Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
  • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
  • C23C14/56—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
  • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
  • C23C14/56—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks
  • C23C14/564—Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases
  • C23C14/566—Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases using a load-lock chamber
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B1/00—Footwear characterised by the material
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/12—Special watertight footwear
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43D—MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING OR REPAIRING FOOTWEAR
  • A43D95/00—Shoe-finishing machines
  • A43D95/06—Machines for colouring or chemical treatment; Ornamenting the sole bottoms
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43D—MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING OR REPAIRING FOOTWEAR
  • A43D95/00—Shoe-finishing machines
  • A43D95/10—Drying or heating devices for shoes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J3/00—Processes of utilising sub-atmospheric or super-atmospheric pressure to effect chemical or physical change of matter; Apparatus therefor
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
  • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
  • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/8593—Systems
  • Y10T137/85978—With pump
  • Y10T137/86083—Vacuum pump

Definitions

• This invention relates to an apparatus for processing an article in a vacuum or under very low pressure conditions, but can also be applied to any differential pressure process.
• Low pressure or vacuum processing is widely applied in manufacturing to process or to modify characteristics of material(s) e.g. sputtering of aluminium onto polyester film, nitriding of steels to increase hardness, sputter coating of indium tin oxide onto glass to form transparent electrodes, cold plasma processing to increase reactivity towards adhesives, to apply chemicals to materials or so as to perform some other process to materials or items under low pressure conditions, such as for example, freeze drying them.
• atmosphere processing include sterilising, pasteurisation, rendering, speciality chemical production and the like.
• the process can be improved by incorporating one or more load lock chambers in which the pressure cycles between ambient and processing. Products may be transferred from the load lock to the treatment chamber when the load lock chamber is at processing pressure. Products may be transferred to and from the load lock chamber when the load lock chamber is at ambient pressure.
• This latter process has the advantage that the treatment chamber can be maintained at processing pressure which allows relatively continuous treatment to be achieved.
• the load lock chamber must be cycled between ambient and processing pressure and gate valves with automated carousel movement are required enabling transfer between chambers which increases complexity, cost and potential for faults
• the products can be transferred to and from the treatment chamber through a number of seals which allow evacuation of the treatment chamber.
• the seals seal against the flat surface of the planar products when the products pass through the seals.
• Whistling or labyrinth seals are commonly used for this purpose, which rely on the flatness of the product and consist of multiple, sometimes flexible, seals which press against the product during transfer or are close enough to the product so as to limit ingress of gas from high pressure regions into low pressure regions.
• Such a process is not suitable for treatment of 3-D products which are not planar, may have irregular shape, be porous or may be easily deformed.
• US Patent US 5 425 264 discloses a method for making vacuum components from plastic material, and in particular, PVC and CPVC, where the plastic component is exposed to a high vacuum or ultra high vacuum for an extended period of time, at which time the outgas rate drops considerably to levels that are well within required limits for high vacuum and ultra high vacuum applications.
• US-A-2005/0111936 describes a multi-chamber system in which load-lock chambers transfer samples from air into vacuum and robots move samples from one chamber to another.
• the intention is to reduce footprint, increase throughput, reduce vacuum volume and enable the system to be expanded.
• JP-A-2001196437 also describes a system for transferring substrates using conventional load-locks with vacuum gates and robotic arms. JP-A-2001196437 intends to reduce damage to substrates caused by excessive handling.
• an apparatus for vacuum processing articles comprising: a fluid passage adapted to receive at least one carrier at a loading region at atmospheric pressure; carriers having at least one seal which in use defines an intermediate volume within which one or more articles are received for processing; a processing region defined in said passage, whereat the pressure is low with respect to atmospheric pressure; a means to displace carriers along the passage, from the loading region to the processing region and subsequently to an exit region; and at least one pump which, in use, is in fluid communication with the passage and which is operative to reduce the internal pressure of carriers within the passage intermediate said loading region and said processing region and is operative to increase the internal pressure of carriers within the passage intermediate said processing region and said exit region.
• carriers have two seals one positioned at each end thereof.
• the passage is ideally defined by a wall whose cross section conforms to the seal of the carrier.
• the seals are formed from a deformable flange portion extending around a first end and a second end of the carrier, whereby in use, a pressure differential is created across the flange.
• the seal which is ideally disc shaped in order to conform with a pipe with a circular cross section, but can also be cup shaped, is advantageously in the form of a flexible material sandwiched between two flat discs so as to reveal an annulus of flexible material. Seals may be loosely or firmly laminated to provide a combination of characteristics e.g. pressure sealing, ablation resistance, lubricity, material compatibility with processing atmospheres.
• Inner walls of the passage are ideally smooth, polished and optionally may be coated with a material, such as poly-tetrafluroethene (PTFE), so as to reduce friction between the seals and the wall, but still maintain an airtight (or near airtight) seal.
• PTFE poly-tetrafluroethene
• reduced friction may also be imparted by micro- roughening of smooth walls.
• inner walls so roughened must be in regions where pressure differentials are small i.e. less than 500 mbar and more preferably less than 10 mbar.
• an apparatus for processing articles at an elevated pressure comprising: a processing region in which articles can be processed at a an elevated processing pressure; a loading region into which articles can be loaded into the apparatus at ambient pressure; a plurality of article carriers for carrying articles from the loading region to the processing region along an enclosed passage so that articles can be processed at elevated pressure; wherein said carriers comprise respective sealing means for sealing against an inner surface of the passage when carrying articles along the passage, said sealing means resisting the flow of gas or vapour past said sealing means along said passage from the loading region to the processing region so that articles loaded at ambient pressure in the loading region and carried to the processing region can be processed at the processing pressure.
• An advantage of the invention is the lack of need for automated control valves to adjust pressure, because the fluid passage length may be adjusted such that pressure is reduced (or increased) at a desired rate towards the processing region and is allowed to increase (or decrease) at a desired rate towards the exit region.
• a further advantage is that one or more processes may be carried out in parallel and kept separate one from another, by the seals on each of the carriers.
• valves may be located at intervals, in the wall of the fluid passage and which are connected to one or more pumps which act to reduce the pressure within the volume defined between the seals of a carrier and the wall of the fluid passage.
• a control means is optionally provided that operates so as to actuate pumps and/or valves in synchronism with the means to displace the carriers, whereby on displacement of one or more carriers from a first location to a second location, pumps and/or valves are energised so as to at least maintain the pressure differential between a location within a carrier, (as defined by the walls of the fluid passage and the volume intermediate the seals of the carrier), with respect to a location outside the carrier.
• the pressure differential between a location, within a carrier, with respect to a location outside the carrier is increased as a carrier is displaced towards the processing region.
• the processing region may be a plasma processing region.
• other low pressure processes may be carried out in the processing region and these include: vacuum deposition and/or etch processes, desiccation, infusion or freeze drying, or any combination that may be useful
• Carriers are ideally formed from a rigid material capable of withstanding high compressive forces, typically those created by pressure differentials in excess of 0.1 Mega Pascals (MPa).
• carriers are cylindrical and are adapted to fit inside a pipe or tubular passage and are hollow and shaped to receive items to be treated or processed.
• the carriers have a seal located around a periphery which is advantageously formed from a material that takes up the shape of the passage and conforms thereto, so that it deforms only to a small extent when the carrier is displaced long the passage. It being understood that an optimum size exists for a given combination of seal type and material, the material forming the wall and a particular pressure regime.
• polyurethane which if placed as a flange of thickness of between 2mm to 10 mm, creates an efficient seal.
• More complex seals may also be used for example composite cross-section polyurethane discs with flexible edges and thicker and stiffer centre sections, or cup-like discs, or composite material seals to reduce friction e.g. polyurethane and PTFE laminate or lubricant doped polyurethane.
• seals will interfere with the pipe or tubular passage inner diameter by way of their diameter which is typically between 101 % to 107%greater than inner diameter of the passage.
• the means to displace carriers includes: an hydraulic or pneumatic ram arranged to push a train of abutting carriers, an electro-magnetic actuator; a ball-screw or similar actuator, one or more motorised conveyors; and a direct mechanical engagement means, such as inter engaging hooks, taught wire or a rack and pinion system.
• the carriers containing articles or product to be processed are arranged so that, in use, one is in direct contact with another, thereby defining a series of carriers or a chain of carriers that are urged along the enclosed passage from the loading region, to the processing region and thence to the exit.
• This is ideally achieved by application of a uniaxial force, for example from an hydraulic ram that is transmitted from one carrier to an adjacent carrier.
• Figure 1 shows a vacuum processing apparatus
• Figure 2 shows a carrier of the vacuum processing apparatus shown in Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 shows an alternative vacuum processing apparatus
• Figure 4 shows in diagrammatical form an alternative embodiment of a linear version of the apparatus.
• Figure 5 shows a further alternative embodiment of the apparatus within a closed circuit or loop.
• apparatus 10 is shown for vacuum processing articles, or product, 12.
• the processing apparatus is suitable for processing articles at differential pressure to ambient atmosphere up to pressure differential of 3 Bar including low pressure or vacuum, for instance, at pressures in the region of 133Pa to 0.1 Pa, although pressures outside this range are also applicable.
• Vacuum processing includes techniques for functionalizing a surface of the articles, such as sputtering, modifying articles (for example by nitriding steels to increase hardness, plasma processing or applying chemicals to articles), as well as desiccating or freeze drying items, such as, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs and edible items.
• Apparatus 10 is particularly suitable for techniques where it is required or desirable to process many articles quickly.
• the apparatus 10 comprises a processing region 14 in which articles can be vacuum processed at a very low or near vacuum processing pressure.
• the processing region is evacuated through vacuum ports 15 by one or more vacuum pumps 16.
• other pumps or a balanced air extraction system controlled by one or more valves acts to gradually reduce (or increase) the pressure from an inlet or loading regions (which is at atmospheric or ambient pressure) to the processing region, which is at very low pressure or at vacuum.
• the processing region may consist of a vacuum chamber, having openings through which unprocessed articles can be transferred into the chamber and processing articles can be removed from the chamber; alternatively it may be at a high air (or other gas) pressure.
• the processing region 14 can be generally maintained at a required processing pressure throughout processing of many articles, since as described in more detail below, articles can be transferred to the chamber and removed therefrom without significantly changing the pressure in the processing region.
• Articles 12 are loaded into the apparatus 10 at ambient pressure at loading region 18.
• a plurality of article carriers 20 are provided (shown in greater detail in Figure 2) for carrying articles from the loading region 18 to the processing region 14.
• the carriers 20 comprise respective compartments 22 into which articles to be processed 12 can be loaded.
• the carriers are generally elongate, right circular cylinders, but can be any structure with closed ends and whose walls and sides have a strong rigidity.
• Compartment 22 is formed along a lateral extent of the carrier spaced from each end.
• the compartments 22 are dimensioned and arranged to comfortably receive articles for processing with sufficient space round the article so that vacuum processing of a large surface area of an article can be achieved in the processing region.
• the apparatus 10 is suitable for carrying so-called 3-D articles (i.e. articles which are not planar such as sheets of glass or metal).
• the carriers are dimensioned and arranged so that the articles typically fit fully within the compartment 22 and therefore do not extend beyond an outer lateral extent of the carrier. It will be appreciated that if an article extends beyond an outer lateral extent of the carrier it may interfere with the inner surface of the passage and prevent sealing by the sealing means (described below).
• the carriers 20 carry loaded articles from the loading region 18 to the processing region along an enclosed passage 24.
• the enclosed passage 24 is a tube having a generally cylindrical inner surface.
• the carriers 20 comprise respective sealing means 26 for sealing against the inner surface of the passage 24 when the carriers are moved along the passage.
• the sealing means provide an obturation in the passage which moves with the carrier from the loading region to processing region and beyond.
• the sealing means 26 may comprise one or more seals, such as friction seals, which resist the flow of gas or vapour past the sealing means 26 along the passage from the loading region to the processing region. Accordingly, the sealing means of the carriers enable significant evacuation of the processing region so that articles loaded at ambient pressure in the loading region and carried to the processing region can be vacuum processed at processing pressure.
• the sealing means comprises two seals 34, 36.
• the first seal 34 is positioned forward of the compartment 22 and seals against the passage forward of the compartment with respect to a direction of travel (shown by arrows in Figure 2).
• the second seal 36 is positioned rearward of the compartment and seals against the passage rearward of the compartment. Accordingly, seals 34, 36 maintain pressure in the compartment 22.
• Each seal extends around an outer lateral periphery of the front and rear of the carrier so that the seals can engage the inner surface of the passage 24. If the inner surface of the passage 24 is generally cylindrical (as shown) the seals are generally circular and are preferably 101% to 107% of the inner diameter to correspond with the internal shape of the passage.
• At least two portions of outer diameter of carrier 20 may be made between 95% and 99% of the inner diameter of the passage 24.
• a semi rigid spacer disc of similar dimensions may be included in the group of seals 26 which seals are otherwise 101 % to 107% of passage 24 inner diameter.
• each carrier 20 may comprise a single seal positioned either forward or rearward of the compartment. In this case, the pressure of a compartment of a carrier is maintained by one seal on that carrier and another seal on an adjacent carrier.
• the passage 24 shown in Figure 1 comprises an intermediate pressure region 28 adapted to be maintained at a pressure between ambient pressure and processing pressure.
• the passage has vacuum ports 30, 31 for connection to one or more vacuum pumps 32.
• Pumps 32 and 16 may be integral and in this case vacuum ports 30, 31 may be connected to an intermediate inlet of the vacuum pump whilst the processing region is connected to the main inlet of the pump.
• the intermediate regions provide a more gradual decrease (or increase) in pressure from the loading region to the processing region. In this way, the pressure differential across the sealing means of carriers in the passage is less than the pressure differential between ambient and processing pressure. Accordingly, the provision of several intermediate region(s) between ambient pressure and the processing region means that each seal has to resist a relatively smaller pressure differential. If the processing region is maintained at 13.3 Pa and the loading region at atmosphere, the intermediate region may be maintained at 133 Pa to 13.3 Pa.
• the intermediate pressure region 28 comprises two sub-regions at different pressure.
• a first sub-region is evacuated through vacuum port 31 to a pressure which is higher than a second sub-region which is evacuated through vacuum port 30 so that the pressure in passage 24 decreases in stages towards the processing region. More than two sub-regions may be provided.
• the first sub-region e.g. evacuated through vacuum port 31 will remove the bulk of the air and be independently pumped by a pump 33.
• the carriers 20 are arranged in contact one with an adjacent carrier to form a series or chain of carriers along the passage so that movement of one carrier along the passage causes movement of the other carriers in the chain along said passage.
• the carriers may comprise spacing means for spacing apart the carriers, if required.
• the carriers can be moved, or pushed, along the passage by for instance a hydraulic ram, located at ambient pressure. Alternatively, the carriers can be connected and pulled along the passage.
• Apparatus 10 further comprises an unloading region 38 from which articles 12 can be unloaded from the apparatus at ambient pressure.
• a second enclosed passage 40 extends from the processing region 14 to the unloading region 38.
• the second enclosed passage is similar to passage 24 and like features will not be described in detail again for the sake of brevity.
• Carriers 20 can be moved along the second passage carrying processed articles from the processing region to the unloading region.
• Sealing means 26 of the carriers seal against an inner surface of the second enclosed passage 40 when carrying articles along the second passage.
• the sealing means resists the flow of gas or vapour past the sealing means along the second passage from the unloading region to the processing region so that articles processed at processing pressure and carried to the unloading region can be unloaded at ambient pressure. In this way, the processing region can be maintained generally at processing pressure whilst processed articles are removed from the apparatus.
• sealing means in the first passage 24 resist the flow of gas or vapour from the unloaded region to the processing region (i.e. to the right hand side of Figure 1) and in the second passage 40 resist the flow of gas or vapour from the unloading region to the processing region (i.e. to the left hand side of Figure 1). Accordingly, sealing means 26 must be suitable for restricting flow in both directions with respect to the direction of travel of the carriers 20.
• the second passage 40 comprises an intermediate pressure region 42 adapted to be maintained at a pressure between ambient pressure and processing pressure so that a pressure differential across the sealing means 26 of carriers in the second passage 40 is less than the pressure differential between ambient and processing pressure.
• the intermediate pressure region 42 may comprise a plurality of sub- regions adapted to be maintained at respective pressures from one sub- region to the next along said passage towards said processing region.
• the second passage can be evacuated through vacuum ports 44 and 46.
• the sub-region associated with port 46 is maintained at a higher pressure than the sub-region associated with port 44 so that pressure in passage 40 is increased in stages from the processing region to the unloading region 38.
• the second passage 40 may be evacuated by vacuum pump 32.
• the intermediate region 42 is not actively pumped except perhaps for one vacuum port adjacent to the processing region 14. In this way any process effluent may be removed from the carriers/product e.g. through vacuum port 44.
• a gradual rise in pressure will naturally occur in region 42 as carriers progress towards the unloading region 38. The rise in pressure being controlled by the length of the intermediate region 42 and number of seals and carriers.
• a controller may be arranged to evacuate the passage in synchronism with a stroke of an actuator so that regions either side of seals are pumped efficiently as those regions pass a valve.
• Carriers 20 are positioned as shown in Figure 1 along the first passage 24, through the processing region 14 and along the second passage 40.
• the sealing means 26 of the carriers 20 seal the processing region from the loading region 18 and the unloading region 38.
• Vacuum pumps 16, 32 and 33 are operated to evacuate the processing region 14 and passages 24, 40 respectively so that the processing region is at processing pressure and the first and second passages are at an intermediate pressure.
• Articles 12 are loaded into the compartments 22 of one or more carriers 20 at the loading region 18. The carriers are then moved along the passages.
• gas or vapour is evacuated from between the first seal 34 and the second seal 36 thereby reducing pressure in the compartment 22 to a first intermediate pressure (e.g. 150 Pa ).
• Vacuum processing of the articles is conducted in the processing region.
• the carriers 20 may move continuously or semi-continuously and the length of the processing region must be selected to allow sufficient residence of a carrier in the processing region for processing to be conducted. Alternatively, the carriers 20 may be caused to stop in the processing region for a duration while processing is conducted.
• each region may have a chosen length so that the residence time of a carrier in each region is sufficient for the appropriate process to be completed. Because all such processes, including loading and unloading of product, are carried out in parallel, the time taken to process a product is dependent substantially on the length of the enclosed passage. The longer the enclosed passage the shorter the process time for any one carrier containing product and so the faster the overall throughput. Following processing, and assuming no waste gasses are to be removed from carriers the carriers are moved along the second passage 40. When the first seal 34 moves past vacuum port 44, gas or vapour enter between the first seal 34 and the second seal 36 raising the pressure in the compartment 22 to the second intermediate pressure (e.g. 500 Pa ).
• the second intermediate pressure e.g. 500 Pa
• first seal 34 moves past vacuum port 46, gas or vapour enters between the first seal 34 and the second seal 36 raising the pressure in the compartment 22 to the first intermediate pressure (e.g. 1000 Pa ).
• first intermediate pressure e.g. 1000 Pa
• gas or vapour enters between the first seal 34 and the second seal 36 raising the pressure in the compartment 22 to the ambient pressure (e.g. atmosphere) allowing articles to be unloaded.
• a preferred method of operation is not to actively evacuate any of the carriers in the second passage 40, except perhaps to remove waste gases through vacuum port 44. Thereafter in the second passage 40 with no active pumping seals 34 and 36 gradually leak air from the unloading region.
• the length of passage 40 is chosen so that the leak rate is small and approximately zero leak is seen in the process region.
• the enclosed passages 24, 40 form a circuit along which the carriers 20 can circulate between an ambient pressure region 48 in which articles can be loaded and unloaded and the processing region 14 maintained at processing pressure in which articles can be processed.
• Figure 5 shows an apparatus that comprises a linear closed circuit or loop processing system, in which like parts bear the same reference numerals and which has an automatic off loader 25 and an automatic loader 27.
• Carriers 20 are urged from an atmospheric entrance or loading position 18 into a passage 24 through which carriers pass to a processing region 14, which is at vacuum or very low pressure. After the items 12 within carriers 20 have been processed, carriers pass to regions of increasing pressure 42 to an exit position 38. At the exit position the passage is cut away and/or a slight incline or some other actuator is provided which causes or permits carriers to move away from the processing passage and to roll or to pass onto a conveyor 50.
• product that has been processed is removed and new, un-processed product is placed into carriers which now pass to region 58 of the conveyor 50.
• the conveyor may incorporate any method of conveying carriers back to region 18, e.g. a ram system, wherein carriers are maintained end-to-end and so push one another along the conveyor, or are transported by a belt, air- pressure, or other such movement system where there may be a gap between carriers.
• the conveyor may be enclosed and incorporate one or more pre-conditioning processes that may be applied to product in carriers, e.g. drying, heating, coating, spraying, etc.
• pre-conditioning processes that may be applied to product in carriers, e.g. drying, heating, coating, spraying, etc.
• a particularly useful pre-condition step that may be applied along the conveyor 50 is vacuum drying in region 52.
• vacuum ports 54 may be connected to a single pump or multiple pumps 70 to effect outgassing of product as it traverses the conveyor 50.
• the passage is cut away and/or a slight incline or some other actuator is provided which causes or permits carriers 20 to move away from the conveyor passage 50 and to roll or to pass onto the loading region 18 and the cycle starts again.
• the contents 12 of the carriers - that is items that have been processed - are either presented to someone who removes the items from the carriers at region 38 (for example for packing); or a mechanical means is provided in order to remove the items.
• new items to be processed may replace processed items so that load and unload occur at the same location.
• Figure 4 shows an apparatus that comprises a linear processing system, in which like parts bear the same reference numerals and which has a loading position 18 and an unloading position 38.
• Carriers 20 are urged from an atmospheric entrance or loading position 18 into a passage 24 through which carriers pass to a processing region 14, which is at very low pressure. After the items 12 within carriers 20 have been processed, carriers pass to regions of increasing pressure 42 to an exit position 38 where carriers are removed from the passage 40 and processed product 12 is removed from carriers. Carriers are then transported back to the loading position 18. New un-processed product 12 is placed into the carrier aperture 22 and the cycle starts again.
• Example 1 - With reference to Figure 4 and Figure 2, samples 12 of cotton cloth 24cm x 24cm were placed one each into carriers.
• Carriers 20 are made from polyvinylchloride (PVC) and are 97% of the passage inner diameter and 42cm in length. Polyurethane disc seals 34 Figure 2, 102% of the passage inner diameter are situated at either end of each carrier.
• Eighteen carriers 20, each containing a sample of cotton cloth were placed consecutively into the loading region 18 and urged into the passage 24 by a ram. A vacuum was applied by three pumps whereby a pressure of 133PA was held at the first vacuum port 33, 250Pa at the first intermediate region 28 and 10Pa in the process region 14.
• the cotton samples showed hydrophobic effects. Subsequently a further eight carriers were caused to traverse the passage and were satisfactorily processed.
• the pressure in the process region 14 maintained at approximately 10 Pa.
• Example 2 - Shoes are made from materials that typically outgas water and solvents when placed in a vacuum chamber and this outgassing can interfere with CVD and PECVD processes.
• fifty pairs of sports (training) style shoes were placed one pair each into the carriers and fed to the load station of a closed circuit continuous machine of the present invention.
• Carriers containing a pair of shoes travelled first through region 52 of the pre-treatment conveyor in which a vacuum of approximately 1200Pa was dynamically applied. Carriers remained in this vacuum drying region for around 6.5 minutes.
• Regions 25 and 18 are at atmospheric pressure and are connected and enclosed containing clean, dry air so avoiding water absorption in transferring carriers from the conveyor 50 to the process line regions 28, 14, 42. Carriers were then urged into the process line region 28 and through the process region 14 and so on to the exit region 38.
• the cycle time for a pair of shoes was 30 seconds and a pressure of 18Pa was maintained in the process region 14. A good uniform process effect was achieved.
• the apparatus may be modified for processing at high pressures.
• items other than clothing and sports footwear may be processed.
• solid items may be processed such as laboratory equipment, such as glassware and other items such as pipettes, tubes and narrow conduits or fluid pathways, where wetting is disadvantageous.

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=40133725

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (12)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (8)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 2008
  • 2008-10-23 GB GB0819474A patent/GB0819474D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2009
  • 2009-10-16 EP EP20090740186 patent/EP2361321A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-10-19 US US13/125,101 patent/US20110259455A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-10-19 KR KR1020117011546A patent/KR20110074615A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2009-10-19 AU AU2009306194A patent/AU2009306194A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-10-19 JP JP2011532706A patent/JP2012506490A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-10-19 WO PCT/GB2009/002499 patent/WO2010046636A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-10-19 EP EP20120150630 patent/EP2441857A3/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-10-19 CN CN2009801423566A patent/CN102203315A/zh active Pending
  • 2009-10-19 CA CA 2740450 patent/CA2740450A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-10-23 TW TW98136047A patent/TW201024449A/zh unknown
• 2011
  • 2011-04-14 IL IL212373A patent/IL212373A0/en unknown
  • 2011-05-23 ZA ZA2011/03757A patent/ZA201103757B/en unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events