US4821947A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fluxless application of a metal-comprising coating
Assignee: Praxair Technology Inc
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Filing: 1988-02-08
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Granted: 1989-04-18
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Expires: 2008-02-08
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to an improved process for application of a metal-comprising coating to a metal-comprising surface without using a flux. The metal-comprising surface must be wettable by or become wettable upon contact with a bath of the metal-comprising coating. Application of the coating is carried out in an environment which is inert at least with respect to the coating material during the time period of its application to the metal-comprising surface, and preferably inert with respect to both the coating material and the metal-comprising surface. The inert environment temperature is sufficiently low that no damage is done to the metal-comprising surface and no damage is done to other materials adjacent to the metal-comprising surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark S. Nowotarski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:01
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C2/00; C23C2/02; C23C2/022; C23C2/0222; B; B23; B23K; B23K35/00; B23K35/22; B23K35/38; B23K1/00; B23K1/08; B23K1/085; C23C2/04; C23C2/06; C23C2/26; C23C2/28; C23C2/29; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/3465; H05K3/3468; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/10; H05K2201/10613; H05K2201/10954; H05K2201/10984; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/08; H05K2203/086; H05K3/22; H05K3/28; H05K3/282
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of bonding together at least two metal-comprising surfaces, comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least two essentially flux-free, metal-comprising surfaces to be bonded, wherein said metal-comprising surface is a wettable surface or a surface which becomes wettable upon contact with a metal-comprising bath; (b) providing a bath which comprises a metal-comprising coating capable of forming at least one compound detrimental to wetting of said wettable surface, wherein at least a portion of said bath is protected from the formation of said at least one compound using an environment which is inert with respect to at least the metal-comprising coating material during the time period of its application; and, (c) contacting said metal-comprising surface to be bonded with said bath at a location within said bath which is essentially flux-free and which is protected by s aid inert environment, and wherein said environment temperature is sufficiently low that no damage is done to said metal-comprising surfaces and no damage is done to other materials adjacent to said metal-comprising surfaces.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of bonding together at least two metal-comprising surfaces, comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least two essentially flux-free, metal-comprising surfaces to be bonded, wherein said metal-comprising surface is a wettable surface or a surface which becomes wettable upon contact with a metal-comprising bath; (b) providing a bath which comprises a metal-comprising coating capable of forming at least one compound detrimental to wetting of said wettable surface, wherein at least a portion of said bath is protected from the formation of said at least one compound using an environment which is inert with respect to at least the metal-comprising coating material during the time period of its application; and, (c) contacting said metal-comprising surface to be bonded with said bath at a location within said bath which is essentially flux-free and which is protected by s aid inert environment, and wherein said environment temperature is sufficiently low that no damage is done to said metal-comprising surfaces and no damage is done to other materials adjacent to said metal-comprising surfaces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 including the step: (d) permitting said metal-comprising surfaces to cool below the solidus of said metal-comprising coating subsequent to contact with said bath, so that said metal-comprising surfaces become bonded together by said metal-comprising coating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said metal-comprising surface is coated with a protective coating which is removed upon contact with said bath.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
90 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said protective coating is selected from the group consisting of metal comprised coatings which melt upon contact with said bath; metal-comprised coatings which dissolve in said bath at said bath temperature; inorganic coatings which melt, vaporize or undergo a chemical change to a liquid, vapor, or material which is soluble in the metal-comprising coating upon contact with said bath; and organic coatings which melt, vaporize or undergo a chemical change to form, at least substantially, a vapor or liquid upon contact with said bath.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said wettable surface is a metal-comprised surface which does not form compounds detrimental to wetting.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said wettable surface is generated by chemical or mechanical cleaning which is done sufficiently close to the time of contact with said bath that the wettable surface remains substantially free of compounds detrimental to wetting at the time of contact with said bath.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said wettable surface is generated by chemical or mechanical cleaning after which said wettable surface is maintained in a sufficiently inert environment until time of contact with said bath that said wettable surface remains substantially free of compounds detrimental to wetting at the time of contact with said bath.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said inert environment is inert with respect to both said wettable surface and said metal-comprising coating material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, claim 5, claim 6, claim 7, or claim 8, wherein said inert environment is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, mixtures thereof, substantial vacuum, and partial vacuums comprising nitrogen, argon, hydrogen and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, claim 5, claim 6, claim 7, or claim 8, wherein said inert environment comprises an oxidizing agent, but wherein the concentration of said oxidizing agent is such that under process conditions there is no substantial formation of compounds detrimental to wetting with respect to at least the metal comprising coating material during the period of its application to each metal-comprising surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said environment is selected from the group consisting of environments comprising oxygen at concentrations less than about 1% by volume, carbon dioxide at concentrations less than 100% by volume, water at concentrations less than 100% by volume, partial vacuums comprising oxygen at a partial pressure of less than about 0.01 atmospheres, partial vacuums comprising carbon dioxide, partial vacuums comprising water and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said inert environment temperature is no higher than said metal-comprising bath temperature.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said inert environment temperature is less than about 450° C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a flux is applied to said bath at a location not within said contacting area of said bath.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said coating material or said surfaces to be joined are vibrated at frequencies less than 20,000 cycles per second.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
