Gate valve with speed controller using cda

Abstract

A gate valve having an opening / closing speed control ability is presented. In order to control the opening / closing speed, the present disclosure presents a housing; an air cylinder configured to move a first shaft vertically upward to a first position, the first shaft connected to the air cylinder; a cam unit including a cam attached to the first shaft at one end; a second shaft connected at the opposite end of the cam and configured to move to a certain height as the cam moves; a first bellows provided around the second shaft; a sealing plate provided at one end of the second shaft and configured to close a passage to / from a chamber; a sealing ring provided around the sealing plate and configured to seal the passage when the sealing plate closes the passage; and a CDA unit configured to control the opening / closing speed of the gate valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to gate valves for semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically to gate valves that use compressed dry air (CDA) to control the valve opening / closing speed. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, a gate valve can be moved by an air cylinder and a cam, and the sealing plate can move vertically and horizontally to open and close the valve.

[0003] In currently used gate valves employing CDA, the CDA line can be connected to the air cylinder, thus potentially preventing independent control of vertical and horizontal speeds from the sealing plate.

[0004] Out of control means that if the CDA pressure and / or CDA flow rate increases, the vertical and horizontal movement speeds at the sealing position also increase, and if the CDA pressure and / or CDA flow rate decreases, the vertical and horizontal movement speeds both decrease.

[0005] Typically, it is desirable to minimize the opening / closing speed of the main gate valve. In this case, the vertical movement speed is increased by increasing the CDA pressure and / or CDA flow rate. Unfortunately, this also increases the impact of the sealing plate contacting the chamber, leading to damage to the sealing plate (O-ring) and particles. Independent speed control is needed to address this issue. (See...) Figure 2 ).

[0006] Whenever the pressure reading in the pressure switch increases above the cutoff limit, it signals the relay to shut off, thereby actuating the interlock using this cutoff signal. Sometimes, due to overcurrent, the relay terminals melt and provide continuity between terminals, so even if the relay is turned off, the signal remains connected, thus not affecting the interlocking system. This could be a safety hazard.

[0007] Therefore, this disclosure provides a novel pressure switch with safety features to protect relay terminals from melting. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This synopsis is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are further described in detail in the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. This synopsis is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0009] According to one embodiment, a gate valve with speed control capability can be provided, the gate valve comprising: a housing; an air cylinder configured to move a first shaft vertically upward to a first position, the first shaft being connected to the air cylinder; a cam unit including a cam attached to one end of the first shaft; a second shaft connected to the opposite end of the cam and configured to move with the cam to a specific height; a first bellows disposed around the second shaft; a sealing plate disposed at one end of the second shaft and configured to close a passage to / from a chamber; a sealing ring disposed around the sealing plate and configured to seal the passage when the sealing plate closes the passage; and a CDA unit configured to control the opening / closing speed of the gate valve, wherein the CDA unit includes: a housing; a piston configured to move vertically by an airflow; a first air passage and a second air passage for controlling the amount of airflow; a separator configured to separate the first air passage and the second air passage, wherein the separator is equipped with an orifice; and a first needle valve disposed in the middle of the first air passage and configured to control the flow of air in the first passage.

[0010] On one hand, the CDA unit also includes a second needle valve, which is disposed in the middle of the second air passage and configured to control the flow of air in the second air passage.

[0011] On one hand, the piston is configured to block the second air passage when the piston moves to its highest point, and air flows only through the first air passage.

[0012] On one hand, the first needle valve and the second needle valve are configured to independently control the airflow of the first air passage and the second air passage, respectively.

[0013] On one hand, the gate valve also includes: a second bellows configured to cushion vibrations caused by the movement of the cam; a slider mounted around a second axis; and a guide rail mounted on the inner wall of the housing, configured to guide the slider and limit vertical movement.

[0014] On the one hand, the area of ​​the second air passage is larger than that of the first air passage. Attached Figure Description

[0015] It should be understood that the elements in the accompanying drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to aid in understanding the embodiments shown in this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 1a A side view of a gate valve in the open position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0017] Figure 1b A side view of a gate valve in the closed position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0018] Figure 2 An overview of a gate valve according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0019] Figure 3a An internal view of the CDA unit is shown when both air channels are open, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 3b An internal view of the CDA unit is shown when the second air passage is closed, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention extends beyond the specific embodiments and / or uses disclosed herein, as well as their obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the disclosed invention should not be limited to the specific embodiments described below.

[0022] As used herein, the term "substrate" can refer to any one or more underlying materials, including any one or more underlying materials that can be modified or on which devices, circuits, or films can be formed. A "substrate" can be continuous or discontinuous; rigid or flexible; solid or porous; and combinations thereof. A substrate can be in any form, such as powder, plate, or workpiece. Plate-type substrates can include wafers of various shapes and sizes. Substrates can be made of semiconductor materials, including, for example, silicon, silicon germanium, silicon oxide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide.

[0023] As an example, the substrate in powder form can have applications for pharmaceutical manufacturing. Porous substrates can contain polymers. Examples of workpieces may include medical devices (e.g., stents and syringes), jewelry, tooling devices, components for battery manufacturing (e.g., anodes, cathodes, or separators), or components for photovoltaic cells, etc.

[0024] The continuous substrate can extend beyond the boundary of the processing chamber where the deposition process takes place. In some processes, the continuous substrate can move through the processing chamber, allowing the process to continue until the end of the substrate is reached. The continuous substrate can be supplied from a continuous substrate supply system to allow the continuous substrate to be manufactured and output in any suitable form.

[0025] Non-limiting examples of continuous substrates may include sheets, nonwoven films, rolls, foils, fiber webs, flexible materials, bundles of continuous filaments or fibers (e.g., ceramic fibers or polymer fibers). Continuous substrates may also include carriers or sheets on which non-continuous substrates are mounted.

[0026] The illustrations presented herein are not intended to be actual views of any particular material, structure, or device, but are merely idealized representations used to describe embodiments of this disclosure.

[0027] The specific embodiments shown and described are illustrative of the invention and its best mode, and are not intended to limit the scope of aspects and embodiments in any way. In fact, for the sake of brevity, conventional manufacturing, connection, fabrication, and other functional aspects of the system may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical connections between various elements. Many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may exist in the actual system, and / or may not exist in some embodiments.

[0028] It should be understood that the configurations and / or methods described herein are exemplary in nature, and these specific embodiments or examples herein should not be considered limiting, as many variations are possible. The particular routines or methods described herein may represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. Therefore, the various actions shown may be performed in the order shown, in another order, or in some cases omitted.

[0029] The subject matter of this disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of various processes, systems and configurations and other features, functions, actions and / or properties disclosed herein, as well as any and all their equivalents.

[0030] Figure 2 An overview of a gate valve 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0031] The gate valve 200 may include an air cylinder 220, a cam unit 230, and a second shaft 250, with a bellows 240 surrounding the second shaft 250. The sealing plate 271 will include a passageway to / from the chamber, and how this passageway will open / close will be explained later.

[0032] Air cylinder 220 can be positioned at the bottom and can be moved by injection of compressed dry air (CDA) supplied by air inlet 201. Cam unit 230 can be connected to air cylinder 220.

[0033] Figure 1a A side view of a gate valve in the form of an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0034] The housing 110 may include the following gate valve components, such as Figure 1a As shown, the air cylinder 120 can be connected to the cam unit 130 via a first shaft 121. The cam unit 130 may include a cam 131 and a second bellows 132. The cam 131 may be configured to change the direction of movement of the cam unit 130, i.e., from vertical to horizontal. The second bellows 132 may be configured to dampen vibrations during the movement of the cam unit and provide smoother operation. The cam unit 130 may also be configured to limit vertical movement and define the highest position that the cam unit 130 can reach.

[0035] A second shaft 150 can be connected to a cam 131 and moves vertically with it. A slider 135 can be mounted around the second shaft 150. A bellows 140 can be arranged around the second shaft 150 and constrained by the upper housing 111. A guide rail 137 can be mounted on the inner wall of the housing 110 to guide the slider 135. The bellows 140 can be configured to prevent the cam unit 130 from colliding with the upper housing 111 and to return the cam unit 130 to its starting position.

[0036] The sealing plate 160 can be attached to the end of the second shaft 150, and can be in Figure 1b The diagram illustrates how it can close the passage 172 leading to / from chamber 170. When CDA is injected into air cylinder 120, the first shaft 121 will move the cam unit 130 upward to its highest position P. The bellows 140 can then be compressed due to its constraint by the upper housing 111, as... Figure 1b As shown, however, the second shaft can be moved upwards to a position where the sealing plate can close the channel 172 in the sealing plate 171. In order to airtightly close the channel 172, the sealing ring 161 can be arranged around the sealing plate 160 and configured to seal the channel 172 when the sealing plate 160 closes the channel 172.

[0037] When the cam unit 130 reaches its highest position, motion "A" can occur, and the motion of the cam unit 130 can change from vertical motion "C" to horizontal motion "A". Due to this horizontal motion "A", motion "B" can occur in the opposite direction of motion "A".

[0038] As described above, the speed and flow rate of the injected CDA can control the opening and closing speed of the gate valve. This means that a large volume CDA with high flow rate refers to rapid motion "C" and "A". Rapid motion "C" may be good, but rapid motion "B" may mean particulate problems due to strong impact between sealing plate 160 and sealing plate 171.

[0039] Figure 3a An internal view of the CDA unit is shown when both air channels are open, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] To control the amount (and flow rate) of injected CDA, CDA unit 280 may include housing 300, piston 310, first air passage 320 and second air passage 330, separator 340 and needle valve 350.

[0041] Piston 310 can be configured to move vertically via airflow 360, and the first air passage 320 and the second air passage 330 can be configured to control the total amount of airflow. Divider 340 can separate the first air passage 320 and the second air passage 330, and divider 340 is equipped with an orifice 341. Needle valve 350 can be located in the middle of the first air passage 320 and configured to control the airflow in the first air passage 320. When piston 310 reaches its highest position, piston 310 can completely block the second air passage 330. Since the area of ​​the second air passage 330 is much larger than the area of ​​the first air passage 320, the amount and flow rate of air passing through the first air passage 320 can be greatly reduced. Figure 3a The air volume 361 when the middle piston 310 is not blocked in the second air passage 330 is much greater than Figure 3b The air volume is 362 when the middle piston 310 blocks the second air passage 330.

[0042] Figure 3b An internal view of the CDA unit is shown when the second air passage 330 is blocked, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] A fast and heavy airflow labeled 361 likely means a rapid upward movement of the second axis 150 (“C”), while a slow and light airflow labeled 362 likely means a slow horizontal movement (“B”), which is ideal because it may produce fewer particles.

[0044] The second needle valve 351 is disposed in the middle of the first channel and configured to control the airflow in the second channel 330. The difference between the first needle valve 350 and the second needle valve 351 is that the first needle valve 350 controls the airflow by blocking the orifice 341, while the second needle valve 351 controls the airflow by blocking the second air channel 330 and without any orifice.

[0045] The arrangement of the above-described apparatus is merely an illustration of the application of the principles of the present invention, and many other embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention should not be determined by reference to the above description, but rather by the full scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A gate valve with speed control capability, the gate valve comprising: case; An air cylinder is configured to move a first shaft vertically upward to a first position, the first shaft being connected to the air cylinder; A cam unit, comprising a cam attached at one end to a first shaft; The second shaft is connected to the opposite end of the cam and is configured to move to a specific height as the cam moves. The first bellows is arranged around the second axis; A sealing plate is disposed at one end of the second shaft and configured to close the passage to / from the chamber; A sealing ring, which surrounds the sealing plate and is configured to seal the channel when the sealing plate closes the channel; as well as The CDA unit is configured to control the opening / closing speed of the gate valve. The CDA unit includes: shell; A piston configured to move vertically by airflow; First and second air passages are used to control the amount of airflow. A separator configured to separate a first air passage and a second air passage, wherein the separator is equipped with an aperture; and A first needle valve is located in the middle of a first air passage and is configured to control the flow of air in the first passage.

2. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein the CDA unit further comprises: A second needle valve is disposed in the middle of the second air passage and configured to control the flow of air in the second air passage.

3. The gate valve according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein, The piston is configured to block the second air passage when the piston moves to its highest point, and air flows only through the first air passage.

4. The gate valve according to claim 2, wherein, The first needle valve and the second needle valve are configured to independently control the airflow in the first air passage and the second air passage, respectively.

5. The gate valve according to claim 1, further comprising: The second bellows is configured to buffer the vibrations caused by the movement of the cam; A slider, which is mounted around a second axis; as well as A guide rail is mounted on the inner wall of the housing and is configured to guide the slider and restrict vertical movement.

6. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein, The area of ​​the second air channel is larger than the area of ​​the first air channel.

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