US3885520A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vapor deposition apparatus with rotatable ring mask
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-03-08
•
Granted: 1975-05-27
•
Expires: 1994-03-08
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for carrying a substrate strip of material through a deposition area of a vacuum deposition system is described. The apparatus includes a rotatable masking wheel defined by a pair of axially aligned and spaced apart masking rims upon which the substrate strip rides bridging the gap therebetween during passage through the deposition area. A plurality of connectors extend between the rims and secure the same together at locations spaced circumferentially of such rims to normally maintain the rims a predetermined spacing apart. A source of the material to be deposited on the strip is positioned inwardly of the rims, whereby material therefrom will be deposited on the area of the strip which is exposed between such rims in view of the fact that such strip bridges the gap therebetween. The coating material will thus form a stripe along the length of the substrate strip with the edges of the masking rims forming the edges of the stripe. Each of the connectors extends between the rims at a location which is spaced inwardly of the location where the strip bridges the gap between the rims, and the source of coating material is positioned inwardly of the wheel at a location which is off its axis of rotation, whereby the portions of the strip area between the rims shielded by the connectors from the deposition of material shifts along the stripe area as the wheel rotates so that all portions of the area of the substrate strip exposed between such rims are at some time exposed to deposited material during passage of the substrate through the deposition area.
Inventors
- 👤 John F Krumme
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:33
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/04; C23C14/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
In a vacuum deposition apparatus for depositing material in a stripe on an elongated substrate strip comprising: 1. a masking wheel for delimiting an area of said substrate strip upon which said material is deposited during passage of said strip through a deposition area, said wheel including: a. a pair of axially aligned and spaced apart masking rims having generally the same outer peripheral circumferences and upon which said strip rides bridging the gap therebetween during said passage through said deposition area, and b. a plurality of connectors extending between said rims and securing the same together at locations spaced circumferentially of said rims to normally maintain the same a predetermined spacing apart defining said stripe; 2. a source of said material to be deposited positioned inwardly of said rims whereby upon rotation of said wheel to carry said strip on said rims through said deposition area, material from said source will be deposited on the area of said strip exposed between said rims; 3. each of said connectors extending between said rims at a location between said strip and said source which is spaced inwardly of the location at which said strip bridges the gap between said rims, and said source being positioned inwardly of said rims at a location which is off the axis of rotation thereof, whereby the portions of said strip area between said rims which are shielded by said connectors from the deposition of said materials shifts along said area as said rims rotate so that all portions of said area of said strip exposed between said rims are exposed to deposited material during passage through said deposition area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
274 words
In a vacuum deposition apparatus for depositing material in a stripe on an elongated substrate strip comprising: 1. a masking wheel for delimiting an area of said substrate strip upon which said material is deposited during passage of said strip through a deposition area, said wheel including: a. a pair of axially aligned and spaced apart masking rims having generally the same outer peripheral circumferences and upon which said strip rides bridging the gap therebetween during said passage through said deposition area, and b. a plurality of connectors extending between said rims and securing the same together at locations spaced circumferentially of said rims to normally maintain the same a predetermined spacing apart defining said stripe; 2. a source of said material to be deposited positioned inwardly of said rims whereby upon rotation of said wheel to carry said strip on said rims through said deposition area, material from said source will be deposited on the area of said strip exposed between said rims; 3. each of said connectors extending between said rims at a location between said strip and said source which is spaced inwardly of the location at which said strip bridges the gap between said rims, and said source being positioned inwardly of said rims at a location which is off the axis of rotation thereof, whereby the portions of said strip area between said rims which are shielded by said connectors from the deposition of said materials shifts along said area as said rims rotate so that all portions of said area of said strip exposed between said rims are exposed to deposited material during passage through said deposition area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The vacuum deposition apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said connectors is of a heat conductive material and is in good thermal contact with each of said rims whereby each connector acts as a thermal bridge tending to maintain said rims at the same temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
a source of said material to be deposited positioned inwardly of said rims whereby upon rotation of said wheel to carry said strip on said rims through said deposition area, material from said source will be deposited on the area of said strip exposed between said rims;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
a source of said material to be deposited positioned inwardly of said rims whereby upon rotation of said wheel to carry said strip on said rims through said deposition area, material from said source will be deposited on the area of said strip exposed between said rims;
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
The vacuum deposition apparatus of claim 1 wherein said source is positioned relative to the connectors and said rims have a curvature such that any portion of said strip area shielded from said source by a connector at any selected position of said portion within said deposition area will be exposed to material from said source at some other position of said portion within said deposition area upon rotation of said masking wheel to carry said strip through said area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
each of said connectors extending between said rims at a location between said strip and said source which is spaced inwardly of the location at which said strip bridges the gap between said rims, and said source being positioned inwardly of said rims at a location which is off the axis of rotation thereof, whereby the portions of said strip area between said rims which are shielded by said connectors from the deposition of said materials shifts along said area as said rims rotate so that all portions of said area of said strip exposed between said rims are exposed to deposited material during passage through said deposition area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
109 words
each of said connectors extending between said rims at a location between said strip and said source which is spaced inwardly of the location at which said strip bridges the gap between said rims, and said source being positioned inwardly of said rims at a location which is off the axis of rotation thereof, whereby the portions of said strip area between said rims which are shielded by said connectors from the deposition of said materials shifts along said area as said rims rotate so that all portions of said area of said strip exposed between said rims are exposed to deposited material during passage through said deposition area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The vacuum deposition apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said connectors is integrally secured to both of said rims to tie the same together into a rigid structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The vacuum deposition apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said connectors is adapted to prevent contraction of said predetermined spacing of said rims while being responsive to forces tending to separate said rims by allowing such separation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
73 words
The vacuum deposition apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said connectors is a bolt extending from a first one of said rims slideably into a bore in the other of such rims, said bolt and said bore having cooperating shoulders mating to prevent movement of said rim with said bore toward said first rim beyond a predetermined location, and spring means associated with said bolt for resiliently urging said shoulders into engagement.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
The vacuum deposition apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two sources of said material to be deposited are positioned inwardly of said rim at locations relative to the connectors and the curvature of said rims at which when any portion of said strip area is shielded by a connector from one of said sources, it will be exposed to material emanating from the other of said sources.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2816523A
Cited
US2847325A
Cited
US2948261A
Cited
US3102046A
Cited
US3205855A
Cited
US3396696A
Cited
US3394679A
Cited
US3699917A
Cited
US3818982A
Cited
US3735728A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |