Inflatable slit/gate valve

• US 20020038528A1
• Filed: 12/05/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeff Blahnik
• Original Assignee: Jeff Blahnik
• Inventors: Blahnik, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 6,905,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/2.18
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/188 by means of hydraulic forces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67126 Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like processes H01L23/02, H01L23/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6838 with gripping and holding devices using a vacuum; Bernoulli devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

A sealable door assembly including a frontplate which faces an opening to be sealed, a backplate operatively coupled to the frontplate, and at least one inflatable member located between the frontplate and the backplate. When inflated, the inflatable member moves the frontplate into sealing engagement with the opening. In one embodiment the inflatable member includes one or more vacuum grade bellows. A movable mechanism moves the door assembly to selectively occlude the opening. Once the door assembly occludes the opening, the inflatable member is inflated and expands forcing the frontplate in a direction normal to the opening, thereby sealing the opening. The door assembly may be mounted within a pocket formed in an outer wall of a transfer chamber, and a sealing plate may be employed to form a gas tight region within the pocket. The gas tight region may be pressurized to enhance the door'"'"'s seal of the opening.

Claims

1. An automated method for selectively sealing a chamber opening comprising:

moving a door to a position wherein the door occludes the opening;

inflating the door, thereby sealing the opening;

forming a gas tight region in communication with the door; and

pressurizing the gas tight region after the opening is sealed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein expanding the door comprises inflating an inflatable member of the door and thereby moving the door in a direction normal to the opening.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein inflating the inflatable member of the door comprises inflating the inflatable member sufficiently to cause a frontplate of the door to sealingly engage the opening, and to cause a backplate of the door to press against a door housing.

4. An automated method for selectively sealing a chamber opening comprising:

moving a door to a position wherein the door occludes the opening;

inflating an inflatable member of the door, thereby moving the door in a direction normal to the opening and sealing the opening.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein inflating the inflatable member of the door comprises inflating the inflatable member sufficiently to cause a frontplate of the door to sealingly engage an inner opening, and to cause a backplate of the door to sealingly engage an outer opening.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising forming a gas tight region in communication with the door;

and pressurizing the gas tight region after the opening is sealed.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein inflating the inflatable member of the door comprises inflating the inflatable member sufficiently to cause a frontplate of the door to sealingly engage the opening, and to cause a backplate of the door to press against a door housing.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising forming a gas tight region in communication with the door;

and pressurizing the gas tight region after the opening is sealed.

9. An apparatus for use with a vacuum chamber having an enclosure wall and a pocket formed in the enclosure wall, the pocket having an inner pocket wall with an inner opening and an outer pocket wall with an outer opening in line with the inner opening, the apparatus comprising:

a movable mechanism adapted to couple within the pocket;

a door assembly including;

a door having;

a frontplate adapted to sealingly engage the outer pocket wall to seal the outer opening;

a backplate operatively coupled to the frontplate; and

at least one inflatable member located between the frontplate and the backplate and adapted to selectively move the frontplate into sealing engagement with the outer opening;

the door assembly being mounted to the movable mechanism so as to move between a closed position wherein the door occludes the inner and the outer openings, and an open position wherein the door does not occlude the inner or the outer opening, when the movable mechanism is coupled within the pocket of the enclosure wall; and

a sealing plate different from the frontplate and the backplate and coupled to the movable mechanism, the sealing plate adapted to seal against the inner and outer walls of the pocket, thereby creating a gas tight region within the pocket and adjacent the inner and the outer openings.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein, when the movable mechanism is coupled within the pocket of the enclosure wall, the frontplate of the door is parallel to the outer pocket wall, the backplate of the door is parallel to the inner pocket wall, and wherein the inflatable member is coupled so as to move the frontplate in a direction normal to the outer pocket wall, so as to move the backplate in a direction normal to the inner pocket wall, and so as to press the frontplate against the outer pocket wall, while pressing the backplate against the inner pocket wall.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the inflatable member comprises a plurality of vacuum grade bellows.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a gas delivery line having a plurality of outlets therein, wherein the plurality of vacuum grade bellows are operatively coupled to the gas delivery line to receive gas through the outlets, and so as to form a modular unit with the gas delivery line.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein, when the movable mechanism is coupled within the pocket of the enclosure wall, the frontplate and the backplate are vertically oriented and the sealing plate is horizontally oriented.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the movable mechanism includes an air cylinder lift having a shaft, and the shaft of the air cylinder lift passes through the sealing plate.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein, when the movable mechanism is coupled within the pocket of the enclosure wall, the sealing plate remains stationary while the shaft lifts and lowers the sealable door assembly.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a vertical bellows which encases the shaft of the air cylinder lift.