US 6,280,821 B1 · Reusable mask and method for coating substrate

Abstract

A mask article and method of coating are provided whereby coating is deleted from one or more portions of a substrate like transparencies during a coating operation. The mask is a semi-rigid device having two major generally opposing surfaces and one or more sides between such surfaces with at least one one-piece edge. The side(s) slope inward toward the interior of the solid part of the mask at an angle from the horizontal plane of the larger major surface of the mask up to the slope of the side from greater than 0° to less than 90°. This inward slope is somewhere along the side between the larger major surface and the smaller major surface. The sloping segment of the side should extend a distance sufficient to provide an adequate edge at the mask-coating-substrate interface to reduce the ghosting effect. The surface area of the larger area surface has the configuration of the shape of a deletion for the coating. The mask is adapted for secure placement on the substrate during the coating process and removal therefrom after the coating process. This is accomplished either by the weight of the mask itself or from the use of at least one friction enhancing member present on the mask. With the presence of friction enhancing member(s) on the mask, recesses are also optionally provided on the mask. The number, size, configuration and location of the recesses and friction enhancing members assist in the stackability of a plurality of the masks. After one or more coatings are applied to the masked substrate, the masks can be removed and conveyed to the beginning of coating operation to mask other substrates. After a number of such cycles the masks can be cleaned of coating and reused.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A reusable, mask having rigidity and with a single-piece edge, to prevent selected portions of a substrate from being coated with a coating so as to provide a desired coating shape including any deletions of the coating on said substrate where ghosting along an edge of said coating is reduced, comprising:

one major surface having a horizontal surface area,
another major surface opposing the first side having a larger horizontal surface area than the first surface wherein at least the surface with the larger surface area for the mask has the configuration of the shape of the desired deletion of the coating on a substrate to inhibit the deposition of the coating on the substrate;
one or more sides between the first and the second major surfaces arranged with one or more segments that slope inwardly from the surface with the larger surface area to the surface with the smaller surface area, wherein the slope is greater than 0° up to 90° to form an edge for the mask;
at least one friction enhancing member associated with the major surface with the larger surface area so that the mask is adapted for contact with a substrate to be coated through the at least one friction enhancing member.

1 more element

A method of applying a coating to a substrate wherein less than all of the substrate is to be coated and where ghosting along peripheral edges of said coating is reduced, comprising:

covering said selected portions of said substrate with a semi-rigid mask having:
one major surface having a horizontal surface area,
another major surface opposing the first side having a larger horizontal surface area than the first surface wherein at least the surface with the larger surface area for the mask has the configuration of the shape of the desired deletion of the coating on a substrate to inhibit the deposition of the coating on the substrate;
one or more sides between the first and the second major surfaces arranged with one or more segments that slope inwardly from the surface with the larger surface area to the surface with the smaller surface area, wherein the slope is greater than 0° up to 900 to form a single-piece edge for the mask;
at least one friction enhancing member associated with the major surface with the larger surface area so that the mask is adapted for contact with a substrate to be coated through the at least one friction enhancing member,
coating said masked substrate with at least one coating,
removing the mask from the coated substrate;
and
reusing the one or more of the now coated masks on other substrates to be coated at least one mask per substrate.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Reusable mask and method for coating substrate

Life of this patent

Reusable mask and method for coating substrate

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22