TW201940246A - Carrier with vertical grid for supporting substrates in coater - Google Patents

Abstract

Various embodiments herein relate to carriers for supporting one or more substrate as the substrates are passed through a processing apparatus. In many cases, the substrates are oriented in a vertical manner. The carrier may include a frame and vertical support bars that secure the glass to the frame. The carrier may lack horizontal support bars. The carrier may allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the substrates, without any need to provide precise gaps between adjacent pairs of substrates. The carriers described herein substantially reduce the risk of breaking the processing apparatus and substrates, thereby achieving a more efficient process. Certain embodiments herein relate to methods of loading substrates onto a carrier.

Description

   Carrier with vertical grid for supporting substrate in coating machine   

Electrochromic devices can be formed on a substrate in various ways. Generally, the substrate is substantially transparent and flat, and can be made of glass, plastic, or similar materials. To form the electrochromic device, the substrate is coated with various material layers, such as a transparent conductive layer, a cathode colored electrochromic layer, and an anode colored counter electrode layer. Additional layers may be provided as needed, and they may include, but are not limited to, an ion conductor layer, a defect mitigation insulating layer, an anti-reflection layer, a protective oxide or nitride layer, and the like. One or more of these layers may be formed in a coater such as a sputter coater. In some cases, all of these layers can be formed in a coater. As the substrate is processed in a coater, a carrier is used to support the substrate. The carrier can support a single substrate or multiple substrates.

Various embodiments herein relate to a carrier for holding a substrate in a substantially vertical orientation as the substrate passes through a coater. The coater provides a coating on at least one front surface of the substrate. In many cases, the coating is an electrochromic device.

In one aspect of the embodiments herein, a carrier is provided for holding at least one substrate in a substantially vertical orientation as it passes through a coating machine, the coating machine being A coating is provided on at least one front surface of the at least one substrate, and the carrier includes: a bottom portion post; a top portion post; a plurality of vertical support rods, each of which has a permission to communicate with the top portion The post and the bottom part post are joined by a length, wherein the plurality of vertical support rods include at least a leftmost and a rightmost vertical support rod, and wherein the plurality of vertical support rods and the bottom The combination of the top post and the post defines one or more apertures; and a plurality of attachments for engaging the bottom post and the top post to permit one of the plurality of vertical support posts At least one of them moves horizontally along the bottom and top portion posts.

In some embodiments, the carrier may further include a plurality of fasteners for fastening an end of the substrate to the vertical support bar, wherein each vertical support bar has a plurality of fastener attachment positions For attachment to the plurality of fasteners at a plurality of vertical positions. In these or other embodiments, each vertical support rod may be engaged with the substrate along a flat surface of the vertical support rod. In some embodiments, each fastener may include at least one pin or nail. In some such cases, each fastener may include at least two pins or nails. In these or other embodiments, the plurality of fastener attachment locations may include a plurality of slots, channels, grooves, or other openings in the vertical support rod.

In some embodiments, one of the at least one pore may have a horizontal dimension between about 50 inches and 200 inches. In these or other embodiments, one of the pores may have a vertical dimension between about 50 inches and 150 inches.

Various materials can be used. In some cases, the substrate may include glass or plastic. In these or other embodiments, the substrate may be a window to be coated using an electrochromic device. In these or other embodiments, the plurality of accessories may be configured to move to accommodate thermal expansion of the substrate. In these or other embodiments, at least one of the plurality of accessories may include a spring adapted to the thermal expansion of the substrate. In various embodiments, the bottom portion post and / or the top portion post may comprise metal. In these or other embodiments, the plurality of vertical support rods may include metal.

Several additional features may be provided in some cases. For example, the carrier may further include a transport mechanism for moving the carrier through one of the applicators. In these or other embodiments, the carrier may include a shield configured to protect at least a portion of the carrier during coating. In these or other embodiments, the carrier may be configured to allow the substrates to be stacked in the carrier, one of the ways of stacking allows substrates of different widths to be stacked vertically on top of each other. In these or other embodiments, the plurality of attachments may be configured to restrict the plurality of vertical support rods from moving upwardly on a side orthogonal to a plane defined by one of the carriers and a horizontal direction. .

In another aspect of the embodiments herein, a carrier is provided for holding a plurality of substrates in a substantially vertical orientation as the substrates pass through a coating machine, the coating machine being A coating is provided on at least one front surface of the plurality of substrates, and the carrier includes: a frame having a void, the void having a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension; a bottom portion post, which is attached To the frame and extending horizontally along a bottom portion of one of the apertures; a top portion post attached to the frame and extending horizontally along a top portion of one of the apertures; a plurality of vertical support rods , Each of which has (i) a length permitting engagement with both the top part post and the bottom part post while extending perpendicularly across the aperture, and (ii) for connecting with the bottom part post And at least one of the top post is movably engaged to allow the vertical support post to move horizontally within the aperture, a movable attachment; and a plurality of fasteners for attaching the substrate The edge is fastened to the vertical support bar, wherein each A vertical support rod has a plurality of fastener attachment positions for attachment to the fastener at a plurality of vertical positions.

In certain embodiments, the fastener may be a pin or a nail. In these or other embodiments, the plurality of fastener attachment locations may include a plurality of slots, channels, grooves, or other openings in the vertical support rod. In these or other embodiments, the horizontal size of the pores may be between about 50 inches and 200 inches. In these or other embodiments, the vertical dimension of the pores may be between about 50 inches and 150 inches. In some cases, the movable attachment may include a track, channel or groove.

Various materials can be used. In some embodiments, the substrate may be glass or plastic. In these or other embodiments, the substrate may be a window for coating using an electrochromic device. In these or other embodiments, the frame may include metal. In these or other embodiments, the bottom portion post and / or the top portion post may include a material adapted to a thermal expansion property of the substrate. In these or other embodiments, the bottom portion post and / or the top portion post may include metal. In these or other embodiments, the vertical support rod may include metal.

Several additional features may be provided in various embodiments. For example, the carrier may further include a pivot peg attached to the top post. In these or other embodiments, the carrier may further include a transport mechanism for moving the carrier through one of the applicators. In these or other embodiments, the carrier may further include a shield configured to protect at least a portion of the frame during coating.

In another aspect of the embodiments herein, a carrier is provided for holding a plurality of substrates in a substantially vertical orientation as the substrates pass through a coating machine, the coating machine being A coating is provided on at least one front surface of the plurality of substrates, and the carrier includes: a frame having a void, the void having a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension; a bottom portion post, which is attached To the frame and extending horizontally along a bottom portion of one of the apertures; a top portion post attached to the frame and extending horizontally along a top portion of one of the apertures; a plurality of vertical support rods Each of which (i) has a length that permits engagement with both the top portion post and the bottom portion post while extending vertically across the aperture, and (ii) is positioned on the substrate during coating Rear, so that the rear surface of the substrate is positioned between the front surface of the substrate and the vertical support rod; and a plurality of fasteners for fastening the edge of the substrate to the vertical support rod Where each vertical support bar has multiple Fastener attachment locations for attachment to the fastener at a plurality of vertical positions, and wherein the substrates can be stacked in the carrier, one of the stacking methods allows substrates of different widths to be in the apertures The middle is stacked vertically on top of each other.

In some such embodiments, the fastener may be a pin or a nail. In these or other embodiments, the plurality of fastener attachment locations may include a plurality of slots, channels, grooves, or other openings in the vertical support rod. In these or other embodiments, the horizontal size of the pores may be between about 50 inches and 200 inches. In these or other embodiments, the vertical dimension of the pores may be between about 50 inches and 150 inches. In some cases, the movable attachment may include a track, channel or groove.

