CLOSING UNIT FOR A VACUUM VALVE

• US 20110095218A1
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Original Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Inventors: Schoch, Stefan, Märk, Andreas, Belleri, Eligio
• Granted Patent: US 8,511,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/157
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/188 by means of hydraulic forces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations

Abstract

A closing unit for a vacuum valve includes a first valve plate (7) for closing a first valve opening (2) of the vacuum valve, a second valve plate (8) for closing a second valve opening (3) of the vacuum valve, and a carrier plate (19) that lies between the valve plates (7, 8) to which the valve plates (7, 8) are fastened detachably. For fastening a corresponding valve plate (7, 8) to the carrier plate (19), at least one clamping piece (20, 21) is used by which interacting clamping surfaces (22-26) are clamped with each other. Of the interacting clamping surfaces (22-26), at least one is constructed as an angular surface by which the corresponding valve plate (7, 8) is pressed against the carrier plate (19).

Claims

1. A closing unit for a vacuum valve comprising:

a first valve plate (7) for closing a first valve opening (2) of the vacuum valve,

a second valve plate (8) for closing a second valve opening (3) of the vacuum valve,

a carrier plate (19) that lies between the valve plates (7, 8) and to which the valve plates (7, 8) are fastened detachably, and

at least one clamping piece (20, 21) by which interacting clamping surfaces (22-26) are clamped to each other for fastening each of the valve plates (7, 8) to the carrier plate (19), at least one of the interacting clamping surfaces is constructed as an angular surface by which each of the valve plates (7, 8) is pressed onto the carrier plate (19).

2. The closing unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one clamping piece (20, 21) clamps the interacting clamping surfaces (24, 25, 26) of the valve plates (7, 8) and the carrier plate (19) as well as the interacting clamping surfaces (23, 22) of the valve plates (7, 8) and the clamping piece (20, 21) together with each other.

3. The closing unit according to claim 1, wherein all of the clamping surfaces (22-26) clamped with each other are constructed as angular surfaces by which the corresponding valve plates (7, 8) are pressed onto the carrier plate (19).

4. The closing unit according to claim 1, wherein, for clamping a corresponding clamping piece (20, 21), at least one clamping screw (27) interacting with the clamping piece (20, 21) is provided.

5. The closing unit according to claim 1, wherein a corresponding one of the valve plates (7, 8) is clamped with the carrier plate (19) by two or more clamping pieces (20, 21).

6. The closing unit according to claim 5, wherein the clamping pieces (20, 21) that clamp a corresponding one of the valve plates (7, 8) with the carrier plate (19) are arranged spaced apart from each other along a longer side of the valve plate, which is essentially rectangular.

7. The closing unit according to claim 1, wherein, for forming a force component (Fk) acting on the corresponding valve plate (11, 12) in a direction toward the carrier plate (19), a surface normal of a clamping surface (25, 26) is directed toward a central plane (30) of the carrier plate (19), and the clamping surface is constructed as an angular surface arranged on the carrier plate (19) and interacts with a clamping surface (24) arranged on one of the valve plates (7, 8).

8. The closing unit according to claim 1, wherein, for forming a force component acting on the corresponding valve plate (7, 8) in a direction toward the carrier plate (19), a surface normal of a clamping surface (22) is directed toward a central plane (30) of the carrier plate (19), and the clamping surface is constructed as an angular surface arranged on the corresponding clamping piece (20, 21) and interacts with a clamping surface (23) arranged on one of the valve plates (7, 8).

9. The closing unit according to claim 1, wherein a corresponding one of the valve plates (7, 8) is pushed onto the carrier plate (19) by a guide constructed between the valve plate (7, 8) and the carrier plate (19), and the guide secures the valve plate (7, 8) against lifting from the carrier plate (19).

10. The closing unit according to claim 9, wherein, for guiding the corresponding valve plate (7, 8) relative to the carrier plate (19), the valve plate (7, 8) or the carrier plate (19) has an undercut groove (33) with undercut side walls and the other of the valve plate and the carrier plate (7, 8;

19) has a projection (34) that engages in the undercut groove (33) and interacts with the undercut side walls of the undercut groove (33).

11. The closing unit according to claim 9, wherein the corresponding valve plate (7, 8) can be pushed onto the carrier plate (19) up to a mutual stop of the interacting clamping surfaces (24, 25, 26) of the valve plate (7, 8) and the carrier plate (19).

12. The closing unit according to claim 9, wherein a track specified by the guide between the corresponding valve plate (7, 8) and the carrier plate (19) is oriented parallel to the clamping force (F) acting on the corresponding clamping piece (20, 21).

13. A vacuum valve comprising:

a valve housing (1) with a first valve opening (2) that is surrounded by a first valve seat (11) and a second valve opening (3) that is surrounded by a second valve seat (12), and

a closing unit (6) arranged in the valve housing (1),

the closing unit (6) comprising

a first valve plate (7) for closing the first valve opening (2) of the valve housing,

a second valve plate (8) for closing the second valve opening (3) of the valve housing,

a carrier plate (19) that lies between the valve plates (7, 8) and to which the valve plates (7, 8) are fastened detachably, and

at least one clamping piece (20, 21) by which interacting clamping surfaces (22-26) are clamped with each other for fastening a corresponding valve plate (7, 8) to the carrier plate (19), at least one of the interacting clamping surfaces is constructed as an angular surface by which the corresponding valve plate (7, 8) is pressed against the carrier plate (19).

14. A vacuum valve according to claim 13, wherein the closing unit (6) is attached to a valve rod (13) by which the closing unit (6) can be adjusted between an open position releasing the first and second valve opening (2, 3), an intermediate position covering the first and second valve opening (2, 3) viewed in a direction of axes (4, 5) of the first and second valve opening (2, 3) but lifted from the first and second valve seats (11, 12), a first closed position in which the first valve plate (7) is pressed against the first valve seat (11) and the second valve plate (8) is lifted from the second valve seat (12), and a second closed position in which the second valve plate (8) is pressed against the second valve seat (12) and the first valve plate (7) is lifted from the first valve seat (11).

15. A valve plate for fastening to a carrier plate (19) of a closing unit (6) for a vacuum valve, the valve plate (7, 8) comprises at least one clamping surface (23, 24) constructed as an angular surface by which the valve plate (7, 8) can be pressed against the carrier plate (19) by a clamping of the valve plate (7, 8) with the carrier plate (19) by at least one clamping piece (20, 21).

16. The valve plate according to claim 15, wherein the valve plate (7, 8) also has guide surfaces for forming a guide for pushing the valve plate (7, 8) onto the carrier plate (19) and for securing a lifting of the valve plate (7, 8) from the carrier plate (19).

17. The valve plate according to claim 16, wherein the guide surfaces are formed by undercut side walls of a groove (33) or a projection of the valve plate (7, 8), wherein the groove or projection is arranged on a side of the valve plate (7, 8) facing the carrier plate (19).

18. The valve plate according to claim 16, wherein the at least one clamping surface (23, 24) constructed in the form of an angular surface forms a stop for limiting a pushing of the valve plate (7, 8) on the carrier plate (19).