Patents by Inventor Franz Thimm

Franz Thimm has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6010569
    Abstract: In a device for handling heavy components of a crystal puller according to the Czochralski method, a supporting beam that can be pivoted about one vertical leg of a supporting frame and vertically adjusted includes holding claws for accommodating components or auxiliary devices. Profile rails, on which a carriage can be laterally displaced, are arranged perpendicular to the supporting beam. The carriage can be connected to a receptacle for gripping and holding the crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignees: Balzers and Leybold Deutschland Holding AG, Leybold Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Schulmann, Udo Wenske, Helmut Kaiser, Franz Thimm
  • Patent number: 5902397
    Abstract: In an apparatus for the production of single crystals (103) by the Czochralski melt drawing method, a gripping device (125a, 125b) is provided, by means of which the crystal (103) is held during the growing process by a pressure which is exerted radially on its lateral surface and which exceeds the frictional resistance, as a result of which the weight of the growing crystal is completely supported. The gripping device (125a, 125b) has at least two holding devices (128a, 128b) arranged opposite each other, which, during the crystal growth phase, initially move parallel to the crystal and then, after a certain desired crystal diameter has been reached, are laid against the crystal by means of the holding devices (128a, 128b) in such a way that the growth the crystal in the area of the melting zone is not disturbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Leybold Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Schulman, Helmut Kaiser, Franz Thimm
  • Patent number: 5846322
    Abstract: A crucible is mounted on a crucible support bolt (11, 34) in a vacuum chamber (33) resting on a base stand (32) and can be heated by the thermal radiation of a heating element. A drawing element (35) is provided above the melt, by means of which the crystal can be drawn up from the surface of the melt into a transfer lock chamber (36), which can be pivoted laterally with respect to the base stand (32). A separating device is provided between the crystal and the drawing element (35) to separate the crystal from the drawing element (35). The base stand (32) is formed by a platform (38) supported by four posts (37) three additional legs (39) of equal length extend upward from three of the four corners of the rectangular platform (38) holding the vacuum chamber (33), these (39) being held together at their top ends by a horizontal frame (40), which forms a right triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Balzers UND Leybold Deutschland Holding AG
    Inventors: Winfried Schulmann, Helmut Kaiser, Franz Thimm
  • Patent number: 5766348
    Abstract: A rotating head (11) for crystal pulling systems (1) according to Czochralski has a reference platform (16) which is able to rotate around a vertical rotation axis (A--A) with a vertical feed-through opening (25) for a pulling cable (13) that can be wound up and a drive assembly (23) for driving a shaft (22). A winding drum (15) with a helical winding groove (29) for the pulling cable is located on this shaft in a fixed manner so it cannot rotate, but can be moved axially. In order to avoid abrasion and contamination and to accurately guide the cable (13), a helical guiding element (30) with the same pitch as the winding groove is located on the shaft (22) at a location remote from the vertical rotation axis (A--A). This guiding element is able to rotate with the shaft. The guiding element works together with a guiding nut (31) in such a way that the part of the cable (13) which faces tangentially away from the winding drum (15) is directly guided in the vertical rotation axis (A--A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Winfried Schulmann, Franz Thimm, Helmut Kaiser
  • Patent number: 5762703
    Abstract: A puller (22) above the melt extracts a crystal (8) upwardly out of the melt surface into a laterally turnable airlock chamber (5) An uncoupling device (7) provided between the crystal (8) and the puller permits the severance of the crystal (8) from the puller. The device (7) is formed by a coupling ring (10) connected to the pull shaft (22) and having a longitudinal slot (9) which cooperates with a crystal holder which is provided with a mushroom-shaped head part (11), and by an airlock ring (14) held by the cover plate (15) of the airlock chamber (5). Airlock gates (13, 13') journaled on the airlock ring (14) pivot about horizontal axes (35, 35') from a horizontal locking position to a vertical open position and vice versa, their end faces (16, 16') forming an opening (17) in the locking position, thereby encompassing the shaft (19) of the seed holder (12) to lock it in the plane of the airlock ring (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Balzers UND Leybold Deutschland holding AG
    Inventors: Winfried Schulmann, Franz Thimm, Helmut Kaiser
  • Patent number: 5702523
    Abstract: A rotating head (11) for crystal pulling systems (1) according to Czochralski has a reference platform (16) which is able to rotate around a vertical rotation axis (A--A) with a vertical feed-through opening (25) for a pulling cable (13) that can be wound up and a drive assembly (23) for driving a horizontal shaft (22). A winding drum (15) with a helical winding groove (29) for the pulling cable is located on this shaft in a fixed manner so it cannot rotate, but can be moved axially. In order to avoid abrasion and contamination and to accurately guide the cable (13), a helical guiding element (30) with the same pitch as the winding groove is located on the horizontal shaft (22) at a location remote from the vertical rotation axis (A--A). This guiding element is able to rotate with the horizontal shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Winfried Schulmann, Franz Thimm, Helmut Kaiser
  • Patent number: 5631511
    Abstract: A gear motor (1), with an electric motor (4) whose rotor (7) has a hollow shaft (8), drives, through at least one gear box (26) with at least one drive step, at least one load. For the purpose of compact configuration combined with low vibration, there is coaxially disposed in the hollow shaft (8) an output shaft (19) which can be shifted selectively by means of a first clutch (24) to the hollow shaft (8), and by means of a second clutch (16) via the gear box (26) to the hollow shaft (8). Preferably the clutches are configured as magnetic clutches, and again preferably the first clutch (24) is disposed for the direct shifting of the hollow shaft (8) to the output shaft (19) at the one end of the hollow shaft (8), and the second clutch (16) at the other end of the hollow shaft (8). The gear motor (1) is used preferentially for driving rotary parts in crystal pulling apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Winfried Schulmann, Franz Thimm, Helmut Kaiser