A laminated batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device and chain type continuous coating equipment

Abstract

This invention discloses a stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device and a chain-type continuous coating equipment. The continuous feeding and discharging device includes: a vacuum transfer chamber, a gate valve, at least one vacuum preparation chamber, a lift, and a plate transfer machine. The vacuum transfer chamber is fixedly located at the inlet or outlet facing the coating process chamber; the gate valve is connected to the upper wall of the vacuum transfer chamber; the vacuum preparation chamber is fixedly located above the vacuum transfer chamber; the lift is located inside the vacuum preparation chamber; the plate transfer machine is fixedly located inside the vacuum transfer chamber; a carrier basket is horizontally moved into the basket transfer assembly, the vacuum preparation chamber is closed to evacuate the vacuum, the gate valve is opened, the lift drives the carrier basket down until the lowest layer of carrier plates contacts the plate transfer machine, the plate transfer machine moves the carrier plates out of the carrier basket into the coating process chamber, the lift drives the carrier basket down layer by layer until all carrier plates are removed, completing the loading; conversely, unloading is completed. This invention has the advantages of continuous batch entry of carrier plates into the coating process chamber, effectively improving the utilization rate of the process chamber, and reducing production costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of PVD coating, and particularly to a stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device and a chain-type continuous coating equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, horizontal chain PVD coating equipment is widely used. Its coating zone requires maintaining a vacuum. Therefore, during loading, the vacuum must be broken first, the product to be processed is fed in, then the vacuum is re-established, and the product is then conveyed to the coating zone for coating. Similarly, when unloading after coating, the vacuum must be broken again, the product is sent out, and the vacuum is re-established. The drawback is that repeated vacuuming and breaking consumes a significant amount of time, resulting in generally low production capacity and low equipment utilization. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address one or more of the above problems, the present invention provides a stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device and a chain-type continuous coating equipment.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, the stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device comprises:

[0005] The vacuum transfer chamber is fixedly located at the inlet or outlet of the coating process chamber, and the upper wall of the vacuum transfer chamber is provided with at least one vertically downward through-basin opening.

[0006] The gate valve is vacuum-sealed and connected to the upper wall of the vacuum transmission chamber. Its middle port is located directly above the lower basket opening and is opened and closed by the gate.

[0007] At least one vacuum preparation chamber is fixedly located above the vacuum transmission chamber, and the upper basket opening of its lower wall is vacuum-sealed to fit the middle opening. Its left and right walls are provided with opposite basket inlets and basket outlets.

[0008] The elevator includes a lifting frame and a basket transfer assembly located in the vacuum preparation chamber. The basket transfer assembly is fixedly installed at the lower end of the lifting frame and its two ends are directly opposite the basket inlet and basket outlet. The basket transfer assembly has an avoidance through hole in the middle.

[0009] The plate transfer machine is fixed in the vacuum transfer chamber and can move the carrier plate horizontally. Its movement direction is towards the inlet of the coating process chamber or away from the outlet.

[0010] The carrier basket includes two rows of horizontal partitions that are symmetrical front and back and equally spaced vertically, and a clearance cavity located between the two rows of partitions. The clearance cavity is located above the transfer machine. Each pair of partitions can hold one carrier plate, and each carrier plate can be arrayed to lay multiple products.

[0011] The loading basket for the carrier plates is horizontally moved into the transfer basket assembly. The vacuum preparation chamber is closed and the vacuum level is similar to that of the vacuum transfer chamber. The gate valve is opened, and the elevator drives the loading basket through the upper basket opening, the middle through opening, and the lower basket opening until the lowest layer of carrier plates contacts the transfer machine. The transfer machine moves the carrier plates out of the loading basket to the coating process chamber. The elevator drives the loading basket down layer by layer, avoiding the through holes and the cavity being passed through by the transfer machine, until all carrier plates are removed, completing the loading. Conversely, the unloading is completed.

[0012] The advantages of this stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device are as follows: By stacking batch feeding and setting up independent vacuum transfer chambers and vacuum preparation chambers, the carrier plates can enter the coating process chamber in batches continuously. The feeding and discharging actions are concentrated, thereby increasing the unit capacity, reducing the size of the equipment, and reducing the non-process time occupancy rate, effectively improving the utilization rate of the process chamber, and thus reducing production costs. In particular, in the case of multiple vacuum preparation chambers, the basket transfer or plate transfer actions can be alternately performed to achieve the purpose of rapid and seamless basket changing and continuous process processing.

[0013] In some embodiments, each vacuum transfer chamber has two or more lower basket openings, and the multiple lower basket openings and the inlet or outlet of the coating process chamber are on the same horizontal straight line. The multiple lower basket openings are all located above the plate transfer machine. A gate valve, a vacuum preparation chamber and a lift are installed above each lower basket opening to form multiple baskets for alternating feeding.

[0014] In some embodiments, the transfer machine includes at least one set of active rollers and at least one set of transition rollers. An active roller set is provided directly below each lower basket opening, and a transition roller set is provided on one side of the movement direction of each active roller set. The active roller sets can pass through the avoidance through holes and avoidance cavities.

[0015] In some embodiments, one end of the vacuum transfer chamber is provided with a through-plate port through which the carrier plate passes horizontally, and the vacuum seal of the through-plate port is directly opposite the inlet or outlet of the coating process chamber.

[0016] In some embodiments, the gate valve includes a valve body and a valve plate. The valve body is fixedly attached to the upper wall of the vacuum transmission chamber and sealed by a vacuum sealing ring. The valve body has a vertically penetrating intermediate port. The gate plate can be moved to open the intermediate port and moved to close the intermediate port.

[0017] In some embodiments, the elevator includes a lifting frame, a basket transfer assembly, a transmission assembly, and a positioning mechanism located in the vacuum preparation chamber. The transmission assembly is fixedly disposed on the inner edge of the vacuum preparation chamber. The lifting frame is located in the middle of the vacuum preparation chamber and is fixedly connected to the vertical moving part of the transmission assembly. The basket transfer assembly is fixedly disposed at the lower end of the lifting frame and its left and right ends are directly opposite the basket inlet and basket outlet.

[0018] In some embodiments, the transmission component is a screw and nut mechanism, the vertical moving part is a nut part, and its four screws are rotatably connected to the four corners of the lifting frame through vertical bearings. Each screw is connected to the power drive unit located outside the vacuum preparation chamber through a coupling. Multiple cylindrical guide rail slide blocks are also provided between the vacuum preparation chamber and the lifting frame.

[0019] In some embodiments, the positioning mechanism includes a positioning frame, a screw drive assembly mounted on the upper end of the positioning frame, and a linear guide slider assembly mounted on four ends, wherein the upper connecting part at the lower end of the positioning frame cooperates with the upper connecting part at the upper end of the basket.

[0020] The basket transfer structure includes several roller assemblies mounted on the lower frame of the lifting frame. The roller assemblies are connected to each other by a horizontal chain drive assembly. The outermost horizontal chain drive assembly is connected to an external drive structure via a vertical chain drive system.

[0021] In some implementations, auxiliary basket conveyors are also provided on both sides of the basket inlet and basket outlet of the vacuum preparation chamber.

[0022] The chain-type coating equipment includes a coating process chamber and two continuous feeding / discharging devices of any one of the above types. The two continuous feeding / discharging devices are installed at the inlet and outlet at the left and right ends of the coating process chamber. Its advantages are: the chain-type coating equipment features centralized feeding and discharging actions, achieving rapid, seamless basket changing and continuous process handling, thereby increasing unit capacity, reducing equipment size, and minimizing non-process time occupancy, effectively improving the utilization rate of the process chamber, and thus reducing production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram (I) of a stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram (II) of the continuous feeding and discharging device for coating shown;

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the vacuum transfer chamber and the vacuum material preparation chamber is shown (I).

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the vacuum transfer chamber and vacuum material preparation chamber shown (II);

[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the elevator shown;

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the basket shown;

[0029] Vacuum transfer chamber 1, through plate opening 11, lower through basket opening 12;

[0030] Gate valve 2, with a central port 20;

[0031] Vacuum preparation chamber 3, upper basket opening 30, basket inlet 31, basket outlet 32;

[0032] Elevator 4, lifting frame 41, basket transfer assembly 42, transmission assembly 43, vertical moving part 430, screw 431, power drive unit 432, positioning mechanism 44, positioning frame 440, screw drive assembly 441, linear guide slider assembly 442, upper joint 443.

[0033] 5. Plate transfer machine; 51. Active roller assembly; 52. Transition roller assembly;

[0034] Basket 6, partition 61;

[0035] Carrier plate 7. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" used in the following description refer to directions in the accompanying drawings, while the terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively.

[0037] Figures 1 to 6 A stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. As shown, the stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device includes: a vacuum transfer chamber 1, a gate valve 2, at least one vacuum preparation chamber 3, a lift 4, a plate transfer machine 5, and a carrier basket 6;

[0038] The vacuum transfer chamber 1 is fixedly located at the inlet or outlet facing the coating process chamber. The upper wall of the vacuum transfer chamber 1 has at least one vertically downward-facing basket opening 12. Furthermore, one end of the vacuum transfer chamber 1 has a plate opening 11 through which the carrier plate 7 passes horizontally. The plate opening 11 is vacuum-sealed at the inlet or outlet facing the coating process chamber. Its advantages are: the structure is simple and facilitates process implementation.

[0039] The gate valve 2 is vacuum-sealed and connected to the upper wall of the vacuum transmission chamber 1. Its central port 20 is located directly above the lower through-basin port 12 and is opened and closed by a gate. Further, the gate valve 2 includes a valve body and a valve plate. The valve body is fixedly attached to the upper wall of the vacuum transmission chamber 1 and sealed by a vacuum sealing ring. The valve body has a vertically penetrating central port 20. The gate can be moved to open the central port 20 and moved to close the central port 20.

[0040] At least one vacuum preparation chamber 3 is fixedly disposed above the vacuum transmission chamber 1, and the upper basket opening 30 of its lower wall is vacuum-sealed to fit the middle opening 20. The left and right walls are provided with opposing basket inlets 31 and basket outlets 32. Preferably, auxiliary basket conveyors are also provided on both sides of the basket inlet 31 and basket outlet 32 ​​of the vacuum preparation chamber 3.

[0041] The lifting platform 4 includes a lifting frame 41 and a basket transfer assembly 42 located within the vacuum preparation chamber 3. The basket transfer assembly 42 is fixedly installed at the lower end of the lifting frame 41, with both ends facing the basket inlet 31 and the basket outlet 32. The basket transfer assembly 42 has a clearance through hole in the middle. Further, the lifting platform 4 includes a lifting frame 41, a basket transfer assembly 42, a transmission assembly 43, and a positioning mechanism 44 located within the vacuum preparation chamber 3. The transmission assembly 43 is fixedly installed at the inner edge of the vacuum preparation chamber 3. The lifting frame 41 is located in the middle of the vacuum preparation chamber 3 and is fixedly connected to the vertical moving part 430 of the transmission assembly 43. The basket transfer assembly 42 is fixedly installed at the lower end of the lifting frame 41, with both ends facing the basket inlet 31 and the basket outlet 32. Preferably, the transmission component 43 is a screw and nut mechanism, the vertical moving part 430 is a nut part, and its four screws 431 are rotatably connected to the four corners of the lifting frame 41 through vertical bearings. Each screw 431 is connected to the power drive unit 432 located outside the vacuum preparation chamber 3 through a coupling. Multiple cylindrical guide rail slide blocks are also provided between the vacuum preparation chamber 3 and the lifting frame 41. The positioning mechanism 44 includes a positioning frame 440, a screw drive assembly 441 installed on the upper end of the positioning frame 440, and linear guide rail slider assemblies 442 installed at the four ends. The upper connecting part 443 at the lower end of the positioning frame 440 cooperates with the upper connecting part at the upper end of the basket 6. The basket transfer structure 42 includes several roller assemblies installed on the lower plate frame of the lifting frame 41. The several roller assemblies are connected to each other through a horizontal chain drive assembly. The outermost horizontal chain drive assembly is connected to the external drive structure through a vertical chain drive system. Its beneficial effects are: the elevator has a compact structure and can achieve directional lifting, basket entry and exit and other actions with high precision.

[0042] The plate transfer machine 5 is fixedly installed inside the vacuum transfer chamber 1 and can horizontally move the carrier plate 7, with its movement direction towards the inlet of the coating process chamber or away from the outlet. Preferably, the plate transfer machine 5 includes at least one active roller assembly 51 and at least one transition roller assembly 52. ​​An active roller assembly 51 is located directly below each lower basket opening 12, and a transition roller assembly 52 is located on one side of the movement direction of each active roller assembly 51. The active roller assembly 51 can pass through the clearance through-hole and clearance cavity. The active roller assembly 51 is driven by chain drive. Its advantages are: the plate transfer machine 5 is compact and can be shared, further simplifying the equipment and reducing costs.

[0043] The carrier basket 6 includes two rows of horizontal partitions 61 that are symmetrical front to back and equally spaced vertically, and a clearance cavity located between the two rows of partitions 61. The clearance cavity is located above the transfer machine 5. Each pair of partitions 61 can hold one carrier plate 7, and each carrier plate 7 can be arrayed to hold multiple products. Furthermore, the carrier basket 6 is a rectangular frame formed by threaded connections of aluminum alloy profiles. The partitions 61 are right-angled seats, with their vertical ends threaded to aluminum alloy columns and their horizontal ends serving as the placement end for the carrier plates 7. The advantages are: this configuration of the carrier basket 6 facilitates the loading of carrier plates 7, and the clearance cavity enables equidistant insertion, resulting in simple operation, a compact device, and a small size.

[0044] The basket 6, loaded with the carrier plate 7, is horizontally moved into the basket transfer assembly 42. The vacuum preparation chamber 3 is closed and the vacuum level is similar to that of the vacuum transfer chamber 1. The gate valve 2 is opened, and the elevator 4 drives the basket 6 through the upper basket opening 30, the middle through opening 20, and the lower basket opening 12 until the lowest layer of carrier plate 7 contacts the transfer machine 5. The transfer machine 5 moves the carrier plate 7 out of the basket 6 into the coating process chamber. The elevator 4 drives the basket 6 down layer by layer, avoiding the through holes and the avoidance chambers, until all carrier plates 7 are removed, completing the loading. Conversely, the unloading is completed.

[0045] The advantages of this stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device are as follows: By stacking batch feeding and setting up independent vacuum transfer chamber 1 and vacuum preparation chamber 3, the carrier plates can enter the coating process chamber in batches continuously. The feeding and discharging actions are concentrated, thereby increasing the unit capacity, reducing the size of the equipment, and reducing the non-process time occupancy rate, effectively improving the utilization rate of the process chamber, and thus reducing production costs. In particular, in the case of multiple vacuum preparation chambers 3, the basket transfer or plate transfer actions can be alternately performed to achieve the purpose of rapid and seamless basket changing and continuous process processing.

[0046] Furthermore, each vacuum transfer chamber 1 has two or more lower basket openings 12, and the multiple lower basket openings 12 and the inlet or outlet of the coating process chamber are on the same horizontal straight line.

[0047] Multiple basket openings 12 are located above the transfer machine 5;

[0048] Above each basket opening 12, a gate valve 2, a vacuum material preparation chamber 3, and a lifting platform 4 are installed, forming multiple baskets 6 for alternating material feeding. The beneficial effects are: this setup further integrates and utilizes resources, reduces equipment size, increases equipment capacity, and enables alternating basket or plate transfer actions to achieve rapid, seamless basket changing and continuous process handling.

[0049] This invention also provides a chain-type coating equipment, comprising: a coating process chamber and two continuous feeding and discharging devices of any one of the above-mentioned types, wherein the two continuous feeding and discharging devices are installed at the inlet and outlet at the left and right ends of the coating process chamber. Its advantages are: the chain-type coating equipment features concentrated feeding and discharging actions, achieving rapid, seamless basket changing and continuous process processing, thereby increasing unit capacity, reducing equipment size, and minimizing non-process time occupancy, effectively improving the utilization rate of the process chamber, and thus reducing production costs.

[0050] The above descriptions are merely some embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stacked batch PVD coating continuous feeding and discharging device, characterized in that, include: Vacuum transfer chamber (1), the vacuum transfer chamber (1) is fixedly installed at the inlet or outlet of the coating process chamber, and the upper wall of the vacuum transfer chamber (1) is provided with at least one vertically downward through basket (12). Gate valve (2), the gate valve (2) is vacuum-sealed to the upper wall of the vacuum transmission chamber (1), the middle port (20) is located directly above the lower basket port (12) and is opened and closed by the gate; At least one vacuum preparation chamber (3) is fixed above the vacuum transmission chamber (1) and its lower wall has an upper basket opening (30) that is vacuum-sealed against the middle opening (20). Its left and right walls are provided with opposite basket inlets (31) and basket outlets (32). The elevator (4) includes a lifting frame (41) and a basket transfer assembly (42) located in the vacuum preparation chamber (3). The basket transfer assembly (42) is fixedly installed at the lower end of the lifting frame (41) and its two ends are directly opposite the basket inlet (31) and the basket outlet (32). The basket transfer assembly (42) has an avoidance through hole in the middle. The plate transfer machine (5) is fixedly installed in the vacuum transfer chamber (1) and can move the carrier plate (7) horizontally. Its moving direction is towards the inlet of the coating process chamber or away from the outlet. The carrier basket (6) includes two rows of horizontal partitions (61) that are symmetrical in front and behind and equally spaced vertically, and a clearance cavity located between the two rows of partitions (61). The clearance cavity is located above the transfer machine (5). Each pair of partitions (61) can hold one carrier plate (7), and each carrier plate (7) can be arrayed to lay multiple products. The basket (6) carrying the carrier plate (7) is moved horizontally into the basket transfer assembly (42), the vacuum preparation chamber (3) is closed and the vacuum degree is similar to that of the vacuum transfer chamber (1), the gate valve (2) is opened, and the elevator (4) drives the basket (6) through the upper basket opening (30), the middle through opening (20), and the lower basket opening (12) until the lowest layer carrier plate (7) contacts the transfer machine (5). The transfer machine (5) moves the carrier plate (7) out of the basket (6) to the coating process chamber. The elevator (4) drives the basket (6) down layer by layer, avoiding the through holes and the avoidance chamber being passed through by the transfer machine (5) until all the carrier plates (7) are moved out, completing the loading. Conversely, the unloading is completed.

