Gate valve

• US 10,612,673 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2017
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ulvac Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ulvac Incorporated
• Inventors: Wada, Shinichi, Inoue, Hideaki, Furuse, Harukuni, Wade, Takuya, Endo, Jirou, Suzuki, Mikiya, Tokuhira, Shinnosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Jellett, Matthew W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ballman, Christopher D
• Application Number:
  US16/308,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20190211935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/06 in the form of closure plates arranged between supply and discharge passages F16K3/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/10 with special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/18 by movement of the closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations

Abstract

A gate valve of the invention includes a valve box, a neutral valve body, and a rotation shaft. The neutral valve body includes a neutral valve and a movable valve. The movable valve includes a first movable valve and a second movable valve. The gate valve includes a plurality of first force-applying units, a second force-applying unit, and a third force-applying unit. The third force-applying unit applies a force to the first movable valve. The first force-applying units apply a force to the first movable valve and thereby causing the seal portion to be in close contact with a valve box inner surface located at a periphery of the first opening portion. The second force-applying unit drives the first movable valve and the second movable valve so that thicknesses thereof in the flow passage direction are adjustable.

Claims

1. A gate valve, comprising:

a valve box having a hollow portion, a first opening portion, and a second opening portion, the first opening portion and the second opening portion being provided so as to face each other with the hollow portion interposed therebetween and forming a flow passage passing through the hollow portion;

a neutral valve body that is arranged in the hollow portion of the valve box and is capable of sealing the first opening portion; and

a rotation shaft that functions as a position switcher that drives the neutral valve body between a valve sealing position at which the neutral valve body is in a state of sealing the first opening portion and a valve opening position at which the neutral valve body is in an open state of being retracted from the first opening portion, the rotation shaft having an axis line extending in a flow passage direction, wherein

the neutral valve body comprises;

a neutral valve connected to the position switcher; and

a movable valve connected to the neutral valve so that a position thereof with respect to the neutral valve in the flow passage direction is changeable,

the movable valve comprises a first movable valve and a second movable valve, the first movable valve including a seal portion that is provided thereon, is circumferentially provided on the movable valve, and is to be in close contact with a valve box inner surface located at a periphery of the first opening portion, the first movable valve being connected to the neutral valve so that a position thereof with respect to the neutral valve in the flow passage direction is changeable, the second movable valve being slidable relative to the first movable valve in the flow passage direction, and wherein

the gate valve comprises;

a plurality of first force-applying units built in the valve box;

a second force-applying unit disposed between the first movable valve and the second movable valve; and

a third force-applying unit disposed between the first movable valve and the neutral valve,

the third force-applying unit connecting the first movable valve to the neutral valve such that a position thereof with respect to the neutral valve in the flow passage direction is changeable, wherein the third force-applying unit generates and applies a force to the first movable valve to be directed to a center position in the flow passage direction,

the first force-applying units have a function of applying a force to the first movable valve to be directed to the first opening portion in the flow passage direction and thereby causing the seal portion to be in close contact with a valve box inner surface located at a periphery of the first opening portion, and

the second force-applying unit drives the first movable valve and the second movable valve so that thicknesses thereof in the flow passage direction are adjustable.

2. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the first force-applying units is disposed at a position at which the first force-applying unit acts with respect to the first movable valve in the valve box and is provided along the first movable valve.

3. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein the first force-applying units apply compressive force to the first movable valve.

4. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein the third force-applying unit is a plate spring.

5. A gate valve comprising:

a valve box having a hollow portion, a first opening portion, and a second opening portion, the first opening portion and the second opening portion being provided so as to face each other with the hollow portion interposed therebetween and forming a flow passage passing through the hollow portion;

a neutral valve body that is arranged in the hollow portion of the valve box and is capable of sealing the first opening portion; and

a rotation shaft that functions as a position switcher that drives the neutral valve body between a valve sealing position at which the neutral valve body is in a state of sealing the first opening portion and a valve opening position at which the neutral valve body is in an open state of being retracted from the first opening portion, the rotation shaft having an axis line extending in a flow passage direction, wherein

the neutral valve body comprises;

a neutral valve connected to the position switcher; and

a movable valve connected to the neutral valve so that a position thereof with respect to the neutral valve in the flow passage direction is changeable,

the movable valve comprises a first movable valve and a second movable valve, the first movable valve including a seal portion that is provided thereon, is circumferentially provided on the movable valve, and is to be in close contact with a valve box inner surface located at a periphery of the first opening portion, the first movable valve being connected to the neutral valve so that a position thereof with respect to the neutral valve in the flow passage direction is changeable, the second movable valve being slidable relative to the first movable valve in the flow passage direction, and wherein

the gate valve comprises;

a plurality of first force-applying units built in the valve box; and

a second force-applying unit disposed between the first movable valve and the second movable valve,

the first force-applying units have;

a function of applying a force to the first movable valve to be directed to the first opening portion in the flow passage direction and thereby causing the seal portion to be in close contact with a valve box inner surface located at a periphery of the first opening portion; and

a function of connecting the first movable valve to the neutral valve such that a position thereof with respect to the neutral valve in the flow passage direction is changeable and generating and applying a force to the first movable valve to be directed to a center position in the flow passage direction, and

the second force-applying unit drives the first movable valve and the second movable valve so that thicknesses thereof in the flow passage direction are adjustable.