JP2012510368A - Device having a housing bottom rotatable relative to the housing for processing a workpiece under vacuum - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus 100 for processing a workpiece under vacuum, and includes a housing 1 having an internal space, a housing lid 2, a housing bottom 6 rotatable relative to the housing 1, and a housing bottom. 6 and a rotor device 8 disposed in the internal space of the housing 1, the rotor device 8 having a plurality of chambers 81 for accommodating workpieces. A plurality of working openings 4, 12, 13 are formed in the housing 1 and / or the housing lid 2, and at least one rotor opening 21 is provided in each of the plurality of chambers 8 in the rotor device 8, thereby A circular path 82 is defined based on the rotation of the rotor device 8, and the rotor opening 21 is displaced along the circular path 82. , 12, 13 are arranged along the circular path 82 so that each rotor opening 21 can be aligned with the working openings 4, 12, 13 when displaced along the circular path 82, so that the rotor device 8 and the housing 1 and A rotor opening seal member 14 is provided around each rotor opening 21 between the rotor device 8 and the housing lid 2, and at least two types of rotor seal members are provided between the rotor device 8 and the housing lid 2 and / or the housing 1. The annular spaces 83, 83 a, 83 b, 83 c that are provided in contact with the rotor opening seal member 14 along the circular path 82 are separated at the positions of the work openings 4, 12, 13 and the rotor opening 21, The annular spaces 83, 83a, 83b, and 83c are defined, and each part is sealed.

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing a workpiece under vacuum, and more particularly to an apparatus for surface processing by welding or electron beam.

  With respect to the above-mentioned problems, various apparatuses provided with a vacuum chamber are known, and these apparatuses are manufactured in different structural forms and sizes, particularly depending on the size of the workpiece and the processing problems. Machining centers (combined machine tools) that are controlled synchronously are known for mass production of small parts, in particular. In such composite machine tools, workpieces are transported between processing stations by synchronous control. For example, it is placed on a rotary workpiece support (carriage), and is carried into and out of another station in the evacuated (evacuated) system. In such a synchronous control in the machining center, in addition to the workpiece conveyance, the valve opening and closing are also controlled synchronously, and different areas of the system are extracted and vented based on the synchronous control.

  For example, Patent Document 1 (US Pat. No. 4,162,391) discloses a system in which a workpiece is inserted into a recess of a carriage called a pocket and the carriage is driven to rotate synchronously. The pocket loaded with the workpiece is transported under one lid by rotation by the carriage, whereby the lid covers a part of the carriage, and this state corresponds to the vacuum position or the processing position. In these rotational positions, each pocket is sealed in the lower region of the lid, and this sealing occurs by providing a sealing material between the lid and the carriage that surrounds the processing position. A second sealing device is also provided between the lid and the carriage so as to surround the processing position, and defines a sealed inner space and a sealed outer space. A vacuum pump is connected to these sealed inner and outer spaces, and each vacuum is evacuated in synchronism with each pocket reaching the processing position of the sealed space. Inside the sealed and sealed inner space, the pocket rotates with the carriage and transports it to the actual processing position, for example, the processing position where the welding operation is performed. Thereafter, a new rotation of the carriage causes each pocket to leave the sealed inner space and the sealed outer space. In this device, the vacuum source operates in synchronism with the arrival of one pocket in a sealed (outer) space, i.e. the valves operate synchronously and perform processing.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,391

  An object of the present invention related to the above-described prior art is to obtain an apparatus for processing a workpiece under vacuum, which performs processing with synchronous control and has a simple configuration.

  This problem can be solved by the apparatus according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

  The concept of the present invention is that the bleed air (vacuum generation) in each work space by synchronous control and valve operation is automatically extracted by the continuous operation of the bleed device when the work space to be evacuated is rotated and transported in the device. It is to substitute for a mechanism that makes it reachable. This is made possible by the arrangement of the sealing material.

