NON-CONTACT THERMAL PLATFORMS

• Main Authors: RICHMAN, HILEL, YASSOUR, YUVAL, HARNIK, ARIE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 19.01.2011
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; DRYING; DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM; ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; FURNACES; FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS, OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; GLASS; HEATING; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; KILNS; LIGHTING; MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS; OVENS; RETORTS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; WEAPONS

A thermal treatment system comprising at least one apparatus for thermally treating an object, the apparatus comprising: one platform or two substantially opposite platforms, where at least one of the platforms has at least one thermal means for heating or cooling of the object; and at least one of the platforms has fluid-mechanical means for supporting the object without contact. The platform has an active surface comprising at least one of a plurality of basic cells, each basic cell having at least one of a plurality of pressure outlets and at least one of a plurality of fluid-evacuation channels. At least one of the pressure outlets of each basic cell is fluidically connected through a flow restrictor to a high-pressure fluid supply, the pressure outlets providing pressurized fluid for maintaining a fluid-cushion between the object and the active-surface of the platform. The flow restrictor characteristically exhibits fluidic return spring behavior. Each of the evacuation channels has an inlet and outlet, for locally balancing mass flow for the basic cells.