CN114672783A - Continuous vacuum coating system, functional unit and operation method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a continuous vacuum coating system, a functional unit and an operation method thereof. The continuous vacuum coating system comprises: a feeding chamber and a discharging chamber; and each functional unit comprises a first transition chamber, a functional chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, the feeding chamber, the functional units and the blanking chamber are sequentially connected, the feeding chamber is connected with the first transition chamber of the adjacent functional unit, the blanking chamber is connected with the second transition chamber of the adjacent functional unit, and the second transition chamber of one of the two adjacent functional units is connected with the first transition chamber of the other one of the two adjacent functional units. The continuous vacuum coating system provided by the embodiment of the invention has the advantages of high treatment efficiency and treatment capacity, good treatment effect, low manufacturing cost and manufacturing difficulty, low running cost and the like.

Description

Continuous vacuum coating system, functional unit and operation method thereof

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of plating, in particular to a continuous vacuum coating system, a functional unit and an operation method thereof.

Background

In order to improve the corrosion resistance of the workpiece (such as a metal bipolar plate of a fuel cell), a film or a coating can be coated on the surface of the workpiece by vacuum coating. Vacuum coating is a technique for producing thin film materials, in which atoms or molecules of a coating material are separated from the surface in a vacuum chamber and hit on the surface of an object to be coated. Vacuum coating generally refers to the deposition of thin films by physical methods, mainly including evaporation coating, ion plating and sputtering coating.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is directed to solving, at least in part, one of the technical problems in the related art. To this end, the embodiment of the invention provides a continuous vacuum coating system, a functional unit and an operation method thereof.

The continuous vacuum coating system according to the embodiment of the invention comprises: a feeding chamber and a discharging chamber; and each functional unit comprises a first transition chamber, a functional chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, the feeding chamber, the functional units and the blanking chamber are sequentially connected, the feeding chamber is connected with the first transition chamber of the adjacent functional unit, the blanking chamber is connected with the second transition chamber of the adjacent functional unit, and the second transition chamber of one of the two adjacent functional units is connected with the first transition chamber of the other one of the two adjacent functional units.

The continuous vacuum coating system provided by the embodiment of the invention has the advantages of high treatment efficiency and treatment capacity, good treatment effect, low manufacturing cost and manufacturing difficulty and low operation cost.

Optionally, a plurality of the functional units comprises: the cleaning unit comprises a first transition chamber, a cleaning chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, and the first transition chamber of the cleaning unit is connected with the feeding chamber; the cleaning device comprises a cleaning unit, a first film coating unit and a second film coating unit, wherein the cleaning unit comprises a cleaning chamber, a cleaning chamber and a cleaning chamber; and the second coating unit comprises a first transition chamber, a second coating chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, the first transition chamber of the second coating unit is connected with the second transition chamber of the first coating unit, and the second transition chamber of the second coating unit is connected with the blanking chamber.

Optionally, a first target is arranged in the first film plating chamber, a second target is arranged in the second film plating chamber, the number of each of the first target and the second target is less than or equal to a first preset value, optionally, two first targets are arranged in the first film plating chamber, the two first targets are arranged oppositely in the width direction of the first film plating chamber, two second targets are arranged in the second film plating chamber, and the two second targets are arranged oppositely in the width direction of the second film plating chamber.

Optionally, the first coating chamber is a magnetron sputtering coating chamber, and the second coating chamber is a magnetron sputtering coating chamber or an arc ion coating chamber.

Optionally, the continuous vacuum coating system further comprises a cooling chamber provided between the second transition chamber and the blanking chamber of the second coating unit, the cooling chamber being connected to each of the second transition chamber and the blanking chamber of the second coating unit.

Optionally, the feeding chamber is detachably connected with the first transition chamber of the adjacent functional unit; and/or the blanking chamber is detachably connected with the second transition chamber of the adjacent functional unit; and/or the second transition chamber of one of the two adjacent functional units and the first transition chamber of the other of the two adjacent functional units are detachably connected.

Optionally, the functional chamber is removably associated with each of the first transition chamber and the second transition chamber.

Optionally, each of the loading chamber, the unloading chamber and the functional unit is movably disposed in a preset direction.

Optionally, the first transition chamber has a width less than a width of at least one of the loading chamber, the unloading chamber, and the functional chamber; and/or the width of the second transition chamber is less than the width of at least one of the loading chamber, the unloading chamber, and the functional chamber.

The functional unit for the continuous vacuum coating system comprises a first transition chamber, a functional chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, wherein the functional chamber is a cleaning chamber or a coating chamber.

By utilizing the functional unit according to the embodiment of the invention, the treatment efficiency, the treatment capacity and the treatment effect of the continuous vacuum coating system can be improved, the manufacturing cost of the continuous vacuum coating system is reduced, and the manufacturing difficulty and the running cost are low.

Optionally, the coating chamber is a magnetron sputtering coating chamber or an arc ion coating chamber, targets are arranged in the coating chamber, the number of the targets is smaller than or equal to a first preset value, and optionally, two targets are arranged in the coating chamber and are oppositely arranged in the width direction of the coating chamber.

Optionally, the function chamber is detachably connected to each of the first transition chamber and the second transition chamber, and each of the function chamber, the first transition chamber, and the second transition chamber is movably disposed along a preset direction.

Optionally, the width of the first transition chamber is less than the width of the functional chamber, and/or the width of the second transition chamber is less than the width of the functional chamber.

The operation method of the continuous vacuum coating system according to the embodiment of the invention comprises the following steps:

the workpiece enters the functional unit through the feeding chamber;

processing the workpiece in the functional units, and processing the workpiece in at least one functional unit for multiple times, wherein after the workpiece is processed for one time, the workpiece enters the corresponding first transition chamber or second transition chamber, and then enters the corresponding functional chamber again for processing again; and

and outputting the processed workpiece through the discharging chamber.

By utilizing the operation method of the continuous vacuum coating system, the treatment efficiency, the treatment capacity and the treatment effect of the continuous vacuum coating system can be improved, and the operation cost of the continuous vacuum coating system is reduced.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a continuous vacuum coating system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of functional units of a continuous vacuum coating system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are illustrative and intended to be illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, a continuous vacuum coating system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a feeding chamber 2, a discharging chamber 3, and a plurality of functional units 1. Each functional unit 1 comprises a first transition chamber 11, a functional chamber 12 and a second transition chamber 13 connected in series, i.e. the functional chamber 12 is located between the first transition chamber 11 and the second transition chamber 13. The feeding chamber 2, the functional units 1 and the discharging chamber 3 are connected in sequence, namely the feeding chamber 2, the functional units 1 and the discharging chamber 3 are arranged in sequence.

The loading chamber 2 is connected to the first transition chamber 11 of the adjacent functional unit 1, and the unloading chamber 3 is connected to the second transition chamber 13 of the adjacent functional unit 1. In other words, the charging chamber 2 is connected to the first transition chamber 11 of the adjacent one of the plurality of function units 1, and the discharging chamber 3 is connected to the second transition chamber 13 of the adjacent one of the plurality of function units 1. The second transition chamber 13 of one of the two adjacent function units 1 is connected to the first transition chamber 11 of the other of the two adjacent function units 1, i.e. there are at least two transition chambers between the function chambers 12 of the two adjacent function units 1.

The workpieces from the loading chamber 2 or the preceding (upstream) functional unit 1 enter the first transition chamber 11 of the functional unit 1 and then the functional chamber 12 for the respective treatment. If the workpiece is to be processed only once, the processed workpiece can enter the second transition chamber 13 of the functional unit 1 and then enter the next (downstream) functional unit 1 or the blanking chamber 3.

If the workpiece needs to be processed for a plurality of times, the workpiece after one processing can enter the second transition chamber 13 and then return to the functional chamber 12 for processing the workpiece again. This is repeated until the entire processing of the workpiece in the functional unit 1 is completed. Since the workpiece is processed for a plurality of times only by occupying the functional chamber 12 and the second transition chamber 13, the workpiece in the loading chamber 2 or the workpiece in the previous functional unit 1 can enter the first transition chamber 11 of the present functional unit 1 while the workpiece is processed for a plurality of times. Therefore, the workpiece can be prevented from being retained in the feeding chamber 2 or the previous functional unit 1, so that the feeding of the subsequent workpiece is not influenced, and the processing of the subsequent workpiece by the previous functional unit 1 is also not influenced.

