U.S. patent application number 10/910789 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-09 for fluid control apparatus.
Invention is credited to Warner F. Funes, Shigeru Itoi, Gregory W. Ochs.
Application Number | 20060027274 10/910789 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35756247 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060027274 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Funes; Warner F. ; et
al. |
February 9, 2006 |
FLUID CONTROL APPARATUS
Abstract
Line interconnecting means interconnecting two lines adjacent to
each other laterally thereof comprises a lateral projection 64b
formed on a two-way connecting block coupling 64 of the first of
the lines, a recessed portion 54c formed in a two-way connecting
block coupling 64 of the second of the lines for the lateral
projection 64b to fit in, a coupling branch channel 82 formed in
the block coupling 64 provided with the lateral projection, a first
valve body branch channel 90A formed in the body 54a of a shut-off
valve 54 of the first line for always causing a main channel 89 in
the valve body to communicate with the coupling body upper surface
opening 82a of the coupling branch channel 82, and a second valve
body branch channel 90B formed in the body 54a of a shut-off valve
54 of the second line for always causing a main channel 89 in the
valve body to communicate with a lateral projection upper surface
opening of the coupling branch channel 82.
Inventors: |
Funes; Warner F.; (San Jose,
CA) ; Ochs; Gregory W.; (Fremont, CA) ; Itoi;
Shigeru; (Osaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARMSTRONG, KRATZ, QUINTOS, HANSON & BROOKS, LLP
1725 K STREET, NW
SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Family ID: |
35756247 |
Appl. No.: |
10/910789 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/884 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 137/87885 20150401;
F17D 1/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/884 |
International
Class: |
F17D 1/00 20060101
F17D001/00 |
Claims
1. A fluid control apparatus which comprises a plurality of lines,
each of the lines comprising a lower layer having a plurality of
coupling members arranged in a front-to-rear direction and an upper
layer having a plurality of fluid control devices arranged in a
front-to-rear direction and wherein a front and a rear block
coupling serving as lower layer components of each line and a
shut-off valve mounted as an upper layer component on both the
front and rear block couplings are arranged laterally of the line,
a front-to-rear channel in the front block coupling and a
front-to-rear channel in the rear block coupling being closable or
openable by operating an actuator of the shut-off valve, the fluid
control apparatus being characterized in that at least one of line
interconnecting means interconnecting a first and a second line
adjacent to each other laterally thereof comprises a lateral
projection formed on one of the front and rear block couplings of
the first line, a recessed portion formed in the block coupling of
the second line for the lateral projection to fit in, a coupling
branch channel formed in the block coupling provided with the
lateral projection and having an end opening in a coupling body
upper surface and another end opening in an upper surface of the
lateral projection, a first valve body branch channel formed in a
body of the shut-off valve of the first line for always causing a
main channel in the valve body to communicate with the coupling
body upper surface opening of the coupling branch channel, and a
second valve body branch channel formed in a body of the shut-off
valve of the second line for always causing a main channel in the
valve body to communicate with the lateral projection upper surface
opening of the coupling branch channel.
2. A fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at a
location where there is no line interconnecting means, a fluid
control portion for closing or opening a front-to-rear channel is
provided by a front one-way connecting block coupling having a
front-to-rear channel and having no lateral channel, a rear one-way
connecting block coupling having a front-to-rear channel and having
no lateral channel and a one-way connecting valve body having a
front-to-rear channel and having no lateral channel, and at a
location where there is the line interconnecting means, a fluid
control portion for closing or opening a front-to-rear channel and
for closing or opening a branch channel is provided by a front or
rear two-way connecting block coupling having a front-to-rear main
channel and a lateral branch channel, a rear or front one-way
connecting block coupling having a front-to-rear channel and having
no lateral channel and a two-way connecting valve body having a
front-to-rear main channel and a lateral branch channel.
3. A fluid control apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the
contour of the two-way connecting block coupling is one of the
shape of the one-way connecting block coupling provided with the
lateral projection only, the shape thereof provided with the
recessed portion only and the shape thereof provided with both the
lateral projection and the recessed portion.
4. A fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the
plurality of lines include an inert gas line, a treatment gas line
and purge gas line, and not only the inert gas line and the
treatment gas line but also the purge gas line comprises the lower
layer and the upper layer.
5. A fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein coupling
members including the block couplings and providing the lower layer
are fixed in intimate contact with one another to a base plate with
screw members and are thereby positioned in place with respect to
the front-to-rear direction.
6. A fluid control apparatus according to claim 5 wherein a mass
flow controller is arranged on two block couplings spaced apart
from each other by a spacer provided therebetween.
7. A fluid control apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the
lateral projection provided on the two-way connecting block
coupling is fitted into the recessed portion formed in the two-way
connecting block coupling laterally adjacent thereto for
positioning with respect to the lateral direction.
8. A fluid control apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the line
interconnecting means comprises a plurality of two-way connecting
block couplings one of which is positioned at one end of the line
interconnecting means and has no lateral projection and no branch
channel, and the others of which each have the lateral projection
and the branch channel.
9. A fluid control apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the
front-to-rear channel in the front block coupling and the
front-to-rear channel in the rear block coupling are V-shaped when
seen from the lateral direction, and the branch channel in the
two-way connecting block coupling is V-shaped when seen from the
front-to-rear direction.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to fluid control apparatus for
use in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and more particularly
to integrated fluid control apparatus which are so assembled that
fluid control devices can be individually removed upward for
maintenance and inspection.
[0002] As to the terms "front," "rear," "upper" and "lower" used
herein, the right-hand side of FIGS. 1 to 3 is referred to as
"front, the left-hand side thereof as "rear," and the upper and
lower sides of FIG. 3 are referred to as "upper" and "lower,"
respectively, and the terms "left" and "right" are used for the
apparatus or the component thereof as it is seen from behind toward
the front. The terms front, rear, upper and lower are used for the
sake of convenience; the apparatus may be used with its front and
rear portions positioned in opposite relation, or with the upper
and lower sides thereof positioned as the left and right sides.
[0003] Fluid control apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing
equipment comprise various fluid control devices as arranged in a
plurality of rows, and the fluid control devices in adjacent rows
have their channels interconnected by device connecting means at a
predetermined location. Such fluid control apparatus are made
integrated in recent years by connecting a mass flow controller and
shut-off valves without using tubes. For example, Patent Literature
1 (the publication of JP-A NO. 2002-89798) discloses a fluid
control apparatus comprising a plurality of lines arranged in
parallel on a base plate and each comprising a plurality of fluid
control devices arranged in an upper stage and a plurality of
coupling members arranged in a lower stage, each of the lines
having an inlet facing rearward and an outlet facing forward, the
channels of specified lines being connected to one another by line
interconnecting means.
[0004] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of fluid
control apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The apparatus
comprises as arranged in parallel on a base plate 1 three lines A1,
A2, A3 having no bypass, and three lines B1, B2, B3 having a
bypass. Each of the lines A1, A2, A3, as well as each of the lines
B1, B2, B3, comprises a plurality of fluid control devices 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7 including a mass flow controller, shut-off valve and
shutoff-opening device and arranged in an upper stage, and a
plurality of coupling members 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 40
arranged in a lower stage for interconnecting the fluid control
devices 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 41.
[0005] The fluid control devices of each of the lines A1, A2, A3
having no bypass are the mass flow controller 2, inlet shut-off
valve 3 connected via a filter 4 to the inlet side of the mass flow
controller 2 and outlet shut-off valve 5 provided at the outlet
side of the controller 2. The fluid control devices of each of the
lines B1, B2, B3 having a bypass are the mass flow controller 2,
inlet shutoff-opening device 6 connected via a filter 4 to the
inlet side of the mass flow controller 2 and outlet shutoff-opening
device 7 provided at the outlet side of the controller 2.
[0006] The inlet shutoff-opening device 6 comprises a body 21 in
the form of a block, two shut-off valve actuators 22, 23 mounted on
the body 21, a coupling 24 in the form of a block, having a tubular
connector, and mounted on the top wall of the body 21, and a
channel block 25 mounted on a side wall of the body. The outlet
shutoff-opening device 7 comprises a first body (not shown) in the
form of a block and disposed close to the mass flow controller 2, a
first shut-off valve actuator 27 mounted on the first body, a
second body 28 in the form of a block and disposed adjacent to the
rear side of the first body, two shut-off valve actuators 29, 30
mounted on the second body 28, etc.
[0007] Provided in the fluid control apparatus are inverted
U-shaped bypass pipes 35 extending above respective mass flow
controllers 2. Each bypass pipe 35 has a tubular coupling 36 for
making the pipe 35 separable into an inverted L-shaped portion and
an I portion.
[0008] The mass flow controllers 2 and couplings 11, 12, 14 are
attached to the base plate 1 by inverted U-shaped brackets 8, 9,
19. Each mass flow controller 2 is singly removable upward by
removing couplings 15, 17 from opposite sides thereof. The filters
4 and the shut-off valves 3, 5 are individually removable upward by
removing screws 37 driven in from above.
[0009] Indicated at 40 is a coupling in the form of a manifold
block for connecting the three lines A1, A2, A3 having no bypass to
one another although it is a single coupling. Indicated at 43 is a
single coupling in the form of a manifold block for connecting the
three lines B1, B2, B3 having a bypass to one another. Indicated at
41 are channel closing blocks attached to the coupling 40 with
screws 37. Indicated at 42 is an inverted U-shaped bracket for
attaching the couplings 40, 43 to the base 1. The manifold block
coupling 40 is connected to the manifold block coupling 43 by a
communication pipe 44. These couplings have a common outlet which
is provided by the terminal end of the coupling 43. A shut-off
valve 45 having a tubular coupling 46 is provided at this end.
[0010] The bypass-equipped lines B1, B2, B3 are so interconnected
that the block couplings 24 of the inlet shutoff-opening devices 6
thereof are connected to one another, and block couplings 33, each
having a second tubular connector, of the outlet shutoff-opening
devices 7 are connected to one another, respectively by inverted
U-shaped communication pipes 47, 48 serving as line interconnecting
means. An L-shaped coupling L and a T-shaped coupling T are used
for each of these line interconnecting means 47, 48, and these
coupling L, T are joined to the pipe P by welding (as indicated at
W in the drawing).
[0011] In the case of the fluid control apparatus disclosed in
Patent Literature 1, each line has block couplings arranged in the
lower stage and removably attached to a base plate, each fluid
control device in the upper stage is removably mounted on two block
couplings in the lower stage, and the fluid control devices of each
line are made easy to remove and mount individually. However, since
the line interconnecting means comprises couplings which are welded
to a pipe for connection, the apparatus has the problem of
necessitating time and labor for interconnecting the lines and
disconnecting the lines from one another when lines are to be added
or the arrangement of lines is to be altered.
[0012] To solve this problem, Patent Literature 2 (the publication
of JP-A No. 2004-183771) discloses a fluid control apparatus
comprising a plurality of lines arranged in parallel on a base
plate and each comprising a plurality of fluid control devices
arranged in an upper stage and a plurality of coupling members
arranged in a lower stage, each of the lines having an inlet facing
rearward and an outlet facing forward, the channels of specified
lines being connected to one another by line interconnecting means,
the fluid control apparatus being characterized in that the line
interconnecting means comprises lower channel blocks arranged
respectively in the upper stages of the specified lines to be
connected in the same position with respect to the front-to-rear
direction and each provided with a line interconnecting channel
having at least one upward opening, and one or a plurality of upper
channel blocks arranged over the lines to be connected on the upper
side of the lower channel block and each having a lateral channel
extending orthogonal to the lines and a downward channel extending
from the lateral channel and communicating with the upward opening
of the line interconnecting channel of the lower channel block, the
lower channel blocks being removably fastened to the lower stage
channel members with screws from above, the upper channel blocks
being removably fastened to the lower channel blocks with screws
from above.
[0013] The fluid control apparatus of Patent Literature 2 has the
advantage of eliminating welded portions from the line
interconnecting means and being amenable to the addition or
modification of lines, but has the problem of being increased in
the number of kinds of channel blocks, and still remains to be
improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] An object of the present invention is to provide an
integrated fluid control apparatus which has line interconnecting
means for interconnecting channels of lines and which is reduced in
the increase in the number of components (kinds of channel blocks,
i.e., of block couplings) in eliminating welded portions from the
line interconnecting means, the apparatus thus being made more
amenable to the addition or modification of lines.
[0015] The present invention provides a fluid control apparatus
which comprises a plurality of lines, each of the lines comprising
a lower layer having a plurality of coupling members arranged in a
front-to-rear direction and an upper layer having a plurality of
fluid control devices arranged in a front-to-rear direction and
wherein a front and a rear block coupling serving as lower layer
components of each line and a shut-off valve mounted as an upper
layer component on both the front and rear block couplings are
arranged laterally of the line, a front-to-rear channel in the
front block coupling and a front-to-rear channel in the rear block
coupling being closable or openable by operating an actuator of the
shut-off valve. The fluid control apparatus is characterized in
that at least one of line interconnecting means interconnecting a
first and a second line adjacent to each other laterally thereof
comprises a lateral projection formed on one of the front and rear
block couplings of the first line, a recessed portion formed in the
block coupling of the second line for the lateral projection to fit
in, a coupling branch channel formed in the block coupling provided
with the lateral projection and having an end opening in a coupling
body upper surface and another end opening in an upper surface of
the lateral projection, a first valve body branch channel formed in
a body of the shut-off valve of the first line for always causing a
main channel in the valve body to communicate with the coupling
body upper surface opening of the coupling branch channel, and a
second valve body branch channel formed in a body of the shut-off
valve of the second line for always causing a main channel in the
valve body to communicate with the lateral projection upper surface
opening of the coupling branch channel.
[0016] For example, two line interconnecting means are provided at
each of the inlet side and outlet side for interconnecting the
first and second lines adjacent to each other laterally thereof. In
this case, the four means may of course have the construction
described above, but only the two means at the outlet side may have
the above construction. The other means not having the above
construction then has, for example, a lower layer comprising a
bridge pipe block extending laterally and provided for a plurality
of block couplings as arranged laterally. The bridge pipe block is
provided with a plurality of lateral channels for causing an
adjacent pair of block couplings to communicate with each other
through a channel in the body of a shut-off valve.
[0017] The upper surfaces of the lower layer, as well as the lower
surfaces of the upper layer, are made flush, so that the lower-end
openings of the fluid control devices and the upper-end openings of
the coupling members are positioned in the same plane. Each fluid
control device has a body provided with a channel having an opening
at its lower end, and the coupling member has a channel
communicating with the lower-end opening of the channel in the body
of the fluid control device. When required, the fluid control
device and the coupling member are provided with a channel having
an opening in the lateral direction or forward or rearward
direction. A seal portion is provided at the joint of channels.
[0018] With the fluid control apparatus of the present invention,
at least one of line interconnecting means comprises a lateral
projection formed on one of the front and rear block couplings of
the first line, a recessed portion formed in the block coupling of
the second line for the lateral projection to fit in, a coupling
branch channel formed in the block coupling provided with the
lateral projection and having an end opening in a coupling body
upper surface and another end opening in an upper surface of the
lateral projection, a first valve body branch channel formed in a
body of the shut-off valve of the first line for always causing a
main channel in the valve body to communicate with the coupling
body upper surface opening of the coupling branch channel, and a
second valve body branch channel formed in a body of the shut-off
valve of the second line for always causing a main channel in the
valve body to communicate with the lateral projection upper surface
opening of the coupling branch channel. Accordingly, the line
interconnecting means can be fabricated without welding, and block
couplings having the lateral projection and the recessed portion
can be made to have the same contour as other block couplings when
the lateral projection is fitted into the recessed portion of like
coupling adjacent thereto. This reduces an increase in the number
of components, ensures flexible design and results in improved
amenability to maintenance.
[0019] When an additional line is to be provided, a space having a
width slightly larger than the width of one line (larger by an
amount corresponding to the lateral projection) is prepared between
adjacent lines to provide a new line (having incorporated therein
components other than shut-off valves) in the space. The lateral
projection of the block coupling of the first line is then fitted
into the recessed portion of block coupling of the second line, the
lines are positioned closer to each other and fixed in place, and
shut-off valves are finally incorporated into the new line. A
similar procedure is performed when lines are to be modified. In
this way, lines can be additionally provided or modified
easily.
[0020] The present invention provides a fluid control apparatus of
the construction described above wherein at a location where there
is no line interconnecting means, a fluid control portion for
closing or opening a front-to-rear channel (extending
longitudinally of the line) is provided by a front one-way
connecting block coupling having a front-to-rear channel and having
no lateral channel, a rear one-way connecting block coupling having
a front-to-rear channel and having no lateral channel and a one-way
connecting valve body having a front-to-rear channel and having no
lateral channel, and at a location where there is the line
interconnecting means, a fluid control portion for closing or
opening a front-to-rear channel (extending longitudinally of the
line) and for closing or opening a channel (orthogonal to the line)
is provided by a front or rear two-way connecting block coupling
having a front-to-rear main channel and a lateral branch channel, a
rear or front one-way connecting block coupling having a
front-to-rear channel and having no lateral channel and a two-way
connecting valve body having a front-to-rear main channel and a
lateral branch channel.
[0021] The contour of the two-way connecting block coupling is the
shape of the one-way connecting block coupling provided with the
lateral projection and/or the recessed portion. The one-way
connecting block coupling is rectangular parallelepipedal, and such
a coupling of basic construction can be made from one kind of
material of rectangular cross section. Since the two-way connecting
block coupling is similar to the one-way connecting block coupling
in shape, block couplings can be fabricated by a reduced amount of
special work. Block couplings can be fabricated by working in one
direction using a three-axis working machine.
[0022] Coupling members including the block couplings and providing
the lower layer are fixed in intimate contact with one another to a
base plate with screw members and are thereby positioned in place
with respect to the front-to-rear direction. This ensures a
tolerance to provide a suitable seal between the coupling member
and the fluid control device to be mounted thereon.
[0023] A mass flow controller is arranged on two block couplings
spaced apart from each other. In this case, a spacer is provided
between the couplings supporting the controller thereon. Fluid
control devices serving as upper layer components are each provided
on an adjacent pair of front and rear coupling members and fixed to
the coupling members with screw members, whereby a fluid control
apparatus which is reliably sealed can be assembled without
welding. The lateral projection provided on the two-way connecting
block coupling is fitted into the recessed portion formed in the
two-way connecting block coupling laterally adjacent thereto for
positioning with respect to the lateral direction. Thus, the
two-way connecting block coupling has not only the function of
causing a fluid to flow in two directions but also the function of
positioning the component concerned in place.
[0024] Preferably, the line interconnecting means comprises a
plurality of two-way connecting block couplings one of which is
positioned at one end of the line interconnecting means and has no
lateral projection and no branch channel, and the others of which
each have the lateral projection and the branch channel. The
two-way connecting block coupling positioned at one end
(interfering with other line) of the line interconnecting means has
no lateral projection and no branch channel, whereby the coupling
can be made free of interference with other line. The number of
block couplings can be reduced by eliminating one-way connecting
block couplings which are provided with a lateral projection
only.
[0025] The plurality of lines include an inert gas line, a
treatment gas line and purge gas line, and not only the inert gas
line and the treatment gas line but also the purge gas line
preferably comprises the lower layer and the upper layer. The lower
layers of the lines including the purge gas line are each in the
form of a single layer, and the coupling members of the lower
layers are made easy to install and remove.
[0026] The front-to-rear channel in the front block coupling and
the front-to-rear channel in the rear block coupling are V-shaped
when seen from the lateral direction, and the branch channel in the
two-way connecting block coupling is V-shaped when seen from the
front-to-rear direction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall construction of a
fluid control apparatus;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a lower layer of the fluid
control apparatus of the invention;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a view in longitudinal section showing an example
of construction of one line included in the fluid control
apparatus;
[0030] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a two-way block
coupling constituting line interconnecting means;
[0031] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same;
[0032] FIG. 6 is a view in section taken along the line VI-VI in
FIG. 5;
[0033] FIG. 7 is a view in section taken along the line VII-VII in
FIG. 5;
[0034] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing channels of the line
interconnecting means;
[0035] FIG. 9 is a flow chart of the fluid control apparatus of the
invention; and
[0036] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a conventional fluid
control apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0037] An embodiment of the present invention will be described
below with reference to the drawings.
[0038] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the overall construction of a fluid
control apparatus of the invention.
[0039] The fluid control apparatus has a plurality of lines I1, I2,
I3, I4, T1, T2, T3, T4, P including inert gas lines I1, I2, I3, I4,
treatment gas lines T1, T2, T3, T4 and one purge gas line P. Each
of the lines I1, I2, I3, I4, T1, T2, T3, T4, P comprises a lower
layer (FIG. 2) having a plurality of block couplings 61, 62, 63,
64, 65, 66 arranged forward or rearward, and an upper layer (FIG.
1) having a plurality of fluid control devices 2, 51, 52, 53, 54,
55, 56 arranged forward or rearward.
[0040] FIG. 3 shows the construction of the line T4 as an example
of construction of one line. The line T4 comprises a mass flow
controller 2 constituting the upper layer, four inlet-side block
couplings 61, 62, 62, 63 arranged at the inlet side of the
controller and constituting the lower layer, three fluid control
devices 51, 52, 53 each provided on forwardly or rearwardly
adjacent two of these couplings 61, 62, 62, 63 and constituting the
upper layer, four outlet-side block couplings 64, 65, 65, 66
arranged at the outlet side of the controller 2 and constituting
the lower layer, and three fluid control devices 54, 55, 56 each
provided on forwardly or rearwardly adjacent two of the outlet-side
couplings 64, 65, 65, 66 and constituting the upper layer.
[0041] The mass flow controller 2 is mounted on both the block
coupling 63 which is the foremost of the four inlet-side block
couplings 61, 62, 62, 63 and the block coupling 64 which is the
rearmost of the four outlet-side block couplings 64, 65, 65, 66. A
spacer 70 in intimate contact with the two block couplings 63, 64
supporting the controller 2 thereon is interposed between these
couplings 63, 64, whereby the couplings 63, 64 are positioned in
place. The other block couplings 61, 62, 62, 65, 65, 66 are
positioned in place each by being in intimate contact with the
coupling adjacent thereto.
[0042] The inlet-side fluid control devices 51, 52, 53, as arranged
from a position away from the controller 2 toward the controller,
are a manual valve 51, first shut-off valve 52 and second shut-off
valve 53, respectively. The outlet-side fluid control devices 54,
55, 56, as arranged from a positioned close to the controller 2
toward the front, are a first shut-off valve 54, second shut-off
valve 55 and third shut-off valve 56, respectively.
[0043] The inert gas lines I1, 12, 13, 14 and the treatment gas
lines T1, T2, T3 other than the line T4 are the same as or similar
to the line T4 in construction. Like components are referred to by
like reference numerals, and the lines Il, I2, I3, I4, T1, T2, T3
will not be described individually. The purge gas line P has no
mass flow controller, and has an upper layer comprising two
shut-off valves 52, 54 and a closing block 57 disposed between
these valves, and a lower layer comprising block couplings 61, 62,
65, 66 supporting these valves 52, 54 and block 57 thereon and a
forward or rearward channel closing block coupling 67 connected to
the rear block coupling 66 by a pipe 72.
[0044] The lines I1, I2, I3, I4, T1, T2, T3, T4, P each have an
inlet pipe joint 71. The inert gas lines I1, I2, I3, I4, as well as
the treatment gas lines T1, T2, T3, T4, are connected together by
line interconnecting means 50 which is the main feature of the
present invention, at the outlet side of the mass flow controllers
2. An outlet block coupling 65 of the inert gas line 13 is
connected to an outlet block coupling 65 of the treatment gas line
T4 by a pipe 73. Further an outlet block coupling 66 of the inert
gas line 14 is connected to an outlet block coupling 66 of the
treatment gas line T3 by a pipe 74. With reference to FIG. 2, a
bridge pipe block 75 is mounted on both an outlet block coupling 66
of the treatment gas line T4 and the forward or rearward channel
closing block coupling 67 of the purge gas line P across a space
therebetween. A purge gas is distributed from the purge gas line P
to the lines I1, I2, I3, I4, T1, T2, T3, T4 via this bridge pipe
block 75. Indicated at 76 in FIG. 3 is a quintuple bridge pipe
block provided between the block couplings 62, 63 and the body 53a
of the shut-off valve 53 at the inlet side of the controller 2. At
this portion, the upper layer has a two-layer structure comprising
the bridge pipe block 76 and the valve body 53a.
[0045] The inert gas line 13 has a discharge upward pipe joint 77
of the pipe 73 connected to the treatment gas line T4. The pipe 74
connecting the insert gas line 14 to the treatment gas line T3 has
a discharge forward pipe joint 78. Upward and forward two discharge
pipe joints 77, 78 are provided at a channel outlet of the block
coupling 66 of the treatment gas line T4.
[0046] FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the directions of flows of
fluids through the lines I1, I2, I3, I4, T1, T2, T3, T4, P and
division or confluence of flows between the lines I1, I2, I3, I4,
T1, T2, T3, T4, P.
[0047] The line interconnecting means 50 has a two-way connecting
block coupling 64 or 64A and a one-way connecting block coupling 65
or 67 which are arranged in the forward direction in the lower
layer of the lines Il to 14 or T1 to T4, and a shut-off valve
(upper layer) 54 mounted on both of these block couplings 64 or
64A, and 65 or 67. The two-way connecting block couplings 64 other
than the coupling 64A positioned at one end each have a forward or
rearward main channel 81 and a lateral branch channel 82. The
two-way coupling 64A at the end has a forward or rearward channel
81 only. The one-way connecting block coupling 65 has a forward or
rearward channel 87 only, and the one-way connecting block channel
67 is adapted to close a forward or rearward channel. The shut-off
valve 54 comprises a two-way connecting valve body 54a and an
actuator 54b. The two-way connecting valve body 54a has forward or
rearward main channels 88a, 88b and a lateral branch channel (not
shown in FIG. 3, see FIG. 8).
[0048] FIGS. 4 to 7 show the construction of the two-way connecting
block coupling 64 in detail. The coupling 64 comprises a
rectangular parallelepipedal body 64a, a lateral projection 64b
projecting leftward from the front wall portion of the body 64a and
a recessed portion 64c formed by cutting away a right part from the
front wall portion of the body 64a. The coupling 64 has a main
channel 81 extending forward or rearward in the midportion, with
respect to the lateral direction, of the main body 64a and V-shaped
when seen from the lateral direction, and a branch channel 82
V-shaped when seen from the forward or rearward direction and
extending from an upper-surface opening 82a of the body which
opening is a small distance laterally (leftwardly) away from an
upper-surface front opening (outlet) 81a of the main channel 81 to
an upper-surface opening 82b in the left end part of the lateral
projection 64b.
[0049] The recessed portion 64c of the coupling 64 is formed by
cutting away as large a front wall portion as possible insofar as
the main channel 81 remains intact, and the lateral projection 64b
is so shaped that the outer-end half of the projection will snugly
fit into the recessed portion 64c of another coupling 64 adjacent
to the coupling 64. The lower layers of the lines Il, I2, I3, I4,
T1, T2, T3, T4, Pare arranged laterally as spaced apart from one
another by a small distance as shown in FIG. 2, and the amount of
projection of the lateral projection 64b minus the amount of recess
of the recessed portion 64c is equal to the spacing between the
lower layers of the lines I1, I2, I3, I4, T1, T2, T3, T4, P.
[0050] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, indicated at 83 are through
holes for inserting therethrough bolts for attaching the block
coupling 64 to the base plate 1, and at 84 are bottomed threaded
bores for screwing thereinto bolts for mounting the fluid control
device (shut-off valve) body 54a. Indicated at 85 and 86 are leak
ports for detecting leaks. The upper-surface openings of the block
coupling 64 are each provided with a seal portion (there is no seal
portion except at the upper-surface openings). The block coupling
64 is attached to the body 54a of the shut-off valve 54 with the
seal portions provided therebetween. Accordingly, the seal portion
can be checked for leakage by the leak port 85 communicating with
the upper-surface opening sealed by the seal portion and the leak
port 86 which is isolated.
[0051] Although not shown, block couplings 62, 65, etc. correspond
to the two-way connecting block coupling 64 described from which
the branch channel 82 is omitted and which is in the form of a
perfect rectangular parallelepiped.
[0052] With reference to FIG. 3, the body 54a of the two-way
connecting valve used in the line interconnecting means 50 is
provided inside thereof with an inlet channel 88a communicating
with the block coupling 64 on the rear side thereof and an outlet
channel 88b communicating with the block coupling 65 on the front
side thereof. The opening of the inlet channel 88a is shut off or
opened by an actuator 54b. The bodies of the other values, i.e., of
the manual valve 51 and the shut-off valves 52, 53, 55, 56, are
also each provided with an inlet channel and an outlet channel (no
reference numerals are given) in communication with the
corresponding couplings included among block couplings 61, 62, 63,
64, 65, 66.
[0053] FIG. 8 shows the channels of the line interconnecting means
50. (The two means 50 for the inert gas lines 11 to 14 and for the
treatment gas lines T1 to T4 are exactly the same in
construction.)
[0054] As shown in the drawing, the two-way connecting valve body
54a of each shut-off valve 54 has channels 88 which include, in
addition to the inlet channel 88a and outlet channel 88b shown in
FIG. 3, one or two branch channels 90A, 90B each having one end in
communication with a channel 88c around the valve seat and the
other end communicating with the upper-surface openings 82a, 82b of
the branch channel 82 of the two-way connecting block coupling 64.
Since the opening of the inlet channel 88a is shut off or opened by
the actuator 54b, the inlet channel 88a, the channel 88c around the
valve seat and the outlet channel 88b provide a main channel 89 to
be shut off or opened by the actuator 54b. FIG. 8 schematically
shows the channels 88, 88a, 88b, 88c, 89, 90A, 90B as drawn in
solid lines and made readily distinguishable from the block
coupling channels (indicated in broken lines) 81, 82, 87 and
openings (indicated by larger circles) 81a, 82a, 82b, 87a.
[0055] The block coupling 64 of the fourth line T4 has a lateral
projection 64b and also has a main channel 81 in the forward or
rearward direction and a lateral branch channel 82. Although the
coupling 64 of the fourth line need not have the recessed portion
64c, the coupling having the recessed portion 64c is used for a
reduction in the number of components.
[0056] The one-way connecting block coupling 65 of the fourth line
T4 has a channel 87 extending forward or rearward in the
midportion, with respect to the lateral direction, of its body and
V-shaped when seen from the lateral direction.
[0057] The two-way connecting valve body 54a of the fourth line T4
has channels 88 which include a main channel 89 comprising an inlet
channel 88a, channel 88c around the valve seat and outlet channel
88b, and a branch channel 90A extending leftward from the channel
88c around the valve seat and communicating with the body
upper-surface opening 82a of the branch channel 82 in the two-way
connecting block coupling 64 of the fourth line T4. The main
channel 89 connects the main channel 81 in the block coupling 64 of
the fourth line T4 to the forward or rearward channel 87 in the
one-way connecting block coupling 65 of the fourth line T4 to
permit or block the communication between the channels.
[0058] The two-way connecting block coupling 64 of the third line
T3 has a recessed portion 64c for fitting therein the lateral
projection 64b of the two-way connecting block coupling 64 of the
fourth line T4 and a lateral projection 64b having the same shape
as the lateral projection 64b of the coupling 64 of the fourth line
T4, and further has a forward or rearward main channel 81 and a
lateral branch channel 82.
[0059] The one-way connecting block coupling 65 of the third line
T3 has a channel 87 extending forward or rearward in the
midportion, with respect to the lateral direction, of its body and
V-shaped when seen from the lateral direction.
[0060] The two-way connecting valve body 54a of the third line T3
has channels 88 which include a main channel 89 comprising an inlet
channel 88a, channel 88c around the valve seat and outlet channel
88b, a branch channel 90B extending rightward from the channel 88c
around the valve seat and communicating with the projection opening
82b of the branch channel 82 in the two-way connecting block
coupling 64 of the fourth line T4, and a branch channel 90A
extending leftward from the channel 88c around the valve seat and
communicating with the body opening 82a of the branch channel 82 in
the two-way connecting block coupling 64 of the third line T3. The
main channel 89 connects the main channel 81 in the block coupling
64 of the third line T3 to the forward or rearward channel 87 in
the one-way connecting block coupling 65 of the third line T3 to
permit or block the communication between the channels.
[0061] The two-way connecting block coupling 64 of the second line
T2 has the same construction as the two-way connecting block
coupling 64 of the third line T3, and like portions are designated
by like reference numerals and symbols.
[0062] The one-way connecting block coupling 67 of the second line
T2 is a block coupling having no channel for shutting off a forward
or rearward channel.
[0063] The channels 88 in the two-way connecting valve body 54a of
the second line T2 have the same structure as the channels 88 in
the two-way connecting valve body 54a of the third line T3, and
like portions are referred to by like reference numerals and
symbols. While the main channel 89 renders the outlet 81a of the
main channel 81 in the block coupling 64 of the second line T2
closable or openable, the forward flow of a fluid through the main
channel 89 is blocked by the one-way connecting block coupling 67
of the second line T2 serving for shutting off.
[0064] The two-way connecting block coupling 64A of the first line
T1 has a recessed portion 64c for fitting in the lateral projection
64b of the block coupling 64 of the second line T2, but has no
lateral projection 64b to avoid interference with the line 14
adjacent thereto. The only channel formed in the coupling 64A is a
channel 81 extending forward or rearward in the midportion, with
respect to the lateral direction, of its body 64a and V-shaped when
seen from the lateral direction.
[0065] Thus, among the two-way connecting block couplings 64, 64A
of the line interconnecting means 50, the coupling 64A positioned
at one end of the means 50 (where the coupling interferes with
other line 14) has no lateral projection 64b and no branch channel
82, while the other couplings each have the lateral projection 64b
and the branch channel 82.
[0066] The one-way connecting block coupling 67 of the first line
T1 is a block coupling having no channel for shutting off a forward
or rearward channel.
[0067] The two-way connecting valve body 54a of the first line T1
has channels 88 which include a main channel 89 comprising an inlet
channel 88a, channel 88c around the valve seat and outlet channel
88b, and a branch channel 90B extending rightward from the channel
88c around the valve seat and communicating with the projection
opening 82b of the branch channel 82 in the two-way connecting
block coupling 64 of the second line T2. While the main channel 89
renders the outlet 81a of the main channel 81 in the block coupling
64 of the first line T1 closable or openable, the forward flow of a
fluid through the main channel 89 is blocked by the one-way
connecting block coupling 67 of the first line T1 serving for
shutting off.
[0068] With the line interconnecting means 50 described above, the
forward or rearward main channel 81 of the two-way connecting block
coupling 64 of each of the third and fourth lines T3, T4 is
connected to the forward or rearward channel 87 of the rear block
coupling 65 by the main channel 89 of the two-way connecting valve
body 54a of the shut-off valve 54, and the forward flow of fluid
through the forward or rearward channels 81, 87, 89 is suitably
blocked or permitted by the operation of the actuator 54b of the
shut-off valve 54.
[0069] In the case of the first and second lines T1, T2, there is
no forward flow of fluid even when the actuator 54b of the shut-off
valve 54 is opened since the rear block coupling 67 is used for
shutting off. On the other hand, the first line T1 is always in
communication with the second line T2 via the branch channels 90B,
82, 90A, so that the fluid is flowable from the first line T1 to
the second line T2 and vice versa regardless of whether the
actuator 54b of the shut-off valve 54 is open or closed.
[0070] For example, in the case where the shut-off valve 54 of the
first line T1 is open, the shut-off valve 54 of the second line T2
is open, the shut-off valve 54 of the third line T3 is closed, and
the shut-off valve 54 of the fourth line T4 is closed, the fluid
(treatment gas) introduced into the first line T1 and the fluid
(treatment gas) introduced into the second line T2 flow through all
the branch channels 90B, 82, 90A, 90B, 82, 90A, 90B, 82, 90A and
are discharged from the outlet of the fourth line T4.
[0071] In this way, forward or rearward channels are connected
together and lines are interconnected by the line interconnecting
means 50 for controlling various gases for the distribution or
mixing of treatment gases or purging with a purge gas. The lateral
projection 64b provided on a two-way connecting block coupling 64
is fitted into the recessed portion 64c formed in another two-way
connecting block coupling 64 or 64A laterally adjacent thereto,
whereby the two couplings are positioned in place with respect to
the lateral direction. Accordingly, the two-way connecting block
couplings 64, 64A of the line interconnecting means 50 serve not
only the function of dividing a fluid but also the function of
positioning the components in place.
[0072] In the case where up to three lines are to be connected by
the line interconnecting means 50, the second line T2 and/or the
third line T3 may be removed, or when at least five lines are to be
connected by the line interconnecting means 50, a required number
of lines having, for example, the same construction as the second
line T2 or third line T3 may be additionally provided between the
second line T2 and the third line T3.
[0073] The quintuple bridge pipe block 76 provided at the inlet
side of the mass flow controller 2 is provided with channels
corresponding to the branch channels 82 in the two-way connecting
block couplings 64 of the line interconnecting means 50, in a
number equal to the number of lines, whereas the bridge pipe block
76 can be dispensed with by providing the line interconnecting
means 50 also at the inlet side of the mass flow controller 2 in
place of the block 76.
* * * * *