In some cases, the substrate may be glass or plastic. In these or other embodiments, the substrate may be a window for coating using an electrochromic device. In these or other embodiments, the frame may include metal. In these or other embodiments, the bottom portion post and / or the top portion post may include a material adapted to a thermal expansion property of the substrate. In these or other cases, the bottom post and / or the top post may include metal. In these or other cases, the vertical support rod may include metal.

In some embodiments, the carrier may further include a pivot pin attached to the top post. In these or other embodiments, the carrier may further include a transport mechanism for moving the carrier through one of the applicators. In these or other embodiments, the carrier may further include a shield configured to protect at least a portion of the frame during coating.

100‧‧‧ carrier

101‧‧‧ Pore

102‧‧‧ substrate

105‧‧‧horizontal frame parts

110‧‧‧Vertical Frame Parts

115‧‧‧ horizontal frame parts

120‧‧‧Guide

125‧‧‧rail

130‧‧‧ overlapping sections

135‧‧‧short pillar

140‧‧‧ Breakout

145‧‧‧ stud

150‧‧‧Shield

155‧‧‧Vertical Support Bar

160‧‧‧horizontal support bar

200‧‧‧ carrier

202‧‧‧ substrate

205‧‧‧horizontal frame parts

210‧‧‧Vertical Frame Parts

215‧‧‧horizontal frame parts

219‧‧‧Spring clip

219a‧‧‧ Attachment

219b‧‧‧Fastener

219c‧‧‧Hollow shaft

219d‧‧‧Spring

219e‧‧‧ rod

219f‧‧‧ retainer

219m‧‧‧Second end

220‧‧‧Guide

225‧‧‧rail

233‧‧‧ Display clip

233a‧‧‧part

233b‧‧‧part

235‧‧‧short pillar

240‧‧‧ Breakout

255‧‧‧Vertical Support Bar

256‧‧‧Safety Clip

256a‧‧‧ Attachment

256b‧‧‧maintenance

256c‧‧‧ opening

256d‧‧‧space

265‧‧‧movable spacer

270‧‧‧carriage

271‧‧‧Slot

273‧‧‧Slot

274‧‧‧pin

275‧‧‧pin / retainer

276‧‧‧Extended flange

280‧‧‧ Pivot

281‧‧‧ flange area

282‧‧‧Main area

283‧‧‧ incision

290‧‧‧clip

300‧‧‧ Method

301‧‧‧operation

303‧‧‧operation

305‧‧‧operation

307‧‧‧operation

309‧‧‧Operation

311‧‧‧operation

313‧‧‧Operation

315‧‧‧ Operation

317‧‧‧operation

400‧‧‧ carrier

402‧‧‧ substrate

405‧‧‧horizontal frame parts

410‧‧‧Vertical Frame Parts

415‧‧‧horizontal frame parts

420‧‧‧Guide

425‧‧‧rail

435‧‧‧short pillar

440‧‧‧ Breakout

455‧‧‧Vertical Support Bar

469‧‧‧Slot

472‧‧‧Slot

476‧‧‧pin

2B‧‧‧circle

2C‧‧‧circle

2D‧‧‧circle

2E‧‧‧circle

D‧‧‧distance

1A and 1B illustrate a carrier for supporting a substrate as the substrate moves through a processing apparatus.

FIG. 2A illustrates a carrier for supporting a substrate as the substrate moves through a processing apparatus according to one embodiment.

Figures 2B to 2D show close-up rear side views of parts of the embodiment shown in Figure 2A, showing vertical support rods mounted on the splitter post at different locations along the base post.

FIG. 2E shows a close-up rear side view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, which illustrates a vertical support rod separating two adjacent rows of substrates.

FIG. 2F depicts a close-up rear side view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, showing a top portion post.

2G to 2I each show a pivot pin mounted along a top portion post and engaged with a top edge of the base plate.

2J to 2O show different views of a vertical support rod according to several embodiments.

2P illustrates a cross-sectional view of a clip that can be used to separate vertically adjacent substrates according to some embodiments.

Figures 2Q and 2R show a first vertical support rod fixed to the tap-off rod by a spring clip.

Figure 2S depicts an example of a spring clip according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2T shows a holder and a pin that can be used to secure glass to a vertical support rod according to some embodiments.

Figure 2U illustrates a safety clip that may be used at the edge of a vertical support rod in some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing a method of loading a substrate onto the carrier described with respect to FIGS. 2A to 2P.

4A depicts a carrier for supporting a substrate as the substrate moves through a processing device, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4B shows a close-up rear side view of a portion of the embodiment of FIG. 4A, which illustrates a vertical support rod mounted on a base post.

Fig. 4C shows a close-up front side view of a portion of the embodiment of Fig. 4A, which illustrates a pin mounted in a vertical support rod to secure two vertically adjacent base plates to the vertical support rod.

FIG. 4D shows a close-up front side view of a portion of the embodiment of FIG. 4A, which shows two base plates fixed to a vertical support rod and a base post via the use of pins.

FIG. 4E shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4D.

FIG. 4F shows a close-up front side view of a portion of the embodiment of FIG. 4A showing three substrates loaded onto two vertical support rods via pins.

FIG. 4G depicts a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4F.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments presented. The disclosed embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other cases, well-known program operations have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily make the disclosed embodiments difficult to understand. Although the disclosed embodiments will be described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments.

One technique for forming an electrochromic device on a substrate involves coating the substrate with various material layers. In many cases, the coating is formed in a coater using sputtering, physical vapor deposition (PVD), or other methods. The coater may include several different stations, each station being configured to deposit one or more layers. As one or more substrates are translated through the coater, the substrate may be supported using a carrier. Although some embodiments herein are related to a sputtering apparatus configured to be translated with one or more substrates through, for example, a sputtering apparatus used to sputter deposit one or more coatings on the substrate The carrier of the substrate, but the embodiment is not so limited. In general, as any substantially flat substrate passes through a processing device, the substrate described herein can be used to secure the substrate. Processing equipment is commonly used to deposit one or more films (in some cases, the films form an electrochromic device), but in some cases, processing equipment can be used for etching, cleaning, particle removal, polishing, photolithography and many more. Such implementations are within the scope of the disclosed examples. In some cases, the processing equipment is formed as an all-solid-state and inorganic electrochromic device. Some examples of electrochromic devices can be found in US Patent No. 8,300,298, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The following terms are defined for clarity. As used herein, the term "substrate" refers to a flat or substantially flat object that is loaded onto a carrier and processed in a processing device. In many cases, the substrate is glass, but in some cases plastic and other materials can be used. Generally, the size of the substrate on each side (eg, width and height) is between about 12 inches and 120 inches, but this is not intended to be limiting. The substrate may eventually form an electrochromic window or other product with an electrochromic device thereon, or the substrate may be a filler substrate that is not manufactured into a final product. As used herein, the term "carrier" means a structure configured to support one or more substrates as they pass through a processing device. The carrier may be composed of various pieces that can be permanently or releasably attached to each other. In many cases, the carrier contains the frame and the pores within the frame. As used herein, the term "pore" refers to a region of a carrier on which a substrate is loaded for processing. In many cases, the pores are essentially open (e.g., they do not include a solid backing). As used herein, the terms "vertical grille base" and "tap bar" are used interchangeably to refer to a horizontally oriented structure connected to a horizontal portion of a frame, which is used to fit a vertical support bar into an aperture. As used herein, the term "vertical support rod" refers to a vertical rod that extends between the bottom and top of the aperture to support the substrate in the aperture. Normally, a vertical support rod is fitted to the tap-off rod.

When used with reference to a tap-off, the term "slot" refers to an opening, channel or depression in the tap-off, into which a part of the vertical support rod fits, or another piece of hardware can be fitted to Into the slot to secure the vertical support rod to the tap-off rod. When used with reference to a vertical support bar, the term "slot" refers to an opening, a channel, or a recess in the vertical support bar, into which a pin can fit to fix the substrate against the vertical support bar. When used with reference to a vertical support bar or slot, the term "pin" refers to a piece of hard piece that fits into the slot to hold the substrate against the vertical support bar. When used with reference to a vertical strut or adjacent substrate, the term "clip" refers to a piece of hardware that is positioned between two adjacent substrates to maintain separation and coplanarity between adjacent substrates.

As used herein, the term "pivot" refers to a portion that is fixedly or releasably attached to a portion of a carrier (such as usually a top post or frame) and engages the top edge of the substrate when the substrate is loaded in the carrier Pivot structure. In many cases, the pivot pin includes a first end portion attached to the top post or frame, and a second end portion engaging the top edge of the base plate. The pivot pin fixes the edge of the substrate while allowing the substrate to perform a certain movement due to thermal expansion.

In many cases herein, as the substrate is loaded onto a carrier and passed through a processing device, the substrate is oriented vertically. When used herein with regard to the size of the substrate, the "width" of the substrate refers to the horizontal dimension of the substrate. When used herein with regard to the size of the substrate, the "height" of the substrate refers to the vertical dimension of the substrate. When used herein with regard to the size of a substrate, the "thickness" of a substrate refers to the distance between two coplanar faces of the substrate. Generally, the thickness of the substrate is about several millimeters. Similarly, the "width" of the aperture, frame, etc. refers to the size of the related element in the horizontal direction, and the "height" of the aperture, frame, etc. refers to the size of the related element in the vertical direction.

As used herein, the "front" side of a substrate refers to the processing surface of the substrate. This side is the side of the substrate that is affected in the processing equipment. In the case where the processing equipment is a coater, the front side of the substrate is the side on which the film is deposited. The "back" side of the substrate is the surface of the substrate opposite the front side.

When manufacturing electrochromic devices, a carrier is often used to secure one or more substrates as they pass through a coating machine. The substrate is fixed to the carrier in such a manner that the processing surface of each substrate is substantially exposed for coating. Generally, the substrate is passed through a coater in a vertical orientation. However, horizontal processing can also be used.

In various cases, the substrate may be glass, plastic, or the like. The substrate may have one or more films formed thereon. The substrate is usually flat and has various sizes and shapes. Most commonly, the substrate is rectangular or square, but other shapes such as triangles, trapezoids, other polygons, circles, semicircles, ovals, etc. can also be used. The smaller substrate can be approximately 14 inches by 14 inches, and the larger substrate can be approximately 72 inches by 120 inches. Any substrate size between these examples is also possible. The substrate sizes described are suitable for many applications and coaters, but smaller and / or larger substrates may be used in some cases. Generally, the size of the substrate is accurate to within about 1/8 inch (for example, within about 3 mm or 2 mm or 1 mm).

The substrate is usually loaded onto a carrier before passing the substrate through a coating machine. In many cases, multiple substrates of complementary shapes and sizes are loaded onto a single carrier. In some cases, the carrier comprises a complete or partial frame, and pores defined at least in part by the frame. The pore is a carrier region where the substrate resides when the substrate is supported in the carrier. In many cases, the pores may be substantially open (e.g., the carrier may lack a complete / solid backing in the pore region). Various horizontal and / or vertical support rods can be disposed within the frame, completely or partially across the aperture. The substrate can be fixed against these horizontal and / or vertical support rods.

1A and 1B depict a carrier 100 that can be configured to include an adjustable grid array. FIG. 1A illustrates various aspects of the carrier 100 before the substrate is loaded on the carrier 100, and FIG. 1B illustrates the carrier 100 after several substrates 102 are simultaneously loaded on the carrier 100. In this example, the carrier 100 includes a vertical frame member 110 and horizontal frame members 105 and 115. The horizontal frame members 105 and 115 are welded or otherwise attached together via short struts 135. The vertical frame member 110 cooperates (eg, bolts) with the horizontal frame members 105 and 115 to form a frame of the carrier 100. The guide plate 120, the guide rail 125, and the overlapping section 130 are attached (eg, bolted) to the frame of the carrier 100, as shown in FIG. 1A. The aperture 101 is defined in the frame (for example, inside the vertical frame member 110 and the horizontal frame member 105). The tap bar 140 can be configured along the top and bottom inner edges of the aperture 101. In some cases, the tap 140 may be referred to as a top part post and a bottom part post, or as a vertical grill seat. The tap bar 140 shown in FIG. 1A may include a plurality of studs 145 for attaching the vertical support bar 155 shown in FIG. 1B. The stud 145 can be slidably engaged with the main body of the tap bar 140, so that when the vertical support bar 155 is mounted to the stud 145, the assembly can be moved laterally along the tap bar 140 to accommodate the thermal expansion of the substrate. In some cases, a clamping block may be used instead of the stud 145.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the adjustable grid array includes a number of horizontal support rods 160 and a vertical support rod 155. The arrows surrounding some horizontal support rods 160 and vertical support rods 155 indicate that the support rods have adjustable positions so that substrates of various sizes can be accommodated in the carrier 100. The shield 150 may cover portions (eg, front and / or rear side portions) of the carrier 100 during sputtering.

The vertical support bar 155 is assembled to a horizontal frame member using a tap bar. Taps can include alloys that expand and contract during processing to approximate the thermal expansion and contraction of a substrate mounted on a carrier. The horizontal support rod 160 may be fitted to the vertical support rod 155 via any available mechanism. In some cases, the horizontal support bar 160 is slidably engaged with the vertical support bar 155. The horizontal support rod 160 can be telescopic, so that the length of the horizontal support rod 160 can be adjusted. The adjustable length accommodates thermal expansion and also allows each horizontal support rod 160 to be used in various manufacturing processes involving different specific substrate sizes. In many cases, the vertical support bar 155 and the horizontal support bar 160 are positioned at least partially in front of the substrate (for example, on the processing surface of the substrate). In many cases, this means that at least a portion of the vertical support bar 155 and the horizontal support bar 160 is positioned between the substrate and the sputtering target, which is used to deposit material on the processing surface of the substrate. In the example of FIG. 1B, each substrate 102 is supported at its periphery by a combination of vertical support rods 155 and horizontal support rods 160. The procedure for loading the substrate 102 onto the carrier 100 is further described below.

An example carrier consistent with the carrier 100 described in FIGS. 1A and 1B is further described in a U.S. patent application filed on November 23, 2015 and named (GLASS PALLET FOR SPUTTERING SYSTEMS) In No. 14 / 893,502, the entirety of said patent application is incorporated herein by reference.

Because the substrate has many sizes and shapes, it is common to load a substrate with a non-uniform size and / or shape on a carrier, as shown in FIG. 1B. In many cases, the size and shape of the substrate is selected to meet a specific customer order, which requires a specific size. Due to size and shape mismatch, it may be difficult to completely fill the pores of the carrier. Filler substrates, such as filler glass in many cases, are often used to fill extra space in the pores that are not occupied by the substrate for production. The filler substrate is a sacrificial substrate that is not further processed or sold (but it can be reused). It is common that only about 60 to 70% of the pore area is occupied by a substrate to be manufactured into an electrochromic window, and the remaining area is occupied by a filler substrate.

Although many different techniques can be used to position the substrate and the filler substrate within the pores of the carrier, some techniques introduce certain production line issues. For example, in one method consistent with the support of FIGS. 1A and 1B, a grid of vertical and horizontal support rods is provided to the pores of the support, which are positioned to hold individual substrates in a vertical position for vertical use. Ground passes through the coater. The top area of the carrier contains a splitter called the top part post, and the lower area of the carrier contains a splitter called the bottom part post. Attach both the top and bottom post to the rest of the carrier structure (e.g. to a frame member). Attach a rigid vertical support rod to the top and bottom portion posts, and attach a telescopic horizontal support rod to the vertical support rod.

When a set of substrates is ready for processing (such as coating), the installer arranges the vertical support rods in the apertures to accommodate the width of the different substrates. The substrates of the same width are stacked vertically on top of each other, for example, as shown in FIG. 1B. Bolt or otherwise fixedly attach the vertical support bar to the top and bottom post. Then, the telescopic horizontal support rod is compressed or extended to an appropriate length (for example, to fit the width of the existing substrate), and it is positioned horizontally between the vertical support rods and between adjacent substrates. Position the vertical and horizontal support rods on the processing surface of the substrate. In other words, the vertical and horizontal support rods are positioned between the substrate and the cathode / sputter target of the coater. Thus, the vertical and horizontal support rods may shield the peripheral area of the substrate during coating. In many cases, this masking is not desirable, and it is preferable to deposit a film throughout the entire processing surface of the substrate.

In some designs, the horizontal support bar is relatively thin and bendable, and can be easily bent out of its desired shape. For example, thermal expansion, which can be caused by passing through a coater, can cause the horizontal support bar to bow outwards away from the substrate. This bowing is not desirable as it may cause the horizontal support bar to jam or become embedded in the edge of the applicator. As a result, the horizontal support bar may become dislocated or cracked, or it may cause another part of the device (such as a shield) to be dislocated or cracked. These effects can substantially disrupt the production process, and in some cases can cause mechanical interruptions, electrical shorts, and unwanted downtime. In addition, in some cases, deformed horizontal support rods may cause the substrate to crack, thereby losing valuable production materials.

Another problem introduced by the horizontal support bar, especially when the horizontal support bar is telescopic, is that such a support bar will generate metal particles that fall on the surface of the substrate and contaminate the surface of the substrate. As the moving / retractable pieces of the horizontal support rod move to each other, metal particles are generated. Because the metal particles are conductive, they can cause defects to the electrochromic device being formed on the substrate.

Another problem with certain carriers, such as those shown in Figures 1A and 1B, is that the substrates stacked vertically on top of each other must have the same width. This is because the vertical support rods separate the entire row of substrates, and the substrates in each row have the same width. In other words, if the bottom piece in a part of the carrier is loaded with a 20-inch-wide substrate, all substrates loaded above the substrate must also be 20-inches wide. If the substrate has a specific width and there are no other substrates of the same width that are ready for processing, the rows in which the substrate is positioned within the pores of the carrier must be filled with a filler substrate. In practice, this means that a large number of filler substrates are used, and a large amount of film material is wasted and deposited on the filler substrate. The requirement that all substrates in the vertical rows of the carrier have the same width is called "z-stacking".

Another problem with carriers such as those shown in Figures 1A and 1B is the need to maintain many different pieces of horizontal support rods. Even though the horizontal support bar can be telescopic to adapt to different substrate widths, such telescopic can only adapt to a certain degree of width change. Due to the wide range of substrate widths, many different horizontal support rods must be maintained. A considerable storage area and organization are required to store all the different horizontal struts.

Various embodiments herein address one or more of the problems described above. 2A to 2P illustrate different aspects of the carrier 200 according to some embodiments herein. In this embodiment, no horizontal support bar is used between the vertically adjacent substrates 202, and a considerable portion of each vertical support bar is positioned behind the plane on the rear surface of the substrate 202. Both of these features are opposite to the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the carrier 200 includes many features similar to the carrier 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. For example, the carrier 200 includes horizontal frame members 205 and 215 and a vertical frame member 210. The horizontal frame members 205 and 215 are connected (eg, welded) together via a short post 235. The horizontal frame members 205 and 215 may be connected to the vertical frame member 210 via any available member, and in some cases bolted together. The guide plate 220 may be provided on top of the upper horizontal frame member 215, and the guide rail 225 may be provided along the bottom edge of the lower horizontal frame member 215 (eg, bolting, welding, etc.).

Taps 240 (sometimes referred to as upper and lower post or vertical grid mounts) are mounted to the horizontal frame member 205. The tap bar 240 may be floated or otherwise moved to account for non-uniform thermal expansion between the tap bar 240 and the rest of the carrier 200 such as the horizontal frame member 205. In some embodiments, the tap bar 240 may be made of a material whose thermal expansion coefficient matches that of different components of the substrate 200 or the carrier 200.

In each case, the tap bar 240 includes a guide or rail that protrudes and allows the vertical support bar 255 to slide along the tap bar 240 via a groove. In these or other cases, the tap bar 240 may include a channel in which a vertical support rod 255 is located and may move / slide in the channel without leaving the channel. It is worth noting that the tracks, grooves, and / or channels in the tap bar 240 allow the vertical support bar 155 to move freely to the left and right during processing to accommodate thermal expansion. In other words, a movable attachment is provided for movably engaging at least one of the vertical support bar 255 and the tap bar 240. There is no need to set a precise gap between the horizontally adjacent substrates 202, because the substrates 202 can float and move as they heat up and expand. Previously, in the case where the vertical support rod 255 was more firmly attached to the tap bar 240, it was necessary to provide an accurate gap between the horizontally adjacent substrates 202 to ensure that the adjacent substrates would not heat each other when heated and expanded in their fixed positions Apply excessive pressure. This procedure is error prone and can cause wear / crack on many valuable substrates. The configurations shown in FIGS. 2A to 2I are substantially more flexible and are less likely to cause substrate breakage.

The vertical support rod 255 is mounted on the tapping rod 240. Several substrates 202 are loaded onto the carrier 200 in a vertical orientation. Although not shown in FIG. 2A, a shield (such as similar to the shield 150 of FIG. 1B) may be provided to cover the top and bottom portions of the carrier 200. Figure 2A includes several circles labeled 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E. Each of these circles indicates which part of the device is being shown in FIGS. 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E, respectively.

The substrate 202 may be loaded onto the carrier 200 using the method 300 shown in FIG. 3, which is described in the context of the structure shown in FIGS. 2A to 2E. The method 300 begins at operation 301 where a set of substrates 202 are received for processing. During this operation, a desired substrate layout is determined (eg, where each substrate 202 will be positioned on the carrier 200). For example, width-matched substrates can be grouped together in rows. Next, the first vertical support bar 255 is mounted on the carrier 200 at operation 303. The vertical support bar 255 is designed to hold the substrate in place and connect the rest of the carrier 200 to the glass, such as via a tap bar 240. In some cases, the first vertical support bar 255 may remain mounted on the carrier 200, and this operation may be omitted. Generally, the first vertical support rod 255 is installed between the branch rods 240 attached to the horizontal frame member 205. In some cases, the first vertical support rod 255 (and the remaining vertical support rods 255) may be slidably fitted to the tap bar 240. For example, the vertical support rod 255 can be slid horizontally into position along the tapping rod 240 to a position effectively aligned with the vertical edge of one or more of the substrates 202 in the carrier 200.

FIG. 2C illustrates the first vertical support bar 255 mounted against the vertical frame member 210. It is worth noting that FIG. 2C (and FIGS. 2B and 2D to 2I) show these elements from a “rear side” perspective view. In other words, the front / side of the substrate faces the page, and the back of the substrate faces away from the page. In this example, the first vertical support bar 255 is installed flush against the vertical frame member 210, but in some cases, a spacer (not shown) may be provided between the first vertical support bar 255 and the vertical frame member 210. A bracket 270 or other connection structure may be provided to secure the first vertical support rod 255 to the tap bar 240, as shown in FIG. 2C. The bracket may surround a portion of the first vertical support rod 255 and may include one or more openings that allow the bracket to be connected to the tapping rod 240. The bracket 270 provides an example of fixing the first vertical support rod 255 to the tap bar 240. However, the fixing of the first vertical support rod 255 does not necessarily need to be provided by the bracket 270 fixed in place.

