JP2003193218A - Evaporation material feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To consistently feed an evaporation material of a predetermined quantity to an evaporation source hearth 3 with excellent reproducibility, and to vary the feed of the evaporation material with excellent accuracy in an evaporation material feeder to feed the evaporation material to be sputtered when heated to the evaporation source hearth 3 in a vacuum tank 1. <P>SOLUTION: A bottomed cylindrical rotor 18 is rotatably disposed in a cylindrical stator 11 with an inlet 12 and an outlet 13 opened in an outer wall part, a piston 23 is inserted in the rotor 18 in an advancing/retracting manner, and a metering chamber S to be open to an outer circumferential surface of the rotor 18 is demarcated in the rotor 18 together with the piston 23. The evaporation material is received into the metering chamber S in the rotor 18 from the inlet 12 of the stator 11, the evaporation material in the metering chamber S is discharged from the outlet 13 of the stator 11, the evaporation material of the predetermined quantity is metered, and the quantity of the evaporation material is set to be variable by changing the volume of the metering chamber S by adjusting the advancing/retracting quantity of the piston 23. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an evaporation source hearth provided in a vacuum tank of a vacuum film forming apparatus or the like, and measures a predetermined amount of an evaporation material scattered by heating to form a film forming material from a hopper. Belongs to a technical field relating to an evaporation material feeder device adapted to be supplied by a shooter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a vacuum film forming apparatus for performing a film forming process such as vapor deposition has an evaporation source hearth for containing an evaporation material as a film forming substance in its vacuum chamber. The evaporation material in the hearth is evaporated by heating by irradiation with an electron beam or the like and scattered in the vacuum chamber, so that the evaporation material is attached to the work to form a film.

When the evaporation material from the evaporation source hearth decreases due to evaporation, it is necessary to supply the evaporation material to the evaporation source hearth. Conventionally, in order to automatically supply such evaporation material to the evaporation source hearth. The following evaporation material feeder devices are known. For example, Japanese Examined Japanese Patent Publication Sho 58-14874
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A-2003-242, a storage body having a cylindrical inner cylinder and a cylindrical outer cylinder rotatably and concentrically fitted to the inner cylinder is provided. While forming a storage portion that penetrates the upper and lower ends of the outer peripheral surface, the wall of the outer cylinder is
The first opening, which can communicate with the upper opening of the storage section of the inner cylinder, and the second opening, which can communicate with the lower opening of the storage section, are arranged so as not to face each other in the circumferential diametrical direction, and are formed through. Then, when the outer cylinder is rotated relative to the inner cylinder so that the first opening of the outer cylinder is aligned with the upper opening of the accommodation part of the inner cylinder, the outer cylinder closes the lower opening of the accommodation part of the inner cylinder. , The evaporation material is stored in the storage portion of the inner cylinder through the first opening, while the second opening of the outer cylinder is aligned with the lower opening of the storage portion of the inner cylinder, the inner cylinder is stored in the outer cylinder. There is proposed an evaporation material feeder device in which the upper opening of the section is closed and the evaporation material stored in the storage section of the inner cylinder is taken out through the second opening.

Further, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-69990, for the purpose of supplying chips as evaporation material to the crucible from the hopper, a large number of tooth portions for fitting the chips to the outer periphery are provided under the hopper. A rotor having a rotor is arranged, and the chips in the hopper are fitted one by one into the teeth of the rotor by the rotation of the rotor and sent out, and the chips sent out from this rotor are supplied to the crucible via the shooter (guide). It is done like this.

Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-140334, three discs are vertically arranged between a hopper and a shooter below the hopper in order to supply spherical evaporation material to the evaporation source hearth one by one. By arranging them in a concentric manner, the central one of the discs can be rotated with respect to the upper and lower discs,
A hole through which only one spherical evaporation material can pass is formed in each of the upper and lower discs by shifting in the circumferential direction at a position on the circumference of the same radius, while forming a spherical evaporation material in the center disc. A hole through which only one piece can pass is formed at a position on the circumference of the hole in the upper and lower discs, and the spherical evaporation material of the hopper is dropped into the hole of the upper disc one by one, and the central disc is rotated to rotate it. When the hole matches the hole in the upper disc, the spherical evaporation material in that hole is moved into the hole in the center disk, and then the evaporation material in that hole is circled as the center disk rotates. It was moved in the circumferential direction, and when the hole of the central disc coincided with the hole of the lower disc, the evaporation material in the hole of the central disc passed through the hole of the lower disc and dropped onto the shooter. Things have been proposed.

[0006]

However, in all of the above-mentioned conventional devices, the evaporation material can be continuously and automatically supplied to the evaporation source hearth, but the evaporation material is fixed in advance. It was possible to supply only a fixed amount, and it was difficult to make the supply variable.

For this reason, for example, by installing an inertial-use feeding device for electromagnetically oscillating the evaporation material in the vacuum tank and controlling the operating time from outside the vacuum tank, the evaporation material supplied to the evaporation source hearth is controlled. Although it may be variable, in that case, it is necessary to arrange an electromagnetic vibration or an electromagnetic field by the feeding device in the vacuum chamber, which causes disturbance to the film forming mechanism and peripheral equipment in the film forming device. It is not preferable because it is given.

Further, in the vacuum chamber, inertia and friction due to vibrations vary depending on the type of evaporation material, and it is difficult to accurately supply a predetermined amount of these different evaporation materials to the evaporation source hearth.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to stabilize a predetermined amount of evaporation material with good reproducibility by devising the structure of the evaporation material feeder device as described above. To supply it to the evaporation source hearth, and to make it possible to accurately change the supply amount of the evaporation material.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a bottomed cylindrical rotor is rotatably arranged in a cylindrical stator having an inlet and an outlet opening in an outer wall portion, A piston is inserted into the rotor so that the piston can move forward and backward, and a measuring chamber that opens to the outer peripheral surface of the rotor is defined by the piston inside the rotor.By rotating the rotor, the evaporation material is measured from the inlet of the stator into the rotor. Accept in the room,
By discharging the evaporation material in the measuring chamber from the outlet of the stator, a predetermined amount of evaporation material is measured, and the amount of evaporation material can be varied by adjusting the amount of advance / retreat of the piston to change the volume of the measuring chamber. I decided to do it.

Specifically, according to the first aspect of the invention, in the vacuum tank in which the evaporation material contained in the evaporation source hearth is scattered by heating, the evaporation material in the hopper is weighed by a predetermined amount, and the shooter is used. The target is an evaporation material feeder device adapted to supply to the evaporation source hearth.

Further, a cylindrical stator having an opening at the upper wall portion, which is connected to the hopper, and an opening at the lower wall portion, the outlet communicating with the shooter, and a relatively rotatable fit inside the stator. And a bottomed cylindrical rotor having a material supply / discharge port formed on the outer peripheral wall thereof, and a weighing chamber that is inserted into the rotor so as to be able to move forward and backward from the open end and communicates with the material supply / discharge port in the rotor. The piston that partitions the
A filling position where the material supply / discharge port communicates with the inlet of the stator,
And a rotor drive means for rotating the material supply / discharge port so as to be positioned at a discharge position communicating with the outlet of the stator, and a volume changing means for moving the piston forward and backward to change the volume of the measuring chamber. It is characterized in that the evaporation material of the hopper is measured by a predetermined amount corresponding to the volume of the measuring chamber and supplied to the evaporation source hearth by one rotation of the rotor by the means.

According to the above construction, when the rotor is rotated by the rotor driving means to move to the filling position, the material supply / discharge port on the outer peripheral wall of the rotor communicates with the inlet of the stator. In this state, the evaporation material in the hopper is filled in the metering chamber of the rotor through the inlet of the stator and the material supply / discharge port of the rotor. After that, when the material supply / discharge port does not match the inlet of the stator due to the rotation of the rotor, the material supply / discharge port of the rotor is closed by the inner wall surface of the stator, and the filling of the evaporation material into the metering chamber of the rotor is completed. As a result, a certain amount of evaporation material is weighed. When the rotor is further rotated and positioned at the discharge position, its material supply / discharge port communicates with the outlet of the stator, and in this state, the evaporation material filled in the metering chamber of the rotor has the material supply / discharge port of the rotor and the stator. Through the outlet to the shooter and is supplied to the evaporation source hearth through this shooter. After this, the rotor completes one rotation and moves to the original filling position. By repeating the rotation of the rotor in this way, a predetermined amount of evaporation material is constantly and reproducibly and stably supplied to the evaporation source hearth.

Further, when changing the supply amount of the evaporation material, the volume varying means drives the piston to move it forward and backward in the rotor. Due to the advance / retreat of the piston, the volume of the measuring chamber in the rotor partitioned by the piston changes,
The supply amount of evaporation material is variable. In this way, the piston moves back and forth in the rotor to change the volume of the measuring chamber,
The supply amount of the evaporation material can be accurately changed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the drive portion of the rotor drive means is arranged outside the vacuum chamber. Further, in the invention of claim 3, the drive part of the volume varying means is arranged outside the vacuum chamber. According to these inventions, since the respective drive parts of the rotor drive means or the variable volume means are arranged outside the vacuum chamber, the drive parts are arranged inside the vacuum chamber as in the case where the drive units are arranged inside the vacuum chamber. It is possible to stably perform film formation without giving a disturbance to the mechanism of film formation on the work and peripheral devices.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the stator is provided with an extension portion extending toward the rotor open end side from the inlet and the outlet, and the volume varying means includes an inner peripheral surface of the extension portion and an outer periphery of the piston. It is assumed that a screw mechanism provided between the surfaces for moving the piston forward and backward by its rotation and a piston rotating mechanism for rotating the piston are provided.

According to this structure, the piston does not rotate integrally with the rotor when it rotates, but it rotates only when the volume of the measuring chamber in the rotor is variable and moves back and forth in the rotor. That is, the piston rotating mechanism is driven by the drive unit of the volume varying means to rotate the piston, and the rotation of the piston causes the piston to move through the screw mechanism between the inner peripheral surface of the stator extension and the outer peripheral surface of the piston. Moves back and forth in the rotor. Therefore, the desired structure of the volume varying means can be easily obtained.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the rotor is provided with an extension portion extended toward the open end side from the material supply / discharge port, and the volume varying means is provided with an inner peripheral surface of the extension portion and an outer peripheral surface of the piston. It is assumed that a screw mechanism that is provided between the two and that moves the piston forward and backward by its rotation, and a piston rotation mechanism that rotates the piston are provided.

In this structure, the piston rotates integrally with the rotor when it rotates, and when the volume of the measuring chamber in the rotor is variable, it rotates relative to the rotor and moves back and forth inside. That is, the piston rotation mechanism is driven by the drive unit of the volume varying means to rotate the piston, and this rotation of the piston causes the piston to rotate through the screw mechanism between the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion of the rotor and the outer peripheral surface of the piston. Move back and forth within. Therefore, also in this case, the desired structure of the volume varying means can be easily obtained.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Embodiment 1) In FIGS. 4 to 6, reference numeral 1 denotes a vacuum tank constituting a vacuum film forming apparatus such as a vapor deposition apparatus. A disk-shaped rotary crucible 2 that rotates at a number (for example, 1 rpm) is installed, and a concave dish for accommodating the evaporation material is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper surface of the rotary crucible 2 at a position concentric with the rotation axis of the crucible 2. A plurality of evaporation source hearths 3, 3, ... Are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and when each evaporation source hearth 3 is moved to the electron beam irradiation position (not shown) by the rotation of the rotary crucible 2. In addition, the evaporation material in the evaporation source hearth 3 is evaporated and scattered in the vacuum tank 1 by heating by irradiation of an electron beam, so that the scattered evaporation material is vacuum chamber 1
A work (not shown) in the inside is adhered to the surface to perform a film forming process.

An evaporation material feeder device 5 according to the first embodiment of the present invention for supplying evaporation material to each evaporation source hearth 3 is installed laterally in the vacuum chamber 1. That is, 6 is a base mounted and fixed in the vacuum tank 1, and a hopper 8 is mounted and fixed on the upper surface of the base 6 via a bevel gear box 7 and a stator 11 which will be described later. The evaporation material is stored in.

A shooter 9 is provided below the hopper 8.
The shooter 9 is also attached and fixed to the base 6 so as to pass through it vertically. The shooter 9 extends obliquely, its upper end is located directly below the lower end of the hopper 8, and its lower end is located at the supply position A above the evaporation source hearth 3 on the outer circumference of the rotary crucible 2. When each evaporation source hearth 3 moves to a position directly below the supply position A, the evaporation material is guided to the evaporation source hearth 3 by the shooter 9 and supplied.

