WO2020050107A1

WO2020050107A1 - Heating apparatus and program

Info

Publication number: WO2020050107A1
Application number: PCT/JP2019/033602
Authority: WO
Inventors: 保徳塚原; 保高元; 達弥小林; 隆平金城
Original assignee: マイクロ波化学株式会社
Priority date: 2018-09-03
Filing date: 2019-08-28
Publication date: 2020-03-12
Also published as: TW202015485A; JP7465548B2; JPWO2020050107A1

Abstract

Provided is a heating apparatus that can appropriately heat a heating target. A heating apparatus which heats a heating target (60) by irradiating the heating target (60) with microwaves by one or two or more microwave irradiating means (401) comprises: a detection means (20) which detects a heating target portion to be heated intensively, by using information indicating the state of the heating target (60); and an irradiation state changing means (40) which changes the irradiation state of the microwave such that the heating target portion detected by the detection means (20) is intensively heated. Thus, the heating target portion detected by the detection means (20) can be intensively heated dynamically and in real time.

Description

Heating device and program

(4) The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing heating using microwaves.

(4) As a conventional technique, a heating device or the like that performs a heat treatment or the like by irradiating a reaction substance with microwaves has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP-T-2006-516008 (Page 1, FIG. 1, etc.)

However, in the related art, it was not possible to heat the object to be heated (hereinafter, the object to be heated) using a microwave so as to have an appropriate temperature distribution. For example, in the related art, the temperature of a part of the surface of the target area of the object to be heated is detected as a sample, and the entire microwave output is controlled so that the temperature becomes a desired temperature. There has been a problem that it is not possible to cope with a case where there is temperature unevenness in the region or a case where a specific region is to be intensively heated.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and has as its object to provide a heating device or the like that can appropriately heat an object to be heated using microwaves. More specifically, a heating device capable of selectively heating a portion that is insufficiently heated based on the temperature distribution of an object to be heated, or a concentrated heating of a portion to be heated according to the state thereof, and the like. The purpose is to provide.

The heating device of the present invention is a heating device that heats an object to be heated by irradiating the object with microwaves by one or more microwave irradiating means, and information indicating a state of the object to be heated. A detecting means for detecting a heating target portion to be heated intensively, and an irradiation state changing means for changing an irradiation state of the microwave so that the heating target portion detected by the detecting means is intensively heated. And a heating device.

With this configuration, since the heating target portion detected by the detection unit can be concentratedly heated by the microwave, the heating target can be heated to a desired state dynamically and in real time, and the microwave heating can be efficiently performed without waste. Can be performed.

Further, the heating device includes two or more microwave irradiation means, and the irradiation state changing means controls the phase by the irradiation state changing means so that the heating target portion detected by the detection means is concentratedly heated. The waves may be irradiated from two or more microwave irradiation means.

構成 With such a configuration, the heating target portion can be intensively heated dynamically and in real time by the microwave whose phase is controlled.

Further, in the heating device, the one or more microwave irradiating means irradiates microwaves having two or more different frequencies, and the irradiation state changing means includes a means for intensively heating the portion to be heated detected by the detecting means. The microwave irradiating means may irradiate the microwaves of each frequency so that the intensity distribution of the microwaves as described above is obtained.

With this configuration, it is possible to dynamically and in real time intensively heat the portion to be heated by changing the frequency to change the portion having a high microwave intensity.

Further, the heating device includes two or more microwave irradiation units, and the irradiation state changing unit includes a microwave irradiation unit that irradiates each of the microwave irradiation units so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is concentratedly heated. May be changed.

構成 With this configuration, the output of the microwave irradiation means can be changed, and the heating target portion can be concentratedly heated dynamically and in real time.

Further, in the heating device, the irradiation state changing unit includes an arrangement changing unit that changes an arrangement of an emitting unit that emits microwaves of the microwave irradiating unit, and the arrangement changing unit includes a heating target detected by the detecting unit. You may make it change the arrangement | positioning of the emission part of one or more microwave irradiation means so that a part may be concentratedly heated.

With this configuration, by changing the arrangement of the emission unit and irradiating the microwave to the heating target portion, the heating target portion of the microwave irradiating unit can be concentratedly heated dynamically and in real time.

Further, in the heating device, the irradiation state changing means is configured to irradiate the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the heating target portion detected by the detection means is concentratedly heated from two or more microwave irradiation means, and to detect the irradiation. Irradiation of microwaves of each frequency from microwave irradiating means for irradiating microwaves of two or more different frequencies in order to make the intensity distribution of microwaves such that concentrated heating target parts are concentratedly heated, detection means detects Irradiation of the microwaves whose output has been changed from two or more microwave irradiation means, and microwaves of the microwave irradiation means provided in the irradiation state changing means, so that the heated portion to be heated is concentratedly heated. The arrangement of the emission unit is changed by an arrangement change unit that changes the arrangement of the emission unit that emits the light so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is concentratedly heated. Dividing the microwave irradiation, it may be to perform the irradiation of the at least two microwave selected from the group consisting of.

により With such a configuration, the heating target portion can be intensively heated dynamically and in real time.

In the heating device, the detection unit may detect the heating target portion along at least two directions that are not parallel to each other.

構成 With this configuration, the heating target portion detected two-dimensionally and further three-dimensionally of the heating target object can be concentratedly heated, and the heating target object can be appropriately heated using microwaves. For example, if detection is performed along three directions that are not parallel to each other, even if there is a heating target portion inside the heating target, such as the center, the portion can be appropriately heated.

In the heating device, the detecting means may include one or more of an X-ray sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a moisture sensor, and a color sensor.

With this configuration, it is possible to centrally heat the heating target portion detected according to the temperature including the temperature distribution inside the heating target, any one of pressure, moisture, and color, or a combination of two or more of these. .

The heating device may further include a conveying unit that conveys the object to be heated, and the detecting unit may detect the portion to be heated linearly in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the object to be heated, and may include an irradiation unit. Is located downstream of the detecting means in the conveying direction of the object to be heated, and is capable of irradiating a microwave so as to heat the portion to be heated in a concentrated manner. When a portion is transported to a position where microwaves can be irradiated, microwaves may be irradiated so as to perform concentrated heating.

With this configuration, the moving object to be heated can be scanned using a line sensor or the like to detect the portion to be heated, and concentrated heating can be performed on the downstream side. Thereby, the detecting means can be simplified and downsized.

Further, in the heating device, two or more predetermined areas and information for controlling one or two or more microwave irradiation means for centrally heating the respective areas are stored in association with each other. The apparatus further includes an irradiation management information storage unit, and the irradiation state changing unit controls the microwave irradiation unit associated with the region where the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is located among the two or more predetermined regions. The microwave irradiating means may be configured to irradiate the microwave to intensively heat the region where the portion to be heated is located, using information for performing the heating.

With such a configuration, when the heating target portion is located in a region in which concentrated heating can be performed using one or two or more microwave irradiation units in advance, the concentrated heating region is concentratedly heated, so that the heating target portion is concentratedly heated. Can be.

According to the present invention, the object to be heated can be appropriately heated.

Block diagram (FIG. 1A) and perspective view (FIG. 1B) of the heating device according to the first embodiment. Sectional view of the heating device (FIGS. 2A and 2B) Schematic plan view inside the container of the heating device (FIGS. 3A to 3D) Flow chart for explaining the operation of the heating device The figure which shows the irradiation management information of the same heating device The figure which shows the irradiation control table of the same heating apparatus (FIG. 5 (a), FIG. 5 (b)). FIGS. 7A to 7D are schematic plan views of the inside of a container for explaining a modification of the heating device. Block diagram (FIG. 8A) and perspective view (FIG. 8B) of the heating device according to the second embodiment. Sectional view of the heating device (FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b)) The figure which shows the irradiation management information of the same heating device A perspective view (FIG. 11 (a)) and a schematic plan view (FIGS. 11 (b) to 11 (c)) of the inside of the container of the heating device. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a model used in a simulation test related to the heating device of the first embodiment. Diagrams showing the results of a simulation test related to the heating device (FIGS. 13A to 13C) FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an external appearance of a computer system according to each embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the structure of the same computer system Block diagram (FIG. 16A) and perspective view (FIG. 16B) of a modification of the heating device according to the second embodiment. Sectional schematic view for explaining the modification (FIGS. 17A and 17B) Block diagram (FIG. 18A) and perspective view (FIG. 18B) of the heating device according to the third embodiment. Block diagram (FIG. 19A) and perspective view (FIG. 19B) of Modification 1 of the heating device. A perspective view of a second modification of the heating apparatus (FIG. 20A) and a schematic view of the object to be heated as viewed from above (FIG. 20B). Block diagram of heating device in Embodiment 4 (FIG. 21A) and perspective view (FIG. 21B) Block diagram (FIG. 22 (a)), partially cutaway plan view (FIG. 22 (b)), and cross-sectional view (FIG. 22 (c)) of the heating device according to the fifth embodiment. Schematic plan views for explaining the operation of the heating device (FIGS. 23A to 23D). Block diagram (FIG. 24 (a)), partially cutaway plan view (FIG. 24 (b)), and partially cutaway side view (FIG. 22 (c)) of the heating device according to the sixth embodiment. Schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the heating device (FIGS. 25A to 25D) Block diagram (FIG. 26 (a)) and perspective view (FIG. 26 (b)) of the heating device of the seventh embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the heating device and the like will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that components denoted by the same reference numerals in the embodiments perform the same operation, and thus the description thereof may not be repeated.

(Embodiment 1)
Fig. 1 is a block diagram (Fig. 1 (a)) showing the function of the heating device according to the present embodiment, and a perspective view (Fig. 1 (b)) showing the appearance and the like. 2) is a sectional view taken along the line IIa-IIa (FIG. 2 (a)) and a sectional view taken along the line IIb-IIb (FIG. 2 (b)).

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view (FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b)) of the heating device 1 according to the present embodiment, illustrating the vicinity of a heating target 60 in the container 10 as viewed from the front side. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view (FIGS. 3 (c) and 3 (d)) as viewed from the back side.

The heating device 1 includes the container 10, the detection unit 20, three microwave irradiation units 401, the irradiation state changing unit 40, and the belt conveyor 50.

The heating device 1 is a device for heating one or more heating objects 60. The heating target 60 may be, for example, a solid, a liquid, or a gas. The heating target 60 may be, for example, wood, paper, pulp, synthetic resin, rubber, glass, carbon, ceramics, a bundle of hollow fiber membranes, fibers, or the like. Further, the heating target 60 may be a material or the like used for manufacturing a separator, a capacitor, or the like, may be a material or the like used for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, or may be a pressed yeast or the like. Is also good. The heating target 60 may be, for example, a water-containing porous substance or a water-containing substance such as a water-containing polymer (for example, a hygroscopic resin, a water-absorbing resin, or the like). The hydrated polymer here may be a hydrated polymer particle group. The polymer here may be any polymer. It should be noted that evaporating and removing a liquid such as water or an organic solvent in the object to be heated 60 may be considered as one mode of heating. The heating here may be considered as drying by heating. Note that the heating target 60 is not limited to the above. The shape of the heating target 60 may be a sheet shape, a plate shape, a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a spherical shape, or a cylindrical shape. The thickness or the like of the sheet-like or plate-like heating target 60 does not matter. The heating object 60 may have a constant thickness, or may not have a constant thickness. The sheet-like or plate-like heating target 60 may have irregularities on the front surface or the back surface, or may have holes or the like. The heating target 60 may have a rod shape, a fiber shape, a pellet shape, or a granular shape. The heating target 60 may be, for example, an irregularly shaped substance. The heating target 60 may be in a gel state or may have fluidity. Further, the heating target 60 may be a powder. Note that the heating target 60 is not limited to the above. Further, the shape and the like of the heating target 60 are not limited to those described above. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the case where the heating target 60 is a plate-shaped hydrated substance having a longitudinal direction will be described as an example.

The container 10 is made of a material having microwave reflectivity. The container 10 is made of, for example, a metal such as stainless steel. The thickness of the outer wall and the like of the container 10 does not matter. Here, the case where the container 10 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape in which the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 50 described later is the longitudinal direction will be described as an example. A direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the container 10 when viewed from above is hereinafter referred to as a width direction, but may be referred to as a lateral direction. The inside of the container 10 is hollow, and is used as a heating chamber for heating the object 60 to be heated. Here, the case where the inside of the container 10 is not partitioned will be described, but the inside of the container 10 may be partitioned into a plurality of rooms by a partition (not shown) or the like. The outer wall and the like of the container 10 may have a structure in which microwaves applied to the inside are reflected into the container. For example, a layer made of a material having microwave reflectivity, It may have a structure in which layers of materials having the same are laminated. The material and shape of the container are not limited to the above.

The container 10 has an inlet 101 which is an opening for putting the heating object 60 into the inside of the container 10, and an outlet 102 which is an opening for taking the heating object 60 out of the container 10. I have. Here, as an example, a case in which an inlet 101 is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the container 10 and an outlet 102 is provided at the other end will be described. Here, a case where the heating target 60 is conveyed by the belt conveyor 50, moves from the inlet 101 into the container 10, moves inside the container 10, and moves from the outlet 102 to the outside of the container 10 will be described. The inlet 101 and the outlet 102 are preferably provided with a structure for preventing the microwave irradiated into the container 10 from leaking outside. For example, a choke structure or the like that prevents the passage of microwave power in a non-contact manner using the property of the wavelength of the microwave may be provided at the inlet 101 and the outlet 102. Note that at least one of the inlet 101 and the outlet 102 may be omitted. At least one of the inlet and the outlet may be provided with a lid (not shown) or the like.

The belt conveyor 50 is a transport unit that transports the heating target 60. Here, the belt conveyor 50 has a belt 501 made of mesh. The belt 501 is arranged to move from the outside of the container 10 to the inside of the container 10 via the inlet 101, and from the inside of the container 10 to the outside of the container 10 via the outlet 102. The heating target 60 is placed on the belt 501 and conveyed by the belt conveyor 50, moves from the inlet 101 into the container 10, moves inside the container 10, and moves from the outlet 102 to outside the container 10. Here, a case where the plate-shaped heating object 60 is transported in the longitudinal direction of the container 10 will be described. The direction perpendicular to the moving direction (conveying direction) of the plate-shaped heating object 60 when viewed from above is referred to as the width direction. The longitudinal direction of the heating target 60 coincides with the moving direction. The upper surface of the heating target 60 is called a front surface 61a, and the lower surface of the heating target 60 is called a back surface 61b. This is the same even when the shape of the heating target 60 is not plate-shaped. The front surface 61a and the back surface 61b of the heating target 60 may be simply referred to as a flat surface. Further, a two-dimensional direction in this plane, a two-dimensional direction in a plane parallel to a plane on which the heating target 60 is placed, and a two-dimensional direction in a plane parallel to a horizontal plane may be referred to as a plane direction. is there. The two-dimensional direction is, for example, a direction expressed by a combination of two directions that are not parallel to each other or a combination of two directions that are orthogonal to each other. The three-dimensional direction is, for example, a direction represented by a combination of three directions that are not on the same plane and are not parallel to each other, or a direction represented by a combination of three directions that are orthogonal to each other. For example, the plane direction is, for example, a direction represented by a combination of the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the heating target 60. The position in the plane direction is, for example, a position represented by a combination of a position in the longitudinal direction and a position in the width direction of the heating target 60. Here, a case will be described in which the belt 501 is arranged to move substantially horizontally in the container 10. Thereby, the heating target 60 moves substantially horizontally in the container 10. However, the moving direction and moving path of the belt 501 are not limited. 1 and 2, an arrow 505 indicates a moving direction of the belt 501 and the heating target 60.

In addition, the moving direction of the heating target 60 is not limited to the longitudinal direction of the container 10 or the longitudinal direction of the heating target, and the heating target 60 and the container 10 may have a shape having no longitudinal direction. May be provided. In such a case, the longitudinal direction of the container 10 and the moving direction of the heating object 60 are orthogonal to the first direction in the plane direction, and the width direction of the container 10 and the width direction of the heating object 60 are orthogonal to the first direction. The second direction, the height direction of the container 10 and the object to be heated 60 may be read as a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

The material of the mesh belt 501 is usually a metal such as stainless steel, but the material is not limited to this. For example, the mesh belt 501 may be made of resin. It is preferable to use a mesh belt 501 as the belt conveyor 50, but the belt 501 is not limited to a mesh belt.

Here, the belt conveyor 50 continuously moves the belt 501 at a constant speed, and moves the heating target 60 placed on the belt 501 so as to continuously pass through the container 10 at a constant speed. The case will be described as an example.

In the drawings, the configuration of the belt conveyor 50 other than the belt 501, for example, pulleys for moving the belt 501, rollers, driving means such as a motor for driving the belt 501, and the like are omitted.

Here, a case will be described in which a belt conveyor is used as a transporting unit for the heating target 60. However, the transporting unit may be a belt conveyor if the heating target 60 can be transported in the container 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a roller conveyor that moves the object 60 to be heated by a plurality of rollers. In addition, a transport unit that transports the heating target 60 placed on a porous plate, a tray (not shown), or the like may be used. Further, as the belt conveyor 50, a plurality of belt conveyors or the like that can deliver and convey the object to be heated may be used.

The transporting means is not limited to the one that continuously transports the heating target 60 at a constant speed. For example, the transporting means may be a means for performing a combination of transporting and stopping the heating target 60. In other words, the transporting means may perform the transporting discontinuously. Further, the transfer speed of the transfer means may be variable.

When the detecting means 20 described later detects the temperature on the lower surface side of the heating object 60 with a non-contact sensor or the like, a portion of the conveying means such as a belt or a roller on which the heating object is placed is a heating object. It is preferable that at least a part of the back surface 61b placed on the object transporting device has a shape or structure that is exposed when viewed from below, to the extent that a temperature can be detected by a sensor. For example, it is preferable that a portion of the transporting unit on which the heating target 60 is placed has one or more openings.

The detecting means 20 detects one or more portions to be heated intensively according to the information indicating the state of the heating target 60. Hereinafter, the portion of the heating target 60 to be concentratedly heated is referred to as a heating target portion. The heating target portion is, for example, a portion of the heating target 60 to be heated. The heating target portion of the heating target 60 is, for example, a portion of the heating target 60 to which concentrated heating is desired. The portion of the heating target 60 to which concentrated heating is to be performed may be, for example, a portion that requires heating or a portion that is insufficiently heated. The portion here may be considered as a region. A portion where heating is insufficient may be considered as a linear region or a point-like region. The detection unit 20 detects, for example, a heating target 60 arranged in the container 10 and a heating target portion of the heating target 60 moving in the container 10. The detection unit 20 detects, for example, a heating target portion of the heating target 60 arranged on the belt 501. The meaning of “concentrated heating” will be described later.

The detection unit 20 detects a heating target portion in the two-dimensional direction or the three-dimensional direction of the heating target 60, for example. The detection unit 20 detects, for example, a heating target portion in at least one of the planar direction and the height direction of the heating target 60. The plane direction may be considered as a horizontal direction, for example. The detection unit 20 detects a portion to be heated in, for example, a plane direction or a combination of the plane direction and the height direction of the object 60 to be heated. Detecting the heating target portion in the plane direction of the heating target 60 means, for example, detecting the heating target portion so that the position of the heating target portion in the planar direction can be specified. To detect the heating target portion in the height direction of the heating target object 60 means, for example, to detect the heating target portion so that the position of the heating target portion in the height direction can be specified. Similarly, detecting the heating target portion in the combination of the planar direction and the height direction of the heating target 60 means that, for example, the position of the heating target portion in the combination of the planar direction and the height direction can be specified. That is, to detect the portion to be heated.

To detect the heating target portion in the planar direction of the heating target 60 means, for example, to detect the position of the heating target portion that can be represented by a combination of the position in the width direction and the position in the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60. That is. Detecting the portion to be heated in the plane direction may be, for example, detecting the position of the portion to be heated in the horizontal direction. When the heating target portion is represented by a region, the position of the heating target portion may be considered as the position of the region of the heating target portion. The same applies to the following. Detecting the portion to be heated in the plane direction includes, for example, detecting a position indicating the portion to be heated in the surface 61a or the back surface 61b of the object to be heated 60 or in a plane where the object to be heated 60 is projected on a horizontal plane or the like. It may be.

If the position of the heating target portion in the planar direction can be specified, detecting the heating target portion in the planar direction of the heating target 60 is performed by detecting the heating target portion in the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60. Alternatively, detection of a heating target portion in the width direction of the heating target 60 may be performed. For example, in a case where the heating target 60 is a stripe or a thread having a sufficiently narrow width within a range where selective concentrated heating is possible, a heating target portion is detected in the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60. This may be considered as detecting the heating target portion in the plane direction of the heating target 60. For example, when the heating target 60 is continuously moving in the longitudinal direction at a constant speed, the position of the heating target portion in the longitudinal direction can be specified by the moving time since the detection of the heating target portion. Detecting the heating target portion in the width direction of the heating target 60 may be considered as detecting the heating target in the planar direction of the heating target 60.

The height direction of the heating target 60 is, for example, a direction perpendicular to the front surface 61a, the back surface 61b of the heating target 60, the surface on which the heating target 60 is placed, or the like. The height direction may be considered as the depth direction or the vertical direction of the heating target 60. To detect the heating target portion in the height direction of the heating target object 60 means, for example, to detect the heating target portion so that the position of the heating target portion in the height direction can be specified. To detect the heating target portion in the height direction of the heating target 60 means, for example, that the position of the heating target portion in the depth direction from a reference height position such as the front surface or the back surface of the heating target 60 or It is to detect the position in the height direction. To detect the portion to be heated in the height direction may be to detect the position of the object to be heated in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, as an example, a case will be described in which the heating target portions are detected at different depths by detecting the heating target portions on the front surface 61a side and the rear surface 61b side of the heating target object 60. When the detection unit 20 detects the heating target portion only in the plane direction of the heating target 60, the detection unit 20 may be, for example, the front surface 61a side and the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60 arranged in the container 10. The heating target portion may be detected for only one of them.

In the present embodiment, for the heating target 60 carried into the container 10 by the belt conveyor 50, the detection unit 20 detects the heating target 60 in the width direction on the front surface 61a side and the width direction on the back surface 61b side. The case of sequentially detecting the portion to be heated will be described.

The detection unit 20 acquires, for example, information indicating the state of the object 60 to be heated, and detects the portion to be heated using the acquired information. The information indicating the state of the heating target 60 is, for example, information that changes depending on the state of the heating target 60. The information indicating the state of the heating target 60 is, for example, different information depending on whether the state of the heating target 60 is a state requiring heating such as insufficient heating and a state not requiring heating. It is. The information indicating the state of the heating target is, for example, one or more of temperature, pressure, moisture content, and color information of the heating target. The information indicating the state of the heating target acquired by the detection unit 20 may be, for example, information indicating the state of the heating target acquired for one or a plurality of different portions of the heating target 60. For example, the information indicating the state of the heating target obtained by the detection unit 20 may be one or more of a temperature distribution, a pressure distribution, a water content distribution, and a color distribution of the heating target 60. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, a case will be described in which the information indicating the state of the heating target 60 acquired by the detection unit 20 is a temperature.

The detection unit 20 detects, for example, a portion having a low temperature in at least one of the planar direction and the height direction of the heating target 60, and detects a detected portion having a low temperature as a heating target portion. The detected portion having a low temperature may be, for example, a portion requiring heating or a portion having insufficient heating. The portion having a low temperature may be, for example, a portion in which the temperature is lower than a predetermined threshold, and the temperature may be lower than the average value of other portions of the heating target 60 or a plurality of portions of the heating target 60. May be low or a temperature may be lower than the threshold.

Note that the detection unit 20 normally detects one or more portions of one heating target 60 as a heating target portion, but detects one or more heating targets of the heating target 60 including a plurality of objects. (For example, an object that needs to be heated or an object that is insufficiently heated) may be detected as a portion to be heated, or may not be detected. For example, the heating target portion of the heating target 60 may be one or more portions of one heating target 60 such as a rectangular parallelepiped heating target 60. In addition, the heating target portion of the heating target 60 may be, for example, one or more objects of the heating target 60 composed of a plurality of objects such as pellets and solids, such as powder and gel. May be a part of the object 60 to be heated.

Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the detection unit 20 has a first sensor 201a and a second sensor 201b, and a detection processing unit 202, and uses these to determine the state of the heating target. A case where the heating target portion of the heating target 60 is detected from the information shown will be described. When the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b are not distinguished, they may be simply referred to as the sensor 201. However, the detecting means 20 is not limited to such a configuration.

The first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b are sensors used to detect a heating target portion of the heating target 60. The first sensor 201a is a sensor for acquiring the temperature distribution on the front surface 61a side of the heating target 60, and the second sensor 201b is a sensor for acquiring the temperature distribution on the rear surface 61b side of the heating target 60. The first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b are, for example, sensors such as a radiation thermometer that acquires a temperature distribution in a non-contact manner. The radiation thermometer receives, for example, infrared rays radiated from an object by a detection element and acquires a temperature distribution. The radiation thermometer may be an image analysis type non-contact temperature sensor. In FIGS. 1 and 2, an arrow 110 schematically indicates infrared rays received by the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b.

In the present embodiment, a description will be given of a case where the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b are provided at a position closer to the inlet 101 than the outlet 102 at the upper and lower portions in the container 10.

The first sensor 201a is a sensor in which a region where a temperature distribution can be detected (hereinafter, referred to as a first detection region 205a) is a stripe-shaped region. The shape of the first detection area 205a is, for example, a linear shape whose width direction is the longitudinal direction. The shape of the first detection area 205a may be considered, for example, as a linear area one-dimensionally arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the heating target 60. In the first sensor 201a, for example, the first detection region 205a is located on the surface 61a of the heating target 60 placed on the belt 501, and its longitudinal direction is the same as the width direction of the heating target 60. So that it is attached to the container 10. Thereby, the detecting unit 20 can acquire the temperature distribution in the width direction of the heating target 60 and detect the heating target portion in the width direction. Here, the width direction is a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the heating target 60. For example, the detection unit 20 can detect the heating target portion in a one-dimensional linear manner in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the heating target 60. The first sensor 201a is mounted above the container 10 such that, for example, a portion (not shown) for detecting temperature faces the surface 61a of the rectangular parallelepiped heating object 60. Note that the first sensor 201a may be a sensor that scans the above-mentioned stripe-shaped area to obtain a temperature distribution. It is preferable that the first sensor 201a is attached so that, for example, the first detection region 205a in a stripe shape crosses the entire heating target 60 in the width direction. Hereinafter, the width direction of the belt 501 and the width direction of the rectangular parallelepiped heating object 60 may be simply referred to as the width direction.

The second sensor 201b has a portion (not shown) for detecting a temperature, which is attached below the container 10 so as to face the back surface 61b of the object 60 to be heated, and is capable of detecting a temperature distribution (hereinafter referred to as a second region). Is the same as the first sensor 201a except that the detection region 205b) is located on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60, and therefore detailed description is omitted here.

The temperature distribution of the second detection area 205b is obtained by using a belt having an opening such as a mesh belt 501 between the back surface 61b of the heating target 60 and the second sensor 201b. can do. Further, even if a plurality of rollers (not shown) exist between the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60 and the second sensor 201b, a portion where there is no roller between the rollers is the second detection. By providing the second sensor 201b to be in the region 205b, the temperature distribution of the second detection region 205b can be obtained.

In the present embodiment, a case will be described where the positions of the first detection region 205a and the second detection region 205b in the moving direction of the heating target 60 match, but they do not have to match. When the first detection area 205a and the second detection area 205b are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as a detection area 205. The detection area 205 may be considered as an observation field.

The width of the striped first detection region 205a and the striped second detection region 205b, that is, the length of the first detection region 205a and the second detection region 205b in the moving direction of the heating target 60 does not matter. Are preferably the same.

The first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b acquire the temperature distribution of the heating target 60 carried in from the entrance 101 by the belt conveyor 50. For example, when the heating object 60 is continuously moving in the longitudinal direction in the container 10 by the belt conveyor 50, the first sensor 201a performs heating when passing through the stripe-shaped first detection area 205a. The temperature distribution on the front surface 61a side of the object 60 is acquired, and the second sensor 201b acquires the temperature distribution on the back surface 61b side of the heating object 60 when passing through the second detection region 205b in a stripe shape. For example, the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b may sequentially acquire the temperature distribution of the heating target 60 passing through the detection region 205 at predetermined time intervals. This time is, for example, the time required for an arbitrary point of the heating target 60 to pass through the detection area 205. The first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b, for example, sequentially acquire the temperature distribution of the heating target 60 passing through the detection region 205, and as a result, have passed the detection region 205 of the heating target 60. With respect to the portion, the temperature distribution in the plane direction on the front surface 61a side and the temperature distribution in the plane direction on the back surface 61b side can be obtained. For example, when the temperature distribution in the plane direction on the front surface 61a side and the temperature distribution in the plane direction on the back surface 61b side are considered to be temperature distributions in the plane direction at different depths, the detection unit 20 determines the temperature distribution of the heating target 60. As a result, it may be considered that a temperature distribution can be obtained for a combination of the plane direction and the height direction for a portion that has passed through the detection region 205. In addition, the position (for example, coordinates) in the width direction of the heating target 60 in the temperature distribution acquired by the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b, and the position in the first detection area 205a and the second detection area 205b. It is preferable that the positional relationship with the position (for example, coordinates) of the heating target 60 in the width direction is associated in advance.

Further, the number of points for detecting the temperature and the resolution at the time of acquiring the temperature distribution in the width direction of the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b are not limited.

The sensor 201 does not have to be a sensor in which the detection region 205 extends in a stripe shape in the width direction. In addition, at least one of the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b may be, for example, a sensor that can scan a detection region capable of detecting a temperature distribution in the width direction of the heating target 60. Further, at least one of the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b is, for example, a plurality of temperature sensors capable of measuring the temperature of a spot-shaped area in a non-contact manner. May be provided so as to be arranged in the width direction. The sensor 201 is preferably a sensor capable of acquiring a temperature distribution in a non-contact manner, but may be a contact sensor as long as the temperature distribution can be acquired. For example, the sensor 201 may be provided with a plurality of temperature sensors that measure the temperature by contacting the object to be heated 60 so that the portions for measuring the temperature are arranged in the width direction. In addition, the sensor 201 has a plurality of contact-type temperature sensors such that a portion for measuring temperature has the same position in the moving direction of the heating target 60 and a different combination of the depth and the position in the width direction. It may be provided. However, when a plurality of temperature sensors that come into contact with the object to be heated are used, it is preferable to use a sensor that can transmit information indicating the temperature measured by wireless communication or the like to the detection processing unit 202 or the like.

The detection processing unit 202 detects a heating target portion in the first detection area 205a on the surface 61a side of the heating target 60 from the temperature distribution acquired by the first sensor 201a. For example, from the temperature distribution acquired by the first sensor 201a, the detection processing unit 202 detects a portion having a low temperature as a portion to be heated. Usually, in the heating target 60, the portion where the heating is insufficient is lower in temperature than the portion where the heating is not insufficient. Therefore, to detect the low temperature portion as the heating target portion means that the heating is insufficient. May be considered to be detected. The detection processing unit 202 acquires, for example, information indicating the position of the detected heating target portion. The information indicating the position here is, for example, information indicating the position in the width direction (coordinates in the width direction).

Here, the low temperature portion may be a portion where the temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold, and the temperature may be a maximum value, a minimum value, or an average value of other portions of the first detection region 205a. The temperature may be a portion lower than a representative value such as an intermediate value or a portion lower than a threshold, and the temperature may be lower than the average value of the first detection region 205a, a portion lower than the intermediate value or a predetermined threshold or more. It may be a part or the like. The threshold and the like here differ depending on, for example, the material of the heating target 60, the purpose of heating, the target value of the temperature after heating, and the like. It is preferable that the threshold value and the like used by the detection processing unit 202 be acquired by, for example, an experiment or a simulation. For example, the detection processing unit 202 detects a portion having a low temperature from the temperature distribution, and indicates information indicating the position of the detected portion in the width direction (for example, coordinates in the width direction) to indicate the position of the portion to be heated. It may be obtained as information. When the heating target portion is continuously present in the width direction of the heating target 60, information indicating the range of the heating target portion (for example, information indicating the range of the coordinates in the width direction) is transmitted to the heating target portion. You may acquire as information which shows a position. The position in the width direction here may be based on the container 10, the belt 501 or the like, or the heating target 60. The same applies to the following positions in the width direction and the positions in the width direction.

The detection processing unit 202 detects a heating target portion in the second detection area 205b on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60 from the temperature distribution acquired by the second sensor 201b. In this process, in the process in which the detection processing unit 202 detects the portion to be heated, the second detection region 205b is read as the second detection region 205b, and the front surface 61a of the heating target 60 is read as the back surface 61b. Since the processing is the same as that described above, a detailed description is omitted here.

The process in which the detection processing unit 202 detects a low-temperature portion is not limited to the above process. For example, the detection region 205 is divided into a plurality of regions in the width direction in advance, and the detection processing unit 202 obtains an average value of the temperatures of the divided regions using the temperature distribution obtained by the sensor 201a. Then, a region where the average value is equal to or smaller than the threshold value may be detected as a heating target portion. Dividing the detection region 205 in the width direction may be, for example, dividing the temperature distribution acquired for the detection region 205 in the width direction. Here, each of the plurality of divided detection regions 205 may be a region associated with one of a plurality of selective concentrated heating regions described later.

Further, a threshold for detecting a low temperature portion from the temperature distribution obtained by the first sensor 201a and a threshold for detecting a low temperature portion from the temperature distribution obtained by the second sensor 201b are as follows. The values may be the same or different. For example, when a belt 501 such as a mesh belt exists between the back surface 61b of the heating target 60 and the second sensor 201b, the temperature detection sensitivity of the second sensor 201b may be reduced. In this case, the threshold may be changed in accordance with the decrease in sensitivity.

(3) Each of the three microwave irradiation units 401 irradiates a microwave. Here, the three microwave irradiation units 401 are a first microwave irradiation unit 401a, a second microwave irradiation unit 401b, and a third microwave irradiation unit 401c. However, when these are not distinguished, they are simply called microwave irradiation means. The three microwave irradiation means 401 can control the phases of the emitted microwaves, respectively. In addition, the number of the microwave irradiation means 401 included in the heating device 1 is not limited to three, and may be two or more. However, the number is preferably 3 or more. Here, it is assumed that the three microwave irradiation units 401 are all the same, but they need not be the same.

The irradiation state changing means 40 irradiates the microwaves to the three microwave irradiation means 401 respectively. The irradiation state changing unit 40 changes the irradiation state of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is intensively heated. In the present embodiment, the irradiation state changing unit 40 applies the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is concentratedly heated to two or more of the three microwave irradiation units 401. The case of irradiation will be described as an example.

The fact that the heating target portion is concentratedly heated means that, for example, the entire heating target object 60 is not heated, and the heating target portion or the heating target portion and a region in the vicinity thereof are selectively concentratedly heated. is there. The fact that the heating target portion is selectively concentratedly heated means that, for example, the heating target portion of the heat treatment apparatus or a region including the heating target portion and its vicinity is heated more than other portions. You may. Heating more strongly than other parts may mean that the amount of heat generated by microwave irradiation is greater than that of other parts.For example, the amount of heat generated by microwave irradiation may be larger than other parts. It may be considered that the heat generation amount becomes larger than the threshold value by more than the threshold value.

To irradiate the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the heating target portion is concentratedly heated from the two or more microwave irradiating units 401 means, for example, that the microwave is applied to the heating target portion or the heating target portion and the microwave in the vicinity thereof. Is irradiated from two or more microwave irradiation units 401 with microwaves whose phases are controlled such that the intensity of the microwave is higher (for example, higher than a threshold) than the intensity of the microwaves in the other parts of the heating target 60. It may be to do. The microwave intensity here may be the electric field intensity of the microwave or the magnetic field intensity. The same applies to the following. In addition, irradiating the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the heating target portion is concentratedly heated from the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 means that, for example, the heating target portion or the heating target portion and the portion in the vicinity thereof Microwaves whose phases are controlled are radiated from the two or more microwave radiating means 401 so that the microwaves radiated from the two or more microwave radiating means 401 reinforce each other and the microwaves do not reinforce each other. It may be to do. Here, the microwave irradiated from the microwave irradiation unit 401 may be considered to include the microwave irradiated from the microwave irradiation unit 401 and reflected inside the container 10 or the like. This is not the case when microwaves are not reflected, such as when a microwave absorbing material or the like is provided on the inner wall of the container 10. The microwaves irradiated from the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 are strengthened or weakened at various points in the container 10 due to, for example, interference. Therefore, the phases are individually controlled to perform centralized heating. Becomes possible. The irradiation state changing unit 40 may be any unit that controls the phases of the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 to perform the concentrated heating, and the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the three microwave irradiation units 401 may be used. May be individually controlled to heat the portion to be heated intensively, and the phases of the microwaves radiated by two or more of the three microwave irradiation means 401 may be individually controlled to heat the portion to be heated intensively. May be. The combination of the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 may be changed according to the position where the concentrated heating is performed. Controlling the phase of the microwave radiated by the two or more microwave irradiation means 401 may be controlling the phase of the microwave of only a part of the two or more microwaves.

(4) The irradiation state changing means 40 irradiates microwaves whose phases are controlled from two or more microwave irradiation means 401 so that the heating target portion is heated intensively, for example, as described below. For example, two or more microwave irradiating means for intensively heating one or more, preferably two or more predetermined regions in the container 10 in an irradiation management information storage unit 403 or the like described later. The information for controlling the phases of the microwaves to be irradiated by the respective 401 is stored in advance, and the irradiation state changing unit 40 concentrates at least one area stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403 or the like. From the information for controlling the phase for heating, the information for controlling the phase for intensively heating the area including the portion to be heated is read, and the microwave having the phase corresponding to this information is irradiated. By controlling from each microwave irradiation unit 401, the heating target portion is intensively heated. The information for controlling the phase stored in advance in the irradiation management information storage unit 403 and the like includes the setting of the microwave output of each microwave irradiation unit 401 for centrally heating two or more predetermined areas. May be considered as information indicating The same applies to other embodiments and the like. However, the processing in which the irradiation state changing means 40 controls the phase of the microwave radiated by the microwave irradiating means 401 so that the heating target portion detected by the detecting means 20 is concentratedly heated is limited to such processing and the like. It is not something to be done. For example, the irradiation state changing means 40 acquires the coordinates (for example, the coordinates of the center position) of the heating target portion detected by the detection means 20 and the like, and two or more, preferably all three microwave irradiation means 401 The distance between the position where the wave is emitted and the portion to be heated is calculated, and using this distance, the microwaves radiated by two or more, preferably all three, microwave irradiation means 401 are strengthened by interference at the portion to be heated. The phases of the microwaves emitted from each may be controlled so as to match. For example, the phase of the microwave radiated from each microwave irradiating unit 401 is controlled so that the microwave radiated from each microwave irradiating unit 401 has the same phase in the portion to be heated. For example, such that the difference in distance from the heating target portion to the irradiation position where the microwave of each microwave irradiation unit 401 is irradiated is an integral multiple of the wavelength of the microwave irradiated from each microwave irradiation unit 401. Microwaves whose phases are controlled are irradiated from each microwave irradiation means 401.

A technique for controlling the phase of microwaves irradiated by two or more microwave irradiation units 401 to perform concentrated heating is known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-204449 or the like. Omitted.

Hereinafter, simulation test results related to the heating device of the present embodiment will be described. This simulation test was performed to examine the relationship between the phases of the microwaves respectively radiated from a plurality of microwave irradiation means and the heat generation density distribution. Here, a simulation test was performed in which microwaves with controlled phases were irradiated into the container from five different positions.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view (FIG. 12A) of a model used in a simulation test related to the heating device of the present embodiment, a schematic view of the model as viewed from above (FIG. 12B), and a sample. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of FIG.
FIGS. 13A to 13C are diagrams showing the results of a simulation test of the heat generation density distribution performed using the model shown in FIG. A diagram showing a heat generation density diagram when the inside of the container 801 is viewed from above is shown.

First, the model of FIG. 12 will be described. This model includes a container 801, nine samples 802 to be heated (hereinafter, referred to as samples 802a to 802i), and five rectangular waveguides (standard: WRJ-2) 803 (hereinafter, rectangular waveguides). 803a to 803e). The container 801 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape of 600 mm in the x-axis direction, 600 mm in the y-axis direction, and 900 mm in the z-axis direction. The ports 8031 of the five rectangular waveguides 803a to 803e (hereinafter, referred to as ports 8031a to 8031e) are provided on the upper surface of the container 801 (the surface having the highest position in the z-axis direction). It is arranged to be parallel to the y-axis. The port 8031a and the port 8031b are arranged so that positions in the x-axis direction (for example, the x coordinate) are equal, and the

ports

8031d and 8031e are arranged so that the positions in the x-axis direction are equal. The port 8031c is disposed at the center of the container 801 when viewed from the z-axis direction. A distance in the x-axis direction between the port 8031a and the end of the container 801 in the x-axis direction near the port 8031a, a distance in the x-axis direction between the port 8031a and the port 8031c, a distance in the x-axis direction between the port 8031c and the port 8031d, The distance between the port 8031d and the end of the container 801 in the x-axis direction near the port 8031d is assumed to be equal. Further, the port 8031a and the port 8031d are arranged so that the position (for example, the y coordinate) in the y-axis direction is equal, and the port 8031b and the port 8031e are arranged so that the position in the y-axis direction is equal. A distance in the y-axis direction between the port 8031a and the end of the container 801 in the y-axis direction near the port 8031a, a distance in the y-axis direction between the port 8031a and the port 8031c, a distance in the y-axis direction between the port 8031c and the port 8031b, The distance between the port 8031b and the end of the container 801 in the y-axis direction near the port 8031b is assumed to be equal. Note that the reference of the positions of the ports 8031a to 8031e is the center of the ports. However, the interval here is an interval between the ends.

The sample has a cylindrical shape with a height of 60 m in the z-axis direction, which is a circle having a diameter of 50 mm as viewed from the z-axis direction. Each sample 802 has a thickness of 20 mm, a relative dielectric constant ε ′ = 50.2, a relative dielectric loss ε ″ = 2.811, a layer 8021 with a thickness of 20 mm, a relative dielectric constant ε ′ = 23.23, A layer 8022 having a relative dielectric loss ε ″ = 1.208 and a layer 8033 having a thickness of 20 mm and having a relative dielectric constant ε ′ = 9.743 and a relative dielectric loss ε ″ = 0.399 are arranged in the z-axis direction. Samples 802 are arranged in three rows and three columns in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, and three samples 802 in each row are stacked in the x-axis direction. Are arranged at three points that divide the length of the container 801 in the x-axis direction into five equal parts, and the three samples 802 in each row have the positions in the y-axis direction of the container 801 in the x-axis direction. The sample 802a is placed at three points that divide the length by five. 2c is located below the port 8031b, sample 802e is located below the port 8031c, sample 802g is located below the port 8031d, and sample 802a is located below the port 8031e. The sample 802d is arranged between the sample 802a and the sample 802g, the sample 802f is arranged between the sample 802c and the sample 802i, and the sample 802h is arranged between the sample 802g and the sample 802i. At a position where the distance in the z-axis direction is 145 mm from the bottom surface of 801 (the surface having the lowest position in the z-axis direction), the relative dielectric constant ε ′ = 2.1 and the relative dielectric constant so as to partition the container 801 in the z-direction. 5 mm thick PTFE (poly) with loss ε ″ = 0.0021 Tetrafluoroethylene) plate 804 is disposed, each sample 802a ~ 802i are arranged on the PTFE plate 804.

In the model shown in FIG. 12, heat generated in the container 801 in a state where microwaves having a frequency of 2.45 GHz and an output of 0.2 W are constantly irradiated from each of the rectangular waveguides 802a to 803e individually. The density distribution was obtained by a simulation test. In the simulation test, electric field analysis software (HFSS13.0 manufactured by ANSYS) was used for the simulation test. Here, it is assumed that the phase difference between the microwaves radiated from each port 8031 is “0” when the phase of the microwave radiated from each port 8031 is not controlled.

FIG. 13A is a diagram showing a heat generation density distribution when microwaves with a phase difference of “0” are irradiated from the ports 8031a to 8031e, respectively.

FIG. 13B shows a case where microwaves with a phase difference of “0” are irradiated from ports 8031a to 8031c, respectively, and a microwave with a phase difference of “180 °” is set from

ports

8031d and 8031e. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a heat generation density distribution when each is irradiated.

FIG. 13 (c) shows a case where a microwave whose phase difference is set to “0” is emitted from

ports

8031a, 8031b, 8031d and 8031e, and a microwave whose phase difference is set to “180 °” from port 3031c. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a heat generation density distribution when irradiation is performed.

As shown in FIG. 13A, when the microwaves radiated from the ports 8031a to 8031e are not controlled and the microwaves having the same phase are irradiated, only one sample 802 is selectively used. However, as shown in FIG. 13B, when a microwave having a phase difference of “180 °” is irradiated from the port 8031d and the port 8031e as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 13C, when microwaves having a phase difference of “180 °” are irradiated from the port 3031c, the sample 802e can be concentratedly heated.

From the simulation test results, it can be seen that by irradiating two or more microwaves whose phases are respectively controlled as in the present embodiment, the inside of the container can be selectively concentrated and heated. For example, in a heating device similar to the model used in the above simulation test, a heating target portion of the heating target is placed in a region corresponding to a region where a sample to be selectively concentratedly heated in the simulation test is arranged. When positioned, in the above simulation test, by irradiating two or more microwaves whose phases are controlled in the same manner as the microwave radiated when heating this sample, it is possible to selectively concentrate the heating target portion I understand.

The irradiation state changing unit 40 controls, for example, the phase of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 and the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located in the region where the concentrated heating can be individually performed. Then, microwaves whose phases are controlled so that the region where partial heating is possible are concentratedly heated are radiated from two or more microwave irradiating means 401 to intensively heat the portion to be heated. For example, the irradiation state changing unit 40 controls the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 to set the region in which the concentrated heating can be individually performed in the moving direction of the heating target 60 more than the detection region 205. In the case where one or two or more parts are provided in advance at the downstream position, the irradiation state changing means 40 determines whether or not the heating target portion detected by the detecting means 20 is located in the region where the concentrated heating is possible. Microwaves whose phases are controlled so that a region where heating is possible are concentratedly heated are radiated from two or more microwave radiating means 401 to intensively heat a portion to be heated. The time when the heating target portion is located in the region where the concentrated heating can be performed is, for example, the case where the heating target 60 is located in the region where the concentrated heating can be performed due to the movement of the heating target 60 (for example, when entering). The fact that the heating target portion is located in the region where the concentrated heating can be performed may be considered that the heating target portion overlaps the region where the concentrated heating can be performed. The same applies to the following. To be able to centrally heat one or more regions means that, for example, information for controlling a phase for centrally heating one or more regions is prepared in advance for each region. Alternatively, information that can be used to calculate information for controlling a phase for centrally heating a plurality of regions may be prepared in advance. The irradiation state changing means 40 is, for example, an area in which the irradiation state changing means 40 corresponding to one or more irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403 can be concentratedly heated, specifically, two or more micro- When the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located in one or two or more regions that can be concentratedly heated by controlling the phase of the microwave irradiated by the wave irradiation unit 401, irradiation management information corresponding to this region Is used to irradiate microwaves whose phases are controlled so that the area where the concentrated heating can be performed is concentratedly heated from two or more microwave irradiating means 401, thereby intensively heating the portion to be heated. The region corresponding to the irradiation management information may be considered as, for example, a region capable of concentrated heating specified by the irradiation management information, and the phase of the microwave irradiated by two or more microwave irradiation units 401 according to the irradiation management information. May be considered as an area where concentrated heating is possible.

Here, one or two or more areas in which the irradiation state changing means 40 can control the phase of the microwaves to perform concentrated heating are each referred to as a concentrated heating area. The concentrated heating region is a region where concentrated heating can be performed by the irradiation state changing unit 40. The concentrated heating region is, for example, a region in which concentrated heating can be performed so that the heat generation amount is equal to or larger than a threshold. Further, the concentrated heating region may be, for example, a region where concentrated heating can be performed so that the calorific value becomes a threshold value or more than the maximum value of the calorific value of other portions of the heating target 60. The concentrated heating region may be, for example, a region where the intensity of microwaves is higher than others (for example, higher than a threshold), and the microwaves irradiated from two or more microwave irradiation units 401 may be heated. It may be an area that is stronger than other parts of the target object 60. The concentrated heating area may be a part of an area heated when the irradiation state changing unit 40 actually performs the concentrated heating. For example, it may be a region included in a region heated when concentrated heating is actually performed. Further, the concentrated heating region may be a region including a region that cannot be partially heated, or a region that does not include a region that cannot be concentrated heated. The concentrated heating region 406 is usually a three-dimensional region, but may be considered a two-dimensional region. For example, a plane crossing the three-dimensional concentrated heating region 406 may be considered as a two-dimensional concentrated heating region 406. The shape of the three-dimensional concentrated heating region may be any shape. The shape of the concentrated heating region may be any shape such as a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a cubic shape, a spherical shape, an elliptical shape, and the like. For example, the concentrated heating area may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a spherical shape that fits in the area where concentrated heating is possible. The shape of the two-dimensional concentrated heating region is a polygon such as a rectangle, a square, a circle, an ellipse, or the like. Note that the size of the region where the concentrated heating can be performed is, for example, approximately the same as the length of the wavelength of the microwave irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit 401. This size can be narrowed or widened by irradiating the microwave radiated by the microwave irradiating means 401 through a microwave lens (not shown) or the like. For this reason, the size of the concentrated heating region 406 can be changed according to the size of the region in which the concentrated heating can be performed.

Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, each of the three microwave irradiation units 401 described above includes a microwave oscillator 4011 and a transmission unit 4012, and the irradiation state changing unit 40 includes a control unit 402 The case where the management information storage unit 403 is provided will be described as an example.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, by using the irradiation state changing unit 40 and the three microwave irradiation units 401, six concentrated heating areas, that is, The case where the first concentrated heating area 406a to the sixth concentrated heating area 406f can be concentratedly heated will be described as an example. When the first concentrated heating region 406a to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as a concentrated heating region 406. The same applies to the following. In the present embodiment, a case where concentrated heating region 406 is considered as a two-dimensional region of front surface 61a or back surface 61b of heating target 60 will be described. In this case, the concentrated heating of the concentrated heating region 406 of the front surface 61a is to centrally heat the portion of the heating object 60 on the front surface 61a side, and the concentrated heating of the concentrated heating region 406 of the back surface 61b is It is considered that the portion on the back surface 61b side of the heating object 60 is heated separately. However, when the concentrated heating region 406 on the front surface 61a side is concentratedly heated, the irradiation state changing unit 40 transmits the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the region on the rear surface 61b side is not concentratedly heated from the microwave irradiation unit 401. When irradiating and intensively heating the concentrated heating area 406 on the back surface 61b, it is preferable that the microwave irradiating means 401 irradiate the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the front surface 61a is not concentratedly heated.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the first concentrated heating region 406a to the third concentrated heating region 406c are concentrated heating regions located on the surface 61a side of the heating target 60, It is assumed that the region is a region linearly arranged in the width direction of the heating target 60. As shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, the fourth concentrated heating region 406d to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f are concentrated heating regions located on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60. It is assumed that the region is a region that is linearly arranged in the width direction of the heating target 60. Here, the first concentrated heating region 406a to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f are regions having the same size and shape. Here, the shape of each concentrated heating region 406 is rectangular, but the shape of each concentrated heating region 406 may be any shape. Further, the shape and size of at least a part of the concentrated heating region 406 may be different from the others. Each concentrated heating region 406 has a side parallel to the longitudinal direction and a side parallel to the width direction.

(4) The first concentrated heating region 406a to the third concentrated heating region 406c and the fourth concentrated heating region 406d to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f are located at different positions in the height direction in the container 10. The fourth concentrated heating region 406d is located directly below the first concentrated heating region 406a, the fifth concentrated heating region 406e is located immediately below the second concentrated heating region 406b, and the sixth concentrated heating region 406f Are located immediately below the third concentrated heating region 406c. In the first concentrated heating region 406a to the third concentrated heating region 406c, the concentrated heating regions 406 adjacent in the planar direction do not partially overlap with each other, and sides parallel to the longitudinal direction are in contact with each other. The same applies to the fourth concentrated heating region 406d to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f. When the first concentrated heating region 406a to the third concentrated heating region 406c are partially irradiated, and when the fourth concentrated heating region 406d to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f are partially irradiated, different positions in the height direction are different. It shall be heated intensively. In addition, the first concentrated heating region 406a, the third concentrated heating region 406c, the fourth concentrated heating region 406d, and the sixth concentrated heating region 406f do not protrude from the side of the heating target 60, and have respective longitudinal portions. The case where one of the sides extending in the direction is in contact with the side of the heating target 60 will be described.

集中 Note that the adjacent concentrated heating regions 406 may partially overlap each other. Also, a predetermined interval may be provided. Further, the first concentrated heating region 406a, the third concentrated heating region 406c, the fourth concentrated heating region 406d, and the sixth concentrated heating region 406f may protrude from the widthwise end of the heating target 60. In addition, one of the sides extending in the longitudinal direction may not be in contact with the widthwise end of the heating target 60. In addition, the first concentrated heating region 406a to the third concentrated heating region 406c and the fourth concentrated heating region 406d to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f may overlap in the height direction, and may be in contact with each other. Is also good.

Note that the first concentrated heating region 406a to the third concentrated heating region 406c are preferably provided such that the combined region crosses the entire heating target 60 in the width direction. The same applies to the fourth concentrated heating region 406d to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f.

It is preferable that the first concentrated heating region 406a to the third concentrated heating region 406c are provided so that the combined range in the width direction crosses the entire heating target 60 in the width direction. May not be arranged on the same straight line in the width direction. The same applies to the fourth concentrated heating region 406d to the sixth concentrated heating region 406f.

The microwave oscillator 4011 is, for example, a magnetron, a klystron, a gyrotron, a semiconductor oscillator, or the like. As the microwave oscillator 4011, a semiconductor oscillator whose phase is easily controlled is preferably used. However, the microwave oscillator 4011 is not limited to these. The frequency, intensity, and the like of the microwave irradiated by each microwave oscillator 4011 are not limited. The frequency of the microwave irradiated by each microwave oscillator 4011 may be, for example, 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, or 5.8 GHz, and may be in the range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. It may be a frequency, and the frequency does not matter. Each microwave oscillator 4011 includes a phase shifter (not shown) for controlling the phase of the microwave, and the phase of the microwave generated in each microwave oscillator 4011 is controlled (specifically, the phase is changed). And emitted. For example, each microwave oscillator 4011 controls the phase of the microwave generated inside, amplifies and outputs the microwave whose phase is controlled.

Note that the plurality of microwave irradiation means 401 splits the microwave generated by the oscillator that generates one microwave, inputs the split microwave to a plurality of phase shifters (not shown), and individually separates the phase by the plurality of phase shifters. May be individually amplified as necessary by an amplifier (not shown) or the like and emitted. In this case, portions such as a plurality of phase shifters and amplifiers provided for each phase shifter may be considered as the microwave irradiation means 401.

The microwave irradiating means 401 may be capable of controlling the output of the microwave, the frequency of the radiated microwave, and the like. The output here is, for example, electric power. The control of the microwave output may include the control of whether or not to perform the microwave irradiation and the strength of the output.

The transmission unit 4012 transmits the microwave output from the microwave oscillator 4011. The transmission unit 4012 is, for example, a waveguide, a coaxial cable for transmitting microwaves, or the like. However, it is not limited to these as long as microwaves can be transmitted. Here, a case where each transmission unit 4012 is a waveguide will be described. Each transmission unit 4012 is connected between the microwave oscillator 4011 and the container 10.

部分 A portion of the container 10 to which each transmission unit 4012 is connected is provided with, for example, a first opening 105a to a third opening 105c. The first opening 105a to the third opening 105c are openings to which the transmission units 4012 of the first microwave irradiation unit 401a to the third microwave irradiation unit 401c are respectively attached. When the first opening 105a to the third opening 105c are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as the opening 105. The microwave transmitted through the transmission unit 4012 is applied to the inside of the container 10 through the opening 105. Here, a case is shown where the three openings 105 are arranged in a line in the width direction of the container 10 at a position behind the detection area 205b, but the first openings 105a to the third The arrangement of the opening 105c is not limited to this. The opening 105 may be closed with a microwave-permeable plate or the like. Further, an antenna or the like used for microwave irradiation into the container 10 connected to each transmission unit 4012 may be provided in the container 10. The shape and structure of the antenna are not limited. The configuration and the like of the connection portion between the transmission unit 4012 and the container 10 are not limited to these.

The control unit 402 controls the irradiation of the microwaves by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is concentratedly heated in addition to the simple microwave irradiation control. It also functions as a means for changing the state. To control the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 means that, for example, the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 are individually controlled, and the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is controlled. The purpose of this is to irradiate a plurality of microwave irradiating means 401 with microwaves whose phases are controlled so that concentrated heating is performed.

Here, as described above, when the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located in one concentrated heating region 406, the control unit 402 sets the phase so that the one concentrated heating region 406 is concentrated heated. A case in which the microwave controlled in the above manner is irradiated from two or more of the three microwave irradiation means 401 will be described. The time when the heating target portion is located in one or more concentrated heating regions may be, for example, when the heating target portion enters the concentrated heating region 406 due to the movement of the heating target 60.

For example, when the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located in one or more concentrated heating regions 406, the control unit 402 transmits the microwaves whose phases are controlled so that the concentrated heating region 406 is concentrated heated. Irradiation is performed from the microwave irradiation means 401 described above. Thereby, the portion to be heated is concentratedly heated. The concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located may be considered as, for example, the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portions overlap. The control unit 402 specifies, for example, the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located, and sets the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for centrally heating the specified concentrated heating region 406, respectively. The information for controlling is acquired, and using the acquired information for controlling the phase, two or more microwave irradiating means 401 are irradiated with the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the specified concentrated heating region 406 is concentratedly heated. Let it. The concentrated heating area 406 here is the concentrated heating area 406 corresponding to the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403. The concentrated heating region 406 corresponding to the irradiation management information may be considered as, for example, the concentrated heating region 406 specified by the irradiation management information, and the microwaves irradiated by two or more microwave irradiation units 401 according to the irradiation management information. May be considered as a concentrated heating region 406 in which concentrated heating can be performed by controlling the phase. Here, the specified concentrated heating region 406 may be considered as a concentrated heating region 406 for centrally heating the portion to be heated. The information for controlling the phase includes, for example, information indicating the phase of the microwave output from each microwave irradiation unit 401, information indicating the phase difference between each microwave irradiation unit 401, and information indicating each microwave irradiation unit 401. Is information for setting the phase of the microwave to be irradiated.

Hereinafter, the control unit 402 specifies the concentrated heating region 406 for centrally heating the heating target portion, and the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for centrally heating the specified concentrated heating region 406, respectively. An example of a process of acquiring information for controlling the information will be described.

For example, the control unit 402 specifies the concentrated heating area 406 in which the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located (for example, enters) with the movement of the heating target 60, and specifies the specified concentrated heating. Information for controlling the phase of the microwave irradiated by each of the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for centrally heating the region 406 is acquired. In addition, for example, information indicating the position (for example, coordinates) indicating the position of the heating target portion in the width direction of the container 10 and the position of the concentrated heating region 406 The determination can be made by comparing with information (for example, coordinates) indicating the position of the container 10 in the width direction. Information indicating the position in the width direction of each concentrated heating region 406 may be appropriately read from information previously stored in a storage unit (not shown) or the like.

For example, for the heating target portion detected in the first detection region 205a on the front surface 61a side of the heating target 60, the control unit 402 determines the first concentrated heating region 406a located on the front surface 61a side of the heating target 60. From the third concentrated heating region 406c, the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located is detected, and the detected concentrated heating region 406 is specified as the concentrated heating region 406 for centrally heating the heating target portion. Regarding the heating target portion detected in the second detection area 205b on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60, the fourth concentrated heating region 406d to the sixth concentrated heating region located on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60 From 406f, the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located may be detected, and the detected concentrated heating region may be specified as the concentrated heating region 406 for centrally heating the heating target portion. Thus, the heating target portion can be intensively heated in consideration of the height direction.

In the case where the adjacent concentrated heating regions 406 overlap each other, when the heating target portion is located in the overlapping portion, the control unit 402 assigns one of the overlapping concentrated heating regions 406 to the heating target portion. The portion may be specified as a concentrated heating region 406 where concentrated heating is performed. For example, when the heating target portion detected by the detection means 20 is located at a portion where the concentrated heating region 406 overlaps, the heating target portion is determined in advance regardless of the position of the overlapping portion. According to the rule described above, one concentrated heating region may be specified as the concentrated heating region 406 for centrally heating. Further, for example, the overlapping portion is divided into two in the width direction of the container 10, and when the portion to be heated is located in one of the divided regions, the control unit 402 determines whether the adjacent concentrated heating is performed. The concentrated heating region 406 in which the non-overlapping portion of the region 406 is located on the side of the divided region may be specified as the concentrated heating region to perform concentrated heating. In this case, for example, when the concentrated heating region 406 is considered as a two-dimensional region, the overlapping portion is preferably divided by a straight line passing through a position where the contour of the adjacent concentrated heating region 406 intersects. When the region 406 is considered as a three-dimensional region, it is preferable to divide the region by a plane passing through a position where the contour of the adjacent concentrated heating region 406 intersects. When the adjacent concentrated heating regions 406 are regions having the same shape and size, the overlapping portion may be the center of the overlapping portion in the width direction.

In addition, for example, when the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located in an area where two or more concentrated heating areas 406 overlap, the control unit 402 removes all of the two or more concentrated heating areas 406, The heating target portion may be specified as the concentrated heating region 406 for concentrated heating, and the specified two or more concentrated heating regions 406 may be sequentially concentrated heated.

Note that, for example, a case where a plurality of heating target portions that are to be located in distant concentrated heating regions 406 is detected at the same time, or a case where a plurality of heating target portions extending over different concentrated heating regions are detected are detected. When a heating target portion that cannot be heated unless concentrated heating is performed is detected in each of the heating regions 406, the control unit 402 identifies all of the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 as the concentrated heating regions 406 that perform the concentrated heating, and identifies them. Two or more microwave irradiation units 401 may control the phases of the microwaves to be irradiated, respectively, so that the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are sequentially heated in a concentrated manner.

How the control unit 402 obtains information for controlling the phases of the microwaves radiated by the two or more microwave radiating units 401 for intensively heating the concentrated heating area 406 specified as described above. Does not matter. For example, information indicating the position of the specified concentrated heating region 406 (for example, coordinates indicating the position of a representative point such as the center or the center of gravity of the concentrated heating region 406) and the position where a plurality of microwaves are emitted in the container 10 The distance from the position from which a plurality of microwaves are emitted to the concentrated heating region 406 is calculated using the coordinates of the microwave and the like, and specific concentrated heating is performed using information on the calculated distance and the wavelength of the irradiated microwave. In the region 406, the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 may be calculated so that the plurality of microwaves reinforce each other. At this time, as the information indicating the position of each concentrated heating area, for example, information stored in a storage unit (not shown) or the like may be read out. Further, for example, information for controlling the phases of the microwaves radiated by the two or more microwave irradiating units 401 for intensively heating each concentrated heating region 406 is associated with each concentrated heating region 406 and irradiation management information The information may be stored in the storage unit 403 in advance, and information for controlling the phase associated with the specified concentrated heating region 406 may be acquired from the irradiation management information storage unit 403.

Note that, in the present embodiment, the position of the detection area 205 where the detection unit 20 detects the heating target portion and the position of the concentrated heating area 406 are separated, and the object 60 to be heated is moved away from the detection area 205 side. A case will be described in which, when moving toward the side, the concentrated heating region 406 corresponding to the position of the detection region 205 where the object to be heated is detected is irradiated with the phase-controlled microwave to perform concentrated heating.

Specifically, the detection region 205 is divided into regions that overlap when the respective concentrated heating regions 406 are moved in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the heating target 60, and the divided regions (hereinafter, referred to as divided regions) (Referred to as a region) in the width direction and two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for intensively heating the concentrated heating region 406 overlapping each divided region respectively control the phases of the microwaves irradiated. Management information stored in association with the information for use in the irradiation management information storage unit 403. Then, when the detection unit 20 detects the heating target portion, the control unit 402 detects, from the divided regions of the detection region 205, the region where the heating target portion is detected, and corresponds to the detected divided region. From the irradiation management information storage unit 403, information for controlling the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more attached microwave irradiation units 401 is acquired. Thereafter, after the time required for the heating target portion detected in the detection region 205 to move to the concentrated heating region 406 corresponding to the divided region elapses, the information for controlling the phase of the microwave obtained above is used. The central heating is performed by controlling the phases of the microwaves radiated by the two or more microwave irradiating means 401 respectively. Thus, the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 can be concentratedly heated in the concentrated heating region 406. Here, the irradiation management information includes information indicating the position in the width direction of the divided region obtained by dividing the detection region 205 in the width direction, and performing concentrated heating in the concentrated heating region 406 in which a heating target passing through each divided region moves. It may be considered as information having information for controlling the phases of the microwaves radiated by the two or more microwave radiating means 401 to perform.

In the process of detecting the divided region of the detection region 205 including the heating target portion, the divided region corresponds to the concentrated heating region 406 that performs concentrated heating on the heating target portion. Therefore, it may be considered that the process corresponds to the process of specifying the concentrated heating region 406 where the concentrated heating is performed on the heating target portion or the process of specifying the concentrated heating region 406 where the heated target portion moves. Further, the information for controlling the phase of the microwave corresponding to the detected divided region is information for controlling the phase of the microwave for intensively heating the concentrated heating region corresponding to the detected divided region. Therefore, the process of acquiring information for controlling the phase of the microwave corresponding to the detected divided region is specified by the process of specifying the concentrated heating region 406 that performs the concentrated heating on the heating target portion. It can be considered as a process of acquiring information for controlling the phase of the microwave for centrally heating the concentrated heating region.

Note that, for a portion where the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 overlap with each other, the overlapping portion is divided in the width direction for each concentrated heating region 406 where concentrated heating is performed, and accordingly, the detection region 205 is divided into regions in which the overlapping portion is divided. In the case where it is moved, it is divided for each overlapping area, and the divided area is associated with information for controlling the phase of the microwave for centrally heating the overlapping portion of the concentrated heating area 406 overlapping this divided area. The irradiation management information stored therein may be stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403. Then, when a portion to be heated is detected in this divided region, the control unit 402 obtains information for controlling the phase of the microwave for intensively heating the concentrated heating region associated with the irradiation management information. You may make it.

Note that, in the above description, the information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403 is a central heating area 406 and two or more microwave irradiating units 401 for intensively heating the central heating area 406. In place of the plurality of irradiation management information items associated with the information for controlling the phase, the control unit 402 acquires and acquires the information indicating the concentrated heating region 406 corresponding to the divided region in which the heating target portion is detected. Information for controlling the phase of the microwave for centrally heating the concentrated heating region 406 may be acquired from the irradiation management information storage unit 403.

Note that the time required to move from the detection target portion in the detection region 205 to one or more concentrated heating regions 406 for irradiating the microwave is determined by the distance between the detection region 205 and the concentrated heating region 406 and the heating time. It can be calculated from the moving speed of the object 60 and the like. For this time, for example, what is stored in a storage unit or the like (not shown) in advance in association with the concentrated heating area 406 may be appropriately read. In the above description, the information for controlling the phase of the microwave may be obtained immediately before performing the concentrated heating.

The above-described division of the detection area 205 is an example, and any division other than the above may be performed as long as the division can specify the concentrated heating area 406 where concentrated heating is performed on the portion to be heated. Good.

The process in which the control unit 402 specifies the concentrated heating region in which the heating target portion is concentratedly heated is not limited to the above-described process.

The control unit 402 may further control the output of the microwave irradiated by the one or more microwave irradiation units 401. This output is, for example, the intensity of the microwave. The output of the microwave irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit 401 may be a predetermined output or may be changed according to the detection result of the detection unit 20. The control unit 402 determines and controls the output of the microwave radiated by the one or more microwave irradiating units 401 in accordance with, for example, the temperature of the portion to be heated detected by the detecting unit 20, the size, and the like. For example, control may be performed so that the microwave output increases continuously or stepwise as the temperature decreases. In addition, for example, control may be performed so that the output of the microwave is increased continuously or stepwise as the area to be heated is increased. In addition, it is preferable that the output of the microwave irradiated by each microwave irradiating means 401 according to the detection result of the detecting means 20 described above is determined according to an experiment, a simulation, or the like.

(4) The irradiation management information storage unit 403 stores irradiation management information that is information for controlling the phases of microwaves irradiated by two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for centrally heating the concentrated heating area 406. The irradiation management information storage unit 403 stores, for example, information for specifying the concentrated heating region 406 and the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for centrally heating the concentrated heating region 406. One or two or more pieces of irradiation management information, which is information in which control information is associated with the information, are stored. The information for specifying the concentrated heating region 406 may be any information as long as the information can specify the concentrated heating region 406 overlapping the heating target portion. Here, a case will be described where the information specifying the concentrated heating area 406 is information indicating the position of a divided area corresponding to the concentrated heating area 406. Specifically, the irradiation management information storage unit 403 stores information indicating the divided region 2051 of the detection region 205 divided as described above, and a concentrated heating region in which the heating target portion detected in the divided region 2051 moves. A case where one or more irradiation management information including information for controlling the phases of two or more microwave irradiation units 401 when the 406 is concentratedly heated will be described.

The information indicating the divided region is, for example, information indicating the position of the divided region in the plane direction. The information indicating the divided area is, for example, information indicating an area of the divided area or a range in the width direction of the container 10. The information for controlling the phases of the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 includes, for example, information for identifying the microwave irradiation unit 401 and information for setting the phase of the microwave irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit 401. It is two or more pieces of information. The information for setting the phase may be a value of the phase or information of a change amount of the phase with respect to the reference phase. The information for controlling the phases of the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 included in one irradiation management information includes, for example, a simulation or an experiment for intensively heating the concentrated heating region 406 corresponding to the one irradiation management information. It is preferable that the information is information that sets the phases of the microwaves to be radiated by the two or more microwave radiating units 401, respectively. This simulation or experiment is performed, for example, by changing the combination of the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401. In particular, in the simulation, the shape of the container 10 and the shape of the heating object 60 are taken into consideration in consideration of reflection in the container 10, refraction of microwaves by a dielectric such as the heating object 60, and changes in the wavelength of microwaves. It is preferable to use a dielectric constant or the like.

Note that the information for setting the phase of two or more microwave irradiation units 401 included in one irradiation management information includes, for example, the centralized heating region 406 included in the same irradiation management information in order to perform concentrated heating. The information may be information that sets a phase calculated from the distance between the concentrated heating region 406 and a position from which two or more microwaves are emitted, so that the phases are strengthened in the above.

Note that the control unit 402 stores information indicating the divided area 2051 stored in a storage unit or the like (not shown) and an identifier of the concentrated heating area 406 corresponding to the divided area 2051 (for example, the heating target portion located in the divided area 2051 is When the identifier of the concentrated heating region 406 corresponding to the divided region 2051 where the heating target portion is located is acquired from the information including the identifier of the moving concentrated heating region 406), the partial irradiation management information The information may include an identifier and information for controlling a phase for centrally heating the concentrated heating region 406.

Here, the case where the irradiation state changing unit 40 has the irradiation management information storage unit 403 will be described, but the irradiation management information storage unit 403 may be provided outside the irradiation state changing unit 40.

(4) The irradiation management information storage unit 403 may be a non-volatile recording medium or a volatile recording medium. The same applies to other storage units.

Next, an example of the operation of the heating device 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The belt conveyor 50 conveys a rectangular parallelepiped heating object 60 placed on the belt 501 at a constant speed. However, the operation of the heating device 1 is not limited to the operation shown in FIG.

(Step S101) The first sensor 201a of the detecting means 20 acquires the temperature distribution on the surface 61a side of the heating target 60 in the first detection area 205a. This processing is preferably performed, for example, at a predetermined cycle. The period (time interval) at which the detecting means 20 performs the process of acquiring the temperature distribution using the sensor 201 is, for example, a time obtained by dividing the moving direction length of the detection region 205 by the moving speed of the heating target 60. It is preferable that

(Step S102) The detection processing unit 202 of the detection means 20 performs a process of detecting a portion to be heated from the temperature distribution acquired in Step S101. For example, the detection processing unit 202 detects, from the acquired temperature distribution, a portion having a temperature equal to or lower than the threshold, and outputs information (for example, coordinates in the width direction) indicating the width direction position of the detected one or more portions to the heating target. A process of acquiring the information indicating the position of the part is performed. The information indicating the position in the width direction here may be information indicating an area in the width direction (for example, information indicating a range of coordinates).

(Step S103) The control unit 402 of the irradiation state changing unit 40 determines whether or not the heating target portion has been detected in Step S102. If detected, the process proceeds to step S104, and if not detected, the process proceeds to step S106.

(Step S104) The control unit 402 starts irradiation with information for controlling the phases of the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for performing concentrated heating on the heating target portion detected in step S102. Determine the time. Specifically, the control unit 402 determines the information indicating the range of the divided region obtained by dividing the first detection region 205a in the width direction, which is stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403, and the heating that passes through the divided region. In step S102, a plurality of irradiation management information including information for controlling the phase of the microwave irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for concentrated heating of the concentrated heating region 406 in which the target portion moves are used. Irradiation management information including information (for example, information indicating a range) indicating a position of a divided region including the detected one or more heating target portions is detected, and a phase of a microwave included in the detected irradiation management information is controlled. To get the information for. The information indicating the range of the divided region including the heating target portion may be considered as a process for specifying a concentrated heating region for performing concentrated heating. Further, the process of acquiring information for controlling the phase of the microwave may be considered as the process of acquiring information for controlling the phase of the microwave when the specified concentrated heating region is intensively heated. The control unit 402 further obtains the current time from a clock (not shown) or the like, and adds the time required for the heating target 60 that has passed the detection area 205 to move to the concentrated heating area 406 to the obtained time, The time obtained by the addition is acquired by the determined microwave irradiation means 401 as the start time of microwave irradiation. Here, the positions of the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 in the moving direction of the heating target 60 are the same, and the first detection region 205a is set perpendicular to the moving direction of the heating target 60. Then, this time is all the same time.

