High-efficiency energy-saving vacuum coating machine and coating method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of high-efficiency energy-saving vacuum coating machine, comprising: cabinet, two groups of sealing plates are fixedly installed in cabinet, and the two groups of sealing plates divide cabinet into left half and right half, and the right half of cabinet is sealed into sealed cavity by two groups of sealing plates, and the left half of the cabinet is fixedly installed with roughing pump and high vacuum pump respectively, and the gas suction end of the roughing pump and the high vacuum pump is located in the sealed cavity by penetrating one group of sealing plates, and the sealing cavity sealed by two groups of sealing plates is slidably installed with coating mechanism. The application is designed by coating mechanism and cooling mechanism, which realizes clamping, vacuumizing, coating and cooling in a single sealed cavity through the synergistic design of "dynamic pump group switching + directional focusing heating + partition temperature separation heat dissipation + negative pressure reinforced sealing", reduces energy loss in multi-chamber transition, reduces invalid energy consumption through precise energy control, realizes the unity of high efficiency and energy saving and high quality coating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vacuum coating machine technology, specifically to a high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine and its coating method. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing demands for material surface performance in industrial manufacturing, vacuum coating technology, as a key process that can effectively improve the wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and optical properties of workpieces, has been widely used in various industries such as electronics, optics, and aerospace. However, traditional vacuum coating equipment generally suffers from problems such as high energy consumption, low efficiency, and high costs of maintaining a vacuum environment, which restricts its sustainable application in large-scale production.

[0003] For example, the national authorized patent announcement number CN120041789A discloses a high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating unit and method. The vacuum coating unit includes a vacuum coating machine and a winding device and a winding unwinding device located at the inlet and outlet ends of the vacuum coating machine. The vacuum coating machine is equipped with an inlet cutter, a welding machine, a strip preheating chamber, a strip surface cleaning and activation chamber, a strip coating chamber, a post-coating cooling chamber, and an outlet cutter. Two winding devices are provided, connected in parallel at the inlet of the vacuum coating machine. The two winding devices are located in separate vacuum chambers, and the two vacuum chambers are connected to the vacuum coating machine through an inlet conveying pipe. Each of the two inlet conveying pipes is equipped with an inlet isolation valve. Two winding unwinding devices are provided, connected in parallel at the outlet of the vacuum coating machine. The two winding devices are located in separate vacuum chambers, and the two vacuum chambers are connected to the vacuum coating machine through an outlet conveying pipe. Each of the two outlet conveying pipes is equipped with an outlet isolation valve. This invention can achieve continuous strip coating without breaking the vacuum.

[0004] However, the aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating units and methods include multiple series chambers (preheating, cleaning, coating, cooling, etc.) and parallel winding / unwinding vacuum chambers. Each chamber needs to maintain an independent vacuum environment and process parameters (such as temperature and pressure), which leads to a dispersed distribution of overall energy consumption and difficulty in precise control. For example, when the strip enters the coating chamber from the preheating chamber, a pressure gradient needs to be maintained through a transition structure, which may cause energy leakage. Even if the two parallel winding / unwinding devices work alternately, the vacuum maintenance of the idle chamber still requires continuous energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine and coating method, so as to solve the problems of energy consumption dispersion, difficulty in control, energy leakage in the transition link, and continuous energy consumption of idle chambers caused by the multi-chamber structure mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine includes a housing. Two sets of sealing plates are fixedly installed inside the housing, dividing the housing into a left half and a right half. The right half of the housing is sealed into a sealed cavity by the two sets of sealing plates. A coarse pump and a high vacuum pump are fixedly installed in the left half of the housing. The pumping ends of the coarse pump and the high vacuum pump pass through one of the sealing plates and are located in the sealed cavity.

[0008] A coating mechanism is slidably installed in the sealed cavity formed by the two sets of sealing plates. The coating mechanism can clamp the workpiece to be coated. The drive end of the coating mechanism is slidably installed in the extension cylinder. The extension cylinder is connected to the right half of the housing and communicates with the sealed cavity. The upper surface of the coating mechanism is perpendicular to the filling port and can move closer to or away from the filling port by lifting. The filling port is opened on the upper surface of the housing. The up and down sliding of the coating mechanism in the sealed cavity can divide the sealed cavity into an upper half and a lower half, wherein the upper half is a heating zone and the lower half is a heat dissipation zone.

[0009] In the aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, a mounting box is fixedly installed on one end of the right half of the machine housing, and a cooling mechanism is fixedly installed inside the mounting box. The cooling end of the cooling mechanism is fixedly installed in the embedded groove and is flush with the surface of the sealing plate. The embedded groove is embedded in one end of one set of sealing plates.

[0010] Two sets of guide rods are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the housing. A top cover is slidably installed on the outer surface of the two sets of guide rods. A pull handle is fixedly installed at one end of the top cover. An infrared focusing heater is fixedly installed inside the top cover. The top cover can drive the infrared focusing heater to be perpendicular to the filling port and the coating mechanism by sliding laterally on the outer surface of the guide rods. A tungsten boat is suspended in the center of the infrared focusing heater.

[0011] In the aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, a folded sealing gasket is fixedly installed between the top cover and the infrared focusing heater, and the lower surface of the folded sealing gasket slides against the upper surface of the machine housing.

[0012] The aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine includes a coating mechanism comprising a connecting frame. The connecting frame is fixedly installed between two sets of sealing plates and located within a sealing cavity. Guide rails and first electric push rods are fixedly installed at both ends of the connecting frame. The two sets of first electric push rods are staggered and oppositely distributed, and a first heat insulation plate is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the piston rod. The other two corners of the first heat insulation plate are slidably installed on the outer surface of the guide rails. The first heat insulation plate slides and seals within the sealing cavity and on the outer surface of the connecting frame.

[0013] In the aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, two sets of guide rails are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the first insulation plate. A first connecting plate is fixedly installed at one end of each of the two sets of guide rails. A clamping plate is rotatably installed at one end of the first connecting plate. The clamping plate is flush with and opposite to another set of clamping plates. The other set of clamping plates is rotatably installed at one end of a second connecting plate. The second connecting plate is slidably installed on the outer surface of the two sets of guide rails and slides out from the guide opening to the lower surface of the first insulation plate, where it is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the second electric push rod. The guide opening is opened on the first insulation plate and is located at one end between the two sets of guide rails. The second electric push rod is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the first insulation plate.

[0014] In the aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, sealing strips are fixedly installed at both ends of the second connecting plate, and the sealing strips are slidably installed between two sets of guide rail plates.

[0015] In the aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, a clamping plate rotatably mounted at one end of the first connecting plate is fixedly connected to a universal joint, and the other end of the universal joint is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the motor. The motor is slidably mounted in a guide rail groove fixedly mounted at both ends inside the extension cylinder via a guide block fixedly mounted on the outer surface.

[0016] A second heat insulation plate is fixedly installed in the middle section of the extension tube, and the output shaft of the power supply motor slides through the second heat insulation plate.

[0017] In the aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, the cooling mechanism includes a first copper pipe network. The first copper pipe network is fixedly installed in the inner groove of one set of sealing plates and is located in a sealed cavity. One end of the first copper pipe network has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet that are sealed through the inner groove and connected to a second copper pipe network. The second copper pipe network is fixedly installed at the other end of the sealing plate and is located in a mounting box. The liquid inlet and liquid outlet of the second copper pipe network are connected to the liquid inlet and liquid outlet of a water pump. The water pump is fixedly installed in the mounting box.

[0018] In the aforementioned high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, the outer surfaces of both the first copper pipe network and the second copper pipe network are wound with heat-conducting wires, and a cooling fan is fixedly installed at one end of the second copper pipe network.

[0019] This method also provides a coating method for a high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, comprising the following steps:

[0020] S1: The sliding top cover opens the filling port, the first electric push rod is activated to push the first insulation plate up along the guide rail, so that the two sets of clamps on the first insulation plate are facing the filling port. The workpiece to be coated is placed between the two sets of clamps. The second electric push rod is activated to pull the second connecting plate along the guide rail to slide against the other set of clamps, clamping the workpiece between the two sets of clamps. The first electric push rod pulls the first insulation plate to drive the workpiece to descend vertically into the upper part of the sealing cavity. During the rising and falling of the first insulation plate, the transmission connection between it and the motor is maintained by the bending of the universal joint. During the bending of the universal joint, the push and pull motor slides back and forth in the guide rail groove in the extension cylinder through the guide block, pulling the top cover to cover the top of the filling port. The top cover drives the folded sealing gasket to fit against the outer periphery of the upper surface of the filling port to form a preliminary seal.

[0021] S2: Start the roughing pump to perform roughing of the sealed cavity. When the vacuum level reaches 10~ 2 When the pressure reaches 10 Pa, the system automatically switches to a high-vacuum pump for high-vacuum extraction until the vacuum level in the heating zone reaches 10 Pa. -4 -10~ 5 Pa, the pressure sensor integrated on the high vacuum pump monitors the pressure in the sealed cavity in real time. When the vacuum is drawn, the negative pressure formed in the sealed cavity firmly adsorbs the folded sealing gasket to the outer surface of the filling port.

[0022] S3: The infrared focusing heater in the top cover focuses infrared radiation onto the surface of the tungsten boat through the elliptical reflector, causing the coating material on the tungsten boat to evaporate / sublimate under high heat flux density. The start motor drives the chuck to rotate the workpiece through the universal joint, and the power of the infrared focusing heater is adjusted by the PID temperature control algorithm.

[0023] S4: After coating is completed, turn off the infrared focusing heater, start the first electric push rod to pull the first insulation plate down to the lower half of the sealed cavity, so that the workpiece is in the first copper pipe network in the embedded groove. Start the water pump to drive the coolant to circulate between the first copper pipe network and the second copper pipe network. The heat of the workpiece is absorbed by the heat-conducting wire wrapped on the outer surface. The cooling fan accelerates the heat dissipation of the second copper pipe network. After cooling to room temperature, the high vacuum pump and the coarse pump stop in sequence and fill the sealed cavity with inert gas to restore normal pressure. Slide the top cover to open the filling port. The second electric push rod pushes the clamp to release the workpiece. Start the first electric push rod to push the first insulation plate up to the filling port. Take out the coated workpiece and fill in the new workpiece.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0025] 1. The equipment adopts a vacuum pumping mode that dynamically switches between coarse pump and high vacuum pump, avoiding the high-energy-consuming pump group from running at full load throughout the process, thus reducing the energy consumption of pumping from the source; the infrared focusing heater concentrates energy on the coating material through directional focusing technology, and with the partitioned temperature insulation design, it reduces the diffusion of heat to unnecessary areas, significantly improving the energy utilization rate compared with traditional heating methods, and greatly reducing the energy consumption of a single batch of production.

[0026] 2. In the coating mechanism, the motor drives the workpiece to rotate through a universal joint. Combined with the directional evaporation of infrared focusing heating, the coating material is deposited evenly. During the cooling stage, the workpiece continues to rotate. With the all-round heat dissipation of the first copper pipe network, the difference in film stress caused by uneven cooling is avoided. The film thickness deviation is controlled within a very small range, the adhesion is significantly enhanced, and the risk of film cracking and peeling is effectively reduced.

[0027] 3. The entire process of clamping, vacuuming, coating and cooling is integrated in a single sealed cavity. The process zone can be quickly switched by raising and lowering the first insulation plate, eliminating the cumbersome steps of multi-chamber transition. The high-efficiency heating element heats up faster, and the circulating heat dissipation design of the cooling mechanism shortens the cooling time of the workpiece. The production cycle of a single batch is significantly reduced compared with traditional equipment, and the production capacity per unit time is greatly improved.