Between the lower end of the hopper 8 and the upper end of the shooter 9, there is installed a feeder main body 10 for measuring a predetermined amount of the evaporation material from the hopper 8 and supplying the evaporation material to the evaporation source hearth 3 by the shooter 9. There is. As shown in enlarged detail in FIGS. 1 to 3, the feeder main body 10 includes a stator 11 fixed to the upper surface of the base 6 via a bevel gear box 7. The bevel gear box 7 is a box-shaped one having a horizontal portion 7a and a vertical portion 7b and having a substantially L-shaped cross section.
The horizontal portion 7a is fixed to the upper surface of the base 6, and the vertical portion 7b is fixed to one end of the stator 11. Also, the horizontal portion 7a and the vertical portion 7b of the bevel gear box 7
Shaft insertion holes 7c and 7d are formed therethrough.

The stator 11 is in the shape of a rectangular tube whose both ends are open, and its inner peripheral surface is formed into a cylindrical surface.
At a position slightly deviated to the rear side in the rotation direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 3) of the rotor 18 described later with respect to the vertical plane passing through the center line of the stator 11 in the upper wall portion of the stator 11,
An elliptic inlet 12 extending in the length direction of the stator 11 is formed so as to penetrate therethrough, while a similar shape is formed in the lower wall portion at a position slightly deviated to the rear side in the rotation direction of the rotor 18 with respect to the above-mentioned vertical plane. The outlet 13 is formed so as to penetrate the inlet 12 in the length direction of the stator 11. The cross-sectional shape of the lower end of the hopper 8 is the same as that of the inlet 12. The lower end of the hopper 8 is tightly fitted and connected to the inlet 12, while the lower wall of the stator 11 is connected. The upper end of the shooter 9 is located below the outlet 13, and the outlet 13 communicates with the shooter 9.

Inside the stator 11, a bottomed cylindrical rotor 18 is positioned with its bottom located at one end of the stator 11 (left end in FIG. 2) and with a slight gap from the inner peripheral surface of the stator 11. It is fitted so that relative rotation is possible. A material supply / discharge port 19 having the same elongated hole shape as the inlet 12 and the outlet 13 of the stator 11 is formed through a part of the outer peripheral wall of the rotor 18. Further, the rotor 18 is provided with an extension portion 20 extending toward the open end side (the side opposite to the bottom portion) from the material supply / discharge port 19, and the extension portion 20 is provided.
A female screw 21 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the.

Further, a cylindrical piston 23 is fitted in the rotor 18 so as to be able to move forward and backward from the open end of the rotor 18 in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 2). The space surrounded by the left end surface (2) and the inner peripheral surface or the inner bottom surface of the rotor 18 is divided into a measuring chamber S, and the measuring chamber S is always in communication with the material supply / discharge port 19.

Further, on the base end side of the outer peripheral surface of the piston 23, a male screw 24 is provided at a position separated from the tip end position by a predetermined dimension.
And the male screw 24 is screwed into the female screw 21 on the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion 20 of the rotor 18.
The screw mechanism 25 for moving the piston 23 forward and backward by the rotation of the piston 4 and the female screw 21 is configured to make the volume of the measuring chamber S variable by moving the piston 23 forward and backward.

Further, rotor driving means 30 for rotating the rotor 18 is provided. That is,
At the center of the outer surface of the bottom wall of the rotor 18, a support shaft 31 extending in the axial direction of the rotor 18 is provided so as to rotate integrally, and the support shaft 31 is provided in the vertical portion 7b of the bevel gear box 7.
Is rotatably supported in the shaft insertion hole 7d through a bearing 32. The driven bevel gear 3 is attached to the tip of the support shaft 31.
3 is integrally fixed to the driven bevel gear 33.
Is engaged with a drive bevel gear 35 attached to the upper end of a drive shaft 34 extending in the vertical direction. The drive shaft 34
Are rotatably supported by bearings 36, 36 in the shaft insertion hole 7c of the horizontal portion 7a of the bevel gear box 7. Further, the drive shaft 34 extends to the lower side in a state of penetrating the base 6, and the lower end portion of the drive shaft 34 has an upper coupling 37, an upper intermediate shaft 38, an intermediate coupling 39, and a bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 1. Through a lower intermediate shaft 40 that extends through the airtight manner to the outside of the vacuum chamber 1 and a lower coupling (not shown) to a motor 41 as a drive unit that is arranged and fixed on the outside of the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 1. The rotor 18 is driven and connected to the material supply / discharge port 19 by driving the motor 41.
Is located between these two positions, a filling position in which is communicated with the inlet 12 of the stator 11, a discharge position in which the material supply / discharge port 19 is communicated with the outlet 13 of the stator 11, and the material supply / discharge port 19 is located inside the stator 11. It is made to rotate between the closed position where it is closed by. Although not shown, a rotary encoder that detects the rotational position of the rotor 18 is built in the motor 41, and the motor 41 is controlled based on the detection signal of the rotary encoder.

As described above, the rotor driving means 30 continuously rotates the rotor 18 once without stopping, and during this period, the evaporation material in the hopper 8 is measured by a predetermined amount corresponding to the volume of the measuring chamber S. It is supplied to the evaporation source hearth 3. The rotor 18 may be intermittently rotated so as to stop at the filling position, the discharging position and the closing position.

On the other hand, the volume varying means 4 for varying the volume of the measuring chamber S in the rotor 18 by moving the piston 23 forward and backward.
3 is provided. The volume varying means 43 includes the screw mechanism 25 provided between the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion 20 of the rotor 18 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston 23, and the piston 23.
Is provided with a piston rotation mechanism 44. The piston rotation mechanism 44 is provided on the base end side of the piston 23 (see FIG.
The piston 23 (rotor 1
8) has a support shaft 45 integrally provided so as to extend in the axial direction, and the support shaft 45 is rotatably supported by a bevel gear box 46 mounted and fixed on the upper surface of the base 6 via a bearing 47. There is. That is, like the bevel gear box 7, the bevel gear box 46 is a box-shaped one having a horizontal portion 46a and a vertical portion 46b and having a substantially L-shaped cross section, and is fixed to the upper surface of the base 6 by the horizontal portion 46a. Has been done. Also, this bevel gear box 4
The horizontal portion 46a and the vertical portion 46b of FIG. 6 are formed with shaft insertion holes 46c and 46d, respectively.
A support shaft 45 is rotatably supported via a bearing 47 in a shaft insertion hole 46d of 6b.

A driven bevel gear 48 is rotatably attached and fixed to the tip of the support shaft 45 of the piston 23. The driven bevel gear 48 is meshed with a drive bevel gear 50 attached to the upper end of a vertically extending drive shaft 49. There is.
The drive shaft 49 has bearings 51, 5 in the shaft insertion hole 46c of the horizontal portion 46a of the bevel gear box 46.
It is rotatably supported by 1. The drive shaft 49 penetrates the base 6, and the lower end of the drive shaft 49 penetrates the upper coupling 52, the upper intermediate shaft 53, the intermediate coupling 54, and the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 1 in an airtight manner to the outside of the vacuum chamber 1. Is connected to a motor 56 as a drive unit arranged and fixed on the outer side of the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 1 via a lower intermediate shaft 55 extending to the bottom and a lower coupling (not shown). Thus, the piston 23 is rotated and moved forward and backward by the screw mechanism 25, so that the volume of the measuring chamber S in the rotor 18 is made variable. Although not shown, also in this case, a rotary encoder for detecting the advance / retreat position of the piston 23 is built in the motor 56, and the operation of the motor 56 is controlled based on the detection signal of the rotary encoder.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. When the evaporation material in the hopper 8 is weighed by a predetermined amount and supplied to each evaporation source hearth 3 on the outer periphery of the rotating crucible 2, first, each evaporation source hearth 3 is supplied. Is the supply position A at the lower end of the shooter 9.
The motor 41 of the rotor drive means 30 as it moves to
The driving bevel gear 35 and the driven bevel gear 33 meshing with the driving bevel gear 35 rotate by the operation of the above, and the rotor 18 which is rotationally integrated with the driven bevel gear 33 rotates and moves to the filling position. By moving the rotor 18 to the filling position, the material supply / discharge port 19 on the outer peripheral wall of the rotor 18 faces upward and the stator 1
1 communicates with the entrance 12. In this state, the vaporized material in the hopper 8 is absorbed by the inlet 12 of the stator 11 and the rotor 18.
The measuring chamber S of the rotor 18 is filled through the material supply / discharge port 19.

Thereafter, the rotor 41 is driven by driving the motor 41.
8 further rotates, and the material supply / discharge port 19 of the stator 11
The material supply / discharge port 19 of the rotor 18
Is closed by the inner wall surface of the stator 11, and the filling of the evaporation material into the measuring chamber S of the rotor 18 is stopped. As a result, a fixed amount of evaporation material is measured and filled in the measuring chamber S, and the amount filled in the measuring chamber S becomes the supply amount to be supplied to the evaporation source hearth 3.

When the rotor 18 is further rotated by the drive of the motor 41 to move to the discharge position, the material supply / discharge port 19 of the material is discharged.
Faces downward and communicates with the outlet 13 of the stator 11.
Along with this communication, a certain amount of the evaporation material with which the measuring chamber S in the rotor 18 is filled falls into the shooter 9 through the material supply / discharge port 19 of the rotor 18 and the outlet 13 of the stator 11, and the shooter 9 is discharged. It is supplied to the evaporation source hearth 3 through the above.

After that, the rotor 18 completes one rotation and moves to the original filling position. After that, the same operation is continuously repeated for each evaporation source hearth 3 of the rotary crucible 2. By repeating the rotation of the rotor 18 in this way, a predetermined amount of evaporation material is constantly and stably supplied to each evaporation source hearth 3 with good reproducibility.

When the rotor 18 rotates in this way, the piston 23 rotates integrally with the rotor 18, but when changing the supply amount of the evaporation material to each evaporation source hearth 3, the motor 56 of the volume varying means 43 is operated. By the operation, the piston 23 is rotated relative to the rotor 18 and is driven forward and backward.
That is, the drive bevel gear 50 is driven by the operation of the motor 56.
Also, the driven bevel gear 48 rotates, and the piston 23, which is rotationally integrated with the driven bevel gear 48, rotates relative to the rotor 18. A female screw 21 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion 20 of the rotor 18, and a male screw 24 that is screwed to the female screw 21 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the piston 23. As a result, the piston 23 moves forward and backward in the rotor 18 while rotating. As the piston 23 moves back and forth, the tip end surface (front surface) of the piston 23
The volume of the measuring chamber S partitioned by the inner peripheral surface of the rotor 18 and the inner bottom surface of the rotor 18 changes, and the supply amount of the evaporation material is variably adjusted. Specifically, the piston 23 is the rotor 13
When the piston 23 moves backward toward the bottom, the volume of the measuring chamber S decreases and the supply amount of the evaporation material decreases. On the contrary, when the piston 23 retracts in the direction away from the bottom of the rotor 13, The volume changes and the amount of vaporized material supplied increases. In this way, the piston 23 is connected to the rotor 1
Since the volume of the measuring chamber S is changed by advancing and retracting in the inside of 8, the supply amount of the evaporation material can be accurately changed.

Further, in this embodiment, since the motors 41 and 56 of the rotor driving means 30 and the volume varying means 43 are both arranged outside the vacuum chamber 1, the motors 41 and 56 are connected to the vacuum chamber 1 respectively. As in the case of the internal arrangement, the motors 41 and 56 do not disturb the film forming mechanism or the like for the work in the vacuum chamber 1 or the peripheral devices, and the film forming or the like can be stably performed. .

In the first embodiment, the piston 2
Instead of providing a rotary encoder for detecting the advancing / retreating position of 3, the lock nut 26 is screwed onto the male screw 24 of the piston 23 to move the piston 23 forward, as shown by phantom lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. Lock nut 2 when
By contacting the open end of the rotor 18 with 6 as a stopper, the volume of the measuring chamber S is regulated, and the lock nut 26 is screwed to a preset position on the male screw 24 to measure. The volume of the chamber S may be changed.

(Second Embodiment) FIGS. 7 and 8 show a second embodiment of the present invention (note that the same parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 6 are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted). In the first embodiment, the piston 23 is rotated relative to the rotor 18 to change the volume of the measuring chamber S, whereas the piston 23 is rotated relative to the stator 11 to change the volume of the measuring chamber S. It was changed.

That is, in this embodiment, the rotor 18 is installed in the stator 11 rather than the inlet 12 and the outlet 13.
The extension portion 14 is provided to extend toward the open end side of the, and the screw mechanism 25 is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion 14 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston 23. Specifically, the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion 14 of the stator 11 is a cylindrical surface that is continuous with the cylindrical surface of the body portion of the stator 11, and the extension portion 14
A female screw-shaped spiral groove 15 (see FIG. 8) is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the stator 11 while turning in the length direction of the stator 11.

