Self-adaptive upper pressing wheel
By designing an adaptive upper pressure roller, the problem of uneven contact between rigid upper pressure rollers and ultra-thin silicon wafers is solved, achieving uniform pressure distribution and mechanical impact buffering, thereby improving the process compatibility and production efficiency of wet process equipment.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520773310.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-06
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-04-23
AI Technical Summary
In existing wet process equipment, rigid pressure rollers are difficult to adapt to the process challenges of ultra-thin silicon wafers, resulting in uneven pressure distribution at the contact interface. This can easily lead to localized stress concentration on the silicon wafer surface, affecting production efficiency and increasing material loss.
It adopts an adaptive upper pressure roller design, which dynamically adheres to the silicon wafer surface by its own weight through the elastic connection between the shaft and the sleeve, automatically adjusts the contact pressure, avoids local stress concentration, and buffers equipment vibration and mechanical impact.
It achieves uniform pressure distribution in vulnerable areas such as the edge of silicon wafers, reduces the risk of microcracks, and improves the process compatibility and production efficiency of wet process equipment for ultra-thin silicon wafers.
Smart Images
Figure CN223973422U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of solar cell silicon wafer production technology, and in particular to an adaptive pressure roller. Background Technology
[0002] In the industrial production system of solar cell silicon wafers, horizontal roller chain wet processing equipment serves as a core process tool, undertaking key wet chemical treatment processes such as silicon wafer surface cleaning, etching, and coating. This type of equipment achieves stable horizontal transport of silicon wafers through a transmission and clamping structure formed by upper and lower rollers; its operational accuracy directly affects the yield rate of the silicon wafers. In recent years, with the photovoltaic industry's pursuit of cell conversion efficiency and cost control, solar cell silicon wafers are rapidly developing towards ultra-thinness. The mainstream silicon wafer thickness has gradually decreased from the early 180-200μm to below 150μm, and the thickness of some new types of cells such as HJT and TOPCon is even less than 100μm.
[0003] However, the rigid upper pressure roller structure commonly used in existing wet process equipment is gradually becoming inadequate to meet the technological challenges brought about by the ultra-thin silicon wafers. The material properties of rigid rollers (such as metal or rigid engineering plastics) determine their lack of elastic buffering capacity when in contact with silicon wafers, resulting in uneven pressure distribution at the contact interface. When ultra-thin silicon wafers pass through the gap formed by the upper and lower pressure rollers, the rigid contact of the rigid rollers easily generates local stress concentration on the silicon wafer surface, especially in geometrically stress-sensitive areas such as wafer edges and chamfers, which can easily induce microcracks and propagate into fragments. In addition, unavoidable mechanical vibrations during equipment operation, roller parallelism deviations, or minor fluctuations in the transmission chain are all directly transmitted to the silicon wafer through the rigid rollers, further aggravating stress loads, seriously affecting production efficiency and increasing material loss costs. This mismatch between the rigid transmission structure and the mechanical properties of ultra-thin silicon wafers has become a key technical bottleneck restricting the upgrading of wet process equipment. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adaptive upper pressure wheel to solve the problems existing in the prior art.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:
[0006] An adaptive pressure roller, comprising:
[0007] The axial portion includes the axial core; and
[0008] The sleeve portion, located outside the shaft portion, includes a shaft ring sleeved on the outer periphery of the shaft and an outer sleeve located outside the shaft ring;
[0009] The outer sleeve is elastically connected to the shaft ring via an elastic element.
[0010] In one possible implementation, the outer sleeve and the central ring are elastically connected by a plurality of radially distributed cylindrical helical compression springs, the cylindrical helical compression springs being made of stainless steel and having a nickel-plated surface.
[0011] In one possible implementation, the outer sleeve and the central ring are elastically connected by an axially positioned cylindrical helical compression spring.
[0012] In one possible implementation, the outer sleeve and the central ring are elastically connected by a plurality of radially distributed corrugated spring washers.
[0013] In one possible implementation, the outer sleeve and the central ring are elastically connected by a plurality of radially distributed elastic rubber columns.
[0014] In one possible implementation, the outer sleeve and the central ring are elastically connected by a plurality of radially distributed elastic sheets, which are stainless steel elastic sheets or polymer compound elastic sheets.
[0015] In one possible implementation, the outer sleeve and the central ring are elastically connected by a plurality of radially distributed elastic sponges.
[0016] In one possible implementation, the outer tube is a single-layer or multi-layer structure.
