Coating processes – Direct application of electrical – magnetic – wave – or... – Polymerization of coating utilizing direct application of...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2001-06-12
Padgett, Marianne (Department: 1762)
Coating processes
Direct application of electrical, magnetic, wave, or...
Polymerization of coating utilizing direct application of...
C427S500000, C427S512000, C427S514000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245392
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a mobile coater apparatus and method for coating a surface with an ultraviolet or electron beam curable coating and a method for curing the coating.
BACKGROUND
Various types of coatings are applied to surfaces in order to protect the surfaces from corrosion or to provide a surface having a particular desirable characteristic or property. Many of the coatings are applied by conventional methods, such as spraying, dipping or rolling the coatings onto the surface. Water-based or oil-based coatings applied by these methods are typically air dried or heat dried either by convective heat, radiant heat or microwave energy and the like.
Coatings which require more elaborate methods of curing such as ultraviolet or electron beam curing methods are typically conducted by placing the coated materials in a stationary curing device. This method works well for object which are small enough to fit into the curing device. For extremely large objects or surfaces too large or cumbersome to transport or move through such devices, alternate coating materials which may be less effective than ultraviolet or electron beam curable coatings are often required to be used.
There is a need therefore for a coater apparatus and method for coating large surfaces which cannot be easily transported through stationary curing devices and/or otherwise avoids the limitations of stationary curing devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With regard to the above and other objects and advantages therefore the invention provides a coater apparatus which includes a housing having a top wall, side walls attached to the top wall and an open bottom defining a first compartment and a second compartment. A partition wall between the first compartment and the second compartment separates the first compartment from the second compartment. A coater selected from spray and roll coaters is disposed in the first compartment. The second compartment includes a curing energy source selected from ultraviolet and electron beam energy sources. The housing also includes wheels or rollers rotatably attached to a lower portion of the housing for moving the housing across the surface during a coating operation and for maintaining a gap between the housing walls and the surface to be coated. A control unit which may be attached to the housing or remote from the housing controls the coater and energy source during a coating and curing operation.
In another aspect the invention provides a method for coating a surface with an ultraviolet or electron beam curable coating. The method includes providing a coater apparatus of the nature described in the first aspect of the invention, applying a UV or electron beam curable coating by means of the coater apparatus and curing the coating using an ultraviolet or electron beam energy source while moving the coater apparatus across a surface to be coated.
An important advantage of the invention is that it provides an apparatus and method which may be adapted to coat and cure large surfaces with electron beam or ultraviolet curable materials. In contrast to conventional coating materials, electron beam or ultraviolet curable materials can typically be cured in a matter of seconds as opposed to hours. Another advantage of the invention is that the housing is adapted to limit escape of the coating materials to the environment during the coating step thereby generating little or no environmental emissions and significantly reducing worker exposure to such materials.
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patent: 5449534 (1995-09-01), Oishi et al.
patent: 5529815 (1996-06-01), Lemelson
patent: 5599133 (1997-02-01), Costello et al.
patent: 6096383 (2000-08-01), Berg et al.
Luedeka Neely & Graham P.C.
Padgett Marianne
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