Mounting arrangement for interconnecting fluid control devices

Abstract

Amounting arrangement comprises: (a) a plate-shaped solid member having a first side, a second side, and through openings therebetween; said first side of said plate-shaped solid member configured for mounting at least one fluid controlling device having at least one and inlet and at least one output to said through openings; (b) a plurality of connecting tubes disposed on said second side and fluidly interconnecting said openings such that said fluid control devices mounted on said first side are in fluid communication. Each of said connecting tubes is radially arranged with a radius equal to half a distance between said through openings to be interconnected.

Description

[0001] MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR INTERCONNECTING FLUID CONTROL DEVICES

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention generally relates to fluid control systems and, more particularly, to modular systems for mounting fluid control components.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The manufacture of semiconductors involves using gases of very high purity, such as oxygen, as well as highly corrosive materials. These gases are controlled by fluid manifolds made up of valves, regulators, pressure transducers, mass flow controllers and other components that must maintain the purity of the gas, and also maintain resistance to the corrosive effects of the fluids. Currently, gas panels are used for mixing, pre-mixing, purging, sampling and venting the gases. Typically, the gas panel is used to provide a gas or a mixture of gases into a reaction chamber. These gas panels have historically been made up of hundreds of discreet or individual components, such as valves, filters, flow regulators, pressure regulators, pressure transducers, and connections. The fluid manifolds are designed to provide desired functions, such as mixing and purging, by uniquely configuring the various discreet components.

[0006] US7320339 discloses modular components for use in a gas-panel assembly of the type having two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, stick being composed of a manifold having a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, and internal fluid connections between individual components carried on each manifolds, are disclosed. The components include one or more modular blocks that can be removably placed within or adjacent an end of each manifold, an internal pipe module that provides an internal fluid passageway between one of the gas components carried on a manifold and a support on an adjacent modular block unit, and one or more external pipe modules that provide an external fluid passageway between surface ports formed in the modular block, for connecting adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly.

[0007] Reference is now made to Fig. 1 presenting a prior art technical solution. Valve 40 is provided with three ports 54, 56, and 58 to which the valve is connected. Port 54 is formed by the upstream connector of pipe module 60. Port 58 is formed by the downstream connector in pipe module 62. The middle port 56 is formed by a separate internal (below- surface) in-line pipe module 96 which consists of a horizontally extending section 98 which spans across the three sticks in the assembly, in a direction perpendicular to each manifold, and three connectors, such as connector 100.

[0008] The standard practice in the field of fluid control systems is interconnecting the fluid control devices with each other by connecting the rectangular passages such as the passages within solid substrates or rectangular connecting pipes facilitating high compactness of the fluid circuits. Rectangular configuration of the fluid passages results in higher turbulence within these passages and consequently in a decrease in the flow coefficient Cv. Therefore, there is a long-felt and unmet need to provide connection facilities with decreased turbulence of the conducted fluid flow.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] It is hence one object of the invention to a mounting arrangement for seriatim connecting a plurality of fluid control devices; said mounting arrangement comprising: (a) a base member; (b) a plurality of plate-shaped members successively mountable on said base member in a linear manner; each plate-shaped member having a first side, a second side, and at least two through openings therebetween; said first side of said plate-shaped solid members configured for mounting a fluid controlling device; each plate-shaped member comprising at least one connecting tube disposed on said second side and fluidly interconnecting said at least two through openings such that said fluid control devices successively connected to said through openings of said plate-shaped members are in fluid communication therebetween.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to disclose the mounting arrangement comprising at least one plate-shaped member mountable on said base and having a through opening and a connecting tube connected to said through opening.

[0012] Another object of the invention is to disclose the base member having at least one recess configured for receiving said connecting tubes of said plate-shaped members thereinto when said plate-shaped members are mounted on said base member. Another object of the invention is to disclose at least one connecting tube which is radially arranged with radius R equal to half distance L between said through openings to be interconnected.

[0013] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be implemented in practice, a plurality of embodiments is adapted to now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0015] Fig. 1 is a side view of a prior art mounting arrangement;

[0016] Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of a mounting arrangement for interconnecting a plurality of fluid control devices;

[0017] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a plate-shaped member with a connecting tube;

[0018] Figs 4a and 4b illustrate the calculated distribution of Mack number within connecting tubes of square and radial geometries.

[0019] Fig. 5 is an isometric view of an assembled mounting arrangement for interconnecting a plurality of fluid control devices; and

[0020] Figs 6a and 6b are isometric exploded views top and bottom parts of a mounting arrangement for interconnecting a plurality of fluid control devices, respectively.

[0021] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The following description is provided, so as to enable any person skilled in the art to make use of said invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention. Various modifications, however, are adapted to remain apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined specifically to provide a mounting arrangement for interconnecting a plurality of fluid control devices.

[0023] Reference is now made to Fig. 2, presenting a schematic side view of mounting arrangement 90 for interconnecting a plurality of fluid control devices 20-1, 20-2, and 20-3. Mounting arrangement 100 comprises plate-shaped solid supporting members 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, and 10-4 (substrates) having a plurality of openings, tubes 30-1, 30-2, 30-3, and 30-4 belong to plate- shaped solid supporting members 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, and 10-4, respectively. Specifically, the fluid flow to be controlled is fed into arrangement opening 14 via flange 13. Then the fluid flow is conducted by tube 30-1 to control device 20-1. Numeral 25-1 refers to an internal passage within control device 20-1 and indicates fluid communication between inlet opening 33-1 and outlet opening 35-1 via control device 20-1 and does not reflect the specific internal configuration within each control device which can be a valve, a filter or any other. Further, tubes 30-2 and 30- 3 connect outlet openings 35-1 and 35-2 to inlet openings 33-2 and 33-3, respectively. The fluid flow from inlet opening 33-2 via a passage 25-2 to outlet opening 35-2 is controlled by device 20-2. Similarly, the fluid flow from inlet opening 33-3 via a passage 25-3 to outlet opening 35-3 is controlled by device 20-3. Tube 30-4 conducts the fluid flow from outlet opening 35-3 to arrangement outlet opening 16. Numeral 15 refers to an outlet flange.

[0024] As said above, the purpose of the present invention is to minimize turbulence within tubes 30-1, 30-2, 30-3, and 30-4. This effect is achieved by smoothly shaping the tubes without any internal corners or other elements characterized by elevated turbulence. Specifically, the tube trajectory has a radial geometry with radius R that is equal to half the distance between openings 14^-33-1, 35-1^-33-2, 35-2^-33-3, and 35-3^16.

[0025] Reference is now made to Fig. 3, presenting one of preferred embodiments of the present invention. In Fig. 3, any plate-shaped solid supporting members 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, and 10-4 is shown. According to the abovementioned embodiment, at least one of tubes 30-1, 30-2, 30-3, and 30-4 has a rounded shape with radius R being equal to half of L which is a distance between tow neighboring through openings 14^-33-1, 35-1^-33-2, 35-2^-33-3, and 35-3^-15.

[0026] Reference is now made to Figs 4a and 4b presenting the results of aerodynamical simulations performed for square and smooth configurations of connecting tubes. The calculated diagram presented in Fig. 4a corresponds to the square configuration and demonstrates significant irregularities in the fluid flow (turbulences), while, in Fig. 4b, one can see a laminar fluid flow without seeable irregularities. The flow coefficients Cvcalculated for the square and smooth were 0.285 and 0.3, respectively.

[0027] Reference is now made to Fig. 5 presenting an isometric view of assembled mounting arrangement 105 for interconnecting a plurality of fluid control device. The plurality of plateshaped solid supporting members described above is designated as 10 which is mounted on base 20. According to one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of fluid control devices includes valves 110, 120, 130, filter 140 and 160, filter 140 and main flow controller 150.

[0028] Reference is now made to figs 6a and 6b presenting isometric exploded views top and bottom parts of a mounting arrangement for interconnecting a plurality of fluid control devices, respectively. Specifically, valve 110 is mounted on plate members 1 and 2 between openings 11 and 21, valve 120 on plate members 2, 3 and 4 between openings 22, 31 and 41, valve 130 on plate members 4 and 5 between openings 42 and 51, filter 140 on plate members 5 and 6 between openings 52 and 61, main flow controller 150 on plate members 6 and 7 between openings 62 and 71, and valve 160 on plate members 7 and 8 between openings 72 and 81. Tubes 12 and 82 are connected to openings 11 and 81, respectively. Tube 12 is inlet while tube 82 and outlet. Side tube 32 is connected to opening 31 and can be used for feeding an additional gas into valve 120. Tubes 43, 53, 63, and 73 connect openings 41— >42, 51— >52, 61^-62, and 71— >72.

[0029] Thus, a fluid flow fed into tube 12 then is conducted via valve 110, valve 120, tube 43, valve 130, tube 150, filter 140, tube 63, main flow controller 150, tube 73, valve 160. As mentioned before, tube 82 is outlet. Recess 25 of base 20 is configured for receiving tubes 12, 32, 43, 53, 63, 73, and 82 when plates 1 to 8 are mounted on base 20.

[0030] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in this art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

Claims:

1. A mounting arrangement for seriatim connecting a plurality of fluid control devices; said mounting arrangement comprising: a. a base member; b. a plurality of plate-shaped members successively mountable on said base member in a linear manner; each plate-shaped member having a first side, a second side, and at least two through openings therebetween; said first side of said plateshaped solid members configured for mounting a fluid controlling device; each plate-shaped member comprising at least one connecting tube disposed on said second side and fluidly said at least two through openings such that said fluid control devices successively connected to said through openings of said plateshaped members are in a series fluid communication therebetween.

2. The mounting arrangement according to claim 1 comprising at least one plate-shaped member mountable on said base and having a through opening and a connecting tube connected to said through opening.

3. The mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said base member has at least one recess configured for receiving said connecting tubes of said plate-shaped members thereinto when said plate-shaped members are mounted on said base member.

4. The mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one connecting tube is radially arranged with radius R equal to half distance L between said through openings to be interconnected.

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