JP2000065611A - Flowmeter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate exchange and maintenance. SOLUTION: A flowmeter 1 has a flowmeter main body 2 with a flow rate measurement pipe 4 storing a moving body 3 moving in accordance with a flow rate, an inlet pipe part 8 and an outlet pipe part 9 through which a fluid is introduced in and out to the flow rate measurement pipe 4, a movable block 12 set movably along the flow rate measurement pipe 4 and including a detector 11 for detecting a flow rate limit point via the moving body 3, and a knob 13 for fixing the movable block 12 to a desired position. Quick couplers 20 for connecting a piping 19 of a unit 18 to the inlet pipe part 8 and outlet pipe part 9 are set in the flowmeter.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flow meter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, various heat treatment apparatuses are used for performing processes such as oxidation, diffusion, and CVD on a semiconductor wafer to be processed. This heat treatment apparatus has a dust-free casing, a port for loading and unloading a cassette containing a plurality of wafers is provided at a front portion of the casing, and a wafer from the cassette is provided at a rear portion inside the casing. Is provided with a heat treatment furnace for performing a heat treatment by inserting a wafer boat on which a wafer is transferred.

In such a heat treatment apparatus, a flow meter is provided at the rear of the housing to supply cooling water at a predetermined flow rate to a water cooling jacket or the like for cooling the periphery of the heat treatment furnace. The flow meter is provided with a flow meter main body having a flow measuring pipe containing a moving body, such as a float, which is provided with an inlet pipe section and an outlet pipe section of a fluid, for example, cooling water, and which displaces vertically according to the flow rate of the cooling water. A detector for detecting the lower limit of the flow rate through the float, for example, a reed switch is provided so as to be movable along the flow measurement pipe, and a screw for setting and fixing the reed switch to a desired position is provided. Is provided. The inlet pipe section and the outlet pipe section of the flow meter main body are provided with threaded joints for connection with the piping of the unit, and the fittings and the removal of the flow meter are performed by turning the joints with a tool. It has become.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned flow meter, when a plurality of flow meters are mounted side by side, no tool can be inserted to remove the central flow meter. There has been a problem that it has to be removed from the flow meter in order, and it takes time to replace and maintain the flow meter.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flow meter that can be easily replaced and maintained.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flow meter body having a flow rate measuring tube accommodating a moving body displaced in accordance with a flow rate, and introducing a fluid into the flow rate measuring tube. A movable block having a detector movably provided along the flow rate measuring pipe, and having a detector for detecting a flow limit point via the moving body, and a movable block, And a knob fixed to the position (1), wherein a quick coupler for connecting to a pipe of the unit is provided at an inlet pipe portion and an outlet pipe portion of the flow meter main body.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the flow meter according to the first aspect, the quick coupler fits a female connecting member provided on the flow meter main body side with a male connecting member provided on the unit side. It is characterized in that it is configured to be attached and detached.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a flow meter according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially sectional side view of the flow meter of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows a unit to which a plurality of flow meters of FIG. 1 are connected. In the figure, (a) is a front view,
(B) is a side view. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a quick coupler used for connecting the flow meter of FIG.

In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a flow meter, and a main body (also referred to as a flow meter main body) 2 of the flow meter 1 accommodates a movable body (also referred to as an indicator), for example, a float 3 which is vertically displaced in accordance with a flow rate. A vertical flow measuring pipe 4 is provided. A guide shaft 5 is provided at an axis in the flow measuring pipe 4, and the float 3 is supported by the guide shaft 5 so as to be able to move up and down. At the upper and lower ends of the flow rate measuring tube 4, flat rectangular end portions (also called fittings) 6, 7 are provided in an airtight manner.

An inlet pipe 8 for introducing a fluid, for example, cooling water, to the lower end of the flow rate measuring pipe 4 is projected from a rear surface of the lower end forming body 7. An outlet pipe 9 for projecting the cooling water from the upper end of the flow measuring pipe 4 is provided in a protruding manner. In addition, a flow control valve, for example, a needle valve, is incorporated in the end forming body 6 at the upper end (not shown), and a flow control handle 10 is provided on the front surface thereof.

The flow rate measuring tube 4 is a tapered tube made of a transparent material whose inner diameter gradually increases in the flow direction of a fluid, for example, cooling water (from bottom to top), and has a scale (not shown) on its front surface. The float 3 is displaced in the flow measuring pipe 4 to a position where the weight of the float 3 and the flow rate of the cooling water flowing in the flow measuring pipe 4 are balanced. A magnet which is detected by a reed switch 11 described later is attached to the float 3 (not shown).