[0028] 4. By using folded sealing gaskets and sealing strips, the sealing effect is enhanced under negative pressure, significantly reducing the vacuum leakage rate; the second insulation plate isolates the heating zone from the motor, reducing the wear and tear on the drive components caused by high temperatures; the modular design makes it easy to disassemble and assemble each component, shortens the troubleshooting time, reduces annual maintenance costs, and significantly improves the stability of continuous operation of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention, showing the top cover sliding onto the filling port and sealing it.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall side cross-section of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the roughing pump and the high vacuum pump of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the infrared focusing heater of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the extension cylinder and the second insulation plate of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a top view of the coating mechanism of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a bottom view schematic diagram of the coating mechanism of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 9 This is a front view structural schematic diagram of the cooling mechanism of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a rear view structural schematic diagram of the cooling mechanism of the present invention.

[0039] In the diagram: 1. Housing; 101. Extension cylinder; 102. Guide rod; 103. Filling port; 104. Top cover; 105. Folding sealing gasket; 106. Mounting box; 107. Coarse pump; 108. High vacuum pump; 109. Infrared focusing heater; 110. Sealing plate; 111. Second insulation plate; 112. Guide rail groove; 113. Embedded groove; 2. Coating mechanism; 201. Connecting frame; 202. Guide rail rod; 203. First electric... 204. Moving push rod; 205. First insulation plate; 206. Guide rail plate; 207. First connecting plate; 208. Clamping plate; 209. Motor; 200. Guide block; 210. Universal joint; 211. Sealing strip; 212. Guide port; 213. Second connecting plate; 214. Second electric push rod; 3. Cooling mechanism; 301. First copper pipe network; 302. Second copper pipe network; 303. Cooling fan; 304. Water pump; 4. Sealing cavity. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] Please see Figures 1-10 This embodiment provides the following technical solution:

[0042] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine includes a housing 1. Two sets of sealing plates 110 are fixedly installed inside the housing 1, dividing the housing 1 into a left half and a right half. The right half of the housing 1 is sealed into a sealed cavity 4 by the two sets of sealing plates 110. A coarse pump 107 and a high vacuum pump 108 are fixedly installed in the left half of the housing 1, respectively. The pumping ends of the coarse pump 107 and the high vacuum pump 108 pass through one of the sealing plates 110 and are located in the sealed cavity 4. This allows for dynamic switching of the pump sets according to the vacuum requirements, avoiding the high-energy-consuming vacuum pump from running at full load throughout the process, thereby reducing pumping energy consumption.

[0043] The coating mechanism 2 is slidably installed in the sealed cavity 4 formed by the two sets of sealing plates 110. The coating mechanism 2 can clamp the workpiece to be coated. The drive end of the coating mechanism 2 is slidably installed in the extension cylinder 101. The extension cylinder 101 is connected to the right half of the housing 1 and communicates with the sealed cavity 4. The upper surface of the coating mechanism 2 is perpendicular to the filling port 103 and can move closer to or away from the filling port 103 by lifting. The filling port 103 is opened on the upper surface of the housing 1. The up and down sliding of the coating mechanism 2 in the sealed cavity 4 can divide the sealed cavity 4 into an upper half and a lower half. The upper half is the heating zone and the lower half is the heat dissipation zone.

[0044] The right half of the housing 1 is fixedly installed with a mounting box 106. A cooling mechanism 3 is fixedly installed inside the mounting box 106. The cooling end of the cooling mechanism 3 is fixedly installed in the embedded groove 113 and is flush with the surface of the sealing plate 110. The embedded groove 113 is embedded in one end of one set of sealing plates 110, so that when the coating mechanism 2 slides to the lower half in the sealing cavity 4, the heat dissipation end of the cooling mechanism 3 will be exposed in the sealing cavity 4 for heat absorption and cooling.

[0045] Two sets of guide rods 102 are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the housing 1. A top cover 104 is slidably installed on the outer surface of the two sets of guide rods 102. A pull handle is fixedly installed at one end of the top cover 104. An infrared focusing heater 109 is fixedly installed inside the top cover 104. The top cover 104 can drive the infrared focusing heater 109 to be perpendicular to the filling port 103 and the coating mechanism 2 by sliding laterally on the outer surface of the guide rods 102. A tungsten boat is suspended in the center of the infrared focusing heater 109.

[0046] A folded sealing gasket 105 is fixedly installed between the top cover 104 and the infrared focusing heater 109. The lower surface of the folded sealing gasket 105 slides against the upper surface of the housing 1. When the top cover 104 is driven to be perpendicular to the filling port 103, it will drive the folded sealing gasket 105 to contact the outer periphery of the upper surface of the filling port 103. Then, the vacuum is drawn by the coarse pump 107 and the high vacuum pump 108 to achieve a tight seal.

[0047] Through the design of the housing 1, extension cylinder 101, guide rod 102, filling port 103, top cover 104, folded sealing gasket 105, mounting box 106, roughing pump 107, high vacuum pump 108, infrared focusing heater 109, sealing plate 110, second insulation plate 111, coating mechanism 2, cooling mechanism 3, and sealing cavity 4, the equipment uses two sets of sealing plates 110 to divide the housing 1 into the left half of the pump group area and the right half of the sealing cavity 4. The roughing pump 107 and high vacuum pump 108 in the left half can be dynamically switched according to the vacuum requirements in the sealing cavity 4, while the initial stage is controlled by the roughing pump 107. 7. Rapidly reduce the internal pressure to the threshold, then switch to high-vacuum pump 108 for high-precision evacuation, avoiding full-load operation of the high-energy-consuming pump set throughout the process, thus reducing evacuation energy consumption from the source. The coating mechanism 2, which is slidably installed in the sealed cavity 4, is the core execution component. It achieves functional zoning through the up-and-down sliding of the first heat insulation plate 204. When the coating mechanism 2 rises below the filling port 103, the workpiece can be clamped by the clamping plate 207, and then it descends to divide the sealed cavity 4 into an upper heating zone and a lower heat dissipation zone, which reduces heat crossflow and achieves orderly switching of process steps within a single cavity. During coating, the casing... The top cover 104 on the upper surface slides along the guide rod 102 to directly above the filling port 103. Its built-in infrared focusing heater 109 focuses energy onto the central tungsten boat through an elliptical reflective surface, causing the coating material to evaporate directionally. This, combined with the motor 208 driving the workpiece to rotate, ensures uniform film deposition. Simultaneously, the folded sealing gasket 105, under vacuum negative pressure, tightly adheres to the periphery of the filling port 103, enhancing the sealing of the heating zone. After coating is completed, the coating mechanism 2 is driven down to the lower half of the sealing cavity 4, aligning the workpiece with the cooling mechanism 3 in the groove 113 of the sealing plate 110 and activating it. The cooling mechanism 3 enables the internal coolant to circulate and quickly absorb the heat from the workpiece, achieving rapid cooling. Throughout the process, the second insulation plate 111 inside the extension cylinder 101 isolates the heating zone from the driving components, preventing the motor 208 from overheating. Furthermore, through the collaborative design of "dynamic pump group switching + directional focusing heating + zoned heat insulation and heat dissipation + negative pressure enhanced sealing", the entire process of clamping, vacuuming, coating, and cooling is completed within a single sealed cavity 4. This reduces energy loss during multi-chamber transitions and reduces ineffective energy consumption through precise energy control, achieving a balance between high efficiency, energy saving, and high-quality coating.

[0048] like Figures 7-8As shown, the coating mechanism 2 includes a connecting frame 201, which is fixedly installed between two sets of sealing plates 110 and located in the sealing cavity 4. Guide rail rods 202 and first electric push rods 203 are fixedly installed at both ends of the connecting frame 201. The two sets of first electric push rods 203 are staggered and oppositely distributed, and a first heat insulation plate 204 is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the piston rod. The other two corners of the first heat insulation plate 204 are slidably installed on the outer surface of the guide rail rod 202. The first heat insulation plate 204 is sealed and slidably in the sealing cavity 4 and on the outer surface of the connecting frame 201.

[0049] Two sets of guide rails 205 are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the first insulation plate 204. A first connecting plate 206 is fixedly installed at one end of the two sets of guide rails 205. A clamping plate 207 is rotatably installed at one end of the first connecting plate 206. The clamping plate 207 is flush with and opposite to the other set of clamping plates 207. The other set of clamping plates 207 is rotatably installed at one end of the second connecting plate 213. The second connecting plate 213 is slidably installed on the outer surface of the two sets of guide rails 205 and slides out from the guide port 212 to the lower surface of the first insulation plate 204, where it is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the second electric push rod 214. The guide port 212 is opened on the first insulation plate 204 and is located at one end between the two sets of guide rails 205. The second electric push rod 214 is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the first insulation plate 204.

[0050] Both ends of the second connecting plate 213 are fixedly installed with sealing strips 211. The sealing strips 211 are slidably installed between the two sets of guide rail plates 205 so that they can slide and seal the guide port 212.

[0051] One end of the first connecting plate 206 is rotatably mounted with a clamp 207 and is fixedly connected to a universal joint 210. The other end of the universal joint 210 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the motor 208. The motor 208 is slidably mounted in the guide rail groove 112 fixedly mounted at both ends inside the extension cylinder 101 through a guide block 209 fixedly mounted on the outer surface. This allows the first insulation plate 204 to maintain the transmission connection with the output shaft of the motor 208 through the bending of the universal joint 210 during the process of the first electric push rod 203 pushing and pulling up and down.

[0052] The second heat insulation plate 111 is fixedly installed in the middle section of the extension tube 101. The output shaft of the motor 208 is slidably passed through the second heat insulation plate 111, thereby blocking the motor 208 on one side inside the extension tube 101 to avoid overheating.

[0053] Through the design of guide rail 202, first electric push rod 203, first insulation plate 204, guide rail plate 205, first connecting plate 206, clamping plate 207, motor 208, guide block 209, universal joint 210, sealing strip 211, guide port 212, second connecting plate 213 and second electric push rod 214, the connecting frame 201 is fixed between two sets of sealing plates 110, serving as the basic load-bearing component of the entire coating mechanism 2. The guide rail 202 and first electric push rod 203 installed at both ends together constitute a lifting system. The two sets of staggered first electric push rods 203 extend synchronously. During retraction, the first insulation plate 204 will slide smoothly up and down along the guide rail 202. The first insulation plate 204 maintains a sealed sliding state with the sealing cavity 4 and the outer surface of the connecting frame 201. This ensures the stability of the lifting process and reliably divides the sealing cavity 4 into a heating zone and a heat dissipation zone during sliding, effectively reducing heat exchange between the two zones. When clamping the workpiece, the workpiece can be placed between the two sets of clamping plates 207. Then, the second electric push rod 214 can be activated to pull the second connecting plate 213, which is fixedly installed at one end of the piston rod, to move the clamping plate 207 towards the other set of clamping plates 201. The 07 sliding mechanism allows the workpiece to be suspended and clamped within the space. During the sliding of the second connecting plate 213, the sealing strips 211 at both ends slide between the two sets of guide rails 205, consistently sealing the guide opening 212 to prevent vacuum leakage from affecting the vacuum environment within the sealing cavity 4. When the workpiece rotates, the motor 208 can be started to drive the universal joint 210 to rotate via its output shaft. The other end of the universal joint 210 is connected to the clamping plate 207 on the first connecting plate 206, thus enabling power to be transmitted to the clamping plate 207 via the universal joint 210 when the motor 208 is operating. The workpiece rotates between the two sides, which can ensure the uniformity of the coating. When the first heat insulation plate 204 is raised and lowered under the action of the first electric push rod 203, the motor 208 will move synchronously along the guide rail groove 112 in the extension cylinder 101 through the guide block 209 on the outer surface. The bending characteristics of the universal joint 210 can ensure that the transmission connection between the output shaft of the motor 208 and the clamp 207 remains stable. In addition, the second heat insulation plate 111 in the middle section of the extension cylinder 101 allows the output shaft of the motor 208 to pass through, while isolating the motor 208 from the heating zone to prevent the motor 208 from being damaged due to overheating.

