JP7377760B2 - Continuous firing furnace and continuous firing method for powder materials - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a continuous firing furnace and a continuous firing method for powder materials.

A continuous firing furnace is a firing furnace that continuously heats a workpiece while transporting it within a processing chamber. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-42664 discloses a technique in which a plurality of hearth rolls rotate in the same direction to convey an object placed on the hearth rolls. In the technique disclosed in the publication, the support structure for the hearth roll is provided within the processing chamber. One end of the hearth roll penetrates outside the processing chamber, and a sprocket is attached to the hearth roll, so that rotational driving force can be obtained. Then, the plurality of hearth rolls are driven to rotate in the same direction, and the conveyed object is conveyed by the driving force. A continuous firing furnace using such a hearth roll is also called a roller hearth kiln.

JP2003-42664A

When transporting workpieces by rotating multiple hearth rolls using a drive source (such as a motor), it is difficult to strictly define the shape, installation angle, and installation position of each of the multiple hearth rolls. be. If there is a deviation in the shape of the plurality of hearth rolls, the conveyance speed and direction of the object to be processed will be deviated.

A continuous firing furnace according to one embodiment disclosed herein includes a firing furnace main body that has a processing chamber therein in which a processing atmosphere for heat-treating a workpiece is formed, and a pusher. The processing chamber includes a carry-in port, a transport path extending along a straight line from the carry-in port, and a carry-out port provided at an end of the transport path opposite to the carry-in port. The firing furnace main body includes a plurality of free rollers arranged in sequence at the bottom of the conveyance path along the conveyance path. The pusher includes a pushing member provided outside the processing chamber on the import entrance side of the transport route, and a pushing device that pushes the push member toward the transport route.

According to such a continuous firing furnace, the object to be transported can be pushed along the transport path from the entrance of the transport path, for example, by a pusher arranged outside the processing chamber. The conveyed object is continuously conveyed along the conveyance path on a plurality of free rollers arranged in sequence at the bottom of the conveyance path. The free roller rotates in accordance with the conveyance object conveyed along the conveyance path by friction with the conveyance object pushed and conveyed by the pusher. Therefore, the conveyed object is stably conveyed along the conveyance path at an appropriate speed defined by the pusher. Therefore, it is suitable, for example, for conveying a large amount of powder material to a firing furnace and for continuous processing.

The firing furnace main body may further include a rotation support member that rotatably supports each of the plurality of free rollers. The rotation support member may be provided outside the processing chamber.

Each of the plurality of free rollers may be a cylindrical shaft member, and may cross the bottom of the conveyance path along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance path. Both ends of the plurality of free rollers may pass through the processing chamber and may be rotatably supported outside the processing chamber. Both ends of the plurality of free rollers may rest on at least two support rollers that are axially aligned with the free rollers.

The firing furnace main body may further include guides provided on opposite sides of the conveyance path. The guide may have a contact portion that contacts the conveyed object conveyed on the free roller along the conveyance path. The contact portion may extend continuously in parallel to the conveyance direction, and the guide may have a roller insertion hole through which the free roller is inserted in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction.

According to such a continuous firing furnace, the space formed on the free roller in the conveyance path inside the processing chamber and in which the object can be conveyed is the space between the pair of guides disposed opposite to each other across the conveyance path. The ratio h1/w1 of the width w1 and the height h1 above the free roller may be configured to satisfy h1/w1>1.

The processing chamber may include a plurality of rows of transport paths extending parallel to each other. In this case, each of the plurality of free rollers may be a seamless cylindrical shaft member, and may traverse a plurality of rows of conveyance paths in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The pushing members of the pusher may be configured to face the entrances of the plurality of rows of transport paths, respectively, and to collectively push the objects to be transported toward the plurality of rows of transport paths.

The free roller may be made of a SiC-based material containing silicon carbide.

Further, the continuous firing method for powder material disclosed herein includes a step of storing the powder material in a container, a step of stacking a plurality of containers containing the powder material, and a step of stacking the stacked containers. The process includes a step of placing the stacked containers on a conveyance table, and a step of pushing the conveyance table on which the stacked containers are placed into the continuous firing furnace along a prepared conveyance path. Here, the conveyance path prepared in the continuous firing furnace includes a plurality of free rollers that are intermittently arranged at the bottom of the conveyance path, and guides that guide the conveyance platform pushed into the conveyance path on both sides of the conveyance path. We are prepared. The conveyance tables on which the stacked containers are placed move sequentially along the conveyance path defined by the guide. According to such a continuous firing method for powder material, a large amount of powder material can be transported to a firing furnace and continuously processed.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a firing furnace main body 10. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the heat treatment equipment 200. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the firing furnace main body 10. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the support structure provided at the end of the free roller 20. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the gas supply pipe 60, heater 50, and guide 40C.

Hereinafter, one typical embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the following drawings, the same reference numerals are given to members and parts that have the same function. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships (length, width, thickness, etc.) in each figure do not reflect the actual dimensional relationships. The directions of upward, downward, left, right, front, and rear are respectively represented by arrows U, D, L, R, F, and Rr in the figure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a firing furnace main body 10. In FIG. 1, the firing furnace main body 10 is shown as viewed diagonally from above to the left with the left side wall omitted. Here, the material to be heat-treated in the continuous firing furnace 1 is appropriately referred to as a "workpiece". The firing furnace main body 10 is a firing furnace that continuously heats the workpiece while transporting it within the processing chamber. The processing chamber 12 includes transport paths 15L and 15R extending along a straight line. As shown in FIG. 1, the transport paths 15L and 15R may be provided in multiple rows. In the form shown in FIG. 1, the continuous firing furnace 1 is provided with two rows of transport paths 15L and 15R on the left and right sides.

Here, the firing furnace main body 10 has upper and lower sides defined along the vertical direction. Moreover, the front and back of the firing furnace main body 10 are determined along the conveyance direction of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R, with the front as the front and the rear as the rear. Further, the left and right sides of the firing furnace main body 10 are determined based on the state facing forward of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R.

In the continuous firing furnace 1 illustrated here, the entire inside of the processing chamber 12 can be made of a ceramic material such as SiC, which has excellent reaction resistance and heat resistance. In particular, it is possible to prevent metal foreign substances such as metal materials from being mixed into the object to be processed. Therefore, the continuous firing furnace 1 can be particularly suitably used for heat treatment of materials in which the contamination of metal foreign matter is not allowed.

Examples of materials that do not allow metal foreign matter to be mixed in include materials used as electrode active materials and solid electrolytes of various power storage devices. Here, the power storage device includes, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery. In a power storage device such as a lithium ion secondary battery, if metal foreign matter is mixed into the electrode active material or the solid electrolyte, the metal may be eluted during the battery reaction or cause dentrite.

Here, examples of firing materials used in lithium ion secondary batteries include lithium composite metal oxides having a layered structure or a spinel structure. Lithium composite metal oxides include, for example, LiNi _1/3 Co _1/3 Mn _1/3 O ₂ , LiNiO ₂ , LiCoO ₂ , LiFeO ₂ , LiMn ₂ O ₄ , LiNi _0.5 Mn _1.5 O ₄ , Examples include _LiFePO4 . These can be used as positive electrode active materials.

Furthermore, fired materials used as solid electrolyte materials include inorganic solid electrolytes such as oxide-based solid electrolytes and sulfide-based solid electrolytes.

The oxide-based solid electrolyte is not particularly limited, and for example, one containing oxygen (O) and having lithium ion conductivity and electronic insulation can be suitably used. Examples of _the oxide solid electrolyte include _lithium phosphate _{( Li 3} PO _{4 )} , _{Li 3 PO 4} N _X , LiBO _{2 N} , Li ₅ La ₃ Ta ₂ O ₁₂ , Li ₇ La ₃ Zr ₂ O ₁₂ , Li ₆ BaLa ₂ Ta ₂ O ₁₂ and the like.

The sulfide-based solid electrolyte is not particularly limited, and for example, one containing sulfur (S) and having lithium ion conductivity and electronic insulation can be suitably used. Examples of the sulfide solid electrolyte include Li ₂ SP ₂ S ₅ , Li ₂ S-SiS ₂ , LiI-Li ₂ S-SiS ₂ , LiI-Li ₂ SP ₂ S ₅ , LiI-Li ₂ S-B ₂ S ₃ , Li ₃ PO ₄ -Li ₂ S-Si ₂ S, Li ₃ PO ₄ -Li ₂ S-SiS ₂ , LiPO ₄ -Li ₂ S-SiS, LiI-Li ₂ S-P ₂ O ₅ , LiI-Li ₃ PO ₄ -P ₂ S ₅ , and the like.

Demand for power storage devices is increasing, especially with the electrification of vehicles. In the firing process of fired materials used in power storage devices, it is required to increase the throughput per unit time. On the other hand, in order to obtain stable performance of the power storage device, the materials used for the power storage device need to be uniformly heat-treated in terms of firing atmosphere, firing temperature, and the like. Therefore, a predetermined appropriate amount of the material to be treated is placed in a predetermined heat treatment container. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the containers for heat treatment are stacked in multiple stages and further arranged in multiple rows and introduced into the continuous firing furnace 1. This increases the throughput per unit time in the continuous firing furnace 1.

<Heat treatment equipment 200>
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the heat treatment equipment 200. The heat treatment equipment 200 includes a continuous firing furnace 1, as shown in FIG. Further, the heat treatment equipment 200 is divided into a plurality of regions 201 to 206. In the regions 201 to 206, containers T for heat treatment are sequentially transported toward the continuous firing furnace 1, as shown in FIG. The objects to be processed are stored in the container T, which is stacked in multiple stages and placed on the transport table 16. The conveyor table 16 is also referred to as a "setter."

In the plurality of regions 201 to 206, objects to be processed are placed in a container T for heat treatment, further stacked, and introduced into the continuous firing furnace 1. Although not shown, a lid is attached to the top of the topmost container T among the plurality of stacked containers T. The container T for heat treatment in the firing furnace is also called a "pod". The lid may be made of the same material as the container T.

In the area 201, the containers T are transported one stage at a time. Then, a predetermined amount of the object to be processed is put into the container T. In the form shown in FIG. 2, the container T is a substantially rectangular container with a flat bottom and surrounded by side walls. For example, the object to be treated may be flattened to a predetermined depth so that the heat can be distributed evenly.

In area 202, a predetermined number of containers T are stacked. In this embodiment, the containers T are stacked in nine stages. The container T has an open top. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper edge of the side wall of the container T is recessed downward. When the containers T are stacked in multiple stages, a gap t1 is formed between the stacked containers T through the recessed upper edge of the side wall. This gap t1 communicates with the inside of the container T, and is also called a ventilation window. A lid is attached to the topmost container T. In the uppermost container T, it is preferable that a gap t1 be similarly formed between the container T and the lid.

In the area 203, the stacked containers Td are further placed on the conveyor table 16. In this embodiment, the conveyance table 16 is a substantially rectangular plate having the required rigidity. A plurality of stacked containers Td are placed on the transport table 16, as shown in FIG. In the form shown in FIG. 2, four stacked containers Td are placed on the transport table 16 in an arrangement of two columns and two rows.

In the region 204, the transport table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed is transported toward the introduction section 1S (region 205) of the continuous firing furnace 1. The region 204 is provided with a replacement chamber E1 partitioned by shutters Sh1 and Sh2. The shutter Sh1 partitions the outside of the continuous firing furnace 1 from the replacement chamber E1. The shutter Sh2 partitions the replacement chamber E1 and the inside of the continuous firing furnace 1. The transport table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed is introduced into the replacement chamber E1 with the shutter Sh2 closed and the shutter Sh1 opened.

When the transport table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed is introduced into the replacement chamber E1, the shutter Sh1 is closed. Then, the gas atmosphere in the replacement chamber E1 is adjusted to an atmosphere suitable for being connected to the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1. Next, the shutter Sh2 is opened, and the replacement chamber E1 is connected to the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1. Then, the transport table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed is transferred from the replacement chamber E1 to the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1. For the transfer from the replacement chamber E1 to the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1, it is preferable to use a transfer means that does not generate metal foreign matter, such as a ceramic roller.

The region 205 is the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1, and is partitioned from the replacement chamber E1 by a shutter Sh2. Although not shown, at least the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1 from the replacement chamber E1 is surrounded by an outer wall. A space closed from the outside is formed by shutters Sh1 and Sh2.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1. In FIG. 3, the position of the conveyance table 16 introduced into the introduction section 1S is indicated by a two-dot chain line. The introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1 is provided on the front side of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R of the firing furnace main body 10, as shown in FIG. In the introduction section 1S of the continuous firing furnace 1, the conveyance table 16 is introduced from the replacement chamber E1 along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R.

The floor of the introduction section 1S includes a roller R1, stoppers Sp1 and Sp2, and a transfer roller R2. Further, a pusher 30 is provided in the introduction section 1S.

The roller R1 is a roller for introducing the conveyance platform 16 along the conveyance direction h1 from the replacement chamber E1. A plurality of rollers R1 are provided intermittently along the conveyance direction h1 from the replacement chamber E1. In the form shown in FIG. 3, the roller R1 has a cylindrical shape, and the rotation axis of the roller R1 is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction h1 from the replacement chamber E1.

The stoppers Sp1 and Sp2 are members that position the conveyance platform 16 introduced from the replacement chamber E1 along the conveyance direction h1. The stopper Sp1 is arranged at a predetermined position in the transport direction h1 so as to align the position of the transport table 16 with the transport route 15L of the two transport routes 15L and 15R. The stopper Sp2 is arranged at a predetermined position in the transport direction h1 so as to align the transport table 16 with the transport path 15R. The stopper Sp2 is provided with a lifting mechanism. Then, the stopper Sp2 is lowered to a lower position than the roller R1 or raised to a higher position than the roller R1 by the elevating mechanism.

The transfer roller R2 is a roller for transferring the conveyance table 16 along the conveyance direction of the two conveyance paths 15L and 15R. Transfer roller R2 is arranged between rollers R1. In the transfer roller R2, a transfer roller R22 is attached to the upper surface of the base R21. A lifting mechanism (not shown) is provided on the base R21 of the transfer roller R2. The transfer roller R22 is lowered to a lower position than the roller R1 or raised to a higher position than the roller R1 by a lifting mechanism.

When the conveyance table 16 is introduced from the replacement chamber E1 to the introduction section 1S, the transfer roller R22 and the stopper Sp2 are first operated to be lowered to a position lower than the roller R1. The conveyance table 16 is placed on the roller R1, and is introduced from the replacement chamber E1 into the introduction section 1S along the conveyance direction h1. At this time, the position of the introduced conveyance table 16 is aligned with the conveyance path 15L by the stopper Sp1. Next, the stopper Sp2 is raised. Then, another transport table 16 is introduced from the replacement chamber E1 into the introduction section 1S. The position of the conveyance platform 16 is aligned with the conveyance path 15R by a stopper Sp2.

Next, the transfer roller R22 is raised to a higher position than the roller R1. Then, the pusher 30 pushes the conveyance table 16 toward the conveyance paths 15L and 15R. As a result, the transport tables 16 are introduced into the transport paths 15L and 15R, respectively. Note that, at this time, the stoppers Sp1 and Sp2 are preferably retracted to positions where they do not interfere with the pusher 30. The stoppers Sp1 and Sp2 may remain raised as long as they do not interfere with the pusher 30.

In the region 206, in front of the firing furnace main body 10 of the continuous firing furnace 1, the transport tables 16 are connected along the transport paths 15L and 15R. In the area 206, the conveyance table 16 pushed out from the introduction section 1S pushes the last of the continuous conveyance tables 16. As a result, the transport table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed is sequentially introduced into the transport paths 15L and 15R of the firing furnace main body 10. Here, it is preferable that at least the members or portions of the roller R1, the stoppers Sp1, Sp2, and the transfer roller R2 that come into contact with the conveyance platform 16 are made of a ceramic material having a required mechanical strength. Such ceramic materials can be, for example, SiC, mullite, alumina, etc.

<Overall configuration of continuous firing furnace 1>
Next, the overall configuration of the continuous firing furnace 1 will be explained. The continuous firing furnace 1 includes a firing furnace main body 10 and a pusher 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The firing furnace main body 10 has a processing chamber 12 inside which heat-processes the object to be processed.

The processing chamber 12 includes an inlet 13, transport paths 15L and 15R, and an outlet 14. The transport paths 15L and 15R extend along a straight line from the entrance 13. The carry-out port 14 is provided at the end of the transport paths 15L, 15R on the opposite side to the carry-in port 13.

Specifically, the firing furnace main body 10 of this embodiment includes a bottom wall 11B, a right side wall 11R, a left side wall 11L (see FIG. 4), and an upper wall 11U. The bottom wall 11B covers the lower side of the processing chamber 12 and supports the entire firing furnace body 10. The right side wall 11R extends upward from the right end of the bottom wall 11B and covers the right side of the processing chamber 12. The left side wall 11L (see FIG. 4) extends upward from the left end of the bottom wall 11B and covers the left side of the processing chamber 12. The upper wall 11U covers the upper side of the processing chamber 12. The bottom wall 11B, the right side wall 11R, the left side wall 11L, and the top wall 11U have heat resistance and keep the internal processing chamber 12 airtight. Although not shown, the firing furnace body 10 includes a loading door that opens and closes the loading port 13 on the front side of the processing chamber 12 (on the right side in FIG. 1), and a loading door on the back side of the processing chamber 12 (on the left side in FIG. ) is provided with a carry-out door for opening and closing the carry-out port 14.

In the processing chamber 12 of the firing furnace main body 10, transport paths 15R and 15L are provided that extend linearly from the carry-in port 13 to the carry-out port 14. The firing furnace main body 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a right transport path 15R extending from the loading port 13 to the loading port 14 on the right side of the processing chamber 12, and a right conveyance path 15R extending from the loading port 13 to the loading port 14 on the left side of the processing chamber 12. A left conveyance path 15L is provided. Here, the left and right conveyance paths 15R and 15L extend parallel to each other. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the transport paths 15L and 15R are in two rows, but the transport paths provided in the processing chamber 12 are not limited to two rows unless otherwise specified. For example, three or more conveyance paths may be formed in the firing furnace main body 10. By providing a plurality of rows of conveyance paths in the firing furnace main body 10, more objects to be processed can be heat-treated more efficiently than when there is only one conveyance path. Note that it is also possible to provide one conveyance path in the firing furnace main body 10.

<Free roller>
A plurality of free rollers 20 are arranged in order along the conveyance direction at the bottoms of the conveyance paths 15R and 15L. The conveyance table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed is placed on a plurality of free rollers 20 arranged along the conveyance direction. In this embodiment, a plurality of (nine stages in FIG. 1) containers T are stacked and transported through the transport routes 15R and 15L. Therefore, more objects to be processed can be heat-treated in the processing chamber 12 more efficiently than when the containers T are transported in one stage without being stacked.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the firing furnace main body 10. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the firing furnace main body 10 as seen from the front side of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R, while crossing the conveyance paths 15L and 15R. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the support structure provided at the end of the free roller 20. The configuration of the free roller 20 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 4, and 5. The plurality of free rollers 20 are arranged side by side along the conveyance direction at the bottoms of the conveyance paths 15R and 15L. Each of the plurality of free rollers 20 is a cylindrical shaft member. In this embodiment, the free roller 20 has a cylindrical outer shape with no seams in the length direction. Each of the free rollers 20 crosses the bottom of the transport paths 15L, 15R along a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the transport paths 15L, 15R.

