PART TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT DEVICE
First Claim
1. A system for measuring a temperature of a rotating workpiece, the system comprising:
- a deposition chamber;
a crucible within the deposition chamber, the crucible configured to hold a deposition feedstock material;
an energy source configured to heat the deposition feedstock material in the crucible so as to evaporate the deposition feedstock material;
a drive system with a rotatable workpiece holder rotatably coupled to a stationary portion, the rotatable workpiece holder configured to receive the workpiece and to rotate the workpiece proximate the crucible such that at least a portion of the evaporated deposition feedstock material can impinge the rotating workpiece;
a temperature sensor coupled to the rotatable workpiece holder and configured to contact and rotate with the workpiece held by the rotatable workpiece holder so as to sense the temperature of the workpiece during rotation and to generate a signal indicative of the sensed temperature;
a first sensor wire and a second sensor wire electrically connected to the temperature sensor;
a dynamic electrical connection configured to electrically communicate the signal indicative of the sensed temperature from the rotatable workpiece holder to the stationary portion; and
a control system configured to measure, based on the electrically communicated signal indicative of the sensed temperature, the temperature of the workpiece during rotation.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for measuring a temperature of a rotating workpiece comprises a deposition chamber, a crucible within the deposition chamber, an energy source, a drive system, a temperature sensor, first and second sensor wires, a dynamic electrical connection, and a control system. The crucible is configured to hold a deposition feedstock material. The energy source is configured to evaporate the deposition feedstock material. The drive system is configured to rotate the workpiece such that the evaporated deposition feedstock material can impinge the rotating workpiece. The temperature sensor is configured to sense the temperature of the rotating workpiece. The first and second sensor wires are electrically connected to the temperature sensor. The dynamic electrical connection is configured to electrically communicate the signal indicative of the sensed temperature from the rotatable workpiece holder to the stationary portion. The control system is configured to measure the temperature of the workpiece during rotation.
0 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system for measuring a temperature of a rotating workpiece, the system comprising:
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a deposition chamber; a crucible within the deposition chamber, the crucible configured to hold a deposition feedstock material; an energy source configured to heat the deposition feedstock material in the crucible so as to evaporate the deposition feedstock material; a drive system with a rotatable workpiece holder rotatably coupled to a stationary portion, the rotatable workpiece holder configured to receive the workpiece and to rotate the workpiece proximate the crucible such that at least a portion of the evaporated deposition feedstock material can impinge the rotating workpiece; a temperature sensor coupled to the rotatable workpiece holder and configured to contact and rotate with the workpiece held by the rotatable workpiece holder so as to sense the temperature of the workpiece during rotation and to generate a signal indicative of the sensed temperature; a first sensor wire and a second sensor wire electrically connected to the temperature sensor; a dynamic electrical connection configured to electrically communicate the signal indicative of the sensed temperature from the rotatable workpiece holder to the stationary portion; and a control system configured to measure, based on the electrically communicated signal indicative of the sensed temperature, the temperature of the workpiece during rotation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of measuring temperature, the method comprising:
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attaching a temperature sensor to a workpiece at a first location; inserting a portion of a fixture with the workpiece into a deposition chamber of a vapor deposition system, wherein the vapor deposition system comprises; a crucible within the deposition chamber, the crucible configured to hold a deposition feedstock material; an energy source configured to heat the deposition feedstock material in the crucible so as to evaporate the deposition feedstock material; a drive system with a rotatable workpiece holder rotatably coupled to a stationary portion, the rotatable workpiece holder configured to receive the workpiece and to rotate the workpiece proximate the crucible such that at least a portion of the evaporated deposition feedstock material can impinge the rotating workpiece; a temperature sensor coupled to the rotatable workpiece holder and configured to contact and rotate with the workpiece held by the rotatable workpiece holder so as to sense the temperature of the workpiece during rotation and to generate a signal indicative of the sensed temperature; a first sensor wire and a second sensor wire electrically connected to the temperature sensor; a dynamic electrical connection configured to electrically communicate the signal indicative of the sensed temperature from the rotatable workpiece holder to the stationary portion; a control system configured to measure, based on the electrically communicated signal indicative of the sensed temperature, the temperature of the workpiece during rotation; and a contact ring assembly comprising; a housing attached to the stationary portion; a cover configured to rotate relative to the housing, wherein the cover is attached to the rotatable workpiece holder; a first rotating contact ring and a second rotating attached to the cover and electrically connected to the temperature sensor via a first sensor wire and a second sensor wire respectively; and a first stationary contact ring and a second stationary contact ring disposed in the housing and surrounding the first and second rotating rings respectively, wherein the first and second stationary contact rings are configured to receive an electrical signal from the first and second rotating contact rings respectively; rotating the workpiece; and measuring a temperature of the workpiece with the temperature sensor as the workpiece is rotated. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A fixture for an electron beam physical vapor deposition system, the fixture comprising:
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an arm; a rake extending from the arm; a crown gear bearing assembly attached to and rotatably engaged with the rake, wherein the crown gear bearing assembly comprises; a stationary portion; and a rotating portion configured to rotate relative to the stationary portion; a workpiece holder configured to retain the workpiece within the deposition chamber, wherein the workpiece holder is attached to the rotating portion of the crown gear bearing assembly and is configured to rotate with the rotating portion of the crown gear bearing assembly relative to the stationary portion of the crown gear bearing assembly; a thermocouple with a first sensor wire and a second sensor wire, the thermocouple configured to rotate with the workpiece holder relative to the stationary portion of the crown gear bearing assembly; and a contact ring assembly comprising; a housing attached to at least one of the arm and the rake; a cover configured to rotate relative to the housing, wherein the cover is attached to the rotating portion of the crown gear bearing assembly; a first rotating contact ring and a second rotating contact ring attached to the cover and electrically connected to the thermocouple via the first and second sensor wires; and a first stationary contact ring and a second stationary contact ring disposed in the housing and surrounding the first and second rotating rings respectively, wherein the first and second stationary contact rings are configured to receive an electrical signal from the first and second rotating contact rings respectively, further wherein the first and second rotating contact rings and the first and second stationary contact rings comprise a slip-ring configuration. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification