Exhaust duct cleaning apparatus and semiconductor process device

Abstract

The present application provides an exhaust duct cleaning apparatus and a semiconductor process device. The apparatus comprises a mounting base, an adjustment body, and a locking assembly. The mounting base can be mounted on an exhaust duct during use. The adjustment body can extend into the exhaust duct and comprises an inlet passage for conveying a cleaning fluid, and an outlet of the inlet passage is configured to be communicated with the interior of the exhaust duct. The locking assembly is in threaded engagement with the adjustment body and is rotatably connected to the mounting base around a threaded axis. The locking assembly is capable of switching between a locking state and an adjusting state; in the locking state, the locking assembly is configured to lock the adjustment body to the mounting base; and in the adjusting state, the locking assembly can rotate around the threaded axis, and drives the adjustment body to move along the threaded axis relative to the mounting base. The present solution can simplify an operation and reduce the risk of leakage of the cleaning liquid.

Description

Exhaust duct cleaning equipment and semiconductor process equipment Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically, to an exhaust duct cleaning device and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In single-wafer cleaning equipment in the IC field, the actual cleaning process takes place within a process chamber. Depending on the specific process requirements, one or more acidic, alkaline, or organic solutions are used. The environment within the process chamber is harsh, necessitating an exhaust system to promptly remove gases volatilized from the solutions during the process. This ensures a smooth airflow within the cleaning microenvironment and prevents the leakage of corrosive gases, guaranteeing continuous and effective wafer cleaning. In practical applications, some volatile gases tend to crystallize, adhering to the inner walls of the exhaust ducts and accumulating over time. This alters the flow area of ​​the exhaust ducts, affects the airflow, and ultimately impacts the process outcome. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically flush the exhaust ducts with a cleaning solution to remove any crystals.

[0003] Existing technology uses an exhaust duct cleaning device to spray cleaning liquid into the exhaust duct to wash away crystals on the duct. Furthermore, the exhaust pressure can be adjusted by changing the position of the cleaning device within the exhaust duct. However, before adjusting the position of the cleaning device, the connection between the cleaning device and the cleaning liquid supply line must be disconnected. This is not only inconvenient to operate but also poses a risk of cleaning liquid leakage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes an exhaust duct cleaning device and semiconductor process equipment, which can solve the problem that the prior art requires disconnecting the connection between the exhaust duct cleaning device and the supply pipeline of the cleaning liquid, resulting in inconvenient operation and the risk of cleaning liquid leakage.

[0005] To achieve the purpose of this application, an exhaust duct cleaning device is provided, which is applied to semiconductor process equipment. The device includes a mounting base, an adjustment body, and a locking assembly, wherein the mounting base can be installed on the exhaust duct during use.

[0006] The regulating body can extend into the exhaust duct and has an inlet channel for conveying cleaning fluid, the outlet of the inlet channel being used to communicate with the interior of the exhaust duct.

[0007] The locking assembly is screwed into the adjusting body and rotatably connected to the mounting base around the screw axis. The locking assembly can switch between a locking state and an adjusting state. In the locking state, the locking assembly is used to lock the adjusting body to the mounting base. In the adjusting state, the locking assembly can rotate around the screw axis and drive the adjusting body to move relative to the mounting base along the screw axis.

[0008] In some embodiments, the adjusting body includes a columnar body, the axis of which is the helical axis; the inlet channel is disposed in the columnar body;

[0009] The locking assembly includes an adapter ring and a locking structure, wherein the adapter ring is threadedly engaged with the cylindrical body; the locking structure is used to lock the adapter ring to the mounting base in the locked state; and to release the locking of the adapter ring in the adjusted state.

[0010] In some embodiments, the outer periphery of the cylindrical body has an external thread, the inner periphery of the adapter ring has an internal thread, and the internal thread of the adapter ring mates with the external thread of the cylindrical body.

[0011] In some embodiments, the outer periphery of the adapter ring has external threads;

[0012] The locking structure includes a first locking nut, the internal thread of which engages with the external thread of the adapter ring, and the first locking nut can be locked to the mounting base in the locked state to lock the adapter ring to the mounting base.

[0013] In some embodiments, the mounting base includes a housing that can be sealed and installed in the exhaust duct during use, and the internal space of the housing communicates with an opening on the exhaust duct; the housing wall opposite to the opening is provided with a mounting through hole, and the columnar body passes through the mounting through hole;

[0014] The adapter ring is at least partially located on the side of the shell wall away from the opening, and the external thread of the adapter ring is provided on the portion of the adapter ring located on the side of the shell wall away from the opening, and the first locking nut can be locked to the shell wall in the locked state.

[0015] In some embodiments, the locking structure further includes a second locking nut, the internal thread of which engages with the external thread of the cylindrical body, and the second locking nut is capable of locking onto the end face of the adapter ring opposite to the opening.

[0016] In some embodiments, the locking assembly further includes a limiting support structure, which is fixedly connected to the shell wall on the side near the opening; the limiting support structure is used to support the end face of the adapter ring on the side near the opening.

[0017] In some embodiments, the limiting support structure includes a support plate and fasteners. The support plate is annular and surrounds the columnar body, and is fixedly connected to the shell wall near the opening by the fasteners.

[0018] The support plate is used to support the end face of the adapter ring near the opening.

[0019] In some embodiments, the wall of the mounting through hole is provided with a first stepped surface facing the opening, and the outer periphery of the adapter ring is provided with a limiting protrusion, which abuts against the first stepped surface and the support plate respectively.

[0020] In some embodiments, the system further includes a spray body rotatably connected to the adjustment body about the helical axis and having a spray channel. The inlet of the spray channel is connected to the outlet of the inlet channel, and the outlet of the spray channel is connected to the interior of the exhaust duct for spraying the cleaning fluid into the exhaust duct.

[0021] In some embodiments, the spray channel is configured to allow the spray body to rotate relative to the adjustment body about the helical axis by means of hydrodynamics when the cleaning fluid is sprayed.

[0022] In some embodiments, the spray channel includes at least one flow guiding space and a plurality of sub-spray channels communicating with each of the flow guiding spaces. A main channel is provided in the spray body. One end of the main channel is connected to the outlet of the inlet channel, and a flow guide plug is provided at the other end. The side of the flow guide plug exposed inside the main channel forms the flow guiding space with the channel wall of the main channel. When the cleaning fluid flows through the flow guiding space, the hydrodynamic force causes the spray body to rotate relative to the adjusting body around the helical axis.

[0023] In some embodiments, the flow guide plug includes a flow guide plug column and a plurality of flow guide portions disposed on one side of the flow guide plug column located inside the spray channel, the plurality of flow guide portions being distributed at intervals around the spiral axis;

[0024] The plurality of flow guides and the channel wall of the main channel constitute a plurality of flow guide spaces, and the surface of the flow guide that constitutes the flow guide space includes a first surface, which is an arc-shaped surface.

[0025] In some embodiments, the outer peripheral surface of the spray body is a portion of a sphere;

[0026] The multiple sub-spray channels communicating with each of the flow guide spaces extend in multiple different directions along the axial section of the outer peripheral surface of the spray body, and are radially distributed from the inner wall of the main channel to the outer peripheral surface of the spray body.

[0027] In some embodiments, the axis of the bottommost of the plurality of sub-spray channels is tangent to the lower end of the arcuate surface; and / or

[0028] The tangent at the upper end of the arc-shaped surface is parallel to the helical axis.

[0029] In some embodiments, the surface of the flow guide portion constituting the flow guide space further includes a second surface opposite to the first surface, the second surface being a vertical surface parallel to the spiral axis.

[0030] In some embodiments, the exhaust duct cleaning device further includes a bearing assembly, wherein the spray body is rotatably connected to the adjusting body around the helical axis via the bearing assembly; the bearing assembly includes a bearing, a bearing housing, and a bearing locking member, wherein the bearing housing is fixed to one end of the inlet channel of the adjusting body at the outlet, and the bearing housing has an installation space; the bearing is disposed in the installation space and sleeved on the outer periphery of the spray body;

[0031] The bearing locking element is disposed between the bearing and the adjusting body to limit the position of the bearing in a direction parallel to the helical axis.

[0032] In some embodiments, the bearing locking member is spaced apart from the adjusting body, and the bearing locking member is capable of rotating with the spraying body;

[0033] The interval between the bearing locking member and the adjusting body forms a labyrinth structure; and / or, at least one of the surfaces of the bearing locking member and the adjusting body facing each other is provided with at least one groove.

[0034] As another technical solution, this application also provides a semiconductor process equipment, including a process chamber, an exhaust duct communicating with the process chamber, and an exhaust duct cleaning device; the exhaust duct cleaning device adopts the exhaust duct cleaning device provided in this application.

[0035] In some embodiments, the semiconductor process equipment includes a cleaning device, and the process chamber includes a plurality of recovery chambers stacked in a vertical direction;

[0036] There are multiple exhaust ducts, and each of the multiple exhaust ducts is connected to a corresponding recovery chamber to discharge the gas in each of the recovery chambers; each exhaust duct is provided with an opening;

[0037] There are multiple exhaust duct cleaning devices, and each of the multiple exhaust duct cleaning devices is installed in a corresponding manner in a multiple exhaust duct. The adjusting body can extend into the exhaust duct through the opening of the corresponding exhaust duct.

[0038] This application has the following beneficial effects:

[0039] The exhaust duct cleaning device provided in this application, by setting an adjusting body and a locking component with a spiral fit, and the locking component being able to rotate around the spiral axis in the adjusting state, drives the adjusting body to move relative to the mounting base along the spiral axis. This allows the adjusting body to change its relative position with the exhaust duct without rotating, thereby adjusting the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct. At the same time, it ensures that the adjusting body and the supply pipeline of the cleaning fluid remain connected during the adjustment process, thus eliminating the need to disconnect the adjusting body and the supply pipeline before adjustment, thereby simplifying operation and reducing the risk of cleaning liquid leakage.

[0040] The semiconductor process equipment provided in this application, by adopting the exhaust duct cleaning device provided in this application, eliminates the need to disconnect the connection between the adjustment body and the supply pipeline before adjustment, thereby simplifying operation and reducing the risk of cleaning liquid leakage. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the exhaust duct cleaning device provided by the related technology;

[0042] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a spray head provided by related technologies;

[0043] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the spray head provided by the related technology;

[0044] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor process equipment provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the exhaust duct cleaning device provided in the embodiment of this application during use;

[0046] Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the exhaust duct cleaning device provided in the embodiment of this application above the locking assembly;

[0047] Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the exhaust duct cleaning device provided in the embodiment of this application, below the second column;

[0048] Figure 8 is a front view of the spray body used in the embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of line EE in Figure 8;

[0050] Figure 10 is a view along direction D in Figure 8;

[0051] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the flow guide plug used in the embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of the exhaust duct cleaning device provided in the embodiment of this application at the spray body and the guide plug;

[0053] Figure 13 is a side view of the flow guide plug used in the embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of the exhaust duct cleaning device provided in the embodiment of this application at the bearing locking part. Detailed Implementation

[0055] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this application, the exhaust duct cleaning device and semiconductor process equipment provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] In related technology, please refer to Figure 1. An exhaust duct cleaning device 01 is installed in the exhaust duct 02 of a semiconductor process equipment and includes a housing 011, an exhaust regulating component 012, and a spray head 015. The housing 011 is composed of a circumferential shell wall 011a and a top shell wall 011b, which together form an open-bottomed installation space 011c. The housing 011 is fixed to the opening of the exhaust duct 02, specifically to a horizontal section 021 of the exhaust duct 02, corresponding to an opening at the top of the horizontal section 021. The installation space 011c communicates with the interior of the horizontal section 021 through this opening. The opening on the horizontal section 021 is located above the vertical section 022. The exhaust regulating component 012 is cylindrical and vertically arranged. It has external threads and a threaded hole on the top shell wall 011b. The exhaust regulating component 012 passes through this threaded hole, and the external threads engage with the threaded hole. This allows the length of the exhaust regulating component 012 extending into the horizontal pipe section 021 to be adjusted by rotating it, thereby adjusting the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 02 and regulating the exhaust pressure. After adjustment, the exhaust regulating component 012 is locked to the top shell wall 011b by engaging the external threads with a locking nut 013. Additionally, an inlet channel 014 is provided in the exhaust regulating component 012, extending vertically through the component. The inlet of the inlet channel 014 is connected to the cleaning fluid supply pipeline 04 via a connector 03, and the outlet of the inlet channel 014 is connected to the spray head 015. The cleaning fluid (which can be a cleaning liquid or a cleaning gas) supplied by the supply pipeline 04 flows into the exhaust duct 02 sequentially through the inlet channel 014 and the spray head 015, with the fluid flow direction shown by the arrow in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the spray channel in the spray head 015 consists of a main channel 015a and multiple fine holes 015b. The main channel 015a is used to connect the inlet channel 014 with the multiple fine holes 015b. As shown in Figure 3, the outlet ends 015b1 of the multiple fine holes 015b are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the spray head 015 on the outer circumferential surface of the spray head 015. They are used to spray cleaning fluid at a certain pressure and spray speed, thereby cleaning the crystals on the inner wall of the exhaust pipe 02.

[0057] In related technologies, if it is necessary to adjust the length of the exhaust regulating component 012 extending into the horizontal pipe section 021 to adjust the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 02, it is necessary to first disconnect the connection between the exhaust regulating component 012 and the connector 03, or disconnect the connection between the connector 03 and the supply pipe 04, then loosen the locking nut 013 and rotate the exhaust regulating component 012. This is not only inconvenient to operate, but also poses a risk of cleaning liquid leakage.

[0058] To address the aforementioned issues, please refer to Figure 4. This application embodiment provides an exhaust duct cleaning device 100, applied to a semiconductor process equipment 10, used to adjust the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200 of the semiconductor process equipment 10 to regulate the exhaust pressure. The ventilation cross-sectional area refers to the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200 that allows gas to pass through. Specifically, the exhaust duct 200 is connected to the exhaust port of the process chamber 30 of the semiconductor process equipment 10 to discharge gas from the process chamber 30. Taking a single-wafer cleaning device as an example, the process chamber 30 includes multiple vertically stacked recovery chambers 31 for recovering gases (such as acidic and alkaline harmful gases) volatilized during the cleaning process. Each recovery chamber 31 has an exhaust port and is connected to the exhaust duct 200, which discharges the gas from the recovery chamber 31. A chuck 40 is vertically and rotatably positioned within the space enclosed by the multiple recovery chambers 31 and can reach a height corresponding to any layer of recovery chambers 31. During the process, the chuck 40 rotates the wafer, while the nozzle 20 above the wafer sprays a chemical solution onto it. Upon impact, the solution splashes circumferentially into the corresponding recovery chamber 31 under centrifugal force. During this process, the solution impacts the wafer and the sidewalls of the recovery chamber 31, creating microparticles that form a liquid mist that disperses throughout the space. Simultaneously, the exhaust airflow draws the dispersed liquid mist away from the recovery chamber 31 through the exhaust duct 200, preventing further diffusion. It should be noted that Figure 4 only shows one exhaust duct 200 connected to the uppermost recovery chamber 31. In reality, there can be multiple exhaust ducts 200, each corresponding to a different recovery chamber 31. Furthermore, each exhaust duct 200 can be equipped with the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this embodiment. Of course, the number of exhaust ducts 200 can be less than the number of recovery chambers 31, that is, some recovery chambers 31 are equipped with exhaust ducts 200, and other recovery chambers 31 are not equipped with exhaust ducts 200. Alternatively, some exhaust ducts 200 can be equipped with the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in the embodiments of this application, and other exhaust ducts 200 can be left uninstalled.

[0059] Based on this, the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this application embodiment is used to rinse the crystals on the corresponding exhaust duct 200 to avoid the accumulation of crystals which would change the flow area of ​​the exhaust duct 200, affect the exhaust volume, and ultimately affect the process effect. Furthermore, the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 is also used to adjust the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200 by adjusting its insertion position into the exhaust duct 200, thereby adjusting the exhaust pressure. The exhaust pressure can be used to adjust the speed at which the liquid mist is drawn out of the process chamber 30 during the cleaning process. By adjusting this speed, not only can a large amount of liquid mist be prevented from remaining on the upper surface of the recovery chamber 31 and the chuck 40, affecting the wafer cleanliness and process effect, but also the increase of crystals on the inner wall of the exhaust duct 200 can be prevented.

[0060] Based on this, the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this application embodiment can ensure that it is always connected to the supply pipe 50 of cleaning fluid during the process of adjusting the position inserted into the exhaust duct 200, so that the connection between the adjusting body 120 and the supply pipe 50 does not need to be disconnected before adjustment, thereby simplifying the operation and reducing the risk of cleaning liquid leakage.

[0061] It should be noted that the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this application embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned single-wafer cleaning equipment, but can also be applied to other semiconductor process equipment 10 with exhaust duct 200, air extraction duct or exhaust duct.

[0062] Referring to Figure 5, the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 that achieves the above functions includes a mounting base 110, an adjusting body 120, and a locking assembly 130. The mounting base 110 can be installed on the exhaust duct 200 during use. Taking the exhaust duct 200 as an example, which includes a horizontal pipe section 201 and a vertical pipe section 202 connected in sequence, the inlet end of the horizontal pipe section 201 is connected to the exhaust port of the process chamber 30, the outlet end of the horizontal pipe section 201 is connected to the inlet end of the vertical pipe section 202, and the outlet end of the vertical pipe section 202 is used to connect to an air extraction device (not shown in the figure). The horizontal pipe section 201 and the vertical pipe section 202 constitute a right-angle pipe. The vertical pipe section 202 is bent downward at 90° relative to the horizontal pipe section 201. In this case, the outlet end of the horizontal pipe section 201 is located at the bottom of the circumferential pipe wall, and an opening is provided at the top of the circumferential pipe wall of the horizontal pipe section 201. This opening is located above the inlet end of the vertical pipe section 202 (which is also the outlet end of the horizontal pipe section 201). The mounting base 110 is installed at the opening of the horizontal pipe section 201.

[0063] The mounting base 110 described above provides a mounting base for the adjustment body 120 and the locking assembly 130. In some embodiments, the mounting base 110 includes a housing that is capable of being sealed and installed in the exhaust duct 200 during use, and the internal space 103 of the housing communicates with an opening in the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., a horizontal pipe section 201). The sealing method between the housing and the exhaust duct 200 includes welding, riveting, sealing connection by fasteners and sealing rings, etc.

[0064] In some embodiments, for ease of installation, an annular positioning protrusion 203 is provided on the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., horizontal pipe section 201) around the opening, and correspondingly, an annular positioning groove 104 is provided on the mounting end face of the housing. The positioning groove 104 engages with the positioning protrusion 203 to limit the position of the housing on the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., horizontal pipe section 201). Furthermore, the rotation of the housing relative to the exhaust duct 200 can be limited by screws, welding, bonding, or other methods. In other embodiments, multiple positioning protrusions 203 are provided on the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., horizontal pipe section 201) around the opening, spaced circumferentially, and multiple positioning grooves 104 are provided on the mounting end face of the housing. Each positioning groove 104 engages with each positioning protrusion 203 in a one-to-one correspondence to limit the position of the housing on the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., horizontal pipe section 201) and simultaneously limit the rotation of the housing relative to the exhaust duct 200. In one specific embodiment, the housing includes a shell wall (hereinafter referred to as top shell wall 101) disposed opposite to an opening on the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., horizontal pipe section 201), and an annular circumferential shell wall 102, the lower end face of which is the mounting end face of the housing. The top shell wall 101 is disposed on the upper end face of the circumferential shell wall 102 and is fixedly connected to the circumferential shell wall 102 by a plurality of fastening screws 105. The circumferential shell wall 102 and the top shell wall 101 together form the internal space 103 of the housing. The circumferential shell wall 102 is, for example, cylindrical, and the top shell wall 101 is, for example, disc-shaped.

[0065] It should be noted that the aforementioned mounting base 110 is not limited to a housing. In practical applications, any other structure can be used, as long as it can provide a mounting base for the adjusting body 120 and the locking assembly 130, and seal the opening on the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., the horizontal pipe section 201).

[0066] The regulating body 120 has an inlet channel 123 for conveying cleaning fluid, which can be a cleaning liquid or a cleaning gas. The inlet of the inlet channel 123 is used to connect to the cleaning fluid supply line 50, for example, through a sealed connection via a connector 60, and the outlet of the inlet channel 123 is used to communicate with the interior of the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., a horizontal pipe section 201). The cleaning fluid provided by the supply line 50 can flow into the exhaust duct 200 through the inlet channel 123 from the opening to rinse away crystals on the exhaust duct 200.

[0067] The adjusting body 120 can extend into the exhaust duct 200, that is, it extends into the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., horizontal pipe section 201) through an opening. The longer the adjusting body 120 extends into the exhaust duct 200, the smaller the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., horizontal pipe section 201) and the smaller the exhaust volume; conversely, the shorter the length of the adjusting body 120 extending into the exhaust duct 200, the larger the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., horizontal pipe section 201) and the larger the exhaust volume. Therefore, by adjusting the relative position of the adjusting body 120 and the exhaust duct 200, and thus adjusting the length of the adjusting body 120 extending into the exhaust duct 200, the exhaust volume can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the exhaust pressure in the process chamber 30 to meet process requirements. It is easy to understand that the outlet of the inlet channel 123 is located at the end of the regulating body 120 that extends into the exhaust duct 200 so as to be able to communicate with the interior of the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., the horizontal pipe section 201).

