Patent ID: 8419337

Claim:
A gate valve comprising: a valve body to be pressed against a peripheral surface around opening through which a processing target object is loaded and unloaded; pressed members arranged on a surface of the valve body; a main slider which slides in a direction parallel to the peripheral surface around the opening; and pressing mechanisms, provided at the main slider, for pressing the respective pressed members, wherein each of the pressing mechanisms includes a cam having a protrusion for pressing the valve body against the peripheral surface around the opening and an inclined portion sloping downward from the protrusion; wherein the pressing mechanisms serve to press the valve body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the peripheral surface around the opening in a state that the valve body is positioned to face the opening, so that the valve body is pressed against the peripheral surface around the opening; wherein the gate valve further comprises a sub-slider provided between the valve body and the main slider to support the valve body; wherein the sub-slider is slidable in a direction substantially parallel to the peripheral surface around the opening; wherein the sub-slider includes a support and guide mechanism for supporting the valve body and defining a pressing direction and a separation direction of the valve body to the direction substantially perpendicular to the peripheral surface around the opening; wherein the gate valve further comprises a stopper which stops sliding movement of the sub-slider; wherein after the sliding movement of the sub-slider is stopped by the stopper, the main slider further slides in an identical direction to that of the sliding movement of the sub-slider so that the protrusions of the pressing mechanisms press against the valve body; wherein guide rails are provided on a surface of the sub-slider facing the main slider, and connection members are provided on a surface of the main slider facing the sub-slider; and wherein the sub-slider is slidably connected with the main slider via the guide rails and the connection members.