Seiko Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha

Shinji Koyano

Yoshimasa Oda

Shinichi Nomura

Ryuichi Matsuzaki

Yuichi Kinoshita

Akinobu Harada

A temperature adjusting device has an air-tight container. A thermoelectric element is disposed in the air-tight container and has first and second opposite surfaces each capable of radiating and absorbing heat through a Peltier effect. A first heat exchanger is disposed in the air-tight container for performing heat exchange between a thermally conductive first medium and the first surface of the thermoelectric element. A tank is disposed in the air-tight container and is connected to an inlet side of the first heat exchanger for storing the first medium. A second heat exchanger is disposed in the air-tight container for performing heat exchange between a thermally conductive second medium and the second surface of the thermoelectric element. A pump circulates the first medium through the first heat exchanger. A temperature sensor detects a temperature of the first medium circulated by the pump. A controller controls an electric current supplied to the thermoelectric element so that a temperature detected by the temperature sensor becomes equal to a preselected temperature value.

Temperature adjusting device

A vacuum-oriented vertical transfer system which provides super vacuum/super clean environments, and a gate valve assembly which reduces the size of electromagnet sections. The vacuum-oriented vertical transfer system includes a cylindrical partition wall, and a rod vertically moved through an open bottom of a vacuum container. The rod is floatingly supported in radial and axial directions thereof by a radial magnetic support device and an axial magnetic support device, respectively. The gate valve assembly comprises a closure member mounted for positioning adjacent to and away from a port of a container to close and open the port, respectively. A neck member is integrally connected to the closure member and is mounted for movement to position the closure member to open and close the port of the container. A radial magnet device levitates the neck member by magnetic forces in a radial direction thereof. An axial magnetic device levitates the neck member by magnetic forces in an axial direction thereof. A moving mechanism moves the neck member to position the closure member to open and close the port of the container.

Vertical transfer system for a vacuum chamber and gate valve assembly

A transferring device is provided for transferring an article between vacuum chambers. The transferring device comprises a cylindrical float member, and a transferring rod connected to and extending along an axial direction for supporting an article. At least one magnetic member is disposed on a peripheral surface of the float member. A cylindrical partition member having a thin, uniform circular cross-sectional thickness is disposed between the electromagnet and the float member. A support member is disposed within the partition member for reciprocating movement between opposite ends of the partition member. The support member supports at least one electromagnet and at least one sensor in spaced apart and facing relation with respect to the magnetic member for magnetically floating the float member and to drive the same in the axial direction. During reciprocating movement of the support member within the partition member, the magnetic force generated by each of the electromagnets acts on each magnetic member through the cylindrical partition member to move the float member in synchronism with the reciprocative motion of the support member. The current required to excite the electromagnets is reduced, and the transferring device can be designed in small scale with high mechanical strength and rigidity.

Transferring device

A conveyor is of a low power consumption type and has a decreased amount of gas generation. The conveyor is provided with a floating member having a conveying rod on which a workpiece is laid; a conveying body magnetically coupled with the floating member through a sleeve-like partition wall; sensor portions for detecting positions of the floating member; electromagnets for generating magnetic forces for supporting the floating member; targets provided on the floating member so as to face the electromagnets; and an adjusting unit for taking a balance of forces to be applied to the magnetic support portions composed of the electromagnets, the targets and the sensor portions. With thus constructed conveyor, even if the conveying article load (i.e., workpiece weight) is changed, a space between the floating member and the sensor portions may be adjusted within a controllable range with a small amount, of excited magnetic current by the adjusting unit. Accordingly, the heat generation amount is decreased so that a temperature of the sleeve-like member which is kept in contact with the vacuum is also decreased to reduce the discharged gas amount. Furthermore, the number of the electromagnets may be reduced without reducing the possible conveying weight.

Growing community of inventors

Narashino, Japan

Shinji Koyano