Title of Invention

SUPPLYING AND EXHAUSTING SYSTEM IN PLASMA POLYMERIZING APPARATUS

Abstract A supplying and exhausting system for a plasma polymerizing apparatus in which a substrate (2) moves continuously is provided. The system comprises: a gas inlet (12) for supplying gas to a polymerizing chamber (1a), and a gas outlet for exhausting reactive gas supplied through the gas inlet (12), wherein the gas inlet (12) and outlet are installed in such a way that the reactive gas flows in substantially parallel with the moving direction of the substrate.
Full Text SUPPLYING AND EXHAUSTING SYSTEM IN PLASMA
POLYMERIZING APPRATUS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a supplying and exhausting system
for a plasma polymerizing apparatus and particularly, to a supplying and
exhausting system for a plasma polymerizing apparatus in which gas is
supplied and exhausted in the same direction of the flow of a substrate coated
by plasma polymerizing.
BACKGROUND ART
If a surface of a substrate such as a steel plate is coated with a thin
film using plasma, a stratum tectorium having good consistency and abrasion
resistance is formed. Products having the stratum tectorium are used as a
magnetic disk, optical disk, carbide tool and the like. Also, if the paint-coated
film generated on the surface of a steel plate is undergone plasma
processing, an unplasticized paint coated steel plate having good durability
and corrosion resistance. Particularly, through the processing, quality of the
surfaces can be improved increasing hydrophile and hydrophobe by polymer
polymerizing the surface of the substrate, and the improved substances are
widely in use.
As an example, Figure 1 is a sectional view showing an apparatus
which can perform plasma polymerizing processing. Particularly, the
apparatus is advantageous to coat thin film on a substrate with a great area.

Also, an opposite electrode is positioned on the both sides of the substrate
electrode and simultaneous polymerizing is possible thus to improve
productivity. In the apparatus, the substrate 2 wound as a form of a roll is
continuously fed from the unwinding chamber to the polymerizing chamber
1 and after polymerizing processing of the surface of the substrate in the
polymerizing chamber, the substrate 3 is fed to the winding chamber 10 then
wound in the form of a roll. The reactive gas is supplied through the reactive
gas inlet 7 to the chamber maintained a certain vacuum status and plasma
is generated by allowing power in the opposite electrode 4 on the upper and
lower surface of the substrate. In case plasma discharge is generated in the
chamber, the reactive gases in which molecular binding is broken and then
the broken chains and activated cations and anions are combined to form
polymerized material. On one side of the chamber, outlet 8 of the reacted gas
is installed.
For this continuous processing apparatus, in case the gas inlet and
gas outlet are installed in the polymerizing chamber, conventionally, the array
relation is not specially considered and they are positioned so that the gas
flow is formed in the vertical direction with the flow of the substrate in the
polymerizing. Namely, in Figure 1, the gas inlet 7 and outlet 8 are positioned
at the left and right ends of the lower portion of the polymerizing chamber.
However, in positioning of the conventional gas inlet and outlet, there
are disadvantages as follows. Firstly, gas flow in the polymerizing chamber
is formed in the vertical direction with the flow of the substrate and
accordingly, the reactive gas and the substrate can not react to each other

sufficiently since the reactive gases stay for a short time. Secondly, gas flow
in the polymerizing chamber is not formed uniformly as a whole thereof
sufficient polymerizing can not be performed since the gas and substrate
react in some area only. Due. to the problems, the surface characteristic of the
polymerized substrate is not uniform and defective products having desirable
characteristics increase.
Also, in case of a continuous polymerizing apparatus, post-processing
chamber can be additionally installed for post-processing after the
polymerizing processing. In this case, the exhaust port of the gas inlet should
be installed in the respective chambers. In case the gas inlet and exhaust port
are installed, to control each gas in inconvenient and the facility becomes
more complicated thus to cause main problems. Therefore, a plasma
polymerizing apparatus is necessary to control gas supply and exhaust simply
and easily.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a plasma
polymerizing apparatus which increases the time reactive gas stays on the
surface of the substrate and enables efficient use of the reactive gas in the
polymerizing chamber.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a plasma
polymerizing apparatus with a simpler component to control gas supply and
exhaust smoothly.

To achieve the objects, the present invention provide a supplying and
exhausting system for a plasma polymerizing apparatus having a
polymerizing chamber capable of moving a substrate continuously in which
gas inlet for supplying gas to a polymerizing chamber and a gas outlet for
exhausting reactive gas supplied through the gas inlet and wherein the gas
inlet and outlet are installed so that the reactive gas flows in substantially
parallel with the moving direction of the substrate.
The polymerizing chamber includes a vertical chamber in which a '
substrate moves horizontally and vertically.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a sectional view showing a conventional plasma
continuous processing apparatus.
Figure 2a is a plan view showing a supplying and exhausting system
for plasma polymerizing apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 2b is a front sectional views showing a supplying and
exhausting system of Figure 2a.
Figure 3a shows an embodiment of the supplying and exhausting
system in the vertical chamber.
Figure 3b shows another embodiment of the supplying and exhausting
system in the vertical chamber.
Figure 4a shows still another embodiment of the supplying and
exhausting system in the vertical chamber.

Figure 4b shows yet another embodiment of the supplying and
exhausting system in the vertical chamber.
Figure 5a shows the supplying and exhausting system, which includes
additional gas outlet channels.
Figure 5b shows the supplying and exhausting system, which includes
an additional junction unit for unifying the gas outlet channels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A supplying and exhausting system in accordance with the present
invention is characterized that the plasma polymerizing apparatus which can
move the substrate continuously has a polymerizing chamber in which the gas
inlet and outlet are installed so that the reactive gas flows in substantially
parallel with the moving direction of the substrate.
The present invention can be applied to a case that the substrate
moves in parallel as well as to a case of a vertical chamber (a polymerizing
chamber in which the substrate moves vertically), which will be described.
As an embodiment of the present invention, the gas inlet is positioned
near the substrate inlet of the polymerizing chamber and the gas outlet is
positioned near the substrate outlet of the polymerizing chamber. In addition,
as another embodiment of the present invention, the gas inlet is positioned
near the substrate outlet of the polymerizing chamber and the gas outlet is
positioned near the substrate inlet of the polymerizing chamber.
Also, the present invention provides a supplying and exhausting
system for a plasma polymerizing apparatus having a post-processing

chamber and post-processing chamber which respectively have a gas inlet
and gas outlet and in the system, the gas outlet is positioned between the two
chambers.
In the system, the gas inlet is positioned in the same direction of the
flow of the substrate at the entrance portion of the polymerizing chamber and
the post-processing is positioned in the opposite direction of the flow of the
substrate at the exit portion of the chamber. The gas flown from the gas outlet
of the two chambers flows via an exhaust duct and a throttle valve and is
sucked to a pump to be controlled as a whole.
Figure 2a is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present
invention. On the left, an unwinding chamber 9 for unwinding the substrate
which is in the status of a roll to a form of sheet is positioned and a
polymerizing chamber 1a is fed from the unwinding chamber to perform
plasma polymerizing processing. Beside the polymerizing chamber, a post-
processing chamber 1b is installed and the substrate is continuously post-
processed. Here, secondary plasma polymerizing processing of the substrate
or a processing for improving the quality of the substrate can be done. The
substrate passed through the post-processing chamber is rewound to be a
roll status in the winding chamber 10 on the right. The polymerizing chamber
1a and post-processing chamber 1b respectively have the gas inlets 11,12
and gas outlets which are references numeral and formed on the wall of the
chamber. In case of the polymerizing chamber, the gas inlet is positioned at
the entrance portion so that gas is supplied and exhausted in the same
direction of the flow of the substrate of the polymerizing chamber and the gas
rz

outlet is positioned at the exit portion of the polymerizing chamber. On the
other hand, in case of the post-processing chamber, the gas inlet 12 is
positioned at the exit portion of the chamber so that the gas is supplied in the
opposite direction of the flow of the substrate and the gas outlet is positioned
at the entrance portion of the post-processing chamber. With the
arrangement, the gas is supplied in the polymerizing chamber and post-
processing chamber and the arrangement can control the supply of the two
chambers as a whole. The gas from the outlet is flown to the pump 15 through
the throttle valve 14.
Figure 2b is a front sectional views showing a supplying and
exhausting system of Figure 2a. The gas supplied from the gas inlets of the
polymerizing chamber 1a and post-processing chamber 1b reacts with the
substrate 2 which moves between electrodes 4 in the parallel direction and
is sucked to the exhaust duct 13 through the exhaust port which is not shown
in the drawings.
The exhaust system controls the gas not to be agitated between each
chamber in case of continuous plasma polymerizing and gas in each chamber
can be controlled simultaneously with a pump. Accordingly, the equipment
is simplified and the management is facilitated.
The apparatus described above is composed as a single body.
However, for more efficient continuous plasma polymerizing, it is desirable
that the apparatus has a number of polymerizing chambers. Particularly, in
case the plasma polymerizing apparatus includes a polymerizing chamber
having an area in which the motion of the substrate flows vertically, supply

and flowing direction and exhaust of the raw gas are very important to enable
surface coating processing of good quality.
As another embodiment of the present invention, a supplying and
exhausting system which includes at least one polymerizing chamber in which
the substrate is fed continuously and coated is provided. Also, in the plasma
polymerizing apparatus, at least a polymerizing chamber is installed in the
vertical direction of the flow of the substrate and the system includes the gas
inlet and outlet which are positioned so that the gas flows in parallel with the
flowing direction of the substrate positioned in the polymerizing chamber.
In case the polymerizing chamber has an area which flows in the
vertical direction of the flow of the substrate, to make the flowing direction of
the raw gas and the substrate in parallel, a specific composition is necessary
to compose the supplying and exhausting system for a plasma polymerizing
apparatus. Particularly, the gas inlet and outlet are needed to be positioned
properly considering the influence to gravity.
Figure 3a shows the polymerizing chamber, which has an area in
which the substrate flows vertically. The substrate 2 flows from the lower
portion to the upper potion of the polymerizing chamber and the gas inlet 21a
for supplying raw gas, that is, reactive gas and unreactive gas is installed on
one end surface of the upper portion of the polymerizing chamber 1c. The gas
outlet portion 22a for discharging the raw gas is installed on an end surface
of the lower portion of the polymerizing chamber. Namely, the raw gas
discharged from the gas inlet moves in the opposite direction of the flow of
the substrate in parallel and is discharged through the gas outlet. Figure 3b

shows a case that the substrate and the gas flow in the same direction by
installing the gas inlet 21b and gas outlet of Figure 3a in the opposite
direction. In this case, the characteristic of the raw gas flow on the surface of
the substrate 2 is changed to be different from the characteristic in Figure 3a
and accordingly, plasma polymerizing process according to the characteristic
can be performed.
Figures 4a and 4b are sectional view showing an embodiment in which
the gas inlet and the gas outlet are installed on the both surfaces of the
vertical-polymerizing chamber. In Figure 4a, the gas inlet 22c is installed on
the both end surfaces of upper portion of the vertical chamber and the gas
outlet 21c is installed on the both end surfaces of the lower portion of the
vertical chamber so that the substrate 2 and gas flow in the opposite direction.
In Figure 4b, the gas inlet 21 d is installed in the lower portion of the vertical
chamber and the gas outlet 22d is installed in the upper portion of the vertical
chamber so that the substrate 2 and gas flow in the same direction.
Therefore, the amount of the raw gas flow increases to become more than
the amount of the raw gas supply and exhaust and more uniform by installing
respectively a gas inlet and a gas outlet thus to perform surface processing
swiftly with a good quality.
Also, in the present invention as shown in Figure 5a, the gas outlet
channel 23 connected to the gas outlet can be included additionally and as
shown in Figure 5b, a junction area 24 for unify at least one gas outlet
channel 23. By installing the gas outlet channel in the gas outlet, the shape
of the channel can be adjusted and the processing of the discharged gas can

