Abstract: A sluice system for a vacuum coating facility for coating substrates that can be moved through the vacuum coating in a direction of conveyance comprises a prevacuum slice chamber and a transfer chamber adjoining a coating chamber, wherein a fine vacuum can be regulated before the transfer chamber on the input side in the direction of conveyance and after the transfer device on the output side in the direction of conveyance. The prevacuum sluice chamber is directly adjacent to the transfer chamber and the fine vacuum can be regulated in the prevacuum sluice chamber. A high-vacuum pump system can also alternatively and selectively be connected to the prevacuum sluice chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydraulic valve for oscillating-motor camshaft adjuster The valve has a bush and a hollow piston with a piston bottom. The piston is axially movable within the bush by means of an actuator against the force of a screw-type pressure spring. The actuator is applied to the piston bottom. A sleeve secured in the bush is disposed inside the hollow piston and can be displaced relative to the piston. The wall of this sleeve has at least one through-opening, which leads to at least one opening of the hollow piston, which opening can guide a supply pressure (P) applied inside the sleeve alternatively to two sets of pressure chambers of the oscillating-motor camshaft adjuster. The sleeve has a sleeve bottom that seals off the inside space of hollow piston.

Abstract: The invention relates to a camshaft insert for a camshaft, which can be, in particular, a composite camshaft. In this case, the camshaft insert bears an oscillating motor adjuster. An accumulator that can be loaded by means of a spring force is disposed inside camshaft insert. Alternatively, the accumulator can also be disposed in the camshaft.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for introduction and/or removal of a substrate into and/or from a process chamber of a vacuum coating unit that includes a process region adjoined by a lock chamber separable from surrounding atmosphere and from the process region by vacuum-tight lock gates. The process region encompasses a process chamber and a transfer chamber for altering transport speed. A vacuum-tight gate on the inlet side of a lock system is opened, the substrate is transported into the lock system and the gate is closed. Pressure in the lock system is subsequently matched to pressure in a subsequent space. An outlet-side gate of the lock system is opened and the substrate is transported from the lock system. The lock system includes a lock chamber and the adjoining transfer chamber. A passage between the transfer chamber and lock chamber remains open during introduction or removal of the substrate.

Abstract: A sluice system for a vacuum coating facility for coating substrates that can be moved through the vacuum coating in a direction of conveyance comprises a prevacuum slice chamber and a transfer chamber adjoining a coating chamber, wherein a fine vacuum can be regulated before the transfer chamber on the input side in the direction of conveyance and after the transfer device on the output side in the direction of conveyance. The prevacuum sluice chamber is directly adjacent to the transfer chamber and the fine vacuum can be regulated in the prevacuum sluice chamber. A high-vacuum pump system can also alternatively and selectively be connected to the prevacuum sluice chamber.

Abstract: An elongate vacuum system for coating one or both sides of a flat substrate which can be displaced by the system, comprises at least one magnetron provided with a magnetron surrounding area and is subdivided into successive compartments in the direction of transportation of the substrate by separating walls having closeable suction openings. The compartments can be evacuated either directly by a vacuum connection provided on the compartment or indirectly via a suction opening in the separating wall. At least one compartment comprises an upper partial compartment which is arranged above the substrate. The partial compartment comprises a closeable upper opening in at least one of the outer walls thereof. The aim is to produce an elongate coating system which is flexible to use according to the requirements of various one and two-sided coating processes and ensures a stable, differential and process-optimized sputter atmosphere.

Abstract: An elongate vacuum system for coating one or both sides of a flat substrate which can be displaced by the system, comprises at least one magnetron provided with a magnetron surrounding area and is subdivided into successive compartments in the direction of transportation of the substrate by separating walls having closeable suction openings. The compartments can be evacuated either directly by a vacuum connection provided on the compartment or indirectly via a suction opening in the separating wall. At least one compartment comprises an upper partial compartment which is arranged above the substrate. The partial compartment comprises a closeable upper opening in at least one of the outer walls thereof. The aim is to produce an elongate coating system which is flexible to use according to the requirements of various one and two-sided coating processes and ensures a stable, differential and process-optimized sputter atmosphere.

Abstract: A high power supply device for a vacuum coating system with at least one magnetron disposed in a coating chamber comprises a line adapter for a DC power supply for converting a line voltage into a DC voltage, a line connection for supplying the line voltage, and a medium-frequency generator supplied by the DC power supply for providing a medium-frequency voltage with at least one load connection for supplying the magnetron with the medium-frequency voltage. The line adapter for the DC power supply in the medium-frequency generator are disposed in a common housing. Dimensions in the housing are adapted to dimensions of the coating chamber and the high frequency supply device is adapted to be mechanically and electrically connected to a magnetron by a connection which is direct and can be undone.

Abstract: A sluice system for a vacuum coating facility for coating substrates that can be moved through the vacuum coating in a direction of conveyance comprises a prevacuum slice chamber and a transfer chamber adjoining a coating chamber, wherein a fine vacuum can be regulated before the transfer chamber on the input side in the direction of conveyance and after the transfer device on the output side in the direction of conveyance. The prevacuum sluice chamber is directly adjacent to the transfer chamber and the fine vacuum can be regulated in the prevacuum sluice chamber. A high-vacuum pump system can also alternatively and selectively be connected to the prevacuum sluice chamber.

Abstract: A coating installation is provided with diaphragms that are convenient to mechanically install and remove. A coating installation, which has a coating chamber delimited by chamber walls, has at least one cooling device arranged on a chamber wall. A bracket in thermal contact with the cooling device, is configured with a bearing surface to receive the diaphragm. The bearing surface may be a horizontal or an inclined surface on which the diagram can be lowered or pressure fitted so that it is in thermal contact with the bracket. In coating installation operation, heat is conducted from the diagram to the cooling device through the bracket.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for vacuum coating of substrates of various sizes that consists of lock chambers at the entrance and at the exit and several processing chambers arranged one behind the other as well as of a conveying system for the sequential transport of substrates with a certain substrate width through the lock chambers and for their continuous transport through the coating chambers. The lock and processing chambers each have a chamber width that corresponds to the substrate width, and the lock chamber is characterized by a loading area AL having a width b and a length l that indicates the size of substrate that can be accommodated. The object of the apparatus according to the invention is to better utilize the coatable area of each processing chamber so that less coating material is wasted. The object is solved by making the ratio R of width to length R=w/l greater than a minimum ratio Rmin where Rmin =0.95?0.019 AL.

Abstract: An arc magnetron is described in which an edge magnet arrangement is displaceable in the axial direction relative to a preferably fixedly mounted center pole permanent magnet so that a cathode sputtering process and/or an arc discharge process can be realized in dependence on the relative position of the edge magnet arrangement and the center pole magnet.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to coating low-conductive or non-conductive materials in a vacuum, such as coating electrically-insulating substrates, by operating a plasma source comprising a thermionic cathode and anode with the anode-voltage continuously alternating between an ignition voltage U.sub.Z and an extinction voltage U.sub.L at a frequency of between several kHz and several hundred kHz, the thermionic cathode continuously emitting electrons.