JP7492224B2 - Treatment equipment and blower - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a treatment device for performing a predetermined treatment on an object to be treated by blowing gas onto the object. The present invention also relates to a blower for blowing gas onto the object to be treated.

There is known a heat treatment device for performing a heat treatment on an object to be heated by spraying superheated steam onto the object to be heated (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A conventional heat treatment device includes a treatment chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a conveyor for transporting the object to be heated from the inlet to the outlet of the treatment chamber, a superheated steam generating unit for generating superheated steam, and a nozzle for blowing the superheated steam from the superheated steam generating unit toward the object to be heated on the conveyor.

Inside the processing chamber, superheated steam from a nozzle is sprayed onto the object to be heated on the conveyor, heating the object to, for example, about 200°C to 300°C.

JP 2014-012099 A

In the conventional heat treatment device described above, the superheated steam ejected from the nozzle leaks out of the treatment chamber from the entrance and exit of the treatment chamber. This reduces the heating efficiency of the object to be heated, and there is a risk that workers operating the heat treatment device may come into contact with the superheated steam leaking from the entrance and exit.

The present invention seeks to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a processing device and a blower that can prevent gas from leaking from the opening of the processing chamber to the outside of the processing chamber.

The processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is a processing apparatus for performing a predetermined processing on a workpiece by blowing gas onto the workpiece, the processing apparatus comprising: a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the workpiece inside or outside and having a processing area disposed therein for carrying the workpiece to the predetermined processing; a transport path disposed inside the processing chamber for transporting the workpiece between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing area; a blower having an intake port for sucking in gas and an exhaust port for blowing the gas sucked from the intake port toward the processing area; and a guide member disposed inside the processing chamber, the guide member having a plurality of flow paths for guiding the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower in a direction intersecting the direction along the transport path to the intake port of the blower, the guide member having a plurality of partition parts arranged side by side in a direction along the transport path, and each of the plurality of flow paths being formed between a pair of adjacent partition parts of the plurality of partition parts.

The processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention can prevent gas from leaking from the opening of the processing chamber to the outside of the processing chamber.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing an overall configuration of a processing apparatus according to an embodiment; 2 is a perspective view showing a conveyor, a blower, a guide member, and a spray mechanism in the processing apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a guide member in the processing apparatus according to the embodiment. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 2. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a spray mechanism and a guide wall portion in the processing apparatus according to the embodiment; FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a plurality of protrusions formed on a guide wall portion in the processing apparatus according to the embodiment; FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a plurality of protrusions formed on a guide wall portion in the processing apparatus according to the embodiment; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a heat-shielding chain curtain in the processing apparatus according to the embodiment; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of use of a heat-shielding chain curtain according to a comparative example. 1 is a diagram showing an example of use of a heat-shielding chain curtain in a processing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a plurality of blowers and guide members in a processing apparatus according to a modified example. FIG.

The processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is a processing apparatus for performing a predetermined processing on a workpiece by blowing gas onto the workpiece, the processing apparatus comprising: a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the workpiece inside or outside and having a processing area disposed therein for carrying the workpiece to the predetermined processing; a transport path disposed inside the processing chamber for transporting the workpiece between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing area; a blower having an intake port for sucking in gas and an exhaust port for blowing the gas sucked from the intake port toward the processing area; and a guide member disposed inside the processing chamber, the guide member having a plurality of flow paths for guiding the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower in a direction intersecting the direction along the transport path to the intake port of the blower, the guide member having a plurality of partition parts arranged side by side in a direction along the transport path, and each of the plurality of flow paths being formed between a pair of adjacent partition parts of the plurality of partition parts.

According to this aspect, the multiple flow paths of the guide member guide the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower in a direction intersecting the direction along the transport path, while guiding it to the intake port of the blower. At this time, since each of the multiple flow paths is partitioned in the direction along the transport path by multiple partitions, it is possible to prevent the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower from spreading and flowing in the direction along the transport path, and the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower can be efficiently guided to the intake port of the blower. As a result, it is possible to prevent the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower from leaking out of the processing chamber from the opening of the processing chamber.

For example, the multiple flow paths may be configured to include multiple branch flow paths each of which branches the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower into a first direction intersecting the direction along the transport path and into a second direction opposite to the first direction, multiple first guide flow paths each of which is connected to the multiple branch flow paths and guides the gas branched in the first direction by the multiple branch flow paths to the intake port of the blower, and multiple second guide flow paths each of which is connected to the multiple branch flow paths and guides the gas branched in the second direction by the multiple branch flow paths to the intake port of the blower.

According to this aspect, the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower can be efficiently guided to the intake port of the blower while being diverted into a first direction and a second direction that intersect with the direction along the conveying path.

For example, each of the multiple branch channels may be arranged on the opposite side of the processing area from the exhaust port of the blower and configured to be convex toward the exhaust port.

According to this aspect, each of the multiple branch paths is formed in a convex shape toward the exhaust port of the blower, so that the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower can be efficiently branched.

For example, the processing apparatus may further include a pressurized gas supply source that supplies pressurized gas, and a nozzle that is disposed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber and that sprays the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas supply source toward the processing region.

According to this aspect, the nozzle injects pressurized gas from the pressurized gas supply source toward the processing area, so that an air curtain of pressurized gas is formed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber. This makes it possible to prevent the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower from flowing toward the opening of the processing chamber. Furthermore, the pressure inside the processing chamber is kept positive by the pressure of the pressurized gas injected from the nozzle, so that it is possible to prevent outside air from flowing into the processing chamber from the opening of the processing chamber.

For example, the processing chamber may have a guide wall portion disposed opposite the transport path between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber, and the guide wall portion may be configured to have a concave shape in a direction away from the transport path and to have a guide surface that guides the gas blown out of the exhaust port in a predetermined direction.

According to this aspect, the guide wall portion has a guide surface formed in a concave shape in a direction away from the transport path, so that the gas drawn into the guide surface flows along the guide surface due to the Coanda effect. This increases the ventilation resistance acting on the gas flowing along the guide surface, and the flow rate of the gas decreases. Furthermore, as the gas flows along the guide surface, the passing area of the gas increases. At this time, according to the so-called continuity equation, the flow rate of the gas decreases as the passing area of the gas increases. As a result, the gas flowing along the guide surface has difficulty reaching the opening of the processing chamber, so that the gas can be effectively prevented from leaking out of the processing chamber from the opening of the processing chamber.

For example, the guide wall portion may be configured to have a plurality of protrusions formed at the upstream end of the guide surface to generate turbulence in the gas blown out of the exhaust port of the blower and drawn into the guide surface.

According to this aspect, the guide wall portion has multiple protrusions, so that the gas flowing toward the opening of the processing chamber flows through the gap between a pair of adjacent protrusions among the multiple protrusions. At this time, small vortexes of the gas are generated in the gap. As a result, the main flow of the gas flowing toward the opening of the processing chamber is caught up in the small vortexes, so that the main flow of the gas can be efficiently guided into the guide surface.

For example, the processing apparatus may further include a first chain curtain suspended from the upper end of the opening of the processing chamber, and a second chain curtain suspended from the upper end of the opening of the processing chamber, the second chain curtain being arranged to overlap the first chain curtain and being shorter in length than the first chain curtain.

According to this aspect, a first chain curtain and a second chain curtain arranged to overlap the first chain curtain are suspended from the upper end of the opening of the processing chamber. As a result, when the object to be processed passes through the opening of the processing chamber, the first chain curtain is pushed open in the left-right and rearward directions. At this time, gaps are created in the first chain curtain that is pushed open in the left-right and rearward directions, but these gaps are blocked by the second chain curtain. Therefore, it is possible to prevent gas inside the processing chamber from leaking out of the processing chamber through the above-mentioned gaps.

For example, the blower may further include a duct having a duct passage formed therein that connects the intake port and the exhaust port, the duct having a narrowing section between the intake port and the exhaust port that narrows the cross-sectional area of the duct passage from the intake port side to the exhaust port side, and a partition plate disposed inside the duct that divides the duct passage between the narrowing section and the exhaust port into a lattice pattern.

According to this aspect, the duct of the blower is formed with a constriction section between the intake port and the exhaust port that narrows the cross-sectional area of the duct flow path from the intake port side to the exhaust port side, so that when the gas sucked in from the intake port passes through the inside of the constriction section, the flow velocity distribution of the gas is almost uniform. Furthermore, a partition plate is arranged inside the duct to divide the duct flow path between the constriction section and the exhaust port in a lattice shape, so that the gas that passes through the inside of the constriction section is distributed almost evenly to each of the multiple divided flow paths formed by the partition plate inside the duct. As a result, the flow velocity of the gas flowing through each of the multiple divided flow paths is almost equal, so the flow velocity distribution of the gas blown out from the exhaust port is almost uniform. As a result, the gas blown out from the exhaust port is blown almost uniformly onto the surface of the workpiece, so that the workpiece can be treated without unevenness.

A processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is a processing apparatus for performing a predetermined processing on a workpiece by blowing gas onto the workpiece, and includes a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the workpiece in or out and having a processing area disposed therein for carrying the workpiece in the predetermined processing, a transport path disposed inside the processing chamber for transporting the workpiece between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing area, a blower having an intake port for sucking in gas and an exhaust port for blowing the gas sucked in from the intake port toward the processing area, a pressurized gas supply source for supplying pressurized gas, and a nozzle disposed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber for spraying the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas supply source toward the processing area.

According to this aspect, the nozzle injects pressurized gas from the pressurized gas supply source toward the processing area, so that an air curtain of pressurized gas is formed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber. This makes it possible to prevent the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower from flowing toward the opening of the processing chamber. Furthermore, the pressure inside the processing chamber is kept positive by the pressure of the pressurized gas injected from the nozzle, so that it is possible to prevent outside air from flowing into the processing chamber from the opening of the processing chamber.

The processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is a processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process on a workpiece by blowing gas onto the workpiece, and includes a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the workpiece inside or outside and a processing area for carrying the workpiece to the inside, and a transport path for transporting the workpiece between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing area, and a blower having an intake port for sucking in gas and an exhaust port for blowing the gas sucked in from the intake port toward the processing area. The processing chamber has a guide wall portion disposed opposite the transport path between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber, and the guide wall portion is formed in a concave shape in a direction away from the transport path, and has a guide surface for guiding the gas blown out from the exhaust port in a predetermined direction.

According to this aspect, the guide wall portion has a guide surface formed in a concave shape in a direction away from the transport path, so that the gas drawn into the guide surface flows along the guide surface due to the Coanda effect. This increases the ventilation resistance acting on the gas flowing along the guide surface, and the flow rate of the gas decreases. Furthermore, as the gas flows along the guide surface, the passing area of the gas increases. At this time, according to the so-called continuity equation, the flow rate of the gas decreases as the passing area of the gas increases. As a result, the gas flowing along the guide surface has difficulty reaching the opening of the processing chamber, so that the gas can be effectively prevented from leaking out of the processing chamber from the opening of the processing chamber.

The processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is a processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process on a workpiece by blowing gas onto the workpiece, and includes a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the workpiece inside or outside and a processing area for carrying the workpiece to the inside and the processing area, and a blower arranged inside the processing chamber and having a transport path for transporting the workpiece between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing area, an intake port for sucking in gas, and an exhaust port for blowing the gas sucked from the intake port toward the processing area. The processing chamber has a guide wall portion arranged opposite the transport path between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber, and the guide wall portion has a guide surface for guiding the gas blown out from the exhaust port in a predetermined direction, and a plurality of protrusions formed at the upstream end of the guide surface for generating turbulence in the gas blown out from the exhaust port and drawn into the guide surface.

According to this aspect, the guide wall portion has multiple protrusions, so that the gas flowing toward the opening of the processing chamber flows through the gap between a pair of adjacent protrusions among the multiple protrusions. At this time, small vortexes of the gas are generated in the gap. As a result, the main flow of the gas flowing toward the opening of the processing chamber is caught up in the small vortexes, so that the main flow of the gas can be efficiently guided into the guide surface.

The processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is a processing apparatus for performing a predetermined processing on a workpiece by blowing gas onto the workpiece, and includes a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the workpiece in and out and a processing area for carrying the workpiece in, and a blower having a transport path for transporting the workpiece between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing area, an intake port for sucking in gas, and an exhaust port for blowing the gas sucked in from the intake port toward the processing area, a first chain curtain suspended from the upper end of the opening of the processing chamber, and a second chain curtain suspended from the upper end of the opening of the processing chamber, the second chain curtain being arranged to overlap with the first chain curtain and being shorter in length than the first chain curtain.

According to this aspect, a first chain curtain and a second chain curtain arranged to overlap the first chain curtain are suspended from the upper end of the opening of the processing chamber. As a result, when the workpiece passes through the opening of the processing chamber, it spreads the first chain curtain in the left-right and rearward directions. At this time, gaps are created in the first chain curtain that is spread in the left-right and rearward directions, but these gaps are blocked by the second chain curtain. Therefore, it is possible to prevent gas inside the processing chamber from leaking out of the processing chamber through the gaps.

The blower according to one aspect of the present invention is a blower for blowing gas onto a workpiece, and includes an intake port for sucking in gas, an exhaust port for blowing out the gas sucked in from the intake port, a duct having a duct passage formed therein that connects the intake port and the exhaust port, and a constriction section between the intake port and the exhaust port that narrows the cross-sectional area of the duct passage from the intake port side toward the exhaust port side, and a partition plate disposed inside the duct that divides the duct passage between the constriction section and the exhaust port into a lattice shape.

According to this aspect, the duct is formed with a constriction section between the intake port and the exhaust port that narrows the cross-sectional area of the duct flow path from the intake port side to the exhaust port side, so that when the gas sucked in from the intake port passes through the inside of the constriction section, the flow velocity distribution of the gas is almost uniform. Furthermore, a partition plate is arranged inside the duct to divide the duct flow path between the constriction section and the exhaust port in a lattice shape, so that the gas that passes through the inside of the constriction section is distributed almost evenly to each of the multiple divided flow paths formed by the partition plate inside the duct. As a result, the flow velocity of the gas flowing through each of the multiple divided flow paths becomes almost equal, so the flow velocity distribution of the gas blown out from the exhaust port is almost uniform. As a result, the gas blown out from the exhaust port can be blown almost evenly onto the surface of the workpiece.

The following describes the embodiment in detail with reference to the drawings.

The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component placement and connection forms, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in an independent claim that represents a superordinate concept are described as optional components.

The figures are not necessarily strict illustrations. In each figure, the same reference numerals are used for substantially the same configurations, and duplicate explanations are omitted or simplified.

(Embodiment)
Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 12. In Fig. 1 to Fig. 12, the width direction of the processing chamber 6 is defined as the X-axis, the depth direction of the processing chamber 6 (the transport direction of the object 4 to be heated) is defined as the Y-axis, and the height direction of the processing chamber 6 is defined as the Z-axis.

[1. Overall configuration of the processing device]
First, the overall configuration of a processing apparatus 2 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of a processing apparatus 2 according to an embodiment.

The processing device 2 is a heat processing device for performing a heat treatment (an example of a predetermined treatment) on a heated object 4 (an example of an object to be processed) by spraying superheated steam (an example of a gas) onto the heated object 4. Note that superheated steam refers to a colorless and transparent gas (H ₂ O gas) obtained by further heating saturated steam at 100° C. under normal pressure.

The object 4 is made of, for example, a room temperature metal or a room temperature resin such as carbon fiber reinforced plastics. The height of the object 4 is, for example, several tens of centimeters. The processing device 2 is used as a continuous heat processing device for heating the object 4 to, for example, about 200°C to 500°C.

As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 2 includes a processing chamber 6, a superheated steam generating section 8, heater groups 10a and 10b, a conveyor 12, a blower 14, a guide member 16, an injection mechanism 18, and heat-shielding chain curtains 20a and 20b.

The processing chamber 6 is a heating furnace for performing a heat treatment on the object to be heated 4. The processing chamber 6 has a housing portion 27 and guide wall portions 28a, 28b. Inside the housing portion 27, a processing area 26 for performing a heat treatment on the object to be heated 4 is arranged. Also, inside the housing portion 27, an exhaust port 42 (described later) of the blower 14 is arranged above the processing area 26, facing it.

The guide wall portion 28a is disposed on the front side in the depth direction of the housing portion 27 (negative side of the Y axis). An inlet 22 (an example of an opening) for carrying the object to be heated 4 into the inside of the processing chamber 6 is formed at the end of the guide wall portion 28a. The guide wall portion 28b is disposed on the rear side in the depth direction of the housing portion 27 (positive side of the Y axis). An outlet 24 (an example of an opening) for carrying the object to be heated 4 out of the processing chamber 6 is formed at the end of the guide wall portion 28b.

The superheated steam generating unit 8 generates superheated steam and is disposed, for example, outside the processing chamber 6. The superheated steam generating unit 8 has a boiler (not shown) and a heating unit (not shown). The boiler generates saturated steam and supplies the generated saturated steam to the heating unit. Note that saturated steam means steam (colorless, transparent gas) at 100°C at normal pressure. The heating unit is, for example, composed of an electric heater or a gas burner, and generates superheated steam by heating the saturated steam supplied from the boiler to 100°C or higher at normal pressure. Note that the temperature of the superheated steam is, for example, 200°C to 500°C at normal pressure. The superheated steam generated by the heating unit is supplied to the inside of the processing chamber 6.

Each of the heater groups 10a and 10b is for heating the inside of the processing chamber 6 and is arranged inside the housing part 27 of the processing chamber 6. The heater groups 10a and 10b each have a plurality of electric heaters 30a and 30b. Each of the electric heaters 30a and 30b is composed of, for example, a sheath heater formed in a straight line. As shown in FIG. 1, the electric heaters 30a are arranged so as to surround the blower 14 from the depth direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing part 27. The electric heaters 30a extend in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the housing part 27 and are arranged at intervals in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing part 27. The electric heaters 30b are also arranged so as to surround the blower 14 from the width direction of the housing part 27. For convenience of explanation, the electric heaters 30b arranged on the front side (positive side of the X-axis) of the blower 14 are omitted in FIG. 1. The electric heaters 30b extend in the depth direction of the housing part 27 and are spaced apart in the height direction of the housing part 27. Each of the electric heaters 30a, 30b generates heat when electricity is applied, heating the inside of the processing chamber 6 to, for example, 200°C to 500°C.

The conveyor 12 is a belt conveyor for transporting the object 4 to be heated from the entrance 22 of the processing chamber 6 through the processing area 26 to the exit 24. The conveyor 12 is composed of, for example, a mesh conveyor having breathability. A transport path 32 is formed on the conveyor 12 inside the processing chamber 6, extending linearly from the entrance 22 of the processing chamber 6 through the processing area 26 to the exit 24 along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the conveyor 12.

The blower 14 is a blower fan that draws in superheated steam supplied from the superheated steam generating unit 8 to the inside of the processing chamber 6 and blows the drawn in superheated steam downward toward the processing area 26. The blower 14 is disposed above the processing area 26 inside the housing portion 27 of the processing chamber 6.

When the object 4 to be heated is transported by the conveyor 12 from the entrance 22 of the processing chamber 6 to the processing area 26, the blower 14 blows superheated steam onto the object 4 to be heated in the processing area 26. As a result, the object 4 to be heated is heated to, for example, about 200°C to 500°C by the heat of the superheated steam. At this time, in order to heat the object 4 to be heated in a relatively short time (for example, about several seconds to about 3 minutes), the average flow velocity of the superheated steam blown out from the blower 14 is preferably 10 m/s or more, and more preferably 20 m/s or more.

The superheated steam blown out from the blower 14 is heated by the heater groups 10a and 10b and then sucked back into the blower 14. This causes the superheated steam to circulate inside the treatment chamber 6 by the blower 14.

The guide member 16 is a member for guiding the superheated steam blown downward from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 upward toward the intake port 36 (described later) of the blower 14 while dividing the superheated steam into two directions (the positive and negative sides of the X-axis) that intersect with the direction along the transport path 32 (the Y-axis direction). The guide member 16 is disposed inside the housing portion 27 of the processing chamber 6.

The injection mechanism 18 is a mechanism for injecting pressurized superheated steam (an example of pressurized gas) toward the processing region 26, and is disposed inside the processing chamber 6. Note that the pressurized superheated steam refers to a colorless and transparent gas (H ₂ O gas) obtained by expanding and pressurizing superheated steam at normal pressure, i.e., pressurized superheated steam.

The heat-shielding chain curtains 20a and 20b are intended to shield the heat of superheated steam leaking from the inlet 22 and outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6, respectively. The heat-shielding chain curtains 20a and 20b are arranged at the inlet 22 and outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6, respectively.

The following describes in detail the distinctive components of the processing device 2 according to the embodiment.

2. Configuration of the Blower
The configuration of the blower 14 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the conveyor 12, the blower 14, the guide member 16, and the injection mechanism 18 in the processing device 2 according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 3. For ease of explanation, the injection mechanism 18 is omitted from Figure 3.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the blower 14 has a duct 34, an intake port 36, a sirocco fan 38, a motor 40, and an exhaust port 42.

The duct 34 has an intake section 44, a constriction section 46, and an exhaust section 48. Inside the duct 34, a duct flow path 50 is formed that connects the intake port 36 and the exhaust port 42.

The intake section 44 is formed in a hollow, roughly cylindrical shape, and a sirocco fan 38 is disposed inside the intake section 44. An intake port 36 that communicates with the sirocco fan 38 is formed on one side of the intake section 44. A motor 40 for driving the sirocco fan 38 is supported on the other side of the intake section 44. As the sirocco fan 38 rotates, superheated steam inside the processing chamber 6 is sucked into the intake section 44 through the intake port 36.

The constriction section 46 is a hollow, constricted portion formed between the intake section 44 and the exhaust section 48. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in this constriction section 46, the cross-sectional area (cross-sectional area in the XY plane) of the duct flow path 50 is constricted from the intake port 36 side toward the exhaust port 42 side. In other words, the cross-sectional area of the duct flow path 50 decreases from the intake section 44 to the constriction section 46, then becomes constant, and then increases at the exhaust section 48.

The exhaust section 48 extends from the narrowing section 46 in the opposite direction to the intake section 44, and is formed in a hollow boot shape. An exhaust port 42 is formed on the lower end surface of the exhaust section 48 for blowing out the superheated steam sucked in from the intake port 36. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the exhaust port 42 is disposed facing the upper part of the processing area 26. In this exhaust section 48, the cross-sectional area of the duct flow path 50 expands in the direction from the narrowing section 46 toward the exhaust port 42.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a partition plate 52 is disposed inside the exhaust section 48. The partition plate 52 is configured by combining a plurality of plate-shaped members in a lattice shape. As shown in Fig. 4, the duct flow path 50 between the narrowing section 46 and the exhaust port 42 is partitioned in a lattice shape by the partition plate 52 in the XY plane view. That is, the duct flow path 50 between the narrowing section 46 and the exhaust port 42 is divided into a plurality of divided flow paths 54 of approximately equal size in the XY plane view by the partition plate 52. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of each of the plurality of divided flow paths 54 in the XY plane view is formed into a rectangular shape, but is not limited thereto, and may be formed into a polygonal shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the superheated steam sucked in from the intake port 36 flows from the inside of the intake section 44 through the inside of the throttling section 46 to the inside of the exhaust section 48. At this time, in the throttling section 46, the cross-sectional area of the duct flow path 50 is narrowed from the intake port 36 side toward the exhaust port 42 side, so that when the superheated steam passes through the inside of the throttling section 46, the flow velocity distribution of the superheated steam becomes almost uniform. Furthermore, the superheated steam that has passed through the inside of the throttling section 46 is distributed almost evenly to each of the multiple divided flow paths 54 formed by the partition plate 52 inside the exhaust section 48. As a result, the flow velocity of the superheated steam flowing through each of the multiple divided flow paths 54 becomes almost equal, so that the flow velocity distribution of the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 becomes almost uniform. As a result, the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 is blown almost uniformly onto the surface of the heated object 4, so that the heated object 4 can be heated almost uniformly without unevenness.

[3. Configuration of guide member]
The configuration of the guide member 16 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, 5, and 6. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the guide member 16 in the processing device 2 according to the embodiment. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 2. For ease of explanation, the exhaust section 48 of the duct 34 is simplified and shown by a dashed line in Figure 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, the guide member 16 has a flow dividing section 56, a first guide section 58, and a second guide section 60. A plurality of partition sections 61 are formed on the inner surface of the guide member 16 (the surface facing the processing region 26) and are arranged side by side in the direction along the transport path 32 (Y-axis direction). Each of the plurality of partition sections 61 is formed, for example, in a substantially W-shape when viewed from the XZ side.

2 and 3, the diverter 56 is disposed on the opposite side of the processing area 26 from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14. That is, the diverter 56 is disposed facing the lower side of the processing area 26. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of groove-shaped diverter channels 62 (one example of a plurality of channels) are formed on the inner surface (the surface facing the processing area 26) of the diverter 56. Each of the plurality of diverter channels 62 is formed between a pair of adjacent partition walls 61 of the plurality of partition walls 61 in the diverter 56. That is, each of the plurality of diverter channels 62 is partitioned in the direction along the conveying path 32 by the plurality of partition walls 61. The plurality of diverter channels 62 are arranged side by side in the direction along the conveying path 32. In addition, each of the plurality of diverter channels 62 is formed in a convex shape toward the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14. As a result, each of the multiple branch paths 62 extends diagonally downward from its apex in a first direction (the positive side of the X-axis) that intersects with the direction along the transport path 32, and also extends diagonally downward in a second direction (the negative side of the X-axis) that is opposite to the first direction.

2 and 3, the first guide section 58 extends upward from one end of the flow dividing section 56 toward the intake port 36 of the blower 14. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of groove-shaped first guide channels 64 (an example of a plurality of channels) are formed on the inner surface (the surface facing the processing area 26) of the first guide section 58. Each of the plurality of first guide channels 64 is formed between a pair of adjacent partition walls 61 of the plurality of partition walls 61 in the first guide section 58. That is, each of the plurality of first guide channels 64 is partitioned in the direction along the conveying path 32 by the plurality of partition walls 61. The plurality of first guide channels 64 are arranged in a line in the direction along the conveying path 32. In addition, each of the plurality of first guide channels 64 is connected to the plurality of branch channels 62 formed in the flow dividing section 56 and extends upward in a straight line toward the intake port 36 of the blower 14. Each end of the multiple first guide channels 64 (the end opposite the branch channel 62) is open.

2 and 3, the second guide section 60 extends upward from the other end of the diverter section 56 toward the intake port 36 of the blower 14, and is disposed opposite the first guide section 58. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of groove-shaped second guide channels 66 (an example of a plurality of channels) are formed on the inner surface (the surface facing the processing area 26) of the second guide section 60. Each of the plurality of second guide channels 66 is formed between a pair of adjacent partition walls 61 of the plurality of partition walls 61 in the second guide section 60. That is, each of the plurality of second guide channels 66 is partitioned in the direction along the conveying path 32 by the plurality of partition walls 61. The plurality of second guide channels 66 are arranged in a line in the direction along the conveying path 32. In addition, each of the plurality of second guide channels 66 is connected to the plurality of diverter channels 62 formed in the diverter section 56, and extends upward in a straight line toward the intake port 36 of the blower 14. In addition, each end of the multiple second guide channels 66 (the end opposite the branch channel 62) is open.

As shown in FIG. 3, the superheated steam blown downward from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 passes through the conveyor 12 and flows downward. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, the superheated steam flowing downward is diverted into a first direction and a second direction by the multiple diverting channels 62 of the diverting section 56. The superheated steam diverted into the first direction by the multiple diverting channels 62 flows upward along the multiple first guide channels 64 and is guided to the intake port 36 of the blower 14. The superheated steam diverted into the second direction by the multiple diverting channels 62 flows upward along the multiple second guide channels 66 and is guided to the intake port 36 of the blower 14.

At this time, each of the multiple branch paths 62, the multiple first guide paths 64, and the multiple second guide paths 66 is partitioned in the direction along the transport path 32 by multiple partitions 61, so that the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 can be prevented from spreading and flowing in the direction along the transport path 32, and the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 can be efficiently guided to the intake port 36 of the blower 14. As a result, the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 can be prevented from leaking out of the processing chamber 6 from the inlet 22 and outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6.

[4. Configuration of the injection mechanism]
The configuration of the spray mechanism 18 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 6, and 7. Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the spray mechanism 18 and guide walls 28a, 28b in the processing apparatus 2 according to the embodiment. For convenience of explanation, the guide member 16 and the heat-shielding chain curtains 20a, 20b are omitted in Figure 7.

As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the injection mechanism 18 has a first pressurized superheated steam supply source 68 (an example of a pressurized gas supply source), a first connecting pipe 70, a plurality of first nozzles 72 (an example of a nozzle), a second pressurized superheated steam supply source 74 (an example of a pressurized gas supply source), a second connecting pipe 76, and a plurality of second nozzles 78 (an example of a nozzle).

The first pressurized superheated steam supply source 68 is for supplying pressurized superheated steam and is disposed opposite the outer surface of the first guide portion 58 of the guide member 16.

The first connecting pipe 70 is a connecting pipe for communicating between the first pressurized superheated steam supply source 68 and each of the multiple first nozzles 72, and is formed in a roughly L-shape.

Each of the multiple first nozzles 72 is a nozzle for spraying pressurized superheated steam from the first pressurized superheated steam supply source 68 toward the processing area 26, and extends in a straight line. The multiple first nozzles 72 are arranged facing each other above the transport path 32, between the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 and the entrance 22 of the processing chamber 6. The multiple first nozzles 72 are also arranged side by side in a direction along the transport path 32. The direction in which the pressurized superheated steam is sprayed from each of the multiple first nozzles 72 is, for example, diagonally downward with respect to the direction along the transport path 32.

The second pressurized superheated steam supply source 74 is for supplying pressurized superheated steam and is disposed opposite the outer surface of the second guide portion 60 of the guide member 16.

The second connection pipe 76 is a connection pipe for communicating between the second pressurized superheated steam supply source 74 and each of the multiple second nozzles 78, and is formed in a roughly L-shape.

Each of the multiple second nozzles 78 is a nozzle for spraying pressurized superheated steam from the second pressurized superheated steam supply source 74 toward the processing area 26, and extends in a straight line. The multiple second nozzles 78 are arranged facing each other above the transport path 32 between the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 and the discharge port 24 of the processing chamber 6. The multiple second nozzles 78 are also arranged side by side in a direction along the transport path 32. The direction in which the pressurized superheated steam is sprayed from each of the multiple second nozzles 78 is, for example, diagonally downward with respect to the direction along the transport path 32.

As shown in FIG. 7, the superheated steam blown downward from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 collides with the object to be heated 4 or the conveyor 12 and flows while spreading radially in an approximately horizontal direction. At this time, the first nozzles 72 and the second nozzles 78 spray the pressurized superheated steam obliquely downward toward the processing area 26 from opposite directions. As a result, an air curtain is formed by the pressurized superheated steam sprayed from the first nozzles 72 between the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 and the inlet 22 of the processing chamber 6. In addition, an air curtain is formed by the pressurized superheated steam sprayed from the second nozzles 78 between the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 and the outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6. As a result, the superheated steam blown from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 can be prevented from flowing toward the inlet 22 and outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6.

Furthermore, the pressure inside the processing chamber 6 is maintained at a positive pressure by the pressure of the pressurized superheated steam sprayed from the first nozzles 72 and the second nozzles 78. This makes it possible to prevent outside air from flowing into the processing chamber 6 from the inlet 22 and outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6.

[5. Configuration of the guide wall portion]
The configuration of the guide walls 28a, 28b will be described with reference to Figures 7, 8A, and 8B. Figure 8A is an enlarged perspective view of a plurality of protrusions 90 formed on the guide wall 28a in the processing device 2 according to the embodiment. Figure 8B is an enlarged perspective view of a plurality of protrusions 102 formed on the guide wall 28b in the processing device 2 according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, the guide wall portion 28a is disposed facing the upper portion of the transport path 32 between the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 and the entrance 22 of the processing chamber 6. The guide wall portion 28a has a horizontal wall portion 80, a vertical wall portion 82, a horizontal wall portion 84, and a vertical wall portion 86.

The horizontal wall portion 80 is arranged to extend in a substantially horizontal direction from the front side (negative side of the Y axis) in the depth direction of the housing portion 27 (see FIG. 1). The vertical wall portion 82 is arranged to extend vertically upward from the end of the horizontal wall portion 80. The horizontal wall portion 84 is arranged to extend in a substantially horizontal direction from the upper end of the vertical wall portion 82. The vertical wall portion 86 is arranged to extend vertically downward from the end of the horizontal wall portion 84 and faces the vertical wall portion 82.

A guide surface 88 is formed on the inner surface of each of the vertical wall portion 82, the horizontal wall portion 84, and the vertical wall portion 86 to guide the superheated steam blown out from the blower 14 in a direction toward the entrance 22 (an example of a predetermined direction). The guide surface 88 is formed concavely in a direction away from the conveying path 32.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the upstream end of the guide surface 88, i.e., the boundary (corner) between the horizontal wall portion 80 and the vertical wall portion 82, has multiple protrusions 90 extending vertically downward. The multiple protrusions 90 are spaced apart in a direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the direction along the conveying path 32. The multiple protrusions 90 function as so-called vortex generators that generate turbulence in the superheated steam blown out of the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 and drawn into the guide surface 88.

As shown in FIG. 7, the guide wall portion 28b is disposed facing the upper portion of the transport path 32 between the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 and the discharge port 24 of the processing chamber 6. The guide wall portion 28b has a horizontal wall portion 92, a vertical wall portion 94, a horizontal wall portion 96, and a vertical wall portion 98.

The horizontal wall portion 92 is arranged to extend in a substantially horizontal direction from the rear side in the depth direction of the housing portion 27 (the positive side of the Y axis). The vertical wall portion 94 is arranged to extend vertically upward from the end of the horizontal wall portion 92. The horizontal wall portion 96 is arranged to extend in a substantially horizontal direction from the upper end of the vertical wall portion 94. The vertical wall portion 98 is arranged to extend vertically downward from the end of the horizontal wall portion 96 and faces the vertical wall portion 94.

A guide surface 100 is formed on the inner surface of each of the vertical wall portion 94, the horizontal wall portion 96, and the vertical wall portion 98 to guide the superheated steam blown out from the blower 14 in a direction toward the discharge port 24 (an example of a predetermined direction). The guide surface 100 is formed concavely in a direction away from the conveying path 32.

As shown in FIG. 8B, the upstream end of the guide surface 100, i.e., the boundary (corner) between the horizontal wall portion 92 and the vertical wall portion 94, has a plurality of protrusions 102 extending vertically downward. The protrusions 102 are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the direction along the conveying path 32. The protrusions 102 function as so-called vortex generators that generate turbulence in the superheated steam that is blown out of the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 and drawn into the guide surface 100.

As described above, as shown in FIG. 7, the superheated steam blown downward from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 collides with the object to be heated 4 or the conveyor 12 and flows while spreading radially in a substantially horizontal direction. At this time, a portion of the superheated steam flowing in a substantially horizontal direction passes through the air curtain of pressurized superheated steam formed by the injection mechanism 18 and flows toward the inlet 22 and outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the superheated steam flowing toward the inlet 22 of the processing chamber 6 flows through the gaps 104 between adjacent pairs of the protrusions 90. At this time, small vortices are generated by the superheated steam in each of the multiple gaps 104. As a result, the main flow of the superheated steam flowing toward the inlet 22 of the processing chamber 6 is caught up in multiple small vortices, so that the main flow of the superheated steam can be efficiently guided into the guide surface 88.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8B, the superheated steam flowing toward the discharge port 24 of the processing chamber 6 flows through the gaps 106 between adjacent pairs of the multiple protrusions 102. At this time, small vortices are generated by the superheated steam in each of the multiple gaps 106. As a result, the main flow of the superheated steam flowing toward the discharge port 24 of the processing chamber 6 is caught up in the multiple small vortices, so that the main flow of the superheated steam can be efficiently guided into the guide surface 100.

As shown in FIG. 7, the superheated steam drawn into the guide surfaces 88, 100 flows along the guide surfaces 88, 100 due to the Coanda effect. The distance traveled by the superheated steam in this case is longer than the distance traveled by the superheated steam when it flows along the transport path 32. This increases the ventilation resistance acting on the superheated steam flowing along the guide surfaces 88, 100, and reduces the flow rate of the superheated steam.

Furthermore, as the superheated steam flows along the guide surfaces 88, 100, the area through which the superheated steam passes increases. At this time, according to the so-called continuity equation, the flow rate of the superheated steam decreases as the area through which the superheated steam passes increases.

As a result, the superheated steam flowing along the guide surfaces 88, 100 is less likely to reach the inlet 22 and outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6, effectively preventing the superheated steam from leaking from the inlet 22 and outlet 24 of the processing chamber 6 to the outside of the processing chamber 6.

In this embodiment, the guide walls 28a, 28b are arranged facing each other above the transport path 32, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the guide walls 28a, 28b may be arranged facing each other below the transport path 32, or the guide walls 28a, 28b may be arranged facing each other on the sides (left side and/or right side) of the transport path 32. Alternatively, the guide walls 28a, 28b may be arranged to face each other around the entire circumference of the transport path 32.

[6. Configuration of heat-shielding chain curtain]
The configuration of the heat-shielding chain curtains 20a, 20b will be described with reference to Figures 1, 9, and 10. Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the heat-shielding chain curtain 20a in the processing apparatus 2 according to the embodiment. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Figure 9.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat-shielding chain curtain 20a has a first chain curtain 108 and a second chain curtain 110. The heat-shielding chain curtain 20b has a first chain curtain 112 and a second chain curtain 114.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the heat-shielding chain curtain 20a, the first chain curtain 108 is positioned at the rear side in the transport direction of the heated object 4 (positive side of the Y axis), and the second chain curtain 110 is positioned at the front side in the transport direction of the heated object 4 (negative side of the Y axis). In addition, in the heat-shielding chain curtain 20b, the first chain curtain 112 is positioned at the rear side in the transport direction of the heated object 4, and the second chain curtain 114 is positioned at the front side in the transport direction of the heated object 4.

Since heat-shielding chain curtains 20a and 20b have the same configuration, only the configuration of heat-shielding chain curtain 20a will be described below.

9 and 10, each of the first chain curtain 108 and the second chain curtain 110 is composed of a plurality of metal chains arranged in a direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the direction along the transport path 32, and is suspended from the upper end of the loading entrance 22 of the processing chamber 6. The second chain curtain 110 is arranged so as to overlap with the first chain curtain 108, and the length L2 of the second chain curtain 110 is shorter than the length L1 of the first chain curtain 108. In other words, the heat-shielding chain curtain 20a has a double structure of the first chain curtain 108 and the second chain curtain 110 of different lengths. It is preferable that the length L2 of the second chain curtain 110 is long enough that the lower end of the second chain curtain 110 does not contact the upper surface of the heated object 4.

Now, the function of the heat-shielding chain curtain 20a according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of use of the heat-shielding chain curtain 116 according to a comparative example. Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of use of the heat-shielding chain curtain 20a in the processing device 2 according to this embodiment.

First, the heat-shielding chain curtain 116 according to the comparative example will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, the heat-shielding chain curtain 116 according to the comparative example is a single-layered chain curtain. When the object 4 to be heated is transported by the conveyor 12 and passes through the entrance 22 of the processing chamber 6, it spreads the heat-shielding chain curtain 116 in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) and backward direction (positive side of the Y-axis direction). At this time, gaps 118 are created in the heat-shielding chain curtain 116 spread in the left-right direction and backward direction, and there is a risk that superheated steam inside the processing chamber 6 will leak from these gaps 118 to the outside of the processing chamber 6.

In contrast, the heat-shielding chain curtain 20a according to this embodiment has a double structure of a first chain curtain 108 and a second chain curtain 110 of different lengths, as described above. When the object 4 to be heated passes through the entrance 22 of the processing chamber 6 while being transported by the conveyor 12, it pushes the first chain curtain 108 open in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) and the rear direction (positive side of the Y-axis direction). At this time, a gap 120 is created in the first chain curtain 108 that is pushed open in the left-right direction and the rear direction, but this gap 120 is blocked by the second chain curtain 110. As a result, it is possible to prevent the superheated steam inside the processing chamber 6 from leaking from the gap 120 to the outside of the processing chamber 6.

When the object 4 to be heated is transported by the conveyor 12 and passes through the discharge port 24 of the processing chamber 6, the first chain curtain 112 of the heat-shielding chain curtain 20b is pushed open in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) and rearward direction (positive side in the Y-axis direction) as described above. In this case, too, a gap (not shown) is created in the first chain curtain 112 pushed open in the left-right direction and rearward direction as described above, but this gap is blocked by the second chain curtain 114. As a result, it is possible to prevent the superheated steam inside the processing chamber 6 from leaking out of the processing chamber 6 through the gap.

[7. Effects]
In the processing apparatus 2 of this embodiment, the guide member 16 is provided, so that the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 can be prevented from spreading and flowing in the direction along the transport path 32, and the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 can be efficiently guided to the intake port 36 of the blower 14. As a result, the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 can be prevented from leaking out of the processing chamber 6 from the carry-in entrance 22 and the carry-out exit 24 of the processing chamber 6.

In addition, in the blower 14 of this embodiment, the duct 34 is formed with a constriction section 46 in which the cross-sectional area of the duct flow path 50 is narrowed from the intake port 36 side toward the exhaust port 42 side, so that when the superheated steam passes through the inside of the constriction section 46, the flow velocity distribution of the superheated steam becomes almost uniform. Furthermore, since the duct flow path 50 between the constriction section 46 and the exhaust port 42 is divided into a lattice shape by the partition plate 52, the flow velocity of the superheated steam flowing through each of the multiple divided flow paths 54 formed by the partition plate 52 becomes almost equal, and the flow velocity distribution of the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 becomes almost uniform. As a result, the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 is blown almost uniformly onto the surface of the heated object 4, so that the heated object 4 can be heated almost uniformly without unevenness.

8. Modifications
In the present embodiment, the processing apparatus 2 is configured to include one blower 14, but is not limited to this, and may be configured to include a plurality of blowers 14.

Figure 13 is a perspective view showing multiple blowers 14 and guide members 16 in a processing device 2A according to a modified example. For ease of explanation, the conveyor 12 and spray mechanism 18 are omitted from Figure 13.

As shown in FIG. 13, the processing device 2A according to the modified example has, for example, four blowers 14. In addition, one guide member 16 is arranged corresponding to the four blowers 14.

As a result, the guide member 16 guides the superheated steam blown downward from the exhaust port 42 of each of the four blowers 14 upward toward the intake port 36 of each of the four blowers 14 while dividing the superheated steam into two directions (the positive and negative sides of the X-axis) that intersect with the direction (the Y-axis direction) along the conveying path 32 (see FIG. 1). At this time, each of the multiple branch paths 62, the multiple first guide paths 64, and the multiple second guide paths 66 is partitioned in the direction along the conveying path 32 by the multiple partitions 61, so that the same effect as described above can be obtained in this modified example as well.

(Other variations, etc.)
Although the treatment device and the blower according to one or more aspects of the present invention have been described based on the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. As long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention, various modifications conceived by a person skilled in the art to the present embodiment and forms constructed by combining components of different embodiments may also be included within the scope of one or more aspects of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the processing device 2, 2A is a heat processing device for performing a heat treatment on the object to be heated 4, but is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a cooling processing device for performing a cooling process (an example of a predetermined process) on the object to be cooled (an example of an object to be treated) by spraying a cooling gas (an example of a gas) on the object to be cooled.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the gas is superheated steam, but this is not limited to this and may be, for example, high-temperature air of about 200°C to 500°C or an inert gas.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the guide member 16 divides the superheated steam blown out from the exhaust port 42 of the blower 14 into two directions intersecting the direction along the transport path 32, but this is not limited thereto, and the guide member 16 may divide the superheated steam into three or more directions.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the blower 14 is disposed inside the treatment chamber 6, but this is not limited thereto, and it may be disposed outside the treatment chamber 6.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the processing chamber 6 has an entrance 22 and an exit 24, but this is not limited thereto, and the processing chamber 6 may have only one opening. In this case, the conveyor 12 may be omitted, and the heated object 4 may be transported manually or the like along the transport path 32 between the opening of the processing chamber 6 and the processing area 26.

The processing device according to the present invention can be used as a heat treatment device for performing heat treatment on a heated object made of, for example, metal or resin.

Reference Signs List 2, 2A Processing device 4 Object to be heated 6 Processing chamber 8 Superheated steam generating section 10a, 10b Heater group 12 Conveyor 14 Blower 16 Guide member 18 Spray mechanism 20a, 20b, 116 Heat-shielding chain curtain 22 Carry-in entrance 24 Carry-out exit 26 Processing area 27 Housing section 28a, 28b Guide wall section 30a, 30b Electric heater 32 Transport path 34 Duct 36 Air intake 38 Sirocco fan 40 Motor 42 Exhaust port 44 Air intake section 46 Throttle section 48 Exhaust section 50 Duct flow path 52 Partition plate 54 Divided flow path 56 Dividing section 58 First guide section 60 Second guide section 61 Partition section 62 Dividing flow path 64 First guide flow path 66 Second guide flow path 68 First pressurized superheated steam supply source 70 First connecting pipe 72 First nozzle 74 Second pressurized superheated steam supply source 76 Second connecting pipe 78 Second nozzle 80, 84, 92, 96 Horizontal wall portion 82, 86, 94, 98 Vertical wall portion 88, 100 Guide surface 90, 102 Protrusion portion 104, 106, 118, 120 Gap 108, 112 First chain curtain 110, 114 Second chain curtain

Claims (13)

A treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment on a workpiece by blowing a gas onto the workpiece,
a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the object to be processed therein or carrying it to the outside, and a processing region for performing the predetermined processing on the object to be processed disposed therein;
a transport path disposed inside the processing chamber for transporting the object to be processed between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing region;
a blower having an intake port for sucking in a gas and an exhaust port for blowing out the gas sucked from the intake port toward the processing area;
a guide member disposed inside the processing chamber, the guide member having a plurality of flow paths for guiding the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower in a direction intersecting a horizontal direction with a direction along the transport path, to the intake port of the blower;
The guide member has a plurality of partition walls arranged side by side in a direction along the transport path,
each of the plurality of flow paths is formed between a pair of adjacent partition walls of the plurality of partition walls. The plurality of flow paths include
a plurality of branch flow paths each of which branches the gas blown out from the exhaust port of the blower into a first direction intersecting a direction along the transport path and the horizontal direction, and into a second direction opposite to the first direction;
a plurality of first guide passages each communicating with the plurality of branch passages and each guiding the gas diverted in the first direction by the plurality of branch passages to the intake port of the blower;
The treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of second guide passages each connected to the plurality of branch passages and each configured to guide the gas branched in the second direction by the plurality of branch passages to the intake port of the blower. The processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of branch channels is disposed on an opposite side of the processing region from the exhaust port of the blower, and is formed in a convex shape toward the exhaust port. The processing device further comprises:
A pressurized gas supply source that supplies pressurized gas;
4. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a nozzle disposed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber, the nozzle injecting pressurized gas from the pressurized gas supply source toward the processing region. the processing chamber has a guide wall portion disposed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber so as to face the transport path,
5. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide wall portion is formed concavely in a direction away from the transport path, and has a guide surface that guides the gas blown out of the exhaust port in a direction away from the transport path . The processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the guide wall portion is formed at an upstream end of the guide surface and has a plurality of protrusions for generating turbulence in the gas blown out of the exhaust port of the blower and guided into the guide surface. The processing device further comprises:
a first chain curtain suspended from an upper end of the opening of the processing chamber;
The processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a second chain curtain suspended from the upper end of the opening of the processing chamber, the second chain curtain being arranged to overlap the first chain curtain and having a length shorter than that of the first chain curtain. The blower further comprises:
a duct having a duct passage formed therein that communicates the intake port and the exhaust port, and a constriction portion that constricts a cross-sectional area of the duct passage from the intake port side toward the exhaust port side between the intake port and the exhaust port;
The treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a partition plate disposed inside the duct, the partition plate dividing the duct flow path between the narrowing portion and the exhaust port into a lattice shape. A treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment on a workpiece by blowing a gas onto the workpiece,
a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the object to be processed therein or carrying it to the outside, and a processing region for performing the predetermined processing on the object to be processed disposed therein;
a transport path disposed inside the processing chamber for transporting the object to be processed between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing region;
a blower having an intake port for sucking in a gas and an exhaust port for blowing out the gas sucked from the intake port toward the processing area;
A pressurized gas supply source that supplies pressurized gas;
a nozzle disposed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber, the nozzle injecting pressurized gas from the pressurized gas supply source toward the processing region. A treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment on a workpiece by blowing a gas onto the workpiece,
a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the object to be processed therein or carrying it to the outside, and a processing region for performing the predetermined processing on the object to be processed disposed therein;
a transport path disposed inside the processing chamber for transporting the object to be processed between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing region;
a blower having an intake port for sucking in a gas and an exhaust port for blowing out the gas sucked from the intake port toward the processing area;
the processing chamber has a guide wall portion disposed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber so as to face the transport path,
the guide wall portion is formed concavely in a direction away from the transport path, and has a guide surface that guides the gas blown out from the exhaust port in a direction away from the transport path . A treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment on a workpiece by blowing a gas onto the workpiece,
a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the object to be processed therein or carrying it to the outside, and a processing region for performing the predetermined processing on the object to be processed disposed therein;
a transport path disposed inside the processing chamber for transporting the object to be processed between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing region;
a blower having an intake port for sucking in a gas and an exhaust port for blowing out the gas sucked from the intake port toward the processing area;
the processing chamber has a guide wall portion disposed between the exhaust port of the blower and the opening of the processing chamber so as to face the transfer path,
The guide wall portion is
a guide surface that guides the gas blown out from the exhaust port in a direction away from the transport path ;
a plurality of protrusions formed on an upstream end of the guide surface for generating turbulence in the gas blown out from the exhaust port and guided into the guide surface. A treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment on a workpiece by blowing a gas onto the workpiece,
a processing chamber having an opening for carrying the object to be processed therein or carrying it to the outside, and a processing region for performing the predetermined processing on the object to be processed disposed therein;
a transport path disposed inside the processing chamber for transporting the object to be processed between the opening of the processing chamber and the processing region;
a blower having an intake port for sucking in a gas and an exhaust port for blowing out the gas sucked from the intake port toward the processing area;
a first chain curtain suspended from an upper end of the opening of the processing chamber;
a second chain curtain suspended from the upper end of the opening of the processing chamber, arranged so as to overlap the first chain curtain, the second chain curtain being shorter in length than the first chain curtain and having a length such that a lower end of the second chain curtain does not contact an upper surface of the workpiece ;
the second chain curtain is disposed on the front side of the first chain curtain as viewed in a conveying direction of the workpiece,
The second chain curtain closes a gap in the first chain curtain that is generated when the first chain curtain is pushed open by the object to be treated when the object passes through the opening of the treatment chamber.
Processing unit. A blower for blowing gas onto an object to be treated,
An intake port for sucking in gas;
an exhaust port for blowing out the gas sucked in through the intake port;
a duct having a duct passage formed therein that communicates the intake port and the exhaust port, and a constriction portion that constricts a cross-sectional area of the duct passage from the intake port side toward the exhaust port side between the intake port and the exhaust port;
a partition plate disposed inside the duct and partitioning the duct flow path between the throttle portion and the exhaust port into a lattice pattern.

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