Spring-loaded fastening system for process chamber liners

JP7633240B2Active Publication Date: 2025-02-19APPLIED MATERIALS INC
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2022523430
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2019-10-23
Filing Date
2020-09-10
Publication Date
2025-02-19
Estimated Expiration
2040-09-10

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Abstract

A spring-loaded fastening system for fastening a liner to a structure includes a spring-loaded fastener having a cleat defining an interior cavity, a spring element disposed on the floor of the interior cavity, and a shoulder bolt, the head portion of which is disposed on the spring element, the shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt extending through a mounting aperture in the floor of the interior cavity, and the threaded portion of the shoulder bolt tightened to the structure. The system further includes a hanger pocket on the underside of the liner, the hanger pocket including a first portion having an opening large enough to accommodate the diameter of the cleat's lower portion but not large enough to accommodate the diameter of the cleat's upper portion, and a second portion adjacent to the first portion and on the underside of the liner, the second portion having an opening large enough to accommodate the diameter of the cleat's upper portion.
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of semiconductor processing equipment, and more specifically to a spring-loaded clamping system for removably mounting a liner to a process chamber of an ion implanter. [Background technology]

[0002]

[0002] Ion implantation is a standard technique for introducing property-altering impurities into substrates. During the ion implantation process, the desired impurity material ("dopant") is ionized in a source chamber and the ions are directed through an extraction aperture. The ions are accelerated to form an ion beam of predetermined energy and directed onto the surface of a substrate located in a process chamber. The high-energy ions of the ion beam penetrate below the surface of the substrate material and embed into the crystal lattice of the substrate material, forming regions of desired electrical conductivity or material properties.

[0003]

[0003] The process chamber of a conventional ion implanter is made of metal (e.g., aluminum). If left unshielded during the ion implantation process, the interior surfaces of the process chamber are bombarded with accelerated dopant ions as well as material sputtered from the substrate. This can lead to the accumulation of contaminants on the interior surfaces of the process chamber. The accumulated contaminants can eventually flake off from the interior surfaces in the form of particles of various sizes. These particles can adversely affect the functionality of the tool and can require extensive cleaning to repair. To mitigate such buildup and facilitate repair, it is common to install graphite liners in the process chamber to cover the interior surfaces that may be exposed to such contamination. The surface properties and geometry of specially engineered graphite can more effectively trap contaminants and reduce flake-off due to the buildup of such contaminants compared to bare metals such as aluminum. Furthermore, the thermal properties of graphite are well suited for use where direct impingement of the ion beam is possible.

[0004]

[0004] Although conventional graphite liners are generally effective in mitigating contamination within a process chamber, such liners are associated with several drawbacks. For example, graphite liners are generally fastened to the interior surface of the process chamber with mechanical fasteners formed of metal. This requires shielding, such as with a graphite cap, to prevent the mechanical fasteners themselves from contributing to contamination of the process chamber. The mechanical fasteners and caps introduce undesirable interruptions and variations in the surface texture of the graphite liner. Furthermore, graphite is generally very brittle. Thus, when mechanical fasteners (e.g., bolts) are used to secure the graphite liner to the interior surface of the process chamber, specialized tools are often used and stringent torque requirements are observed to avoid breaking the graphite liner. For the aforementioned reasons, installation and removal of the graphite liner can be time-consuming and tedious.

[0005] With regard to these and other considerations, the present improvements may be useful. Summary of the Invention

[0006]

[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0007]

[0007] A spring fastener according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a frusto-conical cleat having an internal cavity, a spring element disposed on a floor of the internal cavity, and a shoulder bolt disposed in the internal cavity, wherein a bottom surface of a head portion of the shoulder bolt is disposed on the spring element and a shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt extends through a mounting aperture in the floor of the internal cavity.

[0008]

[0008] A spring loaded fastener system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a spring loaded fastener including a frusto-conical cleat having an internal cavity, a spring element disposed on a floor of the internal cavity, and a shoulder bolt disposed in the internal cavity, a bottom surface of a head portion of the shoulder bolt disposed on the spring element, a shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt extending through a mounting aperture in the floor of the internal cavity, and a threaded portion of the shoulder bolt fastened to a structure. The spring loaded fastener system may further include a hanger pocket on the underside of the liner, the hanger pocket including a first portion defining an opening on the underside of the liner large enough to accommodate a diameter of a lower portion of the cleat and not large enough to accommodate a diameter of an upper portion of the cleat, and a second portion adjacent to the first portion and defining an opening on the underside of the liner large enough to accommodate a diameter of an upper portion of the cleat.

[0009]

[0009] A spring loaded fastener system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a spring loaded fastener including a frusto-conical cleat having an internal cavity, a spring element disposed on a floor of the internal cavity, and a shoulder bolt disposed in the internal cavity, wherein a bottom surface of a head portion of the shoulder bolt is disposed on the spring element, a shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt extends through a mounting aperture in the floor of the internal cavity, and a threaded portion of the shoulder bolt is fastened to a structure. The spring loaded fastening system may further include a hanger pocket on the underside of the liner including a first portion defining an opening on the underside of the liner large enough to accommodate a diameter of a lower portion of the cleat but not large enough to accommodate a diameter of a top portion of the cleat, and a second portion adjacent the first portion defining an opening on the underside of the liner large enough to accommodate a diameter of the top portion of the cleat, wherein a sidewall of the cleat extends at a first angle from a bottom surface of the cleat and a sidewall of the hanger pocket extends at a second angle from the underside of the liner, the first angle being equal to the second angle. The cleat is disposed within the first portion of the hanger pocket and the sidewall of the hanger pocket is disposed on the sidewall of the cleat.

[0010] By way of example, various embodiments of the disclosed system will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1A is a top perspective view of a spring fastener according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 1B is a bottom perspective view of the spring fastener of FIG. 1A. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view showing the spring fastener of FIGS. 1A and 1B installed on a structure. [Diagram 3] 3A is a rear view showing the fastening system of the present disclosure in a pre-installed position, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional side view taken along plane AA in FIG. 3A. [Figure 4] 4A is a rear view showing the fastening system of the present disclosure in an intermediate mounting position, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional side view taken along plane BB in FIG. 4A. [Diagram 5] 5A is a rear view showing the fastening system of the present disclosure in a final installed position, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional side view taken along plane CC in FIG. 5A. [Figure 6] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional bottom view taken along plane DD in FIG. 5A. [Figure 7] 1A-B are cutaway plan views of an alternative hanger pocket according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary implementation of the fastening system of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012]

[0023] The present embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show some embodiments. The subject matter of the present disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. These embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0013]

[0024] According to the present disclosure, a spring-loaded clamping system is provided, which is described in detail below. The clamping system can facilitate convenient and quick installation and removal of a liner (e.g., a graphite liner) in a process chamber of an ion implanter, without requiring the use of tools. Furthermore, the clamping system of the present disclosure does not require a cap to cover the exposed mechanical fasteners. Thus, the clamping system does not cause undesirable interruptions or variations in the surface texture of the liner.

[0014]

[0025] Reference is made to Figures 1A and 1B, which are top and bottom perspective views illustrating a spring fastener 10 (hereinafter "fastener 10") according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fastener 10 may include a generally frusto-conical cleat 12 defining an internal cavity 14, a spring element 16 disposed within cavity 14, a flat washer 18 disposed on a bottom of cleat 12, and a shoulder bolt 20 disposed within cavity 14 and extending through spring element 16, cleat 12, and flat washer 18. In various embodiments, cleat 12 may be formed from a variety of metallic or non-metallic materials, including, but not limited to, aluminum, stainless steel, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), nylon, and Teflon. Spring element 16, flat washer 18, and shoulder bolt 20 may be formed from a variety of metals, including, but not limited to, steel, aluminum, various alloys, and the like. The present disclosure is not limited in this regard, and any of the cleat 12, spring element 16, flat washer 18, and shoulder bolt 20 may be formed from alternative materials suitable to facilitate operation of the fastener 10, as described further below.

