Coating methods and apparatus
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsDavid A. Litton, Peter F. Gero, Kevin W. Schlichting
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for depositing a coating on a part comprises: a chamber; a source of the coating material, positioned to communicate the coating material to the part in the chamber; a plurality of thermal hoods; and means for moving a hood of the plurality of thermal hoods from an operative position and replacing the hood with another hood of the plurality of hoods.
Claims19
A method for using an apparatus to deposit a coating on parts, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber;
- a source of the coating material, positioned to communicate the coating material to the part in the chamber;
- and
- a plurality of thermal hoods,
- the method comprising, while continuously maintaining vacuum in the chamber, a plurality of operational cycles each comprising:
- a plurality of part coating cycles, each comprising:
- installing one or more of the parts to a sting assembly in a retracted condition;
- shifting the sting assembly to an inserted condition;
- coating the one or more parts;
- after the coating, retracting the sting assembly from the inserted condition to the retracted condition;
- and
- removing the one or more parts;
- and
- moving a hood from an operative position and replacing it with another hood of the plurality of hoods.
A method for using an apparatus to deposit a coating on parts, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber;
- a source of the coating material, positioned to communicate the coating material to the part in the chamber;
- and
- a plurality of thermal hoods,
- the method comprising:
- monitoring a power consumption;
- and
- while continuously maintaining vacuum in the chamber, a plurality of operational cycles each comprising:
- a plurality of part coating cycles;
- and
- responsive to power dropping to a first threshold, moving a hood from an operative position and replacing it with another hood of the plurality of hoods.
A method for using an apparatus to deposit a coating on parts, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber;
- a source of the coating material, positioned to communicate the coating material to the part in the chamber;
- a plurality of thermal hoods;
- and
- means for moving a hood from an operative position and replacing it with another hood of the plurality of thermal hoods, the means comprising a rotatable shaft extending through the plurality of thermal hoods, wherein the means provides height adjustment of the operative position,
- the method comprising, while continuously maintaining vacuum in the chamber, a plurality of operational cycles each comprising:
- a plurality of part coating cycles;
- and
- moving a hood from said operative position and replacing it with another hood of the plurality of hoods.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.