A movable block 12 having a detector for detecting a flow limit point via the float 3, for example, a reed switch (also referred to as a proximity switch) 11 can be moved along the flow meter pipe in the flow meter body 2. And a knob 13 for setting and fixing the movable block 12 at a desired position is arranged on the front surface. The flow meter main body 2 has a cover 14 that covers the periphery thereof. The cover 14 of the present embodiment includes a cover main body 14a formed in a U-shape in a flat cross section that covers both side surfaces and a rear surface of the flow meter main body 2, and a transparent front cover 14b that covers the front surface of the flow meter main body 2. Have been. The shape of the cover 14 is not limited to this, and the cover 14 itself may constitute the flow meter body 2.

The movable block 12 is provided with a flow measuring pipe 4.
And upper and lower end forming bodies 6 and 7 and a cover 14 so as to be movable up and down in a space defined by the cover 14. The movable block 12 is formed in a shape that can be accommodated in the cover 14, for example, a flat rectangular shape.
Through holes 15 are provided.

The reed switch 11 is attached to the rear part of the movable block 12, and the knob 13 is attached to one side of the front surface of the movable block 12. This knob 13
Is mounted on one side of the front surface of the movable block 12 by screwing. The cover body 14a
An opening 16 is provided in the rear surface portion of the movable block 12 to allow the reed switch 11 to move up and down integrally with the movable block 12.

The front cover 14b is provided with a slit 17 that allows the knob 13 that moves up and down integrally with the movable block 12 to move. The movable block 1
2 is preferably made of a transparent material so that the flow measuring tube 4 and the inside thereof can be seen. The knob 13 is adapted to fix the movable block 12 at a desired position by pressing the knob 13 against the front cover 14b by screwing.

In order to connect the flow meter 1 to a pipe 19 of a unit 18 as shown in FIG. 3, for example, quick couplers 20 are provided at the inlet pipe section 8 and the outlet pipe section 9 of the flow meter body 2, respectively. ing. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the quick coupler 20 is configured to fit and detach a female connection member 21 provided on the flow meter main body 2 side and a male connection member 22 provided on the unit 18 side. ing. An annular groove 23 is provided on the outer periphery of the male connection member 22 that is inserted into the female connection member 21. In the female connection member 21, small ball receiving holes 25 are provided at positions corresponding to the annular grooves 23 of the male connection member 22 so as to protrude radially inward so as to protrude inward in the radial direction at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction. By engaging these small balls 24 with the annular groove 23 of the male-side connecting member 22, the female-side connecting member 21
The male side connecting member 22 is locked in the fitted state.

The outer periphery of the female connection member 21 is used to cover the entire small ball receiving hole 25 and restrict or release the small ball 24 in a direction of projecting radially inward. An outer ring 26 is slidably mounted in the axial direction, and a spring 27 and an outer ring 26 for urging the outer ring 26 in the axial direction are provided between the outer ring 26 and the female connection member 21. Stopper 28 that locks so that it does not come off
Is provided. When the outer ring 26 is retracted against the urging force of the spring 27, the restraint of the small ball 24 is released, and the female connection member 21 and the male connection member 22 can be detached. When the restraint of the small ball 24 is released, the small ball accommodation hole 25
Is covered by the outer peripheral ring 26, the small balls 24 do not fall off.

The flow meter 1 configured as described above
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, in order to supply cooling water at a predetermined flow rate to a water cooling jacket or the like of a heat treatment furnace 30 provided in a housing 29 of the heat treatment apparatus, the cooling water is attached to a rear side of the housing 29. A plurality of units 18 are attached. In addition,
The mounting position of the flow meter 1 is not limited to this.

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of, for example, four flow meters 1 are mounted on the front surface of the unit 18 side by side. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 denotes cooling water in the piping 19 of the unit 18, 32 denotes cooling water out, 33 denotes a switching valve corresponding to each flow meter 1, 34 denotes a feed-side union, 35 denotes a return-side union, and 36 denotes a return-side union. Reed switch connector.

As described above, according to the flow meter 1,
A flow meter main body 2 having a flow measuring tube 4 accommodating a float 3 serving as a moving body that is displaced in accordance with a flow rate, an inlet pipe portion 8 and an outlet pipe portion 9 for introducing and discharging a fluid into and from the flow measuring tube 4; A movable block 1 movably provided along a flow measuring pipe 4 and having a reed switch 11 as a detector for detecting a flow limit point via the float 3
2 and a knob 13 for fixing the movable block 12 at a desired position, in order to connect the inlet pipe 8 and the outlet pipe 9 of the flow meter body 2 to the pipe 19 of the unit 18. When the flow meter 1 is arranged adjacently, the flow meter 1 at any position can be easily removed without using a tool, and replacement and maintenance of the flow meter 1 can be performed. Easy. In addition, the quick coupler 2
0 is a female connecting member 21 provided on the flow meter main body 2 side and a male connecting member 22 provided on the unit 18 side.
Is configured to be fitted and detached, so that the flow meter 1 can be attached and detached quickly and easily without using a tool.

When setting the flow rate limit point in the flow meter 1, first, the knob 13 is rotated in a loosening direction to release the fixed state of the movable block 12, and then the movable block 12 is moved up and down through the knob 13. , And the movable block 12 may be fixed by rotating the knob 13 in the tightening direction. Since the knob 13 is provided on the front surface of the flow meter main body 2, the adjusting operation can be easily performed. Therefore, even if the knob 13 is loosened due to vibration or the like at the time of shipping of the heat treatment apparatus and the position of the movable block 12 is shifted, the position can be easily adjusted again, and operability and maintainability are good. In addition, it is possible to perform control such as issuing an alarm or stopping the operation by turning off the power supply of the heat treatment apparatus by the detection signal of the reed switch 11 provided on the movable block 12.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design changes may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is possible. The flow meter 1 to which the present invention is applied may include two movable blocks 12, or may include three or more movable blocks. Further, as the flow meter 1, the flow rate measuring pipe 4 is arranged in a posture other than vertical, for example, horizontally, and the moving body 3 is provided with an urging means for urging in a direction opposite to the flow direction of the fluid. May be configured to be displaced horizontally in the flow measurement pipe 4 according to the flow rate.

The knob 13 does not necessarily have to be a screw type. For example, the knob 13 is attached to the operating block 12 via a spring, and the knob 13 is spring-powered.
4b may be configured to be pressed against the front surface.
In this case, the knob 13 is freely moved by the front cover 14b due to vibration or the like.
It is preferable to provide a frictional resistance portion such as unevenness or a tooth groove on these contact surfaces so as not to move the front surface portion.

[0024]

In summary, according to the present invention, the following excellent effects can be obtained. (1) The invention according to claim 1 is a flow meter main body having a flow rate measuring tube accommodating a moving body displaced in accordance with a flow rate, and an inlet pipe portion and an outlet pipe portion for introducing and discharging a fluid into and from the flow rate measuring tube. A movable block having a detector movably provided along the flow measurement pipe and detecting a flow limit point via the moving body, and a knob for fixing the movable block at a desired position. In the flow meter, since the quick coupler for connecting to the piping of the unit is provided at the inlet pipe portion and the outlet pipe portion of the flow meter main body, when the flow meter is arranged adjacent to the flow meter, Can be easily removed without using a tool, and replacement and maintenance of the flow meter can be easily performed.

(2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, the quick coupler fits and detaches the female connection member provided on the flow meter main body and the male connection member provided on the unit side. Therefore, mounting and dismounting of the flow meter can be performed quickly and easily without using a tool.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a flow meter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the flow meter of FIG.

3A and 3B are diagrams showing a unit to which a plurality of flow meters of FIG. 1 are connected, wherein FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a side view.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a quick coupler used to connect the flow meter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a heat treatment apparatus to which the unit of FIG. 3 is attached.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flow meter 2 Flow meter main body 3 Float (moving body) 4 Flow measurement pipe 8 Inlet pipe part 9 Outlet pipe part 11 Reed switch (detector) 12 Movable block 13 Knob 18 Unit 19 Piping 20 Quick coupler 21 Female side connecting member 22 Male connection member

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A flow meter main body having a flow measuring tube accommodating a moving body displaced in accordance with a flow rate, an inlet tube portion and an outlet tube portion for introducing and leading a fluid to the flow measuring tube, and the flow measuring tube. A movable block having a detector for detecting a flow limit point via the movable body, and a knob for fixing the movable block at a desired position, the flowmeter comprising: A flow meter, wherein a quick coupler for connecting a pipe of a unit is provided at a pipe section and an outlet pipe section. 2. The quick coupler according to claim 1, wherein a female connection member provided on the flow meter main body side and a male connection member provided on the unit side are fitted and detached. Item 7. The flow meter according to Item 1.