Sealing ring leakage self-checking system and method for vacuum sealing equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing ring leakage self-checking system and method for vacuum sealing equipment, the sealing ring leakage self-checking system comprises a detection unit and a control unit, the vacuum sealing equipment comprises a vacuum cavity, a sealing door, a main vacuum pump and at least two sealing rings, the sealing rings are installed on the side, facing the vacuum cavity, of the sealing door, and the main vacuum pump is installed on the main vacuum pump. The two adjacent sealing rings, the inner wall of the sealing door and the wall of the vacuum cavity are enclosed together to form a closed and independent detection cavity; the detection unit is communicated with the detection cavity, and the control unit is electrically connected with the detection unit and the vacuum sealing equipment, receives detection data of the detection unit and executes leakage judgment logic. Active pre-detection of the sealing state of the sealing ring, real-time monitoring in operation and accurate positioning of a leakage point are realized, the troubleshooting time is remarkably shortened, the shutdown loss and the maintenance cost of equipment are reduced, and the device is adaptive to various vacuum sealing equipment such as a PVD coating cavity and a vacuum furnace.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vacuum sealing equipment technology, and in particular to a self-inspection system and method for sealing ring leakage in vacuum sealing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In fields such as semiconductors, optical coating, and vacuum heat treatment, the sealing performance of vacuum equipment is crucial to the success or failure of the process. Currently, the door seals of vacuum chambers generally use single or double O-ring seals. Monitoring their sealing performance relies entirely on the vacuum gauge monitoring the main chamber. Leakage is only detected when it becomes significant enough to affect the vacuum level of the main chamber. This reactive monitoring method cannot meet the demands of modern industry for high efficiency and proactive maintenance.

[0003] The sealing door is equipped with two sealing rings, one inner and one outer, designed to improve sealing reliability. If one sealing ring fails, the other can still provide a seal, serving as a safety redundancy. While the double-layer sealing rings offer redundancy, they lack diagnostic capabilities. The sealing status cannot be predicted before equipment startup; leaks can only be detected after the equipment has been evacuated to a certain level and an abnormal reading on the main vacuum gauge is observed, leading to production delays and material waste. When a leak is detected, it's impossible to quickly determine whether the inner or outer sealing ring failed, or even if the problem lies with the sealing ring itself. Maintenance personnel must use cumbersome methods such as helium mass spectrometry leak detection or applying leak detection fluid in sections to check each area, resulting in lengthy fault diagnosis times and significant equipment downtime losses.

[0004] Existing technologies suffer from delayed leak detection and difficulty in locating leak points. Therefore, how to achieve proactive pre-inspection of the sealing status of vacuum sealing rings, real-time monitoring of leaks during operation, and precise location of leak points, thereby avoiding production delays and material waste caused by equipment operating with defects, shortening fault diagnosis time, and reducing equipment downtime losses, has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention constructs a detection chamber and combines the synergistic effect of the detection unit and the control unit to achieve proactive pre-inspection of the sealing status of the sealing ring in vacuum sealing equipment, real-time monitoring during operation, and precise location of leak points. This effectively solves the problems of delayed leak detection and difficulty in locating leak points in existing technologies, avoids production delays and material waste caused by initial equipment leakage, shortens fault diagnosis time, and reduces equipment downtime losses and maintenance costs.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a self-testing system for leaking sealing rings in a vacuum sealing device. The self-testing system includes a detection unit and a control unit. The vacuum sealing device includes a vacuum chamber, a sealing door, a main vacuum pump, and at least two sealing rings. The sealing rings are installed on the side of the sealing door facing the vacuum chamber. Two adjacent sealing rings, the inner wall of the sealing door, and the wall of the vacuum chamber together form a closed and independent detection chamber. The detection unit is connected to the detection chamber, and the control unit is electrically connected to the detection unit and the vacuum sealing device, receiving the detection data from the detection unit and executing leakage judgment logic.

[0008] This invention forms a detection chamber by using two adjacent sealing rings. The pressure inside the detection chamber is monitored by the vacuum gauge of the detection unit. The pressure value is used to determine whether a leak has occurred and on which sealing ring the leak point is. This allows for the detection of sealing ring leaks both before and during equipment operation.

[0009] The following are preferred technical solutions of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the technical solutions provided by the present invention. The purpose and beneficial effects of the present invention can be better achieved and realized through the following preferred technical solutions.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the detection unit includes a vacuum gauge and a detection vacuum pump.

[0011] This invention uses a vacuum pump to evacuate the detection chamber, and simultaneously uses a vacuum gauge to collect pressure data of the detection chamber in real time and transmit it to the control unit, providing accurate and stable pressure data for leak detection and achieving reliable acquisition of detection data.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the control unit has a preset pressure range, and the control unit compares the detection data and the pressure range to output the leakage judgment result.

[0013] This invention determines the sealing status by comparing the detected data with a preset pressure reference range when the seal is in good condition within the control unit. The preset pressure range is determined based on the size of the detection chamber and the capacity of the detection pump used, and is not further limited here.

[0014] The vacuum sealing equipment to which this invention is applicable can be a PVD chamber, a vacuum coating machine, or a vacuum furnace, etc.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the vacuum chamber and the detection chamber are respectively provided with independent venting holes, and the venting holes are provided with venting valves. The venting holes are used to balance the air pressure before the vacuum sealing equipment is opened.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the detection vacuum pump includes any one of a vortex pump, a diaphragm pump, a micro dry pump, or an adsorption pump.

[0017] This invention utilizes a miniaturized, low-speed dedicated vacuum pump to meet the vacuuming requirements of the confined space of the detection chamber, precisely controlling the pressure within the chamber and avoiding interference with detection accuracy caused by excessive vacuuming by a large vacuum pump. The vacuum pump can also be a backup pump from the original device system that meets the above requirements.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the vacuum gauge includes a Pirani gauge or a capacitance film gauge.

[0019] This invention uses a Pirani gauge and a high-precision vacuum gauge with a capacitance thin film to accurately capture pressure changes in the detection chamber caused by minute leaks, ensuring the accuracy of the detection data.

[0020] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the control unit includes a programmable logic controller, an industrial computer, or an embedded system.

[0021] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for self-inspection of sealing ring leakage using the sealing ring leakage self-inspection system described in the first aspect, wherein the sealing ring leakage self-inspection method includes pre-inspection upon door closure and real-time detection during operation.

[0022] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the door closing pre-inspection includes:

[0023] (1) Before the vacuum sealing equipment is put into operation, the sealing door is closed to form a detection chamber. The detection chamber is evacuated and pressure is tested by the detection unit.

[0024] (2) Leakage judgment is performed. When the pressure falls within the preset pressure range, the sealing ring is judged to be well sealed and the equipment can be started normally. When the pressure is greater than the preset pressure range, the sealing ring is judged to be leaking and an alarm is issued.

[0025] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the real-time detection during operation includes:

[0026] (1) Real-time pressure detection of the detection chamber during operation of the vacuum sealing equipment;

[0027] (2) Leakage judgment: when the pressure falls within the preset pressure range, the sealing ring is judged to be well sealed; when the pressure is less than the preset pressure range, the inner ring sealing ring is judged to be leaking and an alarm is issued; when the pressure is greater than the preset pressure range, the outer ring sealing ring is judged to be leaking and an alarm is issued.

[0028] The vacuum sealing device of the present invention operates with a vacuum chamber pressure much lower than the detection chamber pressure. If the inner ring leaks, the high vacuum in the chamber will cause the detection chamber pressure to be lower than the preset range. If the outer ring leaks, the external atmospheric pressure will seep into the detection chamber, causing the detection chamber pressure to be higher than the preset range. This enables precise location of the leak point, replacing the traditional tedious manual leak detection, shortening the troubleshooting time, and reducing maintenance costs and equipment downtime losses.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0030] (1) This invention achieves proactive pre-inspection of the sealing status of the sealing ring through the collaborative design of independent detection chamber, detection unit and control unit, which solves the problem of delayed leakage detection in the prior art and avoids production delays and material waste caused by equipment leakage operation;

[0031] (2) This invention utilizes the correlation between the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cavity during operation and the deviation direction of the pressure in the detection cavity to achieve accurate location of the leak point, replacing the traditional tedious manual leak detection method, shortening the troubleshooting time, and reducing maintenance costs and equipment downtime losses. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a simplified structural diagram of the sealing ring leakage self-inspection system provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0033] In the diagram: P - detection vacuum pump, M - vacuum gauge. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the following embodiments are provided. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] This embodiment provides a self-testing system and method for sealing ring leakage in a vacuum sealing device. The vacuum sealing device is a PVD coating cavity used in semiconductor manufacturing. Figure 1 As shown, its sealing door achieves a high-vacuum seal, and during operation, the vacuum chamber reaches the background vacuum pressure, which is 10. -5 The Pa level is achieved by evacuating the main vacuum pump. The sealing ring consists of two coaxially arranged fluororubber O-rings installed on the side of the sealing door facing the PVD cavity, with a 5mm gap between the two sealing rings. The detection chamber is formed by the two O-rings, the inner wall of the sealing door, and the wall of the PVD cavity. The detection vacuum pump P is a miniature vortex pump, and the vacuum gauge M is a capacitive diaphragm gauge. The vacuum cavity and the detection chamber are each equipped with independent vent holes and vent valves for pressure balancing before opening the door. The control unit is an industrial computer with a built-in preset pressure range of 2Pa~9Pa.

[0037] The leakage self-testing system using the aforementioned sealing ring leakage self-testing system includes the following steps:

[0038] (1) Close the PVD cavity sealing door and perform a door closing pre-inspection. Close the corresponding vent valve of the test cavity and turn on the test vacuum pump to evacuate the test cavity. After evacuating for 5 minutes, switch the test vacuum pump to the pressure holding monitoring state. The vacuum gauge collects the test cavity pressure data in real time and transmits it to the industrial computer. After the pressure stabilizes within 30 seconds and the pressure fluctuation is ≤0.2Pa, record the test data. The industrial computer compares the pressure with the preset 2Pa~9Pa. If the pressure is greater than 9Pa, replace the sealing ring and perform the door closing pre-inspection again. If it falls within the range of 2Pa~9Pa, it is determined that the sealing ring is well sealed and the start-up is allowed. The equipment enters the standby state and waits for the process to start.

[0039] (2) The main vacuum pump of the PVD chamber is started. After 30 minutes of evacuation, the chamber reaches the background vacuum state, and the chamber pressure is displayed as 5×10⁻⁶. -5 Pa, the detection unit runs continuously, monitoring the pressure in the detection chamber in real time; when the pressure falls within the preset pressure range, it is determined that the sealing ring is in good condition; when the pressure is less than the preset pressure range, it is determined that the inner sealing ring is leaking and an alarm is issued; when the pressure is greater than the preset pressure range, it is determined that the outer sealing ring is leaking and an alarm is issued.

[0040] In summary, this invention, by constructing an independent detection chamber and combining the collaboration of the detection unit and the control unit, performs pre-closing inspection and real-time detection during operation, forming a complete self-inspection solution for leaks. This achieves proactive, precise, and full-cycle monitoring of leaks in vacuum sealing equipment. It overcomes the limitations of traditional methods that rely on passive monitoring of the main cavity's vacuum level, successfully solving the technical problems of delayed leak detection and cumbersome fault location. It balances operational safety and maintenance convenience, significantly reducing process risks and equipment downtime losses during production, and providing reliable technical support for the stable operation of high-vacuum sealing equipment.

[0041] The applicant declares that the above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention fall within the protection and disclosure scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-detection system for leaking sealing rings in a vacuum sealing device, characterized in that, The self-testing system for leaking sealing rings includes a detection unit and a control unit. The vacuum sealing device includes a vacuum chamber, a sealing door, a main vacuum pump, and at least two sealing rings. The sealing rings are installed on the side of the sealing door facing the vacuum chamber. The two adjacent sealing rings, the inner wall of the sealing door, and the wall of the vacuum chamber together form a closed and independent detection chamber. The detection unit is connected to the detection chamber, and the control unit is electrically connected to the detection unit and the vacuum sealing device, receiving the detection data from the detection unit and executing the leakage judgment logic.

2. The sealing ring leakage self-testing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection unit includes a vacuum gauge and a detection vacuum pump.

3. The sealing ring leakage self-testing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control unit has a preset pressure range, and the control unit compares the detection data with the pressure range to output the leakage judgment result.

4. The sealing ring leakage self-testing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The vacuum chamber and the detection chamber are each provided with an independent vent hole, and the vent hole is provided with a vent valve.

5. The sealing ring leakage self-testing system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The detection vacuum pump includes any one of a vortex pump, diaphragm pump, micro dry pump, or adsorption pump.

6. The sealing ring leakage self-testing system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, The vacuum gauge includes a Pirani gauge or a capacitance film gauge.

7. The sealing ring leakage self-testing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The control unit includes a programmable logic controller, an industrial computer, or an embedded system.

8. A method for self-testing sealing ring leakage using the sealing ring leakage self-testing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The self-inspection method for sealing ring leakage includes pre-inspection when the door is closed and real-time detection during operation.

9. The self-inspection method for sealing ring leakage according to claim 8, characterized in that, The door closing pre-inspection includes: (1) Before the vacuum sealing equipment is put into operation, the sealing door is closed to form a detection chamber. The detection chamber is evacuated and pressure is tested by the detection unit. (2) Leakage judgment is performed. When the pressure falls within the preset pressure range, the sealing ring is judged to be well sealed and the equipment can be started normally. When the pressure is greater than the preset pressure range, the sealing ring is judged to be leaking and an alarm is issued.

10. The self-inspection method for sealing ring leakage according to claim 8, characterized in that, The real-time detection during operation includes: (1) Real-time pressure detection of the detection chamber during operation of the vacuum sealing equipment; (2) Leakage judgment: when the pressure falls within the preset pressure range, the sealing ring is judged to be well sealed; when the pressure is less than the preset pressure range, the inner ring sealing ring is judged to be leaking and an alarm is issued; when the pressure is greater than the preset pressure range, the outer ring sealing ring is judged to be leaking and an alarm is issued.

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