Isolation valves
First Claim
1. An isolation valve comprising:
- a housing defining a channel between a first port and a second port;
a gate disposed within the housing and displaceable between a stowed position which opens the channel and a deployed position which closes the channel, the gate including;
(a) first and second sealing members; and
(b) an expandable member disposed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member, wherein the expandable member is expandable from a first condition to a second condition and is contractable from the second condition to the first condition, wherein, in the first condition, the gate is moveable between the stowed and deployed positions, and in the second condition, with the gate in the deployed position, the first and second sealing members are biased apart from each other by expansion of the expandable member to close the channel;
an actuator for selectively moving the gate between the stowed and deployed positions;
a frame coupling the actuator to the gate, the frame including a transverse cross-member coupled to the actuator and having first and second ends and first and second post members at the first and second ends of the cross-member, respectively; and
first and second flexures, each of which has an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edges of the flexures secured to the cross-member, the upper edge of the first flexure secured to the first sealing member, and the upper edge of the second flexure secured to the second sealing member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Isolation valves for selectively sealing a first region from a second region. A gate valve can include a housing which defines a channel between the first and second regions. The valve includes a gate, located in the housing, and displaceable between a stowed position and a deployed position. When the gate is in the stowed position, communication is permitted between the first and second regions. When the gate is in the deployed position, the gate spans the channel and can be controlled to isolate the first and second regions. The valves can be used, for example, in connection with systems for processing large glass substrates. The valves are particularly useful for isolating long rectangular openings, such as the openings in substrate processing chambers. Isolating processing chambers or load lock chambers from one another, for example, in a linear system, is facilitated.
100 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An isolation valve comprising:
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a housing defining a channel between a first port and a second port; a gate disposed within the housing and displaceable between a stowed position which opens the channel and a deployed position which closes the channel, the gate including; (a) first and second sealing members; and (b) an expandable member disposed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member, wherein the expandable member is expandable from a first condition to a second condition and is contractable from the second condition to the first condition, wherein, in the first condition, the gate is moveable between the stowed and deployed positions, and in the second condition, with the gate in the deployed position, the first and second sealing members are biased apart from each other by expansion of the expandable member to close the channel; an actuator for selectively moving the gate between the stowed and deployed positions; a frame coupling the actuator to the gate, the frame including a transverse cross-member coupled to the actuator and having first and second ends and first and second post members at the first and second ends of the cross-member, respectively; and first and second flexures, each of which has an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edges of the flexures secured to the cross-member, the upper edge of the first flexure secured to the first sealing member, and the upper edge of the second flexure secured to the second sealing member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification