Manifold system of removable components for distribution of fluids

• US 6,394,138 B1
• Filed: 01/13/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ichor Systems, Inc. (ICHOR Holdings, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Unit Instruments, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Sherriff, David P., Redemann, Eric J., Vu, Kim N.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOX, JOHN C
• Application Number:
  US09/229,722
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 137/884,269,271,597 285/125.1,124.1,124.3,124.5
• US Class Current: 137/884
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/44 characterised by the method of coating C23C16/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/003 Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87885 Sectional block structure

Abstract

A manifold system for enabling a distribution of fluids includes a plurality of individual manifold blocks that can be joined together to form a gas stick. Each manifold block will have a fluid passage way with an entrance port and exit port accessing a common surface. An active component can be mounted to one manifold block, while extending across a port of an adjacent manifold block. An alignment system can be provided to ensure that the entrance and exit ports are positioned in a plane containing the common surface to facilitate sealing.

Claims

1. A manifold system for enabling a distribution of fluids comprising:

a plurality of individual manifold blocks, each manifold block having a fluid passageway with an entrance port and an exit port accessing only a common surface; and

means for removably interlocking a pair of adjacent manifold block to each other to operatively permit their respective fluid passageways to be positioned for interconnection.

2. The manifold system of claim 1 wherein the pair of adjacent manifold blocks are identical in configuration.

3. The manifold system of claim 1 wherein each manifold block has a first flange on one side and a second flange on an opposite side to enable an interlocking of adjacent manifold blocks.

4. The manifold system of claim 3 wherein each of the first flange and the second flange have complimentary configurations that permit adjacent pairs of manifold blocks to be interlocked wherein a first flange from one manifold block will overlay a second flange of an adjacent manifold block.

5. The manifold system of claim 3 wherein each of the first flange and the second flange have securement holes extending there through.

6. The manifold system of claim 3 wherein each manifold block has a central body portion from which the respective first flange and second flange are cantilevered.

7. The manifold system of claim 3 wherein each manifold block has a set of fastening apertures to permit an active component to be mounted directly to only that manifold block while being sealingly connected to both the manifold block with the fastening apertures and to an adjacent manifold block with a first flange overlaying a second flange on the mounting manifold block.

8. The manifold system of claim 3 wherein each of the first flange and the second flange have complimentary configurations that extend in a cantilevered manner from a central body portion, a first flange and a second flange of adjacent pairs of manifold blocks will extend across each other while permitting the adjacent central body portions to be offset from each other.

9. The manifold system of claim 8 wherein the first flange has a male configuration and the second flange has a female configuration.

10. The manifold system of claim 9 wherein one of the first flange and the second flange includes at least one alignment aperture and the other flange includes an alignment post of a complimentary configuration.

11. The manifold system of claim 10 wherein one of the first flange and the second flange includes at least a pair of alignment apertures of circular configuration and the other flange member includes a pair of alignment posts of a cylindrical configuration, a respective depth of the apertures and a height of the alignment posts are such that when mated, the common surface extends in a same plane between adjacent manifold blocks and the manifold blocks are maintained along a common longitudinal axis.

12. The manifold system of claim 1 wherein the means for removably interlocking holds the individual common surfaces of adjacent manifold blocks in a common plane to facilitate a sealing of interconnected passageways.

13. The manifold system of claim 3 wherein one of the entrance or exit ports extends onto the first upper flange.

14. The manifold system of claim 1 further including a plurality of holes extending from the common surface through the manifold block to enable attachment to a support surface.

15. The manifold system of claim 1 wherein the manifold block has a first flange on one side and a second flange on the other side, one of the flanges has a vertical alignment system extending from the flange surface and the other flange has a complimentary vertical receptacle system for interacting with a vertical alignment system on another manifold block.

16. The manifold system of claim 15 wherein the vertical alignment system includes a pair of spaced apart post members and the vertical receptacle system includes a pair of apertures for receiving the respective post members of another manifold block.

