Gate valve

• US 6,302,372 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials GmbH & Co., KG (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Beybold Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Schuhmacher, Manfred, Joos, Gerhard, Kunz, Johannes, Sauer, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEASEL, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US09/455,175
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 251/158, 251/167, 251/193, 251/195, 251/197, 251/62
• US Class Current: 251/167
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/568 Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations C23C14/562 takes precedence

Abstract

A gate valve (1) is constructed for the simultaneous blocking or clearing of two rectangular passage openings (8,9) of two chamber walls (4,5) that are provided between two vacuum chambers (1,3) and aligned with one another. To this end, it has two valve plates (20, 21), which are a component of a slider (15), which is situated so that it can move with play from a position clearing the passage openings (8,9) to a position which closes the passage openings (8,9). To move the valve plates (20,21) to the closing setting against the passage openings (8,9) on the slider (15), at least one lifting element (24), which is acted on by pressure, is provided.

Claims

1. A gate valve for the simultaneous blocking or clearing of two rectangular passage openings that are aligned with one another and are provided between two vacuum chambers comprising:

a slider that can move from a position that clears the passage openings into a position that closes the passage openings,

said slider including two valve plates opposite one another,

a lifting element for moving the valve plates formed by a plurality of pneumatic cocking cylinders arranged over the length of the valve plates cylinders

said pneumatic cocking cylinders are connected to a common pressure medium supply conduit.

2. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein a pressure distribution conduit, connected to the supply conduit, is located along the slider, between two cocking cylinders, a branch conduit from a distribution conduit leads to two cocking cylinders.

3. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein a pressure distribution conduit runs within the slider, which has outlets leading into a cocking cylinder over the length of the valve plates.

4. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein said slider is located in a slider housing situated between the vacuum chambers;

and on two opposite sides, the housing has a passage, which corresponds to the passage openings and is surrounded by enclosing seals, directed to the vacuum chambers.

5. The gate valve according to claim 4, wherein the slider housing is constructed pressure-tight and has connections for alternate action with atmospheric pressure and reduced pressure.

6. The gate valve according to claim 4, wherein the slider housing is detachably affixable to said vacuum chambers by means of screws.

7. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one lifting cylinder is located on an upper side of a slider housing;

said at least one lifting cylinder extends into the slider housing with a piston rod and is connected to the slider.

8. The gate valve according to claim 7, wherein the piston rod is sealed with respect to the slider housing by an expansion bellows that is firmly affixed to the piston rod and to the slider housing.

9. The gate valve according to claim 7, wherein said piston rod has a pressure medium canal for a supply of the compressed air to the lifting element.

10. The gate valve according to claim 7, wherein said slider housing has at least one cleaning opening that can be closed by a lid on at least one front side.