A silicon material feeder

Abstract

This invention relates to a silicon material feeder, which includes a feeding cylinder, an upper flange directly fitted onto the upper end of the feeding cylinder, a lower flange directly fitted onto the lower end of the feeding cylinder, and a connecting assembly that connects to the upper flange, the lower flange, and the feeding cylinder and fixes the upper flange and the lower flange onto the feeding cylinder. This eliminates the need to weld the upper flange and the lower flange to the feeding cylinder separately, simplifying the assembly process, reducing time and cost, and minimizing environmental impact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of monocrystalline silicon preparation technology, and in particular to a silicon feeder. Background Technology

[0002] In the thermal structure of a Czochralski single crystal furnace, the height of the graphite heater and the lower limit 432 of the graphite crucible limit make it difficult to exceed the capacity of the quartz crucible in a single loading, resulting in low yield and high production costs. Therefore, the technology of repeated feeding has emerged. This technology requires a feeder with high processing efficiency, long service life, and relatively simple structure to repeatedly feed silicon into the single crystal furnace.

[0003] The existing feeder includes a quartz feed cylinder, an upper flange and a lower flange welded to the outer wall of the quartz feed cylinder, and a connecting assembly assembled between the upper flange and the lower flange. However, assembling the upper flange and the lower flange to the quartz feed cylinder separately by welding is time-consuming and costly. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a silicon feeder, in which the upper flange and lower flange are assembled with the feeding cylinder, resulting in a short assembly cycle and low production cost. This overcomes the problems of long welding assembly production cycles and high production costs in existing technologies. The specific solution is as follows:

[0005] A silicon feeder includes a feeding cylinder, an upper flange directly fitted onto the upper end of the feeding cylinder, a lower flange directly fitted onto the lower end of the feeding cylinder, and a connecting assembly that connects to the upper flange, the lower flange, and the feeding cylinder and fixes the upper flange and the lower flange onto the feeding cylinder.

[0006] In some embodiments, the connecting assembly includes a support member directly fitted onto the outer wall of the feeding cylinder, a first connecting member connecting the support member and the upper flange, and a second connecting member connecting the support member and the lower flange.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first connector includes a first connecting rod and at least two first fasteners detachably connected to the first connecting rod, wherein at least one first fastener secures the first connecting rod to the upper flange, and at least one first fastener secures the first connecting rod to the support member.

[0008] The second connector includes a second connecting rod and at least two second fasteners detachably connected to the second connecting rod, wherein at least one second fastener secures the second connecting rod to the lower flange, and at least one second fastener secures the second connecting rod to the support member.

[0009] In some embodiments, the upper flange is a PTFE flange, and / or the lower flange is a carbon-carbon flange.

[0010] In some embodiments, the upper flange is coaxial with the feeding cylinder, and the inner diameter of the upper flange is equal to the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder; and / or

[0011] The lower flange is coaxial with the feeding cylinder, and the inner diameter of the lower flange is larger than the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder and smaller than the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder.

[0012] In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder remains constant from top to bottom.

[0013] In some embodiments, the silicon feeder further includes a lifting assembly for discharging silicon material;

[0014] The lifting assembly includes a handle located above the upper flange, a pull rod connected to the lower end of the handle and extending into the feeding cylinder, and a sealing member connected to the lower end of the pull rod and close to the lower flange;

[0015] The silicon feeder also includes a limiting plate located above the upper flange and with both ends abutting against the upper flange;

[0016] The limiting plate has a guide hole at its center for the pull rod to pass through.

[0017] In some embodiments, the silicon feeder further includes a positioning component for axial positioning of the feed cylinder;

[0018] The positioning assembly includes an intermediate flange fitted on the outer wall of the feeding cylinder and located between the upper flange and the support member, and a third connecting member connecting the intermediate flange and the upper flange. The third connecting member passes through the intermediate flange, and the position of the intermediate flange on the third connecting member is adjustable.

[0019] In some embodiments, the third connector includes a third connecting rod and at least two third fasteners detachably connected to the third connecting rod, wherein at least one of the third fasteners secures the third connecting rod to the upper flange, and at least one of the third fasteners secures the third connecting rod to the intermediate flange.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first connecting rod passes through the intermediate flange and connects to the upper flange;

[0021] The first connecting rod and the third connecting rod are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the intermediate flange.

[0022] In some embodiments, the positioning assembly further includes a gasket disposed on the upper surface of the intermediate flange;

[0023] The first connecting rod also passes through the gasket;

[0024] The lower end of the third connecting rod is connected to the gasket.

[0025] In some embodiments, the intermediate flange is a PTFE flange; and / or the gasket is a stainless steel gasket;

[0026] The inner diameter of the intermediate flange is the same as the outer diameter of the feed cylinder; and / or

[0027] The inner diameter of the gasket is larger than the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder.

[0028] The silicon feeder provided by this invention is based on the upper flange being directly fitted onto the upper end of the feeding cylinder and the lower flange being directly fitted onto the lower end of the feeding cylinder. The upper flange, lower flange and feeding cylinder are connected by a connecting component, and the upper flange and lower flange are fixedly assembled on the feeding cylinder. This eliminates the need to weld the upper flange and lower flange to the feeding cylinder separately, making the assembly method simple, reducing time and cost, and minimizing environmental impact. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a front view of a silicon feeder provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 For the present invention Figure 1 3D view of the silicon feeder;

[0032] Figure 3 The feeding cylinder of the prior art and the present invention Figure 1 Comparison diagram of the feed cylinder;

[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial structural diagram of the silicon material feeding cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0035] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly attached to the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0037] In the accompanying drawings of this invention, the dashed lines represent the portion of the silicon feeder that is not visible from the angle shown in the drawings. The terms "upper" and "lower" used in the embodiments of this invention are all... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The orientation shown is the reference.

[0038] like Figure 1 and 2 The image shows a silicon feeder according to the present invention, including a feeding cylinder 1, an upper flange 2 directly fitted onto the upper end of the feeding cylinder 1, a lower flange 3 directly fitted onto the lower end of the feeding cylinder 1, and a connecting assembly 4 that connects to the upper flange 1, the lower flange 2 and the feeding cylinder 1 and fixes the upper flange 2 and the lower flange 3 onto the feeding cylinder 1.

[0039] To better connect the feeding cylinder 1, the upper flange 2, and the lower flange 3 into a whole, grooves are provided on the surface of the upper flange 2 facing the feeding cylinder 1 and on the surface of the lower flange 3 facing the feeding cylinder 1. The two ends of the feeding cylinder 1 are placed in the grooves, which helps to ensure the relative fixation between the upper flange 2, the lower flange 3, and the feeding cylinder 1.

[0040] The silicon feeder provided in this embodiment of the invention is based on an upper flange 2 directly fitted onto the upper end of a feeding cylinder 1, and a lower flange 3 directly fitted onto the lower end of a feeding cylinder 1. A connecting assembly 4 connects the upper flange 2, lower flange 3, and feeding cylinder 1, and fixes the upper flange 2 and lower flange 3 onto the feeding cylinder 1. This eliminates the need for welding the upper flange 2 and lower flange 3 to the feeding cylinder 1 separately, simplifying the assembly process, reducing time and cost, and minimizing environmental impact. On one hand, by assembling the upper flange 2, lower flange 3, and feeding cylinder 1 together through the connecting assembly 4, welding is avoided. This eliminates the environmentally damaging hydrogen-oxygen welding and polishing lathe operations during production, reducing production costs by approximately half. With sufficient raw materials, the production cycle is shortened from 2 days to 1 hour, significantly reducing the production time. On the other hand, existing technologies assemble flanges and feeding cylinders by welding. If the flange is damaged, the feeding cylinder must be remanufactured. Quartz feeding cylinders require multiple processes including material preparation, welding, high-temperature annealing, secondary welding, grinding, and cleaning. This invention replaces the welding of the existing technology by assembling the upper flange, lower flange, and feeding cylinder together. If the flange is damaged, it can be directly replaced without remanufacturing the feeding cylinder, thus improving production efficiency. Furthermore, existing technologies use welding to assemble the feeding cylinder and flange. Welding thick-walled quartz tubes requires extremely high temperatures and equipment specifications for the oxyhydrogen flame, making it difficult to operate, resulting in poor yield control and very high costs. Consequently, feeding cylinders are typically thin-walled quartz tubes with low strength and short service life. In contrast, this invention uses assembly to assemble the feeding cylinder with the upper and lower flanges, allowing the use of thick-walled quartz tubes as the feeding cylinder, thereby improving the service life of the silicon feeder.

