MOBILE CELLULAR TUMBLE COATER

摘要

A mobile cellular tumble coater (10) and method is provided to coat articles with materials suitable for coating by vapor deposition under vacuum conditions. The mobile cellular tumble coater comprises multiple mobile part cells (12) disposed on a hollow cylindrical chamber of an inner support base positioned within a coating chamber (14) of a coating apparatus. Each mobile part cell comprises a hollow portion with an outer wall having multiple through holes large enough to permit vapors of coating material to flow into the mobile part cell and small enough to contain the articles therein. In an embodiment of the invention, the mobile part cells are removably attached to the inner support base by rigid cables in such a manner that enables the mobile part cells to swing from the inner support base. As the inner support base rotates during the coating process, the mobile part cells attached thereon are propelled away from the inner support base until downward rotation causes the mobile part cells to collide with the inner support base. Such collision produced mechanical agitation causes the articles contained within the mobile part cells to remain in a sufficiently mobile state during the coating process such that the articles do not stick together or become coated together.