Transition device for vacuum device and vacuum device

Abstract

The invention discloses a transition device for a vacuum device and the vacuum device, the transition device comprises a drying chamber, the drying chamber is provided with a drying sealing cavity, and a sealing door of the vacuum device can be opened or closed in the drying sealing cavity; the drying chamber is provided with a drying sealing door which can be opened or closed; and the air purification device is used for enabling the dry sealing cavity to obtain a dry gas atmosphere. The drying chamber is arranged to serve as a transition space for external connection of the vacuum equipment, the vacuum equipment is thoroughly isolated from external environment air, the drying chamber keeps a dry gas atmosphere all the time through the air purification equipment, when a sealing door of the vacuum device is opened, only dry air in the drying chamber enters a vacuum cavity of the vacuum device, and therefore the vacuum device can be completely dried. And various defects that ambient air enters the vacuum chamber in the prior art are avoided.

Description

[0001] This case claims the priority of 202311598949.1, a transition device for a vacuum device, a vacuum device, and 202323212343.8, a transition device for a vacuum device, a vacuum device. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of vacuum environment production equipment, and particularly relates to a transition device for a vacuum device and a vacuum device. Background Art

[0004] Large industrial vacuum equipment, such as vacuum evaporation equipment used in the vacuum evaporation process of OLED liquid crystal screens, has a large vacuum chamber. During production, the vacuum chamber needs to be evacuated, and its atmospheric pressure can reach 10 -5 Pa. When the sealing door needs to be opened, for example, when maintenance, loading, or removing products is required, the vacuum chamber will return to the outdoor atmospheric pressure. After opening the sealing door, external air will enter the sealed chamber, and substances in the air, especially moisture, will adhere to the inner wall of the sealed chamber and are difficult to remove even by timely evacuation, which will also have an adverse impact on quickly achieving the required vacuum degree. Therefore, heating and drying are required to remove moisture to meet the strict process environment requirements. However, some materials do not allow heating and baking. For example, KR102285887B1 paragraph 0037 mentions that when the temperature of the vacuum and heat treatment process exceeds 70 °C, due to the rapid temperature rise in the vacuum, pinholes and the like may appear on the surface of the organic material, thereby reducing the surface morphology of the organic material. If the pressure during the vacuum and heat treatment process is higher than 10 -3 torr, the dehumidification effect may be reduced. If the time of evacuation and heat treatment is less than 5 minutes, the dehumidification effect may be reduced. If it exceeds 30 minutes, the surface morphology of the organic material may be reduced. Therefore, dehumidification is a difficult technical problem to handle, and for some magnetic materials, heating is not allowed because there may be a risk of demagnetization. Based on this, there is an urgent need for a non-heating method to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides a transition device for a vacuum device.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is realized through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A transition device for a vacuum device, comprising:

[0008] A transition device for a vacuum device, the vacuum device being provided with a vacuum chamber, comprising:

[0009] Drying chamber, the drying chamber is provided with a drying sealed cavity, and the vacuum chambers of one or more vacuum devices are connected to the drying sealed cavity through the sealed doors provided thereon; or the vacuum chambers of one or more vacuum devices are arranged in the drying sealed cavity;; The drying chamber is provided with a drying sealed door; There is at least one drying chamber;

[0010] Air purification device, the air purification device is provided with an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, both the air inlet pipeline and the air outlet pipeline are communicated with the drying sealed cavity, and the air purification device is used to make the drying sealed cavity obtain a dry gas atmosphere.

[0011] The present invention sets the drying chamber as a transition space for the external connection of the vacuum equipment, completely isolates the vacuum equipment from the external environmental air, the drying chamber always maintains a dry gas atmosphere by using the air purification equipment, and when necessary, it can also perform the operations of heating and dehumidifying and then reducing the temperature to room temperature or the required temperature without causing any adverse effects on the vacuum equipment. When the sealed door of the vacuum device is opened, only the dry air in the drying chamber will enter the vacuum chamber of the vacuum device, eliminating various drawbacks of the higher moisture content environmental air entering the vacuum chamber in the prior art. The operator wears a sealed protective suit and face mask and enters the drying chamber. Only when it is detected that the gas atmosphere in the drying chamber meets the requirements can the sealed door of the vacuum equipment be opened.

[0012] Further, the air purification device is provided with a purification column for removing moisture and a fan for returning the air in the drying sealed cavity to the sealed cavity through the air inlet pipeline, the purification column and the air outlet pipeline. In order to reduce the adhesion of moisture on the inner surface of the vacuum chamber, a purification column (the relevant purification substances can refer to the prior art) is used to circulate and process the air in the drying chamber to meet strict technical requirements.

[0013] Further, the air purification device controls the dew point value of the air in the drying sealed cavity to be less than -76°C or the water content to be less than 1 ppm.

[0014] Further, the transition device further includes a transition chamber, one side of the transition chamber is hermetically connected to the side where the drying sealed door is located, the transition chamber is provided with a transition sealed cavity, and the transition chamber is provided with an openable or closable transition sealed door to lead to the external atmospheric environment.

[0015] Further, the transition chamber is provided with a circulating drying device for circulating and drying the air in the transition sealed cavity.

[0016] Further, the shared or independent circulating drying device includes a shared or independent air purification column, a fan, air outlet and air inlet pipelines, and an electric control valve.

[0017] Further, the air replacement device is provided with an air extraction device for extracting the air in the transition seal cavity and a gas supply device for injecting dry air into the transition seal cavity.

[0018] Further, the gas supply device includes a supplementary air pipeline communicated with the air outlet pipeline and an electric control valve arranged on the supplementary air pipeline.

[0019] The present invention also provides a vacuum device, including a vacuum chamber for production and any one of the transition devices as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0021] Figures 1-5 It is a schematic diagram of different embodiments of the transition device for a vacuum device of the present invention.

[0022] The reference numerals in the drawings respectively represent:

[0023] 1. Vacuum device; 11. Vacuum chamber; 12. Sealing door; 2. Transition device; 21. Dry seal cavity; 22. Dry seal door; 3. Air purification device; 31. Purification column; 32. Fan; 33. Air inlet pipeline; 34. Air outlet pipeline; 4. Transition chamber; 41. Air extraction device; 42. Supplementary air pipeline; 43. Electric control valve; 44. Transition seal cavity; 45. Transition seal door; 331 / 332 / 333 / 341 / 342 / 343. Electric control valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0025] The following further describes the present invention with reference to the embodiments.

[0026] In some embodiments, please refer to the accompanying specification Figure 1 , a transition device for a vacuum device 1, including:

[0027] A drying chamber 2, one side of the drying chamber 2 is hermetically connected to the side where the sealing door 12 of the vacuum device 1 is located. The drying chamber 2 is provided with a drying and sealing cavity 21, and the sealing door 12 of the vacuum device 1 can be opened or closed in the drying and sealing cavity 21; the drying chamber 2 is provided with an openable or closable drying and sealing door 22;

[0028] An air purification device 3, the air purification device is provided with an air inlet pipeline 33 and an air outlet pipeline 34. Both the air inlet pipeline 33 and the air outlet pipeline 34 are communicated with the drying and sealing cavity 21. The air purification device 3 is used to make the drying and sealing cavity 21 obtain a dry gas atmosphere.

[0029] In some embodiments, the vacuum device can be one, two or more. The above-mentioned sealing connection is carried out through the side wall of the drying chamber. The drying chamber can be in the form of a rectangular corridor-like shape, and multiple vacuum devices can be arranged on both sides. The power of the air purification device is adjusted accordingly, or multiple air purification devices can be matched. The present invention sets the drying chamber as a transition space for the external connection of the vacuum equipment, completely isolating the vacuum equipment from the external environmental air. The drying chamber uses the air purification equipment to always maintain a dry gas atmosphere. When necessary, it can also carry out the operation of heating and dehumidifying and then reducing the temperature to room temperature or the required temperature without causing any adverse effects on the vacuum equipment. When the sealing door of the vacuum device is opened, only the dry air in the drying chamber will enter the vacuum chamber of the vacuum device, eliminating various drawbacks of the environmental air entering the vacuum chamber in the prior art. The operator wears a sealed protective suit and mask and enters the drying chamber. Only when it is detected that the gas atmosphere in the drying chamber meets the requirements can the sealing door of the vacuum equipment be opened.

[0030] In some embodiments, the air purification device 3 is provided with a purification column 31 for removing moisture and a fan 32 for returning the air in the drying and sealing cavity 21 to the sealing cavity 21 through the air inlet pipeline 33, the purification column 31 and the air outlet pipeline 34. In order to reduce the content of moisture and other impurities in the cavity air, and further reduce the adhesion of moisture and other impurities on the inner surface of the vacuum chamber, the purification column 31 (the relevant purification substances can refer to the prior art) is used to circulate the air in the drying chamber 2 to meet strict technical requirements.

[0031] In some embodiments, the air purification device 3 controls the dew point value of the air in the drying and sealing cavity 21 to be less than -76°C or the water content to be less than 1 ppm to meet the requirements of the production process.

[0032] In some embodiments, in order to reduce the influence of the external environment on the drying chamber, the transition device further includes a transition chamber 4. One side of the transition chamber 4 is hermetically connected to the side where the drying seal door 22 is located. The transition chamber 4 is provided with a transition seal cavity 44, and the transition chamber 4 is provided with a transition seal door 45 that can be opened or closed to lead to the atmospheric environment. In this way, before personnel and materials enter or exit the drying chamber 2, they first stay in the transition chamber 4 until the air in the transition chamber is replaced with dry air, and then the drying seal door 22 is opened to enter the transition chamber 4.

[0033] In some embodiments, the transition chamber is provided with a circulating drying device for circulating and drying the air in the transition seal cavity 44.

[0034] The circulating drying device can be a shared or independent circulating drying device, including a shared or independent air purification column 31, a fan 32, an air outlet pipeline 34, an air inlet pipeline 33, and an electric control valve, etc.

[0035] In some embodiments, the transition chamber 4 can also be provided with an air displacement device for displacing the air in the transition seal cavity 44 with dry gas.

[0036] In practical applications, the air displacement device is provided with an air extraction device 41 for extracting the air in the transition seal cavity 44 and a gas supplement device for injecting dry air into the transition seal cavity 44.

[0037] In order to save costs and simplify the structure, the gas supplement device includes a supplementary air pipeline 42 communicated with the air outlet pipeline 34 and an electric control valve 43 arranged on the supplementary air pipeline 42. By opening the electric control valve 43, the dry air treated by the purification column 31 can be injected into the transition seal cavity 44, so that the gas atmosphere in the transition seal cavity 44 can quickly be the same as the gas atmosphere in the drying seal cavity 21, and the condition for opening the drying seal door 22 can be quickly achieved.

[0038] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 shown, different from the example of Figure 1 , a part of the vacuum chamber 11 of the vacuum device is located in the drying seal cavity 21, while Figure 3 in the example of

[0039] the entire vacuum chamber 11 is located in the drying seal cavity 21. The present invention also provides a vacuum device 1, including a vacuum chamber 11 for production and any one of the above-mentioned transition devices.

[0040] In some embodiments, multiple vacuum devices 1 share one transition device, such as Figure 4As shown in the figure, it is a situation where three vacuum devices 1 share a transition device. The vacuum chambers 11 of the three vacuum devices 1 are respectively connected to the three side walls of the transition device through sealing doors 12 to communicate with the dry and sealed chamber 21. Another side wall of the transition device is provided with a dry and sealed door 22. There is a dry and sealed door 22 between the dry and sealed chamber 21 and the transition and sealed chamber 44. The transition device is also provided with a transition and sealed door 45 to communicate with the external space (atmospheric environment). The three vacuum chambers 11 are used for production. When it is necessary to load or unload materials in a certain vacuum chamber 11, the corresponding sealing door 12 of this vacuum chamber 11 will be opened. Before opening the sealing door 12, it is necessary to ensure that the gas atmosphere in the dry and sealed chamber 21 meets the requirements to prevent external impurities (especially moisture) from entering the vacuum chamber 11. The circulating drying device includes an air purification column 31, a fan 32, an air outlet pipeline 34, and an air inlet pipeline 33, as well as electric control valves (the electric control valves 331 and 332 on one side of the air inlet pipeline 33 respectively control the opening and closing of the air inlet pipeline 33 communicating with the dry and sealed chamber 21 and the transition and sealed chamber 44; the electric control valves 341 and 342 on one side of the air outlet pipeline 34 respectively control the opening and closing of the air outlet pipeline 34 communicating with the dry and sealed chamber 21 and the transition and sealed chamber 44). The working principle is as follows. When it is necessary to load or unload materials in a certain vacuum chamber 11, before opening the sealing door 12, it is necessary to ensure that the gas atmosphere in the dry and sealed chamber 21 meets the requirements. At this time, the dry and sealed chamber 21 needs to be circulated and dried. The electric control valves 331 and 341 are opened, and the fan 32 is opened to drive the gas in the dry and sealed chamber 21 to return to the dry and sealed chamber 21 through the air inlet pipeline 33, the air purification column 31, the fan 32, and the air outlet pipeline 34, and circulate reciprocally until the internal atmosphere meets the requirements. Then the sealing door 12 is opened to take out the materials from the vacuum chamber 11 or load the materials in the dry and sealed chamber 21 into the vacuum chamber 11. Similarly, when transferring the materials in the dry and sealed chamber 21 to the transition and sealed chamber 44, it is also necessary to first perform a circulating drying treatment on the atmosphere of the transition and sealed chamber 44. Specifically, before opening the dry and sealed door 22, it is necessary to ensure that the gas atmosphere in the transition and sealed chamber 44 meets the requirements. At this time, the transition and sealed chamber 44 needs to be circulated and dried. The electric control valves 332 and 342 are opened, and the fan 32 is opened to drive the gas in the transition and sealed chamber 44 to return to the transition and sealed chamber 44 through the air inlet pipeline 33, the air purification column 31, the fan 32, and the air outlet pipeline 34, and circulate reciprocally until the internal atmosphere meets the requirements. Then the materials can be transferred to the transition and sealed chamber 44. After closing the dry and sealed door 22, the transition and sealed door 45 can be opened to take out the materials.The process principle of feeding external materials into the vacuum chamber 11 is similar. First, the sealing door 12 and the drying sealing door 22 are both closed. At this time, the transition sealing door 45 is opened, and the external materials are fed into the transition sealing cavity 44. Then, the transition sealing door 45 is closed. Next, the electric control valves 332 and 342 of the circulating drying device and the fan 32 are turned on to drive the gas in the transition sealing cavity 44 to return to the transition sealing cavity 44 through the air inlet pipeline 33, the air purification column 31, the fan 32, and the air outlet pipeline 34, and the cycle is repeated until the internal atmosphere meets the requirements. Then, the drying sealing door 22 is opened, and the materials are transferred from the transition sealing cavity 44 into the drying sealing cavity 21. Then, the drying sealing cavity 21 is subjected to circulating drying treatment. If the internal atmosphere meets the requirements, the sealing door 12 is opened, and the materials are moved into the vacuum chamber 11. By controlling the opening and closing of different electric control valves, the circulating drying treatment can be carried out on the drying sealing cavity 11 and the transition sealing cavity 44 separately or simultaneously, and the control is carried out according to the needs of the working conditions, which will not be elaborated here.

[0041] Figure 5 The example of Figure 4 In the example, two groups are mirror-set, with a total of 6 vacuum chambers 11, two drying sealing cavities 21, sharing a transition sealing cavity, and sharing a set of circulating drying devices. By controlling the electric control valves 331 / 332 / 333 / 341 / 342 / 343, the circulating drying operations of the two drying sealing cavities 21 and the transition sealing cavity are controlled. The working principle refers to the aforementioned working principle and will not be elaborated here.

[0042] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that: they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements on some of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements will not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A transition device for a vacuum device, the vacuum device having a vacuum chamber, characterized in that: include: A drying chamber, wherein the drying chamber is provided with a drying sealed cavity, and the vacuum chambers of one or more vacuum devices are connected to the drying sealed cavity through the sealed doors provided therein; or the vacuum chambers of one or more vacuum devices are provided in the drying sealed cavity; the drying chamber is provided with a drying sealed door; the drying chamber is at least one; An air purification device is provided with an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, both of which are connected to a dry sealed cavity, and the air purification device is used to enable the dry sealed cavity to obtain a dry gas atmosphere.

2. The transition device for a vacuum device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air purification device is provided with a purification column for removing moisture and a fan for returning the air in the dry sealed cavity to the sealed cavity through an air inlet pipeline, the purification column and an air outlet pipeline.

3. The transition device for a vacuum device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air purification device controls the air dew point value in the dry sealed cavity to be less than -76°C or the water content to be less than 1 ppm.

4. The transition device for a vacuum device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The transition device also includes a transition chamber, one side of which is sealed to the side where the drying sealing door is located, the transition chamber is provided with a transition sealing cavity, and the transition chamber is provided with a transition sealing door that can be opened or closed.

5. The transition device for a vacuum device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The transition chamber is provided with an air replacement device for replacing the air in the transition sealing cavity with dry gas.

6. The transition device for a vacuum device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The air replacement device is provided with a device for circulating and purifying the air in the transition sealing cavity or using dry air for blowing.

7. The transition device for a vacuum device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The air supply device comprises an air supply pipeline connected with the air outlet pipeline and an electric control valve arranged on the air supply pipeline.

8. A vacuum device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a vacuum chamber for production and any transition device as claimed in claims 1 to 7.

9. The vacuum device according to claim 8, characterized in that One or more vacuum chambers are connected to the dry sealed cavity through a sealed door provided therein; or, one or more vacuum chambers are provided in the dry sealed cavity.

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