Valves and valve actuation – Pivoted valves – Gate
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-01
2002-05-14
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Valves and valve actuation
Pivoted valves
Gate
C251S251000, C251S279000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06386511
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gate valve apparatus for a vacuum-processing device.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally in gate valves the valve rod connected to the valve is driven by a link mechanism whereby the open/close operation of the flow path port is performed. In conventional gate valves, when the flow path port is to be closed, the valve is acted upon directly to move along the direction in which the valve rod extends. As a result, the valve is moved to a position that opposes the valve seat. Thereafter, the valve is push pressured to the valve seat. In this way, a conventional gate valve comprises a direct-acting link mechanism for the purpose of moving the valve in the direction in which the valve rod extends.
FIG. 6
, FIG.
7
and
FIG. 8
show the cross-sections of a conventional gate valve configuration.
FIG. 6
is a diagram which shows the cross-section parallel to the valve seat of the gate valve. FIG.
7
and
FIG. 8
are diagrams which show the cross-section orthogonal to the valve seat of the gate valve. FIG.
6
and
FIG. 7
show the state when it is opened and
FIG. 8
shows the state when it is closed.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, FIG.
7
and
FIG. 8
, the valve
10
is housed in the inner part of the valve box
14
. The valve box
14
is provided on a fitted or fixing plate
20
. One end of a drive shaft
12
, as a valve rod, is connected to the valve
10
. The other end of the drive shaft
12
, by way of an opening
16
formed in the lower part of the valve box
14
, leads out to the exterior of the valve box
14
. The drive shaft
12
extends in a direction parallel to the valve seat of the circumferential edge of a flow path port
18
which opens to a side part of the valve box
14
. A link mechanism for driving the drive shaft
12
is provided below the fitted plate
20
. Using this link mechanism, the drive shaft
12
is operated whereby, by the movement of the valve
10
interlocked therewith, opening and closing of the flow path port
18
is performed. The valve
10
, when closed, is in a state in which it is seated on the valve seat.
Next, a description of the configuration of the link mechanism will be given. Two mutually parallel plates
22
connect between the fitted plate
20
and a base plate
44
. These plates
22
are provided in a state in which they are parallel with the direction in which the drive shaft
12
extends. The position in which the drive shaft
12
is deployed is between these plates
22
.
Direct-acting cylinders
24
are provided on one end side of the plates
22
, respectively, and the drive shaft
12
is provided on the other end side of the plates
22
, respectively. The direct-acting cylinders
24
are fitted or fixed to the lower surface of each of the fitted plates
20
by way of cylinder-fitting blocks
32
of the same thickness.
Shafts
26
, to which is attached a flange, are housed in the inner part of the above-noted direct-acting cylinders
24
in such a way as to be able to slide in the same direction as the direction in which the drive shaft
12
extends. The direct-acting cylinders
24
comprise two air ports. When air is introduced into the lower-end side air port
28
the shaft
26
rises. When air is introduced to the upper-end side air port
30
the shaft
26
lowers.
Power transmission plates
34
are connected to the lower end of the shafts
26
in a parallel state to the fitted plate
20
. These power transmission plates
34
, accompanying the rise/lower movement of the shafts
26
, can be raised and lowered along the plates
22
. Spring parts
36
are provided in the center of the power transmission plates
34
. The lower end of the drive shaft
12
is supported on the power transmission plates
34
by way of the spring parts
36
.
A shaft guide
38
is attached to a predetermined position in the center region of the drive shaft
12
. Two pulleys
40
are provided in the shaft guide
38
. These pulleys
40
are supported on the same axis. These pulleys
40
perform a rolling movement along long-holes
42
formed in the plates
22
. Accordingly, the drive shaft
12
is able to have straight movement along the long-holes
42
together with the shaft guide
38
. In addition, the drive shaft
12
and shaft guide
38
can perform rotation movement with the pulleys
40
forming the axis. Stoppers
60
and
62
are respectively provided in the fitted or fixing plate
20
side and direct-acting cylinder
24
side of the long-holes
42
and, as a result, the range of straight movement of the drive shaft
12
and shaft guide
38
is regulated.
The shaft guide
38
and the fitted plate
20
are coupled by a bellows
46
. The drive shaft
12
is deployed in a state in which it is inserted in the bellows
46
. A section of the opening
16
of the valve box
14
is sealed by the bellows
46
so the pressure state within the valve box
14
is maintained.
Power introducing plates
52
, which comprise mutually parallel and opposing plates, are fixed to the power transmission plates
34
. The lower end of the drive shaft
12
is enclosed in a state in which it has freedom to swing between the plates of the power introducing plates
52
. In addition, through-holes which extend in a direction parallel to the axis of the above-noted pulleys
40
are formed in the lower end of the drive shaft
12
, and a cam shaft
48
is inserted into these holes. Cylinder-shaped cams
50
are formed in both ends of this cam shaft
48
, respectively. These cams
50
are fitted into holes
54
formed in the plates of the power introducing plate
52
. The cams
50
can be rolled along the holes
54
. The shape of the holes
54
is formed in such a way that the roll direction of the cams
50
is a state in which it is slightly inclined from the direction in which the drive shaft
12
extends, at the time of opening, to the flow path port
18
side.
Furthermore, power introducing plate guides
56
are arranged on the both sides of power introducing plates
52
, respectively, and are apart therefrom, respectively. These power introducing plate guides
56
are fixed to the power transmission plates
34
. Two pulleys
58
are supported by these power introducing plate guides
56
, and these pulleys
58
can perform a rolling movement along a long hole
63
formed in the plates
22
. These power introducing plate guides
56
are provided with the objective of reducing the twist and slur during the operation of the drive shaft
12
.
Next, a description of the closing operation of the above-described gate valve will be given. First, with the gate valve being in the state as shown in FIG.
6
and
FIG. 7
, air is introduced into the air ports
28
of the direct-acting cylinders
24
. When this is done, the shafts
26
begin to rise in the vertical direction, and the power transmission plates
34
and power introducing plates
52
interlocked therewith start to rise. The power transmission plates
34
push up the lower end of the drive shaft
12
by way of the spring parts
36
. At this time, the cams
50
are positioned in the upper end side of the holes
54
of the power introducing plates
52
. According to the rise of the drive shaft
12
, the shaft guide
38
moves along the plates
22
and the bellows
46
contract. Finally, the pulleys
40
of the shaft guide
38
contact the stopper
60
provided in the fitted plate
20
and the rising movement of the drive shaft
12
is completed. As the result, the valve
10
is in a state in which it opposes the flow path port
18
.
Next, the shafts
26
, power transmission plates
34
and power introducing plates
52
rise. By virtue of this rising movement, the cams
50
roll along the holes
54
of the power introducing plates
52
, and the stance of the drive shaft
12
is altered. That is to say, in order for the roll direction of the cams
50
to be inclined with respect to the rise direction of the shafts
26
, the drive shaft
12
performs a rotation movement with the pulleys
40
of the shaft guide
38
as its axis. By virtue of this rotat
Katsumata Yoshihiro
Takahashi Nobuyuki
Watanabe Kazuhito
Anelva Corporation
Bonderer David A
Burdett James R.
Derakshani Philippe
Venable
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