Patent Publication Number: US-2022228689-A1

Title: Male connector holder for automatic chemical supply apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0007971 filed on Jan. 20, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a male connector holder for an automatic chemical supply apparatus, and particularly, to a male connector holder for an automatic chemical supply apparatus using which, even when the shape of a male connector is deformed, the automatic chemical supply apparatus is smoothly and normally operated and, furthermore, which performs alignment to correct the shape of the deformed male connector. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     In general, in all companies that use hazardous chemicals, such as companies that manufacture semiconductors, semiconductor devices, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), pharmaceutical companies, and paint companies, various types of chemicals are used, and methods of safely supplying these chemicals are also diversified. 
     These chemicals are transferred from a chemical tank of a tank lorry stopped outside a building to a chemical storage tank installed inside the building and are then transferred from the chemical storage tank to a chamber in which a unit process is performed. Further, in contrast, chemicals may be transferred from a chemical storage tank to a tank lorry. 
     Currently, an automatic chemical supply apparatus called an automatic clean quick coupler (ACQC) unit has been released and is in use. Here, the chemical storage tank is generally provided inside the building, and the ACQC unit serves as a relay supplying between the chemical tank of the tank lorry located outside the building and the chemical storage tank located inside the building. In detail, the ACQC unit includes a chemical male connector holder and a chemical female connector and may allow a transfer unit to move the chemical male connector holder to the chemical female connector so that a chemical male connector is automatically inserted into and fastened to the female connector. Accordingly, the chemicals may be supplied safely while a worker is not exposed to the chemicals. 
       FIG. 1  is a view for describing a side surface of the ACQC unit according to the related art.  FIG. 1  illustrates Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1779493 (Automatic chemical supply apparatus). As illustrated, the automatic chemical supply apparatus  1000  (ACQC unit) may include a male connector holder  100 , a housing body  200 , a transfer housing  300 , a transfer unit  400 , and a female connector  500 . 
     One end of the transfer unit  400  may be inserted into an opening  601  formed in a wall body  600 . The wall body  600  means a wall constituting a building, and the opening  601  is formed in a shape that is penetrated so that the outside and the inside of the building communicate with each other. 
     When the worker seats and fixes a male connector  20 , to which a chemical hose  700  is connected, onto the male connector holder  100 , the male connector holder  100  is moved forward by driving the transfer unit  400 , and thus the male connector  20  is inserted into the female connector  500 . The transfer unit  400  includes one or more transfer stages  410  and a driver, and thus the male connector holder  100  may slide forward/rearward on the transfer stages  410 . 
     In general, a nitrogen hose  800  is also connected to the automatic chemical supply apparatus  1000  together with the chemical hose  700  and thus may accelerate the supply of the chemicals by pressurization by supplying nitrogen (N 2 ) to the tank lorry. 
       FIG. 2  shows views for describing cross sections of a male connector and peripheral components.  FIG. 2( a )  is a cross-sectional view for describing the male connector  20  having a normal shape, and  FIG. 2( b )  is a cross-sectional view for describing the male connector  20  having an abnormal shape of which a neck region is stretched. As illustrated in  FIG. 2( a ) , the male connector  20  may be divided into a head region  20 - 1  of the male connector  20  inserted into the female connector  500  and a neck region  20 - 2  of the male connector  20  fastened by a flange (buffer flange). Further, a flange  30  is fastened to a hose flange  40  by a plurality of bolts and nuts, and the chemicals are discharged to the outside of the male connector  20  through the chemical hose  700  connected to a hose flange  40  and a nozzle of the male connector  20 . 
     However, the neck region  20 - 2  of the male connector  20  is made of a Teflon material that is easily deformable, and since the neck region  20 - 2  is thinner than the head region  20 - 1 , the neck region  20 - 2  may be shape-deformed due to prolonged use and a load. 
     For example, the head region  20 - 1  of the male connector  20  may be bent downward or upward, and as illustrated in  FIG. 2( b ) , the neck region  20 - 2  of the male connector  20  may be stretched forward. In this way, other causes of the stretching of the neck region  20 - 2  of the male connector  20  include accumulation of repeated processes of fastening or separating the hose flange  40  and the flange  30 , fastening with eccentricity on one side of upper, lower, left, and right sides, and fastening with a force that is too strong. 
     In the case of a normal male connector  20  of which the neck region  20 - 2  is not stretched, the flange  30  is spaced apart from the head region  20 - 1  by D. However, in the case of an abnormal male connector  20  of which the neck region  20 - 2  is stretched by d, as illustrated, the flange  30  is spaced apart from the head region  20 - 1  by D+d. A distance d may be in the range of 1 to 5 mm. 
