US 11,814,722 B2
Vacuum-coating system, and method for coating a strip-type material
Lutz Kümmel, Jüchen (DE); and Thomas Daube, Duisburg (DE)
Assigned to SMS group GmbH, Düsseldorf (DE)
Appl. No. 17/059,227
Filed by SMS group GmbH, Düsseldorf (DE)
PCT Filed May 28, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/063720
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 26, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/229017, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 5, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2018 208 337.1 (DE), filed on May 28, 2018; and application No. 10 2018 215 101.6 (DE), filed on Sep. 5, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0207262 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. C23C 14/56 (2006.01); C23C 14/02 (2006.01); B65H 35/02 (2006.01); C23C 14/06 (2006.01); C23C 16/54 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 14/562 (2013.01) [B65H 35/02 (2013.01); C23C 14/028 (2013.01); C23C 14/06 (2013.01); C23C 16/545 (2013.01); B65H 2301/5114 (2013.01); B65H 2301/5155 (2013.01); B65H 2511/12 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vacuum-coating system for coating a strip-shaped metal material, comprising:
a conveying section with transport rollers, on which the strip-shaped metal material moves in a transport direction, the transport rollers being configured to convey the strip-shaped metal material with a width of the strip being horizontally arranged;
a coating chamber in which a vacuum is generated, the coating chamber having an inlet area with an inlet air lock and an outlet area with an outlet air lock through which the strip-shaped metal material passes in the transport direction from an environment into and out of the vacuum; and
a trimming shear arranged in the environment upstream of the coating chamber, the trimming shear being configured to trim the strip-shaped metal material at at least one strip edge to produce a constant width of the strip-shaped metal material corresponding to a width of the inlet air lock and the outlet air lock; and
a strip position control device arranged upstream of the trimming shear, the strip position control device being configured to align the strip-shaped metal material with respect to a center of the conveying section.