Patent ID: 8870157

Claim:
A flap transfer valve for the transfer of semiconductor elements or substrates into a semiconductor or substrate processing process chamber which can be isolated in a gas-tight manner, having an elongated, slot-like, first opening which extends along a first longitudinal axis and is surrounded in the form of a frame by a first sealing surface, an elongated valve closure beam, which extends along a second longitudinal axis, which is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis, and which, on the front face has a closure surface for closing the first opening and a second sealing surface which corresponds to the first sealing surface and can be brought into gas-tight contact with it, a pivoting bearing, by means of which the valve closure beam can be pivoted about a pivoting axis which is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal axis, between a closed position in which the closure surface of the valve closure beam covers and closes the first opening, and in which the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface make gas-tight contact, and an open position, in which the valve closure beam is pivoted away from the first opening and releases the first opening, a shaft which can rotate about a shaft axis which is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal axis and which shaft is operatively connected to the valve closure beam such that rotation of the shaft about the shaft axis causes the valve closure beam to pivot about the pivoting axis, and at least one drive, which is coupled to the shaft in order to rotate the shaft and to move the valve closure beam between the open position and the closed position, comprising a gas-tight valve housing having the first opening on a first opening face of the valve housing and a second opening, which is opposite the first opening, on a second opening face, which is opposite the first opening face, of the valve housing, wherein the valve closure beam, the pivoting bearing and the shaft are arranged in the valve housing on an elongated side wall, the valve housing has a valve cover which is coupled in a gas-tight manner to the rest of the valve housing and can be removed in a lateral direction parallel to the first opening face, the shaft is mounted on the valve cover such that it can rotate, and the pivoting bearing, the shaft and the valve closure beam are arranged on the valve cover such that the shaft, the pivoting bearing and the valve closure beam can be decoupled from the valve housing by decoupling and removing the valve cover in the lateral direction.