Exhaust device

Abstract

The exhaust device proposed in this invention includes a pipe body with an air inlet and an exhaust outlet, a rotating shaft with a baffle mounted on the pipe body, a limiting plate fixedly mounted on the outside of the pipe body, and a knob mounted on the limiting plate. One end of the knob engages with one end of the rotating shaft and can slide along the axis of the rotating shaft. An elastic element is provided between the knob and the rotating shaft. The side wall of the knob has a positioning part adapted to the limiting part opened in the limiting plate. When the knob presses the elastic element and moves inward toward the inside of the pipe body, the positioning part of the knob disengages from the limiting part of the limiting plate, and the knob is in the unlocked position. Rotating the knob can drive the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously to adjust the opening degree of the baffle. When the elastic element is reset, the positioning part of the knob engages with the limiting part of the limiting plate, and the knob is in the locked position to limit the baffle to a fixed opening degree.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and more specifically, to a manually adjustable exhaust device for regulating airflow. Prior Technology

[0002] As semiconductor feature sizes continue to shrink, the requirements for wafer cleaning are becoming increasingly stringent. To avoid the impact of environmental contaminants on the wafer cleaning process, a relatively clean microenvironment is typically created through an exhaust system.

[0003] The exhaust system includes a main exhaust duct connected to the plant's exhaust system and multiple exhaust ducts. These exhaust ducts branch off from the main exhaust duct and connect to various cleaning chambers on the wafer cleaning machine to exhaust gases from each chamber. To ensure consistent airflow velocity and volume in each cleaning chamber, the exhaust ducts are equipped with mechanisms for adjusting airflow. Due to cost considerations, most are equipped with manual adjustment devices.

[0004] Figure 1 shows a traditional airflow adjustment structure including a pipe body 1, a rotating shaft 2, a baffle 3, a rotating handle 4, and a nut 5. The baffle 3 is installed inside the pipe body 1 via the rotating shaft 2. One end of the rotating shaft 2 extends to the outside of the pipe body 1 and connects to the rotating handle 4. The nut 5 is threaded onto the part of the rotating shaft 2 that extends out of the pipe body 1. A sealing gasket 6 is provided on the outside of the pipe body 1 corresponding to the position where the rotating shaft 2 passes through. When the rotating shaft 2 drives the baffle 3 to rotate to a predetermined opening, the nut 5 is turned with a wrench to tighten the sealing gasket 6. This fixes the baffle 3 at the predetermined opening and prevents gas inside the pipe body 1 from leaking into the external environment, thus avoiding safety hazards.

[0005] However, during the use of the above-mentioned air volume adjustment structure, the operator found that because there are other components (such as pipes, motors, supports, etc.) around the connection between the pipe body 1 and the cleaning chamber, the operating space is limited. When using a wrench to turn the nut 5, it often interferes with other components. If the nut 5 is not tightened properly, gas leakage will occur, causing safety hazards. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an exhaust device that is suitable for adjusting the exhaust air volume of a cavity in a confined space. It has a simple structure and is easy to operate.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an exhaust device comprising: The pipe body has an air inlet, an air outlet, and an airflow channel connecting the air inlet and the air outlet; A rotating shaft is mounted on the tube body, and the rotating shaft has a baffle that can close or open the airflow channel; A limiting plate is fixedly installed on the outside of the pipe body, and the limiting plate has a limiting part; A knob is mounted on a limiting plate. One end of the knob engages with one end of a rotating shaft so that the knob can slide along the axis of the rotating shaft and drive the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously. The side wall of the knob has a positioning part that matches the limiting part. An elastic element is positioned between the knob and the rotating shaft; When the knob presses the elastic element and moves it towards the inside of the tube, the positioning part of the knob disengages from the limiting part of the limiting plate, and the knob is in the unlocked position. By rotating the knob, the rotating shaft can be driven to rotate synchronously to adjust the opening of the baffle. When the elastic element is reset, the positioning part of the knob cooperates with the limiting part of the limiting plate, and the knob is in the locked position to limit the baffle to a fixed opening.

[0008] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, one end of the knob is slidably connected to the rotating shaft via a key, so that the knob can slide along the axis of the rotating shaft and drive the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously.

[0009] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the other end of the knob is provided with a rotation hole for cooperating with an external tool to make the knob rotate.

[0010] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, a pressure detection port is also included, which is located at one end of the pipe body near the air inlet.

[0011] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, a sealing ring is provided at the connection between the rotating shaft and the tube body.

[0012] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the limiting part is composed of multiple limiting grooves, each limiting groove corresponding to an opening degree of the baffle.

[0013] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the limiting part has at least ten limiting grooves.

[0014] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the positioning part is a protrusion adapted to the limiting groove.

[0015] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the rotating shaft is installed on the pipe body perpendicular to the gas flow direction.

[0016] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, a travel limiting groove is formed between the limiting plate and the tube body, and the knob has a travel limiting block located in the travel limiting groove, so that the knob can move axially along the rotation axis between the unlocked position and the locked position.

[0017] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the positioning part is located on the travel limit block.

[0018] This invention separates the knob and the rotating shaft, allowing the knob to freely switch between free rotation and locked states via an elastic element and a limiting plate. The operator can unlock the knob by pressing it, which then drives the rotating shaft to rotate freely, adjusting the opening of the baffle. Once the appropriate opening is achieved, the operator simply releases the knob, which resets under the action of the elastic element and is locked in place by the limiting plate, ensuring the baffle remains at the appropriate opening. Therefore, the exhaust device provided by this invention is simple and convenient to operate. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a traditional exhaust system; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the exhaust device in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the exhaust device in the unlocked state of the knob in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the exhaust device in the knob-locked state according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a structural diagram of some components of the exhaust device in one embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0020] To illustrate the technical content, structural features, objectives, and effects of the present invention in detail, the following will provide a detailed description in conjunction with embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0021] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an exhaust device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The exhaust device includes a pipe body 10 and an airflow regulating mechanism disposed on the pipe body 10 for regulating the airflow.

[0022] The tube body 10 has an air inlet 11, an exhaust outlet 12, and an airflow channel 13 connecting the air inlet 11 and the exhaust outlet 12. The air inlet 11 and the exhaust outlet 12 can be arranged in a straight line or at an angle, such as 90°. The arrangement of the air inlet 11 and the exhaust outlet 12 can be designed according to the equipment and the shape of the tube body 10. The air inlet 11 of the tube body 10 is connected to the exhaust port of the wafer cleaning chamber, and the exhaust outlet 12 of the tube body 10 is connected to the plant exhaust system, thereby draining the acidic or alkaline gases in the wafer cleaning chamber.

[0023] Referring to Figures 3 to 5, the airflow regulating mechanism includes a rotating shaft 20, a knob 30, an elastic element 40, and a limiting plate 50. The rotating shaft 20 is mounted on the pipe body 10 perpendicular to the gas flow direction, and has a baffle 24 that can close or open the airflow passage 13. For ease of manufacturing, the baffle 24 and the rotating shaft 20 are manufactured as two separate parts and fixed together by fasteners (e.g., screws). The rotating shaft 20 has a first end 21 and a second end 22. The first end 21 of the rotating shaft 20 is rotatably mounted on the side wall of the pipe body 10 and extends through the side wall of the pipe body 10 to the outside of the pipe body 10. The second end 22 of the rotating shaft 20 is rotatably mounted on the side wall of the pipe body 10 and is located inside the pipe body 10. A sealing ring 23 is provided at the connection between the rotating shaft 20 and the pipe body 10, especially at the connection between the first end 21 of the rotating shaft 20 and the pipe body 10. By providing the sealing ring 23, the exhaust gas flowing through the pipe body 10 can be prevented from leaking from the connection between the rotating shaft 20 and the pipe body 10, thereby preventing safety hazards.

[0024] A limiting plate 50 is fixedly installed on the outside of the tube body 10, covering the first end 21 of the rotating shaft 20. The limiting plate 50 has a limiting part 51. In this embodiment, the limiting part 51 is a plurality of limiting grooves, each limiting groove corresponding to an opening degree of the baffle 24. A knob 30 is installed in the limiting plate 50. The knob 30 has a first end 31 and a second end 32. The first end 31 of the knob 30 is slidably connected to the first end 21 of the rotating shaft 20 by a key. Referring to Figure 5, the first end 31 of the knob 30 has a hole 37 along the axial direction. The inner wall of the hole 37 has a protruding key 38. The key 38 extends along the axial direction of the knob 30. The first end 21 of the rotating shaft 20 has a keyway 25 that mates with the key 38. The knob 30 and the rotating shaft 20 are connected by a key, which can fix the knob 30 and the rotating shaft 20 circumferentially, and the knob 30 can move axially relative to the rotating shaft 20. The second end 32 of the knob 30 is exposed outside the limiting plate 50. The second end 32 of the knob 30 has a rotating hole 34 for engaging with an external tool to rotate the knob 30. In one embodiment, the rotating hole 34 is a hexagonal socket, and the external tool is an hexagonal wrench. During operation, by inserting the hexagonal wrench into the hexagonal socket, the knob 30 is moved along the axis of the rotating shaft 20 or rotated along the axis of the rotating shaft 20. By providing a rotating hole 34 at the second end 32 of the knob 30, the airflow adjustment mechanism can be easily operated in confined spaces, reducing the difficulty of operation for the operator.

[0025] The side wall of the knob 30 has a positioning part 33 that is adapted to the limiting part 51. In this embodiment, the positioning part 33 is a protrusion that is adapted to the limiting groove on the limiting plate 50. The positioning part 33 on the knob 30 and the limiting part 51 on the limiting plate 50 are provided together to realize the locking or unlocking rotation function of the knob 30. In addition, there is a gap between the limiting plate 50 and the tube body 10. This gap serves as a travel limiting groove 36 that limits the travel of the knob. The first end 31 of the knob 30 has a travel limiting block 35, which is located in the travel limiting groove 36, so that the knob 30 can move axially along the rotation axis 20 between the unlocked position and the locked position. The positioning part 33 on the knob 30 is located on the travel limiting block 35. Specifically, the positioning part 33 is a protrusion formed by the outward protrusion of the side wall of the travel limiting block 35.

[0026] An elastic element 40, such as a spring, is provided between the knob 30 and the rotating shaft 20. When the knob 30 presses the elastic element 40 inward, the positioning part 33 of the knob 30 disengages from the limiting part 51 of the limiting plate 50 (as shown in Figure 3), and the knob 30 is in the unlocked position. At this time, the knob 30 can rotate freely, and by rotating the knob 30, the rotating shaft 20 can be driven to rotate synchronously to adjust the opening of the baffle 24. When the elastic element 40 is reset, the positioning part 33 of the knob 30 cooperates with the limiting part 51 of the limiting plate 50, and the knob 30 is in the locked position. At this time, the knob 30 cannot rotate (as shown in Figure 4), so that the baffle 24 is limited to a fixed opening.

[0027] In this embodiment, the limiting part 51 on the limiting plate 50 is provided with at least ten limiting grooves. The ten limiting grooves divide the baffle 24 into ten positions from fully open to fully closed, that is, each limiting groove corresponds to one opening degree of the baffle 24. The more limiting grooves there are, the higher the opening degree adjustment accuracy of the baffle 24. The number of limiting grooves can be designed according to the actual cleaning process exhaust requirements.

[0028] In addition, a pressure detection port 14 is provided at one end of the pipe body 10 near the air inlet 11. The pressure detection port 14 is used to install a pressure gauge to measure the air pressure on the inlet side of the pipe body 10. In actual operation, the opening of the baffle 24 is adjusted according to the air pressure requirements of the process so that the pressure at the pressure detection port 14 meets the process requirements.

[0029] When using the exhaust device proposed in this invention, the operator inserts an Allen wrench into the Allen hole 34 of the knob 30 and presses the knob 30 towards the inside of the tube body 10. The positioning part 33 of the knob 30 disengages from the limiting part 51 of the limiting plate 50, unlocking the knob 30. Then, the knob 30 is rotated, which drives the rotating shaft 20 and the baffle 24 fixed on the rotating shaft 20 to rotate, adjusting the opening of the baffle 24. When the air pressure at the pressure detection port 14 meets the process requirements, the knob 30 is stopped and released, allowing the knob 30 to reset under the action of the elastic element 40 and be locked by the limiting plate 50 to keep the baffle 24 at the current opening, thereby completing the airflow adjustment of the wafer cleaning chamber.

[0030] In summary, through the above-described embodiments and related drawings, this invention has specifically and thoroughly disclosed the relevant technology, enabling those skilled in the art to implement it. The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it; the scope of this invention should be defined by the scope of the patent applications. Any changes in the number of elements or substitutions of equivalent elements described herein should still fall within the scope of this invention.

[0031] 1: Pipe body 2: Rotating shaft 3: baffle 4: Rotate the handle 5: Nuts 6: Sealing gasket 10: Pipe body 11: Air Inlet 12: Exhaust port 13: Airflow Channel 14: Pressure detection port 20: Rotation shaft 21: First end 22: Second end 23: Sealing ring 24: baffle 25: Keyway 30: Knob 31: First end 32: Second end 33: Positioning Department 34: Rotary hole (hexagonal hole) 35: Travel limit block 36: Travel limit slot 37: Kong 38: key 40: Elastic element 50: Limit plate 51: Limiting part

Claims

1. An exhaust device, comprising: The pipe body has an air inlet, an air outlet, and an airflow channel connecting the air inlet and the air outlet; A rotating shaft is mounted on the tube body and has a baffle that can close or open the airflow passage. A limiting plate is fixedly mounted on the outside of the tube body and has a limiting part. A knob is mounted on the limiting plate, with one end of the knob engaging with one end of the rotating shaft so that the knob can slide along the axis of the rotating shaft and drive the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously. The side wall of the knob has a positioning part that matches the limiting part. An elastic element is disposed between the knob and the rotating shaft. When the knob presses the elastic element and moves it inward toward the inside of the tube body, the positioning part of the knob disengages from the limiting part of the limiting plate, and the knob is in the unlocked position. Rotating the knob can drive the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously to adjust the opening of the baffle. When the elastic element is reset, the elastic element drives the knob to move outward toward the outside of the tube body, and the positioning part of the knob engages with the limiting part of the limiting plate, and the knob is in the locked position to limit the opening of the baffle to a fixed degree.

2. The exhaust device according to claim 1, wherein, One end of the knob is slidably connected to the rotating shaft via a key, so that the knob can slide along the axis of the rotating shaft and drive the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously.

3. The exhaust device according to claim 1, wherein, The other end of the knob has a rotation hole for use with an external tool to rotate the knob.

4. The exhaust device according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a pressure detection port, which is located at the end of the pipe body near the air inlet.

5. The exhaust device according to claim 1, wherein, A sealing ring is provided at the connection between the rotating shaft and the tube body.

6. The exhaust device according to claim 1, wherein, The limiting part is composed of multiple limiting grooves, and each limiting groove corresponds to one opening degree of the baffle.

7. The exhaust device according to claim 6, wherein, The limiting part has at least ten limiting grooves.

8. The exhaust device according to claim 6, wherein, The positioning part is a protrusion that is adapted to the limiting groove.

9. The exhaust device according to claim 1, wherein, The rotating shaft is installed on the pipe body perpendicular to the gas flow direction.

10. The exhaust device according to claim 1, wherein, A travel limiting groove is formed between the limiting plate and the tube body. The knob has a travel limiting block located in the travel limiting groove, so that the knob can move axially along the rotation axis between the unlocked position and the locked position.

11. The exhaust device according to claim 10, wherein, The positioning part is located on the travel limit block.

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