US 12,454,759 B2
Method of coating alloy wheels using inter-coat plasma
Parveen Kakar, Novi, MI (US); and Henry Clay Chenault, III, Fayetteville, AR (US)
Assigned to Superior Industries International, Inc., Southfield, MI (US)
Filed by Superior Industries International, Inc., Southfield, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 24, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/256,550.
Application 16/256,550 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/524,075, previously published as PCT/US2015/059954, filed on Nov. 10, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/077,447, filed on Nov. 10, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2019/0233945 A1, Aug. 1, 2019
Int. Cl. C23C 22/78 (2006.01); B05D 1/00 (2006.01); B05D 3/14 (2006.01); B05D 7/00 (2006.01); B05D 7/14 (2006.01); C23C 22/73 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 22/78 (2013.01) [B05D 1/62 (2013.01); B05D 3/142 (2013.01); B05D 3/145 (2013.01); B05D 7/14 (2013.01); B05D 7/52 (2013.01); C23C 22/73 (2013.01); B05D 7/53 (2013.01); C23C 2222/20 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of coating an alloy object, comprising the steps of:
exposing a first plasma onto a surface of the object thereby raising a surface energy of the surface of the object above a ground energy state to a raised energy state;
exposing a second plasma onto the surface of the object that is at the raised energy state, with wherein said second plasma is infused with a conversion compound for coating the surface of the object with the conversion compound thereby forming a conversion coating with the surface of the object and wherein a surface energy of the conversion coating is at a raised energy state;
lowering the surface energy of the conversion coating that is disposed upon the surface of the object from the raised energy state toward a ground energy state thereby causing the conversion coating to cure;
exposing a third plasma onto the surface of the conversion coating after lowering the surface energy of the conversion coating that has formed and cured upon the surface of the object thereby raising the surface energy of the cured conversion coating above a ground energy state; and
applying a first polymeric coating over the cured conversion coating, that has formed upon the surface of the object, while said conversion coating is disposed at a raised surface energy.