Rotatable Roller Supports Reaction Tube During Thermal Contraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat treatment apparatuses face issues with supporting reaction tubes without causing damage due to thermal expansion and contraction, which can lead to dislocation and breakage at weak points in the tube's structure.
Innovation Solution
A heat treatment apparatus design featuring a rotatable roller installed in the support member that engages a concave portion of the reaction tube, allowing it to slide and rotate during thermal contraction, preventing damage by maintaining engagement without being caught at the concave portion's entrance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a support ring is used to support the inner tube, then the inner tube can be positioned and supported, but the inner tube may be dislocated or broken due to thermal expansion and contraction of the support ring
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the static support ring with a dynamic support roller that can rotate. This allows the support system to adapt to thermal expansion and contraction by permitting rotational movement, thereby preventing dislocation and breakage of the inner tube while maintaining reliable support.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the support mechanism from a rigid ring structure to a rotatable roller structure. This parameter change in the support system's degrees of freedom allows it to accommodate thermal dimension changes without causing damage to the inner tube.
2Manufacturing precision
If the support ring is rigidly fixed to position the inner tube, then positioning is achieved, but the inner tube cannot accommodate thermal movement and may break
Solution Approach 1:
The support roller provides dynamic positioning capability. It maintains precise circumferential positioning through rotational engagement while allowing axial movement during thermal expansion and contraction, thus preserving both positioning accuracy and tube integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is segmented into circumferential positioning (provided by the roller's rotational engagement) and axial movement accommodation (provided by the roller's ability to move along the tube). This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of precise positioning and thermal movement tolerance.
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 rotatable roller ensures the reaction tube remains securely positioned and prevents damage from thermal contraction of the support ring, maintaining the structural integrity of the tube throughout the heat treatment process.
Implementation Method 1
the support ring thermally expands or contracts during the process of the heat treatment as a temperature within the reaction tube changes
Implementation Method 2
the support ring thermally expands or contracts during the process of the heat treatment as a temperature within the reaction tube changes
Data Source
AI summary
A heat treatment apparatus includes: a reaction tube processing a plurality of substrates; a support member supporting the reaction tube; a flange protruding outwardly from a lower end of the reaction tube: a concave portion formed in an outer periphery of the flange; and a rotatable roller installed in a top surface of the support member. The rotatable roller engages the concave portion and positions the reaction tube in a circumferential direction.