Apparatus and method for glow discharge treatment of a moving web using electrodes fitted into a single common socket and having end portions covered by electrically conductive shields

A method of allowing the opposite surfaces of a web-shaped material to be subjected to vacuum glow-discharging treatment, said method comprising:

• providing a plurality of electrodes on opposite sides of the web-shaped material in such a manner that a first longitudinal portion of said electrodes directly opposes said web-shaped material and a second longitudinal portion of said electrodes is laterally offset to a side of said web-shaped material;
• providing a shielding member only around each of said second longitudinal portions of said electrodes;
• conveying the web-shaped material to be treated in a vacuum chamber while it faces the plurality of electrodes arranged on the opposite sides thereof;
• and
• subjecting the opposite sides of the web-shaped material to electricity discharging treatment by discharging electricity from the respective electrodes, wherein the shielding member is connected to ground via a conductor and is spaced away from the outer peripheral surface of each of the electrodes by a gap which is sufficiently small to prevent discharging of electricity from occurring in the gap when the web-shaped material is subjected to glow discharging treatment, wherein the opposite surfaces of the web-shaped material are subjected to electricity discharging treatment by discharging electricity from the respective electrodes.

An apparatus for glow discharge treating a material, comprising:

• a housing;
• a plurality of electrodes disposed in said housing proximate a conveyance path of the material so that the material can be treated by discharging electrical charge from the electrodes;
• and
• a socket which is adapted to be removably attached to said housing, said plurality of electrodes being fitted in said socket.

An apparatus for glow discharge treating a material, comprising:

• a housing;
• a plurality of electrodes disposed in said housing proximate a conveyance path of the material such that a first longitudinal portion of said electrodes directly opposes said web-shaped material and a second longitudinal portion of said electrodes is laterally offset to a side of said web-shaped material, the material treatable by discharging electrical charge from the electrodes;
• and
• a shielding member disposed only around said second longitudinal portion of each of said electrodes, a gap being defined between said shielding members and corresponding ones of said electrodes, said gap being sufficiently small to prevent discharging of electricity from occurring in the gap when the web-shaped material is subjected to glow discharging treatment, wherein said shielding members are electrically conductive and grounded.