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Vacuum processing apparatusVacuum processing apparatus description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060191118, Vacuum processing apparatus. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0010481 filed on Feb. 4, 2005, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0097664 filed on Oct. 17, 2005, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0097621 filed on Oct. 17, 2005, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0097652 filed on Oct. 17, 2005, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0097625 filed on Oct. 17, 2005, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0097642 filed on Oct. 17, 2005, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0097646 filed on Oct. 17, 2005, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0097667 filed on Oct. 17, 2005, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus which can perform a desired process for a substrate after establishing a vacuum atmosphere therein. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus in which a vacuum chamber is divided into a chamber body and an upper cover, whereby the upper cover can be easily opened away from and closed to the chamber body. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Vacuum processing apparatuses are mainly used in semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses and flat-panel display (FPD) manufacturing apparatuses. The semiconductor or FPD manufacturing apparatuses are designed to feed a substrate thereinto and to perform a desired process, such as an etching process, for the substrate by use of plasma, etc. Here, examples of FPDs include LCDs, PDPs, OLEDs, etc. Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art vacuum processing apparatus generally comprises three kinds of vacuum chambers including a load-lock chamber R, a feeding chamber T, and a process chamber P. [0006] The load-lock chamber R is used to receive a substrate, which will be processed in the apparatus, from an external station for loading the substrate or to discharge a substrate completely processed in the apparatus for unloading the substrate. The feeding chamber T is provided with a robot for feeding a substrate between respective chambers, so that it conveys the substrate, which will be processed, from the load-lock chamber to the process chamber or conveys the substrate, which was completely processed, from the process chamber to the load-lock chamber. The process chamber P is used to perform a desired process, such as a film deposition process or etching process, for a substrate by use of plasma or thermal energy under a vacuum atmosphere. For this, the process chamber P contains: a supporting member to support a substrate in the chamber; a process gas supply system to supply a process gas thereinto; and an exhaust system to empty the chamber and create a vacuum in the chamber. [0007] The process chamber is used to repeatedly perform a great number of processes by use of a variety of process gases or plasma, and therefore, equipment inside the process chamber tends to be easily damaged or polluted, requiring periodical exchange or repair. Referring to FIG. 2, a prior art process chamber, designated by reference numeral 1, is divided into a chamber body 10 and an upper cover 20, so that the upper cover 20 can be opened away from the chamber body 10 for the maintenance and repair of the interior of the process chamber 1. In a conventional solution to open and close the upper cover 20, a crane has been mounted to the top of a clean room in which the process chamber 1 is provided, so that the upper cover 20 is lifted and opened away from the chamber body 10 by use of the crane. In another conventional opening/closing solution, the process chamber may be separately equipped with an opening/closing device to open and close the upper cover. [0008] Referring to FIG. 3 illustrating an example of the conventional opening/closing device for the upper cover 20, the upper cover opening/closing device, designated by reference numeral 50, is provided at an outer surface of the process chamber 1 to open and close the upper cover 20. The opening/closing device 50 includes: a vertical drive unit to vertically lift the upper cover 20; a horizontal drive unit to horizontally move the upper cover 20; and a rotating unit to rotate the upper cover 20. Additionally, the opening/closing device 50 is provided with a horizontal movement guide 60 to provide a movement path of the horizontal drive unit. [0009] Hereinafter, the opening/closing procedure of the upper cover 20 carried out by the opening/closing device 50 having the above configuration will be explained. First, the upper cover 20 is lifted vertically by a predetermined height by use of the vertical drive unit included in the opening/closing device 50. In succession, the lifted upper cover 20 is horizontally moved along the horizontal movement guide 60. After completing such a horizontal movement, the upper cover 20 is rotated by 180.degree. by use of the rotating unit. As a result, both the chamber body 10 and the upper cover 20 of the process chamber 1 are opened, whereby exchange and repair of respective equipment provided in the process chamber 1 can be performed. [0010] Recently, a substrate, which will be processed by the FPD manufacturing apparatus, has been increased in size. More particularly, the size of a vacuum chamber included in the FPD manufacturing apparatus is rapidly increasing. For example, considering a current available vacuum chamber, an upper cover of the chamber has a large size of 3 by 4 meters and a heavy weight of more than 3 to 4 tons. Therefore, in order to vertically lift the large-size heavy upper cover of the vacuum chamber, it is necessary to provide the vertical drive unit with an air cylinder having an extremely high capacity. Due to this, the upper cover of the bulky chamber exhibits an increased lack of stability when it is vertically lifted, and therefore, has an adverse effect on the maintenance and repair of the interior of the vacuum chamber. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a large-scale vacuum processing apparatus capable of ensuring easy opening and closing operations of an upper cover. [0012] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a vacuum processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body to have a predetermined gap therebetween, the vacuum processing apparatus further comprising: a horizontal drive device to horizontally move the upper cover in a direction facing the arrangement direction of the gate valve; an inner wall structure inserted into side walls of the upper cover and adapted to vertically move for closing and opening the gap between the chamber body and the upper cover; and an inner wall structure lifting device provided above the upper cover and adapted to vertically move the inner wall structure. [0013] In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a vacuum processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body to have a predetermined gap therebetween, the vacuum processing apparatus further comprising: a horizontal drive device coupled to an outer surface of the upper cover and adapted to horizontally move the upper cover in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the gate valve; an inner wall structure inserted into side walls of the upper cover and adapted to vertically move for closing the gap between the chamber body and the upper cover; and an inner wall structure lifting device provided above the upper cover and coupled to the inner wall structure to vertically move the inner wall structure. [0014] In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a vacuum processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body to have a predetermined gap therebetween, the vacuum processing apparatus further comprising: a horizontal drive device coupled to an outer surface of the upper cover and adapted to horizontally move the upper cover in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the gate valve; and a sealing device to selectively seal rim regions of both the chamber body and the upper cover, the sealing device being separable from both the chamber body and the upper cover. [0015] In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: a chamber body lifting device mounted at a lower surface of the chamber body and adapted to vertically move the chamber body; and a horizontal drive device mounted at an outer surface of the upper cover to horizontally move the upper cover in a direction facing the arrangement direction of the gate valve. [0016] In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: a chamber body lifting device mounted at a lower surface of the chamber body and adapted to vertically move the chamber body; and a horizontal drive device mounted at an outer surface of the upper cover to horizontally move the upper cover in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the gate valve. [0017] In accordance with a sixth aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: one or more horizontal drive units to support the upper cover so as to horizontally move the upper cover in a direction facing the arrangement direction of the gate valve; a pair of upper cover movement frames located at opposite sides of the upper cover in a vertically movable manner and adapted to provide a horizontal movement path of the horizontal drive units; and a plurality of vertical drive units coupled to a lower surface of each of the upper cover movement frames while being spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance, the vertical drive units serving to vertically move the upper cover movement frames and the upper cover. [0018] In accordance with a seventh aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: an upper cover lifting device separably disposed on the upper cover to vertically move the upper cover; and a horizontal drive device disposed at opposite sides of the upper cover and adapted to horizontally move the upper cover after the upper cover is lifted by the upper cover lifting device. [0019] In accordance with an eighth aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: a transportation hoist jig system, and the transportation hoist jig system includes: a body having a polygonal column shape having an appropriate thickness, the body being centrally provided with a connecting loop; and a plurality of connecting loops provided at respective corners of a lower surface of the body to move toward a center of the body in a diagonal direction, the connecting loops being simultaneously moved inward or outward to be changed in position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0020] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Continue reading about Vacuum processing apparatus... Full patent description for Vacuum processing apparatus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Vacuum processing apparatus patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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