WO2007142395A1 - Vacuum gate valve - Google Patents

Vacuum gate valve Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2007142395A1
WO2007142395A1 PCT/KR2006/005362 KR2006005362W WO2007142395A1 WO 2007142395 A1 WO2007142395 A1 WO 2007142395A1 KR 2006005362 W KR2006005362 W KR 2006005362W WO 2007142395 A1 WO2007142395 A1 WO 2007142395A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cylinder
hollow cylinder
peripheral surface
bellows tube
gate valve
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/KR2006/005362
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Chang-Hyung Cho
Jong-Chan Lee
Original Assignee
Global Standard Technology Co., Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Global Standard Technology Co., Ltd. filed Critical Global Standard Technology Co., Ltd.
Publication of WO2007142395A1 publication Critical patent/WO2007142395A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
    • F16K3/00—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing
    • F16K3/02—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
    • F16K3/00—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing
    • F16K3/02—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor
    • F16K3/16—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor with special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together
    • F16K3/18—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor with special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together by movement of the closure members
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
    • F16K3/00—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing
    • F16K3/30—Details
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
    • F16K51/00—Other details not peculiar to particular types of valves or cut-off apparatus
    • F16K51/02—Other details not peculiar to particular types of valves or cut-off apparatus specially adapted for high-vacuum installations

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a vacuum gate valve, and more particularly, to a vacuum gate valve which is mounted between a chamber and a vacuum pump and has a means for preventing a gas in the chamber from being brought into contact with an actuator of the vacuum gate valve when the gas is exhausted.
  • a vacuum gate valve is used to maintain a vacuum state in a vacuum chamber for use in a semiconductor process.
  • a gas to be exhausted through the vacuum gate valve includes various byproducts generated through the semiconductor process. When the gas is exhausted, such byproducts are deposited on a link of an actuator for driving a valve plate of the gate valve or on an inner surface of a valve casing in which the valve plate is slid. The byproducts deposited on the link or the inner surface of the valve casing may prevent the valve plate from being moved forward or backward, leading to a failure in the opening/closing operation of the gate valve.
  • the present invention is conceived to solve the aforementioned problem in the conventional gate valve.
  • a means for preventing a gas exhausted in a chamber from being brought into contact with an actuator for causing the valve plate to be moved forward or backward.
  • the means for preventing the gas from being brought into contact with the actuator should prevent the gas, which passes through the vacuum gate valve when the vacuum gate valve is open (i.e., when the valve plate is moved backward), from being brought into contact with the actuator and should not interfere with the valve plate when the valve plate is moved forward to close the vacuum gate valve.
  • an additional vacuum passage should be provided when the valve plate is moved backward, thereby preventing the gas from being brought into contact with the actuator, while a space enabling the valve plate to block an inlet for the gas should be provided when the valve plate is moved forward.
  • a tube that is retractable in a flow direction of the gas may be used as the means described above, so that the tube may be expanded to provide a passage for the gas when the valve plate is moved backward, while the tube may be retracted to provide the space enabling the valve plate to close the inlet when the valve plate is moved forward.
  • a bellows tube be used as the retractable tube which allows a vacuum state to be maintained.
  • the bellows tube has advantages in that it has a superior ability to maintain a vacuum state therein and also has a longer lifespan due to elastic deformation upon expansion/retraction thereof.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum gate valve including a bellows tube, which can prevent an exhaust gas from being brought into contact with an actuator of the vacuum gate valve.
  • a vacuum gate valve includes a valve casing formed with an inlet and an outlet for a fluid, a valve plate installed to be in close contact with an inner wall of the valve casing and to be moved forward/backward so as to open/close a flow of the fluid, and an actuator for moving the valve plate forward/backward.
  • a hollow cylinder with through-holes formed at both ends of an outer peripheral surface thereof has one end hermetically fixed on the side of the outlet of the valve casing.
  • a flange formed with a though-hole is hermitically fixed to the other end of the hollow cylinder.
  • a bellows tube with an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is inserted into and installed in the hollow cylinder while one end thereof is coupled to the flange.
  • a hollow piston cylinder with an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is inserted into and installed in the hollow cylinder while one end thereof is coupled to the other end of the bellows tube.
  • the piston cylinder has the other end as a free end of which an outer peripheral surface is hermetically and slidably engaged with an inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder.
  • the piston cylinder is provided with an annular pressure- receiving portion configured to extend from an outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder and to be brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby dividing a space defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder.
  • the piston cylinder when the vacuum gate valve is opened, the piston cylinder is moved upward and brought into close contact with the inner wall of the valve casing around the gas inlet so that the exhaust gas can pass through an exhaust gas passage constructed sequentially by the hollow of the piston cylinder, the bellows tube, and the through-hole of the flange, thereby preventing the exhaust gas from being brought into contact with the actuator. Furthermore, the piston cylinder is moved downward not to interfere with the valve plate when the valve plate is moved forward, thereby closing the vacuum gate valve. Accordingly, the vacuum gate valve can be prevented from being exposed to byproducts included in the exhaust gas, resulting in increase in the lifespan of the vacuum gate valve.
  • the vacuum gate valve of the present invention may further comprise a hollow shielding cylinder having one end engaged with the inner peripheral surface of the piston cylinder and the other end installed to penetrate through an hollow of the bellows tube, so that the fluid can be prevented from being brought into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube.
  • the shielding cylinder is to ensure smooth expansion and retraction of the bellows tube by preventing the byproducts generated in a chamber from being deposited on the inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube when the inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube is exposed to the gas.
  • the vacuum gate valve of the present invention may further comprise a stopper installed between the hollow cylinder and the bellows tube while one end thereof is fixed to the flange, thereby limiting the expansion/retraction stroke of the bellows tube.
  • the bellows tube may comprise a molded pleated tube but may be manufactured by welding a plurality of ring-shaped leaf springs made of metal in view of superior durability.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state where an inlet is closed in a vacuum gate valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a state where the inlet is opened in the vacuum gate valve shown in Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a vacuum gate valve according to another embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a vacuum gate valve according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
  • Valve casing 12 Inlet 13: Outlet 20: Valve plate
  • Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a state where an inlet is closed in a vacuum gate valve according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a state where the inlet is opened in the vacuum gate valve shown in Fig. 1.
  • a vacuum gate valve 100 includes a valve casing 10, a valve plate 20 and an actuator 30.
  • the valve casing 10 has an inlet 12 and an outlet 13 for a gas, which are formed in opposite inner walls.
  • the inlet 12 is provided with a flange 15 for connection to a chamber (not shown).
  • the valve plate 20 is mounted to be slidable forward/backward in an inner space 36 of the valve casing 10. When the inlet 12 is intended to be closed, the valve plate 20 is configured to be moved forward by the actuator 30 and to be brought into close contact with an inner wall 14 of the valve casing 10 around the inlet 12. When the valve plate 20 is moved backward by the actuator 30 and thus the inlet 12 is opened, a gas then flows through the inlet 12.
  • a pneumatic cylinder 31 and a link 35 connected to the valve plate 20 serve as the actuator 30.
  • the link 35 has one end connected to the valve plate 20 and the other end connected to a piston rod 34 of the pneumatic cylinder 31.
  • the piston rod 34 of the pneumatic cylinder 31 is connected to a piston 32 which is slidably installed in the pneumatic cylinder 31.
  • Reference numerals 33 and 37 that have not yet been described designate O-rings for sealing.
  • the vacuum gate valve 100 of this embodiment further includes a hollow cylinder 40 having one end hermetically fixed to the outlet 13; a flange 50 hermitically fixed to the other end of the hollow cylinder 40; a retractable bellows tube 60 having one end welded to the flange 50; and a piston cylinder 70 welded to the other end of the bellows tube 60.
  • the cylinder 40 is formed with a pair of through-holes 41 and 42 at both ends of an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder such that the through-holes communicate with the inside of the cylinder 40. Compressed air is supplied from the outside through one of the through-holes 41 and 42 so that the piston cylinder 70 installed in the hollow cylinder 40 can be moved forward/backward (upward/downward in the figure).
  • the piston cylinder 70 is provided with a hollow through which the gas passes, and the outer diameter of the piston cylinder 70 is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder 40. Furthermore, the other end 72 of the piston cylinder 70 is a free end of which an outer peripheral surface is hermetically and slidably engaged with an inner peripheral surface of a step 46 formed at one end of the hollow cylinder 40. Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 is provided with an annular pressure-receiving portion 71 which is configured to extend from the outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 and to be brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40, thereby dividing a space defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40.
  • the pressure-receiving portion 71 is positioned above the through-hole 42 formed at a lower end of the hollow cylinder 40.
  • the piston cylinder 70 is positioned below the through-hole 41 formed at an upper end of the hollow cylinder 40.
  • An end surface of the free end of the piston cylinder 70 is provided with an O-ring 73 that is brought into close contact with the inner wall 14 around the inlet 12 so as to prevent the gas from leaking out.
  • the bellows tube 60 used in this embodiment is manufactured by continuously welding a plurality of ring-shaped leaf springs made of metal, so that the bellows tube can be elastically expanded/retracted and has a longer lifespan and a superior sealing property.
  • the outer diameter of the bellows tube 60 is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder 40.
  • One end of the bellows tube 60 is fixed through welding to a side surface of the flange 50 which faces the outlet 13, while the other end of the bellows tube 60 is fixed through welding to the piston cylinder 70.
  • the flange 50 is provided with a through-hole through which the gas passes.
  • the one end of the bellows tube 60 is welded to an edge of the through-hole.
  • the flange 50 is provided with a connection member 51 for connection to external piping.
  • Reference numerals 44, 45 and 74 that have not yet been described designate O-rings for sealing.
  • the piston cylinder 70 is moved downward so that the bellows tube 60 is retracted and the free end of the piston cylinder 70 is positioned below the valve plate 20. Then, the piston 32 of the pneumatic cylinder 31 is moved forward so that the valve plate 20 can close the inlet 12,
  • the pneumatic cylinder is first moved backward from the state shown in Fig. 1. Then, compressed air is supplied through the through-hole 42 at the lower end of the hollow cylinder 40, while the through-hole 41 at the upper end of the hollow cylinder 40 is opened.
  • pressure in the space B which is defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the bellows tube 60 is higher than that in the space A which is defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40, the outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 and the pressure- receiving portion 71, so that a force for pushing the piston cylinder 70 upward is applied.
  • the piston cylinder 70 causes the bellows tube 60 to be expanded and the end of the free end of the piston cylinder 70 is brought into close contact with the inner wall 14 of the valve casing 10 around the inlet 12. Accordingly, the gas is exhausted though the inlet 12, the hollow of the piston cylinder 70, the inside of the bellows tube 60, and the through-hole of the flange 50, so that the gas does not leak into the inner space 36 of the valve casing 10 in which the actuator 30 is installed. Accordingly, byproducts included in the gas are prevented from being brought into contact with the actuator 30, thereby preventing the vacuum gate valve from being out of order.
  • Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a vacuum gate valve according to another embodiment of the present invention.
  • the vacuum gate valve of this embodiment is different from the vacuum gate valve shown in Fig. 1 in that a shielding cylinder 80 and a stopper 90 are further provided, wherein the shielding cylinder 80 is used to prevent the byproducts generated in the chamber from being deposited on the inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube when the inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube is exposed to the exhausted gas, and the stopper 90 is used to limit a retraction stroke of the bellows tube 60.
  • the shielding cylinder 80 is engaged with an inner peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 while the other end of the shielding cylinder 80 is installed to penetrate through the hollow of the bellows tube 60, so that the shielding cylinder 80 can be moved upward/downward together with the piston cylinder 70.
  • the stopper 90 has one end fixed to a side surface of the flange 50 facing the inlet so as to be installed at a predetermined height in a space between the hollow cylinder 40 and the bellows tube 60.
  • Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a vacuum gate valve according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
  • the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is different from that shown in Fig. 1 in that a molded pleated tube is used instead of the bellows tube 65.
  • the molded pleated tube has an advantage in that it has superior productivity and can be manufactured at low costs as compared with the bellows tube 60 manufactured by welding leaf springs as shown in Fig. 1.
  • the vacuum gate valves of the embodiments described above use the hollow cylinder 40, the bellows tube 60 and the piston cylinder 70 all of which have circular cross-sections
  • the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the spirit of the present invention may be applied to a hollow cylinder, the bellows tube and the piston cylinder all of which have rectangular cross-sections. That is, the term 'cylinder' used herein is not intended to be limited to a member having a circular cross-section but means an elongated hollow member having a cross-section with an arbitrary shape.
  • the present invention provides a vacuum gate valve with a retractable bellows tube, wherein an exhaust gas can be prevented from being brought into contact with an actuator of the vacuum gate valve. Accordingly, byproducts included in the exhaust gas can be prevented from being deposited on the actuator of the vacuum gate valve, thereby increasing the durability of the vacuum gate valve.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vacuum gate valve which is mounted between a chamber and a vacuum pump and has a means for preventing a gas in the chamber from being brought into contact with an actuator of the vacuum gate valve when the gas is exhausted. A vacuum gate valve according to the present invention includes a valve casing formed with an inlet and an outlet, a valve plate installed to be moved forward/backward so as to open/close a flow of the fluid, and an actuator for moving the valve plate forward/backward. A hollow cylinder has one end hermetically fixed on the side of the outlet of the valve casing. A flange formed with a though-hole is hermitically fixed to the other end of the hollow cylinder. A bellows tube with an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is inserted into and installed in the hollow cylinder while one end thereof is coupled to the flange. A piston cylinder has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder and is inserted into and installed in the hollow cylinder while one end thereof is coupled to the other end of the bellows tube. The piston cylinder has the other end as a free end of which an outer peripheral surface is hermetically and slidably engaged with an inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder. The piston cylinder is provided with an annular pressure-receiving portion configured to extend from an outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder and to be brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder.

Description

VACUUM GATE VALVE
Technical field The present invention relates to a vacuum gate valve, and more particularly, to a vacuum gate valve which is mounted between a chamber and a vacuum pump and has a means for preventing a gas in the chamber from being brought into contact with an actuator of the vacuum gate valve when the gas is exhausted.
Background Art
A vacuum gate valve is used to maintain a vacuum state in a vacuum chamber for use in a semiconductor process. A gas to be exhausted through the vacuum gate valve includes various byproducts generated through the semiconductor process. When the gas is exhausted, such byproducts are deposited on a link of an actuator for driving a valve plate of the gate valve or on an inner surface of a valve casing in which the valve plate is slid. The byproducts deposited on the link or the inner surface of the valve casing may prevent the valve plate from being moved forward or backward, leading to a failure in the opening/closing operation of the gate valve.
Disclosure of Invention
Technical Problem
The present invention is conceived to solve the aforementioned problem in the conventional gate valve. In order to ensure a smooth forward or backward movement of a valve plate of a vacuum gate valve, there is a need for a means for preventing a gas exhausted in a chamber from being brought into contact with an actuator for causing the valve plate to be moved forward or backward. The means for preventing the gas from being brought into contact with the actuator should prevent the gas, which passes through the vacuum gate valve when the vacuum gate valve is open (i.e., when the valve plate is moved backward), from being brought into contact with the actuator and should not interfere with the valve plate when the valve plate is moved forward to close the vacuum gate valve. That is, an additional vacuum passage should be provided when the valve plate is moved backward, thereby preventing the gas from being brought into contact with the actuator, while a space enabling the valve plate to block an inlet for the gas should be provided when the valve plate is moved forward. A tube that is retractable in a flow direction of the gas may be used as the means described above, so that the tube may be expanded to provide a passage for the gas when the valve plate is moved backward, while the tube may be retracted to provide the space enabling the valve plate to close the inlet when the valve plate is moved forward. It is preferred that a bellows tube be used as the retractable tube which allows a vacuum state to be maintained. The bellows tube has advantages in that it has a superior ability to maintain a vacuum state therein and also has a longer lifespan due to elastic deformation upon expansion/retraction thereof.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum gate valve including a bellows tube, which can prevent an exhaust gas from being brought into contact with an actuator of the vacuum gate valve.
Technical Solution
A vacuum gate valve according to the present invention includes a valve casing formed with an inlet and an outlet for a fluid, a valve plate installed to be in close contact with an inner wall of the valve casing and to be moved forward/backward so as to open/close a flow of the fluid, and an actuator for moving the valve plate forward/backward. A hollow cylinder with through-holes formed at both ends of an outer peripheral surface thereof has one end hermetically fixed on the side of the outlet of the valve casing. A flange formed with a though-hole is hermitically fixed to the other end of the hollow cylinder. A bellows tube with an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is inserted into and installed in the hollow cylinder while one end thereof is coupled to the flange. Further, a hollow piston cylinder with an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is inserted into and installed in the hollow cylinder while one end thereof is coupled to the other end of the bellows tube. The piston cylinder has the other end as a free end of which an outer peripheral surface is hermetically and slidably engaged with an inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder. Moreover, the piston cylinder is provided with an annular pressure- receiving portion configured to extend from an outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder and to be brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby dividing a space defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder. Pressure of compressed air supplied through one of the through-holes formed at the both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder is exerted on the pressure-receiving portion, so that the piston cylinder can be moved forward/backward (upward/downward). Furthermore, when compressed air is supplied through the through- hole formed at a lower end of the hollow cylinder so that the piston cylinder is moved forward to expand the bellows tube, the other end of the piston cylinder, which is the free end, is brought into close contact with the inner wall around the inlet, thereby preventing the gas (fluid) from leaking into an inner space of the valve casing. On the contrary, when compressed air is supplied through the through-hole formed at an upper end of the hollow cylinder so that the piston cylinder is moved backward (downward) to retract the bellows tube, the other end of the piston cylinder, which is the free end, is positioned below such that the valve plate does not interfere with the valve plate when the valve plate is moved forward.
According to the present invention, when the vacuum gate valve is opened, the piston cylinder is moved upward and brought into close contact with the inner wall of the valve casing around the gas inlet so that the exhaust gas can pass through an exhaust gas passage constructed sequentially by the hollow of the piston cylinder, the bellows tube, and the through-hole of the flange, thereby preventing the exhaust gas from being brought into contact with the actuator. Furthermore, the piston cylinder is moved downward not to interfere with the valve plate when the valve plate is moved forward, thereby closing the vacuum gate valve. Accordingly, the vacuum gate valve can be prevented from being exposed to byproducts included in the exhaust gas, resulting in increase in the lifespan of the vacuum gate valve.
Moreover, the vacuum gate valve of the present invention may further comprise a hollow shielding cylinder having one end engaged with the inner peripheral surface of the piston cylinder and the other end installed to penetrate through an hollow of the bellows tube, so that the fluid can be prevented from being brought into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube. The shielding cylinder is to ensure smooth expansion and retraction of the bellows tube by preventing the byproducts generated in a chamber from being deposited on the inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube when the inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube is exposed to the gas.
In addition, the vacuum gate valve of the present invention may further comprise a stopper installed between the hollow cylinder and the bellows tube while one end thereof is fixed to the flange, thereby limiting the expansion/retraction stroke of the bellows tube. In the vacuum gate valve of the present invention, the bellows tube may comprise a molded pleated tube but may be manufactured by welding a plurality of ring-shaped leaf springs made of metal in view of superior durability.
Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a state where an inlet is closed in a vacuum gate valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a state where the inlet is opened in the vacuum gate valve shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a vacuum gate valve according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a vacuum gate valve according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
<Explanation of Reference Numerals for Main Portions in Drawings>
10 : Valve casing 12: Inlet 13: Outlet 20: Valve plate
30 : Actuator 40 : Cylinder
50: Flange 60: Bellows tube
70: Piston cylinder
Best Mode Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a state where an inlet is closed in a vacuum gate valve according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a state where the inlet is opened in the vacuum gate valve shown in Fig. 1.
A vacuum gate valve 100 according to the present embodiment includes a valve casing 10, a valve plate 20 and an actuator 30. The valve casing 10 has an inlet 12 and an outlet 13 for a gas, which are formed in opposite inner walls. The inlet 12 is provided with a flange 15 for connection to a chamber (not shown). The valve plate 20 is mounted to be slidable forward/backward in an inner space 36 of the valve casing 10. When the inlet 12 is intended to be closed, the valve plate 20 is configured to be moved forward by the actuator 30 and to be brought into close contact with an inner wall 14 of the valve casing 10 around the inlet 12. When the valve plate 20 is moved backward by the actuator 30 and thus the inlet 12 is opened, a gas then flows through the inlet 12. In this embodiment, a pneumatic cylinder 31 and a link 35 connected to the valve plate 20 serve as the actuator 30. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and any means capable of moving the valve plate 20 forward/backward may be used. The link 35 has one end connected to the valve plate 20 and the other end connected to a piston rod 34 of the pneumatic cylinder 31. The piston rod 34 of the pneumatic cylinder 31 is connected to a piston 32 which is slidably installed in the pneumatic cylinder 31. Reference numerals 33 and 37 that have not yet been described designate O-rings for sealing.
The vacuum gate valve 100 of this embodiment further includes a hollow cylinder 40 having one end hermetically fixed to the outlet 13; a flange 50 hermitically fixed to the other end of the hollow cylinder 40; a retractable bellows tube 60 having one end welded to the flange 50; and a piston cylinder 70 welded to the other end of the bellows tube 60. The cylinder 40 is formed with a pair of through-holes 41 and 42 at both ends of an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder such that the through-holes communicate with the inside of the cylinder 40. Compressed air is supplied from the outside through one of the through-holes 41 and 42 so that the piston cylinder 70 installed in the hollow cylinder 40 can be moved forward/backward (upward/downward in the figure). The piston cylinder 70 is provided with a hollow through which the gas passes, and the outer diameter of the piston cylinder 70 is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder 40. Furthermore, the other end 72 of the piston cylinder 70 is a free end of which an outer peripheral surface is hermetically and slidably engaged with an inner peripheral surface of a step 46 formed at one end of the hollow cylinder 40. Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 is provided with an annular pressure-receiving portion 71 which is configured to extend from the outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 and to be brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40, thereby dividing a space defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40. When the bellows tube 60 is retracted, the pressure-receiving portion 71 is positioned above the through-hole 42 formed at a lower end of the hollow cylinder 40. When the bellows tube 60 is expanded, the piston cylinder 70 is positioned below the through-hole 41 formed at an upper end of the hollow cylinder 40. An end surface of the free end of the piston cylinder 70 is provided with an O-ring 73 that is brought into close contact with the inner wall 14 around the inlet 12 so as to prevent the gas from leaking out. The bellows tube 60 used in this embodiment is manufactured by continuously welding a plurality of ring-shaped leaf springs made of metal, so that the bellows tube can be elastically expanded/retracted and has a longer lifespan and a superior sealing property. The outer diameter of the bellows tube 60 is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder 40. One end of the bellows tube 60 is fixed through welding to a side surface of the flange 50 which faces the outlet 13, while the other end of the bellows tube 60 is fixed through welding to the piston cylinder 70. The flange 50 is provided with a through-hole through which the gas passes. The one end of the bellows tube 60 is welded to an edge of the through-hole. Furthermore, as shown in the figure, the flange 50 is provided with a connection member 51 for connection to external piping. Reference numerals 44, 45 and 74 that have not yet been described designate O-rings for sealing.
The operation of the vacuum gate valve 100 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. When the inlet 12 is intended to be closed as shown in Fig. 1 by moving the valve plate 20 forward, compressed air is supplied through the through-hole 41 at the upper end of the hollow cylinder 40 while the through- hole 42 at the lower end of the hollow cylinder 40 is opened. When the compressed air is supplied, pressure in a space A defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40, the outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 and the pressure- receiving portion 71 becomes higher than that in a space B defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the bellows tube 60, so that a force for pushing the piston cylinder 70 downward is applied. The piston cylinder 70 is moved downward so that the bellows tube 60 is retracted and the free end of the piston cylinder 70 is positioned below the valve plate 20. Then, the piston 32 of the pneumatic cylinder 31 is moved forward so that the valve plate 20 can close the inlet 12,
In order to intend to open the vacuum gate valve 100 and to prevent the exhaust gas from being brought into contact with the actuator 30 as shown in Fig. 2, the pneumatic cylinder is first moved backward from the state shown in Fig. 1. Then, compressed air is supplied through the through-hole 42 at the lower end of the hollow cylinder 40, while the through-hole 41 at the upper end of the hollow cylinder 40 is opened. When the compressed air is supplied, pressure in the space B which is defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the bellows tube 60 is higher than that in the space A which is defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder 40, the outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 and the pressure- receiving portion 71, so that a force for pushing the piston cylinder 70 upward is applied. The piston cylinder 70 causes the bellows tube 60 to be expanded and the end of the free end of the piston cylinder 70 is brought into close contact with the inner wall 14 of the valve casing 10 around the inlet 12. Accordingly, the gas is exhausted though the inlet 12, the hollow of the piston cylinder 70, the inside of the bellows tube 60, and the through-hole of the flange 50, so that the gas does not leak into the inner space 36 of the valve casing 10 in which the actuator 30 is installed. Accordingly, byproducts included in the gas are prevented from being brought into contact with the actuator 30, thereby preventing the vacuum gate valve from being out of order.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a vacuum gate valve according to another embodiment of the present invention. The vacuum gate valve of this embodiment is different from the vacuum gate valve shown in Fig. 1 in that a shielding cylinder 80 and a stopper 90 are further provided, wherein the shielding cylinder 80 is used to prevent the byproducts generated in the chamber from being deposited on the inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube when the inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube is exposed to the exhausted gas, and the stopper 90 is used to limit a retraction stroke of the bellows tube 60.
One end of the shielding cylinder 80 is engaged with an inner peripheral surface of the piston cylinder 70 while the other end of the shielding cylinder 80 is installed to penetrate through the hollow of the bellows tube 60, so that the shielding cylinder 80 can be moved upward/downward together with the piston cylinder 70. Furthermore, the stopper 90 has one end fixed to a side surface of the flange 50 facing the inlet so as to be installed at a predetermined height in a space between the hollow cylinder 40 and the bellows tube 60.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a vacuum gate valve according to a further embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is different from that shown in Fig. 1 in that a molded pleated tube is used instead of the bellows tube 65. The molded pleated tube has an advantage in that it has superior productivity and can be manufactured at low costs as compared with the bellows tube 60 manufactured by welding leaf springs as shown in Fig. 1.
Although the vacuum gate valves of the embodiments described above use the hollow cylinder 40, the bellows tube 60 and the piston cylinder 70 all of which have circular cross-sections, the present invention is not limited thereto. The spirit of the present invention may be applied to a hollow cylinder, the bellows tube and the piston cylinder all of which have rectangular cross-sections. That is, the term 'cylinder' used herein is not intended to be limited to a member having a circular cross-section but means an elongated hollow member having a cross-section with an arbitrary shape.
Industrial Applicability
The present invention provides a vacuum gate valve with a retractable bellows tube, wherein an exhaust gas can be prevented from being brought into contact with an actuator of the vacuum gate valve. Accordingly, byproducts included in the exhaust gas can be prevented from being deposited on the actuator of the vacuum gate valve, thereby increasing the durability of the vacuum gate valve.
The embodiments of the present invention that have been described above and illustrated in the drawings should not be construed as limiting the technical spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes within the technical spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the present invention so far as they are apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A vacuum gate valve, including a valve casing formed with an inlet and an outlet for a fluid, a valve plate installed to be in close contact with an inner wall of the valve casing around the inlet and to be moved forward/backward so as to open/close a flow of the fluid, and an actuator for moving the valve plate forward/backward, the vacuum gate valve comprising: a hollow cylinder having one end hermetically fixed on the side of the outlet of the valve casing, the hollow cylinder having through-holes formed at both ends of an outer peripheral surface thereof; a flange hermitically fixed to the other end of the ho How cylinder and formed with a though-hole; a bellows tube having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow cylinder, the bellows tube being inserted into and installed in the hollow cylinder while one end thereof is coupled to the flange; and a hollow piston cylinder having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder, the piston cylinder being inserted into and installed in the hollow cylinder while one end thereof is coupled to the other end of the bellows tube, the piston cylinder having the other end as a free end of which an outer peripheral surface is hermetically and slidably engaged with an inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder, the piston cylinder being provided with an annular pressure-receiving portion configured to extend from an outer peripheral surface of the piston cylinder and to be brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby dividing a space defined by the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylinder, wherein when the bellows tube is expanded, the other end of the piston cylinder is brought into close contact with the inner wall of the valve casing around the inlet to prevent the fluid from leaking into the valve casing, and when the bellows tube is retracted, the other end of the piston cylinder is positioned below the valve plate so that the valve plate can be moved forward/backward.
