Patent DE-102008041665-A1 (DE)
Title: Device to heat-treat workpiece, comprises rotating devices, heat treatment stations circularly arranged along rotating device and synchronously rotate with rotating device, workpiece supply unit and -removal unit, and transferring device
Inventor: SEIZ REINHOLD
IPC: C03B32/00
Filed: 2008-08-28
Abstract: The heat treatment device comprises rotating devices, heat treatment stations (4, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4g, 4e, 4f), which are circularly arranged along the rotating device and synchronously rotate with the rotating device, a workpiece supply unit, a workpiece removal unit, and a transferring device (6'), which moves the workpiece from the heat treatment station of a first row to the heat treatment station of a second row. The heat treatment station comprises an actively heated heating chamber or a passively heated thermal chamber. The rotating device comprises a rotating table (1). The heat treatment device comprises rotating devices, heat treatment stations (4, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4g, 4e, 4f), which are circularly arranged along the rotating device and synchronously rotate with the rotating device, a workpiece supply unit, a workpiece removal unit, and a transferring device (6'), which moves the workpiece from the heat treatment station of a first row to the heat treatment station of a second row. The heat treatment station comprises an actively heated heating chamber or a passively heated thermal chamber. The rotating device comprises a rotating table (1) for gradual rotational movement, and/or a lifting-/lowering device. The workpiece carries out a rotational movement with the rotating device between the transfer to the rotating device with the workpiece supply unit and discharge from the rotating device with the workpiece removal unit. The treatment stations are arranged in two or more rows concentrically to a rotating axis (5) of the rotating device, and are disposed onto a circular web. The heat treatment stations are arranged next to each other in different rows in a radial direction originating from the rotating axis of the rotating device. The transferring device is a part of the workpiece supply device. The heating chamber and/or the thermal chamber have downwardly opened or closed housing, and an insulating layer and/or a surface reflecting heat radiation. The heating chamber comprises an electrical resistance heating or infrared-radiant heating. Two heat treatment stations in different rows are arranged in a common housing. Devices are disposed between the heat treatment stations for heat conduction or heat conducting material. One of the heat treatment stations comprises passive thermal chamber and the other heat treatment station comprises active heating chamber or both of the heat treatment stations comprise passive thermal chamber or active heating chamber. The rotating device is moved in a synchronized manner. The total number (N) of the heat treatment stations is provided in a row at the rotating device, where the step width per time comprises X positions, where N is not divisible by X and X is a total number larger than 1. The step width is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 and larger. The number (N) of the heat treatment stations is equal to 7 and the step width is equal to 3, N is equal to 11 and the step width is equal to 3, 4 or 5, N is equal to 13 and the step width is equal to 3, 4 or 5, N is equal to 19 and the step width is equal to 3, 4, 5 or 6, N is equal to 23 and the step width is equal to 3, 4, 5 or 6, N is equal to 29 and the step width is equal to 3, 4, 5 or 6, N is equal to 31 and the step width is equal to 3, 4, 5 or 6, or N is equal to 37 and the step width is equal to 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7. An independent claim is included for a method for heat-treating workpieces using a heat treatment device.