Valve for the substantially gas-tight interruption of a flow path

• US 8,550,430 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Original Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Inventors: Weiss, Wolfgang, Lamprecht, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIETJEN, MARINA ANNETTE
• Application Number:
  US13/560,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20130025704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 251158-159, 251/170, 251/172, 251/175, 251/187, 251/193, 251/195, 251/197, 251/200, 251301-302, 251/326, 251328-329, 251/333, 13763012-63015
• US Class Current: 251/175
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/10 with special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/598 With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means

Abstract

A valve for the gastight interruption of a flow path is disclosed. A valve housing includes a first opening and a valve seat. A valve disk includes an inner disk portion, which is linearly movable relative to an outer disk portion so that, in a closed setting, a pressure differential acts substantially upon the movable inner disk portion, which is supported on the valve housing. The valve seat has a radially inward pointing first inner face and the outer disk portion has a radially outward pointing first outer face, wherein in the closed setting there exists a radial sealing contact with the first inner face. The outer disk portion has a radially inward pointing second inner face and the inner disk portion has a radially outward pointing second outer face, having a radially sealing contact with the second inner face.

Claims

1. Valve for the substantially gastight interruption of a flow path, comprising:

a valve housing having a first wall, which wall has a first opening for the flow path, said opening having a geometric opening axis and a valve seat, enclosing the first opening, on a first side of the valve housing,

a valve disk having

an, in particular, ring-like or frame-like outer disk portion, and

a closed inner disk portion, which is mounted in a seal tight manner such that it is linearly movable within the outer disk portion in a direction parallel to the opening axis relative to the outer disk portion between a retracted setting and an extended setting,

at least one drive, which is connected to the outer disk portion and which is configured such that the valve disk is pivotable or displaceable between

an open setting, in which the valve disk is positioned in a retention portion disposed beside the first opening and frees the first opening and the flow path, and

an intermediate setting, in which the valve disk is positioned over the first opening and covers the apertural cross section of the first opening,

by means of a transverse motion made substantially transverse to the opening axis, and is displaceable between

the intermediate setting and

a closed setting, in which a gastight contact, which closes the first opening in a gastight manner and interrupts the flow path, exists between the outer disk portion and the valve seat,

by means of a longitudinal motion made parallel to the opening axis, wherein, in the closed setting, a pressure differential at the valve disk acts substantially upon the movable inner disk portion and the inner disk portion is supported in a direction parallel to the opening axis, substantially decoupled from the outer disk portion, directly or indirectly on the valve housing,

wherein

the valve seat has a first inner face, which points radially inward and runs parallel to the opening axis,

the outer disk portion has a first outer face, which points radially outward and runs parallel to the opening axis and which is arranged and configured such that in the closed setting, via an intervening first seal, there exists a radially sealing, contact with the first inner face,

the outer disk portion has a second inner face, which points radially inward and runs parallel to the opening axis, and

the inner disk portion has a second outer face, which points radially outward and runs parallel to the opening axis and which is arranged and configured such that, via an intervening second seal, a radially sealing contact with the second inner face exists in the region between the retracted setting and the extended setting.

2. Valve according to claim 1,

wherein

the first wall has a first bearing surface, which encloses, in particular, the first opening, and

the first bearing surface and the outer disk portion are arranged and configured such that, in the closed setting, the outer disk portion rests with a first face in the direction of the first side on the first bearing surface.

3. Valve according to claim 2,

wherein

the first bearing surface is configured as an offset in the first opening, which offset adjoins the first inner face and runs substantially perpendicular to the opening axis.

4. Valve according to claim 1,

wherein

a stop is arranged between the outer disk portion and the inner disk portion in order to limit the relative linear mobility of the inner disk portion in the direction of the first side and of the first opening, such that in the closed setting the inner disk portion, when relative underpressure prevails on the first side of the first opening, rests in the retracted setting on the outer disk portion.

5. Valve according to claim 4,

wherein

the stop is configured as a shoulder of the inner disk portion, which shoulder extends radially outward from the second outer face.

6. Valve according to claim 1,

wherein

the valve housing has on a second side a second wall, which, in remote, substantially parallel, opposition to the first wall and to the first opening, has a second opening for the flow path,

the second wall has a second bearing surface, which encloses, in particular, the second opening, and

the second bearing surface and the inner disk portion, in order to limit the relative linear mobility of the inner disk portion in the direction of the second side and of the second opening, are arranged and configured such that in the closed setting the inner disk portion, when relative underpressure prevails on the second side of the second opening, rests in the extended setting with a second face in the direction of the second side on the second bearing surface.

7. Valve according to claim 6,

wherein

the second face of the inner disk portion is disposed on a shoulder extending radially outward from the second outer face.

8. Valve according to claim 6,

wherein

the at least one drive is configured such that the valve disk is pivotable or displaceable between

the open setting, and

the intermediate setting

by means of the transverse motion, and is displaceable between

the intermediate setting,

the closed setting and

an initialization setting, in which the distance of the outer disk portion from the second wall is reduced such that the inner disk portion rests with its second face on the second bearing surface and is pushed fully into the retracted setting,

by means of the longitudinal motion, wherein the intermediate setting lies between the closed setting and the initialization setting.

9. Valve according to claim 8,

comprising:

a control system, which is configured such that and is connected to the drive such that the valve disk, for the gastight interruption of the flow path, is adjustable

by means of the transverse motion of the drive

from the open setting

into the intermediate setting and

by means of the longitudinal motion of the drive

from the intermediate setting

into the closed setting

and, for the complete opening of the flow path, is adjustable

by means of the longitudinal motion of the drive

from the closed setting, in which the inner disk portion is in an optional setting between the retracted setting and the extended setting,

via the initialization setting for pushing the inner disk portion fully into the retracted setting

in the intermediate setting and

by means of the transverse motion of the drive

from the intermediate setting

into the open setting.

10. Valve according to claim 1,

wherein

the first seal is fixed on the first outer face of the outer disk portion for the creation of the radial sealing contact with the first inner face of the valve seat.

11. Valve according to claim 1,

wherein

the second seal is fixed

on the second inner face of the outer disk portion for the creation of the radially sealing contact with the second outer face of the inner disk portion, or

on the second outer face of the inner disk portion for the creation of the radially sealing contact with the second inner face of the outer disk portion.

12. Valve according to claim 1,

wherein

the outer disk portion is connected to the at least one drive by an arm arranged in such a way on the side of the outer disk portion and extending in such a way perpendicular to the opening axis that the arm, in the closed setting, is located outside the apertural cross section, geometrically projected along the opening axis, of the first opening.

13. Valve according to claim 1,

wherein

the outer disk portion is of annular configuration,

the inner disk portion has the form of a closed circular disk and

the first inner face, the first outer face, the second inner face and the second outer face are geometric circular-cylindrical shell surfaces.

14. Valve according to claim 1,

wherein

the valve is configured as a shuttle valve and

the drive is configured such that the valve disk is pivotable by means of the transverse motion substantially parallelly over the cross section of the first opening and perpendicularly to the opening axis.