Vacuum coater device and mechanism for supporting and manipulating workpieces in same

摘要

An apparatus (10) for providing a vacuum coating to a workpiece (12), including: a coating chamber (14) containing a coating material (42), with the coating chamber being operable at an elevated temperature and a sub-atmospheric pressure; an electron beam gun (46) projecting an electron beam (44) into the coating chamber (14) and onto the coating material (42), where the electron beam gun (46) is operable to melt the coating material (42) and to evaporate molten coating material; and, a mechanism (34) for supporting manipulating the workpiece (12) in the coating chamber (14). The supporting mechanism (34) further includes: a coupling device (58) for retaining the workpiece (12); a joint (60) connected to the coupling device (58) enabling movement of the workpiece (12) in all directions; an intermediate member (62) connecting the coupling device (58) and the joint (60); and, a device (64) connected to the intermediate member (62) for moving the workpiece (12) in a designated vertical plane (66). The supporting mechanism (34) may also include a device (92) connected to the intermediate member (62) for moving the workpiece (12) in a designated horizontal plane (90).