VALVE GASKET SEALING SURFACE REFURBISHING METHODS AND SYSTEMS

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device to resurface a sealing surface of a fluid connector in a fluid delivery component is provided. The device may include a housing adapted to be reversibly coupled to the fluid connector. Included may be an arbor which is at least partially disposed in the housing, and both rotationally and axially movable within the housing. The arbor may have a first end proximal to the sealing surface and a second distal end adapted to receive rotational actuation. A resurfacing head may be positioned at the first end of the arbor, and may have a resurfacing face that includes a circular resurfacing groove adapted to fit a circular ridge on the sealing surface of the connector. Rotational contact between the groove and the ridge may cause the resurfacing of the sealing surface. The housing may keep the resurfacing head and the sealing surface aligned during the resurfacing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described in conjunction with the appended figures:

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of one possible tool embodiment of the invention and a fluid connector with a sealing surface that has a circular ridge;

FIG. 1 a shows a cross section of a sealing surface with a semi-elliptical cross sectioned ridge and a matching resurfacing head;

FIG. 1 b shows a cross section of a sealing surface with a different semi-elliptical cross sectioned ridge and a matching resurfacing head;

FIG. 1 c shows a cross section of a sealing surface with a rectangular cross sectioned ridge and a matching resurfacing head;

FIG. 1 d shows a cross section of a sealing surface with a triangular cross sectioned ridge and a matching resurfacing head;

FIG. 1 e shows a cross section of a sealing surface with a trapezoidal cross sectioned ridge and a matching resurfacing head;

FIG. 1 f shows a cross section of a sealing surface with a rhomboidal cross sectioned ridge and a matching resurfacing head;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of another possible tool embodiment of the invention which uses compression spring force producing elements and a rotational actuation device;

FIG. 2 a shows a plan view of the tool from FIG. 2 from the rotational actuation source end;

FIG. 2 b shows a cross section of another possible tool embodiment of the invention which uses tension spring force producing elements and a rotational actuation device;

FIG. 2 c shows a cross section of another possible tool embodiment of the invention which uses pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder producing elements and a rotational actuation device; and

FIG. 3 shows a method embodiment of the invention that may be used to resurface a sealing surface with a circular ridge.

Claims

1. A device to resurface a sealing surface of a fluid connector in a fluid delivery component, the device comprising: a housing adapted to be reversibly coupled to the fluid connector;an arbor at least partially disposed in the housing, and both rotationally and axially movable within the housing, wherein the arbor has a first end proximal to the sealing surface and a second end distal to the sealing surface and adapted to receive a rotational actuation source;a resurfacing head positioned at the first end of the arbor and having a resurfacing face that includes a resurfacing groove adapted to fit a ridge on the sealing surface of the fluid connector, wherein rotational contact between the groove and the ridge causes the resurfacing of the sealing surface; andwherein the housing keeps the circular resurfacing groove and the circular ridge on the sealing surface aligned during the resurfacing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing grove and the ridge on the sealing surface have a circular shape.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing groove and the ridge on the sealing surface have a semi-circular or semi-elliptical cross section.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing groove and the ridge on the sealing surface have a rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, or rhomboidal cross section.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid connector is adapted to receive a gasket.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery component is selected from the group consisting of: a pipe;a tube;a cylinder valve;a line valve;a gas distribution component;a coupling; anda manifold.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the gas distribution component is selected from the group consisting of a regulator, a mass flow controller, a particle filter, a purifier, and a pressure transducer.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is a single piece and the arbor is only disposed in the housing.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein a threaded coupling is used for the reversible coupling of the housing to the fluid connector.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotational actuation source is selected from the group consisting of: an electric motor;a pneumatic motor;a water driven motor;a magnetic motor;a gas powered motor; anda hydraulic motor.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotational actuation source is a drill.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotational actuation source rotates the arbor at a rate of about 0.1 rpm to about 100,000 rpm.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotational actuation source rotates the arbor at a rate of about 20 rpm to about 40,000 rpm.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing face comprises a material having a hardness greater than the sealing surface of the fluid connector.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing face has a hardness of about 1 or more on Mohs Scale of Hardness.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing face comprises one or more metal oxides.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the metal oxides comprise aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, ceramic aluminum oxide, emery, silicon oxide, or zirconia alumina.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing face comprises one or more carbide compounds.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the carbide compounds comprise silicon carbide, or tungsten carbide.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing face comprises one or more nitride compounds.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the nitride compounds comprise silicon nitride or boron nitride.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing face comprises one or more carbon containing compounds.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfacing head is formed integral with the arbor.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein a polishing material is deposited on the sealing surface or the resurfacing face, wherein the polishing material is selected from the group consisting of: a lapping compound;a polishing rouge; andan abrasive paste.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the polishing material comprises metal oxide.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the metal oxide comprises ferric oxide, aluminum oxide, or zirconium oxide.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the polishing material comprises particles having an average particle size of about 40 grit to about 2000 grit.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing further defines a bearing cavity, wherein a bearing is at least partially disposed in the bearing cavity, and the arbor is at least partially disposed in the bearing.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfaced sealing surface of the fluid connector has a leak rate of about 1×10−3 cc/sec or less.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein the resurfaced sealing surface of the fluid connector has a leak rate of about 1×10−9 cc/sec to about 1×10−12 cc/sec.

31. A device to resurface a sealing surface of a fluid connector in a fluid delivery component, the device comprising: a housing adapted to be reversibly coupled to the fluid connector;an arbor at least partially disposed in the housing, and both rotationally and axially movable within the housing, wherein the arbor has a first end proximal to the sealing surface and a second end distal to the sealing surface and adapted to receive a rotational actuation source;a resurfacing head positioned at the first end of the arbor and having a resurfacing face adapted to contact the sealing surface of the fluid connector, wherein rotational contact between the resurfacing face and the sealing surface causes the resurfacing of the sealing surface;at least one force producing element, wherein the at least one force producing element is coupled with the housing and the resurfacing head, and is configured to urge the resurfacing head toward the sealing surface; andwherein the housing keeps the resurfacing face aligned with the sealing surface during the resurfacing.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the device has three force producing elements.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein: the sealing surface includes a circular ridge; andthe resurfacing face has a circular groove that is adapted to fit the circular ridge when the resurfacing face contacts the sealing surface.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the at least one force producing element is selected from the group consisting of: at least one pressurized pneumatic cylinder;at least one pressurized hydraulic cylinder;at least one helical compression spring; andat least one helical tension spring.

35. The device of claim 31, wherein the at least one force producing element applies about 0.001 psi to about 1000 psi of contact force between the resurfacing head and the sealing surface of the fluid connector.

36. The device of claim 31, wherein the at least one force producing element applies about 0.1 psi to about 200 psi of contact force between the resurfacing head and the sealing surface of the fluid connector.

37. The device of claim 31, further comprising the rotational actuation source.

38. The device of claim 31, wherein the housing and the rotational actuation source are coupled with each other such that the rotational actuation source may only move relative to the housing in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sealing surface.

39. The device of claim 31, wherein the resurfacing face comprises a material with a hardness greater than the hardness of the sealing surface of the fluid connector.

40. The device of claim 31, wherein the resurfacing face comprises a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a metal carbide, or a covalent network solid.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the covalent network solid is diamond.

42. A method of resurfacing a sealing surface of a fluid connector in a fluid delivery component, the method comprising the steps of: coupling the fluid connector to a resurfacing device comprising a rotatable resurfacing face that includes a circular resurfacing groove adapted to contact a circular ridge on the sealing surface of the fluid connector;moving the resurfacing face towards the sealing surface; androtating the resurfacing groove against the ridge on the sealing surface to cause the sealing surface to be resurfaced, wherein the groove and the ridge are kept aligned by the resurfacing device.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein a rotational actuation source is used to rotate the resurfacing groove against the ridge on the sealing surface.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the rotational actuation source is selected from the group consisting of: an electric motor;a pneumatic motor;a water driven motor;a magnetic motor;a gas powered motor; anda hydraulic motor.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the resurfacing grove is rotated against the ridge on the sealing surface at a rate of about 0.1 rpm to about 100,000 rpm.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the method further comprises maintaining a substantially constant contact force between the resurfacing face and the sealing surface during the resurfacing with at least one force producing element in the resurfacing device.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein the force producing element provides a translational force to move the resurfacing face towards the sealing surface of the fluid connector.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein the force producing element is selected from the group consisting of: a pressurized pneumatic cylinder;a pressurized hydraulic cylinder;a helical compression spring; anda helical tension spring.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein the force producing element maintains the contact force between the resurfacing face and the sealing surface at about 0.001 psi to about 1000 psi.