[0015]

[0026] The cleat 12 may be radially symmetrical and may have a generally planar base 19 and tapered sidewalls 21. An upper portion of the cleat 12 may have a first diameter and a lower portion of the cleat 12 may have a second diameter, the first diameter being larger than the second diameter. An upper edge of the sidewalls 21 may be rounded. In various embodiments, the sidewalls 21 may extend at an angle ranging from 100 degrees to 120 degrees from the base 19. In a preferred embodiment, the sidewalls 21 may extend at an angle of 110 degrees from the base 19. The disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0016]

[0027] Reference is now made to Figure 2, which is a cross-sectional side view showing fastener 10 operatively mounted to a structure 22 (e.g., the interior of a process chamber of an ion implanter). For convenience and clarity, terms such as "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "upper," "lower," "downward," and "upward" may all be used hereinafter to describe the relative placement and orientation of various components of fastener 10 with respect to the geometry and orientation of fastener 10, such as fastener 10 shown in Figure 2. Such terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

[0017]

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the threaded portion 24 of the shoulder bolt 20 may be positioned for secure threaded engagement with a corresponding threaded bore hole 26 of the structure 22. A flat washer 18 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the threaded portion 24 and smaller than the outer diameter of a shoulder portion 28 of the shoulder bolt 20 may surround the threaded portion 24 and be axially sandwiched between a bottom surface of the shoulder portion 28 and a surface of the structure 22. The flat washer 18 may function as a stop to prevent the shoulder bolt 20 from being threaded further into the bore hole 26 and may ensure accurate positional contact between the fastener 10 and the structure 22 when the bore hole 26 is countersunk. The flat washer 18 may also prevent the shoulder portion 28 from cutting into and damaging the structure 22 when the shoulder bolt 20 is torqued during installation.

[0018]

[0029] The head portion 30 of the shoulder bolt 20 may be disposed within the interior cavity 14 of the cleat 12, with the bottom surface of the head portion 30 seated on the spring element 16, and the shoulder portion 28 may extend through the spring element 16 and through a mounting aperture 32 in a floor 33 of the interior cavity 14. The spring element 16, having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shoulder portion 28 and smaller than the outer diameter of the head portion 30, may surround the shoulder portion 28 and be axially sandwiched between the bottom surface of the head portion 30 and the floor 33 of the interior cavity 14. The spring element 16 may bias the cleat 12 downward, toward the flat washer 18, by exerting a downward force on the floor 33 of the interior cavity 14. The spring element 16 may allow the cleat 12 to displace upward a short distance when an upward force sufficient to overcome the biasing force of the spring element 16 is applied to the cleat. In various embodiments, the spring element 16 may be a Belleville washer (also referred to as a conical disc spring, conical spring washer, disc spring, Belleville spring, or spring washer). The disclosure is not limited in this respect. In alternative embodiments, the spring element 16 may be a coil spring or other spring device adapted to bias the cleat 12 downward, away from the head portion 30 of the shoulder bolt 20. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the biasing force provided by the spring element 16 may be adjusted by varying the thickness of the spring element 16, the material of the spring element 16, etc.

[0019]

[0030] In operation, the fastener 10 described above may be secured to a structure, such as an inner wall or surface of a process chamber of an ion implanter, and an object, such as a liner, may be secured to the structure by being hung on the fastener 10. For example, with reference to Figures 3A-5B, a series of rear views and corresponding cross-sectional side views are provided showing a graphite liner 34 hung on the fastener 10. A rear surface 35 of the graphite liner 34 may have a hanger pocket 36 formed therein, which may be adapted to receive and engage the fastener 10, as described further below. The fastener 10 may be attached to a structure 22 (e.g., an inner surface of an extraction plate or other surface within a process chamber).

[0020]

[0031] The hanger pocket 36 may be a generally keyhole-shaped recess or cavity formed in the underside of the graphite liner 34 and may be defined by a first upper arc 38 intersecting with an upper portion of a second lower arc 40, the radius of the upper arc 38 being smaller than the radius of the lower arc 40. In various embodiments, the upper arc 38 may have an arc angle in the range of 120 to 180 degrees. The disclosure is not limited in this respect. In various embodiments, the upper arc 38 may have a radius that is slightly larger (e.g., 2 to 5 millimeters larger) than the radius of the bottom of the cleat 12 and smaller (e.g., 5 to 10 millimeters smaller) than the radius of the top of the cleat 12.

[0021]

[0032] 3A and 3B, the hanger pocket 36 may be positioned over the cleat 12 with the cleat 12 positioned completely within the lower arc 40 (i.e., no portion of the cleat 12 positioned within the upper arc 38). The hanger pocket 36 may have a minimum depth equal to or greater than the combined depth of the cleat 12 and flat washer 18 measured along the Z axis shown in FIG. 3B. The hanger pocket 36 may have a maximum depth equal to or less than the combined depth of the cleat 12 and flat washer 18 plus the depth to which the cleat 12 may travel along the shoulder portion 28 of the shoulder bolt 20 when the spring element 16 is fully compressed. Thus, the back surface of the graphite liner 34 may be positioned in flush engagement with the front surface of the structure 22, and the top of the cleat 12 may extend to contact or nearly contact the rear wall 46 of the hanger pocket 36. The sidewalls 48 of the hanger pocket 36 may be angled to match the angle of the cleat sidewalls 21. For example, if the side wall 21 of the cleat 12 forms a 110 degree angle with the bottom surface 19 of the cleat 12 , then the side wall 48 of the hanger pocket 36 may form a 110 degree angle with the underside 35 of the graphite liner 34 .

[0022]

[0033] 4A and 4B, the graphite liner 34 is shown partially lowered onto the cleat 12 with the upper arc 38 of the hanger pocket 36 vertically approaching the cleat 12. If the hanger pocket 36 is laterally centered with respect to the cleat 12 as shown in FIG. 4A (i.e., centered along the X-axis as shown in FIG. 4A) as the graphite liner 34 is lowered, the graphite liner 34 can continue to be lowered and the cleat 12 can directly enter the upper arc 38. However, if the hanger pocket 36 is laterally off-center with respect to the cleat 12 as the graphite liner 34 is lowered, the upper sidewall 48 of the lower arc 40 can engage the sidewall 21 of the cleat 12. As the graphite liner 34 continues to be lowered, the engagement between the sidewalls 21 of the cleat 12 and the inwardly curved sidewalls 48 of the upper portion of the lower arc 40 may laterally offset the graphite liner 34 and move the hanger pocket 36 into or closer to laterally line up with the cleat 12. Thus, as the graphite liner 34 is lowered onto the cleat 12, the converging upper portion of the lower arc 40 may automatically guide or funnel the cleat 12 into the upper arc 38.

[0023]

[0034] 5A and 5B, the graphite liner 34 is shown fully lowered onto the cleat 12, with the cleat 12 partially positioned within the upper arc 38, and the sidewall 48 of the upper arc 38 seated against the sidewall 21 of the cleat 12. Because the radius of the top of the cleat 12 is larger than the radius of the upper arc 38, the cleat 12 prevents the graphite liner 34 from being pulled horizontally away from the structure 22 (i.e., to the right in FIG. 5B) unless the cleat 12 is first lifted upward to offset the cleat 12 into the larger lower arc 40 (as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B). Thus, the graphite liner 34 remains securely attached to the structure 22 until the graphite liner 34 is removed.

[0024]

[0035] 6, which is a cross-sectional bottom view showing the cleat 12 positioned within the upper arc 38. As discussed above, the spring element 16 of the fastener 10 may bias the cleat 12 downward (relative to the orientation of the fastener 10 as shown in FIG. 6) toward the flat washer 18 by exerting a downward force on the floor 33 of the interior cavity 14 of the cleat 12. This biasing force may be transferred to the graphite liner 34 through the engagement between the angled sidewall 21 of the cleat 12 and the angled sidewall 48 of the hanger pocket 36. Thus, the fastener 10 may hold the graphite liner 34 in firm engagement with the structure 22 while simultaneously allowing the cleat 12 to move away from the structure 22 (i.e., via deflection of the spring element 16). In this manner, the fastener 10 can accommodate tolerance stackup and thermal expansion of the structure 22, the graphite liner 34, and / or the fastener 10 while reducing the risk of damage to the graphite liner 34 due to the above-mentioned tolerance stackup and / or thermal expansion.

