Component impregnation
AssigneeGodfrey & Wing, LLC
InventorsChristopher D. Gilmore, Christopher B. Barney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A machine for impregnating a die cast metal part with liquid impregnant comprises an impregnation chamber having liquid impregnant in a lower portion, an opening for ingress and egress of the parts being defined in a side wall of the chamber above the liquid impregnant, a door for sealing the opening, a part holder in the chamber and an elevator for positioning parts above the liquid impregnant during evacuation of the chamber and then immersing the parts in the liquid impregnant during subsequent pressurization of the chamber.
Claims19
An assembly for successively impregnating multiple parts or batches of parts with liquid impregnant, the assembly including
- (a) impregnation apparatus for impregnating a part with liquid impregnant, the impregnation apparatus comprising
- an impregnation chamber having a top, a bottom and at least one side wall therebetween, the chamber defining a lower portion for receiving a liquid impregnant and an upper portion above the lower portion, a side wall of the chamber defining an opening communicating with the upper portion of the chamber, the opening being above the liquid impregnant in the chamber during impregnation,
- a door for sealing the opening during evacuation and subsequent pressurization of the chamber for impregnation of the part,
- a part holder in the chamber for receiving the part to be impregnated, and
- an elevator for positioning the part holder in the upper portion of the chamber so that the part is held above the liquid impregnant during evacuation of the chamber and then for positioning the part holder in the lower portion of the chamber so that the part is immersed in the liquid impregnant during subsequent pressurization of the chamber, and
- (b) a robot for transporting the parts to be impregnated from a supply station through the opening in the side wall of the chamber of the impregnation apparatus and into its part holder.
An assembly for successively impregnating multiple parts or batches of parts with liquid impregnant, the assembly including
- (a) impregnation apparatus for impregnating a part with liquid impregnant, the impregnation apparatus comprising
- an impregnation chamber having a top, a bottom and at least one side wall therebetween, the chamber defining a lower portion for receiving a liquid impregnant and an upper portion above the lower portion, a side wall of the chamber defining an opening communicating with the upper portion of the chamber, the opening being above the liquid impregnant in the chamber during impregnation,
- a door for sealing the opening during evacuation and subsequent pressurization of the chamber for impregnation of the part,
- a part holder in the chamber for receiving the part to be impregnated, and
- an elevator for positioning the part holder in the upper portion of the chamber so that the part is held above the liquid impregnant during evacuation of the chamber and then for positioning the part holder in the lower portion of the chamber so that the part is immersed in the liquid impregnant during subsequent pressurization of the chamber,
- (b) a centrifuging station for removing excess liquid impregnant off the parts after removal from the chamber, the centrifuging station being located below the chamber,
- (c) a washing station for washing the surfaces of the parts received from the centrifuging station
- (d) multiple curing stations for curing the liquid impregnant inside the parts that have been impregnated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.