Vacuum treatment system for applying thin layers to substrates such as headlights reflectors

A vacuum treatment system for applying thin layers to substrates, said system comprising:

• a vacuum chamber including a vacuum chamber wall;
• a stand rotatably supported in the vacuum chamber and surrounded by the vacuum chamber wall, said stand carrying a plurality of substrate chambers;
• the vacuum chamber wall having a plurality of boundary portions each defining a respective opening with which the substrate chambers can be aligned by rotation of the stand;
• each of said openings having a station associated therewith, at least one of said stations being a treatment station, and the opening of said treatment station being configured so that through said opening treatment agents can be caused to act on the respective substrate in the aligned substrate chamber, and at least one of the stations being an inward/outward transfer lock station through the opening of which the substrate of a substrate chamber aligned therewith can be transferred into and out of said vacuum chamber;
• said transfer station being movable toward the stand to engage with an outside wall of the stand or with a frame-like end surface of the substrate chamber aligned therewith;
• a generally frame-like seal formed of a flexible material, said seal being secured in a pressure-tight manner to the boundary portion of the opening of the transfer lock station, and extending generally inwardly of the opening therefrom to an inward edge portion of said seal;
• the transfer lock station having
• a cover providing access to the associated substrate;
• a base portion secured in a pressure-tight manner with the inward edge portion of the seal;
• and
• a wall portion connected with the base portion and extending toward the substrate chamber;
• said seal allowing the transfer lock station to move toward and away from engagement with the substrate chamber.