PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a continuous heating method and a continuous heating apparatus which satisfactorily achieve outflow of a heating medium from a chamber and shutoff of outside air while using a non-hermetically sealed heat treatment chamber.SOLUTION: The continuous heating apparatus includes: a non-hermetically sealed heat treatment chamber 1 having an inlet side outside air shielding area S1, an outlet side outside air shielding area S2, and a heat treatment area S3 between both of the shielding areas a heat treatment mechanism 7 heating the inside of the heat treatment chamber 1 to have a prescribed temperature or more so as to adjust the chamber to have a heat treatment atmosphere F a heating medium-generating mechanism 13 jetting the heating medium into the heat treatment chamber 1 a transfer mechanism 12 transferring a material to be treated T toward the outlet 3 from the opening 2 a heating portion 23 heating the heating medium forcedly sucked out from the heat treatment chamber 1 in a connecting duct 21 to have a prescribed temperature or more so as to generate a reheated medium SK having an expanded volume and a reheated medium-generating/jetting mechanism 18 jetting the generated reheated medium SK to the inlet side outside air shielding area S1 and the outlet side outside air shielding area S2.COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT【課題】非密閉状の加熱処理室を使用しつつも、加熱媒体の室外への流出及び外気遮断が十分に成し得る連続式加熱処理方法及び連続式加熱処理装置を提供する。【解決手段】入口側外気遮蔽領域S1、出口側外気遮蔽領域S2、及び両遮蔽領域との間に加熱処理領域S3を備えた非密閉状の加熱処理室1と、加熱処理室1内を所定温度以上に加熱して加熱処理雰囲気Fに調整する処理室内加熱機構7と、加熱処理室1内に加熱媒体を噴射する加熱媒体生成機構13と、入口2から出口3に向かって処理対象物Tを搬送する搬送機構12と、加熱処理室1内から強制的に吸い出した加熱媒体を連絡管21内で所定温度以上に加熱して体積膨張した再加熱媒体SKを生成する加熱部23と、生成した再加熱媒体SKを入口側外気遮蔽領域S1と、出口側外気遮蔽領域S2へと噴射させる再加熱媒体生成噴射機構18とを含む。【選択図】図4
