DE102012011928B3 - Carrier roller for carrying out coating and etching on e.g. architectural glass, has locking collar arranged on conical outer surface of clamping ring, and movable and fixable in axial direction of roller body relative to clamping ring - Google Patents

Abstract

The roller has a ceramic roller body (1) comprising two ends and two metallic endcaps with respective retaining openings, where the body ends are arranged in the respective retaining openings and connected with the endcaps in a torque-proof manner. Each endcap comprises a partially segmented clamping ring (5), which is provided with a conical outer surface and limits the retaining openings. A locking collar (7) having a conical inner surface is arranged on the conical outer surface. The collar is movable and fixable in an axial direction of the roller body relative to the clamping ring. The roller has a resilient compensating element formed as a cuff, which is made from braided, woven or knitted fabric of metal wires or metal fibers.

Description

The invention relates to a transport roller for the vacuum treatment of substrates, in particular for carrying out coating and / or etching processes on flat (plate-shaped) substrates such as architectural glass, solar cells and so on. Such processes generally take place at subatmospheric pressure, optionally in the presence of a process gas, for example an inert gas or a reactive gas, and in some cases at high temperatures, for example 600 or 800 ° C.

For transporting, in particular, flat substrates through process plants in which these processes take place, transport devices are known which comprise an array of transversely arranged transversely to the transport direction of the substrates, rotatably mounted at their ends transport rollers, wherein at least a portion of the transport rollers is driven. The substrates are placed on the transport plane formed by the transport rollers and moved by rotation of the transport rollers in the transport direction through the process plant. In this case, the substrates are moved past treatment devices, for example devices for removing a surface layer from the substrates or devices for depositing a coating material on the surface of the substrates, so that the desired treatment processes are carried out.

Depending on the application, the transport rollers can be made of metallic materials, for example stainless steel or aluminum, or of non-metallic materials, for example industrial ceramics such as aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide and so on. In transport rollers made of ceramic materials, it is also known, the ends to which the transport rollers are rotatably mounted, to be provided with so-called end caps (end caps) of metallic materials, which serve for storage, centering and power transmission of the transport rollers. The connection between the roller body and the end cap has to fulfill two conditions. First, the end cap must sit concentrically on the end of the roller body to ensure concentricity of the transport roller, and second, the connection between the two must be such that the torque required to drive the transport roller is transmitted.

It is known to make the connection between the end cap and the roller body by gluing; However, this solution has obvious disadvantages in terms of temperature resistance of the joint between ceramic and metal and in that an adhesive bond is not solvable. In particular, in coating systems in which the transport rollers are exposed to contamination during operation, there is also the risk that chemical cleaning processes dissolve the adhesives, whereby the end caps can come loose from the roll body.

In EP 0 393 292 A1 and EP 0 388 206 B1 slotted sleeves have been proposed for the storage of ceramic roller body, which are clamped by means of clamping screws from the outside against the roller body. This, however, a highly accurate centering is not possible.

In US 5,906,567 However, it is proposed to connect the end cap by means for producing a rotationally fixed connection and additionally by means for centering with the roller body. This solution is very expensive and therefore causes high costs.

Out DE 30 06 114 C3 is known a solution in which a radial clamping ring is arranged between the roller body and the end cap, which is intended to effect the torque transmission. However, this approach is problematic because the radial clamping ring naturally only on one of the two components to be connected can exert a force and thus the size of the transmittable torque are set narrow limits.

Various other approaches are off EP 0 789 829 B1 known, for example, using bimetallic fins or wedges and cooperating elastic means or transversely to the longitudinal axis of the roller arranged pins.

At the FR 2 550 172 known transport roller, the roller body is arranged with play in the receiving opening of an end cap, and the game is filled by a metal sleeve. In addition, the roller body is secured against rotation by a wedge against the end cap.

In WO 2010/094716 A1 a transport roller for the vacuum treatment of substrates has been proposed, comprising a ceramic roller body having two ends and two metallic end caps, each having a receiving opening, wherein each end of the roller body in a receiving opening of an end cap and rotatably connected to the end cap, and between the end the roller body and the receiving opening of the end cap at least one coil spring or a dowel pin is arranged parallel to the axis of symmetry (longitudinal axis) of the roller body. For this purpose, it may be provided that the end of the roller body and the receiving opening of the end cap at least one each parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roller body extending groove which define a cavity in pairs in the assembled state, and in this cavity at least one coil spring or a dowel pin is arranged, which prevents a relative rotation between the roller body and end cap. However, this solution may cause problems if the roll body is hollow for weight and cost reasons.

In DE 10 2010 030 782 A1 Furthermore, a transport roller is described which comprises a rotationally symmetrical roller body and at least one roller end, wherein at the roller end a radiation protection is arranged, which comprises at least one transverse to the axis of rotation of the transport roller, plate-shaped aperture. In this case, the roller end with the bearing pin can be an end cap with a receiving bore in which the roller body is attached.

It is therefore an object to provide solutions in which the end cap is centered exactly on the roller body and at the same time rotatably connected thereto, wherein different thermal expansions are compensated to protect the brittle material of the roller body.

This object is achieved by a transport roller having the features of independent claim 1. Embodiments and further developments of this transport roller are the subject of the dependent claims.

The object is achieved primarily by various embodiments of a transport roller comprising a ceramic roller body having two ends and two metallic end caps, each having a receiving opening, wherein each end of the roller body disposed in a receiving opening of an end cap and rotatably connected to the end cap, wherein the end cap comprises a receiving opening bounding, at least partially segmented clamping ring with a conical outer surface and on the conical outer surface of the clamping ring, a clamping ring is arranged with a conical inner surface which is movable and fixable relative to the clamping ring in the axial direction of the roller body.

A displacement of the clamping ring on the clamping ring in the axial direction of the roller body causes the clamping ring on the clamping ring and resulting from the clamping ring on the roller body exerts a radially acting clamping force.

The proposed technical solution is characterized in that the upcoming requirements for a constructive solution such as ensuring the torque transmission, compensation for different thermal expansions when heating different materials, "soft" recording brittle materials, compliance with the required concentricity, low heat transfer from the transport roller in the storage and easy mounting and dismounting as described below.

In one embodiment, it is provided that the clamping ring is arranged on an end cap base body (eg, integrally formed therewith) or attached (eg detachably fastened thereto) and the tension ring is held on the end cap base body by means of an arrangement of screws. In other words, between the Endkappengrundkörper and the clamping ring at least two, preferably three or more screws arranged so that the clamping ring is pulled by turning the screws depending on the selected direction of rotation of the clamping ring, whereby the clamping force is increased to the roll body, or from Clamping ring is pushed, so that the clamping force is reduced to the roll body.

The screws can be held immovably on the Endkappengrundkörper in the axial direction, for example by the screws are provided with arranged on the thread lock washers. Alternatively, however, it can also be provided that the screws are resiliently supported on the end cap main body, for example by arranging a helical spring, a pack of spring washers or the like under the screw heads. Also in this case, the screws can be additionally provided with arranged on the thread lock washers to limit the travel and to prevent falling out of the screws in the disassembled state.

In a further embodiment, it is provided that the end cap has centering means in the interior of the receiving opening. Such a centering means may for example be part of the Endkappengrundkörpers and there as an additional recess, for example bore, whose inner contour corresponds to the outer contour of the roll body, or designed as a survey, such as pins whose outer contour corresponds to the inner contour of the roll body. The latter solution is particularly useful when the roll body is hollow. In this case, both mentioned centering means can be realized simultaneously. If the contour of the roller body to be centered (inside and / or outside) is cylindrical, for example, then the centering means will also be cylindrical (pin or bore). In the case of a deviating, for example polygonal, contour of the roller body, the centering means of course also have such a contour in order to be able to receive and center the roller body.

In a further embodiment it is provided that in the receiving opening of the end cap between the roller body and clamping ring, an elastic compensation element is arranged, which may be for example a cuff, which is made of a braid, fabric or knitted fabric of metal wires or metal fibers, to high clamping forces To prevent the roll body and at the same time to ensure a homogeneous distribution of the clamping force.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings.

Show

1 a longitudinal section through a transport roller according to a first embodiment, and

2 a longitudinal section through a transport roller according to a second embodiment.

Shown in both 1 and 2 one end of a transport roller, in which the end of the roller body 1 is arranged in a receiving opening of an end cap. The end cap includes in both cases an Endkappengrundkörper 2 with a journal 4 for rotatably supporting the transport roller, one on Endkappengrundkörper 2 attached clamping ring 5 as well as the clamping ring 5 enclosing clamping ring 7 ,

The transmission of the drive torque from the end cap to the roll body 1 takes place in both embodiments by a slotted and thereby in segments 6 divided clamping ring 5 which limits the receiving opening and has a conical outer surface.

The clamping ring 5 is from the outside via a clamping ring 7 , which has a conical inner surface, biased. In holes of Endkappengrundkörpers 2 are axial to the longitudinal extent of the roll body 1 several screws 8th arranged, which each by a laid under the screw head package of spring washers 9 are resiliently stored. The screws 8th are outside the clamping ring 7 arranged and cause adjustable pressure forces from the clamping ring 7 on the segments 6 of the clamping ring 5 and from there to the roll body 1 ,

The slit of the clamping ring 5 can be done over the entire clamping ring length, ie from independent segments 5 be composed. In the embodiments shown, the clamping ring 5 however, a multiple partial slicing on, so that the individual segments 6 are still connected. In the case of partial slitting the roll body should 1 only in the slotted area of the segments 6 be absorbed for torque transmission.

In the embodiment according to 1 is the inner diameter of the clamping ring 5 equal to the outer diameter of the roller body 1 so that the clamping ring 5 the roll body 1 simultaneously centered and clamped.

In the embodiment according to 2 however, the inner diameter of the clamping ring 5 larger than the outer diameter of the roll body 1 so that the roll body 1 in the unslotted area of the clamping ring 5 by a in Endkappengrundkörper 2 arranged recess in the form of a center hole 3 centered and independent of the flexible part of the clamping ring 5 ie in the area of the segments 6 , the torque transmission takes place.

For the compensation of the different thermal expansions at the different materials is already by the flexible, over screws 8th with underlying spring washers 9 initiated clamping force ensures a very good response to different dimensions.

As a further element for the compensation of these physical conditions is in the special embodiment according to 2 in the receiving opening of the end cap between the roller body 1 and the clamping ring 5 a compensation element 10 in the form of a roll body 1 enclosing cuff made of flexible metal mesh, which is made of a tubular semi-finished product as a double ring arranged.

The design described above to ensure the functionality of the compensation of the different expansion behavior meets in its complexity at the same time the demand for a "soft" recording brittle materials.

Due to the rotationally symmetrical arrangement of all receiving elements compliance with the required concentricity is guaranteed in the described embodiments. For particularly high demands in terms of concentricity, the embodiment according to 2 with a partially slotted clamping ring 5 and an independent centering of the end of the roller body 1 through an additional centering device 3 to prefer.

In all variants, a suitable design measures a low heat transfer from the roll body 1 reached into storage. These include in both embodiments of Endkappengrundkörper 2 attached shielding plates 11 against heat radiation and openings 12 in the end cap body 2 to minimize the heat-conducting cross sections.

The transport roller receptacles commonly used in the vacuum systems are usually firmly mounted in the chamber and should not be removed to change the transport rollers. Short maintenance times have enormous economic importance, especially for hot production plants. Therefore, the described embodiments are designed so that the clamping ring is releasably connected via grub screws with the Endkappengrundkörper, so that the clamping ring after loosening the screws 8th can be solved by Endkappengrundkörper and the clamping ring 5 and the clamping ring 7 on the roll body 1 can be moved in the direction of transport roller center and thus a very simple removal of the roller body 1 becomes possible. The transport roller is mounted in reverse order.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

roller body

2

Endkappengrundkörper

3

centering

4

pivot

5

clamping ring

6

segment

7

clamping ring

8th

screw

9

spring washers

10

compensation element

11

shield

12

opening

Claims (8)

Transport roller, comprising a ceramic roller body ( 1 ) with two ends and two metallic end caps each having a receiving opening, wherein each end of the roll body ( 1 ) is arranged in a receiving opening of an end cap and is non-rotatably connected to the end cap, wherein the end cap defining a receiving opening, at least partially segmented clamping ring ( 5 ) with conical outer surface and on the conical outer surface of the clamping ring ( 5 ) a clamping ring ( 7 ) is arranged with conical inner surface which is relative to the clamping ring ( 5 ) in the axial direction of the roller body ( 1 ) is movable and fixable. Transport roller according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping ring ( 5 ) on an end cap body ( 2 ) is arranged or mounted and the clamping ring ( 7 ) by means of an arrangement of screws ( 8th ) on the end cap body ( 2 ) is held. Transport roller according to claim 1, characterized in that the screws ( 8th ) are resiliently supported on the end cap. Transport roller according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the end cap in the interior of the receiving opening centering means ( 3 ) having. Transport roller according to claim 4, characterized in that the centering means ( 3 ) comprises a recess whose outer contour of the inner contour of the roll body ( 1 ) corresponds. Transport roller according to claim 4, characterized in that the centering means ( 3 ) comprises a survey whose outer contour of the inner contour of the roll body ( 1 ) corresponds. Transport roller according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in the receiving opening between the roller body ( 1 ) and clamping ring ( 5 ) an elastic compensating element ( 10 ) is arranged. Transport roller according to claim 7, characterized in that the compensating element ( 10 ) is a cuff made of a braid, woven or knitted fabric of metal wires or metal fibers.

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