2. The vacuum gate valve according to Claim 1, further comprising: a hollow shielding cylinder having one end engaged with the inner peripheral surface of the piston cylinder and the other end installed to penetrate through an hollow of the bellows tube, so that the fluid can be prevented from being brought into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the bellows tube.
3. The vacuum gate valve according to Claim 2, further comprising: a stopper installed between the hollow cylinder and the bellows tube while one end thereof is fixed to the flange.
4. The vacuum gate valve according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the bellows tube is manufactured by welding a plurality of ring-shaped leaf springs made of metal.
5. The vacuum gate valve according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, the bellows tube comprises a molded pleated tube.
PCT/KR2006/005362 2006-06-08 2006-12-08 Vacuum gate valve WO2007142395A1 (en)

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KR1020060051624A KR100740036B1 (en) 2006-06-08 2006-06-08 Vacuum gate valve

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CN101849130A (en) * 2007-11-02 2010-09-29 株式会社V泰克斯 Vacuum gate valve, and gate opening/closing method using the gate valve
WO2010129452A2 (en) * 2009-05-07 2010-11-11 Applied Materials, Inc. Shuttered gate valve
CN104048103A (en) * 2013-03-13 2014-09-17 艾姆斯特工程有限公司 Vacuum isolation valve
CN108150663A (en) * 2018-01-11 2018-06-12 张跃 A kind of vacuum pipe gate
CN108506508A (en) * 2018-06-06 2018-09-07 无锡应达工业有限公司 A kind of vacuum insulation valve system
WO2020049204A1 (en) * 2018-09-05 2020-03-12 Mecanizados Esferimec, S.L. Pivot valve for regulating the flow of a fluid and procedure for regulating the flow of a fluid
JP2020139527A (en) * 2019-02-27 2020-09-03 株式会社フジ・テクノロジー Fluid opening/closing device and fluid opening/closing method
WO2021073838A1 (en) * 2019-10-18 2021-04-22 Vat Holding Ag Arrangement with a valve

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CN101849130A (en) * 2007-11-02 2010-09-29 株式会社V泰克斯 Vacuum gate valve, and gate opening/closing method using the gate valve
US8877001B2 (en) 2009-05-07 2014-11-04 Applied Materials, Inc. Shuttered gate valve
WO2010129452A2 (en) * 2009-05-07 2010-11-11 Applied Materials, Inc. Shuttered gate valve
WO2010129452A3 (en) * 2009-05-07 2011-03-03 Applied Materials, Inc. Shuttered gate valve
CN102422064A (en) * 2009-05-07 2012-04-18 应用材料公司 Shuttered gate valve
CN102422064B (en) * 2009-05-07 2015-11-25 应用材料公司 The gate valve covered
US9328848B2 (en) * 2013-03-13 2016-05-03 Mst Engineering Co., Ltd. Vacuum isolation valve
US20140261756A1 (en) * 2013-03-13 2014-09-18 Mst Engineering Co., Ltd. Vacuum isolation valve
CN104048103A (en) * 2013-03-13 2014-09-17 艾姆斯特工程有限公司 Vacuum isolation valve
CN108150663A (en) * 2018-01-11 2018-06-12 张跃 A kind of vacuum pipe gate
CN108150663B (en) * 2018-01-11 2021-11-02 张跃 Vacuum pipeline gate
CN108506508A (en) * 2018-06-06 2018-09-07 无锡应达工业有限公司 A kind of vacuum insulation valve system
WO2020049204A1 (en) * 2018-09-05 2020-03-12 Mecanizados Esferimec, S.L. Pivot valve for regulating the flow of a fluid and procedure for regulating the flow of a fluid
US11408518B2 (en) 2018-09-05 2022-08-09 Mecanizados Esferimec, S.L. Pivoting valve for regulating the flow of a fluid and procedure for regulating the flow of a fluid
JP2020139527A (en) * 2019-02-27 2020-09-03 株式会社フジ・テクノロジー Fluid opening/closing device and fluid opening/closing method
JP7007685B2 (en) 2019-02-27 2022-01-25 株式会社フジ・テクノロジー Fluid switchgear and fluid switchgear
WO2021073838A1 (en) * 2019-10-18 2021-04-22 Vat Holding Ag Arrangement with a valve
DE102019128228A1 (en) * 2019-10-18 2021-04-22 Vat Holding Ag Arrangement with one valve

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