US3664786A

US3664786A - Apparatus for encapsulation under vacuum

Info

Publication number: US3664786A
Application number: US28718A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur J Devine
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-04-15
Filing date: 1970-04-15
Publication date: 1972-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-23

Abstract

A VACUUM CHAMBER IS FORMED BY MEANS OF A SIDE WALL PORTION AND BASE AND COVER PORTIONS WHICH ARE FITTED TO THE SIDE WALL PORTION IN VACUUM TIGHT RELATIONSHIP. THE COVER PORTION IS TRANSPARENT TO PERMIT VIEWING OF THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAMBER AND HAS AN ACCESS OPENING IN WHICH A DISPENSER DEVICE IS SUPPORTED. A TURNTABLE IS SUPPORTED IN THE BASE PORTION, THIS TURNTABLE BEING MANUALLY ROTATABLE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CHAMBER. WITH ARTICLES TO BE ENCAPSULATED OR IMPREGNATED PLACED IN THE CHAMBER ON THE TURNABLE , THE CHAMBER IS EVACUATED AND ENCAPSULATING MATERIAL DISPENSED THEREON FROM THE DISPENSER DEVICE. THE TURNTABLE IS ROTATABLE AND THE DISPENSER DEVICE. THE TURNTABLE TATE APPLICATION OF THE ENCAPSULATING MATERIAL TO THE ARTICLES.

Description

y 1972 A. .1v DEVINE 3,664,786

APPARATUS FOR EMMPSULATION UNDLH VACUUM illzd April 15, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet} lA/l/E/V 701?.

A {1/2 ur JDel/i/y e y 23, 1972 A. J DEVINE 3,664,786

APPARATUS FOR ENCAPSULATION UNDER VACUUM Filed April 15, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "IIIIIIIIIIII AnfhurJIDev/rze States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vacuum chamber is formed by means of a side wall portion 'and base and cover portions which are fitted to the sidewall portion in vacuum tight relationship. The cover portion is transparent to permit viewing of the contents of the-chamber and has an access opening in which a dispenser device is supported. A turntable is supported in the base portion, this turntable being manually rotatable from outside-of the chamber. With articles to be encapsulated orimpregnated placed in-the chamber on the turntable, the chamber is evacuatedand encapsulating material dispensed thereon from the dispenser device. The turntable is rotatable and the dispenser device manipulable to facilitate application -ofthe encapsulating material to the articles. i

My invention relates to an encapsulating apparatus comprising a turntable within a vacuum chamber and improved means for applying viscous material on components to be encapsulated, and specifically with the intended purpose of eliminating air pockets.

In this apparatus troublesome bubbles become thoroughly eliminated by vacuum means while permitting parts to be degassed andther'efore' free of moisture and other detrimental volatiles before delivering viscous material to components for encapsulation.

In this apparatus such slender parts and coils can also be total impregnated without additional follow up of refinishing by'hand operations.

Other features of this invention'are a single three-way valve control and rapid alignment of nozzle with molds on a turntable within a vacuum chamber for pinpointing flow of viscous material to components.

Much emphasis is also placed on the plain view of my invention and quick adjustment of all parts for operation as well as for'dismantlingof apparatus for cleaning purposes.

Other objects; the nature, and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. lis a perspective View of my invention with a section cut away to show the vacuum chamber interior.

FIG. 2 is a partial top view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1. r A

1 FIG; 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

- FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on line 4.V-4 of FIG. 3'. g a

- FIG. 51s an enlarged view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3 showing the valve pin manipulation.

FIG. 6 shows llQWilhG cylinders can be stacked to increase height of vacuum chamber.

My invention is generally designated 10 and consists of one or more open tubular cylinders 11 formed of a strong, light weight, material such as aluminum, the edges 12 of which are encased by flexible seal rings 13 by means of seal ring channels 14 as shown in FIG. 3. The seal ring 13 on the lower edge of cylinder 11 rests on the surface 16 of a base plate means 15 which is provided with suitable legs or supports 17, baseplate 15 is formed of a rigid material, preferably metal, which can be machined to a ice;

smooth surface 16 and be of sufiicient thickness to prevent warping or bucking and to allow ample threading surface for a pipethreaded opening 18 centrally located therein.

