Vacuum valve

• US 6,431,518 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2001
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Original Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Inventors: Geiser, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Doerrler, William C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonderer, David A
• Application Number:
  US09/759,111
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 251/62, 251/158, 251/203, 251/204, 251/250, 251/157, 251/159, 251/193
• US Class Current: 251/62
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/18 by movement of the closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations

Abstract

A vacuum valve comprises a valve opening which is provided in a valve housing and can be closed by a valve plate arranged at least one valve rod, at least a first piston-cylinder unit by which the valve plate is displaceable from its open position releasing the valve opening into a position which is located opposite the valve opening but is lifted from the valve seat, and at least a second piston-cylinder unit by which the valve plate can be moved toward the valve seat and pressed against it from its position which is located opposite the valve opening but is lifted from the valve seat. A first connection line runs between a base of the first piston-cylinder unit and a base of the second piston-cylinder unit, wherein a non-return valve is arranged in the first connection line and closes when there is a pressure in a closing cylinder space of the first piston-cylinder unit that is greater than or equal to the pressure in a closing cylinder space of the second piston-cylinder unit, and a mandrel is provided at the piston of the second piston-cylinder unit, which mandrel releases the non-return valve when the valve plate is in the position in which it is completely lifted from the valve seat.

Claims

1. A vacuum valve comprising:

a valve housing having a valve opening, said valve opening having an axis oriented in the through-flow direction of the valve and is surrounded by a valve seat,

a valve plate which is arranged at at least one valve rod and by which the valve opening can be closed in the closed state of the valve;

at least a first piston-cylinder unit by which the valve plate is displaceable from its open position releasing the valve opening into a position which is located opposite the valve opening but is lifted from the valve seat; and

at least a second piston-cylinder unit by which the valve plate can be moved toward the valve seat and pressed against it from its position which is located opposite the valve opening;

wherein a piston rod constructed as a toothed rack is arranged at the piston of the second piston-cylinder unit and meshes with a pinion which is connected with an eccentric arrangement for swiveling the at least one valve rod and pressing the valve plate against the valve seat.

2. The vacuum valve according to claim 1, wherein the eccentric device is formed by pins connected with the pinion, these pins are arranged eccentrically relative to a central axis of the pinion or drum on which the pinion is arranged and project into recesses in the valve housing.

3. The vacuum valve according to claim 2, wherein the recesses are constructed as elongated holes.

4. The vacuum valve according to claim 3, wherein rollers are rotatably mounted on the pins.

5. A vacuum valve comprising:

a valve opening which is provided in a valve housing having an axis oriented in the through-flow direction of the valve and is surrounded by a valve seat;

a valve plate which is arranged at at least one valve rod and by which the valve opening can be closed in the closed state of the valve;

at least a first piston-cylinder unit by which the valve plate is displaceable from its open position releasing the valve opening into a position which is located opposite the valve opening but is lifted from the valve seat;

at least a second piston-cylinder unit by which the valve plate can be moved toward the valve seat and pressed against it from its position which is located opposite the valve opening but is lifted from the valve seat;

said first piston-cylinder unit having a closing cylinder space, wherein a force acting upon the valve plate in the direction of its position located opposite the valve opening is generated when the closing cylinder space is acted upon by pressure;

said second piston-cylinder unit having a closing cylinder space, wherein a force acting upon the valve plate in the direction of its position in which it is pressed against the valve seat is generated when the closing cylinder space is acted upon by pressure;

the closing cylinder space of the first piston-cylinder unit having a base, wherein the piston of the first piston-cylinder unit is located adjacent to this base in the position of the valve plate which completely releases the valve opening;

the closing cylinder space of the second piston-cylinder unit having a base, wherein the piston of the second piston-cylinder unit is located adjacent to this base in the position of the valve plate in which the latter is completely lifted from the valve seat;

a first connection line running between said base of the first piston-cylinder unit and said base of the second piston-cylinder unit, wherein a non-return valve is arranged in the first connection line and closes when there is a pressure in the closing cylinder space of the first piston-cylinder unit that is greater than or equal to the pressure in the closing cylinder space of the second piston-cylinder unit; and

a mandrel being provided at the piston of the second piston-cylinder unit, which mandrel releases the non-return valve when the valve plate is in the position in which it is completely lifted from the valve seat.

6. The vacuum valve according to claim 5, wherein a recess is provided in the base of the second piston-cylinder unit, wherein a projection of the piston of the second piston-cylinder unit can be inserted into this recess in the position of the valve plate in which it is completely lifted from the valve seat, Wherein a first control line opens into this recess, in the area below the inserted projection at which a piston surface is provided.

7. The vacuum valve according to claim 6, wherein the mandrel is arranged at the projection.

8. The vacuum valve according to claim 6, wherein the recess in the base of the second piston-cylinder unit and the rest of the closing cylinder space of the second piston-cylinder unit are connected with one another via a non-return valve arrangement when the projection of the piston is inserted into the recess, wherein the non-return valve arrangement blocks when the pressure in the recess is greater than the pressure in the rest of the closing cylinder space.

9. The vacuum valve according to claim 8, wherein the non-return valve arrangement is formed by a line extending between the recess and the rest of the closing cylinder space of the second piston-cylinder unit, wherein a non-return valve is arranged in the line, and wherein a sealing ring is arranged at the outer surface of the recess to seal the projection inserted into the recess.

10. The vacuum valve according to claim 8, wherein the non-return valve arrangement is formed by a O-ring for end-position damping arranged in the recess and having a non-return valve function.

11. The vacuum valve according to claim 5, wherein the first piston-cylinder unit has an opening cylinder space, wherein a force acting upon the valve plate in the direction of its position which completely releases the valve opening is generated when this opening cylinder space is acted upon by pressure.

12. The vacuum valve according to claim 11, wherein the second piston-cylinder unit has an opening cylinder space, wherein a force acting upon the valve plate in the direction of its position in which it is lifted from the valve seat is generated when this opening cylinder space is acted upon by pressure.

13. The vacuum valve according to claim 12, wherein the opening cylinder space of the first piston-cylinder unit and the opening cylinder space of the second piston-cylinder unit are connected with one another by a second connection line into which a second control line opens.

14. The vacuum valve according to claim 5, wherein the first piston-cylinder unit and the second piston-cylinder unit are rigidly connected with one another and are swivelable jointly about a swiveling axis which extends vertical to the valve rod and vertical to the axis of the valve opening.

15. The vacuum valve according to claim 5, wherein the first piston-cylinder unit has a guide surface which supports the valve rod so as to be axially displaceable with a slight radial play.