[0041] In some embodiments, the connecting assembly 4 includes a support member 41 that is directly fitted onto the outer wall of the feeding cylinder 1, a first connecting member 42 that connects the support member 41 and the upper flange 2, and a second connecting member 43 that connects the support member 41 and the lower flange. Thus, the upper flange 2 and the lower flange 3 are securely fixed to the feeding cylinder 1 by the cooperation of the support member 41, the first connecting member 42, and the second connecting member 43. The assembly of the feeding cylinder 1, the upper flange 2, and the lower flange 3 is completed by the connecting assembly 4, avoiding the use of welding.

[0042] The feeding cylinder 1 is typically quite long. Directly connecting the upper flange 2 and lower flange 3 would result in poor overall structural stability. Therefore, to better secure the feeding cylinder 1, upper flange 2, and lower flange 3, a support member 41 is installed on the outer wall of the feeding cylinder 1, positioned between the upper flange 2 and lower flange 3. The upper flange 2 and lower flange 3 are connected together via a first connector 42, a second connector 41, and the support member 41, thus fixing the feeding cylinder 1 between the upper flange 2 and lower flange 3 to form a single unit. The support member 41 is directly fitted onto the outer wall of the feeding cylinder 1, providing support and avoiding the direct welding of the support member to the feeding cylinder as in existing technologies. This simplifies assembly, reduces time and cost during assembly, minimizes environmental impact, and allows for direct replacement of any damaged component without replacing the entire system, saving costs.

[0043] In this embodiment, the support member 41 serves to support the first connecting member 42 and the second connecting member 43. The support member 41 can be a stainless steel support ring. A water-cooled jacket is provided at the support member 41 within the single crystal furnace guide tube, where the temperature rapidly drops to approximately 400-500℃. Therefore, the support member 41 can be made of 304 stainless steel, which can withstand temperatures up to 930℃, thus meeting the requirement for high-temperature resistant materials at this location.

[0044] The inner diameter of the support component 41 is 2-3mm larger than the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder, which facilitates the assembly process without interference and enables a stable intermediate transition connection. The stainless steel support ring does not contact the feeding cylinder, thus avoiding contamination of the molten silicon.

[0045] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 1 The first connector 42 includes a first connecting rod 421 and at least two first fasteners 422 detachably connected to the first connecting rod 421. At least one first fastener 422 fixes the first connecting rod 421 to the upper flange 2, and at least one first fastener 422 fixes the first connecting rod 421 to the support member 41.

[0046] The second connector 42 includes a second connecting rod 431 and at least two second fasteners 432 detachably connected to the second connecting rod 431. At least one second fastener 432 secures the second connecting rod 431 to the lower flange 3, and at least one second fastener 432 secures the second connecting rod 431 to the support member 41.

[0047] Furthermore, the first connecting rod 421 can be a connecting stud, and the material can be stainless steel. The first connecting rod 421 passes through the support member 41 and the upper flange 2. The first fastener 422 is set on the upper surface of the upper flange 2 and the lower surface of the support member 41. The first fastener 422 can be a nut. The second connecting rod 431 can also be a connecting stud, and the material can be stainless steel. The second connecting rod 431 passes through the support member 41. The second fastener 432 is set on the upper surface of the lower flange 3 and the upper and lower surfaces of the support member 41. The second fastener 432 can be a nut. Of course, the first connecting rod 421, the second connecting rod 431, the first fastener 422, and the second fastener 432 can be made of other parts or materials, which will not be listed here.

[0048] In the circumferential direction of the feeding cylinder 1, the first connecting rod 421 and the second connecting rod 431 are evenly and alternately arranged. The number of the first connecting rod 421 and the second connecting rod 431 can be the same or different, and can be set according to the specific situation. For example, there can be 4 of them.

[0049] In this embodiment, the first connecting rod 421 is detachably connected to the first fastener 422, and the second connecting rod 431 is detachably connected to the second fastener 432, thereby making the entire connecting assembly 4 easy to install and disassemble. The first connecting rod 421 and the second connecting rod 431 are arranged around the outer wall of the feeding cylinder 1, the upper flange 2 and the lower flange 3 are respectively arranged at the upper end and the lower end of the feeding cylinder 1, and the support member 41 is arranged between the upper flange 2 and the lower flange 3, forming a protective structure for the entire feeding cylinder 1 and preventing the feeding cylinder 1 from being damaged by external forces during assembly.

[0050] In some embodiments, the upper flange 2 is a PTFE flange, and / or the lower flange 3 is a carbon-carbon flange.

[0051] Normally, metals can easily contaminate molten silicon, leading to abnormal single crystal parameters. Therefore, in this embodiment, a PTFE flange is used as the upper flange 2, with a working heat resistance temperature of 250℃. Here, in the auxiliary chamber of the furnace, the temperature is relatively low, around 40-80℃ (after cooling by the guide tube water-cooled jacket, furnace cover, and auxiliary chamber water cooling), which can meet the usage requirements. Moreover, the material has self-lubricating properties, non-stick surface, resistance to atmospheric aging, and non-flammability, which meets the usage requirements.

[0052] Because the lower part of the feeding cylinder 1 experiences a high temperature (silicon liquid temperature is 1420℃) when feeding silicon liquid into the single crystal furnace at high temperature, the lower flange 3, which is closest to the silicon liquid, is made of carbon carbon. The carbon carbon flange can withstand temperatures up to 2800℃ (under high vacuum and inert (argon) gas conditions in the single crystal furnace), has a tensile strength of up to 95MPa, a bending strength of 160MPa, high temperature resistance, high strength, and light weight, which can meet all the requirements for high-temperature feeding in the single crystal furnace.

[0053] In the crystal growth process, a PTFE flange is used as the upper flange 2 and a carbon-carbon flange is used as the lower flange 3. Metal materials are not used to ensure that the silicon liquid is not contaminated by metal, which could lead to abnormal single crystal parameters and avoid factors that may affect the lifespan of single crystal silicon.

[0054] In some embodiments, the upper flange 2 is coaxial with the feeding cylinder 1, and the inner diameter of the upper flange 2 is equal to the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder 1; and / or

[0055] The lower flange 3 is coaxial with the feeding cylinder 1, and the inner diameter of the lower flange 3 is larger than the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder 1 and smaller than the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder 1.

[0056] The inner diameter of the upper flange 2 is made to match the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder 1 to facilitate the lowering of silicon material and prevent silicon material from accumulating at the connection between the upper flange 2 and the feeding cylinder 1. The inner diameter of the lower flange 3 is located at the midpoint between the inner and outer diameters of the feeding cylinder 1. In addition to supporting the weight of the feeding cylinder 1, the lower flange 3 should not affect the movement of the silicon material being lowered by the quartz cone.

[0057] In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder 1 remains constant from top to bottom.

[0058] like Figure 3 The image shown is a comparison diagram between the feeding cylinder of the prior art and the feeding cylinder of the present invention. Figure 3 (a) The feeder in the prior art has three welds: weld 201 between the feed cylinder 1 and the upper flange 2, and the lower part of the feed cylinder 1 is necked, with welds 202 and 203 at both the top and bottom of the necked feed cylinder 1. In contrast, the feed cylinder 1 in this invention does not require welding; instead, it is directly assembled with the upper flange 2, lower flange 3, and connecting assembly 4. Therefore, the feed cylinder 1 does not need to be necked. That is, the outer diameter of the feed cylinder 1 remains constant from top to bottom, which facilitates the lower part of the silicon material and prevents silicon material from accumulating.

[0059] In some embodiments of this invention, to facilitate the application of silicon material, such as Figure 2 As shown and Figure 4The silicon feeder also includes a lifting assembly 5 for feeding silicon material; the lifting assembly 5 includes a handle 51 located above the upper flange 2, a pull rod 52 connected to the lower end of the handle 51 and extending into the feeding cylinder 1, and a sealing member 53 connected to the lower end of the pull rod 52 and close to the lower flange 3; the silicon feeder also includes a limiting plate 6 located above the upper flange 2 and with both ends abutting against the upper flange 2; the limiting plate 6 has a guide hole 61 at its center for the pull rod 52 to pass through. The upper end of the handle 51 is used to connect to a seed crystal rope sleeve on an external lifting device. The outer diameter of the sealing member 53 can be larger than the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder 1 to seal the lower opening of the feeding cylinder 1. After silicon material is placed into the feeding cylinder 1, the external lifting device pushes the handle 51 downward. The handle 51 drives the pull rod 52 and the sealing part 53 to move downward. When the sealing part 53 moves downward to the preset position, there is a certain gap between the sealing part 53 and the feeding cylinder 1. The silicon material flows out from the gap. After the feeding is completed, the external lifting device lifts the handle 51 upward, thereby pulling the pull rod 52 and the sealing part 53 upward, completing the entire feeding process.

[0060] In this embodiment, the sealing element 53 can be a quartz cone, with the diameter of the end of the quartz cone near the pull rod 52 being larger than the diameter of the end near the lower flange 3. Furthermore, the silicon material is placed inside the feeding cylinder 11, and inevitably comes into contact with the inner wall of the feeding cylinder 1 and the pull rod 52. To prevent the silicon material from being contaminated by the pull rod 52, a pull rod sleeve is provided to isolate the silicon material from the pull rod 52 and prevent contamination.

[0061] In this embodiment, as Figure 2 and 4 As shown, in order to limit the horizontal movement of the pull rod 52, the silicon feeder also includes a limiting plate 6 located above the upper flange 2 and with both ends abutting against the upper flange 2. The limiting plate 6 has a guide hole 61 at its center for the pull rod 52 to pass through. In this invention, the limiting plate 6 is located on the upper surface of the upper flange 2, and the upper flange 2 serves to support the limiting plate 6.

[0062] Further reference Figure 4 The limiting plate 6 is a rectangular plate with both ends set on the upper surface of the upper flange 2. The rectangular plate is set along the diameter direction of the upper flange 2. A guide hole 61 for the pull rod 52 to pass through is provided at the center of the limiting plate 6. The diameter of the guide hole 61 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the pull rod sleeve to facilitate the passage of the pull rod 52.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the silicon feeder also includes a positioning component 7 for axial positioning of the feeding cylinder 1; the positioning component 7 includes an intermediate flange 71 sleeved on the outer wall of the feeding cylinder 1 and located between the upper flange 2 and the support member 41, and a third connector 72 connecting the intermediate flange 71 and the upper flange 2. The third connector 72 passes through the intermediate flange 71, and the position of the intermediate flange 71 on the third connector 72 is adjustable.

[0064] Normally, the silicon feeder needs to be placed inside the single crystal furnace. For different single crystal furnaces, the placement height of the silicon feeder is different, and the height of the lower end of the silicon feeder from the molten silicon inside the single crystal furnace is different. Therefore, in this embodiment, a positioning component 7 is provided to adjust the axial positioning of the silicon feeder on the feeding cylinder.

[0065] The intermediate flange 71 is used to place the support device in the single crystal furnace. The position of the support device for placing the silicon feeder in the single crystal furnace is usually fixed. Before placing the silicon feeder in the single crystal furnace, the distance between the lower end of the feed cylinder and the liquid surface of the molten silicon is calculated. Then, the distance between the lower end of the feed cylinder and the liquid surface of the molten silicon is adjusted by adjusting the distance between the intermediate flange 71 and the upper flange 2. During the adjustment process, the axial position of the feed cylinder in the single crystal furnace is adjusted by moving the intermediate flange 2 along the axial direction of the third connecting member 72. In this invention, the upper flange 2 also serves to provide support for the positioning assembly 7, providing support force for the axial positioning of the feed cylinder 1.

[0066] In this embodiment, the axial positioning of the feeding cylinder 1 is achieved by assembling the upper flange 2 and the positioning component 7, avoiding the use of welding, which not only saves production costs but also shortens production time.

[0067] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 1 The third connector 72 includes a third connecting rod 721 and at least two third fasteners 722 connected to the third connecting rod 721. The third connecting rod 721 and the third fasteners 722 are detachably connected. At least one third fastener 722 fixes the third connecting rod 721 to the upper flange 2 and at least one third fastener 722 fixes the third connecting rod 721 to the intermediate flange 71, thereby facilitating assembly and disassembly.

[0068] In this embodiment, the third connecting rod 721 is made of extended screw, which is made of 304 stainless steel with a heat resistance of 930℃. The extended screw passes through the upper surface of the upper flange 1, thereby enabling the axial position adjustment of the intermediate flange 71. The third fastener 722 can be a nut, specifically an internal hex nut. To achieve a better fastening effect, the third fastener 722 is provided at the connection points between the intermediate flange 71 and the upper flange 2 and the third connecting rod 721. For example, the third fastener 722 is provided on the upper surface of the intermediate flange 71, as well as on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper flange 1. After the intermediate flange 71 moves to the predetermined position, it is fixed to the third connecting rod 721 by the third fastener 722, thereby connecting the intermediate flange 71 to the third connecting rod 721 and the upper flange 2, and fixing the entire positioning assembly 7.

[0069] To minimize the number of holes on the upper surface of the upper flange 2, the third fastener 722 can fix the limiting plate 6 while fastening the third connecting rod 721. That is, positioning holes are provided at both ends of the limiting plate 6, and the third connecting rod 721 passes through the positioning holes. The third fastener 722 achieves the fastening of the third connecting rod and the limiting plate 6.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the first connecting rod 421 can pass through the intermediate flange 71 and connect to the upper flange 2. The connection between the first connecting rod 421 and the upper flange 2 is not affected when the intermediate flange 71 moves up and down. The first connecting rod 421 and the third connecting rod 721 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the intermediate flange 71. Furthermore, they can be arranged at uniform intervals, with the same number of first connecting rods 421 and third connecting rods 721. This can be set according to specific circumstances, for example, four rods.

[0071] In some embodiments, the positioning assembly 7 further includes a gasket disposed on the upper surface of the intermediate flange 71; the first connecting rod 421 also passes through the gasket; and the lower end of the third connecting rod 721 is connected to the gasket. To further secure the intermediate flange 71, a gasket is disposed on the upper surface of the intermediate flange 71, the first connecting rod 421 passes through the gasket and is connected to the upper flange 2, and the lower end of the third connecting rod 721 is connected to the gasket. Fasteners such as nuts may also be disposed on the upper surface of the gasket.

[0072] In some embodiments, the intermediate flange 71 may be a PTFE flange; and / or the gasket may be a stainless steel gasket; the inner diameter of the intermediate flange 71 may be the same as the outer diameter of the feed cylinder 1; the inner diameter of the gasket may be larger than the outer diameter of the feed cylinder.

[0073] In the single crystal furnace, in order to avoid the contamination of the silicon liquid by the metal materials, the intermediate flange that comes into contact with the single crystal furnace is a PTFE flange, and the gasket is a stainless steel gasket. The stainless steel is 304 stainless steel with a heat resistance of 930℃. The inner diameter of the intermediate flange 71 is the same as the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder 1, so there is no gap between the intermediate flange 71 and the feeding cylinder 1, thus preventing the silicon material from contaminating the intermediate flange 71.

[0074] To prevent the stainless steel gasket from contaminating the molten silicon, the gasket does not come into contact with the feeding cylinder. The inner diameter of the gasket is larger than the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder, and the inner diameter of the gasket is 7-8mm larger than the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder. This ensures that there is no interference during assembly and also provides a stable intermediate transition connection.

