Purging device and purging method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9779973-B2
Application number	US-201415022427-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2014
Priority date	Sep 26, 2013
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

The safety of a worker is ensured, and the area in which purging is halted is limited to the minimum. The inner space of a device is divided into a working area and a non-working area, and purging of articles in the working area is halted and the purging of the articles in the non-working area is continued. The oxygen concentration in the working area is measured, and if the oxygen concentration of the working area decreases to a predetermined value or less, the purging of the articles in the non-working area is halted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A purging device that performs purging with a purge gas on a plurality of articles that are supplied from outside to an inner space of the purging device, comprising:
a setup unit configured to set up a working area in which a worker works such that the inner space of the purging device is divided into the working area and a non-working area;
a purge gas control mechanism configured to control supply of the purge gas such that the purging of the articles is halted in the working area and is continued in the non-working area; and
an oxygen concentration measuring device configured to measure an oxygen concentration in the working area,
the purge gas control mechanism being configured to halt the purging of the articles in the non-working area if the oxygen concentration in the working area decreases to a predetermined value or less.

2. The purging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the oxygen concentration measuring device includes an oxygen concentration sensor configured to be carried by the worker, or an oxygen concentration sensor and a sampling tube connected to the oxygen concentration sensor, the sampling tube being configured to be carried by the worker.

3. The purging device according to claim 1 , further comprising,
a partition configured to separate the working area from the non-working area, and to be installed in and removed from the inner space of the purging device.

4. The purging device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the oxygen concentration measuring device is attached to the partition so as to measure the oxygen concentration in the working area.

5. The purging device according to claim 1 , wherein
the purging device is a purge stocker that has a door through which the worker enters and exits the inner space,
the inner space includes a rack in which a plurality of cells are arranged along a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, and a transport device configured to transport the articles,
the cells of the rack respectively have nozzles via which a nitrogen gas serving as the purge gas is supplied to the inside of the articles,
the inner space is configured to be supplied with clean air from a ceiling part, and the oxygen concentration of the inner space depends on a flow of the nitrogen gas discharged from the articles and a flow of the clean air from the ceiling part, and
the setup unit is configured to set up the working area in terms of a column of cells along the vertical direction such that the working area continuously covers a region from the door to an area in which the worker performs a work.

6. The purging device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the purge gas control mechanism includes a communication unit configured to directly communicate with the oxygen sensor.

7. The purging device according to claim 6 , wherein
a plurality of the oxygen sensors are provided,
the communication unit is configured to directly communicate with the plurality of oxygen sensors, and
the purge gas control mechanism includes a logic unit that is configured to detect a decrease in the oxygen concentration in the working area based on a combination of signals of the plurality of oxygen sensors from the communication unit.

8. A purging method for performing, using a purging device, purging with a purge gas on a plurality of articles that are supplied from outside to an inner space of the purging device, the method comprising:
a step for setting up a working area in which a worker works such that the inner space of the purging device is divided into the working area and a non-working area;
a step for causing the purging device to control supply of the purge gas such that the purging of the articles is halted in the working area and is continued in the non-working area;
a step for measuring an oxygen concentration in the working area; and
a step for causing the purging device to halt the purging of the articles in the non-working area by the purge gas control mechanism if the oxygen concentration in the working area decreases to a predetermined value or less.

9. The purging method according to claim 8 ,
wherein the purging device is a purge stocker that has a door through which the worker enters and exits the inner space,
wherein the inner space includes a rack in which a plurality of cells are arranged along a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, and a transport device configured to transport the articles,
wherein the cells of the rack respectively have nozzles via which a nitrogen gas serving as the purge gas is supplied to the inside of the articles,
wherein the inner space is configured to be supplied with clean air from a ceiling part, and the oxygen concentration of the inner space depends on a flow of the nitrogen gas discharged from the articles and a flow of the clean air from the ceiling part, and
wherein in the setting up step, the working area is set up, in terms of a column of cells along the vertical direction, so as to continuously cover a region from the door to an area in which the worker performs a work.

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• Murata Masanao
• Tokumoto Mitsuya
• Yamaji Takashi
• Adachi Naruto

Classifications

• H10P72/3404

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/1924

  characterised by atmosphere control · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

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

• H10P72/1926 Primary

  characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier · CPC title

• G05D7/0617

  specially adapted for fluid materials · CPC title