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US 9,809,878 B2Granted
In-line metallizer assemblies and part-coating conveyor systems incorporating the same
AssigneeMarca Machinery, LLC
InventorsJeffrey J. Black, Stanton A. Brooks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In-line metallizer assemblies can include an external rotating actuator exchange that can be operable to exchange one or more parts between a conveyor system and a vacuum chamber, and an internal rotating actuator exchange within the vacuum chamber that can be operable to receive the one or more parts from the external rotating actuator exchange, transition the one or more parts to a sputter coater integrated with the vacuum chamber for metallizing, and return metallized one or more parts to the external rotating actuator exchange such that the external rotating actuator exchange can return the metallized one or more parts to the conveyor system.
Claims19
An in-line metallizer assembly comprising:
- a conveyor system for conveying parts towards and away from a vacuum chamber;
- an external rotating actuator exchange operable to exchange one or more parts between the conveyor system and the vacuum chamber;
- a pressurized enclosure maintained at a pressure above ambient pressure throughout the exchange of the one or more parts between the conveyor system and the vacuum chamber, the pressurized enclosure at least partially surrounding the external rotating actuator exchange and comprising an endwall having an opening, wherein at least a portion of the external rotating actuator exchange is operable to selectively extend through the opening of the endwall;
- one or more external door clasps configured to selectively form a temporary seal with the endwall of the pressurized enclosure;
- and
- a pressurized gas delivery system fluidly coupled to the pressurized enclosure and providing pressurized buffer gas to the pressurized enclosure at a rate greater than environmental gas enters the vacuum chamber during the exchange of one or more parts between the conveyor system and the vacuum chamber.
3 more elements
An in-line metallizer assembly comprising:
- a conveyor system for conveying parts towards and away from a vacuum chamber;
- an external rotating actuator exchange operable to exchange one or more parts between the conveyor system and the vacuum chamber;
- a pressurized enclosure maintained at a pressure above ambient pressure throughout the exchange of one or more parts between the conveyor system and the vacuum chamber, the pressurized enclosure at least partially surrounding the external rotating actuator exchange and comprising an endwall having an opening, wherein at least a portion of the external rotating actuator exchange is operable to selectively extend through the opening of the endwall;
- one or more external door clasps configured to selectively form a temporary seal with the endwall of the pressurized enclosure;
- a pressurized gas delivery system fluidly coupled to the pressurized enclosure for and providing pressurized buffer gas to the pressurized enclosure at a rate greater than environmental gas enters the vacuum chamber during the exchange of one or more parts between the conveyor system and the vacuum chamber;
- and
- a gas knife positioned within the pressurized enclosure and proximate to an opening in the pressurized enclosure through which the external rotating actuator exchanges the one or more parts, the gas knife directing pressurized buffer gas onto pre-metallized parts.
4 more elements
An in-line metallizer assembly comprising:
- a conveyor system for conveying parts towards and away from a vacuum chamber;
- an external rotating actuator exchange comprising:
- one or more actuating arms connected to a rotating pivot operable to exchange one or more parts between the conveyor system and the vacuum chamber;
- and
- an external door clasp coupled to each of the one or more actuating arms;
- a pressurized enclosure maintained at a pressure above ambient pressure throughout the exchange of one or more parts between the conveyor system, the pressurized enclosure at least partially surrounding the external rotating actuator exchange and comprising an endwall having an opening, wherein:
- at least a portion of the external rotating actuator exchange is operable to selectively extend through the opening of the endwall;
- and
- the external door clasp is configured to selectively form a temporary seal with the endwall of the pressurized enclosure;
- and
- a pressurized gas delivery system fluidly coupled to the pressurized enclosure and providing pressurized buffer gas to the pressurized enclosure at a rate greater than environmental gas enters the vacuum chamber during the exchange of one or more parts between the conveyor system and the vacuum chamber.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.