IP Library Granted Patent US 12,630,940
Granted Patent B2
US 12,630,940 · App. 18/040,136 · Granted May 19, 2026

Raw material re-feeding apparatus for manufacturing monocrystal and monocrystal manufacturing apparatus having the same

Inventors: Ye Zhang (Tianjin, CN); Xiaodong Li (Tianjin, CN); Lin Wang (Tianjin, CN); Jianping Wang (Tianjin, CN); Shijing Zhang (Tianjin, CN); Gudamu A (Tianjin, CN)
Assignee: TCL ZHONGHUAN RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
C30B15/02C30B15/002C30B29/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,630,940
App. No.
18/040,136
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides raw material re-feeding apparatus for manufacturing a monocrystal and monocrystal manufacturing apparatus including the same. The raw material re-feeding apparatus is provided outside a monocrystal furnace and includes a storage and a feeder in communication with the storage. A discharging end of the feeder is located in the monocrystal furnace and movable relative to the monocrystal furnace, so that the discharging end of the feeder is immersed in a silicon melt when the material re-feeding is performed, and thus the material is melted and re-fed.

Claims (49)

1 . A raw material re-feeding apparatus for manufacturing a monocrystal, comprising:

a storage disposed outside a monocrystal furnace; and

a feeder in communication with the storage to receive raw materials conveyed by the storage, the feeder having a first discharging end located inside the monocrystal furnace and movable in a direction toward a melt contained within a crucible in the monocrystal furnace;

wherein the feeder comprises:

a fixed material tube disposed outside the monocrystal furnace and connected to the monocrystal furnace;

a mobile material tube disposed inside the fixed material tube, wherein the first discharging end is disposed at one end of the mobile material tube; and

a moving device configured to pass through the fixed material tube and connected to another end of the mobile material tube to drive the mobile material tube to move relative to the fixed material tube;

wherein the fixed material tube is provided with a first opening, the mobile material tube is provided with a second opening, the first opening communicates with the second opening, and the first opening communicates with the storage; and

wherein a length of the second opening in a moving direction of the mobile material tube is larger than a length of the first opening in the moving direction of the mobile material tube, to enable the second opening and the first opening to remain in communication during moving of the mobile material tube.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first discharging end is provided with a plurality of through holes, to enable the melt to enter the mobile material tube through the plurality of through holes when the first discharging end is immersed in the melt, to melt the raw materials.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of through holes has a predetermined size to prevent leakage of the raw materials from the plurality of through holes.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one end of the mobile material tube has an opening, the first discharging end has a mesh portion, and the mesh portion is disposed inside the opening of the one end of the mobile material tube and connected to the mobile material tube.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first discharging end is integrated with the mobile material tube.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile material tube is formed of a material comprising quartz.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storage comprises:

a storage cartridge having a second discharging end; and

a conveyor located below the storage cartridge and arranged to align with the second discharging end of the storage cartridge;

wherein the raw materials in the storage cartridge are capable of falling onto the conveyor through the second discharging end and being conveyed into the feeder by the conveyor, and a valve is provided at the second discharging end of the storage cartridge.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the storage further comprises a mounting housing, one end of the mounting housing communicates with the storage cartridge and another end of the mounting housing communicates with the feeder, and the second discharging end of the storage cartridge and the conveyor are disposed inside the mounting housing.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the conveyor is a belt drive structure.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein a belt portion of the belt drive structure in contact with the raw materials comprises a straight section and an inclined section, and the raw materials fall onto the straight section and move from the straight section to the inclined section.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller connected to the storage and the feeder and configured to control operations of the storage and the feeder.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile material tube is coaxially with the fixed material tube.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the moving device is fixedly connected to an outer side wall of the monocrystal furnace.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the moving device is a lead screw drive, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or a worm gear and worm drive.

15 . A monocrystal manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a monocrystal furnace; and

a raw material re-feeding apparatus comprising a storage disposed outside the monocrystal furnace; and a feeder in communication with the storage to receive raw materials conveyed by the storage, the feeder having a first discharging end, wherein the first discharging end is located inside the monocrystal furnace and the first discharging end is movable in a direction toward melt in a crucible in the monocrystal furnace;

wherein the feeder comprises:

a fixed material tube disposed outside the monocrystal furnace and connected to the monocrystal furnace;

a mobile material tube disposed inside the fixed material tube, wherein the first discharging end is disposed at one end of the mobile material tube; and

a moving device configured to pass through the fixed material tube and connected to another end of the mobile material tube to drive the mobile material tube to move relative to the fixed material tube;

wherein the fixed material tube is provided with a first opening, the mobile material tube is provided with a second opening, the first opening communicates with the second opening, and the first opening communicates with the storage; and

wherein a length of the second opening in a moving direction of the mobile material tube is larger than a length of the first opening in the moving direction of the mobile material tube, to enable the second opening and the first opening to remain in communication during moving of the mobile material tube.

16 . The monocrystal manufacturing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the first discharging end is provided with a plurality of through holes, to enable the melt to enter the mobile material tube through the plurality of through holes when the first discharging end is immersed in the melt, to melt the raw materials.

17 . The monocrystal manufacturing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the one end of the mobile material tube has an opening, the first discharging end has a mesh portion, and the mesh portion is disposed inside the opening of the one end of the mobile material tube and connected to the mobile material tube.

18 . The monocrystal manufacturing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the first discharging end is integrated with the mobile material tube.

19 . The monocrystal manufacturing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the storage comprises:

a storage cartridge having a second discharging end; and

a conveyor located below the storage cartridge and arranged to align with the second discharging end of the storage cartridge;

wherein the raw materials in the storage cartridge are capable of falling onto the conveyor through the second discharging end and being conveyed into the feeder by the conveyor, and a valve is provided at the second discharging end of the storage cartridge.

20 . A raw material re-feeding apparatus for manufacturing a monocrystal, comprising:

a storage disposed outside a monocrystal furnace; and

a feeder in communication with the storage to receive raw materials conveyed by the storage, the feeder having a first discharging end located inside the monocrystal furnace and movable in a direction toward a melt contained within a crucible in the monocrystal furnace;

wherein the feeder comprises:

a fixed material tube disposed outside the monocrystal furnace and connected to the monocrystal furnace; and

a mobile material tube disposed inside the fixed material tube, wherein the first discharging end is disposed at one end of the mobile material tube;

wherein the fixed material tube is provided with a first opening, the mobile material tube is provided with a second opening, the first opening communicates with the second opening, and the first opening communicates with the storage; and

wherein a length of the second opening in a moving direction of the mobile material tube is larger than a length of the first opening in the moving direction of the mobile material tube, to enable the second opening and the first opening to remain in communication during moving of the mobile material tube.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: ZHANG, YE; LI, XIAODONG; WANG, LIN; WANG, JIANPING; ZHANG, SHIJING; A, GUDAMU
To: TCL ZHONGHUAN RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062553/0606 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202220729768.2 · Mar 31, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240247400A1 · Jul 25, 2024
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