(Step S105) The control unit 402 accumulates information indicating the microwave irradiation unit 401 determined in step S104 and the start time of microwave irradiation in association with each other in a storage unit (not shown). Then, the process proceeds to step S106.

(Step S106) The second sensor 201b of the detection means 20 acquires the temperature distribution on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60 in the second detection area 205b.

(Step S107) The detection processing unit 202 of the detection unit 20 performs a process of detecting a portion to be heated from the temperature distribution acquired in Step S106. This process is the same as step S102, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

(Step S108) The control unit 402 of the irradiation state changing unit 40 determines whether or not a heating target portion has been detected in Step S107. If detected, the process proceeds to step S109. If not detected, the process proceeds to step S111.

(Step S109) The control unit 402 starts irradiation with information for controlling the phases of the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for performing concentrated heating on the heating target portion detected in step S107. Determine the time. This process is the same as step S104 except that the detection region 205 is the second detection region 205b, and thus detailed description is omitted.

(Step S110) The control unit 402 accumulates information having the start time and the information for controlling the phase acquired in step S109 in the storage unit used for accumulation in step S105. Then, the process proceeds to step S111.

(Step S111) The control unit 402 determines whether or not it is time to irradiate the microwave with the phase controlled. Specifically, from the irradiation start times stored in association with the information indicating the microwave irradiation means 401 in step S105 and step S110, a search is made for the one that matches the current time. If there is at least one matching irradiation start time, it is determined that it is time to perform microwave irradiation, and if there is no matching irradiation start time, it is determined that it is time to not perform microwave irradiation. If it is the timing to perform the microwave irradiation, the process proceeds to step S112. If it is not the timing to perform the microwave irradiation, the process returns to step S101.

(Step S112) The control unit 402 acquires information for controlling the phase associated with the irradiation start time coinciding with the current time detected in step S111, and uses the acquired form to obtain information for controlling the phase. The microwave irradiation means 401 is controlled to irradiate a microwave whose phase is controlled. Thereby, microwave irradiation is performed from two or more microwave irradiation units 401, and concentrated heating is performed. Then, the process returns to step S101. If there are two or more records having the same irradiation start time, microwave irradiation using information for controlling the phase of each record is performed in order. The time for each microwave irradiation means 401 to emit a microwave may be, for example, the same length as the time interval at which the detection means 20 performs detection. The microwave irradiation from each microwave irradiation unit 401 may be performed, for example, for a predetermined time. This time may be, for example, the same time as the period in which the detection unit 20 performs the process of acquiring the temperature distribution using the sensor 201. Further, it is preferable that this time is, for example, equal to or less than the time required for the heating target portion to enter from one concentrated heating region 406 to exit. In this case, for example, when the microwave irradiating unit 401 that is irradiating the microwave determines in step S111 after starting the microwave irradiation that it is time to newly irradiate the microwave, this new determination is performed. The performed time may be updated to the time when the microwave irradiation unit 401 starts microwave irradiation. The conditions under which each microwave irradiating means 401 terminates microwave irradiation are not limited to the above.

In the flowchart of FIG. 4, the processing is terminated by turning off the power or interrupting the termination of the processing.

Next, a specific example of the operation of the heating device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Here, as an example, it is assumed that the heating target 60 is heated by another heating device or the like immediately before being carried into the container 10. Here, it is assumed that the belt 501 is moving at a constant speed in a direction from the entrance 101 to the exit 102, and the time required for the portion of the heating target 60 passing through the detection area 205 to enter the detection area 205. Is "t0" seconds. Note that “t0”, “t1”, “t2”, and the like, which will be described later, are arbitrary values representing time.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the first detection area 205a moves the first concentrated heating area 406a to the third concentrated heating area 406c in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the heating target 60, respectively. Is assumed to be divided into three overlapping regions. Here, the areas overlapping the first concentrated heating area 406a to the third concentrated heating area 406c are referred to as first divided area 2051a to third divided area 2051c, respectively.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3B, the second detection area 205b is configured to move the fourth concentrated heating area 406d to the sixth concentrated heating area 406f in directions opposite to the moving direction of the heating target 60, respectively. It is assumed that the area is divided into three areas that are overlapped when moved to. Here, the areas overlapping the fourth concentrated heating area 406d to the sixth concentrated heating area 406f are respectively referred to as a fourth divided area 2051e to a sixth divided area 2051f. Note that the divided regions obtained by dividing the detection region 205 are simply referred to as divided regions 2051 unless particularly distinguished.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403. The irradiation management information has attributes of “region” and “control”. The “region” has attributes “height” and “range”. The “region” is an attribute indicating the divided region 2051, and the “height” indicates the height of the detection region to which the divided region 2051 belongs. Here, the first detection region 205a on the surface 61a side is divided. This indicates whether the region is a divided region or the second detection region 205b on the back surface 61b side is a divided region 2051. The value “1” indicates the divided region 2051 of the first detection region 205a, and the value “2” indicates the divided region 2051 of the second detection region 205b. “Range” is information indicating the divided region 2051, and indicates a range in the width direction of the heating target 60 in the divided region 2051 by a range of coordinates in the width direction. Note that “x1”, “x2”, and the like are values representing coordinates. This “region” may be considered as information for specifying the concentrated heating region 406. “Control” is information used to control the phases of the microwaves of the three microwave irradiation units 401, and includes a value indicating the microwave irradiation unit 401 to be controlled, a value indicating the phase, and a value indicating the heating target. It is composed of a set of information obtained by combining the time from the detection of a portion to the start of microwave irradiation with a “:” (colon) therebetween. The value of “control” may be considered as information of a template for obtaining irradiation control information described later for controlling the three microwave irradiation units 401. The values “1” to “3” representing the microwave irradiation unit 401 indicate the first microwave irradiation unit 401a to the third microwave irradiation unit 401c. The value representing the phase indicates the value of the phase set in each microwave irradiation means 401. For example, “1: α1: t0, 2: α2: t0, 3: α3: t0” means that the first microwave irradiation unit 401a sets the phase to α1, detects the portion to be heated, and then sets “1”. After t0 ”seconds, the microwave is irradiated, the second microwave irradiation means 401b sets the phase to α2, and the microwave is irradiated after t0 seconds after detecting the portion to be heated. The phase is set to α3 for the three microwave irradiating units 401c, and it is assumed that the information designates to control each of the microwave irradiating units 401c to irradiate the microwaves “t0” seconds after the detection of the portion to be heated. Note that “α1” to “α3” and the like are values representing phases. Here, it is assumed that one row is one record of the irradiation management information. Here, in all the records, the microwave irradiation is to be performed “t0” seconds after the heating target portion is detected, and thus “t0” may be omitted.

When the belt 501 is moved by driving the belt conveyor 50, the heating target 60 placed on the belt 501 is carried into the container 10 from the entrance 101, and is carried out of the container 10 through the container 10. .

第一 The first sensor 201a of the detecting means 20 detects the temperature distribution on the surface 61a side of the heating target 60 passing through the first detection area 205a. Then, the detection processing unit 202 detects a portion that is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value in the detected temperature distribution as a portion to be heated. Here, it is assumed that, for example, as shown in FIG. The detection processing unit 202 acquires the detected range of the coordinates of the heating target portion 206 in the width direction.

The control unit 402 divides the first detection region 205a from the first divided region 2051a to the third divided region 2051c, which are a plurality of regions, by dividing the first detection region 205a. Is detected. Specifically, in the irradiation management information shown in FIG. 5, “height” is “1” representing the first detection area 205 a where the detection is performed, and “range” is A record (row) including the acquired range of coordinates in the width direction of the heating target portion 206 is detected. Here, assuming that the record in the first line from the top in FIG. 5 is detected as a record that meets such a condition, the control unit 402 acquires the value of “control” of this record. It is assumed that the acquired values are “1: α1: t0, 2: α2: t0, 3: α3: t0”. This value is obtained, for example, by a plurality of microwave irradiating units 401 for irradiating microwaves for intensively heating the first concentrated heating region 406a obtained by a simulation or the like, and by each microwave irradiating unit 401. This is information for designating the phase of the microwave and the time from when the heating target portion is detected to when each microwave irradiating unit 401 starts to irradiate the microwave.

In addition, the control unit 402 acquires the current time “t1” from a clock or the like (not shown) and controls the phases of the microwaves of the three microwave irradiation units 401 acquired from “control” of the irradiation management information. The time “t0” from the detection of the heating target portion to the start of microwave irradiation of the information used for this is all added to the current time “t1” obtained above, and this time “t0” is added. The irradiation start time is changed to “t0 + t1”. Then, the information “1: α1:” obtained by changing the time “t0” of the “control” value of the record in the first row of the irradiation management information of FIG. “t0 + t1, 2: α2: t0 + t1, 3: α3: t0 + t1” are stored in a storage unit (not shown) as irradiation control information for controlling the irradiation of the microwaves whose phases are controlled by the plurality of microwave irradiation units 401. The irradiation control information is a combination of a value indicating each microwave irradiation unit 401 to be controlled, a value representing the phase thereof, and an irradiation start time of each microwave irradiation unit 401 with a “:” (colon) therebetween. It consists of a set of information. Here, since the irradiation start times corresponding to the values “1” to “3” representing the respective microwave irradiation units 401 are common, the control unit 402 stores the irradiation start times as different attributes.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing irradiation control tables for managing irradiation control information stored in a storage unit (not shown). The irradiation control table has attributes of “irradiation time” and “control”. “Irradiation time” is the above-described irradiation start time. The “control” is the same as the “control” in FIG. 5 except for the time until microwave irradiation. Here, one record (row) indicates one irradiation control information. FIG. 6A shows the case where the above information is accumulated.

{Circle around (2)} The second sensor 201b of the detection means 20 also detects the temperature distribution on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60 passing through the second detection area 205b. For example, this detection is actually performed almost simultaneously with the process of detecting the temperature distribution using the first sensor 201a. Then, the detection processing unit 202 performs a process of detecting a portion that is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold in the detected temperature distribution in order to detect the portion to be heated.

Here, assuming that a temperature portion equal to or lower than the threshold is not detected in the temperature distribution detected by the second sensor 201b, the control unit 402 does not acquire the irradiation control information as described above.

The control unit 402 searches the irradiation control information shown in FIG. 6A for a record in which the attribute value of “irradiation time” matches the current time “t1”. Here, since no matching record is detected, the microwave irradiation means 401 does not perform microwave irradiation.

The detection means 20 detects a temperature distribution in a portion of the moving heating target 60 that passes through the first detection area 205a and the second detection area 205b, respectively, as described above, and uses this temperature distribution. The heating target portion is detected, and when it is detected, the corresponding irradiation control information is obtained, and the process of additionally writing to the storage unit (not shown) is repeated at regular time intervals.

Similarly, the control unit 402 repeats the process of searching for a record in which the attribute value of “irradiation time” matches the current time in the irradiation control information shown in FIG. A processing example when a matching record is detected will be described later.

For example, at a certain time “t2” after the time “t1”, at a portion passing through the first detection area 205a of the heating target 60, a portion where the temperature is equal to or lower than the threshold is not detected. In the temperature distribution acquired by the second sensor 201b for the portion passing through the second detection region 205b of the 60, for example, as shown in FIG. Suppose it was done.

The control unit 402 detects an area including the heating target portion 206 detected by the detection unit 20 from the fourth divided area 2051d to the sixth divided area 2051f obtained by dividing the second detection area 205b. Specifically, in the irradiation management information shown in FIG. 5, “height” is “2” representing the second detection area 205 b performed on the detection side, and “range” is that the detection unit 20 A record (row) including the acquired coordinate range in the width direction of the heating target portion 206 is detected. Here, assuming that the record in the fifth row from the top in FIG. 5 is detected as a record that meets the conditions, the control unit 402 acquires the value of “control” of this record. It is assumed that the acquired values are “1: α13: t0, 2: α14: t0, 3: α15: t0”. This value is obtained, for example, by a plurality of microwave irradiating units 401 that irradiate microwaves for intensively heating the fifth concentrated heating region 406e acquired by a simulation or the like, and by each microwave irradiating unit 401. It is assumed that the information designates the phase of the microwave and the time from when the heating target portion is detected to when each microwave irradiating unit 401 starts to irradiate the microwave.

In addition, the control unit 402 acquires the current time “t2” from a clock or the like (not shown), and heats information used to control the phases of the microwaves of the three microwave irradiation units 401 acquired above. The time “t0” from the detection of the part to the start of the microwave irradiation is changed to the irradiation start time “t0 + t2” obtained by adding the time “t0” to the current time “t2” obtained above. Then, the irradiation control information “1: α13: t0 + t2, 2: α14: t0 + t2, 3: α15: t0 + t2” is acquired and added to the storage unit (not shown). The irradiation control table to which the irradiation control information is added is as shown in FIG.

Here, for example, assuming that the current time has become “t0 + t1”, the control unit 402 sets the attribute value of “irradiation time” to the current time “t1 + t0” in the irradiation control table shown in FIG. It is assumed that a record (row) that matches is detected. The control unit 402 obtains the attribute value “1” of “control” from the record in the first row from the irradiation control table shown in FIG. 6B in which the detected attribute value of “irradiation time” is “t1 + t0”. : Α1, 2: α2, 3: α3 ”, the first microwave irradiating unit 401a to the third microwave irradiating unit 401c are controlled using the attribute values, and the phases are controlled from each. Irradiate microwave. Specifically, the first microwave irradiating unit 401a irradiates a microwave whose phase is set to α1, and the second microwave irradiating unit 401b irradiates a microwave whose phase is set to α2, Microwaves whose phases are set to α3 are irradiated from the three microwave irradiation units 401c. The phase here is, for example, a phase based on the case where all phases are the same. Thereby, the first concentrated heating area 406a is concentratedly heated. The heating target portion 206 detected at the time “t0” in the first detection region 205a has moved into the first concentrated heating region 406a at the time “t0 + t1”. 206 will be concentratedly heated.

Further, for example, assuming that the current time has become “t0 + t2”, the control unit 402 sets the attribute value of “irradiation time” to the current time “t0 + t2” in the irradiation control table shown in FIG. Suppose that a matching record (row) is detected. The control unit 402 obtains the attribute value “1: α13, 2: α14, 3: α15” of “control” of the record in which the attribute value of the detected “irradiation time” is “t0 + t2”, and acquires this attribute value. The first microwave irradiation means 401a to the third microwave irradiation means 401c are controlled to irradiate the microwaves whose phases are controlled. Specifically, the first microwave irradiation unit 401a irradiates a microwave whose phase is set to α13, and the second microwave irradiation unit 401b irradiates a microwave whose phase is set to α14, Microwaves whose phases are set to α15 are irradiated from the three microwave irradiation units 401c. Thereby, the fifth concentrated heating region 406e is concentratedly heated. The heating target portion 206 detected at the time “t0” in the second detection region 205b has moved into the fifth concentrated heating region 406e at the time “t0 + t2”. 206 will be heated intensively.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the heating target portion detected by the detection means 20 can be concentratedly heated by the microwave, the heating target portion can be dynamically and in real time concentratedly heated, and the concentrated heating is wasteful. No efficient microwave heating can be performed. In addition, microwave irradiation performed on a portion that does not require heating can be reduced, and damage or the like due to heating of an unnecessary portion can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the heating object 60 that is continuously conveyed in the container 10 (that is, continuously moves in the container 10) by the conveying means such as the belt conveyor 50 is heated. Although the case of performing such a process has been described, the heating target 60 may be appropriately moved or stopped in the container 10. For example, the heating apparatus 1 may perform processing such as heating on the heating target 60 that moves discontinuously in the container 10. Moving discontinuously means, for example, moving in combination with movement and stopping, or moving intermittently. It does not matter when the heating target 60 is moved and when the heating target 60 is stopped. For example, the movement of the heating target 60 may be temporarily stopped when the detection unit 20 detects the heating target portion, and when the microwave irradiation unit 401 performs the concentrated heating, the heating target 60 May be temporarily stopped. When the movement is temporarily stopped, it is preferable to adjust the time from the detection of the heating target portion to the heating of the heating target portion by the amount of the stoppage.

(Modification 1)
In the above embodiment, the case where the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged in a single row in the width direction of the heating target 60 has been described, but the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged in the plurality of rows in the width direction. The irradiation state changing means 40 controls the phase of the microwave radiated by the microwave irradiating means 401 so that the heating target portion detected by the detecting means 20 is located (for example, the approaching state). B) The concentrated heating area may be heated intensively. That is, the concentrated heating regions 406 may be arranged in a matrix of p × q (p and q are integers of 2 or more) on the plane of the heating target 60 without gaps.

7 (a) to 7 (d) are schematic plan views of the vicinity of the heating target 60 in the container 10 as viewed from the front side, for describing such a modification of the heating device 1. FIG. 7A to 7D, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3A indicate the same or corresponding parts. The concentrated heating areas 406a2 to 406c2, and the concentrated heating areas 406a3 to 406c3 are respectively arranged such that the first concentrated heating area 406a to the concentrated heating area 406c are moved toward the first detection area 205a. It is assumed that the centralized heating area is translated. Thus, the concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged in a matrix in the planar direction. The other configuration of the heating device 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

The irradiation management information storage unit 403 includes, for example, information indicating the range of the first divided area 2051a and information for individually and centrally heating the first concentrated heating area 406a, the concentrated heating area 406a2, and the concentrated heating area 406a3. Irradiation management information including information for controlling the phase of the microwave irradiation means 401 is stored. Similarly, as for the information indicating the range of the second divided region 2051b and the information indicating the range of the third divided region 2051c, the microwave irradiation unit 401 for concentratedly heating the concentrated heating regions 406 having the same position in the width direction respectively. Irradiation management information associated with information for controlling the phase is stored. However, the information for controlling the phase of each concentrated heating region 406 is associated with information necessary for the heating target portion to move from the detection region 205 to each concentrated heating region 406. And For example, the time “t0” until the heating target portion moves from the detection region 205 to the first concentrated heating region 406a is associated with the first concentrated heating region 406a. The time "t5" until the heating target portion moves from the detection region 205 to the concentrated heating region 406a2 is associated with the heating target portion, and the heating target portion is moved from the detection region 205 to the concentrated heating region 406a3. It is assumed that the time “t6” before moving to is associated. (However, t0> t5> t6).

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, when the heating target portion is detected in the first divided area 2051a, the control unit 402 determines the first divided area 2051a from the irradiation management information in the irradiation management information storage unit 403. The information for controlling the phase of the microwave irradiation means 401 for individually and centrally heating the first concentrated heating region 406a, the concentrated heating region 406a2, and the concentrated heating region 406a3 are acquired. Then, at the time when “t6” seconds have elapsed since the detection of the heating target portion, the control unit 402 uses the information associated with “t6” among the acquired information to generate a plurality of microwave irradiation units. By irradiating a microwave whose phase is controlled by controlling 401, the concentrated heating area 406a3 is concentratedly heated when the heating target portion is located in the concentrated heating area 406b3. Further, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), when the heating target portion is located in the concentrated heating area 406a2 after "t5" seconds have elapsed since the detection of the heating target portion, "t5" Using the information correlated with "", the plurality of microwave irradiating means 401 are controlled to irradiate a microwave whose phase is controlled, thereby intensively heating the concentrated heating region 406a2. Further, when “t0” has elapsed since the detection of the portion to be heated, the plurality of microwave irradiation units 401 are controlled using the information associated with “t0” in the acquired information to control the phase. Is controlled, and the first concentrated heating region 406a is concentratedly heated when the heating target portion is located in the first concentrated heating region 406a as shown in FIG. 7D. Thereby, the heating target portion can be concentratedly heated by following the movement of the heating target portion. By doing so, it is possible to increase the time for intensively heating the portion to be heated.

The arrangement of the concentrated heating regions 406a in the plurality of rows is not limited to the above arrangement. For example, a plurality of rows of concentrated heating regions 406 may extend in the width direction, and a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 in different rows located in front and rear in the longitudinal direction may be arranged so as to have different width positions.

In the above-described embodiment, for the heating target detected in the detection region 205a on the front surface 61a side, the heating target portion is located in the width direction of the heating target 60 in the concentrated heating region on the front surface 61a side. Regarding the object to be heated detected in the concentrated heating region 406 to be changed and the detection region 205b on the back surface 61b side, the heating object portion in the width direction of the heating object 60 in the concentrated heating region on the back surface 61b side is The concentrated heating region 406 to be located is specified as the concentrated heating region 406 where the concentrated heating is performed, and the concentrated heating is performed. , The coordinates in the height direction) can be obtained, the irradiation state changing means 40 determines the position of the portion to be heated not only in the width direction but also in the height direction. Concentration heating region may be identified to the centralized heating area 406 which performs centralized heating. That is, the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located in the width direction of the heating target 60 and the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located in the height direction are subjected to concentrated heating. The central heating region may be determined. In the height direction, the process of specifying the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located includes the process of specifying the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located in the width direction as described above, and the process of specifying the concentrated heating region. This is the same except that the arrangement direction and the like of 406 are different, and thus detailed description is omitted here. In order to detect the heating target portion in the height direction, for example, it is necessary to acquire not only the planar direction of the heating target 60 but also the temperature distribution in the height direction.

Detecting the heating target portion in the height direction may be detecting the heating target portion inside the heating target object 60, or detecting the heating target portion in the internal height direction. Good. For example, the detection unit 20 obtains a temperature distribution in the height direction of the heating target 60, or obtains a temperature distribution for a combination of the planar direction and the height direction, and uses this temperature distribution to determine a heating target portion. To detect. Obtaining the temperature distribution in the height direction of the heating target 60 may be obtaining the temperature distribution inside the heating target 60. For example, acquiring the temperature distribution in the height direction of the heating object 60 may be acquiring the temperature distribution from the front surface to the back surface of the heating object 60. For this purpose, for example, it is conceivable to attach (for example, insert or contact) a plurality of sensors such as a contact-type temperature sensor in the height direction of the heating target 60. Mounting the sensors in the height direction means, for example, mounting one or more sensors at different heights. Further, by using an X-ray sensor or an ultrasonic sensor as a sensor of the detecting means 20, the temperature distribution in the height direction is obtained without contacting the heating target 60, and the obtained temperature distribution in the height direction is obtained. Using a threshold or the like, a portion having a low temperature is detected as a portion to be heated, and the detected portion to be heated is concentratedly heated using the irradiation state changing means 40 and the plurality of microwave irradiation means 401. Is also good. The X-ray sensor here is, for example, three-dimensional X-ray thermography. Regarding the three-dimensional X-ray thermography, the following non-patent document "Akio Yoneyama et al., Four people," Three-dimensional X-ray thermography using phase-contrast imaging ", Scientific Reports, [online], July 1, 1980 Search, Internet <URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30443-4 ””. For the ultrasonic sensor here, refer to Patent Document 2 “Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-70340”. A sensor other than the above may be used as a sensor for acquiring the temperature in the height direction. The temperature distribution in the height direction of the heating target 60 may be calculated using a temperature on the front surface, a temperature on the back surface, or the like, using a prediction formula prepared in advance or the like. Further, the temperature in the height direction may be obtained by performing a simulation such as a heat treatment in a preceding stage.

In the first embodiment, it is preferable that the detection unit 20 be able to acquire the temperature distribution of a part of the object to be heated that moves to one or more concentrated heating areas 406. In addition, it is preferable that at least one or more temperatures can be sequentially acquired for a portion moving to each concentrated heating region 406.

Note that, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which information indicating the position in the width direction of the portion to be heated is detected from the temperature distribution in the width direction acquired for the stripe-shaped detection region 205 extending in the width direction. While extending in the direction, by using the sensor 201 having a long detection region in the longitudinal direction, so as to obtain the temperature distribution in the width direction and the longitudinal direction, the width direction in the longitudinal direction of the heating target portion and Information indicating the position in the longitudinal direction may be obtained. In this case, the control unit 402 sets the time at which the detected heating target portion moves to the corresponding concentrated heating region 406 in accordance with the longitudinal position of the heating target portion in the detection region where the heating target portion is detected. It may be adjusted.

In addition, a plurality of configurations including the detecting unit 20, the irradiation state changing unit 40, and the plurality of microwave irradiating units 401 as in the present embodiment are provided in the longitudinal direction in one container 10, so that a heating target portion is provided. And a plurality of partial irradiations on the detected object to be heated may be performed.

(Embodiment 2)
Fig. 8 is a block diagram (Fig. 8 (a)) and a perspective view (Fig. 8 (b)) of the appearance and the like showing the function of the heating device 2 in the present embodiment. The corresponding parts are shown.

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view taken along the line IXa-IXa of FIG. 8B (FIG. 9A) and a schematic sectional view taken along the line IXb-IXb (FIG. 9B).

FIG. 11 is a perspective view schematically showing the vicinity of the heating target 60 in the container 10 (FIG. 11A), and a view of the vicinity of the surface side of the heating target 60 in the container 10 viewed from above (FIG. 11). FIG. 11B is a diagram (FIG. 11C) of the vicinity of the back surface viewed from below.

The heating device 2 includes the container 10, the detection unit 21, the first to third microwave irradiation units 401a to 401c, the irradiation state changing unit 41, and the belt conveyor 50. Here, it is assumed that the container 10 is similar to the container 10 described in the first embodiment except that the size of the inlet 101 and the outlet 102 is different.

The irradiation state changing means 41 can individually and collectively heat the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 set at different positions in the container 10 by controlling the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation means 401. Things. The concentrated heating area 406 is, for example, a three-dimensional area. The plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are set at positions where at least one of positions in the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and the height direction of the container 10 is different. The plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 may be arranged, for example, in at least one of the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and the height direction of the container 10. Here, a case where a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged such that a plurality of regions obtained by dividing at least a part of the region in the container 10 into a three-dimensional orthogonal lattice shape becomes a concentrated heating region 406, respectively. Will be described with an example. The case where the region is a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 will be described as an example. Note that each concentrated heating region 406 is arranged so that a side extends in the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and the height direction of the container 10. Each concentrated heating region 406 is assumed to be a rectangular parallelepiped having the same size. Adjacent concentrated heating regions 406 are in contact with each other without a gap, and the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are regularly arranged in the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and the height direction. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 8 (b), 9 (a) and 9 (b), a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape have two or more rows in the longitudinal direction and two or more rows in the width direction. , And two or more rows are arranged in the height direction without any gap, and the whole has a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the longitudinal direction. The arrangement of the two or more concentrated heating regions 406 is not limited to the above arrangement. For example, the two or more concentrated heating areas 406 may not be regularly arranged. For example, in one of the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and the height direction, the positions of the two or more concentrated heating regions 406 arranged before and after are arranged so as to be shifted in a direction perpendicular to the one direction. You may. Further, the shape of the concentrated heating region 406 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and may be another three-dimensional shape such as a spherical shape. Further, the adjacent concentrated heating regions 406 may be arranged with a space therebetween, and the adjacent concentrated heating regions 406 may partially overlap. However, it is preferable not to set a concentrated heating region completely included in another concentrated heating region.

The plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 may be arranged such that at least a part of the heating target 60, preferably the entire heating target 60, overlaps in a three-dimensional region in which the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are combined. preferable.

Moreover, it is preferable that the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged without any gap at least in a region overlapping with the heating target 60.

The heating target 60 is arranged in a region where a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged. Here, a case will be described where the rectangular parallelepiped heating target 60 is arranged so as to overlap a region where a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged. The heating target 60 may be arranged so as to overlap only a part of the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406. The heating target 60 is the same as the heating target 60 of the above embodiment except for the shape and size. In the present embodiment, as the heating target 60, the same heating target as that described in the first embodiment can be used.

In the case where the object 60 to be heated is carried into the container 10 manually or the like, the carrying means such as the belt conveyor 50 may be omitted. Further, an outlet or the like of the container 10 for carrying out the heating target 60 may be omitted. In this case, a mounting table (not shown) for mounting the object to be heated 60 whose surface is a mesh or the like may be provided in the container 10. Further, a lid (not shown) for closing the inlet 101 and the outlet 102 may be provided.

The detection unit 21 includes a first sensor 211a and a second sensor 211b, and a detection processing unit 212. When the first sensor 211a and the second sensor 211b are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as a sensor 211.

The first sensor 211a is a sensor that detects a temperature distribution in the first detection area 215a. The first sensor 211a is a sensor arranged such that the first detection region 215a overlaps with the region where the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged. For example, the first sensor 211a is a sensor in which the length of the detection region 205 in the longitudinal direction is increased in the first sensor 201a described above, and is a sensor arranged so as to overlap the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406. . The first sensor 211a is a sensor arranged such that portions of the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 overlapping the surface 61a side of the heating target 60 overlap the first detection region 215a. The first sensor 211a is, for example, a sensor in which the first detection region 215a has a two-dimensional shape. For example, the first sensor 211a acquires not the temperature distribution in the width direction but the temperature distribution in the two-dimensional direction on the surface 61a side of the heating target 60, for example, the temperature distribution in the width direction and the longitudinal direction. It is a sensor.

The second sensor 211b is a sensor that detects the temperature distribution in the second detection area 215b. The second sensor 211b is a sensor in which the second detection area 215b is arranged so as to overlap the area where the plurality of concentrated heating areas 406 are arranged. For example, the second sensor 211b is a sensor in which the length of the detection region 205 in the longitudinal direction in the first sensor 201a described above is increased, and is a sensor arranged so as to overlap the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406. . The second sensor 211b is a sensor arranged such that portions of the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 that overlap the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60 overlap the first detection region 215a. The second sensor 211b is, for example, a sensor in which the second detection area 215b has a two-dimensional shape. For example, the second sensor 211b acquires not the temperature distribution in the width direction but the temperature distribution in the two-dimensional direction on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60, for example, the temperature distribution in the width direction and the longitudinal direction. It is a sensor.

温度 The temperature distribution in the two-dimensional direction is, for example, a temperature distribution in two orthogonal directions. The temperature distribution in the two-dimensional direction is, for example, a temperature distribution at a plurality of positions represented by a combination of a position in the width direction and a position in the longitudinal direction. For example, the sensor 211 may be a sensor such as a radiation thermometer in which elements for detecting infrared rays are arranged in a two-dimensional direction. The acquired sensor may be used. When the first detection region 215a and the second detection region 215b are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as a detection region 215.

The detection processing unit 212 detects a heating target portion using the temperature distribution acquired by the sensor 211. For example, the detection processing unit 212 detects a low-temperature portion as a heating target portion. Then, the detection processing unit 212 acquires information indicating the detected heating target portion. It is preferable that the detected information indicating the heating target portion is three-dimensional information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the container 10. However, when the sensor 211 is a non-contact temperature sensor as in the present embodiment, the information indicating the position of the heating target detected by the sensor 211 is usually information indicating the position of the heating target in a two-dimensional space. Specifically, since the information indicates the position in the plane direction, here, in addition to this, as information indicating the position in the height direction of the information indicating the area detected by the first sensor 211a, Information indicating the position of the surface of the target object 60 in the height direction is acquired. Similarly, the position information in the height direction of the surface of the heating target 60 is obtained as the position information in the height direction of the information indicating the area detected by the second sensor 211b. For example, when the positions of the front surface and the back surface of the heating object 60 in the height direction in the container 10 are known in advance, the values are stored in a storage unit (not shown) and read out by the detection processing unit 212 as appropriate. get. In addition, the position in the height direction of the front surface 61a and the back surface 61b of the heating object 60 is determined by a sensor (not shown) that measures the distance, and the sensor that detects the height position of the front surface 61a and the back surface 61b (not shown). Zu) or the like. The information indicating the heating target portion obtained from the information indicating the two-dimensional temperature distribution obtained by the sensor 211 may be information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the two-dimensional space, such as the center or the center of gravity of the heating target portion. Or information indicating the position of the representative point. Note that the information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the two-dimensional space is, for example, information that can distinguish points included in the heating target portion and points not included therein, or an area inside and outside the heating target portion. Is information that can be distinguished. The information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the two-dimensional space may be, for example, information indicating the contour or outer surface of the heating target portion. When the heating target portion is represented by a polygon, the information may indicate information such as the vertices of the polygon. When the heating target portion is represented by a circle, the information may indicate the center and radius of the circle. The information indicating the position here is preferably three-dimensional information indicating the position of the portion to be heated in the container 10.

When the temperature distribution in the three-dimensional direction can be acquired using the sensor 211, the heating target portion acquired by the detection processing unit 212 is, for example, a region in a three-dimensional space. It is preferable to acquire information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the three-dimensional space as the indicating information. The information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the three-dimensional original space is, for example, information that can distinguish a point included in the heating target portion and a point not included therein, and indicates, for example, an outline or an outer surface of the heating target portion. It may be information. The information indicating the contour is, for example, a plurality of coordinate groups located on the contour in the three-dimensional space. When the heating target portion is represented by a polygon, the information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the three-dimensional space may be a coordinate group indicating a plurality of vertices of the polygon. When the heating target portion is represented by a sphere, the information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the three-dimensional space may be a combination of the coordinates of the center of the sphere and the radius of the sphere. Information indicating the position of the heating target portion in the three-dimensional original space includes information indicating the shape and size of the heating target, and information indicating the position in the three-dimensional space of a representative point such as the center or the center of gravity of the heating target. May be combined. The same applies to the information indicating the concentrated heating area 406 described later.

(4) The three microwave irradiation units 401 included in the heating unit 2 are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the number of the microwave irradiation means 401 is not limited to three, but may be any plural number.

The irradiation state changing unit 41 has a control unit 412 and an irradiation management information storage unit 413. When the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located in the concentrated heating region 406, the irradiation state changing unit 41 converts the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the concentrated heating region is concentratedly heated into two or more microwaves. Irradiation is performed from the irradiating means 401 to intensively heat the portion to be heated. The irradiation state changing unit 41 is configured, for example, when the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 is located in the concentrated heating area corresponding to one or more irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 413. Microwaves whose phases are controlled so that the region where partial heating is possible are concentratedly heated are radiated from two or more microwave radiating means 401 to intensively heat the portion to be heated.

The control unit 412 controls the phase of the microwave radiated by the microwave irradiating means 401 so that the portion to be heated is concentratedly heated. The control unit 412 controls the phase of the microwave irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit 401, for example, such that the concentrated heating region where the heating target portion is located, that is, the concentrated heating region overlapping the heating target portion is concentratedly heated. This means that when the portion to be heated is located in the concentrated heating area 406, two or more microwave irradiation means 401 are controlled, and the microwaves whose phases are controlled so that the concentrated heating area 406 is concentrated heated are Irradiation may be considered. Here, the concentrated heating area 406 is the concentrated heating area 406 corresponding to the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 413. For example, by using information indicating a plurality of concentrated heating areas stored in advance in a storage unit such as the irradiation management information storage unit 413 and information indicating a heating target part detected by the detection unit 21, the heating target part is determined. The overlapped concentrated heating region is specified, and the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 are controlled so that the specified concentrated heating region is concentratedly heated. Here, a case will be described in which information indicating the position of the concentrated heating region 406 in the three-dimensional space is acquired as the information indicating the concentrated heating region 406. Information indicating the position of the concentrated heating area 406 in the three-dimensional space is the same information as the information indicating the position of the heating target portion described above.

The control unit 402 uses, for example, information indicating the position of each of the concentrated heating regions 406 in the three-dimensional space and information indicating the position of the heating target portion, and uses the concentrated heating region 406 overlapping the heating target portion. Is detected. Specifically, information indicating the concentrated heating region 406 at least partially overlapping the heating target portion is acquired. The detection of the information indicating the concentrated heating region 406 including the concentrated heating region 406 overlapping the heating target portion may be considered as a process of specifying the concentrated heating region where the heating target portion is located.

When the heating target 60 is moving, the irradiation state changing unit 41 immediately specifies the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion is located, and then immediately applies the microwave irradiation unit 401 so that the concentrated heating region 406 is concentrated heated. Is preferably controlled. This is not the case when the heating target 60 is not moving.

In the present embodiment, for example, information indicating the position of the concentrated heating region 406 in the three-dimensional space and two or more microwaves for centrally heating the concentrated heating region 406 are stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 413 in advance. A plurality of irradiation management information having information for controlling the phase of the microwave irradiated by the irradiation unit 401 is stored, and the control unit 402 controls the concentrated heating region overlapping the heating target portion detected above. The irradiation management information including the information indicating 406 is detected, the information for controlling the phase of the microwave irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 included in the detected irradiation management information is read, and this information is used. , By controlling the phases of the microwaves radiated by the two or more microwave radiating means 401 to concentrate the concentrated heating area 406 including the portion to be heated. Description will be given of a case to be.

Note that the control unit 402 includes information indicating the position in the three-dimensional space of the representative point such as the center or the center of gravity of the specified concentrated heating region 406 overlapping the heating target portion (for example, the center coordinates of the concentrated heating region 406), Using the coordinates of the positions where the plurality of microwaves are irradiated in the container 10, the distances from the positions where the plurality of microwaves are irradiated to the concentrated heating area 406 are calculated, and information on the calculated distance and the microwave to be irradiated are calculated. Using the wavelength of the wave and the like, the phase of the microwave irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation means 401 is calculated so that the plurality of microwaves reinforce each other in the specific concentrated heating region 406, and the calculated information is calculated. Alternatively, the specified concentrated heating region 406 may be concentratedly heated by controlling the phase of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401.

(4) The irradiation management information storage unit 413 stores irradiation management information that is information for controlling the phase of microwaves irradiated by two or more microwave irradiation units 401 for centrally heating the concentrated heating region 406. The irradiation management information stored in the present embodiment is, in the irradiation management information described in the above embodiment, information indicating the position of the concentrated heating region 406 in the three-dimensional space as information for specifying the concentrated heating region. It is assumed that it has. Here, as the information for controlling the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 in the irradiation management information, information that does not have the irradiation start time is used here. However, it may have a start time. The concentrated heating area 406 here is a plurality of concentrated heating areas 406 arranged in the container 10. Note that the control unit 412 stores the identifier of the concentrated heating area 406 stored in a storage unit (not shown) and information indicating the concentrated heating area 406 (for example, information indicating the position of the concentrated heating area in the three-dimensional space) and the like. When acquiring the identifier of the concentrated heating region where the heating target portion is located, the partial irradiation management information includes the identifier of the concentrated heating region 406 and the information for controlling the phase for centrally heating the concentrated heating region 406. May be information having the following. The information for controlling the phases of two or more microwave irradiation units 401 included in one irradiation management information is, for example, a concentrated heating area corresponding to the one irradiation management information, like the irradiation management information of the above embodiment. It is preferable that the information is information obtained by performing a simulation, an experiment, or the like for performing concentrated heating of the 406 and setting the phases of the microwaves to be irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401.

Regarding the operation of the heating device 2 of the present embodiment, for example, in the operation described using the flowchart in the above embodiment, the concentrated heating region where the heating target portion is located is specified, and the phase of the microwave is controlled. In the case where the process for acquiring the information for the different point or the heating target 60 is moving, the microwave irradiation is performed immediately after specifying the concentrated heating area, and when the heating target 60 is not moving, Except that the microwave irradiation is performed at an arbitrary time after the concentrated heating region is specified, the configuration is the same as that of the above embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted here.

Next, a specific example of the operation of the heating device 2 of the present embodiment will be described. Here, it is assumed that the heating target 60 is heated by another heating device or the like immediately before being carried into the container 10. The case where the belt 60 conveys the heating target 60 from the entrance 101 into the container 10 and then stops the movement, detects the target to be heated, and performs the process of centrally heating the target to be heated will be described. After the heat treatment, the heating target 60 is moved from the container 10 to the outside of the container 10 on the belt conveyor 50.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 413. The irradiation management information has attributes of “centralized heating area” and “control”. The “concentrated heating area” is information indicating the position of each concentrated heating area 406 in the container 10 in the three-dimensional space. Here, the coordinates of the six vertices of the concentrated heating area 406 that is a rectangular parallelepiped are stored. And Note that (X1, Y1, Z1) and the like indicate arbitrary X, Y, and Z coordinates in the container 10. Here, it is assumed that the X coordinate is the coordinate in the width direction of the container 10, the Y coordinate is the coordinate in the width direction of the container 10, and the Z coordinate is the coordinate in the height direction of the container 10. This “concentrated heating area” may be considered as information for specifying the concentrated heating area 406. The “control” is information used to control the phases of the microwaves of the three microwave irradiation units 401 similarly to the “control” of the specific example of the first embodiment, and the microwave irradiation of the control target is performed. It is composed of a set of information in which a value indicating the unit 401 and a value indicating the phase of the microwave emitted from the microwave irradiation unit 401 are combined with a “:” (colon) therebetween. The values “1” to “3” representing the microwave irradiation unit 401 indicate the first microwave irradiation unit 401a to the third microwave irradiation unit 401c. Here, it is assumed that one row is one record of the irradiation management information.

(4) After the heating object 60 is carried into the container 10 by the belt conveyor 50, the belt conveyor 50 is stopped, and the movement of the heating object 60 is stopped.

The first sensor 211a of the detecting means 21 detects a temperature distribution in a first detection area 215a covering the surface 61a of the heating target 60. The detected temperature distribution is a temperature distribution in the planar direction of the surface 61a of the heating target 60. Then, the detection processing unit 212 detects a portion that is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value in the detected temperature distribution as a portion to be heated. Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 11B, it is assumed that the heating target portion 506 is detected. The detection processing unit 202 acquires, as the information indicating the detected position of the heating target portion 506 in the planar direction, information indicating the contour of the heating target portion in the planar direction. It is assumed that the information on the contour in the plane direction is, for example, a group of coordinates located on the contour. Here, the coordinates in the height direction of the surface 61a of the heating target 60 arranged in the container 10 are arranged in a storage unit (not shown), and the detection processing unit 212 also calculates the coordinates in the height direction. The control unit 402 reads out a set of the coordinate group of the contour and the coordinates in the height direction as information indicating an area of a heating target portion.

The control unit 402 uses the information indicating the area of the portion to be heated received from the detection processing unit 202 to change the attribute value of the “centralized heating area” from the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 413 to the heating. Irradiation management information overlapping with information indicating the position of the target portion is detected. Specifically, the control unit 412 determines that the range of the X coordinate and the range of the Y coordinate indicated by the attribute value of the “concentrated heating area” overlap with the area indicated by the coordinate group of the outline of the heating target portion, The irradiation management information in which the range of the Z coordinate indicated by the attribute value of the “heating region” includes the coordinates in the height direction included in the information indicating the heating target portion is searched. It is assumed that the irradiation management information detected here is irradiation management information corresponding to the concentrated heating area 406m. Then, the control unit 412 acquires the attribute value of “control” of the detected irradiation management information, controls the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 using the attribute value, and responds to the attribute value. Microwaves of different phases are irradiated. Thereby, the concentrated heating area 406m in which the heating target portion is detected can be heated by irradiating the microwaves whose phases are controlled from the two or more microwave irradiating means 401, respectively. The time for performing the concentrated heating may be constant, or may be determined according to the temperature of the portion to be heated.

Note that, as in the case where the detected heating target portions are arranged over a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406, or when a plurality of heating target portions located in different concentrated heating regions are detected, When a plurality of pieces of irradiation management information whose attribute values include the heating target part are detected, the irradiation of the microwaves according to the irradiation management information is performed in order, so that the heating target part has a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406. May be concentratedly heated in order.

{Circle around (2)} The second sensor 211b of the detection means 20 detects the temperature distribution in the second detection region 215b covering the back side of the heating target 60. Then, the detection processing unit 202 detects a portion that is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value in the detected temperature distribution as a portion to be heated. Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 11C, it is assumed that the heating target portion 507 is detected. The detection processing unit 202 acquires information indicating the outline of the detected heating target portion 507 in the planar direction. Also, here, the coordinates in the height direction of the back surface of the heating target 60 arranged in the container 10 are arranged in a storage unit (not shown), and the detection processing unit 202 also reads the coordinates in the height direction. A set of a coordinate group indicating the contour and coordinates in the height direction is passed to the control unit 402 as information indicating the position of the heating target portion.

Similarly to the above, the control unit 402 uses the information indicating the position of the heating target portion received from the detection processing unit 202 to extract the “centralized heating area” from the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 413. Irradiance management information including information indicating the position of the portion to be heated is detected, and two or more microwave irradiation means 401 are controlled using the attribute value of “control” of the detected irradiation management information. Microwaves having phases corresponding to the attribute values are radiated. Thereby, the concentrated heating region 406n in which the heating target portion is detected can be heated by irradiating the microwaves whose phases are controlled from the two or more microwave irradiating means 401, respectively.

Note that, when the heating target portions are detected at the same time from the temperature distribution detected by the first sensor 201a and the temperature distribution detected by the second sensor 201b, the control unit 402 intensively heats the respective heating target portions. The processing is performed in order.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the heating target portion can be detected by the detection means 21 and the detected heating target portion can be concentratedly heated. Heating enables efficient microwave heating without waste. In particular, since the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 can be concentratedly heated on the spot, the concentrated heating can be performed in real time. In addition, microwave irradiation performed on unnecessary portions can be reduced, and damage or the like due to heating of unnecessary portions can be prevented. Further, even when the object to be heated is not moving, the portion to be heated can be heated.

Note that, in the above specific example, the case where the heating target 60 is not moving when performing the process for intensively heating the heating target portion has been described, but when the heating target 60 is moving. Further, a process for intensively heating the portion to be heated as described above may be performed. However, in this case, immediately after the detection unit 21 detects the heating target portion, it is desired that the concentrated heating region including the heating target portion be specified to perform the concentrated heating. In addition, these processes need to be repeatedly performed with the movement.

Further, when a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged in the moving direction of the heating target 60 and the heating target 60 is moving, the heating target 60 is moved at desired time intervals (for example, when the heating target 60 At each time interval passing through the length of the heating region in the longitudinal direction, etc.), the process of detecting the heating target portion and repeating the process of intensively heating the region including the heating target portion allows the moving heating target portion to be detected. In addition to the concentrated heating, the concentrated heating can be prevented from being performed when the heating target portion is sufficiently heated.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case has been described where the sensor 211 included in the detection unit 21 is a sensor that acquires the temperature distribution on the front surface and the back surface of the heating target 60 in a non-contact manner. 211 is not limited to such a sensor. For example, as the sensor 211, a plurality of contact-type temperature sensors, each of which has a temperature detecting portion attached to a plurality of positions in the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and the height direction of the heating target 60 different from each other, are used. The temperature distribution inside the object 60 may also be acquired. For example, in the above embodiment, only the temperature distribution on the front surface and the back surface of the heating target 60 can be obtained, and the temperature distribution in the height direction of the heating target 60 cannot be obtained. Even if there is a heating target portion, it is difficult to detect the heating target portion, and it is difficult to heat the heating target portion intensively. However, by using such a sensor 211, the heating target 60 The temperature distribution inside is obtained, the portion to be heated inside is detected, and the portion to be heated can be intensively heated.

For example, in the above embodiment, the sensor 211 included in the detection unit 21 is a sensor that can detect one or more temperatures for each concentrated heating region 406 (for example, each concentrated heating region 406 where a heating target portion is located). (Not shown), and the central heating region 406 where the temperature of the heating target 60 or the like indicated by the output of this sensor is equal to or higher than the threshold value, or the temperature of the other concentrated heating region 406 or the like. The irradiation state is determined such that the concentrated heating area 406 higher than a representative value such as an average value or an intermediate value of the temperatures of the plurality of concentrated heating areas 406 is determined as a heating target portion, and the concentrated heating area 406 is concentrated heated. The changing means 41 may irradiate the microwave irradiating means 401 with the microwave whose phase is controlled. In such a case as well, since the output of each sensor is considered to indicate a temperature distribution, such a process is also a process of intensively heating the heating target portion detected by the detecting unit 21 using the temperature distribution. You may think.

Further, by using the X-ray sensor or the ultrasonic sensor as described above as a sensor of the detecting means 20, a temperature distribution in the height direction is obtained, and a threshold value is obtained by using the obtained temperature distribution in the height direction. For example, a portion having a low temperature may be detected as a portion to be heated by using the method described above, and the detected portion to be heated may be concentratedly heated using the irradiation state changing means 41 and the microwave irradiation means 401.

(Modification 1)
Hereinafter, as a modified example of the present embodiment, a heating device that detects a heating target portion even in the height direction inside the heating target object and centrally heats the detected heating target portion will be described.

Drawing 16 is a block diagram (Drawing 16 (a)) and a perspective view (Drawing 16 (b)) of heating device 3 of a modification of this embodiment. In Drawings, the same numerals as Drawing 8 grade are the same or equivalent. The part to be performed is shown.

FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view (FIGS. 17 (a) and 17 (b)) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the object to be heated, for explaining a modification of the present embodiment.

The heating device 3 of this modification is different from the heating device 2 of the second embodiment in that an ultrasonic sensor is used instead of the detection unit 21 having the first sensor 211a and the second sensor 211b and the detection processing unit 212. The detection unit 24 has a detection unit 24 that detects a portion to be heated from the temperature distribution acquired by the ultrasonic sensor 211c.

Here, an example in which a heating object 60a having a spheroidal shape is used instead of the heating object 60 will be described. It is assumed that the cross-sectional shape of the heating target 60a perpendicular to the longitudinal direction at a certain position in the longitudinal direction is, for example, a shape as shown in FIG. It is assumed that the heating target 60a is not moved after being placed on the belt 501 and moving into the container 10 similarly to the second embodiment.

とする It is assumed that the ultrasonic sensor 211c can acquire a temperature distribution in cross sections at a plurality of different positions in the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60a. The ultrasonic sensor 211c may be capable of performing scanning for acquiring a temperature distribution at different positions in the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 211c arranged to acquire the temperature distribution at different positions in the longitudinal direction may be used. An ultrasonic wave transmission unit and a reception unit (not shown) may be provided.

The detection processing unit 212a is different from the detection processing unit 212 of the second embodiment in that the ultrasonic sensor 211c is used in the longitudinal direction instead of detecting the heating target portion from the information acquired by the first sensor 211a and the second sensor 211b. The target to be heated is detected from the temperature distributions obtained from different positions by using a threshold value or the like. For example, the detection processing unit 212 detects a region having a temperature equal to or higher than a threshold from the temperature distribution acquired by the ultrasonic sensor 211c, and acquires information indicating the detected region as information indicating a heating target portion. The configuration and the like of the detection processing unit 212a other than those described above are the same as those of the detection processing unit 212, and thus description thereof is omitted here.

Next, a specific example of the operation will be described. With respect to the heating target 60a, the ultrasonic sensor 211c acquires the temperature distributions of the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60a at different positions in the longitudinal direction. This cross section may be considered a fault. Each temperature distribution includes, for example, coordinates of a plurality of positions represented by a combination of coordinates in the width direction of the heating target 60a and coordinates in the height direction of the heating target 60a, and the temperature of the plurality of positions. This is information having a value. The acquisition position of each temperature distribution indicates a position (for example, coordinates) in the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60a of each temperature distribution.

The detection processing unit 212a performs a process of detecting a portion to be heated using a threshold in each temperature distribution acquired by the ultrasonic sensor 211c.

Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 17B, in the temperature distribution acquired by the ultrasonic sensor 211c with respect to the cross section at one position in the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60a, the detection processing unit 212a determines the heating target portion 1606 If it is detected, the control unit 412 determines the position in the longitudinal direction at which the temperature distribution is obtained, the position in the width direction of the heating target portion 1606 obtained from the temperature distribution by the detection processing unit 212, and the position in the height direction The centralized heating area 406α, which is the centralized heating area 406 including the position in the container 10 represented by the acquired longitudinal position, widthwise position, and heightwise position, is subjected to irradiation management. It is specified using the irradiation management information stored in the information storage unit 413. The control unit 412 controls the phase from the microwave irradiation unit 401 using the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 413 so that the concentrated heating area 406α is subjected to the concentrated heating. Irradiate a plurality of microwaves. Thereby, the heating target portion 1606 can be detected inside the heating target object 60a, and the detected heating target portion can be concentratedly heated. Central heating can be performed in real time.

In the above-described modification, the heating target 60a is moved in the container 10 and the ultrasonic sensor 211c is used to heat the heating target 60a passing through one position in the longitudinal direction in the container 10. The portions are sequentially detected, and when the heating target portion is detected, the phase of irradiating the concentrated heating region 406 into which the heating target portion enters with the movement of the heating target object 60a from the microwave irradiation unit 401 is controlled. The concentrated heating may be performed by a plurality of microwaves.

Further, in the above modification, the case where the ultrasonic sensor 211c is provided as a sensor for acquiring the temperature distribution inside the heating target 60a has been described, but instead of the ultrasonic sensor 211c, the other heating target 60a A sensor for acquiring the internal temperature distribution may be used. For example, the detection unit 24 may include an X-ray sensor instead of the ultrasonic sensor 211c. The same applies to the following embodiments using the ultrasonic sensor and the detecting unit 24 having the ultrasonic sensor.

In the above embodiment, the control unit 412 uses the information indicating the position of the concentrated heating region or the like in the three-dimensional space to locate the concentrated heating region 406 overlapping the heating target portion, where the heating target portion is located. Although the information is specified as the concentrated heating region 406 and the information for controlling the phase of the microwave for centrally heating the concentrated heating region 406 is acquired, the control unit 412 performs the concentrated heating including the heating target portion. The process of specifying the region 406 and acquiring information for controlling the phase of the microwave for centrally heating the concentrated heating region 406 is not limited to the above process.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, instead of the information indicating the position of the concentrated heating region 406 in the three-dimensional space described above, the center of each concentrated heating region 406 in the three-dimensional space is used as the information indicating the position of the concentrated heating region. And information indicating the position of a representative point such as the center of gravity (eg, three-dimensional coordinates), and similarly, information indicating the position of the heating target portion, such as the center or the center of gravity of the heating target portion in the three-dimensional space, is used. The information (for example, three-dimensional coordinates) indicating the position of the representative point is used, and the control unit 412 selects the representative point of the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 from the representative points of each concentrated heating area 406. Are detected by the plurality of microwave irradiation units 401 so that the concentrated heating area 406 corresponding to the detected representative point is concentratedly heated. It may be to control the phase of that microwave. For example, the irradiation management information is information (for example, three-dimensional coordinates) indicating the position of a representative point such as the center or the center of gravity of the concentrated heating area 406 in the three-dimensional space, for a plurality of concentrated heating areas in the container 10. The control unit 412 determines the position of the representative point in the three-dimensional space of the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 so as to have information for controlling the phase of the microwave for centrally heating the concentrated heating region. The phase of the microwave for detecting the irradiation management information having the information indicating the position of the representative point of the concentrated heating area 406 where the distance to the indicated information is the shortest and for centrally heating the concentrated heating area included in the detected irradiation management information May be acquired, and using this information, the phases of the microwaves irradiated by the plurality of microwave irradiation units 401 may be controlled.

In the above embodiment, the case where the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged in the three-dimensional direction has been described as an example. However, the arrangement direction of the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 is limited to the three-dimensional direction. For example, they may be arranged in a two-dimensional direction or in a one-dimensional direction. Here, being arranged in the two-dimensional direction means that, for example, the height direction is arranged in a line, and is arranged in a matrix of r × s (r, s is an integer of 2 or more) in the plane direction. Alternatively, the longitudinal direction may be one line, and the height direction and the width direction may be arranged in a matrix of r × s (r and s are integers of 2 or more). The arrangement of the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 in the one-dimensional direction means, for example, that the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged in a line in the longitudinal direction, the width direction, or an arbitrary direction. It is preferable that the arrangement of the plurality of concentrated heating regions be in accordance with, for example, the shape of the heating target 60 or the like. Note that the detection unit 21 is limited to the detection unit 21 in which the detection region 215 is disposed as long as the detection region 215 is disposed so as to overlap the concentrated heating region 406 arranged in the container 10. Not something. For example, when a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged in a one-dimensional direction, the sensor 211 included in the detecting unit 21 is arranged such that the detection region 215 overlaps the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406. Alternatively, the sensor may be a direction in which the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged.

In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where there are a plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 in which the concentrated heating can be performed in the container 10 is described, but the number of the concentrated heating regions 406 may be one. For example, when the heating target 60 moves in the longitudinal direction in the container 10 and has a thread shape or a stripe shape narrower than one concentrated heating region 406, the heating target 60 Is moved while passing through the concentrated heating area 406, and the detection area of the detection means is arranged on this movement path, so that the heating target portion of the heating target 60 is detected by the detection means. Upon detection, the detected heating target portion can be concentratedly heated when located in the concentrated heating region 406 (for example, when overlapping with the concentrated heating region 406).

Further, in the second embodiment, the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406, which are two-dimensional regions, differ from each other in the plane directions of the front surface side and the back surface side of the heating target 60, as described in the first embodiment. Position (for example, at least one of the position in the longitudinal direction and the position in the width direction is different) so that the first detection area 205a of the detection unit 21 overlaps the plurality of concentrated heating areas 406. The area on the front surface 61a side, the second detection area 205b of the detection means 21 is made to be the area on the back side of the heating object 60 overlapping the plurality of concentrated heating areas 406, and the irradiation state changing means 41 In the same manner as in the first embodiment, microwaves may be irradiated so that the concentrated heating region 406 in which is detected is concentratedly heated. The same applies to the case where one concentrated heating region 406 is arranged in the planar direction on the front surface 61a side and the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the first sensor and the second sensor are used to acquire the temperature distribution on the front surface side and the back surface side of the heating target 60 and detect the heating target portion will be described. However, only one of the first sensor and the second sensor may be used. In particular, when the thickness of the heating target 60 is thin and the temperature on the front surface side and the temperature on the rear surface side hardly change, only one of the first sensor and the second sensor may be used. . In this case, for example, each concentrated heating region 406 is arranged so as to be one layer in the height direction, and the heating object 60 is arranged so as to fit in the one layer concentrated heating region 406 in the height direction, or It is preferable to move.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the case has been described where the detecting unit 20 acquires the temperature of the heating target 60 and detects the portion to be heated. Information indicating the state of the target object 60 is not limited to the temperature. For example, the information indicating the state of the heating target 60 acquired by the detection unit to detect the heated portion may be one or more of temperature, pressure, moisture, and color. Further, the sensor is not limited to the sensor described in the above embodiment. The sensor included in the detecting means may be one or more of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a moisture sensor, and a sensor for acquiring color.

For example, the detection unit may detect, for example, a portion having a high moisture content in at least one of the planar direction and the height direction of the heating target 60, and may detect the portion having a high detected moisture content as the heating target portion. Good. For example, in the case where the heating target 60 has a reduced moisture content due to heating (for example, a product that is dried by heating), a portion having a high detected moisture content is, for example, a portion requiring heating or insufficient heating. It may be considered as a part that does. The portion having a high moisture content may be, for example, a portion having a moisture content higher than a predetermined threshold, and may be a portion having a higher moisture content than other portions of the heating target 60 or an average value of a plurality of portions of the heating target 60. It may be a portion with a water content higher than the threshold value.

For example, the detection unit 20 has been described in the above embodiment using, as one or more sensors that acquire information indicating the state of the heating target, a sensor capable of detecting the moisture content of the heating target 60 without contact. In the same detection region as the detection region, the distribution of the moisture content of the heating target 60 may be detected, and a portion where the moisture content is equal to or larger than the threshold may be detected as the heating target portion. As a sensor for detecting the amount of water in a non-contact manner, a sensor that irradiates a microwave to a desired position and detects the amount of water from the reflected microwave can be used. Further, one or two or more contact-type water amounts provided so that at least one of a position in the longitudinal direction, a position in the width direction, and a position in the height direction of the heating object 60 are in contact with a plurality of different positions are measured. Using a sensor or the like, the distribution of the water content of the heating target 60 is detected in the same detection region as the detection region described in the above embodiment, and the portion where the water content equal to or larger than the threshold is detected is regarded as the heating target portion. May be detected.

In addition, for example, the detection unit 20 detects, for example, a portion where the pressure is low in at least one of the planar direction and the height direction of the heating target 60, and detects the detected low pressure portion as the heating target portion. Is also good. For example, when the pressure of the heating target 60 increases due to the heating, the portion where the detected pressure is low may be considered as, for example, a portion requiring heating or a portion lacking heating. The portion where the pressure is low may be, for example, a portion where the pressure is lower than a predetermined threshold, and the threshold is lower than the average value of the heating target 60 or the average value of other portions of the heating target 60 or the like. The above may be a portion where the pressure is low.

For example, the detection unit 20 includes one or two or more contact types provided so that at least one of a position in the longitudinal direction, a position in the width direction, and a position in the height direction of the heating target 60 is different from each other. Using a sensor or the like that measures the amount of moisture in the detection area similar to the detection area described in the above embodiment, the distribution of the amount of moisture in the heating target 60 is detected, and a portion where the amount of moisture equal to or greater than the threshold is detected May be detected as the portion to be heated.

In addition, the detection unit 20 detects a color in at least one of the plane direction and the height direction of the heating target 60, and detects a portion in which the detected color is a predetermined color as a heating target portion. I do. The portion having a predetermined color is, for example, a portion in which one or more of the lightness, hue, and saturation of the color have a value within a desired range. For example, when the heating target 60 changes color by heating (for example, when the color turns black due to heating or changes color by causing a color reaction), a color that has not changed color is used. The portion having the heat may be detected as a portion requiring heating, a portion having insufficient heating, or the like.

For example, the detecting unit 20 may use an image sensor or a line sensor capable of acquiring the color of the surface of the heating target 60 in a non-contact manner as one or more sensors that obtain information indicating the state of the heating target. In a detection region similar to the detection region described in the embodiment, the color distribution of the heating target 60 may be detected, and a specific color portion may be detected as a heating target portion. The specific color portion is, for example, a color in which one or more of hue, saturation, and lightness are in a specific range.

When information indicating a state other than the temperature is used, for example, the description of the temperature in each of the above embodiments may be appropriately replaced with information indicating a state other than the temperature.

In each of the above embodiments, the detecting means detects the heating target portion from the information indicating the state of the heating target object 60, and the three-dimensional representative points such as the center and the center of gravity of the heating target portion are detected. The information indicating the position in the space is acquired, and the control unit of the irradiation state changing unit uses the coordinates of the position where the two or more microwaves are emitted in the container 10 from the position where the two or more microwaves are emitted. Calculate the distance to the representative point of the heating target part, and use the information on the calculated distance and the wavelength of the microwave to be irradiated to strengthen the microwaves at the representative point of the heating target part and the surrounding area. In order to match, the phase of the microwave radiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 is calculated, and information for controlling the phase of the microwave radiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 is obtained. To make it in, by controlling the microwave irradiation means 401 by using this information, the heat target portion may be centralized heating. At this time, as the information indicating the position of each concentrated heating area, for example, information stored in a storage unit (not shown) or the like may be read out. The phase calculated here may be, for example, a phase at which the phase difference between the microwaves irradiated by the two or more microwave irradiation units 401 becomes zero.

(Embodiment 3)
In the above first and second embodiments, the case where the microwave whose phase is controlled is irradiated so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is heated intensively has been described. The changing means includes one or more microwave irradiating means for irradiating the microwave, and the microwave irradiating the one or more microwave irradiating means so that the heating target portion detected by the detecting means is concentratedly heated. A heating device whose output is changed will be described.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram (FIG. 18A) and a perspective view (FIG. 18B) of the heating device 4 of the present embodiment. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same or corresponding parts.

The heating device 4 includes the detection unit 20, first to third microwave irradiation units 421a to 421c, and an irradiation state changing unit 42. The irradiation state changing unit 42 includes a control unit 422 and an irradiation management information storage unit 423.

The first to third microwave irradiation means 421a to 421c are microwave irradiation means whose output can be individually changed. To be able to individually change the output may be considered that the output can be individually controlled. The individually changeable output may mean, for example, that the microwave output can be individually increased or decreased or changed, or that the output can be individually turned on and off. Here, as an example, a case where the change of the microwave output is a change of ON and OFF (for example, a control of ON and OFF) will be described as an example. It does not matter whether the first to third microwave irradiation means 421a to 421c can change the phase. Here, each of the first to third microwave irradiation means 421a to 421c has a microwave oscillator 4211 whose output can be individually changed, and a transmission unit 4012 similar to each of the above embodiments. The case will be described. The microwave oscillator 4211 is a microwave oscillator similar to the microwave oscillator 4011 described in the above embodiment, and is a microwave oscillator whose output can be changed. However, it does not matter whether the microwave oscillator 4211 can change the phase like the microwave oscillator 4011. For example, the microwave oscillator 4211 may not have a phase shifter. The plurality of microwave irradiating means 421 is for irradiating microwaves emitted from one microwave oscillator into the container 10 by branching and transmitting the microwaves at a transmission unit having a branch structure. The output of the microwave may be changeable using an amplifier (not shown) provided in a transmission unit or the like. In this case, the amplifier or the like that changes the output may be irradiated with the microwave. It may be considered as a means. The first to third microwave irradiating units 421a to 421c have the same configuration as the first to third microwave irradiating units 401a to 401c of the first embodiment except for the above. Available. When the first to third microwave irradiation means 421a to 421c are not distinguished from each other, they may be simply referred to as microwave irradiation means 421.

The concentrated heating regions 406a to 406f of the present embodiment are regions that are concentrated and heated by the same microwaves as in the first embodiment, but different from the first embodiment, the first to third microwaves. It is assumed that each of the irradiation units 421a to 421c is a region individually irradiated with the microwaves to be irradiated. Here, each transmission section 4012 of the first to third microwave irradiation means 421a to 421c is an opening 105 provided at the upper part of the container 10 and is a straight line in the width direction of the heating target 60. It is assumed that they are respectively attached to three openings 105 arranged in a shape. The microwave is applied downward from each opening 105. In addition, the concentrated heating regions 406a to 406c are linearly arranged on the surface 61a of the heating target 60 in the width direction. In addition, the concentrated heating regions 406d to 406f are linearly arranged on the back surface 61b of the heating target 60 in the width direction. The transmission section 4012 of the first microwave irradiation means 421a is attached to the opening 105 located above the

concentrated heating areas

406a and 406d. The transmission section 4012 of the second microwave irradiation means 421b is attached to the opening 105 located above the

concentrated heating areas

406b and 406e. The transmission section 4012 of the third microwave irradiation means 421c is attached to the opening 105 located above the

concentrated heating areas

406c and 406f.

However, the first to third microwave irradiation means 421a to 421c only need to be attached so that the corresponding concentrated heating areas 406a to 406f can be irradiated with microwaves. The mounting positions of the irradiation units 421a to 421c and the arrangement of the concentrated heating area 406 are not limited to the above. Regarding the shape, arrangement, and the like of the concentrated heating regions 406a to 406f, the same shape, arrangement, and the like as in the first embodiment can be used, and a detailed description thereof is omitted here. For example, adjacent concentrated heating regions 406 may partially overlap.

(4) The irradiation state changing means 42 changes the output of the microwave irradiated by each microwave irradiation means 421 so that the heating target portion detected by the detection means 20 is concentratedly heated.

The control unit 422 controls the output of each microwave irradiating unit 421 so that the portion to be heated is concentratedly heated, instead of controlling the phase of each microwave irradiating unit as described in the above embodiment.

The irradiation management information storage unit 403 includes, as irradiation management information, information for specifying the concentrated heating region 406 and information for specifying the microwave irradiation unit 421 that irradiates the microwave to the concentrated heating region 406 specified by the information. Are stored in association with each other. The information specifying the concentrated heating region 406 may be information specifying the divided region 2051 corresponding to the concentrated heating region 406.

構成 The configuration and the like of the heating device 4 other than those described above are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus detailed description is omitted here.

Next, the operation of the heating device 4 according to the present embodiment will be described using a specific example with reference to FIG. 3 of the first embodiment. The process in which the detection unit 20 detects the portion to be heated on the surface of the object to be heated 60 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and thus the description is omitted here.
As shown in FIG. 3B, when the detecting unit 20 detects the heating target portion 206 at the time “t1” on the surface 61 a of the moving heating target 60, the control unit of the irradiation state changing unit 40. Reference numeral 422 denotes a first concentrated heating area 406a corresponding to the first divided area 2051a of the first detection area 205a in which the heating target portion 206 is detected, using the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403. The first microwave irradiating means 401a for irradiating the microwave with respect to is specified, and at the time “t1 + t0” as in the first embodiment, the first microwave irradiating means 421a transmits the microwave to the concentrated heating area 406a. To start microwave irradiation. That is, the microwave output is turned on. In addition, the other second microwave irradiation means 421b and the third microwave irradiation means 421c do not perform microwave irradiation. That is, the microwave output is turned off. Thereby, the detected heating target portion 206 is concentratedly heated by the microwave. Further, the second concentrated heating region 406b and the third concentrated heating region 406c that do not include the heating target portion 206 are not concentratedly heated. The microwave irradiation is performed, for example, for a time required for one point of the heating target 60 to pass through the concentrated heating region 406.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3D, when the detecting unit 20 detects the heating target portion 207 at the time “t2” on the back surface 61 b of the moving heating target 60, the irradiation state changing unit 40 detects The control unit 422 uses the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403 to perform the fifth concentrated heating corresponding to the fifth divided area 2051e of the second detection area 205b where the heating target portion 207 is detected. The second microwave irradiating unit 421b that irradiates the microwave to the region 406e is specified, and at the time “t2 + t0”, the fifth microwave irradiating unit 421b receives the fifth concentrated light similarly to the first embodiment. Microwave irradiation is started on the heating region 406e. That is, the output of the microwave is turned on. The irradiated microwave passes through the front surface 61a of the heating target 60, and is irradiated to the fifth concentrated heating area 406e on the back surface 61b side. Further, the other second and third microwave irradiation means 421b and 421c do not perform microwave irradiation. That is, the microwave output is turned off. Thereby, the detected heating target portion 207 is concentratedly heated by the microwave. The fourth concentrated heating region 406d and the sixth concentrated heating region 406f that do not include the heating target portion 207 are not concentratedly heated. The microwave irradiation is performed, for example, for a time required for one point of the heating target 60 to pass through the concentrated heating region 406.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by controlling the outputs of the plurality of microwave irradiation means 421, the heating target area detected by the detection means 20 can be concentrated and heated in real time in a dynamic manner. Thus, efficient microwave heating without waste can be performed. Further, the region to be irradiated with the microwaves emitted from the microwave irradiating unit 421 is set as the heating target region without considering the phases of the plurality of microwaves, so that the heating target region can be easily set.

In this embodiment, the case where the number of the microwave irradiation means 421 is three has been described, but the number of the microwave irradiation means 421 is not limited to three as long as the number is one or two or more. .

When adjacent concentrated heating regions 406 are overlapped with each other and the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located in the overlapped portion, different microwaves for irradiating microwaves in the overlapped concentrated heating regions are used. Microwaves may be output from both of the irradiation units 421. In this case, the output of the microwave radiated by each microwave irradiating unit 421 is lower than the output of the microwave radiated when the heating target portion is located in the non-overlapping concentrated heating area (for example, when the microwave is not overlapped, (Half of the output). The same applies to the following modifications.

In the above description, when the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 20 is located in the concentrated heating region (for example, when the heating target portion enters the concentrated heating region), the microwave is applied to the concentrated heating region. Although the example in which only the microwave irradiating means that can irradiate irradiates the microwave has been described, the microwave irradiating means other than the microwave irradiating means that can irradiate the microwave to the concentrated heating area also outputs the microwave. In addition, the output of the microwave emitted by the microwave irradiating means capable of irradiating the microwave to the concentrated heating area may be made stronger than the other microwave irradiating means. The same applies to the following modifications.

(Modification 1)
In the above embodiment, the case where three microwave irradiation means 421 are provided above the front surface 61a of the heating target 60 has been described. Microwave irradiation means 421 may be provided.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram (FIG. 19 (a)) and a perspective view (FIG. 19 (b)) showing a heating device which is a first modification of the heating device 4. The heating device 4a is provided at a position where the microwaves can be applied to the fourth to sixth concentrated heating regions 406d to 406f in the portion of the heating device 4 on the back surface side of the object 60 to be heated. Here, as an example, immediately below each of the fourth to sixth concentrated heating regions 406d to 406f, the fourth to sixth microwave irradiation units 421a to 421c can control the same output as the fourth to fourth microwave irradiation units 421a to 421c. Sixth microwave irradiation means 421d to 421f are further provided, and the heating target portion detected by the detection means 20 on the back surface 61b side of the heating target 60 is the fourth to sixth concentrated heating regions 406d to 406f. When entering any one of them, the fourth to sixth microwave irradiation means 421d to 421f corresponding to the fourth to sixth concentrated heating areas 406d to 406f in which the heating target portion has entered. It is obtained so as to control the output of the microwave irradiation means 421 to output a microwave. The control of the outputs of the six microwave irradiation units 421 is performed by the control unit 422 of the irradiation state changing unit 42. The configuration of the irradiation state changing unit 42 is the same as that of the third embodiment except that the number of the microwave irradiation units 421 for controlling the output is different, and thus the detailed description is omitted here.

In such a heating device 4a, as shown in FIG. 3B, assuming that the detection unit 20 detects the heating target portion 206 at the time “t1”, at the time “t1 + t0” as in the above embodiment. The microwave irradiation is started from the first microwave irradiation means 421a to the concentrated heating area 406a, and the microwave irradiation is not performed from the other second to sixth microwave irradiation means 421b to 421f. Then, the detected heating target portion 206 is concentratedly heated by the microwave.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3D, if the detecting unit 20 detects the heating target portion 207 at the time “t2” on the back surface 61b of the moving heating target 60, the irradiation state changing unit 42 The control unit 422 uses the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 403 to perform the fifth concentrated heating corresponding to the fifth divided area 2051e of the second detection area 205b where the heating target portion 207 is detected. The fifth microwave irradiating means 421e for irradiating the region 406e with the microwave is specified, and the fifth microwave irradiating means 421e on the back surface 61b side is used to specify the fifth microwave irradiating means 421e at the time "t2 + t0" as in the first embodiment. Microwave irradiation is started for the five concentrated heating regions 406e. The other first to fourth and sixth microwave irradiation means 421a to 421d and 421f do not perform microwave irradiation. Thereby, the detected heating target portion 207 is concentratedly heated by the microwave.

In such a modified example, the same effect as described above can be obtained, and the heating target portion detected on the front surface 61a side is applied from the front side, and the heating target portion detected on the back surface 61b side is applied. Can be irradiated with microwaves from the back side, and the portion to be heated can be efficiently heated.

(Modification 2)
FIG. 20 is a perspective view (FIG. 20 (a)) showing a heating device of Modification 2 of the present embodiment and a schematic diagram (FIG. 20 (b)) of a heating target 60 viewed from above.
The heating device 4b according to Modification 2 includes a plurality of rows of one or more concentrated heating regions arranged in the width direction in the longitudinal direction, similarly to the modification in FIG. A plurality of microwave irradiating means 421 for irradiating each concentrated heating area with a microwave is provided so that the heating target portion detected by the detecting means 20 is located in one concentrated heating area 406 so as to be arranged. The irradiation state changing means 42 controls the output of the microwave irradiation means 421 capable of irradiating the concentrated heating area 406 with microwaves (for example, when entering) (for example, controlling to start microwave irradiation). ), The concentrated heating area 406 is heated in a concentrated manner.

The heating device 4b is the same as the heating device 4 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 18A, except that the heating device 4b includes nine microwave irradiation means 421. Further, the irradiation state changing means 42 controls the outputs of the nine microwave irradiation means 421. The other configuration of the heating device 4b is the same as that of the heating device 4 or the heating device 4a, and thus the description is omitted here. The nine microwave irradiating units 421 are provided in the respective concentrated heating regions 406 of the container 10 so that the concentrated heating regions 406 are arranged on the surface 61a of the heating target 60 in a matrix of three rows and three columns as in FIG. Each emission part is attached above. For example, an opening 105 to which each microwave irradiation unit 421 is attached is provided above each concentrated heating area 406. A concentrated heating region (not shown) is also provided on the back surface 61b side of the surface 61a of the heating target 60 where each concentrated heating region 406 is provided.

In such a heating device 4b, each time the heating target portion detected by the detection means 20 moves and enters one concentrated heating area 406, the irradiation state changing means 42 is disposed above the concentrated heating area 406. By irradiating the microwaves from the microwave irradiating means 421, the centralized heating area 406 that has entered can be heated in a dynamic and real-time manner.

Note that the concentrated heating region 406 and the microwave irradiating means 421 respectively arranged on the concentrated heating region 406 are not limited to those arranged in a matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns, and are not limited to r × s (r, (s is an integer of 2 or more). Further, the arrangement of the plurality of concentrated heating regions 406 and the microwave irradiation means 421 is not limited to a matrix, but may be any arrangement.

In addition, also in the said modification 2, similarly to the above-mentioned modification 1, one or more irradiating microwaves to the one or more concentrated heating areas 406 on the back side also on the lower side of the back side of the heating object 60, etc. The microwave irradiation means 421 is provided, and when the heating target portion detected by the detection means 20 is located in the concentrated heating area 406 on the back side, the irradiation state changing means 42 is provided by the microwave irradiation means provided on the back side. The microwave may be irradiated from the microwave irradiation means 421 which can irradiate the microwave to the concentrated heating region 406 of the 421.

Further, in the third embodiment or its modification, one of the first sensor 201a and the second sensor 201b of the detecting means 20 is omitted, and the concentration of the heating target portion detected by the omitted sensor is omitted. Heating may not be performed.

In the second modification, instead of using the detection means 20, the two-dimensional temperature distribution (that is, the longitudinal direction) of the front surface 61a and the back surface 61b of the heating target 60 as described in the second embodiment is used. And a temperature distribution for a combination in the width direction) using the detection unit 21 having the first sensor 211a and the second sensor 211b, and the irradiation state changing unit 42 is configured to use the detection processing unit 212 of the detection unit 21. May output microwaves from a microwave irradiating unit 421 capable of irradiating microwaves to the concentrated heating region 406 where the heating target portion detected on the front surface 61a and the back surface 61b is located. Good.

(Embodiment 4)
In the present embodiment, in the heating apparatus according to the second embodiment or the modification 1 thereof, the heating target portion located in the concentrated heating region arranged three-dimensionally by irradiating the microwave with the phase controlled is concentratedly heated. Instead, one or more concentrated heating areas set in three dimensions are irradiated with microwaves from two different directions, respectively, so that the heating target portions located in each concentrated heating area are concentratedly heated. It was done.

Fig. 21 is a block diagram (Fig. 21 (a)) and a perspective view (Fig. 21 (b)) of the heating device according to the present embodiment, in which the same reference numerals as those in Fig. 16 and the like denote the same or corresponding parts. Is shown.
The heating device 5 includes the detection unit 24, nine vertical microwave irradiation units 431a, nine horizontal microwave irradiation units 431b, and the irradiation state changing unit 44.

# 9 vertical microwave irradiation units The microwave irradiation means 431a irradiates microwaves in the height direction. The nine transverse microwave irradiators 431b irradiate microwaves in the width direction. Here, the nine vertical microwave irradiating units 431 are arranged such that a portion for emitting microwaves (for example, the transmission unit 4012 or the like) is arranged in a matrix of three rows and three columns at a position above the heating object 60 of the container 10. Attached to. The nine transverse microwave irradiators 441b have microwave emitting portions attached to one of the side surfaces of the container 10 located in the width direction of the heating target 60 in a matrix of three rows and three columns. . Here, a region (space) where the microwave irradiated by each vertical microwave irradiation unit 431a and the microwave irradiated by each horizontal microwave irradiation unit 441b overlap is defined as a concentrated heating region 436. Here, a total of 27 concentrated heating regions 436 of three rows in the width direction, three rows in the longitudinal direction, and three rows in the height direction are set. Each of the vertical microwave irradiation unit 431a and the horizontal microwave irradiation unit 431b is the same as the microwave irradiation unit 421 of the third embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted here.

The irradiation state changing unit 44 includes a control unit 432 and an irradiation management information storage unit 433. The irradiation state changing means 44 controls the outputs of the vertical microwave irradiation means 431a and the horizontal microwave irradiation means 431b so that the portion to be heated is heated intensively by the microwave irradiation.

The control unit 432 controls the outputs of the vertical microwave irradiation unit 431a and the horizontal microwave irradiation unit 431b so that the heating target portion is heated intensively by the microwave irradiation. For example, the vertical heating unit 431a and the horizontal microwave irradiation unit 431b that detect the concentrated heating region 436 including the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 and irradiate the concentrated heating region 436 with the microwave are connected to the microwave. Is output. For example, the control unit 432 controls the vertical microwave irradiation unit 431a and the horizontal microwave irradiation unit 431b that irradiate the microwave to one concentrated heating area 436 using the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 433. To detect. Other configurations of the control unit 432 are the same as those of the control unit 412 and the like, and thus detailed description is omitted here.

The irradiation management information storage unit 433 stores one or more irradiation management information. The irradiation management information includes, for example, information for specifying the concentrated heating region 436 similar to that described in the second embodiment, the vertical microwave irradiation unit 431a that irradiates the concentrated heating region 436 with microwaves, and the horizontal microwave irradiation unit 431a. This is information for specifying each of the wave irradiation units 431b.

Next, a specific example of the operation of the heating device 5 of the present embodiment will be described.
For example, when the detection processing unit 212a detects the heating target portion 1706 from the temperature distribution acquired by the ultrasonic sensor 211c from one position in the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60, the control unit 432 acquires this temperature distribution. The obtained position in the longitudinal direction, the position in the width direction and the position in the height direction of the heating target portion acquired by the detection processing unit 212a in this temperature distribution, and the acquired position in the longitudinal direction and the position in the width direction are acquired. , A concentrated heating area 436 including the position of the heating target portion 1706 represented by the position in the height direction is specified using irradiation management information and the like, and the microwave irradiation is performed on the heating area. The means 431a and the transverse microwave irradiation means 431b are specified. For example, assuming that the concentrated heating region 436 specified here is the concentrated heating region 436a as shown in FIG. 21B, the control unit 432 uses the irradiation management information to transmit the microwave to the concentrated heating region 436a. For identifying the vertical microwave irradiating means 431a1, which is the vertical microwave irradiating means 431a for irradiating the microwave, and the horizontal microwave irradiating means 431b1, which is the horizontal microwave irradiating means 431b for irradiating the concentrated heating area 436a with the microwave. To get. And the control part 432 irradiates a microwave to the vertical microwave irradiation means 431a1 and the horizontal microwave irradiation means 431b1. The arrows in FIG. 21B schematically represent the microwaves irradiated from the vertical microwave irradiation means 431a1 and the horizontal microwave irradiation means 431b1, respectively. Since the microwaves emitted from the vertical microwave irradiation means 431a1 and the horizontal microwave irradiation means 431b1 intersect in the concentrated heating area 436a, the microwave intensity in this portion becomes the strongest and the parts are concentratedly heated. On the other hand, in the concentrated heating area through which the microwaves irradiated from the vertical microwave irradiation means 431a1 other than the concentrated heating area 436a and the horizontal microwave irradiation means 431b1 pass, the vertical microwave irradiation means 431a1 and the horizontal microwave irradiation means are used. Since only the microwave radiated from one of the 431b1 is radiated, the intensity of the microwave is weak and the intensive heating is less likely to be performed than the intensive heating region 436a. Thus, concentrated heating of the heating region 436a can be performed most strongly.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 24 is irradiated with the microwaves radiated from two different directions. can do. For example, the heating target portion detected in the three-dimensional direction can be appropriately concentratedly heated. In addition, it is possible to suppress the influence of heating or the like due to microwave irradiation on a portion other than the portion to be heated.

The number and arrangement of the plurality of vertical microwave irradiation units 431a and the number and arrangement of the plurality of horizontal microwave irradiation units 431b are merely examples, and may be other numbers and arrangements. For example, the vertical microwave irradiation means 431a is not limited to those arranged in a matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns, but is arranged in a matrix of r1 × s1 (r1, s1 is an integer of 2 or more). It may be something. Similarly, for example, the horizontal microwave irradiating means 431b is not limited to those arranged in a matrix of three rows and three columns, but may be arranged in a matrix of r2 × s2 (r2, s2 is an integer of 2 or more). They may be arranged.

Note that, in the present embodiment, a plurality of vertical microwave irradiation units 431a and a plurality of horizontal microwave irradiation units 431b are used to control one or two or more concentrated heating regions in the height direction and the width direction, respectively. Although the microwaves are irradiated from two directions, the microwaves may be irradiated from two different directions. Further, the direction in which the microwave is irradiated is not limited to two directions of the width direction, the height direction, and the longitudinal direction. For example, the heating target 60 may be irradiated with microwaves from diagonally upper right and diagonally upper left, so that the position where the microwaves overlap is concentratedly heated. For example, the heating device of the present embodiment may be considered as a heating device that emits microwaves from a first direction and a second direction. For example, the height direction and the width direction in the above embodiment may be considered as a first direction and a second direction.

マイクロ Alternatively, microwaves may be applied to one or more concentrated heating regions from three or more different directions. In addition to the microwave irradiation in the height direction and the width direction as described above, the microwave irradiation may be performed in the longitudinal direction. Note that the different directions in which microwaves are irradiated are preferably orthogonal directions. Further, it is preferable that the different directions are two directions that are not co-linear.

In addition, the heating device configured to irradiate the microwave to the heating target portion from two or more directions includes, for example, a microwave that irradiates the microwave from the first to the k-th (k is an integer of two or more) different directions. A plurality of wave irradiating means are provided for each of the first to k-th directions, and microwave irradiation is performed on the heating target portion detected by the detecting means among the microwave irradiating means corresponding to each direction. The heating device is configured to irradiate microwaves from possible microwave irradiating means.

In the present embodiment, similarly to the second embodiment, the object to be heated 60 may not be moved in the container 10 or may be moved. Further, the sensor for detecting the portion to be heated is not limited to the ultrasonic sensor 211c as described above, and the same sensor as that described in the second embodiment can be used.

(Embodiment 5)
The heating device according to the present embodiment is the irradiation device according to the second modification of the third embodiment, in which the output of the microwave output from the microwave irradiation unit is changed so that the concentrated heating region where the portion to be heated is located is heated intensively. Instead of using the state changing unit, the irradiation state change unit having an arrangement changing unit that changes the arrangement of the emission unit that emits the microwave of the microwave irradiation unit so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is concentratedly heated. Means.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of the heating device of the present embodiment (FIG. 22A), a partially cutaway plan view of the heating device of the present embodiment as viewed from above (FIG. 22B), and FIG. It is sectional drawing (FIG.22 (c)) perpendicular to the width direction of (b). In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 8 indicate the same or corresponding parts.

The heating device 6 according to the fifth embodiment includes the detection unit 21, the microwave irradiation unit 441, and the irradiation state changing unit 44. The microwave irradiation unit 441 includes a microwave oscillator 4211, a transmission unit 4412, and an emission unit 4413. The irradiation state changing unit 44 includes a control unit 442 and an arrangement changing unit 443.

The transmission unit 4412 is connected to the microwave oscillator 4211 and the emission unit 4413, and transmits the microwave generated by the microwave oscillator 4211 to the emission unit 4413. Here, since the emission unit 4413 is moved in the container 10 by the arrangement changing unit 443, a variable transmission unit that can change the shape, the length, and the like according to the change in the arrangement of the emission unit 4413 is used. The variable transmission unit is, for example, a coaxial cable or a variable waveguide. The variable waveguide is, for example, a flexible waveguide or a slide type waveguide. A flexible waveguide is a waveguide that has flexibility and can be flexibly bent or stretched. A sliding waveguide (not shown) is a variable waveguide having elasticity. The slide mechanism of the slide type waveguide may be, for example, a tube or cylinder extension mechanism similar to a zoom lens or a telescope. The variable transmission section may be a combination of a coaxial cable and a variable waveguide or a non-variable waveguide. Here, a case where a coaxial cable is used as the transmission unit 4412 will be described as an example. Note that the other points are the same as those of the transmission section 4012 and the like in the first embodiment, and thus detailed description is omitted here.

The emission unit 4413 emits the microwave transmitted by the transmission unit 4412. Here, the case where the emission unit 4413 is a microwave antenna will be described as an example. It is preferable to use an antenna having high directivity as the antenna. Further, in order to perform the concentrated heating, it is more preferable that the region irradiated with the microwave is narrow. The emission unit 4413 is attached to the arrangement change unit 443, and the arrangement can be changed by the operation of the arrangement change unit 443. The change in the arrangement of the emission unit 4413 is, for example, a change in the position of the emission unit 4413 in the container 10 or a change in the direction of the emission unit 4413. The change in the direction of the emission unit 4413 is a change in the direction in which the emission unit 4413 irradiates the microwave. The emission unit 4413 is attached to the arrangement change unit 443 so that microwave irradiation can be performed on a part of the heating target 60. Here, the emission unit 4413 is disposed above the heating target 60 so that the microwave can be irradiated downward. Note that the emitting unit 4413 is not limited to an antenna as long as it emits microwaves. For example, the emission unit 4413 may be a coaxial cable or an end (not shown) of the transmission unit 4412 such as a variable waveguide on the heating target 60 side.

The irradiation state changing means 44 changes the arrangement of the emission portions of one or more microwave irradiation means (here, one microwave irradiation means 441) so that the heating target portion detected by the detection means 21 is concentratedly heated. Microwaves are radiated from the above-described microwave irradiating means to intensively heat the heating target portion.

The arrangement change section 443 changes the arrangement of the emission section 4413 of the microwave irradiation means 441. The arrangement change unit 443 changes the arrangement of the emission unit 4413 so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 is concentratedly heated. The emission unit 4413 is attached to the arrangement change unit 443, and the arrangement change unit 443 changes the arrangement of the emission unit 4413.

The arrangement change unit 443 is an articulated robot arm that can change the position of the tip 4431 in the two-dimensional direction. The distal end 4431 is also called a terminal end. The emission part 4413 of the microwave irradiation means 441 is attached to the tip part 4431. Changing the position in the two-dimensional direction is changing the position in the planar direction. Changing the position in the plane direction is, for example, changing the position in the horizontal direction. Changing the position in the plane direction may be considered as changing the position along the plane. Here, as the arrangement change unit 443, an articulated robot arm that can change the position of the emission unit 4413 in the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the heating target unit 60 is used. Here, the arrangement changing unit 443 is installed above the heating target 60, and changes the position of the emission unit 4413 above the heating target 60. In addition, here, the emission unit 4413 has a microwave emission direction fixed vertically downward (for example, vertically downward) with respect to the plane direction, and irradiates the microwave downward.

The arrangement change unit 443 changes the arrangement of the emission unit 4413 so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 is concentratedly heated. Here, the arrangement changing unit 443 moves the emission unit 4413 above the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21. It is preferable that the arrangement changing unit 443 moves the emission unit 4413 so that the center of the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 is positioned on the axis in the irradiation direction in which the emission unit 4413 irradiates the microwave. For example, here, since the emission direction of the microwave from the emission unit 4413 is vertically downward with respect to the plane direction, the arrangement change unit 443 determines the position of the center of the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 in the plane direction. It is preferable to move the light emitting unit 4413 so that the position of the center of the light emitting unit 4413 in the plane direction matches.

多 As the articulated robot arm, any articulated robot arm may be used as long as it can move the attached emission unit 4413 in two-dimensional directions. Since the articulated robot arm is a known technique, a detailed description is omitted.

Also, a case where an articulated robot arm is used as the arrangement changing unit 443 will be described. However, as long as the emitting unit 4413 can be moved in the two-dimensional direction, the arrangement changing unit 443 other than the articulated robot arm is used. May be used. For example, a robot arm other than the articulated robot arm may be used. A moving mechanism or the like capable of moving a stage or a table in a two-dimensional direction is used as an arrangement changing unit, and the emission unit 4413 is attached to a table or the like of the moving mechanism. You may do so. For such a table moving mechanism, see, for example, a moving mechanism disclosed in JP-A-2002-82190.

The control unit 442 controls the arrangement changing unit 443 and controls the microwave irradiation from the microwave irradiation unit 441. The control unit 442 operates the arrangement changing unit 443 such that, for example, the arrangement of the emission unit 4413 is such that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21 is concentratedly heated. For example, the control unit 442 operates the arrangement changing unit 443 such that, for example, the emission unit 4413 moves above the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 21. The control performed by the control unit 442 other than the above is the same as that of the control unit 402 and the like in the first embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, information such as setting for moving the emission unit 4413 to a position where concentrated heating can be performed on the region where the heating target portion is located is stored in advance in an irradiation management information storage unit (not shown) or the like. The unit 442 may use this information to control the arrangement changing unit 443 to move the emission unit 4413 to a position where the detected heating target portion can be concentratedly heated.

Next, an example of the operation of the heating device 6 of the present embodiment will be specifically described.
FIG. 23 is a schematic plan view (FIGS. 23 (a) to 23 (d)) for explaining the operation of the heating device of the present embodiment. This figure is a diagram showing the heating device 6 from which the container 10, the microwave oscillator 4211 and the like are omitted.

とする It is assumed that the detection unit 21 has detected the heating target portion 226 on the surface 61a of the heating target 60 as shown in FIG. The control unit 442 receives the coordinates (for example, the coordinates represented by the coordinates in the longitudinal direction and the coordinates in the width direction) of the heating target portion 226 in the plane direction from the detection unit 21, and outputs the light attached to the distal end portion 4431. The arrangement changing unit 443 is operated such that the unit 4413 is located above the heating target portion 226. For example, the arrangement changing unit 443 is operated such that the coordinates of the center of the emission unit 4413 in the plane direction match the coordinates of the heating target portion 226. In response to this, as shown in FIG. 23B, the arrangement changing unit 443 moves the emission unit 4413 attached to the distal end 4431 above the heating target portion 226. Then, under the control of the control unit 442, the microwave irradiating means 441 irradiates the microwave, and the microwave is irradiated from the emission unit 4413 to the heating target portion 226 located below the emission unit 4413, and Portion 226 is heated intensively.

Even when the detecting unit 21 detects the heating target portion 227 on the back surface 61b of the heating target 60 as shown in FIG. 23C, the arrangement changing unit 443 also performs the operation shown in FIG. As described above, the emission unit 4413 attached to the tip 4431 is moved above the heating target portion 227. Then, the microwave irradiating means 441 irradiates the microwave, and the microwave is irradiated from the emitting portion 4413 to the heating target portion 227 located below the emitting portion 4413, and the microwave passed through the front surface 61 a causes the back surface 61 b to be heated. The heating target portion 227 on the side is concentratedly heated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the portion to be heated is detected by the detecting unit 21, and the emission unit 4413 of the microwave irradiating unit 441 is positioned at a position where the microwave can be irradiated to the portion to be heated detected by the detecting unit 21. By moving it and irradiating it with microwaves, the heating target portion can be heated in a concentrated manner dynamically and in real time. Further, since different positions can be concentratedly heated by one microwave irradiation unit 441, the number of microwave irradiation units can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the case where the arrangement changing unit 443 moves the light emitting unit 4413 in the plane direction has been described, but the movement by the arrangement changing unit 443 is not limited to the movement in the plane direction. For example, the movement may be a movement in a plane direction perpendicular to a plane direction (for example, a horizontal direction).

In the above description, the arrangement changing unit 443 that changes the position of the emitting unit in the two-dimensional direction is used. However, the movement of the emitting unit 4413 by the arrangement changing unit 443 is limited to the movement in the two-dimensional direction. However, the movement may be one-dimensional movement or three-dimensional movement. The one-dimensional movement is, for example, the movement of the heating target 60 in the width direction. For example, as in the third embodiment, the heating target portion of the heating target 60 detected during movement in the width direction is placed at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction in the container 10 at a different position in the width direction. When heating the detected portion to be heated, the emitting portion is moved onto the detected portion to be heated by using an arrangement changing portion that moves the emitting portion in the width direction at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction. Then, microwaves may be irradiated. Note that an articulated robot arm, a moving stage mechanism that moves in a one-dimensional direction, or the like can be used as the arrangement changing unit for moving the object in the one-dimensional direction. Further, as an arrangement change unit for moving in the three-dimensional direction, an articulated robot arm, a moving stage mechanism that moves in the three-dimensional direction, or the like can be used.

In the above description, the case where the emission direction of the emission unit 4413 is fixed has been described, but the arrangement change unit 443 may be capable of changing the emission direction of the emission unit 4413. For example, the arrangement change unit 443 may be capable of changing the position of the emission unit 4413 and the emission direction, or may be one capable of changing only the emission direction. The change of the emission direction is, for example, at least one of rotation and inclination of the emission direction. For example, the arrangement changing unit 443 may change the emission direction of the emission unit 4413 so that the microwave is applied to the portion to be heated. As such a mechanism that can change the emission direction, a known technique such as a mechanism that changes the direction of a spotlight, a monitoring camera, or the like can be used.

In the above embodiment, the entire arrangement of the microwave irradiation means 441 is changed by the arrangement change section 443 by attaching the entire microwave irradiation means 441 to the arrangement change section 443 or the like instead of the emission section 4413. As a result, the arrangement of the emission unit 4413 may be changed as a result.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the position of the emission unit of the microwave irradiation unit 441 is changed has been described. However, the arrangement change unit 443 performs one-step heating such that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is concentratedly heated. Alternatively, the position is not limited to the one described above as long as the position of the emission unit of the two or more microwave irradiation units can be changed.

(Embodiment 6)
FIG. 24 is a block diagram of the heating device of the present embodiment (FIG. 24A), a partially cutaway plan view of the heating device of the present embodiment (FIG. 24B), and a partially cutaway side view ( FIG. 24C). In the drawing, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 16 and 22 indicate the same or corresponding parts.

The heating device 7 according to the present embodiment is different from the heating device 6 according to the fifth embodiment in that, instead of the detection unit 21, a different position in the longitudinal direction of the heating target 60 as described in the fourth embodiment. In the cross-section, a temperature distribution in the height direction is acquired, and the detection unit 24 that detects a portion to be heated from the temperature distribution is used. In place of the microwave irradiation unit 441, a first unit having an emission unit 4413a is used. A second microwave irradiation unit 441b having a microwave irradiation unit 441a and an emission unit 4413b is provided, and the irradiation state changing unit 44 changes the arrangement of the emission unit 4413a in place of the arrangement change unit 443. This has a second arrangement changing section 443b capable of changing the arrangement of the section 443a and the emission section 4413b. In the irradiation state changing unit 44, the heating target portion where the detection unit 21 detects the arrangement of the emission unit 4413a of the first microwave irradiation unit 441a and the emission unit 4413b of the second microwave irradiation unit 441b is concentratedly heated. It is changed as follows.

The first microwave irradiation unit 441a and the first arrangement changing unit 443a are the same as the microwave irradiation unit 441 and the arrangement changing unit 443 of the fifth embodiment, and are attached at the same positions. Here, the detailed description is omitted.

The second microwave irradiating unit 441b and the second arrangement changing unit 443b are the same as the microwave irradiating unit 441 and the arrangement changing unit 443 of the fifth embodiment described above, and are output from the second microwave irradiating unit 441b. A predetermined interval is provided on the side surface in the width direction of the container 10 so that the movement direction of the portion 4413b is in a plane direction perpendicular to the width direction of the heating target 60 (for example, movement in a direction along the vertical plane). The other configuration and the like are the same as those of the microwave irradiation unit 441 and the arrangement change unit 443 of the fifth embodiment, and thus the description is omitted here. Here, the emission direction of the emission section 4413b is assumed to be fixed in the width direction as an example here. For example, the change of the arrangement by the second arrangement changing unit 443b can be performed by substantially the same operation as that of the arrangement changing unit 443 except that the moving direction is different.

In the present embodiment, when the detection unit 24 detects a heating target portion in the heating target 60, the first arrangement changing unit 443a transmits the microwave to the heating target portion so as to irradiate the microwave. The position of the emission section 4413a of the wave irradiation means 441a in the plane direction, specifically, the position in the longitudinal direction and the width direction is changed. Then, the first microwave irradiating unit 441a irradiates the microwave from the emission unit 4413a. Further, the second arrangement changing unit 443b is positioned in a plane direction perpendicular to the width direction of the emission unit 4413b of the second microwave irradiation unit 441b so that the detected heating target portion is irradiated with microwaves, specifically. Changes the position in the height direction and the longitudinal direction. Then, the second microwave irradiating unit 441b irradiates the microwave from the emission unit 4413b.

The control unit 442 controls the output of the first microwave irradiation unit 441a, controls the operation of the first arrangement change unit 443a, controls the output of the second microwave irradiation unit 441b, and changes the second arrangement. The operation of the unit 443b is controlled. Since these controls are the same as those in the above-described fifth embodiment, detailed description will be omitted here. Further, other configurations and the like are the same as those of the control unit 442 of the fifth embodiment, and thus detailed description is omitted here.

Next, an example of the operation of the heating device 7 of the present embodiment will be specifically described.
FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram (FIGS. 25A to 25D) for explaining the operation of the heating device of the present embodiment. This figure is a view showing the heating device 7 with the container 10 and the like omitted. FIGS. 25A and 25C are schematic plan views, and FIGS. 25B and 25D are schematic diagrams viewed from the width direction.

とする It is assumed that the detection unit 24 has detected the heating target portion 236 on the surface 61a of the heating target 60 as shown in FIGS. 25 (a) and 25 (b). The control unit 442 receives three-dimensional coordinates (for example, coordinates represented by coordinates in a longitudinal direction, coordinates in a width direction, and coordinates in a height direction) of the heating target portion 226 from the detection unit 24.

The control unit 442 acquires the coordinates in the plane direction (for example, the coordinates represented by the coordinates in the longitudinal direction and the coordinates in the width direction) from the received coordinates, and stores the coordinates in the tip end 4431 of the first arrangement change unit 443a. The first arrangement changing section 443a is operated such that the emission section 4413a of the attached first microwave irradiation means 441a is located above the heating target portion 236. For example, the first arrangement changing unit 443a is operated such that the coordinates of the center of the emission unit 4413 in the plane direction coincide with the coordinates of the heating target portion 236 in the plane direction. In response, as shown in FIG. 25C, the first arrangement changing unit 443a moves the emission unit 4413a attached to the distal end portion 4431 above the heating target portion 236.

Further, the control unit 442 acquires the coordinates in the plane direction perpendicular to the width direction (for example, the coordinates represented by the coordinates in the longitudinal direction and the coordinates in the height direction) from the coordinates received above, and acquires the second The second arrangement changing section 443b is arranged such that the emission section 4413b of the second microwave irradiation means 441b attached to the tip end 4431 of the arrangement changing section 443b is located on the widthwise extension of the portion 236 to be heated. Make it work. For example, the coordinates of the center of the emission section 4413 in the plane direction perpendicular to the width direction of the heating target 60 coincide with the coordinates of the heating target portion 236 in the plane direction perpendicular to the width direction of the heating target 60. Then, the second arrangement changing unit 443b is operated. In response to this, as shown in FIG. 25D, the second arrangement changing unit 443b moves the emission unit 4413b attached to the distal end portion 4431 on the extension of the heating target portion 236 in the width direction.

Then, under the control of the control unit 442, the first microwave irradiation unit 441a performs microwave irradiation, and the microwave is irradiated from the emission unit 4413a to the heating target portion 236 located below the emission unit 4413a. You. Further, under the control of the control unit 442, the second microwave irradiating means 441b irradiates microwaves, and the microwaves are emitted from the emission unit 4413b to the heating target portion 236 located on the widthwise extension of the emission unit 4413b. Waves are irradiated. Thus, the heating target portion 236 is intensively heated by the microwaves emitted from the emission unit 4413a and the microwaves emitted from the emission unit 4413b. In addition, here, since the heating target portion 236 is located at the intersection of the microwaves irradiated from two directions, concentrated heating is performed most strongly, and the portion through which the microwave passes other than the intersection is weaker than the heating target portion 236. Since the heating is performed, the influence of the microwave irradiation on portions other than the heating target portion 236 can be suppressed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the emission section 4413a of the first microwave irradiation means 441a and the second emission section 4413a of the second microwave irradiation means irradiate the heating target portion detected by the detection means with the microwaves irradiated from two different directions. Since the arrangement of the emission sections of the emission section 4413b of the microwave irradiation means 441b can be respectively changed, the heating target portion can be dynamically and intensively heated in real time. For example, the heating target portion detected in the three-dimensional direction dynamically and in real time can be appropriately concentratedly heated. In addition, it is possible to suppress the influence of heating or the like due to microwave irradiation on a portion other than the portion to be heated.

Further, in the fifth and sixth embodiments, the case has been described where the emission direction of the emission unit 4413 and the emission unit 4413a is vertically downward with respect to the plane, but the emission direction of the emission unit 4413 and the emission unit 4413a is relative to the plane. May be inclined at an angle other than 0 ° and 90 °. In this case, the arrangement change unit 443 and the first arrangement change unit 443a are arranged such that the heating target part is arranged in the emission direction of the emission unit 4413 and the emission unit 4413a. The positions of the emission unit 4413 and the emission unit 4413a may be moved so as to be included.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described where the emission direction of the emission unit 4413b is the width direction of the heating target 60. However, the emission direction of the emission unit 4413b is other than 0 ° and 90 ° with respect to the width direction. The position may be inclined, and in this case, the second arrangement changing unit 443b may move the position of the emission unit 4413b in the emission direction of the emission unit 4413b so that the heating target portion is included. .

Note that, in the above embodiment, the case where the first arrangement changing unit 443a moves the emission unit 4413a in the plane direction, and the case where the second arrangement changing unit 443b moves the emission unit 4413b in the plane direction perpendicular to the width direction. However, the movement by the first arrangement changing unit 443a and the second arrangement changing unit 443b is not limited to the above movement. For example, the movements by the first arrangement changing unit 443a and the second arrangement changing unit 443b may be movements in different plane directions. The different plane directions are preferably plane directions that are not parallel. Further, the mounting position, the mounting direction, and the like of the first layout changing section 443a and the second layout changing section 443b are not limited to the above.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the position of the emission unit of one or two microwave irradiation units is changed has been described. However, the number of the microwave irradiation units for changing the arrangement of the emission units is one or one. Any number is acceptable as long as it is 2 or more. For example, the positions of the emission units of three or more microwave irradiation units may be respectively changed, and the heating target portions may be irradiated with microwaves emitted from the respective portions to perform concentrated heating. In this case, the irradiation state changing unit 44 may have, for example, a number of arrangement changing units corresponding to the number of the emission units.

In addition, the movement of each of the first arrangement changing unit 443a and the second arrangement changing unit 443b in the above embodiment is not limited to the movement in the two-dimensional direction, and may be the movement in the one-dimensional direction or the three-dimensional direction. It may be.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the emission direction of emission section 4413a is fixed has been described, but first arrangement changing section 443a may change the emission direction of emission section 4413a. Good. Similarly, the second arrangement change unit 443b may be capable of changing the emission direction of the emission unit 4413b.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, instead of attaching the emitting section 4413a and the emitting section 4413b to the tip section 4431 such as the first arrangement changing section 443a and the second arrangement changing section 443b, the first microwave irradiation means 441a is used. By attaching the entirety and the entirety of the second microwave irradiation means 441b to the first arrangement changing section 443a, the second arrangement changing section 443b, and the like, the entire first microwave irradiation means 441a and the second microwave irradiation are performed. The arrangement of the entire means 441b can be changed by the first arrangement changing section 443a and the second arrangement changing section 443b, respectively, so that the arrangement of the emission section 4413a and the emission section 4413b can be changed as a result. Is also good.

(Embodiment 7)
In the first and second embodiments, the heating device that radiates a plurality of microwaves whose phases are controlled to intensively heat the portion to be heated has been described. In the present embodiment, one or more microwaves are used. A heating device for intensively heating the portion to be heated by changing the frequency will be described.

FIG. 26 is a block diagram (FIG. 26 (a)) and a perspective view (FIG. 26 (b)) of the heating device of the seventh embodiment. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 8 indicate the same or corresponding parts.

The heating device 8 includes the detection unit 24 of the second embodiment, the microwave irradiation unit 461, and the irradiation state changing unit 46. The irradiation state changing means 46 includes a control unit 462 and an irradiation management information storage unit 463.

The microwave irradiation means 461 is a microwave irradiation means capable of changing the frequency of the microwave to be irradiated. The microwave irradiation means 461 includes, for example, a microwave oscillator 4611 whose frequency can be changed, and a transmission unit 4612. Since the microwave irradiation means whose frequency can be changed is a known technique, a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

Here, as shown in FIG. 26B, a plurality of three-dimensional concentrated heating regions 406 are set in the container 10. This concentrated heating region 406 is assumed to be a region that is concentratedly heated when the microwave irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit 461 is changed. One concentrated heating area 406 is an area that is heated at least once at a time when the frequency is changed, for example.

The irradiation state changing means 44 irradiates one or two or more microwaves with two or more different frequencies so that the heating target portion detected by the detection means 24 has a microwave intensity distribution that is concentratedly heated. The microwave irradiating means 461 irradiates microwaves of each frequency. For example, the frequency of the microwave irradiated by the microwave irradiation means 461 is changed.

The control unit 462 changes the frequency of the microwave radiated by each microwave irradiating unit 461 so that the intensity distribution of the microwave is such that the heating target portion detected by the detecting unit 24 is concentratedly heated. For example, the control unit 462 determines the frequency to be changed using the irradiation management information for frequency change stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 463 in advance. The irradiation management information for changing the frequency includes the frequency of the microwave radiated into the container 10 and one of the frequencies in the container 10 where the intensity of the microwave is increased by irradiating the microwave with the frequency into the container 10. This is information having the above-described area position information. The position information is, for example, information for specifying a concentrated heating region including a region where the intensity is high, and coordinates of the region where the intensity is high. Here, an example will be described in which the irradiation management information is information for specifying a concentrated heating region including a region where the intensity is high. The microwave intensity here may be the electric field intensity, the magnetic field intensity, or both. The region where the intensity of the microwave is high may be considered as a region that is concentratedly heated by the microwave. The control unit 462 detects, using the irradiation management information, a concentrated heating region including the heating target portion detected by the detection unit 24, or a region having a high microwave intensity closest to the heating target portion. The frequency corresponding to the region or the region having the highest microwave intensity closest to the heating target portion is acquired, and the microwave having the frequency acquired from the microwave irradiating unit 461 is irradiated into the container 10. However, the process in which the control unit 462 determines the frequency of the microwave to be irradiated from the microwave irradiation unit 461 is not limited to the above process. Here, an example in which the control unit 462 detects a concentrated heating region will be described.

The irradiation management information storage unit 463 stores the irradiation management information for changing the frequency as described above. The irradiation management information may be, for example, information obtained by performing a simulation, calculation, or the like, or may be information obtained by performing an experiment, or the like. When the frequency of the microwave irradiated into the container 10 is changed, the intensity distribution of the microwave in the container 10 changes, and the region where the intensity of the microwave is high changes. For this reason, irradiation management information can be obtained by acquiring information of one or more regions where the intensity of the microwave is high for each frequency by performing a simulation, an experiment, or the like. Here, as an example, the frequency of the microwave applied to the inside of the container 10 and the plurality of concentrated heating areas as shown in FIG. A case will be described in which one or more pieces of irradiation management information including information for specifying one or more concentrated heating areas are stored.

Next, the operation of the heating device 8 of the present embodiment will be described with a specific example.
Assuming that the detecting unit 24 detects the portion to be heated in the same manner as in the above-described fourth embodiment, the control unit 462 uses the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit 463 to perform this heating. Is detected, and a frequency associated with the detected concentrated heating region is obtained. Then, the microwave of the acquired frequency is output to the microwave irradiation means 461. In response, the microwave irradiating means 461 outputs a microwave having this frequency. When the microwave irradiating means 461 irradiates the container 10 with the microwave having this frequency, the microwave intensity distribution in the container 10 becomes the microwave intensity distribution corresponding to the frequency of the irradiated microwave, and Is concentratedly heated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the detecting unit 24 detects the heating target portion, and irradiates the microwave with the changed frequency so that the microwave intensity becomes strong at the position of the detected heating target portion. It is possible to perform dynamic and real-time centralized heating of the heating target portion.

In the above description, the microwave is irradiated into the container 10 from one place, but the microwave may be irradiated into the container 10 from a plurality of places. For example, the transmission unit 4612 connected to one microwave oscillator 4611 may be branched and connected at a location different from the container 10. Further, a plurality of microwave oscillators 4611 may be attached to the container 10 via the transmission unit 4612, respectively. Note that when microwaves are radiated into the container 10 from the plurality of microwave oscillators 4611, the frequencies of the microwaves radiated from the microwave oscillators 4611 may be the same or different.

Further, in the above description, the microwave irradiation means 461 capable of changing the frequency is used to irradiate microwaves of different frequencies. However, the irradiation state changing means 46 uses a plurality of microwaves irradiating microwaves of different frequencies. The microwave irradiating means 461 is provided, and microwaves are output from the microwave irradiating means for outputting a microwave of a desired frequency among the plurality of microwave irradiating means 461, so that different frequencies are provided in the container 10. May be radiated. In this case, a plurality of microwave oscillators for irradiating microwaves of one frequency may be provided. Alternatively, the microwave may be branched from a microwave oscillator that radiates a microwave of one frequency, and the microwave may be connected to the container 10 at a plurality of locations.

In other words, in the present embodiment, one or more microwave irradiating means of the heating device may irradiate microwaves of two or more different frequencies. In addition, that two or more microwave irradiation means irradiates microwaves of two or more different frequencies means that, for example, two or more microwave irradiation means for irradiating microwaves of different frequencies are provided. Alternatively, two or more microwave irradiation means for irradiating microwaves of two or more different frequencies may be provided.

In each of the above embodiments, the output of the microwave irradiated by the microwave irradiating means may be a predetermined output or an arbitrary output, and the heating target portion detected by the detecting means may be used. May be an output corresponding to the temperature. For example, the output may increase continuously or stepwise as the temperature of the portion to be heated increases. The output may be determined by, for example, a predetermined function (for example, an increasing function) using the temperature of the heating target portion as an argument, and is determined using a correspondence table between the temperature range of the heating target portion and the output. May be done.

Note that the detection unit is limited to the detection unit described in each of the above embodiments as long as the detection unit detects the heating target portion to be heated using the information indicating the state of the heating target object. Not something. Further, the irradiation state changing means is not limited to the detection means described in each of the above embodiments, as long as it irradiates the microwave so that the heating target portion detected by the detection means is concentratedly heated. .

In each of the above embodiments, the heating device controls the phase of the microwave irradiated by the plurality of microwave irradiation state changing units, or controls the microwave irradiation by one or more microwave irradiation state changing units. Output control (for example, output on / off), control (for example, change) of the frequency of microwaves irradiated by one or more microwave irradiation state changing means, and one or more microwave irradiation states The example in which the heating target portion is intensively heated by controlling (for example, changing) the arrangement of the emission portion of the changing unit has been described. However, the heating device performs two or more of these controls to thereby perform the heating target portion. Concentrated heating may be performed. When two or more controls performed by the heating device out of the plurality of controls include control of the phase of the microwave to be irradiated, the microwave irradiation state changing means of the heating device must be two or more. Is preferred.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the case has been described where the detecting means detects the heating target portion in the plane direction or the height direction of the heating target object, or on the front surface or the back surface of the heating target object. The detection means used in the heating device of the form described above can detect the heating target portion in any direction and in any region as long as it can detect the heating target portion existing at the position where the centralized heating can be performed in each heating device. It does not matter whether a detectable one is used. For example, the detection unit used in the heating device of each of the above embodiments may detect a heating target portion along at least two directions that are not parallel to each other. This makes it possible to two-dimensionally and further three-dimensionally detect the heating target portion of the object to be heated, and to centrally heat the detected heating target portion. At least two directions that are not parallel to each other may be, for example, three directions that are not on the same plane and are not parallel to each other. Further, the detecting means may detect, for example, a heating target portion along at least two or more of three directions orthogonal to each other on the heating target. These two or more directions may be set appropriately, for example, in a direction in which a heating target portion existing at a position where concentrated heating can be performed by each heating device can be detected. For example, by setting these two directions as the width direction and the longitudinal direction of the object to be heated, it is possible to detect the portion to be heated in the plane direction of the object to be heated.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the case has been described where the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit has information for controlling the phase, output, position, frequency, and the like of the microwave irradiation unit. However, the irradiation management information stored in the irradiation management information storage unit controls, for example, two or more predetermined regions and one or two or more microwave irradiation units for centrally heating the respective regions. And any other information that is associated with the information. Further, the irradiation state changing means uses the irradiation management information to control the microwave irradiation means associated with the area where the heating target part detected by the detection means is located, and to control the heating target part by using the information. What is necessary is just to irradiate the microwave to the microwave irradiating means so that the located area is concentratedly heated.

In the above embodiment, each process (each function) may be realized by centralized processing by a single device (system), or may be realized by distributed processing by a plurality of devices. You may.

In each of the above embodiments, each component may be configured by dedicated hardware, or a component that can be realized by software may be realized by executing a program. For example, each component can be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory. At the time of execution, the program execution unit may execute the program while accessing a storage unit (for example, a recording medium such as a hard disk or a memory).

In addition, the process of detecting the portion to be heated from the information obtained by the sensor of the detecting unit of the above-described embodiment (for example, the process performed by the detection processing unit or the like) and the irradiation state changing unit perform the concentrated heating of the portion to be heated. At least one of the processes for performing the control (for example, the process performed by the control unit or the like) may be realized as, for example, one information processing device. The software for realizing such an information processing apparatus is a program as described below. In other words, the program uses the information indicating the state of the object to be heated by the computer to detect the portion to be heated to be concentrated and the portion to be heated detected in the step of detecting the portion to be heated. And changing one or more microwave irradiating means for irradiating microwaves to the object to be heated so that the object is heated intensively. However, the above program does not include processing that is performed only by hardware.

コンピュータ The computer that executes this program may be a single computer or multiple computers. That is, centralized processing or distributed processing may be performed.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the external appearance of a computer that executes the program and realizes the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment. The above embodiment can be realized by computer hardware and a computer program executed on the computer hardware.

In FIG. 14, the computer system 900 includes a computer 901 including a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) drive 905, a keyboard 902, a mouse 903, and a monitor 904.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of the computer system 900. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 15, in addition to a CD-ROM drive 905, a computer 901 is connected to an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) 911, a ROM 912 for storing a program such as a boot-up program, and an MPU 911, and executes instructions of an application program. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 913 for temporarily storing and providing a temporary storage space, a hard disk 914 for storing application programs, system programs, and data, and a bus 915 for interconnecting the MPU 911, the ROM 912, and the like. Prepare. Note that the computer 901 may include a network card (not shown) that provides a connection to a LAN.

A program that causes the computer system 900 to execute the functions of the information processing apparatus and the like according to the above-described embodiment may be stored in the CD-ROM 921, inserted into the CD-ROM drive 905, and transferred to the hard disk 914. Alternatively, the program may be transmitted to the computer 901 via a network (not shown) and stored in the hard disk 914. The program is loaded into the RAM 913 at the time of execution. Note that the program may be loaded directly from the CD-ROM 921 or a network.

The program does not necessarily include an operating system (OS) or a third-party program that causes the computer 901 to execute the function of the heating device according to the above-described embodiment. The program may include only a part of an instruction for calling an appropriate function (module) in a controlled manner and obtaining a desired result. It is well known how the computer system 900 operates, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes can be made, and it goes without saying that they are also included in the scope of the present invention.

As described above, the heating apparatus according to the present invention is suitable as an apparatus for heating an object to be heated, and is particularly useful as an apparatus for heating using microwaves.

Claims

A heating device that heats the object to be heated by irradiating the object with microwaves by one or more microwave irradiation means,
According to information indicating the state of the object to be heated, detection means for detecting a portion to be heated to be concentratedly heated,
An irradiation state changing unit that changes an irradiation state of the microwave so that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is intensively heated.
Comprising two or more microwave irradiation means,
The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation state changing unit irradiates a microwave whose phase is controlled such that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is concentratedly heated from the two or more microwave irradiation units.
The one or more microwave irradiating means irradiates microwaves of two or more different frequencies,
2. The irradiation state changing means irradiates the microwave irradiating means with microwaves of each frequency such that the heating target portion detected by the detecting means has a microwave intensity distribution such that the heating is performed intensively. Heating equipment.
Comprising two or more microwave irradiation means,
The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation state changing unit changes an output of the microwave irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit such that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is concentratedly heated.
The irradiation state changing unit includes an arrangement changing unit that changes an arrangement of an emission unit that emits microwaves of the microwave irradiation unit,
The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement changing unit changes the arrangement of the emission unit such that the heating target portion detected by the detection unit is heated intensively.
The irradiation state changing means,
Irradiation from two or more of the microwave irradiating means of the microwave whose phase is controlled so that the heating target portion detected by the detecting means is concentratedly heated,
In order to make the intensity distribution of the microwave such that the heating target portion detected by the detection means is concentratedly heated, microwaves of each frequency from the microwave irradiation means for irradiating microwaves of two or more different frequencies are used. Irradiation,
Irradiation of microwaves whose output from two or more microwave irradiation means has been changed, so that the heating target portion detected by the detection means is concentratedly heated, and
By the arrangement changing unit that changes the arrangement of the emission unit that emits the microwave of the microwave irradiation unit provided in the irradiation state changing unit, the front emission unit is configured to centrally heat the heating target portion detected by the detection unit. 2. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein at least two or more microwaves selected from the group consisting of microwave irradiation performed by changing the arrangement of the microwaves are applied.
The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects a portion to be heated along at least two directions not parallel to each other of the object to be heated.
The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes at least one of an X-ray sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a moisture sensor, and a sensor for acquiring color.
The apparatus further includes a transport unit that transports the object to be heated,
The detecting means detects the heating target portion linearly in a one-dimensional manner in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the heating target,
The irradiating unit is located downstream of the detecting unit in the transport direction of the object to be heated, and is capable of irradiating microwaves to intensively heat the portion to be heated. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit irradiates the microwave so as to perform concentrated heating when the heating target portion detected by the means is transported to a position where the microwave can be irradiated.
An irradiation management information storage unit in which two or more predetermined regions and information for controlling the one or more microwave irradiation units for centrally heating the respective regions are stored in association with each other. Further comprising
The irradiation state changing means,
Using information for controlling the microwave irradiating means associated with the area where the heating target part detected by the detecting means is located, of the two or more predetermined areas, the heating target part is used. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the microwave irradiating unit irradiates the microwave with the microwave so as to centrally heat an area where the unit is located.
On the computer,
According to the information indicating the state of the object to be heated, a step of detecting a portion to be heated to be concentratedly heated,
One or more microwave irradiating means for irradiating the microwave to the object to be heated, so that the portion to be heated detected in the step of detecting the portion to be heated is heated intensively, the microwave irradiation state is changed. A step for changing, and a program for executing the step.