Rotary barrel gate valve

A rotary barrel gate valve includes a body and at least one passage through the body defining an inlet and an outlet. There is a first actuator for rotating the body, a second actuator for translating the body, and a sealing portion on the body which seals the body with respect to an opening into a chamber adjacent the body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a rotary barrel gate valve for rapidly opening, closing and sealing individual chambers including processing and vacuum chambers or load locks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Processing systems for applying coatings to substrates such as metallizing insulative substrates include electroplating, electroless plating, painting, arc-spray, evaporative vacuum metallization, sputter vacuum metallization, and vapor deposition. Such systems and processes involve opening and closing of access ports to a chamber by means of a portal or opening using gate valves. In most cases, opening and closing involves up and down motion or sliding motion of a gate valve. For example, before processing, a processing chamber is opened and parts to undergo processing are inserted into the chamber. The chamber door is then closed. Typically, in processes such as vacuum sputtering, the chamber door is sealed. Thereafter, coating of the parts takes place, and after coating, the chamber is opened, and the parts are removed from the processing chamber.

Typically, these steps are repeated many times, causing wear on the valves and necessitating their repair and replacement many times over the life of the system. Also, opening and closing the access to a chamber using conventional valve systems is a relatively slow process. Moreover, known gate valves are not scalable. Accordingly, the inherent disadvantages of conventional methods and systems result in more down time for repairs and/or replacement of worn-out items, modest volumes of product generated, and decreased cost-effectiveness.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved, more durable, more robust, highly reliable gate valve.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a gate valve which opens and closes rapidly.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a gate valve that provides scalability.

The invention results from the realization that an improved, rapid cycle, more robust, scalable gate valve is achieved with a rotary motion wherein a body with a passage through the body can be rotated to one position which aligns the passage with the access port of a chamber and rotated to a second position where the passage is not aligned with the access port whereupon the body is translated to seal against the access port.

This invention features a rotary barrel gate valve comprising a body and at least one passage through the body defining an inlet and an outlet, a first actuator for rotating the body, a second actuator for translating the body, and a sealing portion on the body for sealing the body with respect to an opening into a chamber adjacent the body. The sealing portion may be an O-ring disposed in a groove formed in the body and the groove may be located in opposing flats formed on a surface of the body. The portion of the body between the opposing flats may have a curvature to form an article stopping surface. The first actuator alternately rotates the body to align the sealing portion with the opening into the chamber and to align the passage with the opening into the chamber. The second actuator may urge the sealing portion against the opening into the chamber. The second actuator may urge the sealing portion away from the opening into the chamber. In one embodiment, the second actuator is a pneumatic cylinder and the first actuator is a servo motor. The second actuator may utilize a lead screw or other mechanical device for linear translation. The first actuator may also be a pneumatic rotary actuator or a cam rotary actuator. The passage through the body may include at least one track thereon, and the body may include a plurality of passages therethrough. The plurality of passages in the body may each include at least one track or the plurality of passages in the body may each include a plurality of parallel tracks. The body may be cylindrical and solid. The passage through the body may have a oblong shape. There may be a housing surrounding the body.

This invention also features a rotary barrel gate valve including a body and at least one passage through the body defining an inlet and an outlet, a sealing portion on the body comprising an O-ring disposed in a groove formed in the body. The groove may be located in flats on a surface of the body, and a portion of the body between the opposing flats may have a curvature to form an article stopping surface. A first actuator may rotate the body to align the sealing portion with an opening into a chamber adjacent the body, and a second actuator may move the sealing portion against the opening into the chamber.

This invention also features a rotary barrel gate valve having a body including a plurality of passages therethrough defining a plurality of inlets and outlets, the plurality of passages each including a plurality of parallel tracks, and a first actuator for rotating the body to align the plurality of outlets with corresponding openings into an adjacent chamber.

This invention further features a rotary barrel gate valve comprising a body including a plurality of passages therethrough defining a plurality of inlets and outlets, the plurality of passages each including a plurality of parallel tracks, a first actuator for rotating the body to align the plurality of inlets with corresponding openings into an adjacent chamber.

This invention further features a rotary barrel gate valve having a body, a plurality of passages through the body defining a plurality of inlets and outlets, each of the plurality of passages including a plurality of tracks, and a sealing portion on the body for sealing the body with respect to an opening into a chamber adjacent the body.

This invention also features a rotary barrel gate valve including a body and at least one passage through the body defining an inlet and an outlet, means for rotating the body, means for translating the body, and means for sealing the body with respect to an opening into a chamber adjacent the body. The means for sealing may be an O-ring disposed in a groove formed in the body and the groove may be located in opposing flats formed on a surface of the body. The portion of the body between the opposing flats may have a curvature to form an article stopping surface. The means for rotating may alternately rotate the body to align the means for sealing with the opening into the chamber and to align the passage with the opening into the chamber. The means for translating may urge the means for sealing against the opening into the chamber or the means for translating may urge the means for sealing away from the opening into the chamber. The means for rotating may be a first actuator. The means for translating may be a second actuator. The first actuator may be a servo motor and the second actuator may be a pneumatic cylinder.

In one embodiment, the passage through the body may include at least one track thereon. The body may include a plurality of passages therethrough. The plurality of passages in the body may each include at least one track. Preferably, the plurality of passages in the body each include a plurality of parallel tracks. The body may be cylindrical and solid. The passage through the body may have an oblong shape and there may be a housing surrounding the body.

This invention also features a rotary barrel gate valve including a body, at least one passage through the body defining an inlet and an outlet, means for sealing including an O-ring disposed in a groove, the groove formed in the body located in flats on a surface of the body in which a portion of the body between the opposing flats has a curvature to form an article stopping surface. Means for rotating the body aligns the sealing portion with an opening into a chamber adjacent the body means for moving the sealing portion moves the sealing portion against the opening into the chamber.

This invention further features a rotary barrel gate valve including a body having a plurality of passages therethrough defining a plurality of inlets and outlets, the plurality of passages each including a plurality of parallel tracks, and means for rotating the body to align the plurality of passages with corresponding openings into an adjacent chamber.

This invention further features a method for rapid gate valve cycling, the method including providing a body having at least one passage therethrough defining an inlet and an outlet, and a sealing portion on the body for sealing the body with respect to an opening into a chamber adjacent the body, rotating the body with respect to the opening into the chamber, and translating the body with respect to the opening into the chamber. The step of rotating the body may be carried out by a first actuator. The step of translating the body may be carried out by a second actuator. The first actuator may be a servo motor and the second actuator may be a pneumatic cylinder. The sealing portion may be an O-ring disposed in a groove formed in the body and the groove may be located in opposing flats formed on a surface of the body. The portion of the body between the opposing flats may have a curvature to form an article stopping surface. Rotating the body may include alternately rotating the body to align the sealing portion with the opening into the chamber and to align the passage with the opening into the chamber. Translating the body may include urging the sealing portion against the opening into the chamber. The passage through the body may include at least one track thereon and the body may include a plurality of passages therethrough. The plurality of passages in the body may each include at least one track. The plurality of passages in the body may each include a plurality of parallel tracks. The body may be cylindrical and solid. The passage through the body may have an oblong shape and there may be a housing surrounding the body.

This invention further features a method for rapid gate valve cycling, the method including providing a body having at least one passage therethrough defining an inlet and an outlet, providing a sealing portion including an O-ring disposed in a groove formed in the body, the groove located in opposing flats on a surface of the body, rotating the body to align the sealing portion with an opening into a chamber adjacent the body, and moving the sealing portion against the opening into the chamber.

This invention also features a method for rapid gate valve cycling, the method including providing a body having a plurality of passages therethrough defining a plurality of inlets and outlets, the plurality of passages each including a plurality of parallel tracks, and rotating the body to align the plurality of passages with corresponding openings into an adjacent chamber.

DISCLOSURE OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.

Rotary barrel gate valve100in accordance with the present invention is shown schematically inFIGS. 1 and 2. Rotary barrel gate valve100includes body102, and at least one passage104through body102defining inlet106and outlet108. Means for rotating body102, such as actuator110, rotates body102about its axis105, i.e. in the directions of arrow111. Means for translating or moving body102, such as actuator112, translates or moves body102approximately linearly, i.e. in the directions of arrow113. Means for sealing such as sealing portion116on body102,FIG. 2is for sealing body102with respect to an opening into a chamber adjacent body102(adjacent chamber not shown). In one example, body102is cylindrical and solid, and passage104through body102has an oblong shape. If rotary barrel gate valve100is adjacent a vacuum chamber, body102is typically surrounded by housing129as shown in FIG.1. Body102, however, could be hollow and passage104could be in the form of a track interconnecting an inlet and an outlet as shown in FIG.2.

Passage104,FIG. 1includes at least one track or chute120. Typically, a plurality of passages104,104a. . .104ndefine a plurality of inlets106,106a. . .106nand outlets108,108a. . .108n. Each of the plurality of passages104,104a. . .104nincludes at least one track or chute120therein, and preferably each passage104,104a. . .104nincludes a plurality of tracks or chutes120,120a. . .120n,120aa,120ab. . .120an, . . .120na,120nb. . .120nn. Such an embodiment also includes a plurality of sealing portions116,116a. . .116n, FIG.2. By adding length and additional passages rotary barrel gate valve100of this invention is scalable. This results in decreased cost to add system capacity, because adding length and passages104to body102does not require any significant changes to actuator110or112.

In one embodiment, sealing portion116,FIG. 2which may be anywhere on body102, is O-ring130disposed in groove132formed on surface138of body102. In one preferred embodiment, body102will have a passage104corresponding to sealing portion116such that when body102is rotated, as indicated by arrow111, passage104and sealing portion116will alternately be aligned with an opening into a chamber adjacent the body. In other embodiments, O-ring130may instead be located about the opening into an adjacent chamber (not shown). In either embodiment, the O-ring pushes on and off the sealing surface, maximizing the life of the surface of the O-ring.

When rotary barrel gate valve100is open,FIG. 3inlet106in passage104of body102is aligned with opening140of chamber12, allowing article24, for example, to move from chamber12to output load lock16. Controller300may be included for interlocking or sequencing each gate valve100with any other gate valves in a system to detect full closure and to allow for processing of a plurality of articles simultaneously in one track. Thus, for instance, the risk of direct passing of atmosphere into a processing chamber is minimized should an article become lodged in any gate valve. In such an event, such a system halts and an error condition is reported. Also, sequencing of multiple rotary barrel gate valves increases productivity.

In accordance with the present invention, rotary barrel gate valve100is moved from closed,FIG. 4, to open,FIG. 3, and vice versa, by actuators110and112, FIG.1. When rotary barrel gate valve100is open as inFIG. 3, inlet106is aligned with opening140into chamber12. Passage104now provides access through rotary barrel gate valve100out of chamber12. To close rotary barrel gate valve100, actuator110,FIG. 1rotates body102in the direction of arrow150,FIG. 3to align sealing portion116with opening140. Now, passage104,FIG. 4is not aligned with opening140. Immediately thereafter, actuator112,FIG. 1moves or translates sealing portion116in the direction of arrow152and against opening140. Then, to open rotary barrel gate valve100, actuator112moves sealing portion116away from opening140in the direction of arrow154, and immediately thereafter actuator110rotates body102in the direction of arrow156to once again align inlet106with opening140into chamber12.

When rotary barrel gate valve100is closed,FIG. 5groove132is located in opposing flats134,136formed on surface138of body102. In one embodiment, portion or nose piece142of body102projects between opposing flats134,136and may have a curvature to form article stopping surface or escapement144for stopping article24, for example, from proceeding from output load lock16to atmosphere. Conversely, when rotary barrel gate valve100is open, portion142of body102no longer forms article stopping surface144.

As described herein, a “chamber” could be an input load lock or an output load lock or atmosphere, and the term “chamber” as used herein is not necessarily limited to a processing chamber. For example, inFIG. 4, rotary barrel gate valve100seals chamber12, e.g. a processing chamber, with respect to output load lock16. However, in another example, rotary barrel gate valve18′,FIG. 1seals input load lock “chamber”14from atmosphere.

Actuator110may be a pneumatic rotary actuator or a cam rotary actuator. In one preferred embodiment, actuator110,FIG. 6is a servo motor connected to body102for rotating body102. Actuator110alternately rotates body102to align scaling portion116,FIG. 4with, for example, opening140into chamber12, and to align passage104with opening140into chamber12, FIG.3. Actuator112,FIG. 7is typically a pneumatic cylinder200. When activated, pneumatic cylinder200of actuator112projects (or retracts) push pin202which causes body102to pivot around pivot point204in the directions of arrow206, thus urging or translating body102approximately linearly, for example, toward and away from chamber12, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. In this embodiment, body102moves approximately linearly but in a very slight arc. The second actuator may utilize a lead screw or other mechanical device for linear translation (not shown). The servo motor and the short stroke of actuator112permit very fast gate valve opening and closing times. With the rotary barrel gate valve of this invention cycles times of 350 milliseconds have been achieved.

Rotary barrel gate valves in accordance with this invention are useful in the invention disclosed in the co-pending patent application entitled GRAVITY-FED IN-LINE CONTINUOUS PROCESSING SYSTEM filed on even date herewith. Rotary barrel gate valves in accordance with this invention, namely rotary barrel gate valves18,18′,20′ and20,FIG. 8are shown as used in one embodiment of gravity-fed in-line continuous processing system10. As shown, rotary barrel gate valve18′ and18are part of input load lock14between processing chamber12and output load lock16, where output lock16includes rotary barrel gate valves20and20′.

The rotary barrel gate valve of the present invention is more robust, more durable and highly reliable. It opens and closes more rapidly than conventional valves, and it results in higher productivity and less down time. Additionally, the rotary barrel gate valve of this invention allows for scalability without the need for additional actuators. Another feature of the rotary barrel gate valve of this invention is that it may be used to accomplish part inversion, i.e. to flip an article 180° from its original orientation for additional coating or cooling of the article as needed for a particular processing application.