Method for improving the wettability of a sheet material

Claim 1

A METHOD OF TREATING THE SURFACE OF A SUBSTRATE OF SHEET METAL MATERIAL IN A TREATER ASSEMBLY TO IMPROVE THE WETTABILITY THEREOF, THE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OF ELECTRODES HAVING CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS CONNECTED IN CIRCUIT WITH A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, AND WHEREIN ONE ELECTRODE HAS ITS CONDUCTIVE PORTION COVERED BY NON-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF, MOVING SAID SUBSTRATE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TREATER ASSEMBLY, SUPPORTING SAID SUBSTRATE IN SPACED RELATION FROM SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTION OF SAID ONE ELECTRODE BY SUPPORTING SAID SUBSTRATE IN CONTACT WITH SAID NON-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, MAINTAINING AN AIR SPACE BETWEEN SAID SUBSTRATE AND SAID ONE ELECTRODE IN THE AREA OF CONTACT THEREBETWEEN BY SUPPORTING SAID SUBSTRATE IN CONTACT WITH A CAVITATED PORTION OF SAID NON-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL SUPPORTING SAID SUBSTRATE IN CONTACT WITH SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTION OF SAID OTHER ELECTRODE,

Claim 2

A METHOD OF TREATING THE SURFACE OF A SUBSTRATE OF SHEET METAL MATERIAL IN A TREATER ASSEMBLY TO IMPROVE THE WETTABILITY THEREOF, THE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OF ELECTRODES HAVING CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS CONNECTED IN CIRCUIT WITH A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, AND WHEREIN ONE ELECTRODE HAS ITS CONDUCTIVE PORTION COVERED BY NON-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF, MOVING SAID SUBSTRATE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TREATER ASSEMBLY, SUPPORTING SAID SUBSTRATE IN SPACED RELATION FROM SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTION OF SAID ONE ELECTRODE BY SUPPORTING SAID SUBSTRATE IN CONTACT WITH SAID NON-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, MAINTAINING AN AIR SPACE BETWEEN SAID SUBSTRATE AND SAID ONE ELECTRODE IN THE AREA OF CONTACT THEREBETWEEN BY SUPPORTING SAID SUBSTRATE IN CONTACT WITH A CAVITATED PORTION OF SAID NON-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL SUPPORTING SAID SUBSTRATE IN CONTACT WITH SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTION OF SAID OTHER ELECTRODE,

Claim 7

A method of treating the surface of a substrate of sheet metal material in a treater assembly for improving the wettability thereof, the assembly including a treater electrode and a grounded electrode connected in circuit with a source of electrical energy, and wherein the treater electrode includes a conductive portion covered by a non-conductive material and the grounded electrode includes a conductive portion, said method comprising the steps of, providing said treater electrode in the form of a first roll, moving said substrate from a supply source into engagement with said first roll, wrapping said substrate about a segmental arcuate portion of the peripheral surface of said first roll, providing said grounded electrode in the form of a second roll, providing said non-conductive material in the form of a continuous layer of substantially uniform thickness about the circumference of said first roll, supporting said substrate in uniform, spaced relation from said conductive portion of said treater electrode by supporting said substrate in contact with said non-conductive material, maintaining an air space between said substrate and said conductive portion of said treater electrode by supporting said substrate in contact with a cavitated portion of substantially uniform thickness in said non-conductive material, creating a potential difference between said substrate and said conductive portion of said treater electrode by establishing a potential difference between said conductive portion of said treater electrode and conductive portion of said grounded electrode sufficient to cause ionization of the air in the cavities forming said cavitated portion for electrostatically treating the substrate over the area supported in contact with the cavitated portion of said non-conductive material and confronting said cavities therein, insulating said conductive portion of said treater electrode from said substrate by providing said non-conductive material with a non-cavitated portion between said conductive portion of said treater electrode and said cavitated portion which has a dielectric strength sufficient to enable ionization of the air in the air space between said substrate and said non-cavitated portion of said non-conductive material for electrostatically treating the surface area of the substrate confronting said air space but sufficient to prevent arcing between said substrate and said conductive portion of said treater electrode while applying said ionizing potential difference therebetween, and replenishing the air in said air space by rotating said rolls for continuously moving said substrate therebetween for continuously treating the confronting surface of said substrate.

Claim 8

A method of treating the surface of a substrate of sheet metal material in a treater assembly for improving the wettability thereof, the assembly including a treater electrode and a grounded electrode connected in circuit with a source of electrical energy, and wherein the treater electrode includes a conductive portion covered by a non-conductive material and the grounded electrode includes a conductive portion, said method comprising the steps of, providing said treater electrode in the form of a first roll, moving said substrate from a supply source into engagement with said first roll, wrapping said substrate about a segmental arcuate portion of the peripheral surface of said first roll, providing said grounded electrode in the form of a second roll, providing said non-conductive material in the form of a continuous layer of substantially uniform thickness about the circumference of said first roll, supporting said substrate in uniform, spaced relation from said conductive portion of said treater electrode by supporting said substrate in contact with said non-conductive material, maintaining an air space between said substrate and said conductive portion of said treater electrode by supporting said substrate in contact with a cavitated portion of substantially uniform thickness in said non-conductive material, creating a potential difference between said substrate and said conductive portion of said treater electrode by establishing a potential difference between said conductive portion of said treater electrode and conductive portion of said grounded electrode sufficient to cause ionization of the air in the cavities forming said cavitated portion for electrostatically treating the substrate over the area supported in contact with the cavitated portion of said non-conductive material and confronting said cavities therein, insulating said conductive portion of said treater electrode from said substrate by providing said non-conductive material with a non-cavitated portion between said conductive portion of said treater electrode and said cavitated portion which has a dielectric strength sufficient to enable ionization of the air in the air space between said substrate and said non-cavitated portion of said non-conductive material for electrostatically treating the surface area of the substrate confronting said air space but sufficient to prevent arcing between said substrate and said conductive portion of said treater electrode while applying said ionizing potential difference therebetween, and replenishing the air in said air space by rotating said rolls for continuously moving said substrate therebetween for continuously treating the confronting surface of said substrate.