US 4,336,279 AGranted

Apparatus and process for drying and curing coated substrates

OwnerWesley A. Metzgerinventor

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Abstract

Apparatus for practicing the process of the present invention includes a flashing section which emits high-velocity, hot air onto the substrate, and a drying and curing section disposed downstream of the flashing section which emits high-velocity, hot air and radiant energy onto the substrate. The flashing and drying/curing sections are fluidically connected to an exhaust duct disposed upstream of the flashing section whereby the spent hot air, and entrained volatiles, are exhausted and recirculated for subsequent flashing and drying/curing process steps. The flashing section comprises air knives having their exhaust directions inclined in the upstream direction toward the exhaust duct, and fresh ambient air may also enter the exhaust stream from a downstream position so as to alter the percentage of volatiles within the recirculated air stream.

Claims12

Dependent claims

Apparatus for drying and curing coatings on substrates conveyed through said apparatus, comprising:

means for supplying high-velocity, hot air;
means fluidically connected to said air supply means for conducting said high-velocity, hot air onto said substrate so as to achieve flashing of volatile constituents from said substrate coating;
means fluidically connected to said air supply means and located downstream of said flashing means for conducting said high-velocity, hot air onto said substrate subsequent to said flashing operation so as to further dry and cure said substrate, and further including radiant heating means for further drying and curing said substrate in conjunction with said downstream fluidic means;
means, disposed upstream of said upstream fluidic means, for exhausting said air from the vicinity of said substrate and recirculating said air to said hot air supply means;
said downstream fluidic means comprising a plurality of air knives having their exhausts directed normal to the flow path of said conveyed substrate;
and
said radiant heating means comprising heating elements and means defining reflector units about said radiant heating elements, said reflector means also defining said air knives.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.