If no subsequent workpieces enter the first transition chamber 11 of the functional unit 1, the workpieces can also be returned from the functional chamber 12 into the first transition chamber 11 and then again into the functional chamber 12 for further processing of the workpieces.

The continuous vacuum coating system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention enables a plurality of processes to be performed on a workpiece without affecting the subsequent workpiece to enter the functional unit 1 by making each functional unit 1 include the functional chamber 12 and the first and second transition chambers 11 and 13 located on both sides of the functional chamber 12. Thereby not only improving the processing efficiency and the processing capacity of the continuous vacuum coating system 100, but also improving the processing effect of the workpiece.

In order to process a workpiece a plurality of times in the related art, it is necessary to provide a plurality of processing apparatuses in a functional chamber, each of which processes a workpiece once. Since the workpiece can be moved back and forth (moved back and forth) between the function chamber 12 and the second transition chamber 13 (the first transition chamber 11) in the present application, the workpiece can be processed a plurality of times by only providing a small number of processing devices, even one processing device, in the function chamber 12. Therefore, the structure of the functional unit 1 and the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can be simplified, the manufacturing cost and the manufacturing difficulty of the functional unit 1 and the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can be reduced, the space occupied by the functional unit 1 and the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can be reduced, and the cost for maintaining the vacuum degree of the functional unit 1 can be reduced.

In addition, when the functional unit 1 and the blanking chamber 3 are temporarily unusable due to a failure or the like, the workpiece subjected to the corresponding processing may be temporarily stored in the second transition chamber 13 of the previous functional unit 1. At this time, the previous functional unit 1 can utilize the first transition chamber 11 and the functional chamber 12 to process the subsequent workpieces, so as to avoid the shutdown of the entire continuous vacuum coating system 100 due to the temporary unavailability of the functional unit 1 and the blanking chamber 3, so as to further improve the processing efficiency and throughput of the continuous vacuum coating system 100.

Therefore, the continuous vacuum coating system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention has the advantages of high treatment efficiency and treatment capacity, good treatment effect, low manufacturing cost and difficulty, low operation cost, etc.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, a continuous vacuum coating system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a feeding chamber 2, a discharging chamber 3, and a plurality of functional units 1. The plurality of function units 1 may include a cleaning unit 1a, a first plating unit 1b, and a second plating unit 1 c. The feeding chamber 2 and the discharging chamber 3 can be vacuumized by a vacuum generating device with larger power so as to ensure that the vacuum degrees of the feeding chamber 2 and the discharging chamber 3 can quickly meet the requirement.

Alternatively, the feeding chamber 2, the plurality of functional units 1, and the discharging chamber 3 are sequentially connected in a preset direction. For example, the loading chamber 2, the cleaning unit 1a, the first coating unit 1b, the second coating unit 1c, and the unloading chamber 3 are sequentially connected along a preset direction.

As shown in fig. 1, the cleaning unit 1a includes a first transition chamber 11a, a cleaning chamber 12a and a second transition chamber 13a connected in sequence, and the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a is connected to the feeding chamber 2. Optionally, an isolation sealing door or an isolation valve is provided between the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a and the feeding chamber 2.

The first coating unit 1b comprises a first transition chamber 11b, a first coating chamber 12b and a second transition chamber 13b which are connected in sequence, and the first transition chamber 11b of the first coating unit 1b is connected with the second transition chamber 13a of the cleaning unit 1 a. Optionally, an isolation sealing door or an isolation valve is arranged between the first transition chamber 11b of the first coating unit 1b and the second transition chamber 13a of the cleaning unit 1 a.

The second coating unit 1c comprises a first transition chamber 11c, a second coating chamber 12c and a second transition chamber 13c which are connected in sequence, the first transition chamber 11c of the second coating unit 1c is connected with the second transition chamber 13b of the first coating unit 1b, and the second transition chamber 13c of the second coating unit 1c is connected with the blanking chamber 3. Optionally, an isolation sealing door or an isolation valve is arranged between the first transition chamber 11c of the second coating unit 1c and the second transition chamber 13b of the first coating unit 1b, and an isolation sealing door or an isolation valve is arranged between the second transition chamber 13c of the second coating unit 1c and the blanking chamber 3.

Alternatively, the first coating chamber 12b may be a magnetron sputtering coating chamber and the second coating chamber 12c may be a magnetron sputtering coating chamber or an arc ion coating chamber.

When the magnetron sputtering method is used for depositing the carbon layer, the defects of low growth rate of the coating, small capacity, low film layer density and poor combination with the base material exist. In addition, because the magnetron sputtering method bombards the target by using glow discharge plasma, the energy density of the glow discharge plasma is relatively low, and the ionization rate of the target is relatively low for high-melting-point materials such as graphite, so that the bonding capability of atoms in the coating is reduced, and the defects in the coating are relatively more.

If a carbon layer (amorphous carbon coating) is deposited on a metal bipolar plate of a fuel cell by a magnetron sputtering method, the carbon layer has poor corrosion resistance under the working condition of the fuel cell. After the fuel cell is used for a period of time, the defect of the carbon layer of the metal bipolar plate of the fuel cell can generate pitting corrosion, so that metal ions are separated out, and the performance of a membrane electrode of the fuel cell is further reduced.

Compared with a magnetron sputtering method, the coating prepared by utilizing the arc ion plating has the advantages of high deposition rate, high film density, good bonding force with a base material, better corrosion resistance and the like. The protective effect can still be well achieved under the working environment (80 ℃, PH is 3) of the metal bipolar plate of the fuel cell even under the condition of high potential (1.2V vs. SHE). Because the arc ion plating technology has high deposition rate, the production efficiency can be greatly improved, the production cost of the coating can be quickly reduced, and the large-scale industrialized popularization of the fuel cell is facilitated.

Alternatively, each of the first transition chamber 11a, the second transition chamber 13a, the first transition chamber 11b, the second transition chamber 13b, the first transition chamber 11c, and the second transition chamber 13c may have a width smaller than that of at least one of the loading chamber 2, the cleaning chamber 12a, the first coating chamber 12b, the second coating chamber 12c, and the unloading chamber 3. The workpiece may be moved in a length direction (e.g., the preset direction) of each of the first transition chamber 11a, the second transition chamber 13a, the first transition chamber 11b, the second transition chamber 13b, the first transition chamber 11c, and the second transition chamber 13 c. The width direction of each of the first transition chamber 11a, the second transition chamber 13a, the first transition chamber 11b, the second transition chamber 13b, the first transition chamber 11c, and the second transition chamber 13c may be perpendicular to the vertical direction and their length direction.

The space of each of the first transition chamber 11a, the second transition chamber 13a, the first transition chamber 11b, the second transition chamber 13b, the first transition chamber 11c, and the second transition chamber 13c can thereby be reduced, so that the degree of vacuum of each of the first transition chamber 11a, the second transition chamber 13a, the first transition chamber 11b, the second transition chamber 13b, the first transition chamber 11c, and the second transition chamber 13c can be maintained with only a vacuum generating device (e.g., a vacuum pump) of a relatively small power, so as to further reduce the manufacturing cost and the operating cost of the continuous vacuum coating system 100.

Optionally, the feeding chamber 2, the first transition chamber 11a, the cleaning chamber 12a, the second transition chamber 13a, the first transition chamber 11b, the first coating chamber 12b, the second transition chamber 13b, the first transition chamber 11c, the second coating chamber 12c, the second transition chamber 13c and the blanking chamber 3 are sequentially connected along a preset direction. For example, the preset direction may be a horizontal direction.

The operation of the continuous vacuum coating system 100 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 1 and 2.

First, the feed gate of the feeding chamber 2 is opened to let the work piece to be processed enter into the feeding chamber 2. The feeding gate of the feeding chamber 2 is closed, the isolation sealing gate or isolation valve between the feeding chamber 2 and the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a is closed, and then the feeding chamber 2 is evacuated. Optionally, the feeding chamber 2 is vacuumized by the vacuum generating device 41 with a larger power (for example, the power is greater than or equal to the second preset value) so as to make the vacuum degree of the feeding chamber 2 reach the requirement quickly, and then the vacuum degree of the feeding chamber 2 can be maintained by the vacuum generating device 42 with a smaller power (for example, the power is less than or equal to the third preset value).

After the vacuum degree in the feeding chamber 2 meets the requirement, an isolation sealing door or an isolation valve between the feeding chamber 2 and the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a is opened so as to enable the workpiece to enter the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a, and then the isolation sealing door or the isolation valve between the feeding chamber 2 and the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a is closed, and the isolation sealing door or the isolation valve between the second transition chamber 13a of the cleaning unit 1a and the first transition chamber 11b of the first coating unit 1b is closed. The air pressure of the loading chamber 2 is restored, and then the feeding gate of the loading chamber 2 is opened to allow the next batch of workpieces to be processed to enter the loading chamber 2.

The workpiece in the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a enters into the cleaning chamber 12a, and the workpiece can be cleaned in the cleaning chamber 12a so as to remove residual impurities, oxide layers and the like on the surface of the workpiece. Wherein the workpiece may be a metallic bipolar plate of a fuel cell. When a workpiece is present in the cleaning unit 1a (particularly, when the workpiece in the cleaning chamber 12a is cleaned), the vacuum generating device 43 with a smaller power (for example, the power is equal to or less than the third preset value) is used to maintain the vacuum degree of the cleaning unit 1 a. Optionally, the third preset value is smaller than the second preset value. The vacuum generating means 43 may be two, one vacuum generating means 43 being connected to the first transition chamber 11a and the other vacuum generating means 43 being connected to the second transition chamber 13 a.

The cleaned workpieces can enter the second transition chamber 13a of the cleaning unit 1 a. If the cleaning of the workpiece is not required, the workpiece in the second transition chamber 13a can also be returned to the cleaning chamber 12a for cleaning the workpiece again. The workpiece after being cleaned again can be returned to the second transition chamber 13a, and the process is repeated until the cleaning of the workpiece is required.

Since the work can be washed a plurality of times, the number of washing apparatuses in the washing chamber 12a can be greatly reduced. Therefore, the manufacturing difficulty and the manufacturing cost of the cleaning unit 1a and the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can be further reduced, the space of the cleaning chamber 12a can be reduced, and the vacuum degree of the cleaning chamber 12a can be maintained only by using a vacuum generating device with smaller power, so that the manufacturing cost and the operating cost of the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can be further reduced.

Moreover, the cleaning of the workpiece does not need to occupy the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a, so that the cleaning of the workpiece does not affect the workpiece in the loading chamber 2 to enter the first transition chamber 11a of the cleaning unit 1a, and does not affect the subsequent workpiece to be processed to enter the loading chamber 2.

After the cleaning of the workpiece is completed, the isolation sealing door or isolation valve between the second transition chamber 13a of the cleaning unit 1a and the first transition chamber 11b of the first coating unit 1b is opened so as to allow the workpiece to enter the first transition chamber 11b of the first coating unit 1b, and then the isolation sealing door or isolation valve between the second transition chamber 13a and the first transition chamber 11b is closed, and the isolation sealing door or isolation valve between the second transition chamber 13b of the first coating unit 1b and the first transition chamber 11c of the second coating unit 1c is closed.

The workpiece in the first transition chamber 11b of the first coating unit 1b enters the first coating chamber 12b, and the workpiece can be coated (e.g., primed) in the first coating chamber 12 b. When a workpiece exists in the first coating unit 1b (especially, when the workpiece in the first coating chamber 12b is coated), the vacuum generating device 44 with a smaller power (for example, the power is less than or equal to a third preset value) is used for maintaining the vacuum degree of the first coating unit 1 b. The vacuum generating devices 44 may be two, one vacuum generating device 44 being connected to the first transition chamber 11b and the other vacuum generating device 44 being connected to the second transition chamber 13 b.

The workpiece after the first coating can enter the second transition chamber 13b of the first coating unit 1 b. The workpiece in the second transition chamber 13b may be returned to the first coating chamber 12b for coating the workpiece again. The workpiece after being coated again can return to the second transition chamber 13b, and the process is repeated until the coating is finished. The coating of the workpiece does not need to occupy the first transition chamber 11b of the first coating unit 1b, so that the workpiece in the cleaning unit 1a is not influenced to enter the first transition chamber 11a of the first coating unit 1 b.

Moreover, the film thickness of each film coating can be greatly reduced by coating the workpiece for multiple times, so that the internal stress of the film can be effectively reduced, and the corrosion resistance of the film can be further improved.

Optionally, first targets are arranged in the first film plating chamber 12b, and the number of the first targets is less than or equal to a first preset value. For example, two first targets are provided in the first coating chamber 12b, and the two first targets are arranged to face each other in the width direction of the first coating chamber 12 b. Whereby the workpiece can pass between two of the first targets to simultaneously coat two opposing surfaces of the workpiece.

In the related art, the targets in the coating chamber are arranged along the moving direction of the workpiece, and the workpiece passes through a plurality of targets in sequence, so that the workpiece is coated multiple times.

Because the workpiece can be coated for multiple times, the number of the first targets in the first coating chamber 12b can be greatly reduced, so that the number of the first targets is less than or equal to a first preset value. Therefore, the number of devices for mounting the first target can be greatly reduced, so that the manufacturing difficulty and the manufacturing cost of the first coating unit 1b and the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can be further reduced, the space of the first coating chamber 12b can be reduced, and the vacuum degree of the first coating chamber 12b can be maintained by using a vacuum generating device with smaller power, so that the manufacturing cost and the operating cost of the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can be further reduced.

After the workpiece is coated (for example, primed) in the first coating unit 1b, the isolation sealing door or valve between the second transition chamber 13b of the first coating unit 1b and the first transition chamber 11c of the second coating unit 1c is opened to allow the workpiece to enter the first transition chamber 11c of the second coating unit 1c, and then the isolation sealing door or valve between the second transition chamber 13b and the first transition chamber 11c is closed, and the isolation sealing door or valve between the second transition chamber 13c of the second coating unit 1c and the blanking chamber 3 is closed.

The workpiece in the first transition chamber 11c of the second coating unit 1c enters the second coating chamber 12c, and the workpiece can be coated in the second coating chamber 12 c. When a workpiece exists in the second coating unit 1c (especially, when the workpiece in the second coating chamber 12c is coated), the vacuum generating device 45 with smaller power (for example, the power is less than or equal to a third preset value) is used for maintaining the vacuum degree of the second coating unit 1 c. The vacuum generating means 45 may be two, one vacuum generating means 45 being connected to the first transition chamber 11c and the other vacuum generating means 45 being connected to the second transition chamber 13 c.

The workpiece after the first coating can enter the second transition chamber 13c of the second coating unit 1 c. The workpiece in the second transition chamber 13c may be returned to the second coating unit 1c to coat the workpiece again. The workpiece after being coated again can return to the second transition chamber 13c, and the process is repeated until the coating is finished. The coating of the workpiece does not need to occupy the first transition chamber 11c of the second coating unit 1c, so that the workpiece in the first coating unit 1b is not influenced to enter the first transition chamber 11c of the second coating unit 1 c.

Moreover, the film thickness of each film coating can be greatly reduced by coating the workpiece for multiple times, so that the internal stress of the film can be effectively reduced, and the corrosion resistance of the film is further improved.

Optionally, a second target is arranged in the second coating chamber 12c, and the number of the second targets is less than or equal to a first preset value. For example, two second targets are provided in the second coating chamber 12c, and the two second targets are provided so as to face each other in the width direction of the second coating chamber 12 c. The workpiece can thus pass between two of the second targets in order to simultaneously coat two opposite surfaces of the workpiece.

Because the workpiece can be coated for a plurality of times, the number of the second targets in the second coating chamber 12c can be greatly reduced, so that the number of the second targets is less than or equal to the first preset value. Thereby, not only the number of devices for mounting the second target can be greatly reduced to further reduce the manufacturing difficulty and manufacturing cost of the second coating unit 1c and the continuous vacuum coating system 100, but also the space of the second coating chamber 12c can be reduced, and the degree of vacuum of the second coating chamber 12c can be maintained with only a vacuum generating device of a smaller power to further reduce the manufacturing cost and operating cost of the continuous vacuum coating system 100.

After the coating of the workpiece in the second coating unit 1c is completed, the isolation sealing door or isolation valve between the second transition chamber 13c of the second coating unit 1c and the blanking chamber 3 is opened to allow the workpiece to enter the blanking chamber 3, and then the isolation sealing door or isolation valve between the second transition chamber 13c of the second coating unit 1c and the blanking chamber 3 is closed. The air pressure of the blanking chamber 3 is restored and then the discharge door of the blanking chamber 3 is opened to let the processed work piece leave the blanking chamber 3.

