High-conductance, non-sealing throttle valve with projections and stop surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10294560-B2
Application number	US-201314016720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2013
Priority date	Sep 3, 2013
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A throttle valve includes a throttle body including a housing having an inner surface. The throttle body includes first and second stop surfaces arranged on the inner surface. A throttle plate is rotatable inside the housing of the throttle body about a shaft between closed and open positions. A first projection is located on a first surface of the throttle plate adjacent to a radially outer end of the throttle plate. A second projection is located on a second surface of the throttle plate adjacent to a radially outer end of the throttle plate. The second surface is opposite the first surface. The first and second projections extend outwardly from the throttle plate in opposite directions and in corresponding directions of rotational movement of the throttle plate during closing to bias against the second stop surface when the throttle valve is closed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A throttle valve, comprising:
a throttle body including a housing having an inner surface, wherein the throttle body includes first and second stop surfaces arranged on the inner surface;
a shaft that rotates about an axis and that is rotatable relative to the housing;
a throttle plate rotatable inside the housing of the throttle body about the shaft between a closed position and an open position and that includes:
a first projection located on a first surface of the throttle plate adjacent to a radially outer end of the throttle plate,
wherein the first projection has a triangular cross-section, extends outwardly from the first surface of the throttle plate to form a first point in a first direction that is perpendicular to the first surface of the throttle plate, and contacts the first stop surface when the throttle valve is closed; and
a second projection located on a second surface of the throttle plate adjacent to a radially outer end of the throttle plate,
wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface and, when the throttle plate is in the closed position, the first and second surfaces are perpendicular to a flow direction through the housing, and
wherein the second projection has a triangular cross-section, extends outwardly from the second surface of the throttle plate to form a second point in a second direction that is perpendicular to the second surface of the throttle plate, and contacts the second stop surface when the throttle valve is closed.

2. The throttle valve of claim 1 , wherein the first stop surface and the second stop surface have a triangular cross-section.

3. The throttle valve of claim 1 , wherein the first projection and the second projection extend approximately 160° to 180° in a circumferential manner around the first surface and the second surface of the throttle plate.

4. The throttle valve of claim 1 , wherein the first stop surface and the second stop surface extend approximately 160° to 180° in a circumferential manner around the inner surface of the housing.

5. The throttle valve of claim 1 , wherein the first projection and the second projection are rotationally offset on the first and second surfaces of the throttle plate by approximately 180°.

6. The throttle valve of claim 1 , wherein the first stop surface and the second stop surface are rotationally offset by approximately 180° on the inner surface of the housing.

7. The throttle valve of claim 1 , wherein the first and second stop surfaces are spaced in an axial direction of the housing by a distance that is approximately equal to a thickness of the throttle plate, a height of the first projection and a height of the second projection.

8. A throttle valve assembly comprising:
a first throttle valve and a second throttle valve in accordance with the throttle valve of claim 1 ;
a first actuator configured to adjust a position of the first throttle valve;
a second actuator configured to adjust a position of the second throttle valve; and
a conduit including an inlet, a first outlet connected to the first throttle valve, and a second outlet connected to the second throttle valve.

9. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a process chamber;
the throttle valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the inlet of the conduit communicates with the process chamber;
a first vacuum pump connected to the first outlet of the conduit; and
a second vacuum pump connected to the second outlet of the conduit.

10. The substrate processing system of claim 9 , wherein the substrate processing system performs one of atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

11. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a process chamber having an outlet;
a gas delivery system that delivers a first precursor gas into the process chamber during a first period to deposit film on a substrate located within the process chamber;
a throttle valve that is connected to the outlet of the process chamber and that includes a throttle plate having projections,
wherein the projections are configured to, during closing of the throttle valve, cut through debris coating an inner surface of the throttle valve due to buildup of the first precursor gas; and
a vacuum pump that removes reactants from the process chamber through the throttle valve.

12. The substrate processing system of claim 11 wherein the gas delivery system further delivers a second precursor gas into the process chamber during a second period to deposit film on the substrate,
wherein the second precursor gas is incompatible with the first precursor gas.

13. The substrate processing system of claim 12 further comprising:
a second throttle valve that is connected to the outlet of the process chamber and that includes a second throttle plate having second projections configured to, during closing of the second throttle valve, cut through debris coating a second inner surface of the second throttle valve due to buildup of the second precursor gas;
a second vacuum pump that removes reactants from the process chamber through the second throttle valve; and
a controller that, based on whether the first precursor gas or the second precursor gas is being delivered to the process chamber, one of:
opens the throttle valve and operates the vacuum pump; and
opens the second throttle valve and operates the second vacuum pump.

14. The substrate processing system of claim 11 wherein the projections have triangular cross-sections.

15. The substrate processing system of claim 11 wherein:
the projections are located on first and second surfaces of the throttle plate adjacent to outer ends of the throttle plate,
the first and second surfaces are perpendicular to the inner surface of the throttle valve when the throttle plate is in a closed position, and
the projections extend outwardly from the first and second surfaces of the throttle plate to points in directions that are perpendicular to the first and second surfaces.

16. A non-sealing throttle valve, comprising:
a throttle body including a housing having an inner surface, wherein the throttle body includes first and second stop surfaces arranged on the inner surface, the first and second stop surfaces having triangular cross-sections;
a shaft that rotates about an axis and that is rotatable relative to the housing;
a throttle plate rotatable inside the housing of the throttle body about the shaft between a closed position and an open position and that includes:
a first projection that has a triangular cross-section to cut through debris on the inner surface and that is located on a first surface of the throttle plate adjacent to a radially outer end of the throttle plate,
wherein the first projection extends outwardly from the first surface of the throttle plate in a first direction that is perpendicular to the first surface and contacts the first stop surface when the throttle valve is closed; and
a second projection that has a triangular cross-section to cut through debris on the inner surface and that is located on a second surface of the throttle plate adjacent to a radially outer end of the throttle plate,
wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface and, when the throttle plate is in the closed position, the first and second surfaces are perpendicular to a flow direction through the housing, and
wherein the second projection extends outwardly from the second surface of the throttle plate in a second direction that is perpendicular to the second surface and that contacts the second stop surface when the throttle valve is closed.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Rudolph Dirk
• Xavier Antonio

Classifications

• C23C16/4412

  Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps · CPC title

• C23C14/56 Primary

  Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks · CPC title

• F16K51/00

  Other details not peculiar to particular types of valves or cut-off apparatus · CPC title

• Y10T137/86863

  Rotary valve unit · CPC title

• F16K1/226

  Shaping or arrangements of the sealing · CPC title