초록 ▼

A system for moving and processing workpieces includes individual stations isolated from one another and from a main chamber by seals formed by a transport mechanism. Workpieces are moved in a queue in a circular pattern, by a dial turret operated by a bell-crank and a Geneva mechanism. Stations sea

A system for moving and processing workpieces includes individual stations isolated from one another and from a main chamber by seals formed by a transport mechanism. Workpieces are moved in a queue in a circular pattern, by a dial turret operated by a bell-crank and a Geneva mechanism. Stations seal to the baseplate from below, and a vacuum chamber encloses the turret assembly which operates on a post through a center hole in the baseplate. Workpieces loaded to one depended chamber are withdrawn from chambers and inserted into next chambers in a circular pattern, passing through the main chamber with each transfer, and ending back in the chamber where they were loaded. In an alternative embodiment passages between the main chamber and each individual chamber have valves allowing processing to take place without carriers attached to the turret being in the processing chambers. In another embodiment a single radial arm transfers one workpiece at a time, indexing in either direction, allowing workpieces withdrawn from one chamber to be placed in any other chamber. In other alternative embodiments automatic equipment for loading and unloading workpieces is provided with a single cassette air-lock and with in-line air locking for cassettes. Provision is made for a wide variety of processes to be performed, and processing can be from one or both sides of a workpiece.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for moving and processing workpieces comprising: a main baseplate forming a fixed horizontal framing element of said system, having a central hole therethrough and two or more vertical passages therethrough, said vertical passages arranged at repeating angular intervals on the circumference

A system for moving and processing workpieces comprising: a main baseplate forming a fixed horizontal framing element of said system, having a central hole therethrough and two or more vertical passages therethrough, said vertical passages arranged at repeating angular intervals on the circumference of a circle with its center located within said central hole, said main baseplate having a substantially flat upper surface in proximity of said vertical passages; a plurality of individual stations equal in number to the number of said vertical passages, with one of each of said stations sealed to a bottom surface of said main baseplate at each of said vertical passages, each individual station having an opening with each opening aligned with a different one of said vertical passages, one of said individual stations being an air-lock, the others being processing stations; a vertical centerpost passing through said central hole of said main baseplate; a turret of substantially the diameter of the locus of said vertical passages through said main baseplate, said turret fixedly attached to the center post and concentric with it; a plurality of carrier assemblies, equal in number to the number of individual stations, said carrier assemblies configured to hold a workpiece vertically in a plane with the aid of gravity, each of said carrier assemblies attached to said turret and extending therebelow in a circular pattern congruent with the pattern of said vertical passages through said main baseplate; means for moving said center post vertically between a lowermost position at which workpieces on said carrier assemblies are fully inserted through said vertical passages and into said individual stations, and an uppermost position at which workpieces on said carrier assemblies are fully withdrawn from said vertical passages and above the upper surface of said main baseplate; means for indexing said center post rotationally at said upperemost position by an angular increment equal to the angular increment between said vertical passages through said main baseplate relative to said centerpost; a sealable door opening from said one of said individual stations used as an air-lock; a workpiece cradle attached to an inside surface of said air-lock door, said cradle being configured to hold a workpiece vertically with the aid of gravity and in the same plane as a workpiece held by one of said carrier assemblies, such that a workpiece entering said air-lock through said vertical passage will transfer from said carrier assembly to said door cradle, and a workpiece in said door cradle will transfer to said carrier assembly as said carrier leaves said air-lock through said vertical passage; a plurality of pedestals, equal in number to the number of individual stations used as process stations, one said pedestal attached to an inner wall of each said process station, each pedestal configured to hold a workpiece substantially vertically with the aid of gravity and in substantially the same plane as a workpiece held by one of said carrier assemblies, such that a workpiece entering one of said process stations through one of said vertical passages will transfer from said carrier assembly to said process pedestal, and a workpiece on said process pedestal will transfer to said carrier assembly as said carrier leaves said process station through said vertical passage, the workpiece being supported on said pedestals during processing; and an hermetic dome sealed to said main baseplate, said baseplate and said dome forming a main chamber enclosing said center post, turret and carrier assemblies; said turret with said carrier assemblies being lifted, indexed and lowered by said center post moving means and indexing means, said lifting, indexing, and lowering for engaging and lifting workpieces from said door cradle and process pedestals and for transferring said workpieces through said main chamber and into the next individual chamber in the direction of indexing, the workpieces being lifted simultaneously from all said pedestals and cradles and indexed and placed simultaneously.