Valve seal assembly

• US 6,932,354 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DuPont Performance Elastomers LLC (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DuPont Dow Elastomers LLC (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kane, Dale Robert, Takahashi, Kohtaro, Minowa, Norihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Pickard, Alison
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEAVEY, ENOCH E
• Application Number:
  US10/359,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 277/608, 277/616, 277/628, 277/630, 277/637, 277/640, 277/641, 251/63.5, 251/333
• US Class Current: 277/608
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/061 with positioning means F16J15/0831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67739 into and out of processing chamber

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a valve seal assembly for use in multi-chamber vacuum devices. The seal assembly comprises a door and a deformable seal ring running along the periphery of the door, wherein the seal ring is held in place by a reversibly mounted securing means such as a disk, ring or clamp.

Claims

1. A valve seal assembly for use in vacuum chambers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, said valve assembly comprising:

a) a door having a groove for receiving a seal ring, said groove formed on a sealing surface near a periphery of said door, and wherein a first portion of said groove is formed of a base, an outer sidewall and outer lip in said door;

b) a securing means for holding a seal ring within said groove on said door, said securing means having an outer sidewall and lip which forms a second portion of said groove, said securing means complementarily shaped and sized to contact said door between said groove and fastening means;

c) disengageable fastening means for reversibly attaching said securing means to said door, said fastening means having a second seal between said fastening means and said door; and

d) a deformable seal ring shaped and sized to complementarily fit within said groove, said seal ring comprising a first thin portion for complementarily engaging said first portion of said groove and a second thin portion for complementarily engaging said second portion of said groove, and said seal ring having a thick parabolic-shaped cross-section portion located between said first and second thin portions and sized to extend above both said door lip and said securing means lip for sealing engagement with a mating flange.

2. A valve seal assembly of claim 1 wherein said securing means is selected from the group consisting of a wedge, a disk, a continuous ring, a non-continuous ring and brackets.

3. A valve seal assembly of claim 2 wherein said securing means is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and aluminum.

4. A valve seal assembly of claim 2 wherein said securing means is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyether ether ketone, polyether sulfone, polytetraflouroethylene, polyimide, an organic composite and an inorganic composite.

5. A valve seal assembly of claim 1 wherein said seal ring is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of an elastomer and a thermoplastic resin.

6. A valve seal assembly of claim 5 wherein said seal ring is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber;

nitrile rubber;

hydrogenated nitrile rubber;

EPDM;

copolymers of ethylene and an alpha olefin having at least four carbon atoms;

fluoroelastomers; and

perfluoroelastomers.

7. A valve seal assembly of claim 6 wherein said seal ring is fabricated from a perfluoroelastomer.

8. A valve seal assembly of claim 1 wherein said fastening means is selected from the group consisting of bolts and screws.

9. A valve seal assembly of claim 1 wherein said assembly is in a gate valve.

10. A valve seal assembly of claim 1 wherein said assembly is in a pendulum valve.