Hatch door lifting mechanism and sealed hatch door

Abstract

This application discloses a hatch lifting mechanism and a sealed hatch. The hatch lifting mechanism includes: a lead screw, one end of which is connected to a base; a connecting bridge plate connected to the hatch via a connecting column, the connecting bridge plate having a through hole through which the lead screw passes; a lead nut connected to the lead screw, which can move axially along the lead screw; a transition unit located between the lead nut and the connecting bridge plate, the lead nut being connected to the connecting bridge plate via the transition unit, the transition unit preventing the rotation of the lead nut from being transmitted to the connecting bridge plate; and a drive unit connected to the transition unit via a drive connecting plate. The drive unit drives the lead nut to rotate via the transition unit, and the lead nut can move axially along the lead screw to adjust the distance between the hatch and the base. This mechanism provides a clutch function between the lead nut and the hatch. When the hatch is in the locking position, the lead nut separates from the hatch, preventing damage to the lead nut and lead screw during the locking phase. When the hatch needs to be raised, the lead nut can engage with the hatch again, achieving the raising of the hatch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing and manufacturing technology, and more specifically, to a door lifting mechanism and a sealed door. Background Technology

[0002] Semiconductor materials, as the foundation of the semiconductor and microelectronics industries, have undergone tremendous development through continuous upgrades and evolution. In their manufacturing processes, extended support rings made of metallic or non-metallic materials are concentrically fitted with the semiconductor wafer material during production and handling, serving to support and protect the semiconductor wafer. This structure is increasingly widely used in the semiconductor material manufacturing process.

[0003] In the current semiconductor material production process, sealed chambers are usually required to isolate external influences. Different gases can be introduced into the sealed chamber to achieve the layers required for various semiconductor structures. With the diversification of processes and the improvement of process technology and production efficiency, the sealing performance of existing sealed chambers has gradually become insufficient to meet the requirements. The repeated sealing effect is poor, and the sealing and pressing may damage the related structures of the door lifting mechanism. The service life is short and the reliability is low.

[0004] We hope to further improve the hatch lifting mechanism and the sealing hatch to enhance its repeat sealing effect, reduce equipment damage, and improve reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a hatch lifting mechanism and a sealing hatch, which enables a disengagement function between the nut and the hatch. When the hatch is in the locking position, the nut separates from the hatch, preventing damage to the nut and lead screw during the locking phase. When the hatch needs to be lifted, the nut can engage with the hatch again to achieve the lifting. This hatch lifting mechanism allows the hatch to be sealed using a separate sealing mechanism, improving the effectiveness of repeated sealing, reducing equipment damage, and enhancing reliability.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a hatch lifting mechanism is provided, characterized in that it comprises: a lead screw, one end of which is connected to a base; a connecting bridge plate connected to the hatch via a connecting column, the connecting bridge plate having a through hole through which the lead screw passes; a lead nut connected to the lead screw, the lead nut being movable along the axial direction of the lead screw; a transition unit located between the lead nut and the connecting bridge plate, the lead nut being connected to the connecting bridge plate via the transition unit, the transition unit preventing rotation of the lead nut from being transmitted to the connecting bridge plate; and a drive unit connected to the transition unit via a drive connecting plate; wherein the drive unit drives the lead nut to rotate via the transition unit, the lead nut being movable along the axial direction of the lead screw to adjust the distance between the hatch and the base; the transition unit allows the lead nut to slide relative to the connecting bridge plate along the axial direction of the lead screw within a preset range.

[0007] Preferably, one end of the lead screw is connected to the base via a Morse taper.

[0008] Preferably, there are two lead screws, which are connected at their other ends by a lead screw connecting plate. The two lead screws and the lead screw connecting plate form a rectangular frame, and the hatch moves up and down along the lead screws within the rectangular frame.

[0009] Preferably, a first bearing is provided in the through hole of the connecting bridge plate, and an upper retaining ring and a lower retaining ring of the first bearing are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the through hole of the connecting bridge plate to prevent the outer ring of the first bearing from coming out of the through hole.

[0010] Preferably, the adapter unit includes: a first bearing located in a through hole of the connecting bridge plate, the outer ring of the first bearing being connected to the connecting bridge plate, and the inner ring of the first bearing being slidable relative to the outer ring of the first bearing along the lead screw direction; a first drive shaft connected to the drive unit, the inner side of the first drive shaft being connected to the lead screw nut, and the outer side of the first drive shaft being connected to the inner ring of the first bearing; and a thrust bearing located below the connecting bridge plate, the moving ring of the thrust bearing being connected to the first drive shaft, and the stationary ring of the thrust bearing being disposed opposite to the lower retaining ring of the first bearing.

