Feeder

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model relates to the field of monocrystalline silicon production, and provides a feeder which comprises a charging barrel, a lifting rod and a material blocking part, and a feeding port and a discharging port are formed in the two ends, in the axial direction of the charging barrel, of the charging barrel respectively; the lifting rod can be movably arranged on the charging barrel in the axial direction of the charging barrel, and the end, close to the discharging opening, of the lifting rod is inserted into the charging barrel; the material blocking part is arranged at the end, close to the discharging port, of the lifting rod so that when the lifting rod drives the material blocking part to move, the discharging port can be opened and closed through the material blocking part. A plurality of guide ribs are arranged on the surface, close to the feeding port, of the material blocking part in a protruding mode, the multiple guide ribs are arranged around the lifting rod, and the multiple guide ribs obliquely extend in the circumferential direction of the charging barrel in the direction away from the lifting rod. According to the feeder provided by the embodiment of the invention, the problems that an existing feeder is uneven in discharging and the material blocking part is prone to being damaged can be solved.

Description

A feeder Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of monocrystalline silicon production, and particularly to a feeder. Background Technology

[0002] Monocrystalline silicon is typically produced using the Czochralski method, but to reduce costs, continuous feeding ingot pulling technology is being gradually promoted. The continuous feeding stage is crucial in monocrystalline silicon production. The feeder used in continuous feeding is a key piece of equipment for silicon material transportation, and its performance directly affects the growth quality and production efficiency of monocrystalline silicon. However, existing feeders have some problems, such as uneven feeding and the easy damage to the baffles installed at the feeder's outlet. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a feeder designed to address the problems of uneven material feeding and easy damage to the baffle in existing feeders.

[0004] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, one aspect of this disclosure provides a feeder, including:

[0005] A material cylinder, wherein an inlet and an outlet are respectively provided at both ends of the material cylinder along its axial direction;

[0006] A lifting rod is provided on the material cylinder in a way that allows it to move along the axial direction of the cylinder, with one end of the lifting rod near the discharge port inserted into the material cylinder;

[0007] A material stop is provided at one end of the lifting rod near the discharge port, so that the discharge port can be opened and closed by the material stop when the lifting rod moves the material stop.

[0008] The material stopper has multiple guide ribs protruding on its surface near the feed inlet. The multiple guide ribs are arranged around the lifting rod, and the multiple guide ribs extend obliquely along the circumference of the material cylinder in a direction away from the lifting rod.

[0009] In some embodiments, the guide rib is an arc-shaped guide rib extending along an arc.

[0010] In some embodiments, the barrel is rotatably arranged along an axis that is axially oriented, and the plurality of guide ribs extend obliquely along the rotation direction of the barrel in a direction away from the lifting rod.

[0011] In some embodiments, the surface of the baffle near the feed inlet includes a frustum-shaped region, which gradually increases in size in the direction from the feed inlet to the discharge outlet, and a plurality of guide ribs are disposed in the frustum-shaped region.

[0012] In some embodiments, the surface of the baffle near the feed inlet further includes a planar region connected to the frustum-shaped region, the planar region being axially opposite to the lifting rod in the material cylinder, and the frustum-shaped region being arranged around the planar region, wherein:

[0013] The guide rib extends from one end near the lifting rod to the boundary of the frustum-shaped region near the planar region; and / or

[0014] The guide rib extends from the end away from the lifting rod to the boundary of the frustum-shaped region away from the planar region.

[0015] In some embodiments, a guide member is provided inside the material cylinder, the guide member being spirally extended along the axial direction and circumferential direction of the material cylinder, and the guide member being arranged around the lifting rod.

[0016] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the barrel and / or the outer surface of the guide member are polished.

[0017] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the material cylinder and / or the outer surface of the material guide are provided with a surface coating to reduce the frictional force experienced by the material inside the material cylinder.

[0018] In some embodiments, the guide member is disposed on the inner wall of the material cylinder.

[0019] In some embodiments, the guide element is a guide plate or a guide rib.

[0020] The technical solutions provided in this disclosure have at least the following advantages:

[0021] In the feeder provided in this embodiment, the feeder moves a baffle relative to the material cylinder via a lifting rod, thereby opening and closing the material cylinder's outlet. The surface of the baffle near the inlet is the main stress-bearing surface for the material impact force, and multiple guide ribs are protruding from this surface. These guide ribs can improve the structural strength of the baffle, effectively improving the problem of easy damage to the baffle under frequent material impact, thus extending the service life of the baffle. In addition, the guide ribs are arranged to extend obliquely along the circumference of the material cylinder, which can guide and disperse the material falling from the outlet of the material cylinder, thereby effectively improving the problem of uneven material feeding in existing feeders. Attached Figure Description

[0022] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with corresponding pictures in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, the pictures in the accompanying drawings do not constitute a limitation on scale. In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a feeder provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0024] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the feeder in Figure 1;

[0025] Figure 3 is a magnified view of part A in Figure 2;

[0026] Figure 4 is a magnified view of part B in Figure 2;

[0027] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the material stop in Figure 1.

[0028] This publication includes an explanation of the icon symbols:

[0029] Feeder 100, material cylinder 1, feed port 11, discharge port 12, lifting rod 2, straight rod 21, rod sleeve 22, limit sleeve 23, substrate 24, baffle 3, guide rib 31, frustum-shaped area 32, planar area 33, perforation 34, mounting groove 35, guide 4, support assembly 5, dust cover 51, mounting beam 511, dust cover 52. Detailed Implementation

[0030] As the background technology indicates, a single-crystal furnace is a device that converts polycrystalline silicon raw materials into single-crystal silicon. In traditional single-crystal silicon production processes, polycrystalline silicon raw materials are typically melted in a quartz crucible in a single batch, and then pulled into single-crystal silicon using the Czochralski method. However, in this process, the quality of single-crystal silicon is limited by the maximum feed rate, which is determined by the size of the quartz crucible. Therefore, the length and weight of the obtained single-crystal silicon are very limited. To improve production efficiency, a secondary feeding method is needed to increase the feed rate, thereby adding more silicon material to the quartz crucible, increasing the length and weight of the single-crystal silicon, and reducing the cost of crystal pulling.

[0031] The feeder is a commonly used secondary feeding tool, mainly composed of a cylindrical barrel, a lifting rod, and a baffle. The barrel has an inlet at the top and an outlet at the bottom. The baffle is installed at the lower end of the lifting rod, located at the outlet of the barrel. When the baffle is raised by the lifting rod, it blocks the outlet of the barrel, closing it and allowing silicon to be added from the inlet. When the baffle is lowered by the lifting rod, it moves to the bottom of the barrel, opening the outlet and allowing the silicon to fall into the quartz crucible.

[0032] However, this type of feeder has several problems during use. Firstly, uneven material feeding occurs. Secondly, the silicon material falling from the outlet impacts the baffle. Under frequent impacts, the baffle is prone to breakage and wear, resulting in a short service life. Furthermore, fragments of the baffle may fall into the molten silicon, affecting the quality and consistency of monocrystalline silicon growth. This leads to significant fluctuations in performance parameters such as resistivity and minority carrier lifetime, failing to meet the high-quality monocrystalline silicon requirements of the new energy sector.

[0033] This disclosure provides a feeder that uses a lifting rod to move a baffle relative to the material cylinder, thereby opening and closing the baffle at the material cylinder's outlet. The surface of the baffle near the inlet is the main stress-bearing surface for the material impact, and multiple guide ribs are protruding from this surface. These guide ribs improve the structural strength of the baffle, effectively mitigating its susceptibility to damage under frequent material impacts and extending its service life. Furthermore, the guide ribs are arranged obliquely along the circumference of the material cylinder, guiding and dispersing the material falling from the outlet, effectively improving the uneven material distribution problem of existing feeders.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined. Similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more sets (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more pieces (including two pieces).