     Even in the case of the abnormal male connector  20 , the head region  20 - 1  of the male connector  20  may be completely inserted into and fastened to the female connector  500 , and thus there is actually no problem in the supply of the chemicals. However, the automatic chemical supply apparatus  1000  may recognize that the head region  20 - 1  of the male connector  20  is not completely inserted into or fastened to the female connector  500 . For example, in the case of the automatic chemical supply apparatus that is controlled so that, on the basis of the flange  30 , when the flange  30  is moved forward to a specific location, the forward movement is detected, a current state is recognized, on the basis of the detected forward movement, as complete insertion or fastening between the male connector  20  and the female connector  500 , and a subsequent process is then performed, when the flange  30  is prevented from moving further forward, the automatic chemical supply apparatus  1000  may not be operated normally. That is, in the case of  FIG. 2( b ) , the flange  30  cannot move forward by the distance d, and thus it may be recognized that complete insertion or fastening is not made. 
     In this way, when the neck region  20 - 2  is stretched, the automatic chemical supply apparatus  1000  recognizes that the complete insertion or fastening has not been made and cannot proceed to a subsequent process because the male connector  20  continuously moves forward by the transfer unit  400  or the chemicals are not discharged. 
     Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1779493 (called “Automatic chemical supply apparatus”) discloses a technology in which, as a male connector holder on which a male connector is seated moves forward or rearward on a stage, the male connector is fastened to a female connector or the male connector is separated from the female connector. However, a technology in which, even when a neck region is deformed, an automatic chemical supply apparatus is smoothly and normally operated is not disclosed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to providing a male connector holder using which an automatic chemical supply apparatus that is smoothly and normally operated even when the shape of a male connector is deformed and, furthermore, which accurately and precisely mounts the male connector and a female connector by performing alignment that corrects the shape of the deformed male connector. 
     One aspect of the present disclosure provides a male connector holder for an automatic chemical supply apparatus, in which, in order to supply a chemical between a chemical tank and a chemical storage tank connected to each other, a male connector is transferred in a front-rear direction by a transfer unit in a state in which a flange coupled to the male connector is seated so that the male connector and a female connector are connected to each other, the male connector holder including a lower stage moved in the front-rear direction by the transfer unit, an upper stage which is provided on the lower stage and on which the flange coupled to the male connector is seated, and a rail that extends in the front-rear direction and is provided between the lower stage and the upper stage, wherein the upper stage is moved in the front-rear direction along the rail on the lower stage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing exemplary embodiments thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a view for describing a side surface of an automatic clean quick coupler (ACQC) unit according to a related art; 
         FIG. 2  shows views for describing cross sections of a male connector and peripheral components.  FIG. 2( a )  is a cross-sectional view for describing the male connector  20  having a normal shape, and  FIG. 2( b )  is a cross-sectional view for describing the male connector  20  having an abnormal shape of which a neck region is stretched; 
         FIG. 3  shows views for describing a male connector holder of an automatic chemical supply apparatus according to one embodiment.  FIG. 3( a )  is a perspective view, and  FIG. 3( b )  is a view for describing a side surface vertically taken along line X-X′; 
         FIG. 4  shows views for describing a cutaway cross section of the male connector holder of the automatic chemical supply apparatus, on which the male connector is seated, according to one embodiment.  FIG. 4( a )  is a view for describing the male connector holder  100  on which a normal male connector having a not-stretched neck region is seated, and  FIG. 4( b )  is a view for describing the male connector holder  100  on which an abnormal male connector having a stretched neck region is seated; 
         FIG. 5  shows views for describing a process in which a male connector having a stretched neck region is fastened to a female connector.  FIG. 5( a )  is a view before the male connector is fastened to the female connector, and  FIG. 5( b )  is a view after the male connector is fastened to the female connector; and 
         FIG. 6  is a view for describing a configuration of the male connector holder of the automatic chemical supply apparatus according to one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art may easily understand and reproduce the present disclosure through exemplary embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the detailed description of related widely known functions or configurations may make the subject of the embodiments of the present disclosure unclear, the detailed description will be omitted. Terms used throughout the present specification are terms defined in consideration of functions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and since the terms may be sufficiently modified according to the intention, the custom, or the like of a user or operator, a definition of these terms should be made on the basis of the contents throughout the present specification. 
     Further, the above aspects and additional aspects of the disclosure will become apparent through the following embodiments. Although the aspects selectively described in the present specification or configuration of the embodiments selectively described in the present specification are illustrated as a single integrated component in the drawings, it is understood that, unless otherwise stated, the aspects and configurations may be combined with each other when it is not apparent to those skilled in the art that there is a technical contradiction. 
     Thus, since the embodiments described in the present specification and configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and do not represent all the technical spirit of the present disclosure, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications that may replace the embodiments and the configurations are present at filling of the present application. 
