High speed process for coating substrates
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A high-speed process for coating the surface of a substrate with an adherent film comprising the following steps:
- (a) providing a vacuum chamber containing;
(i) a movable support, (ii) a vapor outlet of a vaporizer mounted adjacent to an upstream portion of said support, (iii) curing means mounted adjacent to a downstream portion of said support, and (iv) means for maintaining said support at a temperature below that of said vaporizer;
(b) placing said substrate in thermal contact with said movable support in a manner permitting the surface of said substrate to move sequentially past said vapor outlet and said curing means;
(c) evacuating gas from said chamber until the pressure within said chamber is less than about 1×
10-2 Torr;
(d) selecting a curable component having an average of about two or more olefinic groups per molecule, an average molecular weight between 150 and 1000, and a vapor pressure in the range of 1×
10-6 to 1×
10-1 Torr at standard temperature and pressure;
(e) metering a quantity of said curable component into an inlet portion of said vaporizer;
(f) vaporizing said component within said vaporizer;
(g) moving said support at a speed sufficient to pass said substrate relative to said vapor outlet and said curing means at a rate between about 1 cm/sec and 1000 cm/sec;
(h) condensing a film of said component on the surface of said substrate, said film having a thickness of less than 4 microns; and
(i) activating said curing means whereby a adherent film is formed on said substrate surface.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A high-speed process for coating substrates with thin organic coatings in a vacuum is disclosed and claimed. The process utilizes relatively low boiling, reactive monomers (e.g., polyacrylates) which are flash vaporized, condensed on the substrates and cured, in situ. The resultant cured films are pin-hole free and exhibit excellent adhesion. The process is capable of being run at very high coating and curing speeds, e.g., between 1 and 1000 cm/second.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A high-speed process for coating the surface of a substrate with an adherent film comprising the following steps:
-
(a) providing a vacuum chamber containing;
(i) a movable support, (ii) a vapor outlet of a vaporizer mounted adjacent to an upstream portion of said support, (iii) curing means mounted adjacent to a downstream portion of said support, and (iv) means for maintaining said support at a temperature below that of said vaporizer;(b) placing said substrate in thermal contact with said movable support in a manner permitting the surface of said substrate to move sequentially past said vapor outlet and said curing means; (c) evacuating gas from said chamber until the pressure within said chamber is less than about 1×
10-2 Torr;(d) selecting a curable component having an average of about two or more olefinic groups per molecule, an average molecular weight between 150 and 1000, and a vapor pressure in the range of 1×
10-6 to 1×
10-1 Torr at standard temperature and pressure;(e) metering a quantity of said curable component into an inlet portion of said vaporizer; (f) vaporizing said component within said vaporizer; (g) moving said support at a speed sufficient to pass said substrate relative to said vapor outlet and said curing means at a rate between about 1 cm/sec and 1000 cm/sec; (h) condensing a film of said component on the surface of said substrate, said film having a thickness of less than 4 microns; and (i) activating said curing means whereby a adherent film is formed on said substrate surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification