Flexibly interconnected vacuum chambers comprising load-canceling device therebetween, and process apparatus comprising same

摘要

Load-canceling devices are disclosed that cancel axial compressive forces acting on a pass-through flexible conduit interconnecting neighboring vacuum chambers. The load-canceling devices also prevent vibrations occurring in one vacuum chamber from being transmitted to the other vacuum chamber. The load-canceling devices can be configured with any of various configurations such as air springs or any of various vacuum-bellows mechanisms. The load-canceling devices desirably are situated on opposite sides of the pass-through flexible conduit, thereby providing counter-forces, to the axial compressive force, having directions parallel to the direction of the axial compressive force. The load-canceling devices can be sized such that the cumulative counter-force generated by them is equal but exactly opposite in direction to the axial compressive force, thereby eliminating the axial compressive force.