Method and apparatus for drying bearing

Abstract

In order to provide a vacuum degreasing-drying method by which extremely small, precision metal products can be degreased and dried quickly and completely without using organic solvents, according to the present invention, an object 112 to be rinsed is put in a vacuum drier 110 after being rinsed with a hydrocarbon cleaning agent and then the air in the vacuum drier 110 is evacuated so as to degrease and dry the object thus rinsed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for drying objects comprising the steps of: sealing, in a hermetic container, each of the objects successively conveyed on a production line after being rinsed with .Iadd.one of .Iaddend.an aqueous solvent .Iadd.and a hydrocarbon type solvent.Iaddend.;   reducing the pressure in said hermetic container in such a manner that the boiling point of .Iadd.the one of .Iaddend.the aqueous solvent .Iadd.and a hydrocarbon type solvent .Iaddend.after reducing the pressure becomes lower than the boiling point of .Iadd.the one of .Iaddend.the aqueous solvent .Iadd.and a hydrocarbon type solvent .Iaddend.at the atmospheric pressure; and   heat-drying said objects in said hermetic container after said reducing step.   
     
     
       2. A method for drying objects according to claim 1, further comprising: introducing a clean air into said hermetic container after said pressure reducing step.   
     
     
       3. A method for drying objects according to claim 1, further comprising: introducing a rust preventive oil into said hermetic container so as to stick part of the rust preventive oil to each of the objects.   
     
     
       4. A method for drying objects according to claim 1, in which the pressure in the internal space of the hermetic container is reduced at 0.1˜0.3 atmosphere. 
     
     
       5. A method for drying objects according to claim 1, in which the objects is heated up to .[.50°˜.]. 80° C. in the heat-drying step. 
     
     
       6. A method for drying objects according to claim 1 wherein said heat-drying step conducted in such a manner that the boiling point of the .Iadd.one of the .Iaddend.aqueous solvent .Iadd.and the hydrocarbon type solvent .Iaddend.is lower than the boiling point of the .Iadd.one of the .Iaddend.aqueous solvent .Iadd.and the hydrocarbon type solvent .Iaddend.at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
       7. A drying apparatus comprising: a hermetic container for hermetically sealing and holding, in its internal space, objects after the objects have been rinsed with one of an aqueous solvent and a hydrocarbon type solvent, said space being formed by combining a plurality of divided metal molds;   pressure reducing means for reducing the pressure in the internal space of said hermetic container in such a manner that the boiling point of the one of the aqueous solvent and the hydrocarbon solvent after reducing the pressure becomes lower than the boiling point of the one of the aqueous solvent and the hydrocarbon solvent at atmospheric pressure; and   heating means for heating the objects in said internal space subsequent to a pressure reduction process accomplished by said pressure reducing means.   
     
     
       8. A drying apparatus according to claim 7, in which said heating means is selected from the group essentially consisting of a high-frequency heater, an infrared heater, a Nichrome wire, and a ceramic heater. 
     
     
       9. A drying apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: air introducing means for introducing a clean air into the internal space of said hermetic container.   
     
     
       10. A drying apparatus according to claim 9, in which said air introducing means comprises: a filter for cleaning up an air in such a manner that said clean air is produced; and   a choke device for communicating with the internal space of said hermetic container and for regulating the flow rate of said clean air introducing to the internal space of said hermetic container.   
     
     
       11. A drying apparatus according to claim 7, further comprises: oil introducing means for introducing a rust preventive oil into the internal space of said hermetic container so as to stick part of the rust preventive oil to each of the bearings.   
     
     
       12. A drying apparatus according to claim 11, in which said oil introducing means is an oil mist lubricator. 
     
     
       13. A drying apparatus according to claim 7, in which the pressure reducing means reduces the pressure in the internal space of the hermetic container at 10 -1  ˜10 -4  atmosphere. 
     
     
       14. A drying apparatus according to claim 7, in which said heating means heats the bearings up to 80° C. in the internal space of said hermetic container. 
     
     
       15. A drying apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said heating means heats the objects in such a manner that the boiling point of the one of the aqueous solvent and hydrocarbon cleaning agent is lower than the boiling point of the one of the aqueous solvent and hydrocarbon cleaning agent at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
       16. A vacuum degreasing-drying method comprising the steps of: rinsing an object with .[.a hydrocarbon cleaning agent.]. .Iadd.one of an aqueous solvent and a hydrocarbon type solvent.Iaddend.;   putting the object thus rinsed in a hermetic container; .[.and.].   evacuating the air in said hermetic container loaded with said rinsed object in such a manner that the boiling point of .[.said hydrocarbon cleaning agent.]. .Iadd.the one of the aqueous solvent and the hydrocarbon type solvent .Iaddend.after evacuating the air becomes lower than the boiling point of .[.the hydrocarbon cleaning agent.]. .Iadd.the one of the aqueous solvent and the hydrocarbon type solvent .Iaddend.at atmospheric pressure.Iadd.; and   heating said object in said hermetic container after said evacuating step.Iaddend..   
     
     
       17. A vacuum degreasing-drying method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of: degreasing the .[.cleaning agent.]. .Iadd.the one of the aqueous solvent and the hydrocarbon type solvent .Iaddend.sticking to said object, said degreasing step being conducted after said rinsing step but before said putting step.   
     
     
       18. A vacuum degreasing-drying method according to claim 17, in which said degreasing step is operated in such a manner that said object is degreased by one of an air blow jetted from a degreasing machine and a centrifugal degreasing. .[.19. A vacuum degreasing-drying method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of: heating said object in said hermetic container after said evacuating   
     
     
        step..].20. A vacuum degreasing-drying method according to claim .[.19.]. .Iadd.16.Iaddend., in which said object is heated up to about 80° 
     
     
        C. in the heating step. 21. A vacuum degreasing-drying method according to claim 16 wherein said heating step is conducted in such a manner that the boiling point .Iadd.of .Iaddend.the .Iadd.one of the .Iaddend.aqueous solvent .Iadd.and the hydrocarbon type solvent .Iaddend.is lower than the boiling point of the .Iadd.one of the .Iaddend.aqueous solvent .[.or.]. .Iadd.and the .Iaddend.hydrocarbon .[.cleaning agent.]. .Iadd.type solvent 
     
     
        .Iaddend.at atmospheric pressure. 22. A vacuum degreasing-drying method according to claim 16, in which said rinsing step is operated in such a manner that said object is rinsed with jets of .[.said hydrocarbon cleaning agent.]. .Iadd.the one of the aqueous solvent or hydrocarbon type 
     
     
        solvent .Iaddend.with a rinsing machine. 23. A vacuum degreasing-drying method according to claim 16, in which the pressure in an internal space of the hermetic container is reduced up to 10 -1  ˜10 -4   
     
     
        atmosphere in said air evacuating step. 24. A method for drying bearings comprising the steps of: sealing, in a hermetic container, each of the bearings successively conveyed on a production line after being rinsed with .Iadd.one of .Iaddend.an aqueous solvent .Iadd.and a hydrocarbon solvent.Iaddend.;   reducing the pressure in said hermetic container;   heat-drying said bearing in said hermetic container; and   introducing a rust preventive oil into said hermetic container so as to   
     
     
        adhere part of the rust preventive oil to each of the bearings. 25. A drying apparatus comprising: a hermetic container for hermetically sealing and holding, in its internal space, each of the bearings after being rinsed with one of an aqueous solvent and a hydrocarbon type solvent, said space being formed by combining a plurality of divided metal molds;   pressure reducing means for reducing the pressure in the internal space of said hermetic container;   heating means for heating said bearing in said internal space; and   oil introducing means for introducing a rust preventive oil into the internal space of said hermetic container so as to stick part of the rust   
     
     
        preventive oil to each of the bearings. 26. A drying apparatus comprising: a hermetic container for hermetically sealing and holding, in its internal space, each of the bearings after being rinsed with one of an aqueous solvent and a hydrocarbon type solvent, said space being formed by combining a plurality of divided metal molds;   pressure reducing means for reducing the pressure in the internal space of said hermetic container;   heating means for heating said bearing in said internal space; and   oil introducing means, comprising an oil mist lubricator, for introducing a rust preventive oil into the internal space of said hermetic container so as to stick part of the rust preventive oil to each of the bearings.