Patent ID: 6073655
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A valve system adapted to selectively provide high pressure fluid to a processing chamber during high pressure operations and to selectively seal high pressure fluid from the processing chamber during vacuum operations, comprising:a main fluid passageway, comprising:a high pressure source inlet adapted to couple to a source of fluid having a high pressure; anda chamber outlet adapted to couple to a processing chamber that operates at the high pressure and at a vacuum pressure;a first isolation valve coupled to the main fluid passageway at a first location;a branch fluid passageway coupled to the main fluid passageway at a second location between the first isolation valve and the high pressure source inlet comprising:a pressure differential altering mechanism; anda second isolation valve coupled between the second location and the pressure differential altering mechanism;a third isolation valve coupled between the second location and the high pressure source inlet; anda controller coupled to the first, second and third isolation valves, and adapted to open the second valve when the first and third isolation valves are closed so as to adjust the pressure of the main fluid passageway disposed between the first and third isolation valves to a pressure intermediate the vacuum pressure and the high pressure such that the first and third isolation valves are not simultaneously exposed to the vacuum pressure and the high pressure.