Sealing apparatus having a single groove
A sealing apparatus includes a sealing arrangement and a groove in a base. The sealing arrangement may comprise an o-ring and a grounding gasket where both the o-ring and the grounding gasket partially protrude in a longitudinal direction from the groove. Thus, the grounding gasket, which is equipped with ends that can be pulled out of the groove, can be removed from the groove by a pulling force. This leaves the o-ring accessible for removal or maintenance at a much lower cost in terms of manufacturing and operational costs. The sealing arrangement may also include inner and outer o-rings which seal a fluid flow from the atmosphere.
1. A sealing apparatus, comprising:
a first part having a first surface configured to cooperate with a second surface of a second part;
a groove formed in the first surface;
a first o-ring, configured to seal a first fluid in a first region from a second fluid in a second region, while contained in the groove;
a second o-ring in continuous contact with the first o-ring while contained in the groove thereby defining a third region between the first o-ring and second o-ring; and
a leak check port in fluid communication with said third region and configured to check a fluid leak in at least one of said first o-ring and said second o-ring.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first surface is substantially flat except for the groove.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the o-rings are substantially circular in the azimuthal direction.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the o-rings comprise substantially circular cross-sections.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the o-rings are made from a material selected from the group consisting of fluorosilicone, nitrile, fluorocarbon, silicone, neoprene, and ethylene propylene.
6. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the groove comprises a substantially dovetail shaped cross section.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein, when the o-rings are secured by the groove, portions of the o-rings protrude above the first surface.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said leak check port having a gas injection point within said third region.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a gas supplying member connected to the gas injection point via the leak check port.
10. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the gas injection point is interposed between seals created by the first and second o-rings.
11. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the gas injection point comprises a hole located in the base of the groove.
12. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the gas injection point comprises a hole located in the mating surface of the second part.
13. A plasma processing chamber, comprising:
a first part of the plasma processing chamber having a first surface;
a second part of the plasma processing chamber having a second surface, wherein said first surface of the first part is configured to cooperate with the second surface of the second part;
a groove formed in the first surface;
an o-ring, configured to seal a first area between the first and second surfaces from a second area exterior to the first area, while contained in the groove; and
a grounding gasket, configured to electrically couple the first and second surfaces, while contained in the groove adjacent the o-ring.
14. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the first part comprises conductive material.
15. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the first surface is substantially flat except for the groove.
16. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the o-ring is substantially circular in the azimuthal direction.
17. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the o-ring comprises a substantially circular cross-section.
18. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the o-ring is made from a material selected from the group consisting of fluorosilicotle, nitrile, fluorocarbon, silicone, neoprene, and ethylene propylene.
19. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the grounding gasket comprises a substantially circular cross section.
20. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the grounding gasket comprises Spira Shield Quick Shield.
21. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the groove comprises a substantially dovetail shaped cross section.
22. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein, when the o-ring and the grounding gasket are secured within the groove, portions of the o-ring and the grounding gasket protrude above the first surface.