Patent · US Expired

Universal vacuum drum and mask

US5758874A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
22References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 27, 1996
Grant dateJun 2, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 27, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N1/0882
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A vacuum drum apparatus on which a mask is mounted having a resilient surface and a plurality of holes suitable for a substrate of a given size. The vacuum drum apparatus is balanced for rotation at high speeds by attaching a counterweight to the mask. The drum is a circular cylinder perforated with an array of holes. The drum has flat surfaces on its outer surface that are used to mount the mask and the substrate on the drum. A hollow chamber within the drum is connected to a controlled pressure source for providing a vacuum. The mask may be magnetically attracted about the outer surface of the drum. Thus, the mask may be made of a flexible ferromagnetic sheet. The mask may also be staged on the drum with other mechanical type entanglements. The mask is preferably elastomeric and may include an inextensible layer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.