Fluid control apparatus

Provided is a fluid control apparatus in which a pipe heating member may be mounted or removed with flexibility (i.e., without affecting other components) while one line, composed of the plurality of fluid control devices arranged in series, as a unit may be added or modified readily. The apparatus includes: a plate-shaped support member 5 to which a plurality of passage blocks 22 are detachably mounted; a hollow metal mounting member 6 having an upper surface to which the support member 5 is secured and being detachably mounted to a base member; and a pipe heating member 7 fitted into the mounting member 6. The pipe heating member 7, including a bottom wall 29 and a pair of side walls 30, accommodates a pipe 24 between the side walls 30 and is fitted into the mounting member 6 with the pipe heating member 7 abutting the mounting member 6.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a fluid control apparatus used in semiconductor fabrication equipment or the like, and more particularly, to a fluid control apparatus having heating means and formed by integrating a plurality of fluid control devices.

BACKGROUND ART

Fluid control apparatuses used in semiconductor fabrication equipment have been increasingly integrated. Such an integration of the fluid control apparatus is made by arranging a plurality of fluid control devices in series to form one line and disposing a plurality of such lines in parallel on a base member without interposing any pipes or joints for connection.

Such a fluid control apparatus may require heating means, and therefore downsizing of the fluid control apparatus including the heating means has been a problem to be overcome. Patent Literature 1 discloses using stacking blocks, disposing the stacking blocks to cover a pipe, and providing the stacking block with a fixation portion to secure a lower flow-path block on which a fluid control device is placed, thereby transferring heat generated at a heater.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication JP-A-2008-159905

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

According to the fluid control apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the staking blocks, used regardless of whether a heater is used, support the lower flow-path blocks (passage blocks), and such a configuration causes a problem that the stacking block (a pipe heating member in the case where a heater is provided) cannot be mounted or removed with flexibility (i.e., without affecting other components). In addition, the fluid control apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has another problem that, in disposing a plurality of lines, each line being composed of a plurality of fluid control devices arranged in series, on a base member, each passage block is configured to be mounted directly on the base member, whereby addition or modification of one line as a unit is troublesome.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid control apparatus in which the pipe heating member is mounted or removed with flexibility (i.e., without affecting other components), while one line, composed of a plurality of fluid control devices arranged in series, as a unit may be readily added or modified.

Solution to Problem

The present invention provides a fluid control apparatus comprising: a plurality of fluid control devices arranged in series; a plurality of passage blocks that are arranged below the plurality of fluid control devices and support the plurality of fluid control devices; heaters, each covering some of the plurality of fluid control devices and the plurality of passage blocks, disposed on both sides thereof; and a pipe extending below the plurality of passage blocks; the fluid control apparatus further comprising: a plate-shaped support member to which the plurality of passage blocks are detachably mounted; a hollow metal mounting member having an upper surface to which the support member is secured, the mounting member being detachably mounted to a base member; and a pipe heating member composed of a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, the pipe heating member accommodating the pipe between the pair of side walls and being fitted into the mounting member such that the pipe heating member abuts the mounting member.

The fluid control apparatus of the present invention as described above constitutes one line of a fluid control system (an integrated fluid control system) having a plurality of lines. The fluid control devices and the passage blocks are mounted to the support member, and the support member is secured to the upper surface of the mounting member, whereby the fluid control apparatus constituting one line is obtained. The fluid control apparatuses are mounted to a base member within a housing to constitute the plurality of lines. In this case, required fluid control devices and passage blocks may be mounted to the support member outside the housing in advance, whereby this mounting work is facilitated. In addition, one line may be mounted to the base member in one work, i.e., in one step, and therefore adding or modifying one line, composed of the plurality of fluid control devices arranged in series, as a unit may be facilitated.

The pipe heating member is a block-shaped member made of aluminum, for example, and is adjacent to the pipe, to efficiently transfer heat from the heater to the pipe. The pipe heating member, which is a component that does not affect mounting of the fluid control device and the passage block even if the pipe heating member is omitted, may be mounted or removed with flexibility (i.e., without affecting other components).

It is preferable that the mounting member comprises a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, each end wall connects corresponding ends of the side walls, each side wall is provided with at least one through hole, and a male screw inserted through the through hole is screwed into an internally threaded portion provided on the side wall of the pipe heating member, whereby the pipe heating member is detachably mounted to the mounting member. This configuration allows the pipe heating member to be mounted to or removed from the mounting member readily.

It is preferable that the mounting member further comprises a protruding upper edge provided to protrude inwardly from an upper surface of each of the end walls, and each of both ends of the support member is secured to the protruding upper edge. With this configuration, the support member is readily mounted to or removed from the mounting member.

