Floating high vacuum seal cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8939451-B2
Application number	US-201313793862-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2013
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Jan 27, 2015
Grant date	Jan 27, 2015

Abstract

An apparatus that uses a combination of mechanical contact bearings and air bearings is disclosed. The apparatus includes a fixed seal housing, attached to a process chamber and a floating seal cartridge, which is disposed in proximity to the fixed seal housing. A shaft is disposed with an aperture in the process chamber, the central opening in the fixed seal housing and the second central opening in the floating seal cartridge. A first air bearing is created between the shaft and the floating seal cartridge in the second central opening. A second air bearing is created between the floating seal cartridge and the fixed seal housing. In this way, the floating seal cartridge is free to move with the shaft radially, while still maintaining a seal between the process chamber and the external environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for moving a payload within a process chamber, comprising:
a shaft passing through an aperture in a wall of the process chamber;
a mechanical contact bearing to support the shaft, disposed outside the process chamber;
a fixed seal housing, having a first central opening through which the shaft passes, an upper surface affixed to an outer surface of the wall, and a lower surface;
a floating seal cartridge, having a second central opening th…

Assignees

• Varian Semiconductor Equipment

Inventors

• Mitchell Robert J
• Babayan Elaina Noelle

Classifications

• F16J15/441 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F16J15/443 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic