US 12,330,184 B2
Systems and methods for vacuum impregnation
William G. Kozak, Waterford, MI (US); and Daniel B. Irvin, Albany, IN (US)
Assigned to Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Duesseldorf (DE)
Filed by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Duesseldorf (DE)
Filed on Jul. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/810,950.
Application 17/810,950 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2021/013088, filed on Jan. 12, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/961,240, filed on Jan. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0331830 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B05D 1/18 (2006.01); B05C 3/109 (2006.01); B05C 11/10 (2006.01); B05C 11/11 (2006.01)
CPC B05C 3/109 (2013.01) [B05C 11/1002 (2013.01); B05C 11/11 (2013.01); B05D 1/18 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a vacuum impregnation system, the method comprising:
(a) positioning one or more articles in an internal space defined by a vacuum tank at an ambient air pressure;
(b) after step (a), sealing the vacuum tank;
(c) providing a quantity of impregnation liquid in an inner tank located inside the vacuum tank and below the one or more articles;
(d) after steps (a) and (b), reducing an internal pressure inside the entirety of the internal space defined by the vacuum tank to below the ambient air pressure to produce a reduced pressure environment so that the entirety of each of the one or more articles is within the reduced pressure environment;
(e) after steps (c) and (d), raising the inner tank to at least partially immerse the one or more articles in the impregnation liquid;
(f) after step (e), increasing the internal pressure inside the vacuum tank to above the ambient air pressure;
(g) after step (f), lowering the inner tank to a position at which the one or more articles are not immersed in the impregnation liquid within the inner tank;
(h) after step (g), reducing the internal pressure inside the vacuum tank to ambient air pressure; and
(i) after step (h), unsealing the vacuum tank and removing the one or more articles from the vacuum tank.