JP2011069415A - Piping checker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To acquire a piping checker which is compact and lightweight to facilitate both carry-in to the worksite or the like and handling thereof as a tool for preventing the erroneous connection of piping. <P>SOLUTION: In the piping checker, one casing 1 is provided with an inlet nipple 2 and an outlet nipple 3 for allowing air to flow in and flow out. The inlet nipple is connected with a float-type flowmeter 6 through a first tube 8. The float-type flowmeter is connected with a micro pump 4 through a second tube 10. The micro pump is connected with the outlet nipple through a third tube 11. The first tube, float-type flowmeter, second tube, third tube, micro pump, and battery for driving the micro pump are accommodated in the casing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pipe checker and a pipe checking method using the pipe checker, and prevents the pipes from being mistaken when connecting a large number of pipes to equipment, thereby enabling accurate connection.

For example, a gas for semiconductor manufacturing is filled in a gas container, and a plurality of gas containers are stored in a large storage called a cylinder cabinet. If a gas leak occurs in the cylinder cabinet, it must be detected immediately, and a plurality of suction-type gas leak detection alarms are provided according to the type of semiconductor manufacturing gas.
In the suction-type gas leak detection alarm device, the gas suction point and the detection unit in the cylinder cabinet are far apart, and the suction point and the detection unit are connected by piping.

  When there are a large number of suction points and detection units, there is a possibility that the suction points and the detection units are erroneously connected. In order to prevent such problems, air, nitrogen gas, etc. is sent in advance from one opening end on the suction point side or detection unit side of the pipe, and the ejection is confirmed at the other opening end. The piping is confirmed, and the suction point and the detection unit are accurately connected.

  However, in this method, a cylinder filled with compressed air, compressed nitrogen gas, etc. is used, and gas is sent from this cylinder to the piping, and it is necessary to bring the cylinder to the construction site. In addition, the cylinder needs to be replaced. In addition, there are cases where such cylinders cannot be brought in because semiconductor manufacturing plants dislike foreign matters.

JP-A-7-119900

  Therefore, the subject in this invention is obtaining the piping checker which is easy to carry in to a construction site etc. and is easy to handle as a tool for preventing the erroneous connection of piping.

To solve this problem,
The invention according to claim 1 is provided with a first end and a second end through which gas enters and exits a single casing, and the first end has a gas flow rate change or a first pipe through the first conduit. A display instrument for displaying a change in pressure is connected, and a pump is connected to the display instrument via a second conduit, and this pump is connected to the second end via a third conduit, A pipe checker characterized in that a pipe, a display instrument, a second pipe, a third pipe, a pump, and a battery for driving the pump are housed in the casing.
The invention according to claim 2 is the pipe checker according to claim 1, wherein a flow restrictor is interposed in any of the first to third pipes.
The invention according to claim 3 is the piping checker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display meter is a float type flow meter.

The invention according to claim 4 is provided with a first end and a second end through which gas enters and exits a single casing, and the first end has a gas flow rate change or a first pipe through the first conduit. A display instrument for displaying a change in pressure is connected, and a pump is connected to the display instrument via a second conduit, and this pump is connected to the second end via a third conduit, Using a pipe checker in which a pipe, a display instrument, a second pipe, a third pipe, a pump, and a battery for driving the pump are housed in the casing,
Connect one open end of the pipe to be tested to the first end or the second end of the pipe checker, operate the pump, and open or close the other open end of the pipe. A pipe check method characterized by confirming a flow rate change or a pressure change.

  The piping checker according to the present invention can be small and light, and since it has a built-in power supply, it is easy to carry. For this reason, it is easy to bring it into a construction site and the like, there is no dust generation from the pipe checker itself, and it is possible to bring it into a semiconductor manufacturing factory. In addition, according to the pipe check method, the change in display on the display instrument can be visually confirmed, so that the confirmation work can be ensured and erroneous connection of the pipe can be prevented.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows an example of the piping checker of this invention.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a pipe checker according to the present invention. The figure shows the configuration of the main part with the front panel removed so that the arrangement of the main components inside can be seen.
Reference numeral 1 in the figure denotes a housing. The casing 1 is made of metal and has a cubic outer shape, and a handle 1a for carrying is attached to the upper part thereof. One side surface of the housing 1 is provided with an inlet nipple 2 serving as a first end and an outlet nipple 3 serving as a second end through the side wall.

Further, inside the housing 1, a micro pump 4, a slot valve 5 as a flow restrictor, a float type flow meter 6 as a display instrument for displaying a change in gas flow or pressure, and the micro pump 4 are driven. A battery box 7 containing a dry battery serving as a power source is provided.
Furthermore, one end of a first tube 8 serving as a first conduit is connected to the inlet nipple 2, and the other end of the first tube 8 is connected to a first end (not shown) of the flow meter 6. ing. A filter 9 is interposed in the first tube 8 to remove dust and the like in the air flowing therethrough. The flowmeter 6 has a display unit for displaying a change in flow rate by the vertical float 6a moving up and down through a front panel (not shown) of the housing 1 so that the display unit can be seen from the outside. It has become.

  One end of a second tube 10 serving as a second conduit is connected to a second end (not shown) of the flow meter 6, and the other end of the second tube 10 is the first end of the micropump 4. (Not shown). A slot valve 5 is interposed in the second tube 10 so that the flow rate of the gas flowing through the second tube 10 can be adjusted. The handle 5a of the slot valve 5 is disposed outside through a front panel (not shown) of the housing 1 so that the throttle amount of the slot valve 5 can be changed from the outside of the housing 1.

One end of a third tube 11 serving as a third conduit is connected to the second end (not shown) of the micropump 4, and the other end of the third tube 11 is connected to the outlet nipple 3. A filter 12 is also interposed in the third tube 11 to remove dust and the like in the air flowing therethrough.
The micropump 4 is driven by a DC low voltage and has a capacity of about 1.0 to 2.0 liters / minute. The lead wire 13 is connected to the battery box 7 via the power switch 14 by the lead wire 13. It is connected and rotationally driven. The battery box 7 contains a plurality of batteries such as AA type dry batteries. The power switch 14 is provided with its operation portion 14a exposed through the front panel (not shown).

  With such a structure, when the power switch 14 is turned on, the micropump 4 operates. As a result, air is sucked in from the inlet nipple 2 and flows into the flow meter 6 through the first tube 8 and the filter 9. The gas flowing out from the flow meter 6 is sucked into the micropump 4 through the second tube 10 and the slot valve 5. The air discharged from the micro pump 4 reaches the outlet nipple 3 through the third tube 11 and the filter 12, and is discharged to the outside.

  In this operation state, the flow rate of the air flowing through the pipe checker is displayed by the float 6 a of the flow meter 6. Then, when the inlet nipple 2 or the outlet nipple 3 is closed with a finger or the like, the inflow of air stops, and the flow meter 6 indicates that the float 6a falls downward and the flow rate is lowered.

Next, a pipe checking method using this pipe checker will be described.
One open end of one pipe to be tested is connected to the inlet nipple 2 of the pipe checker with a tube. At this time, the other open end of the pipe to be tested and the outlet nipple 3 of the pipe checker are kept open.
Next, when the power switch 14 is turned on, the micropump 4 operates, and air flowing in from the other opening end of the pipe to be tested is sucked through the inlet nipple 2 of the pipe checker and flows in the pipe checker at this time. The flow rate of air is displayed on the flow meter 6.
In this state, if the other open end of the pipe to be tested is closed with a finger or the like, the air sucked from this pipe disappears. As a result, the amount of air flowing through the pipe checker is almost eliminated, and the float 6a of the flow meter 6 is lost. Sinks downward. By confirming this visually, the piping can be accurately confirmed.

If the float 6a of the flow meter 6 does not change even when the other open end of the pipe to be tested is closed with a finger or the like, the open end of another pipe is connected to the inlet nipple 2 of the pipe checker. Thus, erroneous connection can be avoided.
Further, since the filters 9 and 12 are provided in the pipe checker, dust or the like in the outside air sucked through the pipe to be tested is not included in the air discharged from the pipe checker. Therefore, it is possible to work by bringing the pipe checker into the clean room of the semiconductor manufacturing factory.
In this operation, the handle 5a of the slot valve 5 is turned as necessary to change the throttle amount so as to adjust the amount of air flowing through the pipe checker so that the movement of the float 6a of the flow meter 6 is within the display range. To.

  As another check method, there is a method of connecting one open end of the pipe to be tested to the outlet nipple 3 of the pipe checker. At this time, the inlet nipple 2 is opened. Next, when the micropump 4 is operated, external air is sucked from the inlet nipple 2, is sent to the pipe to be tested through the outlet nipple 3, and flows out from the other open end of the pipe to be tested. When the other open end of the pipe is closed with a finger or the like, the outflow of air stops, and the float 6a of the flowmeter 6 of the pipe checker sinks, indicating a decrease in the flow rate. By confirming this visually, the piping can be accurately confirmed.

If the float 6a of the flowmeter 6 does not change even if the other open end of the pipe to be tested is closed with a finger or the like, the open end of another pipe is connected to the outlet nipple 3 of the pipe checker. Thus, erroneous connection can be avoided.
Even in this method, dust in the air sent from the pipe checker to the pipe to be tested is removed, so that the inside of the pipe is not contaminated.

Thus, according to this pipe checker, erroneous connection of pipes can be surely prevented and the carrying is easy.
In the above embodiment, the float type flow meter 6 is used as the display meter for displaying the flow rate change or the pressure change. However, the flow rate change may be displayed using another flow meter, A similar piping check can be performed even if the pressure change is displayed using a pressure gauge.
However, the float type flow meter does not require power such as external power for its operation, and has an advantage that the change in the flow rate can be surely seen by moving the float up and down, which is suitable for this pipe checker. .
The slot valve 5 is interposed in the first tube 8, but may be interposed in the second tube 10 or the third tube 11.

1..Housing, 2..Inlet nipple, 3..Outlet nipple, 4..Micro pump, 5..Slot valve, 6..Float flow meter, 7..Battery box, 8..First tube 10, second tube, 11. third tube

Claims (4)

  A first end portion and a second end portion through which gas enters and exits one housing are provided, and a display instrument for displaying a change in gas flow rate or a change in pressure is provided on the first end portion via the first conduit. Connected, a pump is connected to the display instrument via a second conduit, and the pump is connected to the second end via a third conduit, the first conduit, the display instrument, the second A pipe checker characterized in that a pipe, a third pipe, a pump, and a battery for driving the pump are housed in the casing.   The pipe checker according to claim 1, wherein a flow restrictor is interposed in any one of the first to third pipes.   The pipe checker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display instrument is a float type flow meter. A first end portion and a second end portion through which gas enters and exits one housing are provided, and a display instrument for displaying a change in gas flow rate or a change in pressure is provided on the first end portion via the first conduit. Connected, a pump is connected to the display instrument via a second conduit, and the pump is connected to the second end via a third conduit, the first conduit, the display instrument, the second Using a pipe checker in which a pipe, a third pipe, a pump, and a battery for driving the pump are housed in the housing,
Connect one open end of the pipe to be tested to the first end or the second end of the pipe checker, operate the pump, and open or close the other open end of the pipe. A method for checking piping, characterized by confirming flow rate change or pressure change.

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