TWM576338U - Air curtain device - Google Patents

Abstract

An air curtain device comprises a main body unit and a gas permeable seat module. The main body unit includes a cover seat and a base. The cover has two air inlets. The base is spaced apart from the cover in an assembly direction, the base having an elongated slot. The venting seat module is interposed between the cover seat and the base and detachably connects the cover seat and the base, the venting seat module includes at least one venting seat, the venting seat has a hollow seat body and at least one ventilating seat sheet. The hollow seat defines a flow passage through which a gas is passed, the gas permeable sheet covers one end of the flow passage, and defines a gas through which the gas can flow through the flow passage and flows out from the long air outlet. Airflow direction.

Description

Air curtain device

The present invention relates to an apparatus suitable for manufacturing or processing semiconductors, and more particularly to an air curtain apparatus for protecting a wafer cassette.

The wafer cassette plays an important role in protecting the wafer from contamination and transferring the wafer to each workstation in the semiconductor process. Therefore, the wafer cassette must be maintained in a positive pressure environment filled with protective gas. The wafer handling equipment is equipped with an air curtain device and is used to generate an airflow wall that blows downwards. When the wafer cassette is opened to remove the wafer, the airflow wall can prevent external environment contaminants from entering the wafer cassette.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , a conventional air curtain device 100 includes a lower housing 11 surrounding an accommodating space 10 defining an open end of the top and bottom, and an accommodating space 10 mounted on the lower housing 11 . A hollow fixing ring body 12, a plurality of gas permeable sheets 13 accommodated in the fixing ring body 12 for filtering the fine particles, and an upper casing 14 which is covered by the lower casing 11. The upper casing 14 has two air inlet holes 141 for connecting an external gas source (not shown), thereby forming the air inlet holes 141 into the accommodating space 10 and passing through the gas permeable plates 13 and The airflow wall (not shown) flowing out of the lower casing 11 can prevent external pollution from entering the wafer cassette (not shown) by blocking the airflow wall.

Although the air curtain device 100 has the above-mentioned effect of protecting the wafer, since the fixing ring 12 of the air curtain device 100 is embedded between the lower casing 11 and the upper casing 14, the outer dimensions of the three must match each other. The assembly does not adjust the number of the fixing ring 12 and the gas permeable plates 13 according to actual needs, and therefore, the applicability is not good.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an air curtain device that is modular, has good applicability, and can reduce maintenance costs.

Therefore, the air curtain device of the present invention comprises a main body unit and a gas permeable seat module. The main body unit includes a cover seat and a base. The cover has two air inlets through the top and bottom, and the air inlets are used for intake air. The base is spaced apart from the cover in an assembly direction, and the base has an air outlet slot extending through the top. The venting seat module is interposed between the cover seat and the base and detachably connects the cover seat and the base in the assembly direction, the venting seat module includes at least one venting seat, and the venting seat has a hollow seat body And at least one breathable sheet. The hollow seat defines a flow passage extending through the top and passing the gas, and the gas permeable sheet is coupled to the hollow seat and covered at one end of the flow passage for gas to pass therethrough, and defines that the gas can be An airflow direction through which the air inlet flows and flows out of the long air outlet.

The utility model has the advantages that the user can arbitrarily adjust the number of the gas permeable seat in the gas permeable seat module according to actual needs, and the applicability is good. At the same time, the venting seat module is detachably connected to the base and the base, and the venting seat can be selectively replaced, so that the maintenance cost is low.

Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a first embodiment of the air curtain device of the present invention is applicable to a device (not shown) mounted on a semiconductor dust-free production line, and the air curtain device comprises a main body unit 2 and a gas permeable seat. The module 3, the number of sealing rings 8, a nozzle unit 4, a locking unit 5, a baffle 6, and an installation group 7.

The main body unit 2 is substantially rectangular parallelepiped and extends along a length direction L. The main body unit 2 includes a cover seat 21 disposed along an assembly direction D, and a base 22. The length direction L is substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction D. The cover 21 includes a base wall 211 and a ring wall 212 extending outwardly from the base wall 211. The base wall 211 and the ring wall 212 surround a chamber 210 defining an opening downward. The base wall 211 of the cover 21 has two air inlets 213 extending through the top and in the assembly direction D and communicating with the chamber 210. The air inlets 213 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction L and are used for gas. The base 22 is spaced apart from the cover seat 21 along the assembly direction D, and has an air outlet slot 220 extending through the top and bottom in the assembly direction D and extending along the length direction L. In the first embodiment, the air outlet is provided. The long groove 220 is substantially elongated and eccentrically disposed on the base 22.

