Heating apparatus

A heating apparatus for heating workpieces to cure films coated on the workpieces, the apparatus comprising:

• holder means for holding the workpieces;
• a reaction chamber for accommodating said holder means with the workpieces held thereby, said reaction chamber being movable to a position in which the workpieces are exposed out of the reaction chamber;
• electrode means disposed around said reaction chamber for generating a plasma in the reaction chamber;
• heater means for heating said reaction chamber in covering relationship thereto to cure films coated on the workpieces, said heater means being movable to a position in which the reaction chamber is exposed out of the heater means;
• means for vertically moving said reaction chamber with respect to said holder means;
• and
• means for vertically moving said heater means with respect to said reaction chamber independently of said reaction chamber moving means.

Apparatus for curing films on workpieces, comprising:

• holder means for holding workpieces having films coated thereon;
• a reaction chamber for accommodating said holder means with the workpieces held thereby;
• means for evacuating the reaction chamber to dry the coated films on the workpieces;
• heater means for heating said reaction chamber in covering relationship thereto to cure the dried, coated films on the workpieces;
• and
• means for vertically moving said reaction chamber and said heater means between lowered positions in which the reaction chamber and heater means are disposed about the holder means and lifted positions in which said reaction chamber and said heater means are not disposed about said holder means, said moving means being adapted to move said reaction chamber and said heater means independently of each other.