Tool and method for installing a chandelier-type shower head

Abstract

An alignment device for raising two components together in a side-by-side position is provided. An exemplary alignment device includes a planetary gear set including a ring gear and at least two planetary gears, and one or more side plates for supporting the gears. Each of the planetary gears includes an opening sized to receive a threaded fastener for engagement with a respective threaded rod that engages with one of the two components, and rotation of the ring gear imparts rotational motion to the threaded fastener to cause synchronous advancement of the alignment device along the threaded rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Claims of Priority This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 705,522, filed on Jul. 1, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to tools and methods for the installation of chandelier-type showerheads, and more particularly, to alignment devices and tool kits that enable the accurate installation of heavy chandelier-type showerheads.

Background Art

[0003] In some current semiconductor manufacturing operations, showerheads are manually installed, relying on the alignment of key-lock sites on the showerhead and the cooling plate. The manual installation process typically causes damage to the thermal interface between these two components, significantly affecting heat transfer and limiting tool performance (reducing maximum heat conduction by up to 30% and affecting overall tool throughput and process capabilities). The keying sites are generally too small to cope with the increased mass of new showerheads and cause more damage and debris generation when used with new-generation showerheads.

[0004] The background art described herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the content of the present disclosure. The inventions of the presently named inventors are not to be regarded as prior art to the present disclosure, either explicitly or implicitly, to the extent that they are described in aspects of the description that do not fall within the scope of the prior art at the time of filing.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure generally relates to tools and methods for the attachment of chandelier - type showerheads, and more particularly, to a manual “synchro - plier” gearbox and an alignment tool kit that enables the accurate attachment of heavy chandelier - type showerheads. When placing or attaching a showerhead in a processing chamber, some examples limit the one - dimensional movement (e.g., non - lateral, moving closer or farther apart) of the showerhead relative to a cooling plate, allowing two surfaces to contact in a substantially parallel manner without rubbing against other nearby surfaces or interfering with the desired alignment. Some exemplary gearboxes include a planetary gear set for synchronously operating two threaded rods that impart axial movement coordinated with components such as the showerhead or the cooling plate. In some examples, the threaded rods are removable after the showerhead has been installed and fixed in its final attachment position. Some exemplary gearboxes include thrust bearings for transmitting the weight load of the showerhead to components of the same load - bearing capacity that can withstand the weight during normal operation. Some exemplary gearboxes include self - aligning gears to minimize play and friction.

[0006] In some examples, the alignment device is provided to lift two components together in a side - by - side state. An exemplary alignment device includes a planetary gear set, which includes a ring gear and at least two planetary gears, and one or more side plates for supporting the ring gear and the at least two planetary gears. Each of the at least two planetary gears includes an aperture sized to receive a threaded fastener for engaging with each of at least two threaded rods that engage with one of the two components. Rotation of the ring gear imparts a synchronized rotational movement to the threaded fasteners, resulting in a linear movement of the alignment device relative to the at least two threaded rods.

[0007] Some examples further include a pair of shoe retainers for supporting at least two planetary gears. The pair of shoe retainers is configured to support at least two planetary gears for rotation inside the ring gear and around each of at least two threaded rods, and may not include a sun gear.

[0008] In some examples, the alignment device is portable, and the ring gear is provided with one or more manually engagable structures around the ring gear for manually rotating the ring gear to move the alignment device relative to at least two threaded rods.

[0009] Some examples further include one or more thrust bearings for supporting the weight of either of the two components or for transmitting the axial force generated by the alignment device to either of the two components when the ring gear rotates.

[0010] In some examples, one or more side plates include a first opening allowing at least two threaded rods to pass through and one or more second openings allowing a fixing fixture for fastening the two components together to pass through.

[0011] In some examples, the ring gear and at least two planetary gears include herringbone gears.

[0012] In some examples, the first component of the two components includes a shower head, and the second component of the two components includes a cooling plate.

[0013] In some examples, an alignment tool kit is provided to facilitate lifting two components together in a side-by-side state. An exemplary tool kit includes at least two threaded rods, each of which engages with one of the two components, and an alignment device including a planetary gear set. The planetary gear box includes a ring gear, at least two planetary gears, and one or more side plates for supporting the ring gear and the at least two planetary gears. Each of the at least two planetary gears has an aperture sized to receive a threaded fastener for engaging with each of the at least two threaded rods. Rotation of the ring gear provides a synchronized rotational movement to the threaded fasteners, causing a linear movement of the alignment device relative to the at least two threaded rods. The alignment device includes an alignment device.

[0014] In some examples, the tool kit further includes a threaded rod guide for engaging with one of the two components.

[0015] In some examples, the tool kit further includes an alignment checker for verifying or confirming the alignment of the two components when they are lifted together.

[0016] In some examples, the alignment device further includes a pair of shoe retainers for supporting at least two planetary gears. In some examples, the pair of shoe retainers are configured to support at least two planetary gears for rotation around the inside of the ring gear and around each of the at least two threaded rods and do not include a sun gear.

[0017] In some examples, the alignment device is portable, and the ring gear includes one or more manually engageable structures provided around the ring gear for manually rotating the ring gear to move the alignment device relative to the at least two threaded rods.

[0018] In some examples, the alignment device further includes one or more thrust bearings to support the weight of either of the two components or to transmit the axial force generated by the alignment device when the ring gear rotates to either of the two components.

[0019] In some examples, one or more side plates of the alignment device each include a first opening that allows the respective threaded rod to pass through and one or more second openings that allow a fixing fixture for fastening the two components together to pass through.

[0020] In some examples, the ring gear and at least two planetary gears of the alignment device include herringbone gears.

[0021] In some examples, the first component of the two components includes a shower head, and the second component of the two components includes a cooling plate.

[0022] In some examples, a method is provided for aligning two components so that they are lifted together. An exemplary method includes connecting two or more threaded rods to a first component of the two components, engaging an alignment device with a second component of the two components, the alignment device comprising a planetary gear set including a ring gear and at least two planetary gears, the alignment device comprising one or more side plates for supporting the ring gear and at least two planetary gears, each of the at least two planetary gears having an opening sized to receive a threaded fastener for engaging with one of the two or more threaded rods, rotation of the ring gear imparting a synchronized rotational motion to the threaded fastener to cause a linear movement of the alignment device relative to the two or more threaded rods, and rotating the ring gear to move the alignment device relative to the two or more threaded rods.

[0023] In some examples, the method further includes engaging a threaded rod guide with either of the two components.

[0024] In some examples, this method further includes using an alignment checker to verify or confirm the alignment of two components when they are lifted together.

[0025] In some examples of this method, the alignment device further includes a pair of shrouds for supporting at least two planetary gears. In some examples, the pair of shrouds are configured to support at least two planetary gears for rotation inside the ring gear and around each of two or more threaded rods, and do not include a sun gear.

[0026] In some examples of this method, the alignment device is portable, and the ring gear includes one or more manually engagable structures provided around the ring gear for manually rotating the ring gear to advance the device along two or more threaded rods, and this method further includes manually rotating the ring gear to move the alignment device along two or more threaded rods.

[0027] In some examples of this method, the alignment device further includes one or more thrust bearings for supporting the weight of either of the two components or for transmitting the axial force generated by the alignment device when the ring gear rotates to either of the two components.

[0028] In some examples of this method, one or more side plates of the alignment device include a first opening allowing the passage of two or more threaded rods and one or more second openings allowing the passage of a fixing fixture for fastening the two components together, and this method further includes passing the fixing fixture through one of the second openings to fasten the components together.

[0029] In some examples of this method, the ring gear and at least two planetary gears of the alignment device include herringbone gears.

[0030] In some examples of this method, the first component of the two components includes a shower head, and the second component of the two components includes a cooling plate.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] Some embodiments are presented by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying drawings.

[0032]

Figure 1

[0033]

Figure 2

[0034]

Figure 3

[0035]

Figure 4

[0036]

Figure 5

[0037]

Figure 6

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0038] The following description includes systems, methods, techniques, instruction sequences, and computer program products that embody exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, several specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details.

[0039] Part of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material subject to copyright protection. Since a copy of the patent document or patent disclosure is evident in the patent file or records of the Patent Office, the copyright holder has no objection to anyone making a copy thereof, but retains all other copyrights. The following warning applies to any and all data below, and to any and all data in the drawings forming a part of this application: This copyright is owned by Lam Research Corporation (2020). Unauthorized use is prohibited.

