Swirl Suction Head Grooves for Stable Non-Contact Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suction devices for non-contact conveyance of plate-like members, such as semiconductor wafers or glass substrates, struggle with instability in holding the members under suction.
Innovation Solution
The suction device employs a swirl or radial flow-forming body with guide grooves that align and guide fluid molecules away from the member, reducing collision and noise, and incorporates an annular wall to prevent member entry and movement, using Bernoulli's principle for stable suction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional suction device without guide grooves is used, then the structure is simple, but the member cannot be held stably and fluid molecules collide with the member causing noise and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The suction device is segmented into functional zones using guide grooves that divide the fluid flow path. These grooves segment the chaotic fluid molecules into directed streams, preventing random collisions with the member while maintaining suction stability. The segmentation of flow paths directly addresses the instability problem without requiring complete redesign of the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide grooves act as intermediary structures between the fluid source and the member. These grooves mediate the interaction by directing fluid flow in a controlled manner, preventing direct harmful contact between fluid molecules and the member surface. The intermediary grooves transform chaotic fluid motion into organized flow patterns.
2Force
If fluid is allowed to flow freely around the member, then the suction force is strong, but the member undulates and the device produces noise
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the suction device are given different functional qualities through the guide grooves. The grooves create zones of directed flow versus zones of controlled fluid presence, allowing the suction force to be maintained in necessary areas while preventing harmful fluid dynamics in other areas. This local differentiation of fluid flow characteristics resolves the contradiction between strong suction and reduced undulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide grooves utilize curved paths to redirect fluid flow smoothly around the member. The curved geometry of the grooves allows fluid to follow streamlined paths rather than creating sharp eddies or direct impacts, maintaining suction effectiveness while reducing turbulent flow that causes noise and member vibration.
3Ease of manufacture
If no guide grooves are provided, then the device is easy to clean, but fluid molecules collide with the member causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful collision function is extracted from the overall fluid flow by introducing guide grooves that separate the flow paths. The grooves extract only the necessary suction function while directing harmful fluid molecules away from the member surface. This selective extraction maintains cleaning simplicity while eliminating contamination.
4Force
If the suction device is placed close to the member for strong suction, then the suction force is high, but the member cannot be held stably
Solution Approach 1:
The guide grooves introduce a directional dimension to the fluid flow, transforming isotropic (omnidirectional) suction into anisotropic (directional) flow patterns. By adding this dimensional control to the fluid dynamics, the device can maintain close proximity to the member for strong suction while the directional grooves prevent unstable fluid pressures that would cause holding instability.
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 device achieves stable and cost-effective suction with reduced noise and ease of cleaning, preventing fluid contamination and member undulation, while maintaining a consistent distance from the member.
Implementation Method 1
a device for non-contact conveyance of a plate-like member under application of Bernoulli's principle. The device includes a cylindrical chamber that opens to an underside. Fluid is supplied into the chamber to generate a swirl flow having a central negative pressure
Implementation Method 2
a device for non-contact conveyance of a plate-like member under application of Bernoulli's principle. Fluid is supplied into the chamber to generate a radial flow
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 7~9
AI summary
A suction device that holds a member by suction in a stable manner is provided. The suction device includes a columnar main body, a flat end face formed on the main body, a concave part formed in the end face, a fluid flow-forming means for forming a fluid swirl flow in the concave part by discharging fluid into the concave part, the fluid swirl flow generating negative pressure that applies suction to a member, and a linear guide groove formed on the end surface along a direction in which the fluid discharged into the concave part flows out of the concave part.