Plant for the treatment of workpieces and arrangement of several such plants

Abstract

Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A), with a) a housing which defines a treatment chamber (B) in which a controlled atmosphere is present and comprises a gas-tight shell (1) which separates the controlled atmosphere from the atmosphere present outside the shell (1); b) a conveying system through which workpieces can be conveyed in the treatment room (B); c) at least one coupling means (10) coupled to at least one coupling unit (20) of the conveying system, where d) the gas-tight shell (1) is present between the coupling means (10) and the coupling units (20) and these are coupled to each other without contact through the gas-tight shell (1), where e) the coupling means (10) are designed as electromagnetic stators (11) outside the gas-tight shell (1), f) the support system has at least one carrier (30), g) wherein workpieces can be conveyed into the treatment room (B) by means of the carrier (30), h) the carrier (30) has at least one permanent magnet (21) as a coupling unit (20), i) the carrier (30) is suspended in the treatment chamber (B) without contact with the shell (1) by means of the interaction with the at least one coupling means (10) and the at least one coupling unit (20), and wherein the at least one carrier (30) has a support structure with at least one receiving space (AR) enclosed by webs (31) for at least one permanent magnet (21), wherein this receiving space (AR) is configured to face the at least one coupling means (10).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a system for treating workpieces and an arrangement comprising several such systems. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] DE 10 2011 116 136 A1 discloses a system for treating substrates for photovoltaic thin-film cells. These are processed in a treatment chamber with a controlled atmosphere. The treatment chamber is enclosed in a gas-tight manner. The system contains a conveyor system with rotating shafts that transport the thin-film cells by rotating them inside the treatment chamber. The drive, i.e., the rotational movement of the shafts, is transmitted contactlessly via coupling elements from a shaft located outside the treatment chamber to the shafts inside the treatment chamber. This system has proven to be functional, but exhibits weaknesses in operational reliability and damage to the thin-film cells due to the abrasion generated by the rotating shafts for transport.

[0003] From the American patent application US 2001 / 0 026 748 A1, a magnetic drive system for moving a substrate transfer shuttle along a linear path between gas-tight chambers in a device for semiconductor production is known. The device shows chambers for processing the substrates, which are conveyed on the substrate transfer shuttles between the gas-tight chambers. The substrate transfer shuttles are held in a levitation state by means of magnets arranged on the sides. Furthermore, a rack with rack magnets is attached to the shuttle, and a rotatable pinion with pinion magnets is positioned next to the rack so that the pinion magnets can magnetically engage with the rack magnets. Thus, the rotation of the pinion causes the shuttle to move along the linear path. A rack and pinion are located on each side of the shuttle.A set of lower guide rollers supports the shuttle, and a set of upper guide rollers prevents the shuttle from lifting off the lower guide rollers. This drive system for moving a substrate transfer shuttle proves to be fragile and complex in design.

[0004] US 2005 / 0 268 857 A1 shows a movable lock door which is provided with a seal which surrounds and seals a lock opening when the lock door is closed. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a system for processing workpieces that is improved over the prior art, or rather, an arrangement comprising several such systems. This system should be characterized by exceptional operational reliability and high product safety.

[0006] The object is achieved according to the invention with a system for treating workpieces which has the features specified in claim 1 and with an arrangement of several such systems which has the features specified in claim 13.

[0007] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0008] The system according to the invention for the treatment of workpieces is provided with (a) a housing defining a treatment space in which a controlled atmosphere is present and comprising a gas-tight enclosure separating the controlled atmosphere from the atmosphere outside the enclosure, b) a conveyor system through which workpieces can be conveyed in the treatment room and with c) at least one coupling means coupled to at least one coupling unit of the conveyor system, provided. This is d) the gas-tight enclosure is present between the coupling means(s) and the coupling unit(s) and these are coupled to each other without contact through the gas-tight enclosure. Furthermore, e) the coupling means or means are designed as electromagnetic stators outside the gas-tight enclosure, f) the conveyor system comprises at least one carrier, g) workpieces can be transported in the treatment room by means of the carrier, h) the carrier has at least one permanent magnet as a coupling unit and i) the carrier can be kept suspended in suspension and conveyed in the treatment chamber without contact with the casing by the interaction of the at least one coupling means and the at least one coupling unit connected to the carrier.

[0009] The treatment chamber is designed to be suitable for maintaining a vacuum using the enclosure, or alternatively or additionally for providing a protective gas atmosphere. All types of products or intermediate products that can be processed and treated in an environment with such a controlled atmosphere have proven suitable. This system is particularly well-suited for the treatment of semiconductor, sensor, and optical substrates.

[0010] By providing such a carrier, which is suitable for statically safely holding the workpiece to be treated and for conveying it in a suspended manner into or through the treatment room, it is possible to ensure very safe and very low-damage transport and thus conveyance of the workpiece to be treated.

[0011] By designing the conveying system on the one hand with one or more magnetic coupling units designed as permanent magnets on or in the carrier and on the other hand with one or more coupling means arranged as electromagnetic stators outside the gas-tight shell, which interact in such a way that the carrier can be suspended in suspension without contact with the shell and can be conveyed into the treatment chamber, it is possible on the one hand to design the carrier without cables and control lines, to simplify the handling of the carrier for conveying the workpiece and to design the conveyance with very little damage to the workpiece and on the other hand to keep the risk of damage to the gas-tight shell and thus of malfunctioning the system, for example due to leaks, to low and thus create an extremely safe system for the treatment of workpieces in a controlled sphere.

[0012] This is achieved, among other things, by providing a closed, gas-tight enclosure formed between the coupling unit(s) and the coupling means(s). The coupling means, designed as electromagnetic stators, are controlled such that the at least one carrier is held suspended in the treatment chamber, regardless of whether the workpiece is arranged on the carrier or not. The same applies to the conveyance of the at least one carrier, with conveyance occurring primarily in a lateral direction. This is preferably ensured by a corresponding sensor and control circuit for controlling the coupling means.

[0013] The device according to the invention is designed such that the at least one carrier has a support structure with at least one receiving space, enclosed by webs, for at least one permanent magnet. This receiving space is preferably designed to face the at least one coupling means. This design of the carrier makes it possible to create a very rigid carrier and, at the same time, a safe and stable means of transport for the workpiece to be machined. This is because the support structure with the webs ensures the pronounced rigidity of the carrier and securely accommodates the at least one coupling unit designed as a permanent magnet, thus enabling reliable levitation and conveyance of the carrier or the workpiece.By orienting the receiving space in the carrier in the direction of at least one coupling unit, it is possible to enable very efficient control of the levitation and conveying, since on the one hand the distance and on the other hand the quantity of potentially disruptive objects between the coupling elements of the conveying system are limited.

[0014] Furthermore, it has proven particularly effective to further develop the system in such a way that the at least one support has a supporting structure made of light metal, which is formed in particular as a milled part and / or from aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or a magnesium alloy. This makes it possible to avoid disruptive outgassing and thus a negative influence on the controlled atmosphere, in particular the vacuum, while maintaining a low weight of the support, thus particularly ensuring the operational reliability of the system. This is ensured in particular by the design of the supporting structure exclusively from metal, in particular from light metals, without plastics.

[0015] In addition, it has proven particularly effective to further develop the system with at least one carrier in such a way that it has a support structure with a surface facing away from the at least one coupling element, which surface is flat and closed. This makes it possible to place the workpiece on a defined surface of the carrier and thus convey it with as little damage as possible, without impairing the effectiveness of the coupling elements. This ensures particularly safe and reliable conveying of the workpiece.

[0016] A particularly preferred development has been shown to be a system in which the permanent magnet(s) are glued into the at least one receiving space using a vacuum-compatible adhesive. This ensures, on the one hand, that the adhesive creates a secure connection between the support structure with the receiving space and the coupling means designed as permanent magnets. This is preferably selected such that it uses little material and thus has a low material thickness, and, on the other hand, exhibits no or only very minimal outgassing in a vacuum. This makes it possible, in particular, to keep the weight of the carrier low and to maintain high levels of safety during conveying.

[0017] In addition, it has also proven useful to further develop the system for treating workpieces in such a way that the gas-tight shell has a floor that separates the coupling means from the treatment chamber with the support and is made of stainless steel or aluminum in the area of ​​the coupling means. This makes it possible to design the floor as part of the gas-tight shell to be particularly gas-tight. It has proven particularly preferable to design the stainless steel or aluminum in the area of ​​the coupling means with a wall thickness of approximately 0.5 mm or less. This makes it possible to limit the distance and the influence of the floor on the magnetic field between the coupling elements of the conveyor system and thus on the support for conveying the workpiece to be treated, thereby creating a very efficient conveying system for the system with a gas-tight shell.

[0018] A particularly preferred development of the system provides the possibility for the stainless steel or aluminum base to enclose the coupling means in a U-shape in the area of ​​the coupling means(s) and at least partially accommodate the coupling means. This makes it possible for the coupling means to be mechanically stable U-shaped within the stainless steel or aluminum, thereby forming a single unit with the stainless steel or aluminum of the base, thus providing mechanical robustness and also being arranged close to the gas-tight shell or base and being gas-tight.

[0019] A preferred development of the system is to connect the coupling element(s) and the stainless steel or aluminum base plate in the area of ​​the coupling element(s) over a surface. Especially when the stainless steel or aluminum base plate encloses the coupling element(s) in a U-shape, such a connection is particularly mechanically robust and offers the aforementioned advantages to a particularly high degree. In addition to mechanically securing the coupling element(s) by screwing, edging, or clamping, it has proven particularly effective to achieve a surface connection by bonding.In this case, a low-viscosity adhesive is preferably used, with which it is possible to achieve a desired layer thickness of the adhesive in the range of 0.1 mm or less between the stainless steel or aluminum floor and the coupling means(s) designed as electromagnetic stators, and thus to withstand the large load caused by the temperature changes of the stator(s) during operation at a short distance from the treatment room or to mechanically withstand the load caused by the differential pressure between the controlled atmosphere in the treatment room and the outside space in connection with the floor.

[0020] According to a preferred development of the invention, the system for treating workpieces is provided with a plurality of coupling means arranged in a grid-like manner at a distance from one another on one side of the gas-tight enclosure, wherein the enclosure has additional stiffeners in the area between adjacent coupling means. The stiffeners, which are usually designed as webs, in particular as webs extending over the length of the coupling means, make it possible to absorb the stability of the enclosure in the area of ​​the coupling means, which on the one hand must mechanically compensate for the differential pressure between the controlled atmosphere in the treatment chamber and the outside atmosphere, but also have to compensate for the forces of the coupling elements when conveying the carrier with the workpiece(s). This prevents damage, in particular leakage, to the enclosure in this area.

[0021] It has proven particularly effective to implement several, in particular all, stiffeners by means of at least one common and rigid frame, in particular a one-piece frame, which is firmly connected to the gas-tight casing in the area of ​​the coupling means and forms a common, rigid structure that is particularly suitable for accommodating the coupling means arranged in the gaps between the stiffeners and mechanically supporting them in such a way that they are stably fixed in the rigid frame and thus to the gas-tight casing. This makes it possible to ensure the stability and thus the operational safety of the system's conveying device to a particularly high degree.

[0022] It has proven particularly effective to further develop the system for processing workpieces in such a way that the stiffeners are bolted to the floor and / or the remaining shell. This makes it possible to disassemble and repair the system in the area of ​​the coupling agents if necessary. It has proven particularly advantageous to construct the floor in several parts with stainless steel or aluminum sections and connecting pieces between the stainless steel or aluminum sections, and to bolt at least some of the stiffeners to connecting pieces in such a way that the adjacent stainless steel or aluminum sections are clamped and sealed.Therefore, a rigid frame consisting of several webs is preferably attached to the underside of the base of the gas-tight enclosure with screws. The screws are screwed through the rigid frame into the connecting pieces, thereby clamping and sealing the stainless steel or aluminum sections together and against each other. The stainless steel or aluminum sections and the connecting pieces together form the interior, particularly the base of the gas-tight enclosure.

[0023] This clamping and sealing connection using the screws between the stainless steel or aluminum sections and the connecting pieces is made particularly advantageous by the optional and preferred design of the edge of the stainless steel or aluminum sections as a collar, which preferably adjoins the U-shaped ends of the stainless steel or aluminum sections.

[0024] Alternatively or additionally, a corresponding clamping and sealing connection can be made using screws between the stainless steel or aluminum areas and the rigid frame or stiffeners, which is particularly advantageous due to the optional and preferred design of the edge of the stainless steel or aluminum areas as a collar.

[0025] The circumferential collar forms a particularly large sealing surface with the frame or stiffeners or connecting pieces, between which the collar(s) are screwed and thus sealingly fixed. If the screws, which are evenly distributed across the frame or stiffeners, are firmly tightened, the resulting clamping action creates a reliable sealing effect. This not only ensures a high degree of safety for the operation of the system with the treatment room and its special, controlled atmosphere, particularly the vacuum, but also creates the option of disassembling, inspecting, maintaining, and if necessary repairing the area with the coupling agents, thus further increasing operational reliability.

[0026] Furthermore, it has proven particularly advantageous to further develop the system for treating workpieces in such a way that the surface of the floor is flat. This flat structure ensures very advantageous and safe cleaning of the floor and advantageous and safe storage of the workpiece to be treated on the support, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the workpiece. Particularly in the case of a multi-part design of the gas-tight shell or gas-tight floor with connecting pieces, this is achieved by selecting the height of the connecting pieces or their contour such that, together with the other components, they form a flat and, in particular, contourless, i.e. gap-free, surface to the treatment chamber.

[0027] A further development of the system is characterized by the provision of O-ring seals in the sealing surfaces between the components of the gas-tight enclosure. These O-ring seals are particularly located in the area of ​​the screw connections of the various components. The provision of O-ring seals made of an elastic material, preferably selected to be vacuum-compatible and thus not, or only minimally, emitting gas or transmitting gas in a vacuum, makes it possible to adjust and ensure the sealing effect very reliably by varying the contact pressures in the area of ​​the sealing surfaces.

[0028] A further development of the system for treating workpieces which features at least one continuous gap between the sealing surface between components of the gas-tight enclosure and the treatment chamber has proven particularly useful. This makes it possible to keep unwanted gas volumes out of the system, which could enter the treatment chamber and impair or destroy the controlled atmosphere therein. The provision of this gap, which is open to the treatment chamber, ensures that the volume of the gap is safely and reliably subjected to the conditions of the rest of the treatment chamber. The continuous gap is formed in particular by different curvature radii of the surfaces of the adjacent components. This preferred variant enables a simple and safe continuous gap between the treatment chamber and the sealing surface and thus the desired, safe operating conditions.

[0029] According to a particularly preferred development of the system for treating workpieces, the gas-tight enclosure is provided with at least one degassing valve and / or with at least one lock for supplying or removing workpieces. The provision of at least one degassing valve in the gas-tight enclosure provides a simple way to degas the treatment chamber as needed, thereby ensuring a controlled atmosphere for treating the workpiece during commissioning or at a later time in the event of a negative pressure or vacuum, and thus easily ensuring the operability of the system for treating workpieces, or continuously ensuring this in the event of a malfunction requiring further degassing.By additionally or alternatively providing at least one airlock for the supply or removal of workpieces from the treatment chamber of the system, the effort required to ensure the controlled atmosphere, a prerequisite for the successful operation of the system, is significantly simplified and, in particular, accelerated. The at least one airlock is designed such that it presents a movable airlock wall to the rest of the treatment chamber and another movable airlock wall to the environment of the system for the treatment of workpieces with the outside atmosphere. Furthermore, the airlock is provided with a gas-tight enclosure, which interacts with the gas-tight enclosure of the system to form a common gas-tight enclosure.

[0030] A preferred development of the system according to the invention for treating workpieces features a lock with at least one movable lock wall, which is suitable for separating the treatment chamber from the lock chamber in a gas-tight manner in a closed position or for making them passable in an open position. The lock wall can be moved from the open position to a closed position, or vice versa, by means of a vertical and subsequent lateral movement. Furthermore, the lock wall is sealed in a closed position against the casing in the transition area to the treatment chamber on the lock chamber side by means of at least one O-ring seal, so that the treatment chamber and the lock chamber are separated from each other in a gas-tight manner.This special L-shaped movement of the lock allows the movable lock wall to move efficiently and, especially when there is a significant pressure differential between a vacuum in the treatment chamber and the lock chamber and the outside atmosphere, for example, when filling the lock, to achieve and ensure a very secure, gas-tight separation of the treatment chamber. In this case, the outside atmosphere acts as a supporting momentum to generate the necessary sealing force on the movable lock wall.

[0031] An alternative or supplementary development of the system for treating workpieces with a lock features at least one movable lock wall which, in a closed position, acts by means of an O-ring seal to seal against a gas-tight casing section enclosing the lock wall. The casing section is connected to the remaining casing in a gas-tight manner and is preferably additionally sealed gas-tight by means of at least one O-ring seal. This preferred embodiment provides a two-stage sealing state in the closed position of the movable lock wall: the first sealing level lies between the movable lock wall and the casing section enclosing it, and the second sealing level lies between the casing section and the remaining gas-tight casing.The provision of the casing section between the movable lock wall and the remaining gas-tight casing makes it possible to adapt its contour particularly advantageously for an arrangement between the lock and the remaining system, whereby this is also done taking into account the arrangement of the coupling elements in the lock area or in the treatment room or on the at least one support of the system.

[0032] An alternative or supplementary development of the system for treating workpieces with such a casing section shows a casing section that is gas-tightly connected to the remaining casing by means of sealing surfaces running diagonally to the lateral direction of movement of the lock wall. The diagonal sealing surfaces make it possible for areas, in particular floor areas, to project laterally into the area of ​​the movable lock wall or behind it. This allows the distance between the adjacent coupling means in this area, which are designed as electromagnetic stators, to be selected to be close to one another. This short distance enables the conveyance of the carrier with or without the workpiece from one coupling means in the area of ​​the lock to the other coupling means in the area of ​​the treatment chamber, or vice versa, to be more uniform, reliable, and efficient.This allows for particularly advantageous pumping quality in this enhanced system. According to a preferred embodiment, these sealing surfaces, which run diagonally to the lateral movement direction of the lock wall, can also be sealed gas-tight using at least one O-ring seal, thus ensuring particularly reliable operation.

[0033] A particularly preferred development of the system for treating workpieces features coupling means arranged in the floor, which are located both in the area of ​​the lock chamber and in the area of ​​the treatment chamber. At least one coupling means is arranged in the area of ​​the treatment chamber, at least partially beneath the shell section of the lock, which is connected to the remaining shell. This arrangement of the coupling means, which are designed in particular as electromagnetic stators, enables the most uniform and efficient transport possible, and thus the uniform and efficient conveyance of the carrier from the treatment chamber to the lock or back.

[0034] Preferably, the system for treating workpieces with a lock is further developed such that, in the connecting area of ​​the floor between the casing section and the remaining casing, at least one stiffener is provided between the adjacent coupling means arranged in the area of ​​the lock chamber or in the area of ​​the treatment chamber. The stiffener is connected to the connecting area of ​​the floor in such a way that this connecting area is reinforced in its stiffness and stability. This can be achieved, for example, by gluing, screwing, soldering, welding, or by other joining techniques. The stiffener is preferably implemented in a manner analogous to stiffeners in the remaining floor area in the area of ​​the treatment chamber.These stiffeners ensure that the floor, despite the coupling agents incorporated into it and the thinnest possible construction, offers sufficient stability against deformation and potential leakage due to deformation or damage. This further development of the system enables extremely safe conveying of the workpieces being processed.