[0011] Preferably, the adapter unit realizes the engagement / disengagement function of the nut and the hatch by separating and contacting the stationary ring of the thrust bearing with the lower retaining ring of the first bearing.

[0012] Preferably, the door lifting mechanism further includes: a second drive shaft located below the nut and connected to the first drive shaft; a second bearing sleeved on the second drive shaft, the inner ring of the second bearing being connected to the second drive shaft, and the outer ring of the second bearing being connected to the drive connecting plate.

[0013] Preferably, the first bearing includes a needle roller bearing, the thrust bearing includes a thrust ball bearing, and the second bearing includes a deep groove ball bearing.

[0014] Preferably, the hatch lifting mechanism further includes: a first limiting unit for limiting the lead screw nut to rise to the highest point of the lead screw, the first limiting unit having a positioning rod located on the connecting bridge plate and a sensor located on the lead screw connecting plate; and a second limiting unit for limiting the lead screw nut to descend to the bottom of the lead screw to avoid collision between the adapter unit and the hatch, the second limiting unit having a positioning rod located on the hatch and a sensor located on the side of the drive connecting plate.

[0015] Preferably, when the hatch is lifted by the base, the nut continues to move downward until the second limiting unit is triggered, and the distance the nut continues to move downward is not less than the locking distance of the hatch.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a sealed hatch is also provided, characterized in that it comprises: a base; a hatch located on the base and disposed opposite to the base; a hatch lifting mechanism as described in any of the preceding claims; wherein the hatch lifting mechanism can drive the hatch to move along the direction of the lead screw to realize the lifting and lowering of the hatch.

[0017] Preferably, the sealed hatch further includes a locking mechanism. When the hatch is lowered to the locking position, the locking mechanism causes the hatch to continue to descend, thereby sealing the hatch with the base.

[0018] The hatch lifting mechanism and sealed hatch provided in this invention connect the screw nut to the hatch using a transition unit. This transition unit allows the screw nut to move within a preset distance without moving with the hatch, thus preventing damage to the screw nut and screw screw joint when the hatch is locked downwards by the locking mechanism. This hatch lifting mechanism not only realizes the raising and lowering of the hatch but also avoids damage to the screw screw and screw nut during the locking phase of the hatch. It is equipped with multiple sensors for upper and lower limit settings, resulting in high structural reliability. The corresponding sealed hatch not only realizes the raising and lowering of the hatch but also provides the locking distance required for the hatch to lock. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a sealed hatch according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 2 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the door lifting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 3An exploded view of the hatch lifting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the door lifting mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention raised to the top is shown; Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional view of the door lifting mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention is shown when the door is lowered to the base and supported by the base; a partial cross-sectional view of the locking position is also shown. Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the door lifting mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention is shown when it is lowered to the lower limit position.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: Base 10, hatch 20, connecting bridge plate 21, connecting column 22, lead screw 31, lead screw nut 32, lead screw connecting plate 33, adapter unit 40, drive unit 50, upper retaining ring 211 of the first bearing, lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing, first drive shaft 410, upper section 411 of the first drive shaft, middle section 412 of the first drive shaft, lower section 413 of the first drive shaft, thrust bearing 414, second drive shaft 420, deep groove ball bearing 421, outer retaining ring 422. Inner retaining ring 423, locking nut 424, first bearing 430, first bearing outer ring 431, needle roller 432, first bearing inner ring 433, drive retaining ring 440, servo motor 510, reducer 511, drive wheel 512, driven wheel 513, transmission belt 514, drive connecting plate 520, motor connecting hole 521, guide sleeve connecting hole 522, guide sleeve 523, drive connecting hole 524, sensor 525, positioning rod 526, step 527. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the various drawings, the same elements are indicated by similar reference numerals. For clarity, the various parts in the drawings are not drawn to scale. Furthermore, some well-known parts may not be shown.

[0023] It should be understood that when describing the structure of a component, when referring to a layer or region as being "above" or "on top of" another layer or region, it can mean that it is directly above the other layer or region, or that it contains other layers or regions between it and the other layer or region. Furthermore, if the component is flipped over, that layer or region will be located "below" or "under" the other layer or region.

[0024] To describe a situation where it is located directly on another layer or another area, this article will use the expressions "directly on top of" or "on and adjacent to".

[0025] Many specific details of the invention, such as the structure, materials, dimensions, processing methods, and techniques of the components, are described below to provide a clearer understanding of the invention. However, as those skilled in the art will understand, the invention may be implemented without following these specific details.

[0026] This invention can be presented in various forms, some of which will be described below.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a sealed hatch according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The distance between the hatch 20 and the base 10 is adjusted by a hatch lifting mechanism. After the hatch 20 and the base 10 are in contact, an additional locking mechanism (not shown in the figure) achieves a seal between the hatch 20 and the base 10. The hatch lifting mechanism includes a lead screw 31, a lead nut (enclosed by a transfer unit in the figure and not shown), a transfer unit 40, a connecting bridge plate 21, a connecting column 22, a drive connecting plate 520, and a drive unit 50. The bottom end of the lead screw 31 is connected to the base 10. Specifically, the lead screw 31 and the base 10 are connected by a Morse taper. This design ensures the perpendicularity between the lead screw 31 and the reference plane of the base 10, and also ensures the installation and positioning accuracy of the lead screw 31. Furthermore, the Morse taper has excellent self-locking function, which can effectively prevent the lead screw 31 from rotating during operation. The other end of the lead screw 31 passes through the hatch 20, for example. A lead screw nut is provided on the lead screw 31. The lead screw nut can move up and down along the lead screw 31, but it needs to rotate along the lead screw 31 when it moves up and down. The lead screw nut is connected to the connecting bridge plate 21 through the adapter unit 40 to prevent the rotation of the lead screw nut from being transmitted to the connecting bridge plate 21. The connecting bridge plate 21 is fixedly connected to the hatch through the connecting column 22. The drive unit 50 is connected to the adapter unit 40 through the drive connecting plate 520. The drive unit 50 is used to provide power to the lead screw nut, drive the lead screw nut to rotate, and make the lead screw nut move up and down along the axis of the lead screw 31.

[0028] Furthermore, since the hatch lifting mechanism stops operating when the hatch is sealed, the locking mechanism drives the hatch 20 to continue moving downwards, moving a certain distance (locking stroke) to achieve sealing. In order to prevent the hatch 20 from continuing to move downwards and causing damage to the screw nut and screw rod, the screw nut and the adapter unit 40 in the hatch lifting mechanism can slide relative to the connecting bridge plate 21 in the axial direction of the screw rod within a preset range. Of course, when the movement of the screw nut and the adapter unit 40 relative to the connecting bridge plate 21 exceeds the preset range, its movement will still continue to be transmitted to the connecting bridge plate 21, and then drive the hatch 20 through the connecting column 22.

[0029] Specifically, after the hatch 20 moves down to fit against the base 10 and is lifted by the base 10, the hatch lifting mechanism continues to descend (the nut and the adapter slide downward relative to the connecting bridge plate 21) until the lower limit. The distance by which the nut and the adapter slide downward relative to the connecting bridge plate 21 is a preset distance h, which is, for example, not less than the locking distance n. Then, the hatch 20 and the base 10 are locked together by a locking mechanism (not shown in the figure). The hatch 20 moves down the locking distance n, which simultaneously drives the connecting bridge plate 21 to move down. The connecting bridge plate 21 moves downward relative to the nut and the adapter 40. Since the preset distance h is not less than the locking distance n, the relative position of the connecting bridge plate 21 and the adapter 40 will at most return to the state before the hatch 20 is lifted by the base 10. The downward locking distance n of the hatch 20 and the connecting bridge plate 21 will not drive the nut to move down, thereby avoiding damage to the nut and the lead screw 31. When the hatch 20 needs to be opened, the locking mechanism releases the hatch 20, the hatch lifting mechanism operates, the nut rotates and moves upward, and drives the transfer unit 40 to move upward. When the upward distance exceeds the preset distance h, the transfer unit 40 will provide support to the connecting bridge plate 21, thereby driving the hatch 20 to move upward through the connecting bridge plate 21 and the connecting column 22, so as to realize the hatch opening and lifting.

