Two-piece slit valve door with molded-in-place seal for a vacuum processing system
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorFrederik W. Freerks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum processing system may have a two-piece slit valve door, including a seal plate mounted on a mounting member, for closing the slit valve in a vacuum chamber. The seal plate, the piece that actually contacts the slit valve, may have a molded-in-place seal for making the contact and preventing metal-to-metal contact between the door and the valve. The seal may have a parabolic profile and be adhesively bonded within a groove in order to enhance its compressive and sealing capabilities. The seal plate may be removable for ease of service or replacement. Any particles generated by metal-to-metal contact between the seal plate and its mounting member may be captured by an O-ring statically sealed around the periphery between the two pieces.
Claims21
A vacuum processing system comprising:
- two or more chambers in fluid communication with each other;
- an opening disposed between the two or more chambers;
- a seal plate disposed adjacent the opening and removably mounted to a mounting member;
- a groove formed in the seal plate near a periphery of the seal plate and having a seal molded at least partially thereon;
- and
- a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.
A vacuum processing system comprising:
- two or more chambers in fluid communication with each other;
- an opening disposed between the two or more chambers;
- a mounting member disposed within at least one of the chambers;
- a seal plate having a seal and being removably mounted to the mounting member;
- and
- a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.
A vacuum processing system comprising:
- two or more chambers in fluid communication with each other;
- an opening disposed between the two or more chambers;
- a mounting member disposed within at least one of the chambers;
- a seal plate mounted to the mounting member on a first side and having a seal on a second side opposing the first side;
- and
- a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.
A valve door for use in a vacuum processing system, the valve door comprising:
- a seal plate mounted to a mounting member and disposed adjacent a valve of the vacuum processing system;
- a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate;
- and
- a groove formed near a periphery of the seal plate and having a seal formed in place on said groove which conforms to the shape of the groove in an uncompressed state.
A valve door for use in a vacuum processing system, comprising:
- a mounting member;
- a seal plate having a seal and being removably mounted to the mounting member;
- and
- a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate.
A valve door for use in a vacuum processing system, comprising:
- a mounting member;
- a seal plate having a seal, the seal plate being mounted to the mounting member and having a portion that contacts a portion of the mounting member;
- and
- a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.
A vacuum processing system comprising:
- two or more chambers in fluid communication with each other;
- a valve disposed between the two or more chambers;
- a seal plate disposed adjacent the valve, the seal plate being mounted to a mounting member;
- a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate;
- a groove formed in the seal plate near a periphery of the seal plate;
- and
- a seal disposed in the groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.