Fluid Control Valve Closing Pause to Reduce Seat Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fluid control valves in semiconductor manufacturing processes face damage due to impact and overshoot when switching between states, leading to leaks and decreased responsiveness.
Innovation Solution
A control mechanism that temporarily stops the fluid control valve at a predetermined distance before fully closing it, reducing impact and overshoot by allowing vibration convergence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the fluid control valve is switched rapidly from open state to fully closed state to improve responsiveness, then the response speed is improved, but the valve body strikes against the valve seat surface causing damage due to impact and overshoot
Solution Approach 1:
The closing action is divided into multiple stages: first moving the valve body to a predetermined position before the valve seat surface, then temporarily stopping, and finally closing to the fully closed state. This segmentation of the closing motion reduces impact by avoiding direct single-stage contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body is preliminarily positioned at a predetermined location before the valve seat surface (where a gap remains) before the final closing action. This preliminary positioning allows the system to prepare for closure without immediate impact, reducing overshoot and damage risk.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the speed of movement of the valve body is reduced after the distance to the valve seat surface decreases to within a predetermined distance, then the impact is reduced, but the valve body may still come into contact with the valve seat surface due to overshoot or vibration in transient response
Solution Approach 1:
The closing process is segmented into distinct phases with a temporary stop in between. The first phase moves the valve body to a predetermined position, the second phase maintains a temporary stop to allow vibration convergence, and the third phase completes the closing. This ensures reliable contact avoidance during the transient response period.
Solution Approach 2:
A predetermined position (intermediate state) is introduced between the open state and fully closed state. This intermediate position acts as a buffer zone where the valve body temporarily stops, preventing direct transition that would cause overshoot and unreliable contact avoidance.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the fluid control valve is temporarily stopped prior to fully closing, then damage to valve seat surface is reduced, but the total closing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is preliminarily positioned at a predetermined location before final closing. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare for closure in a controlled manner, reducing the need for high-speed impact while maintaining reasonable overall closing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing process uses periodic action with temporary stops at predetermined positions. By pausing at intermediate positions to allow vibration convergence before final closing, the system reduces damage while managing total closing time through structured intermittent operation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention reduces damage to a valve seat surface or a valve body that occurs when a fluid control valve is fully closed, and is provided with a fluid control valve in which a distance between a valve seat surface and a valve body varies in accordance with a value of a drive signal, and a control mechanism that outputs the drive signal so as to control the fluid control valve. In a case in which the fluid control valve is to be fully closed, the control mechanism outputs to the fluid control valve a drive signal that causes the fluid control valve to temporarily stop prior to being placed in the fully closed state, and thereafter outputs to the fluid control valve a drive signal that causes the fluid control valve to be placed in the fully closed state.