Vacuum Pump Rotor Blade Stepped Structure for Particle Backflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum pumps used in semiconductor, flat panel display, and solar panel manufacturing face challenges in preventing particle backflow while maintaining the balance of the rotating body, which can lead to vibration and operational issues.
Innovation Solution
The vacuum pump design incorporates a particle transferring portion with a stepped structure to redirect particles in the exhaust direction, and various imbalance correction methods such as removing parts of rotor blades, adding mass, or adjusting the arrangement of rotor blades to maintain rotational symmetry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a particle transferring portion with stepped structure is added to prevent particle backflow, then particle backflow prevention is improved, but the balance of the rotating body is disrupted causing vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by creating a stepped structure where specific rotor blades have different upstream end heights than others. This asymmetric configuration redirects particles in the exhaust direction while the imbalance correcting structure counteracts the resulting rotational imbalance, resolving the contradiction between particle backflow prevention and rotating body balance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements counterweight by providing an imbalance correcting structure that compensates for the mass distribution changes caused by the stepped rotor blades. This counterbalancing mechanism eliminates vibration while maintaining the asymmetric stepped structure needed for particle redirection
2Adaptability or versatility
If rotor blades are modified to create stepped structure for particle transfer, then particle redirection capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying only specific portions of rotor blades (creating steps at upstream ends) rather than redesigning entire blades. This localized modification approach enables particle redirection functionality while minimizing overall structural complexity and facilitating easier manufacturing
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
This solution effectively prevents particle backflow into the vacuum chamber while ensuring the rotational balance of the vacuum pump, thereby maintaining stable operation and preventing vibration.
Implementation Method 1
a gas particle is exhausted by pluralities of rotor blades 7 and stator blades 8 that are radially arranged at prescribed intervals... the rotor blade 7 rotates at high speed together with the rotor 6
Implementation Method 2
a particulate process by-product that is secondarily produced by the chemical process floats and disperses inside the vacuum chamber CH and falls toward the inlet port 2 of the vacuum pump Z due to its own weight
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(c)
Figure 3
AI summary
A vacuum pump is provided which is suitable for preventing a backflow of a particle from the vacuum pump to a vacuum chamber side while securing a balance of a rotating body as a whole including a plurality of rotor blades and a particle transferring portion. A vacuum pump includes: a plurality of exhaust stages that exhaust a gas particle between an inlet port and an outlet port; and a particle transferring portion that transfers a particle in an exhaust direction of the gas particle, wherein the particle transferring portion functions as a means for transferring a particle in an exhaust direction of the gas particle by increasing or reducing a height of an upstream end of at least a part of rotor blades among a plurality of rotor blades that constitute an uppermost exhaust stage to realize a stepped structure in which heights of the upstream ends differ as the uppermost exhaust stage as a whole, and in a rotating body constituted by the plurality of rotor blades, the particle transferring portion, and a cylindrical portion that supports the plurality of rotor blades, an imbalance created with respect to the rotating body as a whole by a presence of a rotor blade of which a height of the upstream end has become higher than other rotor blades due to the stepped structure has been corrected.