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:
May. 20, 2003
Filed:
May. 19, 2000
Method and apparatus for treating the inside surface of plastic bottles in a plasma enhanced process
Jacques Laurent, Blonay, CH;
Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully, CH;
Abstract
The apparatus for treating the inside surface of a bottle ( ) in a plasma enhanced process comprises a vacuum chamber ( ), a microwave confinement ( ) with a microwave generator ( ), evacuation means and gas feed means ( ). The microwave confinement ( ) is substantially cylindrical and adapted to the shape of at least the body portion of the bottle ( ) to be treated as closely as possible. The microwaves are coupled into the microwave confinement ( ) form the bottom side of the bottle ( ) and the microwave confinement is excited in a TM mode of resonance. The inventive apparatus is very compact and very simple. It can be integrated into a stretch-blow-moulding apparatus or into a filling apparatus. For upscaling, a plurality of one-bottle apparatuses is arranged in a row or in a matrix and all the one-bottle apparatuses are connected to a net of energy, vacuum and gas supply lines. Each of the one-bottle apparatuses may have its own vacuum chamber or a plurality of microwave confinements ( ) may be arranged in one common vacuum chamber.