Control device and special gas control system

Abstract

The utility model provides a control device and a special gas control system, the control device is used for controlling a valve, and the control device comprises a rotating arm, a controller and a driving part; the first end of the rotating arm is configured to be fixed at a preset position, the second end of the rotating arm is connected with the driving component, and the rotating arm is used for adjusting the position and the posture of the driving component; the controller is in communication connection with the driving part and is used for controlling the driving part to rotate; the driving part is configured to be capable of being connected with the valve in a clamped mode and driving the valve to rotate. The control device can replace manual work to automatically control and operate the valve, so that personnel injury caused by direct operation of the valve by personnel is effectively avoided, and the personal safety of operators is protected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a control device and a special gas control system. Background Art

[0002] A lot of toxic and corrosive gases are needed in the semiconductor manufacturing process. The special gas equipment commonly used in the market requires personnel to operate valves to achieve the conditions for the cylinders to be online. Due to interference from a series of external factors, it is very likely that a large amount of gas will leak during the operation of the valve, causing production impacts and even endangering personnel safety.

[0003] Therefore, it is urgent to develop an operating device that can effectively avoid possible personal injuries caused by direct valve operation by personnel and protect the personal safety of operators. Utility Model Content

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present application is how to avoid personal injury caused by direct operation of the valve by personnel and protect the personal safety of the operator.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a control device for controlling a valve, comprising a rotating arm, a controller and a driving component; the first end of the rotating arm is configured to be fixed at a preset position, the second end of the rotating arm is connected to the driving component, and the rotating arm is used to adjust the position and posture of the driving component; the controller is communicatively connected to the driving component, and is used to control the rotation of the driving component; the driving component is configured to be able to engage with the valve and drive the valve to rotate.

[0006] In some embodiments of the present application, the driving component includes: a rotating motor, which is communicatively connected to the controller and connected to the second end of the rotating arm; and a torque wrench, one end of the torque wrench is connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor, and the other end of the torque wrench is used to clamp the valve.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, the torque wrench includes: a base, one side of which is connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor; and a clamping portion, which is arranged on the other side of the base, and the clamping portion is adapted to the shape and size of the valve and is used to clamp the valve.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the clamping portion includes a plurality of claws respectively fixedly connected to the base.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the base is disc-shaped, and the plurality of claw teeth are evenly distributed along the circumference of the base.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the rotating arm includes a first arm body, a first power mechanism, and a second arm body connected in sequence; the first arm body is used to be fixed in a preset position, and the second arm body is connected to the driving component; the first power mechanism is communicatively connected to the controller, and is used to generate relative movement between the first arm body and the second arm body under the control of the controller.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the first arm is fixed at the preset position by a second power mechanism, and the second power mechanism is communicatively connected to the controller for moving the first arm relative to the preset position under the control of the controller.

[0012] One of the embodiments of the present application provides a special gas control system, comprising: a container with a valve, for containing the special gas; the control device described in the present application, for controlling the valve to open or close; a sealed box, in which the container and the control device are both arranged; and a control console, which is communicatively connected to a controller of the control device and is used to control the control device to open or close the valve.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the box is connected to an exhaust system.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, a detector is also included, which is connected to the exhaust system and communicates with the controller, and is used to detect whether leakage of the special gas occurs in the box and send the detection result to the controller; when the detection result is that the leakage amount of the special gas in the box is greater than the set value, the controller controls the driving component to rotate to close the valve.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0016] 1. The control device adjusts the position and posture of the driving component through the rotating arm, which facilitates the engagement of the driving component with the valve, and controls the rotation of the driving component through the controller, thereby driving the valve to rotate. The control device can replace manual operation of opening or closing the valve, greatly reducing the operational risk of personnel directly operating the valve, and effectively protecting the safety of the operator.

[0017] 2. Applying the control device to a special gas control system can realize automatic opening or closing of the valve without opening the gas cabinet door, thereby avoiding environmental pollution and personal injury caused by gas leakage when personnel directly operate the valve.

[0018] 3. By setting up a detector in the special gas control system to detect whether there is leakage of special gas in the gas cabinet, when leakage occurs, the controller will issue an alarm and control the driving component to rotate and close the valve in time, which can effectively prevent toxic and harmful gases from spreading into the air and causing further damage.

