Metal ball fabricating apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a metal ball fabricating apparatus for fabricating a metal ball by melting a material. The metal ball fabricating apparatus includes: a fabricating unit configured to fabricate a metal ball; and a collecting unit configured to collect the metal ball. The fabricating unit includes: a chamber configured to receive and store a material; a heating unit configured to apply heat to melt the material in the chamber; an orifice disposed at a lower portion of the chamber to which a metal ball droplet drops; a piston disposed over the orifice to generate a metal ball droplet; and a purifying system configured to remove a foreign substance from the material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A metal ball fabricating apparatus for fabricating a metal ball by melting a material, the metal ball fabricating apparatus comprising:
 a fabricating unit configured to fabricate a metal ball; and   a collecting unit configured to collect the metal ball,   wherein the fabricating unit comprises:   a chamber configured to receive and store a material;   a heating unit configured to apply heat to melt the material in the chamber;   an orifice disposed at a lower portion of the chamber to which a metal ball droplet drops;   a piston disposed over the orifice to generate a metal ball droplet; and   a purifying system configured to remove a foreign substance from the material.   
     
     
         2 . The metal ball fabricating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the purifying system comprises a discharge pump configured to discharge a vaporized foreign substance in a heating atmosphere. 
     
     
         3 . The metal ball fabricating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the purifying system comprises a vacuum pump configured to adjust a vacuum level of the chamber to below about 10 −1  torr. 
     
     
         4 . The metal ball fabricating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the purifying system comprises a temperature control unit configured to adjust a heating atmosphere temperature of the chamber in a range of about 500° C. to about 800° C. 
     
     
         5 . The metal ball fabricating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the piston and the orifice are disposed to have a gap of about 0 mm to about 0.5 mm therebetween. 
     
     
         6 . The metal ball fabricating apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the fabricating unit comprises a gap control unit configured to control the gap between the piston and the orifice. 
     
     
         7 . The metal ball fabricating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice comprises a graphite material.