US 5,378,308 A · Etchant distribution apparatus

Abstract

An etching system for etching openings in a metal web including multiple etching station for etching a metal web from opposite sides with each of the etching stations including a set of first bank of oscillateable nozzles located in a first chamber in the etching station, with the first bank of oscillateable nozzles having predetermined spacings from one another, and operable for directing etchant at a first side of a metal web and a second bank of oscillateable nozzles located in a second chamber in the etching station, with the second bank of oscillateable nozzles having a predetermined spacing substantially identical to the first bank of oscillateable nozzles with the second set of oscillateable nozzles laterally offset from the first set of nozzles, so as not to spray on directly opposite regions located on the metal web with the banks of the nozzles in adjacent etching stations offset from each other with the oscillation axis of the nozzles is at an angle off normal so that etchant is sprayed in elliptical patterns on the metal web to more uniformly distribute etchant across the metal web.

Claims11

Dependent claims

The method of spray etching a metal web to more uniformly distribute etchant on the metal web and more uniformly etch the depth of holes in the metal web comprising:

establishing a first grid pattern of oscillateable nozzles for etching the metal web from one side of a metal web,
establishing a second grid pattern of oscillateable nozzles for etching the metal web from the one side of the metal web, said second grid pattern offset from said first grid pattern;
establishing a third grid pattern of oscillateable nozzles for etching the metal from the one side of the metal web with said third grid pattern offset from said second grid pattern with each of said nozzles of the first grid pattern, the second grid pattern and the third grid pattern having an axis of oscillation located at an acute angle from a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the one side of the metal web;
and
oscillating each of nozzles of the first grid pattern, the second grid pattern and third grid pattern about their respective said axis of oscillation at a cone angle that provides an elliptical shaped etchant spray pattern on the one side of the metal web which is offset from a plane extending perpendicular through the nozzle spraying the elliptical shaped etchant pattern on the one side of the metal web and the metal web to maintain a substantially uniform etching rate across the one side of the metal web as holes are etched in the one side of the metal web.

2 more elements

An etching system for etching through-openings in a metal web while maintaining a substantially uniform etching rate across the metal web comprising:

an etching station for etching a metal web from opposite sides comprising:
a first bank of oscillateable nozzles located in a first chamber in said etching station, said first bank of oscillateable nozzles having predetermined spacings from one another, said first bank of oscillateable nozzles operable for directing etchant at a first side of a metal web with each of said nozzles having an axis of oscillation located at an acute angle from a plane extending substantially perpendicular to one side of the metal web, and with each of said nozzles oscillating about their respective said axis of oscillation at a cone angle that provides an elliptical shaped etchant spray pattern on the metal web which is offset from a plane extending perpendicular through the nozzle spraying the elliptical shaped etchant pattern and the metal web:
and a second bank of oscillateable nozzles located in a second chamber in said etching station, said second bank of oscillateable nozzles having a predetermined spacing substantially identical to said first bank of oscillateable nozzles with said second set of oscillateable nozzles laterally offset from said first set of nozzles, so as not to spray on directly opposite regions located on the metal web with each of said nozzles of said second bank of oscillateable nozzles having an axis of oscillation located at an acute angle from the plane extending substantially perpendicular to one side of the metal web, and with each of said nozzles of said second bank of oscillateable nozzles oscillating about their respective said axis of oscillation at a cone angle that provides an elliptical shaped etchant spray pattern on the metal web which is offset from a plane extending perpendicular through the nozzle of the second bank spraying the elliptical shaped etchant pattern and the metal web so that etchant from said first bank of oscillatable nozzles and the etchant from said second bank of oscillateable nozzles coact to etch the metal web at a substantially uniform rate across the metal web.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Etchant distribution apparatus

Life of this patent

Etchant distribution apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11