Patents Examined by Slyva R. MacArthur
  • Patent number: 6364955
    Abstract: At least one chamber is provided for transport of workpieces such as storage disks, at least at times, into the vacuum atmosphere, during their manufacturing and comprises at least two exterior openings for the guiding-through of a workpiece. A majority of workpiece-receiving devices can be rotated jointly about an axis. At least one transport element is provided and is aligned with an opening. The transport element is disposed in the chamber independently of the rotatable workpiece-receiving devices and can be moved out and back in a radially controlled manner in at least one component, and engages on a workpiece in the opening area. A transport method for workpieces in an evacuatable chamber provides that at least two workpieces are rotated about a center in a plane of rotation and are displaced individually in a radial manner with respect to the center of rotation at least in one movement component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Roman Schertler