  The apparatus according to the invention comprises a rotatable rotor device provided in a housing, in which a chamber for carrying a workpiece to be processed is formed. With the synchronous rotation, the rotor device can convey the workpiece between different processing positions. Sealing material, in particular sealing material for each opening in a chamber formed in the rotor device, sealing material for the housing or housing lid which surrounds each opening and rotates with the rotor device and concomitantly with the opening, and additionally A pair of sealing materials that define a sealed space between the entire opening in the rotor device and the housing or the housing lid, so that the chamber formed in the rotor device can be Transfer between a processing station that generates a vacuum in the chamber and a workpiece processing station that actually processes the workpiece. In addition, a vacuum pump can be connected to each chamber that is waiting to generate a vacuum, in which case the vacuum pump is not operated by synchronous control, but rather operates continuously as an example. As a result, there is no need to provide a special valve for the vacuum pump or the vacuum device that operates synchronously with the rotation conveyance, but rather the adjustment is automatically performed. This stems from the fact that the generation of the vacuum depends only on the rotational position of the chamber in the rotor device.

  Thereby, an apparatus for processing a workpiece under vacuum according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in particular a housing having a substantially cylindrical internal space, and a cylindrical internal space at one end face A housing lid that is almost hermetically sealed is provided. In addition, a rotatable housing bottom is provided for the housing, and the housing bottom seals against the housing, so that the housing bottom, the housing lid and the space that the housing surrounds or encloses defines an internal space. A rotor device is connected to the bottom of the housing, and the rotor device has a substantially cylindrical shape and is accommodated in the internal space. A plurality of chambers for carrying workpieces are formed in the rotor device, and the number of these chambers corresponds to the number of processing stations, for example, and is arranged in the rotor device so as to be uniformly spaced in the circumferential direction. .

  A working opening is to be formed in the housing and / or the housing lid, and each chamber of the rotor device has at least one rotor opening, and these rotor openings coincide with the working opening by synchronously rotating the rotor device. can do.

  A rotor opening sealing member assigned to the rotor opening is provided around each rotor opening, and this sealing member enables a seal between the rotor device and the housing or between the rotor device and the housing lid.

  Furthermore, a rotor seal member is provided between the rotor device and the housing lid and / or between the rotor device and the housing. Preferably, the rotor seal members provided as a pair are arranged such that each rotor seal member surrounds all of the housing lid or the working opening formed in the housing, and the working opening formed in the housing lid includes the rotor device and the housing lid. Or a working opening formed in the housing defines and seals the space between the rotor device and the housing.

  According to a preferred embodiment, at least three working (working) openings are provided, each working opening being assigned to at least three working stations. That is, the workpiece exchange opening assigned to the workpiece exchange station, the machining apparatus opening assigned to the machining station, and the bleed opening assigned to the bleed station. Additional processing stations and openings can be provided as needed. As an alternative, it is also possible to provide additional processing stations that are not assigned a corresponding opening, such a processing station for example defining a waiting position for the workpiece.

  Since the workpiece exchange station is provided for loading and unloading the workpiece into the chamber of the rotor device, it can be opened to the outside air. If necessary, a closure cap for the workpiece replacement opening can be provided individually. The extraction station serves to evacuate the chamber by connecting an extraction device, for example, a vacuum pump, to the chamber of the rotor device located in the extraction station. Further, the processing station has a function for actually processing a workpiece, and by connecting to a processing device, for example, an electron beam generating device, the surface of the workpiece can be processed with, for example, an electron beam. . For this purpose, the workpiece is transferred from the extraction station to the processing station in a vacuum state.

  Preferably, the workpiece exchange opening is sealable by a closure cap, and the chamber of the rotor device located at the workpiece exchange station is optionally equipped with an additional vacuum pump device when the housing is sealed with the closure cap. Can be linked to. Based on the fact that the workpiece can be replaced in a very short time and a high quality vacuum is required for processing, compared to the long extraction time, especially the processing time required at the workpiece processing station. If a long bleed time is required, assuming that the workpiece exchange station is provided with a closure cap, the member carried into the chamber of the rotor device at the workpiece exchange station can be evacuated beforehand at this station. It is advantageous. In this case, the vacuum pump device connected to the workpiece exchange station performs valve control and synchronous control.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the device of the invention comprises a vacuum pump as the bleed device, which is connected to the bleed opening and is preferably continuous, i.e. always operating, without valve control and synchronous control. The configuration. The vacuum pump can be continuously operated by regulating the conveyance movement, that is, the rotation movement, which is controlled synchronously, in the space defined by the specially arranged sealing material, by defining the conveyance into the vacuum space or non-vacuum space by each chamber of the rotor device In this way, it is possible to bleed to generate a vacuum. Since the chamber is automatically connected to the vacuum source after reaching the transfer position assigned to the chamber, the number of components necessary for the apparatus of the present invention can be relatively reduced.

