KR102540306B1 - Rotary union - Google Patents

Abstract

A rotary union is initiated. A rotary union according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing provided with a plurality of fluid communication holes; a shaft rotatably installed in the housing and having a plurality of passages; a bearing provided in the housing to rotatably support the shaft; a plurality of sealing parts provided between the housing and the shaft so that fluid communication holes of each housing communicate only with corresponding passages of the shaft; and a plurality of annular flow path forming members installed between the sealing parts and communicating the fluid communication holes and the flow path corresponding to each other.

Description

Rotary Union {ROTARY UNION}

The present invention relates to a rotary union, and relates to a rotary union provided with an annular flow path forming member.

Semiconductor equipment is used for mass production of commercially important integrated circuits. In order to deposit a thin film of a predetermined thickness on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or glass, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method such as sputtering, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using a chemical reaction, etc. this is used Chemical vapor deposition methods include Atmospheric Pressure CVD (APCVD), Low Pressure CVD (LPCVD), Plasma Enhanced CVD, and the like.

According to the high integration of semiconductor devices, thin films with fine patterns are required. Accordingly, the use of ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition), which can form fine patterns having an atomic layer thickness very uniformly and has excellent step coverage, is expanding. For example, it is used for deposition of thin films such as gate oxide films, capacitor dielectric films, and diffusion barrier films in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

In the apparatus for atomic layer deposition, a plurality of integrated circuits are layered on a silicon equipment circuit board, and at this time, a polishing process by a chemical-mechanical polishing application (CMP) is necessarily required. It should be done.

The chemical-mechanical polishing process is a chemical or mechanical reaction process by contacting and rotating a polishing pad supplied with chemicals containing deionized water, an etchant, and a polishing slurry on the active surface of a silicon equipment circuit board. of the impurities are removed and planarized.

In this chemical-mechanical polishing machine (CMP), a rotary union is installed to transfer the fluid introduced from the fixed part to the rotating part.

That is, the rotary union is a rotary pipe joint device used when supplying or discharging fluid from a fixed pipe to a rotating part of various mechanical devices without leaking a fluid under pressure or a vacuum state below atmospheric pressure. Heat medium such as steam, hot water, and thermal oil for heating and refrigerant or fluid such as water, ammonia, and freon for cooling, such as compressed air or hydraulic oil for rotating devices such as clutches and brakes It can be used when supplying media.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-166362 (2002.06.11)

An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a rotary union that is easy to manufacture, maintain, and repair by simplifying the sealing structure, and can save installation space by minimizing the size.

In addition, it is intended to provide a rotary union capable of preventing leakage of fluid in a pressure and vacuum state by improving the sealing force between the housing and the shaft.

In addition, it is intended to provide a rotary union capable of smoothing the flow of fluid between a shaft and a housing by using an annular flow path forming member.

The tasks to be solved in the embodiments are not limited to the tasks mentioned above, and other tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

A rotary union according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing provided with a plurality of fluid communication holes; a shaft rotatably installed in the housing and having a plurality of passages; a bearing provided in the housing to rotatably support the shaft; a plurality of sealing parts provided between the housing and the shaft so that fluid communication holes of each housing communicate only with corresponding passages of the shaft; and a plurality of annular flow path forming members installed between the sealing parts to communicate the fluid communication holes and the flow path corresponding to each other.

In addition, the flow path forming member, a pair of ring parts disposed spaced apart from each other; an annular base portion connecting and supporting the pair of ring portions; and one or more through-holes penetrating the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the base portion, and an outer diameter of the ring portion may be larger than an outer diameter of the base portion to form a flow space along the circumference of the base portion.

In addition, each of the sealing parts may include an annular hermetic seal formed of a plastic material.

In addition, the airtight seal may have an annular seal body and an elastic member inserted into the seal body.

In addition, an annular anti-rotation member may be provided on an outer circumferential surface of the hermetic seal facing the housing so as to prevent relative rotation of the hermetic seal with the housing within the housing.

In addition, an O-ring may be formed on an outer circumferential surface of the passage forming member to prevent movement within the housing and perform sealing on an outer circumferential surface facing the housing.

In addition, the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the passage forming member and the shaft may be twice or more than the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the passage forming member and the housing.

In addition, at least one of the shaft or the housing may be provided with a sensor for measuring whether or not the shaft is abnormal.

The rotary union according to an embodiment of the present invention is easy to manufacture, maintain, and repair by simplifying the sealing structure, and can save installation space by minimizing the size.

In addition, by improving the sealing force between the housing and the shaft, it is possible to prevent leakage of fluid in a pressure or vacuum state.

In addition, fluid flow between the shaft and the housing may be smoothed by using the annular flow path forming member.

1 is a front view of a rotary union according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the rotary union of Figure 1;
3 is a perspective view of a flow path forming member of the rotary union of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a gap relationship between a flow path forming member of the rotary union of FIG. 1, a housing, and a shaft.
5 is a view showing a sealing part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In addition, in order to clearly describe the embodiment of the present invention in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted.

Terms used in this specification are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions may include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In this specification, terms such as "include", "have" or "have" are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and one Or it may be understood that it does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

In addition, the following embodiments are provided to more clearly explain to those with average knowledge in the art, and the shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a front view of a rotary union according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the rotary union of FIG. 1 . 3 is a perspective view of a flow path forming member of the rotary union of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a gap relationship between the flow path forming member of the rotary union of FIG. 1 and a housing and a shaft.

First, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the rotary union 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor equipment, for example, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process or an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. , it may be a rotary union that supplies working fluids applied to the ion implantation process, OLED, and etching processes.

The rotary union 100 according to this embodiment includes a housing 140, a shaft 120, bearings 160a and 160b, a sealing part 170, and a passage forming member 130. The housing 140 is provided in a cylindrical shape and has a rotatable shaft 120 therein. A plurality of fluid communication holes 142 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the housing 140, and each fluid communication hole 142 flows different fluids, and the shaft 120 corresponding to each fluid communication hole 142 It is in communication with the passage 122 of the can flow into the shaft 120.

The shaft 120 is rotatably installed in the housing 140 by bearings 160a and 160b, and inside the shaft 120, a plurality of passages 122 are formed with different lengths along the axis. In this embodiment, four passages 122 are provided and formed parallel to each other as an example, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, one of the flow passages 122 may be disposed at the center, and a plurality of flow passages 122 may be disposed on the outside at regular intervals around the same length. A coolant may flow in the flow path 122 to suppress a temperature rise, and various working fluids for surface treatment may flow. In addition, pressurization or negative pressure may be formed in the passage 122 by communicating with an external pressurization or negative pressure chamber. Each passage 122 may have a plurality of fluid supply holes communicating with an end of a portion extending in the axial direction on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 120 . When the shaft 120 rotates, the working fluid may flow through fluid communication only with the corresponding fluid communication hole 142 of the housing 140 . A flange portion 121 may be fixedly connected to one end of the shaft 120, and a fastener 123 may be provided on the flange portion 121 and may be attached to other devices by fastening bolts (not shown) or the like.

The housing 140 may be formed in a cylindrical shape having an elongated hollow, and a plurality of fluid communication holes 142 vertically communicating with the hollow may be formed at different locations on an outer circumferential surface thereof. One end of the housing 140 is open to allow the shaft 120 to be inserted, and the other end of the housing 140 may be closed by fastening the housing cover 150 with bolts. Inside the housing 140, the shaft 120, the bearings 160a and 160b, the sealing part 170, and the passage forming member 130 may be disposed.

On the other hand, on the outer circumferential surface of the housing 140, as a sensor for measuring the presence or absence of abnormality of the shaft 120, such as vibration due to a change in the center of the axis according to the rotation of the shaft 120, the vibration sensor 190 is installed on the housing 140. ) may be provided outside. Of course, although not shown, the vibration sensor 190 may be provided on the shaft. In addition, other physical quantity measurement sensors such as temperature and pressure may be provided in addition to the vibration sensor 190 .

