CN117425790A - Fluid control system and valve module - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a fluid control system and a valve module. In order to achieve a drastic compactness of a fluid control system, the fluid control system is provided with: mass Flow Controllers (MFCs); a pair of blocks (10, 20) on which a Mass Flow Controller (MFC) is mounted, and which form an internal flow path; and a valve (50) mounted on one of the pair of blocks (10, 20) and disposed in the internal flow path, wherein the valve (50) is mounted on an opposing surface (11) of the one block (10) that opposes the other block (20) and disposed in a space surrounded by the opposing surface (11) and a Bottom Surface (BS) of the Mass Flow Controller (MFC).

Description

Fluid control system and valve module

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a fluid control system used in, for example, a semiconductor manufacturing process and the like, and a valve module (valve module) for constructing the system.

Background

As described in patent document 1, there is a conventional fluid control system in which various fluid devices are provided in a fluid flow path.

More specifically, as shown in fig. 8, for example, a plurality of blocks having a V-shaped or コ -shaped internal flow path are arranged in series, and a manual valve, a filter, a pressure reducing valve, a pressure gauge, a two-way valve, a three-way valve, a mass flow controller, or the like, which are the above-described fluid devices, are arranged in these blocks, thereby forming one flow path.

In addition, various valves are used as fluid devices for opening and closing, mixing, diluting, and purging fluids required for the process. More specifically, in order to perform remote operation by a controller, a two-way pneumatic valve and a three-way pneumatic valve that can be automatically controlled are required, and in order to allow an operator to confirm the type of fluid required for a process to be performed and then to flow the fluid, a manual valve is required from the viewpoint of safety.

However, in recent years, with the increase in size of wafers and the increase in the number of chambers, for example, ten or more of the above-mentioned flow paths are sometimes required, and in order to install such a system in a clean room or the like having a limited area, a reduction in the occupied space is demanded.

However, in the fluid control system, since the flow paths are formed by attaching the fluid devices to the blocks one by one, there is a limit in the arrangement of the fluid devices and a limit in the miniaturization of the occupied space according to the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the blocks.

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2002-89798

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel valve module which contributes to the drastic compactness of a fluid control system and which has not been heretofore known.

Technical scheme for solving technical problems

That is, the fluid control system according to the present invention includes: a mass flow controller; a pair of blocks that support the mass flow controller and form an internal flow path; and a valve mounted on one of the pair of blocks and disposed on the internal flow path, the valve being mounted on an opposing surface of the one block that opposes the other block, the valve being disposed in a space surrounded by the opposing surface and a bottom surface of the mass flow controller.

According to the fluid control system thus configured, the space surrounded by the block and the mass flow controller, which is a dead space in the past, can be utilized, and therefore, the system can be dramatically compact.

As a more specific embodiment, the following modes can be given: the one block is formed with a second internal flow path different from the internal flow path, and the valve is a three-way valve that selectively circulates either one of a fluid flowing through the internal flow path or a fluid flowing through the second internal flow path.

Preferably, the fluid control system further includes another valve mounted on a first equipment mounting surface of the one block on which the mass flow controller is mounted.

In this way, the function as the three-way valve can be modularized with the functions of other valves.

Preferably, the other valve includes: an automatic switching valve which is switched to an open state or a closed state by receiving power from a power source to actuate a valve element; and a manual operation unit that switches between a locked state in which the valve body is pressed to restrict the operation of the valve body and an unlocked state in which the restriction is released to permit the operation of the valve body by manual operation.

According to the valve module thus configured, the automatic opening/closing valve can be kept in the closed state if the valve element is pushed by switching the manual operation unit to the locked state, and the automatic opening/closing valve can be opened and closed if the valve element is allowed to operate by switching the manual operation unit to the unlocked state.

In this way, since the manual operation section functions just like a manual valve, both functions of the automatic opening/closing valve and the manual valve can be provided by one valve module.

By constructing a fluid control system using this valve module, the system can be made significantly more compact than in the conventional configuration in which an automatic switching valve and a manual valve are individually mounted on a block.

Preferably, the fluid control system includes a filter provided in the internal flow path of the one block.

In this way, the filter can be assembled to the valve module, and not only the valve but also various fluid devices can be modularized.

In addition, the valve module according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: one of a pair of blocks having a mass flow controller mounted thereon and an internal flow path formed therein; and a valve mounted on the one block and disposed on the internal flow path, wherein the valve is mounted on an opposing surface of the one block that opposes the other block, and disposed in a space surrounded by the opposing surface and a bottom surface of the mass flow controller.

According to the valve module thus configured, the same operational effects as those of the fluid control system described above can be achieved, that is, a space surrounded by the block and the mass flow controller, which is a dead space in the past, can be utilized, and thus, the system can be dramatically made compact.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, the fluid control system can be dramatically compact.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a fluid control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a valve module according to the same embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the valve module according to the same embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the internal structure of the air introduction member according to the same embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing a locked state and an unlocked state of the manual operation unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a valve module according to another embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a valve module according to another embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a conventional fluid control system.

Detailed Description

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The valve module 100 of the present embodiment constructs a fluid control system X of an integrated high purity gas supply system. However, the valve module 100 can be used in a fluid control system for various gas supply systems.

First, the fluid control system X will be described.

The fluid control system X is used, for example, in a semiconductor manufacturing process to control the flow rate of various fluids such as process gases (process gas). Specifically, as shown in fig. 1, for example, a plurality of fluid lines XL through which different types of fluids flow are provided, and a mass flow controller MFC and a valve module 100 having functions of a plurality of valves are provided in the fluid lines XL. In addition, the mass flow controller MFC and the valve module 100 need not be provided in all of the plurality of fluid lines XL.

As shown in fig. 2, the mass flow controller MFC is configured to be installed on a pair of blocks 10 and 20 (hereinafter referred to as an upstream block 10 and a downstream block 20) having internal flow paths, and fluid flowing through the internal flow paths of the upstream block 10 is introduced into the mass flow controller MFC to control the flow rate, and flows out to the internal flow paths of the downstream block 20.

Mass flow controllers MFC may use various types of mass flow controllers of differential pressure, thermal, etc. In addition, the mass flow controller MFC of the present embodiment has a regulator function and a filter for preventing crosstalk, but these are not essential, and the specific configuration may be changed as appropriate.

The mass flow controller MFC is housed in a case C in a state where a fluid control valve and a flow sensor, not shown, are supported by a base member B. The bottom surface BS of the mass flow controller MFC, that is, the bottom surface BS of the base member B, is bridged to the upstream block 10 and the downstream block 20.

In the above configuration, the inflow port (not shown) of the mass flow controller MFC is connected to the fluid outlet Pb formed in the upstream block 10, and the outflow port (not shown) of the mass flow controller MFC is connected to the fluid inlet Px formed in the downstream block 20. In the present embodiment, for example, a downstream automatic opening/closing valve 30 such as a pneumatic two-way valve is provided in the downstream block 20.

Next, the valve module 100 will be described.

As shown in fig. 2, the valve module 100 has a plurality of valve functions, and includes: a block 10 having an internal flow path formed therein; a first valve 40 and a second valve 50 mounted to the block 10; a manual operation unit 60.

< Block >)

First, block 10 will be described.

The block 10 is the upstream block 10 described above in this embodiment. However, the valve module 100 may be configured using the downstream block 20 instead of the upstream block 10.

The upstream block 10 is formed with at least a first internal flow path L1 through which a fluid to be controlled flows. The first internal flow path L1 is divided into an upstream element L1a, a middle upstream element L1b, and a downstream element L1c by a first valve 40 and a second valve 50, which will be described later.

More specifically, the upstream block 10 is formed with a first fluid inlet Pa1 for introducing a fluid to be controlled and a fluid outlet Pb from which the fluid flows out, and is formed with a first valve port Pc to which the first valve 40 is attached and a second valve port Pd to which the second valve 50 is attached.

