Multi-chamber continuous coating equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of vacuum coating, and discloses multi-chamber continuous coating equipment which comprises a plurality of functional chambers and substrate mounting units, a blocking mechanism is used for controlling connection and disconnection between every two adjacent functional chambers, and it is guaranteed that the substrate mounting units can independently carry out all process steps and transmission in the different functional chambers; each functional chamber is correspondingly provided with a carrying unit for carrying the substrate mounting unit; the multiple functional chambers can be combined in a diversified mode, and due to the characteristics that the number of the functional chambers is different, the space occupied by the layout is different, and the movement paths of the substrate mounting units are different, the limitation that adjacent chambers are synchronously conveyed at the corner of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment is avoided; the whole carrying efficiency of the multi-cavity coating equipment is improved, the multi-cavity coating equipment can be more flexibly adapted to different use scenes, the applicability and coating efficiency of the equipment are improved, and the production cost is reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vacuum coating, in particular to a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of the vacuum coating equipment industry, the requirements for coating equipment for manufacturing various optical products on the market are becoming more and more stringent. The industry's verification projects include but are not limited to the production efficiency of the equipment, the production yield, the uniformity of the product coating, and the difficulty of internal maintenance and cleaning of the equipment. With the changing market environment and industry competition, the above requirements are constantly improving, and improving the production rhythm and capacity is a top priority.

[0003] To realize the continuous automatic coating of various thin films, a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment including a film feeding chamber, a coating chamber, and a film output chamber is generally used. There are linearly arranged multi-chamber equipment in the prior art, but such equipment has high requirements for the placement space and needs to be equipped with a relatively long external automation line. There are also multi-chamber layouts with corners in the prior art, but the transfer mechanism at the corner generally needs to be specially designed, which limits the synchronous transfer of adjacent chambers at the corner, significantly affecting the overall transfer efficiency of the multi-chamber coating equipment. SUMMARY

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to provide a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment.

[0005] To achieve this purpose, the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] The multi-chamber continuous coating equipment comprises:

[0007] A plurality of functional chambers, the plurality of functional chambers are connected in sequence, and a blocking mechanism is selectively arranged between adjacent two functional chambers, the blocking mechanism is used to control the on-off between the functional chambers on both sides of the blocking mechanism; the functional chamber is used to arrange a transfer unit, and the transfer unit is used to transfer a substrate mounting unit;

[0008] The plurality of functional chambers include a film feeding chamber, a first coating chamber, a second coating chamber, and a film output chamber; the film feeding chamber and the first coating chamber are located on a first straight line, the film output chamber and the second coating chamber are located on a second straight line, and the first coating chamber and the second coating chamber are located on a third straight line;

[0009] The first straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, the second straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, and an intermediate buffer chamber is arranged between the first coating chamber and the second coating chamber; or, one of the first straight line and the second straight line is arranged at an angle with the third straight line, and the other is coincident with the third straight line.

[0010] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, the included angle is set to be a right angle.

[0011] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, when the first straight line and the third straight line are set at an included angle, the second straight line and the third straight line are set at an included angle, and an intermediate buffer chamber is arranged between the first coating chamber and the second coating chamber, the in-sheet chamber and the out-sheet chamber are located on the same side of the third straight line.

[0012] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, the conveying unit comprises a bottom guide wheel unit, the bottom guide wheel unit comprises a guide wheel assembly, at least part of the guide wheel assembly is selectively raised and lowered; the guide wheel assembly is raised to abut against the bottom of the substrate mounting unit, and the guide wheel assembly can selectively move the substrate mounting unit to an adjacent bottom guide wheel unit.

[0013] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, the bottom guide wheel unit of the first coating chamber and / or the second coating chamber comprises two guide wheel assemblies, and the two guide wheel assemblies can respectively move the substrate mounting unit in two non-parallel directions.

[0014] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, the guide wheel assembly comprises a plurality of rolling wheels and a guide driving member, the moving direction of the substrate mounting unit is tangent to the rotating direction of the rolling wheels, a plurality of the rolling wheels are arranged at intervals along the moving direction of the substrate mounting unit, and the guide driving member can control the rotation of the rolling wheels.

[0015] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, when the bottom guide wheel unit comprises the guide wheel assembly that can be selectively raised and lowered, the bottom guide wheel unit further comprises a lifting cylinder, the output end of the lifting cylinder is connected to the bottom of the guide wheel assembly, and the output end of the lifting cylinder can be telescoped to control the lifting of the guide wheel assembly.

[0016] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, the substrate mounting unit comprises an outer frame and a cylindrical rotary hub frame for mounting a substrate, the outer frame is used to abut against the conveying unit, the cylindrical rotary hub frame is arranged inside the outer frame, and the cylindrical rotary hub frame is connected to the rotary shaft of the outer frame.

[0017] The multi-chamber continuous coating equipment further comprises a positioning and rotating transfer unit corresponding to the functional chambers, the positioning and rotating transfer unit comprising a positioning assembly and a rotating assembly; the top of the rotating shaft of the cylindrical rotating hub is provided with an upper docking groove, the positioning assembly comprising a positioning drive and an upper central shaft, the positioning drive being arranged at the top of the functional chamber, the positioning drive selectively controlling the upper central shaft to be coaxially arranged in the upper docking groove; the rotating assembly is used to drive the cylindrical rotating hub to rotate.

[0018] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, the outer ring of the rotating shaft of the cylindrical rotating hub is provided with a gear part, the rotating assembly comprising a rotating drive and a gear shaft, the rotating drive being arranged at the top of the functional chamber, when the upper central shaft is arranged in the upper docking groove, the rotating drive can control the gear shaft to mesh with the gear part to drive;

[0019] Or, the bottom of the rotating shaft of the cylindrical rotating hub is provided with a lower docking groove, the rotating assembly comprising a rotating drive and a lower central shaft, the rotating drive being arranged at the conveying unit, the lower central shaft being capable of being arranged in the lower docking groove, the rotating drive being capable of controlling the lower central shaft to coaxially drive the cylindrical rotating hub to rotate.

[0020] As an optional technical solution of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment further comprises an atmospheric conversion platform, the atmospheric conversion platform being provided with an upper loading position and a lower loading position at two ends.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows:

[0022] The multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the present application comprises a plurality of functional chambers and a substrate mounting unit, the plurality of functional chambers being connected in sequence, and a blocking mechanism being selectively arranged between adjacent two functional chambers, the blocking mechanism being used to control the on-off between the functional chambers located on both sides of the blocking mechanism, the blocking mechanism being used to flexibly connect or isolate each functional chamber, so that the substrate mounting unit can independently perform work such as loading and unloading, coating, and each process step before, during and after work, and transmission after work in different functional chambers. Each functional chamber is correspondingly provided with a conveying unit for conveying the substrate mounting unit. Each functional chamber can correspondingly perform one process step, the multi-chamber continuous coating machine can change the placement position of each functional chamber through structure transformation, the plurality of functional chambers can be combined in diversity, the layout occupies different spaces, and the movement path of the substrate mounting unit is different. The plurality of functional chambers comprise an incoming sheet chamber, a first coating chamber, a second coating chamber and an outgoing sheet chamber, which correspondingly undertake different functions; the incoming sheet chamber and the first coating chamber are located on a first straight line, the outgoing sheet chamber and the second coating chamber are located on a second straight line, and the first coating chamber and the second coating chamber are located on a third straight line.

[0023] If the first straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, and the second straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, an intermediate buffer chamber is arranged between the first film coating chamber and the second film coating chamber to form at least a 5-chamber layout, so that at least two substrate mounting units can simultaneously perform film coating processes or at least three substrate mounting units can simultaneously move at each beat; the existence of the intermediate buffer chamber can improve the problem that the substrate mounting units wait for too long due to inconsistent film coating time between the first film coating chamber and the second film coating chamber, and the utilization of the functional chambers is insufficient, thereby effectively saving the waiting conveying time. If only one of the first straight line and the second straight line is arranged at an angle with the third straight line, and the other one coincides with the third straight line, an L-shaped chamber layout is formed, and at least a 4-chamber layout is formed, and a design of reducing one corner is adopted to ensure that at least two substrate mounting units can simultaneously move. The above two schemes avoid the limitation of synchronous conveying of adjacent chambers at the corner of the multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment, and improve the overall conveying efficiency of the multi-chamber film coating equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a state arrangement schematic view of a plurality of functional chambers of a multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a state working schematic view of a multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a structure schematic view of an atmospheric conversion platform of a multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4 It is a structure schematic view of a bottom guide wheel unit of a multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 5 It is a local side view of a bottom guide wheel unit of a multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 6 It is a layout schematic view of a plurality of functional chambers with an intermediate buffer chamber of a multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 7 It is a closing schematic view of an isolation door plate of an intermediate buffer chamber of a multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 8 It is an opening schematic view of an isolation door plate of an intermediate buffer chamber of a multi-chamber continuous film coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of a substrate mounting unit of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a positioning and rotating transfer unit of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 11 is an assembly schematic diagram of a substrate mounting unit and a positioning and rotating transfer unit of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment in another embodiment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 12 is a state two arrangement schematic diagram of a plurality of functional chambers of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 13 is a state two working schematic diagram of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 14 is a first beat action schematic diagram of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 15 is a second beat action schematic diagram of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 16 is a third beat action schematic diagram of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 17 is a fourth beat action schematic diagram of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 18 is a first beat action schematic diagram of an existing equipment;

[0042] Figure 19 is a second beat action schematic diagram of an existing equipment;

[0043] Figure 20 is a third beat action schematic diagram of an existing equipment;

[0044] Figure 21 is a fourth beat action schematic diagram of an existing equipment;

[0045] Figure 22 is a fifth beat action schematic diagram of an existing equipment.

[0046] In the drawings:

[0047] 100, function chamber; 101, film feeding chamber; 102, film discharging chamber; 103, first coating chamber; 104, second coating chamber; 105, intermediate buffer chamber;

[0048] 110, blocking mechanism; 111, blocking gate valve; 112, isolation door plate; 120, bottom guide wheel unit; 121, guide wheel assembly; 1211, rolling wheel; 1212, guide driving member; 1213, lifting cylinder; 130, atmospheric conversion platform; 131, upper feeding position; 132, lower feeding position;

[0049] 200, substrate mounting unit; 210, outer frame; 220, cylindrical rotary hub frame; 221, upper butt joint groove; 222, gear part;

[0050] 300, positioning rotary transfer unit; 310, positioning assembly; 311, positioning driving member; 312, upper central shaft; 320, rotary assembly; 321, rotary driving member; 322, gear shaft. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] The application will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are intended to be merely illustrative of the application and not in limitation thereof. It should also be noted that, for the purpose of description, only the parts related to the application are shown in the drawings rather than all the parts.

[0052] In the description of the application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", "fixed" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or it can be integrated; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0053] In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the "upper" or "lower" of the first feature to the second feature can include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, the "upper", "above" and "on" of the first feature to the second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The "below", "below" and "under" of the first feature to the second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0054] In the description of the present embodiment, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left" and the like orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second" are only used to distinguish in description, and have no special meaning.

[0055] As shown in Figures 1 to 13 The present application discloses a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, comprising a plurality of functional chambers 100 and a substrate mounting unit 200. The plurality of functional chambers 100 are connected in sequence, and a blocking mechanism 110 is selectively arranged between adjacent two functional chambers 100, the blocking mechanism 110 is used to control the on-off between the functional chambers 100 located on both sides of the blocking mechanism 110, and the communication or isolation between each functional chamber 100 is flexibly realized through the blocking mechanism 110, so as to ensure that the substrate mounting unit 200 can independently carry out, for example, the work of each process step such as feeding, coating, pre-coating, post-coating and the like in different functional chambers 100, and the transmission after work. Each functional chamber 100 is used to arrange a conveying unit, and the conveying unit is used to convey the substrate mounting unit 200. The plurality of functional chambers 100 can be combined in diversity, each functional chamber 100 can perform one process step, in order to improve the coating efficiency, and the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment can meet the extensibility of switching 1 to 2 different optical products for coating, and at least 2 kinds of target material can be replaced for coating on the same equipment, and the placement position of each functional chamber 100 can be changed.

[0056] Among them, the plurality of functional chambers 100 include an incoming sheet chamber 101, a first coating chamber 103, a second coating chamber 104 and an outgoing sheet chamber 102, which correspond to different functions respectively; the incoming sheet chamber 101 and the first coating chamber 103 are located on a first straight line, the outgoing sheet chamber 102 and the second coating chamber 104 are located on a second straight line, and the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104 are located on a third straight line.

[0057] In one embodiment, the first straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, the second straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, and an intermediate buffer chamber 105 is arranged between the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104, so as to exist at least 5 chamber layouts, and at least two substrate mounting units 200 can move at the same time. It can be understood that the angle arrangement means non-parallel arrangement.

[0058] When the first straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, the second straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, and the intermediate buffer chamber 105 is arranged between the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104, the film feeding chamber 101 and the film discharging chamber 102 are located on the same side of the third straight line, forming a C-shaped chamber layout.

[0059] For example Figures 14 to 17 As shown in FIG. 1, when the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number A is located in the second coating chamber 104, and the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B is located in the first coating chamber 103, the two substrate mounting units 200 simultaneously perform the coating process; to perform the next action, the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment can simultaneously move the two substrate mounting units 200 with serial numbers A and B to the next functional chamber 100, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number A enters the film discharging chamber 102, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B enters the intermediate buffer chamber 105, and the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number C enters the film feeding chamber 101, which is the first beat conveying process, and the three substrate mounting units A, B, and C move independently without interference. Next, the second beat action is to move the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number A out of the film discharging chamber 102, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B enters the second coating chamber 104, and the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number C enters the first coating chamber 103, and the two substrate mounting units 200 with serial numbers B and C simultaneously perform the coating process. Continue to complete the conveying action of the third beat, which is similar to the first beat and progresses, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B enters the film discharging chamber 102 after two coating processes, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number C enters the intermediate buffer chamber 105, and a new substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number D enters the film feeding chamber 101, and the three substrate mounting units B, C, and D move independently without interference. The fourth beat is similar to the second beat and progresses, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B moves out of the film discharging chamber 102, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number C enters the second coating chamber 104, and the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number D enters the first coating chamber 103, and the two substrate mounting units 200 with serial numbers C and D simultaneously perform the coating process. By simulating the conveying process of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, it can be known that at least two substrate mounting units 200 can simultaneously perform the coating process or at least three substrate mounting units 200 can simultaneously move at each beat.

[0060] If the above operation is performed by using the equipment in the prior art, referring to Figures 18 to 22In the first beat, because the two substrate mounting units 200 are adjacent, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number A can move without interference due to the limitation of the conveying mechanism, and the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B cannot move; the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number C can be sent into the substrate inlet chamber 101. In the second beat, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number A moves out of the substrate outlet chamber 102, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B enters the second coating chamber 104, and only the single substrate mounting unit 200 can perform the coating process; the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number C cannot move. In the third beat, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B enters the substrate outlet chamber 102, and the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number C enters the first coating chamber 103. In the fourth beat, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number B moves out of the substrate outlet chamber 102, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number C enters the second coating chamber 104, and the second coating process is performed one beat later than the conveying process of the multi-chamber continuous coating device in the present application; at this time, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number D can enter the substrate inlet chamber 101. In the fifth beat, the substrate mounting unit 200 with serial number D enters the second coating chamber 104, and the second coating process is also performed one beat later than the conveying process of the multi-chamber continuous coating device in the present application. In this way, the subsequent multi-chamber continuous coating device in the present application is always one beat faster than before the improvement, avoiding the limitation of synchronous conveying of adjacent chambers at the corner of the multi-chamber continuous coating device, and improving the overall conveying efficiency of the multi-chamber coating device.

[0061] The existence of the intermediate buffer chamber 105 can improve the problem that the substrate mounting unit 200 waits for too long due to inconsistent coating time between the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104, and the functional chamber 100 is not fully utilized. The substrate mounting unit 200 can be stored in the intermediate buffer chamber 105 from the first coating chamber 103 in advance, and after the coating process in the second coating chamber 104 is completed, the substrate mounting unit 200 in the intermediate buffer chamber 105 and the substrate mounting unit 200 in the second coating chamber 104 can be transported to the next functional chamber 100 at the same time, effectively saving the waiting conveying time.

[0062] In another embodiment, only one of the first straight line and the second straight line is arranged at an angle with the third straight line, and the other one is coincided with the third straight line, forming an L-shaped chamber layout, so that there are at least 4 chamber layouts, and a design of reducing one corner is adopted to ensure that at least two substrate mounting units 200 can move at the same time. Compared with the device in the prior art, at least three functional chambers 100 are arranged on the same straight line (i.e. the third straight line), so that the two substrate mounting units 200 arranged on the third straight line can move at the same time whether they are adjacent or not.

[0063] Specifically, no matter whether the included angle between one or both of the first straight line and the second straight line and the third straight line is set as a right angle, the footprint of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment can be reduced as much as possible in layout, space is saved, and space utilization efficiency is improved.

[0064] Referring to Figure 7 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 . Figure 7 Fig. 1 shows a state one layout schematic diagram of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment (C-type chamber layout). Figure 12 and Figure 13 Fig. 2 shows a state two layout schematic diagram of a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment (L-type chamber layout). The multi-chamber continuous coating machine realizes systematic transportation of the substrate mounting unit 200 through the transformation of the structure and the cooperation of the conveying unit. Due to the different number of functional chambers 100, the different space occupied by the layout, and the different motion paths of the substrate mounting unit 200, etc., through combination and change, different use scenarios can be more flexibly adapted, and production costs can be reduced.

[0065] In order to successfully arrange the optical coating functional parts such as target material, ICP ion source, heater, condensing mechanism, and low-temperature pump on the sidewall of the functional chamber 100, the consistency of the size and position of the opening of the functional chamber 100 needs to be ensured, different optical coating functional parts are matched, the application and replacement of the coating functions required by each functional chamber 100 are facilitated, and the compatibility and expandability of the equipment are improved.

[0066] Exemplarily, the vacuum pumping assembly is arranged on the sidewall and the top of the functional chamber 100, including an exhaust pipe and a molecular pump group. The exhaust pipe can be connected with a rough pumping and a slow pumping, respectively, so that the functional chamber 100 becomes a vacuum state required by the coating process. The breaking unit and the vacuum detection element are arranged on the inner wall of the functional chamber 100 in cooperation with the vacuum pumping assembly. By ensuring the consistency of the size and position of the opening of the functional chamber 100, the compatibility and expandability of the vacuum pumping assembly and the vacuum detection element are ensured.

[0067] Specifically, starting from the working process of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment, the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment further comprises an atmospheric conversion platform 130, and the two ends of the atmospheric conversion platform 130 are respectively provided with an upper feeding position 131 and a lower feeding position 132, so as to further improve the efficiency of the substrate mounting unit 200 before and after entering and exiting the functional chamber 100.

[0068] The conveying unit comprises a plurality of bottom guide wheel units 120, and the substrate mounting unit 200 is arranged on one of the bottom guide wheel units 120; each bottom guide wheel unit 120 comprises a guide wheel assembly 121, the guide wheel assembly 121 is selectively raised and lowered, and the guide wheel assembly 121 is used to move the substrate mounting unit 200 to an adjacent bottom guide wheel unit 120, and the substrate mounting unit 200 is conveyed by the bottom guide wheel units 120 and the blocking mechanisms 110 between the functional chambers 100 to form a multi-chamber continuous coating device.

[0069] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the substrate mounting unit 200 is arranged on the bottom guide wheel units 120, and the substrate mounting unit 200 is conveyed by the bottom guide wheel units 120 and the blocking mechanisms 110 between the functional chambers 100 to form a multi-chamber continuous coating device. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the substrate mounting unit 200 is arranged on the bottom guide wheel units 120, and the substrate mounting unit 200 is conveyed by the bottom guide wheel units 120 and the blocking mechanisms 110 between the functional chambers 100 to form a multi-chamber continuous coating device. According to the layout of the functional chambers 100, the driving direction of the bottom guide wheel units 120 is changed, and different driving structures are derived according to actual working conditions. In the embodiment, the guide wheel assembly 121 comprises a plurality of rolling wheels 1211 and a guide driving member 1212, the moving direction of the substrate mounting unit 200 is tangent to the rotating direction of the rolling wheels 1211, the plurality of rolling wheels 1211 are arranged at intervals along the moving direction of the substrate mounting unit 200, and the guide driving member 1212 is capable of controlling the rotation of the rolling wheels 1211.

[0070] Further, when the bottom guide wheel unit 120 comprises the selectively liftable guide wheel assembly 121, the bottom guide wheel unit 120 should also comprise lifting cylinders 1213, the output ends of which are connected with the bottom of the guide wheel assembly 121, two groups of lifting cylinders 1213 are fixedly connected with the guide wheel assembly 121 in the first direction and the guide wheel assembly 121 in the second direction respectively, and the output ends of the lifting cylinders 1213 can be extended and retracted to control the lifting of the guide wheel assembly 121. When the substrate mounting unit 200 needs to move in the first direction, the guide wheel assembly 121 in the first direction is lifted by the lifting cylinders 1213, the guide wheel assembly 121 in the second direction is lowered by the lifting cylinders 1213, the guide wheel assembly 121 in the first direction is higher than the guide wheel assembly 121 in the second direction, and the guide wheel assembly 121 in the first direction is in contact with the substrate mounting unit 200 to control the movement of the substrate mounting unit 200 in the first direction. Similarly, when the substrate mounting unit 200 needs to move in the second direction, the guide wheel assembly 121 in the second direction is lifted by the lifting cylinders 1213, the guide wheel assembly 121 in the first direction is lowered by the lifting cylinders 1213, the guide wheel assembly 121 in the second direction is higher than the guide wheel assembly 121 in the first direction, and the guide wheel assembly 121 in the second direction is in contact with the substrate mounting unit 200 to control the movement of the substrate mounting unit 200 in the second direction, thereby realizing the conversion of the movement of the substrate mounting unit 200 in the first direction and the second direction.

[0071] As shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10 The substrate mounting unit 200 comprises an outer frame 210 and a cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 for mounting the substrate, the outer frame 210 is used for abutting against the guide wheel assembly 121, the cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 is arranged inside the outer frame 210, and the cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 is connected with the rotary shaft of the outer frame 210. The multi-chamber continuous coating device further comprises a positioning rotary transfer unit 300, which is arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the functional chambers 100, the substrate mounting unit 200 is arranged in the functional chamber 100, and the positioning rotary transfer unit 300 drives the cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 in the substrate mounting unit 200 to rotate to uniformly optically coat the substrate. The target material, ICP ion source and other optical coating functional components are arranged on the side wall of the functional chamber 100. The cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 is generally provided with a plurality of rectangular hanging plates for placing the substrate, and the plurality of rectangular hanging plates are arranged in uniform intervals around the cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 and are spliced into a polygonal cylindrical structure, and the substrate placed on each rectangular hanging plate also forms a polygonal cylindrical structure.

[0072] Optionally, in order to improve the coating efficiency, a plurality of target materials arranged in sequence around the rotary axis of the cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 are arranged in the functional chamber 100, so as to simultaneously coat the substrates on the adjacent rectangular hanging plates.

[0073] Specifically, the positioning and rotating transfer unit 300 comprises a positioning assembly 310 and a rotating assembly 320; the top of the rotating shaft of the cylindrical rotating hub 220 is provided with an upper docking groove 221, the positioning assembly 310 comprises a positioning driving member 311 and an upper central shaft 312, the positioning driving member 311 is arranged on the top of the functional chamber 100, and the positioning driving member 311 selectively controls the upper central shaft 312 to be coaxially arranged in the upper docking groove 221; the rotating assembly 320 is used to drive the cylindrical rotating hub 220 to rotate. When the substrate mounting unit 200 reaches the rotating position of each functional chamber 100, the positioning and rotating transfer unit 300 drives the upper central shaft 312 by the positioning driving member 311 such as a pneumatic cylinder, so that the upper central shaft 312 is pressed into the upper docking groove 221 on the top of the substrate mounting unit 200 to be centrally positioned and connected.

[0074] In the embodiment, the outer circle of the top of the rotating shaft of the cylindrical rotating hub 220 is provided with a gear part 222, the rotating assembly 320 comprises a rotating driving member 321 and a gear shaft 322, the rotating driving member 321 is arranged on the top of the functional chamber 100, and when the upper central shaft 312 is arranged in the upper docking groove 221, the rotating driving member 321 can control the gear shaft 322 to be engaged with the gear part 222 for transmission. After the substrate mounting unit 200 is positioned and connected with the functional chamber 100, power is transmitted to the gear shaft 322 by the rotating driving member 321 to drive the gear part 222 on the substrate mounting unit 200 to rotate the cylindrical rotating hub 220, so that the work steps such as coating, mounting or taking down of the substrate on the substrate mounting unit 200 are completed.

[0075] In summary, the application process and transmission sequence of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment can be predicted. Taking the state arrangement of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the application process and transmission sequence of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment are as follows. Figure 2 In summary, the application process and transmission sequence of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment can be predicted. Taking the state arrangement of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the application process and transmission sequence of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment are as follows.

[0076] Step one, the blocking mechanism 110 is closed, and the out-plate chamber 102, the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104 are all converted into a vacuum state.

[0077] Step two, the substrate mounting unit 200 is placed on the bottom guide wheel unit 120 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130, the cylindrical rotating hub 220 of the substrate mounting unit 200 is rotated by the positioning and rotating transfer unit 300 at the loading position 131 of the frame of the atmospheric conversion platform 130, and the substrates are sequentially mounted.

[0078] Step three, the bottom guide wheel unit 120 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130 provides power to the first direction to transport the substrate mounting unit 200 to the rotating position of the in-plate chamber 101, the blocking mechanism 110 between the atmospheric conversion platform 130 and the in-plate chamber 101 is closed, the positioning and rotating transfer unit 300 on the in-plate chamber 101 rotates the cylindrical rotating hub of the substrate mounting unit 200 to perform the pretreatment such as heating and removing water vapor before coating.

[0079] Step four, the blocking mechanism 110 between the in-feed chamber 101 and the first coating chamber 103 is opened, the bottom guide wheel unit 120 of the in-feed chamber 101 provides power to the rotating position of the substrate hanging unit 200 to the first coating chamber 103 in the first direction, then the blocking mechanism 110 between the in-feed chamber 101 and the first coating chamber 103 is closed, the positioning and rotating transfer unit 300 on the first coating chamber 103 rotates the cylindrical rotating hub of the substrate hanging unit 200, and the coating process is carried out.

[0080] Step five, the blocking mechanism 110 between the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104 is opened, the bottom guide wheel unit 120 of the first coating chamber 103 changes the power supply from the first direction to the second direction by lowering the guide wheel assembly 121 in the first direction and raising the guide wheel assembly 121 in the second direction, and then provides power to the rotating position of the substrate hanging unit 200 to the second coating chamber 104 in the second direction, then the blocking mechanism 110 between the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104 is closed, the positioning and rotating transfer unit 300 on the second coating chamber 104 rotates the cylindrical rotating hub of the substrate hanging unit 200, and the coating process is continued.

[0081] Step six, the blocking mechanism 110 between the second coating chamber 104 and the out-feed chamber 102 is opened, the bottom guide wheel unit 120 of the second coating chamber 104 changes the power supply from the second direction to the first direction by lowering the guide wheel assembly 121 in the second direction and raising the guide wheel assembly 121 in the first direction, and then provides power to the rotating position of the substrate hanging unit 200 to the out-feed chamber 102 in the first direction, then the blocking mechanism 110 between the second coating chamber 104 and the out-feed chamber 102 is closed, the positioning and rotating transfer unit 300 on the out-feed chamber rotates the cylindrical rotating hub of the substrate hanging unit 200, and other process steps are continued.

[0082] Step seven, the blocking mechanism 110 between the out-feed chamber 102 and the atmospheric conversion platform 130 is opened, the bottom guide wheel unit 120 of the out-feed chamber 102 provides power to the rotating position of the substrate hanging unit 200 to the unloading position 132 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130 in the first direction, then the blocking mechanism 110 between the out-feed chamber 102 and the atmospheric conversion platform 130 is closed, the positioning and rotating transfer unit 300 on the unloading position 132 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130 rotates the cylindrical rotating hub of the substrate hanging unit 200, and the substrate is sequentially removed.

[0083] Step eight, the bottom roller unit 120 of the lower loading position 132 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130 lowers the first direction roller assembly 121 and raises the second direction roller assembly 121, changes the power delivery to the first direction to the power delivery to the second direction, and the bottom roller unit 120 of the lower loading position 132 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130 provides the power delivery to the second direction to the substrate mounting unit 200 to the rotation position of the upper loading position 131 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130. After the positioning rotation transfer unit 300 on the upper loading position 131 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130 rotates the cylindrical rotary hub of the substrate mounting unit 200, the substrate is repositioned in sequence. The bottom roller unit 120 of the atmospheric conversion platform 130 lowers the second direction roller assembly 121 and raises the first direction roller assembly 121, restores the power delivery to the first direction, and repeats from step three to achieve a closed-loop coating process of the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment.

[0084] In another embodiment, the driving mode of the rotation assembly 320 can also be changed to a driving structure using a bottom electrode, as shown in Figure 11 The lower end of the rotation shaft of the cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 is provided with a lower docking groove, and the rotation assembly 320 includes a rotation driving member 321 and a lower center shaft. The rotation driving member 321 is arranged in the bottom roller unit 120, and the lower center shaft is arranged in the lower docking groove when the roller assembly 121 is lowered. At this time, the upper center shaft 312 can be used as an auxiliary corrector to extend and dock with the upper positioning groove in the substrate mounting unit 200, which can ensure that the cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 is always in a central vertical state during rotation. Finally, the rotation driving member 321 provides a power source to control the lower center shaft to drive the cylindrical rotary hub frame 220 to rotate coaxially.

[0085] It can be understood that the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment includes a plurality of substrate mounting units 200. By increasing the number of substrate mounting units 200, up to one substrate mounting unit 200 can be allocated in each functional chamber 100 for operation at the same time, and the substrate mounting units 200 are transmitted in sequence, which speeds up the production rhythm and greatly increases the production capacity. For example, for a multi-chamber continuous coating equipment that includes two or more target material for coating, there are about two substrate mounting units 200, which can meet the simultaneous coating of two different optical products on the same equipment.

[0086] As shown in Figures 6 to 8As shown, a blocking mechanism 110 is arranged between two adjacent functional chambers 100, which can be a blocking gate valve 111 or an isolation door plate 112. Among them, the blocking mechanism 110 between any two adjacent functional chambers 100 can be a blocking gate valve 111. In some cases, the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104 are replaced and optimized by arranging an intermediate buffer chamber 105. The intermediate buffer chamber 105 is preferably provided with an isolation door plate 112 at both ends, which selectively isolates the intermediate buffer chamber 105 from the adjacent functional chamber 100. By blocking the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104 through the isolation door plate 112, it is ensured that the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104 can be used for coating work without interference under different working conditions. The isolation door plates 112 at both ends of the intermediate buffer chamber 105 can be selectively opened and closed. The isolation door plates 112 are closed during the coating process of the first coating chamber 103 and the second coating chamber 104, thereby achieving the effect of isolating the two. During the process of transporting the substrate mounting unit 200 from the first coating chamber 103 to the intermediate buffer chamber 105 through the bottom guide roller unit 120, the isolation door plate 112 on this side is opened. During the process of transporting the substrate mounting unit 200 from the intermediate buffer chamber 105 to the second coating chamber 104 through the bottom guide roller unit 120, the isolation door plate 112 on the other side is opened. By adding the intermediate buffer chamber 105, the multi-chamber continuous coating equipment has more derivative types of optional application effects, and more combination arrangement options can be realized according to customer requirements.

