Patent ID: 7214274

Claim:
A dual chamber apparatus comprising: a first chamber; a second chamber which is configured to be coupled to said first chamber at an interface, each of said first chamber and said second chamber having a transfer opening located at said interface; a gate valve assembly, disposed in said fast chamber, sealing said first chamber from said second chamber; an interface plate located on said second chamber, said interface plate comprising a flange portion abutting said second chamber and a frontal portion extending outwardly from said flange portion, wherein said frontal portion is constructed to engage said gate valve assembly in said first chamber; and an insulating plate located on one of said first chamber and said second chamber at said interface and configured to have a low thermal conductivity; wherein said first chamber and said second chamber can be independently controlled at different temperatures when said first chamber and said second chamber are coupled together, wherein, when said first and second chambers are coupled to one another, said insulating plate surrounds said frontal portion and is disposed adjacent to said flange portion, wherein said interface plate establishes a continuous heat path from said second chamber to said gate valve assembly, and wherein said interface plate comprises a contact member configured to separate said fast chamber from said second chamber by a predetermined distance, the contact member extending from the flange portion, along side the frontal portion, at a position farther from the frontal portion than the insulating plate.