[0075] In this invention, on the one hand, the upper flange 2, lower flange 3, and feeding cylinder 1 are assembled together by connecting component 4, avoiding the use of welding. This eliminates the environmentally impactful hydrogen-oxygen welding and polishing lathe operations during production, reducing production costs by about half. With sufficient raw materials, the production cycle is shortened from 2 days to 1 hour, significantly reducing the production cycle. On the other hand, in the prior art, the flange and feeding cylinder are assembled by welding. If the flange is damaged, the feeding cylinder must be remade. Quartz feeding cylinders require multiple processes such as material preparation, welding, high-temperature annealing, secondary welding, grinding, and cleaning. This invention replaces the welding of the prior art by assembling the upper flange, lower flange, and feeding cylinder together. If the flange is damaged, it can be directly replaced without remaking the feeding cylinder, thus improving production efficiency. On the other hand, existing technologies use welding to assemble the feeding cylinder and flange. Welding thick-walled quartz tubes requires extremely high temperatures and equipment for the oxyhydrogen flame, making it difficult to operate, resulting in poor yield control and very high costs. As a result, the feeding cylinders are all thin-walled quartz tubes with low strength and short service life. In contrast, this invention uses an assembly method to assemble the feeding cylinder with the upper and lower flanges, allowing the selection of thick-walled quartz tubes as the feeding cylinder, thereby improving the service life of the silicon feeder.

[0076] Technical Solution 1: A silicon feeder, comprising a feeding cylinder, an upper flange directly fitted onto the upper end of the feeding cylinder, a lower flange directly fitted onto the lower end of the feeding cylinder, and a connecting assembly that connects to the upper flange, the lower flange, and the feeding cylinder and fixes the upper flange and the lower flange onto the feeding cylinder.

[0077] Technical Solution 2: According to the silicon feeder described in Technical Solution 1, the connecting assembly includes a support member directly sleeved on the outer wall of the feeding cylinder, a first connecting member connecting the support member and the upper flange, and a second connecting member connecting the support member and the lower flange.

[0078] Technical Solution 3: According to the silicon feeder of Technical Solution 2, the first connecting member includes a first connecting rod and a first fastener detachably connected to the first connecting rod, at least one of the first fasteners fixes the first connecting rod to the upper flange, and at least one of the first fasteners fixes the first connecting rod to the support member.

[0079] The second connector includes a second connecting rod and a second fastener detachably connected to the second connecting rod, wherein at least one of the second fasteners secures the second connecting rod to the lower flange, and at least one of the second fasteners secures the second connecting rod to the support member.

[0080] Technical Solution 4: According to the silicon feeder described in Technical Solution 1, the upper flange is a PTFE flange, and / or the lower flange is a carbon-carbon flange.

[0081] Technical Solution 5: In the silicon feeder according to Technical Solution 1, the upper flange is coaxial with the feeding cylinder, and the inner diameter of the upper flange is equal to the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder; and / or

[0082] The lower flange is coaxial with the feeding cylinder, and the inner diameter of the lower flange is larger than the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder and smaller than the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder.

[0083] Technical Solution 6: According to the silicon feeder described in Technical Solution 1, the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder remains constant from top to bottom.

[0084] Technical Solution 7: The silicon feeder according to Technical Solution 1 further includes a lifting component for feeding silicon material;

[0085] The lifting assembly includes a handle located above the upper flange, a pull rod connected to the lower end of the handle and extending into the feeding cylinder, and a sealing member connected to the lower end of the pull rod and close to the lower flange;

[0086] The silicon feeder also includes a limiting plate located above the upper flange and with both ends abutting against the upper flange;

[0087] The limiting plate has a guide hole at its center for the pull rod to pass through.

[0088] Technical Solution 8: The silicon feeder according to Technical Solution 3 further includes a positioning component for axial positioning of the feeding cylinder;

[0089] The positioning assembly includes an intermediate flange fitted on the outer wall of the feeding cylinder and located between the upper flange and the support member, and a third connecting member connecting the intermediate flange and the upper flange. The third connecting member passes through the intermediate flange, and the position of the intermediate flange on the third connecting member is adjustable.

