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:
Feb. 18, 2003
Filed:
May. 22, 2000
Jerry D. Kidd, Granbury, TX (US);
Craig D. Harrington, Cleburne, TX (US);
Daniel N. Hopkins, Fort Worth, TX (US);
Basic Resources, Inc., Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An exemplary configurable vacuum system and method are provided for use in coating or plating that provides the capability to handle substrates of significantly different shapes and sizes. The configurable vacuum system includes a vacuum table assembly and a vacuum chamber. The vacuum table assembly may include a support frame, an insulated surface, a mechanical drive mounted to the support frame, an electrical feed through mounted to the support frame, a filament positioned above the insulated surface between a first filament conductor and a second filament conductor, a filament power connector electrically coupled to the first filament conductor through a first filament power contact pad of the filament power connector and to the second filament conductor through a second filament power contact pad of the filament power connector, and a platform operable to support the substrate. The vacuum chamber may include a vacuum chamber having a main opening at a door, a wall that defines an interior volume, a filament power connector, an electrical feed through connector, a mechanical drive connector, a railing operable to receive and support the vacuum table assembly within the internal volume of the vacuum chamber. The various connectors of the vacuum table assembly and vacuum chamber may automatically couple with one another.