  Preferably, the apparatus of the present invention includes an electron beam generating device as a processing device, and the electron beam generating device is inserted into a work (processing) opening. The electron beam generator can be arranged in a fixed or movable manner, for example on a lid or on a side wall, thereby enabling beam guidance extending in the vertical and / or horizontal direction.

  Preferably, a pre-bleed channel is formed, for example as a groove, in the part forming the housing lid and / or the bleed opening of the housing, the pre-bleed channel being in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the housing bottom and the rotor device from the bleed opening. To extend. As a result, during the rotational movement by the rotor device, the chamber of the waiting rotor device for generating a vacuum is connected to the vacuum device before actually reaching the bleed station, so that the same synchronization time is longer. It becomes possible to bleed over time, and the quality of the vacuum can be improved. In this case, the length of the pre-bleed channel is configured to be shorter than 360 ° / n in the circumferential direction, where n indicates the number of chambers in the processing station or the rotor device. That is, the pre-bleed air channel is connected to only one of each chamber in the rotor device.

  According to another preferred embodiment, a preventing channel is formed, for example as a groove, in the part of the housing lid and / or the housing where the workpiece changing opening is formed, the preventing channel being a workpiece changing opening. From the housing bottom and the direction of rotation of the rotor device. Like the pre-bleed channel, this allows the chamber waiting for venting to be vented to atmospheric pressure and outside air before actually reaching the workpiece exchange station, while reducing the time required for venting. On the other hand, by slowing the rapid ventilation, the intrusion of surrounding impurities, contaminants, etc. can be reduced. In particular, the pre-ventilation channel is configured to gradually expand toward the workpiece replacement opening, for example, so that the ventilation can be controlled and performed more uniformly.

  According to one preferred embodiment, the working opening is formed in the housing lid, in which case preferably each chamber of the rotor device is opened towards the housing lid, by way of example configured as a substantially cylindrical chamber. . By forming a working opening in the housing lid, the arrangement of the invention can be made particularly simple.

  In addition, as an alternative, the opening can be basically provided in the housing, and the opening of the corresponding rotor device can be formed as an opening provided in the cylindrical side wall of the chamber. Furthermore, a part of the work opening may be provided on the lid, and the other part may be provided on the housing. In this case, however, the labor of the sealing work particularly with respect to the rotor seal means is increased. This is because the entire opening of the housing not only requires a seal against the rotor device, but also the entire opening provided in the housing lid.

  Preferably, the working openings are arranged in the housing lid at the same angular spacing, in particular 360 ° / n, where n represents the number of processing stations in the apparatus according to the invention. This angular interval facilitates rotational movement through synchronous control.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the device according to the invention further comprises a drive motor, by which the housing bottom can be driven by synchronous control and can be rotated together with the rotor device. In this case, the synchronization control allows each chamber in the rotor apparatus to be transferred from one processing station to the next processing station by one synchronization. In other words, it is configured to be transported particularly in an angle region of 360 ° / n.

  Preferably, by additionally providing a holding and / or rotating device or manipulator for the workpiece in the chamber of the rotor device, the workpiece processing method and processing accuracy can be improved.

  According to a preferred embodiment, a common drive is provided at the bottom of the housing for the holding and / or rotating device and / or manipulator.

According to one preferred embodiment, an additional molecular pump can be connected to the chamber of the rotor device at the processing station, and this molecular pump maintains a vacuum during the processing process, thereby providing a component during processing. Can prevent gas generation.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the plane AB shown in FIG. 2 for an apparatus for processing a workpiece under vacuum according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus for processing the workpiece of FIG. 1 showing different cross sections in FIG. 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an apparatus 100 for processing a workpiece under vacuum comprises a housing 1 configured as a substantially cylindrical structural part. A lid 2 is placed on the housing 1, and an end surface of the housing 1 is closed by the lid 2. A housing bottom portion 6 is provided on an end surface of the housing 1 on the side facing the lid 2, and the housing bottom portion 6 is connected to the housing 1 so as to be relatively rotatable. The housing bottom 6 is rotationally driven stepwise by a motor 7. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the motor 7 is driven such that the housing bottom 6 rotates every 120 °. This is due to the fact that the apparatus 100 has three processing stations 5, 17, 19 which are spaced apart from each other at an angle of 120 ° in the embodiment shown in FIGS.

  The rotor device 8 is incorporated in an internal space defined by the housing 1, the housing lid 2, and the housing bottom 6, and the rotor device 8 is also formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and its volume substantially corresponds to the volume of the internal space. The rotor device 8 is connected to the housing bottom 6 so that the rotor device 8 can rotate with the housing bottom 6. Further, as clearly shown in FIG. 2, three chambers 81 each having a cylindrical shape are provided in the rotor device 8. The chamber 81 is opened toward the housing plate 2 by the rotor opening 21. Further, the chambers 81 are sequentially spaced apart from each other at an angle of 120 ° in the circumferential direction, and have a configuration corresponding to the number of processing stations 5, 17, 19 in the apparatus 100. When the housing bottom 6 is rotated by the drive motor 7 and the rotor device 8 is rotated in conjunction with the rotation, the chambers 81 formed in the rotor device 8 are moved along the circular path 82 to the processing stations 5, 17, 19. It is transported or displaced from one of them to the next processing station. The apparatus can be provided with three or more chambers and processing stations at corresponding locations as required. Furthermore, the number of processing stations and the number of chambers formed in the rotor device 8 do not necessarily have to correspond to each other. When more chambers are provided than the processing station, for example, one of the chambers is a standby position at a specific rotation angle position in the housing bottom 6 or the rotor device 8.

  In addition, in each chamber 81 of the rotor device 8, a workpiece holding device 9 and a rotating device 10 or other manipulator are mounted together with the drive system. In the illustrated embodiment (see FIG. 1), in order to rotate the workpiece holding device 9, a common driving device 23 is provided on the housing bottom 6, and the workpiece holding device 9 is connected to the workpiece rotating device 10. The holding device 9 and the rotation device 10 are configured to be capable of rotating or displacing at a specific processing position and processing time in accordance with a desired processing operation and an assigned workpiece position. However, as an alternative, a separate drive device can also be provided for each holding device 9 or rotating device 10 in each chamber of the rotor device 8. The essential point in the illustrated form is that the rotor device 8 is sealed on the housing bottom 6 side. That is, it is important to form a tightly sealed chamber in the direction of the housing bottom 6. For example, this means that a sealing material is provided between each workpiece rotating device 10 and the rotor device 8 in the illustrated embodiment.

  Further, the housing lid 2 is provided with an opening 4 for a processing apparatus, an electron beam generating device 11 is assembled vertically above the opening 4, and the beam tube 3 of the electron beam generating apparatus 11 is positioned at a processing station 5. 8 is directed into the chamber 8 and is inserted into the opening 4 provided in the housing lid 2.

  An opening 12 for exchanging a workpiece is provided as an opening that is spaced apart by 120 ° in the circumferential direction of the housing lid 2 with respect to the other opening in the housing lid 2, that is, the opening 4 for the processing apparatus through which the electron beam generator is inserted. . Since the workpiece exchange opening 12 is open to the surroundings, the workpiece can be carried into and out of the chamber of the rotor device 8 located in the workpiece exchange station 17 along the arrow W direction. it can.

  As the third work opening, that is, the work opening provided at an angle of 120 ° with respect to the workpiece exchange opening 12 or the processing apparatus opening 4 in the housing lid 2, a vacuum generating bleed opening 13 is also provided. Provide. The extraction opening 13 for generating vacuum is connected to the vacuum pump device V in a sealed state using a connection means.

  By forming the sliding slit 16 between the housing lid 2 and the rotor device 8, the rotor device 8 can rotate with the housing bottom 6 in an internal space defined by the housing lid 2, the housing 1, and the housing 6 bottom. Like that.

  The rotor opening seal member 14 is attached around each rotor opening 21 with respect to the housing lid 2, and each rotor opening can be sealed to the housing lid by the seal member 14. Thereby, vacuum can be generated or maintained in each chamber in the rotor device 8, which is located in the bleed station 19 or the workpiece processing station 5, regardless of the workpiece exchange opening 12. Become. That is, it is possible to prevent the backflow of air from the workpiece replacement area into the processing chamber, that is, the chamber of the rotor device 8 through the sliding slit and into the chamber located at the workpiece processing station 5. Become.

  Further, as clearly shown in FIG. 2, a first rotor seal member 15 that commonly surrounds the outside of all the rotor openings 21 and a second rotor seal member 15 that concentrically surrounds the inside of the rotor openings 21 are provided. With these two rotor seal members 15, the rotor opening seal member 14, preferably the seal member 14 that contacts the rotor seal member 15 on the radially inner side and the outer side of the housing lid 2, the rotor device 8 and the housing lid 2. Between the two, a sealed space (annular space 83) can be created. The annular space 83 is configured to be open to the outside air only in the workpiece exchange station 17 region (83d). The opening in contact with the outside air is formed by the rotor opening seal member 14 surrounding the workpiece exchange opening 12. The annular space is configured to be airtight. Thereby, only the chamber located in the workpiece exchange station 17 among the chambers of the rotor device 8 communicates with the outside air.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a pre-venting channel 20 and an extraction channel 18 are formed in the housing lid 2. The bleed channel 18 extends over 360 ° / 2n from the bleed opening 13 of the housing lid 2 over the range opposite to the rotational direction of the rotor device 8, and the pre-venting channel 20 also extends over the range approximate to the circumferential direction. The lid 2 extends from the workpiece replacement opening 12 in the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the rotor device 8. The rotation direction of the rotor device is indicated by an arrow R in FIG. 2 and corresponds to the clockwise direction. The bleed channel 18 and the pre-vent channel 20 are configured in the housing lid 2 as, for example, a groove-shaped cut-out so that the sealing by the rotor opening seal member 14 cannot be completely sealed. That is, when one of the chambers in the rotor device 8 reaches the start end of the bleed channel 18 or the pre-vent channel 20, the corresponding chamber is connected to the vacuum device V or the workpiece replacement opening 12 by the bleed opening 13. . Preferably, the bleed channel 18 and pre-vent channel 20 are configured so that the rotor seal member 14 is in the housing lid 2 when the rotor device is positioned so that the working openings 4, 12, 13 face the opening 21 in the chamber. Again, make sure it is completely sealed. That is, by providing a shallow groove in this region, the chamber is sealed well at the processing position. As an alternative, a similar effect can be produced at any rotational position of the rotor device 8 by using an appropriate sealant between the rotor opening seal member 14 and the rotor seal member 15 to contact each other. it can.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the machining cycle of the apparatus 100 including three chambers and workpiece stations 5, 17, and 19 for loading and unloading workpieces, bleed and machining is as follows. . After the machining operation in the chamber of the rotor apparatus 8 located at the machining station 5 is completed and the exchange of the workpiece in the chamber of the rotor apparatus 8 located at the workpiece exchange station 17 is completed, the drive motor 7 causes the rotor apparatus 8 to move. Start rotating over an angle of 120 °. In this case, the chamber in which the workpiece is newly provided is immediately after leaving the workpiece exchange opening 12 region toward the extraction station 19 and before the extraction channel 18 communicating with the extraction opening 13 is reached. To start. Extraction in the space between the rotor device 8 and the housing lid 2 is performed only in a desired region. This is because the rotor opening seal member 14 of the chamber that is being transferred, the rotor opening seal member 14 that is transferred to the next station, and the rotor seal member 15 that is located between these rotor opening seal members 14 that face in the rotational direction. This part is due to defining a sealed space that opens to the bleed opening.

  At the same time, the bleed chamber is rotated from the second station below the workpiece processing station 5 provided with the electron beam generator 11. In this processing station 5, with respect to the gas generated from the workpiece generated during the processing process, a vacuum state can be maintained by using an additional (not shown) pump, for example, a molecular pump as necessary. To.

  The chamber containing the processed workpiece is then transferred to the workpiece exchange station 17, where the chamber is already pre-vented by the pre-venting channel 20 before the rotational movement is completed. Only in the region of the pre-venting channel 20 and the bleed channel 18, the sliding slit 16 is not completely sealed by the rotor opening seal member 14. As in the bleed channel 18, each rotor opening seal member 14 and rotor seal member 15 again seals the space between the rotor means 8 and the housing lid 2, so that the workpiece exchange opening 12 is outside this region. Is prevented from flowing into the sliding slit 16.

  After the rotary movement of the rotor device 8 has been completed, a new machining operation, for example a welding operation or a surface machining, is carried out at the workpiece machining station 5 by means of an electron beam, and at the extraction station 19 the chamber of the rotor device 8 located at the station 19 However, it is bleed | bleed | bleed until it becomes a required vacuum state with a pump.

  The annular space 83 is sealed by the rotor opening seal member 14 and the rotor seal member 15 at each of 83a, b, c, and d.

  This principle applies to beam guides extending vertically or horizontally as well as beam generators, which are arranged fixedly or displaceably on the side walls of the lid or synchronizer.

  If desired, individual chambers can be additionally provided with holding devices that can be fixed or rotated, and additional manipulators for receiving and displacing components during the machining process.

  If the workpiece can be replaced in a very short time and a high quality vacuum is required, and therefore a long bleed time is required, a closure cap (see FIG. (Not shown). This makes it possible to use a part of the synchronization time during which the corresponding chamber of the rotor device 8 stays at the workpiece exchange station 17 for this purpose.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the bleed and the subsequent workpiece processing can be performed under vacuum, and in particular, the bleed is not required to be individually synchronously controlled in accordance with the transfer motion by the rotor device 8.

  According to a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, an apparatus 100 for processing a workpiece under vacuum is proposed. The device 100 is connected to the housing 1 having a substantially cylindrical inner space, a housing lid 2, a housing bottom 6 rotatable relative to the housing 1, and the housing bottom 6, and disposed in the inner space of the housing 1. A substantially cylindrical rotor device 8 having a rotor device 8 in the form of a plurality of chambers in which the workpiece is accommodated. In this case, working openings 4, 12, 13 are formed in the housing 1 and / or the housing lid 2, and at least one rotor opening 21 is provided in each chamber of the rotor device 8. , 12, and 13 can be matched. Further, around each rotor opening 21 between the rotor device 8 and the housing 1 or the housing lid 2, the rotor opening seal member 14 and between the rotor device 8 and the housing lid 2 and / or the housing 1, the rotor seal member 15. Each rotor seal member 15 surrounds all the working openings 4, 12, 13 formed in the housing lid 2 or the housing 1 in common, and is a space between the rotor device 8 and the housing lid 2 or the housing 1. The working openings 4, 12, 13 formed in the housing lid 2 are defined and sealed.

  It should be emphasized that the detailed description of the invention and / or the features disclosed in the claims are regarded as separate and independent from each other for the purposes of the original disclosure, and are likewise recited in the claims. For the purpose of limiting the present invention, combinations of features related to the invention described in the embodiments and / or the claims should be regarded as items independent of each other. Further, it should be clarified that all statements relating to a range or statements relating to a series of units disclose any intermediate value or subordinate concept of a unit for the purpose of limiting the invention disclosed in the original disclosure and claims. In particular, it can also be shown as limiting the description of the range.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing 2 Housing lid 4 Work opening (opening for processing apparatuses)
5 Processing station (Workpiece processing station)
6 Housing bottom 7 Drive motor 8 Rotor device 9 Rotating device 10 Rotating device 11 Electron beam generator 12 Work opening (opening for workpiece replacement)
13 Work opening (bleeding opening)
14 Rotor opening seal member 15 Rotor seal member 16 Sliding slit 17 Processing station (workpiece exchange station)
18 Extraction channel 19 Processing station (extraction station)
20 Pre-venting channel 21 Rotor opening 23 Drive device 81 Chamber 82 Circular path 83 Annular space 83a, b, c, d Annular space part 100 Device

Claims (14)

A processing apparatus (100) for processing a workpiece under vacuum, comprising:
A housing (1) having an internal space;
A housing lid (2);
A housing bottom (6) that is rotatable relative to the housing (1);
A rotor device 8 connected to the housing bottom (6) and disposed in the internal space of the housing (1), wherein a plurality of chambers (for accommodating workpieces in the rotor device (8)) In the machining apparatus (100) provided with the rotor device 8 provided with 81)
A plurality of working openings (4, 12, 13) are formed in the housing (1) and / or the housing lid (2), and each of the plurality of chambers (8) in the rotor device (8) is provided. Providing at least one rotor opening (21), thereby defining a circular path (82) based on rotation of the rotor device (8), along which the rotor opening (21) is A displacement structure,
When the working openings (4, 12, 13) are arranged along the circular path (82), the rotor openings (21) are moved to the working openings (4, 4) when displaced along the circular path (82). 12, 13)
A rotor opening seal member (14) is provided around each rotor opening (21) between the rotor device 8 and the housing (1) and / or the housing lid (2), and at least two types of rotors are provided. Sealing means (12) is provided between the rotor device (8) and the housing lid (2) and / or the housing (1) in contact with the rotor opening sealing means (14), and the circular shape An annular space (83, 83a, 83b, 83c) along the path (82) is divided at the positions of the work opening (4, 12, 13) and the rotor opening (21), and the annular space (83, 83a, 83b) is separated. , 83c) and configured to seal each part.   2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber (81) of the rotor device 8 is displaced to a processing station (5, 17, 19) by synchronous rotation of the housing bottom (6) and the rotor device (8). Processing equipment that can be used.   3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of work openings are a workpiece exchange opening (12) assigned to the workpiece exchange station (17) and a machining apparatus assigned to the workpiece machining station (5). A processing apparatus having a configuration having an extraction opening (13) assigned to the opening (4) and the extraction station (19).   4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the workpiece exchange opening (12) is sealable by a closure cap, and the chamber of the rotor device 8 located at the workpiece exchange station (17) is closed. A processing device that can be connected to a vacuum pump device while sealed with a cap.   The apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising a vacuum pump, wherein the vacuum pump is preferably connected to the extraction opening (13) at all times.   The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising an electron beam generator (11) disposed in the opening (4) for the processing apparatus.   7. The device according to claim 3, wherein the bleed opening (13) in the housing plate (2) and / or the housing (1) has a bleed channel (18), The processing apparatus, wherein the channel (18) extends from the bleed opening (13) in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the housing bottom (6) and the rotor device (8).   The device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein a pre-venting channel (20) is formed in the housing lid (2) and / or the housing (1) of the workpiece exchange opening (12). The pre-venting channel (20) is configured to extend from the workpiece replacement opening (12) in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the housing bottom (6) and the rotor device (8). .   9. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work openings (4, 12, 13) are sequentially arranged at equiangular intervals of 360 [deg.] / N.   10. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber of the rotor device (8) is opened toward the housing lid (2) and is configured as a substantially cylindrical chamber. .   11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drive motor (7) connected to the housing bottom (6), wherein the housing bottom (6) is connected to a processing station (5, 17, 19) A machining apparatus configured to be synchronously displaced between.   Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a holding and / or rotating device (9, 10) for a workpiece and / or a manipulator is provided in the chamber of the rotor device (8). A processing device provided.   Device according to claim 12, wherein the housing bottom (6) is provided with the holding and / or rotating device (9, 10) for a workpiece and / or a driving device (23) for the manipulator. A processing apparatus characterized by that.   Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal space is substantially cylindrical and / or the rotor device (8) is substantially cylindrical and / or A processing apparatus in which a rotor seal member (15) surrounds all the work openings (4, 12, 13).

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