COOLING/HEATING APPARATUS AND MOUNTING APPARATUS

Abstract

A cooling/heating apparatus for circulating the cooled or heated transfer medium to a load to thereby cool or heat the load includes a heat transfer medium circulation path and a Stirling heat engine. The Stirling heat engine includes a first and a second cylinder chamber; a first and a second piston for expanding or compressing an operation gas in the first and the second cylinder chamber; and a driving mechanism for driving the first and the second piston. When the driving mechanism is driven in a forward direction, the operation gas is expanded in the first cylinder chamber and its temperature decreases, thus cooling the heat transfer medium, whereas, when the driving mechanism is driven in a backward direction, the operation gas is compressed in the first cylinder chamber and its temperature increases, thus heating the heat transfer medium.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments, given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram illustrating principal parts of a mounting apparatus employing an embodiment of a cooling/heating apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 describes a conceptual diagram depicting a Stirling heat engine used in the mounting apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B provide graphs respectively showing operations of cooling and heating using the cooling/heating apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 presents a cross sectional view of an example of a conventional inspection apparatus; and

FIG. 5 represents a diagram illustrating an example of a mounting apparatus used in the inspection apparatus of FIG. 4.

Claims

1. A cooling/heating apparatus comprising: a heat transfer medium circulation path for circulating a heat transfer medium therethrough; and a Stirling heat engine for cooling or heating the heat transfer medium circulating in the heat transfer medium circulation path, the cooled or heated transfer medium being circulated to a load to thereby cool or heat the load,wherein the Stirling heat engine includes a first cylinder chamber; a second cylinder chamber communicating with the first cylinder chamber; a first and a second piston for expanding or compressing an operation gas in the first and the second cylinder chamber while moving in reciprocating motions with a specific phase difference in the first and the second cylinder chamber, respectively; and a driving mechanism for driving the first and the second piston, andwherein, when the driving mechanism is driven in a forward direction, the operation gas is expanded in the first cylinder chamber and its temperature decreases, thus cooling the heat transfer medium, whereas, when the driving mechanism is driven in a backward direction, the operation gas is compressed in the first cylinder chamber and its temperature increases, thus heating the heat transfer medium.

2. The cooling/heating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inverter for controlling a driving of the driving mechanism.

3. The cooling/heating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inverter operates at a variable frequency.

4. The cooling/heating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inverter operates based on a temperature of the heat transfer medium.

5. A mounting apparatus comprising: a mounting table for mounting thereon a target object; anda cooling/heating apparatus for cooing or heating the target object by circulating a heat transfer medium through the mounting table,wherein the cooling/heating apparatus includes a heat transfer medium circulation path for circulating the heat transfer medium; and a Stirling heat engine for cooling or heating the heat transfer medium circulating in the heat transfer medium circulation path, andwherein the Stirling heat engine has a first cylinder chamber; a second cylinder chamber communicating with the first cylinder chamber; a first and a second piston for expanding or compressing an operation gas in the first and the second cylinder chamber while moving in reciprocating motions with a specific phase difference in the first and the second cylinder chamber, respectively; and a driving mechanism for driving the first and the second piston, andwherein, when the driving mechanism is driven in a forward direction, the operation gas is expanded in the first cylinder chamber and its temperature decreases, thus cooling the heat transfer medium, whereas, when the driving mechanism is driven in a backward direction, the operation gas is compressed in the first cylinder chamber and its temperature increases, thus heating the heat transfer medium.

6. The mounting apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an inverter for controlling a driving of the driving mechanism.

7. The mounting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inverter operates at a variable frequency.

8. The mounting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inverter operates based on a temperature of the heat transfer medium.