Half profile gate valve
First Claim
1. A gate valve for creating a vacuum tight seal to a vacuum chamber, comprisinga valve housing defining a valve chamber, the valve chamber having an opening therein for providing access to the vacuum chamber,a valve plate movable within the valve chamber from a first, open position away from the opening to a second, closed position wherein the valve plate closes the opening to the vacuum chamber,an actuator assembly including a movable piston component that is connected at one end to the valve plate and a cylinder component connected to the valve housing, the piston component and the cylinder component defining first and second working chambers for moving the piston component a travel distance,a bellows shield extending between the piston component and the valve housing for isolating the second working chamber from the valve chamber,the piston and cylinder components defining bellows isolating structure that isolates the bellows shield from the working pressure of the second working chamber, the bellows isolating structure extending along at least a portion of the bellows shield, the bellows isolating structure and bellows shield being positioned within the actuator assembly and out of the valve chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gate valve (110) includes a valve housing (112), valve plate (130), and linkage assembly (134, 136, 140). An actuator assembly (124) includes a cylinder component (150) and a piston component (170). Piston component (170) includes a piston rod (174) that has a downwardly extending annular collar (187) and cylinder component (150) includes an end wall (156) with an upstanding annular collar (160), which slidingly mates with collar (187). A bellows shield (192) is flexibly mounted between the piston rod and the cylinder end wall to isolate the valve chamber of housing (112) from the sliding interfit of the piston and cylinder components. Piston component (170) also includes an annular groove (198) for receiving the annular collar (160). Wear rings (191, 193) are provided between piston component (170) and cylinder component (150).
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A gate valve for creating a vacuum tight seal to a vacuum chamber, comprising
a valve housing defining a valve chamber, the valve chamber having an opening therein for providing access to the vacuum chamber, a valve plate movable within the valve chamber from a first, open position away from the opening to a second, closed position wherein the valve plate closes the opening to the vacuum chamber, an actuator assembly including a movable piston component that is connected at one end to the valve plate and a cylinder component connected to the valve housing, the piston component and the cylinder component defining first and second working chambers for moving the piston component a travel distance, a bellows shield extending between the piston component and the valve housing for isolating the second working chamber from the valve chamber, the piston and cylinder components defining bellows isolating structure that isolates the bellows shield from the working pressure of the second working chamber, the bellows isolating structure extending along at least a portion of the bellows shield, the bellows isolating structure and bellows shield being positioned within the actuator assembly and out of the valve chamber.
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14. A gate valve for creating a vacuum tight seal to a vacuum chamber, comprising
a valve housing defining a valve chamber, the valve housing having a first opening therein for providing access to the vacuum chamber, a valve plate movable within the valve chamber from a first, open position away from the first opening to a second, closed position closing off the opening to the vacuum chamber, an actuator assembly including a movable piston component that is connected at one end to the valve plate and a cylinder component connected to the valve housing, the piston component and the cylinder component defining first and second working chambers for moving the piston component a travel distance, the valve housing having a second opening therein for coupling the piston component to the valve gate, the cylinder component including an end wall with an opening therein that mates with the second opening in the valve housing, the cylinder end wall providing a guide surface for guiding linear movement of the piston component, a bellows shield extending between the piston component and the valve housing about the second opening thereof, for isolating the valve chamber from the guide surface, the guide surface extending at least partially along the length of the bellows shield the guide surface and the bellows shield being positioned within the actuator assembly and out of the valve chamber.
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18. A gate valve for creating a vacuum tight seal to a vacuum chamber, comprising
a valve housing defining a valve chamber, the valve housing having a first opening therein for providing access to the vacuum chamber, a valve plate movable within the valve chamber from a first, open position away from the first opening to a second, closed position closing off the opening to the vacuum chamber, an actuator assembly including a movable piston component that is connected at one end to the valve plate and a cylinder component connected to the valve housing, the piston component and the cylinder component defining first and second working chambers for moving the piston component a travel distance, the valve housing having a second opening therein for coupling the piston component to the valve gate, the cylinder component including an end wall with an opening therein that mates with the second opening in the valve housing, the cylinder end wall providing a guide surface for guiding linear movement of the piston component, the piston component including within the actuator assembly and out of the valve chamber a downwardly extending annual collar and the cylinder end wall including within the actuator assembly and out of the valve chamber an upwardly extending annular collar that is sized to receive the annular collar of the piston component, the annular collars of the piston and cylinder components adapted to interfit in a sliding manner permitting linear movement of the piston component within the cylinder end wall.
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21. A gate valve for creating a vacuum tight seal to a vacuum chamber, comprising
a valve housing defining a valve chamber, the valve chamber having an opening therein for providing access to the vacuum chamber, a valve plate movable within the valve chamber from a first, open position away from the opening to a second, closed position wherein the valve plate closes the opening to the vacuum chamber, an actuator including a movable piston component that is connected at one end to the valve plate and a cylinder component connected to the valve housing, the piston component and the cylinder component defining first and second working chambers for moving the piston component a travel distance, a guide surface within the cylinder component and out of the valve chamber for guiding linear movement of the piston component, the valve housing having a predetermined depth and the actuator having a depth equal to or less than the depth of the valve housing.
Specification