Vacuum-coating machine with motor-driven rotary cathode

Abstract

In a vacuum-coating machine ( 1 ), the drive unit ( 6 ) is mounted compliantly to the chamber housing ( 3 ) by means of an elastic intermediate plate ( 14 ), such that said drive unit can follow a wobbling motion imposed by the rotary cathode ( 10 ), with the support bearing ( 19 ) of the free end of the rotary cathode ( 18 ) capable of being of a rigid design.

1 . A vacuum-coating machine comprising:
 at least one process chamber with a chamber housing;   at least one rotary cathode supported relative to the chamber housing, the rotary cathode driven by a drive unit, when driven said rotary cathode exhibiting a wobbling motion;   wherein the rotary cathode is rigidly connected through a wall opening in a lateral chamber outer wall of the chamber housing at a connecting point to the drive unit; and   wherein at the connecting point between the drive unit and the rotary cathode the drive unit is arranged by a compliant suspension relative to the lateral chamber outer wall, and the compliant suspension of the drive unit includes an intermediate plate arranged between the lateral chamber wall and the drive unit, and said compliant suspension allowing said drive unit to follow the wobbling motion of the rotary cathode.   
   
   
       2 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the drive unit is mounted to the chamber outer wall by fasteners which extend through drilled holes in the drive unit and the intermediate plate. 
   
   
       3 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate plate is mounted only to the chamber housing and the drive unit is mounted only to the intermediate plate. 
   
   
       4 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the chamber housing includes a wall opening, the drive assembly having a drive assembly fed with a diameter, the rotary cathode having a wobbling deflection, the wall opening being at least that of the diameter of the drive assembly fed plus twice the wobbling deflection of the rotary cathode. 
   
   
       5 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the intermediate plate is formed from an elastomer. 
   
   
       6 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the elastomer comprises a rubber material. 
   
   
       7 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the rubber material comprises a natural rubber or silicone. 
   
   
       8 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the elastomer has a Shore hardness of 50° minimum and 80° maximum Shore hardness. 
   
   
       9 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the Shore hardness is in a range of 60° to 70° Shore hardness. 
   
   
       10 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate plate is formed from an electrically nonconducting material. 
   
   
       11 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the rotary cathode is supported by a support bearing at a free end of the rotary cathode. 
   
   
       12 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the support bearing comprises a rigid bearing. 
   
   
       13 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the chamber outer wall has a surface section for contact with the intermediate plate. 
   
   
       14 . The vacuum-coating machine in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the surface section includes a cutout or recess. 
   
   
       15 . A vacuum-coating machine comprising:
 a chamber housing;   at least one rotary cathode, the rotary cathode supported relative to the housing, the housing having a chamber outer wall; and   a drive unit driving the rotary cathode through the chamber outer wall, when driven the rotary cathode exhibiting a wobbling motion, the drive unit mounted to the chamber outer wall with a non-rigid connection, said non-rigid connection providing at least one degree of freedom of movement for the drive unit relative to the chamber wall, and the drive unit rigidly coupled to the rotary cathode in a manner so that the drive unit follows the wobbling motion of the rotary cathode, and the non-rigid connection comprising an intermediate member arranged between the chamber outer wall and the drive unit allowing the drive unit to follow the wobbling motion of the rotary cathode.   
   
   
       16 . The vacuum-coating machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the intermediate member is formed from an elastomer material. 
   
   
       17 . The vacuum-coating machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the drive unit is mounted to the intermediate member and the intermediate member is mounted to the chamber wall wherein the drive unit has at least two degrees of freedom of movement relative to the chamber wall. 
   
   
       18 . The vacuum-coating machine according to  claim 16 , further comprising a support, wherein the drive unit is rigidly coupled to one end of the rotary cathode, the support providing a rigid support for the other end of the rotary cathode. 
   
   
       19 . The vacuum-coating machine according to  claim 18 , wherein the chamber outer wall has an opening, the rotary cathode having a range of wobbling motion, the drive unit driving the rotary cathode through the opening, wherein the opening is sized greater than the range of wobbling motion of the rotary cathode. 
   
   
       20 . The vacuum-coating machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the elastomer comprises a natural rubber or silicone.