Abstract: A method for controlling or regulating a vacuum valve that includes a valve body (1) with a valve opening (2), a closing member (3), an actuator (5) for moving the closing member (3), and a control device (9) by which the actuator (5) is triggered and by which the pressing force acting on the elastic seal (4) in the closed position of the closing member (3) is set. The setting of the pressing force acting on the elastic seal (4) is performed as a function of at least one parameter that can be input by a user.

Abstract: A method for controlling or regulating a vacuum valve that includes: a valve body (1) with a valve opening (2); a closing member (3) that can be moved between an open position and a closed position over a closing path (s) for closing the vacuum valve and that closes the valve opening (2) in the closed position, in which at least one elastic seal (4) is pressed onto a seal face (35); an actuator (5) for moving the closing member (3); and a control device (9) by which the actuator (5) can be triggered; the point (p) of the closing path (s) at which the elastic seal (4) contacts the seal face (35) and/or a velocity (v) of the closing member (3) at that point is used as a controlling parameter for the control device (9).

Abstract: Improved gate movement is provided in a wet process environment in which fluid collecting from a gate occurs adjacent to an access opening provided in a wall of a process chamber while the gate is moved relative to the opening. A minimum space environment is adjacent to the chamber due to a requirement for fluid collection next to the opening, yet the gate movement is provided without interference with a wafer transfer unit that moves the wafer through the access opening. Drives are configured within the minimum space environment to move the gate into and out of alignment with the opening and when aligned, to move the gate into and out of a gate closure position. The configuration of the drives avoids interference with the wafer transfer unit and the gate is received in a fluid collector during the gate movement to provide fluid collection during the wafer transfer.

Abstract: A valve has a closure member for closing a valve orifice, particularly so as to be tight against gas, in a closed position of the closure member. The closure member can be moved in a closing process by at least one actuator starting from a first position of maximum opening at least along a first partial distance with a linear movement component in direction of its closed position, and the actuator carries out a closing stroke with a linear stroke direction for a movement of the closure member with this movement component. The actuator is so arranged in relation to the closure member that an angle diverging from 0° and 180° is provided between the linear movement component of the closure member along the first partial distance, proceeding from the first position of maximum opening, and the linear stroke direction of the actuator.

Abstract: A vacuum gate valve includes a closure disk for gas-tight closing of an opening. A connecting rod with which the closure disk is coupled is linearly adjustable by means of a linear drive unit and the closure disk is thus displaceable between a position uncovering the opening and an intermediate position pushed over the opening. At least two limbs are pivotably mounted at one limb end on the back of the closure disk via a first joint and at the other limb end on a support via a second joint to press the closure disk into the closed position. The limbs, the back and the support form an articulated parallelogram. Each of the limbs forms, with the respective first and second joints, a common integral part which includes a resilient material, the first joint and the second joint being formed by a flexible section on the limb.

Abstract: A split gate is movably mounted within a valve body along a valve axis between valve seats. The split gate has gates, each extending between one of the valve seats and the other gate. In an open position, gate holes register with a fluid aperture and the valve seats to permit fluid flow. In the closed position, the holes do not register with the fluid aperture to prevent fluid flow. The split gate valve also has a gate guide located in the body for moving the gates with respect to the valve seats along the fluid axis. The gate guide forces the pair of gates apart along the fluid axis and into contact with the valve seats in both the open and closed positions. The gates have axial play along the fluid axis when the split gate is between the open and closed positions.

Abstract: A pressure management apparatus including a housing (30) defining a fluid communication passage between first and second fluid ports (46, 48). A poppet (40) is disposed in the housing and is movable between first and second positions. The first position prevents fluid communication between the first and second fluid ports, and the second position permits fluid communication between the first and second fluid ports. The poppet includes a portion (75) translatable along an axis relative to the housing. A member (78) is fixed with respect to the housing and is associated with the portion of the poppet. Spring structure (72) is associated with the portion of the poppet. The spring structure is constructed and arranged to engage and bias the portion of the poppet to frictionally engage a portion of the member to create a dashpot damping of resonance of the poppet in the second position.

Abstract: A resilient seat seal for a valve. The seal has a closed liquid-filled void therewithin, and the liquid redistributes within the seal as a portion of the seal is compressed, thereby causing effective sealing by all portions of the seal. Examples are shown with the seal used in a knife gate valve, a ball valve, and a butterfly valve. Preferably the seal is made of elastomer or polymer material such as GFLT (“good for low temperature”) FKM. The liquid within the void of the seal is preferably an antifreeze liquid such as ethylene glycol.

Abstract: A gate valve comprising a valve body including at least a first seat adjacent to a groove. A gate is slideably carried in the valve body for movement between an open position wherein the gate is spaced from the at least one seat and a closed position wherein a portion of the gate is positioned within the groove and the gate is sealingly engaged with the at least one seat. A bridging member is biasedly positioned within the groove and is configured to substantially bridge the groove when the gate is in the open position.

Abstract: To reduce invasion and adhesion of foreign matters into and onto the gating-member retreat room in the transition from the gate-open state to the gate-close state including retreat and on-shutting-movement of the gating-member. The shutter, being moved in the shuttering movement room, shuts the entrance aperture by making the shutter sealing contact with the stationary seal by such movement of the shutter itself when the gating-member is accommodated in the gating-member retreat room, and, also being moved in the shuttering movement room, shuts the entrance aperture by making the shutter sealing contact with the second gate seal by such movement of the shutter itself when the gating-member, being moved in the shuttering movement room, shuts the exhaust port by making the first gate seal contact with the stationary seal by such movement of the gating-member itself.

Abstract: A gate valve for a vacuum chamber comprises two carriers (5a) each connected to a frame structure providing an essentially plane front by two parallel links (6) and to an actuating rod (12a) by parallel levers (14). Upward motion of the actuating rods (12a) by a piston (17) causes, via the levers (14), upward motion of the carriers (5a) which is transformed into a circular motion by the links (6) where the carriers (5a) at the same time approach the front while remaining parallel to it, moving sealing plates (9) which are fixed to the carriers (5a) to an active position where they press against the front and seal openings (3) therein. Retraction of the piston (17) effects an inverse motion, whereby the sealing plates (9) are completely removed from the openings (3) and the latter made easily accessible.

Abstract: A slide valve is provided, in which the conductance in the minimum region is controllable with high accuracy to enable stable control, a slide plate is prevented from plastically deforming to acquire good controllability of the minimum flow rate, and it is possible to detach a valve element and an air drive portion integrally with the slide plate, thereby facilitating the maintenance. The slide valve includes a body having a flow path, a slide plate provided within the body and between a closing position preventing a flow on the flow path and an open position permitting the flow, disposed perpendicularly relative to a flow path axis and movable horizontally or on a straight line, and a valve element incorporated in the slide plate and operated in a direction of the flow path axis to switch between the closing position and the open position of the slide plate by air cylinder drive.

Abstract: A movable member is fitted in the middle in the vertical direction of a valve body core fitting that forms a gate valve body, and the movable member presses an elastic seal member from the inside of the seal member toward a tube inner wall surface located in a direction crossing the direction of insertion of the seal member. The movable member has arms and contact sections. The arms each have a second inclined section for pressing the elastic seal member against the tube inner wall surface upon receiving pressing action from a first inclined section that is formed on a pressing member and changes the direction of pressing. The contact sections are in contact with and press the inside of the elastic seal member. The contact sections of the movable member have recesses having inside the elastic seal member.

Abstract: Embodiments of a valve assembly for a process chamber having improved seal performance are provided herein. In some embodiments, a valve assembly for a process chamber includes a housing having an opening disposed in a wall thereof and through which a substrate may be transferred; a door movably coupled to the housing in a plane substantially parallel to the wall of the housing for selectively sealing the opening; a compressible sealing member disposed at least partly between an upper surface of the door and a corresponding surface of the housing for forming a seal therebetween by compression of the compressible sealing member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wall when the door is in a closed position; and a mechanism for restricting the exposure of the compressible sealing member to an environment on a process chamber side of the housing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve, in particular a pendulum or slide gate valve, for essentially gastight closing of a flow path (F). The valve includes a valve housing (1) having a first wall (2) which has a first opening (3) and a first valve seat (4), a valve plate (5) having a closing side (6) with a first sealing ring (7) and at least one drive (8). By action of the drive (8), the valve plate (5) is pivotable or displaceable from an opened position (A) essentially parallel to the first valve seat (4), and the perpendicular distance between the valve plate (5), and the first valve seat (4) can be reduced so that, in the closed position (C), the flow path (F) is closed essentially gastight by an axially sealing contact between the first sealing ring (7) and the first valve seat (4).

Abstract: For a vacuum valve including a wall (1) with a valve opening (6) and a valve seat surrounding the valve opening (6) and a valve plate (7), during the closing of the vacuum valve starting from the open position of the valve plate (7), the valve plate (7) is moved over a main section of the closing path in a main closing direction (14) that is parallel to the valve plate (7) and parallel to the plane of the sealing surface (10) or the sealing ring of the valve seat, and is then moved, following the main section of the closing path, over a final section running at an angle to the valve plate (7) and at an angle to the plane of the sealing surface (10) or the sealing ring of the valve seat for guiding the valve plate (7) onto the valve seat.

Abstract: An object is to provide a gate valve capable of preventing operational deficiencies caused by particulate materials accumulating in a valve box, thus providing superior sealing properties and high durability, having a simple structure, and allowing inspection and maintenance to be performed easily.

Abstract: A vacuum valve comprises a valve body with a valve opening, a valve plate which is adjustable from an open position, in which it releases the valve opening, to an intermediate position, in which it covers the valve opening but is lifted from the valve seat, into a closed position in which it contacts the valve seat, and from the closed position to the intermediate position into the open position, a valve rod carrying the valve plate, a transverse drive unit by which the valve plate can be displaced in a transverse adjusting direction extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the valve opening, a longitudinal drive unit by which the valve plate can be displaced in a longitudinal adjusting direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve opening and opposite the longitudinal adjusting direction, and a guide device by which the transverse drive unit is guided so as to be displaceable relative to the valve body parallel to the longitudinal adjusting direction.

Abstract: A vacuum valve including a valve body with a valve orifice, a closure member for closing the valve orifice, a first piston-cylinder unit, a second piston-cylinder unit, a first control element, and a second control element. When opening the vacuum valve, a pressure medium line, which applies pressure to the opening cylinder space of the second piston-cylinder unit, is blocked during the first part of the opening process, and is released at the end of the first part of the opening process by the first control element. When closing the vacuum valve, a pressure medium line, which applies pressure to the closing cylinder space of the first piston-cylinder unit, is blocked during the first part of the closing process, and is released by the second control element at the end of the first part of the closing process.

Abstract: To provide a mechanism in which a moving body can be stored in a housing. A gate valve has a slide plate and a moving mechanism for changing the positions in the radial and axial directions of the slide plate. A shaft is a rotating shaft the axial displacement of which is controlled by an axial driving mechanism and the angle of rotation of which is controlled by a radial driving mechanism, and is tumably supported in the housing by a shaft supporting spring consisting of a magnetic bearing and a conical coil spring. By controlling the attraction force of a balance weight in an electromagnet, the shaft can be moved in the radial direction. Also, by controlling the attraction force of an electromagnet target in the electromagnet, the shaft can be moved in the axial direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve, in particular a pendulum or slide gate valve, for essentially gastight closing of a flow path (F). The valve includes a valve housing (1; 1a) having a first wall (2) which has a first opening (3) and a first valve seat (4), a valve disk (5) having a closing side (6) with a sealing ring (7) and at least one drive (8). Through drive (8), the valve disk (5) is pivotable or displaceable from an opened position (A) essentially parallel to the first valve seat (4), and the perpendicular distance between the valve disk (5), and the first valve seat (4) can be reduced so that, in the closed position (C), the flow path (F) is closed essentially gastight by an axially sealing contact between the sealing ring (7) and the first valve seat (4).

Abstract: A vacuum valve comprises a valve housing which has an inlet opening and an outlet opening penetrating opposite walls of the valve housing, a valve seat surrounding the inlet opening, and a closure unit which is arranged in an interior space of the valve housing and which has a valve plate which is adjustable between an open position in which it releases the inlet opening, an intermediate position in which it covers the inlet opening but is lifted from the valve seat, and a closed position in which it covers the inlet opening and is pressed against the valve seat, and at least one adjusting piston which is arranged in an interior space of the closure unit and, for the purpose of adjusting the valve plate between its intermediate position and its closed position, is displaceable in direction of its longitudinal center axis between a passive position in which the valve plate is in its intermediate position and an active position in which the valve plate is in its closed position.

Abstract: A closure device for closing an opening in a wall in a vacuum-tight manner comprises a closure plate, a carrying unit which carries the closure plate and which has at least one longitudinal piston-cylinder unit, and a base unit which carries the carrying unit and has at least one transverse piston-cylinder unit. A closing cylinder space of the at least one longitudinal piston-cylinder unit is connected to a closing cylinder space of the transverse piston-cylinder unit, or of at least one of the transverse piston-cylinder units, by means of a closing pressure gas channel, and an opening cylinder space of the at least one longitudinal piston-cylinder unit is connected to an opening cylinder space of the transverse piston-cylinder unit, or of at least one of the transverse piston-cylinder units, by means of an opening pressure gas channel.

Abstract: A slide valve is provided, in which the conductance in the minimum region is controllable with high accuracy to enable stable control, a slide plate is prevented from plastic deformation to acquire good controllability of the minimum flow rate, and it is made possible to detach a valve element and an air drive portion integrally with the slide plate, thereby facilitating the maintenance. The slide valve 1 includes a body 3 having a flow path 2, a slide plate 4 provided within the body 3 and between a closing position preventing a flow on the flow path 2 and an open position permitting the flow, disposed perpendicularly relative to a flow path axis and movable horizontally or on a straight line, and a valve element 13 incorporated in the slide plate 4 and operated in a direction of the flow path axis to switch between the closing position and the open position of the slide plate by means of air cylinder drive.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method and apparatus for grounding a chamber isolation valve. In one embodiment, a grounded chamber isolation valve for a plasma processing system is described. The chamber isolation valve includes a door and a bracing member movably attached to and opposing the door, and at least one electrically conductive member in electrical communication with the door, the at least one electrically conductive member comprising one or more reaction bumpers disposed on the bracing member that are adapted to contact at least one grounded component of the plasma processing system when the door is in the closed position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for grounding a chamber isolation valve are provided. Generally, the method makes use of an electrically conductive elastomeric member or members to effectively ground a chamber isolation valve and/or isolation valve door while avoiding metal-to-metal contact between moving parts in the processing system. In one embodiment, the elastomeric member is attached to and in electrical communication with the door of the chamber isolation valve. The elastomeric member is brought into contact with a grounded component of the plasma processing system when the door is in the closed position. In another embodiment, the conductive elastomeric member is attached to a bracing member of the isolation valve and is brought into contact with a grounded component of the plasma processing system when the bracing member is deployed to hold the isolation valve door in place during substrate processing. Other configurations are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vacuum gate valve comprising a closure disk for gas-tight closing of an opening by displacement over the opening and pressing of the closure disk onto the opening. A connecting rod with which the closure disk is coupled is linearly adjustable by means of a linear drive unit and the closure disk is thus displaceable between a position uncovering the opening and an intermediate position in which said disk is pushed over the opening. For pressing the closure disk with its closing side onto the valve seat into the closed position by means of an engagement element, at least two limbs are pivotably mounted at one limb end on the back of the closure disk via a first joint and at the other limb end on a support via a second joint. The limbs, the back and the support form an articulated parallelogram.

Abstract: A gate valve including a valve housing defining a valve chamber having an opening therethrough along a flow path, a gate support supported within the valve housing between a closed position in the flow path, an open position outside of the flow path, and a service position extending out of the valve housing, and a dual actuator assembly having a service piston assembly having a service piston reciprocable within the valve housing, and an inner piston assembly having an inner piston reciprocable within the service piston assembly. The gate support is configured to reciprocate with the inner piston between the closed and open positions, and with the service piston between the closed and the service positions. A method of using the gate valve is also disclosed.

Abstract: The improved vacuum gate of the present invention is capable of airtight isolation or interconnecting between two vacuum chambers. The improved vacuum gate is based on mechanical mechanism which simplifies the whole vacuum gate structure and provides more practical and economical usage. Two reverse L-shaped of the first guiding trenches are used to guide and allow the gate door of the gate box to move both in vertical and horizontal directions in such that the vacuum gate can air seal the vacuum chambers and provide enough force to open and close the vacuum chambers even when the vacuum pressure is increased or when the difference in thrust pressure is increased between the two vacuum chambers. Further, different types of the tubes and bellows can be used in the improved vacuum gate depended on the application of the vacuum gate in the different conditions of the gate valve close-open cycles.

Abstract: A slide arrangement for blocking or closing off a channel disposed between a coal pulverizer and coal dust burners, and conveying a gas having a high proportion of coal dust. The slide arrangement includes a housing disposed in the channel wall and a shroud or steel structure laterally connected to the housing. A passage for a slide plate is provided in a wall of the housing facing the shroud or steel structure. The passage can be closed off by a closure member except for a narrow gap. The closure member has a circumferential seal that rests against the rearward side of the housing wall. The closure member also has a wear plate that when the closure member is closed is flush with the inner side of the housing wall and forms a smooth passageway.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber having a gate valve including a chamber housing defining an internal vacuum region and first and second openings through the chamber housing and a gate valve secured to the chamber housing. The gate valve includes a sealing door located in the processing region and configured to seal the first opening in the chamber housing; a vertical actuator located outside the chamber housing; a one-sided horizontal actuator located within the processing region and connected to the sealing door; and a valve shaft extending through the second opening in the chamber housing and connecting the vertical actuator to the one-sided horizontal actuator.

Abstract: A vacuum valve comprises a valve housing which has an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a valve disk which is located in the interior space of the valve housing and which is arranged at a carrying arm that is rigidly connected to a shaft which, for purposes of opening and closing the vacuum valve, is rotatable around its longitudinal axis and displaceable in axial direction, and a driving device for opening and closing the vacuum valve. The driving device comprises a rotary drive for rotating the shaft. The driving device further comprises a driving piston which is arranged in an inner cavity of the valve disk and which has, at least over portions of its circumference, a radial extension which is larger than the outlet opening with respect to the center longitudinal axis of the outlet opening and at which tappets are arranged on the side facing the outlet opening.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve, in particular a shuffle or sliding valve, for essentially gastight closing of a flow path (F). The valve includes a valve housing (1;1a) having a first wall (2) which has a first opening (3) and a first valve seat (4), a valve disk (5) having a closing side (6) with a sealing ring (7) and at least one drive (8). Through the drive (8), the valve disk (5) is pivotable or displaceable from an opened position (A) essentially parallel to the first valve seat (4), and the perpendicular distance between the valve disk (5), and the first valve seat (4) can be reduced so that, in the closed position (C), the flow path (F) is closed essentially gastight by an axially sealing contact between the sealing ring (7) and the first valve seat (4).

Abstract: A device and method for locking out an explosion suppressor that includes a discharge valve with a load end and a discharge end. The load end and the discharge end define a discharge path therethrough. The discharge valve includes a side opening transverse of the discharge path. A storage container is connected to the discharge valve at the load end. The storage container delivers a pressurized fluid to the discharge valve through the load end when the system is in a discharge mode. A lockout member is removably insertable into the side opening. The lockout member mechanically blocks the discharge path, whereby the lockout member prevents inadvertent fluid discharge through the discharge end of the discharge path. The presence of the lockout member is monitored by a magnetic switch.

Abstract: The invention provides a highly reliable plasma processing apparatus having stable sealing performance.

