Patent Application
20240392468
The present invention relates generally to crystal growth for nuclear medical imaging, and in particular, to a manufacturing chamber configured to facilitate crystal growth and manufacturing.
The Czochralski crystal growth process (often referred to simply as the “Czochralski method” or “CZ method”) is a widely used process to produce bulk crystals that are used in a wide range of electronic and optical devices. The Czochralski crystal growth process starts with the insertion of a small seed crystal into a melt disposed in a crucible. The crucible is then disposed in a manufacturing chamber typically referred to as “furnace chamber” which heats the crucible as a crystal seed interacts with the melt. The seed is then gradually drawn or “pulled” upwards to form a single crystal boule.
According to a non-limiting embodiment, a crystal growth station includes a crystal pulling assembly having a rotatable pulling shaft and a furnace chamber having an internal area configured to hold a crystal growth chamber which is configured to receive the rotatable pulling shaft. The furnace chamber includes a cover configured to cover the crystal growth station and heating system configured to heat the internal area. At least one of the cover and the heating system includes at least one quick connect fixture.
According to another non-limiting embodiment, a furnace chamber comprises an internal area configured to hold a crystal growth chamber, a cover, and a heating system. The cover is configured to cover the crystal growth station, and the heating system is configured to heat the internal area. At least one of the cover and the heating system includes at least one quick connect fixture.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention as well as to the examples included therein. All numeric values are herein assumed to be modified by the term “about,” whether or not explicitly indicated. The term “about” generally refers to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited value (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances, the term “about” may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure.
Referring collectively to
The furnace chamber 108 includes a heating system (described in greater detail below), which heats the raw materials (e.g., powders) contained in the crucible and facilitates growth of the crystal boule. Once formation of the crystal boule is completed, the crystal growth chamber 116 is removed from the furnace chamber 108 and the crystal boule is extracted from the crucible.
The furnace heating system includes a variety of fluid conduits and heating coils. According to a non-limiting embodiment, the heating system includes coolant conduits 402 located in the walls of the furnace chamber 108. The coolant conduits 402 supply the furnace chamber 108 with a coolant fluid. The coolant conduits 402 have a coolant inlet port 403 and a coolant exit port 404 through which a coolant fluid enters and exits the furnace chamber 108, respectively. A first external coolant tube (not shown) that supplies the coolant fluid to the conduit 402 may be attached to the coolant inlet port 403 via a first quick connect fixture (e.g., a first coolant quick connect fixture) while a second external coolant tube that transports the coolant fluid away from the coolant conduit 402 may be attached to the coolant exit port 404 via a second quick connect fixture (e.g., a second coolant quick connect fixture). The quick connect fixtures (typically referred to simply as “quick connects”) are described in greater detail below.
The furnace chamber 108 further includes a cover 117 configured to cover the crystal growth chamber and inhibit heat loss from the furnace chamber 108. The cover 117 has a hole 118 formed therethrough, which allows removal of crystal growth chamber 116. The cover 117 contains a circular cover conduit 412 (see
As described herein, the heating system generates heat that heats that internal area 109, and in turn heats the crystal growth chamber 116 to induce melting and reacting of the raw materials (e.g., powders) disposed in the crucible. The heating system includes an induction coil 408 configured to surround the crystal growth chamber 116. The induction coil 408 includes a coil inlet port 407 and a coil outlet port 409. According to a non-limiting embodiment, the induction coil 408 is a hollow metal coil through which a coolant fluid is transported. A first induction coil external tube (not shown) that supplies the coolant fluid to the induction coil 408 may be attached to the coil inlet port 407 via a first coil quick connect fixture while a second induction coil external tube (not shown) that transports the coolant fluid away from the induction coil 408 may be attached to the coil outlet port 409 via a second coil quick connect fixture. The quick connect fixtures are described in greater detail below.
The crystal pulling assembly 150 is configured to promote the growth of a crystal boule in the crystal growth chamber 116. The crystal pulling station 150 includes a pillar 104 and a motion head 106. A first end of the pillar 104 is fixed to a stationary based (e.g. the floor or the fixed platform 102) while the opposing second end is coupled to an end of the motion head 106. The motion head 106 includes a rotatable shaft 122. A first end of the shaft is rotatably coupled to a motor 107 while a crystal seed is coupled to the shaft's opposing end. the seed is placed in contact with the melt and is gradually drawn or “pulled” upwards during rotation of the shaft 122 to form a single crystal boule.
Turning to
The pair of quick connect fixtures includes a male end 302 or “plug” and a female end 304 or “socket”. The male end 302 can be coupled in fluid communication with a conduit or tube, while the female end can be coupled in fluid communication with an inlet or outlet port. The quick connect fixture assembly 300 establishes a secure, leak-tight sealed connection between the conduit/tube and a corresponding inlet/outlet port by inserting the male end 302 into the female end 304. According to the example shown in
The quick connect fixture assembly 300 described herein can include, but is not limited to, one-way sleeve designs and two-way sleeve designs. A one-way sleeve design allows for break-away of the connected quick connect fixtures 302 and 304 using a tool when one or more of the quick connect fixtures is clamp mounted. A two-way sleeves design allows for one-hand disconnection of the quick connect fixtures 302 and 304. In two-way designs, twisting and pulling the two quick connect fixtures 302 and 304 can break the connection. In one or more non-limiting embodiments, one or more of the quick connect fixtures 302 and 304 may include a valve to provide an option for starting, stopping or reducing fluid flow.
The quick connect fixtures 302 and 304 can be implemented using various designs without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For instance, the quick connect fixtures 302 and 304 can include, but are not limited to, a ball bearing coupling design (sometimes referred to as ball-and-sleeve couplings), a flat-face coupling design, a non-latching coupling design, and a Bayonet coupling.
The ball bearing coupling design (e.g., ball-and-sleeve couplings) utilizes spring-loaded balls lodge in cavities to make the connection. The ball bearing coupling design is a type of two-way sleeve design that allows the pair of quick connect fixtures to be disconnected with just one hand.
The flat-face coupling design can be push-to-connect or threaded, screw-in types. Flat face couplings provide high flow and low pressure drop and their sleeve-locking feature reduces the change of accidental connection. Accordingly, the flat-face coupling design can eliminate problems of trapped pressure in a line, as well as leakage of hydraulic fluid or air by eliminating the cavity where the fluid or air rests.
The non-latching coupling design typically includes a self-sealing valve that will hold the fluid in the line to prevent any leakage. Accordingly, non-latching coupling designs are desirable in applications and systems when there may be frequent change-outs of the coupling, such as pneumatic systems used in test or medical applications.
The bayonet coupling design provides an additional locking mechanism (e.g., a slide lock) that maintains the connection in high-pressure applications. For instance, a user pushes together the male end and the female end, and once engaged turns the male end to lock the connection in place. Twisting the male end in the opposite direction unlocks the fixture pair and allows them to be pulled apart.
As described herein, one or more non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure provides a crystal growth station, which includes a furnace chamber that implements one or more quick connect fixture assemblies. The quick connect fixture assembly facilitates the rapid attachment of the conduits or tubing that supply and remove cooling fluids from the furnace chamber, the furnace cover and/or the furnace heating system.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.
The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.
All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C § 112, sixth paragraph. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C § 112, sixth paragraph.
