APC Pendulum Valve Apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to an APC pendulum valve, and more specifically, to an APC pendulum valve capable of stably controlling the pressure inside a chamber in process equipment requiring a high vacuum or medium vacuum state, such as a semiconductor manufacturing process, a display manufacturing process, a thin film deposition process, or an etching process. The invention comprises a main body having a ventilation hole formed therein that penetrates a pressure-controlled space, a blade that rotates to open and close the ventilation hole inside the main body, a sub-body connected to the main body and providing a receiving space in which the blade can be received when the blade opens the ventilation hole, and a push ring installed inside the main body and capable of moving up and down within the blade entry groove so as to block gas movement between the blade entry groove and the process zone when the blade is in a closed state that closes the ventilation hole.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an APC pendulum valve, and more specifically, to an APC pendulum valve capable of stably controlling the pressure inside a chamber in process equipment requiring a high vacuum or medium vacuum state, such as in semiconductor manufacturing processes, display manufacturing processes, thin film deposition processes, and etching processes. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor and display manufacturing industries, process atmosphere pressure acts as a critical factor directly linked to product quality during the processes of forming fine patterns on wafers or substrates, or depositing and etching thin films. Most of these processes are performed within vacuum chambers, and the internal pressure is determined by a complex interplay of factors, including the flow rate of process gases, the exhaust performance of pumps, and the open / closed status of valves. Therefore, stably maintaining the internal chamber pressure within a specific range during the process is essential for ensuring process reproducibility and improving yield.

[0003] Conventionally, to control the internal pressure of a chamber, methods of opening and closing a vacuum valve installed on a pump line or controlling the exhaust flow rate using a separate throttle valve have been commonly used. As one of these vacuum valves, the pendulum valve has a structure in which blades inside the valve move in a pendulum motion around a rotation axis to open and close the opening. It is widely used because it can secure a large flow path when open, resulting in low conductance loss, and can secure relatively excellent sealing performance when closed.

[0004] However, conventional pendulum valves are designed primarily with a focus on simple opening and closing functions, often resulting in the valve's opening or closing state being controlled in discrete steps. Consequently, there was a problem in that it was difficult to respond quickly and precisely to the target pressure when the internal chamber pressure fluctuated rapidly during the process. In particular, excessive pressure increases or decreases can occur when the process gas flow rate changes or chamber conditions shift, such as during wafer loading and unloading; this can lead to reduced process uniformity or the occurrence of defects.

[0005] In particular, there was a problem where the O-ring, installed to maintain airtightness between the push ring inside the main body and the main body, experienced reduced service life and functional degradation due to exposure to gases or foreign substances in the process zone. Furthermore, if the O-ring hardened or corroded due to exposure to process gases or foreign substances, organic matter generated during this process would penetrate into the process zone, leading to process defects. Prior art literature

[0006] U.S. Published Patent No. 2025-0137554: Vacuum valve system for a vacuum transport system Korea Registered Patent No. 10-2811524: Pressure regulating device for a semiconductor process chamber The problem to be solved

[0007] The present invention was created to solve the above problems, and aims to provide an APC pendulum valve that can extend the service life of an O-ring by ensuring that the installation space of the O-ring, which is installed to maintain airtightness between the push ring and the main body during the process of regulating the pressure inside the vacuum chamber, is not exposed to the process zone, and can minimize process defects caused by organic matter migrating to the process zone due to the hardening or corrosion of the O-ring. means of solving the problem

[0008] The present invention for achieving the above objective comprises an APC pendulum valve including a main body having a ventilation hole formed therein that penetrates a pressure-regulating space, a blade that rotates to open and close the ventilation hole inside the main body, a sub-body connected to the main body and providing a receiving space in which the blade can be received when the blade opens the ventilation hole, and a push ring installed inside the main body so as to be vertically movable within the blade entry groove to block gas movement between the blade entry groove and the process zone when the blade is in a closed state closing the ventilation hole. The invention further comprises a push body shaft installed in the main body so as to be vertically movable and having its lower end connected to the push ring to support the push ring so as to be vertically movable, and a third sealing ring installed between the push body shaft and the inner surface of the shaft hole to block gas movement through the space between the inner surface of the shaft hole formed in the main body to allow the push body shaft to pass and the outer surface of the push body shaft.

[0009] It is preferable that a cover member be installed on the upper part of the main body to cover the shaft hole and the push body shaft installed to penetrate the shaft hole, and that an elastic spring be installed on the cover member to elastically support the push body shaft downward as it rises together with the push ring as the blade enters the blade entry groove.

[0010] The above-described push body shaft comprises a shaft body whose upper end is supported by the elastic spring, a first extension member extending radially from the shaft body, and an extension member including a second extension member extending downwardly at an orthogonal length from the end of the first extension member, and the third sealing ring is preferably disposed between the inner wall of the main body and the inner surface of the second extension member.

[0011] The main body has a shaft hole formed corresponding to the outer diameter of the shaft body, and a lifting guide is formed that extends upward for a predetermined length along the edge of the shaft hole and is able to enter between the outer surface of the shaft body and the inner surface of the second extension member. A fourth ring support groove is formed on the inner wall of the main body to support the third sealing ring, and it is preferable to have a ring fixing plate installed to cover the upper part of the fourth ring support groove to prevent the third sealing ring placed in the fourth ring support groove from moving upward. Effects of the invention

[0012] According to the APC pendulum valve of the present invention, since the O-ring installed between the main body and the push ring, which pressurizes downward when blocking gas movement between process zones to control the pressure of the chamber, is not exposed to the process zone, it prevents the O-ring from corroding due to gases or foreign substances used in the process, thereby extending its service life. Additionally, it has the advantage of preventing process defects by preventing organic matter generated by the hardening or corrosion of the O-ring from moving into the process zone. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an APC pendulum valve according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the APC pendulum valve of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the APC pendulum valve of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the APC pendulum valve of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the push body shaft of the APC pendulum valve of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the coupling structure of the push ring and the main body, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the coupling structure of the push ring and the main body, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the coupling structure between the push body shaft and the main body. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0014] Hereinafter, an APC pendulum valve according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Since the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and may take various forms, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific disclosed forms, and it should be understood that it includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Similar reference numerals have been used for similar components in the description of each drawing. In the attached drawings, the dimensions of the structures are shown enlarged compared to the actual dimensions for the clarity of the present invention.

[0015] Terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components should not be limited by said terms. These terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0016] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0017] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0019] Hereinafter, the APC pendulum valve (10) according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the APC pendulum valve (10) of the present invention comprises a main body (100) and a sub-body (200), a blade (300) and a push ring (400) installed on the main body (100), a push body shaft (500), a cover member (600) installed on the top of the main body (100) to support the push body shaft (500), and a driving unit (700) installed on the main body (100) to rotate the blade (300).

[0021] The main body (100) has a ventilation hole (110) formed through its upper and lower surfaces, and is configured so that pressure is controlled by the blade (300) opening and closing the ventilation hole (110). Inside the main body (100), a blade entry groove (120) is formed for the entry of the blade (300) so that the blade (300) can enter and close the ventilation hole (110).

[0022] The above sub-body (200) is coupled to one side of the main body (100) and provides a receiving space (210) in which the blade (300) can be received when the blade (300) moves to open the ventilation hole (110) during the process of rotating the blade by the driving unit (700).

[0023] The blade (300) includes a disc-shaped blocking plate (310) capable of closing the ventilation hole (110) and an extension shaft (320) extending from the blocking plate (310), and the extension shaft (320) is connected to the rotational axis of the driving unit (700) so as to be rotated to close or open the ventilation hole (110) according to the driving of the driving unit (700).

[0024] Referring to FIG. 4, a push ring (400) is installed on a main body (100). The push ring (400) includes a push body (410) having a through hole corresponding to a ventilation hole (110) of the main body (100) that penetrates the upper and lower surfaces, a protruding partition (420) formed on the upper surface of the push body (410) to extend upward along the edge of the through hole, and a first sealing ring (440) installed on the protruding partition (420).

[0025] The push body (410) is formed such that its outer diameter corresponds to or is smaller than the inner diameter of the blade entry groove (120) so that it can be mounted in the blade entry groove (120). When the blade (300) enters the blade entry groove (120) and blocks the ventilation hole (110), the push ring (400) descends downward by a predetermined length and contacts the blade (300) with the inner wall (inside upper surface) of the main body (100), thereby blocking the movement of gas between the internal space of the blade entry groove (120) and the process zone where the through hole is formed.

[0026] In particular, the blade entry groove (120) has a partition support groove (121) formed therein, which is recessed to a predetermined depth from the inner wall surface of the main body (100) toward the outer direction to correspond to the protruding partition (420).

[0027] Additionally, the protruding partition (420) has a first ring support groove (430) formed on the opposite surface facing the partition support groove (121) into which a first sealing ring (440) can be inserted and installed. The first sealing ring (440) is installed in the first ring support groove (430), and the first sealing ring (440) is in close contact with the wall surface of the partition support groove (121), thereby blocking gas movement in the space between the process zone and the blade entry groove (120).

[0028] The width of the first ring support groove (430) is formed to be relatively larger than the diameter of the first sealing ring (440). Therefore, even if the push body (410) is moved upward by the blade (300), the first sealing ring (440) does not detach from the area of ​​the first ring support groove (430) and can maintain a good mounting state.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 5, the push ring (400) is supported on the main body (100) by a push body shaft (500).

[0030] The push body shaft (500) penetrates the main body and extends into the blade entry groove (120), and the push ring is connected to the lower end of the push body shaft (500).

[0031] The upper end of the push body shaft (500) is supported by an elastic spring (610) supported by the cover member (600), and the push ring is elastically supported downward by the elastic spring (610). Therefore, except in cases where gas movement between process zones is blocked, compressed air is filled into the space between the push body shaft (500) and the third sealing ring (530) of FIG. 5 so that the push ring (400) rises and maintains a state in close contact with the inner wall of the main body (100).

[0032] A shaft hole (130) for installing a push body shaft (500) is formed in the main body, and two third sealing rings (530) surrounding the outer surface of the push body shaft (500) are in contact with the inner wall of the shaft hole (130) to block gas from moving from the process zone to the air zone formed at the bottom of the cover member (600).

[0033] FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the APC pendulum valve (10) of the present invention.

[0034] The configuration of the main body (100), sub-body (200), blade (300), and driving unit (700) of this embodiment is the same as that of the previous embodiment, so the same numbers are assigned and a detailed description is omitted.

[0035] The push ring (400) of the present embodiment comprises a push body (410) having a through hole corresponding to the ventilation hole (110) that penetrates the upper and lower surfaces, a plurality of protruding partitions (420) that protrude upward along the edge of the through hole on the upper surface of the push body (410), and a first sealing ring (440) formed on one of the protruding partitions (420).

[0036] The outer diameter of the push body (410) and the diameter of the through hole may be the same as in the previous embodiment. However, the outer diameter may be expanded to the extent that it can enter the blade entry groove (120).

[0037] The above protruding partition (420) is composed of a first protruding partition (421), a second protruding partition (422), and a third protruding partition (423).

[0038] The first protruding partition (421) is a circular rim shape formed to extend upward from the upper surface of the push rod along the edge of the through hole for a predetermined length. The second protruding partition (422) is formed as a circular rim shape so as to be spaced apart from the outer surface of the first protruding partition (421) by a predetermined distance, that is, the inner diameter is formed to be relatively larger than the outer diameter of the first protruding partition (421). The third protruding partition (423) is formed as a circular rim shape so as to have an inner diameter relatively larger than the inner diameter of the second protruding partition (422), and thus the third protruding partition (423) is also formed to protrude at a predetermined distance from the second protruding partition (422).

[0039] The second protruding partition (422) is formed to be relatively thicker than the first protruding partition (421) and the second protruding partition (422), because a second ring support groove (450) for installing the first sealing ring (440) is formed on the outer surface of the second protruding partition (422). The second ring support groove (450) is formed to have a width relatively larger than the diameter of the first sealing ring (440), similar to the first ring support groove (430), so that the first sealing ring (440) can be stably connected within the area of ​​the second ring support groove (450) during the process of the push body (410) moving up and down.

[0040] In the main body (100) above, entry partitions (170) are formed to enter the space between the first protruding partition (421), the second protruding partition (422), and the third protruding partition (423) from the top of the blade entry groove (120). In the present embodiment, three entry partitions (170) are formed to allow entry between the first protruding partition (421) and the second protruding partition (422), between the second protruding partition (422) and the third protruding partition (423), and outside the outer surface of the third protruding partition (423), but the number and shape of the entry partitions (170) are not limited to the present embodiment.

[0041] The second ring support groove (450) is formed on the side of the second protruding partition (422) facing the entry partition (170) that enters between the second protruding partition (422) and the third protruding partition (423).

[0042] In this embodiment, a second protruding partition (422) is shown formed between the first protruding partition (421) and the third protruding partition (423), but two or more protruding partitions (420) may be formed so as to be spaced apart from each other along a radial direction. In this case, it is preferable that multiple entry partitions (170) extending from the main body (100) be formed so that they can enter between each of the protruding partitions (420). Also, the first sealing ring (440) may be formed on only one of the multiple second protruding partitions (422), or it may be installed on all of the second protruding partitions (422) or on each of the multiple second protruding partitions (422) selected therefrom. That is, if there are multiple second protruding partitions (422), multiple first sealing rings (440) may be installed.

[0043] In the APC pendulum valve (10) of the present embodiment, when the blade (300) moves in a direction that blocks the ventilation hole (110) of the main body (100) to form a vacuum and pushes the push ring upward, the first sealing ring (440) blocks the movement of gas between the process zone and the blade entry groove (120). Furthermore, because the flow path reaching the second ring support groove (450) where the first sealing ring (440) is installed between the process zone and the blade entry groove (120) is bent multiple times, the exposure of the first sealing ring (440) to process gas or foreign substances can be minimized, thereby preventing the shortening of the service life of the first sealing ring (440). In addition, even if corrosion occurs when the service life of the first sealing ring (440) is exhausted, it is also possible to effectively prevent organic matter generated from the first sealing ring (440) from moving into the process zone and causing process defects.

[0044] FIG. 7 is another embodiment of an APC pendulum valve (10).

[0045] In this embodiment, two second protruding partitions (422) are formed between the first protruding partition (421) and the third protruding partition (423). Additionally, a second ring support groove (450) is formed on the outer surface of the inner second protruding partition (422) so that the first sealing ring (440) is installed therein, and a third ring support groove (460) is formed on the outer surface of the entry partition (170) that enters between the two second protruding partitions (422), and a second sealing ring (470) is installed in the third ring support groove (460).

[0046] The second sealing ring (470) is in the form of an O-ring with a circular cross-section having the same diameter as the first sealing ring (440), and the third ring support groove (460) is also formed to have a width relatively larger than the diameter of the second sealing ring (470), just like the second ring support groove (450). Therefore, as the blade (300) moves and the push body (410) rises to block the ventilation hole (110), the second sealing ring (470) can stably maintain a state of close contact with the inner circumference of the second protruding partition (422) and effectively block gas movement between the process zone and the internal space of the blade entry groove (120).

[0047] A lubricant may be applied to the surface of the above entry bulkhead (170) to reduce entry friction and improve airtightness performance when entering the space between the first protruding bulkhead (421), the second protruding bulkhead (422), and the third protruding bulkhead (423).

[0048] FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the push body shaft (500) and the third sealing ring (530).

[0049] The push body shaft (500) of the present embodiment may be formed to include a shaft body (510) whose upper end is supported by an elastic spring (610) installed on a cover member (600), and an extension member (520) extending radially from the shaft body (510).

[0050] The extension member (520) includes a first extension member (521) extending radially for a predetermined length from the shaft body (510), and a second extension member (522) extending downward for a predetermined length from the end of the first extension member (521). As shown in the drawing, the extension member (520) has an L-shaped cross-section in which the first extension member (521) and the second extension member (522) are connected orthogonally.

[0051] The main body on which the above-mentioned push body shaft (500) is installed has a shaft hole (130) formed corresponding to the outer diameter of the shaft body (510), and a lifting guide (140) is formed at the edge of the shaft hole (130) that protrudes upward and is capable of entering between the shaft body (510) and the second extension member (522).

[0052] In addition, a fourth ring support groove (150) is formed in the main body (100) so as to correspond to the outer diameter of the second extension member (522) at a predetermined distance from the lifting guide (140), and a third sealing ring (530) is installed in the fourth ring support groove (150). The third sealing ring (530) is installed in the fourth ring support groove (150), and a ring fixing plate (160) located above the third sealing ring (530) is installed to prevent the third sealing ring (530) from coming off through the upper part of the fourth ring support groove (150).

[0053] The third sealing ring (530) is formed such that two O-rings spaced apart vertically form a pair, and is in close contact with the outer surface of the second extension member (522) to block gas movement between the upper and lower spaces of the extension member (520). To explain in more detail, since the push body shaft (500) must support the push ring (400) so that it can move up and down, there is a slight gap between the shaft hole (130) and the shaft body (510) to allow for vertical movement. Through this gap, gas within the process zone can move to the air area at the top of the main body through the shaft hole (130), and the third sealing ring (530) is installed in this path to block the movement of gas passing through that section. In particular, in the case of this embodiment, the flow path moving from the process zone to the point where the third sealing ring (530) is installed has multiple bending sections due to the lifting guide (140) and the extension member (520), so it is more difficult for the gas in the process zone to move to the point where the third sealing ring (530) is installed, thereby minimizing corrosion, hardening, or etching of the third sealing ring (530) caused by the process gas.

[0055] The APC pendulum valve (10) according to the present invention described above is configured such that, for a push ring (400) installed to enhance sealing performance during the pendulum operation process of a blade (300) that opens and closes a ventilation hole (110), a second sealing ring (470) for sealing between the push ring (400) and the main body (100), and a third sealing ring (530) for sealing between the push body shaft (500) and the main body (100) are installed. When gas is introduced from a process zone, a plurality of bending sections are provided in the flow path that moves to the point where the second sealing ring (470) and the third sealing ring (530) are installed, thereby minimizing the exposure of the second sealing ring (470) or the third sealing ring (530) to gas or foreign substances in the process zone, and thereby preventing the service life of the second sealing ring (470) or the third sealing ring (530) from being shortened. In addition, as it becomes difficult for organic matter generated by the corrosion of the second sealing ring (470) or the third sealing ring (530) to move to the process zone, the rate of process defects caused by such organic matter can also be minimized.

[0057] The description of the presented embodiments is provided so that any person skilled in the art may use or practice the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented herein, but should be interpreted in the broadest possible scope consistent with the principles and novel features presented herein. Explanation of the symbols

[0058] 10: APC Pendulum Valve 100: Main unit 110: Ventilation hole 120: Blade entry groove 121: Bulkhead support groove 130: Shaft hole 140: Lifting guide 150: 4th ring support groove 160: Ring fixing plate 170: Entry bulkhead 200: Sub-main unit 210: Accommodation space 300: Blade 310: Block plate 320: Extension shaft 400: Push ring 410: Push body 420: Protruding bulkhead 421: 1st protruding bulkhead 422: 2nd protruding bulkhead 423: Third protruding bulkhead 430: First ring support groove 440: 1st sealing ring 450: 2nd ring support groove 460: 3rd ring support groove 470: 2nd sealing ring 500: Push body shaft 510: Shaft body 520: Extension member 521: First extension member 522: Second extension member 530: Third sealing ring 600: Cover member 610: Elastic spring 700: Drive unit

Claims

Claim 1 An APC pendulum valve comprising: a main body having a ventilation hole formed penetrating a pressure-regulating space; a blade that rotates to open and close the ventilation hole within the main body; a sub-body connected to the main body and providing a receiving space in which the blade can be received when the blade opens the ventilation hole; and a push ring installed inside the main body and movably installed within the blade entry groove to block gas movement between the blade entry groove and the process zone when the blade is in a closed state closing the ventilation hole, wherein the push body shaft is installed to move up and down on the main body and has its lower end connected to the push ring to support the push ring movably; and a third sealing ring installed between the push body shaft and the inner surface of the shaft hole to block gas movement through the space between the inner surface of the shaft hole formed in the main body to allow the push body shaft to pass and the outer surface of the push body shaft, wherein the upper part of the main body has the shaft hole A PC pendulum valve characterized in that a cover member is installed to cover the push body shaft installed to penetrate the shaft hole, and the cover member is equipped with an elastic spring that elastically supports the push body shaft downward as it rises together with the push ring as the blade enters the blade entry groove, and the push body shaft is provided with a shaft body whose upper end is supported by the elastic spring, a first extension member extending in a radial direction from the shaft body, and an extension member including a second extension member extending a predetermined length downwardly orthogonally from the end of the first extension member, and the third sealing ring is disposed between the inner wall of the main body and the inner circumferential surface of the second extension member. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 An APC pendulum valve according to claim 1, wherein the main body has a shaft hole formed corresponding to the outer diameter of the shaft body, and a lifting guide is formed that extends upward for a predetermined length along the edge of the shaft hole and is able to enter between the outer surface of the shaft body and the inner surface of the second extension member, and a fourth ring support groove is formed on the inner wall of the main body to support the third sealing ring, and a ring fixing plate is provided to cover the upper part of the fourth ring support groove to prevent the third sealing ring disposed in the fourth ring support groove from moving upward.

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