[0090] Technical Solution 9: According to the silicon feeder of Technical Solution 8, the third connecting member includes a third connecting rod and a third fastener detachably connected to the third connecting rod, at least one of the third fasteners fixes the third connecting rod to the upper flange, and at least one of the third fasteners fixes the third connecting rod to the intermediate flange.

[0091] Technical Solution 10: According to the silicon feeder described in Technical Solution 9, the first connecting rod passes through the intermediate flange and connects to the upper flange;

[0092] The first connecting rod and the third connecting rod are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the intermediate flange.

[0093] Technical Solution 11: According to the silicon feeder of Technical Solution 10, the positioning component further includes a gasket disposed on the upper surface of the intermediate flange;

[0094] The first connecting rod also passes through the gasket;

[0095] The lower end of the third connecting rod is connected to the gasket.

[0096] Technical Solution 12: In the silicon feeder according to Technical Solution 11, the intermediate flange is a PTFE flange; and / or the gasket is a stainless steel gasket.

[0097] Technical Solution 13: The silicon feeder according to Technical Solution 11,

[0098] The inner diameter of the intermediate flange is the same as the outer diameter of the feed cylinder; and / or

[0099] The inner diameter of the gasket is larger than the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder.

[0100] All of the above-mentioned optional technical solutions can be combined in any way to form optional embodiments of the present invention, and will not be described in detail here.

[0101] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A silicon feeder, characterized in that, It includes a feeding cylinder, an upper flange directly fitted onto the upper end of the feeding cylinder, a lower flange directly fitted onto the lower end of the feeding cylinder, and a connecting assembly that connects to the upper flange, the lower flange, and the feeding cylinder, and fixes the upper flange and the lower flange onto the feeding cylinder. The connecting assembly includes a support member directly fitted onto the outer wall of the feeding cylinder, a first connecting member connecting the support member and the upper flange, and a second connecting member connecting the support member and the lower flange; The upper flange is coaxial with the feeding cylinder, and the inner diameter of the upper flange is equal to the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder; the lower flange is coaxial with the feeding cylinder, and the inner diameter of the lower flange is greater than the inner diameter of the feeding cylinder and smaller than the outer diameter of the feeding cylinder. The silicon feeder also includes a lifting assembly for discharging silicon material; The lifting assembly includes a handle located above the upper flange, a pull rod connected to the lower end of the handle and extending into the feeding cylinder, and a sealing member connected to the lower end of the pull rod and close to the lower flange; The silicon feeder also includes a limiting plate located above the upper flange and with both ends abutting against the upper flange; The limiting plate has a guide hole at its center for the pull rod to pass through.

2. The silicon feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connector includes a first connecting rod and at least two first fasteners detachably connected to the first connecting rod, wherein at least one first fastener secures the first connecting rod to the upper flange, and at least one first fastener secures the first connecting rod to the support member. The second connector includes a second connecting rod and at least two second fasteners detachably connected to the second connecting rod, wherein at least one second fastener secures the second connecting rod to the lower flange, and at least one second fastener secures the second connecting rod to the support member.

3. The silicon feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper flange is a PTFE flange, and / or the lower flange is a carbon-carbon flange.

4. The silicon feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the feeding cylinder remains constant from top to bottom.

5. The silicon feeder according to claim 2, characterized in that, The silicon feeder also includes a positioning component for axial positioning of the feed cylinder; The positioning assembly includes an intermediate flange fitted on the outer wall of the feeding cylinder and located between the upper flange and the support member, and a third connecting member connecting the intermediate flange and the upper flange. The third connecting member passes through the intermediate flange, and the position of the intermediate flange on the third connecting member is adjustable.

6. The silicon feeder according to claim 5, characterized in that, The third connector includes a third connecting rod and at least two third fasteners detachably connected to the third connecting rod, wherein at least one of the third fasteners secures the third connecting rod to the upper flange, and at least one of the third fasteners secures the third connecting rod to the intermediate flange.

7. The silicon feeder according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first connecting rod passes through the intermediate flange and connects to the upper flange; The first connecting rod and the third connecting rod are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the intermediate flange.

Images