ICP Torch Box Sliding Door With Thermal Isolation and Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma source chamber designs, such as those for ICP torch boxes, pose challenges due to the high heat and radiation emitted, requiring protective mechanisms for safe maintenance and access while ensuring electromagnetic compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A sliding door assembly for the ICP torch box that moves in a linear fashion along the access opening and perpendicular to it, providing a secure and thermally isolated means of opening and closing the chamber, with a sealing mechanism and locking mechanism for effective closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinged door is used for the ICP chamber, then the door can be opened for maintenance access, but the opened door extends towards the operator and may be hot, creating safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The door mechanism transitions from a hinged rotation in one arc to a sliding motion along rails, changing the dimensional path of door movement. This allows the door to move linearly away from the chamber opening rather than rotating toward the operator, eliminating the safety hazard of hot door surfaces extending toward the user during opening.
2Ease of operation
If a sliding door mechanism is used, then the door moves out of the way when fully opened improving accessibility, but a guiding mechanism is required adding device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The door system employs dynamic guiding members with slots that allow controlled movement of bearings during door operation. The guiding mechanism transitions from static constraints to dynamic guidance, where the slot geometry actively directs the door's motion path while accommodating thermal expansion and operational variations, reducing overall system complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the door is designed with thermal isolation, then heat protection is improved, but the door structure becomes more complex with multiple panels
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly employs nested door panels where an inner door panel and outer door panel are positioned within the same structural envelope. The inner panel handles the high-temperature chamber interface while the outer panel provides user-safe thermal isolation. This nested configuration achieves effective thermal protection without requiring separate door structures, maintaining relatively simple overall door assembly design.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A sliding door assembly (50) for an inductively coupled plasma torch box (40) reduces the risk of heat related injuries and facilitates the handling of the torch box. The door assembly (50) comprises a door and a guiding mechanism (6) for allowing movement of the door in a first direction along an opening (45) of the torch box (40) so as to be able to open and close the torch box, and allowing movement of the door in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, so as to move the door or at least a part thereof towards the opening when closing the torch box. The door may comprise an inner door panel interconnected with an outer door panel, so that only the inner door panel moves in the second direction, towards the opening (45) of the torch box (40) to tightly close it, while the outer door panel can maintain a safe temperature during operation.