US 12,183,597 B2Granted

Fluid delivery system

AssigneeIchor Systems, Inc.

InventorsRandolph Treur, Stephen Carson, Michael Vogtmann

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Abstract

Fluid delivery systems are important component assemblies used for semiconductor fabrication. These fluid delivery systems rely on assemblies of components, requiring seals which must be installed and replaced during assembly and maintenance of the fluid delivery systems. Seals may be arranged as seal rings which engage substrate blocks or active components, the seal rings having seal retention features which aid in assembly. These seal retention features may increase the retention force of the seal in a seal cavity or may reduce the force required to retain the seal. In other arrangements, the seal cavities of the substrate blocks or active components may incorporate seal retention features.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A fluid delivery system, comprising:

a substrate block, comprising:
an upper surface;
a first substrate port in the upper surface;
a second substrate port in the upper surface;
a substrate fluid passageway extending between the first substrate port and the second substrate port;
a substrate ring defining the second substrate port;
and
a substrate seal channel formed in the upper surface and surrounding the substrate ring, an outer surface of the substrate ring forming an inner surface of the substrate seal channel;
an active component, comprising:
a lower surface;
a first component port in the lower surface;
a component fluid passageway extending from the first component port;
a component ring defining the first component port;
and
a component seal channel formed in the lower surface and surrounding the component ring, an outer surface of the component ring forming an inner surface of the component seal channel;
a seal ring, comprising:
an interior sleeve defining a sleeve fluid passageway;
and
an outer ring connected to and surrounding the interior sleeve so that:
(1) an annular upper sleeve groove is formed between an upper portion of the outer ring and an upper portion of the interior sleeve;
and (2) an annular lower sleeve groove is formed between a lower portion of the outer ring and a lower portion of the interior sleeve, the outer ring comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, and a seal retention feature, the seal retention feature formed on the outer surface of the outer ring, and the inner surface comprising a first mating surface engaged with the substrate block and a second mating surface configured engaged with the active component;
and
the active component mounted to the substrate block so that:
(1) the second substrate port and the first component port are aligned;
and (2) the seal ring nests in each of the substrate seal channel and the component seal channel and the seal ring fluidly seals the substrate fluid passageway and the component fluid passageway,
wherein the seal retention feature comprises a groove, and
wherein the seal ring comprises a longitudinal axis extending parallel to the interior sleeve, wherein the groove is defined in the outer surface of the outer ring and is outwardly-facing, the outwardly-facing groove extending parallel to the longitudinal axis.

24 more elements

A fluid delivery system, comprising:

a substrate block, comprising:
an upper surface;
a first substrate port in the upper surface;
a second substrate port in the upper surface;
a substrate fluid passageway extending between the first substrate port and the second substrate port;
a substrate ring defining the second substrate port;
and
a substrate seal channel formed in the upper surface and surrounding the substrate ring, an outer surface of the substrate ring forming an inner surface of the substrate seal channel;
an active component, comprising:
a lower surface;
a first component port in the lower surface;
a component fluid passageway extending from the first component port;
a component ring defining the first component port;
and
a component seal channel formed in the lower surface and surrounding the component ring, an outer surface of the component ring forming an inner surface of the component seal channel;
a seal ring, comprising:
an interior sleeve defining a sleeve fluid passageway;
and
an outer ring connected to and surrounding the interior sleeve so that:
(1) an annular upper sleeve groove is formed between an upper portion of the outer ring and an upper portion of the interior sleeve;
and (2) an annular lower sleeve groove is formed between a lower portion of the outer ring and a lower portion of the interior sleeve, the outer ring comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, and a seal retention feature, the seal retention feature formed on the outer surface of the outer ring, and the inner surface comprising a first mating surface engaged with the substrate block and a second mating surface configured engaged with the active component;
and
the active component mounted to the substrate block so that:
(1) the second substrate port and the first component port are aligned;
and (2) the seal ring nests in each of the substrate seal channel and the component seal channel and the seal ring fluidly seals the substrate fluid passageway and the component fluid passageway,
wherein the seal retention feature comprises a lip, and
wherein the outer ring comprises an upper face and a lower face positioned opposite the upper face, and wherein the lip is arranged at one of an upper edge of the upper face or a lower edge of the lower face.

24 more elements

A method of assembling a fluid delivery system comprising:

a) providing a substrate block, the substrate block comprising an upper surface, a first substrate port in the upper surface, a second substrate port in the upper surface, a substrate fluid passageway extending between the first substrate port and the second substrate port, a substrate ring defining the second substrate port, and a substrate seal channel formed in the upper surface and surrounding the substrate ring, an outer surface of the substrate ring forming an inner surface of the substrate seal channel;
b) inserting a seal ring into the first substrate port in the upper surface of the substrate block, the seal ring comprising an interior sleeve defining a sleeve fluid passageway and an outer ring, the outer ring connected to and surrounding the interior sleeve so that (1) an annular upper sleeve groove is formed between an upper portion of the outer ring and an upper portion of the interior sleeve and (2) an annular lower sleeve groove is formed between a lower portion of the outer ring and a lower portion of the interior sleeve, the outer ring comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, and a seal retention feature, the seal retention feature formed on the outer surface of the outer ring, the seal annular lower sleeve groove receiving the substrate ring of the first substrate port, the inner surface of the outer ring comprising a first mating surface engaged with the substrate block;
and
c) coupling an active component to the substrate block, the active component comprising a lower surface, a first component port in the lower surface, a component fluid passageway extending from the first component port, a component ring defining the first component port, and a component seal channel formed in the lower surface and surrounding the component ring, an outer surface of the component ring forming an inner surface of the component seal channel, the annular upper sleeve groove of the seal ring receiving the component ring of the active component, the inner surface of the outer ring comprising a second mating surface engaged with the active component, wherein the seal retention feature comprises a groove, wherein the seal ring comprises a longitudinal axis extending parallel to the interior sleeve, and wherein the groove is defined in the outer surface of the outer ring and is outwardly-facing, the outwardly-facing groove extending parallel to the longitudinal axis.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/990,872Filed 21 Nov 2022 · us provisional application
Priority: 24 Nov 2021
Published: US 2023/0162993 A125 May 2023
Granted: 31 Dec 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

H10P 72/0402
Apparatus for manufacture or treatment: apparatus for fluid treatment
F16J 15/061
With solid packing compressed between sealing surfaces: with positioning means
F16J 15/064
With solid packing compressed between sealing surfaces: the packing combining the sealing function with other functions
F16J 15/106
Characterised by structure: homogeneous

Family

Application63/282,761Us provisional application · filed 24 Nov 2021
US 2023/0162993 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 May 2023
US 12,183,597 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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