Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6270840?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=5251294
Timestamp: 2015-05-24 18:06:02
Document Index: 174142877

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 19844357', 'art 2', 'art 7', 'art 7', 'art 2', 'art 7']

Patent US6270840 - Apparatus and method for producing plane-parallel flakes - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn apparatus and method technique for producing plane-parallel flakes is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is realized through a multi-chamber apparatus for producing plane-parallel flakes from layers vapor deposited in vacuum on an endlessly circulating substrate. The present...http://www.google.com/patents/US6270840?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6270840 - Apparatus and method for producing plane-parallel flakesAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6270840 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/390,297Publication dateAug 7, 2001Filing dateSep 3, 1999Priority dateSep 28, 1998Fee statusLapsedAlso published asDE19844357A1, DE19844357C2, EP0990715A1, EP0990715B1Publication number09390297, 390297, US 6270840 B1, US 6270840B1, US-B1-6270840, US6270840 B1, US6270840B1InventorsHilmar H. WeinertOriginal AssigneeWeinert Vakuum Verfahrenstechnik GmbhExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (22), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (14), Classifications (27), Legal Events (8) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetApparatus and method for producing plane-parallel flakes
US 6270840 B1Abstract
An apparatus and method technique for producing plane-parallel flakes is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is realized through a multi-chamber apparatus for producing plane-parallel flakes from layers vapor deposited in vacuum on an endlessly circulating substrate. The present invention includes the sequential steps of: vapor deposition of a separating agent layer in high vacuum on the endlessly circulating substrate; vapor deposition of one or more layers of metal, oxides, fluorides, and nitrides in high vacuum on the separating agent layer; and stripping the vapor deposited layers from the endlessly circulating substrate under low vacuum. The vapor deposited layers are subsequently present in a separate vacuum stage separated from the vapor deposition chamber by dynamic locks as a suspension of fine flakes in a mixture of solvent. and separating agent. The suspension may continuously or intermittently be transferred out of the separate vacuum stage for further processing. The solvent may be water in a vacuum environment of more than 20 mbar or secondary or tertiary alcohols at more than 0.05 mbar.
This patent application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 19844357.9, filed Sep. 28, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present invention relates generally to plane-parallel flakes and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for producing plane-parallel flakes.
In the past few years there has been an increased interest in using plane-parallel flakes as pigments in paints and printing inks, as a catalyst material, as a starting product for magnetic and electric screens, and as a starting material for conductive lacquers. In contrast with the classical pigments produced in accordance with a grinding process and having a more or less spherical shape, plane-parallel flakes are characterized by an improved brilliance and by the fact that their quantity required in a paint as a pigment is substantially smaller. Thus, for example, aluminum flakes produced in accordance with a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process typically have a thickness of 30-500 nm; their superficial dimensions ranging between 5 and 50 microns. Even 3-4 layers of such aluminum flakes produce an optically opaque layer at quantities of no more than 0.3 to 0.4 g/m2.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for producing plane-parallel flakes wherein production costs are reduced, a longer service life and a higher product output of any apparatus used are ensured, and increased safety requirements are taken into account.
According to the present invention, an apparatus and method for producing plane-parallel flakes is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention apparatus is realized as a belt-type vapor deposition apparatus comprising a vapor deposition chamber having first and second evaporation means for applying a separating agent layer and at least one additional layer on an endless substrate. The belt-type vapor deposition apparatus also comprises a stripping chamber wherein the separating agent layer and the at least one additional layer are stripped from the substrate with the aid of stripping means in such a manner that the separating agent layer is present in a dissolved state, and the at least one additional layer is present in the form of plane-parallel flakes. The pressure in the stripping chamber is higher than in the vapor deposition chamber and lower than atmospheric pressure. As a result, production costs of plane-parallel flakes are reduced by a continuous process, a high product output is provided, the service life of apparatus components is long due to uniform mechanical strain, and safety standards are met.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a vapor deposition apparatus 100 in accordance with the present invention. The vapor deposition apparatus 100 generally includes a vacuum chamber 1 subdivided by one or several dynamic locks 6 a, 6 b into a vapor deposition chamber 2, hereinafter referred to as the vapor deposition part, and a stripping chamber 7, hereinafter referred to as the chamber part. In the vapor deposition part 2 and in the chamber part 7, an endless belt 5 passes as a substrate. Onto this substrate 5, under a, vacuum of less than 10−3 mbar, there are sequentially vapor deposited from an evaporator 3 a water-soluble separating agent as a thin film having a thickness of approximately 5 to 100 nm, and then from further evaporators 4 a, 4 b, 4 c the desired metals, oxides, and fluorides representing a product. The apparatus 100 may be operated with only slight: modifications both as a vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with a PVD process and in accordance with a sputtering or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process.
To be more precise, dissolution of the separating agent in accordance with the invention takes place in water, implying the condition that a pressure which is sufficiently high above the water vapor pressure at the operating temperature must prevail in the chamber part 7. It should be noted that the higher the temperature of a solvent, the more rapid the dissolution of the vapor deposited separating agent: takes place. Trials have shown that most favorable conditions—under which the dissolution of the separating agent takes place at a sufficient rate and under which operation is still possible with only 2 locks 6 a, 6 b between the high vacuum range of the vapor deposition part 2 and the chamber part 7—are provided if the following requirements are met:
For the operation of the vapor deposition apparatus 100 according to the present invention, the choice of the substrate belt 5 is of particular importance. The substrate belt 5 is to present a surface having a very small surface roughness, lend itself well to welding following introduction into the belt-type vapor deposition apparatus 100, and present very good chemical and mechanical strength. The following materials are suitable for the substrate belt 5: mirror-finish rolled or electropolished stainless steel, superalloys such as INCONEL™, INCOLOY™etc., high-polished nickel, but also electroplated metals, wherein the coating determines the resistance to chemical attack as well as the surface quality, and the backing material determines the desired strength. Metallic substrates comprising organic coatings of pigmented or unpigmented paints of hard and chemically resistant thermoset and thermoplastic materials are also suitable for the substrate belt 5. When relinquishing the substantially longer lifetime of metallic substrates, polyimide film substrates such as, e.g., KAPTON™, which permanently resistant up to 200� C. under vacuum are also suitable for the substrate belt 5.
(1/(cp�ρ�d)metal)/(1/(cp�ρ�d)plastic)
This ratio is about 1/66 for 400 μm of metal and 12 μm of plastic. This means, under otherwise identical conditions, that the metal belt only heats up by 1.5% in comparison with the plastic. At the same time, a metal belt allows for admissible heating which is higher by the following factor:
f=(180−20)/(60-20)=4
The metal belt may also absorb a 4�66=264-fold amount of heat in comparison with the plastic film before reaching the thermal endurance limit. Heat build-up due to the repeating cycle of the substrate 5 does not take place as it is cooled to 35� C. by the liquid bath in the stripping station 9 during every cycle. This useful side effect avoids the use of internally cooled rolls.
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KgNacreous pigment and method for the manufacture thereofUS7223472Mar 4, 2003May 29, 2007Ciba Specialty Chemicals CorporationGloss pigments having high colour saturationUS7256425Feb 11, 2003Aug 14, 2007Ciba Specialty Chemicals CorporationMethods of producing plane-parallel structures of silicon suboxide, silicon dioxide and/or silicon carbide, plane-parallel structures obtainable by such methods, and the use thereofUS7594962 *Jan 12, 2004Sep 29, 2009Ciba Specialty Chemicals CorporationProcess for the production of porous inorganic materials or a matrix material containing nanoparticlesUS7820088Jan 16, 2004Oct 26, 2010Avery Dennison CorporationProcess for making angstrom scale and high aspect functional plateletsUS7943194 *Aug 15, 2005May 17, 2011Basf SeProcess for preparing flake-form pigments based on aluminum and on Sioz(Z=0.7-2.0) comprising forming a layer of separating agentUS8177901Aug 6, 2009May 15, 2012BASF SE LudwigshafenPorous inorganic materials of silcon and oxygenWO2003046245A2 *Nov 27, 2002Jun 5, 2003Avery Dennison CorpProcess for making angstrom scale and high aspect functional plateletsWO2006010720A2 *Jul 18, 2005Feb 2, 2006Ciba Sc Holding AgReactive silicon suboxide flakesWO2006021528A2Aug 15, 2005Mar 2, 2006Ciba Sc Holding AgProcess for preparing flake-form pigments based on aluminium and on sioz (z=0 . 7-2.0)WO2007060125A1 *Nov 15, 2006May 31, 2007Ciba Sc Holding AgReactive silicon oxide flakes* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification427/251, 427/255.7, 427/255.5, 427/248.1, 427/337, 427/336, 427/350, 427/294, 427/402International ClassificationB22F1/00, C23C14/56, C09C1/00, C23C14/00Cooperative ClassificationC09C1/0015, B22F1/0007, C09C1/0018, B22F2998/00, C23C14/562, C23C14/0005, C09C1/64, C09C2220/20European ClassificationC09C1/00F, C09C1/00F2, B22F1/00A2, C23C14/00B, C23C14/56B, C09C1/64Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 24, 2013FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20130807Aug 7, 2013LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesMar 20, 2013REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedJan 30, 2009FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Feb 3, 2006ASAssignmentOwner name: CIBA SPECIALTY CHEMICALS CORP., NEW YORKFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:VERFAHRENSTECHNIK, WEINERT VAKUUM;REEL/FRAME:017519/0471Effective date: 20051216Aug 19, 2004FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Jun 4, 2002CCCertificate of correctionSep 3, 1999ASAssignmentOwner name: WEINERT VAKUUM VERFAHRENSTECHNIK GMBH, GERMANYFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:WEINERT, HILMAR H.;REEL/FRAME:010227/0695Effective date: 19990901RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services