Seiko Instruments Inc

Boc Edwards Techonlogies Limited

Yoshihiro Yamashita

Takashi Kabasawa

Yoshiyuki Sakaguchi

Manabu Nonaka

Yasushi Maejima

Yoshihiro Enomoto

A vacuum apparatus has a process chamber for processing a workpiece and a transfer apparatus for positioning the workpiece in the process chamber and for removing the workpiece from the process chamber. The transfer apparatus has a pair of generally parallel and spaced-apart transfer bodies and a workpiece holder connected to the transfer bodies for supporting the workpiece. A feeding mechanism feeds the transfer bodies in a longitudinal direction thereof to position the workpiece holder and the workpiece in the process chamber.

Vacuum apparatus and transfer apparatus

A vacuum pump has an end portion and a flange extending from a periphery of the end portion. The flange portion has first and second opposed main surfaces, and first and second bolt insertion holes extending through the first and second main surfaces. An auxiliary ring is connected to the first main surface of the flange portion of the pump case. The auxiliary ring has first and second opposed main surfaces, and a third bolt insertion hole extending through the first and second main surfaces of the auxiliary ring. An auxiliary ring attaching bolt extends through the third bolt insertion hole for connecting the auxiliary ring to a chamber housing disposed opposite the end portion of the pump case. A pump case supporting bolt extends through the second bolt insertion hole of the pump case flange portion and is connected to the auxiliary ring, and a pump case fastening bolt extends through the first bolt insertion hole of the pump case flange portion and is connected to the auxiliary ring.

Vacuum pump

To provide a small vacuum pump making it possible to efficiently perform evacuation from the atmosphere to a high vacuum (degree of vacuum: 10 Pa) by using a single pump unit. A turbo-molecular pump mechanism portion is arranged on the high-vacuum side, a volute pump mechanism portion is arranged on the atmosphere side, and a thread groove pump mechanism portion is arranged between the turbo-molecular pump mechanism portion and the volute pump mechanism portion. Further, rotor blades of the turbo-molecular pump mechanism portion, a rotor of the thread groove pump mechanism portion, and an impeller of the volute pump mechanism portion are integrally mounted to a single rotor shaft, which is rotated by a single motor.

A vacuum pump comprises a pump case having an interior space, a rotor disposed in the interior space of the pump case, and a thread stator disposed in the interior space of the pump case and opposite to an outer peripheral surface of the rotor. At least one heater is arranged in the thread stator for heating the interior space of the pump case. An output device outputs a parameter constituting a factor for determining a temperature of the rotor. A memory stores a database containing information corresponding to a relationship between the parameter output by the output device and a preselected temperature of the heater. A controller inputs the parameter output by the output device and selects from the database stored in the memory the preselected temperature of the heater in accordance with the input parameter.

Growing community of inventors

Chiba, Japan

Yoshihiro Yamashita