[0030] Of course, a pair of hatch lifting mechanisms can be symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the hatch 20. The top ends of the two lead screws 31 are respectively connected to the two ends of the lead screw connecting plate 33. The two lead screws 31 and the lead screw connecting plate 33 form a gantry frame for greater stability. The symmetrical arrangement of the lead screws 31 also makes the movement of the hatch 20 more stable and smooth. Furthermore, three or more hatch lifting mechanisms can be set, which can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0031] Figure 2 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the door lifting mechanism of the present invention is shown, as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the lifting mechanism comprises multiple components, which will be described separately below for clarity.

[0032] The driving unit of the lifting mechanism includes a servo motor 510, a reducer 511, a drive wheel 512, a transmission belt 514, and a driven wheel 513. The driving unit is connected to the adapter unit 40 via a drive connecting plate 520. The driven wheel 513 is connected to the drive retaining ring 440 in the adapter unit 40. The output end of the servo motor 510 is connected to the input end of the reducer 511. The reducer 511 is connected to one side of the drive connecting plate 520 near its output end. The output end of the reducer 511 passes through the drive connecting plate 520 and is connected to the drive wheel 512. The drive wheel 512 is connected to the driven wheel 513 via the transmission belt 514. The diameter of the drive wheel 512 is, for example, smaller than the diameter of the driven wheel 513. That is, the output of the servo motor 510 is reduced by two stages of reduction by the reducer 511 and the belt drive, and then drives the lead screw nut 32 via the adapter unit. The servo motor 510 can rotate forward or backward, thereby driving the lead screw nut 32 to move up or down along the lead screw 31.

[0033] The transfer unit of the lifting mechanism includes: a drive retaining ring 440, a first bearing, a thrust bearing 414, a first drive shaft 410, a second drive shaft 420, a deep groove ball bearing, an outer retaining ring, an inner retaining ring, and a locking nut 424. The drive retaining ring 440 is located below and connected to the driven wheel 513. The inner diameter of the drive retaining ring 440 is, for example, slightly larger than the lead screw nut 32. One end of the lead screw nut 32 passes through the inner side of the drive retaining ring 440 and the driven wheel 513. The lower end face of the drive retaining ring 440 is connected to the upper end face of the first drive shaft 410, transmitting rotation to the first drive shaft 410. The first drive shaft 410 is connected to the lead screw nut 32, transmitting rotation to the lead screw nut 32. The lead screw nut 32 achieves axial displacement along the lead screw 31 through rotation. The second drive shaft 420 is located below and connected to the lead screw nut 32, rotating with the lead screw nut 32.

[0034] Some components in the adapter unit 40 are blocked, Figure 2 The first bearing, which is not visible in the image, is, for example, the first bearing described above. This first bearing, such as a needle roller bearing, is located in the through-hole of the connecting bridge plate 21. It is used to prevent the rotation of the nut 32 from being transmitted to the connecting bridge plate 21. The moving ring (inner ring) of the needle roller bearing is connected, for example, to the first drive shaft 410, and the stationary ring (outer ring) is connected, for example, to the side wall of the through-hole of the connecting bridge plate 21. They are clamped and fixed by the upper retaining ring 211 and the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing on the upper and lower sides of the connecting bridge plate 21. The moving ring of the first bearing can rotate relative to the stationary ring and move up and down along the axis. Similarly, the deep groove ball bearing described above... Figure 2 It is not visible in the middle. The inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing is connected to the second drive shaft 420 and locked by the inner ring retainer and the lock nut 424. The outer ring of the deep groove ball bearing is connected to the drive connecting plate 520 and clamped by the outer ring retainer and the drive connecting plate 520.

[0035] Furthermore, the door lifting mechanism also includes a limiting unit, which includes, for example, a first limiting unit for upper limit and a second limiting unit for lower limit, so as to... Figure 2 Taking the enlarged second limiting unit in the lower left corner as an example, this second limiting unit includes, for example, a positioning rod 526 and a corresponding sensor 525. The positioning rod 526 is located on the hatch 20, and the side of the positioning rod 526 facing the sensor 525 can clamp a laterally extending positioning piece, and the position and height of the positioning piece can be partially adjusted. The sensor 525 is, for example, located on the side of the drive connecting plate 520. When the lead screw nut 32 moves up and down along the lead screw 31, it drives the drive connecting plate 520 to move together through the adapter unit, and the sensor 525 will... As the drive connecting plate 520 moves up and down, when the relative positional relationship between the sensor 525 and the positioning piece on the positioning rod 526 changes, the sensor 525 generates a corresponding position signal and transmits it to the control terminal, controlling the drive unit 50 to stop rotating, thus stopping the lead screw nut 32 from moving beyond its travel. Specifically, in the second limiting unit, when the sensor 525 moves down with the drive connecting plate 520 to the point where it can no longer sense the positioning piece on the positioning rod 526, it reaches the lower limit, controlling the servo motor 510 of the drive unit to stop rotating. Similarly, the first limiting unit also includes a positioning rod 526 and a corresponding sensor 525. The positioning rod 526 of the first limiting unit is located, for example, on the connecting bridge plate 21, and the corresponding sensor 525 is located, for example, on the lead screw connecting plate 33. Figure 2 (The part is obscured by the lead screw connecting plate 33 and therefore not shown) When the sensor 525 of the first limit unit senses the positioning piece on its positioning rod 526, the hatch 20 rises to the highest position, reaching the upper limit, and the servo motor 510 of the drive unit stops.

