GATE VALVE AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM USING SAME

• US 20110033266A1
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Tetsuya, Tateshita, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,419,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/186 by means of cams of wedge from
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations

Abstract

A gate valve includes a valve body to be pressed against a peripheral surface around opening through which a processing target object is loaded and unloaded, pressed members arranged on a surface of the valve body around the opening, a main slider which slides in a direction parallel to the peripheral surface around the opening and pressing mechanisms, provided at the main slider, for pressing the respective pressed members. Each of the pressing mechanisms includes a cam having a protrusion for pressing the valve body against the peripheral surface around the opening and an inclined portion sloping downward from the protrusion. The pressing mechanisms serve to press the valve body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the peripheral surface around the opening in a state that the valve body is positioned to face the opening, so that the valve body is pressed against the peripheral surface around the opening.

Claims

1. A gate valve comprising:

a valve body to be pressed against a peripheral surface around opening through which a processing target object is loaded and unloaded;

pressed members arranged on a surface of the valve body around the opening;

a main slider which slides in a direction parallel to the peripheral surface around the opening; and

pressing mechanisms, provided at the main slider, for pressing the respective pressed members,

wherein each of the pressing mechanisms includes a cam having a protrusion for pressing the valve body against the peripheral surface around the opening and an inclined portion sloping downward from the protrusion; and

the pressing mechanisms serve to press the valve body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the peripheral surface around the opening in a state that the valve body is positioned to face the opening, so that the valve body is pressed against the peripheral surface around the opening.

2. The gate valve of claim 1, further comprising a sub-slider provided between the valve body and the main slider to support the valve body, the sub-slider slidable in a direction substantially parallel to the peripheral surface around the opening,

wherein the sub-slider includes a support and guide mechanism for supporting the valve body and defining a pressing direction and a separation direction of the valve body to the direction substantially perpendicular to the peripheral surface around the opening.

3. The gate valve of claim 2, further comprising a stopper which stops sliding movement of the sub-slider,

wherein after the sliding movement of the sub-slider is stopped by the stopper, the main slider further slides so that the protrusions of the pressing mechanisms press against the valve body.

4. The gate valve of claim 2, further comprising a separation mechanism for moving the valve body away from the peripheral surface around the opening,

wherein the separation mechanism includes an extensible/contractible body;

and

the extensible/contractible body is contracted when the valve body is pressed against the peripheral surface around the opening, and the extensible/contractible body is extended to separate the valve body from the peripheral surface around the opening.

5. The gate valve of claim 4, wherein the separation mechanism is provided at the sub-slider, and the support and guide mechanism has a shaft extending through the sub-slider, and the extensible/contractible body of the separation member is positioned between a facing surface of the sub-slider facing the main slider and a flange provided at a leading end of the shaft.

6. The gate valve of claim 5, wherein the flange compresses the extensible/contractible body when the valve body is pressed against the peripheral surface around the opening, and an extension force is applied to the flange from the contracted extensible/contractible body to separate the valve body from the peripheral surface around the opening.

7. The gate valve of claim 3, wherein the main slider has an engagement member to be engaged with the sub slider, and the engagement member is engaged with the sub slider stopped by the stopper when the main slider slides, thus allowing the sub-slider and the valve body to slide together.

8. The gate valve of claim 1, wherein the pressed members of the valve body pressed by the pressing mechanism are arranged in an area corresponding to the inner side of the opening.

9. The gate valve of claim 8, wherein at least one of the pressed members is disposed at a central portion of the valve body corresponding to a central portion of the opening.

10. The gate valve of claim 1, further comprising a screen member provided on a side of the main slider opposite to a side thereof facing the valve body to confine elastic deformation of the main slider.

11. A substrate processing system comprising:

a processing chamber having an opening through which a processing target object is loaded and unloaded, for performing a process on the target object while maintaining the target object in a vacuum state;

a load lock chamber having an opening through which the target object is loaded and unloaded, for performing an exchange of a processed target object and an unprocessed the target object while maintaining the target object in between an atmospheric state and a vacuum state; and

a transfer chamber having an opening through which the target object is loaded and unloaded, for performing a transfer of the target object between the load lock chamber and the processing chamber,

wherein the gate valve of claim 1 is used to open and close the opening of at least one of the processing chamber, the load lock chamber and the transfer chamber.