Patent EP-2060659-A2 (EP)
Inventor: HUEBEL EGON
IPC: H01L31/18
Filed: 2008-11-11
Abstract: The device for conveying flat product (1) such as wafer, silicon solar cell or printed circuit board in horizontal alignment in continuous system for one-sided wet chemical and/or electrolytic treatment by rotating shaft (11) or rollers, comprises conveyors (6) formed as transport units and/or contact units. The treatment fluid (4) present within a processing container (2) reaches only up to the under side of the product to be treated. A means is intended for periodic spacing of the conveyor unrolling on the upper side of the product from the upper side. The device for conveying flat product (1) such as wafer, silicon solar cell or printed circuit board in horizontal alignment in continuous system for one-sided wet chemical and/or electrolytic treatment by rotating shaft (11) or rollers, comprises conveyors (6) formed as transport units and/or contact units. The treatment fluid (4) present within a processing container (2) reaches only up to the under side of the product to be treated. A means is intended for periodic spacing of the conveyor unrolling on the upper side of the product from the upper side. The period (T) is equally large like the charging time (tB) or like the root fraction of the charging time (tB) of the product. The external circumference (u) of the upper rotating conveyor unit corresponds to the sum of the length (L g) of the product plus the transverse gap length of the product to the product in conveying direction or is a whole-number multiple or a root fraction of the sum. A positive-locking and/or non-positive means is intended for controlling the periodic spacing of the conveyor from the surface (n) of the product. The control is synchronized among one another with the drive of the continuous system and the conveyor arranged in the continuous system. The conveyor on the circumference that unrolls on the product has a recess with arc length (b) as spacer arc, whose radius is smaller than the radius of the remaining rotating conveyor outside of the arc length, where the spacer arc does not contact during the rotation of the conveying means of the surface of the product in the area of the arc. The conveyor has a form of a segment as recess at the circumference. The recess does not touch the surface of the product during the rotation of the conveyor. A level of the bearing of the shaft and/or spacing wheel of the shaft are dimensioned so that the surface of the product does not touch and contact by the conveyor, when the spacer arc exists with the arc length (b) in the vicinity of the level of the treatment fluid. A sequential charging of the continuous system with product is carried out by coordinating the starting point in each conveying track and the phase length (psi =0[deg] ) of the conveyors in such a way that the upper conveyor in the area of a transverse gap and the lower conveyor do not touch the product. An equally directed phase length of the conveying means is provided on a surface line of each shaft for simultaneous charging of the continuous system with parallel products diagonally to the conveying direction. The means for spacing of the product and conveyor as two cam wheels with respective cam are provided on the upper or lower shaft and appropriate static cam paths or rotating spacing wheels. An independent claim is included for a method for conveying flat product in horizontal alignment in continuous system for one-sided wet chemical and/or electrolytic treatment by rotating shaft or rollers.