Further, the base 22 includes an inner annular surface 221 defining the air outlet slot 220, an outer annular surface 222 disposed opposite to the inner annular surface 221, and connected to the inner annular surface 221 and a first surface 223 of the outer annular surface 222 and a second surface 224. The first surface 223 and the second surface 224 are spaced apart from each other in the assembly direction D. The inner annular surface 221 has a second surface connected thereto. The straight face portion 2211 of the 224, and a chamfered face portion 2212 that is inclined toward the first surface 223 by the straight face portion 2211 and extends outward to the first surface 223.

Referring to FIG. 4 , FIG. 5 , and FIG. 6 , the venting seat module 3 is interposed between the cover 21 and the base 22 and detachably connects the cover 21 and the base 22 along the assembly direction D. The venting base module 3 includes at least one set of venting seats 31 stacked between the cover 21 and the base 22 in the assembly direction D, as shown in FIG. The venting seat 31 is described as an example, but the number of the venting seats 31 can be adjusted to one, or three or more depending on the actual situation. One of the venting seats 31 has a hollow seat body 311 and a gas permeable sheet 312. The other venting seat 31 has a hollow seat body 311 and two gas permeable sheets 312. The hollow seat 311 of each venting seat 31 defines a flow passage 310 that extends through the top and bottom in the assembly direction D and allows gas to pass therethrough. The gas permeable sheet 312 of each venting seat 31 is connected to the hollow seat body 311 and covers the flow path 310. In the first embodiment, the gas permeable sheets 312 are made of stainless steel and have a majority of the entire surface. Micropores (not shown) for allowing gas to pass through, but in other embodiments, the gas permeable sheets 312 can also be made of other metal materials or composite materials, as long as the micropores can be formed. The gas can pass.

The seal rings 8 are respectively O-rings, and in the first embodiment, the number of the seal rings 8 is three, and one of the seal rings 8 is disposed between the cover seat 21 and the adjacent gas permeable seat 31. The other sealing ring 8 is disposed between the base 22 and the adjacent gas permeable seat 31, and the other sealing ring 8 is disposed between the two gas permeable seats 31. Thereby, the gas-permeable sheets 312 can be press-fitted and fixed to the hollow seat body 311, the cover seat 21 and the base 22 by the seal rings 8, and the airtightness of the combination can be improved. In other variations, the gas permeable sheets 312 can also be riveted to the respective hollow seats 311 and then sealed with an adhesive, and have the same function of sealingly fixing.

The air nozzle unit 4 includes two air nozzles 41 respectively mounted to the air inlets 213 of the cover seat 21 and used to connect the external air A. Here, the external air A is defined to pass through the air inlets 213 of the cover 21 via the air nozzles 41, and sequentially flows through the flow passage 310 of each gas permeable seat 31 and the gas permeable sheet 312. A direction I of the airflow flowing out of the air outlet slot 220 of the base 22.

Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 8, in detail, the ring wall 212 of the cover seat 21 has a plurality of first connecting holes 214 spaced apart from the air permeable seat module 3, in the first embodiment. The first connecting holes 214 are arranged in two rows and opposed to each other through the chamber 210. Preferably, each of the first connecting holes 214 is a blind hole that opens toward the base 22 and does not penetrate the base wall 211. . The hollow seat body 311 of each gas permeable seat 31 has a fixing hole 313 extending in the assembly direction D and penetrating through the top and the first connecting hole 214. The base 22 also has a plurality of second connecting holes 225 corresponding to the fixing holes 313 and extending from the first surface 223 to the second surface 224 in the assembly direction D to penetrate the top and bottom.

The locking unit 5 includes a plurality of locking members 51 that detachably connect the main body unit 2 and the venting seats 31. Each of the locking members 51 is inserted into the corresponding second connecting hole 225 and passes through the fixing hole 313 of each corresponding venting seat 31, and is locked and positioned to the first connecting hole 214 of the corresponding cover seat 21, and The main body unit 2 is combined with the gas permeable seat module 3 .

After disassembling the fasteners 51, the user can increase or decrease the number of the venting seats 31 according to actual needs and reassemble between the cover 21 and the base 22. The present invention is provided by the venting seats 31. The modular design makes it easy for the user to increase or decrease the number of the venting seats 31 to adjust the uniformity of the venting gas, and the applicability is better. In addition, when the air outlet effect of the air permeable sheet 312 of any one of the venting seats 31 is not good, it is only necessary to replace the venting seat 31 of the group, and it is not necessary to replace the venting seat module 3 completely, and the maintenance cost is low.

Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 5, and FIG. 8, the baffle 6 extends along the length direction L and includes a connecting portion 61 disposed on at least one of the main body unit 2 and the venting base module 3, and a The connecting portion 61 faces outward and obliquely extends in the direction of the base 22, and the inclined portion 62 can block the airflow in the device.

The mounting group 7 is disposed on the cover 21, and the mounting group 7 includes two mounting plates 71 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction L. Each mounting plate is L-shaped and has a base that is locked to the cover 21. A fixing plate wall 711 of the wall 211, and a locking plate wall 712 extending outwardly from the fixing plate wall 711, the locking plate wall 712 is used to lock the first embodiment to the apparatus. In other variations, the mounting set 7 can also include a mounting plate 71, and the mounting plate 71 extends along the length direction L, again having the function of locking the first embodiment to the device.

Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, the first embodiment is mounted on an opening (not shown) of the device of the semiconductor dust-free production line, and the baffle 6 is away from the opening and facing Inside the device, an operator transfers a wafer in a wafer cassette (not shown) to the device through the opening of the device. The air nozzles 41 are connected to the external air A, and the external air A passes through the air inlets 213 through the air nozzles 41 and enters the chamber 210. When the internal air pressure of the first embodiment reaches a predetermined value, the external air A flows along the air flow direction I and flows outward from the air outlet long groove 220 to form a strong air flow wall W, and the air flow wall W is purified by filtration of the gas permeable sheets 312. The airflow wall W can block contaminants in the device from entering the wafer cassette to maintain the cleanliness of the wafer.

It should be noted that the external air A flows along the chamfered surface portion 2212 of the base 22, and the flow smoothness can be improved to concentrate the strength of the airflow wall W. It is to be noted that the slanting portion 62 of the baffle 6 can block the airflow inside the device from interfering with the airflow wall W, and therefore, the strength of the airflow wall W of the first embodiment can be maintained.

Referring to Figure 9, a second embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first embodiment in that:

The air outlet slot 220 of the base 22 is symmetrically disposed at the center of the base 22 and has a larger opening size to produce a wider range of the airflow wall W. By disassembling the locks 51, the different bases 22 can be replaced to suit various devices, and therefore, the best is applicable. This second embodiment also has the same effects as the first embodiment.

In summary, the air curtain device of the present invention has a modular design of the air permeable seats 31, and the number of the venting seats 31 can be arbitrarily combined, and the applicability is good, and one of the venting seats 31 can be replaced and maintained. The cost is lower. In addition, selecting the proper flow rate of the base 22 according to the application requirements can also save the amount of the external air A to reduce the cost of the consumables. Therefore, the object of the present invention can be achieved.

However, the above is only the embodiment of the present invention, and when it is not possible to limit the scope of the present invention, all the simple equivalent changes and modifications according to the scope of the patent application and the contents of the patent specification are still This new patent covers the scope.

