KR20070080807A - Heat treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A heat treatment apparatus which prevents gas from flowing from a first soaking zone in a transfer path to other zones of the transfer path, and maintains a high cleanliness in the entire transfer path is provided. In a heat treatment apparatus(10) which carries out a treatment including a first temperature increasing treatment, a first soaking treatment, a second temperature increasing treatment, a second soaking treatment, a slow cooling treatment and a cooling treatment on a treatment object transferred on a transfer path(5), and comprises first introduction pipes(7) that introduce clean air into a first temperature increasing zone(51) and a first soaking zone(52) for performing the first temperature increasing treatment and the first soaking treatment in the transfer path, and exhaust boxes(6) that exhaust air of the first temperature increasing zone and the first soaking zone to the outside, the heat treatment apparatus further comprises second introduction pipes(4) disposed in a zone except the first temperature increasing zone and the first soaking zone in the transfer path to introduce clean air.

Description

Heat treatment device {HEAT TREATMENT APPARATUS}

1 is a view showing the heat treatment contents in the heat treatment apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the heat treatment apparatus 10; And

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing the configuration of regions other than the first crack region in the transfer path 5 of the heat treatment apparatuses 10, 10 ', 10 "according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

2: feed roller 4: second introduction pipe

5: transfer path 6: exhaust box

7: 1st introduction pipe 11-14: Outer wall member

20: to-be-processed object 31-34: heat resistant glass

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus for performing heat treatment such as heat treatment, slow cooling treatment, and cooling treatment in an empty transfer path during a firing process for a workpiece such as a glass substrate for plasma display. will be.

In a predetermined process with respect to a to-be-processed object, such as a glass substrate for plasma displays, heat processing, such as heat processing, a slow cooling process, and a cooling process, is performed in the conveyance path | route which is empty inside. The heat treatment apparatus used for such a heat treatment surrounds the upper surface, the lower surface, and the four surfaces on both the left and right sides of the heat insulating material with an outer wall member to form a transport path in which the inside is empty. At least a part of the upper surface of the transfer path is arranged with a heater for heating the inside of the transfer path to a set temperature.

In the to-be-processed object, such as a glass substrate for plasma displays, various coating agents, such as an organic material, are apply | coated to the surface. The binder and the like contained in the coating agent may be gasified by heating or combustion. These gases dirty and damage the transport path, and upon cooling, they solidify with sublimation and adhere to the walls of the transport path. These sublimates reattach to the surface of the workpiece, causing defects in the workpiece. Therefore, the gas is sufficiently generated in the first cracking treatment.

In a conventional heat treatment apparatus, an exhaust box and a clean air inlet pipe are disposed in a first elevated temperature region in which a first elevated temperature treatment is performed and a first cracked region in which a first crack treatment is performed. . Clean air flows into the first heating zone and the first cracking zone from the inlet pipe, while gas is discharged from the exhaust box to the outside. The cleanliness of the first elevated temperature region and the first cracked region can be maintained in a high state, and the sublimation is prevented from adhering to the object to be treated in this region (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Patent Document 1: Patent No. 3655729

By arranging the exhaust box and the inlet pipe of the clean air, the cleanliness of the first elevated temperature zone and the first crack zone is maintained at a high state, but the second elevated temperature treatment, the second crack treatment, the slow cooling treatment and the cooling treatment in the transfer path are performed. There was a problem that can not increase the cleanliness of other areas. It is thought that the sublimation gas generated in the object to be processed by the flow of clean air flowing into the inlet pipe moves from the first temperature raising zone and the first cracking zone to another area before being completely sucked into the exhaust box.

For this reason, a sublimation adheres to a to-be-processed object in the area | regions other than a 1st temperature rising area and a 1st crack area | region in a conveyance path | route, and a to-be-processed object produces.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat treatment apparatus capable of maintaining high cleanliness throughout the transport path.

The heat treatment apparatus of the present invention is a heat treatment that sequentially performs a process including a first temperature increase treatment, a first crack treatment, a second temperature increase treatment, a second crack treatment, a slow cooling treatment, and a cooling treatment with respect to the workpiece being transported in the transfer path. An apparatus, comprising: a first introduction tube for introducing clean air into a first elevated temperature zone and a first cracked zone where a first elevated temperature treatment and a first cracked treatment are performed in a transport path; and air in the first elevated temperature zone and the first cracked zone In the heat treatment apparatus provided with the exhaust box which discharge | releases to the outside, the 2nd introduction tube is provided. The second inlet pipe introduces clean air into a region other than the first elevated temperature region and the first crack region in the transport path.

