Method for producing rare earth sintered magnets

1. A method for producing rare earth sintered magnets, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) pressing and compacting an alloy powder for the rare earth sintered magnets, thereby preparing a plurality of green compacts;

(b) arranging the green compacts on a receiving plane in a direction in which a projection area of each said green compact onto the receiving plane is not maximized; and

(c) heating the green compacts within a reduced-pressure atmosphere, thereby sintering the green compacts and obtaining a plurality of sintered bodies; wherein

step (b) includes the step of arranging the green compacts on the receiving plane so that the green compacts are in contact with each other in a horizontal direction; and

step (b) includes the step of applying an anti-fusing agent composed of a slurry in which a Y 2 O 3 powder is dispersed in an organic solvent to at least portions of the green compacts and arranging the green compacts on the receiving plane so that the green compacts are in contact with each other via the anti-fusing agent.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (b) includes the step of arranging the green compacts on the receiving plane in a direction in which the projection area of each said green compact onto the receiving plane is minimized.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (a) includes the step of preparing a plurality of green compacts each having at least one curved surface, and wherein the step (b) includes the step of arranging the green compacts on the receiving plane so that the at least one curved surface of each said green compact crosses the receiving plane substantially at right angles.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (a) includes the step of preparing a plurality of green compacts each having: two principal surfaces that are opposed to each other; two side surfaces that are opposed to each other with the two principal surfaces interposed therebetween; and two end surfaces that cross both the principal surfaces and the side surfaces substantially at right angles, and

wherein the step (b) includes the step of arranging the green compacts on the receiving plane so that one of the two end surfaces of each of said green compacts contacts with the receiving plane.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (a) includes the step of pressing and compacting the alloy powder under an aligning magnetic field, and

wherein the step (b) includes the step of arranging the green compacts on the receiving plane so that orientation directions of the alloy powder are substantially parallel to the receiving plane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (a) includes the step of preparing the green compacts having a green density of about 4.1 g/cm 3 to about 4.5 g/cm 3 .

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (b) includes the step of arranging the green compacts, which have already been magnetized, on the receiving plane so that the green compacts attract each other via a magnetic force produced between the green compacts.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Y 2 O 3 powder has a mean particle size of about 1 μm to about 10 μm.

9. A method for producing rare earth sintered magnets, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) pressing and compacting an alloy powder for the rare earth sintered magnets, thereby preparing a plurality of green compacts;

(b) arranging the green compacts on a receiving plane in a direction in which a projection area of each said green compact onto the receiving plane is not maximized;

(c) heating the green compacts within a reduced-pressure atmosphere, thereby sintering the green compacts and obtaining a plurality of sintered bodies; and

(d) removing a portion of each said sintered bodies, which portion has been in contact with the receiving plane, and a surrounding portion thereof.