Articulating Plug Valve Assembly for Semiconductor Gas Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve assemblies for precise gas delivery in semiconductor manufacturing require labor-intensive hand-lapping of metal seating surfaces, which increases costs and is susceptible to degradation at high temperatures and corrosive fluids, necessitating a solution for improved sealing and reduced manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly with an articulating plug and sapphire seating surfaces, where the plug is aligned with the valve body using a fulcrum and flexible spring, eliminating the need for hand-crafted metal parts and ensuring stable long-term sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal seating surfaces are used in valve assemblies, then sealing capability is achieved, but labor-intensive hand-lapping is required and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from metal seating surfaces and transfers it to elastomeric seals that conform to simplified valve body surfaces. This eliminates the need for hand-lapping metal surfaces while maintaining sealing capability, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to elastomeric materials for the sealing surfaces. This material substitution allows for simpler manufacturing processes without requiring precision hand-lapping, while the elastomeric properties provide inherent conformability for reliable sealing.
2Reliability
If metal seating surfaces are used in valve assemblies, then sealing is achieved, but degradation occurs at high temperatures and corrosive fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material construction with elastomeric seals combined with PTFE (Teflon) coatings on valve surfaces. This composite approach leverages the flexibility and sealing capability of elastomers with the high-temperature and corrosion resistance of PTFE, resolving the degradation issue while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric seals are designed as replaceable components that can be easily replaced when degraded, rather than attempting to create permanently durable metal seating surfaces. This approach is more economical and reliable for handling harsh chemicals and high temperatures.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If sapphire seating surfaces are used instead of metal, then resistance to degradation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to precision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the precision sealing surface requirement from the valve body and places it on easily replaceable elastomeric seals. This eliminates the need for precision-manufactured sapphire or metal seating surfaces in the valve body, significantly easing manufacturing while sapphire can still be used in the elastomeric seal formulation for enhanced durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes from rigid sapphire seating surfaces to elastomeric materials that inherently provide conformability and sealing without requiring precision manufacturing. This material parameter change resolves the contradiction between durability and ease of manufacture.
4Manufacturing precision
If hand-lapping operations are performed on metal surfaces, then sealing precision is improved, but manufacturing time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for hand-lapping operations by using elastomeric seals that self-conform to the valve body surfaces. This extraction of the precision requirement from the manufacturing process dramatically improves productivity while maintaining or enhancing sealing precision through the elastomeric material properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric seals provide self-aligning and self-conforming sealing surfaces through their material properties, eliminating the need for manual hand-lapping operations. This self-service characteristic achieves high sealing precision without the time-consuming manual processes, directly improving manufacturing efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The articulating plug design provides improved cut-off sealing, reduces manufacturing complexity, and uses durable sapphire surfaces for stable long-term control, eliminating the need for hand-crafted metal parts and resisting degradation from high temperatures and corrosive fluids.
Implementation Method 1
a flat spring having an outer portion secured to the end of the valve member and flexible arms retaining the plug in the cup so that the plug can be articulated about the fulcrum
Implementation Method 2
When the valve member is moved along the axis towards the orifice, the plug contacts the valve body to seal the orifice
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly including a valve body having an orifice, and a valve member received in the valve body and movable along an axis with respect to the orifice. The valve member includes a cup in an end of the valve member and the cup has an end wall facing the orifice of the valve body. A fulcrum extends from the end wall of the cup towards the orifice, and a plug is received in the cup against the fulcrum and opposite the orifice of the valve body. When the valve member is moved along the axis towards the orifice, the plug contacts the valve body to seal the orifice. The valve assembly also includes a flat spring having an outer portion secured to the end of the valve member and flexible arms retaining the plug in the cup, so that the plug can be articulated about the fulcrum and properly aligned with the valve body to fully seal the orifice when the valve member is moved along the axis towards the orifice.