Material supply system and method
View Patent ↗A system and a method for feeding a solid into a solid deposition system is described. Solid contained in a hopper is directed into a vibratory bowl. The frequency of the vibrations of the vibratory bowl can be modulated by a feedback system. The solid can then be entrained in a carrier gas which can flow to a distributor for deposition on a substrate.
1. A vibratory feeder, comprising:
a vibratory bowl, comprising:
a supply reservoir,
a divider configured to adjust feed rate sensitivity to vibration amplitude,
and
a ramp having a first end adjacent to the supply reservoir and a second end adjacent to the divider;
a hopper configured to contain a solid;
an inlet having a first end adjacent to the hopper and a second end adjacent to the vibratory bowl;
a vibration excitation unit configured to impart a vibration on the vibratory bowl and
an outlet having a first end adjacent to the exit pathway of the vibratory bowl and a second end leading to an exit of the vibratory feeder.
2. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , wherein the ramp is a spiral ramp.
3. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , wherein the divider divides the second end of ramp into a return side and an exit side.
4. The vibratory feeder of claim 3 , further comprising a return pathway having a first end adjacent to the return side of the divider and a second end adjacent to the supply reservoir.
5. The vibratory feeder of claim 3 , further comprising an exit pathway having a first end adjacent to the exit side of the divider and a second end leading to the exit of the vibratory bowl.
6. The vibratory feeder of claim 5 , wherein the exit pathway of the vibratory bowl is adjacent to a catch funnel connected to an output conduit.
7. The vibratory feeder of claim 6 , further comprising a detection system configured to monitor the output conduit.
8. The vibratory feeder of claim 7 , wherein the detection system includes an collection cell adjacent to the output conduit.
9. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , wherein the ramp has a slope of 1° to 15°.
10. The vibratory feeder of claim 9 , wherein the ramp has a slope of 2° to 10°.
11. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , wherein the vibration excitation unit generates frequencies of greater than 10 Hz.
12. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , wherein the vibration excitation unit generates frequencies of less than 1000 Hz.
13. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , wherein the vibration excitation unit generates frequencies of 20 Hz to 200 Hz.
14. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , wherein the vibratory bowl and the hopper are in a sealed vessel configured to be operated under vacuum.
15. The vibratory feeder of claim 14 , wherein the sealed vessel includes a carrier gas inlet.
16. The vibratory feeder of claim 14 , wherein the exit pathway includes a carrier gas inlet.
17. The vibratory feeder of claim 14 , wherein the sealed vessel includes a load valve.
18. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , further comprising a hopper oscillator configured to vibrate the hopper.
19. The vibratory feeder of claim 1 , wherein the hopper includes a support baffle.
20. A vibratory feeder, comprising:
a vibratory bowl, comprising:
a supply reservoir, and
a ramp having a first end adjacent to the supply reservoir and a second end adjacent to an exit pathway;
an accelerometer configured to monitor the vibratory bowl;
a hopper configured to contain a solid;
an inlet having a first end adjacent to the hopper and a second end adjacent to the vibratory bowl; and
an outlet having a first end adjacent to the exit pathway of the vibratory bowl and the a second end leading to an exit of the vibratory feeder.
21. A vibratory feeder, comprising:
a vibratory bowl, comprising:
a supply reservoir,
a divider configured to adjust feed rate sensitivity to vibration amplitude, and
a ramp having a first end adjacent to the supply reservoir and a second end adjacent to an exit pathway;
a hopper configured to contain a solid;
an inlet having a first end adjacent to the hopper and a second end adjacent to the vibratory bowl;
a vibration excitation unit configured to impart a vibration on the vibratory bowl;
an outlet having a first end adjacent to the exit pathway of the vibratory bowl and the a second end leading to an output conduit of the vibratory feeder; and
an optical detection system configured to monitor the output conduit.