JP7372075B2 - Connecting member - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a member for connecting fluid equipment, piping, etc. to other fluid equipment, piping, etc., and particularly to a connecting member (also referred to as a clamp) that surrounds and tightens the member to be connected.

In semiconductor processes, various chemical solutions are used for applying resist to wafers, cleaning wafers, and the like. The semiconductor device manufacturing line includes piping equipment such as tubes, fittings, valves, and pumps that handle these chemical solutions. Characteristics of this piping equipment include that all parts that come into direct contact with the chemical solution are made of fluororesin, and that maintenance such as cleaning is relatively frequent. The purpose of the former is to prevent crystal defects in semiconductors and deterioration of electrical characteristics due to metal contamination, and the purpose of the latter is to prevent poor processing of wiring due to fine particles and abnormalities in film formation due to organic substances. Based on these characteristics, this piping equipment is required to have high sealing performance as well as ease of assembly and disassembly.

For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose that a connecting member is used to connect fluid devices such as valves, sensors, and pumps. A "connecting member (or clamp)" refers to a member that surrounds a member to be connected and tightens it mainly in the axial direction. A member to be connected means a connection between an inlet or an outlet of a fluid device, or a pipe (hereinafter abbreviated as “fluid device, etc.”) and another fluid device, etc. The connecting member generally has a ring shape that can be opened and closed, and the member to be connected, which is housed inside the connecting member, is tightened and fixed from the periphery. Fixing with a connecting member is easier to assemble and disassemble than fixing with screws.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-091482 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-180816

Some of the chemical solutions used in semiconductor processes are high temperature ones (approximately 200 degrees Celsius), such as those for wafer cleaning and those for film etching. When such high-temperature chemical liquids are transported, the piping equipment receives a large amount of heat from the chemical liquids during transportation, and is naturally cooled while transportation is stopped. By repeating these steps, each part of the piping equipment undergoes repeated thermal expansion and thermal contraction. As a result, permanent deformation tends to occur in fluororesin members. If permanent deformation occurs in the structure that maintains the annular shape of the connecting member, the tightening force for the connection between fluid devices, etc. may weaken, and the sealing performance of the connection may deteriorate.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and in particular to maintain the sealing performance of connections between fluid devices, etc. even under conditions where permanent distortion occurs due to repeated thermal expansion and contraction. The purpose of this invention is to provide a connecting member that can be used.

A connecting member in one aspect of the present invention is a member that surrounds and tightens a member to be connected that carries a fluid having a temperature higher than room temperature, and includes a first member, a second member, and an engagement structure. The first member and the second member are two members that can be displaced between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, they form an annular shape and tighten in the axial direction with the member to be connected sandwiched between them, and in the open position, they are tightened in the axial direction. The annulus is opened to allow the parts to be connected to be removed. The engagement structures are installed at the ends of the first member and the second member in the circumferential direction of the annular shape, and engage with each other when the first member and the second member are in the closed position. The engagement structure is arranged in a region apart from both edges of the first member and both edges of the second member in the axial direction of the annular shape.

The engagement structure may include a frame portion and a convex portion. The frame portion is annular and is provided at an end of the first member in the circumferential direction of the annular shape formed by the first member and the second member. The convex portion protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the end of the second member in the circumferential direction of the annular shape, and is surrounded by the frame portion when the first member and the second member are in the closed position.

The engagement structure may include a first hook portion and a second hook portion. The first hook portion is provided at the end of the first member in the circumferential direction of the annular shape. The second hook portion is provided at the end of the second member in the circumferential direction of the annular shape, and is hooked on the first hook portion when the first member and the second member are in the closed position.

The above-mentioned connecting member according to the present invention has a member to be connected sandwiched between its annular inner sides. Thermal distortion of the connecting members due to heat from the hot fluid flowing through these members is most significant in the axial direction of the annulus. As a result, permanent strain due to repeated thermal expansion and contraction tends to appear at both edges of the annular shape in the axial direction. On the other hand, this connecting member includes an engagement structure in a region away from both edges in the axial direction of the annular shape. Therefore, the engagement structure is less susceptible to permanent deformation. In this way, this connecting member can maintain the sealing performance of the connections between fluid devices and the like even under conditions where permanent deformation occurs due to repeated thermal expansion and contraction.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the straight line II-II shown in FIG. 1; 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the straight line III-III shown in FIG. 1. FIG. (a) is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the connecting member in the closed position, and (b) is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the connecting member in the open position. (a), (b) is a perspective view which shows the work of assembling the connection part between fluidic devices etc. with a tool. (c) and (d) are perspective views showing the work of enclosing and tightening the connecting portion with a connecting member. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing thermal distortion appearing on the surface portion of the connecting member. It is a perspective view showing the appearance of a modification of a connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a connecting member 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The connecting member 100 is, for example, a cylindrical member made of thermoplastic resin, and surrounds a connecting portion 200 that connects fluid devices and the like. Thermoplastic resins include fluororesins such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
[Connection part]

2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the straight line II-II shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the straight line III-III shown in FIG. FIG. 5A is an exploded view of a connection section 200 between fluid devices and the like. As these figures show, the connection section 200 includes a pair of flange joints 210, 220 and a gasket 230. The flange joints 210 and 220 are, for example, cylindrical members made of fluororesin, and have proximal ends 211 and 221 in the axial direction connected to fluid equipment, etc., and distal ends 212 and 222 facing each other with a gasket 230 in between. ing. The gasket 230 is, for example, an annular member made of fluororesin, and is arranged coaxially with the flange joints 210 and 220. Thereby, the space surrounded by the flange joints 210, 220 and the gasket 230 is used as a passage through which fluids such as chemical solutions and ultrapure water flow.

Flanges 213 and 223 protrude in the radial direction from the tip portions 212 and 222 of the flange joints 210 and 220, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, annular grooves 214, 224 are provided on the tip surfaces of the flanges 213, 223, and slopes 215, 225 are provided on the ends of the inner circumferential surfaces in the axial direction. On the other hand, annular projections 231 and 232 protrude in the axial direction from each end surface of the gasket 230 in the axial direction. These protrusions 231 and 232 are inserted into the grooves 214 and 224 of the flanges 213 and 223 when the flange joints 210 and 220 and the gasket 230 are connected. Since the inner diameter of the protrusions 231, 232 is slightly smaller than the radius of the radially inner surface of the grooves 214, 224, the flanges 213, 223 are installed in the grooves 214, 224 by press fitting. Due to this press-fitting, the inner circumferential surfaces of the protrusions 231, 232 are brought into close contact with the radially inner surfaces of the grooves 214, 224, thereby creating a fluid-tight seal between the protrusions 231, 232 and the grooves 214, 224. Slopes 233 and 234 are provided on the edges of the gasket 230, and are in close contact with the slopes 215 and 225 of the flanges 213 and 223 as a whole. Thereby, these slopes 215, 225, 233, and 234 are also sealed liquid-tightly.
[Connection member]

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the connecting member 100. The connecting member 100 includes a first member 110 and a second member 120. Both the first member 110 and the second member 120 have a semicircular shape, and base ends 111 and 121 in the circumferential direction are connected to each other by a hinge. In the hinge, a shaft 123 that protrudes in the axial direction from the proximal end 121 of the second member 120 is arranged in an axial hole 113 passing through the proximal end 111 of the first member 110 . As a result, the distal end 112 of the first member 110 and the distal end 122 of the second member 120 rotate around the axis 123 of the hinge, and the closed position (see (a) of FIG. 4) and the open position (see FIG. 4) are rotated. (see (b)). When the distal ends 112 and 122 are in the closed position, the first member 110 and the second member 120 are engaged to form a ring. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a connecting portion 200 is sandwiched inside this annular shape. A groove 101 extending in the circumferential direction is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting member 100. When the flanges 213 and 223 of the flange joints 210 and 220 are integrated with the gasket 230, they fit exactly into the groove 101 of the connecting member 100. When the tips 112 and 122 are in the open position, that is, in the open state, the first member 110 and the second member 120 open into an annular shape and change into a substantially W-shape, as shown in FIG. 4(b). do. This allows the connecting member 100 to be removed from the connecting portion 200.

The connecting member 100 includes a frame portion 131 and a convex portion 132 as a pair of engagement structures. When the distal end portion 112 of the first member 110 and the distal end portion 122 of the second member 120 are displaced to the closed position, the frame portion 131 engages with the convex portion 132. This prevents movement of the first member 110 and the second member 120 along the circumferential direction of the annular shape (hereinafter abbreviated as "annular shape") formed by the first member 110 and the second member 120. As shown in FIG. 4B, the frame portion 131 is a rectangular annular portion provided at the tip portion 112 of the first member 110, and the convex portion 132 is the outer periphery of the tip portion 122 of the second member 120. It is a rectangular area that protrudes from the surface in the radial direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the convex portion 132 includes a first slope 133 and a second slope 134 that form a mountain shape along the circumferential direction of the annular shape. The first slope 133 is inclined so that the farther it is from the tip of the second member 120, the further away it is from the annular center CNT. The second slope 134 is inclined so that the farther it gets from the top of the first slope 133, the closer it gets to the annular center CNT. Both the first slope 133 and the second slope 134 may have a constant slope or may change smoothly. When the distal end portion 112 of the first member 110 and the distal end portion 122 of the second member 120 are displaced from the open position to the closed position, the distal end portion 135 of the frame portion 131 climbs over the first slope 133 and slides down the second slope 134. In this way, when the distal end portion 112 of the first member 110 and the distal end portion 122 of the second member 120 reach the closed position, the convex portion 132 is surrounded by the frame portion 131, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4(a). As shown in FIG. 3, the tip 135 of the frame 131 is caught on the hem of the second slope 134. In this way, the distal end portion 135 of the frame portion 131 is prevented from moving in the circumferential direction again and removed from the frame portion 131, that is, the distal end portion 112 of the first member 110 and the distal end portion 122 of the second member 120 are prevented from returning to the open position. It will be done.
[Assembling the connection part and tightening with the connecting member]

(a) and (b) of FIG. 5 are perspective views showing the work of assembling the connection part 200 between fluid devices etc. using tools 310 and 320, and (c) and (d) are perspective views showing the work of assembling the connection part 200 between fluid devices etc. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the work of enclosing and tightening the member 100. The pair of tools 310 and 320 are rod-like members with U-shaped tips. The worker holds the proximal ends 211, 221 of the flange joints 210, 220 with the U-shaped parts of the tools 310, 320, as shown in FIG. A gasket 230 is inserted. In this state, the worker operates the tools 310 and 320 to narrow the gap between the flanges 213 and 223, as shown in FIG. If the two tools are combined like this, the worker operates the two tools 310 and 320 as if closing pliers). As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the protrusions 231 and 232 of the gasket 230 are press-fitted into the grooves 214 and 224 of the flange joints 210 and 220. The connecting portion 200 assembled in this way is housed in the connecting member 100 in an open state, as shown in FIG. 5(c). The operator then closes the connecting member 100, fits the flanges 213 and 223 integrated with the gasket 230 into the groove 101 on the inner circumferential surface, and tightens them in the axial direction, as shown in FIG. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5(d), the frame portion 131 engages with the convex portion 132. That is, the frame portion 131 surrounds the convex portion 132, and the tip portion 135 of the frame portion 131 is caught on the hem of the second slope 134 of the convex portion 132. As a result, the connecting member 100 is fixed in a closed state, and the connection portion 200 is maintained tightened.
[Thermal distortion of connecting members]

FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing thermal strain appearing on the surface portion of the connecting member 100. While the hot fluid flows through the connecting portion 200, heat is transferred from the fluid to the connecting member 100. This heat causes the overall temperature of the connecting member 100 to rise. As a result of thermal expansion of each part of the connecting member 100 as a result of this temperature rise, thermal strain appears on the surface of the connecting member 100. The arrows in FIG. 6 roughly represent the direction and magnitude of thermal strain. As these arrows indicate, the thermal strain of the connecting member 100 is greater at both edges 102 and 103 in the axial direction (Y-axis direction in FIG. 6) than at the outer circumferential surface 102. This is due to the following reason. As the connecting member 100 thermally expands, the outer diameter of the outer circumferential surface 102 increases, and the distance between the edges 103 and 104 in the axial direction (Y-axis direction) increases. Although the coupling member 100 has the same coefficient of thermal expansion in the radial direction and the axial direction, the axial width is larger than the radial thickness, so the thermal strain is larger in the axial direction than in the radial direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, while there is a gap 105 in the radial direction between the flanges 213, 223 and the connecting member 100, there is no gap in the axial direction. The thermal strain of the connecting member 100 is greater in the axial direction than in the radial direction, depending on whether the thermal strain is absorbed by the gap or not.

While the high temperature fluid flows through the connection part 200, the connection member 100 expands in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, and when the fluid finishes passing through the connection part 200, the connection member 100 naturally cools and contracts. do. When thermal expansion and contraction are repeated, a permanent strain appears in the connecting member 100, that is, a thermal strain that does not return to its original state even after cooling. The permanent strain of the connecting member 100 is also larger at both edges 103 and 104 in the axial direction (Y-axis direction) than at the outer peripheral surface 102.

Permanent distortion of the connecting member 100 does not affect the frame portion 131 and the convex portion 132. This is because, as shown in FIG. 6, both the frame portion 131 and the convex portion 132 are installed a predetermined distance LSP from both edges 103 and 104 of the connecting member 100 in the axial direction (Y-axis direction). Because there is. Since the distance LSP exists between the edges 103 and 104 where the thermal strain is large, the thermal strain that appears on the frame portion 131 and the convex portion 132 is sufficiently small. Permanent distortion is unlikely to occur. That is, regardless of the permanent distortion that appears on both edges of the connecting member 100, the frame portion 131 continues to be reliably caught on the convex portion 132.
[Advantages of embodiment]

In the connecting member 100 according to the above-described embodiments of the invention, thermal distortion due to heat from the hot fluid flowing within the connection portion 200 is most significant in the axial direction of the annular shape. As a result, permanent strain due to repeated thermal expansion and contraction tends to appear on both edges 103 and 104 of the annular shape in the axial direction. However, in the connecting member 100, the frame portion 131 and the convex portion 132, which are the engagement structures, are separated by a distance LSP from both edges 103 and 104 in the axial direction of the annular shape. Due to the existence of this distance LSP, the engagement structures 131, 132 are less susceptible to permanent deformation. In this way, the connecting member 100 can continue to tighten the connecting portion 200 sufficiently strongly in the axial direction and maintain its sealing performance even under a situation where permanent distortion occurs due to repeated thermal expansion and contraction.
[Modified example]

(1) The overall shape of the connecting member 100 and the shapes of each part shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 are merely examples. For example, as long as the connecting member has an annular shape, the cross section may be polygonal instead of circular. The circumferences of the frame portion 131 and the convex portion 132 are not limited to rectangular shapes, and may have curved shapes.

