Patent ID: 6427969
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A vacuum processing unit comprising:a housing defining a vacuum chamber therein and having an opening in fluid communication with said vacuum chamber; and a gate valve assembly including a rotating shaft disposed rotatably relative to said housing, a lid plate for covering said opening so as to seal said vacuum chamber, a connecting member connected fixedly to said rotating shaft and rotatable with said rotating shaft, a plurality of aligned adjustment rods disposed perpendicular to said lid plate, each of said adjustment rods connecting said lid plate to said connecting member, a plurality of resilient units coupled to said adjustment rods, respectively, for biasing said lid plate away from said connecting member to press against a wall of said housing, which defines said opening, and a plurality of adjusting units disposed respectively and movably on said adjustment rods, each of said adjusting units being movable on a respective one of said adjustment rods to vary the distance between a portion of said lid plate and a portion of said connecting member, which are interconnected by the respective one of said adjustment rods, so as to adjust the angle between said lid plate and said connecting member, thereby pressing said lid plate entirely against said wall of said housing, each of said adjustment rods having a non-threaded end that is connected fixedly to said lid plate, and an externally threaded end, each of said adjusting units being constructed as an adjustment nut, which engages said threaded end of the respective one of said adjustment rods, thereby clamping said connecting member between said adjustment nuts and said resilient units, each of said resilient units being constructed as an annular disc spring, which is sleeved on a respective one of said adjustment rods between said lid plate and said connecting member.