As shown in the front perspective view in FIG. 2Q and the top cross-sectional view in FIG. 2R, in another embodiment, the first vertical support bar 255 is fixed to the tap bar 240 by a spring clip 219. The spring clip 219 may be particularly suitable for ensuring that the edge of the substrate remains in contact with and is supported by the vertical support bar during processing. Each spring clip 219 includes an attachment portion 219a configured at a first end to be coupled to the tap by one or more fasteners (not shown) positioned within the aperture of the spring clip 219 Rod 240. Each spring clip 219 also includes a hollow shaft member 219c. The hollow shaft member 219c has a length and an outer surface, and the spring 219d is assembled above the outer surface. The spring 219d includes an unspring length (for example, a length when not under compression or extension) longer than the length of the shaft 219c. The hollow shaft 219c is configured to receive a rod 219e, one end of the rod 219e is assembled to a fastener 219b, and the fastener 219b is configured to be fixed to an end of the first vertical support rod 255.

The rod 219e is configured to be slidably inserted through the hollow shaft member 219c. A distance "D" is defined between the end of the hollow shaft member 219c and the second end of the rod 219e, as shown in Fig. 2Q. When the rod 219e is completely inserted through the hollow shaft member 219c so that the fastener 219b abuts the second end portion 219m of the spring clip, the distance D is the largest. This maximum distance can be referred to as D ₁ .

In one embodiment, the assembly and assembly of the carrier includes: initially positioning the vertical support rod 255 on the breakout rod 240; attaching the rod 219e to the fastener 219b; fully inserting the rod 219e through the hollow shaft member 219c so that the tight The fastener 219b abuts the second end 219m of the spring clip 219; the spring 219d is placed above the hollow shaft 219c; the holder 219f is fixed to the second end of the rod 219e; the fastener 219b is positioned on the vertical support rod 255 Above; and then attaching the attachment portion 219a to the tap bar 240. During the assembly of the attachment portion 219a, the attachment portion 219a may be pulled away from the fastener 219b to thereby compress / preload the spring 219d. In the example of FIGS. 2Q and 2R, the attachment portion 219a may be pulled to the left and attached at a position such that a gap exists between the fastener 219b and the second end portion 219m of the spring clip 219. In this way, the attachment portion 219a exerts a leftward force on the spring 219d, a leftward force on the spring 219d exerts a leftward force on the holder 219f, and a leftward force on the holder 219f A leftward force is applied to the rod 219e, a leftward force applied to the rod 219e is applied to the leftward force on the fastener 219b, and a leftward force applied to the fastener 219b is applied to the vertical support rod 255. Left force. This leftward force on the vertical support rod 255 ensures that the vertical support rod remains in contact with and supports the edge of the substrate 202. Of course, the spring clip 219 can be configured to provide a rightward force on these elements in some cases, such as by flipping and positioning the spring clip 219 to the right of the vertical support bar 255. In many cases, a spring clip fastener 219b and a gap width of between 219m 219 of the second end portion is smaller than the distance D _1. When the attachment portion 219a is pulled to the left during the installation, the distance D between the ends of the hollow shaft member 219c and 219e of the end portion of the rod is reduced to D <D _1. At this time, the distance D is reduced because the rod 219e is held in place based on the position of the vertical support rod 255 and the fastener 219b, and the end of the hollow shaft member 219c is pulled to the left, so as to be closer to the end of the rod 219e.

When assembled in this manner, the spring clip 219 and the distance D accommodate and allow a limited amount of movement of the vertical support rod 255, while ensuring that the vertical support rod 255 remains engaged with the edge of the substrate 202 and continues to support the edge of the substrate 202. In some cases, such movements are needed to consider and accommodate different tolerances and expansion of the substrate 202 that may be caused by thermal heterogeneity and thermal expansion, all of which can cause the substrate to crack and / or fall off during processing.

As shown in FIG. 2S, in some embodiments, to further minimize cracking of the substrate, it may be useful to compress / preload the spring 219d while positioning and fixing the attachment portion 219a to the tap bar 240 Volume / distance optimization. To achieve this, a witness clip 233 can be used. The indicator clip includes a portion 233a coupled against the surface of the fastener 219b, and a portion 233b coupled to the tap bar 240 by the fastener, the fastener being positioned in an elongated slot in the portion 233b. An embodiment of the use of the indicator clip 233 includes processing the substrate 202 so that the thermal expansion of the component will be at or near a maximum value. Shortly after such expansion is achieved, the portion 233a is positioned abuttingly against the surface of the fastener 219b, and the portion 233b is fastened to the tap bar 240. Subsequent cooling will cause the component to shrink thermally, which will cause a gap to be formed between the fastener 219b and the portion 233b of the clip. The width of this gap can be used to determine the amount / distance that the spring 219d should be compressed / preloaded to achieve the desired position of the attachment portion 219a. In this way, it can be ensured that the vertical support rod 255 continues to contact and support the edge of the substrate 202 even when various materials thermally expand and contract during processing.

Returning to FIG. 3, at operation 305, the first row of substrates 202 is loaded on the carrier 200 by placing the substrates 202 against the first vertical support bar 255. This situation is also shown in Figure 2C. The first vertical support bar 255 (and other vertical support bars 255) includes a main body area and a flange area. The flange area extends slightly horizontally outward from the front face of the vertical support rod 255 and contacts the front side of the base plate 202. The main body region of the vertical support bar 255 is positioned between the adjacent row substrates 202. In FIG. 2C, the flange area of the vertical support rod 255 is shown behind the base plate 202 and behind the main area of the vertical support rod 255 (however, it should be understood that FIG. 2C shows a "rear side" perspective view, and therefore, (Considering the "front side" perspective view commonly used in coating, the flange area is actually in front of the substrate 202 and shields the peripheral area of the substrate 202).

As shown in FIG. 2C, the first vertical support rod 255 (and other vertical support rods 255) includes a plurality of slots 271, each slot being configured to receive a pin 275, which is on the flange of the vertical support rod 255 Between the region and the pin 275, each substrate 202 is fixed against the main region of the vertical support rod 255. The pin 275 can be installed in the slot 271 along the height of the vertical support bar 255 all the time. In this example, the pin 275 has a shaft member extending in a direction parallel to the face of the substrate 202 and perpendicular to the height of the vertical support rod 255. The slot 271 provides one example of a fastener attachment location for an attachment pin 275 (or other fastener). However, the plurality of slots 271 shown in FIG. 2B are not limited to the shape spanning and passing through three faces of the support rod 255.

As shown in FIG. 2T, in another embodiment, the plurality of slots 273 include a shape surrounding one face of the support rod 255. In the embodiment of FIG. 2T, each slot 273 is configured to receive a respective pin 274 of the holder 275 in order to couple the holder to the vertical support bar 255. In the embodiment of FIG. 2T, the holder 275 includes two pins, however, in other embodiments, the holder may include fewer or more pins. The holder 275 includes two extended flanges 276 defining a flat surface configured to abut each substrate 202 between the flange 281 of the vertical support rod 255 and the extended flange 276 of the holder 275 The main body region 282 of the vertical support rod 255 is engaged and fixed. The pin 274 includes a shaft member extending in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the base plate 202 and perpendicular to the height of the vertical support rod 255. In some cases, the use of slots 273 has been found to provide increased structural strength to the support bar 255, while the use of retainers 275 has been found to reduce substrate cracking. In some cases, one or more clips (see element 290 of FIG. 2P) may be disposed between vertically adjacent substrates 202 in a particular row. In other cases, such clips may be omitted, and there may be no solid structure positioned between the vertically adjacent substrates 202. As shown in FIG. 2P, the clip 290 may have an “H” -shaped cross section with a front plate, a rear plate, and a shaft member connecting the front plate and the rear plate. When considering the perspective view used during processing, the front plate of the clip can be positioned on the front side of the substrate / front of the processing surface, the rear plate of the clip can be positioned on the rear side of the substrate, and the shaft of the clip can reside on the edge of the substrate. Separate vertically adjacent substrates.