[0036] Figure 3 and Figure 4 An exploded view of the hatch lifting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a partial cross-sectional view of the hatch lifting mechanism when raised to the top are shown respectively. Figure 3 In this process, components coaxial with and directly or indirectly connected to the lead screw 31 are removed to the left side of the lead screw 31 and arranged sequentially from top to bottom, with the drive unit removed to the far left. Combined Figure 3 and Figure 4 It can more clearly show the structure and positional relationship of each component.

[0037] The drive connection plate 520 is, for example, Z-shaped, including an upper first plate and a lower second plate. The first plate has a through motor connection hole 521. The servo motor 510 is connected to the reducer 511, which is connected to the lower surface of the first plate. The output end of the reducer 511 passes through the motor connection hole 521 and is connected to the drive wheel 512 on the upper part of the first plate. A sensor 525 is provided on the side of the second plate to cooperate with the positioning rod 526 to achieve the lower limit. The second plate also has a guide sleeve connection hole 522 and a drive connection hole 522. The connecting hole 524, guide sleeve connecting hole 522, and drive connecting hole 524 are all through holes. A guide sleeve 523 is provided in the guide sleeve connecting hole 522. For example, three connecting posts 22 are provided between the connecting bridge plate 21 and the hatch 20. One of the connecting posts 22 is reused as a guide post, and the guide sleeve 423 is slidably connected to it to prevent the drive connecting plate 520 from rotating. Furthermore, in order to facilitate assembly and avoid incorrect orientation of the drive connecting plate 520, the diameter of the connecting post 22 that is reused as a guide post is different from that of the other connecting posts for differentiation. The drive connecting hole 524 is, for example, for the second drive shaft 420 to pass through, and is connected to the second drive shaft 420 through a deep groove ball bearing 421. For example, a step 527 is provided on the lower surface of the drive connecting hole 524, in which the deep groove ball bearing 421 can be placed. An outer ring retainer 422 is also provided below the drive connecting hole 524. The outer ring retainer 422 is connected to the second plate to lock the outer ring of the deep groove ball bearing 421. An inner ring retainer 423 is provided below the inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing 421. The inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing 421 is clamped to the second drive shaft 420 by the locking nut below the inner ring retainer 423.

[0038] The lead screw nut 32 is, for example, a tube with a flange extending radially outward at the bottom, and has a thread on its inner side corresponding to the lead screw 31. The lead screw nut 32 is connected to the first drive shaft 410 through the flange. The second drive shaft 420 is located below the lead screw nut 32 and is also connected to the first drive shaft 410. That is, the first drive shaft 410 and the second drive shaft 420 cover the lead screw nut 32 from the top and bottom sides. The height of the lead screw nut 32 is greater than the height of the first drive shaft 410. The upper end of the lead screw nut 32 passes through the first drive shaft 410, the thrust bearing 414, the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing, the two first bearings 430, the upper retaining ring 211 of the first bearing, the drive retaining ring 440, and the driven wheel 513 in sequence. The top surface of the lead screw nut 32 is, for example, flush with the upper surface of the driven wheel 513.

[0039] The driving wheel 512 transmits rotation to the driven wheel 513 via the transmission belt 514. The driven wheel 513 is connected to the flange of the drive retaining ring 440. The drive retaining ring 440 is connected to the upper end face of the first drive shaft 410 and transmits rotation to the first drive shaft 410, which then drives the nut 32 to rotate.

[0040] The driven wheel 513 and the drive retaining ring 440 are both located above the connecting bridge plate 21. The connecting bridge plate 21 has a through hole for the lead screw 31 to pass through at the position corresponding to the lead screw 31. The connecting bridge plate 21 is provided with an upper retaining ring 211 and a lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing on the upper and lower sides of the through hole, respectively. Two first bearings 430 are arranged vertically inside the through hole of the connecting bridge plate 21. Taking the first bearing 430 near the upper retaining ring 211 of the first bearing as an example, the first bearing 430 is, for example, a needle roller bearing, which includes an outer ring 431, a needle roller 432 and an inner ring 433 of the first bearing from the outside to the inside. The inner ring 433 of the first bearing can slide up and down (along the axial direction of the vertical needle roller bearing) relative to the outer ring 431 and the needle roller 432 of the first bearing. The upper retaining ring 211 and the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing clamp the outer rings 431 of the two first bearings 430 arranged vertically, and prevent the needle rollers 432 from dislodging. That is, the two outer rings 431 of the first bearings and the corresponding needle rollers 432 are restricted in the through holes of the connecting bridge plate 21 by the upper retaining ring 211 and the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearings. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the upper retaining ring 211 of the first bearing is smaller than the outer ring size of the drive retaining ring 440, to prevent the drive retaining ring 440 from entering the through holes of the connecting bridge plate 21.

[0041] The first drive shaft 410 includes, for example, an upper section 411, a middle section 412, and a lower section 413. There is a step between the upper section 411 and the middle section 412. The diameter of the middle section 412 is larger than that of the upper section 411, and the diameter of the lower section 413 is larger than that of the middle section 412. The lower section 413 has a flange, and a receiving groove is provided on the annular surface of the lower section 413, which is larger than that of the middle section 412. The two upper and lower arranged inner rings 433 of the first bearing are clamped together by the step between the upper section 411 and the middle section 412 and the drive retaining ring 440.

[0042] A thrust bearing 414 is also provided below the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing. The inner diameter of the thrust bearing 414 matches, for example, the diameter of the middle section 412 of the first drive shaft. The thrust bearing 414 is fitted onto the middle section 412 of the first drive shaft, and at least part of it can enter the receiving groove of the lower section 413 of the first drive shaft. Specifically, the thrust bearing 414 is, for example, a thrust ball bearing, including an upper stationary ring (seat ring), a lower moving ring (shaft ring), and rolling elements (steel balls) located between the moving ring and the stationary ring. The screw nut 32 is fixedly connected to the first drive shaft 410. At least part of the moving ring of the thrust bearing 414 is embedded in the receiving groove of the lower section 413 of the first drive shaft. When the screw nut 32 moves upward and the support door 20 moves upward, the upper surface of the stationary ring of the thrust bearing 414 contacts the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing and provides upward support, and then supports the door 20 through the connecting bridge plate 21 and the connecting column 22.

[0043] The second drive shaft 420 is connected to the first drive shaft 410, for example. The second drive shaft 420 also has a multi-segment design to match the drive connection hole 524, the deep groove ball bearing 421, the outer ring retainer 422, the inner ring retainer 423, and the lock nut 424 respectively. Specifically, the second drive shaft 420 is connected to the drive connection plate 520 through the drive connection hole 524 via the deep groove ball bearing 421 and the outer ring retainer 422. The deep groove ball bearing 421 is located at the step 527 of the outer ring of the drive connection hole 524. The inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing 421 is connected to the second drive shaft 420 and locked by the inner ring retainer 423 and the lock nut 424. The upper and lower surfaces of the outer ring of the deep groove ball bearing 421 are clamped by the outer ring of the drive connection hole 524 and the outer ring retainer 422 respectively. That is, the inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing 421 rotates and moves up and down with the nut 32, and the outer ring of the deep groove ball bearing 421 is connected to the drive connecting plate 520 and provides support and displacement along the axial direction of the nut 32 to the drive connecting plate 520.

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown in the right-hand side of the hatch lifting mechanism, when the hatch is raised to its highest position, the positioning plate in the positioning rod 526 on the connecting bridge plate 21 is sensed by the sensor 525 on the side of the lead screw connecting plate 33, thereby achieving the upper limit position, controlling the drive unit 50 to stop, and preventing the hatch 20 from continuing to rise.

[0045] When it is necessary to close the hatch 20, the drive unit 50 drives the screw nut 32 to rotate, thereby causing the screw nut 32 to move the hatch 20 downward along the screw 31. Specifically, the hatch 20 moves downward gradually with the screw nut 32 until the hatch 20 is partially supported by the base 10. Figure 5 As shown, at this time, the hatch 20 is supported by the base 10, the sensor 525 on the side of the drive connecting plate 520 can still sense the positioning piece in the positioning rod 526 on the hatch 20, and the distance between the locking nut 424 and the hatch 20 remains at height H.

[0046] Then the nut 32 and the adapter unit 40 continue to move downwards until the positioning piece in the positioning rod 526 on the hatch 20 separates from the sensor 525 on the side of the drive connection plate 520, as... Figure 6 As shown, the lower limit is achieved by the sensor 525 on the side of the drive connection plate 520, which controls the drive unit 50 to stop and prevent the nut 32 from continuing to descend.

[0047] After the hatch 20 is lifted by the base 10, the screw nut 32 and the adapter unit 40 continue to move downwards by a certain distance. That is, the screw nut 32, the adapter unit 40 and the drive unit 50 all move downwards relative to the connecting bridge plate 21, the connecting column 22 and the hatch 20. The displacement distance is, for example, a preset distance h. Specifically, the inner ring of the first bearing 430 slides out of the through hole of the connecting bridge plate 21 at least partially. The stationary ring of the thrust bearing 414 separates from the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing. The distance between the upper surface of the stationary ring of the thrust bearing 414 and the contact surface of the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing is a preset distance h. The preset distance h should not be greater than the height H to avoid the locking nut 424 moving downwards too much and colliding with the hatch 20. Of course, the opening size of the hatch 20 and the screw 31 can also be designed to be larger than the size of the locking nut 424, which can also avoid interference and collision between the locking nut 424 and the hatch 20.

[0048] The sealing between the hatch 20 and the base 10 is achieved by a locking mechanism (not shown in the figure). For example, the locking mechanism can continue to move the hatch 20 down by a locking distance n to achieve locking between the hatch 20 and the base 10. In order to avoid damage to the nut 32 and the lead screw 31 caused by the nut 32 not rotating and moving down with the hatch 20 during the locking process, the preset distance h needs to be no less than the locking distance n. Specifically, the preset distance h is 5mm and the locking distance n is 2~3mm. After the hatch 20 is lifted by the base 10, it continues to move down by a locking distance n. The hatch 20 drives the connecting bridge plate 21 to move down by n through the connecting column 22. The adapter unit 40 slides relative to the connecting bridge plate 21. The lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing on the connecting bridge plate 21 still fails to contact the thrust bearing 414, and cannot drive the adapter unit 40 and the nut 32 to move down, so as not to damage the nut 32 and the lead screw 31.

[0049] When the hatch 20 needs to be opened, the locking mechanism first releases the hatch 20, and then the drive unit 50 drives the screw nut 32 to rotate and move upward. As the screw nut 32 drives the adapter unit 40 to move upward, the stationary ring of the thrust bearing 414 contacts the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing and provides upward support force. Then, the hatch 20 is moved upward through the connecting bridge plate 21 and the connecting column 22. That is, this design can use the thrust bearing 414 and the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing to realize the clutch function. When longitudinal displacement needs to be transmitted, the two are engaged, and when longitudinal displacement does not need to be transmitted, they are disengaged, leaving sufficient space.

[0050] Furthermore, although the operation of the above embodiments depends on the gravity environment and is not yet applicable to the situation of lateral opening and closing of the hatch, the stationary ring of the thrust bearing 414 can be bonded to the lower retaining ring 212 of the first bearing, and the cage of the rolling element can be connected to one of the moving ring or the stationary ring through a special design, so that the rolling element is always connected to one of the moving ring or the stationary ring and the rolling element is prevented from slipping out; a similar thrust bearing 414 can also be added to the other side of the connecting bridge plate 21, thereby getting rid of the dependence on the gravity environment and making it usable in lateral or weightless environments.

[0051] The hatch lifting mechanism and sealed hatch provided in this invention employ a transition unit to connect the lead screw nut to the hatch. This transition unit allows the lead screw nut to move within a preset distance without moving with the hatch, thus preventing damage to the lead screw nut and lead screw joint when the hatch is locked downwards by the locking mechanism. In other words, this mechanism provides a clutch function between the lead screw nut and the hatch. This hatch lifting mechanism not only realizes the raising and lowering of the hatch but also avoids damage to the lead screw and lead screw nut during the locking phase. It is equipped with multiple sensors for upper and lower limit positioning, resulting in high structural reliability. The corresponding sealed hatch not only realizes the raising and lowering of the hatch but also provides the locking distance required for hatch locking.

[0052] The above description does not provide detailed technical specifications regarding the composition and processing methods of each component. However, those skilled in the art should understand that various technical means can be used to form cavities and holes of the desired shapes. Furthermore, although each component and its variations have been described above, this does not mean that the variations in the various embodiments cannot be advantageously combined.

[0053] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, these embodiments are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Various substitutions and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, and all such substitutions and modifications should fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A hatch lifting mechanism, characterized in that, include: A lead screw, one end of which is connected to a base; A connecting bridge plate is connected to the hatch via a connecting column. The connecting bridge plate has a through hole through which the lead screw passes. A lead screw nut is connected to the lead screw, and the lead screw nut can move along the axial direction of the lead screw; An adapter unit is located between the nut and the connecting bridge plate. The nut is connected to the connecting bridge plate through the adapter unit. The adapter unit can prevent the rotation of the nut from being transmitted to the connecting bridge plate. The drive unit is connected to the adapter unit via a drive connection plate; The drive unit drives the lead screw nut to rotate via the adapter unit, and the lead screw nut can move along the axial direction of the lead screw to adjust the distance between the hatch and the base; the adapter unit allows the lead screw nut to slide relative to the connecting bridge plate along the axial direction of the lead screw within a preset range.

2. The hatch lifting mechanism of claim 1, wherein, One end of the lead screw is connected to the base via a Morse taper.

3. The hatch lifting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are two lead screws, which are connected at their other ends by a lead screw connecting plate. The two lead screws and the lead screw connecting plate form a rectangular frame, and the hatch moves up and down along the lead screws within the rectangular frame.

4. The hatch lifting mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The adapter unit includes a first bearing, which is located in the through hole of the connecting bridge plate. The upper and lower sides of the through hole of the connecting bridge plate are respectively provided with an upper retaining ring and a lower retaining ring of the first bearing to prevent the outer ring of the first bearing from coming out of the through hole.

5. The hatch lifting mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The outer ring of the first bearing is connected to the connecting bridge plate, and the inner ring of the first bearing can slide relative to the outer ring of the first bearing along the lead screw direction. The switching unit also includes: A first drive shaft is connected to the drive unit, the inner side of the first drive shaft is connected to the nut, and the outer side of the first drive shaft is connected to the inner ring of the first bearing. A thrust bearing is located below the connecting bridge plate. The moving ring of the thrust bearing is connected to the first drive shaft, and the stationary ring of the thrust bearing is disposed opposite to the lower retaining ring of the first bearing.

6. The hatch lifting mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The adapter unit achieves the engagement / disengagement function of the nut and the hatch by separating and contacting the stationary ring of the thrust bearing with the lower retaining ring of the first bearing.

7. The hatch lifting mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: The second drive shaft is located below the nut and is connected to the first drive shaft; The second bearing is sleeved on the second drive shaft. The inner ring of the second bearing is connected to the second drive shaft, and the outer ring of the second bearing is connected to the drive connecting plate.

8. The hatch lifting mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first bearing includes a needle roller bearing, the thrust bearing includes a thrust ball bearing, and the second bearing includes a deep groove ball bearing.

9. The hatch lifting mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The first limiting unit is used to limit the nut from rising to the highest point of the lead screw. The first limiting unit has a positioning rod located on the connecting bridge plate and a sensor located on the lead screw connecting plate. The second limiting unit is used to restrict the nut from descending to the bottom of the lead screw to avoid the adapter unit from colliding with the hatch. The second limiting unit has a positioning rod on the hatch and a sensor on the side of the drive connection plate.

10. The hatch lifting mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the hatch is lifted by the base, the nut continues to move downward until the second limiting unit is triggered, and the distance the nut continues to move downward is not less than the locking distance of the hatch.

11. A sealed hatch, characterized in that, include: Base; The hatch is located on the base and is disposed opposite to the base; The hatch lifting mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-10; The hatch lifting mechanism can drive the hatch to move along the axial direction of the lead screw, thereby raising and lowering the hatch.

12. The sealed hatch according to claim 11, characterized in that, It also includes a locking mechanism, which, when the hatch is lowered to the locking position, causes the hatch to continue to descend, thereby sealing the hatch with the base.

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