Seismic Support Platform With Variable-Friction Damper Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing passive dampers for semiconductor manufacturing tools struggle to optimize friction force across a wide range of displacement magnitudes, leading to potential damage from impulse forces or insufficient vibration suppression during seismic events.
Innovation Solution
A support platform with displacement control assemblies that utilize passive dampers with inclined track portions to increase frictional force with displacement magnitude, providing controlled damping and centering mechanisms to prevent damper displacement to the track ends.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If passive dampers use constant friction force, then device complexity is reduced, but vibration suppression effectiveness deteriorates across wide displacement ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the friction force variable rather than constant. The inclined track portions cause the normal force between the damper and track to vary with displacement magnitude, thereby making the friction force dynamically adapt to the vibration conditions. This resolves the contradiction by achieving effective vibration suppression across wide displacement ranges without requiring complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of friction force from constant to variable by introducing inclined track portions. As the damper displacement magnitude increases, the normal force and consequently the friction force increase due to the inclination angle. This parameter change allows the damper to provide appropriate damping force for both small and large displacements, improving reliability without increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If friction force is increased to suppress vibrations, then vibration suppression effectiveness is improved, but impulse forces that can cause damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamics principle is applied by making the friction force proportional to displacement magnitude rather than constant. During large seismic displacements, the increased friction force effectively suppresses vibrations. During small oscillations near the center position, the friction force is naturally reduced, minimizing impulse forces. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between vibration suppression effectiveness and impulse force reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the friction force parameter from fixed to variable based on displacement magnitude. The inclined track portions ensure that friction force scales with the severity of vibration, providing strong damping when needed while applying minimal force during small oscillations. This resolves the contradiction by making the damping force adaptive to the actual vibration conditions.
3Length of moving object
If damper is allowed to reach track ends for maximum stroke, then displacement control range is improved, but impulse forces from abrupt stops increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the friction force parameter to increase with displacement magnitude through the inclined track portions. As the damper approaches the track ends, the friction force naturally increases, providing stronger damping to slow down the damper before it reaches the extreme positions. This reduces the abrupt stopping impulse forces while still allowing the full displacement control range, resolving the contradiction between stroke length and impulse force reduction.
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 effectively suppresses seismic vibrations, reduces impulse forces, and ensures the damper returns to a central position, minimizing damage to semiconductor manufacturing tools.
Implementation Method 1
The inclined track portions are each inclined with respect to the central track portion to increase frictional force between the damper and the track with increasing distance of the damper away from the central track portion
Data Source
AI summary
A support platform is configured to support at least a portion of the weight of an associated semiconductor manufacturing tool, such as a furnace, when the associated semiconductor manufacturing tool is disposed on the support platform. The support platform comprises a base, a support plate disposed on the base and configured to move respective to the base, a brake plate arranged in fixed position respective to the base, and a damper secured to one of the support plate or the brake plate and frictionally engaging a track of the other of the support plate or the brake plate. The track includes a central track portion and inclined track portions extending away from the central track portion on respective first and opposite second sides of the central track portion. The inclined track portions are each inclined with respect to the central track portion.