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:
Jan. 17, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2001
Gary E. Wheat, Madisonville, KY (US);
Terri K. Brown, Central City, KY (US);
Richard L. Schmidt, Marblehead, MA (US);
Edward J. Cove, Middleton, MA (US);
Gary E. Wheat, Madisonville, KY (US);
Terri K. Brown, Central City, KY (US);
Richard L. Schmidt, Marblehead, MA (US);
Edward J. Cove, Middleton, MA (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A gas distributor suitable for introducing a carrier gas at the top of a coating container used to provide a metallic coating on articles. The gas distributor includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet head in communication with the gas inlet for receiving a flow of gas from the gas inlet. A plurality of gas outlets through which the gas flow exits as a gas stream are spaced along the peripheral surface of the gas outlet head. A plurality of gas deflectors, each proximate to one of the gas outlets, at least initially direct the gas stream exiting the gas outlet in at least a generally centripetal path. This gas distributor can be used in vapor coating apparatus having a coating container, at least one holder for each article to be coated positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor and at least one holder for the source of the metallic coating positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor. A method is also provided for introducing the carrier gas as a plurality of carrier gas streams proximate the top of the coating container so that each carrier gas stream flows at least initially in at least a generally centripetal path, as well as a method for coating the articles with a metallic coating in the coating container.