Gate valve for wafer processing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A valve comprising:
- a valve body having a passage therethrough;
a valve gate having a first position in which said passage is open and a second position in which a first portion and a second portion of the surface of said valve gate each extend across said passage thereby dividing said passage into a first region and a second region;
sealing means, between said valve body and said first portion of said surface of said valve gate when said valve gate is in said second position, for providing a vacuum seal between said first region and said second region, a rotational moment being generated on said valve body by said sealing means being pressed between said first portion of said surface and said valve body when said valve gate is in said second position;
means between said second portion of said surface and said valve body when said valve gate is in said second position, for providing a rotational moment opposed to said rotational moment generated on said valve gate by said sealing means being pressed between said first portion of said surface and said valve body when said valve gate is in said second position, said means for providing a rotational moment not providing a vacuum seal between said first region and said second region; and
means connected to said valve gate for translating said valve gate from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A modular wafer processing system requires a gate valve of minimum thickness. A gate valve is provided in which the gate is an assymetric wedge on an assymetrically mounted drive shaft.
91 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A valve comprising:
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a valve body having a passage therethrough; a valve gate having a first position in which said passage is open and a second position in which a first portion and a second portion of the surface of said valve gate each extend across said passage thereby dividing said passage into a first region and a second region; sealing means, between said valve body and said first portion of said surface of said valve gate when said valve gate is in said second position, for providing a vacuum seal between said first region and said second region, a rotational moment being generated on said valve body by said sealing means being pressed between said first portion of said surface and said valve body when said valve gate is in said second position; means between said second portion of said surface and said valve body when said valve gate is in said second position, for providing a rotational moment opposed to said rotational moment generated on said valve gate by said sealing means being pressed between said first portion of said surface and said valve body when said valve gate is in said second position, said means for providing a rotational moment not providing a vacuum seal between said first region and said second region; and means connected to said valve gate for translating said valve gate from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification