Web support assembly

Abstract

A web support assembly for a moving web of substrate material includes a base having a primary support arm pivotally mounted thereto so as to be displaceable from a first position to a second position. The web support assembly includes a first biasing member in mechanical communication with the primary support arm. The first biasing member operates to impart a first biasing force to the primary support arm so as to move it from its first position to its second position. The system includes a dancer arm which is pivotally mounted to the primary support arm so as to be displaceable from a first position to a second position relative primary support arm. The web support assembly further includes a second biasing member in mechanical communication with the dancer arm. The second biasing member operates to impart a second biasing force to the dancer arm so as to move it from its first position to its second position. A roller is rotatably supported on the dancer arm. The roller is configured to engage a portion of the web. The web support assembly operates to maintain continuous contact between the roller and the moving web of substrate material as it passes through a multi-station processing system.

1 . A web support assembly for a moving web of material, said web support assembly comprising:
 a base;   a primary support arm which is pivotally mounted on the base so as to be displaceable from a first position to a second position relative thereto;   a first biasing member in mechanical communication with said primary support arm, said first biasing member being operable to impart a first biasing force to said primary support arm so as to move said primary support arm from its first position to its second position;   a dancer arm which is pivotally mounted on said primary support arm so as to be displaceable from a first position to a second position relative to said primary support arm;   a second biasing member in mechanical communication with said dancer arm, said second biasing member being operable to impart a second biasing force to said dancer arm so as to move said dancer arm from its first position to its second position; and   a web support roller rotatably supported by said dancer arm, said roller being configured to engage a portion of said web.   
     
     
         2 . The web support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first biasing force is greater than said second biasing force. 
     
     
         3 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said first biasing member and said second biasing member are selected from the group consisting of: springs, elastomers, pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, magnetic devices, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said first biasing member is a spring which extends between said primary support arm and said base. 
     
     
         5 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said second biasing member is a spring which extends between said dancer arm and said primary support arm. 
     
     
         6 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said web support roller includes a groove which is configured to engage an edge of the web. 
     
     
         7 . The support of  claim 6 , wherein said groove is an asymmetric groove. 
     
     
         8 . The support of  claim 6 , wherein said groove includes a first face and a second face, and wherein said first face and said second face form a 90 degree angle. 
     
     
         9 . The support of  claim 6 , wherein said groove is configured so that said groove includes a first face and a second face, and wherein said faces establish a pinch contact with said substrate so that an end surface of said substrate does not contact the bottom of said groove. 
     
     
         10 . The support of  claim 6 , wherein said roller is configured so that when the substrate material is disposed within the groove, a first face of said groove forms a first angle A, with a first face of said web, and a second face of said groove forms a second angle B with a second face of said web, and wherein angle A and angle B are different. 
     
     
         11 . The web support assembly of  claim 10 , wherein angle A and angle B are complementary. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for the continuous deposition of a semiconductor material onto an elongated web of substrate material which is advanced therethrough, said apparatus including the web support assembly of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . The web support assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second web support assembly configured to support a second moving web, said first and second webs in a spaced, substantially parallel relationship. 
     
     
         14 . The web support assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the web support roller of the web support assembly is configured to support/guide the web independent of the interaction between the second web support assembly and the second web. 
     
     
         15 . The web support assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the web support and the second web support assemblies are joined to a common base. 
     
     
         16 . A web support assembly for supporting/guiding a substrate web comprising a multi-biasing arrangement configured so a surface of the web is biased along a first direction with a first bias force and the surface of the web is biased along a second direction with a second bias force, the second direction being substantially opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         17 . The web support assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the multi-biasing arrangement is configured to have a biasing force transition zone between a web first position and a web second position where the web has a deflection within the biasing force transition zone that is substantially zero. 
     
     
         18 . The web support assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the multi-biasing arrangement biases the surface of the web with a greater force along the first direction compared to a biasing force exerted upon the web along the second direction. 
     
     
         19 . The web support assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a roller, wherein the first bias force along the first direction reacts web movement into tie roller, and the second bias force along the second direction acts to maintain contact between the roller and web as the web moves away from the roller. 
     
     
         20 . The web support assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the biasing arrangement includes a coil spring.