Gas-panel assembly Number:7,320,339 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent

Title: Gas-panel assembly

Abstract: Modular components for use in a gas-panel assembly of the type having two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, stick being composed of a manifold having a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, and internal fluid connections between individual components carried on each manifolds, are disclosed. The components include one or more modular blocks that can be removably placed within or adjacent an end of each manifold, an internal pipe module that provides an internal fluid passageway between one of the gas components carried on a manifold and a support on an adjacent modular block unit, and one or more external pipe modules that provide an external fluid passageway between surface ports formed in the modular block, for connecting adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly.

Patent Number: 7,320,339 Issued on 01/22/2008 to Milburn

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Inventors:	Milburn; Matthew L. (Felton, CA)
Assignee:	Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (Menlo Park, CA)
Appl. No.:	11/219,105
Filed:	September 1, 2005

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Related U.S. Patent Documents

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	Application Number	Filing Date	Patent Number	Issue Date
	60687018	Jun., 2005

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Current U.S. Class:	137/884
Current International Class:	F16K 11/10 (20060101)
Field of Search:	137/269,270,271,597,884

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References Cited [Referenced By]

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Primary Examiner: Fox; John
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dehlinger; Peter J. Perkins Coie LLP

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Parent Case Text

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This patent application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/687,018 filed on Jun. 2, 2005, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

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Claims

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The invention claimed is:

1. For use in a gas-panel assembly having two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, where each stick is composed of a manifold, a plurality of gas components mounted on the manifold, and internal fluid connections in the manifold between individual components carried on each manifold, modular components for providing fluid connections between adjacent sticks, comprising (a) one or more modular blocks adapted to be removably placed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, wherein each modular block is composed of a pair of confronting block modules, where each block module provides: (i) at least one groove formed therein, such that when two block modules are placed together, confronting grooves in the two modules form an opening in which a connector in an internal pipe module can be received, (ii) an upper surface region adjacent each groove, such when two block modules are placed together, confronting surface regions define a support region for supporting the collar of a pipe module having a connector received in said opening, (b) means defining an internal passageway adapted to provide a below-surface fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on a manifold and said support region in an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, wherein said passageway-defining means includes an internal pipe module adapted to be supported at one end by said modular block and at its other end by a portion of said manifold adjacent said block, and each internal pipe module is composed of two or more connectors joined in fluid-communication by a pipe section, and at least one of the connectors terminates in a collar adapted to be supported within a modular block, and (c) an external pipe module adapted to provide an above-surface fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly.

2. The modular components of claim 1, wherein said pipe modules, but not said block modules, are formed of a corrosion-resistant material.

3. The modular components of claim 2, wherein said pipe modules are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of 304 stainless steel, 316L VIM-VAR, Hastelloy.TM., aluminum, and ceramic, and said block modules are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and aluminum.

4. For use in a gas-panel assembly having two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, where each stick is composed of a manifold, a plurality of gas components mounted on the manifold, and internal fluid connections in the manifold between individual components carried on each manifold, modular components for providing fluid connections between adjacent sticks, comprising (a) one or more modular blocks adapted to be removably placed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (b) means defining an internal passageway adapted to provide a below-surface fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on a manifold and said support region in an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, wherein said passageway-defining means includes an internal pipe module adapted to be supported at one end by said modular block and at its other end by a portion of said manifold adjacent said block, and (c) an external pipe module adapted to provide an above-surface fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly, wherein each modular block provides a single support region, the modular blocks are adapted to be placed within or adjacent each manifold as a pair of blocks, each of said internal pipe modules is adapted to provide an internal fluid passageway between said selected gas component on a manifold and each of the support regions in the pair of modular blocks, thus to form a pair of surface ports in each manifold, and at least one manifold is adapted to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of offset external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports formed in the pair of blocks.

5. For use in a gas-panel assembly having two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, where each stick is composed of a manifold, a plurality of gas components mounted on the manifold, and internal fluid connections in the manifold between individual components carried on each manifold, modular components for providing fluid connections between adjacent sticks, comprising (a) one or more modular blocks adapted to be removably placed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (b) means defining an internal passageway adapted to provide a below-surface fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on a manifold and said support region in an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, wherein said passageway-defining means includes an internal pipe module adapted to be supported at one end by said modular block and at its other end by a portion of said manifold adjacent said block, and (c) an external pipe module adapted to provide an above-surface fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the pas assembly, wherein each modular block provides a pair of support regions, each of said internal pipe modules is adapted to provide an internal fluid passageway between said selected gas component on a manifold and each of the support regions of the associated modular block, thus to form a pair of surface ports in each manifold, and at least one manifold is adapted to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of offset external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in the pair of blocks.

6. For use in a gas-panel assembly having two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, where each stick is composed of a manifold, a plurality of gas components mounted on the manifold, and internal fluid connections in the manifold between individual components carried on each manifold, modular components for providing fluid connections between adjacent sticks, comprising (a) one or more modular blocks adapted to be removably placed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (b) means defining an internal passageway adapted to provide a below-surface fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on a manifold and said support region in an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, and (c) an external pipe module adapted to provide an above-surface fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly, wherein said passageway-defining means is formed in said modular block, terminating at one end in a port in said block's support region, and said modular block is adapted to replace a portion of the manifold that provides a downstream port for said selected gas component carried on each manifold, and the passageway defining means in a modular block terminates at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block, and at least one stick is adapted to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of offset external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in said modular block.

7. For use in a gas-panel assembly having two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, where each stick is composed of a manifold, a plurality of gas components mounted on the manifold, and internal fluid connections in the manifold between individual components carried on each manifold, modular components for providing fluid connections between adjacent sticks, comprising (a) one or more modular blocks adapted to be removably placed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (b) means defining an internal passageway adapted to provide a below-surface fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on a manifold and said support region in an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, and (c) an external pipe module adapted to provide an above-surface fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly, wherein the selected pas component carried on each manifold in said assembly is a purge-gas valve, each of said manifolds is separable between said valve and the component immediately downstream thereof, at which each manifold is adapted to receive at least one of said modular blocks, said passageway-defining means in each manifold is adapted to connect a port in said purge valve with a port associated with an adjacent modular unit, and one or more external pipe units connecting ports in adjacent-manifold modular units are adapted to form a fluid passageway for purge gas supply between adjacent sticks, wherein the purge gas valve carried on each manifold is a two-port valve connected at its opposite port to said internal fluid connections in the manifold, and said passageway-defining means in each manifold terminates at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block, and at least one manifold is adapted to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in said modular block.

8. For use in a gas-panel assembly having two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, where each stick is composed of a manifold, a plurality of gas components mounted on the manifold, and internal fluid connections in the manifold between individual components carried on each manifold, modular components for providing fluid connections between adjacent sticks, comprising (a) one or more modular blocks adapted to be removably placed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (b) means defining an internal passageway adapted to provide a below-surface fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on a manifold and said support region in an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, and (c) an external pipe module adapted to provide an above-surface fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly, wherein each manifold is adapted to receive at least one of said modular blocks at its downstream end, in each manifold said passageway-defining means is adapted to connect a port in a terminal gas-control component with a port in an associated modular unit, and external pipe units connecting ports formed in adjacent-manifold modular units are adapted to form a fluid passageway for mixed gas supply from the manifolds in the assembly, and said passageway-defining means in each manifold terminates at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block unit, and at least one manifold is adapted to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in said modular block.

9. A gas-panel assembly comprising (a) two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, each stick being composed of a manifold and a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, (b) internal fluid connections in the manifold in each stick between individual components carried on each manifold, (c) one or more modular blocks removably disposed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (f) means defining an internal passageway in each manifold providing an internal fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on that manifold and said support region on an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, wherein said passageway-defining means includes an internal pipe module adapted to be supported at one end by said modular block and at its other end by a portion of said stick adjacent said block, and (g) an external pipe module providing an external fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly, wherein each modular block unit provides a single support region, the modular blocks are disposed within or adjacent each manifold as a pair of blocks, each of said internal pipe modules provides an internal fluid passageway between said selected gas component carried on a manifold and each of the support regions in the pair of modular blocks, thus to form a pair of surface ports in each manifold, and at least one manifold is adapted to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports formed in the pair of blocks.

10. A gas-panel assembly comprising (a) two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, each stick being composed of a manifold and a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, (b) internal fluid connections in the manifold in each stick between individual components carried on each manifold, (c) one or more modular blocks removably disposed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (f) means defining an internal passageway in each manifold providing an internal fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on that manifold and said support region on an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, wherein said passageway-defining means includes an internal pipe module adapted to be supported at one end by said modular block and at its other end by a portion of said stick adjacent said block, and (g) an external pipe module providing an external fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly, wherein each modular block unit provides a pair of support regions, each if said internal pipe modules provides an internal fluid passageway between said selected gas component carried on a manifold and each of the support regions of the modular block unit, thus to form a pair of surface ports in each manifold, and at least one manifold is connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in the pair of blocks.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein said passageway-defining means is formed in said modular block, terminating at one end in a port in said block.

12. A gas-panel assembly comprising (a) two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, each stick being composed of a manifold and a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, (b) internal fluid connections in the manifold in each stick between individual components carried on each manifold, (c) one or more modular blocks removably disposed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (f) means defining an internal passageway in each manifold providing an internal fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on that manifold and said support region on an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, wherein said passageway-defining means includes an internal pipe module adapted to be supported at one end by said modular block and at its other end by a portion of said stick adjacent said block and is formed in said modular block, terminating at one end in a port in said block, and wherein the passageway-defining means in a modular block terminates at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block unit, and at least one manifold is connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in said modular block, and (g) an external pipe module providing an external fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly.

13. A gas-panel assembly comprising (a) two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, each stick being composed of a manifold and a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, (b) internal fluid connections in the manifold in each stick between individual components carried on each manifold, (c) one or more modular blocks removably disposed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (f) means defining an internal passageway in each manifold providing an internal fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on that manifold and said support region on an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, wherein said passageway-defining means in each stick terminates at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block unit, and at least one stick is connected to adjacent sticks by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in said modular block, and (g) an external pipe module providing an external fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly.

14. A gas-panel assembly comprising (a) two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, each stick being composed of a manifold and a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, (b) internal fluid connections in the manifold in each stick between individual components carried on each manifold, (c) one or more modular blocks removably disposed adjacent an end of or within each manifold, each modular block providing at least one support region, (f) means defining an internal passageway in each manifold providing an internal fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on that manifold and said support region on an adjacent modular block, thereby to form a surface port in said modular block, wherein said passageway-defining means in each manifold terminates at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block unit, and at least one manifold is connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in said modular block, and (g) an external pipe module providing an external fluid passageway between surface ports formed in said modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly, wherein each assembly has at least one of said modular blocks at its downstream end, in each manifold said passageway-defining means is adapted to connect a port in a terminal gas-control component with a port in an associated modular unit, and one or more external pipe units connecting ports formed in adjacent-stick modular units are adapted to form a fluid passageway for mixed gas supply from the manifolds in the assembly.

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Description

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a gas-panel assembly, and in particular, to a modification of such an assembly that facilitates valving and fluid connections between different sticks in the assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The manufacture of semiconductors involves using gases of very high purity, such as oxygen, as well as highly corrosive materials. These gases are controlled by fluid manifolds made up of valves, regulators, pressure transducers, mass flow controllers and other components that must maintain the purity of the gas, and also maintain resistance to the corrosive effects of the fluids. Currently, gas panels are used for mixing, pre-mixing, purging, sampling and venting the gases. Typically, the gas panel is used to provide a gas or a mixture of gases into a reaction chamber. These gas panels have historically been made up of hundreds of discreet or individual components, such as valves, filters, flow regulators, pressure regulators, pressure transducers, and connections. The fluid manifolds are designed to provide desired functions, such as mixing and purging, by uniquely configuring the various discreet components.

Modular manifold systems have been introduced into the industry in order to overcome these problems. A gas panel comprising a plurality of modular blocks with passages routed in the blocks is described by Markulec et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,355). Modular substrate blocks which have both directional and transverse flow direction capabilities united in a single modular substrate block are described by Hollingshead (U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,783). These modular systems were typically fashioned with the entire modular block made of high purity metal required for manufacture of semiconductors. Accordingly, these block components had high manufacturing costs due to the cost of the material and the complexity of machining multiple passageways of a single block.

A modular block using different materials for the fluid passageway and the block is described in Eidsmore et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,546). In this system, the manifold system includes one or more bridge fittings that are mounted within a channel of a backing plate for structural support or in a support block. Thus, the bridge fittings are supported from beneath. Ohmi et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,360) describes a gas panel having a holding member with a U-shaped cross-section and a channel member held by the holding member. A disadvantage of these systems is that the configuration of the system cannot be modified without taking the system apart.

More recently, a gas panel assembly having separate block and pipe modular components was disclosed in co-owned U.S. patent application "Gas-Panel Assembly," Ser. No. 11/105,730, filed Apr. 13, 2005. The modular gas panel assembly disclosed permits easy replacement and/or addition or removal of gas components within individual sticks, and removal of pipe modules within a stick for cleaning, replacement or reconfiguring. However, reconfiguring the assembly to add or remove sticks, or to clean or replace pipe connections between adjacent sticks, still requires removal of several gas components and modular blocks in each stick. It would thus be desirable to further modify the modular system, and more generally, any gas panel system, to allow sticks to be added or removed from the assembly, or the pipe modules connecting adjacent sticks to be replaced and/or reconfigured with minimal disturbance of the components already in place. It would also be desirable to modify a gas panel system to simply gas-purging operations that are required periodically to clean the assembly or prepare it for use with different gas components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention includes modular components for use in a gas-panel assembly having two or more sticks mounted on a support, each stick composed of a manifold and a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, and internal fluid connections between individual components carried on each manifold. The modular components, which are intended to provide fluid connections between adjacent manifolds, include (a) one or more modular blocks adapted to be removably placed within or adjacent an end of each manifold, where each modular block provides at least one support region, (b) structure defining an internal passageway adapted to provide an internal (below-surface) fluid passageway between a selected gas component in a gas-assembly stick and the support region on an adjacent modular block, forming a surface port in the modular unit, and (c) an external pipe module adapted to provide an above-surface fluid passageway between surface ports formed in the modular blocks associated with adjacent sticks in the gas assembly.

In one general embodiment, the passageway-defining structure includes an internal (below-surface) pipe module adapted to be supported at one end by the associated modular block and at its other end by a portion of the manifold adjacent the block. Each internal pipe module in this embodiment may be composed of two or more connectors joined in fluid communication by a pipe section, where at least one of the connectors terminates in a collar adapted to be supported within a modular block. Each modular block in this embodiment may be composed of a pair of confronting block modules, where each block module provides (i) at least one groove formed therein, such that when two block modules are placed together, confronting grooves in the two modules form an opening in which a connector in an internal pipe module can be received, and (ii) a surface region adjacent each groove, such that when two block modules are placed together, confronting surface regions define a support region for supporting the collar of a pipe module having a connector received in the opening. The pipe modules, but not the block modules, may be formed of a corrosion-resistant material, such as 304 stainless steel, 316L VIM-VAR, Hastelloy.TM., aluminum, and ceramic. The block modules may be formed of a material such as stainless steel and aluminum.

In one specific embodiment, each modular block provides a single support region, the modular blocks are intended to be placed within or adjacent each manifold as a pair of blocks, each of the internal pipe modules provides an internal fluid passageway between the selected gas components in a stick and each of the surface port regions in the pair of modular blocks, thus to form a pair of surface ports in each manifold, and at least one manifold is intended to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of offset external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports formed in the pair of blocks.

In another specific embodiment, each modular block provides a pair of surface port regions, each of the internal pipe modules is intended to provide an internal fluid passageway between the selected gas component on a manifold and each of the surface port regions of the modular block, thus to form a pair of surface ports in each manifold, and at least one manifold is intended to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in the pair of blocks.

In a second general embodiment, the passageway-defining structure is formed in the modular blocks, terminating at one end in a port in a block, and a modular block is intended to replace a portion of the stick that provides a downstream port for the selected gas component in each manifold. The passageway-defining structure in a modular block may terminate at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block, where at least one manifold is intended to be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in the modular block.

Where the selected gas component in each stick in the assembly is a purge-gas valve, with each of the associated manifolds being separable between the valve and the component immediately downstream thereof, at which each manifold is adapted to receive at least one of the modular blocks, the passageway-defining structure in each stick is intended to connect a port in the purge valve with a port associated with an adjacent modular unit, and external pipe units connecting ports in adjacent-stick modular units are intended to form a fluid passageway for purge gas supply between adjacent manifolds, wherein the purge gas valve in each stick is a two-port valve connected at its opposite port to the subsurface internal fluid connections in the stick. The passageway-defining structure in each manifold may terminate at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block, and at least one stick may be connected to adjacent sticks by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in the modular block.

Where the manifolds are intended to receive at least one of the modular blocks at its downstream end, in each manifold the passageway-defining structure is intended to connect a port in a terminal gas-control component with a port in an associated modular unit, and external pipe units connecting ports formed in adjacent-stick modular units are intended to form a fluid passageway for mixed gas supply from the sticks in the assembly. The passageway-defining structure in each manifold may terminate at one end in a pair of ports in the associated modular block, and at least one manifold may be connected to adjacent manifolds by a pair of external pipe units, one connected to each of the two ports in the modular block.

In another aspect, the invention includes a gas-panel assembly comprising two or more gas-panel sticks mounted on a support, each stick being composed of a manifold having a plurality of gas components mounted thereon, internal fluid connections between individual components carried on each stick, and the modular components described above.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be more fully understood when the following detailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1D are perspective views illustrating a basic, unmodified gas-component assembly with three assembly sticks, shown with gas components (1A); with gas components removed (1B); with block modules removed (1C); and an enlarged view taken along the region 1D in FIG. 1C;

FIG. 2 shows a three-port valve manifold connection in the unmodified assembly of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A-3D are perspective views like those of FIGS. 1A-1D respectively, but illustrating a gas-component assembly modified according to the present invention to include single-module, in line external pipe connections and a two-port valve purge-gas configuration;

FIGS. 4A-4D are perspective views like those of FIGS. 1A-1D and respectively, but illustrating a gas-component assembly modified according to the present invention to include two-port, offset external pipe connections and a two-port valve purge-gas configuration;

FIG. 5 shows in cross-section, the two-port purge-gas valve configuration in the modified assembly of FIGS. 4A-4D;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating another type of unmodified gas assembly with three sticks;

FIGS. 7A-7C are perspective, cutaway views of portions of a stick in the unmodified gas assembly of FIG. 6 (7A), a stick from a gas assembly modified according to an embodiment to include single-module in line external pipe connections and a two-port valve purge-gas configuration (7B), and a stick a gas assembly modified according to another embodiment of the invention to include two-port, offset external pipe connections and a two-port valve purge-gas configuration (7C); and

FIGS. 8A-8C are sectional views of the portions of the prior art and modified sticks shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

I. Definitions

The terms below have the following meanings unless indicated otherwise.

The terms "fluid manifold" and "gas panel" are used interchangeably, and refer to a system of elements, some including pathways, and fluid components to regulate, transport and/or control a fluid, liquid, and/or vapor.

The term "fluid" as used herein refers liquids, gases, and/or vapors.

An element is in "fluid communication" with another element when a fluid is able to travel from one element to the other via capillary action and/or gravity. The elements do not need to be in direct contact; i.e., other elements through which the fluid can pass may be intervening.

II. Modular Components for Linking Adjacent Gas-Panel Sticks

The invention includes modular components designed to provide external; (above-surface) fluid connections between adjacent sticks in a gas-panel assembly, and a modified gas-assembly having such external fluid connections. As will be seen, the modular units offer a number of advantages in a gas assembly, including ease of replacing, adding or removing entire sticks in the assembly, reduced materials cost, and simpler gas-purge valving.

The gas-panel assembly which is to be modified by the modular components of the invention includes, conventionally, two or more gas-panel manifolds mounted on a support, and having a plurality of gas components carried on a surface of each manifold, and subsurface or internal fluid connections between individual components carried on each manifold. A gas-panel manifold with attached gas components is also referred to herein as a stick.

The modular components in the invention include one or more modular blocks adapted to be removably placed adjacent an end of or within each stick, where each modular block provides at least one support region. Either by way of a separate internal pipe modules, or by fluid passageways formed in the modular blocks, the modular blocks provide, in each manifold, means defining an internal fluid passageway between a selected gas component carried on the manifold and the support region in an adjacent modular block unit, forming a surface port in the modular block. The modular blocks also include, for each manifold, one or more external pipe modules adapted to provide an external fluid passageway between surface ports formed in the modular blocks associated with adjacent manifolds in the gas assembly.

A gas panel made up of separate block and pipe modules, and the modifications thereof in accordance with the invention, will be described in Section IIA. This embodiment of the invention provides, in particular, advantages in terms of flexible stick and assembly construction and material cost savings. A gas panel made up of modular blocks with fluid passageways formed therein, and the modifications thereof in accordance with the invention, will be described in Section IIB.

IIA. Modular Units with Separate Block and Pipe Modules

FIG. 1A shows a gas-panel assembly 20 composed of three gas-panel sticks, indicated generally at 22, 24, and 26. The assembly shown here and in accompanying FIGS. 1B-1D is unmodified by the modular components of the present invention, and therefore represents a basic, unmodified assembly. The particularly assembly shown is detailed in the above cited Ser. No. 11/105,730 U.S. patent application, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The basic features of the unmodified assembly will be described below to the extent useful for understanding the modification made in accordance with the present advantages, and the advantages of the modification in terms of ease of gas-component and stick interchangeability.

Although not shown in FIG. 1A, the three sticks forming the assembly are mounted on a support or substrate, typically a table or other elevated support. The purpose of the gas assembly is to control the flow of one or more fluids, typically gases, and ultimately to output the gases as pure gases or mixtures of gases to be supplied to a workpiece, e.g., silicon wafer in a semi-conductor fabrication operation. The gases are supplied at gas inlets, such as inlet 28 in stick 22, at the upstream end of the assembly, and flow through a number of gas components in each stick before being released and mixed at a controlled pressure and flow rate at the downstream end of the assembly.

Stick 22, which is representative, includes in an upstream-to-downstream direction, gas inlet 28, a manual valve 30, a regulator 32, a pressure transducer 34, a filter 36, a two-port valve 38, a purge-gas valve 40, a mass-flow controller (MFC) 42, and a two-port valve 44. Each of these components is connected to its downstream neighboring component by fluid passageways that, in the present gas assembly, are provided by separate pipe modules, as will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1C and 1D. Thus, a selected gas supplied to a manifold through the upstream gas inlet flows through each of the just-described components where the gas is regulated and filtered and ultimately carried, either by itself or more commonly, mixed with other gases from the other assembly sticks, to a workstation at which the gas is employed, e.g., for deposition, etching or cleaning in a micro-fabrication process. The gas components in each stick are mounted on a manifold, such as manifold 46 in stick 22. That is, a stick is composed of the fluid manifold and the gas components mounted thereon.

FIG. 1B shows the three manifolds, such as manifold 46, in assembly 20. As seen, each manifold, such as manifold 46, is made up of a plurality of modular blocks, such as blocks 48, 50, 52, where each block, such as block 48, provides two or more ports on the manifold's upper surface, such as ports 54, 56, 58 (FIGS. 1B-1D). In each block, an upstream port, such as port 58 in block 48, is connected to a port in the immediately adjacent upstream block, e.g., block 50, and a downstream port, e.g., port 54 in block 48, is connected to a port in the immediately adjacent downstream block. Each block supports a gas component mounted on the block, and provides a fluid connection, through that gas component, between immediately adjacent upstream and downstream gas components in a stick.

The ports in the modular blocks are provided by pipe modules, such as pipe modules 60, 62 forming ports 54, 58, respectively, in modular block 48 (FIGS. 1B-1D). The construction of the pipe modules in assembly 20, which is detailed in the above-cited, co-owned U.S. patent application, applies as well to the pipe modules forming the modular units of the present invention, as will be appreciated below.

FIG. 1D shows an enlarged perspective view of several pipe modules, including modules 60, 62 in the arrangement they have in manifold 46. Module 62, which is representative, includes a horizontally extending main section 64 joined at its opposite ends to vertically extending connectors 66, 68. Each connector, in turn, is joined at its lower, distal end to the main section, such as section 66, through a pipe elbow, such as elbow 67, and terminates at its upper end in a flange or collar, such as collar 70. The upper open end of the connector at the collar forms a port, such as port 58. Thus, each pipe module forms a fluid-flow pathway defined by the main pipe section and two or more connectors. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the connectors are joined to the elongate section through Microfit.TM. elbow fittings. It will be appreciated, however, that the elongate section may be joined to a connector by any suitable fitting or bend pipe section. For example, the elongate section may be welded or otherwise permanently joined to the connectors, as described above, or a weldless system may be used, especially for an ultra clean application. In yet another embodiment, all or part of the pipe module, including elongate member, connector sections, and flanges may be formed of a single piece, not shown.

The elongate pipe section and connector sections are typically joined to form a U-shape or W shape (three connectors); however, other shapes are possible. As seen in FIG. 1C, some of the pipe modules, such as upstream-end module 72 in assembly 48, may include one or more external connections that may serve as an inlet and/or outlet for connection of a fluid line or source, a waste or overflow receptacle, or the reaction chamber. The external connections may include any suitable fitting, such as a VCR.TM. connection, not shown, for connection to an external source, purge, receptacle, or waste.

For ultra-high purity embodiments, the interior surfaces of the pipe modules may be internally electropolished and/or finished according to known methods to prevent corrosion and to provide an ultra-clean environment. In a preferred embodiment, all wetted surfaces including the fluid-flow pathway and flanges are electropolished.

The pipe modules may be formed of any material suitable for the application. For ultra-high purity applications, the pipe modules may be formed of high-grade stainless steel such as 304SS and 316SS, nickel alloys, sintered alloys, ceramic, high grade aluminum, tungsten alloys, and titanium alloys. In a preferred embodiment, at least the wet surfaces (flow path and the flange) of the pipe modules are formed of a non-corrosive, corrosion resistant, or non-reactive metal or alloy. In a more preferred embodiment, the pipe modules are formed of 316L VIM-VAR or an alloy such as Hastelloy.TM. (available from Haynes International). For industrial uses, any suitable plastic or metal is suitable. It will be appreciated that each of the elongate section, connector sections and flanges may be formed of a different material. It will further be appreciated that the block modules may, but need not be, formed of the same material as the pipe modules. In fact, one important advantage of the invention is that the pipe modules, which are exposed to corrosive gases and other fluids, may be formed of high-quality, and typically more expensive metal or metal alloys, while the block modules, which are not exposed to corrosive fluids, may be formed of relatively inexpensive material, such as different grades of stainless steel, different grades of aluminum, ceramic, sintered metals, stamped metals, and forged metals. In a preferred embodiment, the block modules are formed of stainless steel or aluminum.

As noted above, and with reference to FIG. 1B and also to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the pipe modules are supported in the manifold by modular blocks, such as blocks 48, 50, 52. Each block, in turn, is formed by a pair of block modules, such as modules 72, 74 seen in FIG. 4B forming the upstream multiple-port block 76 in manifold 48, and modules 88, 90 forming a single-port block 86 in the same manifold. Although FIGS. 4B and 4C illustrate the manifold components for the modified assembly, the following description of the block modules apply to both unmodified and modified assemblies. Briefly, the two block modules making up a block each provides one or more semi-circular grooves, such that when two block modules are placed together, confronting grooves in the two modules form one or more openings in each of which a connector in a pipe module can be received. The block modules making up block 76 in the figure define three such openings, two of which are occupied by one of the connectors in each of two different pipe modules 78, 80 seen in FIG. 4C. The block modules making up block 86 in the figure define a single opening which is occupied by one of the connectors in pipe modules 92 seen in FIG. 4C.

With continued reference to FIG. 4B, the block modules are recessed at their upper surfaces such that when the two units are placed together, they form a rectangular groove or recess, such as recess 82 in block 76, for supporting one or more pipe module collars, to support the end of the pipe module in the modular block. That is, the confronting grooves in the block units form an opening through which the distal pipe section of a pipe module is received, with the collar or flange of the pipe support supported within and on the recess formed by the two grooves. The surface of the recess on which a pipe-module collar is supported is also referred to herein as a support region.

As detailed in the above-cited U.S. patent application, block-module support surfaces, when placed together, and the collar of a pipe module having a connector received in the opening formed by the two modules, have interlocking geometries that act to hold the two block modules together when force is applied on the collar against the support surface, when a fluid component is attached to and sealed against the upper surface of the collar. In the embodiment illustrated, the interlocking geometries take the form of an arcuate tongue-in-groove geometry, where tongue-in-groove refers to a pair of arcuate, e.g., semi-circular, tongues formed on opposite sides of a pipe-module collar, and complementary arcuate grooves formed on in each block-module unit support surface. As can be appreciated, when a collar is placed against a support surface, its two arcuate tongues are received in the associated grooves in opposite, confronting block modules. Thus, a force applied to the collar acts to lock the surface regions of the two block modules together, rather than acting to spread the modules apart. It will be appreciated that the locking structure may take a variety of forms, only requiring that the two confronting surfaces of the collar of block-module support surface have complementary interlocking surface features.

The block modules are preferably formed of an inexpensive and/or lightweight material. Such materials include different grades of stainless steel, different grades of aluminum, ceramic, sintered metals, stamped metals, and forged metals. In a preferred embodiment, the block modules are formed of stainless steel or aluminum. It will be appreciated that the recesses in the support surfaces may be dimensioned such that the flange or collar rests flush with the upper surface of the block module. Alternatively, the recess may be dimensioned such that the flange is recessed from the block module upper surface, not shown. In this embodiment, the flange may be recessed sufficiently to partially or wholly receive a seal, such as an o-ring, metal washer, C seal, W seal, or any other seal known in the art.

Once the individual manifolds in the assembled, the gas components are attached to the individual blocks, and the blocks themselves are secured to the assembly support by bolts, such as bolts 83 extending through openings formed at the bases of the gas components an in each of the block modules, as can be appreciated from FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 shows in cross-sectional view, a portion of the pipe-module configuration seen in FIG. 1D that supplies the three-port purge gas valve 40 in each stick of the assembly. As will be appreciated from FIGS. 1B-1D, valve 40 is mounted on a block 48 (FIG. 1B), which provides three ports 54, 56, 58 to which the valve is connected. Port 54 is formed by the upstream connector of pipe module 60 (FIG. 1D), and places the valve in communication with the mass flow controller 42 through a port 92. Port 58 is formed by the downstream connector in pipe module 62, and places the valve in communication with two-port valve 38 in each stick. The middle port 56 is formed by a separate internal (below-surface) in-line pipe module 96 which consists of a horizontally extending section 98 which spans across the three sticks in the assembly, in a direction perpendicular to each manifold, and three connectors, such as connector 100 which extends between section 98 and a collar, such as collar 102 (FIG. 1D), supported in the associated manifold block, forming the central port for a three-port valve in each manifold. The valve's internal switch is shown at 57. Pipe-module section 98 is supplied with a purge gas through one end of pipe-module section 98.

During normal operation of the assembly, the purge-gas valve in each stick is in an "off" condition and the valve merely serves as a passive flow pathway between adjacent upstream and downstream gas components. During a gas purge operation, the valve in each stick is turned "on," and purge gas is supplied from pipe section 98 where it flows laterally to feed the purge valve in each stick, and from each purge valve, flows in both upstream and downstream directions within a stick, e.g., from port 56 through port 54 in a downstream direction and through port 58 is an upstream direction in stick 22, to force purge gas through all of the gas components and pipe connections in the assembly.

Completing the description of pertinent components in the basic, unmodified assembly, and with reference to FIG. 1C, the three sticks in the assembly are connected at their downstream end by an internal, in-line pipe module 104. This module is substantially like in-line pipe module 96 that connects the purge-gas valves in each of the three sticks, providing three connectors, such as connector 106, in fluid communication with a pipe segment 108 which carries gases from the three manifolds to a