Vacuum processing apparatus

• US 8,177,048 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sinfonia Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sinfonia Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Yushi, Miki, Toshio, Yasuda, Katsumi, Kitaji, Kazunari, Muragishi, Yasushi, Maeda, Minoru, Muraguchi, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Deuble, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US12/536,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 198/619, 414/217.1, 414935-941, 307/104, 744/900.2, 744/900.3
• US Class Current: 198/619
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/677 for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/03 Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors H02K41/035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20311 including power cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20317 including electric motor

Abstract

A vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber capable of keeping a first pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure, a driving source disposed in the vacuum chamber, an electric power supply mechanism including a primary side mechanism disposed outside the vacuum chamber for supplying electric power to the driving source and a secondary side mechanism disposed in the vacuum chamber for receiving the electric power from the primary side mechanism in a contactless relationship, and a vessel capable of accommodating airtightly the secondary side mechanism under a second pressure higher than the first pressure.

Claims

1. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber configured to maintain a first pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure;

a driving source disposed in said vacuum chamber and configured to control movement of a processing object;

an electric power supply mechanism including a primary side mechanism disposed outside said vacuum chamber and a secondary side mechanism disposed in said vacuum chamber, said primary side mechanism being configured to wirelessly transfer electric power to said driving source via said secondary side mechanism; and

a vessel configured to airtightly accommodate said secondary side mechanism under a second pressure higher than the first pressure.

2. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a processing unit configured to convey said processing object with the wirelessly transferred electric power under control of said driving source, wherein

said driving source is a controller accommodated in said vessel and configured to control a movement of said processing unit.

3. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said vacuum chamber includes a partition wall that defines an inside and an outside of said vacuum chamber, and

said partition wall includes a transferring member provided at least at a position of said partition wall, through which said primary side mechanism and said secondary side mechanism are opposed to each other, said transferring member being configured to transfer energy of the wirelessly transferred electric power transferred from said primary side mechanism to said secondary side mechanism.

4. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electric power supply mechanism is configured to induce a magnetic field to transfer the electric power from said primary side mechanism to said secondary side mechanism.

5. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a movable body integrally movable with said vessel, wherein

said driving source is configured to drive said movable body.

6. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said primary side mechanism extends along a direction of movement of said movable body.

7. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of said primary side mechanisms are disposed intermittently along a direction of movement of said movable body.

8. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of said primary side mechanisms is disposed at a position corresponding to a home position of said movable body.

9. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a cooling mechanism provided at a home position of a conveyance path of said movable body, and including a cooling section configured to receive heat generated within said vessel and to dissipate the received heat outside the vacuum chamber.

10. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber for maintaining a first pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure;

driving means for controlling movement of a processing object, said driving means being disposed in said vacuum chamber;

electric power supplying means, including primary side power supplying means disposed outside said vacuum chamber and secondary side power supplying means disposed in said vacuum chamber, for wirelessly transferring electric power from said primary side power supplying means to said driving means via said secondary side power supplying means; and

a vessel for airtightly accommodating said secondary side mechanism under a second pressure higher than the first pressure.

11. A method of operating a vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

maintaining a first pressure in a vacuum chamber lower than an atmospheric pressure;

providing electric power to a primary side mechanism disposed outside said vacuum chamber;

wirelessly transferring the electric power from said primary side mechanism to a driving source, the electric power being transferred to said driving source via a secondary side mechanism disposed in said vacuum chamber; and

maintaining, in a vessel that is airtight, said secondary side mechanism under a second pressure higher than the first pressure.