2. The continuous feeding and discharging device for coating according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each vacuum transfer chamber (1) has two or more lower basket openings (12). The multiple lower basket openings (12) and the inlet or outlet of the coating process chamber are on the same horizontal straight line. The multiple lower basket openings (12) are all located above the plate transfer machine (5). A gate valve (2), a vacuum material preparation chamber (3) and an elevator (4) are installed above each lower basket opening (12) to form multiple baskets (6) for alternating material feeding.

3. The continuous feeding and discharging device for coating according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The plate transfer machine (5) includes at least one active roller group (51) and at least one transition roller group (52). An active roller group (51) is provided directly below each lower basket opening (12), and a transition roller group (52) is provided on one side of the moving direction of each active roller group (51). The active roller group (51) can pass through the avoidance through hole and the avoidance cavity.

4. The continuous feeding and discharging device for coating according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vacuum transmission chamber (1) is provided with a plate opening (11) through which the carrier plate (7) passes horizontally. The plate opening (11) is vacuum sealed and faces the inlet or outlet of the coating process chamber.

5. The continuous feeding and discharging device for coating according to claim 4, characterized in that, The gate valve (2) includes a valve body and a valve plate. The valve body is fixedly attached to the upper wall of the vacuum transmission chamber (1) and sealed by a vacuum sealing ring. The valve body is provided with a vertically penetrating intermediate port (20). The gate plate can be moved to open the intermediate port (20) and moved to close the intermediate port (20).

6. The continuous feeding and discharging device for coating according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elevator (4) includes the lifting frame (41), the basket transfer assembly (42), the transmission assembly (43), and the positioning mechanism (44) located in the vacuum preparation chamber (3). The transmission assembly (43) is fixedly installed on the inner edge of the vacuum preparation chamber (3). The lifting frame (41) is located in the middle of the vacuum preparation chamber (3) and is fixedly connected to the vertical moving part (430) of the transmission assembly (43). The basket transfer assembly (42) is fixedly installed at the lower end of the lifting frame (41) and its left and right ends are directly opposite the basket inlet (31) and the basket outlet (32).

7. The continuous feeding and discharging device for coating according to claim 6, characterized in that, The transmission component (43) is a screw and nut mechanism, and the vertical moving part (430) is a nut part. Its four screws (431) are rotatably connected to the four corners of the lifting frame (41) through vertical bearings. Each screw (431) is connected to the power drive unit (432) located outside the vacuum preparation chamber (3) through a coupling. Multiple cylindrical guide rail slide guide components are also provided between the vacuum preparation chamber (3) and the lifting frame (41).

8. The continuous feeding and discharging device for coating according to claim 7, characterized in that, The positioning mechanism (44) includes a positioning frame (440), a screw drive assembly (441) mounted on the upper end of the positioning frame (440), and a linear guide rail slider assembly (442) mounted on the four ends. The upper connecting part (443) at the lower end of the positioning frame (440) and the upper connecting part at the upper end of the basket (6) cooperate with each other. The basket transfer structure (42) includes several roller assemblies installed on the lower frame of the lifting frame (41). The roller assemblies are connected to each other by a horizontal chain drive assembly. The outermost horizontal chain drive assembly is connected to an external drive structure by a vertical chain drive system.

9. The continuous feeding and discharging device for coating according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum material preparation chamber (3) is also equipped with auxiliary basket conveyors on both sides of the basket inlet (31) and basket outlet (32).

10. A chain-type coating equipment, characterized in that, include: The coating process chamber and two continuous feeding and discharging devices for coating as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the two continuous feeding and discharging devices for coating are installed at the feed inlet and discharge outlet at the left and right ends of the coating process chamber.

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