[0035] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0036] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects before and after it have an "or" relationship.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application. For example, if the device or element in the illustration is inverted, then the element described as "below," "under," "below," or "bottom" of other elements or features will be oriented "above" or "top" of said other elements or features. Therefore, the term "below" may cover both above and below orientation depending on the context in which the term is used, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Materials may be oriented in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees, inverted, flipped), and the spatial relative descriptive terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] In the accompanying drawings corresponding to the embodiments of this application, the thickness and area of ​​the layers are enlarged for better understanding and ease of description. Furthermore, when describing a component as "generally" formed on another component, it means that the component is not formed on the entire surface (or front surface) of the other component, nor is it formed on a portion of the edge of the entire surface.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of this application, when a component "includes" another component, other components are not excluded unless otherwise stated, and other components may be further included. The formation or provision of a second component above or on a first component, or on the surface of a first component, or on one side of a first component, may include embodiments where the first and second components are in direct contact, and may also include embodiments where an additional component may be present between the first and second components, thereby preventing direct contact between the first and second components. For simplicity and clarity, various components may be drawn at different scales. In the drawings, some layers / components may be omitted for simplicity. Unless otherwise specified, the formation or provision of a second component on the surface of a first component refers to direct contact between the first and second components. The term "component" may refer to a layer, film, region, portion, structure, etc.

[0041] The terminology used in the description of the various embodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various embodiments and the appended claims, the term "component" is also intended to include the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Components include layers, films, regions, or plates, etc.

[0042] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that many technical details have been provided in the embodiments of this disclosure to facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. However, the technical solutions claimed in this disclosure can be implemented even without these technical details and various variations and modifications based on the following embodiments.

[0043] This disclosure provides a feeder that can be used to feed materials during the production process of monocrystalline silicon. The following description will take the use of the feeder for secondary feeding in a monocrystalline furnace as an example. Figures 1 to 5 show a preferred embodiment of the feeder provided in this disclosure.

[0044] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5. In some embodiments, the feeder 100 includes a material cylinder 1, a lifting rod 2, and a baffle 3. The material cylinder 1 has an inlet 11 and an outlet 12 at its two ends along the axial direction. The lifting rod 2 is movably mounted on the material cylinder 1 along the axial direction, with one end of the lifting rod 2 near the outlet 12 inserted into the material cylinder 1. The baffle 3 is mounted on the end of the lifting rod 2 near the outlet 12, so that the outlet 12 can be opened and closed by the baffle 3 when the lifting rod 2 moves the baffle 3. The baffle 3 has a plurality of guide ribs 31 protruding on its surface near the inlet 11. The plurality of guide ribs 31 are arranged around the lifting rod 2, and the plurality of guide ribs 31 extend obliquely along the circumference of the material cylinder 1 in the direction away from the lifting rod 2.

[0045] Specifically, the feed cylinder 1 is typically cylindrical. The axial direction of the feed cylinder 1 is defined as vertical. The end of the feed cylinder 1 with the feed inlet 11 is the upper end, and the end with the discharge outlet 12 is the lower end. The feed inlet 11 can face upwards or horizontally, and the discharge outlet 12 can face downwards or horizontally. The following example illustrates this with the feed inlet 11 facing upwards and the discharge outlet 12 facing downwards. The feed cylinder 1 is typically made of refractory materials such as quartz.

[0046] The lifting rod 2 extends vertically, with its lower end inserted into the material cylinder 1 and its upper end located on the upper side of the material cylinder 1. The upper end of the lifting rod 2 is used to connect to a lifting device, which can drive the lifting rod 2 to rise and fall relative to the material cylinder 1. The lifting rod 2 and the material cylinder 1 are usually coaxial or nearly coaxial.

[0047] The baffle 3 is located at the lower end of the lifting rod 2. The lifting rod 2 can drive the baffle 3 to rise and fall relative to the cylinder 1. When the lifting rod 2 drives the baffle 3 to the upper limit position, the baffle 3 blocks the outlet 12 of the cylinder 1 from the lower side. At this time, silicon and other materials can be added into the cylinder 1 from the inlet 11. When the lifting rod 2 drives the baffle 3 to the lower limit position, the part of the baffle 3 used to block the outlet 12 is located on the lower side of the cylinder 1. For example, the entire baffle 3 is located on the lower side of the cylinder 1, so that the outlet 12 of the cylinder 1 is opened, allowing the material in the cylinder 1 to fall from the outlet 12 into the quartz crucible of the single crystal furnace. The material falling from the discharge port 12 of the material cylinder 1 will impact the baffle 3, and the surface of the baffle 3 near the feed port 11 (i.e., the upper surface of the baffle 3) is the main force-bearing surface of the material impact. The baffle 3 and the pull rod 2 are usually coaxial or nearly coaxial, and the baffle 3 is usually made of refractory materials such as ceramics.

[0048] Multiple guide ribs 31 are protruding from the upper surface of the baffle 3. These guide ribs 31 are arranged around the periphery of the lifting rod 2, and extend from the end of the guide rib 31 closest to the lifting rod 2 to the end furthest from the lifting rod 2, all of which are inclined and bent in the same direction along the circumference of the material cylinder 1. By placing multiple guide ribs 31 on the main stress-bearing surface of the baffle 3, the structural strength of the baffle 3 is improved, effectively mitigating the problem of easy damage under frequent material impacts and extending its service life. Furthermore, the multiple guide ribs 31 can guide and disperse the material falling onto the baffle 3, allowing the material to be evenly distributed in all directions, thus effectively improving the problem of uneven material feeding in existing feeders.

[0049] The feeder 100 moves the baffle 3 relative to the material cylinder 1 via the lifting rod 2, thereby opening and closing the baffle 3 over the discharge port 12 of the material cylinder 1. The surface of the baffle 3 near the inlet 11 is the main stress-bearing surface for the impact of the material, and multiple guide ribs 31 are protruding from this surface. These guide ribs 31 can improve the structural strength of the baffle 3, effectively improving the problem of the baffle 3 being easily damaged under frequent material impact, and thus extending the service life of the baffle 3. In addition, the guide ribs 31 are arranged to extend obliquely along the circumference of the material cylinder 1, which can guide and disperse the material falling from the discharge port 12 of the material cylinder 1, thereby effectively improving the problem of uneven material feeding in existing feeders.

[0050] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] The guide rib 31 is inclined and bent. The specific shape and style of the guide rib 31 can be set according to the actual situation. Optionally, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the guide rib 31 is an arc-shaped guide rib extending along an arc. Setting the guide rib 31 as an arc shape is beneficial to guide and disperse the material falling onto the stop member 3 through multiple guide ribs 31, so that the material is evenly spread in all directions.

[0052] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the barrel 1 is rotatably arranged along an axis that is axially oriented along the barrel 1, and a plurality of guide ribs 31 are inclinedly extended along the rotation direction of the barrel 1 in a direction away from the lifting rod 2.

[0053] Specifically, when feeding material through the feeder 100, the material cylinder 1 or the lifting rod 2 is rotatable along an upward axis, which facilitates the even distribution of material. The material cylinder 1 can rotate along an upward axis; this can be either the entire feeder 100 rotating along this axis or the material cylinder 1 rotating relative to the lifting rod 2. Similarly, the lifting rod 2 can rotate along an upward axis; this can be either the entire feeder 100 rotating along this axis or the lifting rod 2 rotating relative to the material cylinder 1. The inclined bending of the multiple guide ribs 31 is in the same direction as the rotation of the material cylinder 1 or the lifting rod 2, which helps to guide and disperse the material falling onto the stop member 3.

[0054] The baffle 3 is typically arranged in a cone shape, which is smaller at the top and larger at the bottom. Optionally, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the surface of the baffle 3 near the feed inlet 11 includes a frustum-shaped region 32. The frustum-shaped region 32 gradually increases in size in the direction from the feed inlet 11 to the discharge outlet 12, and a plurality of guide ribs 31 are provided in the frustum-shaped region 32.

[0055] Specifically, the upper surface of the baffle 3 includes a central region and a peripheral region surrounding the central region, with the peripheral region connected to the central region. The peripheral region of the baffle 3 is shaped like a frustum, smaller at the top and larger at the bottom, forming a frustum-shaped region 32. Multiple guide ribs 31 protrude from the frustum-shaped region 32. Thus, the frustum-shaped region 32 on the upper surface of the baffle 3 can guide and disperse the material falling onto the baffle 3.

[0056] Further, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the surface of the baffle 3 near the feed inlet 11 also includes a planar region 33 connected to the frustum-shaped region 32. The planar region 33 is axially opposite to the lifting rod 2 in the material cylinder 1. The frustum-shaped region 32 is arranged around the planar region 33, wherein: the end of the guide rib 31 near the lifting rod 2 extends to the boundary of the frustum-shaped region 32 near the planar region 33; and / or, the end of the guide rib 31 away from the lifting rod 2 extends to the boundary of the frustum-shaped region 32 away from the planar region 33.

[0057] Specifically, the central region of the stop 3 forms a planar region 33, which is perpendicular or approximately perpendicular to the central axis of the lifting rod 2. The end of the guide rib 31 closest to the lifting rod 2 is defined as the proximal end of the guide rib 31, and the end of the guide rib 31 furthest from the lifting rod 2 is defined as the distal end of the guide rib 31. The proximal end of the guide rib 31 extends to the boundary of the frustum-shaped region 32 near the planar region 33, and / or the distal end of the guide rib 31 extends to the boundary of the frustum-shaped region 32 furthest from the planar region 33. This maximizes the extension length of the guide rib 31, ensuring that the guide rib 31 can guide and disperse all material falling onto the stop 3.

[0058] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, a guide 4 is provided inside the material cylinder 1. The guide 4 extends spirally along the axial direction and circumferential direction of the material cylinder 1 and is arranged around the lifting rod 2.

[0059] Specifically, the guide component 4 is arranged in a spiral shape extending vertically and circumferentially along the barrel 1, thus forming a spiral guide component 4. The spiral guide component 4, located inside the barrel 1, restricts and buffers the falling material, effectively reducing the impact force on the barrel 1 and the baffle 3 during material fall, minimizing impact and wear, and extending the service life of the barrel 1 and the baffle 3. Furthermore, the spiral guide component 4 forms a spiral flow channel at intervals within the barrel 1. During the falling process, the material rotates and slides down along the spiral flow channel, resulting in a more uniform distribution and smoother flow of material within the barrel 1. This prevents material accumulation and deflection within the barrel 1, effectively improving the uniformity of material feeding, and consequently improving the quality and consistency of monocrystalline silicon growth.

[0060] The guide component 4 is disposed inside the material cylinder 1. The guide component 4 can be disposed on the lifting rod 2; the guide component 4 can also be disposed on the inner wall of the material cylinder 1. Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the guide component 4 is disposed on the inner wall of the material cylinder 1.

[0061] Specifically, the guide component 4 can be integrally formed with the material cylinder 1; alternatively, the guide component 4 can be fixed to the inner wall of the material cylinder 1 by welding or other methods. By machining a spiral-shaped guide component 4 onto the inner wall of the material cylinder 1, the material will rotate and slide down along the guide component 4 during its descent. This ensures a more uniform distribution and smoother flow of the material within the material cylinder 1, preventing accumulation and deflection. The following description will use the example of the guide component 4 being installed on the inner wall of the material cylinder 1.

[0062] The specific shape and style of the guide component 4 can be set according to the actual situation. For example, the guide component 4 can be a guide plate or a guide rib. Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the guide component 4 is a guide rib. Setting the guide component 4 as a protruding rib on the inner wall of the material cylinder 1 will result in better structural strength of the guide component 4, which helps to avoid the problem of easy damage to the guide component 4 under frequent impact of materials.

[0063] Optionally, in some embodiments, the inner wall of the barrel 1 and / or the outer surface of the guide 4 are polished.

[0064] Optionally, in some embodiments, the inner wall of the barrel 1 and / or the outer surface of the guide 4 are provided with a surface coating (not shown in the figure) to reduce the frictional force on the material inside the barrel 1.

[0065] Specifically, the inner wall of the material cylinder 1 and / or the outer surface of the guide component 4 are surface treated, for example, by spraying a low-friction coefficient surface coating or by polishing, which reduces the friction between the material and the inner wall of the material cylinder 1 (or the guide component 4), thereby further improving the flowability and uniformity of the material in the material cylinder 1.

[0066] The specific style of the lifting rod 2 can be set according to the actual situation. Optionally, please refer to Figures 1 to 5. In some embodiments, the lifting rod 2 includes a straight rod 21 and a rod sleeve 22. The upper end and lower end of the straight rod 21 are respectively connected to the lifting device and the material stop 3. The rod sleeve 22 is sleeved on the straight rod 21, and the upper end of the rod sleeve 22 is located inside the material cylinder 1.

[0067] Specifically, the straight rod 21 is provided with a connecting structure for connecting the lifting device and the stop 3, and the rod sleeve 22 is usually made of refractory materials such as quartz. This method of setting up the lifting rod 2 is relatively simple, and while ensuring the fire resistance performance of the lifting rod 2, it is also convenient to set up the connecting structure on the lifting rod 2.

[0068] Further, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the lifting rod 2 further includes a limiting sleeve 23. The limiting sleeve 23 is sleeved on the straight rod 21, and the lower end of the limiting sleeve 23 is sleeved on the upper end of the rod sleeve 22. The inner circumferential side of the limiting sleeve 23 is provided with a downward-facing annular limiting surface, which abuts against the upper side of the rod sleeve 22. The lower end of the rod sleeve 22 abuts against the upper side of the stopper 3. In this way, the limiting sleeve 23 and the stopper 3 can limit the rod sleeve 22 vertically and upward.

[0069] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, a mounting groove 35 is provided on the lower surface of the retaining member 3, and a substrate 24 is provided inside the mounting groove 35. The shape of the substrate 24 is adapted to the shape of the mounting groove 35. A through hole 34 is provided on the planar area 33 of the retaining member 3, and the lower end of the through hole 34 penetrates the bottom wall of the mounting groove 35. The lower end of the straight rod 21 extends into the mounting groove 35 from the through hole 34 and is threadedly connected to the substrate 24. This installation method, in which the retaining member 3 is fixed to the lower end of the straight rod 21 through the substrate 24, makes the assembly and disassembly of the retaining member 3 easier and more convenient.

[0070] A support assembly 5 is typically provided at the upper end of the material cylinder 1. The upper end of the lifting rod 2 is movably mounted on the support assembly 5 to support the lifting rod 2. Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the support assembly 5 includes a dust cover 51 and a dust shield 52. The dust cover 51 is fitted onto the upper end of the material cylinder 1, and a mounting beam 511 is provided on the dust cover 51. The upper end of the straight rod 21 is movably mounted on the mounting beam 511. The dust shield 52 is located above the upper end of the straight rod 21 and above the dust cover 51, so as to open and close the feed inlet 11 of the material cylinder 1 through the dust shield 52. In this way, the operator can open and close the feed inlet 11 of the material cylinder 1 through the dust shield 52.

[0071] The working principle of the feeder 100 is as follows: When secondary feeding is required, the lifting device is activated to drive the lifting rod 2 to raise the baffle 3 to the upper limit position, thereby closing the discharge port 12 of the material cylinder 1; after the operator opens the dust cover 52, the material is added into the material cylinder 1 from the feed inlet 11. After completion, the dust cover 52 is closed again and the feed inlet 11 is closed; then the lifting device is activated to drive the feeder 100 into the auxiliary chamber of the single crystal furnace. After the purification process is completed in the auxiliary chamber of the single crystal furnace, the lifting device drives the feeder 100. The feeder 100 gradually descends to a certain position and stops after reaching the furnace body; the lifting device drives the lifting rod 2 to lower the baffle 3 to the lower limit position to open the discharge port 12 of the material cylinder 1. The material in the material cylinder 1 flows out from the discharge port 12 and falls into the quartz crucible below; after all the material in the material cylinder 1 has flowed out, the lifting device drives the lifting rod 2 in the opposite direction to raise the baffle 3 to the upper limit position to close the discharge port 12 of the material cylinder 1 again; the lifting device continues to drive the feeder 100 to rise to the auxiliary chamber. At this point, the entire feeding process is completed.

[0072] By providing a guide member 4 inside the feed cylinder 1 and a guide rib 31 on the baffle member 3, the feeder 100 can extend the service life of the feed cylinder 1 and the baffle member 3. For example, the average service life of the feed cylinder of an existing feeder is about 500 times, and the average service life of the baffle member of an existing feeder is about 350 times; while the average service life of the feed cylinder 1 of the feeder 100 can be extended to more than 1,000 times, and the average service life of the baffle member 3 of the feeder 100 can be extended to more than 700 times.

[0073] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are specific examples of implementing this disclosure, and in practical applications, various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Any person skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure; therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A feeder, characterized in that, include: The material cylinder has an inlet and an outlet at its two ends along its axial direction, respectively. A lifting rod is movably mounted on the material cylinder along its axial direction, with one end of the lifting rod near the outlet inserted into the material cylinder. A baffle is located at the end of the lifting rod near the outlet, allowing the outlet to be opened and closed by the baffle when the lifting rod moves it. The baffle has multiple guide ribs protruding from its surface near the inlet, these guide ribs surrounding the lifting rod and extending obliquely along the circumference of the material cylinder in a direction away from the lifting rod.

2. The feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide rib is an arc-shaped guide rib that extends along an arc.

3. The feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material cylinder is rotatably arranged along its axial direction, and the plurality of guide ribs extend obliquely along the rotation direction of the material cylinder in a direction away from the lifting rod.

4. The feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the baffle near the feed inlet includes a frustum-shaped region, which gradually increases in size from the feed inlet to the discharge outlet, and a plurality of guide ribs are disposed in the frustum-shaped region.

5. The feeder according to claim 4, characterized in that, The surface of the baffle near the feed inlet also includes a planar region connected to the frustum-shaped region. The planar region is axially opposite to the lifting rod in the material cylinder. The frustum-shaped region is arranged around the planar region, wherein: one end of the guide rib near the lifting rod extends to the boundary of the frustum-shaped region near the planar region; and / or, one end of the guide rib away from the lifting rod extends to the boundary of the frustum-shaped region away from the planar region.

6. The feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material cylinder is provided with a guide component, which extends spirally along the axial direction and circumferential direction of the material cylinder and is arranged around the lifting rod.

7. The feeder according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inner wall of the material cylinder and / or the outer surface of the material guide are polished.

8. The feeder according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inner wall of the material cylinder and / or the outer surface of the material guide are provided with a surface coating to reduce the friction force on the material inside the material cylinder.

9. The feeder according to claim 6, characterized in that, The guide component is disposed on the inner wall of the material cylinder.

10. The feeder according to claim 9, characterized in that, The guide component is a guide plate or a guide rib.

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