[0025]

[0036] In various alternative embodiments, the hanger pocket 36 may have a variety of different shapes other than those described above and shown in Figures 3A-5B, so long as the shape includes a lower portion having an opening on the underside of the liner that is large enough to accommodate the upper portion of the cleat 12. For example, with reference to Figure 7A, an alternative hanger pocket 36a formed in a portion of a liner 37a is shown having a generally semicircular upper portion intersecting with a generally arcuate lower portion. With reference to Figure 7B, an alternative hanger pocket 36b formed in a portion of a liner 37b is shown having upper and lower portions that define a continuous arch, with the bottom of the hanger pocket 36b extending past the bottom edge of the liner 37b. The present disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0026]

[0037] 8, which illustrates an exemplary implementation of the fastening system of the present disclosure used to removably attach a graphite liner 50 to an inner surface 52 of a process chamber. In particular, three fasteners 10a, 10b, 10c identical to the fasteners 10 described above may be secured (e.g., bolted) to the chamber-facing side of the inner surface 52 at various locations (the three fasteners 10a, 10b, 10c are shown in dashed lines because they are located behind the graphite liner 50). The graphite liner 50 may include three hanger pockets 36a, 36b, 36c identical to the hanger pocket 36 described above formed on its underside (and therefore shown in dashed lines) at locations corresponding to the locations of the fasteners 10a, 10b, 10c. The graphite liner 50 may be removably fastened to the inner surface 52 by placing the hanger pockets 36a, 36b, 36c over the fasteners 10a, 10b, 10c and lowering the hanger pockets 36a, 36b, 36c onto the fasteners 10a, 10b, 10c in the manner described above with respect to the hanger pockets 36 and fasteners 10. Although not shown in the example provided in FIG. 8, various implementations are contemplated in which, in addition to the fastening system of the present disclosure, one or more conventional mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts, etc.) may be inserted through corresponding mounting apertures in the graphite liner 50 to secure the graphite liner 50 to the inner surface 52 so as not to inadvertently extrude it. Such mechanical fasteners may be covered by a graphite cap on the side of the graphite liner 50 facing the chamber.

[0027]

[0038] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the above-described fastening system provides an advancement in the art by facilitating convenient and rapid installation and removal of liners (e.g., graphite liners) in a process chamber of an ion implanter without the need for the use of tools. Additionally, the fastening system does not require the installation of any mechanical fasteners or caps on the chamber-facing side of the liner, and therefore does not introduce undesirable interruptions or variations in the surface texture of the chamber-facing side of the liner. Additionally, the fasteners of the present disclosure dynamically accommodate tolerance stackups and thermal expansion of surrounding structures while mitigating the risk of damage due to tolerance stackups and / or thermal expansion to the installed liner.

[0028]

[0039] As used herein, elements or steps referred to in the singular and preceded by the word "a" or "an" will be understood as not excluding a plurality of elements or steps, unless the exclusion is expressly stated. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that incorporate the recited features.

[0029]

[0040] The present disclosure is not limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various other embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure, in addition to those described herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, such other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, although the present disclosure has been described herein in the context of specific implementations in particular environments for particular purposes, those skilled in the art will recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Thus, the claims set forth below should be construed in light of the full breadth and spirit of the present disclosure as described herein.

Claims

1. A spring-loaded fastener, a frusto-conical cleat having an internal cavity; a spring element disposed on a floor of the internal cavity; a shoulder bolt disposed in the internal cavity, a bottom surface of a head portion of the shoulder bolt being disposed on the spring element and a shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt extending through a mounting aperture in a floor of the internal cavity; a flat washer disposed adjacent a bottom surface of the cleat, the bottom surface of the shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt being disposed on the flat washer and the threaded portion of the shoulder bolt extending through the flat washer; A spring-loaded fastener.

2. 2. The spring fastener of claim 1, wherein the spring element is annular, has an inner diameter smaller than a diameter of the head portion of the shoulder bolt, and has an outer diameter larger than a diameter of the head portion of the shoulder bolt.

3. 2. The spring fastener of claim 1, wherein said flat washer has an inner diameter less than a diameter of the shoulder portion of said shoulder bolt and an outer diameter greater than a diameter of said mounting aperture.

4. The spring fastener of claim 1 , wherein the spring element is one of a spring washer and a coil spring.

5. 2. The spring fastener of claim 1, wherein the spring element biases a head portion of the shoulder bolt and a floor of an internal cavity of the cleat away from each other.

6. 10. The spring fastener of claim 1, wherein the cleat is formed from one of aluminum, stainless steel, polyetheretherketone, nylon, and Teflon.

