Patents by Inventor Stefan Esser

Stefan Esser 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: 10811239
    Abstract: Cylindrical evaporation source which includes, at an outer cylinder wall, target material to be evaporated as well as a first magnetic field source and a second magnetic field source which form at least a part of a magnet system and are arranged in an interior of the cylindrical evaporation source for generating a magnetic field. In this respect, first magnetic field source and second magnetic field source are provided at a carrier system such that a shape and/or a strength of the magnetic field can be set in a predefinable spatial region in accordance with a predefinable scheme. In embodiments, the carrier system is configured for setting the shape and/or strength of the magnetic field of the carrier system such that the first magnetic field source is arranged at a first carrier arm and is pivotable by a predefinable pivot angle (?1) with respect to a first pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFÄFFIKON
    Inventors: Joerg Vetter, Stefan Esser, Jurgen Mueller, Georg Erkens
  • Patent number: 9728382
    Abstract: Evaporation source, in particular for use in a sputtering process or in a vacuum arc evaporation process, preferably a cathode vacuum arc evaporation process. The evaporation source includes an inner base body which is arranged in an outer carrier body and which is arranged with respect to the outer carrier body such that a cooling space in flow communication with an inlet and an outlet is formed between the base body and the carrier body. In accordance with the invention, the cooling space includes an inflow space and an outflow space, and the inflow space is in flow communication with the outflow space via an overflow connection for the cooling of the evaporation source such that a cooling fluid can be conveyed from the inlet via the inflow space the overflow connection and the outflow space to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFAEFFIKON
    Inventors: Joerg Vetter, Stefan Esser, Juergen Mueller, Georg Erkens
  • Publication number: 20140238852
    Abstract: Cylindrical evaporation source which includes, at an outer cylinder wall, target material to be evaporated as well as a first magnetic field source and a second magnetic field source which form at least a part of a magnet system and are arranged in an interior of the cylindrical evaporation source for generating a magnetic field. In this respect, first magnetic field source and second magnetic field source are provided at a carrier system such that a shape and/or a strength of the magnetic field can be set in a predefinable spatial region in accordance with a predefinable scheme. In embodiments, the carrier system is configured for setting the shape and/or strength of the magnetic field of the carrier system such that the first magnetic field source is arranged at a first carrier arm and is pivotable by a predefinable pivot angle (?1) with respect to a first pivot axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SULZER METAPLAS GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg VETTER, Stefan ESSER, Jurgen MUELLER, Georg ERKENS
  • Patent number: 8783673
    Abstract: A workpiece carrier has a base frame, a shaft surrounding a drive axis and a workpiece carrier and includes a rotary frame mounted on the base frame so as to be rotatable about the drive axis, workpiece holders mounted on the rotary frame so as to be rotatable about holding axes, a driving part with a holder mounted so as to be rotatable about the drive axis, a transmission part operationally connected to the rotatably mounted workpiece holders, and an intermediate gear attached to the rotatably mounted holder. The intermediate gear is connected to the shaft and to the transmission part in such a way that the transmission part engages with the driving part so as to be rotatable about an output point that is spaced apart from the drive axis by an eccentricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Oerlikon Trading AG, Trubbach
    Inventors: Stefan Esser, Martin Zaech
  • Publication number: 20140174920
    Abstract: Evaporation source, in particular for use in a sputtering process or in a vacuum arc evaporation process, preferably a cathode vacuum arc evaporation process. The evaporation source includes an inner base body which is arranged in an outer carrier body and which is arranged with respect to the outer carrier body such that a cooling space in flow communication with an inlet and an outlet is formed between the base body and the carrier body. In accordance with the invention, the cooling space includes an inflow space and an outflow space, and the inflow space is in flow communication with the outflow space via an overflow connection for the cooling of the evaporation source such that a cooling fluid can be conveyed from the inlet via the inflow space the overflow connection and the outflow space to the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SULZER METAPLAS GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg VETTER, Stefan ESSER, Juergen MUELLER, Georg ERKENS
  • Publication number: 20140109827
    Abstract: Discs (7) arranged along a shaft and having holders (8) distributed over the circumference, inclined outwards and intended for workpieces are supported on a ring (5) surrounding the discs (7). Successive rings (5) form an approximately cylindrical cladding which prevents undesired coating of the discs (7). Cladding has openings for the holders (8) of a disc (7) which are uniformly distributed over the circumference at the same height, each formed by an upper recess (14) in the ring (5) carrying the disc (7) and an adjacent lower recess (15) of the following ring. Boundary lines (17) between successive rings (5) start somewhat below the narrowest points of the webs separating adjacent openings, so that the lower recesses (15) do not narrow towards the edge of the ring (5) and the upper recesses (14) narrow at most slightly so that the workpiece carrier can be assembled from bottom to top.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: OERLIKON TRADING AG, TRUEBBACH
    Inventor: Stefan ESSER
  • Publication number: 20140008857
    Abstract: A workpiece carrier has a base frame, a shaft surrounding a drive axis and a workpiece carrier and includes a rotary frame mounted on the base frame so as to be rotatable about the drive axis, workpiece holders mounted on the rotary frame so as to be rotatable about holding axes, a driving part with a holder mounted so as to be rotatable about the drive axis, a transmission part operationally connected to the rotatably mounted workpiece holders, and an intermediate gear attached to the rotatably mounted holder. The intermediate gear is connected to the shaft and to the transmission part in such a way that the transmission part engages with the driving part so as to be rotatable about an output point that is spaced apart from the drive axis by an eccentricity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Oerlikon Trading AG, Trubbach
    Inventors: Stefan ESSER, Martin ZACH
  • Patent number: 8596626
    Abstract: A workpiece carrier (2) comprises a rotary frame (3) and a driving part (22), both of which are rotatable about a driving axle (4). The rotary frame (3) can be driven by a motor (6), and carries a plurality of workpiece holders (13) which are distributed around the driving axle (4) so as to be rotatable about holder axes. Mounted in the driving part (22) on a mount is a pinion (25) which engages with a stationary central wheel (21) and a ring gear (27) of a transmission part (26), at the centre of which lies an output point (29) which is at a distance of an eccentricity from the driving axle (4). Driving apertures (28) on the transmission part (26), through which driving pins (19) of the workpiece holders (13) project, are also at the distance of the eccentricity from the holder axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Oerlikon Trading AG, Trubbach
    Inventors: Stefan Esser, Martin Zäch
  • Publication number: 20110083604
    Abstract: A plurality of discs arranged along a central shaft and having holders uniformly distributed over the circumference, inclined obliquely outwards and intended for workpieces are supported in each case on a ring surrounding the discs. The successive rings form an approximately cylindrical cladding which prevents undesired coating of the discs. The cladding has groups of openings for the holders of a disc which are uniformly distributed over the circumference at the same height and each of which is formed by an upper recess in the ring carrying the disc and an adjacent lower recess of the following ring. Boundary lines between successive rings start in each case somewhat below the narrowest points of the webs separating adjacent openings, so that the lower recesses in each case do not narrow towards the edge of the ring and the upper recesses narrow at most slightly in such a way that the workpiece carrier can be assembled from bottom to top without difficulties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventor: Stefan Esser
  • Publication number: 20100270722
    Abstract: A workpiece carrier (2) comprises a rotary frame (3) and a driving part (22), both of which are rotatable about a driving axle (4). The rotary frame (3) can be driven by a motor (6), and carries a plurality of workpiece holders (13) which are distributed around the driving axle (4) so as to be rotatable about holder axes. Mounted in the driving part (22) on a mount is a pinion (25) which engages with a stationary central wheel (21) and a ring gear (27) of a transmission part (26), at the centre of which lies an output point (29) which is at a distance of an eccentricity from the driving axle (4). Driving apertures (28) on the transmission part (26), through which driving pins (19) of the workpiece holders (13) project, are also at the distance of the eccentricity from the holder axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Stefan Esser, Martin Zäch
  • Patent number: 7588640
    Abstract: A workpiece carrier (2) comprises a rotary frame (3) and a driving part (20), both of which are rotatable about a driving axle (4). The rotary frame (3) can be driven by a motor (6), and carries a plurality of workpiece holders (13) which are distributed around the driving axle (4) so as to be rotatable about holder axes. A driving disc (22) of the driving part (21) is in each case rotatable about an anchorage point (23) from which its center point is at a distance of an eccentricity (E). A transmission part (25) having a coupling cutout which closely receives the driving disc (22) has driving apertures (26) through which there project driving pins (19) of the workpiece holders (13), which said driving pins (19) are likewise at a distance of the eccentricity (E) from the holder axes. The driving part (20) can be driven at a greater angular velocity by the rotation of the rotary frame (3), via an auxiliary gear set (31) attached to the base frame (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Oerlikon Trading AG, Trubbach
