Brazing furnace and aluminum-material brazing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017282271-A1
Application number	US-201515509303-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 17, 2015
Priority date	Oct 28, 2014
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A brazing furnace ( 1 ) includes a preheating chamber ( 2 ) and a brazing chamber ( 3 ). The preheating chamber ( 2 ) includes: a vacuum pump ( 21 ) for reducing the pressure inside the preheating chamber ( 2 ) while a material to be processed ( 100 ) is housed therein; a preheating apparatus ( 22 ), which preheats the material to be processed ( 100 ) in a reduced-pressure atmosphere; and a gas introducing apparatus ( 23 ), which introduces inert gas into the preheating chamber ( 2 ) to restore the pressure inside the preheating chamber ( 2 ) after the preheating. The brazing chamber ( 3 ) includes: a gas-replacing apparatus ( 31 ), which introduces inert gas into the brazing chamber ( 3 ); and a main heating apparatus ( 32 ), which heats the material to be processed ( 100 ) to a brazing temperature while it is housed in the brazing chamber ( 3 ).

First claim

1 . A brazing furnace for brazing a material to be processed composed of an aluminum material, comprising:
a preheating chamber; and a brazing chamber; wherein the preheating chamber comprises: a vacuum pump configured to reduce the pressure inside the preheating chamber while the material to be processed is housed therein; a preheating apparatus configured to preheat the material to be processed in a reduced-pressure atmosphere; and a gas-introducing apparatus configured to introduce inert gas into the preheating chamber after the material to be processed has been preheated in order to restore the pressure within the preheating chamber; and the brazing chamber comprises: a gas-replacing apparatus configured to introduce inert gas into the brazing chamber; and a main heating apparatus configured to heat the material to be processed to a brazing temperature while it is housed in the brazing chamber.

2 . The brazing furnace according to claim 1 , wherein the preheating chamber is configured to withstand a pressure inside the preheating chamber of 100 Pa or less.

3 . The brazing furnace according to claim 1 , wherein the preheating apparatus is configured to heat the material to be processed to a temperature greater than 200° C.

4 . The brazing furnace according to claim 1 , wherein:
the main heating apparatus comprises a plurality of subunits, the temperature of each subunit being separately adjustable; and the plurality of subunits is disposed along a transport direction of the material to be processed.

5 . The brazing furnace according to claim 1 , wherein:
the brazing furnace comprises a cooling chamber configured to communicate with the brazing chamber; and the cooling chamber comprises a cooling-gas introducing apparatus configured to introduce inert gas into the cooling chamber.

6 . The brazing furnace according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a transport apparatus configured to transport the material to be processed from an entrance to an exit.

7 . An aluminum-material brazing method, comprising:
preheating a material to be processed, composed of an aluminum material, in a reduced-pressure atmosphere of 100 Pa or less; next, making the surroundings of the material to be processed an inert-gas atmosphere by supplying an inert gas; and subsequently, heating and brazing the material to be processed in the inert-gas atmosphere.

8 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 7 , wherein the preheating is performed by heating the material to be processed to a temperature that is greater than 200° C. and 400° C. or less.

9 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
prior to preheating the material to be processed, applying a fluoride-based flux onto a portion of the material to be processed that will be brazed.

10 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 7 , wherein the material to be processed is heated and brazed without applying a fluoride-based flux onto any portion at which brazing is to be performed.

11 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 10 , wherein the preheating and the brazing are performed while the material to be processed is housed in a shielding box, which is composed of a metal or graphite and which has a vent.

12 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 11 , wherein a sacrificial-oxide material that consumes oxygen in the shielding box is further housed inside the shielding box.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 7 , wherein:
the preheating step is performed in a preheating chamber and comprises: using a vacuum pump to reduce the pressure inside the preheating chamber while the material to be processed is housed therein; using a preheating apparatus to preheat the material to be processed in a reduced-pressure atmosphere; and using a gas-introducing apparatus to introduce inert gas into the preheating chamber after the material to be processed has been preheated in order to restore the pressure within the preheating chamber; and the heating and brazing step is performed in a brazing chamber and comprises: using a gas-replacing apparatus to introduce inert gas into the brazing chamber; and using a main heating apparatus to heat the material to be processed to a brazing temperature while it is housed in the brazing chamber under an inert gas atmosphere.

15 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 14 , wherein the preheating is performed by heating the material to be processed to a temperature that is greater than 200° C. and 400° C. or less.

16 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
prior to preheating the material to be processed, applying a fluoride-based flux onto a portion of the material to be processed that will be brazed.

17 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 15 , wherein the material to be processed is heated and brazed without applying a fluoride-based flux onto any portion at which brazing is to be performed.

18 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 17 , wherein the preheating step and the brazing step are performed while the material to be processed is housed in a shielding box, which is composed of a metal or graphite and which has a vent.

19 . The aluminum-material brazing method according to claim 18 , wherein a sacrificial-oxide material that consumes oxygen in the shielding box is further housed inside the shielding box.

20 . A brazing furnace, comprising:
a preheating chamber; a vacuum pump configured to reduce the pressure inside the preheating chamber; a first heating apparatus configured to heat the preheating chamber while it is in a reduced-pressure atmosphere state; a brazing chamber selectively in communication with the preheating chamber; a second heating apparatus configured to heat the brazing chamber; one or more pressurized inert gas cylinders in fluid communication with the preheating chamber and with the brazing chamber; a first valve configured to introduce inert gas from the one or more pressurized inert gas cylinders into the preheating chamber after completion of heating the preheating chamber in the reduced-pressure atmosphere state; and a second valve configured to supply inert gas from the one or more pressurized inert gas cylinders into the brazing chamber to maintain the brazing chamber in an inert gas atmosphere during heating of the brazing chamber.

21 . The brazing furnace according to claim 20 , wherein:
the preheating chamber is configured to withstand a pressure inside the preheating chamber of 100 Pa or less; and the first heating apparatus is configured to heat the preheating chamber to a temperature greater than 200° C.

Assignees

• Uacj Corp

Inventors

• Itoh Yasunaga
• Yanagawa Yutaka
• Sakoda Shoichi

Classifications

• B23K31/02

  relating to soldering or welding · CPC title

• F27B5/16

  Arrangements of air or gas supply devices · CPC title

• B23K1/19

  taking account of the properties of the materials to be soldered · CPC title

• B23K1/008 Primary

  Soldering within a furnace (B23K1/012 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K2103/10

  Aluminium or alloys thereof · CPC title