In this embodiment, both ends of the plurality of free rollers 20 each pass through the processing chamber 12 and are rotatably supported outside the processing chamber 12, as shown in FIG. Therefore, even if foreign matter is generated from the rotary support members 22R, 22L, the foreign matter is unlikely to mix into the object to be processed that is transported inside the processing chamber 12. As shown in FIG. 5, both ends of the plurality of free rollers 20 are provided with at least two support rollers 22R1 and 22R1, each having a rotation axis aligned with the rotation axis of the free roller 20, outside the processing chamber 12. is placed on top. Therefore, even if the outer diameter and length of the free roller 20 change due to thermal expansion or contraction, the free roller 20 can stably rotate on the support rollers 22R1 and 22R1.

Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, each of the plurality of free rollers 20 is rotatably supported at least at two locations facing each other across the conveyance paths 15R and 15L. ing. For this reason, the load applied to the free roller is less likely to increase, compared to, for example, a case where a cantilever roller rotatably supported at one location is employed. Moreover, each free roller 20 crosses the bottom of the conveyance paths 15L, 15R along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance paths 15L, 15R. Therefore, it contacts the bottom of the conveyance table 16 over the entire length in the direction intersecting the conveyance direction. The load on the rod-shaped free roller 20 is kept low, and deformation and damage to the free roller 20, as well as generation of foreign matter due to scraping of the member, are suppressed to a low level. It should be noted that, as a matter of course, the weight of the conveyance table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed, such as the number of containers T placed on the conveyance table 16, is within the predetermined load capacity of the free roller 20. It would be good if it were.

Moreover, the free roller 20 of this embodiment is a shaft member, and is arrange|positioned so that the conveyance paths 15R and 15L lined up in multiple rows may be crossed. That is, each free roller 20 crosses the bottom of the conveyance paths 15R, 15L in multiple rows along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance paths 15L, 15R. The free roller 20 can support the conveyance table 16 on each of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R arranged in multiple rows, and can collectively convey the conveyance table 16 along the conveyance paths 15R and 15L. Therefore, the configuration of the continuous firing furnace 1 is simplified compared to a case where free rollers are separately provided for each of the transport paths 15R and 15L.

As shown in FIG. 4, the left and right ends of each free roller 20 are rotatably supported by rotary support members 22R and 22L outside the processing chamber 12. In this embodiment, the right rotation support member 22R supports the right end portion of the free roller 20. The left rotation support member 22L supports the left end of the free roller 20. The right rotation support member 22R includes a pair of support rollers 22R1 and 22R1 (see FIG. 5) that support the free roller 20. Although not shown, the left rotation support member 22L includes a pair of support rollers that support the free roller 20 similarly to the right rotation support member 22L.

The rotation axes of the pair of support rollers 22R1, 22R1 are aligned with the rotation axis of the free roller 20. In this embodiment, the rotational axes of the support rollers 22R1 and 22R1 are parallel to the rotational axis of the free roller 20. The support rollers 22R1 and 22R1 are arranged to support the lower surface of the end of the free roller 20 at intervals narrower than the outer shape of the end of the free roller 20. Although not shown, the pair of support rollers 22R1 and 22R1 are rotatably supported. The pair of support rollers 22R1, 22R1 may be configured with needle bearings, for example. Although not shown, the pair of support rollers 22R1 and 22R1 may be rotatably supported, for example, on the inner wall of the firing furnace main body 10, the outer wall of the processing chamber 12, or the like.

More specifically, in this embodiment, a hole 17 into which the free roller 20 is inserted is formed in each of the right side wall 11R and the left side wall 11L of the firing furnace main body 10. Each hole 17 is provided with blocking portions 24R and 24L that suppress the movement of gas and foreign matter through the hole 17. The rotation support members 22R and 22L are installed outside the processing chamber 12 that is closed by the blocking parts 24R and 24L. Therefore, even if foreign matter is generated from the rotation support members 22R, 22L, it is difficult for the foreign matter to get mixed into the object to be processed inside the processing chamber 12. Therefore, there is no need to limit the material of the rotation support members 22R, 22L to a material depending on the type of the object to be processed (for example, a material that does not cause any problem even if mixed into the object to be processed). For example, as in the present embodiment, even when processing objects in which the contamination of metal chips is a problem in the continuous firing furnace 1, the material of the rotation support members 22R and 22L can be made of metal.

In this embodiment, a ceramic roller made of a SiC-based material containing silicon carbide is used as the material of at least the portion of the free roller 20 that is exposed within the processing chamber 12 . By using a SiC-based material as the material for the free roller 20, the required strength of the free roller 20 is ensured. Further, when processing a workpiece in which the contamination of metal chips is a problem using the continuous firing furnace 1, foreign matter generated from the free roller 20 does not affect the workpiece. Therefore, even if the object to be processed has a problem of contamination with metal debris, it can be appropriately processed. Furthermore, the ceramic roller made of SiC-based material has high rigidity and hardly bends, so it rotates stably within the processing chamber 12.

<Pusher>
The configuration of the pusher 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. A pusher 30 is provided at the entrance 13 of the processing chamber 12 . The pusher 30 includes a pushing device 31 and a pushing member 32. The pushing member 32 is provided outside the processing chamber 12 on the import entrance 13 side of the transport paths 15L and 15R. The extrusion device 31 is a device that extrudes the pushing member 32 toward the conveyance paths 15L and 15R. The pusher 30 pushes the plurality of conveyance platforms 16 that are connected in the conveyance direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1) on the plurality of free rollers 20 toward the downstream side (left side in FIG. 1) in the conveyance direction. In this embodiment, the pushing members 32 of the pusher 30 are opposed to the inlet ports 13 of the plurality of rows of transport paths 15L and 15R, respectively, and are configured to collectively push the objects to be transported toward the plurality of rows of transport paths 15L and 15R. It is composed of

The pusher 30 uses the pushing device 31 to move the pushing member 32 in the conveyance direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1). In this embodiment, when the pushing member 32 moves downstream in the transport direction (left side in FIG. 1), the pushing member 32 contacts the transport table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed, and Push toward transport routes 15L and 15R. A contact portion at the tip of the pushing member 32 that contacts the conveyance table 16 extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction in which the conveyance paths 15R and 15L extend. The extrusion device 31 may be configured with, for example, a hydraulic cylinder. Further, the pushing member 32 is preferably made of a ceramic material having a required mechanical strength. For example, it is preferable to use a ceramic material made of a SiC-based material containing silicon carbide. By using such a material, even if the pushing member 32 is worn out due to contact with the conveyance table 16, metal foreign matter will not be generated.

