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US3775285A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for coating continuous strips of ribbon razor blade material

Assignee: Warner Lambert Co LLC
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Filing: 1971-05-18
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Granted: 1973-11-27
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Expires: 1991-05-18
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Abstract

Abstract A method and apparatus for placing extremely thin finish coatings on previously sharpened coils of band or ribbon type razor blade material prior to cutting such strips into shorter lengths for eventual inclusion in magazine fed ribbon blade safety razors. The method includes winding a relatively great length of ribbon blade into a helix or coil with an open center, fitting the coil within a special fixture, and placing the coil and fixture within an evacuable chamber wherein one or more coating materials are sputtered onto the blade edge in extremely thin layers under carefully controlled conditions. The chamber, in addition to conventional vacuum system components, includes at least one, and sometimes plural electrodes, each adapted to receive thereover a target plate containing a coating of the material to be sputtered therefrom and onto the blade edge. A shutter arrangement is provided to shield the blade edge against contamination during the time the target is being cleaned in vacuo prior to coating, and to protect the target from contamination when the blade edge is being sputter etched in order to clean it before coating. Means are provided for indexing the shutter to desired positions for these operations and for rotating the fixture so as to cause portions of the blade coil to be passed successively adjacent the target in facing relation thereto when the shutter is indexed so as to provide a generally perpendicular line of sight between the target and the portion of the blade coil facing the target. The fixture is preferably in the form of a disc with an annular groove therein for receiving the blade coil and for providing controlled exposure of the edge portion thereof, while the shutter preferably is in the form of one or more rotatably mounted apertured plates. The sputtering process includes the formation of a plasma within the evacuated chamber by the ionization of an otherwise inert or non-reactive gas; the coating materials may be metals or alloys as well as dielectric materials such as organic plastics applied to the edge for imparting lubricity thereto. Coating thicknesses range from about 50 Angstroms or less up to several hundred Angstroms or more, but, in any case, are insufficiently thick to dull the previously sharpened blade edge.

Inventors

  • 👤 G Lane

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 11:28
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/34; C23C14/35

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 168 words
An apparatus for applying a coating material to an edge portion of strip material rolled in a coil, said apparatus comprising, in combination, an evacuatable chamber, means within said chamber including an annular recess for holding said coil of strip material arranged in said recess with said edge portion upwardly exposed and concentrically aligned about a vertical axis of said holding means, at least one electrode within said chamber, means for maintaining target means containing the coating material disposed in closely overlying relation to said electrode, said target means being radially spaced from said axis and disposed in oppositely facing relation to a sector of said recess, means for establishing a voltage gradient between said target and said coil of material, means for admitting minute amounts of an ionizable gas into said chamber under controlled conditions to establish a plasma in said chamber for sputtering the coating material from said target means to said edge portion, and means for rotating said holding means about said axis during sputtering.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 168 words
An apparatus for applying a coating material to an edge portion of strip material rolled in a coil, said apparatus comprising, in combination, an evacuatable chamber, means within said chamber including an annular recess for holding said coil of strip material arranged in said recess with said edge portion upwardly exposed and concentrically aligned about a vertical axis of said holding means, at least one electrode within said chamber, means for maintaining target means containing the coating material disposed in closely overlying relation to said electrode, said target means being radially spaced from said axis and disposed in oppositely facing relation to a sector of said recess, means for establishing a voltage gradient between said target and said coil of material, means for admitting minute amounts of an ionizable gas into said chamber under controlled conditions to establish a plasma in said chamber for sputtering the coating material from said target means to said edge portion, and means for rotating said holding means about said axis during sputtering.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said holding means is in the form of a generally flat disc.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means for establishing a voltage gradient includes a radio frequency alternating voltage supply source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 82 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein means is interposed between said electrode and said recess to allow sputter removal of material from both said electrode and said coil without deposition of said sputtered material on said electrode or said coil in the form of an apertured shutter disposed in generally facing relation to said holding means, with said aperture being spaced radially from the center of said coil and overlying a portion of said coil within only a narrow sector thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 87 words
An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein aid interposable means is in the form of a shutter mounted coaxially with said holding means, said shutter being rotatably mounted for indexing of an aperture therein into and out of aligned relation with said target means, said aperture being in said aligned relation with said target means when said sputtered target material is to be deposited on said coil and wherein said means is interposed when the surface of said target and said coil are to be sputter cleaned.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 35 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said at least one electrode comprises a pair of electrodes, and wherein said target means includes a target plate for each electrode for sequentially sputtering different target materials.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3480922A Cited
US3352282A Cited
US3652443A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-11-26 1977-05-28 1977-11-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-11-26 1981-05-28 1981-11-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-11-26 1985-05-28 1985-11-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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