US 12,246,473 B2
Inert ultraviolet curing apparatus
Yani Saputera, The Colony, TX (US); Lawrence M. Minor, McKinney, TX (US); Lex Pace, Largo, FL (US); and Willard Beamer, Palmetto, FL (US)
Assigned to Transitions Optical, Ltd., Tuam (IE)
Appl. No. 18/722,829
Filed by Transitions Optical, Ltd., Tuam (IE)
PCT Filed Dec. 22, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/087279
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 21, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/117075, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 29, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0416558 A1, Dec. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 35/08 (2006.01); B29D 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 35/0805 (2013.01) [B29D 11/00442 (2013.01); B29C 2035/0827 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A curing apparatus comprising:
a housing having a loading portion open to ambient atmosphere, a curing portion having a curing chamber with a controlled atmosphere, and a transition portion extending between the loading portion and the curing portion;
a carrier movable between the loading portion and the curing chamber via the transition portion; and
at least one ultraviolet radiation source operative for transmitting ultraviolet radiation into the curing chamber,
wherein the transition portion comprises a plurality of baffles protruding from a sidewall of the transition portion and configured for minimizing mixing between the ambient atmosphere and the controlled atmosphere during movement of the carrier between the loading portion and the curing chamber.