Then, the discharge door of the discharging chamber 3 is closed and the discharging chamber 3 is vacuumized, so that the vacuum degree in the discharging chamber 3 meets the requirement, and the discharging chamber 3 is in a state of being capable of receiving the workpiece. Optionally, the vacuum generating device 46 with larger power (for example, power greater than or equal to the second preset value) is used to vacuumize the blanking chamber 3, so as to make the vacuum degree of the blanking chamber 3 reach the requirement quickly, and then the vacuum generating device 47 with smaller power (for example, power less than or equal to the third preset value) can be used to maintain the vacuum degree of the blanking chamber 3.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the charging chamber 2 is detachably connected to the first transition chamber 11 of the adjacent function unit 1, the second transition chamber 13 of one of the adjacent two function units 1 is detachably connected to the first transition chamber 11 of the other of the adjacent two function units 1, and the discharging chamber 3 is detachably connected to the second transition chamber 13 of the adjacent function unit 1. Therefore, at least one of the feeding chamber 2, the functional unit 1 and the discharging chamber 3 can be replaced according to requirements, so that the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can perform different treatments on different workpieces, and the application range of the continuous vacuum coating system 100 is expanded.

For example, the charging chamber 2, the cleaning unit 1a, the first coating unit 1b, the second coating unit 1c, and the discharging chamber 3 are detachably connected in this order.

Optionally, the function chamber 12 is detachably connected to each of the first transition chamber 11 and the second transition chamber 13. The functional chamber 12 can be replaced as required, so that the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can perform different treatments on different workpieces under the condition of reducing the workload of replacement operation, and the application range of the continuous vacuum coating system 100 is expanded.

In one embodiment of the invention, the feeding chamber 2, the first transition chamber 11a, the cleaning chamber 12a, the second transition chamber 13a, the first transition chamber 11b, the first coating chamber 12b, the second transition chamber 13b, the first transition chamber 11c, the second coating chamber 12c, the second transition chamber 13c and the blanking chamber 3 are detachably connected in sequence. Thereby, the corresponding parts can be replaced as needed, so that the flexibility of use of the continuous vacuum coating system 100 can be increased.

Each of the feeding chamber 2, the discharging chamber 3, and the function unit 1 is movably disposed in a preset direction. It is thus possible to replace the loading chamber 2, the unloading chamber 3 and the functional unit 1 of corresponding dimensions according to the production to be achieved and to match the newly replaced parts by moving the non-replaced parts in the preset direction.

Alternatively, each of the loading chamber 2, the first transition chamber 11a, the purge chamber 12a, the second transition chamber 13a, the first transition chamber 11b, the first coating chamber 12b, the second transition chamber 13b, the first transition chamber 11c, the second coating chamber 12c, the second transition chamber 13c, and the unloading chamber 3 is movably disposed in a preset direction. This makes it possible to better and more easily adapt to newly replaced parts.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "central," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," and the like are used in the orientations and positional relationships indicated in the drawings for convenience in describing the invention and to simplify the description, but are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element so referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed in a particular orientation, and be operated in a particular manner, and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or to implicitly indicate the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the feature. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means at least two, e.g., two, three, etc., unless explicitly specified otherwise.

In the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly stated or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "fixed," and the like are to be construed broadly, e.g., as being permanently connected, detachably connected, or integral; may be mechanically coupled, may be electrically coupled or may be in communication with each other; they may be directly connected or indirectly connected through intervening media, or they may be interconnected within two elements or in a relationship where two elements interact with each other unless otherwise specifically limited. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations.

In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature may be directly contacting the first and second features or indirectly contacting the first and second features through an intermediate. Also, a first feature "on," "over," and "above" a second feature may be directly or diagonally above the second feature, or may simply indicate that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. A first feature being "under," "below," and "beneath" a second feature may be directly under or obliquely under the first feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is at a lesser elevation than the second feature.