       FIG. 3  shows views for describing a male connector holder of an automatic chemical supply apparatus according to one embodiment.  FIG. 3( a )  is a perspective view, and  FIG. 3( b )  is a view for describing a side surface vertically taken along line X-X′. As illustrated, a male connector holder  100  of an automatic chemical supply apparatus may include a stage  50 , a lower clamping holder  60 , an upper clamping holder  70 , a lower support pad  80 , and an upper support pad  90 , and the stage  50  may include a lower stage  51 , an upper stage  52 , an elastic member  53 , and a rail  54 . 
     The lower stage  51  may be moved forward or rearward by a transfer unit  400  of  FIG. 1 . The lower stage  51  may have a quadrangular plate shape. 
     The upper stage  52  may be provided on the lower stage  51 , and a flange  30  coupled to the male connector of  FIG. 2  may be seated on the upper stage  52 . 
     The elastic member  53  extends in a front-rear direction and is connected to the lower stage  51  and the upper stage  52 . Since the elastic member  53  extends in the front-rear direction, the elastic member  53  may have an elastic force in the front-rear direction. The elastic member  53  may be a spring. 
     The rail  54  may extend in the front-rear direction and may be provided between the lower stage  51  and the upper stage  52 . The rail  54  may be provided on the lower stage  51  and may be provided as a plurality of rails  54 . A unit functioning as a movement guide is considered as being included in the rail  54 . 
     Due to this configuration, the upper stage  52  may move in the front-rear direction along the rail  54  on the lower stage  51  and may have an elastic repulsive force due to the elastic member  53 . Thus, the lower stage  51  may be moved further forward independently of the upper stage  52  due to compression of the elastic member  53 , and the upper stage  52  pushed and moved rearward may be automatically moved forward and returns to an original location thereof. 
     The lower stage  51  may further include a location sensor  55  that provides location information of the lower stage  51  in the front-rear direction. The location sensor  55  may be an optical sensor and may be a light emitting unit or a light receiving unit, and the light emitting unit or the light receiving unit corresponding thereto may be separately provided in the automatic chemical supply apparatus. The type of the location sensors  55  is not limited. 
     The male connector holder  100  of the automatic chemical supply apparatus according to one embodiment may further include the lower clamping holder  60 , the upper clamping holder  70 , the lower support pad  80 , and the upper support pad  90 . 
     The lower clamping holder  60  may be provided on the lower stage  51 . The lower clamping holder  60  may be fixed to both sides of the lower stage  51  and located on the lower stage  51 . 
     The upper clamping holder  70  may be provided on the lower clamping holder  60 . The upper clamping holder  70 , of which one end is hinge-coupled to the other end of the lower clamping holder  60 , may be rotated. As illustrated, a locking part  70 - 1  is provided in the upper clamping holder  70  and the lower clamping holder  60  and fixedly fastens the upper clamping holder  70  and the lower clamping holder  60  to each other. 
     The lower support pad  80  may be provided on the lower stage  51  and may be in contact with a neck region  20 - 2  of the male connector in an upper end thereof. 
     The upper support pad  90  may be provided on the lower support pad  80 , may be provided on the upper clamping holder  70 , and may come into contact with and press the neck region  20 - 2  of the male connector. 
     The neck region  20 - 2  of the male connector may be divided into a front neck region  20 - 2 - 1  of the male connector located on the front side and a rear neck region  20 - 2 - 2  of the male connector located on the rear side, and the lower support pad  80  and the upper support pad  90  may be in contact with each other in the front neck region  20 - 2 - 1  of the male connector. 
     Due to this structure, a central axis of the male connector  20  may be aligned with a central axis of the female connector. Thus, when the neck region  20 - 2  of the male connector is deformed and thus a head region  20 - 1  of the male connector is bent upward or downward, the deformation and the bending can be corrected due to this structure. 
       FIG. 4  shows views for describing a cutaway cross section of the male connector holder of the automatic chemical supply apparatus, on which the male connector is seated, according to one embodiment.  FIG. 4( a )  is a view for describing the male connector holder  100  on which a normal male connector having a not-stretched neck region is seated, and  FIG. 4( b )  is a view for describing the male connector holder  100  on which an abnormal male connector having a stretched neck region is seated. As illustrated in  FIG. 4( a ) , since the male connector  20  having the not-stretched neck region  20 - 2  is seated on the male connector holder  100 , the lower support pad  80  and the upper support pad  90  are pressed against the front neck region  20 - 2 - 1  of the male connector, and thus no gap is generated. Accordingly, the lower stage  51  is also sufficiently moved forward, the location information of the lower stage  51  in the front-rear direction may be provided through the location sensor  55 , and thus it may be identified that the male connector and the female connector are normally fastened to each other. Thereafter, a following process such as stopping of driving of the transfer unit or discharging of a chemical by the automatic chemical supply apparatus is performed. 
     According to one embodiment, the location sensor  55  may be provided directly below the flange  30 . Thus, by detecting a forward location of the flange  30 , it may be identified whether or not the male connector and the female connector are normally fastened to each other. In case of  FIG. 4( a ) , it is recognized that the lower stage  51  is moved forward to a normal location, and thus the male connector and the female connector are normally inserted into and fastened to each other. 
     Meanwhile, as illustrated in  FIG. 4( b ) , since the male connector  20  having the neck region  20 - 2  stretched by a distance d is seated on the male connector holder  100 , the lower support pad  80  and the upper support pad  90  are not pressed against the front neck region  20 - 2 - 1  of the male connector, and thus a gap corresponding to the distance d is generated. In this case, in the related art, the lower stage  51  is not sufficiently moved forward. Accordingly, the automatic chemical supply apparatus recognizes, through the location sensor  55 , that the male connector and the female connector are not fastened or incompletely fastened to each other, and thus does not perform the next process. 
     However, in the present disclosure of  FIG. 4 , when the neck region  20 - 2  is stretched by the distance d, the lower stage  51  may be moved further forward by the distance d using the transfer unit independently of the upper stage  52 , and thus the gap is not generated. Thus, the problems such as unfastening or incomplete fastening can be solved. 
       FIG. 5  shows views for describing a process in which a male connector having a stretched neck region is fastened to a female connector.  FIG. 5( a )  is a view before the male connector is fastened to the female connector, and  FIG. 5( b )  is a view after the male connector is fastened to the female connector. As illustrated in  FIG. 5( a ) , the abnormal male connector  20  having the neck region stretched by the distance d is seated on the male connector holder  100 , and thus the lower stage  51  cannot be moved further forward by d. Accordingly, the gap corresponding to the distance d is generated. However, as illustrated in  FIG. 5( b ) , when the male connector  20  is inserted into and fastened to the female connector  500 , the upper stage  52  may be pushed and moved backward by the distance d, the lower stage  51  may be moved further forward, and thus no gap is generated. Due to this structure of the present disclosure, although the male connector  20  is stretched by the distance d, the lower stage  51 , furthermore, the support pads  80  and  90 , may be moved further forward, and thus the automatic chemical supply apparatus recognizes that the normal male connector is seated on the male connector holder  100  and is thus completely fastened to the female connector. Thus, the automatic chemical supply apparatus may perform a next process such as the stopping of the driving of the transfer unit and the discharging of the chemical. 
       FIG. 6  is a view for describing a configuration of the male connector holder of the automatic chemical supply apparatus according to one embodiment. 
     As illustrated, the male connector holder  100  of the automatic chemical supply apparatus may include the stage  50 , the lower clamping holder  60 , the upper clamping holder  70 , the lower support pad  80 , and the upper support pad  90 , and further, the stage  50  may include the lower stage  51 , the upper stage  52 , the elastic member  53 , the rail  54 , the location sensor  55 , a first connection member  56 , and a second connection member  57 . 
     The rail  54 , the location sensor  55 , and the first connection member  56  may be provided on the lower stage  51 . The location sensor  55  may be located directly below the flange  30 . 
     The upper stage  52  may be provided with an opening. The first connection member  56  may be provided at one end of the elastic member  53 , may be fixed to the lower stage  51 , and may connect the elastic member  53  and the lower stage  51  in the opening. 
     The locations of the first connection member  56  and the second connection member  57  may be freely determined. 
     The second connection member  57  may be provided at the other end of the elastic member  53 , may be fixed to the upper stage  52 , and may connect the elastic member  53  and the upper stage  52  in the opening. 
     According to an embodiment, the rail  54  may further include a movement bar  54 - 1  that is provided on the rail  54  and moves in the front-rear direction along the rail  54 . The movement bar  54 - 1  and the upper stage  52  may be fixedly connected. Accordingly, the upper stage  52  may be moved in the front-rear direction along the rail  54  by the movement bar  54 - 1 . A cover  58  may be provided on the opening. The cover  58  may be made of a transparent material. Accordingly, the forward and rearward movement of the first connection member  56  in the opening may be visually identified, and thus components are easily replaced. 
     According to the present disclosure, even when a male connector having a stretched neck region is seated on a holder, an automatic chemical supply apparatus can be smoothly and normally operated, and thus the chemical can be supplied without interruption. 
     Further, when a male connector having an upward or downward bent neck region is seated on the holder, alignment is performed by correction, and thus the male connector and a female connector can be accurately fastened. 
     Accordingly, ultimately, the productivity of supply of the chemical can be increased, and safety of a worker can be achieved.