Patent ID: 6377004
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: F16K,H01J,H05H

Abstract:
A vacuum valve for use in a particle accelerator system between two adjacent particle accelerator system components and along the beam line generated by said particle accelerator system, the valve comprising:a frame having a slide axis, first and second surfaces respectively facing toward said two adjacent particle accelerator system components, and an outer frame wall between said first and second surfaces, said first surface of said frame including a slide slot having a slot surface and a frame orifice extending through said frame between said slot surface and said second surface, wherein said frame orifice is positioned and sized in said frame to permit passage of a particle beam generated by said particle accelerator system along said beam line; a slide having a slide orifice, an outer surface and an inner sealing surface, said slide being housed substantially within the slide slot and being movable between a first position and a second position along a slide axis, said slide in said first position permitting a particle beam to pass through said slide orifice and through said frame orifice along said beam line, said slide in said second position preventing a particle beam from passing through said frame aperture, wherein said inner sealing surface of said slide engages said slot surface of said frame to substantially seal said frame orifice when said slide is in said second position; and a shaft translatable relative to said frame in a direction substantially parallel to said slide axis, said shaft extending from said slide in a direction substantially perpendicular to said slide axis and toward said outer frame wall, wherein translation of said shaft selectively controls the movement of said slide between said first and second positions; wherein said outer surface of said slide and said first surface of said frame form a substantially flat surface substantially perpendicular to said beam line and surrounding said slide orifice, and wherein said second surface of said frame forms a substantially flat surface substantially perpendicular to said beam line and surrounding said frame orifice.