Dual pendulum valve assembly with valve seat cover
First Claim
1. A valve assembly comprising:
- a) a housing including an interior space and a pair of openings through which fluid can enter and exit the interior space;
b) a first valve body movable within the interior space between an opened position allowing fluid to pass through a first of the openings and a closed position wherein the first valve body seals the first opening;
c) a second valve body movable within the interior space between an opened position allowing fluid to pass through a second of the openings and a closed position wherein the second valve body seals the second opening; and
d) an annular cover movable within the interior space between a first position wherein the cover protects a valve seat of the second opening and a second position wherein the cover is spaced from the valve seat such that the second valve body can engage the valve seat and seal the second opening, wherein the annular cover is movable in a parallel direction with respect to an axis of the second opening.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dual pendulum valve assembly for connecting a process chamber and a vacuum pump of a semiconductor manufacturing system. The valve assembly includes an isolation valve for sealing an opening to the pump during cleaning of the system and an annular cover for protecting a valve seat of the opening to the pump during use of the system. In particular, the valve assembly includes a housing having an interior space and a pair of openings through which fluid can enter and exit the interior space. A process valve is movable within the interior space between an opened position allowing fluid to pass through a first of the openings from the process chamber and a closed position sealing the first opening. The isolation valve is movable within the interior space between an opened position allowing fluid to pass through a second of the openings into the vacuum pump and a closed position sealing the second opening. The annular cover is movable within the interior space between a first position wherein the cover protects the valve seat of the second opening and a second position wherein the cover is spaced from the valve seat such that the isolation valve can engage the valve seat and seal the second opening.
76 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A valve assembly comprising:
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a) a housing including an interior space and a pair of openings through which fluid can enter and exit the interior space;
b) a first valve body movable within the interior space between an opened position allowing fluid to pass through a first of the openings and a closed position wherein the first valve body seals the first opening;
c) a second valve body movable within the interior space between an opened position allowing fluid to pass through a second of the openings and a closed position wherein the second valve body seals the second opening; and
d) an annular cover movable within the interior space between a first position wherein the cover protects a valve seat of the second opening and a second position wherein the cover is spaced from the valve seat such that the second valve body can engage the valve seat and seal the second opening, wherein the annular cover is movable in a parallel direction with respect to an axis of the second opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
a cam surface defined by the housing, and a cam follower fixed to the shaft of the second valve body and engaging the cam surface of the housing so as to define the movement of the shaft of the second valve body relative to the housing.
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12. A valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein the shaft of the second valve body is coaxially arranged with the shaft of the annular cover.
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13. A valve assembly according to claim 12, wherein the second valve body is normally biased to the closed position and the pneumatic actuator moves the second valve body to the open position.
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14. A valve assembly according to claim 13, wherein each of the first and the second valve bodies comprise disks.
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15. A valve assembly according to claim 14, wherein each of the first and the second disks are provided with o-rings for sealing engagement with the interior of the housing around the openings.
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16. A valve assembly comprising:
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a housing including an interior space and an opening;
a valve body movable within the interior space between an opened position allowing fluid to pass through the opening and a closed position sealing the opening; and
an annular cover movable within the interior space between a first position wherein the cover protects a valve seat of the opening and a second position wherein the cover is spaced from the valve seat such that the valve body can engage the valve seat and seal the opening, wherein the annular cover is movable in a parallel direction with respect to an axis of the opening.
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17. A valve assembly comprising:
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a housing including an interior space and an opening;
a valve body movable within the interior space between an opened position allowing fluid to pass through the opening and a closed position sealing the opening;
an annular cover movable within the interior space between a first position wherein the cover protects a valve seat of the opening and a second position wherein the cover is spaced from the valve seat such that the valve body can engage the valve seat and seal the opening;
a shaft coupled to the annular cover and axially movable with respect to an axis of said shaft to move the cover between the first and the second positions;
a shaft coupled to the valve body, said shaft rotatable about an axis of said shaft and axially movable with respect to an axis of said shaft to move the valve body between the opened and the closed positions;
a cam mechanism coupled between the shaft of the valve body and the housing for directing the shaft of the valve body in both a rotational and axial direction during movement of the valve body between the opened and the closed positions; and
an actuator for moving the shaft of the annular cover and the shaft of the valve body. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
the annular cover is normally biased to the second position;
the valve body is normally biased to the closed position; and
the actuator moves the annular cover to the first position and the valve body to the opened position.
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19. A valve assembly according to claim 18, wherein an outer periphery of the annular cover is larger than an outer periphery of the valve body and an inner periphery of the annular cover is smaller than an inner periphery of the opening.
Specification