Mechanical seed coupling
An apparatus and method of manufacturing silicon seed rod in which two silicon seeds are joined into one long silicon seed rod by mechanical coupling. A mechanical seed coupler is a body in having an outer wall, an upper surface with an upper aperture, a lower surface with a lower aperture, and an inner wall surrounding an inner space. The mechanical seed couple can be of a shape including a cylinder shape, an elliptical tube shape, a rectangular tube shape and a square tube shape. Furthermore the mechanical seed coupler can be of unitary construction, made from one solid piece of material, or it can be composed of subparts.
1. A seed rod extender for extending a seed rod comprising:
a length of seed rod having a tip at one end for coupling to a short connecting rod and a mechanical coupler with a single aperture consisting of at most two surfaces inside the single aperture: an upper surface in contact with an angled surface corresponding to a respective surface of a seed rod to be coupled to the seed rod extender,
wherein the mechanical coupler is made from polycrystalline silicon.
2. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 1 , wherein the angled surface is disposed at an angle, from an axis line of 0° running through the exact center of the mechanical seed coupler, within the range of 14 to 22°.
3. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 1 , wherein the angled surface is disposed at an 18° angle from an axis line of 0° running through the exact center of the mechanical seed coupler.
4. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 1 , wherein the angled surface is disposed at an 21° angle from an axis line of 0° running through the exact center of the mechanical seed coupler.
5. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 1 , wherein the angled surface is disposed at an 22° angle from an axis line of 0° running through the exact center of the mechanical seed coupler.
6. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 1 , wherein both the upper surface and the angled surface are uninterrupted.
7. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 1 , wherein both the upper surface and the angled surface are tapered.
8. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical seed coupler is made from the same material as said seed rod.
9. A seed rod extender for extending a seed rod comprising:
a length of seed rod having a tip at one end for coupling to a short connecting rod and a mechanical coupler with a single aperture consisting of at most two uninterrupted surfaces inside the single aperture: an upper surface in contact with an angled surface corresponding to a respective surface of a seed rod to be coupled to the seed rod extender,
wherein the mechanical coupler is made from polycrystalline silicon.
10. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 9 , wherein the angled surface is disposed at an 21° angle from an axis line of 0° running through the exact center of the mechanical seed coupler.
11. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 9 , wherein the angled surface is disposed at an 22° angle from an axis line of 0° running through the exact center of the mechanical seed coupler.
12. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 9 , wherein both the upper surface and the angled surface are tapered.
13. The seed rod extender for extending a seed rod of claim 9 , wherein the mechanical seed coupler is made from the same material as said seed rod.