JPH11153268A - Connection device of special gas equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the length of a gas passage by directly connecting an upstream equipment to a downstream equipment, to sufficiently keep gas tightness between an outlet side opening of the upstream equipment and an inlet side opening of the downstream equipment, to miniaturize a connection device, and reduce the weight of the connection device. SOLUTION: Outlet side communication passage 20B-23B are opened in an outlet side contact surface of upstream gas equipment 20-23, an outlet side gasket fitting groove is formed in the vicinity of an outer circumferential part of the openings, inlet side communication passages 21A-24A are opened in an inlet side contact surface of downstream gas equipment 21-24, and an inlet side gasket fitting grove is formed in the vicinity of an outer circumferential part of the openings. The upstream gas equipment 20-23 are connected to the downstream gas equipment 21-24 to bring the outlet side contact surface into close contact with the inlet side contact surface, the outlet side openings and the inlet side openings are arranged directly opposite to each other, and a metal gasket is compressed by the outlet side gasket fitting grooves and the inlet side gasket fitting groove.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling and filtering a special gas such as a process gas for manufacturing a semiconductor by communicating the equipment with the equipment so that the special gas is transferred from an upstream device to a downstream device. The present invention relates to a connection device that allows a fluid to flow.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various special gases are used as process gases for manufacturing semiconductors, and most of them are dangerous gases having toxicity, corrosiveness and explosiveness. Therefore, equipment used for controlling and filtering special gases is made of a material having high corrosion resistance (for example, stainless steel SUS316).
Above, a strong oxide film is formed (ultra-clean processing) on the surface of the flow path through which the special gas flows, after ultra-precision polishing. The oxide film prevents gas from being released from the surface of the flow channel, and prevents gas deterioration and generation of metal ions due to adhesion of the gas to the flow channel surface. Conventionally, the connection between the equipment and the equipment and the connection between the equipment and the pipe are made by projecting a male joint from the equipment and performing the male joint and the female joint. After the clean processing, the cap nut was welded to the body of the device. However, in this case, for example, chromium carbide is precipitated on the ultra-clean processed surface due to welding heat, and the corrosion resistance is often reduced to cause corrosion.

When connecting devices to each other, a metal gasket is interposed between the devices and the like, and the metal gasket is pressurized and sealed by screwing a strong cap nut and a male screw. The cap nut and the male screw are screwed together under high load conditions.Friction between the cap nut and the male screw generates fine wear powder from the screw surface, contaminates the clean room, and causes the wear powder to Often, problems such as malfunction of equipment and leakage of valves have occurred. In particular, in the case of horizontal piping, there is a screw in the immediate vicinity of the seal surface of the joint, and the influence of wear powder generated from the screw is great. In addition, for products of equipment connection equipment for special gas (sealing diameter of joints is 10 mm to 15 mm), airtightness (leakage) from the connection between equipment and piping is reduced by 10 years.
^It is necessary to ensure that it is kept below the order of ^-10 Torr1 / sec. For this reason, concentricity and parallelism are strictly required at the mating surface between the equipment and the pipe (prevention of bending stress generation at the joint), and it is necessary to minimize the stress acting on the pipe to prevent aging. .

[0004] To summarize the problems of this device connection device,
It is as follows. Cost increases due to external thread processing, cap nut processing, and material costs. Tightening of the male screw and the cap nut generates abrasion powder, and also causes a malfunction of the device due to a leak at the joint. It is necessary to improve the concentricity of the mating surface between the equipment and the piping in order to prevent the occurrence of bending stress at the joint. As the number of joints increases, the gas composition deteriorates. The length in the longitudinal direction increases when the device is configured by joint connection. It is difficult to maintain airtight reliability with a single cap nut. In the case of a cap nut joint, corrosion resistance is reduced by welding. There is a problem of maintainability at the time of device failure (for example, the failed device cannot be easily removed or replaced).

FIG. 4 shows a conventional device connecting device using a manifold. An elongated manifold 1 is placed in the clean room, and the front end of the manifold 1 (the right end in FIG. 4)
, A metal gasket joint 7 on the inlet side is protruded, and a metal gasket joint 8 on the outlet side is protruded from the rear end (the left end in FIG. 4) of the manifold 1. On the upper surface of the manifold 1, a gas filter 2 on the inlet side, a mass flow controller 3, a gas valve 4, a check valve 5 and a gas filter 6 on the outlet side are placed and fixed in order from the front end side. In the manifold 1, there is an inlet-side communication passage 9;
The intermediate communication path 10 to the fourth intermediate communication path 13 and the outlet-side communication path 14 are formed, and the inlet-side communication path 9 and the outlet-side communication path 14 are formed in an L-shape in a side view. 4 intermediate communication passage
13 is formed in a V shape in a side view.

[0006] The inlet side communication passage 9 connects the passage of the metal gasket joint 7 to the inlet side port of the gas filter 2, and the outlet side communication passage 14 connects the outlet side port of the gas filter 6 and the passage of the metal gasket joint 8. Are in communication. An outlet port of the gas filter 2 and an inlet port of the mass flow controller 3 are communicated by a first intermediate communication passage 10, and an outlet port of the mass flow controller 3 and an inlet port of the gas valve 4 are similarly connected by a second intermediate communication passage 11. The third intermediate communication passage 12 communicates the outlet port of the gas valve 4 with the inlet port of the check valve 5, and the fourth intermediate communication passage 13 communicates the outlet port of the check valve 5 with the gas filter 6. The inlet port is communicated with. Although not shown, the device 2
Metal gaskets are provided around the inlet and outlet ports of the devices 2 to 6 at the contact surface between the manifolds 1 and 6.

[0007] A conventional device connecting device using a manifold also has the following problems. That is, the devices 2 to 6
In contrast, the weight of the manifold 1 is too large, and the floor load of the clean room increases. Long oblique holes are forcibly formed by drilling to connect the outlet port and the inlet port of the device. 1st intermediate communication passage 10 ~
The gas passage becomes longer due to the fourth intermediate communication passage 13, and the deterioration of the gas proceeds. The passage area to be subjected to ultra-precision polishing is increased, the weight of the passage volume to be removed is increased, and the cost is increased. Since the area of the manifold 1 is large, the area of the gas box increases. Precise processing is required for the front end alignment drilling in which the intermediate communication passage is difficult, which increases the cost.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a first object of the present invention to provide a connection device for special gas equipment, in which the equipment is directly connected to each other so as to shorten the gas passage, and an outlet of an upstream equipment is provided. A second problem is to make the airtightness between the side opening and the entrance side opening of the downstream device sufficient, and a third problem is to reduce the size and weight.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a special gas appliance connecting device for connecting an outlet communication passage of an upstream gas appliance to an inlet communication passage of a downstream gas appliance. An outlet-side communication passage is opened in the contact surface, and an outlet-side gasket mounting groove is formed in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the opening, and an inlet-side communication passage is opened in the inlet-side contact surface of the downstream gas appliance, and the outer peripheral portion of the opening is formed. An inlet gasket mounting groove is formed in the vicinity, the upstream gas device and the downstream gas device are connected, and the outlet contact surface and the inlet contact surface are in close contact,
The first configuration is such that the outlet side opening and the inlet side opening are directly opposed to each other, and the metal gasket is compressed by the outlet side gasket mounting groove and the inlet side gasket mounting groove. In the present invention, the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the opening is
An outer peripheral portion of the opening or a position outside the outer peripheral portion of the opening. According to the present invention, in the configuration 1, the outlet-side contact surface of the upstream gas device and the inlet-side contact surface of the downstream gas device are formed on the longitudinal side surface of each gas device, and a bolt is inserted into one or both of the gas devices. A hole is formed, a female screw is formed on the other or both of the outlet-side contact surface and the inlet-side contact surface of each gas appliance, and a bolt is inserted into the bolt insertion hole and screwed into the female screw, thereby forming an upstream portion. The second configuration is that the gas device of the first embodiment is connected to the downstream gas device. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second configuration, all of the gas appliances are arranged in contact with a plane, or a part of the gas appliances is arranged at a position away from the plane. According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the first configuration, the upstream gas device and the downstream gas device are arranged in a line in the front-rear direction, the outlet-side contact surface of the upstream gas device is formed on the rear surface, and the inlet of the downstream gas device is formed. The fourth configuration is that the side contact surface is formed on the front surface. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth configuration, a protrusion is formed on one of a rear portion of the upstream gas device and a front portion of the downstream gas device, and a concave portion is formed on the other. A contact surface is formed at each central portion of the bottom surface of the hole, an extension insertion hole is formed on the side of the protrusion in the vertical direction, and an unpenetrated extension insertion hole is formed on the side of the concave portion from the upper end. The extension is inserted in the extension insertion hole and the extension insertion hole, and the two contact surfaces are brought into contact by expanding the extension. A fifth configuration is such that the metal gasket is compressed, and one of the contact surfaces is an outlet contact surface and the other is an inlet contact surface. In the fifth configuration, a gap is provided between the rear end surface of the body of the upstream gas appliance and the front end surface of the body of the downstream gas appliance, and the extension tool insertion hole and the extension tool insertion hole can be provided on both sides. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth configuration, an upwardly inclined contact surface is formed on one of a rear portion of the upstream gas appliance and a front portion of the downstream gas appliance, and a downwardly inclined contact surface is formed on the other side. The inclination angle between the contact surface and the downward inclined contact surface is the same, and a bolt insertion hole penetrating from the downward inclined contact surface to the upper surface in a direction perpendicular to the downward inclined contact surface is formed,
An unpenetrated bolt hole is formed in a direction perpendicular to the upwardly inclined contact surface and directed downward from the upwardly inclined contact surface, and one of the upwardly inclined contact surface and the downwardly inclined contact surface is an outlet-side contact surface, and the other. Is a contact surface on the inlet side, and the bolt is inserted through the bolt insertion hole and screwed into the bolt hole to compress the metal gasket. In the sixth configuration, a gap is provided between a rear end surface of the body of the upstream gas appliance and a front end surface of the body of the downstream gas appliance other than the upwardly inclined contact surface and the downwardly inclined contact surface to provide a gap. A tool insertion hole and an expansion tool insertion hole can be provided on both sides.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a connection device for special gas equipment according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the right will be described as the front and the left will be described as the rear (the same applies to FIGS. 2 and 3). As special gas equipment, a gas filter 20 on the inlet side, a mass flow controller 21, a gas valve 22, a check valve 23, and a gas filter 24 on the outlet side, which are located next to each other, are placed on the floor of a clean room in order. Longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of each device 20-24
The gas filter 20 has a metal gasket joint 26 or a weld joint 27 on the inlet side at an end face in the longitudinal direction.
24 is the outlet side gasket fitting 29 on the longitudinal end face.
Alternatively, a welding joint 30 is provided. The contact surfaces on the side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the devices 20 to 24 are flat, and the outlet-side communication passage or the inlet-side communication passage is opened substantially at the center of the contact surface, and the upstream-side outlet-side opening and the downstream-side inlet-side opening Are arranged directly opposite to each other on the same axis.

A filter element is provided inside the gas filter 20, and an inlet side communication passage 20 of the filter element is provided.
A is communicated with the internal passage of the metal gasket joint 26 or the weld joint 27. An outlet-side communication passage 20B of the filter element is opened on the outlet-side contact surface 20Y on the left side surface of the gas filter 20 when viewed from above, and the vicinity of the outer periphery of the opening of the outlet-side communication passage 20B on the outlet-side contact surface 20Y ( A metal gasket mounting groove is formed on the outer periphery of the communication passage or outside the outer periphery. A flow control valve is provided inside the mass flow controller 21, and an inlet-side communication passage 21A of the flow control valve is opened at an inlet-side contact surface 21X on the right side surface when viewed from above. Upper entrance side communication passage 21
A metal gasket mounting groove is formed near the outer periphery of the opening A. Similarly, the mass flow controller 21 in top view
An outlet-side communication passage 21B of the flow control valve is opened on the outlet-side contact surface 21Y on the right side surface of the fuel cell, and a metal gasket mounting groove is formed on the outlet-side contact surface 21Y near the outer peripheral portion of the opening of the outlet-side communication passage 21B. Is formed.

