The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 05, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 30, 2000
Gregory A. Tomasch, San Jose, CA (US);
Gregory A. Tomasch, San Jose, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A unitary slot valve actuator is in a vacuum body between adjacent vacuum chambers, such as a process module and a transport module. Separate valves are provided on the unitary actuator for each of two valve body slots, each body slot being closed or opened according to the position of the unitary actuator. The separate valves allow a vacuum condition to be maintained in the transport module while an adjacent process module is open to the atmosphere for servicing. The unitary actuator allows access to an open valve for servicing the open valve by way of a resilient bias assembly that releasably holds the valves in an open, but not vertically-spaced, position relative to the respective slots. The open valves are easily reached by a gloved hand of a service worker. A separate actuator motor moves the unitary actuator with the valves vertically down from the open position and away from the slots to expose seal surfaces around the slots for cleaning.