2‧‧‧Main unit

21‧‧‧ Cover

210‧‧ ‧ room

211‧‧‧ base wall

212‧‧‧Circle

213‧‧‧air inlet

214‧‧‧First connection hole

22‧‧‧Base

220‧‧‧Exhaust trough

221‧‧‧ Inner torus

2211‧‧‧ Straight face

2212‧‧‧Chamfered face

222‧‧‧ outer annulus

223‧‧‧ first surface

224‧‧‧ second surface

225‧‧‧Second connection hole

3‧‧‧ breathable seat module

31‧‧‧ breathable seat

310‧‧‧ flow path

311‧‧‧ hollow body

312‧‧‧ breathable sheet

313‧‧‧Fixed holes

4‧‧‧ gas nozzle unit

41‧‧‧ gas nozzle

5‧‧‧Locking unit

51‧‧‧Locker

6‧‧‧Baffle

61‧‧‧Connecting Department

62‧‧‧ Oblique

7‧‧‧Installation group

71‧‧‧Installation board

711‧‧‧Fixed siding

712‧‧‧Locking wall

8‧‧‧Seal ring

A‧‧‧ outside gas

L‧‧‧ Length direction

D‧‧‧ Assembly direction

I‧‧‧Airflow direction

W‧‧‧ Air Wall

Other features and effects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional air curtain device; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional air curtain device Figure 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the air curtain device of the present invention; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of Figure 3; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a gas permeable seat of the first embodiment; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of Figure 3; and Figure 8 is an incomplete view of the first embodiment An exploded perspective view, in which a base of the main body unit and a gas permeable seat module are omitted; and FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (10)

An air curtain device comprising: a main body unit, comprising: a cover seat having two air inlets through the top and bottom, the air inlets for intake; and a base spaced apart from the cover in an assembly direction The base has a long air outlet groove extending through the top and bottom; and a gas permeable seat module interposed between the cover seat and the base and detachably connecting the cover seat and the base along the assembly direction, the gas permeable seat mold The group includes at least one gas permeable seat having a hollow seat body and at least one gas permeable sheet, the hollow seat body surrounding a flow passage defining a through bottom and a gas passage therethrough, the gas permeable sheet being coupled to the hollow seat body Covering one end of the flow channel for passing gas, and defining a direction of gas flow through which the gas can flow from the gas inlet and out of the gas outlet. The air curtain device of claim 1, wherein the air permeable seat module comprises a plurality of the air permeable seats stacked between the cover seat and the base in the assembly direction, wherein the air permeable seat has two of the air permeable sheets . The air curtain device of claim 2, wherein the cover includes a base wall and a ring wall extending outwardly from the base wall, the base wall and the ring wall defining an opening toward the air permeable seat A module and a chamber communicating with the air inlets. The air curtain device of claim 3, further comprising a locking unit, the locking unit comprising a plurality of locking members detachably connecting the main body unit and the venting seats. The air curtain device of claim 4, wherein the ring wall of the cover has a plurality of first connecting holes spaced apart from the air permeable seat module and corresponding to the lock, and the hollow seat of each gas permeable seat Having a fixing hole extending in the assembly direction and penetrating through the top and bottom, the base further has a plurality of second connecting holes corresponding to the fixing holes and extending in the assembly direction and penetrating the top and bottom, each of the fasteners penetrating into the respective first The two connecting holes are passed through the corresponding fixing holes and are positioned in the respective first connecting holes. The air curtain device of claim 1, wherein the base includes an inner annular surface surrounding the elongated air channel, an outer annular surface opposite to the inner annular surface, and is coupled to the inner annular surface and a first surface and a second surface of the outer ring surface, the first surface and the second surface are spaced apart from each other in the assembly direction, the inner ring mask has a straight face connected to the second surface, and a The straight face faces the first surface and slopes outwardly and extends to the chamfered face of the first surface. The air curtain device of claim 1, further comprising a baffle, and the main body unit extends along a length direction substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction, the baffle extending along the length direction and including a a connecting portion disposed on at least one of the main body unit and the venting seat module, and a slanting portion extending outward from the connecting portion and extending obliquely toward the base. The air curtain device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sealing rings, wherein one of the sealing rings is disposed between the cover seat and the gas permeable seat, and the other sealing ring is disposed between the base and the gas permeable seat. The air curtain device of claim 8 includes a total of three sealing rings, the venting seat module includes two venting seats, one of the sealing rings is disposed between the cover and the adjacent venting seat, and the other The sealing ring is disposed between the base and the adjacent gas permeable seat, and the other sealing ring is disposed between the gas permeable seats. The air curtain device of claim 1, wherein the gas permeable sheet of the gas permeable seat is made of a metal material and has a plurality of micropores for allowing gas to pass therethrough.