Purge Nozzle Assembly With Tilting Coupling For Wafer Cassette Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing purge nozzle assemblies in the semiconductor industry face challenges in minimizing particle generation and leakage during the placement of wafer cassettes, particularly due to rubbing or sliding movements between the purge nozzle and the wafer cassette, which can occur when the cassette is not horizontally level.
Innovation Solution
A purge nozzle assembly with a mechanical coupling mechanism that allows tilting and substantial lateral movement of the purge nozzle body relative to the mounting body, incorporating springs and pull elements to ensure a sealing engagement without sliding or rubbing, and the use of a grommet to prevent particle release and leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the purge nozzle is fixed rigidly to the mounting body, then the sealing engagement is stable, but particle generation occurs due to rubbing or sliding movement when the wafer cassette is not horizontally level
Solution Approach 1:
The purge nozzle body is made movable relative to the mounting body through a mechanical coupling mechanism that allows lateral movement and tilting. This dynamic adjustment enables the purge nozzle to accommodate misalignment of the wafer cassette without rubbing or sliding, thereby preventing particle generation while maintaining sealing engagement through the grommet.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the purge nozzle allows lateral movement to accommodate cassette misalignment, then particle generation is minimized, but the complexity of the mechanical coupling mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
A grommet (flexible element) is used to provide sealing between the purge nozzle body and the wafer cassette. The grommet accommodates misalignment and maintains sealing without requiring complex mechanical structures, thereby reducing overall system complexity while preventing particle generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical coupling mechanism provides simple lateral movement and tilting capability to the purge nozzle body, allowing it to follow the position of the wafer cassette. This dynamic adjustment with minimal mechanical components effectively prevents rubbing or sliding while maintaining acceptable structural complexity.
3Reliability
If the purge nozzle body is made movable to accommodate tilting, then sealing is maintained on inclined surfaces, but the precision of purge gas delivery may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The grommet acts as an intermediary element between the movable purge nozzle body and the wafer cassette. It maintains sealing engagement while allowing the purge nozzle body to move and tilt, thereby preserving both sealing reliability and purge gas delivery precision by decoupling the sealing function from the positioning function.
Data Source
AI summary
A purge nozzle assembly comprising a purge nozzle body including an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The outlet opening opens into a purge nozzle contact surface. Additionally, the purge nozzle assembly includes a mounting body for connecting the purge nozzle assembly to an external frame member. A mechanical coupling mechanism moveably couples the purge nozzle body with the mounting body and is configured to allow tilting of the purge nozzle body relative to the mounting body as well as to allow a substantial lateral movement of the purge nozzle body relative to the mounting body, wherein the lateral movement has a movement component which is substantially parallel to the purge nozzle contact surface.