Fluid handling – Systems – With flow control means for branched passages
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-19
2001-05-08
Buiz, Michael (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
With flow control means for branched passages
C137S884000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227248
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a manifold-type flow detector assembly that can be effectively used for semiconductor fabrication apparatuses and other such equipment maintained in clean environments.
PRIOR ART
A flow sensor for detecting the flow of a fluid flowing through a channel is generally incorporated into various forms of fluid equipment or used as an independent apparatus. If the flow sensor is used independently in a general-purpose application, pipes are normally connected to the input and output sides of the sensor, and a flow control valve is further connected in series to the sensor. When a flow control valve is connected to enable a given fluid whose flow has previously been measured and regulated to be supplied, the piping between the flow sensor and flow control valve becomes much more complicated.
In addition, in a semiconductor fabrication facility, which is extremely susceptible to contamination by foreign matter, a connection means must be able to prevent fine foreign matter from being generated when pipes (or flow sensors or flow control valves) are either connected or replaced. Threaded pipes are unsuitable, for example, because fine powder is likely to be generated on the threads as pipes are screwed together or loosened.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is a technical object of this invention to solve the above-noted problems in order to provide a manifold-type flow detector assembly that allows a flow control valve to be assembled using a flow detector, including a flow sensor, to enable the single detector to measure and regulate a flow, and that allows the flow detector to be mounted via a manifold block, thereby enabling a plurality of flow detectors with a flow control valve to be simply mounted in various equipment without requiring a large amount of space.
It is another technical object to provide a manifold-type flow detector assembly that uses manifold blocks to enable an easy piping configuration to be achieved, despite the presence of a large number of flow sensors and flow control valves, in order to reduce working time while enabling the flow sensor and flow control valve to be easily installed and removed.
It is yet another technical object of this invention to provide a manifold-type flow detector assembly that can prevent the fine powder resulting from the installation or removal of screws from remaining in channels during assembly of the flow detector (including a flow control valve) or a manifold block, or replacement of such parts.
To achieve these objects, this invention provides a manifold-type flow detector assembly comprising a plurality of flow detectors with a flow control valve having the detection section of a flow sensor disposed in a flow channel penetrating the interior of the detector body, the ends of the fluid channel being in communication with an input and an output openings opened in mounting surfaces parallel to the axis of the fluid channel, a flow control valve being disposed in the channel; and a plurality of manifold blocks each having an input and an output passages corresponding to the input and output openings, the input passage being in communication with an input common passage, the output passage being individually in communication with an output port, wherein each of the manifold blocks is coupled to each of the flow detectors with the input and output opening in the flow detector joined with the input and output passages in the manifold block, respectively, and wherein the manifold blocks are connected and fixed together with the input common passages provided therein allowed to communicate mutually, the input common passage being allowed to communicate with a common input port.
According to the flow detector assembly of this invention, the flow detector is composed of a detector body including a flow sensor; and an input and an output blocks mounted on the input and output sides of the fluid channel in the detector body and having mounting surfaces into which the input and output openings are opened that are in communication with the fluid channel. Desirably, the detector body and each of the channels provided in the input and output blocks are joined together via seal members, and the detector body and each of the input and output blocks are fixedly connected at peripheral positions separate from the channels using connection means. Also, the flow control valve is provided in the input and/or output blocks.
In addition, according to the flow detector assembly of this invention, the input and output openings in the flow detector are desirably joined together via seal members with the input and output passages in the manifold block, and the manifold block and flow detector are desirably connected together at positions separate from the input and output passages and input and output openings using a connection means. Furthermore, this assembly desirably has a flange section for attaching a joint member having a common input port in communication with the input common passage in the manifold block and a joint member having an output port in communication with the output passage in the manifold block, to the periphery of the openings of the input common passage and output passage via seal members. The flange section can desirably be connected fixedly to the manifold block using a connection member.
According to the manifold-type flow detector assembly of this invention configured as described above, the input port in the manifold block is connected to a fluid supply source, and each output port in the manifold block is allowed to communicate with a plurality of loads that each receive a supply of fluid. The flow of fluid supplied from the input port through the input common passage is detected by the detection section of the flow sensor in each flow detector, and is regulated by the flow control valve. The fluid is then output to the loads through the output ports. Thus, each flow detector can set an arbitrary flow depending on the load.
In the flow detector assembly, the input and output blocks are mounted on the input and output sides of the flow detector body having the detection section of the flow sensor disposed in the fluid channel penetrating the interior of the body, so that the blocks and the flow detector body are integrated together. The flow control valve is provided in the input and/or output blocks. This configuration provides a compact flow detector with a flow control valve and enables a single flow detector to execute both flow measurement and regulation.
In addition, in the flow detector assembly, the mounting surface into which the input and output openings in the input and output blocks are opened is joined with the manifold block to fix them together, the plurality of manifold blocks are connected and fixed together by allowing the input common passages provided therein to communicate mutually, and the input common passages are allowed to communicate with the common input ports. This configuration offers several benefits. It enables a large number of flow detectors equipped with flow control valves to be mounted easily, without requiring a large space; it allows the detectors to be removed and installed easily for replacement; and it employs a common input port to reduce the number of pipe joints required, thereby simplifying the piping operation and reducing piping configuration time.
Furthermore, by joining the channels in the flow detector body and each of the input and output blocks together via seal members, and joining the input and output openings in the flow detector equipped with a flow control valve, with the input and output passages in the manifold block via seal members, and the flow detector body and each of the input and output blocks are connected together at positions separate from the channels. This configuration prevents any fine powder resulting from the installation or removal of screws from remaining in the channels during assembly of the flow detector (including the flow control valve) or the manifold block or replacement of these parts.
I
Buiz Michael
Krishnamurthy Ramesh
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
SMC Corporation
LandOfFree
Manifold-type flow detector assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Manifold-type flow detector assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Manifold-type flow detector assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2544874