[0040] Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary arrangement 100 of a plasma processing chamber is shown. The subject matter of the present invention may be used in various semiconductor manufacturing operations and wafer processing operations, but in the example of the figure, the plasma processing chamber is described from the perspective of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or radical enhanced CVD, or atomic layer deposition (ALD) operations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other types of ALD processing techniques are known (e.g., thermal ALD operations), and that non-plasma processing chambers may be incorporated. An ALD tool is a specialized CVD processing system in which an ALD reaction occurs between two or more chemical species. The two or more chemical species are referred to as precursor gases and are used to form a thin film deposition of material on a substrate such as a silicon wafer used in the semiconductor industry. The precursor gases are continuously introduced into the ALD processing chamber and react with the surface of the substrate to form a deposition layer. Generally, the substrate interacts repeatedly with the precursor to slowly deposit one or more material layers that gradually become thicker on the substrate. In certain applications, multiple precursor gases may be used to form various types of films during the substrate manufacturing process.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a plasma processing chamber 102 in which a showerhead 104 and a substrate support assembly 108 or pedestal are disposed. The showerhead 104 may be a type of showerhead electrode or a chandelier-type showerhead described in more detail below. The showerhead 104 may be installed adjacent to or associated with a cooling plate (not shown in FIG. 1 but described below). The pedestal or substrate support assembly 108 may include an index head. Typically, the substrate support assembly 108 attempts to provide a substantially isothermal surface and may function as both a heater and a heat sink for the substrate 106. The substrate support assembly 108 may include an electrostatic chuck (ESC) containing a heater to assist in the processing of the substrate 106 as described above. The substrate 106 may include, for example, a wafer containing an elemental semiconductor material (e.g., silicon (Si) or germanium (Ge)), or a compound semiconductor material (e.g., silicon germanium (SiGe) or gallium arsenide (GaAs)). In addition, other substrates may include dielectric materials such as quartz, sapphire, semi-crystalline polymers, or other non-metallic and non-semiconductor materials.

[0042] During operation, the substrate 106 is placed onto the substrate support assembly 108 through the load port 110. The gas line 114 can supply one or more processing gases (e.g., precursor gases) to the showerhead 104. The showerhead 104 then supplies the one or more processing gases to the plasma processing chamber 102. A gas source 112 (e.g., one or more precursor gas ampules) for supplying the one or more processing gases is connected to the gas line 114. In some examples, a radio frequency (RF) power supply 116 is connected to the showerhead 104. In other examples, the power supply is connected to the substrate support assembly 108 or the ESC.

[0043] Before entering downstream of the showerhead 104 and the gas line 114, a combination of point-of-use (POU) and manifold (not shown) controls the entry of one or more process gases into the plasma processing chamber 102. When the plasma processing chamber 102 is used to deposit a thin film in a plasma-enhanced ALD operation, the precursor gases may be mixed within the showerhead 104.

[0044] During operation, the plasma processing chamber 102 is evacuated by a vacuum pump 118. RF power is capacitively coupled between the showerhead 104 and a lower electrode (not shown explicitly in the figure) included inside or on top of the substrate support assembly 108. The substrate support assembly 108 is typically supplied with two or more RF frequencies. For example, in various embodiments, the RF frequencies may be selected from at least one frequency from about 1 MHz, 2 MHz, 13.56 MHz, 27 MHz, 60 MHz, and other desired frequencies. Optionally, a coil may be designed to block or partially block a specific RF frequency. Thus, the specific frequencies described herein are provided merely to facilitate understanding. The RF power is used to excite one or more process gases into a plasma in the space between the substrate 106 and the showerhead 104. The plasma can help deposit various layers (not shown) on the substrate 106. In other applications, the plasma may be used to etch device features into various layers on the substrate 106. The RF power is connected at least through the substrate support assembly 108. The substrate support assembly 108 may have a built-in heater (not shown in FIG. 1). The detailed design of the plasma processing chamber 102 may vary widely.