Next, in operation 307, the second vertical support bar 255 is mounted on the carrier. The second vertical support rod 255 is shown in, for example, FIGS. 2D and 2E. The second vertical support bar 255 is slidably engaged with the tap bar 240 so that it can be positioned at any desired location. Generally, the second vertical support bar 255 will be mounted directly against the previously mounted substrate 202 in the first row. Then, in operation 309, the second row of substrates 202 is loaded onto the carrier 200. The second set of substrates 202 are loaded in the same manner as the first set of substrates 202, as shown in FIGS. 2D and 2E. The second set of substrates 202 are loaded on the carrier 200 such that they each come into contact with the second vertical support bar 255. After the second row of substrates 202 is loaded, it is determined whether the carrier 200 is completely loaded with the substrates in operation 311. If not, the method continues with operations 313 and 315, where additional vertical support rods 255 are installed and additional rows of substrates 202 are loaded, respectively, until the carrier 200 is full. Once the carrier 200 is fully loaded, the method proceeds to operation 317. Here, the final vertical support rod is mounted on the carrier, as shown in FIG. 2B. A movable spacer 265 may be temporarily disposed between the final vertical support bar 255 and the vertical frame member 210 to provide a precise gap to allow thermal expansion of the substrate 202. In some embodiments, this gap may be verified via automated visual processing.

As shown in FIG. 2U, in some embodiments, one or more second vertical support rods 255 may be provided with a safety clip 256. In one embodiment, the safety clip 256 is disposed at the bottom end and the top end of each second vertical support rod 255. Each safety clip 256 includes an attachment portion 256a configured to be coupled to the tap bar 240 by one or more fasteners. Each safety clip 256 also includes a holding portion 256b, wherein when attached to the tap bar 240, the holding portion defines an opening 256c, and an end portion of the second vertical support rod 255 can be inserted through the opening 256c or otherwise installed. The holding portion is configured to limit the distance that the second vertical support bar 255 can move or be displaced away from the tap bar 240, for example, a distance that may occur when the substrate 202 coupled to the support bar 255 is broken during substrate processing. After the second vertical support rod 255 is installed in the opening 256c, each safety clip 256 continues to allow each vertical support rod to slidably move along the tap bar 240 within the space 256d defined by the holding portion and the tap bar 240 .

FIG. 2F illustrates a top region of the carrier 200. A gap is provided between the tap bar 240 and the top edge of the base plate 202. This gap allows thermal expansion of the substrate. 2G to 2I illustrate a pivot pin 280 installed along a top edge of the base plate 202. FIG. 2G shows the pivot pin 280 in a lower position, which can be used when the substrate is cooled, such as when the substrate is loaded on the carrier 200. FIG. 2H shows the pivot pin 280 in an upper position, which can be used when the substrate is hot and thermally expanded, such as during sputtering. FIG. 2I provides a perspective view of the pivot pin 280 of the fixed substrate 202. In some cases, the pivot pin 280 may be spring loaded. In many cases, gravity is sufficient to ensure that the pivot pin is fully held in place during processing.

The pivot pin 280 includes a first end portion connected to the tap bar 240 and a second end portion of the top edge of the fixed base plate 202. As shown in FIGS. 2G to 2I, the second end portion of the pivot pin 280 may include a support structure fixed against the front side / process side of the substrate 202. In some cases, the second end of the pivot pin 208 may fix the top edge of the substrate 202 by contacting both the front side and the back side of the substrate 202. The first end of the pivot pin 280 is connected to the tap bar 240 in a manner that allows the pivot pin 280 to pivot about this connector. In this way, the pivot pin can be moved between the positions shown in FIGS. 2G and 2H to allow thermal expansion and contraction of the substrate and other materials.

2J-2O show close-up views of a vertical support rod 255 according to three different embodiments. In each embodiment, the vertical support rod 255 includes a flange region 281, a main body region 282, and a plurality of slots 271 in the main body region 282. 2J and 2K show alternative views of the vertical support bar 255 according to the first embodiment. In this case, the main body region 282 of the vertical support bar 255 is formed of a single sheet metal piece formed into a desired "U" shape. The flange region 281 is also made of a single sheet metal piece, but it is substantially flat. These two parts are joined together via any available component. 2L and 2M show alternative views of the vertical support bar 255 according to the second embodiment. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the second embodiment includes a cutout 283 in a sheet metal piece forming a flange region 281 of the vertical support rod 255 to reduce the mass of the vertical support rod 255. 2N and 2O show alternative views of the vertical support bar 255 according to the third embodiment. The third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the third embodiment includes additional cutouts 283 in the main body area 282 of the vertical support rod 255 to further reduce the mass of the vertical support rod 255. Further, in this embodiment, the vertical support bar is made of only flat sheet pieces (for example, the main body area is formed by three metal sheet pieces attached together instead of a single metal sheet piece bent into a "U" shape). By assembling the vertical support bar 255 using only flat pieces, the thickness of the metal that can be used to form the vertical support bar 255 is thinner, so the quality of the vertical support bar 255 is further reduced. It is advantageous to reduce the mass of the vertical support rods because this minimizes thermal non-uniformity during heating and cooling.

One advantage of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A to 2P is that the horizontal support bar 160 used in the carrier 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B is eliminated. These horizontal support rods cause considerable problems during processing and often cause cracking of the carrier, coater and / or substrate. Eliminating horizontal support rods significantly reduces the possibility of such breakage, thereby increasing production efficiency and reducing production costs. In addition, for the embodiment of FIGS. 2A to 2P, there is no need to store a large number of horizontal support rods, which are usually large and cumbersome and require considerable storage space. Reduces and simplifies the hardware required to load a substrate onto a carrier (eg, only a single type of pin is needed, only a single type of vertical support bar, etc.). Overall, there are fewer parts that could potentially crack, and maintenance costs are substantially reduced.

Another advantage of the embodiment of FIGS. 2A to 2P is that the possibility of substrate cracking during processing is reduced due to automated gap verification. This type of automated clearance verification is easier to implement because the flexible / slidable connection between the vertical support bar and the tap bar allows all substrates and vertical support bars to be loaded onto the carrier in physical contact with each other. It is only necessary to set a single gap along the horizontal width of the carrier, instead of setting a precise gap between each horizontally adjacent pair of substrates. Since only a single gap is required and the gap can be set at a uniform location (such as at the edge of the carrier), automated gap verification (such as using a visual processing method) is a more feasible possibility.

In addition, eliminating the horizontal support bar allows the carrier to be loaded faster because loading the substrate and verifying the clearance involves fewer and easier steps. In some embodiments, the carriers and methods described herein can be completed in an automated manner (eg, using a robotic arm), thereby further reducing the possibility of misplacing the substrate. Eliminating horizontal support rods will also eliminate potential sources of contamination of the substrate. As mentioned above, in some cases, the horizontal support bar is telescopic. When metal parts move to each other, tiny metal particles can be scraped off, which can then land on the substrate and contaminate the substrate.

Another advantage of the embodiment shown in Figs. 2A to 2P is that most of the vertical support rods are moved to the front / rear side of the substrate. Therefore, the peripheral area of the substrate (sometimes referred to as the "occlusion area") that is shielded by the vertical support bar can be smaller. The smaller occlusion area is beneficial for downstream laser processing.

4A to 4G present various views of alternative embodiments. In this case, the carrier 400 can more easily accommodate substrates 402 of different widths. Because the substrates are not oriented in rows, there is no need to ensure that the substrates in the same row all have the same width. One technique to achieve this flexibility is to move the vertical support bar 455 so that it is close to but not at the vertical edge of the substrate 402 (of course, additional vertical support bars can also be provided). For example, instead of providing a single vertical support rod 255 at a pair of substrates 202 horizontally adjacent, as shown in FIG. 2A, two vertical support rods 455 may be provided, each of which is slightly horizontally offset from the substrate. Its vertical edges. The two vertical support rods are offset in opposite directions, as shown in Figure 4A, so that each adjacent substrate is supported near each of its vertical edges. In the example of FIG. 4A, four substrates 402 are loaded onto the carrier 400, and six vertical support rods 455 are used to provide support near each vertical edge of the substrate 402.

In this example, the vertical support bar 455 is positioned completely behind the base plate 402. This may be advantageous in many embodiments because the shielding of the substrate 402 is substantially less, which means that a larger proportion of the processing surface of the substrate is available for processing. This may be beneficial for future laser processing, for example.

The embodiments in FIGS. 4A to 4G have many similarities to the embodiments described above. For example, the carrier 400 includes horizontal frame members 405 and 415 connected together by short struts 435. The vertical frame member 410 is connected to the horizontal frame members 405 and 415 to form a frame. The guide plate 420 and the guide rail 425 may be attached to the horizontal frame member 415 as shown. A shield (not shown) similar to the shield 150 of FIG. 1B may be provided.

FIG. 4B is shown from a “rear side” perspective view and provides a close-up view of a vertical support bar 455 mounted in a slot 469 of the breakout bar 440. The tap bar 440 is mounted on the horizontal frame member 405. The vertical support bar 455 includes a front face and two sides. A plurality of slots 472 are formed in the front face of the vertical support bar 455. The slot 472 provides one example of a fastener attachment location for an attachment pin 476 or other fastener. The slot 472 is oriented vertically (e.g., its longest dimension extends up and down) and is configured to receive the pin 476. Pin 476 is one example of a fastener that can be used to secure a substrate to a vertical support bar. In this example, the slot 472 includes an opening near the top of the slot 472, and the pin 476 can fit through the opening. The pin 476 may be located at any vertical location within the slot 472. In many cases, the pin 476 is located at the bottom of the slot 472, but this is not always the case. The pin 476 in FIG. 4B also maintains the base plate 402 in a coplanar position with the flange area before the tap-off bar 440, as seen more clearly in FIG. 4D.

FIG. 4C is shown from a “front side” perspective view and provides a close-up view of the pins 476 that secure the two base plates 402 to the vertical support bar 455. The pins 476 maintain the substrate 402 in place so that it is coplanar and spaced perpendicularly from each other.

FIG. 4D is also shown from a “front side” perspective view and shows pins 476 that secure two base plates 402 to two vertical support rods 455. The pin 476 also maintains a coplanar relationship between the base plate 402 and the flange area in front of the vertical support 440. The vertical support bar 455 is disposed near the vertical edge where the two substrates 402 meet but slightly away from it. The pin 476 is installed in the slot 472 of the vertical support rod.

Fig. 4E shows a cross-sectional view of the configuration shown in Fig. 4D. Specifically, FIG. 4E shows a pin 476 installed in the slot 472 to fix the base plate 402 to the vertical support bar 455 at the bottom of the vertical support bar 455 where the vertical support bar 455 is connected to the branch bar 440. As described above, the pin 476 secures the base plate 402 and maintains it in a coplanar relationship with the flange area before the tap-off 440. In FIG. 4E, the front side / processing surface of the substrate is on the left and the rear side of the substrate is on the right.

The pin 476 includes a front plate, a rear plate, and a middle plate, and a shaft member connecting the front plate, the middle plate, and the rear plate. The plate is relatively small, but large enough to hold the edge of the substrate 402. In FIG. 4E, the front plate is shown to the left of the pin 476 (on the front side of the base plate 402 / front of the processing surface), and the rear plate is shown to the right of the pin 476 (behind the surface of the vertical support rod 455) And the middle plate is positioned between the front plate and the rear plate (and between the rear side of the substrate and the surface of the vertical support rod 455). The shaft member of the pin 476 extends in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the base plate 402.

FIG. 4F shows a “front side” view of three substrates 402 loaded onto two vertical support rods 455. A pin 476 fits into the slot 472 to fix the base plate 402 to the vertical support bar 455. The pins 476 are positioned between adjacent edges of the vertically adjacent substrate 402. It is worth noting that the substrates 402 are not oriented in rows, and substrates of any width can be matched together as needed. Instead of rows, the substrates are oriented in columns, and the substrates in the same column have the same height. Although it may still involve a certain substrate geometry match, the carrier layout has substantially greater flexibility and eliminates the problems associated with horizontal support rods.

FIG. 4G depicts a cross-sectional view of the configuration shown in FIG. 4F. Specifically, FIG. 4G shows a pin 476 that holds and separates two vertically adjacent substrates 402. The pins 476 maintain the two substrates 402 in a coplanar relationship. The clip 476 shown in FIG. 4G is similar or identical to the pin 476 shown in FIG. 4E. One difference is that the clip 476 of FIG. 4E is positioned between a single substrate and the flange area before the tap-off 440, while the clip 476 of FIG. 4G is positioned between two vertically adjacent substrates.

Pins 476 of Figures 4B to 4G are similar to clip 290 of Figure 2P. When the clip 290 separates the vertically adjacent substrate, the pin 476 performs the same operation while fixing the substrate to the vertical support bar 455. The clip 290 contains only two plates (such as a front plate and a rear plate), while the pin 476 contains an additional intermediate plate. These two elements function in a similar manner to fix adjacent substrates in a coplanar relationship. In some embodiments, both can be used.

Although not shown in FIGS. 4A to 4G, the pivot pin may be disposed along the top edge of the base plate 402, similar to the pivot pin 280 shown in FIGS. 2G to 2I. Various other details described with respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 2A to 2P may also be applied to the embodiments of FIGS. 4A to 4G. Various hardware components can be combined according to the needs of a particular application.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A to 4G provide many of the same benefits described above with respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 2A to 2P. One notable benefit is the elimination of horizontal struts that previously introduced many processing challenges. Another important advantage is that the substrate can thermally expand (both horizontally and vertically) during processing, and substantially reduces the possibility of cracking. In the embodiment of FIGS. 2A to 2P, the substrate can be expanded horizontally and vertically without breaking, so there is no need to set an accurate gap between each pair of horizontally adjacent substrates. The post slides horizontally or otherwise moves to accommodate this fact of expansion and contraction. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4A to 4G, the substrate can be expanded and contracted horizontally without breaking, so there is no need to set an accurate gap between each pair of adjacent substrates, because the substrate can be fixed by the pins 476 The fact that it moves horizontally. Thus, the procedure of loading the substrate on the carrier is substantially simplified. Instead of providing a precise gap between each pair of horizontal and / or vertical adjacent substrates, the substrates can be loaded relatively closely against each other and / or against a vertical support rod. Only two gaps need to be provided, one gap allows for vertical expansion (for example, the gap between the top edge of the substrate and the upper post), and one gap allows for horizontal expansion (for example, usually but not necessarily close to vertical frame components). As the substrate expands, it can gently push each other in the plane of the substrate, causing one or more substrates to expand into each gap. For the designs described herein, the risk of substrate and coater cracking is significantly reduced.