[0068] Referring to Figure 6, the locking assembly 130 is screwed into the adjusting body 120 and is rotatably connected to the mounting base 110 about the helical axis A. This helical axis A is the rotational center line around which the locking assembly 130 and the adjusting body 120 rotate relative to each other, for example, coinciding with or approximately coinciding with the axis of the opening of the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., the horizontal pipe section 201). When the adjusting body 120 is not rotated, rotating the locking assembly 130 (but not moving it in the direction along the helical axis A) allows the adjusting body 120 to move along the helical axis A due to the screwed engagement between the locking assembly 130 and the adjusting body 120. Furthermore, when the locking assembly 130 switches between two opposite rotational directions, the adjusting body 120 switches between two opposite directions of movement along the helical axis A. In other words, the screwed engagement between the locking assembly 130 and the adjusting body 120 converts the rotation of the locking assembly 130 into the movement of the adjusting body 120 along the helical axis A.

[0069] Based on this, the locking assembly 130 can switch between a locking state and an adjustment state. In the locking state, the locking assembly 130 locks the adjustment body 120 to the mounting base 110, at which time the adjustment body 120 cannot move. In the adjustment state, the locking assembly 130 can rotate around the helical axis A, and drive the adjustment body 120 to move relative to the mounting base 110 along the helical axis A, thereby adjusting the length of the adjustment body 120 extending into the exhaust duct 200, and thus adjusting the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200. At the same time, since the adjustment body 120 does not need to rotate, it can be ensured that the adjustment body 120 and the supply pipe 50 remain connected during the adjustment process, so that the connection between the adjustment body 120 and the supply pipe 50 does not need to be disconnected before adjustment, thereby simplifying the operation and reducing the risk of cleaning liquid leakage.

[0070] By setting up an adjusting body 120 and a locking component 130 with a spiral fit, and the locking component 130 being able to rotate around the spiral axis A in the adjusting state and drive the adjusting body 120 to move relative to the mounting base 110 along the spiral axis A, the adjusting body 120 can change its relative position with the exhaust duct 200 without rotation, thereby adjusting the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200. At the same time, it ensures that the adjusting body 120 and the supply pipeline 50 of the cleaning fluid can remain connected during the adjustment process, so that the connection between the adjusting body 120 and the supply pipeline 50 does not need to be disconnected before adjustment, thereby simplifying the operation and reducing the risk of cleaning liquid leakage.

[0071] The locking assembly 130 and the adjusting body 120 are screwed together in the following manner: the adjusting body 120 includes a cylindrical body, the axis of which is the helical axis A; an inlet channel 123 is disposed in the cylindrical body. The inlet channel 123, for example, extends through the cylindrical body along its axis. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the cylindrical body includes a first column 121 and a second column 122 connected in sequence and coaxially arranged. In use, the second column 122 is closer to the opening of the exhaust duct 200 than the first column 121, and the outer peripheral dimension of the second column 122 is larger than that of the first column 121. In one example, the outer peripheral surface of the second column 122 is movably engaged with the inner peripheral surface of the housing (i.e., the circumferential shell wall 102), for example, with a clearance fit. Furthermore, a plurality of annular grooves 124 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the second column 122. The plurality of annular grooves 124 are distributed at intervals along the axial direction of the second column 122. The annular grooves 124 are used to increase the resistance of the cleaning fluid flowing along the gap, thereby reducing or avoiding leakage of the cleaning fluid. The inlet channel 123 extends along the axis (i.e., the helical axis A) of the first column 121 and the second column 122, and passes through the first column 121 and the second column 122 in sequence.

[0072] As shown in Figure 6, the locking assembly 130 includes an adapter ring 131 and a locking structure, wherein the adapter ring 131 is threadedly engaged with the cylindrical body (e.g., the first column 121). Specifically, the threaded engagement can be as follows: the outer circumference of the cylindrical body has an external thread, which is provided, for example, on the first column 121; the inner circumference of the adapter ring 131 has an internal thread, and the internal thread of the adapter ring 131 engages with the external thread of the cylindrical body.

[0073] The locking structure is used to lock the adapter ring 131 to the mounting base 110 in the locked state and to release the locking of the adapter ring 131 in the adjustment state. Specifically, the locking structure can switch between the locked state and the adjustment state. In the locked state, the locking structure is used to lock the adapter ring 131 to the mounting base 110. In the adjustment state, the locking structure can release the locking of the adapter ring 131. At this time, by rotating the adapter ring 131 (without moving it in the direction along the helical axis A), the internal thread of the adapter ring 131 engages with the external thread of the cylindrical body (e.g., the first cylindrical body 121), causing the cylindrical body to move along the helical axis A. This allows adjustment of the length of the cylindrical body extending into the exhaust duct 200, and thus adjustment of the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200.

[0074] It should be noted that in practical applications, when adjusting the length of the columnar body extending into the exhaust duct 200, the columnar body can be prevented from rotating by manual means or tools, and can only move along the spiral axis A. At the same time, the adapter ring 131 can only rotate by manual means or tools or by the limiting support structure set on the mounting base 110 (described in detail later), but cannot move in the direction of the spiral axis A.

[0075] When locked, the locking structure is configured to prevent both the adapter ring 131 and the cylindrical body from rotating or moving. Various locking structures can achieve this function. In some embodiments, the adapter ring 131 has external threads on its outer circumference. The locking structure includes a first locking nut 132, whose internal thread engages with the external thread of the adapter ring 131. The first locking nut 132 is capable of locking itself to the mounting base 110 in the locked state, thus locking the adapter ring 131 to the mounting base 110. The first locking nut 132 being locked to the mounting base 110 means that when the first locking nut 132 is tightened, a certain frictional torque exists between its surface and the opposing surfaces of the mounting base 110, generating a locking force. At this time, the adapter ring 131 cannot rotate or move.

[0076] In embodiments where the mounting base 110 includes a housing, the housing wall opposite the opening (i.e., the top housing wall 101) is provided with a mounting through hole, through which a columnar body (e.g., the first column 121) passes. The outlet end of the columnar body's inlet channel 123 can sequentially pass through the internal space 103 of the housing and the opening in the exhaust duct 200 (e.g., the horizontal pipe section 201), extending into the interior of the exhaust duct 200. The adapter ring 131 is at least partially located on the side of the housing wall away from the opening (i.e., the upper side of the top housing wall 101 in FIG. 6). In one example, a portion of the adapter ring 131 is rotatably disposed in the mounting through hole, and another portion of the adapter ring 131 is located on the side of the top housing wall 101 away from the opening. By rotatably disposing a portion of the adapter ring 131 in the mounting through hole, the adapter ring 131 can be more reliably locked to the mounting base 110. In another example, the adapter ring 131 may also be located entirely on the side of the top shell wall 101 away from the opening.

[0077] The external thread of the adapter ring 131 is provided on the portion of the adapter ring 131 located on the side opposite to the opening of the top shell wall 101, so that the first locking nut 132 can engage with the adapter ring 131 on the side opposite to the opening of the top shell wall 101, and the first locking nut 132 can be locked to the top shell wall 101 in the locked state, that is, when the first locking nut 132 is tightened, a locking force is generated between the opposing surfaces of the top shell wall 101 and the first locking nut 132.

[0078] In embodiments where the cylindrical body (e.g., the first column 121) has external threads, to enhance the locking between the cylindrical body (e.g., the first column 121) and the adapter ring 131 in the locked state, the locking structure may further include a second locking nut 133. The internal thread of the second locking nut 133 engages with the external thread of the cylindrical body (e.g., the first column 121), and the second locking nut 133 can be locked onto the end face of the adapter ring 131 located on the side opposite to the opening of the top shell wall 101 (i.e., the upper end face of the adapter ring 131 in FIG. 6). By generating a locking force between the second locking nut 133 and the upper end face of the adapter ring 131 when tightened, relative movement between the cylindrical body (e.g., the first column 121) and the adapter ring 131 due to loosening can be prevented, thereby improving structural reliability. The locking method using the second locking nut 133 can reduce the space occupied and has a certain degree of sealing.

[0079] In some embodiments, to ensure that the adapter ring 131 can only rotate and cannot move in the direction along the helical axis A, based on the mounting base 110 (i.e., the top shell wall 101), the locking assembly 130 further includes a limiting support structure. This limiting support structure is fixedly connected to the top shell wall 101 on the side near the opening (i.e., the lower side of the top shell wall 101). The limiting support structure supports the end face of the adapter ring 131 near the opening (i.e., the lower end face of the adapter ring 131). With the help of the limiting support structure, the adapter ring 131 can be supported when the first locking nut 132 is in the loosened state, thereby preventing the adapter ring 131 from falling off.

[0080] Furthermore, the limiting support structure that achieves the above-mentioned function can be of various types. For example, the limiting support structure includes a support plate 134 and a fastener 135. The support plate 134 is annular and surrounds the columnar main body (e.g., the first column 121), and is fixedly connected to the top shell wall 101 near the opening side by the fastener 135. The support plate 134 is used to support the end face of the adapter ring 131 near the opening side (i.e., the lower end face of the adapter ring 131). Specifically, the inner circumferential dimension of the support plate 134 is smaller than the size of the mounting through hole on the top shell wall 101, so that the inner circumferential portion of the support plate 134 can protrude into the mounting through hole relative to the hole wall, and the protruding inner circumferential portion can provide support for the adapter ring 131. It should be noted that the support plate 134 is not limited to being annular; it can be used as long as it can provide support. Furthermore, the aforementioned fasteners 135 can be, for example, fastening screws, and multiple fasteners 135 can be used, distributed at intervals along the circumference of the support plate 134, thereby ensuring uniform stress on the support plate 134 and improving connection stability. Of course, the embodiments of this application are not limited to fixing the support plate 134 to the top shell wall 101 using fasteners 135. In practical applications, the support plate 134 and the top shell wall 101 can also be connected using detachable methods such as plug-in or snap-fit, or non-detachable methods such as welding or riveting.

[0081] In some embodiments, to limit the relative position of the adapter ring 131 and the top shell wall 101 along the helical axis A, so that the adapter ring 131 can only rotate, the wall of the mounting through hole is provided with a first stepped surface 101a facing the opening, and a limiting protrusion 131a is provided on the outer periphery of the adapter ring 131. The limiting protrusion 131a abuts against the first stepped surface 101a and the support plate 134 respectively. In this way, the top shell wall 101 and the support plate 134 can clamp and fix the limiting protrusion 131a between them, thereby limiting the position of the adapter ring 131 without affecting the rotation of the adapter ring 131.

[0082] Furthermore, in some embodiments, in order to reduce the space occupied by the support plate 134 in the internal space 103 of the housing and to limit the position of the support plate 134, an annular groove is provided on the surface of the top shell wall 101 near the opening. The annular groove surrounds the first step surface 101a, and the support plate 134 is at least partially disposed in the annular groove.

[0083] In related technologies, cleaning fluid is sprayed out at a certain pressure and spray speed through a spray head (such as spray head 015 shown in Figures 2 and 3). However, since the angle at which the spray head sprays the cleaning fluid is fixed, the cleaning range is small, which may result in some parts of the exhaust duct not being cleaned. To solve this problem, please refer to Figures 5 and 7. The exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this application embodiment also includes a spray body 141. The spray body 141 is rotatably connected to the adjusting body 120 around the helical axis A and has a spray channel 142. The inlet of the spray channel 142 is connected to the outlet of the inlet channel 123. The outlet of the spray channel 142 (not shown in Figure 7) is used to communicate with the inside of the exhaust duct 200 for spraying cleaning fluid into the exhaust duct 200. The cleaning fluid supplied by the supply pipe 50 can flow into the spray channel 142 through the inlet channel 123, and be sprayed out through the spray channel 142 at a certain pressure and spray speed to wash away the crystals on the exhaust pipe 200. It is easy to understand that when the spray body 141 is provided, the spray body 141 can be inserted into the exhaust pipe 200 to adjust the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust pipe 200.

[0084] Based on this, the spray channel 142 is configured to allow the spray body 141 to rotate relative to the adjusting body 120 around the spiral axis A via hydrodynamic force when spraying the cleaning fluid, i.e., rotating in direction B or the opposite direction to direction B in Figure 7. In other words, as the cleaning fluid flows through the spray body 141 until it is sprayed out, the cleaning fluid exerts a force on the spray body 141. This force is the aforementioned hydrodynamic force, used to drive the spray body 141 to rotate around the spiral axis A. This allows the angle of the cleaning fluid sprayed at the outlet of the spray channel 142 in the circumferential direction to change with the rotation of the spray body 141, thereby expanding the cleaning range and ensuring that almost all or even all parts of the exhaust duct 200 are cleaned, improving the cleaning effect.

[0085] Furthermore, in order to further expand the cleaning range and form a three-dimensional spraying effect, please refer to Figures 7 to 12. The spraying channel 142 includes at least one guide space 142a1 and multiple sub-spraying channels 142b connected to each guide space 142a1. The spraying body 141 is provided with a main channel 142a. One end of the main channel 142a is connected to the outlet of the inlet channel 123, and the other end is provided with a guide plug 143. The side of the guide plug 143 exposed inside the main channel 142a forms the aforementioned guide space 142a1 with the channel wall of the main channel 142a. When the cleaning fluid flows through the guide space 142a1, the fluid dynamics cause the spraying body 141 to rotate relative to the adjusting body 120 around the spiral axis A.

[0086] The aforementioned guide plug 143 not only blocks the cleaning fluid, preventing it from flowing directly out of the lower end of the spray channel 142, but also applies a force to the surface of the guide plug 143 constituting the guide space 142a1 when the cleaning fluid flows into the guide space 142a1. This force is the aforementioned fluid dynamics, used to drive the spray body 141 to rotate around the helical axis A. The guide plug 143 that achieves this function can have various structures. For example, as shown in Figure 11, the guide plug 143 includes a guide plug column and multiple guide portions 144 disposed on one side of the guide plug column inside the spray channel 142 (i.e., the main channel 142a) (i.e., the side opposite to the fluid flow direction in the main channel 142a). The multiple guide portions 144 are distributed at intervals around the helical axis A. Multiple flow guides 144 and the channel wall of the main channel 142a form a flow guide space 142a1. The surface of the flow guide 144 that forms the flow guide space 142a1 includes a first surface 1441, which is an arc-shaped surface used to change the flow direction of the cleaning fluid flowing into the flow guide space 142a1, so that the cleaning fluid after the flow direction is changed can apply the above-mentioned fluid power to the flow guide 144.

[0087] Specifically, by distributing multiple guide sections 144 at intervals around the spiral axis A, a portion of the main channel 142a can be divided into multiple guide spaces 142a1 in the circumferential direction around the spiral axis A. This allows the cleaning fluid entering the multiple guide spaces 142a1 to simultaneously apply force to the surface of the guide spaces 142a1 formed by the multiple guide sections 144, resulting in superposition of forces, which helps drive the spray body 141 to rotate around the spiral axis A.

[0088] Based on this, during the spraying process, the cleaning fluid in the main channel 142a flows into each guide space 142a1 at a certain speed and pressure along the downward arrow direction shown in Figure 7. By making the first surface 1441 an arc surface, the cleaning fluid that originally flowed vertically downward can change its flow direction under the action of the first surface 1441. The cleaning fluid after the flow direction change will generate a component force in the tangential direction of the circumference around the spiral axis A, thereby applying a thrust to the guide part 144 on the opposite side, and thus driving the spraying body 141 to rotate around the spiral axis A relative to the adjusting body 120.

[0089] In some embodiments, the surface of each flow guide 144 constituting the flow guide space 142a1 further includes a second surface 1442, which is opposite to the first surface 1441. It is readily understood that in each pair of adjacent flow guides 144, the first surface 1441 of one flow guide 144 forms an angle with the second surface 1442 of the other flow guide 144, and the two, together with the channel wall of the main channel 142a, form a flow guide space 142a1. The second surface 1442 is a vertical surface parallel to the spiral axis A. The second surface 1442 is used to drive the spray body 141 to rotate relative to the adjusting body 120 around the spiral axis A under the impingement of the cleaning fluid after the flow direction change. By making the second surface 1442 a vertical surface parallel to the spiral axis A, on the one hand, the cleaning fluid can flow more smoothly into the guide space 142a1; on the other hand, it can ensure that when the cleaning fluid after the flow direction is reversed acts on the second surface 1442, it will not generate a force opposite to the component force in the tangential direction of the circumference around the spiral axis A, thus ensuring that the hydrodynamic force generated by the cleaning fluid after the flow direction is reversed can drive the spray body 141 to rotate relative to the adjustment body 120 around the spiral axis A.

[0090] Specifically, the guide portion 144 is a plate-like protrusion formed on the guide plug body. This plate-like protrusion extends radially approximately along the circumference of the spiral axis A. The plate-like protrusion has two opposing surfaces in the circumferential direction around the spiral axis A; these two surfaces are the aforementioned first surface 1441 and second surface 1442. Taking the guide plug 143 rotating clockwise around the spiral axis A shown in Figure 11 as an example, the multiple first surfaces 1441 can change the flow direction of the cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid after the flow direction change generates a component force along the tangential direction of the clockwise rotation around the spiral axis A, pushing the guide plug body to rotate clockwise, thereby causing the spray body 141 to rotate synchronously.

[0091] In some embodiments, the inlets 142b1 of the plurality of sub-spray channels 142b are located on the inner wall of the main channel 142a and communicate with the corresponding guide space 142a1; the outlets 142b2 of the plurality of sub-spray channels 142b are located on the outer peripheral surface of the spray body 141. Under the guiding action of the first surface 1441, the cleaning fluid flowing into each guide space 142a1 will flow through the inlets 142b1 of the plurality of sub-spray channels 142b corresponding to each guide space 142a1 and enter the sub-spray channels 142b, and finally be sprayed out from the outlets 142b2 on the outer peripheral surface of the spray body 141. Since the outlet 142b2 of each sub-spray channel 142b is located on the outer peripheral surface of the spray body 141, the cleaning fluid can be sprayed out in all directions around the spray body 141. Combined with the fact that the spray body 141 rotates around the rotation axis A during the spraying process, the cleaning range can be further expanded, forming a three-dimensional spraying effect, thereby greatly improving the cleaning effect.

[0092] As shown in Figures 10 and 12, multiple sub-spray channels 142b connected to the same flow guide space 142a1 form a spray group 142b3, and each spray group 142b3 is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with each flow guide space 142a1. Further, in some embodiments, as shown in Figures 8, 9, and 12, the outer peripheral surface of the spray body 141 is a portion of a sphere, specifically the middle portion of a complete sphere after removing the upper and lower parts.

[0093] Based on this, the multiple sub-spray channels 142b in each spray group 142b3 extend in multiple different directions along the axial section (the section shown in Figure 9) of the outer peripheral surface of the spray body 141 (i.e., the middle part of the aforementioned spherical surface), for example, extending in the radial direction of the spherical surface, and are radially distributed from the inner wall of the main channel 142a to the outer peripheral surface of the spray body 141 (i.e., from the inlet 142b1 to the outlet 142b2 of the sub-spray channels 142b). This allows the spray angle of the outlet 142b2 of the multiple sub-spray channels 142b in each spray group 142b3 to cover a larger angle range, thereby forming a three-dimensional spray effect. As shown in Figure 9, on the axial section of the outer peripheral surface of the spray body 141 (i.e., the middle part of the aforementioned spherical surface), the inlets 142b1 of the multiple sub-spray channels 142b in each spray group 142b3 are distributed at intervals along a direction parallel to the spiral axis A, and the outlets 142b2 of the multiple sub-spray channels 142b in each spray group 142b3 are distributed at intervals along the arc-shaped contour of the outer peripheral surface of the spray body 141 (i.e., the middle part of the aforementioned spherical surface). Furthermore, the multiple sub-spray channels 142b in each spray group 142b3 are radially distributed from the inside out, thereby helping to further expand the cleaning range.

[0094] Furthermore, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG13, the tangent C1 at the upper end of the first surface 1441 (i.e., the arc-shaped surface) is parallel to the helical axis A. This ensures that the fluid in the main channel 142a flows into the guide space 142a1 with minimal resistance. In some embodiments, the axis of any one of the multiple sub-spray channels 142b in each spray group 142b3 is tangent to the lower end of the first surface 1441 (i.e., the arc-shaped surface). This ensures that the fluid in the guide space 142a1 can flow smoothly to the inlet 142b1 of each sub-spray channel 142b under the guiding effect of the first surface 1441 (i.e., the arc-shaped surface). Furthermore, in some embodiments, the axis of the bottommost of the multiple sub-spray channels 142b in each spray group 142b3 is tangent to the lower end of the first surface 1441 (i.e., the arc-shaped surface), resulting in a better guiding effect.

[0095] In practical applications, when designing the aforementioned arc-shaped surface, after determining the aforementioned tangents C1 and C2, the intersection point O of the normals D1 and D2, which are perpendicular to tangents C1 and C2 respectively, on the axial section of the guide plug can be taken as the center of the orthographic projection of the arc-shaped surface on the axial section of the guide plug. Thus, the orthographic projection shape of the arc-shaped surface on the axial section of the guide plug can be determined.

[0096] In one specific embodiment, a plurality of flow guides 144 are integrally connected to the flow guide plug body, and in each pair of adjacent flow guides 144, the first surface 1441 of one flow guide 144 and the second surface 1442 of the other flow guide 144 are smoothly transitioned by an arc surface 1443 to ensure smooth flow of the cleaning fluid. Based on this, the plurality of flow guides 144 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction around the helical axis A. For example, Figure 13 shows four flow guides 144, and the included angle between the upper end of the first surface 1441 and the upper end of the second surface 1442 is, for example, 90°.

[0097] There are various ways in which the spray body 141 can be rotatably connected to the adjusting body 120 around the helical axis A. For example, as shown in FIG7, the spray assembly 140 also includes a bearing assembly, through which the spray body 141 can be rotatably connected to the adjusting body 120 around the helical axis A. The bearing assembly includes a bearing 145, a bearing seat 146, and a bearing locking member 147. The bearing seat 146 is fixed to one end of the inlet channel 123 of the adjusting body 120, such as the lower end of the second column 122. Specifically, the fixing method is as follows: the outer periphery of the bearing seat 146 is provided with external threads, and the second column 122 is provided with threaded holes. The bearing seat 146 is fixed to the second column 122 by the engagement of its external threads with the threaded holes. In some embodiments, a sealing boss 1461 is also provided on the outer periphery of the bearing seat 146, and a sealing ring 1462 is provided between the sealing boss 1461 and the second column 122 to prevent leakage of the cleaning fluid. The bearing housing 146 has an installation space; the bearing 145 is disposed in the installation space and fitted around the outer periphery of the spray body 141. In some embodiments, there are, for example, two bearings 145, which are arranged sequentially along the helical axis A and separated by a collar 1463.

[0098] A bearing locking element 147 is disposed between the bearing 145 and the adjusting body 120 (e.g., the second column 122) to limit the position of the bearing 145 in a direction parallel to the helical axis A. The bearing housing 146 provides support for the bearing 145, while the bearing locking element 147 prevents the bearing 145 from displacing in a direction parallel to the helical axis A by pressing the bearing 145 in place.

[0099] In some embodiments, the bearing 145 is, for example, a rolling bearing, whose inner ring portion cooperates with and rotates together with the spray body 141; the outer ring portion cooperates with the bearing housing 146 to support the inner ring portion and the rolling elements in the middle. In this case, the outer periphery of the spray body 141 is provided with a second stepped surface 141c facing the bearing locking member 147, and the upper and lower end faces of the inner ring portion of the bearing 145 abut against the second stepped surface 141c and the bearing locking member 147 respectively in the direction along the helical axis A; and the bearing locking member 147 is spaced apart from the adjusting body 120 (e.g., the second column 122), and the bearing locking member 147 can rotate with the spray body 141. The inner wall of the bearing housing 146, which constitutes the installation space, is provided with a third stepped surface 1464 facing the bearing locking member 147, and the outer ring portion of the bearing 145 is supported by the third stepped surface 1464.

[0100] In one specific embodiment, the spray body 141 includes a connecting column 141a and a spherical spray head 141b. The mounting space of the bearing housing 146 is a through hole extending through the bearing housing 146 in a direction parallel to the helical axis A. An annular flange 1465 is provided on the wall of the through hole to prevent the bearing 145 from dislodging from the through hole. A third stepped surface 1464 is provided on the annular flange 1465 to support the outer ring portion of the bearing 145. The connecting column 141a passes through the through hole, and its outer peripheral surface has a second stepped surface 141c facing the bearing locking member 147. This second stepped surface 141c supports the inner ring portion of the bearing 145. In some examples, the second stepped surface 141c is flush with the third stepped surface 1464. The spherical spray head 141b is located outside the through hole. The main channel 142a connects the column 141a and the spherical spray head 141b in sequence. The flow guide plug 143 is disposed in the spherical spray head 141b. For example, the flow guide plug 143 is embedded in the part of the main channel 142a in the spherical spray head 141b by means of welding or other methods.

[0101] As shown in Figure 14, a receiving groove is provided on the surface of the bearing locking member 147 opposite to the connecting column 141a. A portion of the connecting column 141a is disposed in this receiving groove, and a sealing ring 148 is provided between the connecting column 141a and the bottom surface of the receiving groove, surrounding the main channel 142a, to prevent cleaning fluid from leaking from the gap between the connecting column 141a and the bearing locking member 147 and flowing to the location of the bearing 145. Furthermore, a fourth stepped surface 1472 is provided on the surface of the bearing locking member 147 opposite to the bearing 145. This fourth stepped surface 1472 abuts against the inner ring portion of the bearing 145; that is, the fourth stepped surface 1472 and the second stepped surface 141c together clamp and fix the inner ring portion of the bearing 145, thereby limiting the position of the bearing 145. It should be noted that the outer ring portion of the bearing 145 is not subjected to pressure on the bearing locking member 147 side.

[0102] In some embodiments, to increase the resistance to the flow of cleaning fluid along the gap and reduce leakage of cleaning fluid, the gap 149 between the bearing locking member 147 and the adjusting body 120 (e.g., the second column 122) forms a labyrinth structure. The two opposing surfaces of the bearing locking member 147 and the adjusting body 120 are, for example, both concave and convex surfaces, with the concave and convex portions nested within each other to form the aforementioned labyrinth structure. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the convex portion 1473 of the bearing locking member 147 and the concave portion of the second column 122 are nested within each other, and the convex portion 1221 of the second column 122 and the concave portion of the bearing locking member 147 are nested within each other.

[0103] In some embodiments, to increase the resistance to the flow of cleaning fluid along the gap and reduce leakage of cleaning fluid, at least one of the surfaces of the bearing locking member 147 and the adjusting body 120 (e.g., the second column 122) facing each other is provided with at least one groove 1491. The groove 1491 is, for example, annular and surrounds the main channel 142a or the inlet channel 123.

[0104] In summary, the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this application embodiment, by setting an adjusting body 120 and a locking component 130 with a spiral engagement, and the locking component 130 being able to rotate around the spiral axis A in the adjusting state, and driving the adjusting body 120 to move relative to the mounting base 110 along the spiral axis A, allows the adjusting body 120 to change its relative position with the exhaust duct 200 without rotation, thereby adjusting the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust duct 200. At the same time, it ensures that the adjusting body 120 and the supply pipeline 50 of the cleaning fluid remain connected during the adjustment process, thus eliminating the need to disconnect the connection between the adjusting body 120 and the supply pipeline 50 before adjustment, thereby simplifying operation and reducing the risk of cleaning liquid leakage.

[0105] As another technical solution, as shown in Figure 4, this application embodiment also provides a semiconductor process equipment, including a process chamber 30, an exhaust duct 200 communicating with the process chamber 30, and an exhaust duct cleaning device; the exhaust duct cleaning device adopts the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this application embodiment.

[0106] In some embodiments, taking the semiconductor process equipment 10 as a single-wafer cleaning device as an example, its process chamber 30 includes multiple recovery chambers 31 stacked vertically for recovering gases (such as harmful gases like acidic and alkaline gases) that evaporate during the cleaning process. Each recovery chamber 31 has an exhaust port and is connected to an exhaust duct 200, which is used to discharge the gases from the recovery chamber 31. The chuck 40 is vertically and rotatably positioned within the space enclosed by the multiple recovery chambers 31 and can reach a height corresponding to any layer of recovery chambers 31. During the process, the chuck 40 drives the wafer to rotate, and simultaneously, the nozzle above the wafer begins to spray the cleaning solution onto the wafer. After the solution falls onto the wafer, it splashes circumferentially into the corresponding recovery chamber 31 under the action of centrifugal force. During this process, the solution impacts the wafer and the sidewalls of the recovery chamber 31, generating liquid particles that form a liquid mist that is dispersed throughout the space. Meanwhile, the exhaust airflow draws the dispersed liquid mist away from the recovery chamber 31 through the exhaust duct 200, thereby preventing the liquid mist from spreading. It should be noted that the figure only shows one exhaust duct 200 connected to the uppermost recovery chamber 31; in reality, there can be multiple exhaust ducts 200, and each exhaust duct 200 is connected to one of the multiple recovery chambers 31. Furthermore, each exhaust duct 200 can be equipped with the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this embodiment.

[0107] The semiconductor process equipment provided in this application embodiment, by adopting the exhaust duct cleaning device 100 provided in this application embodiment, eliminates the need to disconnect the connection between the adjusting body 120 and the supply pipeline 50 before adjustment, thereby simplifying operation and reducing the risk of cleaning liquid leakage.

[0108] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of this application, and this application is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of this application, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An exhaust duct cleaning apparatus applied to a semiconductor process equipment, characterized by, It includes a mounting base, an adjustment body, and a locking assembly, wherein the mounting base can be installed on the exhaust duct during use; The regulating body can extend into the exhaust duct and has an inlet channel for conveying cleaning fluid, the outlet of the inlet channel being used to communicate with the interior of the exhaust duct. The locking assembly is screwed into the adjusting body and rotatably connected to the mounting base around the screw axis. The locking assembly can switch between a locking state and an adjusting state. In the locking state, the locking assembly is used to lock the adjusting body to the mounting base. In the adjusting state, the locking assembly can rotate around the screw axis and drive the adjusting body to move relative to the mounting base along the screw axis.

2. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The regulating body includes a columnar body, the axis of which is the helical axis; the inlet channel is disposed in the columnar body; The locking assembly includes an adapter ring and a locking structure, wherein the adapter ring is threadedly engaged with the cylindrical body; the locking structure is used to lock the adapter ring to the mounting base in the locked state; and to release the locking of the adapter ring in the adjusted state.

3. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The outer circumference of the columnar body has an external thread, and the inner circumference of the adapter ring has an internal thread. The internal thread of the adapter ring mates with the external thread of the columnar body.

4. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The outer circumference of the adapter ring has external threads; The locking structure includes a first locking nut, the internal thread of which engages with the external thread of the adapter ring, and the first locking nut can be locked to the mounting base in the locked state to lock the adapter ring to the mounting base.

5. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The mounting base includes a housing, which can be sealed and installed in the exhaust duct during use, and the internal space of the housing is in communication with the opening on the exhaust duct; the housing wall opposite to the opening is provided with a mounting through hole, and the columnar body passes through the mounting through hole; The adapter ring is at least partially located on the side of the shell wall away from the opening, and the external thread of the adapter ring is provided on the portion of the adapter ring located on the side of the shell wall away from the opening, and the first locking nut can be locked to the shell wall in the locked state.

6. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The locking structure also includes a second locking nut, the internal thread of which engages with the external thread of the cylindrical body, and the second locking nut can be locked to the end face of the adapter ring opposite to the opening.

7. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The locking assembly further includes a limiting support structure, which is fixedly connected to the shell wall on the side near the opening; the limiting support structure is used to support the end face of the adapter ring on the side near the opening.

8. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The limiting support structure includes a support plate and fasteners. The support plate is ring-shaped and surrounds the columnar body. It is fixedly connected to the shell wall near the opening by the fasteners. The support plate is used to support the end face of the adapter ring near the opening.

9. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein, The wall of the mounting through hole is provided with a first stepped surface facing the opening, and the outer periphery of the adapter ring is provided with a limiting protrusion, which abuts against the first stepped surface and the support plate respectively.

10. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of any one of claims 1-9, wherein, It also includes a spray body, which is rotatably connected to the adjustment body around the spiral axis and has a spray channel. The inlet of the spray channel is connected to the outlet of the inlet channel, and the outlet of the spray channel is used to communicate with the interior of the exhaust duct for spraying the cleaning fluid into the exhaust duct.

11. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The spray channel is configured to allow the spray body to rotate relative to the adjustment body around the spiral axis by means of hydrodynamics when the cleaning fluid is sprayed.

12. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The spray channel includes at least one flow guiding space and multiple sub-spray channels communicating with each of the flow guiding spaces. The spray body is provided with a main channel. One end of the main channel is connected to the outlet of the inlet channel, and the other end is provided with a flow guide plug. The side of the flow guide plug exposed inside the main channel forms the flow guiding space with the channel wall of the main channel. When the cleaning fluid flows through the flow guiding space, the fluid dynamics cause the spray body to rotate around the spiral axis relative to the adjustment body.

13. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 12, wherein, The flow guide plug includes a flow guide plug column and a plurality of flow guide parts disposed on one side of the flow guide plug column located inside the spray channel, the plurality of flow guide parts being distributed at intervals around the spiral axis; The plurality of flow guides and the channel wall of the main channel constitute a plurality of flow guide spaces, and the surface of the flow guide that constitutes the flow guide space includes a first surface, which is an arc-shaped surface.

14. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 13, wherein, The outer peripheral surface of the spray body is part of a sphere; The multiple sub-spray channels communicating with each of the flow guide spaces extend in multiple different directions along the axial section of the outer peripheral surface of the spray body, and are radially distributed from the inner wall of the main channel to the outer peripheral surface of the spray body.

15. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 14, wherein, The axis of the bottommost of the plurality of sub-spray channels is tangent to the lower end of the arcuate surface; and / or The tangent at the upper end of the arc-shaped surface is parallel to the helical axis.

16. The exhaust duct cleaning device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The surface of the flow guide portion constituting the flow guide space also includes a second surface opposite to the first surface, the second surface being a vertical surface parallel to the spiral axis.

17. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The exhaust duct cleaning device further includes a bearing assembly, and the spray body is rotatably connected to the adjusting body around the helical axis via the bearing assembly; the bearing assembly includes a bearing, a bearing seat, and a bearing locking element, wherein the bearing seat is fixed to one end of the inlet channel of the adjusting body where the outlet is located, and the bearing seat has an installation space; the bearing is disposed in the installation space and sleeved on the outer periphery of the spray body; The bearing locking element is disposed between the bearing and the adjusting body to limit the position of the bearing in a direction parallel to the helical axis.

18. The exhaust duct cleaning apparatus of claim 17, wherein, The bearing locking component is spaced apart from the adjusting body, and the bearing locking component can rotate with the spraying body; The interval between the bearing locking member and the adjusting body forms a labyrinth structure; and / or, at least one of the surfaces of the bearing locking member and the adjusting body facing each other is provided with at least one groove.

19. A semiconductor process apparatus comprising a process chamber, an exhaust duct in communication with the process chamber, and an exhaust duct cleaning device; wherein, The exhaust duct cleaning device is the exhaust duct cleaning device as described in any one of claims 1-18.

20. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 19, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment includes a cleaning device, and the process chamber includes a plurality of recovery chambers stacked in a vertical direction; There are multiple exhaust ducts, and each of the multiple exhaust ducts is connected to a corresponding recovery chamber to discharge the gas in each of the recovery chambers; each exhaust duct is provided with an opening; There are multiple exhaust duct cleaning devices, and each of the multiple exhaust duct cleaning devices is installed in a corresponding manner in a multiple exhaust duct. The adjusting body can extend into the exhaust duct through the opening of the corresponding exhaust duct.

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