[0045] As described above, in some current semiconductor manufacturing operations, the showerhead is manually attached, relying on the alignment of the key-lock portions of the showerhead and the associated cooling plate. Manual attachment typically causes damage to the thermal interface between these two components, significantly affecting heat transfer and limiting tool performance (reducing maximum heat conduction by up to 30% and affecting overall tool throughput and process capabilities). The keying portions are generally too small to cope with the increased mass of the new showerhead and also cause more damage and debris generation when used with the new generation showerhead.

[0046] To address these issues, some examples herein facilitate the alignment of two components, such as a showerhead and a cooling plate, when they are simultaneously lifted. Some examples limit the movement of the two components relative to each other to a single direction (e.g., moving closer or farther apart relative to each other) to enable the mating surfaces of the two components to contact each other almost completely parallel without rubbing against other adjacent component surfaces or interfering with the alignment operation. Some examples include an alignment device comprising a planetary gear set (or gearbox) to simultaneously move an alignment device and two threaded rods that interconnect either of the two components. In some examples, the two threaded rods are removable after the showerhead is installed and fixed to the cooling plate in the final installation position. The alignment device uses a thrust bearing together with the gear set to transfer the weight load of the showerhead to components of the same load-bearing capacity that can withstand its weight during normal operation and uses an automatic centering gear (e.g., a herringbone gear) to minimize play and friction.

[0047] Accurate attachment facilitated by an exemplary alignment device enables smoother contact of component surfaces without damage and, in some cases, without using thermal grease. This increased thermal contact allows for up to a 30% increase in heat transfer at the joint, improving overall tool performance and, in some examples, enabling high deposition rates with high power. Some examples can also reduce the number of operators performing the component attachment (e.g., reducing the number of operators from two or three to one).

[0048] Referring to FIG. 2, an assembly 200 is shown in which two components are simultaneously lifted and fixed to each other in a final position. In the example of the figure, the first component of the two components is a cooling plate 204 and its second component is a shower head 104. Alignment of other components using the components and techniques disclosed herein is possible. The shower head 104 has a shower head stem 206. The shower head stem 206 includes several screw holes 208 for fixing the cooling plate 204 to the shower head 104 by one or more complementary screw-like fasteners (not shown). In the assembly 200 of the figure, each of a pair of screw rods 210 is connected to the shower head stem 206 at its lower end by being screwed into each of a pair of screw holes 208. Other numbers of screw rods 210 and their configurations are possible.

[0049] As will be described in more detail below, the alignment device 202 engages with the screw rod 210. The alignment device 202 is portable (i.e., hand-carriable) and includes a manual ring gear 212 for advancing the alignment device 202 in either one limited linear direction (i.e., up and down in the figure) along the screw rod 210. When the alignment device 202 is coupled to the cooling plate 204 and the ring gear 212 is rotated manually, the shower head 104 and the cooling plate 204 can be lifted together side by side (or, if the ring gear 212 is rotated in the opposite direction, can move away from each other). The movement of the alignment device 202 along each of the pair of screw rods 210 is synchronized, as will be described in more detail below.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of an exemplary alignment device 202 for lifting two components together in a side-by-side state. The alignment device 202 includes a planetary gear set 302. The planetary gear set 302 includes a ring gear 212 and at least two planetary gears 304. One or more side plates 306 provide a housing for the planetary gear set 302 and support the ring gear 212 and the planetary gears 304. In the example of the figure, each of the two planetary gears 304 includes an aperture 308 sized and shaped to receive a threaded fastener (e.g., nut 402 of FIG. 4) for mating with each of the threaded rods 210 coupled to the shower head 104 as detailed above. As will be appreciated, manual rotation of the ring gear 212 impart synchronous rotational movement to the two planetary gears 304 and their respective apertures 308. Each nut 402 installed in each aperture 308 rotates appropriately around its threaded rod 210, resulting in the straight-line movement of the alignment device 202 along the two threaded rods 210. By that linear movement, the attached cooling plate 204, constrained by the alignment device 202, is drawn together in a state where their respective mating surfaces held substantially parallel to each other are side-by-side, towards (or away from) the shower head 104.

[0051] FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of an exemplary alignment device 202. As described above, the alignment device 202 includes a planetary gear set 302. The planetary gear set 302 includes a ring gear 212 and at least two planetary gears 304. One or more side plates 306 provide a housing for the planetary gear set 302 and support the ring gear 212 and the planetary gears 304. In some examples, the side plates 306 are designed for easy manufacture from sheet material. In the example of the figure, each of the two planetary gears 304 is sized and shaped with an opening 308 for receiving a threaded fastener (e.g., nut 402 in FIG. 4) for threading engagement with a respective threaded rod 210 coupled to the showerhead 104. A pair of clamp retainers 404 is configured to support the two planetary gears 304 for rotation about the inside of the ring gear 212 and about each of the two threaded rods 210. In the exemplary exploded view 400, the arrangement of the retainers 404 and the planetary gear set 302 does not require the installation of a sun gear as may be seen in the arrangement of conventional planetary gear sets. In some examples of the present application, the ring gear 212 and the two planetary gears 304 include self-aligning herringbone gears as shown in the figure. The side plates 306 of the alignment device 202 may be fixed to each other by screws or rivets (not shown). Other arrangements are possible.

[0052] In some examples, the ring gear 212 is provided with one or more manually engagable structures 406 or tabs around its perimeter for manually rotating the ring gear to advance or retract the alignment device 202 along the threaded rod 210. In some examples, the alignment device 202 includes one or more thrust bearings 408 and washers 410 for supporting the weight of either of the two components (showerhead 104 or cooling plate 204) or for transmitting the axial force generated by the alignment device 202 when the ring gear 212 rotates to either of the two components. The thrust bearing 408 transmits the load to the lower layer of the alignment device 202 while allowing the nut 402 to rotate freely.

[0053] In some examples, one or more side plates 306 include a first opening 412 that allows passage of two threaded rods 210 and one or more second openings 414 that allow passage of a fastening fixture 416 for securing two components together. In some examples, the first opening 412 and the second opening 414 have the same size and thread so that the threaded rod 210 and the fastening fixture 416 can use the same hole. In this convenient arrangement, for example, when the shower head 104 and the cooling plate 204 are lifted together, the threaded rod 210 can pass through the first opening 412 and the nut 402 of the planetary gear 304 and be fixed to the complementary threaded hole 208 of the shower head stem 206 while the second opening 414 remains free to receive the fastening fixture 416. This eliminates the need, for example, to pull the threaded rod 210 before securely fixing the two components, or to add additional threaded holes 208 to the shower head stem 206 or the cooling plate 204. That is, the first opening 412 or the second opening 414 allows the final mounting fixture (e.g., the fastening fixture 416) to be inserted and tightened without first removing the alignment device 202.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 5, some examples herein include an alignment tool kit 500 to facilitate lifting two components, such as the shower head 104 and the cooling plate 204, together in a side-by-side manner. In some examples, the threaded rod 210 includes a knurled handle 508 for quickly screwing the threaded rod 210 into the shower head 104 (specifically, the shower head stem 206) through the alignment device 202, allowing for a "coarse" alignment of these two components without yet using the alignment device 202 "accurately".

[0055] In some examples, the alignment tool kit 500 includes at least two threaded rods 210, each of which is engageable with either of two components (in this case, the shower head stem 206) and (as shown, for example, in FIG. 2). The alignment tool kit 500 further includes an alignment device 202. The alignment device 202 may comprise one or more of the above features. In some examples, the alignment device 202 transfers the weight of the shower head 104 to the cooling plate 204 along the same load path that exists during normal use in the operation of the processing chamber 102 during attachment and fixation.

[0056] The alignment tool kit 500 may further include one or more threaded rod guides 502 for engaging either of two components (in this example, the cooling plate 204). The threaded rod guide 502 helps support and guide the threaded rod 210 when the shower head 104 (or, specifically, the shower head stem 206) is lifted according to the operation of the alignment device 202 for coupling to the lower surface of the cooling plate 204. The threaded rod guide 502 is inserted into the cooling plate 204 so that the threaded rods 210 are vertically aligned and centered, and the cooling plate 204 can be protected from damage by the threaded rods 210. In some examples, the alignment tool kit 500 further includes an alignment checker 504 or flatness checker to verify or confirm their alignment when the two components are lifted together. The alignment checker 504 can verify or confirm the parallelism of the hot surfaces of the two components as needed. The alignment checker 504 may comprise, for example, opposing planes 506 that are pre-calibrated or aligned to allow for a predefined aligned alignment of the shower head 104 and the cooling plate 204.

[0057] Some examples of the present application include a method. Referring to FIG. 6, the operations of a method 600 for aligning two components that are lifted together are shown in a flowchart. In operation 602, method 600 includes connecting two or more threaded rods to a first component of the two components. In operation 604, method 600 includes engaging an alignment device with a second component of the two components, the alignment device comprising a planetary gearbox including a ring gear and at least two planetary gears, and one or more side plates for supporting the ring gear and the at least two planetary gears, each of the at least two planetary gears including an aperture sized to receive a fastener for engaging with one of the two or more threaded rods, rotation of the ring gear imparting a synchronized rotational motion to the threaded fasteners to cause linear advancement of the alignment device along the two or more threaded rods. In operation 606, method 600 includes rotating the ring gear to advance the alignment device along the two or more threaded rods.

[0058] Some examples of method 600 further include engaging a threaded rod guide with either of the two components. Some examples of method 600 further include using an alignment checker to verify or confirm the alignment of the two components when they are lifted together.

[0059] In some examples of method 600, the alignment device further comprises a pair of shoe retainers for supporting at least two planetary gears. In some examples of method 600, the pair of shoe retainers is configured to support at least two planetary gears for rotation inside the ring gear and around each of at least two threaded rods, and does not include a sun gear. In some examples of method 600, the alignment device is portable, and the ring gear is provided with one or more manually engagable structures around it for manually rotating the ring gear to advance the device along the threaded rod, and method 600 further includes the step of manually rotating the ring gear to advance the alignment device along the threaded rod. In some examples of method 600, the alignment device further comprises one or more thrust bearings for supporting the weight of either of the two components, or for transmitting the axial force generated by the alignment device when the ring gear rotates to either of the two components. In some examples of method 600, one or more side plates of the alignment device each comprise a first opening allowing the passage of each threaded rod, and one or more second openings allowing the passage of a fixing fixture for fastening the two components together, and method 600 further includes the step of passing the fixing fixture through one of the second openings to fasten the two components together. In some examples of method 600, the ring gear and at least two planetary gears of the alignment device include herringbone gears. In some examples, the three-dimensional (3D) printed herringbone gears provide a reduction ratio of 4:1 or less to minimize the lifting force and self-align for smooth movement.

[0060] Examples have been described with reference to specific, exemplary embodiments or methods, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broad scope of the embodiments. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, illustrate by way of example, and not by way of limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter of the invention may be practiced. The embodiments of the figures are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may be utilized or derived therefrom without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the forms in which the invention may be practiced should not be construed as limited, and the scope of various embodiments is defined only by the appended claims and the full scope of equivalents to which they are entitled.

[0061] Embodiments of the subject matter of such an invention, when one or more are actually disclosed, may be referred to herein, for convenience and without an intent to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to one invention or inventive concept, individually and / or collectively by the term "invention." Thus, while specific embodiments have been described and depicted herein, it should be recognized that any configuration planned to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown in the figures. The disclosure is intended to cover all alternatives or modifications of the various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments with other embodiments not specifically recited herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the above description.

Claims

1. An alignment device for lifting two components together, wherein the first component of the two components includes a shower head, the second component of the two components includes a cooling plate, and the alignment device includes a planetary gear set including a ring gear and at least two planetary gears, and one or more side plates for supporting the ring gear and the at least two planetary gears. Each of the at least two planetary gears includes an aperture sized to receive a threaded fastener for engaging with each of at least two threaded rods that engage with one of the two components, and rotation of the ring gear provides a synchronized rotational motion to the threaded fastener to cause a linear movement of the alignment device with respect to the at least two threaded rods. An alignment device.

2. The alignment device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of shoe retainers for supporting the at least two planetary gears. An alignment device.

3. The alignment device according to claim 2, wherein the pair of shoe retainers is configured to support the at least two planetary gears for rotation inside the ring gear and around each of the at least two threaded rods, and does not include a sun gear. An alignment device.

4. The alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the alignment device is portable, the ring gear includes one or more manually engagable structures provided around it for manually rotating the ring gear to move the alignment device with respect to the at least two threaded rods. An alignment device.

5. The alignment device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more thrust bearings for supporting the weight of either of the two components or for transmitting the axial force generated by the alignment device when the ring gear rotates to either of the two components. An alignment device.

6. The alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more side plates include a first aperture allowing the at least two threaded rods to pass through and one or more second apertures allowing a fixing fastener for fastening the two components together to pass through. An alignment device.

7. The alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the ring gear and the at least two planetary gears include herringbone gears, the alignment device.

8. An alignment tool kit that facilitates lifting two components together while aligned, wherein the first component of the two components includes a shower head, the second component of the two components includes a cooling plate, and the alignment tool kit includes at least two threaded rods, each threaded rod being engagable with either of the two components, an alignment device, a planetary gear set, the planetary gear set including a ring gear and at least two planetary gears, one or more side plates for supporting the ring gear and the at least two planetary gears, each of the at least two planetary gears includes an aperture sized to receive a threaded fastener for engagement with each of the at least two threaded rods, and rotation of the ring gear imparts a synchronized rotational motion to the threaded fasteners to cause linear movement of the alignment device relative to the at least two threaded rods, the alignment device, An alignment tool kit comprising.

9. The tool kit according to claim 8, further comprising a threaded rod guide for engaging either of the two components, the tool kit.

10. The tool kit according to claim 8, further comprising an alignment checker for verifying or confirming the alignment of the two components when they are lifted together, the tool kit.

11. The tool kit according to claim 8, wherein the alignment device further comprises a pair of shoe retainers for supporting the at least two planetary gears, the tool kit.

12. The tool kit according to claim 11, wherein the pair of shoe retainers is configured to support the at least two planetary gears for rotation around the inside of the ring gear and around each of the at least two threaded rods, and does not include a sun gear, the tool kit.

13. The tool kit according to claim 8, wherein the alignment device is portable The ring gear includes one or more manually engagable components provided around it for rotating the ring gear manually to move the alignment device relative to the at least two threaded rods, a tool kit.

14. The tool kit according to claim 8, wherein the alignment device further comprises one or more thrust bearings for supporting the weight of either of the two components or for transmitting the axial force generated by the alignment device when the ring gear rotates to either of the two components, a tool kit.

15. The tool kit according to claim 8, wherein the one or more side plates of the alignment device include a first opening enabling passage of each respective threaded rod and one or more second openings enabling passage of a fixing fixture for fastening the two components together, a tool kit.

16. The tool kit according to claim 8, wherein the ring gear and the at least two planetary gears of the alignment device include herringbone gears, a tool kit.

17. A method of aligning two components to be lifted together, connecting two or more threaded rods to a first component of the two components, the first component including a shower head engaging an alignment device with a second component of the two components, the second component including a cooling plate, the alignment device comprising a planetary gear set including a ring gear and at least two planetary gears, and one or more side plates for supporting the ring gear and the at least two planetary gears, each of the at least two planetary gears including an aperture sized to receive a threaded fastener for engaging with one of the two or more threaded rods, rotation of the ring gear imparting a synchronized rotational movement to the threaded fastener to cause linear movement of the alignment device relative to the two or more threaded rods, rotating the ring gear to move the alignment device relative to the two or more threaded rods, comprising a method.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising engaging a threaded rod guide with either of the two components.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising A method comprising using an alignment checker to verify or confirm the alignment of the two components when they are both lifted together.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the alignment device further comprises a pair of shrouds for supporting the at least two planet gears.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the pair of shrouds is configured to support the at least two planet gears for rotation inside the ring gear and around each of the two or more threaded rods, and does not include a sun gear.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the alignment device is portable, the ring gear includes one or more manually engagable structures for manually rotating the ring gear, provided around it for advancing the alignment device along the two or more threaded rods, and the method further comprises manually rotating the ring gear to move the alignment device along the two or more threaded rods.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein the alignment device further comprises one or more thrust bearings for supporting the weight of either of the two components or for transmitting the axial force generated by the alignment device to either of the two components when the ring gear rotates.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the one or more side plates of the alignment device include a first opening allowing the passage of the two or more threaded rods and one or more second openings allowing the passage of a fixing fixture for fastening the two components together, and the method further comprises passing a fixing fixture through one of the second openings to fasten the components together.

25. The method according to claim 17, wherein the ring gear and at least two planet gears of the alignment device include herringbone gears.

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