The conveyance platform 16 pushed by the pushing member 32 hits the last of the plurality of conveyance platforms 16 that are continuous in the conveyance direction on the conveyance paths 15R and 15L. Then, when the pushing member 32 further pushes the conveyance table 16, the plurality of conveyance tables 16 connected in a row along the conveyance direction of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R move forward in the conveyance direction. By sequentially pushing the conveyance table 16 in the conveyance direction on the conveyance paths 15R and 15L by the pushing member 32, the conveyance table 16 is added to the tail end of the plurality of conveyance tables 16 connected along the conveyance direction, Moreover, a plurality of conveyance tables 16 connected in a row along the conveyance direction move forward along the conveyance paths 15L and 15R. The pusher 30 pushes a new conveyance platform 16 a predetermined distance along the conveyance paths 15L and 15R at predetermined time intervals. As a result, the plurality of conveyance tables 16 connected on the conveyance paths 15R and 15L are conveyed intermittently.

In this embodiment, the conveyance table 16 is a rectangular plate. In the plurality of conveyance tables 16 connected on the conveyance paths 15R and 15L, the front side surface of the succeeding conveyance table 16 hits the rear side surface of the previous conveyance table 16. Therefore, the previous conveyance table 16 and the succeeding conveyance table 16 are aligned in the conveyance direction. The paper is conveyed downstream along the conveyance paths 15R, 15L along the plurality of free rollers 20 on the conveyance paths 15L, 15R. The conveyance direction of the plurality of conveyance tables 16 connected on the conveyance paths 15R and 15L tends to follow the pushing direction by the pusher 30. Therefore, there is a low possibility that the transport table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed will leave the transport routes 15R, 15L.

The pusher 30 of this embodiment pushes out a plurality of rows of conveyance tables 16 together into a plurality of rows (two rows in this embodiment) of conveyance paths 15R and 15L using one extrusion device 31. Therefore, the plurality of rows of conveyance tables 16 are efficiently conveyed. In this embodiment, a plurality of stacked containers Td are placed on the transport table 16. Therefore, the amount of objects to be processed in the processing chamber 12 can be increased, and productivity is improved. Since the plurality of rows of conveyance tables 16 are conveyed synchronously, handling of the plurality of stacked containers Td in the processing chamber 12 is also facilitated.

<guide>
The firing furnace main body 10 includes guides 40R, 40C, and 40L that guide the conveyance of the conveyance table 16 along the respective conveyance paths 15R and 15L. Therefore, even if the transport direction of the transport table 16 is temporarily disturbed, the transport of the transport table 16 is guided by the guides 40R, 40C, and 40L. Therefore, the conveyance table 16 is normally conveyed on the conveyance paths 15R and 15L. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the gas supply pipe 60, heater 50, and guide 40C. FIG. 6 schematically shows the arrangement of the gas supply pipe 60, heater 50, and guide 40C.

The guides 40R, 40C, and 40L will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4, and 6. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the guides 40R, 40C, and 40L are provided along the conveyance direction at positions on opposite sides of the respective conveyance paths 15R and 15L. The guides 40R, 40C, and 40L of this embodiment reliably guide the conveyance table 16 within the processing chamber 12 along the conveyance paths 15L and 15R by contacting the conveyance table 16 that is conveyed in series. Furthermore, high alumina brick is used as the material for the guides 40R, 40C, and 40L. As a result, the heat resistance and strength of the guides 40R, 40C, and 40L are ensured.

In this embodiment, the right guide 40R is provided on the right side of the right conveyance path 15R, and the intermediate guide 40C is provided on the left side of the right conveyance path 15R. Moreover, the intermediate guide 40C is provided on the right side of the left conveyance path 15L, and the left guide 40L is provided on the left side of the left conveyance path 15L. That is, the intermediate guide 40C provided between the plurality of transport routes 15R and 15L guides the transport of the transport platform 16 in each of the two adjacent transport routes 15R and 15L. Therefore, the conveyance of the conveyance platform 16 is appropriately guided with a simple configuration. However, guides may be provided separately for each of the plurality of transport paths 15R and 15L.

Below, explanation will be given by exemplifying the intermediate guide 40C among the plurality of guides 40R, 40C, and 40L. However, the configuration described below is the same for the right guide 40R and the left guide 40L. As shown in FIG. 6, the contact portion 41 of the guide 40C that contacts the conveyance platform 16 conveyed on the conveyance paths 15R and 15L (see FIGS. 1 and 4) is arranged in a direction parallel to the conveyance direction. It extends continuously without any gaps. Therefore, even if the conveyance table 16 contacts the guide 40C during conveyance, the conveyance table 16 is unlikely to be caught by the guide 40C. Therefore, the possibility of unnecessary rotation of the conveyance table 16 and damage to members is further reduced. Therefore, the containers Td stacked in multiple stages on the transport table 16 can be stably transported.

As shown in FIG. 6, the guide 40C is formed with a roller insertion hole 42 through which the free roller 20 (see FIGS. 1, 4, and 5) is inserted in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction. The inner diameter of the roller insertion hole 42 is wider than the outer diameter of the free roller 20. Therefore, continuous guides 40R, 40C, and 40L can be formed along the conveyance paths 15L and 15R without interfering with the free roller 20. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the free roller 20 is made of a ceramic material that hardly bends, such as SiC. Therefore, the free roller 20 can rotate within the roller insertion hole 42 without contacting it while supporting the conveyance table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed.

<Conveyance space for container Td>
With reference to FIG. 4, the space in which the container Td is transported inside the processing chamber 12 will be described. Inside the processing chamber 12, the width between a pair of guides disposed facing each other with each of the transport paths 15R and 15L interposed therebetween is defined as w1. The height above the free roller 20 in the processing chamber 12 is h1. Inside the processing chamber 12, a space in which the stacked containers Td can be transported satisfies the condition h1/w1>1. Here, the width w1 between the guides is, in other words, the distance between the pair of guides in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction. The width w1 between the guides of the transport path 15L is the distance between the guide 40L and the guide 40C. The width w1 between the guides of the transport path 15R is the distance between the guide 40C and the guide 40R. In other words, the height h1 above the free roller 20 may be a height within the processing chamber 12 above the free roller 20 and up to a height limit at which conveyance of the conveyed object is permitted. h1/w1 may be an aspect ratio when the conveyance space in which objects are conveyed on the conveyance paths 15L and 15R is viewed from the front in the conveyance direction. Since the condition of h1/w1>1 is satisfied, in the continuous firing furnace 1 of this embodiment, even if a large number of containers T are stacked in the height direction, the stacked containers Td are not connected to the processing chamber 12. properly transported through the internal space. Note that the aspect ratio h1/w1 of the conveyance space may be, for example, 2 or more, or 3 or more.

As described above, the continuous firing furnace 1 disclosed herein includes the firing furnace main body 10 that has the processing chamber 12 therein in which a processing atmosphere for heat-treating the workpiece is formed, and the pusher 30. ing. The processing chamber 12 includes transport paths 15L and 15R extending in a straight line from the entrance 13. The firing furnace main body 10 includes a plurality of free rollers 20 arranged in order along the conveyance paths 15L, 15R at the bottoms of the conveyance paths 15L, 15R. The pusher 30 includes a pushing member 32 provided outside the processing chamber 12 on the loading port 13 side of the transport routes 15L and 15R, and a pushing device 31 that pushes the push member 32 toward the transport routes 15L and 15R. ing.

According to the continuous firing furnace 1, the pusher 30 disposed outside the processing chamber 12 can push the conveyance table 16 along the conveyance paths 15L, 15R from the inlet 13 of the conveyance paths 15L, 15R. The conveyance table 16 is continuously conveyed along the conveyance paths 15L and 15R on a plurality of free rollers 20 arranged in sequence at the bottoms of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R. The free roller 20 rotates due to friction with the conveyed object that is pushed and conveyed by the pusher 30. Therefore, the objects to be transported along the transport routes 15L, 15R are stably transported along the transport routes 15L, 15R at an appropriate speed defined by the pusher 30. Further, since the pusher 30 is provided outside the processing chamber 12, foreign objects are less likely to be generated in the processing chamber 12 during transportation, and foreign objects are less likely to enter the transport table 16. Therefore, so-called contamination is reduced.

In the form shown in FIG. 1, the processing chamber 12 includes a plurality of rows of transport paths 15L and 15R extending parallel to each other. Therefore, the objects to be transported can be sent all at once, and the productivity of the objects to be processed can be improved.

Further, each of the plurality of free rollers 20 is a seamless cylindrical shaft member. Each of the plurality of free rollers 20 traverses the plurality of rows of transport paths 15L, 15R along a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Therefore, objects can be transported at the same timing in the plurality of rows of transport paths 15L and 15R. The processing time for the objects to be processed can be matched by the plurality of transport paths 15L and 15R.

Further, the pushing members 32 of the pusher 30 are opposed to the entrances 13 of the plurality of rows of transport paths 15L and 15R, respectively. The pushing member 32 is configured to collectively push the objects to be transported toward the plurality of rows of transport paths 15L and 15R. In the plurality of rows of transport paths 15L and 15R, objects can be transported at the same timing. The processing time for the objects to be processed can be matched by the plurality of transport paths 15L and 15R.

<Heater gas supply pipe>
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the firing furnace main body 10 includes a plurality of heaters 50, a plurality of gas supply pipes 60, and a plurality of exhaust ports 70 (see FIG. 1). The heater 50 is a device that heats the inside of the processing chamber 12. The objects to be processed stored in the containers Td stacked on the transport table 16 are heated in the processing chamber 12 heated by the heater 50 . The gas supply pipe 60 is a pipe that supplies atmospheric gas into the processing chamber 12 . In this embodiment, the atmospheric gas is oxygen. The exhaust port 70 is an opening for exhausting unnecessary reaction gas generated when the object to be processed is heat-treated from inside the processing chamber 12 to the outside. In this embodiment, the reaction gas is heated and moves upward within the processing chamber 12 . For this reason, the exhaust port 70 is provided on the upper wall 11U of the firing furnace main body 10.

The heater 50 and gas supply pipe 60 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4, and 6. The firing furnace main body 10 of this embodiment is provided with a plurality of rows of conveyance paths 15R and 15L that extend parallel to each other. The containers T containing the objects to be processed are stacked in the height direction, placed on the conveyance table 16, and conveyed along the respective conveyance paths 15R and 15L. In this case, it may be difficult to apply heat evenly to the objects to be processed accommodated in each container T of the stacked containers Td by heating only from the side of the processing chamber 12. Similarly, simply supplying the atmospheric gas from the side of the processing chamber 12 toward the stacked containers Td makes it difficult to make the concentration of the atmospheric gas in the processing chamber 12 uniform.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the continuous firing furnace 1 of this embodiment includes side heaters 50R, 50L and an intermediate heater 50C. The side heaters 50R, 50L are provided on the outside (side) of the transport paths 15L, 15R in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the plurality of rows of transport paths 15R, 15L. The intermediate heater 50C is provided between the plurality of rows of transport paths 15R and 15L. Therefore, the workpieces on the multiple rows of transport paths 15R, 15L receive not only the heat generated by the left and right side heaters 50R, 50L, but also the heat generated by the intermediate heater 50C between the multiple rows of transport paths 15R, 15L. The heat generated is also added. Therefore, heat is more likely to be applied evenly to the processing objects accommodated in the stacked containers Td that are transported on the plurality of rows of transport paths 15R and 15L.

Each heater 50 employs a tubular tube burner (radiant tube burner in this embodiment). Therefore, the heater 50 can be easily installed at an appropriate position. As an example, the heater 50 of this embodiment is a linearly extending tube burner. In this embodiment, linear radiant tubes are arranged in the processing chamber 12 in an area above the guides 40R, 40C, and 40L in plan view. For this reason, the heater 50 does not hit the stacked containers Td placed on the conveyance table 16 that are conveyed along the conveyance paths 15L and 15R. Moreover, the radiant tube of each heater 50 is attached so as to penetrate through the upper wall 11U of the firing furnace main body 10. The burner body of the heater 50 is attached to the base end of a radiant tube that penetrates the outside of the upper wall 11U of the firing furnace main body 10. According to such a heater 50, a radiant tube extends into the processing chamber 12, and gas is combusted within the radiant tube. The heat generated by the radiant tube spreads into the processing chamber 12 due to radiant heat.

