Patent ID: 7806073

Claim:
A system for coating an article, comprising: an exhaust manifold; a chamber in direct fluid communication with the exhaust manifold, the chamber having openings in at least one wall thereof in direct fluid communication with surrounding ambient air to enable (1) a constant circulation of ambient air through the chamber during a coating operation within the chamber, and (2) recovery of vapor produced during a coating operation within the chamber; a support surface that is disposed in the chamber and adapted to support an article during a coating process; a solvent recovery system in direct fluid communication with the exhaust manifold through an exhaust duct and configured to recover vapor produced in the chamber while a coating operation is being performed, the solvent recovery system consisting of a chiller configured to cause condensation of solvent vapor into solvent in liquid form; an air pump configuration to draw air and solvent vapor through the exhaust manifold and exhaust duct into the solvent recovery system; a return manifold in fluid communication with the chamber; a return duct disposed between the solvent recovery system and the return manifold and in fluid communication with both and configured to return only air and any uncondensed solvent vapor directly to the chamber through the return manifold; a supply of fluorocarbon in a fluorinated solvent; and a coating device in communication with the supply of fluorocarbon in a fluorinated solvent, the coating device configured to apply a coating of the fluorocarbon in a fluorinated solvent to at least a portion of the article supported on the support surface, while a constant flow of air is maintained and circulated through the chamber.