Abstract: A powder coating control system comprising a plurality of gun controls associated with a like plurality of powder spray guns. Each of the gun controls stores a plurality of presets spray parameters. Each of the gun controls responds to part identification signals and part position signals to select in real time one of the stored presets of spray parameters and trigger its respective powder spray gun ON and OFF to apply a powder coating to the moving part in accordance with the selected set of spray parameters. The control system further permits a gun purge cycle to be programmed either before or after the powder coating process is executed. The control system automatically initializes and brings each of the gun controls to an operable state on-line with the system control.

Abstract: The high-frequency electric field is subjected to pulse modulation for 10 to 100 .mu.sec; the rise time of pulse is controlled to be not shorter than 2 .mu.sec but not longer than 50 .mu.sec; and the descent time of pulse is controlled to be not shorter than 10 .mu.sec but not longer than .phi..mu.sec. Thereby, the electron temperature in plasma is controlled at 2 eV or lower and the fluctuation of the density of negative ion in plasma is controlled at 20% or smaller.

Abstract: A powder coating control system comprising a plurality of gun controls associated with a like plurality of powder spray guns. Each of the gun controls stores a plurality of presets spray parameters. Each of the gun controls responds to part identification signals and part position signals to select in real time one of the stored presets of spray parameters and trigger its respective powder spray gun ON and OFF to apply a powder coating to the moving part in accordance with the selected set of spray parameters. The control system further permits a gun purge cycle to be programmed either before or after the powder coating process is executed. The control system automatically initializes and brings each of the gun controls to an operable state on-line with the system control.

Abstract: A paste applicator for drawing a paste film in a desired pattern on a substrate, including a table for detachably supporting a substrate, a paste reservoir tube to be filled with a paste, and a nozzle communicating with the paste reservoir and having a paste discharging port opposing to an upper surface of the substrate mounted on the table. A device is supplied for changing the relative positional relationship between the nozzle and the substrate mounted on the table. The paste is applied onto the substrate to form a desired pattern of the paste. A measuring device measures a position of a paste discharging port of a nozzle exchanged together with the paste reservoir tube by using a paste pattern formed by applying the paste onto the substrate held on the table using the exchanged nozzle. The center of the paste pattern nearly agrees with the center of the paste discharging port.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a paste to a surface of a substrate by holding the substrate on a table and by moving a nozzle relative to the table to form a desired paste pattern on the substrate. The apparatus has a device for measuring the position of a paste ejection orifice of the nozzle, a processing unit for calculating, from a result of the measurement by the measuring device, a displacement of the position of the paste ejection orifice when the nozzle is changed, and a mechanism for positioning the substrate at a desired position with respect to the ejection orifice of the changed nozzle on the basis of a result of the operation of the processsing unit. With this arrangement, even if the position of the ejection orifice of the nozzle is changed when the nozzle is changed, the desired positional relationship between the nozzle and the substrate can be set with improved accuracy, whereby a paste pattern can be drawn accurately.

Abstract: A method for the spray distribution of metals includes emitting a stream of molten metal particles and a gas nozzle which is rotated about the stream. The gas nozzle is inclined to the axis of the particle stream and in the direction of the stream in order to produce a required distribution of the particle stream on a workpiece.

Abstract: Related operations are performed on workpieces, e.g., coating and curing circuit boards, of different types in random order in assembly line fashion on a rotary table of an apparatus under programmed control. The table is rotated stepwise to move successive sections thereof from a load-unload station at which the respective workpieces are loaded and unloaded in random order, to a sensing station at which the type and orientation of the workpiece is sensed, next to an initial work station at which initial work, e.g., coating, is performed on the workpiece in dependence upon its type and orientation previously sensed at the sensing station, then to a subsequent work station at which related subsequent work is performed on the workpiece, e.g., curing of the coating, and in turn back to the load-unload station to complete a cycle. The workpiece is either changed in orientation on the table section for a repeat cycle to perform further work thereon or is replaced by another workpiece in random order.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for applying a protective coating to a film strip. The apparatus includes a coating unit for applying a coating of a curable liquid material to at least one surface of the film strip, a curing device for curing the coating of liquid material on the film strip into a protective coating, and a transport system for moving the film strip along a path extending from the coating unit to the curing device. The coating unit includes a substantially rigid, porous matrix having therein a plurality of interconnected pores, and is positioned such that the porous matrix contacts the surface of the film strip to be coated. The porous matrix stores the liquid material within the pores thereof and, upon contact with a surface of the film strip, transfers a coating of the liquid material thereto.

Abstract: The method of and apparatus for equipping a surface of an article with a profiled gasket, bead or a profiled frame, after appropriate pretreatment of the surface. A thermoplastic elastomer is supplied via an extruder and a heated pressure hose to a heated extrusion nozzle. The nozzle is guided by a robot, and the elastomer is extruded and laid by means of the extrusion nozzle onto the surface. The gasket is applied, for example, to an automobile glazing as a profiled frame along its border.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for enabling automated printing of through holes extending between top and bottom surfaces of a ceramic substrate or the like. The perimeter of the substrate is placed on a support that locates the bottom surface of the substrate spaced from a member that interacts with the interior portion of the substrate. The interacting member has holes that correspond to the through holes in the substrate, and it is moved generally perpendicular to the substrate to a position where it is in juxtaposition with the bottom surface of the substrate and its holes are in registration with the holes in the substrate. Conductive material is applied to the top surface of the substrate and a vacuum is applied to the holes in the interacting member to pull the conductive material through the through holes in the substrate. The vacuum is then discontinued and the interacting member is moved back to a position where it is spaced from the bottom surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Lead frame workholder and transport apparatus for holding and transporting a strip of lead frames from one station to another, each lead frame having a pad and a locating pinhole, comprises a track having an input station at one end and an output station at the other end with an application station in between, a vacuum loader for loading a strip of lead frames onto the input station, a first transporter for contacting the lead frame strip in the input station by inserting a pin into the locating pinhole and moving the strip along the track to the application station, and a second transporter for moving the strip to the output station and into an exit carrier. A method of applying an epoxy layer to the pads of a strip of lead frames using the apparatus is disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the deposition of material onto a substrate, the method comprising evaporating material from a source, controlling the dosage of material at the substrate by moving a shutter between an open position and a closed position, with a closing step comprising beginning to decelerate said shutter before reaching the closed position, subsequently thereby bringing the shutter substantially to rest at the closed position. Preferably the motion of the shutter is substantially harmonic with the acceleration of the shutter being directed towards, and proportional to the distance of the shutter from, the point mid-way between the open and closed positions. Contamination is reduced from prior methods and the invention is especially advantageous in molecular beam epitaxy.