In addition, when a tube burner is used as the heater 50, the shape of the tube burner is adjusted so that the heater 50 does not hit the stacked containers Td placed on the conveyance table 16 that are conveyed along the conveyance routes 15L and 15R. can be selected. From this point of view, the tube burner is preferably disposed in an area above the guides 40R, 40C, and 40L in plan view. The tube burner may have a shape other than a linear shape (for example, a U-shape, a W-shape, etc.).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the side heaters 50R, 50L and the intermediate heater 50C all extend in the vertical direction within the processing chamber 12. Therefore, even if the distance between the transport paths 15R and 15L is increased, each heater 50 can be easily placed at an appropriate position. In particular, by making the longitudinal direction of the intermediate heater 50C the vertical direction, a plurality of rows of conveyance paths can be formed while the intermediate heater 50C is fixed to at least one of the top wall 11U and the bottom wall 1B (the top wall 11U in this embodiment). Intermediate heater 50C can be appropriately placed between 15R and 15L. However, it is also possible to change the installation method of the heater 50. For example, the longitudinal direction of the side heaters 50R, 50L may be the front-rear direction of the continuous firing furnace 1 (the left-right direction in FIG. 1).

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the continuous firing furnace 1 of this embodiment includes gas supply pipes 60R, 60C, and 60L. The gas supply pipes 60R, 60L are provided outside (on the side) of the plurality of rows of transport paths 15R, 15L in a direction intersecting the transport direction. The gas supply pipe 60C is provided between the plurality of rows of transport paths 15R and 15L. As a result, the objects to be processed on the plurality of transport routes 15R, 15L are not only supplied with atmospheric gas from the left and right gas supply pipes 60R, 60L, but also gas is supplied between the plurality of transport routes 15R, 15L. Atmospheric gas supplied from the pipe 60C also spreads. Therefore, it is easy for the atmospheric gas to uniformly spread over a large amount of objects to be processed.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the gas supply pipe 60, heater 50, and guide 40C. FIG. 6 schematically shows the arrangement of the gas supply pipe 60, heater 50, and guide 40C. As shown in FIG. 6, each gas supply pipe 60 is provided with a plurality of gas supply holes 61 for supplying the atmospheric gas introduced into the pipe into the processing chamber 12. Atmospheric gas is appropriately supplied into the processing chamber 12 through each gas supply hole 61. Specifically, the gas supply pipe 60C between the plurality of rows of transport paths 15R and 15L has a gas supply hole 61 facing in the direction of the left transport path 15L (see FIGS. 1 and 2) (front left side in the paper in FIG. 4). and a gas supply hole (not shown) facing the right conveyance path 15R (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Therefore, the atmospheric gas is appropriately supplied from the gas supply pipe 60C between the two transport routes 15R, 15L in each direction of the two transport routes 15R, 15L. Note that the side gas supply pipes 60R, 60L are formed with gas supply holes facing at least the transport paths 15R, 15L (that is, the inside of the processing chamber 12).

As shown in FIG. 1, each gas supply pipe 60 extends vertically within the processing chamber 12. As shown in FIG. Therefore, when the distance between the transport routes 15R and 15L is long, the gas supply pipe 60 is preferably arranged at an appropriate interval with respect to the transport routes 15L and 15R. Since the gas supply pipe 60 extends in the vertical direction, it can be placed at an appropriate position with respect to the transport routes 15L and 15R. In particular, by making the longitudinal direction of the gas supply pipe 60C between the plurality of rows of transport paths 15R and 15L the vertical direction, gas is supplied to at least one of the top wall 11U and the bottom wall 1B (top wall 11U in this embodiment). With the pipe 60C fixed, the gas supply pipe 60C can be appropriately arranged between the plurality of rows of transport paths 15R and 15L. However, it is also possible to change the installation method of the gas supply pipe 60. For example, the longitudinal direction of the side gas supply pipes 60R, 60L may be the front-rear direction of the continuous firing furnace 1 (the left-right direction in FIG. 1). Further, instead of the side gas supply pipes 60R and 60L, a plurality of gas supply holes may be provided in each of the right side wall 11R and the left side wall 11L.

Below, the positional relationship between the intermediate heater 50C, the intermediate gas supply pipe 60C, and the intermediate guide 40C will be explained. However, the positional relationship described below is the same for the side heaters 50R, 50L, the side gas supply pipes 60R, 60L, and the side guides 40R, 40L. As shown in FIG. 6, the horizontal direction perpendicularly intersecting the transport direction (left-right direction in FIG. 6) is the restriction direction in which transport of the container T is restricted. Both ends of the intermediate heater 50C and the gas supply pipe 60C in the regulation direction are located between (in detail, inside) both ends of the guide 40C in the regulation direction.

In other words, the end of the intermediate heater 50C and the gas supply pipe 60C on the left conveyance path 15L (see FIGS. 1 and 4) side is the contact portion of the guide 40C that comes into contact with the conveyed object conveyed on the left conveyance path 15L. 41, it is located on the side farther away from the left conveyance path 15L. Similarly, of the intermediate heater 50C and the gas supply pipe 60C, the end on the right conveyance path 15R (see FIGS. 1 and 4) side is the contact portion of the guide 40C that comes into contact with the conveyed object conveyed on the right conveyance path 15R. (not shown) is located on the side farther away from the right conveyance path 15R.

In other words, the end portions of the heater 50 and the gas supply pipe 60 on the conveyance path side are located farther away from the conveyed object than the contact portions with the conveyed object in the guides 40R, 40C, and 40L. Therefore, even if the conveyance direction of the conveyed object (in this embodiment, the container T and the conveyance table 16) is disturbed, the conveyed object will not come into contact with the heater 50 and the gas supply pipe 60. Therefore, the possibility of damage to the heater 50 and the gas supply pipe 60 is reduced.

Here, electrode materials and solid electrolyte materials for power storage devices are exemplified as objects to be processed, but the object is not limited thereto. According to the continuous firing furnace 1 exemplified here, stable transportation of the transported object can be realized as appropriate. When firing powder materials, containers containing powder materials can be stably transported in a stacked state. Further, the inside of the processing chamber 12 of the firing furnace main body 10 can be constructed entirely of ceramic. In this case, it is possible to prevent metal foreign matter from entering the object to be processed. Furthermore, as described above, by providing the side heaters 50R, 50C, and 50L on the sides of the conveyance space of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R, temperature control of the conveyance area of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R where objects are conveyed is carried out. becomes easier. Furthermore, by providing the gas supply pipes 60R, 60C, and 60L on the sides of the transport space of the transport routes 15L and 15R, the concentration of the atmospheric gas in the transport area of the transport routes 15L and 15R where objects are transported can be managed. becomes easier. These configurations can be appropriately combined in the continuous firing furnace 1 and interact with each other to improve the functions of the continuous firing furnace 1.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the continuous firing method for powder material disclosed herein includes a step (201) of storing the powder material in a container T, and a step (201) of storing the powder material in a container T. A step of stacking the containers T (202), a step of placing the stacked containers Td on the carrier 16 (203), and transferring the carrier 16 on which the stacked containers Td are placed to a continuous firing furnace. 1, and a step (205) of pushing along the transport paths 15L and 15R prepared in 1. Here, the conveyance paths 15L and 15R prepared in the continuous firing furnace 1 have a plurality of free rollers 20 disposed intermittently at the bottom of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R, and a conveyance path 15L on both sides of the conveyance paths 15L and 15R. , 15R. The conveyor table 16 on which the stacked containers Td are mounted sequentially moves along the conveyor paths 15L, 15R defined by the guides 40R, 40C, 40L. According to such a continuous firing method for powder material, a large amount of powder material can be transported to the firing furnace as described above, and the powder material can be continuously processed.

Although detailed explanations have been given above with reference to specific embodiments, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the embodiments described above. Further, it is also possible to employ some of the plurality of techniques exemplified in the above embodiments to a continuous firing furnace.

1 Continuous firing furnace 10 Firing furnace main body 12 Processing chamber 13 Carrying inlet 14 Carrying out ports 15R, 15L Conveyance path 20 Free rollers 22R, 22L Rotation support members 24R, 24L Shutoff section 30 Pusher 31 Pushing device 32 Pushing members 40R, 40C, 40L Guide 41 Contact part 42 Roller insertion hole

Claims (14)

a firing furnace body having a processing chamber therein in which a processing atmosphere is formed for heat-treating the workpiece;
Equipped with a pusher,
The processing chamber includes:
loading entrance and
a conveyance path extending along a straight line from the loading entrance;
an exit provided at an end of the conveyance path opposite to the entrance;
The firing furnace main body is
A plurality of free rollers arranged in order at the bottom of the conveyance path along the conveyance path,
The pusher is
a pushing member provided outside the processing chamber on the loading entrance side of the transport route;
an extrusion device that extrudes the pushing member toward the conveyance path,
Each of the plurality of free rollers is
A cylindrical shaft member, and
A continuous firing furnace that traverses the bottom of the conveyance path along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance path. The continuous firing furnace according to claim 1, wherein both ends of the plurality of free rollers each pass through the processing chamber and are rotatably supported outside the processing chamber. 3. The continuous firing furnace according to claim 2, wherein each of the opposite ends of the plurality of free rollers is placed on at least two support rollers whose axial directions are aligned with the free rollers. The firing furnace main body is
further comprising a rotation support member that rotatably supports each of the plurality of free rollers,
The continuous firing furnace according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotation support member is provided outside the processing chamber. 5. The continuous firing furnace according to claim 1, wherein the firing furnace main body further includes guides provided on opposite sides of the conveyance path. The continuous firing furnace according to claim 5, wherein the guide has a roller insertion hole through which the free roller is inserted in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction. a firing furnace body having a processing chamber therein in which a processing atmosphere is formed for heat-treating the workpiece;
Equipped with a pusher,
The processing chamber includes:
loading entrance and
a conveyance path extending along a straight line from the loading entrance;
an exit provided at an end of the conveyance path opposite to the entrance;
The firing furnace main body is
A plurality of free rollers arranged in order at the bottom of the conveyance path along the conveyance path,
The pusher is
a pushing member provided outside the processing chamber on the loading entrance side of the transport route;
an extrusion device that extrudes the pushing member toward the conveyance path,
The firing furnace main body further includes guides provided on opposite sides with the conveyance path interposed therebetween,
In the continuous firing furnace, the guide has a roller insertion hole through which the free roller is inserted in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction of the conveyance path. The guide has a contact portion that contacts the conveyed object conveyed on the free roller along the conveyance path,
The continuous firing furnace according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the contact portion extends continuously in parallel to the conveyance direction. Inside the processing chamber, a space formed on the free roller in the conveyance path in which an object can be conveyed has a width w1 between the pair of guides disposed opposite to each other across the conveyance path. 9. The continuous firing furnace according to claim 5, wherein a ratio h1/w1 of the height h1 above the free roller satisfies h1/w1>1. The processing chamber includes a plurality of rows of transport paths extending parallel to each other,
Each of the plurality of free rollers is a seamless cylindrical shaft member, and traverses the plurality of rows of conveyance paths in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction.
A continuous firing furnace according to any one of claims 1 to 9. 11. The pushing members of the pusher are configured to respectively face the entrances of the plurality of rows of the transport paths, and to collectively push the objects to be transported toward the plurality of rows of the transport paths. Continuous firing furnace. The continuous firing furnace according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the free roller is made of a SiC-based material containing silicon carbide. a step of accommodating the powder material in a container;
Stacking a plurality of containers containing the powder material;
a step of placing the stacked containers on a conveyance table;
a step of pushing a conveyance table on which the stacked containers are placed along a conveyance path prepared in a continuous firing furnace,
Here, the conveyance path prepared for the continuous firing furnace is
A plurality of free rollers arranged intermittently at the bottom of the conveyance path,
Equipped with guides on both sides of the transport route to guide the transport platform pushed into the transport route,
Each of the plurality of free rollers is
A cylindrical shaft member, and
traverses the bottom of the conveyance path along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance path,
The conveyance table on which the stacked containers are placed moves in succession along a conveyance route defined by the guide,
Continuous firing method for powder materials. a step of accommodating the powder material in a container;
Stacking a plurality of containers containing the powder material;
a step of placing the stacked containers on a conveyance table;
a step of pushing a conveyance table on which the stacked containers are placed along a conveyance path prepared in a continuous firing furnace,
Here, the conveyance path prepared for the continuous firing furnace is
A plurality of free rollers arranged intermittently at the bottom of the conveyance path,
guides provided on opposite sides of the conveyance path to guide a conveyance table pushed into the conveyance path ;
The guide has a roller insertion hole through which the free roller is inserted in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction of the conveyance path,
The conveyance table on which the stacked containers are placed moves in succession along a conveyance route defined by the guide,
Continuous firing method for powder materials.

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