Opening 18 in baseplate 15 supports a fitting assembly 19 which is provided with an internal bushing means 20 which together with a tapered (rubber) bushing 21 and a threaded cap 22 sreves to give frictional support and vacuum sealing for a turntable support shaft 23. A manual shaft positioning wheel 26 is attached on the lower end of shaft 23. A turntable 24 which may support a replaceable disc 25 is secured to the upper end of shaft 23 inside vacuum chamber 9 which is formed by cylinder 11, base plate surface 16 and the surface 28 of a transparent plate glass cover 27 of suflicient thickness to withstand atmospheric pressure and permit a clear view of the chamber 9 interior.

Cover 27 is provided with an opening 30' near its periphery of substantially greater diameter than the tube portion 31 of a dispensing cartridge 32. Said cartridge 32 is mounted in a said tapered opening 33 of a puck 34 having a greater diameter than that of said opening 30 in plate cover 27. A tapered compressible bushing 37 in opening 33 provides air tight sealing means between cartridge 32 and puck 34. Vacuum sealing between puck 34 and surface 28 of cover 27 is achieved by a rubber O-ring 35 which is held in place on the under-side of puck 34 by groove 36 therein. This arrangement allows puck 34 with dispensing cartridge 32 to be manually shifted or orientated within the confines of plate opening 30' to assure most accurate placement of the viscous material 42 to the components or molds 44, even when chamber 9 is under vacuum, see FIGS. 3 and 4.

An elongated valve rod 38 being substantially longer than cartridge 32 extends there-through and has at its lower end a pointed tip 38' forming a simple valve 41 in conjunction with a reduced opening 39 in cartridge tip 39. Thus manual manipulation of valve shaft 38, see FIG. 1, will permit drop by drop 43 to full flow application of material 42 on or into the molds 44 positioned on disc 25 in vacuum chamber 9. The upper end of cartridge 32 may be threaded as at 48 to receive a container means 49 which may be supplied in different sizes and may be dis-' carded with cartridge 32 as a time saving alternative to cleaning when the encapsulation operation is completed. Molded plastic cartridges are commercially available and are used for other applications.

A most important feature of my invention is the extreme simplicity of its operation. Components or molds 44 are placed around the periphery of disc 25, cylinder 11 is positioned on baseplate surface 16 and topped by coverplate 27. The tube portion of cartridge 32 is inserted through puck means 34 into vacuum chamber 9 through opening 30. By virtue of the above described vacuum seal means chamber 9 is made air-tight and is ready to be evacuated by vacuum pump through vent 45 in baseplate 15 and three-way valve 46. While hand A, see FIG. 1, manipulates valve stem 38 hand B on wheel 26 can rotate,- elevate or retract turntable 24 to position each mold 44 under cartridge tip 39 for filling. More accurate means for positioning of said cartridge 32 are here-before described. When the molds 4-4 are all filled vacuum valve 46 is opened filling chamber 9 with air and permitting cover assembly 27 to be removed so that disc 25 with molds may be lifted out for placing in a curing oven or other process.

A vacuum indicating gauge 50 may -be mounted on baseplate 15 and connected to chamber 9 by suitable vent means 47. It may be pointed out that two or more of the cylinders 11 may be stacked as shown in FIG. 6 if the height of the mold so warrants.

