Fluid seal structure and fluid control device in a semiconductor process

Abstract

This invention discloses a fluid sealing structure and flow control device for semiconductor process manufacturing. The fluid sealing structure includes a sealing ring, a support ring, and an elastic sealing ring. The sealing ring forms a first inclined surface near the outer wall of a support. The support ring is located on the side of the sealing ring near the support, and forms a second inclined surface near the outer wall of the sealing ring. The second inclined surface abuts against the first inclined surface, and the lowest point of the second inclined surface and the lowest point of the first inclined surface have a preset axial gap. The elastic sealing ring is compressed between the support ring and the stepped portion, and continuously applies an axial force to the support ring, causing the second inclined surface to push against the first inclined surface. This invention solves the problem in the prior art that wear resistance and corrosion resistance cannot be simultaneously achieved in certain processes, and increases the wear resistance of the seal between the valve stem and the upper cover.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of valve technology, and more specifically to a fluid sealing structure and flow control device used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. Background Technology

[0002] Butterfly valves in the semiconductor industry typically have two fluororubber O-rings installed on the valve stem to isolate the highly corrosive process media inside the valve from the external atmosphere. These O-rings incorporate wear-resistant reinforcing agents in the fluororubber to improve their wear resistance, thus meeting the requirements of frequent opening and closing of the butterfly valve.

[0003] In existing technologies, adding wear-resistant reinforcing agents to fluororubber improves wear resistance but reduces corrosion resistance; while using perfluororubber without reinforcing agents satisfies corrosion resistance requirements but lacks wear resistance. Therefore, under certain customized process conditions, neither fluororubber with reinforcing agents nor perfluororubber without reinforcing agents can be used, which undoubtedly hinders the application of certain specific processes.

[0004] Therefore, a new technological solution is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a fluid sealing structure and flow control device for semiconductor process manufacturing, so as to at least solve the problem that wear resistance and corrosion resistance cannot be simultaneously achieved in certain processes in the prior art.

[0006] The embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] This invention provides a fluid sealing structure for semiconductor manufacturing processes, including an upper cover, a bracket, and a valve stem that seal an opening in a valve housing. The upper cover has a first through hole, and a first mounting groove is formed on the upper part of the sidewall of the first through hole along its circumference. The bracket includes a stepped portion and a second through hole that penetrates the bracket and the stepped portion. The stepped portion is inserted into the first mounting groove and forms a mounting area with the horizontal sidewall of the first mounting groove. The valve stem passes sequentially through the second through hole, the mounting area, and the first through hole into the valve housing. The fluid sealing structure for semiconductor manufacturing processes also includes a sealing ring, a support ring, and an elastic sealing ring that are coaxially embedded in the mounting area.

[0008] The sealing ring forms a first inclined surface near the outer side wall of the bracket, and the distance between the first inclined surface and the side wall of the first mounting groove gradually decreases from the end near the bracket to the end away from the bracket.

[0009] The support ring is located on the side of the sealing ring closer to the bracket. The support ring forms a second inclined surface near the outer wall of the sealing ring. The second inclined surface abuts against the first inclined surface, and the distance between the second inclined surface and the side wall of the first mounting groove gradually decreases from the end closer to the bracket to the end farther from the bracket. The lowest end of the second inclined surface and the lowest end of the first inclined surface have a preset axial gap.

[0010] The elastic sealing ring is compressed between the support ring and the stepped portion, and an axial force is continuously applied to the support ring, causing the second inclined surface to push against the first inclined surface;

[0011] When the inner diameter of the sealing ring increases due to wear, the preset axial clearance decreases under the action of the axial force, and forces the section of the sealing ring corresponding to the first inclined surface to bend radially inward.

[0012] Preferably, the sealing ring comprises:

[0013] The support section is a ring structure and is embedded in the installation area. Under the action of the axial force, the support section and the horizontal sidewall of the first installation groove are tightly attached.

[0014] The sealing section is an annular structure and is located on the side of the support section near the bracket. The inner side of the sealing section is in close contact with the valve stem, and the outer side of the sealing section forms the first inclined surface.

[0015] Preferably, the inner side of the sealing section extends toward the valve stem to form a thickened portion, so as to prevent the height of the sealing section from decreasing after wear.

[0016] Preferably, the sealing ring further includes:

[0017] The balancing sealing section is an annular structure located on the side of the support section near the bracket and opposite to the sealing section, in order to prevent the sealing ring from moving as a whole toward the valve stem.

[0018] Preferably, the side of the balancing sealing section facing the sealing section is a third inclined surface, and the distance between the third inclined surface and the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove gradually increases from the end closer to the bracket to the end farther from the bracket.

[0019] The outer wall of the support ring is provided with a fourth inclined surface, which is mirrored with the second inclined surface and abuts against the third inclined surface.

[0020] Preferably, the angle between the first inclined surface and the third inclined surface is smaller than the angle between the second inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface.

[0021] Preferably, the radial distance from the outer wall of the stepped portion to the inner wall of the second perforation is greater than half of the radial thickness of the elastic sealing ring under compressed state.

[0022] Preferably, a second mounting groove is provided on the inner sidewall of the end of the second perforation near the upper cover along its own circumference;

[0023] The fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process also includes:

[0024] An elastic element is fitted onto the valve stem and located within the second mounting groove. The elastic element is compressed between the horizontal sidewall of the second mounting groove and the elastic sealing ring to provide the axial force.

[0025] Preferably, the sealing ring and the support ring are in two sets, and the two sets of sealing rings and support rings are mirror-mounted in the installation area.

[0026] Preferably, the two sealing rings are integrally formed.

[0027] Preferably, the sealing ring includes a first sub-sealing ring and a second sub-sealing ring, the first sub-sealing ring being embedded in the side of the second sub-sealing ring facing the bracket, and the bottom end of the first sub-sealing ring and the lowest end of the inclined surface of the second sub-sealing ring having a preset gap;

[0028] When the first sub-sealing ring is subjected to the axial force, the preset gap decreases, and the first sub-sealing ring squeezes the section of the second sub-sealing ring toward the valve stem, causing it to bend radially inward.

[0029] Preferably, the first sub-sealing ring is inclined on both side walls near the second sub-sealing ring, and the distance between the two inclined side walls of the second sub-sealing ring gradually decreases from top to bottom.

[0030] The present invention also provides a flow control device, including a fluid sealing structure, an actuator, and a heat sink in a semiconductor process as described above;

[0031] In the semiconductor process, the outer diameter of the support of the fluid sealing structure is larger than the outer diameter of the stepped portion and the diameter of the mounting groove. The support and the housing of the actuator are fixedly connected. The valve stem of the fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process is connected to the drive shaft of the actuator. The actuator is used to drive the valve stem to rotate.

[0032] The heat sinks are spaced apart on the outer wall of the bracket.

[0033] Based on common knowledge in the field, the preferred conditions described can be combined arbitrarily to obtain various preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects that the at least one technical solution adopted in the embodiments of the present invention can achieve include at least:

[0035] This invention discloses a fluid sealing structure for semiconductor manufacturing processes. Within an installation area formed between an upper cap and a support, a sealing ring, a support ring, and an elastic sealing ring are nested sequentially. After the first inclined surface of the support ring and the second inclined surface of the sealing ring abut against each other, when the inner diameter of the sealing ring increases due to wear, the axial force provided by the elastic sealing ring reduces the preset axial gap. This forces the section on the sealing ring corresponding to the first inclined surface to radially bend and expand, tightly fitting the valve stem to form an adaptive seal. This allows the sealing ring and support ring to achieve a seal between the valve stem and the upper cap without the need for fluororubber. This solves the problem in some processes where wear resistance and corrosion resistance cannot be simultaneously achieved, increasing the wear resistance of the seal between the valve stem and the upper cap. Simultaneously, the tight fit between the elastic sealing ring and the valve stem, combined with the sealing ring, forms a dual sealing system, further improving sealing performance and effectively isolating external air from the internal medium (gas or liquid medium) of the valve body. Furthermore, it ensures the corrosion resistance of the overall sealing structure. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 A side cross-sectional view of a fluid sealing structure in an existing semiconductor manufacturing process;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a fluid sealing structure in a semiconductor process according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the sealing ring in a fluid sealing structure during a semiconductor process according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the support ring in a fluid sealing structure during a semiconductor process according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a partial cross-section of a fluid sealing structure in a semiconductor manufacturing process according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0042] Figure 6This is a partial cross-section of a fluid sealing structure in a semiconductor manufacturing process according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a fluid sealing structure in a semiconductor process according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a flow control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] The reference numerals in the drawings of this invention are as follows:

[0046] 1. Valve body;

[0047] 2. Top cover; 21. First perforation; 22. First mounting slot;

[0048] 3. Bracket; 31. Bracket body; 32. Stepped section; 33. Second perforation; 34. Installation area;

[0049] 4. Valve stem;

[0050] 5. Sealing ring; 51. First inclined surface; 52. Support section; 53. Sealing section; 54. Thickened part; 55. Balanced sealing section; 56. Third inclined surface; 57. First sub-sealing ring; 58. Second sub-sealing ring; 59. Preset gap;

[0051] 6. Support ring; 61. Second inclined surface; 62. Preset axial clearance; 63. Fourth inclined surface;

[0052] 7. Elastic sealing ring;

[0053] 8. Actuator;

[0054] 9. Heat sink. Detailed Implementation

[0055] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0057] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number and aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0058] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. The drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0059] Additionally, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that practice can be carried out without these specific details.

[0060] In semiconductor manufacturing, butterfly valves are key components for controlling corrosive media. For example... Figure 1 As shown, two fluororubber O-rings are typically installed side-by-side on the valve stem to completely isolate the highly corrosive process medium from the outside atmosphere. These O-rings must strike a balance between resistance to chemical corrosion and resistance to mechanical wear: to ensure wear resistance, reinforcing agents are often added to the formulation, but this weakens its corrosion resistance; conversely, if perfluororubber without reinforcing agents is used, although its corrosion resistance is excellent, its wear resistance is insufficient. This contradiction means that under certain extreme process conditions, neither reinforced fluororubber nor pure perfluororubber can be used, thus limiting the practical application in critical processes.

[0061] In view of this, the inventors conducted in-depth research and improvement on the elasticity of the fluororubber ring, the wedge seal, and the self-adaptive sealing after the seal ring wears. They discovered that a compressed fluororubber ring, a support ring 6, and a sealing ring 5 can be sequentially fitted onto the valve stem 4, with the support ring 6 and the sealing ring 5 nested together to form a preset axial gap 62. This allows the elastic recovery force of the compressed fluororubber ring to provide axial force to the support ring 6, pressing the support ring 6 against the sealing ring 5. This causes the two side walls of the sealing ring 5 to expand to both sides, thereby achieving continuous sealing between the valve stem 4 and the upper cover 2, and between the sealing ring 5 and the upper cover 2.

[0062] Based on this, the embodiments of this specification propose a processing solution: such as Figure 2-4 As shown, the present invention provides a fluid sealing structure for semiconductor manufacturing processes. A sealing ring 5, a support ring 6, and an elastic sealing ring 7 are sequentially nested within an installation area 34 formed between the upper cap 2 and the support 3. The sealing ring 5, support ring 6, and elastic sealing ring 7 are sequentially fitted onto the valve stem 4. A first inclined surface 51 is provided on the sealing ring 5, and a second inclined surface 61 is provided on the support ring 6. A preset axial gap 62 is formed between the lowest points of the first inclined surface 51 and the second inclined surface 61. The elastic sealing ring 7, after being compressed, is positioned between the support ring 6 and the stepped portion 32 of the support 3, continuously applying an axial force to the support ring 6. This causes the second inclined surface 61 to push against the first inclined surface 51, causing the corresponding area of ​​the sealing ring 5 to expand radially outward and tightly fit against the valve stem 4 to achieve a seal. Furthermore, when the inner diameter of the sealing ring 5 increases due to wear, the preset axial gap 62 decreases under the axial force provided by the elasticity of the elastic sealing ring 7 itself, forcing the section of the sealing ring 5 corresponding to the first inclined surface 51 to bend and expand radially inward, thereby achieving an adaptive seal for the valve stem 4.

[0063] The technical solutions provided by the various embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0064] Example 1

[0065] like Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides a fluid sealing structure in a semiconductor process, including an upper cover 2, a bracket 3, and a valve stem 4 that seal the opening of a valve housing 1; the upper cover 2 is provided with a first through hole 21, and a first mounting groove 22 is formed on the upper part of the side wall of the first through hole 21 along its own circumference; the bracket 3 includes a stepped portion 32 and a second through hole 33 that penetrates the bracket 3 and the stepped portion 32, the stepped portion 32 is inserted into the first mounting groove 22, and forms a mounting area 34 with the horizontal side wall of the first mounting groove 22; the valve stem 4 passes through the second through hole 33, the mounting area 34, and the first through hole 21 in sequence to enter the valve housing 1.

[0066] The valve housing 1 includes upper and lower openings, and the upper cover 2 covers the upper opening of the valve housing 1. The upper cover 2 and the valve housing 1 can be connected by threads or nesting.

[0067] The upper cover 2 has a protrusion extending outward from the middle to increase the thickness of a local area of ​​the upper cover 2, so as to provide thickness space for forming the first mounting groove 22. A first through hole 21 is provided through the protrusion, and the first through hole 21 connects the inside of the valve housing 1 and the outside of the upper cover 2.

[0068] The first mounting groove 22 is an annular groove and is formed on the side wall of the first through hole 21 to form an L-shaped groove structure on the side wall of the first through hole 21. Therefore, when the fluid sealing structure is placed vertically in the semiconductor process, the first mounting groove 22 includes an annular horizontal side wall and a vertical side wall.

[0069] The bracket 3 includes a bracket body 31 and a stepped portion 32 connected to the bracket body 31. A second through hole 33 penetrates both the bracket body 31 and the stepped portion 32, and when the bracket 3 is installed on the upper cover 2, the second through hole 33 connects to the first through hole 21. The inner diameter of the second through hole 33 is larger than the outer diameter of the valve stem 4.

[0070] The bracket body 31 can be fixed to the upper cover 2 by fasteners, or it can be inserted into the first mounting groove 22 by the step part 32 to achieve positioning and installation.

[0071] Wherein, after the step portion 32 is inserted into the first mounting groove 22, a gap is reserved between the step portion 32 and the horizontal sidewall of the first mounting groove 22 to form the mounting area 34.

[0072] like Figure 2-4 As shown, the fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process also includes a sealing ring 5, a support ring 6, and an elastic sealing ring 7, which are coaxially embedded in the mounting area 34. The sealing ring 5, support ring 6, and elastic sealing ring 7 are all annular structures, such as circular rings.

[0073] The sealing ring 5 forms a first inclined surface 51 near the outer wall of the bracket 3. The distance between the first inclined surface 51 and the side wall of the first mounting groove 22 gradually decreases from the end near the bracket 3 to the end away from the bracket 3. The support ring 6 is located on the side of the sealing ring 5 near the bracket 3. The support ring 6 forms a second inclined surface 61 near the outer wall of the sealing ring 5. The second inclined surface 61 and the first inclined surface 51 abut against each other. The distance between the second inclined surface 61 and the side wall of the first mounting groove 22 gradually decreases from the end near the bracket 3 to the end away from the bracket 3. The lowest end of the second inclined surface 61 and the lowest end of the first inclined surface 51 have a preset axial gap 62. The elastic sealing ring 7 is compressed between the support ring 6 and the step portion 32. Through its own elasticity, it continuously applies axial force to the support ring 6, so that the second inclined surface 61 keeps pushing the first inclined surface 51 to maintain a seal with the valve stem 4.

[0074] When the inner diameter of the sealing ring 5 increases due to wear, the preset axial clearance 62 decreases under the action of axial force, and forces the section of the sealing ring 5 corresponding to the first inclined surface 51 to bend and expand radially toward the valve stem 4, so as to maintain a seal with the valve stem 4.

[0075] The sealing ring 5 and the support ring 6 can be made of polytetrafluoroethylene, or the support ring 6 can be made of a corrosion-resistant metal material, so that the hardness of the support ring 6 is greater than that of the sealing ring 5, and the sealing ring 5 can be further radially expanded to achieve the sealing function.

[0076] After the valve stem 4 passes through the sealing ring 5, the side of the sealing ring 5 facing the valve stem 4 is in close contact with the valve stem 4. When the overall structure is placed vertically, the first inclined surface 51 is inclined from the top of the sealing ring 5 towards the vertical side wall of the first mounting groove 22 to form a pressure-bearing surface, and the section corresponding to the first inclined surface 51 can bend or tilt towards the valve stem 4 after being pressed.

[0077] In this configuration, after the valve stem 4 passes through the support ring 6, the side of the support ring 6 facing the valve stem 4 can be tightly fitted to the valve stem 4, or a gap can be left between them to reduce friction on the valve stem 4. When the overall structure is placed vertically, the second inclined surface 61 is inclined from the top of the support ring 6 toward the vertical side wall of the first mounting groove 22 to form a pressing surface to press the first inclined surface 51.

[0078] The inclination angles of the first inclined surface 51 and the second inclined surface 61 can be the same or different. When the second inclined surface 61 of the support ring 6 is embedded between the first inclined surface 51 and the vertical side wall of the first mounting groove 22 or embedded in the sealing ring 5, a preset axial gap 62 is formed between the lowest end of the first inclined surface 51 and the lowest end of the second inclined surface 61.

[0079] The sealing ring 5 has a lower hardness than the support ring 6, so that when the support ring 6 compresses the sealing ring 5, the sealing ring 5 can deform, tilt outward, or extend to achieve the sealing function.

[0080] In some embodiments, when the second inclined surface 61 presses against the first inclined surface 51, the side of the support ring 6 opposite to the second inclined surface 61 and the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove 22 are in contact, so that the support ring 6 can press against the first inclined surface 51 of the sealing ring 5, causing the first inclined surface 51 to bend and expand radially inward. At this time, the support ring 6 can also seal the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove 22 by being tightly in contact with it.

[0081] The elastic sealing ring 7 is made of an elastic material, such as fluororubber or perfluororubber. After being compressed, the elastic sealing ring 7 is interference-fitted between the step portion 32 and the support ring 6. Therefore, the elastic sealing ring 7 can output an elastic restoring force to continuously provide axial force to the support ring 6, causing the support ring 6 to tend to move towards the sealing ring 5. If the inner diameter of the sealing ring 5 increases due to wear, the support ring 6 will move towards the sealing ring 5 and press the first inclined surface 51 through the second inclined surface 61, causing the section on the sealing ring 5 corresponding to the first inclined surface 51 to bend radially towards the valve stem 4, thereby maintaining a tight seal.

[0082] Preferably, both the first inclined surface 51 and the second inclined surface 61 are smooth surfaces, and the friction between them should be as small as possible.

[0083] In a fluid sealing structure for semiconductor manufacturing processes, the support ring 6, through an elastic sealing ring 7, causes the second inclined surface 61 and the first inclined surface 51 to continuously compress the sealing ring 5. When the inner diameter of the sealing ring 5 increases due to wear, the section on the sealing ring 5 corresponding to the first inclined surface 51 bends radially towards the valve stem 4 to adaptively close the gap between the valve stem 4 and the sealing ring 5. At the same time, the elastic sealing ring 7 is compressed and disposed between the support ring 6 and the stepped portion 32 to maintain a tight seal with the valve stem 4, thus achieving a dual sealing function and solving the problem in the prior art that it is impossible to simultaneously achieve wear resistance and corrosion resistance in certain processes.

[0084] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sealing ring 5 includes a support section 52 and a sealing section 53. The support section 52 is an annular structure and is embedded in the mounting area 34. Under the action of axial force, the support section 52 and the horizontal sidewall of the first mounting groove 22 are tightly attached. The sealing section 53 is an annular structure and is located on the side of the support section 52 near the bracket 3. The inner surface of the sealing section 53 is in close contact with the valve stem 4, and the outer surface of the sealing section 53 forms a first inclined surface 51.

