Three-way valve for conveying chemical liquid medicine in semiconductor manufacturing

Abstract

The utility model relates to a three-way valve for conveying chemical liquid medicine in semiconductor manufacturing. The three-way valve sequentially comprises a mechanism body and an installation bottom plate from top to bottom. A mechanism inlet, a first mechanism outlet and a second mechanism outlet are formed in the mechanism main body, an embedded sleeve is arranged in a working chamber in the mechanism main body, the middle part of the embedded sleeve is communicated with the mechanism inlet, the upper part of the embedded sleeve is communicated with the first mechanism outlet, and the lower part of the embedded sleeve is communicated with the second mechanism outlet; the three-way valve further comprises an executing mechanism assembly and a three-way valve sealing assembly. According to the utility model, the sealing structure of the conventional valve is optimized, so that the probability of generating particulate matters is greatly reduced in the operation process of the valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of chemical liquid valves, and in particular to a three-way valve for conveying chemical liquids in semiconductor manufacturing. Background Technology

[0002] A pneumatic three-way diaphragm valve, as a switching control valve, has three ports, typically one inlet and two outlets (often referred to as one inlet and two outlets), allowing fluid to be switched to different pipelines. In semiconductor manufacturing equipment applications, the limited space within precision equipment restricts the number of pipes and fluid controllers. Therefore, using a pneumatic three-way diaphragm valve with one inlet and two outlets reduces the number of pipe connections, thus saving equipment space.

[0003] Extensive searching revealed Chinese patent publication number CN2236058Y, which discloses a novel three-way diverting regulating valve. This valve comprises a valve body, a diverter, an adjusting rod, and a handwheel. The diverter consists of a cylindrical body with interconnected outlet holes on its front and rear sides. Rotating the diverter reverses the flow direction. This structure is the basic principle behind most three-way valves. However, because this structure requires rotating the internal adjusting rod, friction occurs between the rod and the valve body, posing a risk of particulate matter generation. Therefore, this structure is unsuitable for use in semiconductor equipment manufacturing.

[0004] After extensive searching, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN217784275U was found, which discloses a manual / automatic dual-use pneumatic two-position three-way valve for wellhead control systems. The valve includes a valve body, an end cap on the top of the valve body, a pressure rod at the center of the top of the end cap, a piston rod at the bottom of the pressure rod that slides through the end cap, a first spring is sleeved on the bottom surface of the piston rod, a first steel ball is installed at the bottom of the piston rod, a striking pin is installed at the bottom of the first steel ball, a second steel ball is installed at the bottom of the striking pin, a valve core sleeve is installed below the striking pin and above the second steel ball, and a plug is inserted into the bottom of the valve body, with the top of the plug fitting against the bottom of the second steel ball. The valve body has an outlet in the middle, an inlet at the bottom, and a discharge port at the top. This patented three-way valve structure is only suitable for gaseous media. This is because the three ports of the three-way valve mentioned in this patent have a spatial structure of upper, middle, and lower, with the exhaust port at the top, the outlet in the middle, and the inlet at the bottom. For fluid media, this structure will affect the valve's flow capacity due to the viscosity coefficient of the fluid and factors of fluid dynamics. At the same time, the structure of this three-way valve, with springs and other elastic components exposed to the medium, will cause corrosion and generate particulate matter and metal ions for chemical liquid media. It is also not suitable for the semiconductor field.

[0005] After extensive searching, it was found that Chinese patent announcement number CN114949579B discloses a three-way valve, which includes a three-way valve body, a stopcock, and a spring. The three-way valve structure mentioned in this patent cannot be used in the semiconductor field because its material is metal. Secondly, the fluid reversal is achieved by rotating the stopcock, which poses a risk of generating particulate matter and is also not suitable for the semiconductor field.

[0006] In summary, the existing three-way valve's structural design, sealing design, and inherent material limitations make it unsuitable for the semiconductor field. Furthermore, some components of existing three-way valves are difficult to manufacture, making it hard to achieve ideal processing standards. Additionally, the valve body's internal cleanliness is often substandard, easily contaminating the chemical solution.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings, the designer actively researched and innovated in order to create a three-way valve for the delivery of chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing, so as to make it more industrially valuable. Utility Model Content

[0008] To solve any of the above-mentioned technical problems, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] A three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing, comprising, from top to bottom, a main body and a mounting base plate;

[0011] The main body of the mechanism is equipped with an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. An inner nest is provided in the working chamber inside the main body of the mechanism. The middle part of the inner nest is connected to the inlet, the upper part of the inner nest is connected to the first outlet, and the lower part of the inner nest is connected to the second outlet.

[0012] It also includes actuator components and three-way valve sealing components;

[0013] The actuator assembly includes an actuator body, an actuator top part, and an actuator bottom part. The actuator body is mounted on the top of the actuator body, the actuator top part is mounted on the top of the actuator body, the actuator bottom part is mounted on the bottom of the actuator body, and a mounting base plate is mounted on the bottom of the actuator bottom part. A first air inlet is mounted on the actuator top part, and a second air inlet is mounted on the actuator body.

[0014] An upper actuator shaft is installed between the actuator body and the top of the actuator, and a lower actuator shaft is installed inside the bottom of the actuator.

[0015] The three-way valve sealing assembly, from top to bottom, includes an upper double-ended diaphragm, a diaphragm connecting post, and a lower double-ended diaphragm. The diaphragm connecting post is located within the inner nest. The upper double-ended diaphragm, installed at the top of the diaphragm connecting post, is connected to the upper actuator shaft above. The lower double-ended diaphragm, installed at the bottom of the diaphragm connecting post, is connected to the lower actuator shaft below.

[0016] As a further improvement of this utility model, it also includes a spring assembly located on the inner side of the bottom end of the actuator, and the lower actuator shaft is in contact with the lower spring assembly.

[0017] As a further improvement of this utility model, the spring assembly includes an inner spring and an outer spring from the inside to the outside. The working stroke of the inner spring is greater than that of the outer spring, and the spring stiffness of the outer spring is greater than that of the inner spring.

[0018] As a further improvement of this utility model, a first O-ring is installed between the middle part of the upper actuator shaft and the actuator body, a third O-ring is installed between the bottom of the upper actuator shaft and the actuator body, and a second O-ring is installed between the top part of the actuator and the actuator body.

[0019] As a further improvement of this utility model, the top part of the actuator, the body of the actuator, the main body of the mechanism, the bottom part of the actuator and the mounting base are connected together by a number of bolts.

[0020] As a further improvement of this utility model, the head of the bolt is located in the first mounting hole at the top of the actuator, and an open washer and a flat washer are installed from top to bottom between the head of the bolt and the first mounting hole. The tail of the bolt is installed in the second mounting hole in the mounting base plate by a nut.

[0021] As a further improvement of this utility model, rubber plugs are installed on the outer sides of both the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole.

[0022] By means of the above solution, this utility model has at least the following advantages:

[0023] This invention optimizes the sealing structure of conventional valves, greatly reducing the likelihood of particulate matter generation during valve operation.

[0024] This invention has a relatively simple structure, is easy to assemble, and has high cleanliness requirements, making it suitable for use in wet cleaning processes for semiconductor wafers.

[0025] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. In order to better understand the technical means of this utility model and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, the following are the preferred embodiments of this utility model and are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is an exploded structural diagram of a three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing, according to this utility model.

[0028] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Internal structure diagram of one side;

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure on the other side;

[0030] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A partially enlarged structural diagram of the sealing assembly of the three-way valve.

[0031] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A partially enlarged structural diagram of the upper actuator shaft.

[0032] The meanings of the labels in the figures are as follows.

[0033] 1. Main body of the mechanism; 2. Inner nest; 3. Actuator body; 4. Upper actuator shaft; 5. First O-ring seal; 6. Second O-ring seal; 7. Top end of actuator; 8. Bottom end of actuator; 9. Lower actuator shaft; 10. Inner spring; 11. Outer spring; 12. Upper double-headed diaphragm; 13. Diaphragm connecting column; 14. Lower double-headed diaphragm; 15. Mounting base plate; 16. Bolt; 17. Nut; 18. Flat washer; 19. Open washer; 20. Rubber plug; 21. Third O-ring seal; 22. Mechanism inlet; 23. Mechanism first outlet; 24. Mechanism second outlet; 25. First air inlet; 26. Second air inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate this utility model, but are not intended to limit its scope.

[0035] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Example

[0037] like Figures 1-5 As shown,

[0038] A three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing includes, from top to bottom, a main body 1 and a mounting base 15, as well as an actuator assembly and a three-way valve sealing assembly.

[0039] 1. An inlet 22, a first outlet 23, and a second outlet 24 are installed on the main body 1 of the mechanism. An inner nest 2 is provided in the working chamber inside the main body 1. The middle part of the inner nest 2 is connected to the inlet 22, the upper part of the inner nest 2 is connected to the first outlet 23, and the lower part of the inner nest 2 is connected to the second outlet 24.

[0040] 2. The actuator assembly includes an actuator body 3, an actuator top portion 7, and an actuator bottom portion 8. The actuator body 3 is installed on the top of the actuator body 1, the actuator top portion 7 is installed on the top of the actuator body 3, the actuator bottom portion 8 is installed on the bottom of the actuator body 1, and the mounting base plate 15 is installed on the bottom of the actuator bottom portion 8. A first air inlet 25 is installed on the actuator top portion 7, and a second air inlet 26 is installed on the actuator body 3.

[0041] An upper actuator shaft 4 is installed between the actuator body 3 and the top end 7 of the actuator, and a lower actuator shaft 9 is installed inside the bottom end 8 of the actuator.

[0042] A first O-ring 5 is installed between the middle of the upper actuator shaft 4 and the actuator body 3, a third O-ring 21 is installed between the bottom of the upper actuator shaft 4 and the actuator body 3, and a second O-ring 6 is installed between the top part 7 of the actuator and the actuator body 3.

[0043] 3. The three-way valve sealing assembly includes, from top to bottom, an upper double-headed diaphragm 12, a diaphragm connecting post 13, and a lower double-headed diaphragm 14. The diaphragm connecting post 13 is located inside the inner nest 2. The upper double-headed diaphragm 12, which is installed at the top of the diaphragm connecting post 13, is connected to the upper actuator shaft 4 above. The lower double-headed diaphragm 14, which is installed at the bottom of the diaphragm connecting post 13, is connected to the lower actuator shaft 9 below.

[0044] 4. It also includes a spring assembly located on the inner side of the bottom of the bottom end 8 of the actuator, and the lower actuator shaft 9 is in contact with the lower spring assembly.

[0045] The spring assembly includes an inner spring 10 and an outer spring 11 from the inside to the outside. The working stroke of the inner spring 10 is greater than that of the outer spring 11, and the spring stiffness of the outer spring 11 is greater than that of the inner spring 10.

[0046] 5. The top part of the actuator 7, the body of the actuator 3, the main body of the mechanism 1, the bottom part of the actuator 8, and the mounting base plate 15 are connected together by several bolts 16.

[0047] The head of bolt 16 is located in the first mounting hole inside the top part 7 of the actuator, and an open washer 19 and a flat washer 18 are installed sequentially from top to bottom between the head of bolt 16 and the first mounting hole. The tail of bolt 16 is installed in the second mounting hole inside the mounting base plate 15 by means of nut 17. Rubber plugs 20 are installed on the outside of both the first and second mounting holes.

[0048] The first embodiment of this utility model:

[0049] The main body of the mechanism 1 has an inlet 22, a first outlet 23, and a second outlet 24. Within the working chamber of the main body 1, a centrally located inner nest 2 is installed. The middle part of the inner nest 2 communicates with the inlet 22, the upper part of the inner nest 2 communicates with the first outlet 23, and the lower part of the inner nest 2 communicates with the second outlet 24, thereby achieving fluid reversal transmission. The inner nest 2 and the main body 1 are machined as a single unit, ensuring the mechanical strength of the main body 1.

[0050] Actuator assembly: Assembled above the main body 1, the actuator assembly 100 mainly includes the actuator body 3, the upper actuator shaft 4, the first O-ring seal 5, the second O-ring seal 6, and the actuator top part 7. Both the actuator body 3 and the actuator top part 7 are designed with air inlet structures (i.e., the first air inlet 25 and the second air inlet 26) as pneumatic input ports.

[0051] Meanwhile, a second O-ring 6 is installed between the actuator body 3 and the actuator top end 7 to ensure the sealing of the structure. An O-ring groove is designed in the middle of the upper actuator shaft 4 to install the first O-ring 5. The upper actuator shaft 4 divides the chamber formed by the actuator body 3 and the actuator top end 7 into two sealed chambers. The first O-ring 5 is mainly used to ensure the sealing of the pneumatic input.

[0052] Both the lower part of the actuator body 3 and the upper part of the actuator top 7 are designed with cylindrical annular fixing grooves to ensure the installation and operational stability of the upper actuator shaft 4. Simultaneously, a third O-ring seal 21 is installed between the upper actuator shaft 4 and the lower annular fixing groove. The actuator bottom end 8 and the lower actuator shaft 9 are mainly installed below the actuator body 1. A cylindrical annular fixing groove is designed below the actuator bottom end 8 to ensure the stability of the lower actuator shaft.

[0053] Spring assembly: Installed inside the bottom end 8 of the actuator, an inner spring 10 and an outer spring 11 are installed. The inner spring 10 is sleeved in the outer spring 11. The working stroke of the inner spring 10 is longer than that of the outer spring 11. The spring stiffness of the outer spring 11 is greater than that of the inner spring 10 to provide a layered elastic force.

[0054] The three-way valve sealing assembly mainly includes an upper double-headed diaphragm 12, a diaphragm connecting post 13, and a lower double-headed diaphragm 14. Each end of the diaphragm connecting post 13 is connected to a double-headed diaphragm, and the other side of the double-headed diaphragm is connected to the upper actuator shaft 4 and the lower actuator shaft 9, respectively.

[0055] Meanwhile, the periphery of the upper double-headed diaphragm 12 is clamped and fixed between the main body 1 of the mechanism and the body 3 of the actuator, and the periphery of the lower double-headed diaphragm 14 is clamped between the main body 1 of the mechanism and the bottom end 8 of the actuator. At the same time, sealing ribs are processed on the platform where the main body of the mechanism and the diaphragm are in contact, so that the diaphragm produces a certain elastic deformation and achieves the sealing effect.

[0056] Turn on the air source to make the actuator assembly move downwards as a whole. The upper double-headed diaphragm 12 presses against the upper part of the inner nest. At this time, the inlet is connected to the first outlet 23 of the mechanism.

[0057] When the air supply is turned off, the actuator assembly moves upward as a whole, and the lower double-headed diaphragm 14 presses against the lower part of the inner nest. At this time, the inlet is connected to the second outlet 24 of the mechanism, thereby realizing the reversal of the fluid direction.

[0058] Mounting base plate 15, the above mechanism is connected to the mounting floor by bolts, and mounting base plate 15 has waist holes for easy installation on equipment pipelines.

[0059] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the bolt fixing of the three-way valve. The valve is fastened with four bolts 16, four nuts 17, four flat washers 18, and four open washers 19. After installation, the bolt heads and nuts are sealed with rubber plugs 20 for dust prevention.

[0060] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the actuator structure of the three-way valve. Normally, only one of the first inlet port 25 and the second inlet port 26 is open to air, while the other inlet is sealed.

[0061] This utility model mainly provides a three-way valve, which optimizes the processing method of the parts through a new structural design, making the processing of the parts more convenient.

[0062] This invention solves the problem of leakage in three-way valves during high-frequency switching due to uneven stress on the diaphragm connecting rod, thus enhancing the sealing performance.

[0063] This invention provides an assembly solution for a three-way valve, which is easier to assemble and has a longer service life.

[0064] This invention enables the valve body cavity to meet high cleanliness requirements while reducing or avoiding the generation of particulate matter.

[0065] The three-way valve of this invention is a one-inlet, two-outlet type, which optimizes the installation space in semiconductor equipment.

[0066] Furthermore, when necessary, this three-way valve can be used for two-inlet and one-outlet applications.

[0067] All standard parts used in this application can be purchased from the market, and can be customized according to the description and drawings. The specific connection methods of each part adopt conventional methods such as bolts, rivets, and welding that are mature in the prior art. The machinery, parts and equipment adopt conventional models in the prior art. The control method is automatic control through a controller. The control circuit of the controller can be implemented by simple programming by those skilled in the art and is common knowledge in the field. Since this utility model is mainly used to protect mechanical devices, this utility model will not explain the control method and circuit connection in detail. The external controller mentioned in the specification can play a control role for the electrical components mentioned in this article, and the external controller is a conventional known device.

[0068] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0069] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0070] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0071] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A three-way valve for conveying chemical liquid in semiconductor manufacturing, comprising, from top to bottom, a main body (1) and a mounting base plate (15); Its features are: An inlet (22), a first outlet (23), and a second outlet (24) are installed on the main body (1) of the mechanism. An inner nest (2) is provided in the working chamber inside the main body (1). The middle part of the inner nest (2) is connected to the inlet (22), the upper part of the inner nest (2) is connected to the first outlet (23), and the lower part of the inner nest (2) is connected to the second outlet (24). It also includes actuator components and three-way valve sealing components; The actuator assembly includes an actuator body (3), an actuator top part (7), and an actuator bottom part (8). The actuator body (3) is installed on the top of the mechanism body (1), the actuator top part (7) is installed on the top of the actuator body (3), the actuator bottom part (8) is installed on the bottom of the mechanism body (1), the mounting base plate (15) is installed on the bottom of the actuator bottom part (8), a first air inlet (25) is installed on the actuator top part (7), and a second air inlet (26) is installed on the actuator body (3). An upper actuator shaft (4) is installed between the actuator body (3) and the top end of the actuator (7), and a lower actuator shaft (9) is installed inside the bottom end of the actuator (8); The three-way valve sealing assembly includes, from top to bottom, an upper double-headed diaphragm (12), a diaphragm connecting post (13), and a lower double-headed diaphragm (14). The diaphragm connecting post (13) is located inside the inner nest (2). The upper double-headed diaphragm (12) installed at the top of the diaphragm connecting post (13) is connected to the upper actuator shaft (4) above. The lower double-headed diaphragm (14) installed at the bottom of the diaphragm connecting post (13) is connected to the lower actuator shaft (9) below.

2. The three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a spring assembly located on the inner side of the bottom of the bottom end (8) of the actuator, and the lower actuator shaft (9) is in contact with the lower spring assembly.

3. A three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The spring assembly includes an inner spring (10) and an outer spring (11) from the inside to the outside. The working stroke of the inner spring (10) is greater than that of the outer spring (11), and the spring stiffness of the outer spring (11) is greater than that of the inner spring (10).

4. A three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A first O-ring (5) is installed between the middle of the upper actuator shaft (4) and the actuator body (3), a third O-ring (21) is installed between the bottom of the upper actuator shaft (4) and the actuator body (3), and a second O-ring (6) is installed between the top part (7) of the actuator and the actuator body (3).

5. A three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The top part (7), body (3), main body (1), bottom part (8), and mounting base (15) of the actuator are connected together by a number of bolts (16).

6. A three-way valve for delivering chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The head of the bolt (16) is located in the first mounting hole in the top part (7) of the actuator, and an open washer (19) and a flat washer (18) are installed from top to bottom between the head of the bolt (16) and the first mounting hole. The tail of the bolt (16) is installed in the second mounting hole in the mounting base plate (15) by a nut (17).

7. A three-way valve for conveying chemical solutions in semiconductor manufacturing as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Rubber plugs (20) are installed on the outside of both the first and second mounting holes.

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