Raw material feed hopper and single crystal growth system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11982013-B2
Application number	US-202117333957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2021
Priority date	Jan 19, 2021
Publication date	May 14, 2024
Grant date	May 14, 2024

Abstract

A raw material feed hopper according to the present embodiment may include a hollow tube having a raw material accommodating space formed therein, a supporter supporting the hollow tube, a cone accommodated in the raw material accommodating space so as to be able to lift up and down, a rod connected to the cone, a connector connected to an upper portion of the rod, a lifting rod connected to the connector, and an elevator installed on the supporter for lifting up and down the lifting rod.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A raw material feed hopper comprising:
a hollow tube having a raw material accommodating space formed therein;
a supporter supporting the hollow tube;
a cone accommodated in the raw material accommodating space so as to be able to lift up and down;
a rod connected to the cone;
a connector connected to an upper portion of the rod;
a lifting rod connected to the connector, wherein the lifting rod is located outside of the hollow tube; and
an elevator installed on the supporter for lifting up and down the lifting rod,
wherein the elevator is configured to lift up the cone to a first height in the hollow tube before the hollow tube is supplied with a raw material, and
wherein the first height is a height closer to an upper end of the hollow tube than to a lower end of the hollow tube,
wherein the elevator gradually lowers a height of the cone while the raw material is supplied into the hollow tube,
wherein the supporter is provided with a hollow tube support for supporting the hollow tube so that the hollow tube is disposed at an angle that is obliquely laid with respect to the supporter, and
wherein the hollow tube support comprises
an inclined surface formed at an upper portion of the supporter, and
at least one roller on the inclined surface to guide the hollow tube.

2. The raw material feed hopper of claim 1 , wherein a gap is formed between an outer circumference of the cone and an inner circumference of the hollow tube.

3. The raw material feed hopper of claim 2 , further comprising a dust stand provided under the supporter and facing a lower portion of the hollow tube and the raw material accommodating space.

4. The raw material feed hopper of claim 1 , further comprising a wheel disposed under the supporter.

5. The raw material feed hopper of claim 1 , wherein the elevator includes a cylinder through which the lifting rod is guided.

6. The raw material feed hopper of claim 5 , wherein the elevator includes a driving source installed on the supporter, and a power transmission member connecting the driving source and the lifting rod.

7. The raw material feed hopper of claim 6 , wherein an accommodating hole for accommodating the power transmission member is formed in the cylinder.

8. The raw material feed hopper of claim 5 , further comprising a pressure regulator that regulates pressure inside the cylinder.

9. The raw material feed hopper of claim 1 , wherein the elevator lifts down the cone to a second height in the hollow tube before moving the hollow tube.

10. The raw material feed hopper of claim 9 , wherein the second height is higher than a lower end of the hollow tube, and is a height in which the cone is closer to the lower end of a center and the lower end of the hollow tube.

11. The raw material feed hopper of claim 1 , further comprising
an operation unit for operating the elevator.

12. A single crystal growth system comprising:
a raw material feed hopper including a hollow tube having a raw material accommodating space formed therein, a supporter supporting the hollow tube, a cone accommodated in the raw material accommodating space so as to be able to lift up and down, a rod connected to the cone, a connector connected to an upper portion of the rod, a lifting rod connected to the connector, and an elevator installed on the supporter for lifting up and down the lifting rod; and
a single crystal growth apparatus including a crucible in which a space for accommodating a raw material dropped from the hollow tube is formed, and a heater for heating the crucible,
wherein the raw material feed hopper is moved around the single crystal growth apparatus, and is moved above the crucible together with the hollow tube, cone, rod, and connector and the raw material,
wherein the lifting rod is located outside of the hollow tube,
wherein the elevator lifts up the cone to a first height in the hollow tube before the hollow tube is supplied with the raw material,
wherein the first height is a height closer to an upper end of the hollow tube than to a lower end of the hollow tube,
wherein the elevator gradually lowers a height of the cone while the raw material is supplied into the hollow tube,
wherein the supporter is provided with a hollow tube support for supporting the hollow tube so that the hollow tube is disposed at an angle that is obliquely laid with respect to the supporter, and
wherein the hollow tube support comprises
an inclined surface formed at an upper portion of the supporter, and
at least one roller on the inclined surface to guide the hollow tube.

13. The single crystal growth system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a dust stand provided under the supporter and facing a lower portion of the hollow tube and the raw material accommodating space, and
a wheel disposed under the supporter.

Assignees

• Sk Siltron Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sang Heon
• Lee Chang Youn
• Kim Cheol Hwan

Classifications

• C30B15/02 Primary

  adding crystallising materials or reactants forming it in situ to the melt · CPC title

• B65D88/26 Primary

  Hoppers, i.e. containers having funnel-shaped discharge sections (B65D88/34 - B65D88/78 take precedence) · CPC title

• C30B29/06

  Silicon · CPC title

• B65D88/28

  Construction or shape of discharge section · CPC title

• B65D88/30

  specially adapted to facilitate transportation from one utilisation site to another (collapsible hoppers B65D88/52) · CPC title