Process and apparatus for intermittent fluid application

Claim 2

A process for chemically treating articles in a chamber with a liquid treatment fluid, wherein the fluid is applied to articles being treated along a path of travel for the articles, the process including the steps of: (a) providing a substantially closed chamber for treating articles therein; (b) delivering articles along a path of travel through the chamber; (c) applying a liquid treatment fluid to articles being delivered along their path of travel through the chamber by: (i) providing a plurality of discharge orifices for treatment fluid at at least some different angular orientations relative to the path of travel of articles, and (ii) sequentially discharging and interrupting the discharge of, treatment fluid, through orifices of different angular orientations relative to the path of travel of articles, whereby treatment fluid, in an interrupted manner, impinges on articles at different angles of impingement.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1, wherein the articles being treated are generally flat planar members, wherein the treatment fluid is chemically active, and wherein the articles are being conveyed along a generally horizontal path while in a generally horizontal orientation.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2, wherein the sequence of sequentially discharging and interrupting the discharge of, treatment fluid through orifices, is at a sufficient frequency and the flow of treatment fluid through orifices is sufficiently forceful, to prevent the formation of puddles of treatment fluid on the substantially flat, substantially horizontal upper surfaces of articles.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1, wherein the discharge orifices are provided in two different angular orientations, and wherein the sequential discharging and interrupting step is accomplished by alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of treatment fluid from orifices at the two different angles of orientation.

Claim 6

The process of claim 4, wherein treatment fluid is provided to the orifices from a common delivery line, which is connected to two orifice supply lines through a valve, and wherein the alternate opening-up and closing-off step comprises actuating the valve to supply treatment fluid from the common delivery line to first one, then the other of the orifice supply lines.

Claim 7

The process of claim 2, wherein the chamber is provided with inlet and outlet openings and wherein the articles are delivered along their path of travel between the inlet and outlet openings.

Claim 8

The process of claim 2, wherein the treatment fluid is applied to articles from both above and below as they move along their generally horizontal path of travel.

Claim 9

The process of claim 2, wherein the discharge orifices are provided in two different angular orientations, and wherein the sequential discharging and interrupting step is accomplished by alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of treatment fluid from orifices at the two different angles of orientation.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8, wherein treatment fluid is provided to the orifices from a common delivery line, which is connected to two orifice supply lines through a valve, and wherein the alternate opening-up and closing-off step comprises actuating the valve to supply treatment fluid from the common delivery line to first one, then the other of the orifice supply lines.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1, wherein the articles being treated are generally flat planar members, wherein the treatment fluid is chemically active, and wherein the articles are being conveyed along a generally horizontal path while in a generally horizontal orientation, wherein the sequence of sequentially discharging and interrupting the discharge of, treatment fluid through orifices, is at a sufficient frequency and the flow of treatment fluid through orifices is sufficiently forceful, to prevent the formation of puddles of treatment fluid on the substantially flat, substantially horizontal upper surfaces of articles, wherein the discharge orifices are provided in two different angular orientations, and wherein the sequential discharging and interrupting step is accomplished by alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of treatment fluid from orifices at the two different angles of orientation, wherein treatment fluid is provided to the orifices from a common delivery line, which is connected to two orifice supply lines through a valve, and wherein the alternate opening-up and closing-off step comprises actuating the valve to supply treatment fluid from the common delivery line to first one, then the other of the orifice supply lines, wherein the chamber is provided with inlet and outlet openings and wherein the articles are delivered along their path of travel between the inlet and outlet openings, and wherein the treatment fluid is applied to articles from both above and below as they move along their generally horizontal path of travel.

Claim 12

Apparatus for chemically treating articles in a chamber with a liquid treatment fluid, wherein the fluid is applied to articles being treated along a path of travel for the articles, the apparatus including: (a) means providing a substantially closed chamber for treating articles therein; (b) means for delivering articles along a path of travel through the chamber; (c) means for applying a liquid treatment fluid to articles being delivered along their path of travel through the chamber, including (i) means providing a plurality of discharge orifices for treatment fluid at at least some different angular orientations relative to the path of travel of articles, and (ii) means for sequentially discharging and interrupting the discharge of, treatment fluid, through orifices of different angular orientations relative to the path of travel of articles, whereby treatment fluid, in an interrupted manner, impinges on articles at different angles of impingement.

Claim 13

Apparatus for chemically treating articles in a chamber with a liquid treatment fluid, wherein the fluid is applied to articles being treated along a path of travel for the articles, the apparatus including: (a) means providing a substantially closed chamber for treating articles therein; (b) means for delivering articles along a path of travel through the chamber; (c) means for applying a liquid treatment fluid to articles being delivered along their path of travel through the chamber, including (i) means providing a plurality of discharge orifices for treatment fluid at at least some different angular orientations relative to the path of travel of articles, and (ii) means for sequentially discharging and interrupting the discharge of, treatment fluid, through orifices of different angular orientations relative to the path of travel of articles, whereby treatment fluid, in an interrupted manner, impinges on articles at different angles of impingement.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the articles to be treated are generally flat planar members wherein the treatment fluid to be applied is chemically active, and wherein the means for delivering the articles includes means for arranging the articles along a generally horizontal path while in a generally horizontal orientation.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for sequentially discharging and interrupting the discharge of, treatment fluid through orifices, includes means for doing so at a sufficient frequency and the means for providing treatment fluid through orifices is sufficiently forceful, to together, provide means for preventing the formation of puddles of treatment fluid on the substantially flat, substantially horizontal upper surfaces of articles.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the discharge orifices have two different angular orientations, and wherein the means for sequentially discharging and interrupting includes means for alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of treatment fluid from orifices at the two different angles of orientation.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 14, including a common delivery line, a valve, and two orifice supply lines, including means providing treatment fluid to the orifices from the common delivery line, which is connected to the two orifice supply lines through the valve, and wherein the means for alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of fluid comprises means actuating the valve to supply treatment fluid from the common delivery line to first one, then the other of the orifice supply lines.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the chamber is provided with inlet and outlet openings and including means for delivering the articles along their path of travel between the inlet and outlet openings

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 12, including means for applying treatment fluid to articles from both above and below as they move along their generally horizontal path of travel.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the discharge orifices have two different angular orientations, and wherein the means for sequentially discharging and interrupting includes means for alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of treatment fluid from orifices at the two different angles of orientation.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 14, including a common delivery line, a valve, and two orifice supply lines, including means providing treatment fluid to the orifices from the common delivery line, which is connected to the two orifice supply lines through the valve, and wherein the means for alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of fluid comprises means actuating the valve to supply treatment fluid from the common delivery line to first one, then the other of the orifice supply lines.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the articles to be treated are generally flat planar members, wherein the treatment fluid to be applied is chemically active, and wherein the means for delivering the articles includes means for arranging the articles along a generally horizontal path while in a generally horizontal orientation, wherein the means for sequentially discharging and interrupting the discharge of, treatment fluid through orifices, includes means for doing so at a sufficient frequency and the means for providing treatment fluid through orifices is sufficiently forceful, to together, provide means for preventing the formation of puddles of treatment fluid on the substantially flat, substantially horizontal upper surfaces of articles, wherein the discharge orifices have two different angular orientations, and wherein the means for sequentially discharging and interrupting includes means for alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of treatment fluid from orifices at the two different angles of orientation, including a common delivery line, a valve, and two orifice supply lines, including means providing treatment fluid to the orifices from the common delivery line, which is connected to the two orifice supply lines through the valve, and wherein the means for alternately opening-up and closing-off the discharge of fluid comprises means actuating the valve to supply treatment fluid from the common delivery line to first one, then the other of the orifice supply lines, wherein the chamber is provided with inlet and outlet openings and including means for delivering the articles along their path of travel between the inlet and outlet openings, and including means for applying treatment fluid to articles from both above and below as they move along their generally horizontal path of travel.