JP3472646B2 - Fluid switching device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in a gas supply device of a semiconductor manufacturing facility, and has a simple structure and can be switched quickly without causing mixing of supply fluids. The present invention relates to a fluid switching device that can be performed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows an example of a fluid switching device composed of a conventional normally open type pneumatically driven valve A and a normally closed type pneumatically driven valve B. When not supplied, the gas G ₁ flowing from the inlet C flows out from the outlet E through the valve A. In addition, the solenoid valve I is opened and the air H
Is supplied to the operation pipe line F, both drive devices A ′ and B ′ are driven, and the valve A is closed and the valve B is opened, so that the gas G ₂ from the inlet D is discharged from the outlet E. It will be leaked.

Thus, the fluid switching device of FIG. 5 can easily switch the supply fluid from G ₁ to G ₂ simply by controlling the ON / OFF of the solenoid valve I, and has an excellent practical utility. Is. However, when the solenoid valve I is opened, the air H is supplied to both drive units A ′ and B ′ at the same time, so that there is inevitably a moment when both valves A and B are in the open state, and as a result, The inlet C and the inlet D communicate with the outlet E, so that the gas G ₁ and the gas G ₂ are mixed.

On the other hand, the gas G as described above₁And gas G₂With
In order to avoid mixing problems, the gas supply equipment of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment
For example, in the installation, each flow from the drive fluid control valve K as shown in FIG.
Body switching device V₁, V₂, V₃Two operation pipes F₁, F
₂To the drive units A'and B'of the valves A and B, respectively.
Separately drive air H₁, H₂Supply both air H
₁, H₂By providing a time difference between the supply of
Prevent A and B from opening at the same time
There is. Incidentally, in FIG. 6, Q denotes a wafer film forming process.
Nau process chamber, P ₁And P₂Is a vacuum pump
is there.

However, on the solenoid valve K side, both operation pipes F
_In order to provide a time lag between the supply start times of the air H ₁ and H ₂ supplied to ₁ and F ₂ , the solenoid valve K requires two sets of valve mechanism and valve opening mechanism, and the operation of the valve opening mechanism is required. A separate delay mechanism is required to give the time difference. As a result, the structure of the solenoid valve K becomes extremely complicated, the frequency of occurrence of trouble increases, the cost of the solenoid valve K rises, and the manufacturing cost of the fluid switching device cannot be reduced.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has the above-mentioned problems in a fluid switching device such as a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
That is, in order to completely prevent the mixing of the supply fluids during the fluid switching operation, the structure of the solenoid valve for controlling the drive air of the fluid switching device becomes complicated, causing many troubles and increasing the manufacturing cost. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problem, and to provide a fluid switching device which can surely prevent mixing of both supply fluids during a switching operation with an extremely simple structure.

[0007]

The present invention is directed to one fluid G
_At least one normally open fluid pressure driven valve 1 in which a fluid inlet hole 2 of the fluid communicates with the fluid inlet 24 of 1;
To the fluid inlet 25 for the other fluid G _2, the fluid inlet side flow hole 6
Always a closed type fluid pressure driving valve 4, the normally open type fluid pressure driving type flow valve 1 of at least one group but which communicates
Body outlet side flow hole 3 and the normally closed fluid pressure drive type valve
Fluid outlets 7 that communicate with the outlet side flow holes 5
And is inserted in a pipe line that communicates between the drive fluid supply port 20 and the drive device 8 of the always-open fluid pressure drive type valve 1,
Check valve 15 that allows fluid to flow to the drive unit 8
And a drive device 8 for the normally open fluid pressure driven valve 1
When the normally closed type fluid pressure driving type flow trimmer resistor 14 provided in the conduit communicating between drive 11 of the valve 4, the normally
A fluid for driving from the drive fluid supply port 20 to the drive device 11 is inserted in a pipe line that communicates between the fluid outlet of the drive device 11 of the time-closed fluid pressure driven valve 4 and the drive fluid supply port 20. The check valve 16 for blocking the circulation of the valve 21 is the basic configuration of the invention.

[0008]

By supplying the working fluid 21, first, the driving device 8 of the valve 1 is actuated to close the valve 1,
After that, the working fluid 21 is supplied to the driving device 11 of the valve 4 through the flow rate adjustment facing member 14, and the valve 4 is opened. As a result, the fluid flowing out from the fluid outlet 7 becomes the fluid G.
Switching from ₁ to fluid G ₂ . Also, from this state,
Driving fluid 2 in the operation conduit from the driving fluid supply port 20 side
By discharging 1, first, the drive device 11 for the valve 4
The driving fluid 21 therein is discharged and the valve 4 is closed. After that, the working fluid 21 in the drive device 8 of the valve 1 is continuously discharged through the adjusting resistor 14, and the valve 1 is opened. As a result, the outflow fluid discharged from the fluid outlet 7 is switched from the fluid G ₂ to the fluid G ₁ .

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a first fluid switching device according to the present invention.
1 shows a basic configuration of the embodiment, FIG. 1 shows a case where a drive fluid is supplied to perform a switching operation, and FIG. 2 shows a case where the drive fluid is removed and returned to an initial state. Is. 1 and 2, 1 and 4 are fluid pressure driven metal diaphragm type valves, the former valve 1 is a normally open (normally open) type, and the latter valve 4 is a normally closed (normally closed) type. It is formed in each mold.

Further, in FIGS. 1 and 2, 2 and 3 are fluid passage holes of the valve 1, 5 and 6 are fluid passage holes of the valve 4,
7 is a fluid outlet, 8 and 11 are driving devices, 9 and 10 are driving fluid inlets and outlets of the driving device 8, 12 and 13 are driving fluid inlets and outlets of the driving device 11, and 15 and 16 are non-returns. A valve, 14 is an adjusting resistor, 17/18/19 is a driving fluid conduit, 20 is a driving fluid supply port, 21 is a driving fluid, 22 is a three-way solenoid valve, and 23 is a driving fluid supply source. . A cylinder type drive unit, a diaphragm type drive unit, a bellows type drive unit, a rotary type drive unit or the like is used as the drive unit 8/11, and an orifice or a fine flow rate control valve or the like is used as the flow rate adjusting resistor. Used.

In the fluid pressure driven valves 1 and 4, a diaphragm made of a thin metal plate such as stainless steel is used as a valve body, and the fluid passage is opened and closed by directly contacting and separating the diaphragm. It is a metal diaphragm valve,
It is known.

The valve 1 is of a so-called normally open type, and when the pressure of the driving fluid 21 is not applied to the driving device (driving cylinder) 8, the valve element is caused by spring elasticity. Is separated from the valve seat,
The fluid passage is opened. When the pressure of the driving fluid 21 is applied, the valve body is pressed against the valve seat side against the elastic force of the spring, and the fluid passage is closed.

On the other hand, the valve 4 is of a so-called normally closed type, and when the pressure of the drive fluid 21 is not applied to the drive device (drive cylinder) 11, the elastic force of the spring is applied. Causes the valve body to be pressed against the valve seat to close the fluid passage, and conversely, when the pressure of the driving fluid 21 is applied, the valve body is separated from the valve seat against the elastic force of the spring, and the fluid passage is opened. It In this embodiment, independent single valves are used as the valve 1 and the valve 4, but the valve bodies of both valves 1 and 4 may be so-called block valves in which a common member (block body) is formed. Of course.

The adjusting resistor (orifice) 14 is for adjusting the flow rate of the driving fluid 21 and the operating time difference between the valve 1 and the valve 4, and a known slit type orifice or needle valve is a resistor. It is used as the body 14.

The check valves 15 and 16 may have any structure, and the drive fluid 21 is supplied with the drive fluid 21 when the drive fluid 21 is supplied or when the drive fluid 21 is discharged.
→ check valve 15 → inlet 9 of drive device 8 → outlet 10 → resistor 14 → inlet 12 of drive device 11 → outlet 13 → check valve 16
Drive fluid passages 17, 18 and 19 which flow in the order of are formed.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described. Referring to FIG. 1, first, in a steady state, the valve 1 is in the open state and the valve 4 is in the closed state, and the fluid G ₁ flowing from the fluid inlet 24 flows out from the fluid outlet 7. In this state, the three-way solenoid valve 22 is operated, and the driving fluid 21 (for example, air) is supplied from the fluid supply source 23 through the driving fluid supply port 20.
Is supplied, the check valve 15 is opened by the fluid pressure, and the valve 1 is opened by the fluid pressure supplied through the conduit 17.
The driving device 8 is activated and the valve 1 is closed.

The air discharged from the fluid outlet 10 of the drive unit 8 continues to have a conduit 18 through which an adjusting resistor 14 is inserted.
Is supplied to the inside of the drive unit 11 of the valve 4 through the passage, and the valve 4 is opened after a lapse of a predetermined time from the operation of the valve 1, and the fluid passage is opened. As a result, the connection between the fluid inlet 24 and the fluid outlet 7 is blocked and the fluid inlet 25
And the fluid outlet 7 are circulated, and the fluid G ₁ is switched to the fluid G ₂ .

The time difference between the closing of the valve 1 and the opening of the valve 4 is arbitrarily set by adjusting the inflow amount of the driving fluid 21 into the driving device 11 by the adjusting resistor 14. be able to. As a result, the supply of the driving fluid 21 is turned on by the open / close type three-way solenoid valve 22.
Only by performing the OFF control, it is possible to open the other valve 4 after completely closing the one valve 1 and to completely eliminate the inconvenience that both fluid inlets 24 and 25 and the fluid outlet 7 are communicated at the same time. Can be removed.

Next, in the state where the fluid G ₁ is switched to the fluid G ₂ , the three-way switching valve 22 is operated to the position shown in FIG. 2 and the driving fluid 21 in the pipe 19 is discharged. The fluid pressure in the drive device 11 of the valve 4 is released first through the line 19, and the valve 4 is switched from open to closed. On the other hand, the fluid pressure in the drive device 8 of the valve 1 is limited by the adjusting resistor 14. As a result, the return of the drive device 8 to the initial state is delayed, and the opening of the valve 1 is delayed from the closing of the valve 4 by a predetermined time. As a result, the switching device is returned to the initial state, and in the meantime, both fluid inlets 2
It is possible to completely prevent 4 and 25 from flowing simultaneously with the fluid outlet 7. The time difference between the closing of the valve 4 and the opening of the valve 1 can be arbitrarily set by adjusting the adjusting resistor 14.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the second and third embodiments of the present invention in which one or both fluid inlets are provided in plural. In FIG. 3, the valve 1
After the valve is closed, the valve 4a and the valve 4b are opened to prevent the fluid outlet 7 and the respective fluid inlets 24, 25a and 25b from being in the communicating state at the same time.

Similarly, in FIG. 4, after the valves 1a and 1b are closed, the valves 4a and 4b are closed.
Are opened, the fluid outlet 7 and the respective fluid inlets 24a, 24b,
It is prevented that 25a and 25b are in the communication state at the same time.

[0022]

According to the present invention, one valve 1 constituting the fluid switching device is a normally open type and the other valve 4 is a normally closed type, and a drive device 8 for both valves 1 and 4 is provided. , 11 for inserting the adjusting resistor 14 so that the drive fluid 21 for the valves 1, 4 is supplied from the drive fluid supply port 20 to the check valve 15, the drive device 8, the adjusting resistor 14, the drive device 11 In order to make the operation of both drive devices 8 and 11 have a time difference, and to discharge the drive fluid 21 in both drive devices 8 and 11 to the drive fluid supply port 20 side through the check valve 16, It is configured such that there is a time lag in the return operation of both drive devices 8 and 11 to the initial state. As a result, the pair of fluid pressure driven valves 1 and 2 forming the fluid switching device are never opened at the same time, and there is no inconvenience that a mixture of the different fluids G ₁ and G ₂ flows out to the fluid outlet 7. Becomes

Further, the supply and exhaust of the driving fluid 21 need only be a so-called ON-OFF operation of the ordinary three-way solenoid valve 22, and a solenoid valve having a particularly complicated mechanism is required. There is no. As a result, the structure of the fluid switching device can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced.

Further, even the existing fluid switching device can be made into the fluid switching device of the present invention by repairing only the actuator side while leaving the valve body side as it is, which is extremely convenient.

In addition, the present invention can be easily applied to a fluid switching device having two or more fluid inlets by increasing the combination of two check valves and one adjusting resistor. It is possible and has excellent practical utility.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram showing a driving fluid supply state according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a basic configuration diagram showing a driving fluid removal time according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a system diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a system diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a conventional fluid switching device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a fluid (gas) switching device in a conventional semiconductor manufacturing gas supply facility.

[Simple explanation of symbols]

1 is a normally open type fluid pressure driven valve, 2 and 3 are flow holes,
4 is a normally closed fluid pressure driven valve, 5 and 6 are flow holes,
7 is a fluid outlet, 8 and 11 are driving devices, 9 is a driving fluid inlet, 10 is a driving fluid outlet, 12 is a driving fluid inlet, 1
3 is a drive fluid outlet, 14 is an adjusting resistor, 15 and 16
Is a check valve, 17/18/19 is a drive fluid line, 20 is a drive fluid supply port, 21 is a drive fluid, 22 is a three-way solenoid valve, 23 is a drive fluid supply source, and 24/25 are fluids. entrance.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F16K 31/12-31/165 F16K 31/36-31/42 F16K 11/00-11/24 F16K 51 / 00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] _1. A fluid inlet (24) for _one fluid (G ₁ ).
At least one normally open fluid pressure driven valve (1) in which the fluid inlet side communication hole (2) is in communication, and the other fluid
(G ₂ ) Fluid inlet (25) Fluid inlet side flow hole (6)
At least one normally closed fluid pressure driven valve (4) in communication with each other, and the always open fluid pressure driven valve (4)
(1) Fluid outlet side flow hole (3) and the normally closed flow
A fluid outlet (7) communicating with the fluid outlet side flow hole (5) of the body pressure driven valve (4 ) and a drive fluid supply port (2)
0) and a drive device (8) of the normally open fluid pressure drive type valve (1) are inserted in a pipe line which communicates with each other, and a check valve (15) which allows fluid to flow to the drive device (8). ) And the drive device (8) for the normally open type fluid pressure driven valve (1) and the drive device (11) for the normally closed type fluid pressure driven valve (4), the flow rate adjustment being provided in a pipeline. Resistor (14) and the normally closed fluid pressure driven valve (4)
Of the drive fluid (21) from the drive fluid supply port (20) to the drive device (11), which is inserted in a pipe line communicating between the drive device (11) and the drive fluid supply port (20). A fluid switching device comprising a check valve (16) for blocking flow. 2. The fluid according to claim 1, wherein the valve bodies of the normally open fluid pressure driven valve (1) and the normally closed fluid pressure driven valve (4) are formed integrally with the block body. Switching device.