US 5,704,983 A · Methods and apparatus for depositing barrier coatings

Abstract

A barrier coating is formed on a polymeric article, such as on the interior of a thermoplastic container. An oxidizing gas is converted to a plasma in a plasma chamber remote from the treatment chamber. The resulting plasma-activated oxidizing species are delivered to the interior of the container. An organosilicon reactant vapor is separately but simultaneously delivered to the interior of the container so that the organosilicon vapor and oxidizing active species mix within the container. An electric qfield is also applied to the container, so that the reaction products are deposited under the influence of the electrical field to form the barrier coating.

Claims5

Dependent claims

Gas supply apparatus comprising:

(a) a plasma chamber defining an interior space;
(b) first gas inlet means for supplying a first gas to the interior space of said chamber;
(c) plasma conversion means for converting said first gas to a plasma in said interior space so as to form plasma-activated species;
(d) second gas supply means for supplying a second gas reactive with said active species;
and
(e) means defining an activated species outlet orifice communicating with said plasma chamber, and a second gas outlet orifice connected to said second gas supply means, one of said outlet orifices surrounding the other one of said outlet orifices whereby said second gas and said activated species will be discharged from said outlet orifices as streams and one of said streams will surround the other one of said streams.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

08/758,764Filed 19 Dec 1996 · continuation

Priority

28 May 1992

Granted

6 Jan 1998

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B05D 1/62
Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials: plasma-deposition of organic layers
C23C 16/045
Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks: coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
C23C 16/401
Oxides: containing silicon
C23C 16/45574
Gas nozzles: nozzles for more than one gas

Family

Serial889,637Parent of this continuation · filed 28 May 1992

Serial196,896Parent of this division · filed 15 Feb 1994

Serial342,718Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Nov 1994

US 5,378,510 AParent of this division

US 5,704,983 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Methods and apparatus for depositing barrier coatings

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for depositing barrier coatings

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5