[0085] The support section 52 is used to install the support sealing section 53. The sealing section 53 is used to close the gap between the valve stem 4 and the sealing section 53 when the first inclined surface 51 is pressed, that is, to seal and fit tightly against the valve stem 4.

[0086] When the support ring 6 is subjected to axial force and the sealing section 53 is squeezed by the second inclined surface 61 and the first inclined surface 51, the support section 52 can be compressed simultaneously, so that the bottom surface of the support section 52 and the horizontal side wall of the first mounting groove 22 are tightly attached to each other, so as to seal the bottom surface of the support section 52 and the first mounting groove 22, thereby effectively isolating the external air from the internal medium (gas medium or liquid medium) of the valve body, and especially preventing the leakage of the medium (especially corrosive or toxic gas) inside the valve body.

[0087] The support section 52 has a square cross-section to increase the contact area between the bottom surface of the support section 52 and the horizontal sidewall of the first mounting groove 22, thereby improving its sealing ability.

[0088] In this embodiment of the invention, the cross-section of the sealing section 53 can be a right-angled triangle structure, with its inclined side located on the first inclined surface 51, and the right-angled side of the sealing section 53 is flush with the side of the support section 52.

[0089] In this invention, the sealing ring 5, by setting a sealing section 53 and a support section 52, can effectively isolate external air from the medium inside the valve body when squeezed by the support ring 6, by sealing the space between the valve stem 4 and the sealing ring 5, the horizontal sidewall of the first mounting groove 22 and the bottom surface of the support section 52.

[0090] In some of these embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the inner side of the sealing section 53 extends toward the valve stem 4 to form a thickened part 54, and the side of the thickened part 54 facing the valve stem 4 is flush with the side of the support section 52 facing the valve stem 4, so as to avoid the height of the sealing section 53 decreasing after wear.

[0091] The thickened portion 54 is used to increase the wear redundancy of the sealing section 53, avoiding the problem that the height of the sealing section 53 gradually decreases during wear due to its triangular cross-section. This ensures that the sealing capacity of the sealing section 53 remains stable and extends its service life. Furthermore, the outer surface of the thickened portion 54 has rounded corners, which increases its thickness and facilitates the assembly of the support ring 6.

[0092] Furthermore, the sealing ring 5 also includes a balancing sealing section 55, which is an annular structure and located on the side of the support section 52 near the bracket 3, and is arranged opposite to the sealing section 53. This is to prevent the sealing ring 5 from moving as a whole toward the valve stem 4, and to seal the vertical sidewall of the balancing sealing section 55 and the first mounting groove 22 when squeezed by the support section 52, thereby achieving a sealing function with the upper cover 2.

[0093] The side of the balancing sealing section 55 facing the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove 22 is flush with the outer side of the support section 52, so as to fit tightly against the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove 22.

[0094] The balancing sealing section 55 and the sealing section 53 are arranged opposite to each other. When the second inclined surface 61 of the support ring 6 and the first inclined surface 51 of the sealing section 53 abut, the side of the support ring 6 opposite to the second inclined surface 61 and the side of the balancing sealing section 55 facing the valve stem 4 abut. That is, when the support ring 6 is displaced downward under force, the support ring 6 can squeeze the section of the sealing section 53 corresponding to the first inclined surface 51 to bend towards the valve stem 4, and can also squeeze the balancing sealing section 55 away from the valve stem 4 and squeeze the support section 52 towards the horizontal side wall of the first mounting groove 22, so as to simultaneously seal the valve stem 4 and the sealing section 53, the vertical side wall of the balancing sealing section 55 and the first mounting groove 22, and the horizontal side wall of the support section 52 and the first mounting groove 22.

[0095] The cross-section of the balancing sealing section 55 can be rectangular, right-angled triangle, right-angled trapezoid, or other similar structures.

[0096] Furthermore, the upper half of the support ring 6 has a rectangular cross-section, and the lower half has an inverted trapezoidal cross-section, which may be an inverted isosceles trapezoid or a right trapezoidal cross-section.

[0097] In some of these embodiments, the support ring 6 may also be of other structures, as long as it has at least a second inclined surface 61 and can compress the first inclined surface 51 under the action of the elastic sealing ring 7.

[0098] Preferably, the bottom width of the support ring 6 is greater than the maximum distance between the first inclined surface 51 and the first mounting groove 22, so as to prevent the support ring 6 from completely entering the vertical sidewall of the first inclined surface 51 and the first mounting groove 22 or completely entering the sealing ring 5, thus failing to apply a radially outward expanding axial force to the sealing ring 5 and causing the seal to fail.

[0099] In some preferred embodiments, the side of the balancing sealing section 55 facing the sealing section 53 is a third inclined surface 56, and the distance between the third inclined surface 56 and the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove 22 gradually increases from the end near the bracket 3 to the end away from the bracket 3; a fourth inclined surface 63 is provided on the outer sidewall of the support ring 6, the fourth inclined surface 63 and the second inclined surface 61 are arranged opposite to each other, and the fourth inclined surface 63 and the third inclined surface 56 abut against each other.

[0100] In this embodiment, the cross-section of the balance sealing section 55 can be a right triangle or a right trapezoid, and the third inclined surface 56 is inclined downward from the top of the balance sealing section 55 toward the valve stem 4.

[0101] When the support ring 6 is subjected to axial force, causing the preset axial gap 62 to decrease, the third side of the support ring 6 presses against the fourth inclined surface 63, causing the balance sealing section 55 to be pressed against the vertical side wall of the first mounting groove 22 to expand, so as to seal the balance sealing section 55 and the first mounting groove 22.

[0102] In this embodiment, after the support section 52 is provided with the balance sealing section 55 and the support section 52, a U-shaped or V-shaped groove is formed between the support section 52, the sealing section 53 and the balance sealing section 55, and when it is a V-shaped groove, its bottom end has a straight transition or an arc transition.

[0103] Optionally, the angle between the first inclined surface 51 and the third inclined surface 56 is smaller than the angle between the second inclined surface 61 and the fourth inclined surface 63, so that the support ring 6 can open the balance sealing section 55 and the sealing section 53 to achieve the sealing function.

[0104] Optionally, the angle between the first inclined surface 51 and the third inclined surface 56 is equal to the angle between the second inclined surface 61 and the fourth inclined surface 63, and the maximum distance between the first inclined surface 51 and the third inclined surface 56 is greater than the maximum distance between the second inclined surface 61 and the fourth inclined surface 63.

[0105] By providing a third inclined surface 56 on the balanced sealing section 55 and a fourth inclined surface 63 on the support ring 6, the present invention can increase the sealing capability between the sealing ring 5 and the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove 22 when the support ring 6 is pressed into the sealing ring 5, thereby improving the overall sealing capability of the fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process.

[0106] In some of these embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the radial distance from the outer wall of the stepped portion 32 to the inner wall of the second perforation 33 is greater than half of the radial thickness of the elastic sealing ring 7 in the compressed state, so as to increase the pressing area of ​​the outer wall of the stepped portion 32 on the elastic sealing ring 7, so as to embed the elastic sealing ring 7 between the stepped portion 32 and the support ring 6.

[0107] In some embodiments, a second mounting groove is provided on the inner sidewall of the second perforation 33 near the upper cover 2 along its circumference; the fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process also includes an elastic element, such as a spring or disc spring assembly, which is sleeved on the valve stem 4 and located in the second mounting groove. The elastic element is compressed between the horizontal sidewall of the second mounting groove and the elastic sealing ring 7 to further provide axial force.

[0108] The second mounting groove is used to accommodate the elastic element after it is fitted onto the valve stem 4.

[0109] Preferably, the bottom end of the elastic element presses against the middle of the elastic sealing ring 7 to prevent the elastic element from slipping off the elastic sealing ring 7.

[0110] Optionally, the bottom end of the elastic element is pressed against the elastic sealing ring 7 by a pressure plate to increase the pressure area on the elastic sealing ring 7.

[0111] For example, the pressure plate can be an arc-shaped plate or a gasket to accommodate and compress the elastic sealing ring 7, preventing the pressure plate from slipping off the elastic sealing ring 7.

[0112] The fluororubber O-ring (elastic sealing ring 7) of the present invention is compressed and positioned on the atmospheric side, pressing against the support ring 6. The support ring 6 is pressed into the groove formed between the balancing sealing section 55 and the sealing section 53 on the sealing ring 5, causing the balancing sealing section 55 and the sealing section 53 to open to both sides, simultaneously applying pressure to the vertical sidewalls of the valve stem 4 and the first mounting groove 22 to produce a seal. Furthermore, when the sealing ring 5 is worn due to long-term operation, resulting in an increase in its inner diameter, the tension provided by the fluororubber in a compressed state allows the support ring 6 to press further against the sealing ring 5, causing the worn part of the sealing ring 5 to bend and expand towards the valve stem 4 to continue to be in a squeezed state, thereby maintaining a continuous seal. At the same time, the fluororubber O-ring (elastic sealing ring 7) is compressed to maintain a tight fit with the valve stem 4, thus producing a sealing function and achieving a double seal. This effectively isolates the external air from the internal medium (gas or liquid medium) of the valve body, thereby overcoming the problem that traditional sealing systems are prone to failure under certain special process support conditions.

[0113] This invention addresses the issue of using PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) material as the sealing ring 5 and support ring 6 in certain special processes, along with fluororubber O-rings, to form a combined sealing system. This solves the problem of not being able to use reinforcing agents and fluororubber simultaneously in some processes. For example, in vacuum processes, a butterfly valve controls the delivery of vacuum gas media. The valve sealing system must ensure a vacuum state inside the butterfly valve to prevent external air from entering the valve body 1 through the second perforation 33. By applying the fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process of this embodiment, the sealing ring 5 and the elastic sealing ring 7, under the action of the support ring 7 and the stepped portion 32 of the bracket, constitute a double sealing function between the valve stem 4 and the upper cover 2, effectively preventing external air from entering the valve body 1 and improving sealing performance and corrosion resistance.

[0114] Example 2

[0115] like Figure 5-6 As shown, the embodiment of the present invention is a modified embodiment of embodiment 1. The difference between the two embodiments is that the sealing ring 5 and the support ring 6 are two sets, and the two sets of sealing ring 5 and support ring 6 are mirror images installed in the installation area 34.

[0116] In this configuration, a sealing ring 5 and a support ring 6, after assembly as in Embodiment 1, form one set. Another set of sealing rings 5 ​​and another set of support rings 6 can be radially installed or stacked to further seal the valve stem 4 and the sealing rings 5, and the sealing rings 5 ​​and the sidewalls of the first mounting groove 22, thus forming a bidirectional and multi-layered sealing system and enhancing the sealing capability of the valve stem 4 sealing structure. Specifically, with... Figure 5Taking the vertical direction as an example, the lower support ring 6 presses against the upper sealing ring 5 from bottom to top, causing the sealing ring 5 to expand radially outward to tightly adhere to the valve stem 4 and the upper cover 2, achieving a bottom-to-top sealing function to prevent leakage of the medium transported inside the valve body. Secondly, the upper support ring 6 presses against the lower sealing ring 5 from top to bottom, causing the sealing ring 5 to expand radially outward to tightly adhere to the valve stem 4 and the upper cover 2, achieving a top-to-bottom sealing function to prevent external air and other impurities from entering the valve body. Additionally, the elastic sealing ring 7, due to being compressed, adheres tightly to the valve stem 4 and the upper cover 2, achieving another layer of sealing.

[0117] Furthermore, after the two sets of sealing rings 5 ​​and support rings 6 are mirror-installed, since the two sealing rings 5 ​​are positioned opposite each other, the two sealing rings 5 ​​can be integrally formed, such as... Figure 6 As shown, this design aims to save materials, reduce installation space for the sealing structure, and lower costs.

[0118] This embodiment increases the number of sealing rings 5 ​​and support rings 6, thereby increasing the contact area between the sealing rings 5 ​​and valve stem 4, and between the sealing rings 5 ​​and the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove 22. This further improves the sealing capability of the fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process, effectively isolating external air from the internal medium (gas or liquid medium) of the valve body, reducing the risk of internal medium leakage and the risk of external air and other impurities entering the valve body.

[0119] Example 3

[0120] like Figure 7 As shown, the embodiment of the present invention is a modified embodiment of embodiment 1, and the difference between it and embodiment 1 is that the structure of the sealing ring 5 is different.

[0121] Specifically, the sealing ring 5 includes a first sub-sealing ring 57 and a second sub-sealing ring 58. The first sub-sealing ring 57 is embedded in the side of the second sub-sealing ring 58 facing the bracket 3, and the bottom end of the first sub-sealing ring 57 and the lowest end of the inclined surface of the second sub-sealing ring 58 have a preset gap 59. When the first sub-sealing ring 57 is subjected to axial force, the preset gap 59 decreases, and the first sub-sealing ring 57 squeezes the section of the second sub-sealing ring 58 facing the valve stem 4 and bends it radially inward.

[0122] Furthermore, the two side walls of the first sub-sealing ring 57 near the second sub-sealing ring 58 are inclined, and the distance between the two inclined side walls of the second sub-sealing ring 58 gradually decreases from top to bottom, so as to increase the contact area between the first sub-sealing ring 57 and the second sub-sealing ring 58, thereby making it easier for the first sub-sealing ring 57 to enter the second sub-sealing ring 58, and also making it easier for the sealing section 53 and the balancing sealing section 55 of the first sub-sealing ring 57 and the second sub-sealing ring 58 to open to both sides.

[0123] This embodiment forms a double seal through the first sub-sealing ring 57 and the second sub-sealing ring 58, which not only increases the length of the preset axial clearance 62, but also increases the contact area between the sealing ring 5 and the valve stem 4, and between the sealing ring 5 and the vertical side wall of the first mounting groove 22, further improving the sealing capability of the fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process, and also making the sealing capability of the flow control device go from meeting the national standard to exceeding the national standard.

[0124] Example 4

[0125] like Figure 8 As shown, the present invention provides a flow control device, including a fluid sealing structure for semiconductor process manufacturing as described in any of Embodiments 1-3, an actuator 8, and a heat sink 9. The outer diameter of the support 3 of the fluid sealing structure for semiconductor process manufacturing is larger than the outer diameter of the stepped portion 32 and the diameter of the mounting groove. The support 3 and the housing of the actuator 8 are fixedly connected. The valve stem 4 of the fluid sealing structure for semiconductor process manufacturing is drively connected to the drive shaft of the actuator 8, and the actuator 8 is used to drive the valve stem 4 to rotate. The heat sink 9 is spaced apart on the outer wall of the support 3.

[0126] The flow control device described in this embodiment can be one of a butterfly valve, gate valve, globe valve, bellows valve, or check valve.

[0127] Among them, the actuator 8 is used to drive the valve stem 4 to rotate and perform work, and the heat sink 9 is used to dissipate heat from the valve stem 4 through the bracket 3.

[0128] The actuator 8 includes a housing, a controller, a rotary motor, and other structures. The drive shaft of the rotary motor is connected to the valve stem 4. The housing is fixedly connected to the top of the bracket 3. The controller is used to control the opening and closing of the rotary motor.

[0129] The flow control device of the present invention has strong sealing and heat dissipation capabilities, and is suitable for certain special processes in which fluororubber and reinforcing agents cannot be used at the same time, thus increasing its application range and service life.

[0130] In this specification, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the product embodiments described later, since they correspond to the methods, the descriptions are relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the system embodiments.

[0131] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A fluid sealing structure for semiconductor manufacturing processes, comprising an upper cover sealing an opening in a valve housing, a bracket, and a valve stem; the upper cover having a first through hole, wherein a first mounting groove is formed along its circumference on the upper part of the sidewall of the first through hole; the bracket including a stepped portion and a second through hole penetrating the bracket and the stepped portion, the stepped portion being inserted into the first mounting groove and forming a mounting area with the horizontal sidewall of the first mounting groove; the valve stem sequentially passing through the second through hole, the mounting area, and the first through hole into the valve housing; characterized in that, The fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process also includes a sealing ring, a support ring, and an elastic sealing ring that are coaxially embedded in the mounting area. The sealing ring forms a first inclined surface near the outer side wall of the bracket, and the distance between the first inclined surface and the side wall of the first mounting groove gradually decreases from the end near the bracket to the end away from the bracket. The support ring is located on the side of the sealing ring closer to the bracket. The support ring forms a second inclined surface near the outer wall of the sealing ring. The second inclined surface abuts against the first inclined surface, and the distance between the second inclined surface and the side wall of the first mounting groove gradually decreases from the end closer to the bracket to the end farther from the bracket. The lowest end of the second inclined surface and the lowest end of the first inclined surface have a preset axial gap. The elastic sealing ring is compressed between the support ring and the stepped portion, and an axial force is continuously applied to the support ring, causing the second inclined surface to push against the first inclined surface; When the inner diameter of the sealing ring increases due to wear, the preset axial clearance decreases under the action of the axial force, and forces the section of the sealing ring corresponding to the first inclined surface to bend radially inward.

2. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing ring includes: The support section is a ring structure and is embedded in the installation area. Under the action of the axial force, the support section and the horizontal sidewall of the first installation groove are tightly attached. The sealing section is an annular structure and is located on the side of the support section near the bracket. The inner side of the sealing section is in close contact with the valve stem, and the outer side of the sealing section forms the first inclined surface.

3. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process manufacturing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner side of the sealing section extends toward the valve stem to form a thickened portion, so as to prevent the height of the sealing section from decreasing after wear.

4. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process manufacturing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sealing ring also includes: The balancing sealing section is an annular structure located on the side of the support section near the bracket and opposite to the sealing section, in order to prevent the sealing ring from moving as a whole toward the valve stem.

5. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process fabrication according to claim 4, characterized in that, The side of the balanced sealing section facing the sealing section is a third inclined surface, and the distance between the third inclined surface and the vertical sidewall of the first mounting groove gradually increases from the end closer to the bracket to the end farther away from the bracket. The outer wall of the support ring is provided with a fourth inclined surface, which is mirrored with the second inclined surface and abuts against the third inclined surface.

6. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process manufacturing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The angle between the first inclined surface and the third inclined surface is smaller than the angle between the second inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface.

7. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radial distance from the outer wall of the stepped portion to the inner wall of the second perforation is greater than half of the radial thickness of the elastic sealing ring under compressed state.

8. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second mounting groove is provided on the inner side wall of the end of the second perforation near the upper cover along its own circumference; The fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process also includes: An elastic element is fitted onto the valve stem and located within the second mounting groove. The elastic element is compressed between the horizontal sidewall of the second mounting groove and the elastic sealing ring to provide the axial force.

9. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process fabrication according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The sealing ring and the support ring are in two sets, and the two sets of sealing rings and support rings are mirror images of each other installed in the installation area.

10. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process fabrication according to claim 9, characterized in that, The two sealing rings are integrally formed.

11. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process fabrication according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The sealing ring includes a first sub-sealing ring and a second sub-sealing ring. The first sub-sealing ring is embedded in the second sub-sealing ring on the side facing the bracket, and the bottom end of the first sub-sealing ring and the lowest end of the inclined surface of the second sub-sealing ring have a preset gap. When the first sub-sealing ring is subjected to the axial force, the preset gap decreases, and the first sub-sealing ring squeezes the section of the second sub-sealing ring toward the valve stem, causing it to bend radially inward.

12. The fluid sealing structure in semiconductor process manufacturing according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first sub-sealing ring is inclined on both sides of the second sub-sealing ring, and the distance between the two inclined side walls of the second sub-sealing ring gradually decreases from top to bottom.

13. A flow control device, characterized in that, Includes the fluid sealing structure, actuator, and heat sink in the semiconductor process as described in any one of claims 1-12; In the semiconductor process, the outer diameter of the support of the fluid sealing structure is larger than the outer diameter of the stepped portion and the diameter of the mounting groove. The support and the housing of the actuator are fixedly connected. The valve stem of the fluid sealing structure in the semiconductor process is connected to the drive shaft of the actuator. The actuator is used to drive the valve stem to rotate. The heat sinks are spaced apart on the outer wall of the bracket.

Images