EP2378228B1 - Device for drying a machine part - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for drying a machine part with a vacuum drying chamber to which at least one Evakuiereinrichtung is connected.

The US 2 496 054 discloses the preamble of claim 1.

From the GB 2 268 253 A1 a device for drying ball bearings is known, which has a two-part housing, wherein the two housing halves are sealed by a seal.

Multi-part vacuum drying chambers have the disadvantage that, in particular for large-volume vacuum drying chambers, a relatively high outlay for preventing leaks is required.

The JP 2003-080182 A discloses a parts washing and drying device wherein the inner surface of a hinged lid slopes downwardly to prevent dripping onto the parts.

The JP 2003-080187 A describes a similar device in which the pressure during the washing and drying process is reduced.

From the DE 42 37 335 A1 a method and a device for drying a treated with a cleaning liquid workpiece is known, wherein the workpiece is subjected to a vacuum in an airtight sealable chamber. In this case, the chamber is evacuated for evaporating cleaning liquid on the workpiece surface, and the surface areas are then exposed to air jets generated by corresponding blowing nozzles in order to distribute or remove cleaning liquid. The steps of evacuation and Beauschlagen with air jets are performed alternately. The interior of the chamber is only so large that it is sufficient to accommodate the workpiece.

Furthermore, a method for cleaning an article from the WO 2006/129402 A1 known. In this case, the object to be cleaned is introduced into a tubular container whose end faces are sealed pressure-tight by the lid. The container is connectable to steam generating means or to pressure reducing means.

The EP 1 057 400 A2 describes a device for drying feed with a hermetically sealable container which can be evacuated by a vacuum pump. Further evacuable containers are out of the US Pat. No. 6,598,517 B1 , or the DE 299 027 B known.

The object of the invention is to avoid the above drawback and to allow the simplest possible way a quick final drying of machine parts.

According to the invention this is achieved in that the walls of the vacuum drying chamber are integrally formed, wherein preferably the vacuum drying chamber of a single part - ie without subsequent joining of several parts by welding, gluing, soldering or the like - is made.

Although a production of several parts and inseparable joining by welding or the like is possible and conceivable, but a pressure-tight production of the vacuum chamber is relatively expensive to manufacture, especially if the walls of the vacuum drying chamber made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

In order to realize a pressure-tight vacuum chamber with the least possible manufacturing effort, it is particularly advantageous if the vacuum drying chamber is milled from the solid. The milling from the solid has the advantage that a wide variety of shapes and dimensions of vacuum chambers can be produced relatively quickly and with little effort.

The vacuum drying chamber can be designed as a bag chamber with a single gas-tight by a door closable inlet and outlet openings or as a passage chamber with two gas-tight by a door closable inlet and outlet openings.

To accelerate the drying process, it is advantageous if the housing has at least one connection for a scavenging air line. About the scavenging air, the vacuum drying process can be interrupted by a rinsing phase.

During the drying process, wall precipitation may occur on the walls and on the ceiling. In order to avoid droplets or to be able to remove condensation, it is advantageous if - viewed in the operating position - all inner surfaces, preferably also the ceiling, the vacuum drying chamber formed sloping, preferably inclined with respect to a horizontal plane.

To collect dripping liquid, it is advantageous if the housing has a sloping bottom. The accumulating liquid is discharged at the end of the evacuation process via a drain valve from the vacuum drying chamber.

In order to carry out the evacuation process as quickly as possible, it is advantageous if the walls of the vacuum drying chamber are at least partially reshaped to the machine part to be dried, wherein preferably the side walls and / or the ceiling of the vacuum drying chamber are designed parallel to a profile of the machine part. Preferably, it may be provided that the side walls and / or the ceiling of the vacuum drying chamber are designed so that - when in the vacuum drying chamber retracted or inlaid Maschinenteil- the normal distance between each inner surface of the side walls and / or ceiling and the machine part at each point less than 100 mm, preferably less than 50 mm, particularly preferably less than 5 mm.

With today's customary CNC milling techniques, an exact reshaping of the machine part with little effort is possible by production from the full block.

For different shaped or dimensioned machine parts thus different vacuum chambers are required. A simple change of the vacuum chamber can be realized if the vacuum drying chamber is designed as a replaceable chamber module, which is insertable into a fixed base unit, wherein the base unit at least one door, preferably two spaced apart doors, including door frame and actuators, at least one connection for a purge line , and / or having a vacuum line. To further simplify the conversion and keep the downtime as small as possible, it is particularly advantageous if the at least one door or inlet and / or outlet opening, and the at least one connection for a purge line, and / or a vacuum line in the base unit and / or the chamber module is standardized. Thus, the connections for a purge line and / or a vacuum line are arranged at different chamber modules at precisely defined areas on the outer surface, so that a simple connection can be made when placing the chamber module on the base unit. The same applies to the inlet and outlet openings. Optically, therefore, different chamber modules have the same cubic or cuboidal appearance, while they differ significantly from each other by the shape and / or size of the vacuum chamber in the interior.

1. a) Einbringen des Maschinenteils in die entsprechend dem Profil des Maschinenteils geformte Vakuumtrockenkammer, vorzugsweise über eine Rollenbahn;
2. b) gasdichtes Verschließen der Vakuumtrockenkammer, vorzugsweise über zumindest einen Schieber;
3. c) Durchführen eines Evakuiervorganges durch Absenken des Druckes in der Vakuumtrockenkammer auf einen definierten Druck;
4. d) Erhöhen des Druckes in der Vakuumtrockenkammer und Durchführen zumindest eines Zwischenspülvorganges mit einem vorzugsweise gasförmigen Spülmedium;
5. e) Durchführen eines nochmaligen Evakuiervorganges durch Absenken des Druckes in der Vakuumtrockenkammer auf einen definierten Druck;
6. f) Entfernen des Maschinenteiles nach Erhöhen des Druckes und Öffnen der Vakuumtrockenkammer.

The drying method according to the invention comprises the following steps:

1. a) introducing the machine part into the vacuum drying chamber formed according to the profile of the machine part, preferably via a roller conveyor;
2. b) gas-tight closing of the vacuum drying chamber, preferably via at least one slide;
3. c) performing an evacuation process by lowering the pressure in the vacuum drying chamber to a defined pressure;
4. d) increasing the pressure in the vacuum drying chamber and performing at least one intermediate rinsing process with a preferably gaseous rinsing medium;
5. e) carrying out a further evacuation process by lowering the pressure in the vacuum drying chamber to a defined pressure;
6. f) removing the machine part after increasing the pressure and opening the vacuum drying chamber.

By the intermediate rinsing process for removing residual moisture within the vacuum drying chamber, the total duration of the drying process can be reduced. If necessary, the intermediate rinsing process can be repeated.

Fig. 1

eine erfindungsgemäße Einrichtung in einer ersten Ausführungsvariante in einer Schrägansicht im montierten Zustand;

Fig. 2

die Einrichtung in einer weiteren Schrägansicht;

Fig. 3

die Einrichtung in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 4

die Einrichtung in einer Rückansicht;

Fig. 5

die Einrichtung in einer weiteren Seitenansicht;

Fig. 6

eine Einrichtung in einer Draufsicht;

Fig. 7

die Einrichtung in einer Vorderansicht bei entfernter Türe;

Fig. 8

einen auf Förderrollen gelagerten Maschinenteil in einer Schrägansicht;

Fig. 9

die Einrichtung in einem Detailschnitt gemäß Ausschnitt IX in Fig. 7;

Fig. 10

eine Vakuumtrockenkammer einer erfindungsgemäßen Einrichtung in einer zweiten Ausführungsvariante in einer Schrägansicht;

Fig. 11

die Vakuumtrockenkammer in einer Draufsicht;

Fig. 12

Vakuumtrockenkammer in einer Rückansicht;

Fig. 13

die Vakuumtrockenkammer in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 14

die Vakuumtrockenkammer in einer Vorderansicht; und

Fig. 15

die Vakuumtrockenkammer von unten.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. Show it:

Fig. 1

a device according to the invention in a first embodiment in an oblique view in the mounted state;

Fig. 2

the device in a further perspective view;

Fig. 3

the device in a side view;

Fig. 4

the device in a rear view;

Fig. 5

the device in a further side view;

Fig. 6

a device in a plan view;

Fig. 7

the device in a front view with the door removed;

Fig. 8

a mounted on conveyor rollers machine part in an oblique view;

Fig. 9

the device in a detail section according to section IX in Fig. 7 ;

Fig. 10

a vacuum drying chamber of a device according to the invention in a second embodiment in an oblique view;

Fig. 11

the vacuum drying chamber in a plan view;

Fig. 12

Vacuum drying chamber in a rear view;

Fig. 13

the vacuum drying chamber in a side view;

Fig. 14

the vacuum drying chamber in a front view; and

Fig. 15

the vacuum drying chamber from below.

The in the Fig. 1 to Fig. 9 illustrated device 1 for drying machine parts 2, such as engine blocks, located in a processing line 3 following a cleaning station 4, as in Fig. 1 it can be seen, wherein the machine parts 2 to be dried, for example, fed via roller conveyors 5 of the device 1 and again conveyed away from this. The device 1 is equipped with a vacuum drying chamber 6, which in the exemplary embodiment two an inlet opening 7 and an outlet opening 8 for supplying and removing the machine part 2 to be dried, which can be opened by automatically operated doors 9, 10 or gas-tight. The actuatable via pneumatic, hydraulic or electric actuators 11, 12 doors 9, 10 are designed as a slide.

The walls 13 of the vacuum drying chamber 6 are formed integrally and as a unit, wherein as walls 13 here the entirety of side walls 13a, 13b, front and rear walls 13c, 13d, bottom 13e and ceiling 13f is to be understood. The vacuum drying chamber 6 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and is milled from a solid block. The one piece is particularly good from the FIGS. 10 to 15 seen.

On a side wall 13b of the vacuum drying chamber 6, a connection 14 for an Evakuiereinrichtung 15 is provided, which is arranged below the vacuum drying chamber 6 in the embodiment. The bottom 13e of the vacuum drying chamber 6 is formed sloping and has at the lowest point a drain opening 16 with a drain valve 17.

Furthermore, the vacuum drying chamber 6 has a connection 18 for a flushing line for a flushing medium.

Laterally outside of the vacuum drying chamber 6, a drive motor 19 is arranged for the roller conveyor section 5a within the vacuum drying chamber 6, which is mounted on support elements 20 spaced from the bottom 13e.

The actually arranged within the vacuum drying chamber 6 roller conveyor section 5a is together with stored thereon machine part 2 in Fig. 8 shown, wherein the walls 13 of the vacuum chamber 6 have been omitted.

In order to enable a rapid evacuation, the side walls 13a, 13b and the ceiling 13f are largely reshaped to the machine part 2 to be dried. As a result, the volume to be evacuated can be kept as small as possible. The walls 13 in the side and ceiling area of the vacuum drying chamber 6 are parallel to the profile 2a of the machine part 2 - viewed in the conveying direction - designed and designed so that - in the vacuum drying chamber 6 retracted or pickled machine part 2 - the normal distance a between each inner surface of Side walls 13a, 13b and / or ceiling 13f and the machine part 2 at each point is less than 100 mm, preferably less than 50 mm, particularly preferably less than 5 mm ( Fig. 9 ).

In order to avoid that on the inner surfaces of the vacuum chamber 6 forming condensate can drip onto the machine part, each inner surface is formed sloping. In particular, the ceiling 13f is formed inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, wherein the inclination angle α can be at least 2 °, preferably at least 5 °.

Each vacuum drying chamber 6 is thus designed especially for a machine part 2. Thus, differently designed and dimensioned vacuum chambers 6 must be provided for machine parts 2 of different shape and / or dimensions. To accomplish the conversion of the device 1 as simple as possible and to keep the downtime short, a modular structure is provided. The vacuum drying chamber 6 is designed as an exchangeable chamber module M, which can be used in a fixed base unit B of the device 1. The base unit B has the two spaced apart doors 9, 10 together with the door frame 9a, 10a and actuators 11, 12, and at least one port 18a for a purge line and / or a vacuum line. In this case, a single connection 18a or separate connections for flushing and evacuation may be provided. In order to enable the use of different chamber modules M, the doors 9, 10 of the base unit B and the inlet and outlet openings 7, 8 of different chamber modules M are standardized in terms of position, size and number, so that when inserting the chamber modules M in the base unit B docking of module-side terminals and base unit-side terminals takes place. The pressure-tight connection of the connections can be achieved manually or automatically via quick couplings. When placing the chamber module M on the base unit B, the inlet and outlet openings 7, 8 come to lie in the correct position in the region of the doors 9, 10, with a seal between doors 9, 10 and entrance or Outlet openings 7, 8 via not shown, the openings framing sealing elements can be done.

The machine part 2 arrives from the cleaning station 4 coming via the roller conveyor 5 of the processing line 3 in the opened vacuum drying chamber 6. The machine part 2 is precisely placed in the vacuum drying chamber 6, so that between the machine part 2 and the walls 13 is substantially a uniform distance a between 0 mm and 100 mm is formed. Thereafter, the vacuum drying chamber 6 is gas-tight by means of the doors 9, 10 closed and the pressure of about 1 bar ambient pressure lowered to 0.2 bar. After a predefined period, the vacuum drying chamber 6 is vented again and rinsed via the connection 18 with a flushing medium. The intermediate rinse causes residual moisture to be removed from the vacuum drying chamber 6. Then the vacuum drying chamber 6 is evacuated again. If necessary, the intermediate rinsing can be repeated. After the last evacuation process, the vacuum drying chamber 6 is ventilated and the dry machine part 2 is removed through the opened outlet opening 8.

