초록 ▼

A vacuum-to-vacuum entry system which uses a rotary transport to transfer workpieces between two vacuum environments in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation and through the interface of a combination rotary gas bearing and seal. The combination gas bearing and seal seals off a zone in the ga

A vacuum-to-vacuum entry system which uses a rotary transport to transfer workpieces between two vacuum environments in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation and through the interface of a combination rotary gas bearing and seal. The combination gas bearing and seal seals off a zone in the gap between its two planar bearing surfaces that is radially offset from the axis of rotation of the bearing which is coincidental with the transport axis. Two arcuate gas sink channels on one of the bearing surfaces sink the gas of the bearing away from the zone. The bearing gas outside the zone in the gap and the two channels coact to effect a peripheral seal about the zone allowing the two vacuum environments when appropriately aligned to be in sealed communication with each other through the zone. A preferred embodiment is described for the transfer of ceramic substrates with circuitized surfaces between two vacuums environments.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Vacuum-to-vacuum entry system apparatus comprising: at least two first and second vacuumized chambers, first member means having a first planar gas bearing surface and a first another surface, a first opening extending through said first member means between the two said first surfaces, said

1. Vacuum-to-vacuum entry system apparatus comprising: at least two first and second vacuumized chambers, first member means having a first planar gas bearing surface and a first another surface, a first opening extending through said first member means between the two said first surfaces, said first chamber being disposed adjacent said first another surface, and said first opening being in a predetermined sealed communication with the interior of said first chamber, second member means having a second planar gas bearing surface in parallel facing relationship with said first gas planar surface, said second member means having a second another surface, means for relative rotation between said first and second gas bearing surfaces about a predetermined axis, said axis being normal to said planar first and second gas bearing surfaces, a second opening extending through said second member means between the two said second surfaces, said second chamber being disposed adjacent said second another surface, and said second opening being in a predetermined sealed communication with the interior of said second chamber, said first gas bearing surface having a predetermined region therein offset a predetermined radial distance from said axis and not intersected by said axis, said first opening at said first gas bearing surface being disposed within said region, gas supply means for providing a gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces to support axially said first and second member means with a predetermined spacing between said first and second gas bearing surfaces, and gas sink means within a predetermined sector of said first gas bearing surface relative to said axis, said region being disposed within said sector, said gas being sinked away from said region by said gas sink means, said gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces and said gas sink means coacting to provide a seal for said region and for a zone of said spacing, said zone extending through said spacing from said region to the plane of said second planar gas bearing surface, said first and second gas bearing surfaces being angularly positionable about said axis by said rotation means to place said first and second openings at said first and second gas bearing surfaces, respectively, in facing alignment with respect to each other and said sealed zone to effect a sealed communication between said vacuumized first and second chambers. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said gas sink means comprises: at least two gas sink parallel arcuate channels concentric with said axis and disposed within said sector and in said first gas bearing surface, said region being disposed between said two channels. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first member means is stationary and said second member means is incrementably rotatable by said means for relatively rotating. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising: means for pivoting said first member means about said axis, and biasing means for biasing said first member means towards said second member means, said pivoting means and said biasing means coacting with said gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces to compensate for any skew in said parallel facing relationship. 5. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of said first and second gas bearing surfaces is circular and concentrically disposed about said axis. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said gas sink means comprises: at least two gas sink parallel arcuate channels concentric with said axis and disposed within said sector and in said first gas bearing surface, said region being disposed between said two channels. 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said gas is nitrogen and said gas maintains said spacing between said first and second gas bearing surfaces at substantially 0.00005 inches, the pressure of said air is substantially 40 psi, said vacuumized first chamber is at a pressure of 0.000001 Torr, and said vacuumized second chamber prior to said facing alignment of said first and second openings and said two gas sink channels are at a pressure of 0.01 Torr. 8. Vacuum-to-vacuum entry system apparatus comprising: at least two first and second vacuumized chambers, rotary transport means for supporting said second chamber, first member means having a first planar gas thrust bearing surface and a first another surface, a first opening extending through said first member means between the two said first surfaces, said first chamber being disposed adjacent said first another surface, and said first opening being in a predetermined sealed communication with the interior of said first chamber, said rotary transport means having second member means having a second planar gas thrust bearing surface in parallel facing relationship with said first gas planar surface, said second member means having a second another surface, said rotary means incrementally rotating said second gas bearing surface about a predetermined axis, said axis being normal to said planar first and second gas bearing surfaces, said first and second gas bearing surfaces being concentrically aligned with said axis, a second opening extending through said second member means between the two said second surfaces, said second chamber being disposed adjacent said second another surface, and said second opening being in a predetermined sealed communication with the interior of said second chamber, said first gas bearing surface having a predetermined region therein offset a predetermined radial distance from said axis and not intersected by said axis, said first opening at said first gas bearing surface being disposed within said region, gas supply means for providing a gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces to support axially said first and second member means with a predetermined spacing between said first and second gas bearing surfaces, and gas sink means within a predetermined sector of said first gas bearing surface relative to said axis, said region being disposed within said sector, said gas being sinked away from said region by said gas sink means, said gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces and said gas sink means coacting to provide a seal for said region and for a zone of said spacing, said zone extending through said spacing from said region to the plane of said second planar gas bearing surface, said first and second gas bearing surfaces being angularly positionable about said axis by said rotary means to place said first and second openings at said first and second gas bearing surfaces, respectively, in facing alignment with respect to each other and said sealed zone to effect a sealed communication between said vacuumized first and second chambers. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said gas sink means comprises: at least two gas sink parallel arcuate channels concentric with said axis and disposed within said sector and in said first gas bearing surface, said region being disposed between said two channels. 10. Apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising: means for pivoting said first member means about said axis, and biasing means for biasing said first member means toward said second member means, said pivoting means and said biasing means coacting with said gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces to compensate for any skew in said parallel facing relationship. 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said gas sink means comprises: at least two gas sink parallel arcuate channels concentric with said axis and disposed within said sector and in said first gas bearing surface, said region being disposed between said two channels. 12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said gas is nitrogen and said gas maintains said spacing between said first and second gas bearing surfaces at substantially 0.00005 inches, the pressure of said air is substantially 40 psi, said vacuumized first chamber is at a pressure of 0.000001 Torr, and said vacuumized second chamber prior to said facing alignment of said first and second openings and said two gas sink channels are at a pressure of 0.01 Torrs. 13. Vacuum-to-vacuum entry system apparatus comprising: a first vacuumized chamber and plural second vacuumized chambers, rotary transport means for supporting said plural second chambers, first disc member means having a first planar gas thrust bearing surfaces and a first opposite planar surface, a first opening extending through said first member means between the two said first surfaces, said first chamber being disposed adjacent said first opposite surface, and said first opening being in a predetermined sealed communication with the interior of said first chamber, said rotary transport means having second disc member means having a second planar gas thrust bearing surface in parallel facing relationship with said first gas planar surface, said second member means having a second opposite planar surface, said rotary means incrementally rotating said second gas bearing surface about a predetermined axis, said axis being normal to said planar first and second surfaces, said first and second surfaces being concentrically aligned with said axis, plural second openings, each of said second openings extending through said second member means between the two said second surfaces, each of said second chambers being disposed adjacent said second another surface, and each of said second openings being in a predetermined sealed communication with the interior of a mutually exclusive one of said second chambers, said first gas bearing surface having a predetermined region therein offset a predetermined radial distance from said axis and not intersected by said axis, said first opening at said first gas bearing surface being disposed within said region, gas supply means for providing a gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces to support axially said first and second member means with a predetermined spacing between said first and second gas bearing surfaces, and gas sink means within a predetermined sector of said first gas bearing surface relative to said axis, said region being disposed within said sector, said gas being sinked away from said region by said gas sink means, said gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces and said gas sink means coacting to provide a seal for said region and for a zone of said spacing, said zone extending through said spacing from said region to the plane of said second planar gas bearing surface, said first and second gas bearing surfaces being angularly positionable about said axis by said rotary means to place said second openings at said second gas bearing surface sequentially in facing alignment with said first opening at said first gas bearing surfaces through said sealed zone to effect a sealed communication between said vacuumized first chamber and said interior of the particular one of said second chambers which is in said predetermined sealed connection with the particular one second openings that is in said alignment with said first opening. 14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said gas sink means comprises: at least two gas sink parallel arcuate channels concentric with said axis and disposed within said sector and in said first gas bearing surface, said region being disposed between said two channels. 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising: means for pivoting said first member means about said axis, and biasing means for biasing said first member means towards said second member means, said pivoting means and said biasing means coacting with said gas between said first and second gas bearing surfaces to compensate for any skew in said parallel facing relationship. 16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said gas sink means comprises: at least two gas sink parallel arcuate channels concentric with said axis and disposed within said sector and in said first gas bearing surface, said region being disposed between said two channels. 17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said gas is nitrogen and said gas maintains said spacing between said first and second gas bearing surfaces at substantially 0.00005 inches, the pressure of said air is substantially 40 psi, said vacuumized first chamber is at a pressure of 0.000001 Torr, and each of said vacuumized second chambers prior to said facing alignment of said first opening and said particular second opening thereof and said two gas sink channels are at a pressure of 0.01 Torr. 18. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein each of said second chambers is adapted to carry at least one workpiece, said workpiece being transferred between said first chamber and the particular one of said second chambers carrying the particular said workpiece in a direction parallel to said axis and through said zone whenever said first opening and the particular second opening of the particular second chamber are in said facing alignment.