Abstract: A closure device for closing an opening in a wall in a vacuum-tight manner comprises a closure plate, a carrying unit which carries the closure plate and which has at least one longitudinal piston-cylinder unit, and a base unit which carries the carrying unit and has at least one transverse piston-cylinder unit. A closing cylinder space of the at least one longitudinal piston-cylinder unit is connected to a closing cylinder space of the transverse piston-cylinder unit, or of at least one of the transverse piston-cylinder units, by means of a closing pressure gas channel, and an opening cylinder space of the at least one longitudinal piston-cylinder unit is connected to an opening cylinder space of the transverse piston-cylinder unit, or of at least one of the transverse piston-cylinder units, by means of an opening pressure gas channel.

Abstract: An inexpensive and reliable vacuum processing apparatus is provided. The vacuum processing apparatus comprises a sealed gate located between two vacuum vessels for allowing them to communicate with each other and a sample subjected to processing to be transferred from one of the vacuum vessels to the other therethrough; and a gate valve located on a path of the gate, the gate valve including a first and second valve body facing a first and second opening, respectively, and a shaft to which the valve bodies are coupled at one end thereof, the gate valve selectively opening and closing each of the openings. The gate valve includes an axial drive section coupled to the other end of the shaft for moving the shaft in the axial direction thereof, and a rotary drive section located between the one end and the other end of the shaft for rotating the shaft about a predetermined pivot crossing the axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A slide arrangement for blocking or closing off a channel disposed between a coal pulverizer and coal dust burners, and conveying a gas having a high proportion of coal dust. The slide arrangement includes a housing disposed in the channel wall and a shroud or steel structure laterally connected to the housing. A passage for a slide plate is provided in a wall of the housing facing the shroud or steel structure. The passage can be closed off by a closure member except for a narrow gap. The closure member has a circumferential seal that rests against the rearward side of the housing wall. The closure member also has a wear plate that when the closure member is closed is flush with the inner side of the housing wall and forms a smooth passageway.

Abstract: A vacuum valve comprises a valve housing which has an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a valve disk which is located in the interior space of the valve housing and which is arranged at a carrying arm that is rigidly connected to a shaft which, for purposes of opening and closing the vacuum valve, is rotatable around its longitudinal axis and displaceable in axial direction, and a driving device for opening and closing the vacuum valve. The driving device comprises a rotary drive for rotating the shaft. The driving device further comprises a driving piston which is arranged in an inner cavity of the valve disk and which has, at least over portions of its circumference, a radial extension which is larger than the outlet opening with respect to the center longitudinal axis of the outlet opening and at which tappets are arranged on the side facing the outlet opening.

Abstract: An opening/closing mechanism for a vacuum processing apparatus comprises a link mechanism comprising a supporting member having first and second valve elements for closing first and second opening portions, and a base end side member rotatably attached at a rear edge portion side of the supporting member through a rotation axis, a guide mechanism rotatably supporting the supporting member to a horizontal moving direction of the first and second valve elements while restricting the vertical moving range of the supporting member, first and second guide members which move the rotation axis of the link mechanism to a vertical direction and at the top portion to the horizontal direction, and first and second vertical moving mechanisms which vertically move the first guide member, the second guide member and the base edge side member.

Abstract: The invention provides a vacuum gate valve for closing off an opening. The vacuum gate valve can have a valve plate that can be turned so that the alignment of the valve plate will adapt to a valve seat when the valve plate is pressed against the valve seat.

Abstract: A sluicing valve device in which a valve element is arranged in case members attachable to a pipe, and the valve element comprises a valve element core metal fitting, an elastic seal member covering the same, and a lifting and lowering shaft formed into a rod shape along an insertion direction in order to move the valve element core metal fitting along the insertion direction inside of the pipe, wherein the valve element core metal fitting supports the elastic seal member inserted into the pipe and presses the same from the insertion direction to deform elastically, and a guide portion preventing the elastic seal member from protruding in an axial center direction of the pipe is formed on a tip end side in the insertion direction.

Abstract: A method for controlling a vacuum valve arranged between two vacuum chambers comprises a valve body with a valve opening, a closure member which closes the valve opening in a closed state of the vacuum valve and which releases the valve opening in an open state of the vacuum valve, wherein, for closing the valve opening by the closure member in the closed state of the vacuum valve, at least one flexible seal contacts a sealing surface of the vacuum valve, which sealing surface is acted upon by a pressing force in the closed state of the vacuum valve, an actuating device for opening and closing the vacuum valve with at least one actuator by which the seal is placed against the sealing surface for closing the vacuum valve, and with a control unit which controls this at least one actuator, pressure measurement values being supplied to this control unit as input signals from pressure sensors which detect the respective pressure in the two vacuum chambers, wherein a differential pressure between the two vacuum cha

Abstract: An actuator assembly for a slit valve door is configured to maintain a slit valve in a closed condition notwithstanding a high pressure differential between adjacent chambers that the slit valve isolates from each other. The slit valve door actuator assembly includes an actuator which moves the slit valve door between open and closed positions, and a locking mechanism to keep the slit valve door in a position to seal the slit valve in resistance to high gas pressure against the slit valve door. The locking mechanism may include a hard stop which is selectively movable into position to block retracting movement of the slit valve door.

Abstract: A regulating vacuum valve comprises a valve housing with a through-channel, first and second valve plates which lie in adjacent and parallel planes and are mounted so as to be adjustable in their planes and can be moved into the through-channel from different sides proceeding from an open position in which they lie laterally adjacent to the through-channel to form a through-opening through the valve, the size of the through-opening being adjustable; a seal connection piece which is supported so as to be displaceable in the through-channel and is sealed relative to the valve housing, wherein, in order to provide a sealed state of the valve, the first valve plate is movable into a position in which it completely cover the through-channel and in which the seal connection piece is adjustable to the first valve plate and is accordingly sealed relative to the first valve plate by at least one sealing ring.

Abstract: In a slide valve closure for the casting of a metal melt a slider plate and a stationary closure part are braced against each other by means of spring units or by other means. There is provided a casing framework attachable to a mould or the like, in which is fixed a detachable casing part on which the spring units are held and in which the stationary closure part and the slider plate can be accommodated. This allows safe operation and simple and rapid mounting and dismounting of the slide valve closure.

Abstract: Regulating slide valve comprising a valve body having a valve opening, and a valve plate which has two side surfaces and which is displaceable along a displacement path between an initial position in which it releases the valve opening and an end position in which it completely covers the valve opening, this displacement path forming the regulating area of the valve; wherein the valve plate has a contact ring on one side surface, which contact ring projects over the side surface of the valve plate and is mounted at or in the valve plate by a spring device, can be pressed in against the spring force of the spring device in the direction of the valve plate and contacts a contact surface of the valve body at least over a portion of its circumference in the end position of the valve plate.

Abstract: A gate valve apparatus comprising an elastic seal member inserted into a pipe, a pressure member for elastically deforming the elastic seal member under pressure, a drive shaft for moving the pressure member along the direction of insertion, a movable member for keeping the elastic seal member in pressure contact with the inner wall surface of the pipe, and a support member for supporting the elastic seal member. The elastic seal member is elastically deformed and kept in close contact with the inner wall surface of the pipe thereby to gate the flow path in the pipe. The elastic seal member includes a through hole which is formed nearer to the forward end portion along the direction of insertion than the guide hole of the support member and by way of which the forward end portion of the drive shaft can be inserted.

Abstract: A valve assembly including a housing having a flow channel, a slide plate movable between a closed position and an opened position, and a seal ring surrounding the flow channel and engaging the slide plate in the closed position and disengaging the slide plate in the opened position. The seal ring has a plurality of bores aligned, respectively, with holes formed in an adjacent surface of the housing. Each bore includes an undercut defining a lip. A plurality of fasteners are arranged in the holes of the annular surface of the housing and extend into the corresponding bores of the seal ring. Side walls of the fasteners include slots, which catch on the lips of the bores of the seal ring when the fasteners are inserted into the bores of the seal ring, and the seal ring is rotated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide structures for reducing erosion of a slit valve utilized in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. Specifically, non-metallic slit valve components such as a compressible sealing member and a barrier that assist in sealing the valve closure against the slit valve seat, are positioned on the valve seat rather than on the valve closure. This orientation removes the seal and the seal barrier from the direct line of sight of the plasma within the processing chamber, reducing exposure of the sealing member and seal barrier slit valve components to erosion and thereby extending the lifetime of the valve.