On the other hand, the piston 23 is of a cylindrical shape having a bottom which is opened to the rear side and is inserted into the rotor 18 from the bottom side (tip side), and the outer peripheral portion on the open end side is diametrically opposed. A pair of engagement pins 16 and 16 are provided at the above positions. Both of the engagement pins 16 and 16 are engaged with the spiral groove 15 on the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion 14 of the stator 11 so as to be able to advance in a threaded manner, and by the engagement pins 16 and 16 and the spiral groove 15, A screw mechanism 25 for moving the piston 23 forward and backward by its rotation is configured.

Further, in the lengthwise direction of the piston 23, the inner peripheral surface of the piston 23 is located at a diametrically opposed position (in the illustrated example, at an angular position in a direction orthogonal to a plane passing between the engagement pins 16 and 16). The pair of engaging grooves 27, 27 extending from the piston 2
It is recessed from the open end of 3 to near the inner bottom surface.

Further, a rotating member 58 is fitted into the piston 23 from its open end, and the engaging groove 27, 27 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating member 58 at a position facing in the diametrical direction.
A pair of ridges 59, 59 slidably engaged with 27 (instead of the ridge 59, a rotary member 58).
A pair of pins may be provided on the tip end side), and the engagement between the engagement groove 27 and the protrusion 59 allows the rotary member 58 and the piston 23 to slide relative to each other and rotate. A piston rotation mechanism 44 is integrally connected and configured to rotate the piston 23 by the rotation member 58.

A support shaft 45 extending in the axial direction of the rotary member 58 (piston 23) is integrally projectingly provided at the center of the outer surface of the base end of the rotary member 58. The support shaft 45 is attached to the upper surface of the base 6. It is rotatably supported by a fixed bevel gear box 46 via a bearing 47. Then, similarly to the first embodiment, a driven bevel gear 48 is attached to the support shaft 45, and the driven bevel gear 48 includes the drive bevel gear 50, the drive shaft 49, and the couplings 52, 54.
And the motor 56 outside the vacuum chamber 1 via the intermediate shafts 53 and 55.
Is drivingly connected to. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.
Is the same as.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the rotor 18 is rotated once by the rotor driving means 30 to measure the evaporation material and supply it to the evaporation source hearth 3,
Since the engagement pins 16, 16 on the outer circumference of the piston 23 fitted in the rotor 18 are engaged with the spiral groove 15 on the inner peripheral surface of the stator 11, the piston 23 must rotate integrally with the rotor 18. Instead, only the rotor 18 rotates, and by the rotation of the rotor 18, a predetermined amount of evaporation material is constantly and stably supplied to each evaporation source hearth 3 from the hopper 8 as in the first embodiment.

On the other hand, when the volume of the measuring chamber S in the rotor 18 is made variable, the rotary member 58 is rotated by the motor 56 of the volume varying means 43, and the protrusion 5 is applied to the rotary member 58.
The piston 23, which is engaged so as to be able to rotate integrally and slidably, is rotated by the engagement between the engaging grooves 9, 59 and the engaging grooves 27, 27, and the rotation of the piston 23 causes the inner circumference of the extension portion 14 of the stator 11 to rotate. Through the engagement of the spiral groove 15 on the surface and the engagement pins 16, 16 on the outer peripheral surface of the piston 23.
3 moves forward and backward in the rotor 18. The volume of the measuring chamber S in the rotor 18 changes as the piston 23 moves back and forth, and the supply amount of the evaporation material is variably adjusted. Therefore, also in this case, the supply amount of the evaporation material can be accurately changed.

In the second embodiment, the spiral groove 15 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion 14 of the stator 11 and the engaging pins 16, 16 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the piston 23. Similarly, the extension 14 of the stator 11
A female screw may be provided on the inner peripheral surface, and a male screw that is screwed into the female screw may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the piston 23.
The same operational effect as can be obtained.

