JP6965569B2 - Glass raw material container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a glass raw material container for storing raw materials.

A glass raw material container that vaporizes a glass raw material and supplies it to a burner of a glass synthesizer is known. In Patent Document 1, the liquid level of the internal liquefied raw material (glass raw material) is calculated by measuring the weight of the bubbler (glass raw material container), and the liquid level of the liquefied raw material is always kept constant. The replenishment method is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 07-171375

A metal container is used as the glass raw material container for supplying the raw material gas obtained by vaporizing the glass raw material to the optical fiber base material manufacturing apparatus. The metal glass raw material container is usually sealed, and it is not possible to know the amount of the glass raw material (liquid level) inside by visually observing the inside directly from the outside of the container. Therefore, for example, as in Patent Document 1, the weight of the glass raw material container is measured, the height of the liquid level of the glass raw material inside is calculated from the measured weight, and the amount of the glass raw material in the glass raw material container is calculated. The glass raw material was replenished to the glass raw material container so that (the height of the liquid level) became constant.

When the glass raw material container is used for a long period of time, impurities such as heavy metals slightly mixed in the glass raw material do not vaporize, so that they remain in the container and are concentrated. As a result, the inside of the glass raw material container becomes dirty, so it is necessary to clean the container. However, as described above, the weight detecting means cannot determine the degree of contamination in the glass raw material container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a glass raw material container in which stains in the glass raw material container can be directly visually observed.

The glass raw material container according to one aspect of the present invention is
A metal glass raw material container that accommodates a liquid glass raw material, vaporizes the contained glass raw material, and supplies the glass raw material to a glass synthesizer.
A glass window is provided on the side surface of the glass raw material container.

According to the above invention, the dirt inside the glass raw material container can be directly visually observed.

It is the schematic which shows an example of the glass raw material container which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of the glass raw material container shown in FIG. It is a front view of the glass window part of the glass raw material container shown in FIG. It is the schematic which shows an example of the glass raw material container which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

(Explanation of Embodiments of the Present Invention)
First, embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described.
The glass raw material container according to one aspect of the present invention is
(1) A metal glass raw material container for accommodating a liquid glass raw material, in which the contained glass raw material is vaporized and the glass raw material is supplied to a glass synthesizer.
A glass window is provided on the side surface of the glass raw material container.
According to the above configuration, since the glass window is provided on the side surface of the metal glass raw material container, the dirt inside the glass raw material container can be directly visually observed through the glass window. This makes it possible to determine whether or not the glass raw material container needs to be washed.

(2) The glass window includes a metal window frame portion and glass.
The glass may be fitted and sealed so as to be in direct contact with the window frame portion so that the glass raw material does not leak from the glass raw material container.
According to the above configuration, since the glass is fitted and sealed so as to be in direct contact with the window frame portion, the airtightness is good and the glass raw material can be prevented from leaking to the outside.

(3) The glass window may include a first glass window portion in which the inner first glass is fitted and a second glass window portion in which the outer second glass is fitted. ..
According to the above configuration, the glass of the glass window is doubled. Thereby, when the inner first glass is broken, the glass raw material can be prevented from leaking to the outside of the container by the outer second glass window portion. Further, it is possible to prevent the impact from the outside of the container from directly hitting the first glass inside.

(4) The second glass window portion includes a second metal window frame portion and the second glass.
The second glass may be fitted into the second window frame portion via packing.
According to the above configuration, since the second glass window portion is not in direct contact with the glass raw material, it is not necessary to make the airtightness strict. Therefore, packing may be used for the second glass window portion. In addition, when packing is used, the second glass can be easily removed when inspecting the glass window or the like. Further, the fitting through the packing can make the impact stronger from the outside of the container stronger than the fitting of the glass directly.

(5) At least two of the glass windows are provided.
The other glass window may be provided at the same height on the side surface opposite to the side surface of the glass raw material container provided with one glass window.
According to the above configuration, since the glass window is also provided on the opposite side of the container, the inside of the glass raw material container can be easily seen by turning on the light, for example, from the outside of the glass window on the opposite side. This makes it easier to visually check the dirt inside the glass raw material container and the height of the liquid level. Further, for example, by attaching a light emitting sensor to the outside of one window and a light receiving sensor to the outside of the other window, the height of the liquid level can be detected by the sensor.

(Details of Embodiments of the present invention)
Specific examples of the glass raw material container according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these examples, and is indicated by the scope of claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

(First Embodiment)
An example of the glass raw material container according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
As shown in FIG. 1, the glass raw material container 1 includes a container main body 2 and a glass window 3 provided on a side wall 21 of the container main body 2. The glass raw material container 1 of this example can be used as a container for containing, for example, a liquid glass raw material and supplying the vaporized glass raw material to the glass synthesizer.

The container body 2 is an accommodating portion for accommodating the liquid glass raw material A, and is formed in a cylindrical shape having, for example, an upper base and a lower base. A liquid glass raw material A such as liquid _{silicon tetrachloride (SiCl 4} ) or germanium tetrachloride (GeCl ₄ ) is stored in the container main body 2 in a sealed state. The container body 2 is made of metal, and is made of, for example, a stainless steel material having high corrosion resistance (for example, SUS316L or the like). The container body 2 may have a structure in which an inner surface in contact with the stored glass raw material is plated to form a corrosion-resistant metal layer.

A glass raw material supply pipe 11, a carrier gas supply pipe 12, and a raw material gas supply pipe 13 are attached to the upper wall 22 of the container main body 2. The glass raw material supply pipe 11 is a supply pipe that supplies the liquid glass raw material A to the container main body 2. The carrier gas supply pipe 12 is a supply pipe that supplies the carrier gas B composed of an inert gas such as argon, helium, and nitrogen into the liquid glass raw material A stored in the container main body 2 by bubbling. The raw material gas supply pipe 13 is a supply pipe that supplies the raw material gas generated by vaporizing the liquid glass raw material A in the container main body 2 to a burner (not shown) of the glass synthesizer. The carrier gas is mixed with the raw material gas and supplied to the burner of the glass synthesizer together with the raw material gas.

The liquid glass raw material A supplied from the glass raw material supply pipe 11 is usually supplied by a flow rate control unit (not shown) so as to be replenished to a predetermined height, for example, position C in the container main body 2. Is controlled.

The glass window 3 is formed so as to project outward from the side wall 21 of the container main body 2. Further, the glass window 3 is formed in the container main body 2 at a height corresponding to the position C to which the liquid glass raw material A is replenished. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the glass window 3 is a window in which glass is double-fitted, the first glass window portion 3A into which the inner first glass 32 is fitted, and the outer second glass. It is provided with a second glass window portion 3B into which 34 is fitted. The glass window 3 may include at least the first glass window portion 3A.

Further, the detailed structure of the glass window 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of the glass raw material container 1 of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the glass window 3 is attached to the mounting hole 21a formed in the side wall 21 of the container main body 2 via the intermediate connecting member 23. The intermediate connecting member 23 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and is made of a metal material such as a stainless steel material having high corrosion resistance (for example, SUS316L or the like), like the container main body 2. One end (left end in FIG. 2) of the intermediate connecting member 23 is welded to the side wall 21 of the container body 2, and the opposite end (right end in FIG. 2) is the first glass window. It is welded to the end of the portion 3A.

The first glass window portion 3A includes a first window frame portion 31 and a first glass 32 attached to the first window frame portion 31.

The first window frame portion 31 is made of metal, and is made of, for example, a stainless steel material having high corrosion resistance (for example, SUS316L), a carbon steel material, or the like. The first window frame portion 31 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a concave portion 31a having a small outer diameter and a convex portion 31b having a large outer diameter. In the first glass window portion 3A, the end portion (left end portion in FIG. 2) of the concave portion 31a is welded to the intermediate connecting member 23.

The outer peripheral surface of the first glass 32 comes into direct contact with the inner peripheral surface of the first window frame portion 31 by shrink-fitting the first glass 32 into the convex portion 31b of the first window frame portion 31. It is fitted and sealed. The first glass 32 preferably has a heat resistant temperature of about 200 ° C., and for example, soda glass, borosilicate glass, or the like can be used. The thickness of the first glass 32 is 4 mm to 5 mm.

The second glass window portion 3B includes a second window frame portion 33 and a second glass 34 attached to the second window frame portion 33.

The second window frame portion 33 is made of metal, and like the first window frame portion 31, is made of a stainless steel material (for example, SUS316L or the like), a carbon steel material, or the like. The second window frame portion 33 is composed of two window frame portions (inner window frame portion 35, outer window frame portion 36) formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The inner window frame portion 35 has a convex portion 35a having a small inner diameter and a concave portion 35b having a large inner diameter. Similarly, the outer window frame portion 36 also has a convex portion 36a having a small inner diameter and a concave portion 36b having a large inner diameter.

The inner window frame portion 35 and the outer window frame portion 36 are arranged on the outer peripheral side of the first window frame portion 31, and the convex portions 31b of the first window frame portion 31 are provided from both sides (left and right in FIG. 2). They are arranged so as to sandwich each other (from the direction). A plurality of bolt holes 37 are formed in the inner window frame portion 35 and the outer window frame portion 36 at the same intervals in the circumferential direction. The second window frame portion 33 is bolted by the bolt 38, so that the first window frame portion is between the convex portion 35a of the inner window frame portion 35 and the convex portion 36a of the outer window frame portion 36. The structure is such that the convex portion 31b of 31 is gripped.

The second glass 34 is fitted and sealed inside the outer window frame portion 36 of the second window frame portion 33 via a packing 39 such as rubber. Further, the second glass 34 is gripped between the convex portion 35a of the inner window frame portion 35 and the convex portion 36a of the outer window frame portion 36 together with the convex portion 31b of the first window frame portion 31. ing. The second glass 34 is provided on the outside of the first glass 32 (on the right side in FIG. 2) so as to cover the first glass 32. For example, the thickness of the second glass 34 is 2 mm or more and 3 mm or less, and the diameter is about 30 mm.

The first glass 32 may be fitted into the first window frame portion 31 via packing and sealed in the same manner as the second glass 34. Further, since the second window frame portion 33 does not come into direct contact with the stored liquid glass raw material A, it may be formed of, for example, another material having rigidity equivalent to that of metal.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this example, the outer window frame portion 36 of the second window frame portion 33 is bolted by eight bolts 38. It is possible to visually check the inside of the container main body 2 through the second glass 34 provided at the center of the outer window frame 36.

According to the glass raw material container 1 having the above configuration, since the glass window 3 is provided on the side wall 21 of the sealed metal glass raw material container 1, the first glass 32 and the second glass of the glass window 3 are provided. Dirt in the glass raw material container 1 can be directly visually observed through the glass 34. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine whether or not it is necessary to clean the inside of the glass raw material container 1. In addition, the position of the liquid level of the glass raw material stored in the glass raw material container 1 can be easily confirmed.

Further, since the first glass 32 is fitted and sealed by shrink fitting so as to be in direct contact with the first window frame portion 31, the airtightness of the first glass window portion 3A can be improved. Therefore, for example, even if the temperature of the glass raw material container 1 changes, there is no concern about deterioration because the packing is not used for the seal, and the raw material in the glass raw material container 1 leaks to the outside from the first glass window 3A. You can prevent it from happening.

Further, by providing the second glass window portion 3B on the outside of the first glass window portion 3A, the glass window 3 can have a double structure. Therefore, for example, even if the inner first glass 32 is broken, the glass raw material can be prevented from leaking to the outside of the container by the outer second glass window portion 3B. Further, it is possible to prevent the impact from the outside of the container from being directly applied to the first glass 32 on the inner side by the second glass window portion 3B on the outer side.

Further, since the second glass window portion 3B is not in direct contact with the glass raw material, strict airtightness is not required. Therefore, for example, packing can be used to seal the second glass 34, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed. Further, when the packing is used, the second glass 34 can be easily removed when the glass window 3 is inspected or the like, so that the workability is good. Further, the structure in which the glass is fitted through the packing can be made stronger against the impact from the outside of the container than when the glass is directly fitted.

(Second Embodiment)
An example of the glass raw material container according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the glass raw material container 5 is provided with two glass windows 3 and 3 on the side wall 21 of the container main body 2. The same parts as those of the glass raw material container 1 of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

The two glass windows 3 and 3 are provided at positions facing each other. That is, the other glass window 3 is provided at the same height as the side wall 21 on the opposite side of the side wall 21 of the glass raw material container 5 provided with the one glass window 3. This position is a position at a height corresponding to the position C to which the liquid glass raw material A is replenished, as in the first embodiment.

A light (flashlight or the like) may be provided on the outside of, for example, the second glass 34 of either of the two glass windows 3 facing each other. Further, for example, a light emitting / receiving type sensor is prepared, a floodlight is provided outside the glass window on one side of the two facing glass windows 3, and a light receiving sensor is provided outside the glass window on the opposite side. You may. Further, the glass window 3 may be provided at a position having a height corresponding to the position C, and may be further provided at a position at another height of the side wall 21.

According to the glass raw material container 5 having the above configuration, since the glass windows 3 and 3 are provided at opposite positions on the side wall 21 of the container main body 2, the light is turned on from the outside of the glass window on the opposite side. This makes it easier to see the inside of the glass raw material container 5. As a result, dirt and the height of the liquid level in the glass raw material container 1 can be easily visually confirmed.

Further, if the light receiving / receiving type sensor is used as described above, the height of the liquid level can be detected without visually observing from the glass window. Further, the flow rate control unit can control the replenishment amount of the glass raw material based on the liquid level information detected by the sensor.

Although the present invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the number, position, shape and the like of the constituent members described above are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be changed to a number, position, shape and the like suitable for carrying out the present invention.

1,5: Glass raw material container 2: Container body 3: Glass window 3A: First glass window 3B: Second glass window 21: Side wall 23: Intermediate connecting member 31: First window frame 31a: Concave part 31b: Convex part 32: First glass 33: Second window frame part 34: Second glass 35: Inner window frame part 35a, 36a: Convex part 35b, 36b: Concave part 36: Outer window Frame 39: Packing

Claims (1)

A metal glass raw material container that accommodates a liquid glass raw material, vaporizes the contained glass raw material, and supplies the glass raw material to a glass synthesizer.
At least two glass windows are provided on the side surface of the glass raw material container.
Two of the glass windows are provided at the same height and opposite positions on the side surfaces of the glass raw material container so that the direction of the windows is orthogonal to the liquid level of the glass raw material.
A floodlight is provided on the outside of one of the two glass windows, and a light receiving sensor is provided on the outside of the other glass window .
The glass window includes a first glass window portion in which the inner first glass is fitted and a second glass window portion in which the outer second glass is fitted.
The first glass window portion includes a first metal window frame portion and the first glass.
The first glass is fitted and sealed by shrink fitting so as to be in direct contact with the first window frame portion so that the glass raw material does not leak from the glass raw material container.
The second glass window portion includes a metal second window frame portion and the second glass.
The second glass is fitted into the second window frame portion via packing.
Glass raw material container.

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