Actuator and valve device using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020041007-A1
Application number	US-201916519389-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 23, 2019
Priority date	Jul 31, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

To provide a valve device capable of easily and precisely adjusting a flow rate of a flowing fluid, and an actuator used in the valve device. The problem is solved by an actuator including pistons housed in a housing, a supply port of compressed air provided to a casing constituting the housing, and an adjustment member that is provided to a position separated from the supply port and regulates an upper limit position of possible movement of the piston that comes into contact with the adjustment member. The piston comes into contact with the adjustment member and is positioned in the upper limit position when compressed air is supplied through the supply port. The adjustment member s provided so as to allow adjustment of the upper limit position from outside the housing.

First claim

1 . An actuator comprising:
a piston housed in a housing; a supply port of a pressurized fluid provided to the housing; and an adjustment member provided to the housing at a position separated from the supply port and including a regulating surface that regulates an upper limit position of possible movement of the piston, wherein the piston or a member moving along with the piston comes into contact with the regulating surface of the adjustment member when the pressurized fluid is supplied through the supply port, and the piston is positioned in the upper limit position, and the adjustment member is provided so as to allow adjustment of the upper limit position from outside the housing.

2 . The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein
the adjustment member is provided so as to be directly accessible from outside the housing.

3 . The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein
the adjustment member comprises a lock mechanism that is operable from outside the housing and locks a position of the adjustment member, and the lock mechanism locks the position of the adjustment member by deforming the adjustment member screwed into the housing.

4 . The actuator according to claim 3 , wherein
the lock mechanism comprises a threaded member that is operable from outside the housing, is screwed into and adjusts the adjustment member, and a position of the adjustment member is finely adjusted by operating the threaded member while the position of the adjustment member is locked by the threaded member.

5 . The valve device according to claim 1 , wherein
the supply port and an access hole for accessing the adjustment member are provided on a common surface of the housing.

6 . A valve device comprising:
a valve body that defines a flow path; a valve element capable of opening and closing the flow path of the valve body; an operation member that operates the valve element and is moveably provided between a closed position where the valve element closes the flow path and an open position where the valve element opens the flow path, set in advance, in opening and closing directions that allow the valve element to open and close the flow path; and the actuator as defined in claim 1 that is connected to the valve body at the housing and drives the operation member, wherein the open position of the valve element is regulated in accordance with the upper limit position and adjusted by the adjustment member.

7 . A flow adjustment method of the valve device as defined in claim 6 , comprising:
raising the valve element to the open position while supplying a pressurized fluid to the actuator; and adjusting the flow rate of a fluid flowing through the flow path of the valve body by operating the adjustment member.

8 . A lift amount adjustment method of the valve device as defined in claim 6 , comprising:
adjusting a lift amount of the valve element from the closed position to the open position by the adjustment member with the valve element raised to the open position while supplying a pressurized fluid to the actuator.

9 . A flow control method comprising the step of:
adjusting a flow rate of a fluid using the valve device as defined in claim 6 .

10 . A fluid control system comprising:
a plurality of fluid devices arranged from an upstream side toward a downstream side, each provided with the valve device as defined in claim 6 .

11 . A semiconductor manufacturing system that uses the valve device as defined in claim 6 to control a process gas in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device that requires a treatment process by the process gas in a sealed chamber.

12 . A semiconductor manufacturing method comprising:
using the valve device as defined in claim 6 to control a flow rate of a process gas in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device that requires a treatment process by the process gas in a sealed chamber.

Assignees

• Fujikin Kk

Inventors

• Nakata Tomohiro
• Sato Tatsuhiko
• Miura Takeru

Classifications

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16K31/1226

  the fluid circulating through the piston · CPC title

• F16K7/17

  the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure · CPC title

• F16K31/1225

  with a plurality of pistons · CPC title

• F16K1/523 Primary

  for limiting the maximum flow rate, using a stop · CPC title