Shutter and gate valve assemblies for vacuum systems
AssigneeVarian, Inc.
InventorLayne Evan Howard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shutter and gate valve assembly includes a valve housing that defines a passage therethrough, a valve member having a valve aperture, the valve member movable between a non-operating position that seals the passage and an operating position that aligns the valve aperture with the passage, and a shutter movable between a closed position that blocks the valve aperture and an open position that unblocks the valve aperture. The shutter member may be affixed to and movable with the valve member between the non-operating position and the operating position. The shutter may be provided with a shutter aperture that is aligned with the valve aperture in the open position.
Claims11
Vacuum apparatus comprising:
- a high vacuum chamber;
- a low vacuum chamber;
- and
- a shutter and gate valve assembly disposed between the high vacuum chamber and the low vacuum chamber, the shutter and gate valve assembly including:
- a valve housing that defines a passage between the high vacuum chamber and the low vacuum chamber,
- a valve member having a valve aperture, the valve member movable between a non-operating position that seals the passage and an operating position that aligns the valve aperture with the passage, and
- a shutter member having a shutter aperture, the shutter member attached to the valve member and movable therewith between a closed position that blocks the valve aperture and an open position that unblocks the valve aperture;
- a gate valve actuator mechanically coupled to the valve member, moving the valve member between a non-operating position to an operating position upon activation;
- and
- a shutter valve actuator mechanically coupled to the shutter member, moving the shutter member between a closed position and an open position upon activation.
A method of interconnecting a high vacuum chamber and a low vacuum chamber, comprising:
- mounting a shutter and gate valve assembly between the high vacuum chamber and the low vacuum chamber, the shutter and gate valve assembly including a valve housing that defines a passage, a valve member having a valve aperture, a gate valve actuator coupled to the gate valve assembly, a shutter member attached to said valve member and movable therewith, a shutter valve actuator mechanically coupled to shutter member and;
- moving the valve member between a non-operating position that seals the passage and an operating position that aligns the valve aperture with the passage in response to a control signal form the gate valve actuator;
- and
- moving the shutter member between a closed position that blocks the valve aperture and an open position that unblocks the valve aperture in response to a control signal from the shutter valve actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.