A plurality of penetrating bolt insertion holes 33A (front side) and 33B (rear side) are formed in the mass flow controller 21, and each of the bolt insertion holes 33A and 33B is formed in the entrance side contact surface 21X and the exit side contact surface 21Y. It is arranged almost perpendicularly to it. A plurality of bolt insertion holes 33A are opened in the inlet side contact surface 21X, and a plurality of female threads (bolt holes) 34B (outlet side) are formed in the gas filter 20 at positions opposing the openings.
The bolt insertion hole 33A and the female screw 34B are arranged on the same axis. Openings on the opposite side (left side) of the bolt insertion holes 33A are formed in cutout seating surfaces 25A (front side) and 25B (rear side) on the outer surface of the mass flow controller 21, and the seating surfaces 25A and 25B are formed. Is perpendicular to the bolt insertion holes 33A and 33B.

A metal gasket 32 is maintained between the metal gasket mounting groove of the gas filter 20 and the metal gasket mounting groove of the mass flow controller 21, and the outlet side opening of the gas filter 20 and the inlet side opening of the mass flow controller 21 are coaxial. The bolt 35 is positioned facing the line, and the bolt 35 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 33A and screwed into the female screw 34B. The metal gasket 32 is compressed and the gas filter 20
The airtightness of the connection between the outlet side opening of the mass flow controller 21 and the inlet side opening of the mass flow controller 21 is maintained at 10 ^-10 Torr1 / sec or less.

In FIG. 1, a female screw 34B is formed in the gas filter 20, a bolt insertion hole 33A is formed in the mass flow controller 21, and a bolt 35 is inserted in the fixing bolt and the female screw. However, instead of or in addition to the one in FIG. 1, a female screw (front side) is formed in the mass flow controller 21, a bolt insertion hole (rear side) is formed in the gas filter 20, and the bolt 35 is formed. It may be inserted. As with the mass flow controller 21, the gas valve 22 and the check valve 23 are also provided with a valve element, have an inlet-side contact surface and an outlet-side contact surface, and have an opening and a gasket mounting groove. Gas filter 24 is a gas filter
The configuration is the same as that of 20, but there is a difference between the entrance side and the exit side.

An outlet side communication passage of the mass flow controller 21
21B and a connection portion between the inlet communication passage 22A of the gas valve 22, a connection portion between the outlet communication passage 22B of the gas valve 22 and the inlet communication passage 23A of the check valve 23, and a connection portion between the outlet communication passage 23B of the check valve 23 and the gas filter 24. The connection part of the inlet side communication path 24A is formed in the same manner as the connection part of the outlet side communication path 20B of the gas filter 20 and the inlet side communication path 21A of the mass flow controller 21. It should be noted that in FIG.
~ 24 are all placed in contact with the floor,
A part of the device can be arranged at a position away from the floor. For example, the device 21 is rotated by 90 ° in a side view so that the front end is in contact with the floor surface, the rear end is an upper end, and the device 23 is 9 ° in a side view.
The device 22 is rotated by 0 ° so that the rear end is in contact with the floor surface, the front end is the upper end, and the device 22 is located at a position away from the floor surface. in this case,
The length before and after the assembly of the devices 20 to 24 is shorter than that in FIG.

The special gas flowing through the metal gasket joint 26 or the welding joint 27 on the inlet side is filtered by the gas filter 20 and is connected to the mass flow controller through the outlet side opening and the inlet side from the outlet side communication passage 20B of the gas filter 20. twenty one
Flows into the inlet side communication passage 21A. Similarly, the gas flows out of the mass flow controller 21 through the gas valve 22, the check valve 23, and the gas filter 24 on the outlet side, through the metal gasket joint 29 or the welded joint 30 on the outlet side. Since the outlet side opening of the upstream device and the inlet side opening of the downstream device are in direct contact and no piping is used, the length of the passage between the devices can be shortened. Also, since the connection is made on the left or right side surface of the device, the device of FIG. 1 is about half as long in the front-rear direction of the device as a whole compared to the conventional example of FIG.

2 (a) to 2 (e) show a second embodiment of the connection device for special gas equipment according to the present invention. In the description of the second embodiment, the same members as those of the first embodiment in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2A (plan view), the gas filter 20 on the inlet side, the next mass flow controller 21, the gas valve 22, the check valve 23, and the gas filter 24 on the outlet side are provided in a clean room. They are placed on the floor or the like in a row from right to left and back and forth. Each device
A concave portion 39 for connection is formed on a rear surface portion (left surface portion) of each of the devices 20 to 23, and a projecting portion 38 for connection is formed on a front surface portion (right surface portion) of each of the devices 21 to 24.

As shown in FIG. 2 (e), the cross section of the connecting protruding portion 38 has a shape such that a slightly smaller square prism is attached to both sides of the cylinder and is integrated in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction). Has a nice cross section. The connecting recess 39 is a protrusion on the rear surface of the rectangular parallelepiped.
It is shaped like a hole 40 that is the same shape as 38, and this hole
The left and right sides of 40 are open. Outlet-side communication paths 20B to 23B of the devices 20 to 23 are opened at the center contact surface at the bottom of the hole 40 in the connecting concave portion 38 of the devices 20 to 23, and near the outer peripheral portion of the opening of the contact surface. Has a metal gasket mounting groove (substantially semicircular in cross section). At the contact surface at the center of the front end face of the connecting projection 38 of the devices 21 to 24, inlet-side communication passages 21A to 24A of the devices 21 to 24 are opened, and a metal gasket is provided near the outer periphery of the opening of the contact surface. A mounting groove (substantially semicircular in cross section) is formed.

On the left and right sides of the rear portion of the devices 20 to 23 when viewed from above, there are formed vertical insertion holes 42 in the vertical direction.
(See (a), (c)), the upper end of the dilator insertion hole 42 is opened on the upper surface, the bottom is formed at the lower end of the dilator insertion hole 42, the middle part of the dilator insertion hole 42 is a concave portion 39 It is open in the hole 40. On the left and right sides of the projecting portion 38 of the devices 21 to 24, the extension
Are formed so as to penetrate vertically (see FIG. 2 (e)), and the extension tool insertion hole 43 is formed to have a slightly larger diameter (or the same diameter) than the extension tool insertion hole. FIG. 2D shows a laterally enlarged view of the extension 41, and the extension 41 has a cylindrical portion 41.
A and a flange portion 41B at the upper end, and a central hole 41E vertically penetrates. A slit 41C is formed in the middle from the lower end of the expansion tool 41, and a tapered screw 41D is formed in the middle to lower end of the central hole 41E. Extension
In the final step 41, the lower part is pressed from both sides and the slit 41
The width of C is narrowed, and the diameter of the lower part and the central part is slightly reduced.

Gas valve 22 (device 22) and check valve
The gasket mounting groove of the protruding portion 38 of the device 23 and the gasket mounting groove of the hole 40 of the device 22 hold the metal gasket 45. The holes 40 of the 22 are substantially fitted to each other, and the metal gasket 45 is sandwiched. At this time, there is a very small gap between the contact surface at the center of the front end of the protrusion 38 and the contact surface at the center of the bottom of the hole 40, and the gap between the body rear end surface 46 of the device 22 and the body front end surface 47 of the device 23 is small. Has a relatively large gap. Then, the center of the extension tool insertion hole 42 of the device 22 and the device 23
The center of the extension tool insertion hole 43 is slightly displaced from the center of the extension tool insertion hole 43, and the center of the extension tool insertion hole 43 is located slightly behind the center of the extension tool insertion hole. The extension device 41 whose lower diameter is slightly reduced is inserted into the left and right extension device insertion holes 42 and the extension device insertion holes 43.
Insert inside.

Next, the bolt 48 is inserted into the central hole 41E of the extension 41, and the head of the bolt 48 is rotated so that the male screw portion of the bolt 48 is screwed into the taper screw 41D of the extension 41. Due to this screwing, the diameter of the lower part and the central part of the reduced expansion tool 41 is increased, and the center of the expansion tool insertion hole 43 is slightly moved forward. Due to the slight forward movement of the protrusion 38 of the device 23,
The metal gasket 45 is compressed, and the contact surface at the tip of the protrusion 38 and the contact surface at the bottom of the hole 40 are in close contact with each other. Thus, the equipment
The outlet-side communication passage 22B of 22 is connected to the inlet-side communication passage 23A of the device 23 through the outlet-side opening and the inlet-side opening, and the metal gasket 45 is compressed.
It is kept below ^-10 Torr1 / sec. Similarly to the connection between the device 22 and the device 23, the device 20 and the device 21, the device 21 and the device 22, and the device 23 and the device 24 are connected. In FIG. 2, the concave portion 39 is formed at the rear end of the device, and the protruding portion 38 is formed at the front end of the device. However, the concave portion is formed at the front end of the device.
A protrusion can be formed at the rear end of the device.

3 (a) to 3 (c) show a third embodiment of the connection device for special gas equipment according to the present invention. In the description of the third embodiment, the same members as those of the first embodiment of FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of FIG. 1, and the description of the common parts is omitted. In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 (a) (plan view) and FIG. 3 (b) (side view), the gas filter 20 on the inlet side, then the mass flow controller 21, the gas valve 2
2. The check valve 23 and the gas filter 24 on the outlet side are placed in a line in the front-rear direction on a floor of a clean room or the like.

The rear surfaces (left surfaces) of the devices 20 to 23 are divided into approximately one-third in height, and the rear upper vertical surface 50, the upwardly inclined contact surface 52 for connection and the rear droop are arranged in order from the top. Face 51
Becomes Both surfaces 50 to 52 are almost perpendicular to the left and right sides of the devices 20 to 23, and the upwardly inclined contact surface 52 is inclined by about 45 degrees with respect to the rear upper vertical surface 50 and the rear lower vertical surface 51. An upwardly inclined contact surface 52 and a rear lower vertical surface 51 project rearward. Exit side communication passages 20B to 23B extending in the horizontal direction from the front to the rear are opened at the center of the upward inclined contact surface 52, and the exit side communication passage 20B is formed on the upward inclined contact surface 52.
A gasket mounting groove (substantially semicircular in cross section) is formed in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of each of the openings 23B to 23B.

The front surfaces (right surfaces) of the devices 21 to 24 are also divided into approximately one-third in height, and from the top, a front upper vertical surface 54, a downwardly inclined contact surface 56 for connection, and a front surface. Subordinate vertical surface 55
Becomes Both surfaces 54 to 56 are substantially perpendicular to the left and right sides of the devices 21 to 24, and the downwardly inclined contact surface 56 is inclined at about 45 degrees with respect to the front upper vertical surface 54 and the front lower vertical surface 55. A front upper vertical surface 54 and a downwardly inclined contact surface 56 project forward. Entrance-side communication paths 21A to 24A extending in the horizontal direction from the rear to the front are opened at the center of the downwardly inclined contact surface 56, and the entrance-side communication paths 21A are formed on the downwardly inclined contact surface 56.
A gasket mounting groove (substantially semicircular in cross section) is formed in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the opening of Ａ24 A.

On the left and right sides of the downward inclined contact surface 56 of the devices 21 to 24, bolt insertion holes 57 extending vertically to the downward inclined contact surface 56 (the left side is 57L and the right side is 57R in plan view). A seating surface 58 perpendicular to the bolt insertion hole 57 is formed on the upper surface of each of the devices 21 to 24. Seating surface
The size of the bolt 58 is considerably larger than the bolt head of the bolt 59 inserted into the bolt insertion hole 57, and a notch 60 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the seating surface 58 and toward the upper surfaces of the devices 21 to 24. For the size of the seating surface 58 and the notch 60, insert the bolt 59 into the bolt insertion hole
When the bolt head is inserted into the seat 57 and the bolt head of the bolt 59 is seated on the seating surface 58, the bolt head is rotated by a tool. Bolt holes 61 extending in a direction perpendicular to the upwardly inclined contact surface 52 are formed on both left and right sides of the upwardly inclined contact surface 52 of the devices 20 to 23, and the center line of the bolt hole 61 and the center line of the bolt insertion hole 57 are formed. And are arranged so as to match.