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment of the workpiece treatment system, the system is equipped with a control system for controlling the coupling means(s) capable of suspending a carrier and conveying it within the treatment chamber and / or the lock chamber of the system. This is made possible by a corresponding sensor and control circuit for controlling the various coupling means. This control of the individual workpiece treatment systems creates an advantageous and robust arrangement that enables safe operation of the system and, thanks to its uniform design, can also be implemented cost-effectively and with optimized production.

[0036] A further embodiment of the invention shows an arrangement of several systems according to the invention for treating workpieces, wherein the systems are designed and connected to one another in such a way that they form a common treatment chamber in which a controlled atmosphere for treating workpieces is present, and that the systems are connected to one another in a gas-tight manner via uniform mechanical connecting elements and are connected to one another via uniform electrical and / or optical connecting elements for central control of the systems. The mechanical connecting elements are designed and connected to one another in such a gas-tight manner that the gas-tight casings of the individual systems abut one another in the mechanical connecting elements and are connected to one another in such a gas-tight manner that the common treatment chamber is designed to be gas-tight with respect to the external environment of the arrangement comprising several such systems for treating workpieces.The uniform mechanical connecting elements are preferably designed to be detachable, so that a mechanical separation and mechanical reconnection of the connecting elements and thus of the treatment rooms into a common treatment room is possible.

[0037] The uniform electrical and / or optical connecting elements are preferably arranged at corresponding locations in the systems and designed to correspond to one another in such a way that a secure and, in particular, detachable electrical and / or optical connection is possible between the individual systems, in particular the controls of the individual systems. This electrical and / or optical connection, through this preferred embodiment of the invention, makes it possible to create a larger and modular arrangement comprising several systems according to the invention for treating workpieces, which potentially has a central control system by means of which workpieces can be conveyed on carriers in the common treatment room or in assigned locks and treated in a targeted manner.This overall design allows for a highly flexible and modular arrangement of individual systems to create a specific configuration. These configurations prove to be extremely safe in operation and very resistant to failure.

[0038] The invention is explained below using preferred embodiments with reference to the figures. Fig. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary system according to the invention for treating workpieces, Fig. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary carrier of a system according to the invention for treating workpieces, Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a view from below of the floor of an exemplary system according to the invention for treating workpieces, Fig. 4a shows a schematic sectional view of the structure of the lock wall area of ​​an exemplary system according to the invention for treating workpieces in the open position and Fig. 4b shows a schematic sectional view of the structure of the lock wall area from Fig. 4a in the closed position.

[0039] In Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a system A for treating workpieces. System A comprises a housing defining a treatment chamber B containing a controlled atmosphere at a very low pressure, also called a vacuum, and enclosed by a gas-tight enclosure 1.

[0040] Plant A shows two different areas: a lock S and a plant area with the treatment room B, which can be separated from each other by a lock wall SW. Workpieces can be fed into plant A via the lock S, using a standard lock process with sequential opening and closing of the access opening Z or the lock wall SW to the treatment room B.

[0041] In the lock S, a carrier 30 is shown which floats in the space of the lock S and is thus without contact with the shell 1, including the base 2. With the help of the carrier 30, workpieces can be conveyed in the system A. This is made possible by a conveying system which has coupling means 10, which are designed as electromagnetic stators 11, and coupling units 20, which are designed as permanent magnets 21. These coupling elements 10, 11, 20, 21 interact magnetically with one another such that the carrier 30 can be kept suspended and can be conveyed from one position to another in the lock space SR or the treatment space B. To achieve this, the carrier 30 is provided with permanent magnets 21 as coupling units 20, and the base 2, as part of the gas-tight shell 1, is provided with electromagnetic stators 11 as coupling means 10.By means of a control system not shown, the coupling means 10 are controlled and regulated in such a way that the carrier 30 can be kept suspended and conveyed.

[0042] The base 2 of the gas-tight enclosure 1 contains several stainless steel or aluminum areas 2a, which are formed from a stainless steel or aluminum plate with a thickness of just under 0.5 mm and which are assigned to the various electromagnetic stators 11 and enclose them in a U-shape, partially securing the electromagnetic stators 11 and spatially and sealingly separating them from the lock chamber SR or the treatment chamber B. The edges of the stainless steel or aluminum areas 2a are designed as collars 8, which adjoin the U-shaped ends of the stainless steel or aluminum areas 2a and are aligned with the adjacent collars 8. The electromagnetic stators 11, at least partially accommodated in the stainless steel or aluminum areas 2a, are connected to one another over their surfaces by means of a low-viscosity adhesive 3 and are thus secured.

[0043] Furthermore, the base 2 contains connecting pieces 2b that connect the individual stainless steel or aluminum sections 2a such that the base 2 has a flat surface. An O-ring seal 7 is inserted between the connecting pieces 2b and the collars 8 of the stainless steel or aluminum sections 2a.

[0044] Below the collars 8 of the stainless steel or aluminum areas 2a in the area of ​​the treatment room B, a common rigid frame 5 made up of several stiffeners 4 is arranged, which is screwed to the connecting pieces 2b via a series of screws 6 in such a way that the collars 8 of the stainless steel or aluminum areas 2a are held in a clamping and sealing manner with the O-ring seals 7 between the connecting pieces 2b and the common, rigid frame 5.

[0045] The floor 2 shows such a comparable structure not only in the area of ​​the treatment room B but also in the area of ​​the lock S, which on the one hand proves to be gas-tight and on the other hand, thanks to the stiffeners 4 below the stainless steel or aluminum areas 2a, proves to be extremely robust and stable against the stresses caused by the controlled atmosphere with the vacuum in the treatment room B, despite the low material thickness of the stainless steel or aluminum areas 2a.

[0046] The coupling means 10 and the coupling units 20 are thus separated from each other by the gas-tight stainless steel or aluminum regions 2a, which are part of the floor 2 and thus of the casing 1, and are nevertheless capable of magnetically interacting with each other so that the carrier 30 can be suspended and conveyed. The coupling units 20 are arranged on the carrier 30 and thus located in the treatment chamber B or in the associated lock chamber SR, while the coupling means 10 are arranged outside the gas-tight casing 1, i.e., on the side of the stainless steel or aluminum regions 2a facing away from the treatment chamber B or the lock chamber SR.

[0047] The lock S with its floor 2, which has a comparable structure to the floor 2 in the area of ​​the treatment room B, also has a movable lock wall SW, an access opening Z, which are connected to one another via a gas-tight shell 1, and a shell section 42, which is gas-tightly connected to the remaining gas-tight shell 1 of the system A in the area of ​​the treatment room B. The movable lock wall SW, including its drive, is gas-tightly integrated into the shell 1 of the lock S.

[0048] In Fig. Figure 2 schematically illustrates an exemplary carrier 30. The carrier 30 has a flat and closed surface 32 on its upper side, which is intended to receive a workpiece to be transported or conveyed. Due to its selected surface 32, the carrier 30 can receive a workpiece to be conveyed very gently yet securely. The carrier 30 is realized as a milled aluminum part, which has several webs 31 on its underside, forming a supporting structure that gives the carrier 30 a very rigid and robust structure while maintaining a low weight.

[0049] The webs 31 form two or more receiving spaces AR, into which the coupling units 20, designed as permanent magnets 21, are inserted and fixed. The coupling units 20 are fixed in the receiving spaces AR by bonding using a vacuum-compatible adhesive 33, which is characterized by very low outgassing under the influence of a vacuum. The two receiving spaces AR with the coupling units 20 are arranged on the underside of the carrier 30 such that they face the coupling means 10 arranged outside the gas-tight casing 1 with the stainless steel or aluminum regions 2a, thereby ensuring a very efficient and reliable magnetic interaction for generating the levitation state and conveying.In addition, several holes are provided in the webs 31 for attaching brackets for guiding or holding specific workpieces. These holes are designed in such a way that, even after a fastening screw has been inserted into these holes, a continuous channel for venting remains, preventing unwanted gas from accumulating in the hole. This hole design improves the quality and safety of the operation of System A, especially with regard to the quality of the controlled atmosphere, which is a vacuum.

[0050] In Fig. Figure 3 schematically shows the structure of the floor 2 in a section of the treatment room B in a view from below. The section shows four coupling means 10, which are designed as electromagnetic stators 11. These are distributed in a grid-like manner on the underside of the floor 2, whereby this is done evenly and in this example in a checkerboard pattern. The coupling means 10 are arranged in recesses and fixed therein by means of an adhesive. These recesses with the coupling means 10 were Fig. 1 and are formed by the stainless steel or aluminum sections 2a, the connecting pieces 2b, and the common rigid, one-piece frame 5. The one-piece frame 5, with its web-shaped stiffeners 4, encloses the recesses and thus the coupling means 10 in the intermediate areas. Screws 6 are arranged between the coupling means 10 at approximately equal spacing, firmly connecting the one-piece, rigid frame 5 to the connecting pieces 2b and, between them, to the stainless steel or aluminum sections 2a in a clamping and sealing manner.

[0051] This structure of the floor 2 makes it possible to make the floor 2 gas-tight, to give it the necessary rigidity despite the low material thickness of the stainless steel or aluminum sections 2a so that it can adequately withstand the stresses caused by the vacuum, to keep the distance of the coupling means 10 to the treatment chamber B with the support 30 and the coupling units 20, thus minimizing the shielding provided by the gas-tight shell 1, and also to reduce the risk of leaks. This leads to improved operational reliability of system A.

[0052] In Fig. 4a is a schematic sectional view of a structure of a lock wall area of ​​an exemplary system according to the invention for treating workpieces in the open position according to Fig. 1 and in Fig. 4b shown in the closed position.

[0053] When moving from the open position to the closed position, the lock wall SW is first moved vertically downwards and then laterally, i.e., horizontally, to the side, so that the lock wall SW performs an L-shaped movement. When moving from the closed position to the open position, the movement occurs in the reverse order.

[0054] In the closed position, the lock wall SW rests against the gas-tight shell 1 in the area of ​​the treatment chamber B in such a way that, in conjunction with the O-ring seal 7 arranged in the connection area, it enables efficient and secure sealing of the lock chamber SR from the treatment chamber B with its vacuum. The sealing effect is advantageously ensured, on the one hand, by the contact force of the drive of the movable lock wall SW and, on the other hand, by the difference between the atmospheric pressure in the controlled atmosphere of the treatment chamber B and the atmosphere in the lock chamber SR of the lock S.

[0055] The gas-tight enclosure 1 of system A has an enclosure section 42, which is arranged as part of the enclosure 1 between the area of ​​the enclosure 1 enclosing the lock chamber SR and the area of ​​the enclosure 1 enclosing the treatment chamber B, and is connected to the other areas of the enclosure 1 in a gas-tight manner. To ensure this, one or more O-ring seals 7 are provided in the connecting areas of the enclosure section 42 to the other areas of the gas-tight enclosure 1. This ensures that the enclosure 1, with all its areas including the enclosure section 42, is gas-tight with respect to the environment of system A.

[0056] The shell section 42 forms a sealing surface for the lock wall SW in the closed position, which, as previously explained, is also provided with an O-ring seal 7.

[0057] The casing section 42 is designed in the area of ​​the floor 2 between the treatment chamber B and the lock chamber SR in such a way that it sits sealingly on the two aligned, adjacent collars 8 of two adjacent stainless steel or aluminum sections 2a, corresponding to a connecting piece 2b. An O-ring seal 7 is provided in each intermediate space to improve the sealing effect. It is arranged between the U-shaped ends of the adjacent stainless steel or aluminum sections 2a. The height of the casing section 42 is adapted to the surface of the floor 2 in the treatment chamber B and is at the same level, so that it transitions into the casing section 42 without a step.On its upper side, the casing section 42 has a recess into which the lock wall SW can protrude after the vertical downward movement, in order to then, as part of the lateral movement through the recess, rest against the sealing surface of the casing section 42 in the area of ​​the base 2 in conjunction with the O-ring seal 7 located there, in a sealing manner against the step of the casing section 42. The sealing surfaces of the movable lock wall SW and the casing section 42, as well as the O-ring seals 7, run vertically, so that a uniform pressure on the sealing surfaces and thus a uniform sealing effect is achieved precisely through the pressure difference between the lock chamber SR and the treatment chamber B and through the lateral movement.

[0058] Due to this design of the casing section 42 with vertically stacked steps in the base area and sealing surface on the left edge in the upper area of ​​the casing section 42, it becomes clear that the casing section 42 projects in the upper area towards the treatment chamber B, while in the base area it projects in the direction of the lock S.This oblique course makes it possible for the sealing surfaces of the casing section 42 to run obliquely to the gas-tight casing 1 in the area of ​​the treatment chamber B to run obliquely to the lateral direction of movement of the lock S, whereby it is possible for individual coupling means 10 to be arranged in the floor 2 of the treatment chamber B at least partially below the upper area of ​​the casing section 42 and as a result the distance of the coupling means 10 in the area of ​​the treatment chamber B to the coupling means 10 in the area of ​​the lock S can be reduced and as a result the conveyance of the carrier 30 with a workpiece between the lock S and the treatment chamber B can be designed to be particularly uniform and safe.

[0059] The system A for treating workpieces shown in the figures enables a particularly advantageous balance between the various conflicting objectives that are of particular importance when defining such a system A. On the one hand, the distance between the coupling means 10 and the coupling units 20 should be as small as possible and separated from each other by as few disturbing, damping elements as possible; on the other hand, the treatment chamber B with its high vacuum must be particularly gas-tight and stable against mechanical stress so that possible leaks can be permanently prevented, which requires pronounced material thicknesses for the casing 1.Furthermore, the coupling means 10 arranged outside the casing 1 or the base 2 should be arranged as close together as possible to enable the most uniform and safe conveyance across the various coupling means 10. However, this is counteracted by the aforementioned requirement for the thinnest possible casing 1 or base 2, since measures are necessary to ensure sufficient stability of the casing or the base 2, and these cannot be arranged in the area of ​​the coupling means 10. By implementing such a system A, the aforementioned measures and those shown in the figures achieve a very advantageous balance between the requirements.

