Closure element for a vacuum seal having a friction stir welding connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876637-B2
Application number	US-201615282146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Oct 2, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Closure element for a vacuum valve having a valve disk realized for the gas-tight closure of a process volume by means of interaction with a vacuum valve opening of the vacuum valve provided for the process volume, wherein the valve disk comprises a closure side and an oppositely situated rear side which is substantially parallel thereto and a first sealing face which is assigned to the closure side and corresponds to a second sealing face of the vacuum valve opening, in particular with regard to form and size, with cured-on sealing material, wherein the second sealing face runs around the vacuum valve opening, and a cross carrier with a receiving means for a drive component transversely with respect to an extension direction of the cross carrier, wherein the cross carrier is connected to the valve disk on the rear side of the valve disk at at least one connection point. The connection of the cross carrier to the valve disk comprises a friction stir welding connection at the at least one connection point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A closure element for a vacuum valve having
a valve disk realized for a gas-tight closure of a process volume by means of interaction with a vacuum valve opening of the vacuum valve provided for the process volume,
wherein the valve disk
comprises a closure side and an oppositely situated rear side which is parallel thereto and
a first sealing face which is assigned to the closure side and corresponds to a second sealing face of the vacuum valve opening, wherein the second sealing face runs around the vacuum valve opening, and

a cross carrier, wherein the cross carrier is connected to the valve disk on the rear side of the valve disk at at least one connection point,
wherein the connection of the cross carrier to the valve disk at the at least one connection point comprises a friction stir welding connection, whereby contaminating particle sources in the region of the connection are avoided, and
wherein on the closure side the valve disk comprises an indentation which is assigned to the at least one connection point, wherein the indentation extends parallel to an axis which is orthogonal with respect to a plane which is defined by the form and/or surface of the rear side or of the closure side.

2. The closure element according to claim 1 , wherein the cross carrier is connected to the rear side of the valve disk at two connection points, wherein each of the two are realized by means of a friction stir welding connection.

3. The closure element according to claim 2 , wherein the receiving means is arranged or formed centrally on the cross carrier and the two connection points are arranged horizontally on both sides relative to the receiving means.

4. The closure element according to claim 1 , wherein the indentation extends in the direction of the axis over a defined depth, wherein the depth is greater than a material thickness of the cross carrier or of the valve disk at the at least one connection point.

5. The closure element according to claim 1 , wherein the indentation of the cross carrier is formed in such a manner that the indentation extends right through the cross carrier and projects into the valve disk.

6. The closure element according to claim 1 , wherein the indentation of the valve disk is formed in such a manner that the indentation extends right through the valve disk and projects into the cross carrier.

7. The closure element according to claim 1 , wherein a material bond, which is created by intermittent plasticizing of materials of the cross carrier and of the valve disk, is present in a transition region at the at least one connection point, wherein the transition region is defined at the at least one connection point by a portion which extends along an axis via a contact point of the cross carrier with the valve disk, the axis is orthogonal with respect to a plane which is defined by the form and/or surface of the rear side or of the closure side.

8. The closure element according to claim 1 , wherein the friction stir welding connection embodies a homogeneous material transition between the valve disk and the cross carrier.

9. The closure element according to claim 1 , wherein the first sealing face comprises a cured-on sealing material and corresponds to the second sealing face of the vacuum valve opening with regard to form and size.

10. The closure element according to claim 1 , wherein the cross carrier comprises a receiving means for a drive component transversely with respect to an extension direction of the cross carrier.

11. A vacuum valve for the gas-tight closure of a process volume, said vacuum valve comprising:
a valve housing which comprises a vacuum valve opening and a valve seat which runs around the vacuum valve opening and comprises a second sealing face,
a valve disk for the substantial gas-tight closing of the vacuum valve opening with a first sealing face which corresponds to the second sealing face, the valve disk comprises a closure side and an oppositely situated rear side which is substantially parallel thereto, a cross carrier, wherein the cross carrier is connected to the valve disk on the rear side of the valve disk at at least one connection point,
a drive unit which is coupled with the cross carrier, which drive unit is realized in such a manner that the valve disk is adjustable from an open position, in which the valve disk releases the vacuum valve opening, into a closed position, in which the first sealing face of the valve disk is pressed onto the second sealing face and the vacuum valve opening is closed in a gas-tight manner,
and back,
wherein the connection between the cross carrier and the valve disk at the at least one connection point comprises a friction stir welding connection, whereby contaminating particle sources in the region of the connection are avoided, and
wherein on the closure side the valve disk comprises an indentation which is assigned to the at least one connection point, wherein the indentation extends parallel to an axis which is orthogonal with respect to a plane which is defined by the form and/or surface of the rear side or of the closure side.

12. The vacuum valve according to claim 11 , wherein the cross carrier comprises a receiving means for a drive component transversely with respect to an extension direction of the cross carrier.

13. The vacuum valve according to claim 11 , wherein as a result of a capability of the valve disk to move along a geometric transverse axis, which extends at right angles with respect to the longitudinal axis, the valve disk is adjustable in a transverse closing direction into an intermediate position, in which the valve disk covers the vacuum valve opening and a closure side of the valve disk is situated in a position at a spacing opposite the valve seat, and back.

14. The vacuum valve according to claim 11 , wherein the valve disk and the cross carrier comprises a closure element, wherein the valve disk comprises a closure side and an oppositely situated rear side which is parallel thereto and a first sealing face which is assigned to the closure side and corresponds to a second sealing face of the vacuum valve opening, wherein the second sealing face runs around the vacuum valve opening, and wherein the cross carrier is connected to the valve disk on the rear side of the valve disk at at least one connection point, and wherein the connection of the cross carrier to the valve disk at the at least one connection point comprises a friction stir welding connection.

Assignees

• Vat Holding Ag

Inventors

• Blecha Thomas
• Gfeller Rudolf
• Hossfeld Max

Classifications

• B23K20/122

  using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding · CPC title

• F16K3/02 Primary

  with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor · CPC title

• F16K51/02 Primary

  specially adapted for high-vacuum installations · CPC title

• F16K3/314

  Forms or constructions of slides; Attachment of the slide to the spindle · CPC title

• B23K20/1265

  Non-butt welded joints, e.g. overlap-joints, T-joints or spot welds · CPC title