The shaft 120 may be supported by a plurality of bearings 160a and 160b to allow rotational movement. For example, the bearings 160a and 160b may be radial bearings. The shaft 120 may be electrically/mechanically connected to a driving unit (not shown) such as an external motor to perform rotational motion.

A plurality of sealing parts 170 are provided between the housing 140 and the shaft 120 to prevent leakage of fluid therebetween. Specifically, the shaft 120 is supported by a plurality of bearings 160a and 160b between the housing 140 and is capable of rotational movement, and is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140 to improve sealing force during rotational movement. A sealing portion 170 grounded on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft 120 may be provided. A plurality of sealing parts 170 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 120, and may be spaced apart from each other to correspond to respective positions of the passages 122 of the shaft 120. In more detail, each of the plurality of sealing parts 170 may be disposed at a position corresponding to a position of a plurality of fluid communication holes 142 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 120 to communicate with each of the plurality of flow passages 122 . Thanks to the arrangement of the sealing portion 170, each of the fluid communication holes 142 of the housing 140 selectively communicates with any one of the corresponding passages 122 of the shaft 120, and not with other passages. may not be connected.

The sealing unit 170 may be a seal for rotational movement, and may be made of a synthetic resin such as engineering plastic as a ring-shaped seal. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the sealing parts 170 is a pair of airtight seals provided at each position where they are disposed, and a pair of lip seals 170a and 170b having lips 171 curved in different directions are formed. can be placed as In the case of using the lip seals 170a and 170b, the shaft 120 and the sealing portion 170 make line contact with each other, thereby minimizing the frictional force and thus eliminating the need for lubricating oil.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4 , an annular anti-rotation member 172 may be provided on the surface of the sealing part 170 facing the housing 140 to prevent relative rotation with the housing 140. . In this embodiment, the anti-rotation member 172 may be provided in the form of an O-ring.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , a plurality of passage forming members 130 may be provided between the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140 and the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 120 . Specifically, the flow path forming member 130 is provided at a position corresponding to the fluid communication hole 142 of the housing 140 and the flow path 122 of the shaft 120, and the fluid communication hole 142 and the flow path ( 122) can be communicated. As shown, the passage forming member 130 may have an annular shape as a whole. The passage-shaped member 130 includes a pair of ring portions 132 provided symmetrically spaced apart from each other and an annular base portion 136 provided between the pair of ring portions 132 to connect and support each ring portion 132. include The pair of ring parts 132 and the base part 136 have an annular shape having a predetermined thickness, and the shaft 120 may pass through the inner space (C). The shaft 120 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined gap d1 so as to be rotatable within the inner space C of the passage-shaped member 130 .

The outer diameter of the base portion 136 of the passage forming member 130 is smaller than the outer diameter of the ring portion 132 . Accordingly, when the passage forming member 130 is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140, an annular empty flow space V may be formed along the circumference of the base portion 136. Accordingly, the working fluid flowing through the fluid communication hole 142 may flow along the flow space V, that is, along the outer circumferential surface of the passage forming member 130 . In addition, one or more through holes 134 penetrating the inner and outer circumferential surfaces may be provided in the base portion 136 of the passage forming member 130 . Whether flowing along the flow space (V), the working fluid may communicate with the inner space (C) of the passage forming member 130 through the through hole (134). The number or size of the through holes 134 may be set according to the flow rate of the working fluid or the hydraulic pressure. Similarly, the inner diameter of the base portion 136 of the passage forming member 130 may be larger than the inner diameter of the ring portion 132 . That is, the inner diameter of the ring part 132 may be smaller than the inner diameter of the base part 136 . Accordingly, an annular flow space may be formed along the inner circumference of the base portion 136 . Thanks to the structure of the flow space V of the flow path forming member 130, even if the positions of the through hole 134 and the fluid communication hole 142 do not exactly match, the working fluid through the fluid communication hole 142 flows into the flow space. It may flow into the through hole 134 while circulating through (V).

Referring to FIG. 4 , an O-ring may be provided on an outer circumferential surface of the passage forming member 130 as a movement preventing member 139 for preventing movement within the housing 140 and sealing the outer circumferential surface.

The gap d1 between the shaft 120 and the inner circumferential surface of the passage forming member 130 may be larger than the gap d2 between the outer circumferential surface of the passage forming member 130 and the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140, and may be twice as large. may be ideal Thanks to these design conditions, interference between the flow path forming member 130 and the shaft 120 is prevented, and the flow path forming member 130 is firmly fixed on the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140 thanks to the movement preventing member 139 and moves. It may not be.

5 is a view showing a sealing part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , in another embodiment of the present invention, an elastic seal 173 may be used as the sealing part 170 . The elastic seal 173 may support the shaft 120 and suppress vibration while performing a sealing function. The elastic seal 173 may be formed of a plastic material.

The elastic seal 173 serves to support the shaft 120 together with the bearings 160a and 160b so that the axis C does not change due to vibration or the like while the shaft 120 rotates. The elastic seal 173 includes a plastic seal body formed with a recess in one direction, and an elastic member 174 accommodated inside the seal body to press the seal body toward the shaft 120 . The elastic member 174 may be, for example, an O-ring, a square ring, or a metal spring, but is not limited thereto.

The rotary union according to the above-described embodiment is easy to manufacture, maintain, and repair by simplifying the sealing structure, and can save installation space by minimizing the size.

In addition, the sealing force between the housing and the shaft can be improved to prevent leakage of fluid in pressure and vacuum conditions, and the flow of fluid between the shaft and the housing can be smoothed by using the annular flow path forming member.

In the above, the present invention has been described with specific details such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, but these are provided to help a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may seek various modifications and variations from these descriptions.

Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments and should not be determined, and not only the claims to be described later, but also all modifications equivalent or equivalent to these claims fall within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. will do it

10: rotary union 120: shaft
121: flange portion 122: flow path
130: flow path forming member 132: ring portion
136: base part 139: movement preventing member
140: housing 142: fluid communication hole
160a, 160b: bearing 150: housing cover
170, 170a, 170b: sealing part 172: anti-rotation member
190: vibration sensor

Claims (8)

a housing provided with a plurality of fluid communication holes;
a shaft rotatably installed in the housing and having a plurality of passages;
a bearing provided in the housing to rotatably support the shaft;
a plurality of sealing parts provided between the housing and the shaft so that fluid communication holes of each housing communicate only with corresponding passages of the shaft; and
A plurality of annular flow path forming members installed between the sealing parts and communicating the fluid communication holes and the flow path corresponding to each other;
Each of the sealing parts includes an annular hermetic seal formed of a plastic material and an elastic seal formed of a plastic material to suppress vibration of the shaft,
The elastic seal includes a seal body having a recess formed in one direction, and an elastic member accommodated inside the seal body and capable of pressing the seal body toward the shaft,
To prevent relative rotation of the hermetic seal and the elastic seal with the housing within the housing, an annular anti-rotation member is provided on outer circumferential surfaces of the hermetic seal and the elastic seal facing the housing,
An O-ring is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the flow path forming member to prevent movement in the housing and to seal the outer circumferential surface toward the housing.
According to claim 1,
The flow path forming member,
A pair of ring parts disposed spaced apart from each other;
an annular base portion connecting and supporting the pair of ring portions; and
Including; one or more through holes penetrating the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the base portion,
The rotary union wherein the outer diameter of the ring part is formed larger than the outer diameter of the base part to form a flow space along the circumference of the base part.
delete delete delete delete According to claim 1,
The rotary union, wherein the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the flow path forming member and the shaft is twice or more than the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the flow path forming member and the housing.
According to claim 1,
A rotary union wherein at least one of the shaft or the housing is provided with a sensor for measuring the presence or absence of an abnormality of the shaft.

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