(2) The engagement structure is not limited to the combination of the frame portion 131 and the convex portion 132. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a connecting member 300 with another engagement structure. The first member 310 includes a first hook portion 331 at a distal end portion 312 in the circumferential direction, instead of the frame portion 131. The second member 320 includes a second hook portion 332 at a distal end portion 322 in the circumferential direction in place of the convex portion 132. The first hook portion 331 is a portion having a hook-shaped cross section perpendicular to the axial direction, and extends in the axial direction over the entire width on the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion 312 of the first member 310. The second hook part 332 is a plate-like member with a rectangular plate surface, and one end in the longitudinal direction is connected to the central part in the axial direction of the outer peripheral surface of the tip part 322 of the second member 320, and the other The end extends longer than the tip 322 of the second member 320 in the circumferential direction. The tip of the other end is hook-shaped, and when the tip 312 of the first member 310 and the tip 322 of the second member 320 are displaced to the closed position, the tip is hooked on the central portion of the first hook 331 in the axial direction. It is located in In this way, the second hook portion 332 is caught on the first hook portion 331, thereby preventing the distal end portion 312 of the first member 310 and the distal end portion 322 of the second member 320 from returning to the open position.

Permanent distortion of the connecting member 300 does not affect the first hook portion 331 and the second hook portion 332. This is because, as shown in FIG. 7, the second hook portion 332 is separated from both edges of the connecting member 300 in the axial direction by a distance LSQ. Due to the existence of this distance LSQ, only a sufficiently small thermal strain appears not only in the second hook part 332 but also in the central part of the first hook part 331 that contacts the second hook part 332, so that the first hook part 331 and the second hook portion 332 are unlikely to suffer permanent deformation. That is, the second hook portion 332 continues to be reliably caught on the first hook portion 331 regardless of the permanent distortion that appears on both edges of the connecting member 300. In this way, the connecting member 300 can continue to tighten the connecting portion 200 sufficiently strongly in the axial direction to maintain its sealing performance.

100 Connecting member 110 First member 111 Proximal end of first member 112 Distal end of first member 120 Second member 121 Proximal end of second member 122 Distal end of second member 131 Frame of first member 132 Convex portion of two members 200 Connection portion 210, 220 Flange joint 230 Gasket

Claims (2)

It is movable between a closed position and an open position, and in the closed position, it forms an annular shape and clamps the flange of the flange joint to be connected in the axial direction, and in the open position, the annular shape is opened and the flange to be connected is tightened in the axial direction. A first member and a second member made of thermoplastic resin that enable the joint to be removed;
an annular frame integrally formed with an end of the first member in the circumferential direction of the annular shape, and a second a protrusion integrally formed at an end of the member , and an engagement structure that causes the frame to surround and catch the protrusion when the first member and the second member are in the closed position. Prepare,
A groove extending in the circumferential direction of the annular shape is provided in a central portion of the inner circumferential surface of the first member and in a central portion of the inner circumferential surface of the second member in the axial direction of the annular shape. in the direction, the width of the groove is equal to the width from one outer end to the other outer end of the opposing flanges;
The frame portion and the convex portion are arranged in a region farther from both edges of the first member and both edges of the second member in the axial direction of the annular shape than the groove. Connecting member. It is movable between a closed position and an open position, and in the closed position it forms an annular shape and clamps the flange of the flange joint to be connected in the axial direction, and in the open position it opens the annular shape and tightens the flange of the flange joint to be connected. a first member and a second member made of thermoplastic resin that are removable;
A first hook part integrally formed with an end of the first member in the circumferential direction of the annular shape, and a second hook part integrally molded with an end part of the second member in the circumferential direction of the annular shape. and an engagement structure for hooking the second hook part to the first hook part when the first member and the second member are in the closed position,
A groove extending in the circumferential direction of the annular shape is provided in a central portion of the inner circumferential surface of the first member and in a central portion of the inner circumferential surface of the second member in the axial direction of the annular shape. in the direction, the width of the groove is equal to the width from one outer end to the other outer end of the opposing flanges;
The portion where the first hook portion and the second hook portion are hooked to each other is located in a region farther from both edges of the first member and both edges of the second member in the axial direction of the annular shape than the groove. A connecting member characterized in that:

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