Plasma cleaning device and process
AssigneeSurfx Technologies LLC
InventorsThomas Scott Williams, Quoc Dinh Truong, Robert F. Hicks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Atmospheric pressure plasma devices and methods for preparing the surfaces of fasteners, e.g. nutplates, for adhesive bonding are disclosed. A device supports a fastener to dispose a contact surface of the fastener to receive an atmospheric pressure plasma flow, thereby activating the contact surface to be bonded. A spacer is used to properly support the fastener to receive the plasma treatment. A spacer can comprise a plurality of standoffs on a showerhead port comprising a ground electrode of the plasma generator where plasma is formed in a gas flow across the electrodes.
Claims10
A method for treating a mechanical fastener with atmospheric pressure plasma comprising:
- generating an atmospheric pressure plasma in a housing by flowing gas through a gap between a powered electrode and a grounded electrode and applying electrical power to the powered electrode;
- directing the atmospheric pressure plasma flow onto a mechanical fastener by mounting the mechanical fastener in an opening in the housing where the atmospheric pressure plasma flows out from between the powered electrode and the grounded electrode;
- and
- exposing a surface of the mechanical fastener to the atmospheric pressure plasma flow with a spacer in contact with the mechanical fastener receiving the atmospheric pressure plasma flow onto the surface of the mechanical fastener;
- wherein the spacer is disposed on an opposite side of the grounded electrode from the powered electrode and between and in contact with both the mechanical fastener and the grounded electrode and outside the gap between the powered electrode and the grounded electrode to receive the atmospheric pressure plasma flow from out of the gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.