TW201910544A - A jig for surface modification processes - Google Patents

Abstract

In general terms the invention provides a jig for securing one or more items during a surface modification, the jig comprising one or more abutment portions that can be separated from a support portion to facilitate replacement of the abutment portions. This arrangement enables the abutment portions to be replaced without modification being required to the rest of the jig. For example, the abutment portions may be replaced if they become worn or perished during use. Alternatively, the jig may be adaptable to accommodate items of different sizes, shapes and configurations by installing abutment portions adapted for a particular item.

Description

Fixture for surface modification process

The present invention relates to the fastening of articles during a surface modification process. In particular, although not exclusive, the present invention relates to a jig for holding and/or partially obscuring one or more articles, a kit including the jig, a method of operating the jig, and a method of using the same The method of surface modification of the fixture.

When modifying an object at the surface, it is desirable to secure the article in place, for example by applying a vapor deposited coating. For example, an item may need to be placed in a surface modification chamber in which surface modification conditions are provided. For economic reasons, it is necessary to fasten the item into a relatively compact configuration, for example to achieve a high chamber loading rate. In the surface modification process, it is also necessary to hold some objects to help them maintain their structural integrity. This may be especially important where a sub-atmospheric surface modification process is used to prevent peeling, delamination or other damage. It may also be necessary to shield the object in the surface modification process so that portions of its surface are not modified. Shielding can be extremely important, for example, where portions of the article will lose their desired functionality or aesthetics to the coating to which they are applied. The technical field of special consideration for masking is the technical field of coating electronic devices (such as touch screen devices) using vapor deposition processes. While the application of a coating to such devices can provide significant benefits, such as liquid repellency (see, for example, WO2007/083122), portions of the device can benefit from the remaining uncoated portion. Such portions may include, but are not limited to, electrical contacts, outer surfaces, and screens. If these parts are not effectively shielded during coating, their functionality or aesthetics may be affected.

The present invention generally provides a clamp for fastening one or more items in surface modification, the clamp including one or more abutment portions that are separable from the support portion to facilitate replacement of the adjacent portions. A first aspect of the present invention provides a jig for fastening one or more articles in a surface modification process, the jig including a configuration in a clamping structure that can hold one or more articles therebetween And a second insert, wherein at least one of the first and second inserts includes a support portion configured to abut between the first and second inserts in the clamp configuration One or more abutting portions of one or more articles, the one or more abutting portions may be separated from their respective support portions to facilitate replacement of the one or more abutting portions. This configuration allows replacement of the abutment portion without the need to modify the rest of the fixture. For example, the abutting portions can be replaced if they are worn or become weak during use. Alternatively, the clamp can be adapted to accommodate items of different sizes, shapes, and configurations by mounting adjacent portions that are suitable for a particular item. The inserts may be removed from the clamp or may be permanently or non-permanently secured to the clamp in such a manner that it is not easily removed. The configuration of the (etc.) support portion can be generally disk-shaped, i.e., have a width and length that is significantly greater than its thickness. The (etc.) support portion can have a generally flat inner surface, i.e., an inwardly facing surface. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second inserts each include a support portion and one or more abutment portions. The support portions can be arranged in a fixed predetermined position relative to each other in the clamp configuration. Alternatively, the position of the support portions relative to each other can be changed in the clamping configuration. Each abutment portion can be configured to abut a respective item of a plurality of items in the clamp configuration. In a preferred embodiment, the abutting portion of the first insert and the abutting portion of the second insert are disposed relative to one another such that respective items of the plurality of items are sandwiched therebetween. In such embodiments, at least one of the abutting portions is configured to provide a clamping force to urge the at least one abutting portion to clamp the article therebetween toward other of the abutting portions. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more abutting portions comprise an elastically deformable material. Therefore, a good seal can be easily provided between the abutting portion and the article adjacent thereto. Moreover, in some embodiments, compression of the elastically deformable material can provide a clamping force to urge the abutment portion into contact with the article. Optionally, the or each support portion has a first interlocking feature and the or each abutting portion has a second interlocking feature, the first and second interlocking features having a plurality of adjacent portions engaged therein The interlocking configuration of the locks to their respective support portions and the uninterlocked configuration in which the or each abutment portion is separated from its respective support portion. In this manner, the abutting portions can be easily removed and replaced from the (etc.) support portion. In some embodiments, the first interlocking feature comprises one or more first formations in the respective support portions and the second interlocking feature comprises one or more of the respective adjacent portions corresponding to the second A formation, each of the one or more first formations engaging each of the one or more second formations in the interlocking configuration. The first interlocking feature can include a notch in each of the respective support portions and the second interlocking feature can include a corresponding protrusion extending from the respective abutment portion, the extension being extended in the interlocking configuration Into the notch. Preferably, the first and second interlocking features are engageable with each other in a plurality of different configurations in the interlocking configuration. Thus, the position of each abutment portion relative to the support portion can be varied to adjust the clamp to accommodate items of different configurations. In such embodiments, the first interlocking feature can include a plurality of first formations, the second interlocking feature can include at least one second formation, and the at least one second formation can be associated with an interlocking set Any one of the plurality of first formations is engaged. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more contiguous portions comprise a material having a Shore A hardness of 50 A or greater or 70 A or less, preferably 60 A or less. Materials within this range have been found to provide some degree of deformation to achieve a good seal. Examples of suitable materials for the one or more contiguous portions include elastomeric materials such as fluorinated elastomers. The fluorinated elastomers include fluoroelastomers (FKM), perfluoroelastomers (FFKM) or tetrafluoroethylene/propylene rubber (FEPM). One particular advantage of fluorinated elastomers is that they are low- or zero-degassing materials, and are therefore suitable for exposure to surface modification conditions. The one or more abutting portions are preferably configured to provide clamping of one or more regions of the one or more articles between the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration during the surface modification process force. The clamping force is applied to a clamping direction that is generally perpendicular to the inner surface of the (etc.) support portion. The clamping force can be generated by compressing the abutting portion itself, for example by compressing one of the elastically deformable regions of the abutting portion. Alternatively or additionally, the clamp can include one or more resilient members configured to urge the abutment portion into abutment with one or more items between the first and second inserts in the clamp configuration. For example, the one or more resilient members can each comprise a spring (such as a compression spring) or a member comprising an elastically deformable material (such as an elastomeric material). In embodiments in which the clamp is used to provide a shadowing effect, at least one of the one or more abutment portions includes a first and second inserts configured to mask the first and second inserts in the clamp configuration during the surface modification process An abutting surface of one or more of the one or more