50. The method of claim 42, wherein the resurfacing face comprises a material with a hardness greater than the hardness of the sealing surface of the fluid connector.

51. The method of claim 42, wherein the resurfacing face comprises a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a metal carbide, or a covalent network solid.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the covalent network solid is diamond.

53. The method of claim 42, wherein the method further comprises depositing a polishing material on the sealing surface or the resurfacing face, wherein the polishing material is selected from the group consisting of: a lapping compound;a polishing rouge; andan abrasive paste.

54. The method of claim 42, wherein the resurfaced sealing surface of the fluid connector has a leak rate of about 1×10−3 cc/sec or less.

55. The method of claim 42, wherein the resurfaced sealing surface of the fluid connector has a leak rate of about 1×10−9 cc/sec to about 1×10−12 cc/sec.

56. The method of claim 42, wherein the fluid delivery component is part of a system to manufacture semiconductor devices.

57. The method of claim 42, wherein the method further comprises inserting a plug in the fluid connector to prevent particles from the sealing surface from contaminating the connector.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the plug comprises an expandable material.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the plug is threaded and has an o-ring that forms a seal when inserted into the connector.

60. A method of resurfacing a sealing surface of a fluid connector in a fluid delivery component, the method comprising the steps of: coupling the fluid connector to a resurfacing device comprising a housing and an arbor at least partially disposed in the housing, and both rotationally and axially movable within the housing, wherein the arbor has a first end proximal to the sealing surface of the fluid connector and a second end distal to the sealing surface and adapted to receive a rotational actuation source;activating at least one force producing element in the resurfacing device to urge a resurfacing head positioned at the first end of the arbor into contact with the sealing surface of the fluid connector; andactivating at least one rotational actuation source to rotate the resurfacing head and cause the sealing surface of the fluid connector to be resurfaced, wherein the housing keeps the resurfacing head aligned with the sealing surface.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the force producing element maintains a substantially constant contact force between the resurfacing head and the sealing surface of the fluid connector during the resurfacing.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the fluid connector remains attached to the fluid delivery component during the resurfacing of the sealing surface.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein the resurfacing head comprises a circular resurfacing grove adapted to contact a ridge on the sealing surface, and wherein the activation of the rotational activation source causes the ridge to be resurfaced by the resurfacing grove.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the ridge and the resurfacing grove are kept in alignment by the housing of the resurfacing device.

65. The method of claim 60, wherein the method further comprises providing a polishing material to a surface of the resurfacing head that makes contact with the sealing surface of the fluid connector.

66. The method of claim 60, wherein the polishing material comprises a lapping compound, a polishing rouge, or an abrasive paste.

67. The method of claim 60, wherein the force producing element is selected from the group consisting of: a pressurized pneumatic cylinder;a pressurized hydraulic cylinder;a helical compression spring; anda helical tension spring.

68. The method of claim 60, wherein the force producing element maintains a contact force between the resurfacing face and the sealing surface of about 0.001 psi to about 1000 psi.

69. The method of claim 60, wherein the rotational actuation source is selected from the group consisting of: an electric motor;a pneumatic motor;a water driven motor;a magnetic motor;a gas powered motor; anda hydraulic motor.

70. The method of claim 60, wherein the rotational actuation source rotates the resurfacing head against the sealing surface at a rate of about 0.1 rpm to about 100,000 rpm.

71. The method of claim 60, wherein the fluid delivery component is part of a system to manufacture semiconductor devices.

72. The method of claim 60, wherein the method further comprises inserting a plug in the fluid connector to prevent particles from the sealing surface from contaminating the connector.