Vacuum valve with position sensor

Abstract

Disclosed is a vacuum valve having a valve closure and having a drive unit which is coupled to the valve closure and which has at least one adjustment element. The vacuum valve furthermore has a position sensor, in particular a travel or distance sensor, such that a position of the valve closure and/or of the at least one adjustment element relative to a zero position, in particular an open position or closed position of the vacuum valve, can be measured.

1 . A vacuum valve, including a vacuum slide valve, pendulum valve, or monovalve, for a regulation of a volume or mass flow and/or for a gas-tight interruption of a flow path, comprising:
 a valve seat, which has a valve opening defining an opening axis and a first sealing surface circumferential around the valve opening,   a valve closure for the regulation of the volume or mass flow and/or for the interruption of the flow path, comprising a second sealing surface corresponding to the first sealing surface;   a drive unit coupled to the valve closure, comprising at least one movable adjustment element, wherein the drive unit is configured to execute an adjustment movement, such that the valve closure is movable to and from
 an open position, in which the valve closure and the valve seat are provided without contact in relation to one another, and 
 a closed position, in which an axially sealing contact with respect to the opening axis exists between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface, via a seal, and the valve opening is thus closed gas-tight, 
   wherein the vacuum valve further comprises at least one position sensor, wherein the at least one position sensor is arranged in the vacuum valve such that, in an ongoing manner, a position of the valve closure or the at least one movable adjustment element is measurable with respect to a null position, the open position, or the closed position, and   wherein at least one of the following is satisfied, including:
 the at least one position sensor being arranged in the vacuum valve such that a position measurement is performed via the at least one position sensor with respect to at least two adjustment directions of the valve closure essentially orthogonal to one another, or 
 the at least one position sensor including at least two position sensors, which are arranged in the vacuum valve such that a position with respect to a first adjustment direction is measurable by a first position sensor and a position with respect to a second adjustment direction is measurable by a second position sensor, the first adjustment direction and the second adjustment direction being essentially orthogonal to one another. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one position sensor is arranged in the vacuum valve such that a time curve of at least a part of the adjustment movement is determinable, such that at least one velocity of the adjustment movement is determinable for at least one time span of the adjustment movement. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one position sensor includes a displacement sensor, a distance sensor, or an absolute position sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment movement comprises at least an essentially linear adjustment movement, and the at least one position sensor is arranged to acquire at least a part of the linear adjustment movement, wherein the at least one position sensor includes a linear encoder. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment movement comprises at least an essentially rotational adjustment movement, and the at least one position sensor is arranged to acquire at least a part of the rotational adjustment movement, wherein the at least one position sensor includes an angle encoder. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one position sensor includes an inductive position sensor, an optical position sensor, a magnetic position sensor, a magnetostrictive position sensor, a potentiometric position sensor, or a capacitive position sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one position sensor is arranged outside a vacuum range separated from an external environment by the vacuum valve in a defined manner. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve seat is formed by a part of the vacuum valve connected structurally to the vacuum valve, wherein the valve seat is formed on a housing of the vacuum valve, or is provided by a process chamber or a chamber housing. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , further comprises a processing unit that processes an acquired position sensor measurement signal, and wherein an item of state information of the vacuum valve is ascertained based on the acquired measurement signal. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 9 , wherein the item of state information is provided with respect to a mechanical and/or structural integrity of the valve closure or the at least one movable adjustment element, wherein the item of state information is ascertained based on an actual-setpoint comparison for the acquired measurement signal. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 9 , wherein based on a comparison of the item of state information to predefined tolerance values, an output signal is provided with respect to an evaluation of a process controlled by the vacuum valve. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum valve according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processing unit configured to determine appearance of wear of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface based on position measurements from the at least one position sensor, and output a signal based on the determined appearance of wear.   
     
     
         13 . A method for monitoring a vacuum valve, including a vacuum slide valve, pendulum valve, or monovalve,
 regulating, via the vacuum valve, a volume or mass flow and/or for a gas-tight interruption of a flow path, the vacuum valve having
 a valve seat, which has a valve opening defining an opening axis and a first sealing surface circumferential around the valve opening, 
 a valve closure comprising a second sealing surface corresponding to the first sealing surface, and 
 a drive unit coupled to the valve closure, comprising at least one movable adjustment element; 
   executing, via the drive unit, an adjustment movement, such that the valve closure being movable to and from
 an open position, in which the valve closure and the valve seat are provided without contact in relation to one another, and 
 a closed position, in which an axially sealing contact with respect to the opening axis exists between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface, via a seal, and the valve opening is thus closed gas-tight; 
   measuring, via at least one position sensor, a position of the valve closure in an ongoing manner, position measurements are performed regarding at least two adjustment directions essentially orthogonal to one another, and regarding an absolute position of the valve closure or regarding the at least one movable adjustment element with respect to a null position, the open position, or the closed position; and   processing, via a processing and control unit, to monitor the vacuum valve based on the measured position.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 ascertaining an item of state information of the vacuum valve, with respect to a mechanical or structural integrity of the valve closure or the at least one movable adjustment element, based on the position measurements,
 wherein the item of state information is ascertained based on an actual-setpoint comparison for the position measurements or based on a comparison of the item of state information to predefined tolerance values; and 
   outputting an output signal with respect to an evaluation of a process controlled by the vacuum valve.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 determining, based on the position measurements,
 an adjustment velocity of the valve closure or the at least one movable adjustment element at least for a part of the adjustment movement, or 
 a duration of the adjustment movement from the open position to the closed position or vice versa. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 performing, by the processing and control unit based on the position measurements, a detection of:
 an end location, the open position, or the closed position of the valve closure or the at least one movable adjustment element, 
 a possible impact of the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface on one another in a scope of the adjustment movement, or 
 a possible adhesion of the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface on one another. 
   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing a computer program which, when being executed by a control and processing unit of a vacuum valve, causes the vacuum valve to perform a method comprising:
 regulating, via the vacuum valve, a volume or mass flow and/or for a gas-tight interruption of a flow path, the vacuum valve having
 a valve seat, which has a valve opening defining an opening axis and a first sealing surface circumferential around the valve opening, 
 a valve closure comprising a second sealing surface corresponding to the first sealing surface, and 
 a drive unit coupled to the valve closure, comprising at least one movable adjustment element; 
   executing, via the drive unit, an adjustment movement, such that the valve closure being movable to and from
 an open position, in which the valve closure and the valve seat are provided without contact in relation to one another, and 
 a closed position, in which an axially sealing contact with respect to the opening axis exists between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface, via a seal, and the valve opening is thus closed gas-tight; 
   measuring, via at least one position sensor, a position of the valve closure in an ongoing manner, position measurements are performed regarding at least two adjustment directions essentially orthogonal to one another, and regarding an absolute position of the valve closure or regarding the at least one movable adjustment element with respect to a null position, the open position, or the closed position; and   monitoring the vacuum valve based on the measured position.