The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 16, 1985
Filed:
Jan. 17, 1983
Henry E Brandolf, Inver Grove Heights, MN (US);
Multi-Arc Vacuum Systems Inc., Saint Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for vapor depositing node-free coatings on substrate surfaces, without altering the pre-coating substrate surface dimension, are disclosed. A gaseous plasma (50) is generated within an evacuated deposition chamber (20) from a source (40) of coating material. The plasma generation is preferably performed by electric arc vapor deposition techniques. Means, preferrably a shield (60), are disposed in the chamber to intercept a portion of the plasma stream and to define a shadow region (60') that is substantially void of plasma particles traveling in a line-of-sight path from the source (40). Substrate(s) (30) to be coated are placed within the shadow region and are coated by that portion of the plasma diffusing into the shadow region. The substrates may be biased to ionically attract plasma ions. The shield (60) can be heated by ion bombardment of the plasma and positioned to heat the substrates by radiation. The shield may be electrically biased to enhance the coating operation. Substrates of substantially differing masses and shapes can be simultaneously coated.