Valve Device Flow Rate Control via Adjustment Information
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, air-driven and mechanical valve systems face challenges in precisely adjusting flow rates due to temperature sensitivity and frequent operation, leading to aging issues, which complicates flow rate adjustments and requires significant manual effort and space for external sensors, hindering miniaturization and increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
A valve device with a valve body, valve element, operating member, adjusting actuator, communication unit, and control unit that receives adjustment information to control the valve's opening degree, allowing for precise flow rate adjustments without external sensors, using accumulated measurement data to optimize actuator positioning and reduce the number of adjustment steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If pneumatic adjustment or mechanical adjustment is used in air-driven valves, then flow rate adjustment is possible, but precise flow rate adjustment is difficult and significant manual effort is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual pneumatic/mechanical adjustment with an automated control system that uses a drive mechanism (motor or actuator) to position the operating member. The control unit receives opening degree information and automatically adjusts the valve element position, eliminating manual operation while achieving precise flow rate control through electronic control rather than mechanical adjustment.
2Reliability
If external sensors are used to detect valve opening degree changes, then aging detection is possible, but device miniaturization becomes difficult and device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve device monitors its own opening degree using the control unit that receives opening degree information from external sources (flow rate controller or upstream/downstream pressure information). This self-monitoring capability eliminates the need for separate external sensors, allowing aging detection without increasing device complexity or cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls the drive mechanism for valve adjustment, receives and processes opening degree information, detects aging based on opening degree changes over time, and communicates with external control systems. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate components into a single integrated unit.
3Productivity
If the valve is opened and closed at high frequency near the processing chamber, then stable gas supply is achieved, but the valve readily ages and changes over time
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives opening degree information from external control systems or calculates it from upstream and downstream pressure information. This feedback mechanism allows the system to monitor and adjust the valve opening degree to maintain stable gas supply while detecting aging through changes in opening degree patterns over time, enabling proactive maintenance scheduling.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve device is capable of precisely adjusting a flow rate variation with time, aging, or the like without using an external sensor or using as few external sensors as possible. The apparatus includes an adjusting actuator for adjusting the position of the operating member positioned at the open position, a communication unit for receiving adjustment information relating to the adjustment of the opening degree of the flow path by the valve element from the outside of the apparatus, and a control unit for adjusting the position of the operating member by driving the adjusting actuator based on the adjustment information.