objects. For example, the abutment surface is provided on a peripheral protrusion that can define an area to be obscured, the peripheral protrusion being configured to abut an item in use. The one or more abutting portions may have abutment surfaces for abutting one or more items between the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration, the abutting surfaces having one or more corresponding to the one or more The surface contour of the object. For example, the abutment surface can include one or more protrusions or recesses configured to engage one or more features of an article. The abutment surface may allow for the guiding or positioning of an article relative to the respective insert. In some embodiments, the abutment surface can be provided on a peripheral protrusion configured to abut the article, the peripheral protrusion defining an area to be shaded during the surface modification process. In a preferred embodiment, the first or second insert includes a plurality of contiguous portions arranged in a side-by-side configuration, each contiguous portion being configured to abut respective items of the plurality of items intended to be exposed to the surface modification process. Alternatively or additionally, in the clamped configuration, the first and second inserts may be sized to allow a plurality of objects to be positioned side by side therebetween. Therefore, a plurality of objects can be immediately exposed to surface modification conditions. This configuration provides a particularly efficient configuration that achieves high chamber loading. The first and/or second inserts can include one or more indexing features configured to position the object to be surface modified relative to the fixture. In some embodiments, the first and/or second inserts comprise a plurality of indexing features configured to position the object to be surface modified relative to the fixture such that the plurality of objects are positioned side by side. Preferably, each of the one or more indexing features comprises an abutment surface as described above. The support portion of the first and/or second insert is preferably substantially rigid and, if desired, comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, metallic materials, and combinations thereof. The clamp can further include a clamping member for causing the first and second inserts to form a clamping configuration. The clamping members can include one or more pairs of grip formations having an interlock configuration in which the clamps are in the clamp configuration and wherein the clamps are not in the clamp configuration. In some embodiments, the one or more pairs of grip formations can be engaged with each other in an interlocking configuration by a tight fit. The clamp can further include one or more cassettes for locking the clamp in the clamp configuration. The first insert is preferably moveable relative to the second insert to permit loading and unloading of the article from the clamp. For example, the first insert can be coupled to the second insert by a hinged joint to allow the first insert to pivot relative to the second insert. One or more of the abutment portions of the first or second insert may include a plurality of separate abutment members that are separable from their respective support portions. In such embodiments, the individual abutting members can each have an abutment region having a reduced to narrowest portion in the clamping direction to provide a configuration to abut the first and second in the clamping configuration The width dimension of the abutment surface of one or more items between the inserts. For example, the contiguous region can have a generally frusto-conical shape. The abutment region may comprise an elastically deformable material, such as an elastomeric material, the compression of which provides a clamping force. In some embodiments, one or more abutting portions of the first or second insert each include a protrusion therefrom to provide a configuration to abut between the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration A plurality of abutting features of a plurality of abutting surfaces of one or more objects. In this manner, the clamping force can be applied to multiple regions and/or locations of the article. In addition, multiple regions of the article may be obscured by a single abutment portion. The or each contiguous portion of the first or second insert can include first and second connection formations configured to interconnect with respective support portions, the first and second connection formations The abutment surfaces of the respective abutment portions are configured to be positioned at different locations relative to the respective support portions. That is, the first connection formation can be configured to position the abutment surface at a first distance from the support portion, the second connection formation can be configured to position the abutment surface at a second distance from the support portion, The second distance is less than the first distance. In this way, simply by rearranging the abutting portions, the jig can accommodate articles of different thicknesses. For example, the difference between the first distance and the second distance may be equal to the difference between the thicknesses of the first object and the second object that are intended to be fixed by the clamp. A second aspect of the present invention provides a method of securing one or more articles in a fixture according to a first aspect in a surface modification process, the method comprising: loading the one or more articles in a first Between the second inserts and the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration such that the one or more abutting portions abut the one or more items; and exposing the one or more items to the surface Modification conditions. A second aspect of the invention can include the operation of any of the features of the clamps described herein. A third aspect of the invention provides a kit comprising a fixture according to a first aspect, and a kit configured to replace one or more adjacent portions or a plurality of replacement abutment portions, the alternate abutment portions being configured to be The respective support portions are loaded to abut one or more items between the first and second inserts in the clamp configuration. Therefore, the abutting portions can be replaced with replacement abutting portions. For example, the abutting portions may be replaced if they are worn or become weak in use. Alternatively, the clamp can be adapted to accommodate items of different sizes, shapes, and configurations by mounting adjacent portions that are adapted to the particular item. This is particularly desirable in embodiments where the support portions of the first and second inserts are disposed relative to each other in a fixed configuration