Edwards Limited

Cainan Long

Nigel Paul Schofield

Ian David Stones

Alan Ernest Kinnaird Holbrook

Phillip North

Konstantinos Karoulas

Robin Hockley

Clifford George Burt

The present disclosure relates to vacuum pumpcomprising a substantially hermetically sealed enclosure, a core pump assembly located within the enclosure, and an inert purge gas inletfluidly connected to the enclosurefor supplying inert purge gas to an interior of the enclosuresurrounding the core pump assembly. By providing a sealed enclosurearound the core pump assembly and supplying inert purge gas thereto via the inlet, an inert positive pressure can be applied to the core pump assembly that reduces leakage of process gas from the core pump assembly such that seals therein can be removed or reduced. In particular, the need for elastomer seals that may be expensive and not be suited to high temperature or corrosive process gas conditions can be removed.

Vacuum pump with reduced seal requirements

A vacuum system non-return valve includes a baffle for extending across a flow path in the vacuum system and a valve member. The baffle has an aperture, a perimeter of the aperture has a valve seat. The valve member has a curved sealing surface configured to mate with the valve seat. The valve member and aperture are configured such that the valve member obscures the aperture and seals with the valve seat to impede a flow of fluid in a closed position and is displaceable in use to move away from the valve seat and allow a fluid flow in an open position; at least a portion of the surface of the baffle surrounding the aperture slopes towards the inlet end of the valve such that the aperture is smaller at the inlet end than it is at the outlet end.

Non-return check valve and check valve apparatus for vacuum system

Growing community of inventors

Burgess Hill, United Kingdom

Cainan Long