In this structure, clean air is introduce | transduced from a 2nd introduction pipe | tube into the area | regions other than a 1st temperature rising area and a 1st cracking area in a conveyance path | route.

The second introduction pipe may be arranged in plurality along the transport path. Even when the regions other than the first elevated temperature region and the first crack region are long, clean air is sufficiently introduced into these regions.

The second introduction pipe may introduce clean air downward toward the upper surface of the object to be processed. The clean air keeps the top surface of the workpiece clean.

The second inlet pipe may introduce clean air horizontally along a transport path above the upper surface of the workpiece. Clean air keeps the air on the upper surface of the workpiece clean.

The second introduction pipe is disposed in the longitudinal direction in the direction along the conveying path, on the outer side of both ends of the upper surface of the workpiece in a direction orthogonal to the conveying path above the upper surface of the workpiece. It is also possible to introduce clean air in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal and downward directions. The clean air keeps the air on the upper surface of the workpiece clean and simultaneously shields between both ends of the workpiece and the side of the transfer path in a direction orthogonal to the transfer path. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contamination of the workpiece and the temperature decrease of the workpiece due to the dust penetrating through the side openings and the like.

1 is a view showing the contents of the heat treatment in the heat treatment apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The heat treatment apparatus 10 transfers the object to be processed from one end to the other end of the transfer path in the furnace, and in the meantime, the first object is heated, the first cracked, the second is heated, the second cracked, slow cooling. The treatment and cooling treatment are executed in order.

In the first cracking treatment, the object to be treated is kept for 20 minutes in a state of being heated to 350 ° C to 400 ° C, for example. The second crack treatment is maintained for 30 minutes while the workpiece is heated to, for example, 600 ° C. Slow cooling treatment cools a to-be-processed object to 400 degreeC over 40 minutes, for example. The cooling treatment cools the heated object to room temperature, for example, over about 50 minutes.

In the first temperature raising treatment and the first cracking treatment, gas is generated in the coating agent applied to the workpiece by heating. This gas solidifies into a sublimate when cooled to a predetermined temperature. This sublimate adheres to the inner wall surface of the transfer path and the like, and reattaches to the workpiece to be transported during the subsequent heat treatment, causing defects in the workpiece.

2 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the heat treatment apparatus 10. The heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a first temperature raising region 51, a first cracking region 52, a second temperature raising region 53, a second cracking region 54, and a slow cooling region 55 along the transfer path 5. ) And a cooling zone 56 are formed. In the conveyance path 5, the some conveyance roller 2 is arrange | positioned so that it may rotate freely. The first temperature raising region 51, the first cracking region 52, the second temperature raising region 53, the second cracking region 54, the slow cooling region 55 and the cooling region 56 are each subjected to a first temperature raising process, The first cracking treatment, the second temperature raising treatment, the second cracking treatment, the slow cooling treatment and the cooling treatment are performed.

A plurality of exhaust boxes 6 and a plurality of first introduction pipes 7 are disposed along the transfer path in the first temperature raising region 51 and the first cracking region 52 above the position where the transfer roller 2 is disposed. have. The exhaust box 6 discharges the gas generated from the object to be treated by heating in the first cracking region to the outside. The exhaust box 6 penetrates the wall surface of the side surface of the conveyance path 5, and is connected to the ejector which is not shown in the right side surface of the heat processing apparatus 10. As shown in FIG.

The first inlet pipe 7 introduces clean air into the first elevated temperature region 51 and the first crack region 52. The first inlet tube 7 penetrates the wall surface on the right side of the conveying path 5 and is not shown on the right side of the heat treatment apparatus 10, for example, high pressure clean air, clean dry air, or blower. ) The blower is provided with a filter, purifies the outside air and flows into the first introduction pipe 7. It is also possible to supply clean air to the first introduction pipe 7 from a clean unit.

In the transfer path 5, the second elevated temperature region 53, the second crack region 54, the slow cooling region 55, and the cooling region, which are regions other than the first elevated temperature region 51 and the first crack region 52, are cooled. In the 56, the 2nd introduction pipe 4 is arrange | positioned above the feed roller 2. As shown in FIG. The second introduction pipe 4 introduces clean air into a region other than the first elevated temperature region 51 and the first cracked region 52. As an example, the some 2nd introduction pipe 4 is arrange | positioned along the conveyance path 5 with the direction orthogonal to the conveyance path 5 being a longitudinal direction.

FIG. 3A is a front sectional view showing the configuration of regions other than the first elevated temperature region 51 and the first crack region 52 in the transfer path 5 of the heat treatment apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. to be. The heat treatment apparatus 10 is equipped with the outer wall members 11-14, the conveying roller 2, the heat-resistant glass 31-34, and the 2nd introduction tube 4. As shown in FIG.

The outer wall members 11 to 14 are made of a heat insulating material, and surround the upper surface, the lower surface, and the left and right sides of the transport path through which the object 20 is transferred, respectively. At least the outer wall member 11 of the first elevated region 51, the first cracked region 52, the second elevated region 53, and the second cracked region 54 has a heater (not shown) on its inner side. ).

The heat resistant glass 31-34 is a dustproof member, and is arrange | positioned inside the outer wall members 11-14, respectively. The heat resistant glasses 31 to 34 prevent the dust separated from the outer wall member 1 from adhering to the workpiece 20.

The feed roller 2 has both ends of the through holes 13A and 14A of the outer wall member 13 and the outer wall member 14 and the through holes 33A and 34A of the heat resistant glass 33 and the other heat resistant glass 34. It penetrates and is supported to rotate freely by bearings 21 and 22 outside the brazier on both the left and right sides. The rotation of the transfer motor (not shown) is transmitted to the transfer roller 2 to transfer the workpiece 20 from the upper surface thereof.

The second introduction pipe 4 is disposed between the heat-resistant glass 31 and the transfer roller 2 in a region other than the first elevated temperature region 51 and the first crack region 52 in the transfer path 5. It is arrange | positioned making the direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction into a longitudinal direction. The second introduction pipe 4 is, for example, cylindrical and has a length longer than the width of the workpiece 20.

The second introduction pipes 4 respectively penetrate the right side wall of the transfer path 5 and are connected to a high pressure clean air, clean dry air, or blower, not shown on the right side of the heat treatment apparatus 10. It is. The blower is provided with a filter, and purifies external air and injects it into the second introduction pipe 4. It is also possible to supply clean air to the second inlet pipe 4 from a clean unit.

The second introduction pipe 4 introduces the clean air downward toward the upper surface of the workpiece 20 in the transfer path 5.

In areas other than the first elevated temperature zone 51 and the first cracked zone 52 of the transfer path 5, clean air is supplied to the upper surface of the workpiece 20 to be transferred on the transfer roller 2. As a result, the gas generated from the object 20 in the first temperature raising region 51 and the first cracking region 52 does not flow into regions other than the first temperature raising region 51 and the first cracking region 52. Thus, the surface of the workpiece 20 is not dirty and damaged by the sublimation of the gas.

By increasing or decreasing the arrangement | positioning number of the 2nd introduction pipe 4, it can respond to the change of the length of the conveyance path | route 5. As shown in FIG.

It is also preferable to introduce clean air in the horizontal direction from the second introduction pipe (4). Since clean air does not directly contact the surface of the workpiece 20, the temperature distribution of the workpiece 20 is kept fairly uniform.

The plurality of second introduction pipes 4 may be branched from one introduction pipe respectively inserted into the furnace along the transfer path 5 on the back (outlet) side of the heat treatment apparatus 10.

3B is a front sectional view showing the configuration of the heat treatment apparatus 10 'according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the heat treatment apparatus 10 ′ according to the present embodiment, for example, four second introduction pipes 41 are heat-resistant to regions other than the first elevated temperature region 51 and the first crack region 52 in the transfer path 5. It is arrange | positioned between the glass 31 and the conveying roller 2. Each of the second introduction pipes 41 may be cylindrical, for example.

Although not shown in the drawings, the second introduction pipe 41 may be inserted into the furnace along the transfer path 5 from the back (outlet) side of the heat treatment apparatus 10 as an example. The second introduction pipe 41 introduces clean air in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the transfer path 5. The second inlet pipe 41 is supplied with clean air from a blower equipped with a filter, a clean unit, a high pressure clean air, or a CDA, respectively.

In the regions other than the first temperature raising region 51 and the first cracking region 52 of the conveying path 5, clean air is filled above the upper surface of the workpiece 20 to be conveyed on the conveying roller 2. Since the gas generated from the workpiece 20 in the first temperature raising region 51 and the first cracking region 52 does not flow into a region other than the first temperature raising region 51 and the first cracking region 52, The upper surface of the treatment 20 is contaminated by the sublimation of the gas and is not damaged.

It is also preferable to introduce clean air in the horizontal direction from the second inlet pipe 41. Since clean air does not directly contact the surface of the workpiece 20, the temperature distribution of the workpiece 20 is kept fairly uniform.

3C is a front sectional view showing the configuration of the heat treatment apparatus 10 "according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the heat treatment apparatus 10" according to the present embodiment, the first temperature raising region 51 in the conveying path 5 is shown. ) And two second introduction pipes 42 are disposed between the heat-resistant glass 31 and the transfer roller 2 in regions other than the first crack region 52). The second introduction pipes 42 may each be cylindrical, for example.

The 2nd introduction pipe 42 is arrange | positioned outside the both ends of the to-be-processed object 20 in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance path 5, making the direction along the conveyance path 5 the longitudinal direction. The second introduction pipe 42 introduces the clean air to be directed in the horizontal direction and the downward direction perpendicular to the transfer path.

Although not shown in the drawings, the second introduction pipe 42 may be inserted into the furnace along the transfer path 5 from the back (outlet) side of the heat treatment apparatus 10 as an example. The second introduction pipes 42 are each supplied with clean air from a blower equipped with a filter, a clean unit, a high pressure clean air or a CDA.

The air on the upper surface of the object is kept in a clean state by the clean air introduced from the second inlet pipe 42.

The clean air introduced in the horizontal direction from the second introduction pipe 42 does not directly contact the upper surface of the workpiece 20 in the transfer path 5. Thus, the temperature distribution of the workpiece 20 is kept fairly uniform.

The clean air introduced downward from the second introduction pipe 42 shields between both ends of the workpiece 20 and the heat resistant glass 33 and 34 in a direction orthogonal to the transfer path 5. Accordingly, the dust penetrates through the through holes 13A and 14A of the outer wall member 14 and the outer wall member 14 and the through holes 33A and 34A of the heat resistant glass 33 and the heat resistant glass 34 opposite to the outer wall member 13. It is possible to prevent fouling of the workpiece and to lower the temperature of the workpiece.

The heat treatment apparatus 10 may include a plurality of feed paths 5, and a lifter may be disposed at the inlet and the outlet. By arranging the second introduction pipes 4, 41, or 42 in areas other than the first heating zone 51 and the first cracking zone 52 and the lifter in each of the plurality of feed paths 5, respectively. It is possible to prevent fouling of the workpiece 20 during the heat treatment and in the whole period during the transfer in the heat treatment apparatus following the heat treatment.

According to the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, the gas generated by heating in the first elevated temperature region and the first crack region by introducing clean air into the regions other than the first elevated region and the first crack region in the transport path, Is prevented from entering the other area and dust is prevented from entering from an opening or the like on the side of the transport path, so that the cleanliness can be kept high throughout the transport path.

Claims (5)

A process including a first temperature rising treatment, a first cracking treatment, a second temperature raising treatment, a second cracking treatment, a slow cooling treatment, and a cooling treatment is sequentially performed on the workpiece to be transferred in the transfer path, and the first step in the transfer path is performed. A first introduction pipe for introducing clean air into the first temperature rising zone and the first cracking zone where the temperature raising treatment and the first cracking treatment are performed, and an exhaust box for discharging air from the first temperature rising zone and the first cracking zone to the outside. In the heat treatment apparatus provided with, And a second introduction tube for introducing clean air into a region other than the first elevated temperature region and the first crack region in the transfer path. The method of claim 1, The second introduction pipe is a plurality of heat treatment apparatus, characterized in that arranged along the conveyance path. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the second introduction pipe introduces clean air downward toward the upper surface of the object. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the second inlet pipe introduces clean air horizontally along a transport path above the upper surface of the workpiece. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The second introduction pipe is disposed in the longitudinal direction in the direction along the conveying path, on the outer side of both ends of the upper surface of the workpiece in a direction orthogonal to the conveying path above the upper surface of the workpiece. A heat treatment apparatus characterized by introducing clean air in a direction perpendicular to a horizontal direction and a downward direction.

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