement port.

In the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention described above, it is desirable that the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means is adjusted in accordance with the distance between the replacement port that is in the open state and the exhaust port.

  According to such a configuration, the static pressure in the heat treatment chamber at a position adjacent to the open one of the plurality of exchange ports provided is more accurately prevented from leaking generated gas or the like when the object to be heated is taken in or out. It can be adjusted to a pressure suitable to prevent.

The heat treatment apparatus of the present invention described above, conversion Sokuchi is, the region near the outlet A, and are provided side by side a plurality in the area B apart than the area A relative to the exhaust port, the area A , B opened and closed in a predetermined order, the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means in a predetermined period with reference to the timing when the replacement port arranged in the region B is opened, It is desirable that it is higher than the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means in a predetermined period with reference to the timing when the replacement port arranged in the region A is in the open state (claim 4).

  In the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, the replacement ports are provided in each of the region A close to the exhaust port and the region B far from the exhaust port, so that when the exhaust means is operated with the same exhaust capability, The static pressure near the region B tends to be higher than the static pressure. However, in the heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the exhaust port of the exhaust means in a predetermined period is in the open state when the replacement port arranged in the region B is open, with reference to the timing when the replacement port arranged in the region B is in the open state. It operates so as to be higher than the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means in a predetermined period with reference to the timing. Therefore, even when the replacement port provided in the region B is in the open state, the static pressure near the replacement port is reduced to the same level as when the replacement port provided in the region A is in the open state. be able to. Therefore, according to the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, even if the object to be heated is taken in or out through the replacement opening provided in either of the regions A and B, the generated gas, the sublimate, and the like are prevented from leaking. be able to.

  Further, in the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, the exhaust port of the exhaust means becomes high in a predetermined period with reference to the timing when the replacement port arranged in the region B is opened, so that the replacement port arranged in the region A is opened. It is possible to prevent the static pressure in the vicinity of the region A from becoming excessively low when entering the state. Therefore, in the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the outside air from flowing into the heat treatment chamber and causing uneven temperature distribution in the heat treatment chamber when the replacement opening is in the open state.

  Here, generally, the heated and high-temperature gas tends to move upward. Therefore, in the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention described above, when the region B is positioned above the region A, the gas that has become high temperature in the heat treatment chamber tends to leak from the region B side. It is assumed. However, as described above, in the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means is disposed in the region A in a predetermined period with reference to the timing when the replacement port disposed in the region B is opened. It is set higher than the exhaust capacity in a predetermined period with reference to the timing when the mouth is opened. Therefore, in the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, even when the region B is located above the region A and the exhaust port is provided at a position below the heat treatment chamber, leakage of generated gas and the like is ensured. (Claim 5).

  In the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention described above, it is more desirable that the adjustment of the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means is completed before any of the plurality of replacement ports is opened (Claim 6).

  According to such a configuration, the static pressure at a position adjacent to the replacement port is reduced until each replacement port is opened, and the generation gas, sublimate, and the like are reliably prevented from leaking through the replacement port. be able to.

  The heat treatment apparatus of the present invention described above constitutes a heat treatment chamber, and an exhaust port is provided at a position adjacent to the wall surface provided with the replacement port, and the heat treatment is performed by the exhaust means via the exhaust port. It is desirable that the indoor gas can be discharged to the outside of the heat treatment chamber.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to more reliably prevent the product gas and the like from leaking through the replacement port.

  In the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention described above, it is desirable that a low pressure region having a pressure lower than the pressure inside and outside the heat treatment chamber is provided between the replacement opening and the heat treatment chamber.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to more reliably prevent gas from leaking from the inside to the outside of the heat treatment chamber when the replacement opening is opened for taking in and out the object to be heated. Therefore, according to the configuration described above, it is possible to more reliably prevent the gas containing the generated gas from leaking to the outside of the heat treatment chamber.

  Moreover, according to the above-described configuration, it is possible to prevent the outside air from flowing into the heat treatment chamber through the replacement port by opening the replacement port. Therefore, according to the above-described configuration, it is possible to more reliably prevent the temperature distribution in the heat treatment chamber from being disturbed by low-temperature air or the like flowing from the outside to the inside of the heat treatment chamber.

  Here, in the above-described heat treatment apparatus, when all of the plurality of replacement openings are closed, the generated gas is discharged from the replacement opening even if the exhaust means is stopped or exhausted with the minimum required exhaust capacity. And sublimates do not leak. Further, by adjusting the operating state of the exhaust means in this way, the energy consumed by the operation of the exhaust means can be suppressed to the minimum necessary.

  Based on such knowledge, the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention described above is adjusted when the exhaust means is in a state where the exhaust flow rate becomes a predetermined minimum flow rate when each replacement port is open when all the replacement ports are closed. It is desirable that the operation state of the exhaust means be adjusted so that the exhaust state is in a state in which the minimum exhaust capability is exhibited or in a stopped state.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the heat processing apparatus with which generation gas, sublimate, etc. which generate | occur | produced with heat processing with opening and closing of a replacement opening | mouth easily cannot occur can be provided.

  Next, the heat treatment apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the positional relationship between the upper and lower sides and the front and rear sides will be described based on the normal use state of the heat treatment apparatus of the present embodiment unless otherwise specified. That is, in the following description, the top and bottom indicate the positional relationship in the height direction. Further, in the following description, “front” and “front” refer to the position on the transfer device side used when a substrate W (plate-like body) that is an object to be heated is taken in and out of the heat treatment device or the rack, that is, the heat treatment device. Or the front side of the rack. In addition, the positions on the opposite side of “front” and “front” (the back side of the heat treatment apparatus and the rack) are referred to as “back” and “rear”. In the following description, the positional relationship of “left and right” is based on the posture of the heat treatment apparatus and the rack observed from the front side.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a main part of the heat treatment apparatus 1 is constituted by a heat treatment apparatus main body 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the heat treatment apparatus 1 includes an exhaust device 11 (exhaust means) for exhausting air from the heat treatment apparatus body 10. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the heat treatment apparatus main body 10 has a space surrounded by a wall surface having heat insulation properties, and a temperature control unit 12 and a heat treatment chamber 13 are provided therein. Yes.

  The temperature control unit 12 includes a heater 16 and a blower 17 inside. The temperature control unit 12 is adjacent to the heat treatment chamber 13 through the filter 14 and communicates with the heat treatment chamber 13. The temperature control unit 12 operates the heater 16 and the blower 17 to send heated air to the heat treatment chamber 13 through the filter 14 and to heat the indoor temperature of the heat treatment chamber 13 to a predetermined temperature.

  The heat treatment chamber 13 is a space in which the substrate W that is an object to be heated can be placed. The heat treatment chamber 13 has a replacement port 18 for taking in and out the substrate W on the front surface 13b (wall surface) side, that is, on the left side in FIG. 2 and on the lower side in FIG. The replacement port 18 is located at a position facing the above-described temperature adjustment unit 12, and is provided at a position downstream of the flow of air blown out from the temperature adjustment unit 12.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a plurality of replacement ports 18 are provided in the vertical direction with respect to the heat treatment chamber 13 (four in this embodiment) at equal intervals. More specifically, the internal space of the heat treatment chamber 13 is virtually parallel to the bottom surface 13a of the heat treatment chamber 13 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Assuming the plane P, and assuming the areas X1 and X2 (corresponding to areas A and B, respectively) above and below the virtual plane P, two replacement ports 18 (in the area X1 located on the bottom surface 13a side) Hereinafter, the replacement ports 18a and 18b) are also arranged in the vertical direction. Also, two replacement ports 18 (hereinafter also referred to as replacement ports 18c and 18d, respectively) exist side by side in the region X2 located above the region X1.

  The replacement ports 18a to 18d described above are attached so that the shutters Sn (n = 1 to 4) can be operated independently. The replacement ports 18 a to 18 d are in a state in which the substrate W can be taken in and out of the heat treatment chamber 13 by using a transfer device (not shown) constituted by a conventionally known robot hand or the like by opening the shutter Sn. .

  A rack 30 for placing the substrate W is provided in a substantially central portion of the heat treatment chamber 13. The rack 30 is configured such that a large number of shelves 40 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. An elevating shaft 36 of an elevating device (not shown) is attached to the bottom of the rack 30, and the rack 30 moves up and down in the heat treatment chamber 13 due to the expansion and contraction of the elevating shaft 36, and each replacement opening 18 and each shelf 40. The positional relationship between and can be adjusted.

  An exhaust port 21 is provided on the bottom surface 13 a of the heat treatment chamber 13. The exhaust port 21 is provided at a position adjacent to the front surface 13 b side of the heat treatment chamber 13, that is, the replacement port 18 side. The exhaust device 11 is connected to the exhaust port 21 via a pipe 22. The exhaust device 11 is configured by a conventionally known blower, pump, or the like, and can suck and exhaust air or the like existing in the heat treatment chamber 13 toward the outside of the heat treatment chamber 13. A valve 23 is provided in the middle of the pipe 22.

  The heat treatment apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is a robot that moves a substrate W placed on a shelf 40 of a rack 30 provided in the heat treatment chamber 13 and has been fired, and an unfired substrate W outside the heat treatment chamber 13. A so-called tact system is employed in which the substrate W is continuously baked by switching using a transfer device (not shown) such as a hand. Hereinafter, operation | movement of the heat processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated in detail, referring drawings.

  Prior to the firing (heat treatment) of the substrate W, the heat treatment apparatus 1 operates the heater 16 and the blower 17 by a control device (not shown) to send hot air into the heat treatment chamber 13 to adjust the temperature in the heat treatment chamber 13 to a predetermined heat treatment temperature. To do. When the atmospheric temperature in the heat treatment chamber 13 reaches a predetermined heat treatment temperature (230 ° C. to 250 ° C. in the present embodiment), the heat treatment apparatus 1 is ready to fire the substrate W.

  When the atmospheric temperature of the heat treatment chamber 13 reaches the heat treatment temperature as described above, the control device (not shown) of the heat treatment apparatus 1 is used for loading and unloading the substrate W as shown in FIG. The shutter Sn of 18d (n = 1 to 4) is opened and closed sequentially from the lower one. Further, after closing the uppermost shutter S4, the control means opens and closes each shutter Sn in order from the lowermost shutter S1 in the same manner as described above. In addition, the control device moves the rack 30 so that the shelf 40 where the substrate W is to be taken in and out arrives at a position corresponding to the opening of the replacement ports 18a to 18d before the timing when each shutter Sn is operated. Move up and down.

  The heat treatment apparatus 1 can take in and out the substrate W through the exchange ports 18a to 18d opened by the operation of the shutter Sn. When the time allotted for taking in and out of the substrate W elapses, the replacement holes 18a to 18d are operated again by the shutter Sn. Thereafter, the next shutter Sn is activated, and the substrate W can be taken in and out for a predetermined time in the same manner as described above.

  Here, as above-mentioned, in the heat processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, each replacement | exchange port 18a-18d opens and closes in order from what exists below. Therefore, among the replacement ports 18a to 18d, the period a set based on the timing when the replacement ports 18a and 18b existing in the region X1 are opened, and the replacement ports 18c and 18d existing in the region X2 are opened. The period b set on the basis of the timing becomes the alternating with the passage of time. In the heat treatment apparatus 1, the output of the exhaust device 11 is switched between the period a and the period b described above.

  Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the timing at which one of the replacement ports 18 a to 18 d is opened, and the other replacement ports 18 a to 18 d are closed immediately before this timing. A slight waiting time t is provided between the timing when the time elapses. Further, in the present embodiment, after the heat treatment apparatus 1 is started, the timing from the timing before the waiting time t described above to the timing at which the replacement opening 18a is first opened until the replacement opening 18b in the region X1 is closed. Is set as a period a. Similarly, from the timing before the waiting time t described above with respect to the timing when the replacement port 18a provided in the region X1 is opened, that is, from the timing when the replacement port 18d provided in the region X2 is closed. The period until the replacement opening 18b in the region X1 is closed is also set as the period a. Further, from the timing before the above-described waiting time t with respect to the timing when the replacement port 18c provided in the region X2 is opened, that is, from the timing when the replacement port 18b provided in the region X1 is closed. The period b is set until the X2 replacement opening 18d is closed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the heat treatment apparatus 1 operates with the output of the exhaust apparatus 11 set to p1 during the period a. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the static pressure at a position near the replacement ports 18 a and 18 b in the region X <b> 1 in the heat treatment chamber 13 is equal to or less than the external pressure Po of the heat treatment chamber 13. Therefore, even if the replacement ports 18a and 18b are opened for loading and unloading the substrate W, the air containing the generated gas does not leak from the inside of the heat treatment chamber 13 to the outside. In the period a, the static pressure in the region X2 where the replacement ports 18c and 18d are provided is higher than the external pressure Po, but the replacement ports 18c and 18d are closed. Therefore, no leakage of air containing generated gas or the like and no inflow of outside air occur at the replacement ports 18c and 18d.