Although I have herein described the nature and use of my invention so that persons skilled in the art will have no ditficulty in understanding its contents and insomuch as the disclosure is susceptible of Various modifications and improvements, I hereby reserve the right to all modifications and improvements falling within the scope and spirit of my invention as well as any modifications that are suggested in the accompanying drawings and any that may come within the purview of the foregoing description; my invention to be limited only by the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and revealed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. Apparatus for impregnating articles with a vicous material comprising:

a vacuum chamber,

a turntable rotatably mounted within said chamber,

said articles being supported on said turntable, means extending to the outside of said chamber for rotatably positioning said turntable,

dispenser means for dispensing said material onto said articles,

said chamber having an opening formed therein,

means for supporting said dispenser means in said opening for movement axially and radially relative to said turntable, said supporting means including sealing means for airtightly fitting said dispenser means through said opening,

said dispenser means including valve means manipulable from outside of said chamber for controlling the rate of dispensing of said material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said supporting means for the dispenser comprises a puck having an opening therein through which the dispenser is fitted in airtight relationship, said chamber having a top cover in which the chamber opening is formed, said puck resting on said cover over said cover opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said sealing means includes an O-ring seal fitted in said puck between said puck and said cover.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said dispenser means further comprises a dispenser cartridge having a container for said viscous material positioned outside of said chamber and a tube extending from said container through said puck member opening into said chamber, said tube having a nozzle for dispensing the material.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said valve means comprises a rod having one end thereof extending out from the top end of said container and the other end extending out from the bottom end of the container to said nozzle, said rod being positionable relative to the nozzle to control the rate of flow of the material therethrough.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said turntable is slidably supported in said chamber for movement along the rotation axis thereof.

7. In combination,

a vacuum chamber having a transparent cover,

a turntable mounted within said chamber,

a shaft attached to said turntable,

a gland member threadably attached to the base of said chamber through which said shaft enters said chamber,

a sleeve bearing mounted in said gland member for cartridge including a nozzle for dispensing material into said chamber, and i a valve rod positioned in said nozzle for controlling the flow of material therefrom.

8. In combination: 7.

a vacuum chamber with a 'cover plate having an opening therein, 6 v

a turntable mounted in said chamber for axial and rotatable movement,

a plurality of molds positioned on said turntable,

a movable puck supported on said cover plate over said opening to provide a seal over said opening; a dispensing cartridge having a nozzle for dispensing fluid material into said molds, V 7

said puck having a tapered bore; I Y 1 a compressible bushing mounted in said bore for engaging said nozzle, said bushing permitting axial movement of the nozzle, and

a pointed rod member fitted in said nozzle tor valving the dispensing action of said nozzle.

9. The apparatus of claim .2 wherein said top cover is transparent to permit viewing of the inside of said chamber. t

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chamber is modularly constructed froma plurality of similar sidewall sections stacked on top of each other with a baseplate member forming the bottom of the chamber and. a transparent plate forming a top cover therefor.

11. In apparatus for impregnataing articles'with a viscous material, said apparatus including a vacuum chamber in which said articles are contained, the improvement comprising means for dispensing said material onto said articles through an opening insaid chamber, said means including: v

a puck member placed over said chamber opening and having sealing means thereon to provide an airtight seal, said puck member having an opening formed therein, v

a dispenser cartridge-fitted through said puck member opening in airtight relationship with said puck mem-, ber, and including a container, for said viscous material positioned outside of said chamber and a dispenser tube extending from said container through the opening in said puck member into said chamber, said puck member being mounted for radial positioning in said opening, said tube member having a dispensing nozzle thereon and. being mounted for axial positioning, and 4 a valve rod slidably mounted in said tube member with one end thereof in said nozzle and the other end thereof extending through said container for manual manipulation, said valve rod being manipulable to control the flow rate of said viscous material through said nozzle. v

'12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said chamber includes a transparent cover, said opening being formed'in said cover.

References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,461,723 2/1949 Cowan'; 264 Dig. 78 3,081,492 3/1963 Gozegorczyk 18--Dig. 60 2,351,774 6/1944 McGowen 264-297 2,472,660 6/1949 "HO0d,.,... 18-Dig.. 60

ROBERTL. SPICER, 111., Primary Examiner Us. or. X.R."

264 101','Di 371425-261, 173,117,.1s2, 449-