[0054] like Figures 9-10As shown, the cooling mechanism 3 includes a first copper pipe network 301, which is fixedly installed in the inner groove 113 of one of the sealing plates 110 and located in the sealing cavity 4. One end of the first copper pipe network 301 has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet that are sealed through the inner groove 113 and connected to a second copper pipe network 302. The second copper pipe network 302 is fixedly installed at the other end of the sealing plate 110 and located inside the mounting box 106. The liquid inlet and liquid outlet of the second copper pipe network 302 are connected to the liquid inlet and liquid outlet of a water pump 304, which is also fixedly installed inside the mounting box 106. Heat-conducting wires are wound around the outer surfaces of both the first copper pipe network 301 and the second copper pipe network 302. A cooling fan 303 is fixedly installed at one end of the second copper pipe network 302.

[0055] Through the design of the first copper pipe network 301, the second copper pipe network 302, the cooling fan 303, and the water pump 304, when the first insulation plate 204 moves to its lowest point and exposes the embedded groove 113 in the sealed cavity 4, the first copper pipe network 301 located in the sealed cavity 4 is directly opposite the workpiece. Because the outer surface of the first copper pipe network 301 is wrapped with heat-conducting wires, it can quickly absorb the heat accumulated by the workpiece during the coating process. At the same time, the water pump 304 in the mounting box 106 starts to operate, driving the coolant to flow in from the inlet of the second copper pipe network 302, and then be transported to the first copper pipe network 301 through the connecting pipe. During the circulation process in the first copper pipe network 301, the coolant comes into full contact with the heat-conducting wires, carrying away the absorbed heat, and then flows back to the second copper pipe network 302 through the drain port. In section 2, the second copper pipe network 302 is also wrapped with heat-conducting wires, which can further enhance the heat transfer efficiency. The cooling fan 303 fixedly installed at one end is started simultaneously. The airflow generated by the fan accelerates the airflow around the second copper pipe network 302, causing the heat carried by the coolant to be quickly dissipated to the external environment of the mounting box 106. The cooled coolant is then transported to the first copper pipe network 301 by the water pump 304 to form a continuous circulation heat dissipation circuit, thereby achieving rapid and efficient cooling of the workpiece in the sealed cavity 4. This ensures that the workpiece can be quickly cooled to a suitable temperature after coating, avoiding the impact of high temperature on the performance of the film layer. Furthermore, during the cooling process of the first copper pipe network 301 on the workpiece, the workpiece can be continuously driven by the motor 208 for rotational all-round cooling.

[0056] This embodiment also provides a high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine and its coating method, including the following steps:

[0057] S1: The sliding top cover 104 opens the filling port 103. The first electric push rod 203 is activated to push the first insulation plate 204 up along the guide rail 202, so that the two sets of clamping plates 207 on the first insulation plate 204 are aligned with the filling port 103. The workpiece to be coated is placed between the two sets of clamping plates 207. The second electric push rod 214 is activated to pull the second connecting plate 213 along the guide rail 205 to slide against the other set of clamping plates 207, clamping the workpiece between the two sets of clamping plates 207. The first electric push rod 203 pulls the first insulation plate 204. The workpiece is driven to descend vertically into the upper part of the sealed cavity 4. During the rise and fall of the first insulation plate 204, the transmission connection between it and the motor 208 is maintained by the bending of the universal joint 210. During the bending of the universal joint 210, the push and pull motor 208 slides back and forth in the guide rail groove 112 in the extension cylinder 101 through the guide block 209, and pulls the top cover 104 to cover the top of the filling port 103. The top cover 104 drives the folded sealing gasket 105 to adhere to the outer periphery of the upper surface of the filling port 103 to form a preliminary seal.

[0058] S2: Then, the coarse pump 107 can be started to coarsely pump the sealed cavity 4. When the vacuum degree reaches the preset threshold, such as 10~ 2 When the pressure reaches 10 Pa, the system automatically switches to high vacuum pump 108 for high vacuum extraction until the vacuum level in the heating zone reaches the coating requirements, such as 10 Pa. -4 -10~ 5 At Pa, and during this process, the pressure sensor integrated on the high vacuum pump 108 will monitor the pressure inside the sealing cavity 4 in real time. At the same time, the negative pressure formed inside the sealing cavity 4 when the vacuum is drawn will firmly adsorb the folded sealing gasket 105 onto the outer periphery of the upper surface of the filling port 103, and achieve secondary sealing in conjunction with its own elasticity, further improving the airtightness of the sealing cavity 4 and providing a stable high vacuum environment for subsequent coating.

[0059] S3: The infrared focusing heater 109, which slides in the top cover 104 above the filling port 103, focuses infrared radiation onto the surface of the tungsten boat through its elliptical reflective surface, causing the coating material placed on the tungsten boat to evaporate / sublimate under high heat flux density. During this process, the motor 208 can be started to drive the chuck 207 through the universal joint 210 to rotate the workpiece between them, so that the evaporated coating material is evenly deposited on the surface of the workpiece. The power of the infrared focusing heater 109 is adjusted by the PID temperature control algorithm, and the evaporation rate is adjusted in real time according to the workpiece material to avoid the material overheating and wasting energy.

[0060] S4: After the coating is completed, the infrared focusing heater 109 can be turned off. Then, the first electric push rod 203 is started to pull the first heat insulation plate 204 down to the lower half of the sealed cavity 4, so that the workpiece is in the first copper pipe network 301 in the inner groove 113. Then, the water pump 304 can be started to drive the coolant to circulate between the first copper pipe network 301 and the second copper pipe network 302. Then, the heat of the workpiece is absorbed by the heat-conducting wire wrapped on the outer surface, and the cooling fan 303 accelerates the heat dissipation of the second copper pipe network 302 to achieve rapid cooling. After cooling to room temperature, the high vacuum pump 108 and the coarse pump 107 are activated. The machine is stopped sequentially, and inert gas is slowly injected into the sealed cavity 4 to restore normal pressure. Then, the top cover 104 is slid open to open the filling port 103, and the second electric push rod 214 pushes the clamp 207 to release the workpiece. Then, the first electric push rod 203 can be started again to push the first heat insulation plate 204 up to the filling port 103 for the operator to take out the coated workpiece. Then, a new workpiece is filled again. Throughout the process, the heating zone and the heat dissipation zone are physically isolated by the first heat insulation plate 204 to prevent heat cross-flow. The vacuum pump group is switched as needed, and infrared focusing heating is used for precise temperature control, which together achieves high efficiency and energy saving.

[0061] The energy consumption optimization of the pump group switching process, which consists of a roughing pump and a high-vacuum pump, is dynamically controlled by the following equation:

[0062] ;

[0063] in:

[0064] E opt : Optimization of pumping energy consumption (kJ) for a single coating process;

[0065] P c P h Real-time power (kW) of roughing pump and high vacuum pump;

[0066] t c t h : Actual working time (s) of roughing pump and high vacuum pump;

[0067] ΔP: The negative pressure enhancement coefficient of the sealed cavity, defined as follows: (δ is the actual compression of the folded sealing gasket under vacuum negative pressure, and δ0 is the initial compression under normal pressure).

[0068] k: Sealing performance gain coefficient (range 0.4–0.6), calibrated experimentally.

[0069] Example:

[0070] 1. Parameter Acquisition:

[0071] Rough extraction stage: P c =5kW,t c=30s;

[0072] High vacuum stage: P h =8kW, t h =120s;

[0073] Pressure sensor monitors δ=1.15mm (at normal pressure δ0=1.0mm) → ;

[0074] Take k=0.5 (based on the calibration value of the sealing gasket material).

[0075] 2. Energy consumption calculation:

[0076] E opt =(5×30)+(8×120)×(1−0.5×0.15)=150+960×0.925=

[0077] 150 + 888 = 1038 kJ;

[0078] Compared to traditional stationary pump set solutions (without ΔP correction):

[0079] E std =(5×30)+(8×120)=150+960=1110kJ;

[0080] Energy saving rate: .

[0081] Technical effect

[0082] This equation quantifies the physical effect of negative pressure sealing (ΔP) into an energy consumption correction factor, breaking through the limitation of traditional pump group switching relying solely on pressure thresholds; by dynamically adjusting the energy consumption weight of the high vacuum pump through ΔP, it directly relates to the airtightness improvement brought about by the compression deformation of the sealing gasket, thereby reducing the energy consumption for maintaining high vacuum.

[0083] The k-coefficient is adapted to different sealing materials (such as silicone rubber / fluororubber), and personalized energy consumption optimization is achieved through experimental calibration; E is calculated in real time. opt It compares the value with a preset threshold and automatically triggers pump group switching (such as in stage S2) to prevent the high vacuum pump from starting too early.

[0084] The working principle of this equation is as follows:

[0085] 1. Dynamic monitoring:

[0086] The pressure sensor collects the vacuum level p of the sealed cavity in real time;

[0087] The displacement sensor monitors the compression δ of the folded sealing gasket and calculates ΔP.

[0088] 2. Energy efficiency decisions:

[0089] When p < 10−2 When Pa (coarse extraction completed) is reached, the control system calls the equation to calculate E. opt ;

[0090] If E opt ≤E set If the preset energy consumption threshold is reached, switch to the high vacuum pump; otherwise, extend the coarse pumping time t. c .

[0091] 3. Negative pressure coordination:

[0092] The negative pressure generated during the high vacuum phase increases δ→ΔP increases→the equation automatically decreases P h Energy consumption of the item

[0093] The weights are used to form a positive feedback loop of "enhanced sealing → reduced energy consumption".

[0094] The advantages of this equation compared to the traditional approach are shown in the table below:

[0095] index Traditional pump set switching Optimization scheme for this equation Control basis Fixed pressure threshold Pressure threshold + sealing deformation physical model Energy consumption correction none Quantifying the energy-saving contribution (ΔP) of negative pressure sealing Adaptability Pump parameters need to be adjusted manually. Automatic matching of sealing materials (via the k-coefficient)

[0096] Working principle: When clamping the workpiece, the sliding top cover 104 opens the filling port 103. Then, the first electric push rod 203 is activated to drive the first heat insulation plate 204 to rise along the guide rail 202, so that the clamping plate 207 of the coating mechanism 2 is directly facing the filling port 103. Then, the workpiece to be coated is placed between the two sets of clamping plates 207. After that, the second electric push rod 214 is activated to push the second connecting plate 213 to slide along the guide rail 205. The two sets of clamping plates 207 move closer to each other and clamp the workpiece. At the same time, the sealing strips 211 at both ends of the second connecting plate 213 are on the guide rail 205. Sliding between 5 seals the guide port 212 to prevent vacuum leakage. Then, the first electric push rod 203 pulls the first insulation plate 204 down, dividing the sealed cavity 4 into an upper heating zone and a lower heat dissipation zone. Subsequently, the sliding top cover 104 closes the filling port 103, and the folded sealing gasket 105 driven by the top cover 104 fits against the outer periphery of the upper surface of the filling port 103, preparing for subsequent vacuuming. Next, a vacuum environment is established; the coarse pump 107 is started to coarsely evacuate the sealed cavity 4. When the vacuum level reaches a preset threshold, such as 10~ 2 When the pressure reaches 10 Pa, the system automatically switches to high vacuum pump 108 for high vacuum extraction until the vacuum level in the heating zone reaches the coating requirement, such as 10 Pa. -4 -10~ 5During the vacuuming process, the negative pressure generated inside the sealed cavity 4 firmly adheres the folded sealing gasket 105 to the outer periphery of the filling port 103, further enhancing the sealing effect. Simultaneously, the pressure sensor integrated on the high vacuum pump 108 monitors the pressure inside the sealed cavity 4 in real time to ensure a stable vacuum environment. Then, the heating and coating stage begins. The infrared focusing heater 109 inside the top cover 104 focuses infrared radiation onto the coating material on the central tungsten boat through an elliptical reflector, causing the coating material to evaporate or sublimate under high heat flux. During this process, the motor 208 can be started to drive the universal joint 210 to drive the clamp 207 on the first connecting plate 206 to rotate via the output shaft, thereby driving the workpiece to rotate, so that the evaporated coating material is evenly deposited on the surface of the workpiece. After the coating is completed, the cooling stage begins. The first electric push rod 203 can be used again to pull the first heat insulation plate 204 down to the bottom of the sealing cavity 4, exposing the inner groove 113 in the sealing cavity 4, so that the workpiece is facing the first copper pipe network 301. Then, the water pump 304 can be started to drive the coolant from the second copper pipe network 301. The coolant flows in through the inlet of 02 and is transported to the first copper pipe network 301 via the connecting pipe. The heat-conducting wires on the outer surface of the first copper pipe network 301 quickly absorb the heat from the workpiece. As the coolant circulates within the first copper pipe network 301, it comes into full contact with the heat-conducting wires, carrying away the heat. The coolant then flows back to the second copper pipe network 302 through the drain port. The heat-conducting wires on the outer surface of the second copper pipe network 302 enhance heat transfer, and the cooling fan 303 at one end starts, accelerating the surrounding airflow so that the heat carried by the coolant is quickly dissipated to the outside of the mounting box 106, reducing the temperature. After cooling, the coolant is pumped again by water pump 304 to the first copper pipe network 301 to form a circulating heat dissipation circuit. At the same time, motor 208 continuously drives the workpiece to rotate, ensuring that the workpiece is cooled evenly in all directions until the workpiece drops to a suitable temperature. Finally, high vacuum pump 108 and coarse pump 107 stop in sequence, and inert gas is slowly filled into the sealed cavity 4 to restore normal pressure. Sliding top cover 104 opens filling port 103, and second electric push rod 214 pushes second connecting plate 213, causing clamp 207 to release the workpiece, completing the entire coating process.

[0097] In summary, through the synergistic design of "dynamic pump switching + directional focusing heating + zoned heat insulation and heat dissipation + negative pressure enhanced sealing", the entire process of clamping, vacuuming, coating and cooling is completed in a single sealed cavity 4. This not only reduces energy loss during the transition between multiple chambers, but also reduces ineffective energy consumption through precise energy control, achieving a balance between high efficiency and high-quality coating.

[0098] All parts not described in this invention are the same as or can be implemented using existing technology. Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine, characterized in that, Includes a housing (1), in which two sets of sealing plates (110) are fixedly installed. The two sets of sealing plates (110) divide the housing (1) into a left half and a right half. The right half of the housing (1) is sealed into a sealed cavity (4) by the two sets of sealing plates (110). A coarse pump (107) and a high vacuum pump (108) are fixedly installed in the left half of the housing (1). The pumping ends of the coarse pump (107) and the high vacuum pump (108) pass through one of the sealing plates (110) and are located in the sealed cavity (4). A coating mechanism (2) is slidably installed in the sealing cavity (4) formed by the two sets of sealing plates (110). The coating mechanism (2) can clamp the workpiece to be coated. The driving end of the coating mechanism (2) is slidably installed in the extension cylinder (101). The extension cylinder (101) is connected to the right half of the housing (1) and is connected to the sealing cavity (4). The upper surface of the coating mechanism (2) is perpendicular to the filling port (103) and can move closer to and away from the filling port (103) by lifting. The filling port (103) is opened on the upper surface of the housing (1). The coating mechanism (2) can divide the sealing cavity (4) into an upper half and a lower half by sliding up and down in the sealing cavity (4). The upper half is the heating zone and the lower half is the heat dissipation zone. A mounting box (106) is fixedly installed on one end of the right half of the housing (1). A cooling mechanism (3) is fixedly installed inside the mounting box (106). The cooling end of the cooling mechanism (3) is fixedly installed in the embedded groove (113) and flush with the surface of the sealing plate (110). The embedded groove (113) is embedded in one end of one set of sealing plates (110). Two sets of guide rods (102) are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the housing (1). A top cover (104) is slidably installed on the outer surface of the two sets of guide rods (102). A pull handle is fixedly installed on one end of the top cover (104). An infrared focusing heater (109) is fixedly installed inside the top cover (104). The top cover (104) can drive the infrared focusing heater (109) to be perpendicular to the filling port (103) and the coating mechanism (2) by sliding laterally on the outer surface of the guide rods (102). The center of the infrared focusing heater (109) A tungsten boat is installed overhead; the cooling mechanism (3) includes a first copper pipe network (301), which is fixedly installed in the inner groove (113) of one of the sealing plates (110) and is located in the sealing cavity (4). The liquid inlet and liquid outlet of one end of the first copper pipe network (301) are sealed through the inner groove (113) and connected to the second copper pipe network (302), which is fixedly installed on this sealing plate. The other end of (110) is located inside the mounting box (106). The inlet and outlet of the second copper pipe network (302) are connected to the inlet and outlet of the water pump (304). The water pump (304) is fixedly installed inside the mounting box (106). The outer surfaces of the first copper pipe network (301) and the second copper pipe network (302) are both wrapped with heat-conducting wires. A cooling fan (303) is fixedly installed at one end of the second copper pipe network (302).

2. The high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A folded sealing gasket (105) is fixedly installed between the top cover (104) and the infrared focusing heater (109), and the lower surface of the folded sealing gasket (105) slides against the upper surface of the housing (1).

3. The high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The coating mechanism (2) includes a connecting frame (201), which is fixedly installed between two sets of sealing plates (110) and located in the sealing cavity (4). Both ends of the connecting frame (201) are fixedly installed with guide rail rods (202) and first electric push rods (203). The two sets of first electric push rods (203) are staggered and oppositely distributed, and the upper surface of the piston rod is fixedly installed with a first heat insulation plate (204). The other two corners of the first heat insulation plate (204) are slidably installed on the outer surface of the guide rail rod (202). The first heat insulation plate (204) is sealed and slidably in the sealing cavity (4) and on the outer surface of the connecting frame (201).

4. The high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, Two sets of guide rails (205) are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the first insulation plate (204). A first connecting plate (206) is fixedly installed at one end of the two sets of guide rails (205). A clamping plate (207) is rotatably installed at one end of the first connecting plate (206). The clamping plate (207) is flush with the other set of clamping plates (207). The other set of clamping plates (207) is rotatably installed at one end of the second connecting plate (213). The second connecting plate (213) is slidably installed on the outer surface of the two sets of guide rails (205) and slides out from the guide port (212) to the lower surface of the first insulation plate (204) and is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the second electric push rod (214). The guide port (212) is opened on the first insulation plate (204) and is located at one end between the two sets of guide rails (205). The second electric push rod (214) is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the first insulation plate (204).

5. The high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, Both ends of the second connecting plate (213) are fixedly installed with sealing strips (211), and the sealing strips (211) are slidably installed between the two sets of guide rail plates (205).

6. The high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, One end of the first connecting plate (206) is rotatably mounted with a clamp (207) and fixedly connected to a universal joint (210). The other end of the universal joint (210) is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the motor (208). The motor (208) is slidably mounted in the guide rail groove (112) fixedly mounted at both ends inside the extension cylinder (101) through a guide block (209) fixedly mounted on the outer surface. A second heat insulation plate (111) is fixedly mounted in the middle section of the extension cylinder (101). The output shaft of the power supply motor (208) slides through the second heat insulation plate (111).

7. A coating method using a high-efficiency and energy-saving vacuum coating machine as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Slide the top cover (104) to open the filling port (103), start the first electric push rod (203) to push the first insulation plate (204) up along the guide rail (202), so that the two sets of clamps (207) on the first insulation plate (204) are facing the filling port (103), place the workpiece to be coated between the two sets of clamps (207), start the second electric push rod (214) to pull the second connecting plate (213) along the guide rail (205) to slide towards the other set of clamps (207), clamp the workpiece between the two sets of clamps (207), and the first electric push rod (203) pulls the first insulation plate (204) to move the first insulation plate (204) up along the guide rail (202) to the other set of clamps (207), clamp the workpiece between the two sets of clamps (207), and the first electric push rod (203) pulls the first insulation plate (204) to the other set of clamps (207). 4) The workpiece is driven to descend vertically into the upper part of the sealed cavity (4). During the rise and fall of the first insulation plate (204), the transmission connection between it and the motor (208) is maintained by the bending of the universal joint (210). During the bending of the universal joint (210), the push-pull motor (208) slides back and forth in the guide rail groove (112) in the extension cylinder (101) through the guide block (209), and pulls the top cover (104) to cover the top of the filling port (103). The top cover (104) drives the folded sealing gasket (105) to fit against the outer periphery of the upper surface of the filling port (103) to form a preliminary seal. S2: Start the rough pump (107) to perform rough pumping on the sealed cavity (4). When the vacuum degree reaches 10... 2 When the pressure reaches 10 Pa, the system automatically switches to a high vacuum pump (108) for high vacuum extraction until the vacuum level in the heating zone reaches 10 Pa. -4 -10 -5 Pa, the pressure sensor integrated on the high vacuum pump (108) monitors the pressure inside the sealing cavity (4) in real time. When the vacuum is drawn, the negative pressure formed inside the sealing cavity (4) firmly adsorbs the folded sealing gasket (105) onto the outer surface of the filling port (103). S3: The infrared focusing heater (109) in the top cover (104) focuses infrared radiation onto the surface of the tungsten boat through the elliptical reflector, causing the coating material on the tungsten boat to evaporate / sublimate under high heat flux density. The start motor (208) drives the chuck (207) to rotate the workpiece through the universal joint (210). The power of the infrared focusing heater (109) is adjusted by the PID temperature control algorithm. S4: After coating is completed, turn off the infrared focusing heater (109), start the first electric push rod (203) to pull the first heat insulation plate (204) down to the lower half of the sealed cavity (4), so that the workpiece is in the first copper pipe network (301) in the inner groove (113), start the water pump (304) to drive the coolant to circulate between the first copper pipe network (301) and the second copper pipe network (302), and absorb the heat of the workpiece through the heat-conducting wire wrapped on the outer surface. The cooling fan (303) accelerates the second After the copper pipe network (302) cools down to room temperature, the high vacuum pump (108) and the coarse pump (107) stop in sequence and fill the sealed cavity (4) with inert gas to restore normal pressure. The top cover (104) is slid open to open the filling port (103). The second electric push rod (214) pushes the clamping plate (207) to release the workpiece. The first electric push rod (203) is started to push the first heat insulation plate (204) to rise to the filling port (103). The workpiece with the coating completed is taken out and a new workpiece is filled.

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