It should be understood that the configurations and / or methods described herein are exemplary in nature, and such specific embodiments or examples should not be considered limiting, as many variations are possible. The specific routines or methods described herein may represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. Thus, the various actions shown may be performed in the order shown, performed in other orders, performed in parallel, or omitted in some cases. Similarly, the order of the procedures described above may be changed. Certain references have been incorporated herein by reference. It should be understood that any disclaimer or negation made in such references may not necessarily apply to the embodiments described herein. Similarly, any features described as necessary in such references may be omitted from the embodiments herein.

The subject matter of this disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various programs, systems, and configurations, and other features, functions, actions, and / or properties disclosed herein, and any and all equivalents thereof.

Claims (48)

    A carrier for holding at least one substrate in a substantially vertical orientation as it passes through a coating machine, the coating machine providing a coating on at least one front surface of the at least one substrate Layer, the carrier includes: a bottom part post; a top part post; a plurality of vertical support rods, each of which has a permission to engage with both the top part post and the bottom part post A length, wherein the plurality of vertical support rods includes at least one leftmost and rightmost vertical support rods, and wherein the combination of the plurality of vertical support rods and the bottom and top portion posts define one or more Apertures; and a plurality of attachments for engaging the bottom portion post and the top portion post to permit at least one of the plurality of vertical support posts to extend along the bottom and top portion posts Move horizontally.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, further comprising a plurality of fasteners for fastening an end portion of the base plate to the vertical support rod, wherein each vertical support rod has a plurality of fasteners. A joint position for attachment to the plurality of fasteners at a plurality of vertical positions.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein each vertical support rod is engaged with the substrate along a flat surface of the vertical support rod.         The carrier according to item 3 of the scope of patent application, wherein each fastener includes at least one pin or nail.         The carrier according to item 4 of the scope of patent application, wherein each fastener includes at least two pins or nails.         The carrier according to item 2 of the patent application scope, wherein the plurality of fastener attachment positions include a plurality of slots, holes, grooves or other openings in the vertical support rod.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein one of the at least one pore has a horizontal dimension between about 50 inches and 200 inches.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application range, wherein one of the pores has a vertical dimension between about 50 inches and 150 inches.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the substrate comprises glass or plastic.         The carrier according to item 1 of the application, wherein the substrate is a window to be coated by an electrochromic device.         The carrier as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of accessories are configured to move to accommodate thermal expansion of the substrate.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein at least one of the plurality of accessories includes a spring adapted to the thermal expansion of the substrate.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the bottom part post and / or the top part post comprises metal.         The carrier as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertical support rods include metal.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, further comprising a transfer mechanism for moving the carrier through one of the applicators.         The carrier as described in claim 1 of claim 1, further comprising a shield configured to protect at least a portion of the carrier during coating.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the carrier is configured to allow the substrates to be stacked in the carrier, and one of the stacking methods allows substrates of different widths to be stacked vertically on top of each other.         The carrier according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the plurality of attachments are configured to limit the plurality of vertical support rods in a direction orthogonal to a plane defined by one of the carriers and one horizontally Move in one direction.         A carrier for holding a plurality of substrates in a substantially vertical orientation as the substrates pass through a coating machine, the coating machine providing a coating on at least one front surface of the plurality of substrates Layer, the carrier includes: a frame having a void, the void having a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension; a bottom portion post, which is attached to the frame and along a bottom portion of the aperture Horizontally extending; a top part post attached to the frame and extending horizontally along a top part of one of the apertures; a plurality of vertical support posts each having (i) permission to engage the top part Both the post and the bottom post are engaged while extending a length vertically across the aperture, and (ii) is movable with at least one of the bottom post and the top post A movable attachment that allows the vertical support rod to move horizontally within the aperture; and a plurality of fasteners for securing an edge of the substrate to the vertical support rod, each of which Vertical support bar with multiple fastener attachment locations For attachment to the fastener at a plurality of vertical positions.         The carrier as described in claim 19, wherein the fastener is a pin or a nail.         The carrier according to item 19 of the scope of patent application, wherein the plurality of fastener attachment positions include a plurality of slots, channels, grooves or other openings in the vertical support rod.         The carrier according to item 19 of the patent application range, wherein said horizontal size of said pores is between about 50 inches and 200 inches.         The carrier according to item 19 of the application, wherein the vertical dimension of the pores is between about 50 inches and 150 inches.         The carrier as described in claim 19, wherein said movable attachment includes a track, channel or groove.         The carrier according to item 19 of the application, wherein the substrate is glass or plastic.         The carrier according to item 19 of the application, wherein the substrate is a window for coating by an electrochromic device.         The carrier as described in claim 19, wherein the frame includes a metal.         The carrier according to item 19 of the application, wherein the bottom post and / or the top post includes a material adapted to a thermal expansion property of the substrate.         The carrier according to item 19 of the application, wherein the bottom part post and / or the top part post comprises metal.         The carrier as described in claim 19, wherein the vertical support rod comprises metal.         The carrier according to item 19 of the scope of patent application, further comprising a pivot pin attached to the top post.         The carrier according to item 19 of the scope of patent application, further comprising a transfer mechanism for moving the carrier through one of the applicators.         The carrier of claim 19, further comprising a shield configured to protect at least a portion of said frame during coating.         A carrier for holding a plurality of substrates in a substantially vertical orientation as the substrates pass through a coating machine, the coating machine providing a coating on at least one front surface of the plurality of substrates Layer, the carrier includes: a frame having a void, the void having a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension; a bottom part post attached to the frame and along a bottom part of the aperture Extend horizontally; a top part post attached to the frame and extending horizontally along a top part of one of the apertures; a plurality of vertical support bars, each (i) having permission to engage the top part Both the rod and the bottom post are joined while extending one length vertically across the aperture, and (ii) is positioned behind the substrate during coating so that the rear surface of the substrate is positioned on the substrate. Between the front surface and the vertical support bar; and a plurality of fasteners for fastening an edge of the substrate to the vertical support bar, wherein each vertical support bar has a plurality of fasteners attached Position for use in multiple vertical positions At attached to the fastener, wherein the substrate and the carrier may be stacked, one embodiment permits the stack of substrates having different widths in the pores are vertically stacked on each other.         The carrier as described in claim 34, wherein the fastener is a pin or a nail.         The carrier according to item 34 of the patent application, wherein the plurality of fastener attachment positions include a plurality of slots, channels, grooves or other openings in the vertical support rod.         The carrier as described in claim 34, wherein said horizontal dimension of said pores is between about 50 inches and 200 inches.         The carrier according to item 34 of the application, wherein the vertical dimension of the pores is between about 50 inches and 150 inches.         The carrier as described in claim 34, wherein said movable attachment includes a track, channel or groove.         The carrier according to item 34 of the application, wherein the substrate is glass or plastic.         The carrier according to item 34 of the application, wherein the substrate is a window for coating with an electrochromic device.         The carrier as described in claim 34, wherein said frame includes a metal.         The carrier according to item 34 of the application, wherein the bottom part post and / or the top part post comprises a material adapted to a thermal expansion property of the substrate.         The carrier according to item 34 of the application, wherein the bottom part post and / or the top part post comprises metal.         The carrier as described in claim 34, wherein the vertical support rod comprises metal.         The carrier as recited in claim 34, further comprising a pivot pin attached to the top post.         The carrier as described in claim 34, further comprising a transfer mechanism for moving the carrier through one of the applicators.         The carrier of claim 34, further comprising a shroud configured to protect at least a portion of said frame during coating.