Exterior Electrode Plasma Coating for Plastic Container Gas Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing film coating techniques for plastic containers require frequent cleaning of inner electrodes to prevent contamination, leading to increased time and cost, and the gas barrier properties of plastic containers are inadequate for carbonated beverages.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method using a cylindrical housing with a first and second arc-shaped electrode assembly that rotates to coat the inner wall of a container, where the electrodes are separated by a gap to prevent electrical connection and contamination, utilizing RF power to generate plasma and deposit a DLC film, reducing the need for frequent electrode cleaning and enhancing gas barrier properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inner electrodes are used to coat film in plastic containers, then gas barrier properties are improved, but electrodes require frequent cleaning which increases time and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrode from the container interior and relocates it to the exterior. The electrode assembly includes a cylindrical electrode that surrounds the container from the outside, eliminating the need for inner electrodes that直接接触 contents and require frequent cleaning. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining film coating functionality while eliminating contamination risk and cleaning requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional coating approach by applying film from the outside rather than the inside. Instead of inserting electrodes into the container to coat the inner wall directly, the invention uses outer electrodes that generate plasma to deposit film through the container wall material, effectively reversing the coating direction and eliminating the need for internal electrode cleaning.
2Reliability
If inner electrodes are used to coat film in plastic containers, then gas barrier properties are improved, but cleaning operations increase cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrode from the container interior and relocates it to the exterior. The electrode assembly includes a cylindrical electrode that surrounds the container from the outside, eliminating the need for inner electrodes that直接接触 contents and require frequent cleaning. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining film coating functionality while eliminating contamination risk and cleaning requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional coating methods are used, then film coating is achieved, but containments accumulate on electrodes and may fall into bottle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrode from the container interior and relocates it to the exterior. The electrode assembly includes a cylindrical electrode that surrounds the container from the outside, eliminating the need for inner electrodes that直接接触 contents and require frequent cleaning. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining film coating functionality while eliminating contamination risk and cleaning requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a plasma field as an intermediary between the electrode and the container surface. The outer electrode generates plasma that penetrates or interacts with the container wall to deposit film on the inner surface without the electrode physically contacting the interior. This intermediary plasma mechanism maintains coating precision while preventing contamination from electrode containments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces the time and cost associated with cleaning inner electrodes and improves the gas barrier properties of plastic containers, ensuring the quality and freshness of carbonated beverages by providing a more efficient and effective film coating process.
Implementation Method 1
turning on the RF power to excite the processing gas to generate plasma between the first arc-shaped electrode and the second arc-shaped electrode to coat a film on an inner wall of the container
Implementation Method 2
the first arc-shaped electrode is connected to a radio frequency power
Implementation Method 3
turning on vacuum equipment to draw gas from the containing space of the cylindrical housing to pump down a pressure in the containing space to a coating pressure
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for coating a film in a container and a method for coating a film are provided. The apparatus includes a cylindrical housing having a containing space penetrating through both ends thereof; a first arc-shaped electrode and a second arc-shaped electrode surrounding and covering an outer side of the cylindrical housing with a gap formed between the first and second arc-shaped electrodes such that the first arc-shaped electrode is free from electrically connected to the second arc-shaped electrode; a first conductive ring and a second conductive ring surrounding on the first and second arc-shaped electrodes, respectively; an upper supporting seat and a lower supporting seat disposed at the both ends of the cylindrical housing, respectively, to form a sealed environment for the containing space; and a valve component furnished at the upper supporting seat and inserted into the container for providing a processing gas in a film-coating process.