US 11,946,141 B2
Automated conveyance of articles in chemical vapor processing
Michael Anthony Crockett, Vancouver, WA (US)
Assigned to Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/414,129
Filed by Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 12, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/050786
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 15, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/050070, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0195596 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. C23C 16/458 (2006.01); C23C 16/54 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/4582 (2013.01) [C23C 16/54 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a chemical vapor processing chamber to treat articles with surface-smoothing chemical vapor;
an article loading chamber to receive the articles pending treatment by the chemical vapor processing chamber;
an automated conveyor to move the articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber;
an air lock to connect the article loading chamber to the chemical vapor processing chamber, the air lock comprises a door and a pneumatic seal, the pneumatic seal to inflate to seal the door and to deflate to allow the door to open; and
a controller to:
control the automated conveyor to move the articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber; and
control the air lock to seal the chemical vapor processing chamber from the article loading chamber when the automated conveyor is not moving the articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber.