Integration of Automated Cryopump Safety Purge
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a cryopump, the method comprising:
- responding to a potentially unsafe condition in the cryopump by retaining a normally open purge valve closed for a period of time; and
after the period of time elapses, allowing the purge valve to open to emit a purge gas into the cryopump.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided to control a purge valve during an unsafe condition associated with a cryopump. An electronic controller may be used to control the opening and closing of one or more purge valves during the unsafe condition. The purge valve can be a cryo-purge valve or exhaust purge valve. The purge valve can be a normally open valve. The electronic controller can release the normally open valve in response to the unsafe condition. The electronic controller can delay its response to the unsafe condition for a safe period of time. Attempts from other systems to control these valves during unsafe conditions can be preempted during unsafe conditions. A user can be inhibited from manually controlling the purge valve during unsafe conditions. A power failure recovery routine may be initiated in response to a restoration of power. The power failure recovery routine can respond to an unsafe condition even if the power failure recovery routine has been manually turned off by a user.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a cryopump, the method comprising:
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responding to a potentially unsafe condition in the cryopump by retaining a normally open purge valve closed for a period of time; and after the period of time elapses, allowing the purge valve to open to emit a purge gas into the cryopump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A cryopump control system comprising:
an electronic controller that responds to an unsafe condition associated with a cryopump by; responding to a potentially unsafe condition in the cryopump by retaining a normally open purge valve closed for a period of time; and after the period of time elapses, allowing the purge valve to open to emit a purge gas into the cryopump. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A system for controlling a cryopump comprising:
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means for responding to a potentially unsafe condition in the cryopump by retaining a normally open purge valve closed for a period of time; and means for allowing, after the period of time elapses, the purge valve to open to emit a purge gas into the cryopump.
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Specification