[0048]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the bottomed cylindrical rotor is rotatably arranged in the cylindrical stator having the inlet and the outlet opened in the outer wall portion, and the rotor is installed in the rotor. A piston is inserted into the rotor so that it can move forward and backward, and a measuring chamber that opens to the outer peripheral surface of the rotor is defined by the piston in the rotor. The evaporation material in the measuring chamber is discharged from the outlet of the stator to measure a predetermined amount of the evaporation material, and the volume of the evaporation chamber is changed by adjusting the advance / retreat amount of the piston so that the amount of the evaporation material can be varied. As a result, a specified amount of evaporation material can be constantly and reproducibly and stably supplied to the evaporation source hearth from the hopper.
The supply amount of the evaporation material can be accurately changed.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the drive portion of the rotor drive means is arranged outside the vacuum chamber. Further, in the invention of claim 3, the drive unit of the volume varying means is arranged outside the vacuum chamber. According to these inventions, as in the case where each drive unit of the rotor drive unit or the variable volume unit is arranged in the vacuum chamber, the drive unit is disturbed by, for example, a mechanism for forming a film on a work in the vacuum chamber or peripheral devices. Therefore, the film formation can be stably performed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the stator is provided with an extension portion extending toward the rotor open end side from the inlet and the outlet, and the volume varying means includes the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion and the outer peripheral surface of the piston. A screw mechanism provided between them to move the piston forward and backward by its rotation and a piston rotation mechanism to rotate the piston are provided. In addition, claim 5
In the invention, the rotor is provided with an extension portion extended toward the open end side from the material supply / discharge port, and the volume varying means is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion and the outer peripheral surface of the piston. A screw mechanism for advancing and retracting the piston by its rotation and a piston rotating mechanism for rotating the piston are provided. According to these inventions, the desired structure of the volume varying means can be easily obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an enlarged main part of an evaporation material feeder device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a main part of an evaporation material feeder device.

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing an enlarged main part of the evaporation material feeder device.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an entire configuration of an evaporation material feeder device.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the overall configuration of an evaporation material feeder device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of an evaporation material feeder device.

FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing an evaporation material feeder device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing an evaporation material feeder device according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vacuum tank 3 evaporation source hearth 5 Evaporative material feeder device 8 hoppers 9 Shooter 10 feeder body 11 Stator 12 entrance 13 exit 14 Extension 15 spiral groove 16 engagement pin 18 rotor 19 Material supply / discharge port 20 Extension 21 female screw 23 pistons 24 male screw 25 screw mechanism 26 Lock Nut 27 engagement groove 30 rotor driving means 41 Motor (drive unit) 43 Volume changing means 44 Piston rotation mechanism 45 Support shaft 56 Motor (drive unit) 58 Rotating member 59 Ridge A supply position S material measuring space

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. In a vacuum tank in which the evaporation material contained in the evaporation source hearth is scattered by heating, a predetermined amount of the evaporation material in the hopper is weighed and supplied to the evaporation source hearth by a shooter. An evaporation material feeder device, in which an inlet connected to the hopper is opened in the upper wall portion,
A cylindrical stator having a bottom wall, a cylindrical stator having an outlet opening to communicate with the shooter, and a relatively rotatable fit inside the stator, and a material supply / discharge port formed on an outer peripheral wall of the rotor. A piston that is inserted into the rotor so as to be able to move forward and backward from the open end and defines a measuring chamber that communicates with the material supply / discharge port in the rotor; and the rotor, the material supply / discharge port communicates with the inlet of the stator. Rotor driving means for rotating so that the material supply / discharge port is positioned at the discharge position where the material supply / discharge port communicates with the outlet of the stator, and a volume varying means for varying the volume of the measuring chamber by advancing / retreating the piston. The evaporation source is configured to supply the evaporation material in the hopper to the evaporation source hearth by measuring a predetermined amount of the evaporation material in the hopper by one rotation of the rotor. Material feeder device. 2. The evaporation material feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the drive part of the rotor driving means is arranged outside the vacuum chamber. 3. The evaporation material feeder device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the drive part of the volume varying means is arranged outside the vacuum chamber. 4. The evaporation material feeder device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stator is provided with an extension portion extending toward the rotor open end side from the inlet and the outlet, and the volume varying means is the above-mentioned. An evaporation material feeder characterized by comprising a screw mechanism provided between the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion and the outer peripheral surface of the piston for advancing and retracting the piston by its rotation, and a piston rotating mechanism for rotating the piston. apparatus. 5. The evaporation material feeder device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotor is provided with an extension portion extending toward the open end side from the material supply / discharge port, and the volume varying means is the above-mentioned. An evaporation material feeder characterized by comprising a screw mechanism provided between the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion and the outer peripheral surface of the piston for advancing and retracting the piston by its rotation, and a piston rotating mechanism for rotating the piston. apparatus.