# US 8,785,891 B2 · Adaptive shade window for plasma operations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,891 B2 - Document ID: US8785891B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/448,487 - Filed: 2012-04-17 - Published: 2013-10-17 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-17 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: John E. Markowski - Inventors: John E. Markowski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785891B2 ## CPC - G21F 7/03: Windows, e.g. shielded - B05B 16/40: Construction elements specially adapted therefor, e.g. floors, walls or ceilings (ceiling elements filtering inflow of air into the booth B05B16/60; walls specially adapted for promoting separation of excess material B05B14/44) - C23C 4/129: Flame spraying - C23C 4/134: Plasma spraying - G01J 1/22: using a variable element in the light-path, e.g. filter, polarising means (G01J1/34 takes precedence) - B05B 7/16: incorporating means for heating {or cooling} the material to be sprayed {(spraying by means of explosions B05B7/0006)} - B05B 13/0228: {the movement of the objects being rotative (B05B13/0242 takes precedence)} - B05B 13/0431: {with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces} - Y10T 428/12778: Alternative base metals from diverse categories - Y10T 428/12931: Co-, Fe-, or Ni-base components, alternative to each other - G21F: PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR (radiation protection by pharmaceutical means A61K8/00, A61Q17/04; in cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/54; combined with a reactor G21C11/00; combined with X-ray tubes H01J35/16; combined with X-ray apparatus H05G1/02) - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An observation window is provided for use with a spray booth during a spray coating process where the observation window is located in a position to permit an operator to observe the spray coating process. The observation window is controlled to provide light transmission in the window suitable for the specific spray process being performed. The control can be automatic or operator controlled. The window is adapted to have a different light transmission during different spray processes such as plasma spray and HVOF spray. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of protecting the vision of a spray booth spray process operator, the method comprising: providing an observation window for use by the operator; selecting a spray process; and controlling light transmission through the observation window as a function of the selected spray process to prevent transmission of ultraviolet light through the observation window. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the spray process is selected from plasma spray process and HVOF spray process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein selection of the spray process automatically controls the light transmission of the observation window. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: fine-tuning the light transmission using a manual operator control in conjunction with automatic control. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operator controls the shade of the observation window during the spray process. ### Claim 6 A spray booth window for use with a spray booth for spray coating an object, the window comprising: the observation window being positioned to permit an operator to observe the spray coating from outside the spray booth; and a control for adjusting the light transmission of the observation window as a function of a selected spray process. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The spray booth of claim 6, wherein the spray process is selected from plasma spray process and HVOF spray process. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The spray booth of claim 6, wherein selection of the spray process automatically controls the shade of the observation window. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The spray booth of claim 8, further comprising: a potentiometer to fine tune the light transmission in conjunction with automatic control. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The spray booth of claim 6, wherein the operator controls the light transmission of the observation window during the spray process. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The spray booth of claim 6, wherein selection of the specific spray process gun determines the light transmission of the observation window during use of the specific spray process gun. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The spray booth of claim 7, wherein the light transmittance of the observation window ranges during plasma spray coating from a maximum percentage of 0.061 to 0.0032 and a minimum percentage of 0.023 to 0.0012 and during HVOF spray coating from a maximum percentage of 1.18 to 0.164 and a minimum percentage of 0.44 to 0.061. ### Claim 13 In a spray booth having at least two spray process guns, a place to mount a part to be spray coated, and a control panel for controlling a spray process, the improvement comprising: an observation window positioned to permit an operator to observe the spray process from outside the spray booth; and a control for adjusting the light transmission of the observation window. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The spray booth of claim 13, wherein the control automatically controls the light transmission of the observation window. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The spray booth of claim 14, further comprising: a fine-tuning control to fine tune the light transmission in conjunction with automatic control. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The spray booth of claim 13, wherein selection of the specific spray process gun determines the light transmission of the observation window during use of the specific spray process gun. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The spray booth of claim 13, wherein the light transmittance of the observation window ranges during plasma spray coating from a maximum percentage of 0.061 to 0.0032 and a minimum percentage of 0.023 to 0.0012 and during HVOF spray coating from a maximum percentage of 1.18 to 0.164 and a minimum percentage of 0.44 to 0.061. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein light transmission through the observation window is controlled by varying the voltage applied to liquid crystals arranged between two polarizers in the observation window with increased voltage causing the liquid crystals to align to prevent ultraviolet light from transmitting through the observation window. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The spray booth of claim 6, the observation window further comprising: two polarizers on the observation window; and liquid crystals between the two polarizers, the liquid crystals configured to align to prevent ultraviolet light from transmitting through the observation window as a function of voltage applied to the liquid crystals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The spray booth of claim 13, the observation window further comprising: two polarizers on the observation window; and liquid crystals between the two polarizers, the liquid crystals configured to align to prevent ultraviolet light from transmitting through the observation window as a function of voltage applied to the liquid crystals.