7. The spring fastener of claim 1 , wherein the cleat sidewalls extend from the bottom surface of the cleat at an angle ranging from 100 degrees to 120 degrees.

8. A spring loaded fastening system for fastening the liner to a structure, comprising: A spring-loaded fastener, a frusto-conical cleat having an internal cavity; a spring element disposed on a floor of the internal cavity; a shoulder bolt disposed in the internal cavity, a bottom surface of a head portion of the shoulder bolt being disposed on the spring element, a shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt extending through a mounting aperture in a floor of the internal cavity, and a threaded portion of the shoulder bolt being fastened to the structure; a flat washer disposed adjacent a bottom surface of the cleat, the bottom surface of the shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt being disposed on the flat washer and the threaded portion of the shoulder bolt extending through the flat washer; A spring-loaded fastener comprising: A hanger pocket on the underside of the liner, a first portion defining an opening in a back surface of the liner that is large enough to accommodate a diameter of a lower portion of the cleat but not large enough to accommodate a diameter of an upper portion of the cleat; a second portion adjacent to the first portion and defining an opening on a back surface of the liner large enough to accommodate a diameter of an upper portion of the cleat; Includes hanger pocket and A spring-loaded fastening system.

9. 9. The spring clamping system of claim 8, wherein the spring element is annular, has an inner diameter smaller than a diameter of the head portion of the shoulder bolt, and has an outer diameter larger than a diameter of the head portion of the shoulder bolt.

10. 9. The spring loaded clamping system of claim 8, wherein said flat washer has an inner diameter less than a diameter of the shoulder portion of said shoulder bolt and an outer diameter greater than a diameter of said mounting aperture.

11. The spring loaded fastening system of claim 8 , wherein the spring element is one of a spring washer and a coil spring.

12. 9. The spring loaded tightening system of claim 8, wherein the spring element biases a head portion of the shoulder bolt and a floor of an interior cavity of the cleat away from each other.

13. 9. The spring loaded fastening system of claim 8, wherein the cleat is formed from one of aluminum, stainless steel, polyetheretherketone, nylon, and Teflon.

14. 9. The spring loaded fastening system of claim 8, wherein the side walls of the cleat extend at an angle ranging from 100 degrees to 120 degrees from the bottom surface of the cleat.

15. 9. The spring loaded fastening system of claim 8, wherein a sidewall of the cleat extends from a bottom surface of the cleat at a first angle and a sidewall of the hanger pocket extends from a back surface of the liner at a second angle, the first angle being equal to the second angle.

16. 9. The spring loaded fastening system of claim 8, wherein the hanger pocket has a depth equal to or greater than the combined depth of the cleat and the flat washer disposed adjacent a bottom surface of the cleat.

17. The spring loaded fastening system of claim 8 , wherein a side wall of the hanger pocket is disposed over a side wall of the cleat.

18. A spring loaded fastening system for fastening the liner to a structure, comprising: A spring-loaded fastener, a frusto-conical cleat having an internal cavity; a spring element disposed on a floor of the internal cavity; a shoulder bolt disposed in the internal cavity, a bottom surface of a head portion of the shoulder bolt being disposed on the spring element, a shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt extending through a mounting aperture in a floor of the internal cavity, and a threaded portion of the shoulder bolt being fastened to the structure; a flat washer disposed adjacent a bottom surface of the cleat, the bottom surface of the shoulder portion of the shoulder bolt being disposed on the flat washer and the threaded portion of the shoulder bolt extending through the flat washer; A spring-loaded fastener comprising: A hanger pocket on the underside of the liner, a first portion defining an opening in a back surface of the liner that is large enough to accommodate a diameter of a lower portion of the cleat but not large enough to accommodate a diameter of an upper portion of the cleat; a second portion adjacent to the first portion and defining an opening on a back surface of the liner large enough to accommodate a diameter of an upper portion of the cleat; Includes hanger pocket and Equipped with a sidewall of the cleat extends from a bottom surface of the cleat at a first angle and a sidewall of the hanger pocket extends from a back surface of the liner at a second angle, the first angle being equal to the second angle; A spring loaded fastening system, wherein the cleat is disposed within a first portion of the hanger pocket and a sidewall of the hanger pocket is disposed over a sidewall of the cleat.

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