Gas Supply System with Opposite-Surface Device Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In gas supply systems for processing apparatuses, large pipeline volumes lead to prolonged gas exhaustion times and difficulties in controlling processing gas pressure, resulting in reduced throughput and accuracy during gas replacement and processing.
Innovation Solution
A gas supply system design where element devices are arranged on opposite surfaces of a base, with straight pipelines penetrating the base, reducing pipeline volume and improving gas flow control through optimized pressure management and valve operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the pipeline volume is large to connect element devices on the same surface, then the element devices can be densely arranged for scaling down, but it takes time to exhaust the processing gas remaining in the pipeline during gas replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by arranging element devices on both the upper and lower surfaces of the base, utilizing the third dimension (vertical space) to reduce pipeline length. The pipeline penetrates the base in a straight line, transforming a potentially long two-dimensional surface connection into a short three-dimensional through-base connection, thereby reducing gas exhaustion time while maintaining device density.
2Manufacturing precision
If the pipeline volume is large, then element devices can be densely arranged on the same surface for scaling down, but it is difficult to control the processing gas pressure accurately when replacing gas at high speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dimensionality change to create a short, straight pipeline penetrating the base, which reduces the volume between the valve and processing apparatus. This small volume allows rapid gas replacement while maintaining precise pressure control, as the reduced pipeline volume minimizes pressure fluctuations and response delays during high-speed gas switching operations.
3Device complexity
If element devices are arranged on the same surface of the base, then the gas supply apparatus can be scaled down, but the pipeline volume increases leading to prolonged gas exhaustion time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by utilizing the vertical dimension through the base thickness. Element devices are positioned on opposite surfaces with a straight pipeline penetrating the base, creating a compact three-dimensional arrangement that reduces pipeline volume and gas exhaustion time while maintaining the scaled-down apparatus footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies nesting by placing the pipeline inside the base structure, with the pipeline penetrating through the base material. This nested arrangement integrates the connection path within the base itself, minimizing external pipeline length and reducing the volume of gas that needs to be exhausted during replacement operations.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4A~4C
AI summary
Throughput of the processing can be improved. A gas supply system includes a plurality of element devices which constitute the gas supply system and a base 212 on which the plurality of element devices are disposed. Some of the element devices are disposed on a surface 212a of the base 212, and the others are disposed on a surface 212b of the base 212, which is opposite to the surface 212a of the base 212. The plurality of element devices may be implemented by, for example, a flow rate controller FD and a secondary valve FV2. The secondary valve FV2 is disposed on the surface 212b, which is opposite to the surface 212a of the base 212 where the flow rate controller FD is disposed.