The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 16, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 10, 1996
Peter Tinner, Sevelen, CH;
Josef Marthy, Walenstadt, CH;
Roman Schertler, Wolfurt, AT;
Stephan Voser, Buchs, CH;
Balzers Aktiengesellschaft, Liechtenstein, US;
Abstract
A transport and transfer arrangement for a workpiece in a vacuum treatment apparatus has a first transport member with at least one first workpiece holder and a second transport member with at least one second workpiece holder. The first and second transport members are movable relative to each other and in a position in which said one first and said one second workpiece holders are in a spaced face-to-face position. At least one transfer armature member is made of magnetic material. The first and second workpiece holders are part of controllable magnetic arrangement which generates in the spaced face-to-face position and between the workpiece holders, a magnetic force controllable to act in either direction and magnetically driving said transfer armature member controllably in a first direction from the first workpiece holder towards and onto said second workpiece holder and vice versa in a second direction as the workpiece holders are face to face. The transfer armature member is releasably firmly attachable to the workpiece with respect to the first and second directions so as to convey the workpiece both in the first and in said second direction, respectively from said first workpiece holder towards and onto the second workpiece holder and vice versa.