Metal laminate structures with systems and methods for treating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9393759-B2
Application number	US-201314062341-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2013
Priority date	Oct 24, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a sealed metal laminate structure comprising: a metal layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface; a first enamel layer laminated on the first surface of the metal layer, except at an exposed metal protrusion at a perimeter edge of the sealed metal laminate structure; a second enamel layer laminated on the second surface of the metal layer, except at the exposed metal protrusion at the perimeter edge of the sealed laminate structure; and a phosphate sealer deposited on the exposed metal protrusion of the sealed metal laminate structure. The present disclosure also relates to a metal laminate structure without a phosphate sealer. In addition, systems and methods for treating workpieces, including metal laminate structures, are discussed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sealed metal laminate structure comprising:
a metal layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface;
a first enamel layer laminated on the first surface of the metal layer, except at an exposed metal protrusion at a perimeter edge of the sealed metal laminate structure;
a second enamel layer laminated on the second surface of the metal layer, except at the exposed metal protrusion at the perimeter edge of the sealed laminate structure; and
a phosphate sealer deposited on the exposed metal protrusion of the sealed metal laminate structure.

2. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first mill coating layer between the first surface and the first enamel layer; and
a second mill coating layer between the second surface and the second enamel layer;
wherein each of the first mill coating layer and the second mill coating layer have a substantially uniform thickness and extend from the perimeter edge of the sealed metal laminate structure to a second perimeter edge of the sealed metal laminate structure.

3. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the phosphate sealer is applied by electrolytic deposition.

4. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the phosphate sealer comprises one of zinc phosphate and iron phosphate.

5. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the sealed metal laminate structure is created in a system comprising:
a first electrolyte bath having a first electrode thereon;
a second electrolyte bath having a second electrode thereon, wherein the second electrode has an opposite polarity from the first electrode;
a power supply coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a barrier seal dividing the first electrode bath from the second electrode bath, wherein the barrier seal comprises a passage configured to:
allow the sealed metal laminate structure to move from one of the first electrolyte bath and the second electrolyte bath to the other electrolyte bath, while preventing electrical shorting between each one of the first electrolyte bath and the second electrolyte bath.

6. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the phosphate sealer includes a portion of a reacted burr removed from the metal layer.

7. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 6 , wherein the phosphate sealer further includes zinc phosphate.

8. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 2 , wherein the phosphate sealer is formed on a chipping area of the sealed metal laminate structure including the exposed metal protrusion, such that the phosphate sealer contacts only the exposed metal protrusion, the first mill coating layer, and the second mill coating layer.

9. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 2 , wherein the first and second mill coating layers each comprise one of a ceramic material or a polymer material.

10. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 9 , wherein the first and second enamel layers each include an organic-based insulative material.

11. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 10 , wherein the organic-based insulative material includes a C-3 coating.

12. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 10 , wherein the organic-based insulative material includes a C-6 coating.

13. The sealed metal laminate structure of claim 2 , wherein the first mill coating layer is positioned directly between the first surface of the metal layer and the first enamel layer, and wherein the second mill coating layer is positioned directly between the second surface of the metal layer and the second enamel layer.

14. A metal laminate structure comprising:
a metal layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface, wherein the metal layer is punched from one of a metal sheet and a metal coil;
a first mill coating layer laminated on the first surface of the metal layer, except at an exposed portion of the metal layer at a perimeter edge of the metal laminate structure, wherein the first mill coating layer has a substantially uniform first thickness;
a second mill coating layer laminated on the second surface of the metal layer, except at the exposed portion of the metal layer at the perimeter edge of the metal laminate structure, wherein the second mill coating layer has a substantially uniform second thickness;
a first enamel layer laminated on the first mill coating layer, except at an exposed portion of the first mill coating layer at the perimeter edge of the metal laminate structure; and
a second enamel layer laminated on the second mill coating layer, except at an exposed portion of the second mill coating layer at the perimeter edge of the metal laminate structure.

15. The metal laminate structure of claim 14 , wherein the exposed portion of the metal layer extends at most approximately 0.5 millimeters from the perimeter edge of the metal laminate structure.

16. The metal laminate structure of claim 14 , wherein the metal layer has a length that is at most approximately equal to each length of the first mill coating layer, the second mill coating layer, the first enamel layer, and the second enamel layer.

17. The metal laminate structure of claim 14 , wherein each of the first mill coating layer and the second mill coating layer extend continuously from the perimeter edge of the metal laminate structure to a second perimeter edge of the metal laminate structure.

18. The metal laminate structure of claim 14 , wherein the metal laminate structure is at least partially created in a system comprising:
a first electrolyte bath having a first electrode thereon;
a second electrolyte bath having a second electrode thereon, wherein the second electrode has an opposite polarity from the first electrode;
a power supply coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a barrier seal dividing the first electrode bath from the second electrode bath, wherein the barrier seal comprises a passage configured to:
allow the metal laminate structure to move from one of the first electrolyte bath and the second electrolyte bath to the other electrolyte bath, while preventing electrical shorting between each one of the first electrolyte bath and the second electrolyte bath.

19. The metal laminate structure of claim 14 , wherein each of the first mill coating layer, the second mill coating layer, the first enamel layer, and the second enamel layer includes a polymer material.

20. The metal laminate structure of claim 19 , wherein the first and second enamel layers each further include inorganic filler materials.

21. The metal laminate structure of claim 14 , wherein the first and second enamel layers each include an organic-based insulative material.

22. The metal laminate structure of claim 21 , wherein the organic-based insulative material includes a C-3 coating.

23. The metal laminate structure of claim 21 , wherein the organic-based insulative material includes a C-6 coating.

24. The metal laminate structure of claim 14 , further comprising a phosphate sealer formed on the exposed metal protrusion of the sealed metal laminate structure.

25. The metal laminate structure of claim 24 , wherein the phosphate sealer is formed on a chipping area of the sealed metal laminate structure including the exposed metal protrusion, such that the phosphate sealer contacts only the exposed metal protrusion, the first mill coating layer, and the second mi

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Luo Yuefeng
• Adis William Edward
• Jones Michael Lewis

Classifications

• B32B2255/00

  Coating on the layer surface · CPC title

• B32B9/04

  comprising such {particular} substance as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a glass layer B32B17/06; layered products with at least two ceramic layers composed mainly of ceramic B32B18/00)} · CPC title

• C25D9/06

  by anodic processes · CPC title

• C25D9/10

  on iron or steel · CPC title

• B32B15/00

  Layered products comprising {a layer of} metal · CPC title