Expandable vacuum chamber and method for producing an expandable vacuum chamber

Abstract

The invention relates to an expandable vacuum chamber (10) having flat frame elements (14) and end plates (12) and to a method for producing such a vacuum chamber (10). The end plates (12) are lined up in front of and behind the frame elements (14) in the axial direction (R.sub.a) and, together with the frame elements (14), delimit a chamber volume of the vacuum chamber (10).

Claims

1. A vacuum chamber (10) having two end plates (12) and at least two flat, effectively two-dimensional, plate-like, plate-shaped frame elements (14), wherein the frame elements (14) are predominantly circumferentially closed; and form a frame interior region (R.sub.i) having a circumferential wall (32); whereby a partial volume (V.sub.T) of the vacuum chamber (10) is delimited in the circumferential direction; and comprise a circumferential front frame contact surface (38) for the arrangement of a further frame element (14) or an end plate (12); and comprise a circumferential rear frame contact surface (48) for the arrangement of a further frame element (14) or an end plate (12); and wherein the at least two plate-shaped frame elements (14) are arranged between the end plates (12); and wherein the two end plates (12) comprise a front and/or rear contact surface (42; 22) for arrangement on a frame element (14); and delimit the chamber volume in the predominantly axial direction (R.sub.a).

2. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein at least one front frame contact surface (38) comprises a circumferential frame recess (40), in particular in the form of a groove having a trapezoidal cross section, for the arrangement of a sealing means (46).

3. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein a sealing means (46), in particular an O-ring, of the vacuum chamber (10) is arranged on the at least one front frame contact surface (38).

4. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein at least one rear frame contact surface (48) comprises a circumferential recess (40), in particular in the form of a groove having a semicircular cross section, for the arrangement of a sealing means (46).

5. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein the frame elements (14) each comprise at least two, in particular at least three, particularly preferably at least four, frame through-recesses (50) for receiving a fastening means (54).

6. The vacuum chamber according to claim 5, wherein at least two frame through-recesses (50) are aligned with frame through-recesses (50) of at least one adjoining frame element (14).

7. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein at least one end plate (12) comprises at least two, in particular at least three, particularly preferably at least four, end plate recesses (52), in particular end plate through-recesses, for receiving a fastening means (54).

8. The vacuum chamber according to claim 7, wherein at least two end plate recesses (52), in particular end plate through-recesses, are aligned with frame through-recesses (50) of an adjoining frame element (14), in particular with frame through-recesses (50) of all frame elements (14).

9. The vacuum chamber according to claim 7, wherein at least one end plate recess (52), in particular an end plate through-recess, comprises a thread.

10. The vacuum chamber according to claim 8, wherein the at least two frame elements (14) and the two end plates (12) are pressed together by at least two fastening means (54), in particular by a screw connection.

11. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein at least one end plate (12) comprises an openable portion, in particular a door flange (16) having a door (18) arranged thereon.

12. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein the at least two frame elements (14), in particular the predominant number of frame elements (14), preferably all frame elements (14), are designed to be the same, in particular to be identical.

13. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein the frame width (D) of the at least two frame elements (14) varies in the circumferential direction.

14. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein an end plate (12) having at least one external dimension projects beyond the at least two frame elements (14) and the other end plate (12) in order to form an axial stop surface (24).

15. A method for producing a vacuum chamber (10) according to claim 1, having two end plates (12) and at least two plate-shaped frame elements (14), comprising the following method steps: A) Creating a frame element (14) from a plate blank (56) by removing a frame interior region (R.sub.i) with a tool (58); G) Creating at least one further frame element (14) from a further plate blank (56) by removing a further frame interior region (R.sub.i) with the tool (58); M) Connecting the end plates (12) and the frame elements (14) to form a vacuum chamber (10).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION AND DRAWINGS

[0100] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vacuum chamber according to the invention;

[0101] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the vacuum chamber from FIG. 1;

[0102] FIG. 3 is a front view of the vacuum chamber from FIG. 1;

[0103] FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the vacuum chamber along the line A-A from FIG. 3;

[0104] FIG. 5 shows a section X of the vacuum chamber from FIG. 4;

[0105] FIG. 6 shows a frame element of the vacuum chamber from FIGS. 1 to 5;

[0106] FIG. 7 shows a method step according to the invention for producing an end plate and/or a frame element.

[0107] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vacuum chamber 10 according to the invention having two angular end plates 12 and ten angular, plate-shaped frame elements 14. The plate-shaped frame elements 14 are arranged between the end plates 12 in the axial direction R.sub.a—in other words, in a direction transverse to the plate-shaped extension of the frame elements 14 and end plates 12. An end plate 12 comprises a door flange 16 having a door 18 arranged thereon. The door 18 comprises a viewing window 20.

[0108] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the vacuum chamber 10 from FIG. 1. The front end plate 12 designed as a door flange 16 in the axial direction R.sub.a (cf. FIG. 1) projects beyond the rear end plate 12 and the frame elements 14 lying between them (cf. FIG. 1) in terms of their external dimensions. As a result, a rear end plate contact surface 22 forms a stop surface 24 in the axial direction R.sub.a (cf. FIG. 1), with which the vacuum chamber 10 can be positioned in a receptacle as intended in a particularly simple manner. The rear end plate 12 in the axial direction R.sub.a (cf. FIG. 1) comprises a plurality of, in particular eight, through-recesses 26 which connect the interior of the vacuum chamber 10 to the exterior. The equipment required for operating the vacuum chamber 10 or for carrying out certain processes can be connected via these through-recesses 26. For the sake of clarity, only one through-recess 26 has been provided with a reference sign.

[0109] FIG. 3 is a front view of the vacuum chamber 10. The viewing window 20 is arranged centrally in the door 18. The door 18 is fastened to the door flange 16 via two hinges 28 and comprises a handle 30. The arrangement of the door flange 16 and door 18, as well as the door 18 and viewing window 20, is sealed off from one another (not shown).

[0110] FIG. 4 is a side view of the vacuum chamber 10 cut along the section mark A-A from FIG. 3. The frame elements 14, of which only one is provided with a reference sign for the sake of clarity, form a circumferentially predominantly closed and circumferential wall 32 which frames the frame interior region R.sub.i(cf. FIG. 6). In combination with the frame thickness S, the circumferential wall 32 delimits a partial volume V.sub.T of the vacuum chamber 10 in the circumferential direction. The axial arrangement of the frame elements 14 thus creates a total volume of the vacuum chamber 10, which is delimited predominantly in the axial direction R.sub.a by the end plates 12.

[0111] The vacuum chamber 10 comprises an end plate 12 which forms an axial projection 34 having a predominantly circumferential wall. In addition to the axial wall, the interior region of an end plate 12 designed in this way is delimited by the wall of the projection 34 running around in the circumferential direction. The end plate 12 also comprises through-recesses 26 and line connections 36. These allow the leak-free connection of equipment required to operate the vacuum chamber or to carry out special processes.

[0112] The frame elements 14 comprise a circumferential frame recess 40 on the circumferential front frame contact surfaces 38 and an end plate 12 comprises a circumferential end-plate recess 44 on the front end plate contact surface 42. A sealing means 46 is arranged between the frame elements 14 or between the frame element 14 and the end plate 12, both on the circumferential frame recesses 40 and preferably on the circumferential end plate recess 44. The end plates 12 and frame elements 14 are arranged against one another in the axial direction R.sub.a via the front and rear contact surfaces 38, 48, 42 and 22.

[0113] The frame elements 14 comprise preferably four frame through-recesses 50; the end plate 12 and the door flange 16 each comprise preferably four end plate recesses 52 which are aligned with the other recesses. Furthermore, preferably four fastening means 54 are arranged on the frame elements 14 and the end plates 12 in order to press them together. The assembly of the vacuum chamber 10 is particularly inexpensive and simple to carry out in this way, since the frame elements 14 and the end plates 12 can be arranged one above the other and then the fastening means 54 can be arranged on the overall assembly. It would also be conceivable, however, for various assembly parts to be prefabricated by fastening means 54 and then for the assembly parts to be connected to form a vacuum chamber 10 as a whole.

[0114] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged section X from FIG. 4. An O-ring 46 is arranged between two frame elements 14. On their front contact surface 38, the frame elements 14 comprise the circumferential frame recess 40, in particular designed as a groove, for receiving the O-ring 46. The circumferential frame recess 40 is preferably trapezoidal in its cross section in order to ensure an optimal fit of the O-ring 46.

[0115] FIG. 6 shows a single frame element 14 of the vacuum chamber 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 having four frame through-recesses 50. The circumferential wall 32 frames the frame interior region R.sub.i. A frame width D determines the wall thickness of the vacuum chamber 10. The frame element 14 has a frame width D that varies in the circumferential direction. While the frame element 14 has a constant frame width D in the installed position on the lateral parts and the upper part of the frame element 14, the frame width D on the lower part of the frame element 14 is reinforced to form a solid base plate.

[0116] FIG. 7 shows a method step for producing a frame element 14 according to the invention or an end plate 12 according to the invention. The frame interior region R.sub.i of a plate blank 56 is removed by means of a tool 58, in particular a milling cutter. The resulting frame interior region R.sub.i is used in the further process as a plate blank 56 for a next smaller frame element 14 or a next smaller end plate 12.

[0117] Taking all the figures of the drawings together, the invention relates to an expandable vacuum chamber 10 having flat frame elements 14 and end plates 12, as well as to a method for producing such a vacuum chamber 10. The end plates 12 are lined up in front of and behind the frame elements 14 in the axial direction R.sub.a and, together with the frame elements 14, delimit a chamber volume of the vacuum chamber 10.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0118] 10 Vacuum chamber

[0119] 12 End plate

[0120] 14 Plate-shaped frame element

[0121] 16 Door flange

[0122] 18 Door

[0123] 20 Viewing window

[0124] 22 Rear end plate contact surface

[0125] 24 Stop surface

[0126] 26 Through-recess

[0127] 28 Hinge

[0128] 30 Handle

[0129] 32 Circumferential wall

[0130] 34 Projection

[0131] 36 Line connection

[0132] 38 Front frame contact surface

[0133] 40 Circumferential frame recess

[0134] 42 Front end plate contact surface

[0135] 44 Circumferential end plate recess

[0136] 46 Sealing means

[0137] 48 Rear frame contact surface

[0138] 50 Frame through-recess

[0139] 52 End plate recess

[0140] 54 Fastening means

[0141] 56 Plate blank

[0142] 58 Tool

[0143] R.sub.a Axial direction

[0144] R.sub.i Frame interior region

[0145] A-A Section mark

[0146] X Section

[0147] D Frame width

[0148] S Frame thickness

[0149] V.sub.T Partial volume