In this configuration, the upstream element L1a is connected to the first fluid inlet Pa1 and the first valve port Pc, the downstream element L1b is connected to the first valve port Pc and the second valve port Pd, and the downstream element L1c is connected to the second valve port Pd and the fluid outlet Pb.

As shown in fig. 2, the upstream block 10 of the present embodiment has a second internal flow path L2 through which a second fluid different from the fluid to be controlled flows, separately from the first internal flow path L1. The second fluid may be a purge gas or the like.

More specifically, the upstream block 10 is formed with a second fluid introduction port Pa2 through which a second fluid is introduced. The second fluid introduction port Pa2 is formed on the back surface of the surface on which the first fluid introduction port Pa1 is formed.

The second fluid inlet Pa2 is connected to the second valve port Pd through the second internal flow path L2, and the purge gas or the like flowing into the second fluid inlet Pa2 flows out of the fluid outlet Pb after passing through the second valve 50, and is guided to the mass flow controller MFC.

< first valve >)

Next, the first valve 40 will be described.

As shown in fig. 3, the first valve 40 is an automatic switching valve that is switched to an open state or a closed state by receiving power from a power source and operating the valve body 41.

The automatic opening/closing valve 40 as the first valve is mounted on the first valve port Pc of the upstream block 10, specifically, a pneumatic valve to which air is supplied as power for operating the valve body 41.

The automatic opening/closing valve 40 of the present embodiment is a two-way valve that causes or stops the flow of the fluid to be controlled, and is a valve of a so-called normally closed type. That is, the automatic opening/closing valve 40 is opened by supplying air to separate the valve body 41 from the valve seat 42, and closed by stopping the supply of air to bring the valve body 41 into contact with the valve seat 42 by the urging force from the spring SP.

More specifically, as shown in fig. 3, the automatic opening/closing valve 40 is as follows: the valve body 41 accommodated in the housing 43 is brought into an open state or a closed state by contact or separation of air introduced from the air introduction member 44 with respect to the valve seat 42.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the housing 43 has a hollow cylindrical shape, and the valve body 41 is provided in the inner space thereof via a sealing member such as an O-ring. As shown in fig. 4, a communication hole 43x for communicating the outside with the internal space is formed in the peripheral wall portion of the housing 43. Further, an annular groove 43y formed along the circumferential direction is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the circumferential wall portion of the housing 43, and the outer end portion of the communication hole 43x is connected to the annular groove 43 y.

As shown in fig. 4, the air introduction member 44 is a cylindrical member provided around the housing 43. An air supply passage 44x is formed in a peripheral wall portion of the air introduction member 44, the air supply passage 44x communicates between the outside and the internal space, and air supplied from the outside flows through the air supply passage 44x. The upstream opening 44a of the air supply passage 44x is an air supply port 44a to which air from the outside is supplied, and the downstream opening 44b is disposed so as to face the annular groove 43 y.

The air introduction member 44 is rotatably provided around the housing 43. That is, the air supply port 44a can be rotated, in other words, the direction of the air supply port 44a can be set to a desired direction of 360 degrees.

As shown in fig. 5, the valve body 41 is composed of a diaphragm 45 provided so as to be able to contact with or separate from the valve seat 42, and one or more movable bodies 46 that are linked with the diaphragm 45.

In the present embodiment, three movable bodies 46 are provided that are movable in the contact or separation direction. These movable bodies 46 are formed with through holes 46x, and air supplied from the communication holes 43x of the case 43 via the air supply passage 44x of the air introduction member 44 passes through the through holes 46x. Then, the air passing through the through hole 46x of the movable body 46 is guided to the air supply space AS formed below the movable body 46.

With this configuration, the supplied air is guided from the through hole 46x of the movable body 46 to the air supply space AS and compressed, and the movable body 46 is lifted up, and the diaphragm 45 is separated from the valve seat 42 in conjunction with this, and is opened. On the other hand, when the supply of air is stopped, the movable body 46 is lowered, and in conjunction with this, the diaphragm 45 contacts the valve seat 42, thereby bringing it into a closed state.

< second valve >)

Next, the second valve 50 will be described.

The second valve 50 is a three-way valve that is switched to an open state or a closed state by receiving power from a power source and actuating the valve body 51.

The three-way valve 50 as the second valve is a pneumatic valve to which air is supplied as a motive power for operating the valve body 51, and specifically, selectively flows or stops the flow of either one of the fluid to be controlled or the purge gas as the second fluid.

As the three-way valve 50, various types of three-way valves may be used, and in this embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the valve body 51 (diaphragm) is brought into contact with or separated from the valve seat 52 by power from a power source or by a biasing force from a spring, and is switched to an open state or a closed state, as in the case of the automatic opening/closing valve 40.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the three-way valve 50 is attached to a second valve port Pd formed on a surface different from the first valve port Pc in the upstream block 10. That is, the three-way valve 50 is mounted on a surface of the upstream block 10 different from the surface on which the first valve 40 is mounted.

More specifically, as shown in fig. 2, the three-way valve 50 is mounted on the facing surface 11 of the upstream block 10 facing the downstream block 20, in other words, is disposed in a space surrounded by the facing surface 11 of the upstream block 10, the bottom surface BS of the mass flow controller MFC, and the facing surface 21 of the downstream block 20.

< Manual operation portion >)

As shown in fig. 5, the valve module 100 of the present embodiment includes a manual operation unit 60, and the manual operation unit 60 is manually operated to switch between a locked state R in which the valve body 41 of the automatic switching valve 40 is pressed to restrict the operation of the valve body 41 and an unlocked state UR in which the restriction is released to permit the operation of the valve body 41.

The manual operation described here is not necessarily limited to the manual operation unit 60 being directly operated by hand, and includes, for example, a concept of a manual operation using a tool such as a screwdriver.

The manual operation unit 60 is provided above the automatic opening/closing valve 40, and is attached to and detached from the upstream block 10 integrally with the automatic opening/closing valve 40.

More specifically, the manual operation unit 60 is a handle using, for example, a screw, and includes a grip 61 to be operated by a user and a moving unit 62 to be moved forward and backward with respect to the movable body 46 located at the uppermost layer. Further, the moving portion 62 is configured to move between an abutment position r for abutting against the movable body 46 and a retracted position ur retracted from the movable body 46 by a manual operation of the grip portion.

With this configuration, if the user rotates the grip portion 61 forward, for example, to move the moving portion 62 to the abutment position R, the manual operation portion 60 is switched to the lock state R, and if the grip portion 61 rotates reversely to move the moving portion 62 to the retracted position UR, the manual operation portion 60 is switched to the lock release state UR.

That is, by switching the manual operation unit 60 from the unlock state UR to the lock state R, the automatic opening/closing valve 40 can be forcibly held in the closed state regardless of the opened state or the closed state of the automatic opening/closing valve 40, and the flow of the fluid to be controlled flowing through the first internal flow path L1 can be stopped.

< Filter >

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the valve module 100 of the present embodiment further includes a filter F provided in the first internal flow path L1 of the upstream block 10. The filter F is a filter having a fine mesh required for the process, and is disposed at the upstream element L1a of the first internal flow path L1.

According to the valve module 100 thus configured, the automatic opening/closing valve 40 can be kept in the closed state if the valve body 41 is pushed by switching the manual operation unit 60 to the lock state R, and the automatic opening/closing valve 40 can be opened and closed if the valve body 41 is allowed to operate by switching the manual operation unit 60 to the unlock state UR.

In this way, since the manual operation unit 60 functions just like a manual valve, both functions of an automatic switching valve and a manual valve can be realized by one valve module 100.

By constructing the fluid control system X using the valve module 100, the system can be made compact as compared with a conventional structure in which an automatic opening/closing valve and a manual valve are mounted one by one to a block.

Further, since the air introduction member 44 is rotatably provided around the housing 43, even in the fluid control system X having a small working space with a plurality of fluid lines XL, by rotating the air introduction member 44 around the housing 43, air can be supplied from a desired direction, and the assembly and maintenance are excellent.

Further, since the valve module 100 also includes a three-way valve attached to the upstream block 10, functions as a manual valve, a two-way valve, and a three-way valve can be modularized.

Further, since the three-way valve is disposed in a space surrounded by the facing surface 11 of the upstream block 10 and the bottom surface BS of the mass flow controller MFC, this space, which is a dead space in the past, can be utilized, and a drastic compactness of the system can be achieved.

Further, since the valve module 100 further includes the filter F provided in the first internal flow path L1, not only the valve but also various fluid devices can be modularized.

Further, since the automatic opening/closing valve 40 and the three-way valve 50 are pneumatic valves, the valve module 100 of the present invention is safe even if leakage occurs, and thus, it is useful for the semiconductor manufacturing process.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, the automatic opening/closing valve 40 of the embodiment is a normally closed type valve, but may be a normally open type valve.

The manual operation unit 60 of the above embodiment is a handle, for example, but may be switched to the lock state R or the unlock state UR by operation using a tool such as a screwdriver.

The automatic opening/closing valve 40 and the three-way valve 50 of the above embodiment are pneumatic valves, but may be solenoid valves according to the use of the fluid control system X and the valve module 100.

In the above embodiment, the three-way valve 50 is mounted on the facing surface 11 of the upstream block 10, but may be mounted on the facing surface 21 of the downstream block 20 as shown in fig. 6.

As the valve module 100, the manual operation unit 60 and the automatic switching valve 40 do not necessarily need to be modularized, and as shown in fig. 7, the manual switching valve 70 may be provided separately from the automatic switching valve 40.

The first valve 40 may be a two-way valve in the above embodiment, but may be a three-way valve, and the second valve 50 may be a three-way valve in the above embodiment, but may be a two-way valve, or may be a manual valve

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Industrial applicability

According to the present invention thus constituted, the fluid control system can be dramatically compact.

Description of the reference numerals

X-fluid control system

MFC mass flow controller

100. Valve module

10. Upstream side block

11. Opposed surface

20. Downstream side block

21. Opposed surface

30. Downstream side automatic switch valve

40. First valve

44. Air introducing member

50. Second valve

60. Manual operation part

R-Lock state

UR lock release state

F filter

Claims (6)

1. A fluid control system, comprising:

a mass flow controller;

a pair of blocks that support the mass flow controller and form an internal flow path; and

a valve mounted on one of the pair of blocks and disposed in the internal flow path,

the valve is mounted on an opposing surface of the one block that opposes the other block, and is disposed in a space surrounded by the opposing surface and a bottom surface of the mass flow controller.

2. The fluid control system of claim 1 wherein the fluid control system comprises,

the one block is formed with a second internal flow path different from the internal flow path,

the valve is a three-way valve that selectively circulates either one of a fluid flowing through the internal flow path or a fluid flowing through the second internal flow path.

3. The fluid control system of claim 1 wherein the fluid control system comprises,

the fluid control system further includes another valve mounted to a first equipment mounting surface of the one block to which the mass flow controller is mounted.

4. The fluid control system of claim 3 wherein the fluid control system comprises,

the other valve includes:

an automatic switching valve which is switched to an open state or a closed state by receiving power from a power source to actuate a valve element; and

and a manual operation unit that switches between a locked state in which the valve body is pressed to restrict the operation of the valve body and an unlocked state in which the restriction is released to permit the operation of the valve body by manual operation.

5. The fluid control system of claim 1 wherein the fluid control system comprises,

the fluid control system includes a filter provided in the internal flow path of the one block.

6. A valve module, comprising:

one of a pair of blocks having a mass flow controller mounted thereon and an internal flow path formed therein; and

a valve mounted on the one block and disposed in the internal flow path,

the valve is mounted on an opposing surface of the one block that opposes the other block, and is disposed in a space surrounded by the opposing surface and a bottom surface of the mass flow controller.