181 words
A method of applying a metal-comprising coating to at least a portion of the metal-comprising surfaces of a part, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a part having at least one metal-comprising surface which is wettable by a metal-comprising coating material or which becomes wettable on contact with a bath of metal-comprising coating material; (b) providing a bath which comprises a metal-comprising coating material capable of forming at least one compound detrimental to wetting of said surface, wherein at least a portion of said bath is protected from the formation of said at least one compound using an environment which is inert with respect to at least the metal-comprising coating during the time period of its application; and, (c) contacting said metal-comprising surface with said bath at a location within said bath which is essentially flux-free and which is protected by said inert environment, and wherein said process environment temperature is sufficiently low that no damage is done to said metal-comprising surfaces, and no damage is done to other materials adjacent to said metal-comprising surfaces during the process exposure time period.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
181 words
A method of applying a metal-comprising coating to at least a portion of the metal-comprising surfaces of a part, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a part having at least one metal-comprising surface which is wettable by a metal-comprising coating material or which becomes wettable on contact with a bath of metal-comprising coating material; (b) providing a bath which comprises a metal-comprising coating material capable of forming at least one compound detrimental to wetting of said surface, wherein at least a portion of said bath is protected from the formation of said at least one compound using an environment which is inert with respect to at least the metal-comprising coating during the time period of its application; and, (c) contacting said metal-comprising surface with said bath at a location within said bath which is essentially flux-free and which is protected by said inert environment, and wherein said process environment temperature is sufficiently low that no damage is done to said metal-comprising surfaces, and no damage is done to other materials adjacent to said metal-comprising surfaces during the process exposure time period.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 16 including the additional step: (d) permitting said metal-comprising coating to cool below its solidus subsequent to its application to said metal-comprising surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said metal-comprising surface does not form compounds which are detrimental to wetting when exposed to said process environment.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said metal-comprising surface is coated with a protective coating which is removed upon contact with said bath.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
90 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said protective coating is selected from the group consisting of metal comprised coatings which melt upon contact with said bath; metal comprised coatings which dissolve in said bath at said bath temperature; inorganic coatings which melt, vaporize or undergo chemical change to a liquid, vapor, or material which is soluble in the metal-comprising coating upon contact with said bath; and organic coatings which melt, vaporize or undergo a chemical change to form, at least substantially, a vapor or liquid upon contact with said bath.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said wettable surface is generated by chemical or mechanical cleaning which is done sufficiently close to the time of contact with said bath that th wettable surface remains substantially free of compounds detrimental to wetting at the time of contact with said bath.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said wettable surface is generated by chemical or mechanical cleaning after which said wettable surface is maintained in a sufficiently inert environment until time of contact with said bath that said wettable surface remains substantially free of compounds detrimental to wetting at the time of contact with said bath.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said inert environment is inert with respect to both said wettable surface and said metal-comprising coating material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 16, claim 17, claim 18, claim 19, claim 20, claim 21, claim 22, or claim 23 wherein said inert environment is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, mixtures thereof, substantial vacuum, and partial vacuums comprising nitrogen, argon, hydrogen or mixtures thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 16, claim 17, claim 18, claim 19, claim 20, claim 21, claim 22, or claim 23 wherein said inert environment comprises an oxidizing agent, but wherein the concentration of said oxidizing agent is such that under process conditions there is no substantial formation of compounds detrimental to wetting with respect to at least the metal-comprising coating material during the period of its application to each metal-comprising surface.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said inert environment is selected from the group consisting of environments comprising oxygen at concentrations less than about 1% by volume, carbon dioxide at concentrations less than 100% by volume, water at concentrations less than 100% by volume, partial vacuums comprising oxygen at a partial pressure of less than about 0.01 atmospheres, partial vacuums comprising carbon dioxide, partial vacuums comprising water, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said inert environment temperature is no higher than said metal-comprising bath temperature.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said inert environment temperature is less than about 450° C.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 16 wherein a flux is applied to said bath at a location not within said contacting area of said bath.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said coating material or said surfaces are vibrated at frequencies less than 20,000 cycles per second.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-04-17 | 1992-10-17 | 1993-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-04-17 | 1996-10-17 | 1997-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-04-17 | 2000-10-17 | 2001-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |