JP4437240B2 - How to attach / detach the gasket - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gasket attaching / detaching method used for interposing a gasket held by a retainer between two joint members.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A gasket having first and second joint members, an annular gasket interposed between the butted end surfaces of both joint members, and a joint member holding portion that engages with the butted end of one of the joint members A fluid coupling provided with a retainer that holds the retainer on the joint member is often used in a fluid control device for semiconductor manufacturing. However, when the gasket held on the retainer is attached to or detached from the joint member, It was usually done by hand, and the gasket attaching / detaching tool was not known at all.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The fluid control device for semiconductor manufacturing is required to have extremely strict cleanliness, and it is necessary to suppress generation of fine particles due to rubbing between the gasket and the joint member as much as possible when the gasket is attached and detached. On the other hand, this type of fluid control device is made compact by integrating various control devices, and when attaching and detaching the gasket to and from the joint member, it is necessary to work in a narrow place, and it is done manually. In this case, in addition to the poor workability, there was a limit in suppressing the rubbing between the gasket and the joint member.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to improve the workability when a gasket is interposed between two joint members by using a gasket attachment / detachment tool , and also improve the cleanliness of a fluid coupling constituted by the gasket and the joint member. to provide a gasket removably method.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention]
Gasket detachable method according to the invention includes first and second coupling member and the outer near Brighter retainer accommodating recesses gasket housing concavity and the gasket housing concavity is provided on the abutting end faces respectively, both fitting Yes and Ruga gasket is interposed between the abutting end faces of the member, the joint member holding portion engaged with butt ends of the gasket holding portion and one of the joint members for holding the outer peripheral surface of the gasket (12) A gasket attachment / detachment method for assembling a fluid coupling comprising a retainer attached / detached to / from the joint member while holding the gasket , wherein the gasket attachment / detachment tool uses a pair of plate-like It is formed by joining the base end parts and intersecting at the middle part of the member, and holding both plate-like members close to the base end part It is formed by a leaf spring part (81) made so that the distance between the tip parts of both plate-like members is widened, and a pair of semi-cylindrical members provided so as to face each other at the tip parts of each plate-like member, Each semi-cylindrical member is made up of a holding portion configured to hold the retainer holding the gasket when the semi-cylindrical members come close to each other. Each semi-cylindrical member includes a peripheral wall applied to the outer peripheral surface of the retainer from the outside, And a top wall that prevents the retainer from moving in the axial direction, and when using the gasket detachable tool, the retainer holding the gasket is fitted into the holder of the detachable tool, Installing pressing the retaining portion to the end portion of the joint member, and is characterized in Rukoto abut the gasket to the bottom surface of the gasket housing concavity.
[0006]
According to the gasket attaching / detaching method of the present invention, the gap between the tip portions of the two plate-like members is widened by holding the gasket close to the base end portions of the two plate-like members with fingers so that the gasket is held. When the holding portion is positioned so as to surround the retainer from the outside and the finger force is removed, the distance between the tip portions of the two plate-like members is narrowed, and accordingly, the semicylindrical members approach each other. Thereby, the retainer holding the gasket is held by the holding portion. In this state, when the holding portion of the gasket attaching / detaching tool is pressed against the end portion of the joint member, the joint member holding portion of the retainer is engaged with the end portion of the joint member. Here, again, the gap between the tips of the two plate-like members is widened by pressing the fingers near the base ends of the two plate-like members so that the two plate-like members approach each other. Separated from the part. Thereby, the retainer holding the gasket can be held by one joint member. It is also possible to pull out the retainer holding the gasket from the joint member by holding the retainer held by one joint member in the holding portion and separating the gasket attachment / detachment tool from the end of the joint member. .
[0007]
The above-mentioned gasket attaching / detaching operation is simple and can be easily performed in a narrow place, so that the workability when the gasket is interposed between the two joint members is improved and the gasket and the retainer need not be touched by hand. The cleanliness of the fluid coupling is also improved.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0009]
5 to 7 show a fluid control apparatus in which the gasket attaching / detaching method of the present invention is used.
[0010]
The fluid control device shown in FIG. 5 includes a fluid inflow portion (1), a first on-off valve (2), a mass flow controller (regulator) (3), a second on-off valve (4), and a fluid outflow portion (in order from the left). 5). The first on-off valve (2) opens and closes the block-shaped body (6) having an inflow passage (42) opened leftward and an outflow passage (50) opened rightward, and both flow passages (42) (50). It consists of an actuator (7). Similarly, the second on-off valve (4) includes a block-shaped body (8) having an inflow passage (53) opened leftward and an outflow passage (48) opened rightward, and both flow passages (53) (48). It consists of an actuator (9) that opens and closes.
[0011]
Left and right upper passage blocks (10) and (11) are provided on the lower ends of the left and right side surfaces of the adjuster (3) so as to protrude left and right. The upper left passage block (10) is provided with an inflow passage (51) that communicates with the inflow passage (not shown) of the regulator (3) and opens downward. The upper right passage block (11) An outflow path (54) communicating with the outflow path (not shown) of the regulator (3) and opening downward is provided. Although not shown, the adjuster (3) and the left and right upper passage blocks (10) (11) are fixed by screws screwed from the side.
[0012]
The left and right lower passage blocks (12) and (13) are provided below the left and right upper passage blocks (10) and (11), respectively, and the main body of the first on-off valve (2) is provided on the left surface of the lower left passage block (12). The right surface of (6) is in contact with the left surface of the main body (8) of the second on-off valve (4) on the right surface of the lower right passage block (13).
[0013]
The lower left passage block (12) has an inflow communicating with an outflow passage (50) opened to the right of the first on-off valve (2) and an inflow passage (51) opened downward in the upper left passage block (10). A passage (49) is provided, and the lower right passage block (13) has an outflow passage (54) opened downward and an inflow opening leftward of the second on-off valve (4). An outflow channel (52) communicating with the channel (53) is formed.
[0014]
The main body (6) of the first on-off valve (2) and the lower left passage block (12) are connected by a screw (22) screwed in from the right side of the lower left passage block (12). Similarly, the main body (8) of the second on-off valve (4) and the lower right passage block (13) are connected by a screw (22) screwed in from the left of the lower right passage block (13). Yes. Further, the left and right upper passage blocks (10) and (11) and the left and right lower passage blocks (12) and (13) are connected by screws (23) screwed from above the left and right upper passage blocks (10) and (11), respectively. Has been.
[0015]
Between the main body (6) of the first on-off valve (2) and the lower left passage block (12), between the main body (8) of the second on-off valve (4) and the lower right passage block (13), left and right Between the upper passage block (10) (11) and the left and right lower passage blocks (12) (13) and between the regulator (3) and the left and right upper passage blocks (10) (11), fluid couplings are respectively provided. (27) is provided.
[0016]
Referring to FIG. 6, the fluid provided between the upper left passage block (hereinafter referred to as the first joint member) (10) and the lower left passage block (hereinafter referred to as the second joint member) (12). The joint (27) will be described.
[0017]
The fluid coupling (27) includes a first coupling member (10) having a first channel (51) and a second coupling member (2) having a second channel (49) communicating with the first channel (51). 12) are fluid-tightly connected to each other, and the joint end faces of both joint members (10) and (12) formed in a shape to be described later, and the joints of both joint members (10) and (12) An annular gasket (32) interposed between the end faces, and a retainer holding the outer peripheral surface of the gasket (32) and holding the gasket (32) on the second joint member (12) in the illustrated example (33) and screw means for connecting the joint members (10) and (12).
[0018]
On the butted end faces of the first joint member (10) and the second joint member (12), there are gasket housing recesses (34) and (35) recessed about half the thickness of the gasket (32), and gasket housing recesses ( An annular retainer receiving recess (36) (37) is provided on the outside of (34) and (35) and deeper than this. Gasket pressing annular projections (38) and (39) are provided at substantially the center in the radial direction of the bottom surface of each gasket housing recess (34) and (35). These gasket storage recesses (34) and (35), retainer storage recesses (36) and (37), and gasket pressing annular projections (38) and (39) are formed by the first joint member (10) and the second joint member ( 12) and the same shape.
[0019]
The gasket (32) is made of stainless steel and has an inner diameter equal to the diameter of the flow path (51) (49) of both joint members (10) (12), and has a smaller diameter portion (61) and an outer diameter larger than this. And a large-diameter portion (62) having a large diameter.
[0020]
The retainer (33) is integrally formed of a stainless steel plate. As shown in detail in FIG. 7, the retainer (33) is a gasket for holding the annular portion (71) as a skeleton and the outer peripheral surface of the gasket (32). A holding portion (72), a joint member holding portion (73) for holding the end portions of the joint members (10) and (12), and a handle portion (74) for easily grasping with a finger are provided. The annular portion (71) has an L-shaped cross section, and is not deformed in the radial direction by a force that can be held by a finger. The gasket holding portion (72) includes four gasket holding claws (72a) provided at equal intervals on the inner peripheral surface of the annular portion (71) and projecting radially inward. Each claw (72a) has a slight elasticity, the tip of each claw (72a) is bent in the axial direction, and the inner peripheral surface of this bent part (72b) is the gasket (32). The outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion (61) is pressed by an elastic force. This prevents the gasket (32) from moving in the radial direction and the axial direction in the retainer (33). When fitting the gasket (32) into the retainer (33), the large diameter portion (62) of the gasket (32) hits the gasket retaining pawl (72a) to prevent the gasket (32) from being removed. 33) will not fall off. The joint member holding portion (73) extends axially from the tips of the two inwardly projecting edge portions (71a) that are provided radially inwardly on the inner peripheral surface of the annular portion (71). It consists of two extending joint member holding claws (73a). Each joint member holding claw (73a) is larger than the gasket holding claw (72a), and is positioned between the two gasket holding claws (72a) with a slight gap between them. Each of the joint member holding claws (73a) has a slight elasticity, and the two claws (73a) have an elastic force on the outer peripheral surface of the retainer holding cylindrical portion (14) of the first joint member (10). Thus, the retainer (33) is held by the first joint member (10). The handle portion (74) is provided on the outer periphery of the annular portion (71) where the joint member holding claws (73a) are provided, and protrudes to the opposite side of the joint member holding claws (73a) in the axial direction. 2 grip claws (74a).
[0021]
According to the fluid coupling (27), the retainer (33) can be held by either the first or second coupling member (10) (12). Therefore, when assembling the fluid control device shown in FIG. (3) (6) (8) (10) (11) (12) (13) can be sequentially connected without distinguishing whether the butt end face is male or female. Further, the retainer (33) holds the retainer holding cylindrical portion (14) of the first joint member (10) with which the small diameter portion (61) of the gasket (32) is in contact, so that the first joint member ( Positioning of the gasket (32) with respect to the annular protrusion (38) for gasket pressing in (10) is performed accurately. In addition, since the large-diameter portion (62) of the gasket (32) is brought into contact with the second joint member (12), when tightening the screw (23), the space between the joint members (10) and (12) is reduced. Even when the annular protrusion (39) of the second joint member (12) is displaced with respect to the gasket (32), the gasket (32) is displaced in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction. As the area of the end face of 32) is larger, the annular protrusion (39) for holding the gasket is less likely to come off from the end face of the gasket (32), and deterioration of the sealing performance due to the shift can be prevented. Further, since the deformation of the gasket (32) when the fluid coupling (27) is tightened is absorbed by the deformation of the four gasket holding claws (72a), the coupling member holding portion (73) is not affected. The force for holding the retainer (33) on the joint member (10) does not decrease. The above effect is maintained even when the fluid coupling (27) is disassembled and reassembled, and the sealing performance at the time of reassembly is ensured.
[0022]
In the fluid control device, as can be seen from FIG. 5, there is little space for putting a hand between the mass flow controller (3) and the on-off valves (2) and (4), and the gasket (33) is attached and detached. The work is extremely difficult.
[0023]
The gasket attaching / detaching method of the present invention uses the gasket attaching / detaching tool (80) that can perform the operation of attaching / detaching the gasket (33) very easily even in such a situation. This will be described with reference to the above.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 1, the gasket attaching / detaching tool (80) includes a leaf spring portion (81) formed by joining a pair of plate-like members (81a) to the base end portions, and a leaf spring portion (81). And a holding portion (82) for holding the retainer (33) holding the gasket (32).
[0025]
The leaf spring portion (81) includes a proximal half (83) serving as a grip portion, a distal half (85) provided with a holding portion (82), and both halves (83) (85). And an intersection (84) between the two. In the proximal half (83), the distance between the two plate-like members (81a) increases as the distance from the joint at the proximal end increases. The distal half (85) is configured to exert an urging force that causes the distal ends to approach each other, and the distance between the plate-like members (81a) at the distal half (85) is the base end. An intersection (84) is interposed between both halves (83) and (85) so as to be narrower and substantially constant than the maximum interval between the side halves (83). In this way, the leaf spring portion (81) is configured such that the proximal half (83) is pressed with a finger so that the two plate-like members (81a) approach each other, thereby causing the distal half (85) of both plate-like members (81a). ) Is widened.
[0026]
The holding part (82) is formed by a pair of semi-cylindrical members (82a) provided to face each other at the tip of each plate-like member (81a).
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 2, each semi-cylindrical member (82 a) of the holding portion (82) includes a peripheral wall (86) applied from the outside to the outer peripheral surface of the retainer (33), and an upper surface of the retainer (33) from the upper side. A top wall (87) to be applied and an upper projecting portion (88) projecting upward from the top wall (87) and joined to the tip of the plate-like member (81a). Each semi-cylindrical member (82a) has a shape obtained by cutting a complete semi-cylindrical body having a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the retainer (33) by a plane parallel to the surface of which the diameter is formed, and the holding portion (82) As shown by the chain line in FIG. 2, when the distance between the two semi-cylindrical members (82a) is about 1 mm, the distance between the peripheral walls (86) of the two semi-cylindrical members (82a) is equal to the diameter. That is, the cross section is formed so as to be a circle except for the interval portion. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the distance from the lower end of the peripheral wall (86) to the lower surface of the top wall (87) is slightly smaller than the total axial length of the retainer (33).
[0028]
Both the semi-cylindrical members (82a) are urged so as to contact each other by the urging force of the leaf spring portion (81), and the interval between the both semi-cylindrical members (82a) is determined by the leaf spring portion (81). It can be adjusted by adjusting the force to hold down the proximal half (83). Then, the two semi-cylindrical members (82a) approach each other, whereby the holding portion (82) holds the retainer (33) holding the gasket (32).
[0029]
Hereinafter, the case where the gasket (32) held by the retainer (33) is attached to the second joint member (12) from above will be described as an example.
[0030]
Hold the proximal half (83) of the leaf spring part (81) with fingers so that the plate-like members (81a) of the distal half part (85) approach each other, and the semi-cylindrical members (82a) When the finger force is released after the retainer (33) holding the gasket (32) is surrounded from the outside by both semi-cylindrical members (82a), the half-cylinder is urged by the biasing force of the leaf spring (81). As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the retainer (33) holding the gasket (32) is held by the holding portion (82). In this state, when the holding portion (82) is pressed against the end of the joint member (12), the axial movement of the retainer (33) is prevented by the top wall (87) of the semi-cylindrical member (82a). 3, the joint member holding portion (73) of the retainer (33) engages with the peripheral surface of the retainer housing recess (37) of the joint member (12). Here, again, the proximal half (83) of the leaf spring part (81) is pressed with a finger so that the plate-like members (81a) of the distal half part (85) are close to each other, and is semicylindrical. The space between the members (82a) is widened, and the gasket attaching / detaching tool (80) is separated from the end of the joint member (12). Thereby, the retainer (33) holding the gasket (32) can be held by the joint member (12). Thereafter, the fluid coupling (27) as shown in FIG. 6 is obtained by placing the first coupling member (10) on the second coupling member (12) and tightening the screw (23). Further, the retainer (33) held by the second joint member (12) is held by the holding portion (82), and the gasket attaching / detaching tool (80) is separated from the end of the joint member (12). The retainer (33) holding the gasket (32) can be removed from the joint member (12).
[0031]
The end portion of the first joint member (10) and the end portion of the second joint member (12) are formed in the same shape, and the gasket (32) is first held by the first joint member (10). The fluid coupling (27) shown in FIG. 6 can also be obtained by holding the retainer (33), placing the retainer (33) on the second coupling member (12), and tightening the screw (23).
[0032]
The above-described gasket attaching / detaching operation is simple and can be easily performed in a narrow space, so that the workability when the gasket (32) is interposed between the two joint members (10) (12) is improved, and the gasket (32 ) And the retainer (33) do not have to be touched by hand, the cleanliness of the fluid coupling (27) is also improved. In addition, the said structure of a 1st joint member (10), a 2nd joint member (12), a gasket (32), and a retainer (33) is an example, and even if these structures are changed, the corresponding gasket attachment or detachment is possible. You can easily get the ingredients.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a gasket attaching / detaching tool used in a gasket attaching / detaching method according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view of a gasket attaching / detaching tool as viewed from the tip side.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a usage state of the gasket attaching / detaching tool.
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a fluid control device in which a gasket is attached / detached using the gasket attaching / detaching method according to the present invention.
6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part showing the seal part of FIG. 5 enlarged.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a gasket and a retainer constituting a seal portion.
[Explanation of symbols]
(10) First joint member
(12) Second joint member
(27) Fluid coupling
(32) Annular gasket
(33) Retainer
(34) (35) Gasket storage recess
(36) (37) Retainer storage recess
(73) Fitting member holding part
(80) Gasket removal tool
(81) Leaf spring
(81a) Plate member
(82) Holding part
(82a) Semi-cylindrical member
(86) Perimeter wall
(87) Top wall

Claims (1)

The outer near ruri retainer accommodating recesses gasket housing concavity (34) (35) and gasket housing concavity (34) (35) (36) (37) are provided on the abutting end face respectively 1 a and a second coupling member (10) (12), and both coupling members (10) are interposed between the abutting end face of (12) Ruga gasket (32), holds the outer peripheral surface of the gasket (32) The joint member (12) with the gasket holding part (72) and the joint member holding part (73) engaged with the butted end of one of the joint members (12) and holding the gasket (32) A gasket attaching / detaching method for assembling a fluid coupling (27) comprising a retainer (33) attached to and detached from
The gasket attaching / detaching tool (80) is used, and the gasket attaching / detaching tool (80) is formed by joining a pair of plate-like members (81a) to each other at the base end portions and intersecting at the middle portion thereof. A leaf spring portion (81) formed so that the distance between the tip portions of both plate-like members (81a) is widened by pressing the plate-like members (81a) close to each other near the base end portion, and each plate Formed by a pair of semi-cylindrical members (82a) provided so as to face each other at the tip of the cylindrical member (81a), and the gasket (32) is held by the two semi-cylindrical members (82a) approaching each other The retainer (33) is configured to hold the retainer (33), and each semi-cylindrical member (82a) includes a peripheral wall (86) applied to the outer peripheral surface of the retainer (33) from the outside, and the retainer A top wall (87) applied to the upper surface of (33) from above to prevent the retainer (33) from moving in the axial direction ;
When using the gasket attaching / detaching tool (80), the retainer (33) holding the gasket (32) is fitted into the holding part (82) of the attaching / detaching tool (80) to hold the attaching part (82) of the attaching / detaching tool (80). the Installing pushing the end portion of the coupling member (12), a gasket removably wherein the Rukoto abut gasket (32) on the bottom surface of the gasket housing concavity (35).

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