Method and apparatus for feeding chips to a deposition location in a coating system

Abstract

A device for storing and feeding chips to a deposition location in a coating system comprises a holder stack comprising a plurality of holders including first and last holders, a biasing element which applies a force to the last holder, and a pushing element which, when actuated, will push the first holder from a loading position to a deposition location adjacent to a deposition opening. There is also provided a method comprising loading a plurality of holders, each containing a chip, into a holding space, so that the holders are in the form of a holder stack, a force being applied by a biasing element to the last holder in the stack; and actuating a pushing element to push a first holder from the loading position to the deposition location. The method preferably further comprises passing a deposition material through the opening and then into contact with the chip.

1 . A device for storing and feeding chips to a deposition location in a coating system, the device comprising: 
 a holder stack comprising a plurality of holders including at least a first holder and a last holder, said first holder being positioned at a loading position, said last holder being positioned at an opposite end of said stack relative to said first holder, each of said plurality of holders being in contact with at least one other of said holders, any holder in said stack other than said first holder and said last holder being in contact with two others of said holders;    a biasing element which applies a force in a first direction to said last holder, thereby applying a force to each of said holders by virtue of said contact among said plurality of holders; and    a pushing element which, when actuated, will push said first holder from said loading position to a deposition location where said first holder will be adjacent to or in contact with a portion of an interior surface of a deposition opening defining element, said deposition opening defining element having an opening, said opening being substantially circumscribed by a boundary of said first holder when said first holder is in said deposition location.    
     
     
         2 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one electrode, a portion of said electrode being located at a contact location such that when said first holder is located at said deposition location and a chip is contained within the first holder, said chip contained within said first holder will make contact with said portion of said electrode.  
     
     
         3 . A device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said at least one electrode is biased, such that said portion of said electrode is urged toward said portion of said electrode.  
     
     
         4 . A device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said at least one electrode is biased, such that said portion of said electrode is urged in a direction which is substantially parallel to said first direction.  
     
     
         5 . A device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein at least a part of said portion of said interior surface of said deposition opening defining element is an electrical contact which is electrically connected to an opposite side of a power source relative to said electrode, whereby when said first holder contains a chip and is in said deposition location, an electrical circuit is defined by said electrode, said chip and said electrical contact.  
     
     
         6 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a chip is located within each said holder.  
     
     
         7 . A device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein each said chip comprises a piezoelectric element, a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, said first and second electrical contacts being spaced from each other and each being in contact with said piezoelectric element.  
     
     
         8 . A device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein each said chip comprises a glass element, a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, said first and second electrical contacts being spaced from each other and each being in contact with said glass element.  
     
     
         9 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a deposition system which, when activated, deposits material on a chip located in said first holder when said first holder is positioned in said deposition location.  
     
     
         10 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first holder comprises a first surface and a second surface, an opening being located in an interior of said first surface and extending toward said second surface, at least one lip portion having a lip surface positioned between said first surface and said second surface, said lip surface extending into and blocking a portion of said opening, whereby a chip can be inserted into said opening through said first surface and said chip is prevented from passing through said first holder by said at least one lip portion.  
     
     
         11 . A device for storing and feeding chips to a deposition location in a coating system, the device comprising: 
 a housing which defines a holding space;    a holder stack positioned within said holding space, said holder stack comprising a plurality of holders including at least a first holder and a last holder, said first holder being positioned at a loading position, said last holder being positioned at an opposite end of said stack relative to said first holder, each of said plurality of holders being in contact with at least one other of said holders, any holder in said stack other than said first holder and said last holder being in contact with two others of said holders;    a biasing element which applies a force in a first direction to said last holder, thereby applying a force along said first direction to each of said holders by virtue of said contact among said plurality of holders, said first holder having a first surface which is pushed into contact with a first surface of said holding space by virtue of said force applied in said first direction, said first surface of said holding space being substantially perpendicular to said first direction; and    a pushing element which, when actuated, will push said first holder from said loading position along said first surface of said holding space in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction to a deposition location where said first holder will be adjacent to or in contact with a portion of an interior surface of a deposition opening defining element, said deposition opening defining element having an opening, said portion of said interior surface substantially circumscribing said opening, said interior surface of said deposition opening defining element being substantially coplanar with said first surface of said holding space, whereby when said pushing element pushes said first holder from said loading position to said deposition location, said first holder will slide substantially smoothly along said first surface of said holding space and said interior surface of said deposition opening defining element.    
     
     
         12 . A device as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising at least one electrode, a portion of said electrode being located at a contact location such that when said first holder is located at said deposition location and a chip is contained within the first holder, said chip contained within said first holder will make contact with said portion of said electrode.  
     
     
         13 . A device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said at least one electrode is biased, such that said portion of said electrode is urged toward said portion of said electrode.  
     
     
         14 . A device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said at least one electrode is biased, such that said portion of said electrode is urged in a direction which is substantially parallel to said first direction.  
     
     
         15 . A device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein at least a part of said portion of said interior surface of said deposition opening defining element is an electrical contact which is electrically connected to an opposite side of a power source relative to said electrode, whereby when said first holder contains a chip and is in said deposition location, an electrical circuit is defined by said electrode, said chip and said electrical contact.  
     
     
         16 . A device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein a chip is located within each said holder.  
     
     
         17 . A device as recited in  claim 16 , wherein each said chip comprises a piezoelectric element, a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, said first and second electrical contacts being spaced from each other and each being in contact with said piezoelectric element.  
     
     
         18 . A device as recited in  claim 16 , wherein each said chip comprises a glass element, a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, said first and second electrical contacts being spaced from each other and each being in contact with said glass element.  
     
     
         19 . A device as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a deposition system which, when activated, deposits material on a chip located in said first holder when said first holder is positioned in said deposition location.  
     
     
         20 . A device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said first holder comprises said first surface and a second surface, an opening being located in an interior of said first surface and extending toward said second surface, at least one lip portion having a lip surface positioned between said first surface and said second surface, said lip surface extending into and blocking a portion of said opening, whereby a chip can be inserted into said opening through said first surface and said chip is prevented from passing through said first holder by said at least one lip portion.  
     
     
         21 . A method of feeding chips to a deposition location in a coating system, the method comprising: 
 loading a plurality of holders into a holding space, each of said holders containing a chip, so that said plurality of holders are in the form of a holder stack including at least a first holder and a last holder, said first holder being positioned at a loading position, said last holder being positioned at an opposite end of said stack relative to said first holder, each of said plurality of holders being in contact with at least one other of said holders, any holder in said stack other than said first holder and said last holder being in contact with two others of said holders, a force being applied to said last holder by a biasing element whereby a force is applied to each of said holders by virtue of said contact among said plurality of holders; and    actuating a pushing element to push said first holder from said loading position to a deposition location, where said first holder is in contact with a portion of an interior surface of a deposition opening defining element, said deposition opening defining element having an opening and said opening being substantially circumscribed by a boundary of said first holder.    
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising applying current through a first chip contained in said first holder, between said portion of said interior surface of said deposition opening defining element and at least one electrode in contact with said first chip.  
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 22 , further comprising passing a deposition material through said opening and then into contact with said chip, on which said deposition material deposits.  
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising passing a deposition material through said opening and then into contact with said chip, on which said deposition material deposits.  
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein when said first holder is moved from said loading position to said deposition location, a second holder is moved by said force of said biasing element to said loading position, 
 and wherein said method further comprises:    actuating said pushing element to push said first holder from said deposition location to a discard location; and    then actuating said pushing element to push said second holder from said loading position to said deposition location.    
     
     
         26 . A device for storing and feeding chips to a deposition location in a coating system, the device comprising: 
 a chip stack comprising a plurality of chips including at least a first chip and a last chip, said first chip being positioned at a loading position, said last chip being positioned at an opposite end of said stack relative to said first chip, each of said plurality of chips being in contact with at least one other of said chips, any chip in said stack other than said first chip and said last chip being in contact with two others of said chips;    a biasing element which applies a force in a first direction to said last chip, thereby applying a force to each of said chips by virtue of said contact among said plurality of chips; and    a pushing element which, when actuated, will push said first chip from said loading position to a deposition location where said first chip will be adjacent to or in contact with a portion of an interior surface of a deposition opening defining element, said deposition opening defining element having an opening, said opening being substantially circumscribed by a boundary of said first chip when said first chip is in said deposition location.    
     
     
         27 . A device for storing and feeding chips to a deposition location in a coating system, the device comprising: 
 a housing which defines a holding space;    a chip stack positioned within said holding space, said chip stack comprising a plurality of chips including at least a first chip and a last chip, said first chip being positioned at a loading position, said last chip being positioned at an opposite end of said stack relative to said first chip, each of said plurality of chips being in contact with at least one other of said chips, any chip in said stack other than said first chip and said last chip being in contact with two others of said chips;    a biasing element which applies a force in a first direction to said last chip, thereby applying a force along said first direction to each of said chips by virtue of said contact among said plurality of chips, said first chip having a first surface which is pushed into contact with a first surface of said holding space by virtue of said force applied in said first direction, said first surface of said holding space being substantially perpendicular to said first direction; and    a pushing element which, when actuated, will push said first chip from said loading position along said first surface of said holding space in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction to a deposition location where said first chip will be adjacent to or in contact with a portion of an interior surface of a deposition opening defining element, said deposition opening defining element having an opening, said portion of said interior surface substantially circumscribing said opening, said interior surface of said deposition opening defining element being substantially coplanar with said first surface of said holding space, whereby when said pushing element pushes said first chip from said loading position to said deposition location, said first chip will slide substantially smoothly along said first surface of said holding space and said interior surface of said deposition opening defining element.