Modular vacuum chamber system

Abstract

A modular vacuum chamber system provides for tapered surfaces and resilient sealing members, wherein the tapered surfaces are protected from undesired contact with work surfaces, and provide for vacuum-tight engagement of various modules. Modules can include chamber modules, defining shapes for a resultant vacuum chamber. Modules can comprise connecting modules, configured to sealingly engage two chamber modules and form a larger vacuum chamber than either module alone. Modules can comprise wall plate modules, configured to sealingly engage a chamber module and form a surface of a vacuum chamber. Wall plate modules can comprise solid plates, optically transparent plates, and plates accommodating ports for communication between the vacuum chamber and the environment outside the vacuum chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum chamber system, comprising: (a) a chamber module, defining an interior volume and having an outer chamber surface facing away from the inner volume and having at least one opening defining a first shape, wherein the opening has a continuous surface about the perimeter of the first shape that is tapered relative to the outer chamber adjacent to the opening such that the perimeter of the opening decreases with increasing depth from the outer chamber surface toward the inner volume; (b) a wall plate module, configured to sealingly engage the chamber module using a surface having a sealing shape matching the first opening shape and having a surface tapered to match the taper of the chamber module opening, wherein the tapered surface of the wall plate module is configured to retain a resilient sealing member such that, when the wall plate module engages the chamber module, the resilient sealing member seals against only non-resilient surfaces. 
     
     
         2 . A vacuum chamber system as in  claim 1 , wherein the chamber module defines a prism. 
     
     
         3 . A vacuum chamber system as in  claim 2 , wherein the chamber module defines a regular polygonal cross section. 
     
     
         4 . A vacuum chamber system as in  claim 3 , wherein the chamber module defines a hexagonal cross section. 
     
     
         5 . A vacuum chamber system as in  claim 3 , wherein the chamber module defines a triangular cross section. 
     
     
         6 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the wall plate module further comprises a shield portion extending away from the sealing shape at an angle to the tapered surface such that a line from the edge of the shield portion farthest from the tapered surface to the edge of the tapered surface farthest from shield portion does not intersect the resilient sealing member. 
     
     
         7 . A vacuum chamber system, comprising: (a) a chamber module, defining an interior volume and having an outer chamber surface facing away from the inner volume and having at least one opening defining a first shape, wherein the opening has a continuous surface about the perimeter of the first shape that is tapered relative to the outer chamber surface adjacent to the opening such that the perimeter of the opening decreases with increasing depth from the outer chamber surface toward the inner volume; (b) a wall plate module, configured to sealingly engage the chamber module using a surface having a sealing shape matching the first opening shape and having a surface tapered to match the taper of the chamber module opening, wherein at least one of the tapered surfaces of the chamber module opening and the wall plate module is configured to retain a continuous resilient sealing member, and wherein the mounting facility comprises a plurality of threaded fasteners, wherein the threaded fasteners are configured to compress the resilient sealing member as the threaded fasteners secure the wall plate module to the chamber module, and wherein the threaded fasteners are all outside the area defined by the resilient sealing member. 
     
     
         8 . A vacuum chamber system as in  claim 7 , wherein the chamber module defines a prism. 
     
     
         9 . A vacuum chamber system as in  claim 7 , wherein the chamber module defines a regular polygonal cross section. 
     
     
         10 . A vacuum chamber system as in  claim 9 , wherein the chamber module defines a hexagonal cross section. 
     
     
         11 . A vacuum chamber system as in  claim 9 , wherein the chamber module defines a triangular cross section. 
     
     
         12 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein the wall plate module further comprises a shield portion extending away from the sealing shape at an angle to the tapered surface such that a line from the edge of the shield portion farthest from the tapered surface to the edge of the tapered surface farthest from shield portion does not intersect the resilient sealing member. 
     
     
         13 . A wall plate for a vacuum chamber system, wherein the vacuum chamber system has a chamber module defining an interior volume and having an outer chamber surface facing away from the inner volume and having at least one opening defining a first shape, wherein the opening has a continuous surface about the perimeter of the first shape that is tapered relative to the outer chamber adjacent to the opening such that the perimeter of the opening decreases with increasing depth from the outer chamber surface toward the inner volume, the wall plate comprising:
 a wall plate module, configured to sealingly engage the chamber module using a surface having a sealing shape matching the first opening shape and having a surface tapered to match the taper of the chamber module opening, wherein the tapered surface of the wall plate module is configured to retain a resilient sealing member such that, when the wall plate module engages the chamber module, the resilient sealing member seals against only non-resilient surfaces.   
     
     
         14 . A wall plate as in  claim 13 , wherein the wall plate further comprises a shield portion extending away from the sealing shape at an angle to the tapered surface such that a line from the edge of the shield portion farthest from the tapered surface to the edge of the tapered surface farthest from shield portion does not intersect the resilient sealing member.