Slit valve apparatus and method

Claim 2

A slit valve apparatus, comprising: wall means defining an elongated substantially rectangular aperture having a major axis and a minor axis, said aperture being adapted to pass a solid object along a transfer plane substantially parallel to said major axis and substantially perpendicular to said minor axis; elongated seat means surrounding said aperture, said seat means having a first seating surface defining a sealing plane which is angularly disposed with respect to said transfer plane; elongated door means having a second seating surface which is matingly engageable with said first seating surface parallel to said sealing plane; and linear actuator means for selectively moving said door means towards and away from said seat means along an actuator axis which is substantially perpendicular to said sealing plane.

Claim 3

A slit valve apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the included angle between said transfer plane and said sealing plane is in the range of 30°-60°.

Claim 4

A slit valve apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said included angle is about 45°.

Claim 5

A slit valve apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said linear actuator means includes an elongated shaft coupled at a first end to said door means and coupled at a second end to a reciprocal linear drive mechanism.

Claim 6

A slit valve apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said shaft passes through said wall means and further comprising guide means coupled to said wall means for guiding said shaft along said actuator axis and enclosure means coupling said first end of said shaft to said wall means.

Claim 7

A slit valve apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said reciprocal linear drive mechanism is pneumatically activated.

Claim 8

A slit valve apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said enclosure means comprises a bellows coupled at a first end to said shaft and coupled at a second end to said wall means.

Claim 9

A slit valve apparatus as recited in claim 7 further comprising elongated sealing means disposed between said first seating surface and said second seating surface.

Claim 10

A slit valve apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said seat means and said door means are elongated in a direction substantially parallel to said major axis.

Claim 11

A slit valve apparatus comprising: wall means defining an elongated aperture having a major axis and a minor axis, said aperture being adapted to pass a solid object along a transfer plane substantially parallel to said major axis and perpendicular to said minor axis; elongated seat means surrounding said aperture, said seat means having a first seating surface defining a sealing plane which is angularly disposed with respect to said transfer plane; elongated door means having a second seating surface which is matingly engageable with said first seating surface parallel to said sealing plane, wherein said door means is substantially planar; linear actuator means for selectively moving said door means towards and away from said seat means along an actuator axis which is substantially perpendicular to said sealing plane, said linear actuator means including an elongated shaft coupled at a first end to said door means and coupled at a second end to a reciprocal linear drive mechanism; and adjustable, lockable coupling means coupling said first end of said shaft to said door means such that the angular relationship between the plane of said door means and said actuator axis can be varied in more than one direction and then locked in position.

Claim 12

A slit valve apparatus comprising: wall means defining an elongated aperture having a major axis and a minor axis, said aperture being adapted to pass a solid object along a transfer plane substantially parallel to said major axis and perpendicular to said minor axis; elongated seat means surrounding said aperture, said seat means having a first seating surface defining a sealing plane which is angularly disposed with respect to said transfer plane; elongated door means having a second seating surface which is matingly engageable with said first seating surface parallel to said sealing plane, wherein said door means is substantially planar; linear actuator means for selectively moving said door means towards and away from said seat means along an actuator axis which is substantially perpendicular to said sealing plane, said linear actuator means including an elongated shaft coupled at a first end to said door means and coupled at a second end to a reciprocal linear drive mechanism; and adjustable, lockable coupling means coupling said first end of said shaft to said door means such that the angular relationship between the plane of said door means and said actuator axis can be varied in more than one direction and then locked in position.

Claim 15

A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said elongated aperture has a major axis and a minor axis and wherein said transfer plane is substantially parallel to said major axis and substantially perpendicular to said minor axis.

Claim 16

A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said means is elongated in a direction substantially parallel to said major axis.

Claim 19

A method for selectively opening and closing an elongated aperture as recited in claim 14 wherein said step of adjusting and then locking said orientation is accomplished by: deactivating locking means which locks the position of said door means relative to said axis: closing said aperture; and reactivating said locking means.

Claim 20

A method for selectively opening and closing an elongated aperture as recited in claim 11 wherein said acute angle is in the range of 30°-60°.

Claim 21

A method for selectively opening and closing an elongated aperture as recited in claim 16 wherein said acute angle is about 45°.

Claim 22

A slit valve apparatus, comprising: wall means separating a first chamber from a second chamber, said wall means defining an elongated substantially rectangular aperture having a major axis and a minor axis, said aperture being adapted to pass a solid object along a transfer plane substantially parallel to said major axis and substantially perpendicular to said minor axis; elongated seat means surrounding said aperture, said seat means having a first seating surface which is angularly disposed with respect to said transfer plane; elongated door means having a second seating surface which is matingly engageable with said first seating surface; and linear actuator means for selectively moving said door means towards and away from said seat means along an actuator axis which is angularly disposed with respect to said transfer plane.

Claim 23

A slit valve apparatus, comprising: wall means separating a first chamber from a second chamber, said wall means defining an elongated substantially rectangular aperture having a major axis and a minor axis, said aperture being adapted to pass a solid object along a transfer plane substantially parallel to said major axis and substantially perpendicular to said minor axis; elongated seat means surrounding said aperture, said seat means having a first seating surface which is angularly disposed with respect to said transfer plane; elongated door means having a second seating surface which is matingly engageable with said first seating surface; and linear actuator means for selectively moving said door means towards and away from said seat means along an actuator axis which is angularly disposed with respect to said transfer plane.

Claim 26

A method for selectively opening and closing an elongated aperture as recited in claim 19 wherein said door means includes a locking means which locks the position of said door means, and further comprising the step of deactivating said locking means prior to closing said aperture.

Claim 27

A method for selectively opening and closing an elongated aperture as recited in claim 20 further comprising the step of reactivating said locking means after closing said aperture.