[0017] In one possible implementation, the outer sleeve is a single piece or consists of multiple sleeves spaced axially apart.
[0018] In one possible implementation, the cross-sectional shape of the axis includes at least one of the following: circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral, pentagonal, hexagonal, and octagonal.
[0019] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by this utility model include at least the following:
[0020] The adaptive upper pressure roller in this technical solution includes a shaft core and a sleeve section located outside the shaft core. The sleeve section includes a shaft ring fitted around the outer circumference of the shaft core and an outer sleeve located outside the shaft ring. The outer sleeve is elastically connected to the shaft ring via an elastic element. In this design, the gravity-adaptive upper pressure roller effectively solves the core defects of traditional rigid rollers. The sleeve section dynamically adheres to the upper surface of the silicon wafer by its own weight, automatically adjusting the contact pressure according to changes in wafer thickness and equipment operation fluctuations, avoiding localized stress concentration caused by rigid contact. Especially in vulnerable areas such as wafer edges and chamfers, flexible contact achieves uniform pressure distribution, significantly reducing the risk of microcrack induction. Simultaneously, the relative motion characteristics between the sleeve section and the shaft core can buffer mechanical impacts caused by equipment vibration, roller parallelism deviations, or chain fluctuations, converting external disturbances into adaptive displacement of the sleeve section rather than directly transmitting them to the ultra-thin silicon wafer. This passive adaptive mechanism, which does not require active pressure control, perfectly matches the low bending strength characteristics of ultra-thin silicon wafers, improving the process compatibility of wet process equipment with new ultra-thin silicon wafers. Attached Figure Description
[0021] The accompanying drawings are provided to further understand the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof.
[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an axial cross-section of an adaptive upper pressure wheel provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.
[0023] Figure 2 A radial cross-sectional schematic diagram of an adaptive upper pressure wheel provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.
[0024] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates a structural schematic of an adaptive upper pressure roller provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; wherein, Figure 3 (a) is an isometric view. Figure 3 (b) is a radial cross-sectional view.
[0025] Figure 4 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of another adaptive upper pressure wheel provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; wherein, Figure 4 (a) is an isometric view. Figure 4 (b) is a radial cross-sectional view.
[0026] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of another adaptive upper pressure wheel provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.
[0027] Figure 6A schematic diagram of the axial cross section of another adaptive upper pressure wheel provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.
[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the adaptive upper pressure wheel provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.
[0029] In the diagram: 1. Solar cell silicon wafer; 2. Upper pressure roller; 21. Shaft; 22. Shaft ring; 23. Outer sleeve; 231. Rigid outer sleeve; 232. Flexible outer sleeve; 24. Elastic element; 3. Lower roller. Detailed Implementation
[0030] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.
[0031] In this specification, identical components are represented by the same reference numerals. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower" used in the following description refer to directions in the accompanying drawings of this utility model, while the terms "bottom surface," "top surface," "inner," and "outer" refer to directions towards or away from a specific component, respectively. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "multiple" means two or more.
[0032] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0033] Example 1
[0034] Figure 1 This diagram shows an axial cross-sectional view of an adaptive upper pressure wheel provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2The diagram shows a radial cross-sectional view of an adaptive upper pressure roller 2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The adaptive upper pressure roller 2 includes a shaft portion, comprising a shaft 21; and a sleeve portion located outside the shaft portion, comprising a shaft ring 22 sleeved around the outer periphery of the shaft 21, and an outer sleeve 23 located outside the shaft ring 22; wherein the outer sleeve 23 is elastically connected to the shaft ring 22 via an elastic member 24. The outer sleeve 23 is composed of a single layer of outer sleeve, which can be a rigid material, such as a stainless steel sleeve; or a non-rigid material, such as a rubber tube.
[0035] In one example Figure 3 This diagram illustrates a structural schematic of an adaptive upper pressure roller provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; wherein, Figure 3 (a) is an isometric view. Figure 3 (b) is a radial cross-sectional view. In this example, the elastic element 24 is an elastic sheet, which is a stainless steel elastic sheet or a polymer compound elastic sheet.
[0036] In another example, the spindle ring 22 and the outer sleeve 23 are elastically connected by multiple radially distributed cylindrical helical compression springs. These springs are made of stainless steel with a nickel-plated surface. Stainless steel offers good corrosion resistance and strength, while the nickel plating further enhances their corrosion and wear resistance. The wire diameter, number of coils, and spring constant of the cylindrical helical compression springs need to be calculated and selected based on the actual working conditions to ensure they provide appropriate elastic force. For example, the wire diameter is typically between 0.5 and 1.2 mm, the effective number of coils is 5 to 8, and the spring constant is between 0.8 and 1.5 N / mm.
[0037] In another example, the spindle ring 22 and the outer sleeve 23 are elastically connected by multiple radially evenly distributed corrugated spring washers. Corrugated spring washers have unique elastic properties, enabling them to provide large elastic deformation within a small space. Parameters such as waveform height and crest spacing affect their elastic performance. The waveform height is generally between 0.3 and 0.8 mm, and the crest spacing is between 1.2 and 2.0 mm.
[0038] In another example, the spindle ring 22 and the outer sleeve 23 are elastically connected by multiple radially evenly distributed miniature conical disc springs. The miniature conical disc springs have high load-bearing capacity and good elastic stability. Their outer diameter, cone angle, and combination method need to be optimized according to actual needs. The outer diameter is generally between 6-10 mm, the cone angle is between 18°-25°, and the combination method can be 3-5 pieces stacked together.
[0039] In another example, the core ring 22 and the outer sleeve 23 are elastically connected by multiple radially distributed elastic rubber pillars. The Shore hardness of the elastic rubber pillars needs to be selected according to the thickness and characteristics of the solar cell silicon wafer; for thinner solar cell silicon wafers, soft rubber pillars with a Shore hardness between 50-60 HA can be selected; for thicker solar cell silicon wafers, hard rubber pillars with a Shore hardness between 70-80 HA can be selected. Simultaneously, the dynamic compression set of the elastic rubber pillars should be less than 10% to ensure their long-term stability.
[0040] In another example, the spindle ring 22 and the outer sleeve 23 are elastically connected by multiple radially evenly distributed elastic sponges. The elastic sponges are usually made of polyurethane or silicone-based materials that are resistant to aging and have excellent insulation properties. Their porous structure can provide cushioning and shock absorption performance, effectively reducing the impact of mechanical vibration.
[0041] In this embodiment, a servo motor is selected to drive the shaft, which can precisely control the rotational speed of the shaft and can be flexibly adjusted according to different stages of the process.
[0042] In this embodiment, the gravity applied by the upper pressure roller to the solar cell silicon wafer is determined by the number of elastic elements, the specifications of the elastic elements, the wall thickness of the outer tube, and the material of the outer tube.
[0043] Optionally, the cross-sectional shape of the axis 41 includes, but is not limited to, one of the following: circle, ellipse, triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, hexagon, and octagon.
[0044] Optionally, the shaft 41 may be composed of a single material or more than one material. For example, an insulating material may be coated on the outside of the shaft 41.
[0045] Optionally, the cross-sectional shape of the central ring 22 includes, but is not limited to, one of the following: circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral, pentagonal, hexagonal, and octagonal.
[0046] Example 2
[0047] This embodiment is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that:
[0048] Figure 4 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of another adaptive upper pressure wheel provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; wherein, Figure 4 (a) is an isometric view. Figure 4 (b) is a radial cross-sectional view. In this embodiment, the outer sleeve 23 consists of a rigid outer sleeve 231 and a flexible outer sleeve 232. Depending on the specific application requirements, the outer sleeve 23 can be composed of two or more outer sleeves.
[0049] Example 3
[0050] This embodiment is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that:
[0051] Figure 5 The diagram shows another adaptive upper pressure roller provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the elastic element 24 is an axially arranged cylindrical helical compression spring. The spring connects the outer sleeve 23 and the shaft ring 22. The spring is a stainless steel spring or a polymer compound spring.
[0052] Example 4
[0053] This embodiment is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that:
[0054] Figure 6 The diagram shows an axial cross-sectional view of another adaptive upper pressure roller provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the upper pressure roller 2 is implemented as a shaft part corresponding to multiple sleeve parts. Multiple spaced outer sleeves 23 are provided on the outer periphery of the shaft 21. The inner ends of each outer sleeve 23 are connected to a shaft ring 22 by an elastic member 24. The shaft ring 22 is sleeved on the shaft 21.
[0055] Next, combined Figure 7 The working principle of the adaptive upper pressure roller involved in the embodiments of this utility model is explained.
[0056] Step 1: The solar cell silicon wafer 1 is conveyed horizontally through the gap formed by the upper pressure roller 2 and the lower roller 3.
[0057] It is worth mentioning that the upper pressure roller and the lower roller rotate synchronously, and the difference in their linear speeds does not exceed ±0.1 m / min. To achieve this precise synchronous rotation, a servo motor can be used in conjunction with an absolute encoder, and the synchronous control of the upper pressure roller and the lower roller can be realized through a CAN bus.
[0058] Step 2: During the conveying process of the solar cell silicon wafer 1, the lower surface of the solar cell silicon wafer 1 contacts the lower roller 3 and is supported by the lower roller 3, while the upper surface of the solar cell silicon wafer 1 contacts the upper pressure roller 2 and is adaptively pressed by the upper pressure roller 2; wherein, the sleeve part of the upper pressure roller 2 dynamically and tightly fits the upper surface of the solar cell silicon wafer 1 by its own weight.
[0059] It is understandable that the self-weight design of the sleeve section in the upper pressure roller needs to be precisely calculated based on the size, thickness and process requirements of the solar cell silicon wafer to ensure that it can provide sufficient pressure without causing excessive pressure on the solar cell silicon wafer and thus damaging it. This allows the upper pressure roller to adaptively adjust according to the slight undulations on the surface of the solar cell silicon wafer during the bonding process, ensuring the uniformity of contact across the entire upper surface.
[0060] In summary, the adaptive upper pressure roller in this technical solution includes a shaft core and a sleeve section located outside the shaft core. The sleeve section includes a shaft ring fitted around the outer circumference of the shaft core and an outer sleeve located outside the shaft ring. The outer sleeve is elastically connected to the shaft ring via an elastic element. In this design, the gravity-adaptive upper pressure roller effectively solves the core defects of traditional rigid rollers. The sleeve section dynamically adheres to the upper surface of the silicon wafer by its own weight, automatically adjusting the contact pressure according to changes in wafer thickness and equipment operation fluctuations, avoiding localized stress concentration caused by rigid contact. Especially in vulnerable areas such as wafer edges and chamfers, flexible contact achieves uniform pressure distribution, significantly reducing the risk of microcrack induction. Simultaneously, the relative motion characteristics between the sleeve section and the shaft core can buffer mechanical impacts caused by equipment vibration, roller parallelism deviations, or chain fluctuations, converting external disturbances into adaptive displacement of the sleeve section rather than directly transmitting them to the ultra-thin silicon wafer. This passive adaptive mechanism, which does not require active pressure control, perfectly matches the low bending strength characteristics of ultra-thin silicon wafers, improving the process compatibility of wet process equipment with new ultra-thin silicon wafers.
[0061] In the embodiments disclosed in this utility model, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; "linking" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments disclosed in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.
[0062] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of 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 principle 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. An adaptive upper platen, characterized by, The application relates to a shaft sleeve structure, which comprises: a shaft core part comprising a shaft core; and a sleeve part located outside the shaft core part, which comprises a shaft core ring sleeved on the outer periphery of the shaft core and an outer sleeve located outside the shaft core ring; wherein the outer sleeve is elastically connected with the shaft core ring through elastic members.
2. The self-adapting upper press wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that The outer sleeve and the shaft core ring are elastically connected through a plurality of radially distributed cylindrical spiral compression springs, the material of the cylindrical spiral compression springs is stainless steel, and the surface is subjected to nickel plating treatment.
3. The self-adapting upper platen according to claim 1, wherein, The outer sleeve and the shaft core ring are elastically connected through an axially arranged cylindrical spiral compression spring.
4. The self-adapting upper platen of claim 1, wherein, The outer sleeve and the shaft core ring are elastically connected through a plurality of radially distributed wave-shaped spring washers.
5. The self-adapting upper platen of claim 1, wherein, The outer sleeve and the shaft core ring are elastically connected through a plurality of radially distributed elastic rubber columns.
6. The self-adapting upper platen of claim 1, wherein, The outer sleeve and the shaft core ring are elastically connected through a plurality of radially distributed elastic sheets, the elastic sheets are stainless steel elastic sheets or high polymer compound elastic sheets.
7. The self-adapting upper platen of claim 1, wherein, The outer sleeve and the shaft core ring are elastically connected through a plurality of radially distributed elastic sponges.
8. The self-adapting upper platen of claim 1, wherein, The outer sleeve is a single-layer or multi-layer structure.
9. The self-adapting upper platen of claim 1, wherein, The outer sleeve is a whole or is composed of a plurality of axially spaced rods.
10. The self-adapting upper platen of claim 1, wherein, The cross-sectional shape of the shaft core comprises at least one of a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a quadrilateral, a pentagon, a hexagon and an octagon.