Treatment device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9324494-B2
Application number	US-201113809198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2011
Priority date	Jul 13, 2010
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A processing system according to the present invention includes: a diffusion processing section 10 which heats a sintered R-T-B based magnet body 1 and an RH diffusion source 2 made of either a metal or alloy of a heavy rare-earth element RH (which is at least one of Dy and Tb) while rotating; a sorting section 20 which selectively sorts the RH diffusion source 2 from the sintered R-T-B based magnet body 1 when the diffusion source and the magnet body come from the diffusion processing section 10 ; and a heat treatment processing section 30 which conducts a heat treatment process on the sintered R-T-B based magnet body 1 , in which the heavy rare-earth element RH has been diffused and from which the RH diffusion source 2 has been removed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A processing system comprising:
a diffusion processing section which heats an RH diffusion source made of either a metal or alloy of a heavy rare-earth element RH (which is at least one of Dy and Tb) and a sintered R-T-B based magnet body while rotating;
a sorting section which is adjacent to the diffusion processing section and which selectively sorts the RH diffusion source from the sintered R-T-B based magnet body when the diffusion source and the magnet body come from the diffusion processing section;
a heat treatment processing section which is adjacent to the sorting section and which conducts a heat treatment process on the sintered R-T-B based magnet body, in which the heavy rare-earth element RH has been diffused by the diffusion processing section and from which the RH diffusion source has been removed, while rotating;
a tilting mechanism which changes at least the diffusion processing section, the sorting section, and the heat treatment processing section between a tilted position and a level position during a process including diffusion, sorting, and heat treatment steps; wherein
the diffusion processing section:
includes a first cylindrical inner wall portion which houses the RH diffusion source and the sintered R-T-B based magnet body;
includes a first spiral baffle arranged on the first cylindrical inner wall portion; and
passes the RH diffusion source and the sintered R-T-B based magnet body to the sorting section while being rotated;

the sorting section:
includes a second cylindrical inner wall portion which houses the RH diffusion source and the sintered R-T-B based magnet body and which has holes;
ejects the RH diffusion source through the holes out of itself while moving the RH diffusion source and the sintered R-T-B based magnet body that have come from the diffusion processing section toward the heat treatment processing section; and
passes the sintered R-T-B based magnet body to the heat treatment processing section while being rotated;

the heat treatment processing section:
includes a third cylindrical inner wall portion which houses the sintered R-T-B based magnet body;
includes a second spiral baffle arranged on the third cylindrical inner wall portion; and
ejects the sintered R-T-B based magnet body through an outlet port while being rotated; and

the first spiral baffle is arranged so that its spiral direction is reverse to that of the second spiral baffle.

2. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the diffusion processing section has a first outer wall portion that surrounds the first inner wall portion, and
wherein the sorting section has a second outer wall portion that surrounds the second inner wall portion, and
wherein the heat treatment processing section has a third outer wall portion that surrounds the third inner wall portion, and
wherein at least the first and third inner wall portions have a cylindrical shape and are made of either a metal or alloy including at least one of Mo, W, Nb and Ta.

3. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein a sheet-like padding member is arranged between each said pair of inner and outer wall portions.

Assignees

• Kuniyoshi Futoshi
• Nakayama Shohji
• Hitachi Metals Ltd

Inventors

• Kuniyoshi Futoshi
• Nakayama Shohji

Classifications

• C22C1/02

  by melting {(C22C1/1036 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F27B7/02

  of multiple-chamber or multiple-drum type · CPC title

• B22F3/24

  After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C21D2281/00

  Making use of special physico-chemical means · CPC title

• F27B7/33

  Arrangement of devices for discharging · CPC title