US 5,387,313 A · Etchant control system

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 oscillatable nozzles located in a first chamber in the etching station, with the first bank of oscillatable 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 oscillatable nozzles located in a second chamber in the etching station, with the second bank of oscillatable nozzles having a predetermined spacing substantially identical to the first bank of oscillatable nozzles, with the second set of oscillatable nozzles laterally offset from the first set of nozzles, so they do not 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 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, including a system to oscillate the nozzles in different waveforms in response to measurements of openings in the metal web to compensate for changing etching conditions or changes in the thickness of the metal web without having to change the etchant flow rate to the metal web or the etchant pressure in the nozzles. Thus, the system includes hydraulic cylinders to oscillate the nozzles in accordance with a waveform different from the original waveform in response to a measurement of the metal web and allows the system to compensate, if necessary, for changing etching conditions or changes in the thickness of the metal web.

Claims15

Dependent claims

The method of spray etching on a metal web comprising:

establishing a first grid pattern of oscillatable nozzles for etching the metal web from a first side of a metal web in accordance with a first waveform;
establishing a second grid pattern of oscillatable nozzles for etching the metal web from the first side of the metal web in accordance with a second waveform, said second grid pattern offset from said first grid pattern;
establishing a third grid pattern of oscillatable nozzles for etching the metal from the first side of the metal web in accordance with a third waveform with said third grid pattern offset from said second grid pattern;
etching the metal web to form openings in the metal web by spraying etchant through said nozzles while oscillating at least some of said nozzles in accordance with the first waveform;
measuring the size of the openings formed in,the metal web to obtain measurements of the opening;
and
oscillating the nozzles in accordance with a different waveform in response to the measurements to change the etchant flow distribution on the metal web without changing the etchant flow rate to the oscillating nozzles to compensate for changes in etching conditions or metal web thickness.

4 more elements

An etching system for etching openings in a metal web comprising:

an etching station for etching a metal web from opposite sides comprising:
a first bank of oscillatable nozzles located in a first chamber in said etching station, said first bank of oscillatable nozzles having predetermined spacings from one another, said first bank of oscillatable nozzles oscillatable in accordance with a first waveform and for directing etchant on a first region on a first side of a metal web;
a second bank of oscillatable nozzles located in a second chamber in said etching station and oscillatable in accordance with a second, saveform, said second bank of oscillatable nozzles having a predetermined spacing substantially identical to said first bank of oscillatable nozzles with said second set of oscillatable nozzles laterally offset from said first set of nozzles, so as not to spray on a second region located on a second side of the metal web which is located directly opposite of said first region;
and
means to oscillate said nozzles in accordance with different waveforms in response to measurements of etched openings in the metal web to on-the-go compensate for changing etching conditions or changes in the thickness of the metal web.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Etchant control system

Life of this patent

Etchant control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15