Vacuum Angle Valve Sliding-Block Guide Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum valves in IC and semiconductor manufacturing are vulnerable to contamination and have issues with precise control and material compatibility, leading to potential gas reactions and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum-tight angle valve design with a motorized drive unit and a guide mechanism that allows for precise control of the valve's opening and closing, using a single material for the flow chamber to minimize contamination and reaction risks, and enabling quick replacement of the drive mechanism without interfering with the flow chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a sliding-block guide mechanism is used for manual operation, then the valve can be operated manually, but the mechanism is vulnerable to contamination and environmental influences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual sliding-block guide mechanism with an automated drive unit that actuates the valve disk directly. This eliminates the need for manual intervention through the vacuum barrier, thereby preventing contamination while maintaining full operational capability through automated control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the drive mechanism from the vacuum environment by positioning it outside the vacuum chamber, connected only through sealed interfaces. This separation removes the vulnerable sliding-block guide from the contamination-prone manual operation path while preserving valve control functionality.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple materials (aluminum and steel) are used in the flow chamber, then the valve can be constructed with functional components, but gas reactions may occur between the gas and materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by constructing the entire flow chamber, valve disk, and bellows from aluminum or aluminum alloys. This single-material approach eliminates galvanic corrosion and chemical reactions between dissimilar materials (aluminum and steel) that could occur in the presence of process gases, while maintaining structural integrity and functional performance.
3Volume of moving object
If the drive mechanism is integrated into the flow chamber, then the valve can be compact, but replacement of the drive mechanism interferes with the flow chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the valve into distinct modular components: the flow chamber assembly and the drive mechanism assembly. The drive unit is positioned externally with only essential sealing interfaces penetrating the vacuum barrier. This modular segmentation allows the drive mechanism to be replaced independently without disturbing the flow chamber integrity or requiring disassembly of critical vacuum components.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve with a valve housing having a first connection along a first axis, a second connection along a second axis and a valve seat which surrounds the first connection arranged in the flow path of a flow chamber. A valve part is displaceable along a movement axis such that a closure surface can interrupt and release the flow path. A motorized drive unit to displace the valve part having a valve rod with a contact element, the drive unit has a guide mechanism with an actuating element configured to rotate about an actuating axis defining an outer track. The distance of the track from the actuating axis is adjustable by a rotation of the actuating element about the actuating axis. A rotation of the actuating element of the valve part is movable so that the interruption or release of the flow path can be provided thereby.