[0087] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present application are only examples for clearly illustrating the present application, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, various obvious changes, readjustments and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of the present application. It is unnecessary and impossible to enumerate all the embodiments. Any modification, equivalent substitution and improvement within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus, characterized by, The utility model relates to a kind of multi-chamber coating system, including: Multiple functional chambers (100), multiple the functional chambers (100) are sequentially connected, selectively provided with blocking mechanism (110) between adjacent two the functional chambers (100), the blocking mechanism (110) is used to control the on-off between the functional chamber (100) on both sides of the blocking mechanism (110);The functional chamber (100) is used to set conveying unit, the conveying unit is used to carry substrate mounting unit (200); Multiple the functional chambers (100) include film coating chamber (101), first film coating chamber (103), second film coating chamber (104) and film coating chamber (102);The film coating chamber (101) and the first film coating chamber (103) are located first straight line, the film coating chamber (102) and the second film coating chamber (104) are located second straight line, the first film coating chamber (103) and the second film coating chamber (104) are located third straight line; The first straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, the second straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, and the first film coating chamber (103) and the second film coating chamber (104) are provided with intermediate buffer chamber (105);Or, one of the first straight line and the second straight line is arranged at an angle with the third straight line, and the other is coincident with the third straight line.

2. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The angle is set to a right angle.

3. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus of claim 1, wherein, When the first straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, the second straight line and the third straight line are arranged at an angle, and the first film coating chamber (103) and the second film coating chamber (104) are provided with intermediate buffer chamber (105), the film coating chamber (101) and the film coating chamber (102) are located on the same side of the third straight line.

4. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The conveying unit includes a bottom guide roller unit (120), the bottom guide roller unit (120) includes a guide roller assembly (121), at least part of the guide roller assembly (121) is selectively raised and lowered, the guide roller assembly (121) is raised to abut against the bottom of the substrate mounting unit (200), and the guide roller assembly (121) can selectively move the substrate mounting unit (200) to an adjacent bottom guide roller unit (120).

5. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The bottom guide roller unit (120) of the first film coating chamber (103) and / or the second film coating chamber (104) includes two guide roller assemblies (121), and the two guide roller assemblies (121) can move the substrate mounting unit (200) in two non-parallel directions, respectively.

6. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The guide roller assembly (121) includes a plurality of rolling wheels (1211) and a guide driving member (1212), the moving direction of the substrate mounting unit (200) is tangent to the rotating direction of the rolling wheels (1211), a plurality of the rolling wheels (1211) are arranged at intervals along the moving direction of the substrate mounting unit (200), and the guide driving member (1212) can control the rotation of the rolling wheels (1211).

7. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus of claim 4, wherein, When the bottom guide wheel unit (120) comprises the selectively liftable guide wheel assembly (121), the bottom guide wheel unit (120) further comprises a lifting cylinder (1213), an output end of the lifting cylinder (1213) is connected with a bottom of the guide wheel assembly (121), and the output end of the lifting cylinder (1213) is telescopic to control the guide wheel assembly (121) to lift or lower.

8. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The substrate mounting unit (200) comprises an outer layer frame (210) and a cylindrical rotary hub frame (220) for mounting a substrate, the outer layer frame (210) is used for abutting against the conveying unit, the cylindrical rotary hub frame (220) is arranged inside the outer layer frame (210), and the cylindrical rotary hub frame (220) is connected with the outer layer frame (210) in a rotary shaft mode. The multi-chamber continuous coating equipment further comprises a positioning rotary transfer unit (300), the positioning rotary transfer unit (300) is arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the functional chambers (100), the positioning rotary transfer unit (300) comprises a positioning assembly (310) and a rotary assembly (320), a top of a rotary shaft of the cylindrical rotary hub frame (220) is provided with an upper butt joint groove (221), the positioning assembly (310) comprises a positioning driving member (311) and an upper central shaft (312), the positioning driving member (311) is arranged at a top of the functional chamber (100), and the positioning driving member (311) selectively controls the upper central shaft (312) to be coaxially arranged in the upper butt joint groove (221); and the rotary assembly (320) is used for driving the cylindrical rotary hub frame (220) to rotate.

9. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus of claim 8, wherein, A gear portion (222) is arranged at an outer ring of a top of a rotary shaft of the cylindrical rotary hub frame (220), the rotary assembly (320) comprises a rotary driving member (321) and a gear shaft (322), the rotary driving member (321) is arranged at a top of the functional chamber (100), and when the upper central shaft (312) is arranged in the upper butt joint groove (221), the rotary driving member (321) can control the gear shaft (322) to be in mesh transmission with the gear portion (222); or a lower butt joint groove is arranged at a bottom of the rotary shaft of the cylindrical rotary hub frame (220), the rotary assembly (320) comprises a rotary driving member (321) and a lower central shaft, the rotary driving member (321) is arranged at the conveying unit, the lower central shaft can be arranged in the lower butt joint groove, and the rotary driving member (321) can control the lower central shaft to drive the cylindrical rotary hub frame (220) to rotate coaxially. The multi-chamber continuous coating equipment further comprises an atmospheric conversion platform (130), and the atmospheric conversion platform (130) is provided with an upper feeding position (131) and a lower feeding position (132) at two ends thereof.

10. The multi-chamber continuous coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein ​

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