The metal gasket 62 is supported by the gasket mounting grooves of the upwardly inclined contact surfaces 52 of the devices 20 to 23 and the gasket mounting grooves of the downwardly inclined contact surfaces 56 of the devices 21 to 24, and the upwardly inclined contact surface 52 and the downwardly inclined contact surface 56 and the central axes of the outlet openings of the devices 20 to 23 and the devices 21 to 24
The central axis of the inlet side opening coincides with the central axis of the bolt insertion hole 57L on the left side of the devices 21 to 24 in plan view, and the central axis of the left bolt hole 61 of the device 20 to 23 in plan view. Are set so that the center axis of the right bolt insertion hole 57R of the devices 21 to 24 in plan view matches the center axis of the right bolt hole 61 of the devices 20 to 23 in plan view. With the metal gasket 62 supported and the upward inclined contact surface 52 and the downward inclined contact surface 56 approached, the bolt 59 is inserted into the left and right bolt insertion holes 57.
L and 57R, and screwed into the bolt hole 61, a tightening force acts between the upward inclined contact surface 52 and the downward inclined contact surface 56, and the metal gasket 62 is compressed, and the upward inclined contact surface 52 The downwardly inclined contact surface 56 contacts.

At this time, the tightening force of the bolt 59 acts in the vertical direction between the upward inclined contact surface 52 and the downward inclined contact surface 56 (the direction in which the tightening force is exerted by the bolt 59 and the direction in which the metal gasket 62 should be compressed). Therefore, the metal gasket 62 is compressed uniformly, and the occurrence of slippage of the metal gasket 62 during sealing is prevented. When the devices 20 to 24 are connected in this manner, the rear upper vertical surface 50 / rear lower vertical surface 51 of the devices 20 to 23 and the front upper vertical surface 54 of the devices 21 to 24 are connected.
-A gap is maintained between the front lower vertical surface 55.

In the third embodiment, it is premised that the devices 20 to 24 have the respective components disposed inside similarly to the first and second embodiments. However, it can be deformed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 3D, spacers 21 'and 22' having the same outer shape as the devices 21 and 22 are created, and the spacers 21 'and 22' are formed.
The flow control valve 63 of the mass flow controller
(Rectangular in top view) and an on-off valve 64 (circular in top view) of the gas valve was connected to the upper surface of the spacer 22 '. Then, the inlet side port and the outlet side port of the flow regulating valve 63 are communicated with the inlet side communication path 21′A and the outlet side communication path 21′B of the spacer 21 ′, respectively. And the outlet port were respectively connected to the inlet communication passage 22'A and the outlet communication passage 22'B of the spacer 22 '. That is, the gas filter 20, the spacer 21 ', the spacer 22',
The check valve 23 and the gas filter 24 are connected, and the longitudinal lengths of the devices 20, 23, 24 and the spacers 21 ', 22' are made substantially the same. Since the flow regulating valve 63 and the on-off valve 64 are larger in volume than the filter element and the check valve element, they are not arranged inside but arranged outside.

[0029]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the outlet side opening of the upstream gas appliance and the inlet side opening of the downstream gas appliance are directly opposed to each other and are directly connected, the gas passage of the gas passage is formed. Shortening can be achieved. An outlet-side communication passage is opened at an outlet-side contact surface of the upstream gas appliance, and an outlet-side gasket mounting groove is formed near an outer peripheral portion of the opening, and an inlet-side communication passage is formed at an inlet-side contact surface of the downstream gas appliance. And an inlet gasket mounting groove is formed in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the opening, the upstream gas device and the downstream gas device are connected, and the outlet contact surface and the inlet contact surface are in close contact with each other, and the outlet side Since the metal gasket is compressed by the gasket mounting groove and the inlet-side gasket mounting groove, the airtightness between the outlet-side opening of the upstream device and the inlet-side opening of the downstream device is sufficient. In addition, since the device according to the first aspect does not use a manifold and directly connects the devices to each other as compared with the conventional example shown in FIG. 1, the size and weight can be reduced, and the processing of the connection portion is easy. As a result, the dead space was reduced (the dead space was present between the devices in FIG. 1).

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the contact surface between the gas appliances is formed on the side surface in the longitudinal direction, the length of the whole assembly of the plurality of appliances in the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) is further increased. Be shorter. When the device of claim 3 is arranged at a position away from a plane (floor surface), the device is arranged three-dimensionally, and the length of the entire assembly in the longitudinal direction is further reduced. According to the fourth aspect, since the upstream gas equipment and the downstream gas equipment are arranged in a line in the front-rear direction, the gas flows smoothly and the turbulence is small. According to the fifth aspect, the metal gasket is compressed by expanding the expansion tool, and the compression force can be easily increased. According to the sixth aspect, the compression force of the metal gasket can be increased, and the shape of the apparatus can be easily processed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first assembled state of an embodiment of the present invention.

2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a plan view showing a state immediately before assembly, and FIG. 2 (b) is a plan view of FIG. 2 (a).
2A is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2, and FIG. 2C is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.
2 (d) is a laterally enlarged view of the expansion tool, and FIG. 2 (e) is a cross-sectional view of the protruding portion taken along line CC of FIG. 2 (a).

3 (a) to 3 (c) show a third embodiment of the present invention.
3 (a) is a plan view showing a state immediately before assembly, FIG. 3 (b) is a side sectional view of FIG. 3 (a), and FIG. 3 (c) is a sectional view of FIG. 3 (a). FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. FIG.
(d) is a figure which shows the 3rd modification of Embodiment 3 of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a conventional example (assembled state).

[Explanation of symbols]

 20-24 Gas equipment 20A-24A Inlet communication passage 20B-24B Outlet communication passage 32 Metal gasket

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A connecting device for communicating an outlet communication passage of an upstream gas appliance with an inlet communication passage of a downstream gas appliance, wherein the outlet communication passage is opened at an outlet contact surface of the upstream gas appliance. An outlet-side gasket mounting groove is formed in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the opening, an inlet-side communication passage is opened in the inlet-side contact surface of the downstream gas appliance, and an inlet-side gasket mounting groove is formed in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the opening. The gas device and the downstream gas device are connected, the outlet contact surface and the inlet contact surface are in close contact, the outlet opening and the inlet opening are arranged directly opposite, and the outlet gasket mounting groove and the inlet A connecting device for special gas equipment, wherein a metal gasket is compressed by a side gasket mounting groove. 2. An outlet-side contact surface of an upstream gas appliance and an inlet-side contact surface of a downstream gas appliance are formed on a longitudinal side surface of each gas appliance, and a bolt insertion hole is formed in one or both of the gas appliances. A female screw is formed on the other or both of the outlet-side contact surface and the inlet-side contact surface of each gas device, and a bolt is inserted into the bolt insertion hole and screwed into the female screw, thereby forming the upstream gas device. The special gas appliance connection device according to claim 1, wherein the downstream gas appliance and the downstream gas appliance are connected. 3. The connection device for a special gas appliance according to claim 2, wherein all of the gas appliances are arranged in contact with a plane, or a part of the gas appliances is arranged at a position away from the plane. 4. An upstream gas device and a downstream gas device are arranged in a line in the front-rear direction, an outlet contact surface of the upstream gas device is formed on a rear surface portion, and an inlet contact surface of the downstream gas device is a front surface. The connection device for a special gas appliance according to claim 1 formed in the portion. 5. A protruding portion is formed on one of a rear portion of the upstream gas device and a front portion of the downstream gas device, and a concave portion is formed on the other, and each of a tip surface of the protruding portion and a bottom surface of a hole of the concave portion is provided. A contact surface is formed in the center, an extension insertion hole is formed vertically on the side of the protrusion, and an unpenetrated extension insertion hole is formed downward on the side of the recess from the upper end. The protruding portion and the hole of the concave portion are fitted, and the expansion tool is inserted into the expansion tool insertion hole and the expansion tool insertion hole. By expanding the expansion tool, the two contact surfaces are brought into contact, and the metal gasket is compressed. The connecting device for a special gas appliance according to claim 4, wherein one of the contact surfaces is an outlet-side contact surface and the other is an inlet-side contact surface. 6. An upwardly inclined contact surface is formed on one of a rear portion of the upstream gas appliance and a front portion of the downstream gas appliance, and a downwardly inclined contact surface is formed on the other side. The angle of inclination with the inclined contact surface is the same, a bolt insertion hole penetrating from the downward inclined contact surface to the upper surface in a direction perpendicular to the downward inclined contact surface is formed, and a direction perpendicular to the upward inclined contact surface is formed. An unpenetrated bolt hole is formed downwardly from the upwardly inclined contact surface, and one of the upwardly inclined contact surface and the downwardly inclined contact surface is defined as an outlet-side contact surface, and the other is defined as an inlet-side contact surface. 5. The connection device for a special gas appliance according to claim 4, wherein the metal gasket is compressed by being inserted through the bolt insertion hole and screwed into the bolt hole.