Flexible pipe and temperature control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11566728-B2
Application number	US-201916258764-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2019
Priority date	Jan 29, 2018
Publication date	Jan 31, 2023
Grant date	Jan 31, 2023

Abstract

Energy consumption of a temperature control unit can be reduced. A flexible pipe 13 includes a bellows pipe 130 made of a metal and an inner tube 131. The inner tube 131 is provided at an inner side of the bellows pipe 130, and an inner surface of the inner tube where a fluid flows is smooth. The inner surface of the inner tube 131 where the fluid flows may be smoother than a surface of a braided body. Further, the inner tube 131 may be made of, for example, a conductive material. An inner side of the inner tube 131 where the fluid flows may be coated with a conductive film.

First claim

We claim:

1. A flexible pipe, comprising:
a bellows pipe made of a metal; and
a flexible tube provided at an inner side of the bellows pipe,
wherein an inner surface of the flexible tube where a fluid flows is smooth, and
a surface roughness Ra of the inner surface of the flexible tube is equal to or less than 0.045 mm,
wherein an inner diameter d 0 of the bellows pipe, a pipe friction coefficient λ 0 of the bellows pipe, an inner diameter d i of the flexible tube and a pipe friction coefficient λ i of the flexible tube satisfy a following relationship:
(λ 0 /λ i )>( d 0 /d i ) 5 .

2. The flexible pipe of claim 1 ,
wherein the inner surface of the flexible tube is smoother than a surface of a braided body.

3. The flexible pipe of claim 1 ,
wherein the flexible tube is made of PFA (tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinylether copolymer) or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).

4. The flexible pipe of claim 1 ,
wherein at least a part of an inner side of the flexible tube is coated with a first conductive material, and
a coating at the inner side of the flexible tube is connected to the bellows pipe.

5. The flexible pipe of claim 4 ,
wherein at least a part of an outer side of the flexible tube is coated with a second conductive material,
the coating at the outer side of the flexible tube is connected to the coating at the inner side of the flexible tube, and
at least a part of the coating at the outer side of the flexible tube is conducted with the bellows pipe.

6. The flexible pipe of claim 4 ,
wherein the first conductive material is a conductive film to which carbon or a metal powder is added.

7. The flexible pipe of claim 1 ,
wherein the flexible tube is made of a conductive material, and
at least a part of an outer side of the flexible pipe is conducted with the bellows pipe.

8. The flexible pipe of claim 7 ,
wherein the flexible tube is made of a material containing PFA (tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinylether copolymer) or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) to which carbon or a metal powder is added.

9. The flexible pipe of claim 1 ,
wherein an outer diameter of the flexible tube is shorter than the inner diameter of the bellows pipe, and
a length of the flexible pipe in a lengthwise direction thereof is shorter than a length of the bellows pipe in a lengthwise direction thereof.

10. A temperature control system, comprising:
a heat exchange member configured to perform a heat exchange with respect to a temperature control target object;
a supply device configured to supply a temperature-controlled fluid to the heat exchange member; and
a flexible pipe forming at least a part of a path of the fluid between the heat exchange member and the supply device,
wherein the flexible pipe comprises:
a bellows pipe made of a metal; and
a flexible tube provided at an inner side of the bellows pipe, and
wherein an inner surface of the flexible tube where a fluid flow is smooth, and
a surface roughness Ra of the inner surface of the flexible tube is equal to or less than 0.045 mm,
wherein an inner diameter d 0 of the bellows pipe, a pipe friction coefficient λ 0 of the bellows pipe, an inner diameter d i of the flexible tube and a pipe friction coefficient λ i of the flexible tube satisfy a following relationship:
(λ 0 /λ i )>( d 0 /d i ) 5 .

11. A flexible pipe, comprising:
a bellows pipe made of a metal; and
a flexible tube provided at an inner side of the bellows pipe,
wherein an inner surface of the flexible tube where a fluid flows is smooth,
at least a part of an inner side of the flexible tube is coated with a conductive material, and
a coating at the inner side of the flexible tube is connected to the bellows pipe.

12. A flexible pipe, comprising:
a bellows pipe made of a metal; and
a flexible tube provided at an inner side of the bellows pipe,
wherein an inner surface of the flexible tube where a fluid flows is smooth,
the flexible tube is made of a conductive material, and
at least a part of an outer side of the flexible pipe is conducted with the bellows pipe.

13. A temperature control system, comprising:
a heat exchange member configured to perform a heat exchange with respect to a temperature control target object;
a supply device configured to supply a temperature-controlled fluid to the heat exchange member; and
a flexible pipe forming at least a part of a path of the fluid between the heat exchange member and the supply device,
wherein the flexible pipe comprises:
a bellows pipe made of a metal; and
a flexible tube provided at an inner side of the bellows pipe, and
wherein an inner surface of the flexible tube where a fluid flow is smooth,
at least a part of an inner side of the flexible tube is coated with a conductive material, and
a coating at the inner side of the flexible tube is connected to the bellows pipe.

14. A temperature control system, comprising:
a heat exchange member configured to perform a heat exchange with respect to a temperature control target object;
a supply device configured to supply a temperature-controlled fluid to the heat exchange member; and
a flexible pipe forming at least a part of a path of the fluid between the heat exchange member and the supply device,
wherein the flexible pipe comprises:
a bellows pipe made of a metal; and
a flexible tube provided at an inner side of the bellows pipe, and
wherein an inner surface of the flexible tube where a fluid flows is smooth,
the flexible tube is made of a conductive material, and
at least a part of an outer side of the flexible pipe is conducted with the bellows pipe.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Otsuki Kohei
• Mitsumori Akiyoshi
• Kamata Koji

Classifications

• F16L25/01

  specially adapted for realising electrical conduction between the two pipe ends of the joint or between parts thereof · CPC title

• F16L3/16 Primary

  with special provision allowing movement of the pipe (F16L3/01 takes precedence; supporting pipes or cables inside other pipes or sleeves F16L7/00) · CPC title

• F16L3/01

  for supporting or guiding the pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points, e.g. movable channels · CPC title

• F16L7/00

  Supporting pipes or cables inside other pipes or sleeves, e.g. for enabling pipes or cables to be inserted or withdrawn from under roads or railways without interruption of traffic (sleeves for supporting pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points F16L3/01) · CPC title

• F25B41/00

  Fluid-circulation arrangements · CPC title