  On the other hand, the heat treatment apparatus 1 operates by setting the output of the exhaust apparatus 11 to p2 larger than the above-described p1 in the period b. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, not only in the region X1 in the heat treatment chamber 13 but also in the region X2, the static pressure near the replacement ports 18c and 18d is equal to the external pressure Po in the heat treatment chamber 13 or outside. Atmospheric pressure Po or lower. Therefore, even if the replacement ports 18c and 18d are opened for loading and unloading the substrate W in the period b, the air containing the generated gas does not leak from the inside to the outside of the heat treatment chamber 13. In the period b, the static pressure in the portion adjacent to the replacement ports 18a and 18b in the region X1 is lower than the external pressure Po of the heat treatment chamber 13, but the replacement ports 18a and 18b are closed. Therefore, in the period b, the outside air does not flow into the heat treatment chamber 13 from the replacement ports 18a and 18b, the temperature distribution in the heat treatment chamber 13 becomes non-uniform, generation of sublimates in unexpected places, There is no problem of adhesion.

  In the above embodiment, the output of the exhaust device 11 is adjusted so that the static pressure in the regions X1 and X2 in which the exchange ports 18 that are in the open state are provided is equal to or less than the external pressure Po. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, in addition to adjusting the static pressure in the regions X1 and X2, measures are taken to prevent leakage of the product gas, and the static pressure in the regions X1 and X2 is a pressure P1 that is slightly higher than the external pressure Po. However, in the case where leakage of air containing generated gas or the like from the heat treatment chamber 13 can be prevented, the static pressure in the regions X1 and X2 provided with the replacement ports 18 that are opened is equal to the atmospheric pressure P1 or It is good also as adjusting the output of the exhaust apparatus 11 so that it may become below this.

  Further, in the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above, the air containing the generated gas leaks from the heat treatment chamber 13 by adjusting the exhaust capacity of the exhaust apparatus 11 according to the distance between the exchange port 18 that is opened and the exhaust port 21. In addition to preventing the outside air from flowing into the heat treatment chamber 13 through the replacement port 18, the configuration shown in FIG. 6 is adopted as a measure for preventing the leakage of generated gas and the inflow of outside air. Also good. Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 6, a low pressure region 50 having a static pressure lower than the air pressure inside and outside the heat treatment chamber 13 is formed between the replacement port 18 and the heat treatment chamber 13. More specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 6, a duct-like low-pressure region 50 is provided at a position adjacent to the replacement port 18 above and below. Slit-like openings 53 and 55 are provided on the walls 51 and 52 that constitute the low-pressure region 50 and face the substrate W that enters and exits through the replacement port 18. Therefore, in the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 6, even if the replacement opening 18 is opened for taking in and out the substrate W, the gas that leaks outward from the heat treatment chamber 13 passes through the openings 53 and 55. Collected and not leaked to the outside. In addition, the gas flowing from the replacement port 18 toward the heat treatment chamber 13 is also sucked into the openings 53 and 55 before reaching the heat treatment chamber 13 and does not enter the heat treatment chamber 13. Therefore, in addition to the adjustment of the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means 11 as described in the above embodiment, if the configuration as shown in FIG. 6 is adopted, the gas containing the generated gas leaks from the heat treatment chamber 13 to the outside. The problem that the outside air flows into the heat treatment chamber 13 from the outside and the temperature distribution in the heat treatment chamber 13 is disturbed can be prevented more reliably.

  In the above embodiment, the region in the heat treatment chamber 13 is divided into two regions X1 and X2 based on the distance from the exhaust port 21, and the replacement port 18 provided in each region X1 and X2 is opened. The periods a and b are set based on the above and the output of the exhaust device 11 is adjusted for each period a and b. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, the region in the heat treatment chamber 13 is further divided into a large number of regions Xn (n = a natural number of 3 or more), and the replacement port 18 provided in one of the large number of regions Xn (region A) opens. The exhaust capability of the exhaust device 11 in the case where the replacement port 18 of the other region Xn (region B) located farther from the exhaust port 21 than the region Xn (region A) is opened. It is good also as adjusting the output of the exhaust apparatus 11 so that it may become lower. In the case of such a configuration, the output of the exhaust device 11 is switched in more stages depending on the distance between the replacement port 18 and the exhaust port 21, and air containing the generated gas leaks from the heat treatment chamber 13. It is possible to adjust the static pressure in each region Xn so as to be in an optimum state for preventing the above.

  As described above, in the heat treatment apparatus 1, the replacement opening 18 is provided on the front surface 13 b of the heat treatment apparatus body 10, and the exhaust opening 21 is provided at a position adjacent to the replacement opening 18. The generated gas or the like that is about to leak to the outside can be sucked to the exhaust port 21 side through the valve, and leakage of the generated gas or the like can be reliably prevented. As described above, the exhaust port 21 is desirably provided at a position adjacent to the front surface 13b. However, for example, the central portion of the bottom surface 13a of the heat treatment chamber 13, a position slightly unevenly located on the front surface 13b side, and temperature control. It can be provided at an appropriate position such as a position unevenly distributed in the part 12, the temperature control part 12 side, or a peripheral wall of the heat treatment chamber 13. Further, when the exhaust port 21 is provided at a position away from the front surface 13b, an exhaust intake port may be provided at a position close to the front surface 13b, and the exhaust intake port and the exhaust port 21 may be connected by a duct or the like. It is.

  As shown in the above embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus 1 has the replacement ports 18 and the regions X1 and X2 arranged in the vertical direction, and the exhaust port 21 is provided on the bottom surface 13a side of the heat treatment chamber 13. The static pressure in the region X2 on the side tends to be higher than that on the region X1 on the lower side. In the heat treatment chamber 13, since the air and the generated gas are heated to high temperature and tend to move upward, when the static pressure in the region X <b> 2 is higher than the external pressure Po, the replacement ports 18 c and 18 d are opened. In this case, the generated gas may leak or the heat energy may leak together with the high-temperature air. However, in the heat treatment apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when the replacement port 18 in the upper region A is opened, the exhaust capability of the exhaust device 11 is improved as compared with the case where the replacement port 18 in the region B is opened. Therefore, as described above, it is possible to reliably prevent the air containing the generated gas from leaking from the replacement port 18 and the regions X1 and X2.

  In addition, in the said embodiment, although each replacement port 18 extended in the left-right direction (width direction) illustrated the structure arranged in the up-down direction (height direction), this invention is not limited to this, For example, each The replacement opening 18 may be formed so as to expand in the vertical direction (height direction), and each may be arranged in the left-right direction (width direction). In the case where the replacement ports 18 are arranged side by side in the width direction, the exhaust port 21 is provided on one end side in the direction in which the replacement ports 18 are arranged, as described in the above embodiment. Assuming the regions X1 and X2 according to the distance from the region 21, when the replacement port 18 in the region X2 is opened, the exhaust capacity of the exhaust device 11 may be made higher than when the replacement port 18 in the region X1 is opened. . According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the air containing the generated gas from leaking to the outside of the heat treatment chamber 13 even when each replacement port 18 whose opening region expands in the height direction is provided.

  In the above-described embodiment, when each replacement opening 18 is opened and closed sequentially, a predetermined waiting time is required after the replacement opening 18 that has been opened first is closed until the next replacement opening 18 is opened. Since the time t is provided, the reference periods a and b for switching the exhaust capacity of the exhaust device 11 are set to the waiting time t with respect to the timing when the replacement ports 18a and 18c are opened in the regions X1 and X2. It is preceded by minutes. Therefore, in the heat treatment apparatus 1, the time until the replacement ports 18a and 18c that are initially opened in the regions X1 and X2 are in the open state can be used for static pressure adjustment in the regions X1 and X2. In the above-described embodiment, the standby time t is uniform even when any of the replacement ports 18a to 18d is in the open state, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is necessary, for example. Accordingly, the configuration may be changed as appropriate, or the standby time t may not be provided.

  In the above embodiment, the standby time t is used for static pressure adjustment. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and until the static pressure in the regions X1 and X2 reaches a predetermined value. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the replacement ports 18a to 18d are not opened. According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the air containing the generated gas and the like from leaking through the replacement port 18 more reliably.

  In the said embodiment, although the example which provided the valve 23 in the piping 22 connected to the exhaust apparatus 11 was illustrated, this invention is not limited to this, The valve 23 may not be provided. In addition, the exhaust device 11 described above may be capable of adjusting the exhaust capacity by any method, but an apparatus capable of adjusting the exhaust capacity by so-called inverter control can be suitably employed.

  In the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above, when all of the plurality of replacement ports 18 are in a closed state, the generated gas, sublimate, and the like do not leak from each replacement port 18 even when the exhaust device 11 is stopped. In addition, when all the changeover ports 18 are closed, even if the exhaust capacity of the exhaust device 11 is adjusted to the minimum required for cooling ventilation, the generated gas or No sublimation leaks. Similarly, when all the replacement ports 18 are in the closed state, the exhaust capability of the exhaust device 11 when the replacement ports 18 are opened is the smallest exhaust capability (in the above embodiment, the replacement of the region X1). The exhaust capacity of the exhaust device 11 may be adjusted so that the output p1) when the opening 18 is in the open state or an exhaust capacity comparable to this. By adjusting the output of the exhaust device 11 in this way, the energy consumed by the operation of the exhaust means can be suppressed to the minimum necessary.

It is a perspective view which shows the heat processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is a timing chart which shows operation | movement of the heat processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the position in a heat processing chamber, and a static pressure. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the structure of the replacement port vicinity which concerns on the modification of the heat processing apparatus shown in FIG.

1 Heat treatment device 11 Exhaust device (exhaust means)
13 Heat treatment chamber 13a Bottom surface 13b Front (wall surface)
21 Exhaust port X1 area (area A)
X2 area (area B)
Xn region (regions A and B)
a, b period

Claims (9)

A heat treatment chamber capable of accommodating an object to be heated;
A plurality of outlets that allow the heated object to be taken in and out, and
An exhaust means capable of changing the exhaust capacity for sucking and exhausting the gas from the inside to the outside of the heat treatment chamber;
An exhaust port for discharging gas from the heat treatment chamber to the outside ,
In the heat treatment chamber, the static pressure at a position adjacent to the replacement port in the heat treatment chamber is different depending on the distance between each replacement port and the exhaust port in a state where the exhaust means is in an operating state.
When any of the replacement ports is in an open state, the static pressure in the heat treatment chamber at a position adjacent to each of the replacement ports is lower than before the open state of any of the replacement ports. A heat treatment apparatus characterized in that the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means is adjusted.   When any of the replacement ports is in an open state, the exhaust means exhausts the static pressure in the heat treatment chamber at a position adjacent to the replacement port in the open state to be equal to or lower than the atmospheric pressure outside the heat treatment chamber. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the capacity is adjusted.   3. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means is adjusted according to a distance between the exchange port that is in an open state and the exhaust port. A plurality of replacement ports are provided side by side in a region A close to the exhaust port and a region B farther from the region A than the exhaust port, and the replacement ports provided in the regions A and B are It opens and closes in a predetermined order,
The exhaust capacity of the exhaust means in a predetermined period with reference to the timing when the replacement port arranged in the region B is opened is determined based on the timing when the replacement port arranged in the region A is opened. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat treatment apparatus has a higher exhaust capacity than the exhaust means in a period. Region B is located above region A,
The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the exhaust port is provided at a position below the heat treatment chamber.   The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the adjustment of the exhaust capacity of the exhaust means is completed before any of the plurality of replacement ports is opened. An exhaust port is provided at a position that constitutes a heat treatment chamber and is adjacent to the wall surface provided with the replacement port.
The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the gas in the heat treatment chamber can be discharged to the outside of the heat treatment chamber through the exhaust port by an exhaust means.   The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a low pressure region having a pressure lower than the pressure inside and outside the heat treatment chamber is provided between the exchange opening and the heat treatment chamber.   When all the changeover ports are closed, the exhaust means is in a state in which the exhaust flow rate is a predetermined minimum flow rate, or in a state in which the minimum exhaust capability is adjusted among the exhaust capacities adjusted when each changeover port is opened. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the operation state of the exhaust means is adjusted so as to be in any one of the stop state.

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