Substrate heating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9890998-B2
Application number	US-201314366573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2013
Priority date	Apr 23, 2013
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A substrate heating apparatus includes: a heating chamber, as well as a heating unit and a suspension holding unit which are provided in the heating chamber. The heating unit is provided at the bottom of the heating chamber, and the suspension holding unit holds the substrate in suspension above the heating unit. The apparatus avoids collision and friction on the substrate, and ensures uniform heating of the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate heating apparatus, comprising:
a heating unit, and
a suspension holding unit located on the heating unit and hold the substrate above the heating unit in suspension,
wherein the suspension holding unit comprises: a gas-flow supporting unit for blowing a gas toward the substrate, the gas-flow supporting unit comprises a gas feeding unit and a gas retrieving unit which are both provided in the heating unit,
the gas feeding unit comprises: multiple first gas feeding channels and multiple second gas feeding channels interconnected to each other with their axes perpendicular to each other; and the gas retrieving unit comprises multiple first gas retrieving channels and multiple second gas retrieving channels interconnected to each other with their axes perpendicular to each other,
wherein the second gas feeding channels and the second gas retrieving channels are formed as holes and provided adjacent to each other in such a manner that the second gas feeding channels are arranged in line direction and column direction at an array and the second gas retrieving channels are provided circumferentially around each of the second gas feeding channels.

2. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas-flow supporting unit further comprises: a gas source, and a gas blower connected with the gas source, wherein the gas feeding unit is connected with the gas blower, and the gas blower blows a gas flow through the gas feeding unit, and the gas flow blew from the gas feeding unit has a flowing direction toward the substrate.

3. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the multiple first gas feeding channels are connected with the gas blower, and the axis of each of the multiple second gas feeding channel is oriented perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

4. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the gas-flow supporting unit further comprises: a gas heater provided between the gas source and the gas blower, the gas heater has a first side connected with the gas source and a second side connected with the gas blower.

5. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the gas retrieving unit is connected with the gas source and retrieves a gas flow flowing out of the gas feeding unit.

6. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the gas retrieving unit further comprises: a pump connected with the gas source:
the gas retrieving unit is connected with the pump, and the pump draws a gas flow through the gas retrieving unit toward the heating unit.

7. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the multiple first gas retrieving channels are connected with the pump, and the axis of each of the second gas retrieving channels is oriented perpendicular the surface of the substrate.

8. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the gas blower has a gas feeding pressure greater than a gas drawing pressure of the pump.

9. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a heating chamber, wherein the heating unit and the suspension holding unit are located in the heating chamber.

10. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising at least two opposing stopper units on a side inside surface of the heating chamber for controlling positioning of the substrate relative to the heating unit.

11. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the stopper units are expandable and retractable.

12. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the suspension holding unit further comprises: suction cups for gripping the substrate by suction so that the substrate is held above the heating unit in suspension.

13. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the suction cups are provided at an upper portion of the heating chamber, and the heating unit is provided at the bottom of the heating chamber.

14. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the suction cups are distributed along the periphery of the substrate.

15. The substrate heating apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the suction cups are expandable and retractable with an expandable-and-retractable direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd
• Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jiao Yu
• Wang Yanming
• Yao Qingyang
• Liu Jie

Classifications

• F26B21/40

  using gases other than air · CPC title

• F26B21/37

  Velocity of flow; Quantity of flow · CPC title

• F26B21/20 Primary

  Circulating air or gases in closed cycles, e.g. wholly within the drying enclosure · CPC title

• F26B25/06

  Chambers, containers, or receptacles {(large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents B65D88/74)} · CPC title

• F26B23/04

  using electric heating (F26B23/10 takes precedence) · CPC title