at a fixed predetermined position. The replacement abutment portions can have any of the features of the abutment portions defined in the aspects described herein, including those features defined with respect to the first aspect. The replacement abutment portions may be substantially identical to the abutment portions, for example, to provide a direct replacement in the event of wear or abutment portions becoming weak. Alternatively, the replacement abutment portions may have a size different from the abutment portion in the clamping direction. That is, the size may be the distance between the (inner surface) of the support portion and the abutment surface of each of the adjacent portions. As a further alternative, the alternate abutment portions may have a different configuration of abutment surfaces relative to the abutment surfaces of the abutment portions. For example, the adjacency portions can be configured to abut one or more objects having a first configuration, and the alternate portions can be configured to abut one or more second groups having a different configuration than the first configuration State object. In this way, the fixture can be used to accommodate items with different configurations. A fourth aspect of the invention provides a method of operating a kit according to a third aspect (or a method of operating a fixture according to a first aspect), the method comprising: causing the one or more contiguous portions from their respective The support portion is removed; and the one or more replacement abutment portions are secured to the (etc.) support portion. Examples of surface modification processes in the context of the present invention, and particularly the first, second, third and fourth aspects described above include, but are not limited to, deposition processes, specifically particles or gas Phase deposition process. The surface modification process may suitably be sub-atmospheric, i.e., involves exposing one or more masked articles to sub-atmospheric pressure. Suitably, the subatmospheric pressure may be in the range of 0.01 to 999.99 mbar, such as in the range of 0.1 to 999.99 mbar, for example in the range of 0.5 to 999.99 mbar. In some embodiments of the surface modification process, it is a sub-atmospheric vapor deposition process, specifically a plasma polymerization process. The surface modification conditions may be, for example, vapor deposition conditions. Such surface modification conditions can include sub-atmospheric pressure. In one embodiment, the vapor deposition conditions are plasma polymerization conditions. Surface modification conditions may optionally include: an excitation medium; and a monomer that is at least partially activated by the excitation medium to form a liquid-repellent coating on the article. The excitation medium may specifically include a plasma, optionally pulsed plasma. The monomer can be a compound of formula (I): Wherein R1, R2 and R3 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl or aryl optionally substituted by halogen; and R4 is a group X-R5 wherein R5 is alkyl or haloalkyl and X is X; is a group of the formula -C(O)O(CH2)nY, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10 and Y is a bond or a sulfonamide group; or X is a group -(O)PR6(O)q( CH2)t, wherein R6 is an aryl group optionally substituted by halogen, p is 0 or 1, q is 0 or 1 and t is an integer of 0 or 1 to 10, with the constraint that q is 1, and t is not 0 case. Suitably, the workpiece may be exposed to a plasma comprising a monomeric compound for a period of time sufficient for the protective polymeric coating to form a surface of the workpiece; wherein the monomeric compound has the following formula (II): Wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted branched or linear C 1 -C 6 alkyl or haloalkyl or optionally substituted by halogen, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of: or Wherein each X is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted branched or linear C1-C6 alkyl, haloalkyl or optionally substituted by halogen; and n1 is an integer from 1 to 27. In some embodiments, the monomer can be as defined in the scope of the patent application of WO 2007/083122. Suitably, the monomer may be selected from the group consisting of 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexyl acrylate (PFAC4), 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyl acrylate (PFAC6), 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecyl acrylate (PFAC8) and 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorododecyl acrylate (PFAC10). Suitably, the masked article can be exposed to a combination of a monomeric compound and a crosslinker comprising two or more unsaturated bonds joined by one or more linker moieties and having The boiling point is less than 500 ° C at standard atmospheric pressure. The crosslinking agent may be selected, for example, from 1,4-butanediol divinyl ether (BDVE), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol divinyl ether (CDDE), 1,7-octadiene (17 OD). 1,2,4-trivinylcyclohexane (TVCH), divinyl adipate (DVA), 1,3-divinyltetramethyldioxane (DVTMDS), 1,4-ring Diallyl hexanedicarboxylate (DCHD), 1,6-divinyl perfluorohexane (DVPFH), 1H, 1H, 6H, 6H-perfluorohexanediol diacrylate (PFHDA) and adipaldehyde Bis(diallyl acetal) (GBDA). Such surface modification conditions result in a coating that can be advantageously liquid-repellent, such as water and/or oil resistant. The one or more items can be of any desired type. In one embodiment, the one or more items include one or more electronic devices or electronic components. For example, the one or more items may include one or more touch screen devices, in particular smart phones or tablets. At least the touch screens of the devices can be masked as needed. In particular, the one or more items may include a layered screen, such as an LCD screen, such as a TFT screen. In the description and technical solutions of the specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of such words (eg "comprising and comprises" means "including (but not limited to) In addition, unless otherwise required herein, the singular encompasses the plural, and in the case of the indefinite article, unless the context requires otherwise, the description should be understood to cover the plural. The preferred features of the various aspects of the invention may be described in combination with any other aspects. Within the scope of the present application, it is expressly intended to be described in the foregoing paragraphs, the scope of the claims, and/or The embodiments, the examples, the examples, and the alternatives, and the individual features thereof, may be used individually or in any combination. In other words, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment may be combined in any manner and/or combination. Unless such features are incompatible.