In the present disclosure, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" and the like mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the schematic representations of the terms used above are not necessarily intended to refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, various embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described in this specification can be combined and combined by one skilled in the art without contradiction.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention, and that variations, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to the above embodiments by those of ordinary skill in the art within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (14)

1. A continuous vacuum coating system, comprising:

A feeding chamber and a discharging chamber; and

each functional unit comprises a first transition chamber, a functional chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, the feeding chamber, the functional units and the blanking chamber are sequentially connected, the feeding chamber is adjacent to the first transition chamber of the functional unit, the blanking chamber is adjacent to the second transition chamber of the functional unit, and the second transition chamber of one of the functional units is adjacent to the first transition chamber of the other functional unit.

2. The continuous vacuum coating system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of functional units comprise:

the cleaning unit comprises a first transition chamber, a cleaning chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, and the first transition chamber of the cleaning unit is connected with the feeding chamber;

the first coating unit comprises a first transition chamber, a first coating chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, and the first transition chamber of the first coating unit is connected with the second transition chamber of the cleaning unit; and

The second coating unit comprises a first transition chamber, a second coating chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, the first transition chamber of the second coating unit is connected with the second transition chamber of the first coating unit, and the second transition chamber of the second coating unit is connected with the blanking chamber.

3. The continuous vacuum coating system according to claim 2, wherein a first target material is provided in the first coating chamber, a second target material is provided in the second coating chamber, and the number of each of the first target material and the second target material is equal to or less than a first predetermined value, and optionally, two first target materials are provided in the first coating chamber, two first target materials are arranged opposite to each other in the width direction of the first coating chamber, two second target materials are provided in the second coating chamber, and two second target materials are arranged opposite to each other in the width direction of the second coating chamber.

4. The continuous vacuum coating system of claim 2, wherein the first coating chamber is a magnetron sputtering coating chamber and the second coating chamber is a magnetron sputtering coating chamber or an arc ion coating chamber.

5. The continuous vacuum plating system according to claim 2, further comprising a cooling chamber provided between the second transition chamber and the blanking chamber of the second plating unit, the cooling chamber being connected to each of the second transition chamber and the blanking chamber of the second plating unit.

6. The continuous vacuum coating system according to claim 1,

the feeding chamber is detachably connected with the first transition chamber of the adjacent functional unit; and/or

The blanking chamber is detachably connected with the second transition chamber of the adjacent functional unit; and/or

The second transition chamber of one of the adjacent two of the function units and the first transition chamber of the other of the adjacent two of the function units are detachably connected.

7. The continuous vacuum coating system of claim 1, wherein the functional chamber is removably associated with each of the first transition chamber and the second transition chamber.

8. The continuous vacuum coating system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein each of the loading chamber, the unloading chamber, and the function unit is movably disposed in a preset direction.

9. The continuous vacuum coating system according to claim 1,

the width of the first transition chamber is less than the width of at least one of the loading chamber, the unloading chamber and the function chamber; and/or

The second transition chamber has a width less than a width of at least one of the loading chamber, the unloading chamber, and the functional chamber.

10. A functional unit for a continuous vacuum coating system is characterized by comprising a first transition chamber, a functional chamber and a second transition chamber which are sequentially connected, wherein the functional chamber is a cleaning chamber or a coating chamber.

11. The functional unit for a continuous vacuum coating system according to claim 10, wherein the coating chamber is a magnetron sputtering coating chamber or an arc ion coating chamber, the coating chamber has targets, the number of the targets is less than or equal to a first preset value, optionally, two targets are provided in the coating chamber, and the two targets are arranged opposite to each other in the width direction of the coating chamber.

12. The functional unit for a continuous vacuum coating system according to claim 10, wherein the functional chamber is detachably connected to each of the first transition chamber and the second transition chamber, and each of the functional chamber, the first transition chamber and the second transition chamber is movably disposed in a preset direction.

13. Functional unit for a continuous vacuum coating system according to claim 10, characterized in that the width of the first transition chamber is smaller than the width of the functional chamber and/or the width of the second transition chamber is smaller than the width of the functional chamber.

14. Method for operating a continuous vacuum coating system according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

the workpiece enters the functional unit through the feeding chamber;

processing the workpiece in the functional units, and processing the workpiece in at least one functional unit for multiple times, wherein after the workpiece is processed for one time, the workpiece enters the corresponding first transition chamber or second transition chamber, and then enters the corresponding functional chamber again for processing again; and

and outputting the processed workpiece through the discharging chamber.

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