Coater having interrupted conveyor system
First Claim
1. A coater for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate, the coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including two conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, the coater having a source of coating material adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through said gap onto a bottom major surface of the substrate as the substrate is conveyed along a desired portion of the path of substrate travel, said desired portion of the path of substrate travel extending over the upward coating deposition gap.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and coaters for applying films onto a substrate (e.g., a large-area glass substrate) are disclosed. Certain embodiments involve a coater for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate. The coater in some embodiments has a transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater. The substrate transport system in certain embodiments includes an upward coating deposition gap. The coater preferably has a source of coating material adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through such gap and onto a bottom major surface of the substrate as the substrate is conveyed along a desired portion of the path of substrate travel, which portion of the path of substrate travel extends over the upward coating deposition gap.
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Citations
73 Claims
- 1. A coater for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate, the coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including two conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, the coater having a source of coating material adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through said gap onto a bottom major surface of the substrate as the substrate is conveyed along a desired portion of the path of substrate travel, said desired portion of the path of substrate travel extending over the upward coating deposition gap.
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24. A method for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate, the method comprising:
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providing a coater having a substrate transport system defining a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including first and second conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, the coater having a lower source of coating material positioned below said gap;
positioning the substrate on said first conveyor loop;
operating the transport system so as to convey the substrate along the path of substrate travel from said first conveyor loop to said second conveyor loop, such that the substrate during said conveyance moves over the source of coating material; and
operating the coater so as to deliver coating material upwardly from said lower source of coating material through said gap onto a bottom major surface of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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- 39. A coater for applying thin films onto two generally-opposed major surfaces of a sheet-like substrate, the coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including two conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, the coater having an upper source of coating material positioned above the path of substrate travel and a lower source of coating material positioned below the path of substrate travel, said upper source being adapted for delivering coating material downwardly toward the path of substrate travel, said lower source being adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through said gap toward the path of substrate travel.
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46. A coater for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate, the coater comprising:
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a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate through the coater, the substrate transport system having a conveyor loop defining a pocket; and
a source of coating material disposed at least partially within the pocket defined by the conveyor loop of the substrate transport system. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate, the method comprising:
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providing a coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate through the coater, the substrate transport system having a conveyor loop defining a pocket, the coater further comprising a source of coating material disposed at least partially within said pocket;
positioning the substrate on the conveyor loop;
operating the transport system so as to convey the substrate through the coater; and
operating the coater so as to deliver coating material from the source of coating material outwardly from said pocket onto a desired major surface of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (65)
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66. A method for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate, the method comprising:
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providing a coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system having a conveyor loop defining a pocket that is open upwardly toward the path of substrate travel, the coater having a source of coating material below the path of substrate travel, the source of coating material being disposed at least partially within said pocket;
positioning the substrate on the conveyor loop;
operating the transport system so as to convey the substrate along the path of substrate travel such that the substrate moves over the source of coating material; and
operating the coater so as to deliver coating material from the source of coating material upwardly from said pocket and onto a bottom major surface of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68)
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- 69. A coater for applying thin films onto two generally-opposed major surfaces of a sheet-like glass substrate having a major dimension of at least 1 meter, the coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the glass substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system having a conveyor with an upward coating deposition gap, the coater including an upper source of coating material positioned above the path of substrate travel and a lower source of coating material positioned below the path of substrate travel, said upper source being adapted for delivering coating material downwardly toward the path of substrate travel, said lower source being adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through said gap toward the path of substrate travel, wherein the upper source of coating material comprises a sputtering target, and the lower source of coating material includes a thin film deposition apparatus selected from the group consisting of a sputter deposition apparatus, an ion-assisted deposition apparatus, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus, and a vacuum evaporation apparatus.
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71. A method for applying thin films onto two generally-opposed major surfaces of a sheet-like glass substrate having a major dimension of at least 1 meter, the method comprising:
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providing a coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the glass substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system having a conveyor with an upward coating deposition gap, the coater including an upper source of coating material positioned above the path of substrate travel and a lower source of coating material positioned below the path of substrate travel, said upper source being adapted for delivering coating material downwardly toward the path of substrate travel, said lower source being adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through said gap toward the path of substrate travel, wherein the upper source of coating material comprises a sputtering target, and the lower source of coating material includes a thin film deposition apparatus selected from the group consisting of a sputter deposition apparatus, an ion-assisted deposition apparatus, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus, and a vacuum evaporation apparatus;
positioning the substrate on the conveyor;
operating the transport system so as to convey the substrate along the path of substrate travel, such that the substrate during said conveyance moves over the lower source of coating material;
operating the coater so as to deliver coating material upwardly from the lower source of coating material through said gap onto a bottom major surface of the substrate; and
operating the coater so as to deliver coating material downwardly from the upper source of coating material onto a top major surface of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73)
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Specification