Vacuum valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895331-B2
Application number	US-201916442647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2019
Priority date	Jun 22, 2018
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A vacuum valve includes a main flow channel that connects the first port and the second port, a main valve seat that surrounds the main flow channel, a main valve disc that opens and closes the main flow channel by contacting and separating from the main valve seat, a sub-flow channel that is formed inside the main valve disc, a sub-valve seat that is formed on an outer surface of the main valve disc, a sub-valve disc that opens and closes the sub-flow channel by contacting and separating from the sub-valve seat at a position outside the main valve disc, and a rod that causes the main valve disc and the sub-valve disc to open and close. The sub-valve disc opens and closes the sub-flow channel by being operated directly by the rod, and the main valve disc opens and closes the main flow channel by being operated via the sub-valve disc by the rod.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vacuum valve comprising: a first port and a second port that are formed in a housing; a main flow channel that is formed inside the housing so as to connect the first port and the second port; a main valve seat that surrounds the main flow channel; a main valve disc that opens and closes the main flow channel by contacting and separating from the main valve seat; a sub-flow channel that is formed inside the main valve disc so as to be in parallel with the main flow channel; a sub-valve seat that is formed on the main valve disc so as to surround the sub-flow channel; a sub-valve disc that opens and closes the sub-flow channel by contacting and separating from the sub-valve seat; and an opening-closing operation mechanism that performs operations of opening and closing the main valve disc and the sub-valve disc,
wherein a rod is disposed inside the housing so as to slidably extend through the main valve disc, the opening-closing operation mechanism is coupled to a base end portion that is one end of the rod in an axial line direction, the sub-valve disc is disposed at a tip end portion that is the other end of the rod in the axial line direction so as to contact and separate from the main valve disc at a position outside the main valve disc, and the sub-valve seat is formed on a part of an outer surface of the main valve disc that the sub-valve disc contacts,
wherein the main valve disc includes a disc member that contacts and separates from the main valve seat and a cylindrical member that is formed independently from the disc member and is combined with the disc member; the sub-flow channel is formed between the disc member and the cylindrical member, and the sub-valve seat is formed on the disc member; and a bearing member that guides the rod and a seal member that seals a space between an inner periphery of the cylindrical member and an outer periphery of the rod are provided on an inner periphery of the cylindrical member,
wherein the sub-valve disc opens and closes the sub-flow channel by being operated directly by the rod, and
wherein the main valve disc opens and closes the main flow channel by being operated via the sub-valve disc by the rod.

2. The vacuum valve according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rod includes a first rod portion on a tip end side and a second rod portion on a base end side, the first rod portion and the second rod portion being separably coupled,
wherein the first rod portion extends through the main valve disc, and the sub-valve disc is provided at a tip end of the first rod portion,
wherein the second rod portion is coupled to the opening-closing operation mechanism, and
wherein the main valve disc is removable from the rod by separating the first rod portion from the second rod portion.

3. The vacuum valve according to claim 2 ,
wherein a spring receiving member having a tubular shape is attached to the rod in such a way that, although the spring receiving member is displaceable along the rod, the spring receiving member becomes inseparable from the second rod portion by engaging with the second rod portion,
wherein a tubular cover portion into which the cylindrical member of the main valve disc is fitted, a first spring seat, and a second spring seat are provided in the spring receiving member,
wherein a main valve spring that urges the main valve disc in a direction such that the main valve disc contacts the main valve seat is interposed in a compressed state between the first spring seat and a main spring seat that is formed in the housing,
wherein a sub-valve spring that urges the sub-valve disc via the rod in a direction such that the sub-valve disc contacts the sub-valve seat is interposed in a compressed state between the second spring seat and a sub-spring seat that is formed on the rod, and
wherein one end of a bellows that surrounds the main valve spring and the sub-valve spring is coupled to the main valve disc, and the other end of the bellows is coupled to the housing.

4. The vacuum valve according to claim 1 ,
wherein the sub-valve disc separates from the sub-valve seat and opens the sub-flow channel due to an advancing motion of the rod, and
wherein the main valve disc becomes displaced via the sub-valve disc, separates from the main valve seat, and opens the main flow channel due to a retreating motion of the rod.

5. The vacuum valve according to claim 1 ,
wherein the opening-closing operation mechanism is formed of one fluid-pressure cylinder and includes a piston that is coupled to the rod, a first pressure chamber that is formed on one side of the piston, and a second pressure chamber that is formed on the other side of the piston; the piston is coupled to the rod; when a pressure fluid is supplied to the first pressure chamber, the piston and the rod advance and the sub-valve disc opens the sub-flow channel; and, when a pressure fluid is supplied to the second pressure chamber, the piston and the rod retreat and the main valve disc opens the main flow channel.

6. A vacuum valve comprising: a first port and a second port that are formed in a housing; a main flow channel that is formed inside the housing so as to connect the first port and the second port; a main valve seat that surrounds the main flow channel; a main valve disc that opens and closes the main flow channel by contacting and separating from the main valve seat a sub-flow channel that is formed inside the main valve disc so as to be in parallel with the main flow channel; a sub-valve seat that is formed on the main valve disc so as to surround the sub-flow channel; a sub-valve disc that opens and closes the sub-flow channel by contacting and separating from the sub-valve seat and an opening-closing operation mechanism that performs operations of opening and closing the main valve disc and the sub-valve disc,
wherein a rod is disposed inside the housing so as to slidably extend through the main valve disc, the opening-closing operation mechanism is coupled to a base end portion that is one end of the rod in an axial line direction, the sub-valve disc is disposed at a tip end portion that is the other end of the rod in the axial line direction so as to contact and separate from the main valve disc at a position outside the main valve disc, and the sub-valve seat is formed on a part of an outer surface of the main valve disc that the sub-valve disc contacts,
wherein the sub-valve disc opens and closes the sub-flow channel by being operated directly by the rod,
wherein the main valve disc opens and closes the main flow channel by being operated via the sub-valve disc by the rod, and
wherein the opening-degree adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment nut that is rotationally operable through an operation opening that is formed in a side surface of the housing and a stopper with which the adjustment nut meshes, the stopper is displaceable in the axial line direction by rotationally operating the adjustment nut, and the opening degree of the sub-valve disc is adjusted in accordance with a position of the stopper.

Assignees

• Smc Corp

Inventors

• Enzaki Akira

Classifications

• F16K51/02 Primary

  specially adapted for high-vacuum installations · CPC title

• F16K31/1221

  one side of the piston being spring-loaded · CPC title

• F16K27/04

  of sliding valves · CPC title

• F16K3/20

  by movement of the seats · CPC title

• Y10T137/87121

  Coaxial stems · CPC title