# US 10,768,641 B2 · Flow dividing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,641 B2 - Document ID: US10768641B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/755,199 - Filed: 2016-08-11 - Published: 2018-08-30 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-26 - Assignees: Fujikin Incorporated - Applicants: Fujikin Incorporated - Inventors: Takeshi Nakamura; Yoshitomo Kanai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768641B2 ## CPC - G05D 7/0635: {by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence)} - F16K 27/00: Construction of housing (methods for welding housings B23K); Use of materials therefor - F16K 27/003: {Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements} - G05D 7/0664: {the plurality of throttling means being arranged for the control of a plurality of diverging flows from a single flow (G05D7/0652 takes precedence; ratio control G05D11/13)} - G05D 11/132: {by controlling the flow of the individual components (G05D11/133 takes precedence)} - Y10T 137/87885: Sectional block structure - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract To provide a flow dividing system that has an improved degree of freedom in arrangement, is suitable for integration, and achieves reductions in the manufacturing costs and maintenance costs. A flow dividing system for controlling, upon dividing a single flow rate into multiple flow rates, the respective flow rates such that the ratio between the divided flow rates matches a preset flow rate ratio. The flow dividing system has: a manifold 500 for dividing the single flow rate into the multiple flow rates; and multiple fluid control devices 1M, 1S that are formed as separate bodies from the manifold 500, are disposed separately from and independently of each other, and respectively control the multiple flow rates. A master device 1M has communication unit 102M for transmitting a preset flow rate value based on the preset flow rate ratio to a slave device 1S and for receiving a flow rate detection value DQ2 from the slave device 1S, and the slave device 1S has a communication unit 102S for receiving the preset flow rate value from the master device 1M and for transmitting the flow rate detection value DQ2 to the master device 1M. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flow dividing system for dividing a single flow rate into a plurality of flow rates, and controlling respective flow rates so that a ratio between the divided flow rates becomes a preset flow ratio, the flow dividing system comprising: a branching mechanism configured to divide the single flow rate into the plurality of flow rates; a plurality of fluid control devices respectively configured to control the plurality of flow rates, said plurality of fluid control devices being formed as separate bodies from the branching mechanism, the plurality of fluid control devices being separated from and independent of each other; the plurality of fluid control devices comprising one master device, with the remainder being a slave device; the master device comprising a communication unit configured to transmit a preset flow rate value on the basis of the preset flow ratio to the slave device and configured to receive a flow rate detection value from the slave device; and the slave device comprising a communication unit configured to receive the preset flow rate value from the master device and configured to transmit the flow rate detection value to the master device, wherein each of the master and slave devices comprise as part thereof a base portion that defines an inflow port, a flow path, and an outflow port of a single flow rate of the plurality of divided flow rates, the base portion is formed into a block shape, and the inflow port and the outflow port of the base portion are formed on a bottom surface serving as an installation surface, the branching mechanism comprises a first block-shaped joint member that divides a single flow rate into a plurality of flow rates, the first block-shaped joint member comprising a top surface with a plurality of openings arranged therein, an interior of said branching mechanism provides a plurality of branching flow paths that respectively communicate with the plurality of openings, and a common flow path with the plurality of branching flow paths commonly connected thereto, each of the plurality of openings being directly connectable from the top with a respective one of the inflow ports of the master and slave devices and an outflow port of an upstream device, and the base portions of the master device and the slave device are each fixed to the first block-shaped joint member by fastening members, and each of the flow paths communicating with the inflow ports on the bottom surfaces of the master device and the slave device is connected to the flow path communicating with the openings on the top surface of the block-shaped joint member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flow dividing system according to claim 1, wherein the master device comprises a flow rate calculating unit configured to calculate respective preset flow rate values of the plurality of fluid control devices on the basis of the preset flow ratio provided from an external source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The flow dividing system according to claim 2, wherein the flow rate calculating unit is configured to change the preset flow rate values provided to the slave device on the basis of the preset flow ratio, the flow rate detection value of the master device, and the flow rate detection value of the slave device acquired via the communication unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The flow dividing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of second block-shaped joint members each comprising a top surface configured to mount the bottom surface of the base portion of the master device or the slave device, the base portion being fixed thereto by fastening members; and the second block-shaped joint members each comprising a flow path that opens at the top surface and is connected to an outflow port on the bottom surface of the master device or the slave device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A fluid control system comprising the flow dividing system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of said fluid control devices are integrated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fluid control system according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of fluid control devices each comprise a base portion having a block shape and comprising an opening of a flow path formed on a bottom surface serving as an installation surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fluid control system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of fluid control devices comprise a fluid control device configured to measure a flow rate of a fluid and configured to control the flow rate, and the base portions each define an inflow port, a flow path, and an outflow port of a single flow rate of the plurality of divided flow rates, and the inflow port and the outflow port of the base portion are formed on a bottom surface serving as an installation surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method for manufacturing a fluid control system comprising the fluid dividing system of claim 1 and that integrates a plurality of said fluid control devices, the method comprising the steps of: positioning a plurality of block-shaped joint members including the first block-shaped joint member on a common base plate; fixing each of the block-shaped joint members to the common base plate by fastening members; positioning a seal member around an opening formed on a top surface of each of the joint members; positioning respective bottom surfaces of the plurality of fluid control devices on the respective top surfaces of the block-shaped joint members; and fixing respective base portions of the plurality of fluid control devices to the respective block-shaped joint members by fastening members. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A semiconductor manufacturing method comprising the steps of: selecting the flow dividing system according to claim 1; selecting a fluid for use in manufacturing a semiconductor; and utilizing the flow dividing system to control flow ratios of said fluid to manufacture said semiconductor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method for manufacturing a flat panel display comprising the steps of: selecting the semiconductor manufactured according to claim 9; and utilizing the semiconductor to manufacture said flat panel display. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A method for manufacturing a solar panel comprising the steps of: selecting the semiconductor manufactured according to claim 9; and utilizing the semiconductor to manufacture said solar panel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The flow dividing system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings on the upper surface of the first block-shaped joint member is arranged linearly along the longitudinal direction, and the common flow path extends along the longitudinal direction inside the first block-shaped joint member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The flow dividing system according to claim 12, wherein the first block-shaped joint member has screw holes formed on both sides of each of the plurality of openings in the longitudinal direction and extending from the upper surface towards the bottom surface to be screwed with the fastening members, and the screw holes are each closed above the common flow path.