Abstract: A die bonding method using an adhesive agent for fixedly mounting a semiconductor chip on a substrate of a lead frame, wherein a needle for discharging adhesive agent is moved near the substrate to apply the adhesive agent onto the substrate, and thereafter, the needle and substrate are initially moved apart at a first velocity and then at a second velocity greater than the first velocity.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for dispensing only that amount of coating material which is required for coating a series of one or more articles to be coated by the coating material. The method and system include the step of, and apparatus for, feeding that amount of coating material to an intermediate container. The intermediate container receives the coating material from a color changer. The connection between color changer and intermediate container is so designed that no electrical current flow exists between these two components, even when using electrically conducting coating material. The coating material is electrostatically charged at an atomizer downstream from the intermediate container during a spray operation.

Abstract: Apparatus for coating an internal wall of a curved conduit (50) with a layer of protective material, characterized in that it comprises a guide means (46, 46a), a longitudinally flexible member (44) which is transversely substantially rigid associated with the guide means, means for mounting a coating means (62) adjacent a first end of the flexible member for incremental rotation with the flexible member, a drive means (28) for driving the flexible member relative to a curved conduit (50) to be coated, so that the coating means can enter the curved conduit in use and so that the coating means can deposit a strip of protective material longitudinally of the conduit, and means (32, 34, 36) acting on the flexible member for automatically stepping the flexible member and consequently the coating means by a rotational increment after the coating means has completed a traverse of the conduit and for automatically reversing the drive means so that the apparatus deposits a strip of protective material adjacent the fi

Abstract: A liquid spray apparatus provides predetermined, uniform quantity of liquid (such as photoresist developer) per unit area of surface by a parabolic cam mechanism, arranged to repeatedly reciprocate a nozzle at a predetermined varying linear velocity a plurality of times over a spinning surface, such as a semiconductor device wafer. The mechanism moves the nozzle at a parabolic varying velocity whereby the liquid is deposited at a uniform quantity per unit area. The cam is continuously rotated and engaged with a spring-biased cam follower during the spraying period. The cam follower is engaged and disengaged with the cam by a programable timer defining the spraying period.

Abstract: A toner cleaning apparatus for use in an electrophotographic copying machine in which a photosensitive drum is rotated for a few revolutions after transferring, onto a record paper, a toner image obtained by developing an electrostatic latent image with toners, in order to remove residual toners from the drum and to prepare the drum for the next duplicating operation. A cleaning device, such as a fur brush, is arranged movably with respect to the photosensitive drum and is separated from the drum after the end of a copying operation, but before the drum is stopped. The cleaning fur brush is removed from the drum at such a timing that the pictorial area on the drum surface has just passed through the cleaning fur brush and thus, residual toners on the drum can be effectively removed. By shortening the time duration in which the cleaning fur brush is brought into contact with the photosensitive drum, the drum can be protected against injury, deterioration and filming.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for coating paper with a resin in a pattern to increase the tear strength of the paper by using an applicator head, rotatable about a shaft through which the resin material is passed through nozzles on to the paper. The resin material is supplied at a constant rate and at a constant temperature and pressure to paper moving at a predetermined speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for vacuum deposition of a thin film onto the surface of a substrate includes a vacuum container formed by a base plate, a cylindrical side wall and a top plate to accommodate at least four movable sealing caps each having a space adapted to confine a batch of substrates on a carrier of dome shape. The caps move around the center of the base plate. When the caps are stopped to cover respective openings provided through the base plate, there are established a pre-heating, a vapor depositing, a cooling and an air locking chamber, and the batch of processed substrates in the air locking chamber is moved to the outside of the apparatus without disturbing the vacuum in the container. Next, the air locking chamber, after having received a new batch of unprocessed substrates at the space of the cap thereof, is sealed from the ambient atmosphere, and all the caps are advanced one step ahead.

Abstract: A conveyor means moves spaced treads along a horizontal path defining a pass line where longitudinally spaced spray means are actuated by control means to spray the tapered leading and trailing edges of the treads. An overspray collection means is located adjacent to each spray area to control the overspray. The overspray collection is automated to present a new surface after a predetermined number of sprays to assure an uncontaminated work zone at the site of the overspray.

Abstract: An auto-bias developing process for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member which includes the step of storing a detected potential in order to apply a fixed bias potential to a developing electrode plate wherein the surface potential of a photosensitive member is detected through a developing solution by a sensor electrode, and is stored in a memory circuit for subsequent conversion to a fixed bias potential which corresponds to the detected potential and is applied to the developing electrode. The process also includes the step of removing any toner which attaches to the developing electrode plate, by the application of a reverse bias potential thereto when the developing process is not taking place and the step of rendering the developing electrode plate electrically floating for removing toner from the plate and preventing deposition of toner onto the surface of the photosensitive member.