[0019] 4. Low operating cost, low equipment power consumption and operating cost, high safety factor, maintenance-free, economical and practical. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The following figures describe in detail the exemplary embodiments disclosed in this application. The same reference numerals represent similar structures in several views of the drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments are non-limiting, exemplary embodiments, and the drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and description, and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Other embodiments may also accomplish the inventive intent in this application. It should be understood that the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0021] in:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a control device using an electrically controlled rotating arm according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of a special gas control system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of another special gas control system according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following description provides specific application scenarios and requirements of the present application, with the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the content in the present application. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various local modifications to the disclosed embodiments are apparent, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the embodiments shown, but to the widest scope consistent with the claims.

[0027] The present application provides a control device for controlling a valve, comprising a rotating arm, a controller and a driving component; the first end of the rotating arm is configured to be fixed at a preset position, the second end of the rotating arm is connected to the driving component, and the rotating arm is used to adjust the position and posture of the driving component; the controller is communicatively connected to the driving component, and is used to control the rotation of the driving component; the driving component is configured to be able to engage with the valve and drive the valve to rotate.

[0028] The control device provided by the present application adjusts the position and posture of the driving component through the rotating arm, so as to facilitate the engagement of the driving component with the valve, and controls the rotation of the driving component through the controller, thereby driving the valve to rotate. The control device can replace manual operation to automatically open or close the valve, greatly reducing the operational risk of personnel directly operating the valve, and effectively protecting the safety of the operator.

[0029] The control device provided in the present application will be described in detail below in conjunction with the embodiments and drawings.

[0030] refer to Figure 1 The embodiment of the present application provides a control device, including a rotating arm 1, a controller 2 and a driving component 3; the first end 1a of the rotating arm 1 is a fixed end, and the second end 1b of the rotating arm 1 is connected to the driving component 3 for adjusting the position and posture of the driving component 3; the controller 2 is communicated with the driving component 3 for controlling the rotation of the driving component 3; the driving component 3 can be engaged with the valve 4 to drive the valve 4 to rotate.

[0031] In some embodiments, the first end 1a of the rotating arm 1 is fixed at a preset position such as a wall or a box wall. In some embodiments, a fixing seat is provided at the preset position, and the first end 1a of the rotating arm 1 is connected to the fixing seat.

[0032] refer to Figure 2 The rotating arm 1 includes a first arm body 11, a first power mechanism 13 and a second arm body 12 connected in sequence, and one end of the first arm body 11 is used for fixing. The first power mechanism 13 is connected to the controller 2 for communication, and the second arm body 12 is connected to the driving component 3. Under the control of the controller 2, the first arm body 11 and the second arm body 12 can generate relative motion, thereby adjusting the position and posture of the driving component 3 according to the specific position of the valve, so as to facilitate the clamping of the two.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first arm 11 is fixed at a preset position by a second power mechanism 14 , and the second power mechanism 14 is communicated with the controller 2 for moving the first arm 11 relative to the preset position under the control of the controller 2 , thereby increasing the flexibility of the rotating arm 1 .

[0034] In some embodiments, the second arm 12 is connected to the driving component 3 through a third power mechanism 15, and the third power mechanism 15 is communicatively connected to the controller 2 for causing relative movement between the second arm 12 and the driving component 3 under the control of the controller 2 to adjust the docking position of the driving component 3.

[0035] The first power mechanism 13, the second power mechanism 14 and the third power mechanism 15 can be a single motor or a combination of motors. The types of motors include but are not limited to stepper motors, DC motors, servo motors, etc. The corresponding power mechanisms are designed according to the application scenarios of controlling the valves to meet the required power output forms, such as 360° rotation, linear motion or compound motion. The motors can also be integrated with other functional components to meet more complex and sophisticated multi-axis motion needs, while improving the control accuracy of the controller 2, other functional components such as reducers, sensors, encoders, etc.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first power mechanism 13, the second power mechanism 14 and the third power mechanism 15 are replaced by mechanical joints, such as universal joints, universal ball joints, etc. Such universal joints can enable 360° relative movement between different components, making the control operation more flexible and convenient. A locking device can also be provided for each power structure to fix it in a desired position.

[0037] When a mechanical joint is used, in some embodiments, the first arm body 11 and the second arm body 12 are made of a bendable pipe, such as a threaded pipe. The threaded pipe can adjust the direction and length at will, and has a certain rigidity, so that the rotating arm 1 can be kept in the desired position. In some embodiments, the first arm body 11 and the second arm body 12 are telescopic structures, such as two sections of rods sleeved together. The telescopic structure is easy to adjust the length and can expand the range of motion of the rotating arm 1. Manual operation of the rotating arm 1 and the valve clamping can avoid the error caused by the electric control operation to a certain extent, and is suitable for occasions where the rotating arm 1 does not need to be moved repeatedly after a single docking.

[0038] The controller 2 can be a PLC controller, a servo controller, a PC controller, etc. The communication mode of the controller 2 can be a wired mode such as an optical fiber, a network cable, etc., or a wireless mode such as WIFI, Bluetooth, etc. Among them, the PLC controller has the characteristics of fast response speed, high reliability, simple maintenance, etc., and can be programmed to realize multi-axis linkage and coordinated movement of the joints of the rotating arm.

[0039] In some embodiments, the communication line between the controller 2 and the driving component 3 is arranged in the rotating arm 1, which can simplify the external line and improve the safety of the equipment.

[0040] The driving component 3 includes a rotary motor 31 and a torque wrench 32. The top of the rotary motor 31 is fixedly connected to the output end of the third power mechanism 15. The output shaft of the rotary motor 31 is connected to one end of the torque wrench 32. The other end of the torque wrench 32 is connected to the valve 4. The rotary motor 31 is connected to the controller 2. Under the control of the controller 2, the azimuth angle of the rotary motor 31 can be adjusted through the third power structure 15. After the torque wrench 32 is successfully connected to the valve 4, the rotary motor 31 is controlled to drive the torque wrench 32 to rotate, thereby opening or closing the valve 4. The rotary motor 31 can be a stepper motor, a DC motor, etc.

[0041] In some embodiments, the controller 2 can apply appropriate torque to the valve 4 by controlling the output torque of the rotary motor 31, thereby effectively protecting the valve and preventing it from being damaged and causing leakage. In actual use, the rotation torque of the torque wrench 32 can be regularly checked to ensure the control accuracy of the controller 2.

[0042] The torque wrench 32 includes a base 321 and a clamping portion 322. The shape and size of the base 321 are not limited, and can be cylindrical, square, conical, etc. One side of the base 321 is connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor 31, and the connection method can be a spline connection, a flat key connection, etc., so that the two can rotate with the motor. The other side of the base 321 is connected to the clamping portion 322, and the clamping portion 322 is adapted to the shape and size of the valve 4.

[0043] In some embodiments, the valve 4 has a hexagonal prism shape, and in this case, the clamping portion 322 can be designed as a sleeve with a hexagonal cross section.

[0044] In some embodiments, the valve 4 is wheel-shaped, and the clamping portion 322 can be designed as a claw shape. The clamping portion 322 can be composed of a plurality of claws, each of which is connected to the base 321. The structure of the claw can be strip-shaped, rod-shaped, hook-shaped, etc. When the base 321 is circular, the plurality of claws can be evenly arranged along the circumference of the base 321, so that during the clamping and rotating process between the clamping portion 322 and the valve 4, the force on the valve 4 can be more balanced, which is convenient for the precise control of the controller 2.

[0045] In some embodiments, the claws of the clamping portion 322 are elastic, and the elastic claws can more firmly grasp the valve 4 when clamping, so that the valve 4 remains fixed and does not come off. Specifically, the claws can be made of elastic material, and an elastic element such as a spring can be provided between the claws and the base 321, so that the claws can be opened toward the outside of the base 321 for easy clamping, and after being clamped with the valve 4, the claws can be reset under the action of the spring to firmly clamp the valve 4. The claws can also be designed as multiple sections, such as two or three sections, with the part close to the base 321 fixedly connected to the base 321, and an elastic element provided between two adjacent sections, so as to achieve the purpose of firmly clamping with the valve 4.

[0046] The beneficial effects of the control device of the embodiment of the present application include but are not limited to the following:

[0047] The controller controls the driving component to drive the valve to rotate, so as to realize the automatic opening or closing of the valve, which can completely replace manual operation and effectively avoid the potential safety hazards in the operation process of personnel. The structure is simple, the operation is flexible, the safety factor is high, and the application range is wide, and it can be applied to the operation occasions of various valves. In addition, the components of the control device are low in cost, economical and practical, and have good application prospects.

[0048] The control device of the present application is suitable for some working environments where harmful gases, flammable and explosive gases, etc. exist. For example, a lot of toxic and corrosive gases are needed in the semiconductor manufacturing process. These gases are supplied from the factory side to SubFAB (semiconductor subsidiary manufacturing area) on the first floor, and then transported from Sub FAB to the machine side through VMB (gas distribution box). Replacing the cylinders containing toxic and corrosive gases at the factory side and putting the cylinders online require manual operation of the valves to reach the operating state. Before putting the cylinders online, the operation is performed by checking the pressure curve of the cylinders, and the pressure curve of the cylinders will be greatly affected by temperature. Temperature fluctuations cause the accuracy of the cylinder curve to be greatly reduced. Once a mistake occurs, it will cause a large amount of harmful gas to leak during the operation of the valve by personnel, and dissipate into the external environment, seriously affecting environmental safety, and may also cause personnel to be injured or even endanger life safety.

[0049] The present application also provides a special gas control system, referring to Figure 3 , the special gas control system includes a container 100 with a valve, a control device 200, a sealed box 300 and a control console 400. The container 100 contains special gas, and the container 100 can be a gas cylinder, a gas tank, etc. made of corrosion-resistant material. The control device 200 is the control device described in this application, which is used to control the valve to open or close. The container 100 and the control device 200 are located in the box 300. The control console 400 is connected to the controller 220 of the control device 200 for controlling the control device to open or close the valve.

[0050] The control device 200 includes a rotating arm 210, a controller 220 and a driving component 230; one end of the rotating arm 210 is connected to the inner wall of the box body 300, and the other end is connected to the driving component 230, and the rotating arm 210 is used to drive the driving component to move to the valve; the controller 220 is communicated with the driving component 230 and is used to control the rotation of the driving component 230; the driving component 230 is configured to be able to engage with the valve of the container 100 and drive the valve to rotate.

[0051] One end of the rotating arm of the control device 200 is connected to the inner wall of the box 300. The specific connection position is not limited and can be reasonably arranged according to the internal space layout of the box 300. A fixing seat can also be set on the inner wall of the box to connect the rotating arm to the fixing seat. The connection method between the rotating arm and the inner wall of the box or the fixing seat is similar to the relevant content in Example 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0052] It is easy to understand that the controller 220 can be integrated into the console 400. The console 400 can be a remote control terminal, such as a computer, a mobile phone, a tablet, an APP, etc., and can also be installed on the wall of the box body 300.

[0053] In some embodiments, the box 300 is connected to the exhaust system 600, and the exhaust system 600 is provided with an exhaust device, which can maintain a negative pressure in the box 300, and the leaked gas can be discharged into the central exhaust gas treatment system through the exhaust system 600. The special gas control system also includes a detector 500, and the sampling end of the detector 500 is connected to the exhaust system 600, which can sensitively sense the leakage of the gas. The detector 500 is electrically connected to the controller 220, and sends the detection result to the controller 220. When the detection result shows that the leakage amount of the special gas in the box 300 is greater than the set value, the alarm will be immediately output to the controller 220. After receiving the alarm information, the controller 220 immediately controls the driving component 230 to perform a reverse closing operation, and immediately closes the valve to prevent further leakage and diffusion of the gas. It is easy to understand that the detector 500 can also be electrically connected to the console 400, and the operation instruction of closing the valve is sent to the controller 220 through the console 400.

[0054] refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments of the present application, the box 300 is divided into an upper box and a lower box, the upper box is a control area, the lower box is an operation area, the controller 220, the console 400 and the detector 500 are embedded on the box wall of the upper box, the rotating arm 210, the driving component 230 and the container 100 are arranged in the lower box, and the top of the rotating arm 210 is fixed on the top wall of the lower box. The top wall of the lower box can be provided with a hole for the line to pass through.

[0055] In some embodiments, there are multiple containers 100 and control devices 200, and one control device 200 is connected to a valve on the container 100, so as to prevent interference between the rotating arms and facilitate actual operation. It is easy to understand that a one-to-many control method can also be adopted, that is, one control device 200 controls multiple valves.

[0056] In some embodiments, after the operator completes the replacement of the cylinder, the torque wrench of the control device 200 can be connected to the valve manually or by the controller. After the pressure is maintained, the operator operates the program to transmit instructions through the PLC to rotate the drive component 230 to open the valve. There is no need for the operator to open the gas cabinet door to operate the valve. If a leak occurs, the detector 500 immediately transmits a signal to the PLC, and the PLC also outputs a signal to the drive component 230 to reversely close the valve, thereby avoiding environmental pollution and personal injury caused by the leak.

[0057] The beneficial effects of the special gas control system provided by the embodiments of the present application include but are not limited to the following:

[0058] By setting up a control device, the opening or closing of the valve can be controlled through the console without opening the gas cabinet door, avoiding environmental pollution and personal injury caused by gas leakage during operation.

[0059] By setting up detectors to detect gas leaks, even if the valve leaks, the valve can be closed in time through the console, thereby effectively preventing toxic and harmful gases from spreading into the air and causing further damage.

[0060] The special gas control system has low operating cost, low equipment power consumption under normal circumstances, high safety factor, low operating cost, maintenance-free, and economical and practical.

[0061] It should be noted that different embodiments may produce different beneficial effects. In different embodiments, the beneficial effects that may be produced may be any one or a combination of the above, or any other beneficial effects that may be obtained.

[0062] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the above detailed disclosure is only for example and does not constitute a limitation of this specification. Although not explicitly stated here, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements and corrections to this application. Such modifications, improvements and corrections are suggested in this specification, so such modifications, improvements and corrections still belong to the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0063] It should be noted that in the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "install", "connect", "connect", and "fix" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a rotating connection or a sliding connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood in combination with specific circumstances.

[0064] In addition, when terms such as "first", "second", and "third" are used in the specification of this application to describe various features, these terms are only used to distinguish these features and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relationship between the features, the relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of features indicated.

[0065] In addition, the present specification describes exemplary embodiments by reference to idealized exemplary cross-sectional views and / or plan views and / or stereograms. Therefore, differences from the illustrated shapes due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances are foreseeable. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments should not be interpreted as being limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but should include deviations in shapes caused by, for example, manufacturing. Therefore, the regions shown in the figures are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shapes of the regions of the device nor to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0066] At the same time, the present application uses specific words to describe the embodiments of this specification. For example, "one embodiment", "an embodiment", and / or "some embodiments" refer to a certain feature, structure or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or more in different positions in the present application does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, some features, structures or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the present application can be appropriately combined.

[0067] Similarly, it should be noted that in order to simplify the description of the disclosure of this application and thus help understand one or more embodiments of the invention, in the above description of the embodiments of this application, multiple features are sometimes combined into one embodiment, figure or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not mean that the features required by the object of this application are more than the features mentioned in the claims. In fact, the features of the embodiments are less than all the features of the single embodiment disclosed above.

[0068] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this application are only used to illustrate the principles of the embodiments of the present application. Other variations may also fall within the scope of the present application. Therefore, as an example and not a limitation, the alternative configurations of the embodiments of the present application may be considered to be consistent with the teachings of the present application. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to the embodiments explicitly introduced and described in the present application.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a valve, It is characterized in that Includes a rotating arm, a controller and a drive component; The first end of the rotating arm is configured to be fixed at a preset position, the second end of the rotating arm is connected to the driving component, and the rotating arm is used to adjust the position and posture of the driving component; The controller is in communication with the driving component and is used to control the rotation of the driving component; The driving component is configured to be able to engage with the valve and drive the valve to rotate.

2. The control device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The driving component comprises: a rotating motor, the rotating motor being communicatively connected to the controller and connected to the second end of the rotating arm; and A torque wrench, one end of which is connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor, and the other end of which is used to clamp the valve.

3. The control device according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The torque wrench comprises: a base, one side of which is connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor; and a clamping portion, which is arranged on the other side of the base and is adapted to the shape and size of the valve for clamping the valve.

4. The control device according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The clamping portion includes a plurality of claws respectively fixedly connected to the base.

5. The control device according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The base is disc-shaped, and a plurality of claw teeth are evenly distributed along the circumference of the base.

6. The control device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The rotating arm includes a first arm body, a first power mechanism and a second arm body connected in sequence; the first arm body is used to be fixed in a preset position, and the second arm body is connected to the driving component; the first power mechanism is communicatively connected to the controller, and is used to generate relative movement between the first arm body and the second arm body under the control of the controller.

7. The control device according to claim 6, It is characterized in that The first arm is fixed at the preset position by a second power mechanism, and the second power mechanism is in communication with the controller and is used to move the first arm relative to the preset position under the control of the controller.

8. A special gas control system, It is characterized in that include: A container with a valve for containing the special gas; The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, used to control the opening or closing of the valve; A sealed box, wherein the container and the control device are both arranged in the box; A control console is communicatively connected with the controller of the control device and is used to control the control device to open or close the valve.

9. The special gas control system according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The box body is connected with an exhaust system.

10. The special gas control system according to claim 9, It is characterized in that It also includes a detector, which is connected to the exhaust system and communicates with the controller, and is used to detect whether leakage of the special gas occurs in the box and send the detection result to the controller; when the detection result is that the leakage amount of the special gas in the box is greater than the set value, the controller controls the driving component to rotate to close the valve.

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