be facilitated. Particularly, in case the system includes a number of
polymerizing chambers, the discharged gas can be processed with the
junction area as a whole. Figures 5a and 5b describe about the vertical
chamber. However, the description can be applied to the polymerizing
chamber identically.
The supplying and exhausting system in accordance with the present
invention can achieve a uniform surface processing of good quality and
control the amount of the gas supply and exhaust easily by adjusting the gas
flow in parallel with the flow of the substrate even in case the plasma
polymerizing apparatus having a number of polymerizing chambers has an
area in which the substrate flows vertically in the polymerizing chamber.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
As so far described, according to the present invention, the gas inlet
and outlet is positioned so that the gas flows in substantially parallel with the
moving direction of the substrate in the polymerizing chamber in which the
motion of the substrate is performed in the parallel or vertical direction and
accordingly, sufficient reaction is capable due to the long time duration of
contact of the substrate and the reactive gas thus to achieve the substrate
having a great effect of polymerizing process. In addition, the present
invention can control the gas in the polymerizing chamber to be formed near
the substrate and accordingly the reactive gas can be used efficiently thus to
reduce cost to make the gas flow uniformly. Also, in the plasma polymerizing
apparatus respectively having a polymerizing chamber and a post-processing

chamber, the present invention provides a simpler supplying and exhausting
system and accordingly, gas supply and exhaust can be controlled smoothly
so that the gas is agitated in between the respective chambers. In addition,
space for installation can be reduced since the gas in each chamber can be
simultaneously controlled.

WE CLAIM :
1. A supplying and exhausting system for a plasma polymerizing apparatus
in which a substrate (2) moves continuously comprising:
a gas inlet (12) for supplying gas to a polymerizing chamber (1a), and
a gas outlet for exhausting reactive gas supplied through the gas inlet
(12),
wherein the gas inlet (12) and outlet are installed in such a way that the
reactive gas flows in substantially parallel with the moving direction of the
substrate.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate moves
horizontally in the polymerizing chamber (1a).
3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gas inlet (12) is positioned
near a substrate inlet of the polymerizing chamber (1a) and the gas outlet is
positioned near a substrate outlet of the polymerizing chamber (1a).
4. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gas inlet (12) is positioned
near a substrate outlet of the polymerizing chamber (1a) and the gas outlet is
positioned near a substrate inlet of the polymerizing chamber (1a).
5. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein an additional post-processing
chamber (1b) is installed beside the polymerizing chamber (1a) and the
polymerizing chamber (1a) and post-processing chamber (1b) respectively have
a gas inlet (12) and gas outlet, wherein the gas outlet is positioned between the
two chambers.
6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the gas inlet (12) is positioned
in the same direction of the flow of the substrate (2) at an entrance portion of the
polymerizing chamber (1a) and the gas outlet is positioned in the opposite
direction of the flow of the substrate at an exit portion of the post-processing
chamber (1b).

7. The system as claimed in claim 5, having only one pump (15) for a
unified controlling the gas flown from the gas outlet of the polymerizing chamber
(1a) and the post-processing chamber (1b).
8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymerizing chamber (1a)
comprises a number of chambers and at least one of the chambers has an area
where the substrate moves in the vertical direction.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gas inlet (12) is positioned
on an upper end surface or a lower end surface of the chamber having an area
where the substrate (2) moves in the vertical direction and the gas outlet is
positioned on an end surface opposite to the gas inlet (12).
10. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gas inlet (12) is positioned
on both upper end surfaces or both lower end surfaces of the chamber having an
area where the substrate (2) moves in the vertical direction and the gas outlet is
positioned on the both surfaces opposite to the gas inlet (12).
11. The system as claimed in claim 10, having additional gas outlet channels
connected to the gas outlet.
12. The system as claimed in claim 11, having a junction unit for unifying the
gas outlet channels.
13. A supplying and exhausting system for a plasma polymerizing apparatus
in which a substrate moves continuously comprising:
a gas inlet (12) for supplying gas to a polymerizing chamber (1), and
a gas outlet for exhausting reactive gas supplied through the gas inlet
(12),
wherein the substrate (2) moves horizontally in the polymerizing chamber
(1a) and the gas inlet (12) and outlet are installed in such a way that the reactive
gas flows in substantially parallel with the moving direction of the substrate (2).

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the substrate (2) moves in
the parallel direction and the gas supplied to the polymerizing chamber (1a)
flows in substantially parallel with the moving direction of the substrate (2).
15. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gas inlet (12) is
positioned near an inlet portion of the polymerizing chamber (1) and the gas
outlet is positioned near an outlet portion of the substrate (2) of the polymerizing
chamber (1a).
16. The system of claim 13, having an additional post-processing chamber
(1b) and wherein the polymerizing chamber (1a) and the post-processing
chamber (1b) respectively have a gas inlet (12) and gas outlet which is
positioned between the two chambers.
17. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the gas inlet (12) is
positioned in an entrance portion of the polymerizing chamber (1a) in the same
direction as the flow of the substrate (2) and positioned in an exit portion of the
post-processing chamber (1b) in the opposite direction to the flow of the
substrate (2).
18. The system as claimed in claim 17, having a pump (15) for controlling the
gas flown from the gas outlet of the polymerizing chamber (1a) and a post
processing chamber (1b) and a post processing chamber.
19. A supplying and exhausting system for a plasma polymerizing apparatus
in which a substrate (2) moves continuously comprising:
a gas inlet (12) for supplying gas to a polymerizing chamber (1a), and
a gas outlet for exhausting reactive gas supplied through the gas inlet
(12),
wherein the substrate (2) moves in the vertical direction in the
polymerizing chamber (1a) and the gas inlet (12) and outlet are installed in such
a way that the reactive gas flows in substantially parallel with the moving
direction of the substrate (2).

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the gas inlet (12) is
positioned on an upper end surface or a lower end surface of the polymerizing
chamber (1a) and the gas outlet is positioned on an end surface opposite to the
gas inlet (12).
21. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the gas inlet (12) is
positioned on both upper end surfaces or both lower end surfaces of the
polymerizing chamber (1a) and the gas outlet is positioned on the both surfaces
opposite to the gas inlet (12).
22. The system as claimed in claim 19, additionally having gas outlet
channels connected to the gas outlet.
23. The system as claimed in claim 22, having a junction unit for unifying the
gas outlet channels.


A supplying and exhausting system for a plasma polymerizing apparatus
in which a substrate (2) moves continuously is provided. The system comprises:
a gas inlet (12) for supplying gas to a polymerizing chamber (1a), and a gas
outlet for exhausting reactive gas supplied through the gas inlet (12), wherein the
gas inlet (12) and outlet are installed in such a way that the reactive gas flows in
substantially parallel with the moving direction of the substrate.

Documents:

IN-PCT-2002-001116-KOL-(02-04-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-ABSTRACT 1.1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-abstract.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-AMENDED CLAIMS.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-AMENDED PAGES.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-ANNEXURE FORM 3.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-assignment.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-CANCELLED PAGES.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-claims.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-CORRESPONDENCE 1.1.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-CORRESPONDENCE-1.2.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-correspondence.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-description (complete).pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-DRAWINGS 1.1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-drawings.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-EXAMINATION REPORT-1.1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-examination report.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-FORM 1.1.1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-form 1.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-FORM 18-1.1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-form 18.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-FORM 2.1.1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-form 2.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-FORM 3-1.1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-form 3.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-form 5.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-GPA-1.1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-gpa.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-GRANTED-ABSTRACT.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-GRANTED-CLAIMS.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-GRANTED-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-GRANTED-DRAWINGS.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-GRANTED-FORM 1.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-GRANTED-FORM 2.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-OTHERS 1.1.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-OTHERS-1.2.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-PA.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-PETITION UNDER RULE 137.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-priority document.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT-1.1.pdf

IN-PCT-2002-1116-KOL-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-specification.pdf

in-pct-2002-1116-kol-translated copy of priority document.pdf


Patent Number 252354
Indian Patent Application Number IN/PCT/2002/1116/KOL
PG Journal Number 19/2012
Publication Date 11-May-2012
Grant Date 09-May-2012
Date of Filing 02-Sep-2002
Name of Patentee LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Applicant Address 20, YOIDO-DONG, YONGDUNGPO-KU, SEOUL
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 JEONG YONG-MAN HANIL APT. 101-1402, AN-DONG KIMHAE, K 621-200 YUNGSANGNAM-DO
2 YOUN DONG-SIK 54-1, BANJI-DONG, CHANGWON KYUNGSANGNAM-DO, 641-170
3 LEE SU-WON DAEBANGIOOTAEKJIGOO 63-14 DAEBANG-DONG, CHANGWON KYUNGSANGNAM-DO, 641-100
PCT International Classification Number C23C 16/54
PCT International Application Number PCT/KR2001/00321
PCT International Filing date 2001-03-02
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2000/11004 2000-03-06 Republic of Korea