Leybold Systems Gmbh

Tomas Baumecker

Klaus Michael

Helmut Grimm

J&uuml;rgen Henrich

Gert R&ouml;dling

J&uuml;rgen Ulrich

In an air lock for continuous introduction into and/or removal of workpieces from spaces ( ) separated atmospherically, the individual substrates ( ) are transported through a transfer channel ( ). At least one lock chamber ( ) serving to accommodate the substrates ( ) is arranged movably in the transfer channel ( ). During the substrate transport in the transfer channel ( ), the lock chamber ( ) is atmospherically separated both from the exterior ( ) having normal pressure and from the coating chamber ( ). The air lock ( ) includes a carrousel lock which has a carrousel housing ( ) and a lock chamber wheel ( ). On the periphery in the lock chamber wheel ( ) individual lock chambers ( ) are provided, in which the workpieces ( ) to be brought into the chamber to be loaded ( ) are inserted freely accessible on the normal pressure side. By turning the lock chamber wheel ( ), the substrates ( ) in the lock chambers ( ) are transported from the coating station &lsqb;sic; loading station&rsqb; (A) to the transfer station (B) into the treatment chamber ( ) diametrically opposite the normal pressure side. In the transfer station (B) the substrates ( ) are removed from the transfer channels ( ) by means of a transfer device ( &prime;) and are available for further treatment in the treatment chamber ( ).

Air lock for introducing substrates to and/or removing them from a treatment chamber

In an air lock for continuous introduction into and/or removal of workpieces from spaces (,) separated atmospherically, the individual substrates (,) are transported through a transfer channel (,). At least one lock chamber (,) serving to accommodate the substrates (,) is arranged movably in the transfer channel (,). During the substrate transport in the transfer channel (,), the lock chamber (,) is atmospherically separated both from the exterior (,) having normal pressure and from the coating chamber (,). The air lock (,) includes a carrousel lock which has a carrousel housing (,) and a lock chamber wheel (,). On the periphery in the lock chamber wheel (,) individual lock chambers (,) are provided, in which the workpieces (,) to be brought into the chamber to be loaded (,) are inserted freely accessible on the normal pressure side. By turning the lock chamber wheel (,), the substrates (,) in the lock chambers (,) are transported from the coating station (A) to the transfer station (B) into the treatment chamber (,) diametrically opposite the normal pressure side. In the transfer station (B) the substrates (,) are removed from the transfer channels (,) by means of a transfer device (,&prime;) and are available for further treatment in the treatment chamber (,). The treatment chamber (,) includes, for instance, of a vacuum-coating chamber in which the workpieces (,) as the substrates to be coated are coated by a vacuum-supported coating method.

For coating substrates (17,18,20,21,22) in a vacuum-coating chamber (2) the substrates are introduced by an air lock into the coating chamber (2) and moved along a transport path in front of the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) producing a coating cloud. To this end, the substrates (17,18,20,21,22) are led past the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) by means of holding devices (24) arranged movably on a transport belt (9) during at least two successive coating phases. During the one coating phase, the substrates (17,18,20,21,22) are oriented along one transport direction T.sub.3 oriented towards the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) such that essentially the substrate bottom of the cylindrical substrate is coated. During the subsequent second coating phase, the substrates are oriented in front of the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) in a direction T.sub.4 opposite the transport direction T.sub.3, wherein the substrates (17,18,20,21,22) are oriented such that essentially the cylindrical side surface is coated. By this method, the substrates (17,18,20,21,22) are coated successively in an identical manner and independently of possible substrate positions with relation to the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) during the coating process. Bottle-shaped containers, in particular, plastic bottles are vapor-coated with a gas- or fluid-barrier layer using the method. The coating sources (50a,b,c,d) include thermal vaporizers and/or plasma cathode sputter sources.

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Bruchköbel, Germany

Tomas Baumecker