    Inventor: Stefan Esser
  • Publication number: 20070057138
    Abstract: A workpiece carrier (2) comprises a rotary frame (3) and a driving part (20), both of which are rotatable about a driving axle (4). The rotary frame (3) can be driven by a motor (6), and carries a plurality of workpiece holders (13) which are distributed around the driving axle (4) so as to be rotatable about holder axes. A driving disc (22) of the driving part (21) is in each case rotatable about an anchorage point (23) from which its centre point is at a distance of an eccentricity (E). A transmission part (25) having a coupling cutout which closely receives the driving disc (22) has driving apertures (26) through which there project driving pins (19) of the workpiece holders (13), which said driving pins (19) are likewise at a distance of the eccentricity (E) from the holder axes. The driving part (20) can be driven at a greater angular velocity by the rotation of the rotary frame (3), via an auxiliary gear set (31) attached to the base frame (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventor: Stefan Esser
  • Patent number: 6869334
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a hard-material-coated component, comprising the following steps: application of a layer of hard material to the component in a PVD coating unit; and structural further processing of the outer surface of the layer of hard material, and to a component produced using the process. Particularly in the case of thick coatings or coatings with a columnar structure, such processes have a problem producing a sufficiently smooth surface on the coating. The problem is solved by the fact that for the structural further processing, the surface of the layer is blasted in a blasting device in order to improve this surface, an inorganic blasting agent with a grain size in the range from 1 ?m to 100 ?m and a sharp-edged grain shape being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Cemecon-Ceramic Metal Coatings-Dr. Ing. Antonius Leyendecker GmbH
    Inventors: Antonius Leyendecker, Hans-Gerd Fuss, Rainer Wenke, Georg Erkens, Stefan Esser, Ingo Künzel
  • Patent number: 6352627
    Abstract: The invention relates to a PVD coating method and to a PVD coating device with a chamber in which at least one target cathode, at least one anode and at least one substrate holder which is intended to hold at least one substrate are arranged, and with a control device which delivers a first voltage in order to supply the target cathode with a negative electrical potential relative to the anode in order to form a plasma in which the substrate is arranged, and which delivers a second voltage in order to supply the anode with a positive electrical potential relative to the chamber wall. In this sputter-coating device, the ion fraction of the target material which can be achieved is too low for qualitatively satisfactory coating properties. It is increased according to the invention in that the control device delivers a third voltage which supplies the substrate with an electrical potential that is more negative than the potential of the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Cemecon-Ceramic Metal Coatings
    Inventors: Antonius Leyendecker, Georg Erkens, Stefan Esser, Hans-Gerd Fuss, Bernd Hermeler, Rainer Wenke
  • Publication number: 20010009225
    Abstract: The invention relates to a PVD coating method and to a PVD coating device with a chamber (1) in which at least one target cathode (3), at least one anode (2) and at least one substrate holder (9) which is intended to hold at least one substrate (10) are arranged, and with a control device (4, 6, 7) which delivers a first voltage in order to supply the target cathode (3) with a negative electrical potential relative to the anode (2) in order to form a plasma (P) in which the substrate (10) is arranged, and which delivers a second voltage in order to supply the anode (2) with a positive electrical potential relative to the chamber wall (8). In this sputter-coating device, the ion fraction of the target material which can be achieved is too low for qualitatively satisfactory coating properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Publication date: July 26, 2001
    Inventors: ANTONIUS LEYENDECKER, GEORG ERKENS, STEFAN ESSER, HANS-GERD FUSS, BERND HERMELER, RAINER WENKE
  • Patent number: 5272014
    Abstract: A multi-component, metal-containing, wear-resistant coating which is not homogeneous. The coating has a difference of a metallic element concentration of at least about 2 atom percent between the edges of the coating surface and the coating surface remote from the edge. Non-homogeneous coatings of the invention are surprisingly wear-resistant compared to homogeneous coatings.The invention also relates to a method of applying the coatings of the invention by a PVC-process or a plasma-CVD-process wherein the electrical potential difference between the substrate and the ionized coating material is selected to enhance the inhomogeneity of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: Dr.-Ing. Toni Leyendecker
    Inventors: Toni Leyendecker, Stefan Esser, Oliver Lemmer