[0060] The system A shown in the figures enables extremely safe and gentle treatment of the workpiece during conveying but also during treatment in the treatment room B, as it is characterized by extremely good operational reliability, especially with regard to the controlled atmosphere. List of reference symbols A system for the treatment of workpieces AR receiving space for couplant B Treatment room S Lock SR lock room SW lock wall V Connection area Z access opening 1 gas-tight envelope 2 floor 2a Stainless steel or aluminum areas 2b connecting piece 3 surface bonding 4 Stiffening 5 common rigid frame 6 Screw connection 7 O-ring seal 8 collars 10 couplants 11 electromagnetic stator 20 coupling unit 21 Permanent magnet 30 carriers 31 Web of a supporting structure 32 Surface of the carrier 33 vacuum-suitable adhesive 42 Hull section 43 inclined sealing surface

Claims

[1] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A), with a) a housing defining a treatment chamber (B) in which a controlled atmosphere is present, and comprising a gas-tight enclosure (1) separating the controlled atmosphere from the atmosphere outside the enclosure (1); b) a conveyor system by which workpieces can be conveyed in the treatment room (B); c) at least one coupling means (10) which is coupled to at least one coupling unit (20) of the conveyor system, where d) the gas-tight casing (1) is present between the coupling means (10) and the coupling unit (20) and these are coupled to one another without contact through the gas-tight casing (1), where e) the coupling means (10) are designed as electromagnetic stators (11) outside the gas-tight casing (1), f) the conveyor system has at least one carrier (30), g) whereby workpieces can be conveyed into the treatment chamber (B) by means of the carrier (30), h) the carrier (30) has at least one permanent magnet (21) as a coupling unit (20), i) the carrier (30) can be held suspended in a contactless manner relative to the casing (1) and can be conveyed into the treatment chamber (B) by the interaction with the at least one coupling means (10) and the at least one coupling unit (20), and wherein the at least one carrier (30) has a supporting structure with at least one receiving space (AR) enclosed by webs (31) for at least one permanent magnet (21), wherein this receiving space (AR) is designed to face the at least one coupling means (10). [2] Plant for treating workpieces (A) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier (30) has a supporting structure, wherein the surface of the carrier (32) facing away from the at least one coupling means (10) is flat and closed. [3] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the gas-tight casing (1) has a base (2) which separates the coupling means (10) from the treatment chamber (B) with support (30) and which is formed in the region of the coupling means (10) from stainless steel or aluminum, in particular with a wall thickness of approximately 0.5 mm or less. [4] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to claim 3, wherein in the region of the coupling means (10) the base (2) made of stainless steel or aluminum encloses the coupling means (10) in a U-shape and at least partially accommodates the coupling means (10). [5] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of coupling means (10) are provided, which are arranged in a grid-like manner on one side of the gas-tight casing (1) at a distance from one another, and wherein the casing (1) has stiffeners (4) in the area between adjacent coupling means (10), in particular by means of at least one common rigid frame (5). [6] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to claim 5 and one of claims 4 to 5, wherein the stiffeners (4) are screwed to the base (2) and / or the remaining casing (1), and wherein in particular the base (2) is formed in several parts with stainless steel or aluminum areas (2a) and connecting pieces (2b) and stiffeners (4) are screwed to connecting pieces (2b) and thereby stainless steel or aluminum areas (2a) are connected in a clamping and sealing manner. [7] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the gas-tight enclosure (1) is provided with at least one degassing valve and / or with at least one lock (S) for feeding or removing workpieces. [8] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to claim 7, wherein the lock (S) has a movable lock wall (SW), which is suitable for separating the treatment room (B) from the lock room (SR) in a gas-tight manner or for making them passable, which can be transferred from the open position to a closed position and vice versa by means of a vertical and subsequent lateral movement and which acts to seal in a closed position by means of at least one O-ring seal (7). [9] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the lock (S) has a movable lock wall (SW) which, by means of an O-ring seal (7), acts in a closed position to seal against a gas-tight casing section (42) enclosing the lock (S), and wherein the casing section (42) is formed in a gas-tight manner with the remaining casing (1), in particular with at least one O-ring seal (7). [10] Plant for treating workpieces (A) according to claim 9, wherein the casing section (42) is connected in a gas-tight manner to the remaining casing (1) by means of sealing surfaces (43) extending obliquely to the lateral direction of movement of the lock (S), in particular using at least one O-ring seal (7). [11] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein coupling means (10) are arranged in the floor (2) in the region of the lock chamber (SR) and in the region of the treatment chamber (B), wherein at least one coupling means (10) is arranged in the region of the treatment chamber (B) at least partially under the casing section (42) of the lock (S) which is connected to the remaining casing (1). [12] Plant for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to claim 9 or 10 and one of claims 6 or 7, wherein in the connecting region (V) of the base (2) between the casing section (42) and the remaining casing (1) at least one stiffener (4) is arranged between the adjacent coupling means (10) in the region of the lock chamber (SR) and in the region of the treatment chamber (B). [13] Arrangement of several installations for the treatment of workpieces (A) according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the installations are connected to one another in such a way that they form a common treatment room (B) in which a controlled atmosphere for the treatment of workpieces is present, and that uniform mechanical connecting elements are provided which are mechanically and gas-tightly connected to one another via the systems, and that the systems are interconnected via uniform electrical and / or optical connecting elements for central control of the systems.

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