The clamp according to the present invention can be used to shield one or more surface areas of an object during a surface modification process, and/or to hold one or more surface areas of the object by one or more abutting portions in a surface modification process . In the illustrated embodiment, the items are electronic mobile devices, such as smart phones or tablets. In some embodiments, the one or more masking and/or clamping abutment portions are applied to the two major surfaces of each device, for example to mask the screen and one or more regions of the back shell of each device, however In other embodiments, the one or more obscuring and/or clamping abutment portions are applied to only one surface of each device. The embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 through 10 provides a clamp 100 in which a plurality (in this embodiment, nine) of the front and back surfaces of each of the mobile devices 10. The clamp 100 includes an upper insert 20 and a lower insert 40 that secure the devices 10 therebetween. The lower insert 40 includes a generally rectangular, rigid, disc-shaped support portion 42 that is releasably secured to a rigid frame 50. The rigid frame 50 includes first and second 52a elongate beams, first 54a, second 54b, and third 54c cartridge assemblies, and four hinge members 58. The card assemblies 54a, 54b, 54c are configured such that a first longitudinal edge of the lower insert 40 is clamped between the first elongate beam 52a and the card assemblies to cause the elongated shape The beam 52a abuts the outer surface of the lower insert 40 and the cartridge assemblies abut the inner surface thereof. Similarly, the second longitudinal edge of the lower insert 40 is clamped between the second elongate beam 52b and the hinge member 58 such that the second elongate beam 52b abuts the outer surface of the lower base 40 and the hinge member Adjacent to the inner surface. The upper insert 20 includes a generally rectangular, rigid, disc-shaped support portion 22 that, in the illustrated embodiment, is formed from an assembly of three discs connected in series. The upper insert 20 is coupled to the hinge member 58 via a hinged joint such that it has a clamping configuration in which the upper and lower inserts are substantially parallel to each other and the device 10 is clamped therebetween (shown in Figure 9A- E) and the upper insert 20 are rotated away from the lower insert 40 to cause the devices 10 to be loaded into the jig 100 or pivoted between the loading configuration (shown in Figure 1) removed from the jig 100. The upper insert 20 includes a plurality of (in this embodiment, six) gripping projections 23, each of which includes an inner surface of the upper insert 20 that is generally perpendicular (or orthogonal) to the inner surface. A generally cylindrical member of the protrusion. Each of the clamping projections 23 is tightly engaged with a corresponding one of the latching holes 55 of each of the cartridge assemblies 54a, 54b, 54c. When the clamping protrusions 23 and the holes 55 are fully engaged, the clamp 100 is in the clamping configuration, so that the engagement between the clamping protrusions 23 and the holes 55 embeds the upper insert 20 in the opposite lower portion. A clamping force is applied to the member 40 to the position of the devices 10. The card assemblies 54a, 54b, 54c each include a pair of trucks 56 that are operable to engage the edges of the upper insert 20 to lock the upper insert 20 into a clamped configuration. The upper 20 and lower 40 inserts each include a plurality (in this embodiment, nine) of abutment portions 24, 44 that are each pushed to a respective area of the respective device 10 in the clamp configuration to borrow This masks the area during the surface modification process. The lower insert 40 includes nine lower abutment portions 44 that are each releasably coupled to the support portion 42 for replacement of the lower abutment portions 44, for example, when they are worn or become weak during use. Or to enable the clamp 100 to be used to secure other devices 10 having different overall shapes or configurations. Moreover, the abutting portions 44 can be replaced with a plurality of equivalent abutments having different thicknesses in the clamping direction (at least in the region of the device 10 in abutting use of the abutting surface). That is, the jig 100 can be used to hold the device 10 having different thicknesses by changing the thickness of the lower abutting portion (the clamping direction dimension between the inner surface of the support portion 42 and the abutment surface). The lower abutment portions 44 each include a plurality of substantially cylindrical interlocking projections (not shown) that are tightly mated with corresponding plurality of interlocking holes in the support portion 42 (in this embodiment, blind holes; Engaged to interlock the lower abutment portion 44 with the support portion 42. In this manner, the lower abutment portion 44 used can be stripped from the support portion 42 when replacement is required, and the lower replacement abutment portion 44 can be pushed toward the support portion by the lower abutment portion 44 until the interlocking projections are completely completed. Engaged in the respective interlocking holes and easily interlocked with the supporting portion 42. Each lower abutment portion 44 of the lower insert 40 has an abutment surface (i.e., configured to abut the surface of the respective device 10 in the clamp configuration), wherein the surface contour corresponds to the screen surface of the respective device 10. Thus, each lower abutment portion 44 has a continuous peripheral flange 45 that closes the recessed region 46, with the device 10 being within the notched region 46 in the clamped configuration. This configuration reduces material costs and reduces the likelihood of outgassing. Effective shielding is still provided because the peripheral region forms a sealed perimeter around the central region. The upper insert 20 includes nine upper abutment portions 24, each of which mates with a corresponding one of the lower abutment portions 44. In a similar configuration of the configuration described above with respect to the lower abutment portion 44, each of the nine upper abutment portions 24 is releasably coupled to the support portion 22 of the upper insert 20 for its replacement. The upper abutment portions 24 may be replaced when they are worn or become weak during use, or such that the clamp 100 is implemented to secure other devices 10 having different overall shapes or configurations. Moreover, the abutting portions 24 can be replaced with a plurality of equivalent abutments having different thicknesses in the clamping direction (at least in the region of the device 10 in the abutting use of the abutting surface). That is, the jig 100 can be used to hold the device 10 having different thicknesses by changing the thickness of the upper abutting portion (the clamping direction dimension between the inner surface of the support portion 22 and the abutting surface). Each of the upper abutment portions 24 is coupled to the support portion 22 of the upper insert 20 by four biasing connectors 30. Each biasing connector 30 includes an elastic spring 32 that is wound around a rigid needle 34. The needle 34 is coupled to the support portion 22 by a rigid connection, such as a threaded engagement through the support portion 22 in the aperture 36, such that it extends generally orthogonally (or perpendicularly) to the support portion 22 and engages the upper abutment portion 24 Corresponding to the blind hole 36. When the clamp 100 is in the clamp configuration, the springs 32 are each used to bias the respective upper abutment portion 24 away from the support portion 22. The limited sliding of the needle 34 in the blind hole 36 facilitates this biasing action. In this manner, the upper abutment portion 24 used can be removed from the support portion 22 by the disconnection bias connector 30 when replacement is required, and the upper replacement abutment portion 24 can be reconnected by the bias connector 30. It is easily connected to the support portion 22. Each of the upper abutment portions 24 of the upper insert 20 has an abutment surface (i.e., configured to abut the surface of the respective device 10 in the clamp configuration), wherein the surface contour corresponds to the back shell of the respective device 10. Thus, each upper abutment portion 24 has a continuous peripheral flange 25 that closes the recessed region 26, wherein the device 10 is in the notched region 26 in the clamped configuration. This configuration reduces material costs and reduces the likelihood of outgassing. Effective shielding is still provided because the peripheral region forms a sealed perimeter around the central region. The upper abutment portions 24 also each have two generally circular apertures 28, each of which is configured to surround a corresponding feature of the respective device 10 (in this case, a camera lens and an LED light source window). A peripheral flange surrounds each aperture 28 to form a sealed perimeter around the aperture. In general, the abutment portions of the lower portion 44 and the upper portion 24 are thus used to mask a substantial portion of each device 10, maintaining an unmasked unique region aperture 28 and a continuous perimeter strip diagonal to the flanges 25, 45 of the abutment portion. band. Thus, the abutting portions are used to shield all of the device 10, with the exception of the camera lens, the LED light source window, and the interface between the screen of the device, the back shell, and the body. Moreover, the combination of the biasing action of the biasing connector 30 and the clamping action of the clamping pin 23 ensures that there is a hermetic seal between the device 10 and its respective abutment portions 44, 24 and that the device 10 is clamped tightly. To help them maintain their structural integrity, especially in sub-atmospheric surface modification processes. The support portions 22, 42 and frame 50 are typically formed from a rigid material such as a metallic material such as aluminum. In this manner, the clamp 100 has total rigidity and resistance to deformation resistance. The support portion 22 of the upper support member 20 includes an array of perforations 60 (or through holes) that allow for easy exposure of each of the devices during the surface modification process. The peripheral gap between the upper 20 and lower 40 inserts also facilitates the exposure. In some embodiments, the perforations 60 can be used to secure the upper abutment portion 24 to the support portion 22. For example, each of the biasing connectors 30 can be coupled to each of the perforations 60. In this manner, the position and/or orientation of each of the upper abutment portions 24 can be modified by interconnecting the biasing connector 30 with a different one of the perforations 60. Each of the lower abutment portion 44 and the upper abutment portion 24 (or at least the abutment surface of each abutment portion) is comprised of a Shore A hardness having a relationship between 50A and 70A, preferably between 50A and 60A. The elastomer is formed. Suitable elastomers are fluorinated elastomers such as FKM or FFKM. These fluorinated elastomers have the particular benefit of low- or zero outgassing. In the clamped configuration, the deformability of the elastomeric material provides a good seal between the various devices 10 and their respective lower and upper abutting portions by causing the device 10 to be in sealing contact with its abutting surface. Furthermore, since the elastic material is compressed in the clamping configuration, it is used to apply a clamping force to each individual device 10 like a compression spring. In addition to facilitating hermetic sealing, the clamping force can be used to maintain the structural integrity of the device 10 in a surface modification process (specifically, such processes using a sub-atmospheric surface modification process) to prevent such devices. Peeling, delamination or other damage. In some embodiments, the upper portion 24 and/or the lower portion 44 abutment portion can include a rigid substrate (eg, a metal substrate, such as an aluminum substrate) having an elastomeric layer thereon to provide an abutment surface of the abutment portion. In other embodiments, each abutting portion may be formed entirely of an elastic material. In use, the clamp 100 is first configured in a loading configuration (shown in Figure 1) and loaded with a plurality of devices 10 such that each device 10 nests within a recess 46 of each lower abutment portion 44. The upper insert 20 is then pivoted until the respective clamping projections 23 fully engage their corresponding apertures 55. The clamp 100 is in a clamp configuration (shown in Figures 9A-E), thereby causing the abutment surfaces of the abutment portions of the upper portion 24 and the lower portion 44 to hermetically seal the devices 10, thereby shielding the devices 10 of which are partially masked by adjacent portions. In the clamping configuration, a clamping force is also applied to each of the devices 10. Finally, the card engines 56 are closed to ensure that the clamp maintains the clamp configuration until it is released. The loaded jig 100 can be exposed to surface modification conditions, such as vapor deposition conditions, by placing it in a plasma polymerization deposition chamber, as discussed further below. For example, the surface modification conditions can provide a barrier coating, such as a waterproof/water repellent/water resistant coating. 11 to 19 illustrate a jig 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, only one surface of each device 10 is shielded; in this embodiment, it is the screen of the sheltered device. The jig 200 of this embodiment shares many features with the jig 100 of the first embodiment, and the description of the above-described common features is equally applicable to the second embodiment. In general, the jig 200 of the second embodiment, which is only different from the features of the jig 100 of the first embodiment, is characterized by its features with respect to the upper insert, which in the second embodiment is referred to Numeral 120 is indicated and further described below. Similar to the first embodiment, the second embodiment upper insert 120 includes a generally rectangular, rigid, disk-shaped support portion 122 that, in the illustrated embodiment, is formed from an assembly of three disks connected in series. . The upper insert 120 is coupled to the hinge member 58 via a hinged joint such that it has a clamping configuration in which the upper and lower inserts are substantially parallel to one another and the devices 10 are clamped therebetween (shown in Figure 18A- The upper insert 120 and its upper insert 120 are rotated away from the lower insert 40 to cause the devices 10 to be loaded into the clamp 200 or pivoted between the loading configuration (shown in Figure 11) removed from the clamp 200. Instead of the array of perforations 60 in the first embodiment, the support portion 122 of the upper insert 120 of the second embodiment has a plurality of linear slits 130, which are arranged in the embodiment in three of the eight slits 130. Side by side in the column. Each slit 130 has a generally elongated rectangular region 132 having a slit width w and a circular region 134 at one end thereof having a diameter d greater than the slit width w. Instead of the first embodiment, the upper abutment portion 24 is a plurality of upper abutment portions 124 in the form of separate biasing members. Each upper abutment portion 124 includes an abutment region 125 that is configured to engage the slot 130 of the support portion 122 to secure the abutment portion 124 thereto. Each upper abutment portion 124 also includes a complete abutment region 126 that is configured to abut the device 10 secured by the clamp 200 in the clamp configuration. As best seen in Figure 19, the attachment region 125 has a generally circular cross-section, wherein the two reduced diameter regions 125a each have a diameter (or width) equal to slightly less than the slit width w such that they are tight It is attached to the rectangular area 132 of the slit 130. The connection region 125 also has three larger diameter regions 125b, each having a reduced diameter interval 125a, and each having a rectangular region 132 that is larger than the slit width w such that it cannot pass through the slit 130, but is equal to Or smaller than the diameter (or width) of the diameter d of the circular region 134 of the slit 130. In this manner, by passing either or both of the larger diameter regions 125b through the circular regions 134 of the slits 130 and then the regions 125a of the respective diameters of the abutting portions 124 are reduced along the slits 134. Sliding causes it to enter the rectangular region 132 and thereby secure the abutment portion 124 to the support portion 122, which may be embedded into the respective slits 130, respectively. By selecting each of the two reduced diameter regions 125a to engage the slit 130, the position of the abutment surface 127 can be selected from the two possible locations illustrated in FIG. The distance of the clamping direction between the two possible positions corresponds to the distance d between the two reduced diameter regions 125a. In this manner, a set of upper abutment members 124 can be used to secure the device 10 having a thickness t or the device 10 having a thickness of t - d simply by repositioning the upper abutment portions 124. In other embodiments, the contiguous regions of the upper abutment portions 124 can have only one reduced diameter region 125a that is closed by two larger diameter regions 125b. The abutment region 126 of each upper abutment portion 124 includes a frustoconical region extending from the reduced diameter region, the diameter of the truncated cone-shaped region being reduced from a maximum diameter greater than the slit width w to further abut the abutment portion 124 Fastened to the support portion 122, reduced to the narrowest diameter defining the circular abutment surface 127. The abutment surface 127 is the only portion of each of the upper abutment portions 124 that contacts the respective device 10 in the clamp configuration of the clamp 200 (shown in Figures 18A-E). Each of the upper abutting portions 124 (or the truncated cone-shaped regions of the respective upper abutting portions, or at least the abutting surfaces of the abutting portions) is comprised between 50A and 70A (preferably between 50A and 60A) The formation of an elastomer of the Shore A hardness. Suitable elastomers are fluorinated elastomers such as FKM or FFKM. These fluorinated elastomers have the particular benefit of low- or zero outgassing. The deformability of the elastic material ensures that it is used to apply a clamping force to each individual device 10 as it is compressed as it is compressed in the clamping configuration. Accordingly, the upper abutment portions 124 serve to urge the respective devices 10 to the lower abutment portion 44 to facilitate a hermetic seal therebetween. In addition, the clamping force can be used to maintain the structural integrity of the device 10 in a surface modification process (specifically, such processes using a sub-atmospheric surface modification process) to prevent stripping, delamination, or Other damage. In some embodiments, the lower abutment portions 44 can include a rigid substrate (eg, a metal substrate, such as an aluminum substrate) having a layer of elastomeric material thereon to provide an abutment surface of the abutment portion. In other embodiments, each abutting portion may be formed entirely of an elastic material. Similarly, the abutment region 125 of each upper abutment portion 124 can include a rigid member (ie, formed from a rigid material such as a metallic material such as aluminum) and the abutment region 126 (or at least its abutment surface 127). It can be formed of an elastic material. The slits 130 can change the position of each abutting portion 124 to suit the configuration of the device 10 in the fixture 200. That is, the abutting portions 124 can be secured anywhere along the rectangular regions of the respective slits 130 to provide a clamping force at the desired location. Moreover, the slits 130 allow the abutting portions 124 to be replaced, for example, if they are worn or become weak. Moreover, the abutting portions 124 can be replaced with a plurality of equivalent abutting portions having different heights in the clamping configuration. That is, the jig 200 can be used to hold the device 10 having different thicknesses by changing the height of the upper abutting portion (the clamping direction dimension between the inner surface of the support portion 122 and the abutment surface 127). In use, the clamp 200 is first configured in a loading configuration (shown in Figure 11) and loaded with a plurality of devices 10 such that each device 10 nests within a recess 46 of each lower abutment portion 44. The upper insert 120 is then pivoted until the respective clamping tabs 23 fully engage their corresponding apertures 55. The clamp 200 is in a clamp configuration (shown in Figures 18A-E), thereby causing the abutment surfaces of the lower abutment portions 44 to hermetically seal against the devices 10, thereby shielding the devices 10 from each other. The portions that are masked by the abutting portions, and the upper abutting portions 124 apply a clamping force to each of the devices 10. Finally, the card engines 56 are closed to ensure that the clamp maintains the clamp configuration until it is released. The loaded jig 200 can be exposed to surface modification conditions, such as vapor deposition conditions, by placing it in a plasma polymerization deposition chamber, as discussed further below. For example, the surface modification conditions can provide a barrier coating, such as a water repellent coating. One or more of the upper abutment portions 124 can be moved into their respective slits 130 to change the position of the clamping force applied thereto. If desired, the upper abutment portions 124 can be removed from their respective slits 130 by sliding them along the slits to and from the circular regions 134, and replaced with the upper replacement abutment portions 124. In this embodiment, each linear slit 130 carries two abutting portions 124, however, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that in other embodiments, alternative configurations are possible. In some embodiments, the slits 130 can be replaced with an array of apertures similar to the perforations 60 of the first embodiment, and the apertures can be used to secure each of the upper abutment portions 124 to the support portion 122. In this manner, the position and/or orientation of each of the upper abutment portions 124 can be modified by interconnecting its connection regions with different ones of the apertures. In all embodiments of the present invention, a vapor deposition process in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention can include exposing a loaded jig 100 to a vapor deposition condition substantially as described in WO 2007/083122, the case being The manner of reference is incorporated herein. The vapor deposition conditions may further comprise a 1,4-butanediol divinyl ether (BDVE), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol divinyl ether (CDDE), 1,7-octadiene. (17OD), 1,2,4-trivinylcyclohexane (TVCH), divinyl adipate (DVA), 1,3-divinyltetramethyldioxane (DVTMDS), 1, Diallyl 4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate (DCHD), 1,6-divinyl perfluorohexane (DVPFH), 1H, 1H, 6H, 6H-perfluorohexanediol diacrylate (PFHDA) and A cross-linking agent for adipaldehyde bis(diallyl acetal) (GBDA). It has been found that in vapor deposition conditions, only the unmasked portions of device 10 are coated with a vapor deposited coating.

10‧‧‧Mobile devices

20‧‧‧Upper inserts

22‧‧‧Support section

23‧‧‧Clamping protrusion/clamp

24‧‧‧Adjacent parts

25‧‧‧Flange

26‧‧‧ Notch area

28‧‧‧ pores

30‧‧‧ bias connector

32‧‧‧elastic spring

34‧‧‧Rigid needle

36‧‧‧Blind holes

40‧‧‧Lower inserts

42‧‧‧Support section

44‧‧‧Adjacent parts

45‧‧‧Flange

46‧‧‧ notch

50‧‧‧Rigid frame

52a‧‧‧First elongated beam

52b‧‧‧Second elongate beam

54a‧‧‧First card engine assembly

54b‧‧‧Second card engine assembly

54c‧‧‧ third card engine assembly

55‧‧‧Clamping hole

56‧‧‧卡擎

58‧‧‧Hinged parts

60‧‧‧Perforation

100‧‧‧ fixture

120‧‧‧Upper inserts

122‧‧‧Support section

124‧‧‧Upper abutment

125‧‧‧Adjacent areas

125a‧‧‧ areas of reduced diameter

125b‧‧‧large diameter area

126‧‧‧Adjacent areas

127‧‧‧Abutment surface

130‧‧‧slit

132‧‧‧Generally elongated rectangular area

134‧‧‧Circular area/slit

200‧‧‧ fixture

One or more embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a portion of the jig that ignores the frame; FIG. 3 shows a jig loaded with a plurality of devices according to FIG. 1; FIGS. 4A and 4B respectively show the inner and outer surfaces of the lower insert of the jig of FIG. 1; 5A and 5B respectively show the inner surface and the outer surface of the upper insert of the jig of Fig. 1, wherein the bias connectors are shown in phantom for clarity; Fig. 6 shows an exploded view of the jig of Fig. 1; Figure 7 shows an isometric view of the clamp of Figure 1 ignoring the support portion of the upper insert; Figure 8 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the clamp of Figure 1; Figures 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D and 9E show the clamp of Figure 1 respectively Figure 10 shows a detailed view of the bias connector of the upper insert of the clamp of Figure 1; Figure 11 shows the clamp loaded during loading according to another embodiment of the present invention. An isometric view in the configuration. Figure 12 shows an isometric view of the jig of Figure 11; Figure 13 shows the jig loaded with a plurality of devices according to Figure 11; Figures 14A and 14B show the inner and outer surfaces of the lower insert of Figure 11 respectively; 15A and 15B respectively show the inner surface and the outer surface of the upper insert of the jig of Fig. 11; Fig. 16 shows an exploded view of the jig of Fig. 11; Fig. 17 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the jig of Fig. 11; Figs. 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D and 18E show plan, side and isometric views, respectively, of the clamp of Fig. 11 in the clamp configuration; and Fig. 19 shows a detailed view of the abutment of the upper insert of the clamp of Fig. 11.

Claims (28)

A clamp for fastening one or more articles during a surface modification process, the clamp comprising first and second inserts configured in a clamping structure that can hold one or more articles therebetween, wherein At least one of the first and second inserts includes a support portion with one or more configured to abut one or more items between the first and second inserts in the clamp configuration A plurality of abutting portions, the one or more abutting portions, may be separated from their respective support portions to facilitate replacement of the one or more abutting portions. The jig of claim 1, wherein the one or more abutting portions comprise an elastically deformable material. The jig of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each support portion has a first interlocking feature, and the or each abutting portion has a second interlocking feature, wherein the first and second interlocking features have therein An interlocking configuration that engages one another to lock the or each abutting portion to its respective support portion, and an uninterlocked configuration in which the or each abutting portion is separated from its respective support portion. The jig of claim 3, wherein the first and second interlocking features are engageable with each other in a plurality of different configurations in the interlocking configuration. The jig of claim 3, wherein the first interlocking feature comprises a plurality of first formations, the second interlocking feature comprises at least one second formation, and the at least one second formation is capable of interlocking configuration Any one of the plurality of first formations is engaged. The jig of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more contiguous portions comprise a material having a Shore A hardness of 50 A or more or 70 A or less, preferably 60 A or less. The jig of claim 6, wherein the one or more abutting portions comprise an elastic material, such as a fluorinated elastomer. The fixture of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more contiguous portions are configured to align one or more objects between the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration during the surface modification process One or more areas provide a clamping force. A jig as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising one or more resilient members configured to urge the abutting portion into abutment with one or more items between the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration. The fixture of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more contiguous portions comprises a configuration to mask between the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration during the surface modification process An abutment surface of one or more regions of one or more articles. The jig of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more abutting portions have abutment for abutting one or more objects between the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration The surface, the abutment surface having a surface profile corresponding to the one or more articles. The jig of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first or second insert comprises a plurality of contiguous portions arranged in parallel, each contiguous portion being configured to abut each of a plurality of objects intended to be exposed to the surface modification process Other objects. The jig of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first and/or second insert comprises one or more indexing features configured to position an object to be surface modified relative to the fixture. The fixture of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first and/or second inserts comprise a plurality of indexing features, the indexing features being configured to position the object to be surface modified with respect to the fixture, such that the plurality of Objects are positioned side by side. The fixture of claim 14, wherein each of the one or more indexing features comprises an abutting surface as in claim item 11. The jig of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the support portion of the first and/or second insert is substantially rigid and, if desired, comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, metallic materials, and combinations thereof. A jig as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a clamping member for causing the first and second inserts to form a clamping configuration. The jig of claim 17, wherein the clamping members comprise one or more pairs having an interlocking configuration in which the fixture is in a clamping configuration and wherein the fixture is not in an interlocking configuration in the clamping configuration Clamp the formation. A jig as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first insert is movable relative to the second insert to allow the object to be loaded and unloaded from the jig. A jig of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more abutting portions of the first or second insert comprise a plurality of separate abutting members that are separable from their respective support portions. The jig of claim 20, wherein the individual abutting members each have an abutment region having a width dimension that decreases to a narrowest portion in the clamping direction, providing a first configuration configured to abut in the clamping configuration And an abutment surface of one or more objects between the second inserts. The jig of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more abutting portions of the first or second insert each include a protrusion therefrom to provide the first and the first configured to abut the clamping configuration a plurality of abutting features of a plurality of abutting surfaces of one or more articles between the two inserts. A method of securing one or more articles in a jig according to any one of claims 1 to 22 during a surface modification process, the method comprising: loading the one or more articles in the first and second Between the inserts, and configuring the first and second inserts in a clamping configuration such that the one or more abutting portions abut the one or more articles; and exposing the one or more objects to a surface Modification conditions. A kit comprising the clamp of any one of claims 1 to 22 and one or more replacement abutment portions configured to replace one or more abutment portions, the alternate abutment portions being configured to be individually supported Partially loaded to abut one or more items between the first and second inserts in the clamping configuration. A kit of claim 24, wherein the alternate abutment portions have any of the features of the contiguous portions of any of claims 1-22. A kit of claim 24 or claim 25, wherein the replacement abutment portions have a dimension different from the abutment portion in the clamping direction. The kit of claim 24, wherein the alternate abutment portions have a different configuration of abutment surfaces relative to the abutment surfaces of the abutment portions. A method of operating a kit of any one of claims 24 to 27, the method comprising: removing the one or more abutting portions from their respective support portions; and securing the one or more replacement abutment portions to The (etc.) support portion.