Valve Casing Support Structure for Bending Moment Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fluid control systems for semiconductor manufacturing, compact and integrated valve devices face excessive stress concentration due to bending moments, compromising their yield strength and flow rate capabilities as they become elongated to accommodate larger wafers.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a protective member, such as an annular member, between the casing and valve body to distribute and reduce stress concentrations, using a thread part on the casing for secure fixation and a contact end surface for enhanced support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the valve device is made more compact and integrated, then the system size is reduced and responsiveness is improved, but stress concentration becomes excessive when bending moments are applied
Solution Approach 1:
A protective member is introduced as an intermediary component between the casing and valve body. This protective member distributes the bending moment stress across a larger area, preventing stress concentration at the connecting part while maintaining the compact integrated design of the valve device.
2Productivity
If the valve device becomes relatively elongated to ensure flow rate, then the lift amount of valve element is maintained, but stress concentration in the connecting part increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member serves as a stress-distributing intermediary that allows the valve device to be elongated for adequate flow rate while preventing excessive stress concentration in the connecting part, thus enabling both productivity and strength requirements to be met simultaneously.
3Volume of moving object
If dimensions of valve body and casing are reduced, then compactness is improved, but the device becomes more susceptible to bending moment stress
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member acts as a mediator that compensates for the reduced structural robustness caused by smaller dimensions. It distributes bending moment stresses effectively, allowing the valve body and casing to be compact while remaining resistant to harmful stress concentrations.
4Ease of operation
If the valve device is made compact and integrated, then installation proximity to chamber is improved, but structural robustness against bending moment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member provides the necessary structural robustness to enable compact integrated design that can be installed close to the chamber. It ensures that the reduced installation distance does not compromise the device's ability to withstand bending moment stresses during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve device is made more compact and has improved yield strength against a bending moment. The problem is solved by a valve device including a valve body having a block shape, a casing having a tubular shape, incorporating a drive mechanism that drives a valve element that opens and closes the flow path, connected to the valve body, and extending upward from an upper surface of the valve body, and a protective member that comes into contact with the casing having a tubular shape and the valve body, and is for suppressing a stress concentration that occurs between a casing member positioned on a base portion of a casing and the valve body when a bending moment acts as an external force on the casing.