Multi-vane throttle valve
First Claim
1. A multi-vane throttling valve for a vacuum process chamber, the valve comprising:
- a throttle chamber body having an inside exposed to the vacuum process chamber and an outside exposed to atmospheric pressure, the chamber body defining a through-opening for controlling vacuum within the vacuum process chamber;
a plurality of rotatable vanes mounted within the through-opening for controlling a flow of gases through the through-opening wherein each rotatable vane includes a proximal support, a distal support and a cooling fluid pathway that extends through at least one of the proximal support or the distal support, the cooling fluid pathway being in fluid communication with and disposed longitudinally along each rotatable vane wherein the cooling fluid pathway of each rotatable vane extends outside of the throttle chamber body and into a rotary adapter having a coolant supply port and a coolant return port and wherein the at least one of the proximal support or the distal support is rotatably coupled to the rotary adapter, each rotary adapter being exposed to atmospheric pressure and the cooling fluid pathway of each rotatable vane being in fluid communication with an adjacent rotatable vane through the coolant supply port and the coolant return port of the rotary adapter; and
a drive mechanism disposed on and connected to an outside of the throttle chamber body for rotating the plurality of rotatable vanes to vary the flow of process gases, the drive mechanism capable of simultaneously rotating a rotating arm fixedly connected to each proximal support of the plurality of rotatable vanes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-vane throttling valve for a vacuum process chamber includes a throttle chamber body having an inside exposed to the vacuum process chamber and an outside exposed to atmospheric pressure, the chamber body defining a through-opening for controlling vacuum within the vacuum process chamber, a plurality of rotatable vanes mounted within the through-opening for controlling a flow of gases through the through-opening where each rotatable vane includes a cooling flow pathway in fluid communication with and disposed longitudinally along each rotatable vane, and a drive mechanism disposed on and connected to an outside of the throttle chamber body for rotating the plurality of rotatable vanes to vary the flow of process gases.
83 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A multi-vane throttling valve for a vacuum process chamber, the valve comprising:
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a throttle chamber body having an inside exposed to the vacuum process chamber and an outside exposed to atmospheric pressure, the chamber body defining a through-opening for controlling vacuum within the vacuum process chamber; a plurality of rotatable vanes mounted within the through-opening for controlling a flow of gases through the through-opening wherein each rotatable vane includes a proximal support, a distal support and a cooling fluid pathway that extends through at least one of the proximal support or the distal support, the cooling fluid pathway being in fluid communication with and disposed longitudinally along each rotatable vane wherein the cooling fluid pathway of each rotatable vane extends outside of the throttle chamber body and into a rotary adapter having a coolant supply port and a coolant return port and wherein the at least one of the proximal support or the distal support is rotatably coupled to the rotary adapter, each rotary adapter being exposed to atmospheric pressure and the cooling fluid pathway of each rotatable vane being in fluid communication with an adjacent rotatable vane through the coolant supply port and the coolant return port of the rotary adapter; and a drive mechanism disposed on and connected to an outside of the throttle chamber body for rotating the plurality of rotatable vanes to vary the flow of process gases, the drive mechanism capable of simultaneously rotating a rotating arm fixedly connected to each proximal support of the plurality of rotatable vanes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of providing a full range of linear conductance control in a vacuum process chamber during a vacuum chamber process using a throttling valve, the method comprising:
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obtaining a multi-vane throttling valve for use with the vacuum process chamber and incorporating a plurality of rotatable vanes disposed in a vane chamber housing of a throttle chamber body, wherein the plurality of rotatable vanes are each mounted within a through-opening for controlling a flow of gases through the throttling valve; configuring each of the plurality of rotatable vanes with a proximal support, a distal support and a cooling conduit that extends through at least one of the proximal support or the distal support and defines a cooling fluid pathway, the cooling fluid pathway being in fluid communication with and longitudinally disposed along each rotatable vane wherein the cooling fluid pathway of each rotatable vane extends outside of the throttle chamber body and into a rotary adapter having a coolant supply port and a coolant return port and wherein the at least one of the proximal support or the distal support is rotatably coupled to the rotary adapter, each rotary adapter being exposed to atmospheric pressure and the cooling fluid pathway of each rotatable vane being in fluid communication with an adjacent rotatable vane through the coolant supply port and the coolant return port of the rotary adapter; flowing cooling liquid through the cooling conduit of each rotatable vane; and rotatably adjusting the orientation of each rotatable vane to thereby provide linear conductance control during vacuum processing in the vacuum process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification