Vacuum valve for closing a flow path with a two-part valve disk

• US 10,683,942 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Original Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Inventors: Bohm, Christoph, Tronca, Michele, Weiss, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanchez-Medina, Reinaldo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colon-Morales, David
• Application Number:
  US16/079,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20190056035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/10 with special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/188 by means of hydraulic forces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/314 Forms or constructions of slides; Attachment of the slide to the spindle
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/041 for rotating valves F16K31/055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations

Abstract

A vacuum valve including a valve housing with seat surrounding a first opening with a sealing surface is disclosed. A valve disk having a first disk section and a second disk section tightly mounted inside an outer boundary of the first disk that is movable parallel to an opening axis. A drive is connected to the first disk section. The first disk section includes a first bearing surface configured to contact the sealing surface in the closed position. The outer boundary has a radially inwardly oriented inner surface. The second disk section has a radially outwardly oriented outer surface configured to contact the inner surface sealing a second contact area. At least for determined radial angles about a center of the valve disk, a first radial distance from the center to the first bearing surface is shorter than a second radial distance from the center to the second contact area.

Claims

1. A vacuum valve for substantially gas-tight interruption of a flow path, comprising

a valve housing having a first wall which has a first opening for the flow path with a geometric opening axis and a valve seat enclosing the first opening on a first side of the valve housing,

a valve disk having

in particular an annular or frame-like first disk section with an outer boundary and

a closed second disk section which is linearly movably mounted in a sealed manner within the outer boundary in the direction parallel to the opening axis relative to the first disk section between a retracted position and an extended position,

at least one drive which is connected to the first disk section and which is formed such that the valve disk is pivotable or displaceable between

an open position, in which the valve disk is positioned in a dwell section arranged laterally next to the first opening and releases the first opening and the flow path, and

an intermediate position, in which the valve disk is positioned above the first opening and covers the opening cross-section of the first opening, by means of a transverse movement taking place substantially transversely to the opening axis, and is displaceable between

the intermediate position and

a closed position, in which there is a gas-tight contact between the first disk section and the valve seat which closes the first opening in a gas-tight manner and interrupts the flow path, by means of a longitudinal movement taking place parallel to the opening axis,

wherein in the closed position a pressure difference on the valve disk acts substantially on the movable second disk section and the second disk section is supported directly or indirectly on the valve housing in the direction parallel to the opening axis substantially decoupled from the first disk section, wherein

the valve seat has a sealing surface facing axially in the direction of the valve disk and extending transversely to the opening axis,

the first disk section has a first bearing surface facing axially in the direction of the valve seat and extending transversely to the opening axis, which is arranged and formed such that in the closed position via an intermediate first seal there is an axially sealing contact with the sealing surface in a first contact area,

the outer boundary has an inner surface facing radially inwards and extending parallel to the opening axis,

the second disk section has an outer surface facing radially outwards and extending parallel to the opening axis, which is arranged and formed such that via an intermediate second seal a radially sealing contact is achieved with the inner surface via a second contact area between the retracted position and the extended position, and

at least for certain radial angles about a center of the valve disk a first radial distance from the center to the first bearing surface is smaller than a second radial distance from the center to the second contact area.

2. The vacuum valve according to claim 1, wherein the first disk section comprises a support surface

which faces axially in a direction towards the second disk section and extends transversely to the opening axis and

which adjoins the outer boundary,

wherein the support surface and the second disk section are arranged such that in the closed position the second disk section, with relative negative pressure prevailing on the first side of the first opening, rests in the retracted position on the support surface.

3. The vacuum valve according to claim 2, wherein at least the support surface and the underside of the second disk section opposite the support surface define boundary surfaces for an intermediate region, the volume of which

is determined depending on the position of the second disk section, wherein the volume is minimal in the retracted position, in particular zero, and the volume is maximal in the extended position, and

is connected to the first opening in the closed position.

4. The vacuum valve according to claim 2, wherein the support surface is formed in the radial direction between the first seal and the second seal.

5. A valve according to claim 2, wherein the support surface and the outer boundary are arranged at right angles relative to each other.

6. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the second disk section has a recess on its underside facing axially to the valve seat, wherein the recess is designed to extend radially in such a way that in the radial direction it at least partially overlaps with both the support surface as well as in the closed position with the opening cross-section of the first opening, in particular wherein the recess is formed circumferentially in the second disk section.

7. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the first disk section is formed annularly and the diameter of the outer boundary of the first disk section is greater than the diameter of the first bearing surface of the first disk section.

8. The valve according to claim 1, wherein

the valve housing has on a second side a second wall which, in a spaced, substantially parallel opposite position to the first wall and the first opening, has a second opening for the flow path,

the second wall has a second bearing surface, in particular enclosing the second opening, and

the second bearing surface and the second disk section are arranged and formed for limiting the relative linear mobility of the second disk section in the direction towards the second side and towards the second opening such that in the closed position the second disk section, with relative negative pressure prevailing on the second side of the second opening, rests in the extended position with a stop surface in the direction towards the second side on the second bearing surface.

9. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drive is designed such that the valve disk is pivotable or displaceable between

the open position, and

the intermediate position,

by means of the transverse movement, and is displaceable between

the intermediate position,

the closed position and

an initialization position,

in which the distance of the first disk section from the second wall is reduced such that the second disk section rests with its stop surface on the second bearing surface and is pushed completely into the retracted position, by means of the longitudinal movement, wherein the intermediate position is located between the closed position and the initialization position.

10. The valve according to claim 1, wherein a controller which is designed and in connection with the drive in such a way that the valve disk is adjustable for gas-tight interruption of the flow path

by means of the transverse movement of the drive

from the open position

into the intermediate position, and

by means of the longitudinal movement of the drive

from the intermediate position

into the closed position

and for full opening of the flow path

by means of the longitudinal movement of the drive

from the closed position, in which the second disk section is in a random position between the retracted position and the extended position,

via the initialization position for completely pushing the second disk section into the retracted position

into the intermediate position, and

by means of the transverse movement of the drive

from the intermediate position

into the open position.

11. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the first seal is fixed to the first bearing surface of the first disk section for producing the axially sealing contact with the sealing surface of the valve seat.

12. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the second seal is fixed

to the inner surface of the first disk section for producing the radially sealing contact with the outer surface of the second disk section or

to the outer surface of the second disk section for producing the radially sealing contact with the inner surface of the first disk section.

13. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the first disk section is connected to the at least one drive via an arm which is arranged laterally on the first disk section and extends perpendicularly to the opening axis, such that the arm is disposed in the closed position outside of the opening cross-section of the first opening projected geometrically along the opening axis.

14. The valve according to claim 1, wherein

the first disk section is formed annularly,

the second disk section has the shape of a closed circular disk,

the inner surface and the outer surface are geometric circular cylinder jacket surfaces, and

the sealing surface and the first bearing surface are geometric annular surfaces.

15. The valve according to claim 1, wherein

the valve is designed as a pendulum valve and

the drive is designed such that the valve disk is pivotable by means of the transverse movement substantially parallel over the cross-section of the first opening and perpendicular to the opening axis.

16. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the second disk section is configured to be moved freely relative to the first disk section between the retracted and the extended positions, wherein in and between the retracted and the extended positions there is a gas tight connection between the first and the second disk sections.

17. The valve according to claim 2, wherein the second disk section is configured to be moved freely relative to the first disk section between the retracted and the extended positions, wherein in and between the retracted and the extended positions there is a gas tight connection between the first and the second disk sections.

18. The valve according to claim 8, wherein the second disk section is configured to be moved freely relative to the first disk section between the retracted and the extended positions, wherein in and between the retracted and the extended positions there is a gas tight connection between the first and the second disk sections.

19. The valve according to claim 10, wherein the second disk section is configured to be moved freely relative to the first disk section between the retracted and the extended positions, wherein in and between the retracted and the extended positions there is a gas tight connection between the first and the second disk sections.

20. The valve according to claim 14, wherein the second disk section is configured to be moved freely relative to the first disk section between the retracted and the extended positions, wherein in and between the retracted and the extended positions there is a gas tight connection between the first and the second disk sections.