Vertical Heat Treatment Furnace Cover Sealing Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vertical heat treatment apparatuses face issues with sealability at the furnace inlet, leading to heat loss and reduced productivity due to gaps between the cover unit and the furnace inlet, especially as wafer sizes increase.
Innovation Solution
A vertical heat treatment apparatus with a cover unit opening/closing mechanism that supports the cover unit in a cantilever manner and includes an auxiliary toggle mechanism to press the cover unit from the bottom side, ensuring proper sealing of the furnace inlet by distributing force through elastic bodies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cover unit is supported only by an arm unit in a cantilever manner, then the structure is simple and easy to operate, but the sealability at the furnace inlet deteriorates due to gaps between the cover and furnace inlet
Solution Approach 1:
A support member is introduced as an intermediary component between the arm unit and the cover unit. The support member extends from the arm unit to support the bottom surface of the cover unit, providing additional stabilization and ensuring proper contact between the cover and furnace inlet without complicating the overall cantilever structure
Solution Approach 2:
The support mechanism transitions from a single-point arm support to a distributed support system by adding the support member that contacts the bottom surface of the cover unit. This dimensional expansion of the support structure improves sealability while maintaining the simple cantilever operation
2Reliability
If the cover unit is pressed down to improve sealability, then the sealability improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is designed to automatically position and support the cover unit at the correct location. The arm unit's movement naturally drives the support member into position against the cover's bottom surface, creating a self-aligning, self-positioning system that improves sealability without requiring complex control mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is integrated with the arm unit structure, merging the support function into the existing opening/closing mechanism. This combination allows the cover to be both supported and sealed using the same mechanical movement, avoiding the need for separate pressing mechanisms
3Ease of operation
If the furnace inlet is left open for easy wafer loading, then the ease of operation improves, but heat loss increases and temperature consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is positioned in advance to ensure proper cover placement before the opening/closing operation begins. By pre-positioning the support element, the system guarantees that the cover will make proper contact with the furnace inlet upon closing, preventing heat loss while maintaining operational simplicity
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 solution enhances sealability, preventing heat loss and maintaining temperature consistency even with larger wafers, thereby improving productivity and reducing the occurrence of gaps between the cover unit and the furnace inlet.
Implementation Method 1
an auxiliary mechanism configured to press the cover unit from the bottom side of the cover unit when the cover unit is disposed on the furnace inlet
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a vertical heat treatment apparatus. The apparatus includes: a heat treatment furnace provided with a furnace inlet at a lower end thereof; a cover unit disposed on the furnace inlet of the heat treatment furnace; a cover unit opening/closing mechanism configured to support the cover unit in a cantilever manner from a bottom side of the cover unit; and an auxiliary mechanism configured to press the cover unit from the bottom side of the cover unit when the cover unit is disposed on the furnace inlet. The auxiliary mechanism is provided with a toggle mechanism.