Pressurization system
A pressurization system executes a pressurization process and related processes for a workpiece. The pressurization system includes a plurality of execution areas where any one of processes of the plurality of processes is executed and a chamber unit accommodating the workpiece and being conveyed through the executed areas. The execution areas are disposed according to an order in which the processes are executed. The chamber unit includes a ceiling portion disposed above the workpiece and that functions as an upper pressurizing unit pressurizing the workpiece from above in the pressurization process, a floor portion disposed below the workpiece and that functions as a lower pressurizing unit pressurizing the workpiece from below in the pressurization process, and a peripheral wall portion disposed to surround the entire perimeter of the workpiece and that defines, together with the ceiling portion and the floor portion, an accommodating chamber where the workpiece is accommodated.
1 . A pressurization system for executing a pressurization process for a workpiece and a related process related to the pressurization process, the pressurization system comprising:
a plurality of execution areas in which any one of a plurality of processes including the pressurization process and the related process is executed;
a chamber unit configured to accommodate the workpiece and conveyed through the plurality of execution areas;
a raising and lowering device disposed in each of the execution areas;
a conveying device configured to convey the chamber unit;
a heating unit configured to heat the workpiece; and
a preheating unit configured to preheat the workpiece and/or a cooling unit configured to cool the workpiece after the pressurization, wherein
the plurality of execution areas is disposed according to an order in which the processes are executed, and
the chamber unit includes
a ceiling portion disposed above the workpiece including a pressurizing pad having a flexible layer that is deformable to conform to a shape of a surface of the workpiece and configured to function as an upper pressurizing unit that pressurizes the workpiece from above in the pressurization process,
a floor portion disposed below the workpiece and configured to function as a lower pressurizing unit that pressurizes the workpiece from below in the pressurization process,
a peripheral wall portion disposed in such a way as to surround an entire perimeter of the workpiece and configured to define, together with the ceiling portion and the floor portion, an accommodating chamber in which the workpiece is accommodated, and
an upper mold disposed above the pressurizing pad and configured to function as the upper pressurizing unit by pressurizing the pressurizing pad downward in the pressurization process,
the plurality of execution areas includes
a pressurizing area in which the heating unit is disposed and a pressurizing process for the workpiece is executed, and
a preheating area in which the preheating unit is disposed and a preheating process for the workpiece is executed as the related process and/or a cooling area in which the cooling unit is disposed and a cooling process for the workpiece after the pressurization is executed as the related process,
the raising and lowering device disposed in the pressurizing area raises and lowers the heating unit,
the raising and lowering device disposed in the preheating area raises and lowers the preheating unit, and/or the raising and lowering device disposed in the cooling area raises and lowers the cooling unit,
the heating unit abuts, when the pressurizing process is executed, on the floor portion by being raised from below the chamber unit in the pressurizing area,
the preheating unit abuts, when the preheating process is executed, on the floor portion by being raised from below the chamber unit in the preheating area, and/or the cooling unit abuts, when the cooling process is executed, on the floor portion by being raised from below the chamber unit in the cooling area,
the pressurizing area, the preheating area, and/or the cooling area include
a raising and lowering space in which the heating unit, the preheating unit, and/or the cooling unit can be elevated and lowered above the raising and lowering device, and
an upper space located above the raising and lowering space,
the conveying device is disposed in the upper space, and
the chamber unit passes through the upper space and is conveyed through the execution areas.
2 . The pressurization system according to claim 1 , wherein
the ceiling portion is vertically movable relative to the floor portion.
3 . The pressurization system according to claim 1 ,
further comprising
a pressurization device disposed in the pressurization area and configured to execute the pressurization process, wherein
the pressurization device includes a pressurizing unit configured to function as the lower pressurizing unit in the pressurization process.
4 . The pressurization system according to claim 1 , wherein
an atmosphere in the accommodating chamber is a depressurized atmosphere in which an internal pressure in the accommodating chamber is lower than an external pressure in outer space of the chamber unit, and
the floor portion is disposed below the peripheral wall portion and is attached to the peripheral wall portion by a pressure difference between the internal pressure and the external pressure.
5 . The pressurization system according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a vacuum pump;
a pressure reducing line connected to the vacuum pump;
a gas line connected to a supply system line for inert gas; and
a plurality of fixed connectors disposed in each of two or more execution areas out of the plurality of execution areas and connected to the pressure reducing line and the gas line, wherein
the chamber unit includes
a movable connector that is attachable to and detachable from the fixed connector and
a through path configured to communicate the accommodating chamber with the movable connector,
when the chamber unit is located in the execution areas in which the fixed connectors are disposed, the movable connector is connected to the fixed connector and the accommodating chamber is able to communicate with the pressure reducing line or the gas line, and
while the chamber unit is being conveyed, the accommodating chamber is sealed.
6 . The pressurization system according to claim 1 , wherein
an atmosphere in the accommodating chamber is a gas atmosphere where gas is filled in such a way as to equalize an internal pressure in the accommodating chamber with an external pressure in outer space of the chamber unit, and
the chamber unit includes a fixing member configured to fix the floor portion to the peripheral wall portion.
7 . The pressurization system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a vacuum pump;
a pressure reducing line connected to the vacuum pump;
a gas line connected to a supply system line for inert gas; and
a plurality of fixed connectors disposed in each of two or more execution areas out of the plurality of execution areas and connected to the pressure reducing line and the gas line, wherein
the chamber unit includes
a movable connector that is attachable to and detachable from the fixed connector and
a through path configured to communicate the accommodating chamber with the movable connector,
when the chamber unit is located in the execution areas in which the fixed connectors are disposed, the movable connector is connected to the fixed connector and the accommodating chamber is able to communicate with the pressure reducing line or the gas line, and
while the chamber unit is being conveyed, the accommodating chamber is sealed.
8 . The pressurization system according to claim 1 , wherein
the floor portion is attachable to and detachable from the peripheral wall portion,
the plurality of execution areas includes
an accommodating area where an accommodation process is executed as the related process, the accommodation process in which the floor unit on which the workpiece is placed is attached to the peripheral wall portion, thereby accommodating the workpiece in the chamber unit, and
a removal area where a removal process is executed as the related process, the removal process in which the floor portion on which the pressurized workpiece is placed is removed from the peripheral wall portion, thereby removing the workpiece from the chamber unit, and
the floor unit is configured to function as a conveyor pallet that loads the workpiece into the accommodating area and unloads the pressurized workpiece from the removal area.
9 . The pressurization system according to claim 8 , further comprising a maintenance area disposed between the accommodation area and the removal area, the maintenance area in which a maintenance process of the chamber unit from which the floor portion is removed is executed.
10 . The pressurization system according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the chamber units, wherein
the plurality of chamber units is equal in number to or less than the plurality of execution areas.
11 . The pressurization system according to claim 10 , wherein
the plurality of execution areas is disposed annularly according to an order in which the processes are executed, and
each of the plurality of chamber units is conveyed in such a way as to make a circuit through the plurality of execution areas.
12 . The pressurization system according to claim 11 , further comprising a direction changing mechanism configured to change a moving direction of the chamber unit in such a way that an orientation of the chamber unit in the moving direction of the chamber unit is always identical, wherein
the plurality of execution areas includes a direction changing area in which the direction changing mechanism is disposed.