17. The manifold system of claim 15 wherein at least one of the manifold blocks has a plurality of exit ports.

18. The manifold system of claim 15 wherein at least one of the manifold blocks has a plurality of entrance ports.

19. The manifold system of claim 15 wherein one of the flanges has a male configuration and the other flange has a female configuration.

20. The manifold system of claim 15 wherein one of the entrance or exit ports is positioned on a flange having a male configuration.

21. The manifold system of claim 15 wherein the first flange has a male configuration.

22. The manifold system of claim 15 wherein the second flange has a pair of post members.

23. The manifold system of claim 22 wherein the first flange has a pair of apertures for receiving, respectively, a pair of post members.

24. A manifold block for transmitting a fluid and supporting a component that interfaces with the fluid comprising:

a central body portion;

a first flange extending in a cantilevered manner from the central body member and having a common upper surface with the central body portion; and

a fluid passageway extending through the central body portion and having only entrance ports and exit ports accessing the common upper surface;

wherein one of the entrance ports or exit ports is positioned on the first flange.

25. The manifold block of claim 24 further including a second flange extending from the central body portion, one of the first and second flanges has a vertical alignment system extending from the flange surface and the other flange has a complimentary vertical receptacle system for interacting with a vertical alignment system on another manifold block.

26. The manifold block of claim 25 wherein the central body portion and the second flange have a set of fastening apertures to permit a component with a complimentarily fluid passageway to be mounted directly to the manifold block to provide a scaled fluid conduit.

27. The manifold block of claim 25 wherein the vertical alignment system includes a pair of spaced apart post members and the vertical receptacle system includes a pair of apertures for receiving the respective post members of another manifold block.

28. The manifold of claim 25 wherein the central body portion has a set of fastening apertures to permit a component with a complimentarily fluid passageway to be mounted directly to the manifold block to provide a sealed fluid conduit.

29. In a fluid distribution system, the improvement including a composite manifold assembly comprising:

a plurality of individual manifold blocks that can be interconnected to accommodate a specific fluid distribution system, each manifold block having a fluid passageway with an entrance port and an exit port accessing a common surface;

each manifold block further having a central body portion with a first flange and a second flange extending from respective opposite sides of the central body portion, the first flange having at least one alignment hole and the second flange having at least one post member integral to the second flange and configured to fit within an alignment hole of another manifold block, wherein one of the entrance port or exit port is positioned on the first flange.

30. The fluid distribution system of claim 29 wherein the central body portion and the second flange have a set of fasting apertures to permit a component with a complimentarily fluid passageway to be mounted directly to the manifold block to provide a sealed fluid conduit.

31. The fluid distribution system of claim 29 wherein the central body portion has a set of fastening apertures to permit a component with a complimentarily fluid passageway to be mounted directly to the manifold block to provide a sealed fluid conduit.

32. A gas panel distribution system for semi-conductor manufacturing comprising:

a plurality of individual manifold blocks, each manifold block having a fluid passageway with an entrance port and an exit port accessing only a common surface;

means for removably interlocking each pair of adjacent manifold blocks to each other to operatively permit their respective fluid passageways to be positioned for interconnection;

means for aligning an adjacent manifold block in the plurality of manifold blocks to ensure that the entrance and exit ports are positioned in a plane containing the common surface to facilitate scaling; and

a plurality of active components sealingly fastened to the individual manifold blocks and completing the interconnection of the respective fluid passageways whereby each active component bridges over a pair of adjacent individual manifold blocks and forms with the individual manifold blocks an operative gas stick to deliver gas to a semi-conductor tool.

33. The gas panel distribution system of claim 32 wherein the means for alignment includes a first and second alignment unit on each manifold block.

34. The gas panel distribution system of claim 33 wherein the first alignment unit includes an alignment aperture and the second alignment unit includes a complimentary alignment post.

35. The gas panel distribution system of claim 33 wherein each manifold block includes a central body portion;

a first upper flange extending in a cantilevered manner from the central body portion and having a common upper surface with the central body portion and having only entrance and exit ports accessing the common upper surface.

36. The gas distribution system of claim 35 wherein a second lower flange extends from the central body portion on an opposite side from the first upper flange and the central body portion includes a plurality of fastening apertures to enable an active component to be directly mounted on only one manifold block.

37. A gas panel distribution system comprising:

a plurality of individual manifold blocks removably interconnected with fasteners that can be manually applied and removed with a hand tool, each manifold block having a fluid passageway with an entrance port and an exit port accessing a common surface, each manifold block further having a central body portion with a first flange with a first alignment unit and a second flange with a second alignment unit on respective opposite sides of the first central body portion, a first flange of at least one manifold block extends over and is aligned with a second flange of an adjacent manifold block;

a seal assembly extends across the respective fastened manifold blocks and lies in a common plane with the respective common upper surfaces of the fastened manifold blocks; and

an active component is mounted on the seal assembly and is fastened to only one of the manifold blocks so that it extends across an adjacent manifold block and provides a fluid passageway from an exit port on one manifold block to an entrance port on the adjacent manifold block.

38. The gas panel distribution system of claim 37 wherein the first alignment unit includes at least one alignment aperture and the second alignment unit includes at least one complimentary alignment post.

39. The gas panel distribution system of claim 37 wherein each manifold block only has entrance and exit ports positioned on an upper horizontal surface which forms the common upper surface.

40. The gas panel distribution system of claim 37 wherein the central body portion and the second flange have a set of fastening apertures to permit a component with a complimentarily fluid passageway to be mounted directly to the manifold block to provide a scaled fluid conduit.

41. The gas panel distribution system of claim 37 wherein the central body portion has a set of fastening apertures to permit a component with a complimentarily fluid passageway to be mounted directly to the manifold block to provide a sealed fluid conduit.

42. A manifold system for enabling a distribution of fluids comprising:

a plurality of individual manifold blocks, each manifold block having a fluid passageway with an entrance port and an exit port accessing a common surface and a first flange on one side and a second flange on an opposite side to enable removable interlocking of adjacent manifold blocks to operatively permit their respective fluid passageways to be positioned for interconnection;

wherein one of the entrance or exit ports extends onto the first flange.

43. The manifold system of claim 42 wherein each of the first flange and the second flange have complimentary configurations that permit adjacent pairs of manifold blocks to be interlocked wherein a first flange from one manifold block will overlay a second flange of an adjacent manifold block.

44. The manifold system of claim 42 wherein each of the first flange and the second flange have securement holes extending there through.

45. The manifold system of claim 42 wherein each manifold block has a central body portion from which the respective first flange and second flange are cantilevered.

46. The manifold system of claim 42 wherein each manifold block has a set of fastening apertures to permit an active component to be mounted directly to only that manifold block while being sealingly connected to both the manifold block with the fastening apertures and to an adjacent manifold block with a first flange overlaying a second flange on the mounting manifold block.

47. The manifold system of claim 42 wherein each of the first flange and the second flange have complimentary configurations that extend in a cantilevered manner from a central body portion, a first flange and a second flange of adjacent pairs of manifold blocks will extend across each other while permitting the adjacent central body portions to be offset from each other.

48. A manifold system for enabling a distribution of fluids comprising:

a plurality of individual manifold blocks, each manifold block having a fluid passageway with an entrance and exit port accessing a common surface, a first flange on one side having a male configuration, and a second flange on the other side;

wherein one of the entrance [and] or exit ports is positioned on the first flange; and

wherein the second flange has a vertical alignment system extending from the flange surface and the first flange has a complimentary vertical receptacle system for interacting with a vertical alignment system on another manifold block for removably interlocking a pair of adjacent manifold blocks to operatively permit their respective fluid passageways to be positioned for interconnection.

49. The manifold system of claim 48, wherein the vertical alignment system includes a pair of spaced apart post members and the vertical receptacle system includes a pair of apertures for receiving the respective post members of another manifold block.

50. The manifold system of claim 48, wherein at least one of the manifold blocks has a plurality of exit ports.

51. The manifold system of claim 48, wherein at least one of the manifold blocks has a plurality of entrance ports.

52. The manifold system of claim 48, wherein the second flange has a female configuration.