Heating – Heating or heat retaining work chamber structure – Door – cover or port
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-06
2001-12-04
Wilson, Gregory (Department: 3749)
Heating
Heating or heat retaining work chamber structure
Door, cover or port
C432S032000, C348S083000, C099S341000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325621
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a furnace observation apparatus for observing the state of a high temperature atmosphere furnace such as a glass melting furnace or an incinerator.
2. Discussion of the Background
JP-A-9-307795 discloses a furnace observation apparatus comprising a cylindrical member to be inserted in a furnace and a CCD camera attached to the forward end of the cylindrical member, wherein the cylindrical member has a multi-cylinder structure comprising a plurality of cylinders, and it is constructed to photograph the state in the high temperature atmosphere furnace while cooling the CCD camera by supplying a cooling liquid or a cooling gas to a space between such cylinders.
However, such a conventional furnace observation apparatus has had a drawback that the structure of the apparatus tends to be complex, since the cylindrical member is constructed to have a multi cylinder structure to let the cylindrical member have a cooling function.
Further, such a furnace observation apparatus has a structure in which the cooling air used for cooling the CCD camera will leak into the furnace, whereby NO
x
is likely to be formed in the furnace by the leaked air. Further, it has a drawback that the furnace is cooled by the leaked air. Especially, in the case of a glass melting furnace, if NO
x
is formed in the furnace or if the temperature in the furnace changes, such will cause deterioration of the quality of glass, or such is undesirable from the viewpoint of the environmental safety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made under these circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a furnace observation apparatus, whereby the state in a high temperature furnace can be observed with a simple structure without necessity to provide a cooling function to cool the optical member.
To accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a furnace observation apparatus for observing the state in a high temperature atmosphere furnace, which comprises an optical member to be inserted and disposed in a through-hole formed in a furnace wall of the furnace, made of a material having a softening point higher than the furnace temperature and being capable of transmitting an image observed in the furnace, and a photographing means to be disposed outside of the furnace, for photographing the image observed in the furnace, transmitted from the optical member.
According to the present invention, an optical member made of a material having a softening point higher than the furnace temperature and being capable of transmitting an image observed in the furnace, is disposed in a through-hole formed in a furnace wall, and the image observed in the furnace which is transmitted by this optical member, is photographed by a photographing means installed outside of the furnace. Thus, the state in the high temperature furnace can be observed with such a simple structure without necessity to provide a cooling function to cool the optical member.
Further, according to the present invention, the optical member of the above furnace observation apparatus is preferably made of quartz glass. If the optical member is made of quartz glass, it will have high heat resistance and can be used without problem even in a furnace with a high temperature atmosphere.
Further, according to the present invention, the furnace observation apparatus is preferably provided with a cooling means for cooling the photographing means. Thus, it is possible to prevent by the cooling means a failure of the photographing means due to the heat of the furnace.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3021386 (1962-02-01), Clark
patent: 3609236 (1971-09-01), Heilman
patent: 4730911 (1988-03-01), Wood et al.
patent: 4833303 (1989-05-01), Mellen, Sr.
patent: 5139412 (1992-08-01), Kychakoff et al.
patent: 5162906 (1992-11-01), Yorita et al.
patent: 5777668 (1998-07-01), Amano
patent: 6069652 (2000-05-01), Eversole et al.
patent: 2 102 259 (1972-04-01), None
patent: 9-307795 (1997-11-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 1998, No. 2, Jan. 30, 1998, JP 09-261516, Oct. 3, 1997.
Kaieda Sumio
Murasaki Masahiko
Asahi Glass Machinery Co., Ltd.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Wilson Gregory
LandOfFree
Furnace observation apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Furnace observation apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Furnace observation apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2600168