Claims (16)

1. Apparatus (1) for drying an engine part (2), comprising a vacuum drying chamber (6) to which is attached at least one evacuating device (15), the walls (13) of the vacuum drying chamber (6) being made in one piece, characterised in that the vacuum drying chamber (6) is configured as one single piece.
2. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the walls (13) of the vacuum drying chamber (6) are made of aluminium or an aluminium alloy.
3. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the vacuum drying chamber (6) is milled from an integral block.
4. Apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the vacuum drying chamber (6) is furnished with at least one fitting (18) for a flushing line.
5. Apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the vacuum drying chamber (6) has an inclined floor (13e).
6. Apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the vacuum drying chamber (6) is configured as a single-door chamber with a single input and output opening to be sealed gas-tight by a door which preferably is configured as a slide.
7. Apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the vacuum drying chamber (6) is configured as a transit chamber with an input opening (7) and an output opening (8), where said input and output openings (7, 8) can be sealed gas-tightly by a door (9, 10) each, which preferably is configured as a slide.
8. Apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the walls (13) of the vacuum drying chamber (6) are at least partly shaped according to the shape of the engine part (2) to be dried, with preferably the side walls (13a, 13b) and/or the roof (13f) of the vacuum drying chamber (6) being parallel to a profile (2a) of the engine part (2) to be dried.
9. Apparatus (1) according to claim 8, characterised in that the side walls (13a, 13b) and/or the roof (13f) of the vacuum drying chamber (6) are configured in such a way that the perpendicular distance (a) between each inner surface of the side walls (13a, 13b) and/or the roof (13f) and the engine part (2) placed in the vacuum drying chamber (6) is less than 100 mm in all places, and preferably less than 50 mm, and especially preferably less than 5 mm.
10. Apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that all interior surfaces of the vacuum drying chamber (6) are inclined, when the chamber is in its operational position.
11. Apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the vacuum drying chamber (6) is designed as an exchangeable chamber module (M), which can be inserted in a fixed base unit (B), said base unit (B) comprising at least one door (9, 10), preferably two doors (9, 10) at a distance from each other, together with door frames (9a, 10a) and actuators (11, 12), and at least one fitting (18a) for a flushing line and/or a vacuum line.
12. Apparatus (1) according to claim 11, characterised in that the at least one door (9, 10) or input/output opening (7, 8) and the at least one fitting (18a) for a flushing line and/or a vacuum line at the base unit (B) and/or the chamber module (M) is standardised.
13. Method for manufacturing an apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the walls (13) of the vacuum drying chamber (6) are made in one piece and the vacuum drying chamber (6) is milled from an integral block.
14. Method for manufacturing an apparatus (1) according to claim 13, characterised in that the walls of the vacuum drying chamber (6) are at least partially shaped according to the shape of the engine part (2) to be dried, with preferably the side walls (13a, 13b) and/or the roof (13f) of the vacuum drying chamber (6) being parallel to a profile (2a) of the engine part (2).
15. Method for manufacturing an apparatus (1) according to claims 13 or 14, characterised in that the side walls (13a, 13b) and/or the roof (13f) of the vacuum drying chamber (6) are configured in such a way that the perpendicular distance (a) between each inner surface of the side walls (13a, 13b) and/or the roof (13f) and the engine part (2) placed in the vacuum drying chamber (6) is less than 100 mm in all places, and preferably less than 50 mm, and especially preferably less than 5 mm.
16. Method for drying an engine part (2) by means of an apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterised by the following steps:

    (a) introducing the engine part (2) into the vacuum drying chamber (6) shaped in accordance with the profile (2a) of the engine part (2), preferably by means of a roller track;

    (b) closing the vacuum drying chamber (6) gas-tightly, preferably by means of at least one slide-door;

    (c) carrying out an evacuation process by lowering the pressure in the vacuum drying chamber (6) to a defined value;

    (d) increasing pressure in the vacuum drying chamber (6) and carrying out at least an intermediate flushing process using a preferably gaseous flushing agent;

    (e) carrying out another evacuation process by lowering the pressure in the vacuum drying chamber (6) to a defined value;

    (f) removing the engine part (2) after pressure has been increased and the vacuum drying chamber (6) has been opened.

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