Abstract: Method for operating a block storage arrangement and a block storage arrangement that has multiple container stacking chambers, a loading chamber arranged below the container stacking chambers, and at least one loading vehicle, which includes a travel drive and a lifting drive, that is movable in the loading chamber. The method includes positioning, via the travel drive, the at least one loading vehicle below a preselected container stacking chamber; via the lifting drive, one of storing a container in the container stacking chamber from below or removing a container downwardly from the container stacking chamber; and prior to a person gaining access to at least the loading chamber, placing the block storage arrangement into a secure state by inactivating at least the lifting drive of the loading vehicle.

Abstract: A block storage arrangement and method of operating same. The block storage arrangement includes multiple container stacking compartments; a loading compartment arranged below the container stacking compartments; at least one loading vehicle, which is movable in the loading compartment and with which containers are storable from below into a container stacking compartment and/or removable from below from the container stacking compartment, has an electric drive assembly and an electrically rechargeable battery; and at least one transfer station. An electrical charging device for the battery is arranged in the transfer station.

Abstract: A vacuum lock for a vacuum coating plant comprises a chamber for receiving a substrate carrier, wherein the chamber comprises a first and a second inner surface. A conveyor is configured for conveying the substrate carrier. The vacuum lock comprises a flow channel assembly for evacuating and venting the chamber, the flow channel assembly being configured to cause a gas flow between both the first inner surface and a first substrate carrier surface facing the first inner surface and between the second inner surface and a second substrate carrier surface facing the second inner surface. The substrate carrier can be positioned between the first and the second inner surfaces such that a ratio of a first distance between the first inner surface and the first substrate carrier surface to a length (L) of the substrate carrier is smaller than 0.1, and a ratio of a second distance between the second inner surface and the second substrate carrier surface to a length (L) of the substrate carrier is smaller than 0.1.

Abstract: A continuous machine (100) for coating substrates (103) comprises a process module (130) and a vacuum lock (110, 150) for introducing the substrates (103) or removing the substrates (103). The vacuum lock (110, 150) comprises a chamber for receiving a substrate carrier (102) with a plurality of substrates (103) and a flow channel arrangement for evacuating and venting the chamber. The flow channel arrangement comprises a first channel for evacuating and venting the chamber and a second channel for evacuating and venting the chamber, wherein the first channel and the second channel are arranged at opposing sides of the chamber.

Abstract: A device for treating substrates by a treating liquid has at least one rotatably supported support roller which a substrate to be treated rests on during operation. The support roller has a hollow cylinder having a porous rigid material which the substrate to be treated rests on during operation. The device is configured to deliver, during operation, treating liquid via the interior of the hollow cylinder of the at least one support roller through the porous rigid material to the external surface of the hollow cylinder in order to treat at least one surface of the substrate by the treating liquid. The device is configured to treat several substrates in the form of plate-shaped separate wafers arranged one behind the other and/or next to one another in the device, by the treating liquid and to transport the substrates in a transport plane during the treatment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and an apparatus for providing vapor for a discontinuous process.

Abstract: A vacuum lock for a vacuum coating plant comprises a chamber for receiving a substrate carrier, wherein the chamber comprises a first and a second inner surface. A conveyor is configured for conveying the substrate carrier. The vacuum lock comprises a flow channel assembly for evacuating and venting the chamber, the flow channel assembly being configured to cause a gas flow between both the first inner surface and a first substrate carrier surface facing the first inner surface and between the second inner surface and a second substrate carrier surface facing the second inner surface. The substrate carrier can be positioned between the first and the second inner surfaces such that a ratio of a first distance between the first inner surface and the first substrate carrier surface to a length (L) of the substrate carrier is smaller than 0.1, and a ratio of a second distance between the second inner surface and the second substrate carrier surface to a length (L) of the substrate carrier is smaller than 0.1.

Abstract: A device for treating substrates by a treating liquid has at least one rotatably supported support roller which a substrate to be treated rests on during operation. The support roller has a hollow cylinder having a porous rigid material which the substrate to be treated rests on during operation. The device is configured to deliver, during operation, treating liquid via the interior of the hollow cylinder of the at least one support roller through the porous rigid material to the external surface of the hollow cylinder in order to treat at least one surface of the substrate by the treating liquid. The device is configured to treat several substrates in the form of plate-shaped separate wafers arranged one behind the other and/or next to one another in the device, by the treating liquid and to transport the substrates in a transport plane during the treatment.

Abstract: A device for transporting a substrate (5) into a working area (2, 3, 22) which can be temporarily separated in a vacuum-tight manner, and a corresponding method. A transport element (4) transports a substrate (5) in the plane (XY) to a defined working area (2, 3, 22) of a chamber (1). The transport element (4) has a deflectable sealing frame (6) which can be moved in a Z-direction perpendicular with respect to the XY-plane. The sealing frame (6) has two opposing sealing surfaces (10, 11) in the Z-direction. By pressing a closure element (16, 21, 24) against a first sealing surface (10, 11) and thus pressing the second sealing surface (11, 10) against a chamber wall (32, 31), the space of the working area (2, 3, 22) of the chamber (1) can be sealed.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and a device for introducing and removing substrates. Substrates (5) are transported into a lock (2) by a transport element (4). A collection container (3) is located in the lock below the substrates (5) for collecting possible substrate fragments (19). The substrates (5) are removed together with the collection container (3) and the lock cover (18) once the lock (2) has been flooded. The lock cover (18) and the collection container (3) form an almost closed box around the substrates (5). After the substrates (5) have been replaced and the collection container (3) has been emptied, the new substrates (5) are introduced together with the collection container. All the steps are carried out in the machine cycle to ensure an effective production process.

Abstract: The invention describes a device for transporting a substrate (5) into a working area (2, 3, 22) which can be temporarily separated in a vacuum-tight manner, and a corresponding method. A transport means (4) transports a substrate (5) in the plane (XY) to a defined working area (2, 3, 22) of a chamber (1). The transport means (4) has a deflectable sealing frame (6) which can be moved in a Z-direction perpendicular with respect to the XY-plane. The sealing frame (6) has two opposing sealing surfaces (10, 11) in the Z-direction. By pressing a closure means (16, 21, 24) against a first sealing surface (10, 11) and thus pressing the second sealing surface (11, 10) against a chamber wall (32, 31), the space of the working area (2, 3, 22) of the chamber (1) can be sealed.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and a device for introducing and removing substrates. Substrates (5) are transported into a lock (2) by a transport means (4). A collection container (3) is located in said lock below the substrates (5) for collecting possible substrate fragments (19). The substrates (5) are removed together with the collection container (3) and the lock cover (18) once the lock (2) has been flooded. The lock cover (18) and the collection container (3) form an almost closed box around the substrates (5). After the substrates (5) have been replaced and the collection container (3) has been emptied, the new substrates (5) are introduced together with the collection container. All the steps are carried out in the machine cycle to ensure an effective production process.

Abstract: For transferring an image-forming layer from a transfer foil a printing sheet, an adhesive layer is first applied to the sheet to be printed. The transfer foil provided with the image-forming layer is guided past the printing sheet under pressure, in a coating module (2), such that the image-forming layer adheres to the adhesive and an image is created. The present invention provides a foil transfer device that includes a substrate on the press cylinder that has a reduced adhesiveness relative to the transfer foil.

Abstract: The invention provides a coating system for coating substrates in a cyclic mode. The process stations of the coating system are disposed in a circular fashion. A handling mechanism is provided for transferring the substrates between the process stations. The process stations comprise a lock for loading and unloading the substrates, at least two coating chambers, each of which comprises a plasma source for stationary coating of the substrate, and preferably a heating station.

Abstract: For transferring an image-forming layer from a transfer foil a printing sheet, an adhesive layer is first applied to the sheet to be printed. The transfer foil provided with the image-forming layer is guided past the printing sheet under pressure, in a coating module (2), such that the image-forming layer adheres to the adhesive and an image is created. The present invention provides a foil transfer device that includes a substrate on the press cylinder that has a reduced adhesiveness relative to the transfer foil.

Abstract: A control for an excimer emitter, particularly for the dryer in a printing press, comprises an HF generator that is connected on the output side to an excimer emitter. To enable a higher UV intensity of radiation, the HF generator (1) is provided in the form of a tube-type generator with a feedback: the output of this HF generator (1) is connected to the input of a working circuit (3) comprising a capacitor (C) and an inductive resistor (L), and; the excimer emitter (5) is connected to the output of the working circuit (3).

Abstract: A device 1 for gripping and holding substrates 2 with one or several substrate holders 5 arranged in a vacuum chamber 4, 4', 4" and one or several displaceably arranged grippers 3, which can be displaced into a first position through the action of an operating pressure or against the action of a spring 6, and into a second position through the action of a diaphragm 7, which can be exposed to a pneumatic pressure P.sub.a and/or to an operating element 8 cooperating with it, wherein the substrate 2 is held when the diaphragm is in a first position and the substrate 2 is released for being further transported when the diaphragm is in a second position. The diaphragm 7 is integrated into the vacuum chamber in such a way that in an operating position it is exposed to atmospheric pressure P.sub.a on the one side 9 and on the other side 10 to vacuum pressure P.sub.v, and in a second position is exposed to vacuum pressure P.sub.v on both sides.

Abstract: A printing machine, particularly a sheet-fed offset printing machine, which has removable components, such as, in particular, inking-unit, dampening-unit or varnishing-unit rollers, is described. The printing machine includes an arrangement wherein it can be established, particularly via a control station of the printing machine, whether a component and which component is not properly installed. This measure is intended primarily to avoid malfunctions or even machine damage. This is achieved, according to the invention, in that the removable component has a permanent magnet which can be sensed by a sensor mounted fixedly relative to the frame of the printing machine at a point corresponding to the magnetic field produced by the permanent magnet. The signal or signals from one or more sensors are fed to an evaluation unit which determines the proper installation state from these signals.

Abstract: Several finger-like grippers (4) are held and guided in openings or holes (21) in the head part (6) of a housing (20) so they can pivot about axes which are in a common plane transverse to the longitudinal axis (L) of the housing (20). Permanent magnets (11, 12) fixed to the inner ends of the grippers (4) cooperate with an electromagnet (13) provided in the housing (20) above the magnets (11, 12), the magnetic field axis of the electromagnet coinciding with the longitudinal axis (L) of the housing (20). The electromagnet moves the inner ends of the grippers (11, 12) back and forth between two stops (16, 17) depending on the polarity of the electromagnet (13).