It is preferable that the mounting member further comprises a protruding lower edge provided to protrude outwardly from a lower surface of each of the end walls, and the protruding lower edge is secured to the base member. Such a configuration allows the mounting member to be readily mounted to or removed from the base member.

The support member and the mounting member may be used for a line where the heater is not used. In this case, the pipe heating member may be omitted.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

As described above, in the fluid control apparatus of the present invention, the pipe heating member is mounted or removed with flexibility, i.e., without affecting other components, while adding or modifying one line, composed of the plurality of fluid control devices in series, as a unit is facilitated.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the upper and lower sides of the fluid control apparatus inFIG. 1will be referred to as “upper” and “lower” sides, respectively. The right and left sides of the fluid control apparatus inFIG. 1will be referred to as the “front” and “rear,” respectively. The right and left sides as viewed toward the rear will be referred to as the “right” and “left,” respectively. These terms “front” and “rear,” “upper” and “lower,” and “right” and “left” are just for convenience, and therefore the terms “front” and “rear” may be used to refer to the opposite sides, respectively, or the terms “upper” and “lower” may be used to refer to the “right” and “left.”

As shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, in one embodiment of the present invention, the fluid control apparatus1includes: an upper stage2having a plurality of fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21arranged in series in the front-rear direction; a lower stage3having a plurality of passage blocks22,23that support the plurality of fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21; two plate-shaped heaters4heating a required location of the upper stage2and the lower stage3; a support member5supporting the passage blocks22,23of the lower stage3; a hollow mounting member6disposed below the support member5; and a pipe heating member7accommodated in the mounting member6.

The plurality of passage blocks22,23, as lower stage constituents, are detachably mounted to the support member5at predetermined intervals by means of male screws25. The fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21, as upper stage constituents, are arranged so as to straddle the passage blocks22,23that are adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, and are detachably mounted to the corresponding passage blocks22,23by means of male screws26.

The support members5each of which supports the plurality of fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21are arranged in parallel on a base member (not shown) via mounting members6, whereby a fluid control unit (for example, a gas supply unit for semiconductor fabrication) having a plurality of fluid control apparatuses (lines)1, each of which is formed by the plurality of fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21arranged in series, is formed.

Provided as the upper stage2are, in order from the left (the inlet side): a first gas inlet portion8having a first gas inlet joint11, a first on-off valve12, a regulator13, and a pressure sensor14; a second gas inlet portion9having a second gas inlet joint15, a first flow rate controller16, and a second on-off valve17; and an outlet portion10having a third on-off valve18, a second flow rate controller19, a filter20, and a gas outlet joint21.

An I-shaped passage (not shown) in a passage block23provided at the outlet of the pressure sensor14is brought into communication with an I-shaped passage (not shown) in a passage block23provided at a second gas inlet of the third on-off valve18by means of a pipe24. The pipe24, disposed below the plurality of passage blocks22,23, extends from the inlet side to the outlet side. Both ends of the pipe24extend upward and have upward openings. The third on-off valve18is a three-way valve, and shuts off or opens the passage for a gas from the first gas inlet portion8by operation of the third on-off valve18.

The heater4is a plate-shaped one that is referred to as a panel heater. Two heaters4are disposed such that the plurality of fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21, the plurality of passage blocks22,23, the support member5, and the mounting member6are sandwiched between the heaters4.

Between the pressure sensor14and the second gas inlet joint15, a predetermined gap is provided in the front-rear direction. A plate-shaped gap filling member45is disposed so as to fill the gap. The heaters4abut the gap filling member45, whereby torsion of the heaters4is prevented. This gap may be omitted, and in this case the gap filling member45may also be omitted.

The support member5is made of a stainless-steel flat plate material. The support member5has a length greater than the total length of the plurality of fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21along the direction of these arrangement (in the front-rear direction). The support member5has both ends in the front-rear direction that are detachably mounted to the mounting member6by means of male screws27. The support member5is divided in half at its center in the across-the-width direction. This configuration allows the support member5to be mounted to the mounting member6, with each of the both ends of the pipe24being held at its both sides in the right-left direction.

The mounting member6is hollow to accommodate the pipe heating member7therein, and is made of metal such as a stainless steel so as to efficiently transfer heat generated by the heater4to the pipe heating member7. The mounting member6is detachably mounted at its both front-rear ends to the base member by means of male screws28.

The pipe heating member7is a block-shaped aluminum member having a U-shaped cross section, and composed of a bottom wall29and a pair of side walls30, as shown inFIG. 3. Between the pair of side walls30, the pipe24is accommodated such that the side walls30and the pipe24are adjacent to each other or abut against each other. The pipe heating member7is fitted into the mounting member6such that an outside surface of each side wall30abuts an inside surface of the mounting member6. The pipe heating member7abuts the mounting member6that abuts the heater4, and is adjacent to or abuts the pipe24, thereby efficiently transferring heat from the heater4to the pipe24.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5in detail, the support member5includes: through holes31through which male screws27for mounting the support member5to the mounting member6are inserted; a plurality of internally threaded portions32into which male screws25for securing the plurality of passage blocks22,23to the support member5are screwed; and through holes33through which ends of the pipe24that is brought into communication with the passage block23are inserted.

The mounting member6includes: a pair of side walls34; a pair of end walls35, each of which connects corresponding ends of the side walls34; front-rear protruding upper edges (protruding upper edges)36provided to protrude inwardly in the front-rear direction from respective upper surfaces of the end walls35, the front-rear protruding upper edges36to which both ends of the support member5being secured, respectively; and front-rear protruding lower edges (protruding lower edges)37provided to protrude outwardly in the front-rear direction from respective lower surfaces of the end walls35, and the front-rear protruding lower edges37being secured to the base member.

Each of the side walls34of the mounting member6is provided with through holes38for mounting the pipe heating member7. Each of the side walls30of the pipe heating member7is provided with internally threaded portions39to correspond to the through holes38of the side wall34of the mounting member6. Male screws40shown inFIG. 1are inserted through the through holes38of the side wall34of the mounting member6to be screwed into the internally threaded portions39of the side wall30of the pipe heating member7, whereby the pipe heating member7is detachably mounted to the mounting member6.

The front-rear protruding upper edge36of the mounting member6is provided with internally threaded portions41into which male screws27that mount the support member5to the mounting member6are screwed. On the upper surface of the side wall34of the mounting member6, projections42projecting in the right-left direction are provided at required intervals in the front-rear direction. These projections42are also provided with internally threaded portions43into which male screws27that mount the support member5to the mounting member6are screwed. The front-rear protruding lower edge37of the mounting member6is provided with through holes44through which male screws (not shown) for securing the mounting member6to the base member are inserted.

The fluid control apparatus1described above constitutes one line of a system (an integrated fluid control system) where a plurality of lines1are arranged in parallel on the base member at required intervals. The integrated fluid control system, used further in combination with other systems, serves as gas supply equipment for fabricating semiconductors. Therefore, due to area constraints of the base member, reducing the installation area of the fluid control apparatus1is desired. With the fluid control apparatus1in accordance with this embodiment, disposing a pipe24below the passage blocks22,23achieves a reduced installation area. Since the pipe heating member7that heats the pipe24is accommodated in the mounting member6, providing the pipe heating member7does not entail an increased installation area.

The fluid control apparatuses1are mounted to the base member in the housing to constitute required lines. In this case, required fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21and required passage blocks22,23may be mounted to the support member5outside the housing in advance, which facilitates the mounting work. The support member5may be mounted to the mounting member6before the mounting member6is mounted to the base member, or the support member5may be mounted to the mounting member6that has already been mounted to the base member. In either case, one line may be installed on the base member in one work, i.e., in one step. Consequently, one line, composed of the plurality of fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21arranged in series and the plurality of passage blocks22,23arranged in series, as a unit may be added or modified readily.

The pipe heating member7alone may be mounted or removed, with the other components (the plurality of fluid control devices11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21and the plurality of passage blocks22,23) being left as they are, so the pipe heating member7may be mounted or removed with flexibility, i.e., without affecting other components.

In the above embodiments, each fluid control device11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21alone may be removed upward, and there is no parts constituted by mounting multiple fluid control devices to one block, whereby maintenance or modification of each fluid control device11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21is facilitated. In addition, since the both ends of the pipe24extend upward and are open upward, connecting the pipe to the passage block23, which is sandwiched between the passage blocks22, is facilitated. Further, the pipe24thus configured may have a smaller length in the front-rear direction as compared with one that has both ends being open frontward and rearward and welded to the passage blocks.

In the above embodiments, the pipe24is disposed to connect the pressure sensor14that is at the rear (inlet side) of the first flow rate controller16, and the third on-off valve18that is at the rear (inlet side) of the second flow rate controller19, whereby these two flow rate controllers (thermal mass flow rate controllers such as mass flow controllers, and pressure-type flow rate controllers, etc.)16,19are readily disposed in one line. However, the fluid control devices connected by means of the pipe24are not limited to the illustrated examples.

In the above embodiments, the configuration above the support member5, i.e., the configuration of the fluid control devices and the passage blocks is not limited to that shown in the drawings, and various configurations may be employed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is suitable for use as a fluid control apparatus including a pipe heating member. In the present invention, the pipe heating member may be mounted or removed with flexibility (i.e., without affecting other components), while one line, composed of a plurality of fluid control devices arranged in series, as a unit may be readily added or modified. This configuration facilitates fabrication of the fluid control apparatus.