# US 6,293,306 B1 · Throttle gate valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,293,306 B1 - Document ID: US6293306B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/613,175 - Filed: 2000-07-10 - Granted: 2001-09-25 - Earliest claimed: 1999-07-09 - Inventors: Arthur Brenes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6293306B1 ## CPC - F16K 3/0281: {Guillotine or blade-type valves, e.g. no passage through the valve member} - F16K 1/223: {with a plurality of valve members} - F16K 27/0218: {Butterfly valves} - F16K 27/044: {slide valves with flat obturating members} - F16K 51/02: specially adapted for high-vacuum installations - Y10T 137/87475: Adjacent plate valves always parallel - Y10T 137/87515: Mechanical movement between actuator and valve - Y10T 137/87531: Butterfly valve - Y10T 137/87981: Common actuator - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A throttle gate valve (10) including an upright, generally rectangular valve housing (12), in which is positioned a linearly movable gate valve (32) for closing off a thru-opening (15) formed in the lower part of housing (12). A pneumatic actuator assembly (14) is provided for moving the gate valve between its opened and closed positions. A throttle vane assembly compartment (16) forms the lower side of valve housing (12) and frames thru-opening (15), and includes a set of throttle vanes (18) rotatably positioned within thru-opening (15), and a drive actuator compartment (20) and motor (21) for controlling the position of throttle vanes (18). A drive actuator (51) is provided for rotating vanes (18) and is sealed by a bellows shield (70) at the point where the drive actuator extends into the interior of the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A throttle gate valve, comprising a housing defining a thru-opening for controlling vacuum within a process chamber, a gate valve movable between open and closed positions, in the closed position closing off the thru-opening to prevent the passage of process gases, a linear conductance throttle vane movably mounted within the thru-opening for throttling flow of gases through the thru-opening when the gate valve is in its open position, and a drive mechanism for moving the throttle vane in order to vary flow of the process gases, the drive mechanism including a linear drive actuator extending into the housing and including a bellows shield to prevent escape of gases where the linear drive actuator extends into the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The throttle gate valve of claim 1 wherein, the linear conductance throttle valve includes at least one vane that extends across the thru-opening and is rotatably mounted at opposite ends for angular movement between a multiplicity of positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The throttle gate valve of claim 2 wherein, the linear conductance throttle valve includes more than one vane, each symmetrically mounted about its axis of rotation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The throttle gate valve of claim 3 wherein, the linear conductance throttle valve provides a substantially linear response across the thru-opening within a pre-selected operating range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The throttle gate valve of claim 1 wherein, the housing includes first and second side chambers, one on each side of the throttle vane, and each side chamber being defined at least partially by an interior wall that provides a rotatable support for the throttle vane, the linear drive actuator extending into the first side chamber and connecting to the throttle vane for rotation of the vane, the housing further including a port providing fluid communication between the first side chamber and the thru-opening, so that when the thru-opening is at vacuum, so too is the first side chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The throttle gate valve of claim 5 wherein, the housing further includes a gate valve chamber for positioning the gate valve in its closed position, and the port provides fluid communication between the first side chamber and the thru-opening via the gate valve chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The throttle gate valve of claim 5 wherein, the port is formed to prevent fluid communication between the first side chamber and the process chamber when the gate valve is closed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The throttle gate valve of claim 5 wherein, the housing includes a second port for providing fluid communication between the second side chamber and the thru-opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The throttle gate valve of claim 8 wherein, the housing further includes a gate valve chamber for positioning the gate valve in its closed position, and the port provides fluid communication between the second side chamber and the thru-opening via the gate valve chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The throttle gate valve of claim 1 wherein, the linear drive actuator includes a drive rod mounted for linear movement, including an inner end extending into the housing of the throttle gate valve for driving connection to the throttle valve and an outer end exterior of the housing, the bellows shield connected at one end to the outer end of the drive rod and at another end to the housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The throttle gate valve of claim 10 wherein, the housing includes a seal around the drive rod so that the inner end of the drive rod can be exposed to vacuum pressures while the outer end of the drive rod is exposed to atmosphere. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The throttle gate valve of claim 11 wherein, the linear drive actuator includes a drive motor, a tubular, interiorly threaded drive shaft drivingly mounted to the drive motor, and an exteriorly threaded screw threadably secured within the threaded drive shaft for linear movement in response to rotation of the drive shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The throttle gate valve of claim 10 wherein, the housing includes an interior chamber that houses the linear drive actuator and its connection to the throttle vane, and the housing further includes a first port leading from the interior chamber to the thru-opening, for providing fluid communication there between. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The throttle gate valve of claim 13 wherein, the throttle vane is rotatably mounted to shafts at opposite sides of the throttle valve, one of the shafts extending into the interior chamber, the housing including a second side chamber from which the other of the shafts is accessible, and the housing further including a second port leading from the second side chamber to the thru-opening, for providing fluid communication there between. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The throttle gate valve of claim 14 wherein, the housing includes a gate valve chamber for positioning the gate valve in its open position, the housing further including a purge port for introducing a gas into the gate valve chamber, the first and second ports providing fluid communication via the gate valve chamber, whereby the gas introduced into the gate valve chamber can migrate to the interior chamber and the second side chamber. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The throttle gate valve of claim 15 wherein, the gate valve includes a shield at the lower end of the gate valve, the shield adapted to minimize flow of gases into the gate valve chamber when the gate valve is in its open position, the first and second ports being positioned on the gate valve chamber side of the shield. ### Claim 17 A throttle vane assembly for controlling vacuum to a process chamber, comprising: a housing defining a thru-opening, a throttle vane rotatably mounted in the thru-opening for controlling vacuum pressure to the process chamber, the housing including a first side chamber defined at least partially by an interior wall that rotatably supports the throttle vane, a drive mechanism for rotating the throttle vane, the drive mechanism extending into the side chamber from exterior of the housing and drivingly connecting to the throttle vane for rotation thereof, the housing further including a port for providing fluid communication between the thru-opening and the side chamber, whereby a pressure differential can be avoided between the thru-opening and the side chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The throttle vane assembly of claim 17 wherein, the housing includes first and second side chambers, one on each side of the throttle vane, and each side chamber being defined at least partially by an interior wall that provides a rotatable support for the throttle vane, the linear drive actuator extending into the first side chamber and connecting to the throttle vane for rotation of the vane, the housing further including a port providing fluid communication between the first side chamber and the thru-opening, so that when the thru-opening is at vacuum, so too is the first side chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The throttle gate valve of claim 18 wherein, the housing further includes a gate valve chamber for positioning the gate valve in its closed position, and the port provides fluid communication between the first side chamber and the thru-opening via the gate valve chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The throttle gate valve of claim 18 wherein, the port is formed to prevent fluid communication between the first side chamber and the process chamber when the gate valve is closed. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The throttle gate valve of claim 18 wherein, the housing includes a second port for providing fluid communication between the second side chamber and the thru-opening. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The throttle gate valve of claim 21 wherein, the housing further includes a gate valve chamber for positioning the gate valve in its closed position, and the port provides fluid communication between the second side chamber and the thru-opening via the gate valve chamber.