FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to apparatus for curing coating materials, and more particularly to apparatus for irradiating the coating on a magnet wire or wire-like element using UV and IR radiation, visible light and convective heat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Magnet wire is single strand copper wire with a hard thin protective coating bonded to the wire. The physical properties of the baked-on coating determine the dielectric strength, thermal rating, and resistance to damage of the wire. The wire is typically used for winding transformers, motors and solenoid coils.

Magnet wire coatings are bonded to the wire by banking them in convection ovens. The finished wire consists of 15 to 30 thin coatings that are each baked on before the next layer is applied. The process is not energy efficient.

The wire is dragged through weakly pressurized dies to apply the first layer of coating. After coating, the wire passes through a long drying oven (45-55 ft) and is cooled subsequently in a long cooling tunnel. The wire must be cooled to eliminate wet-coating vaporization. The wire is then circulated back for the next of 14 to 29 coating passes.

Process speeds are limited by the thermal inertia of heating the copper wire and the number of coating passes, which is determined by the coating thickness. The larger the wire, the longer the oven and cool down tunnel. Speeds drop dramatically with increases in wire size.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for curing the coating on magnet wires or wire-like elements that obviates the disadvantages of the prior art.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that generates W radiation, visible radiation, infrared radiation and convective heat to cure the coating on magnet wires or wire-like elements.

In summary, the present invention provides a W oven comprising a compact longitudinal elliptical reflector with

first and second focal lines; a longitudinal small diameter bulb disposed along the first focal line that generates short wavelength W radiation, IR radiation, visible radiation and heat to cure the coating on magnet wires or wire-like elements that are passed through the other focal line. The inside surface of the reflector is coated with material to enhance the reflectivity of the short wavelength UV, IR and visible radiation. The bulb envelope is made of quartz material that allows transmission of short wavelength W radiation. The small diameter bulb has been found to increase the power output in the short wavelength W range.

In another embodiment of the invention, two separate compact elliptical longitudinal reflectors are used, each provided with a bulb. The magnet wires or wire-like elements to be cured are passed along the common focal line of the reflectors, subjecting the wires to the energy output of the two bulbs.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the magnet wires or wire-like elements are placed even closer to the bulb.

A compact elliptical longitudinal reflector includes a longitudinal bulb disposed along a focal line of the reflector.

A back reflector is disposed in close proximity to the bulb.

The wires to be cured are passed between the bulb and the back reflector.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is cross-sectional view through a UV oven made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a graph of total spectral radiant flux output of a bulb used in the invention.

Figure 3 is a graph of total spectral radiant flux output of a standard bulb.

Figure 4 is a graph of optical transmission in the short wavelength UV range for a bulb envelope used in the invention.

Figure 5 is a reflectance spectrum of a coating used in the present invention to enhance reflectance of short wavelength UV radiation, visible light and infrared radiation.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 7 is a cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An UV oven 2 made in accordance with the present invention is disclosed in Figure 1. The oven 2 comprises a compact elliptical reflector 4. The reflector 4 is shown in cross- section, and it should be understood that the reflector is longitudinal extending perpendicular to the plane of the figure.

Slots 8 are disposed at the top and bottom of the reflector for cooling a longitudinal bulb 10 disposed along one of the focal lines of the reflector 4. A pair of magnet wires 12 or wire-

like elements with coatings to be cured are passed longitudinally substantially along the other focal line of the reflector 4.

The reflector 4 is preferably made compact to allow locating the magnet wires 12 in the other focal line as close to the bulb 6 as possible. This configuration advantageously shortens the distance and thereby lessens the attenuation of the short wavelength W radiation as it traverses the air to reach the magnet wires. By using a compact elliptical reflector, the magnet wires can be located closer to the bulb 6 and still be in the optical focus, which is the zone of highest radiant flux.

In addition, the compact nature of the reflector allows much of the convective heat provided by the bulb 6 to reach the magnet wires. For illustration purposes, the reflector 4 would have a major diameter of 92.2 mm and minor diameters of 71.6 mm.

Lines 13 depict the path of the W, IR and visible radiation generated by the bulb 6 as they are reflected within the reflector 4.

The bulb 6 is chosen to produce greater short wavelength W power than a standard bulb. The bulb fill includes mercury and argon or other materials suitable for production of short wavelength UV radiation. The bulb is a standard Fusion Aetek UV Systems, Inc., Romeoville, IL., bulb, Model No. 07-01220, which has been modified with a different envelope material, as discussed below. The bulb 6 has a small diameter, about 15 mm inside diameter, which has been found to generate more power in

the short wavelength LTV range of 200-250 nm than a larger diameter standard bulb. Referring to Figure 2, it can be seen that the bulb 6 generates more power in the 200-250 nm range of the spectrum, considered the short wavelength W range, in comparison to a 22 mm inside diameter standard bulb (Fusion W Systems, Inc. bulb, Model No. 07-01072), as shown in Figure 3.

The bulb 6 uses a quartz material for its envelope that transmits well from below 180 nm, as generally shown in Figure 4. A standard bulb quartz envelope attenuates the short wavelength UV radiation significantly. The quartz material used in the bulb 6 is available from Heraeus-Emersil, Buford, Georgia, under the trademark SUPERSIL.

The inside surface of the reflector 4 is coated with a material that improves the reflectivity throughout all usable wavelengths through the infrared portion of the spectrum, as best shown in Figure 5. The coating material is available from Newport Thin Films Laboratory, Chino, California. Referring to Figure 5, high reflectance is achieved by the coating in the general UV (200-400 nm), including the short wavelength UV (below 250 nm), visible (400-800 nm) and infrared (above 800 nm) part of the spectrum.

Another embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in Figure 6. An UV oven 14 comprises opposed first and second elliptical reflectors 16 and 18, which are longitudinal, extending perpendicular to the plane of the figure. As in the other embodiment of Figure 1, the reflectors 16 and 18 are

compact to allow the placement of the magnet wires 12 or wire- like elements close to the bulb 6. The bulb 6 is associated with each reflector and is disposed at respective focal line, as best shown in Figure 6. The magnet wires 12 or wire-like elements to be treated are passed substantially along the other focal line which is common to each of the reflectors 16 and 18.

In this embodiment, it will be understood that substantially more power is available at the common focal line for curing the wires. The reflectors 16 and 18 are coated with the same material as the reflector 4 to enhance the reflection of the usable radiation used in the process. Slots 17 disposed adjacent the bulbs 6 are used to cool the bulbs. Lines 19 depict the path of the UV, IR and visible radiation generated by the bulb 6 as they are reflected within the reflectors 16 and 18.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in Figure 7. An W oven 20 comprises a compact elliptical reflector 22 that extends longitudinally in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the figure. The bulb 6 is disposed along the focal line of the reflector. As in the other embodiments, the reflector 22 is coated with a coating material to enhance the reflection of the radiation used in the curing process. The magnet wires 12 or wire-like elements to be cured are disposed in much closer proximity to the bulb 6 than in the other embodiments. A back mirror 24, preferably curved toward the bulb, is disposed below the magnet wires 12 to

reflect the radiation from the bulb toward the magnet wires 12, thereby irradiating the back side of the wires. The surface of the mirror 24 directed towards the bulb 6 is coated with the same material as the reflectors in the other embodiments to enhance the reflectivity of wavelength UV radiation and other radiation used in the process. Lines 26 depict the path of the W, IR and visible radiation generated by the bulb 6 as they are reflected within the reflector 22.

Although the magnet wires 12 are already disposed close to the bulb 6 as in the other embodiments, due to the compact nature of the reflectors, the magnet wires 12 in the UV oven 20 are disposed even closer to the bulb 6, thereby taking advantage of the high heat energy source available close to the bulb 6 and decreasing the attenuation of the short wavelength UV radiation as it travels through the air.

In the embodiment of the oven 20, since the magnet wires 12 are not located in a focal line, and thus, do not take advantage of the concentration of the energy available at the focal line, the reflector 22 need not be elliptical. The reflector 22 can be cylindrical or any suitable shape designed to direct the energy of the bulb toward the wires.

The apparatus of the present invention irradiates the coating on the magnet wires 12 with short wavelength UV radiation and simultaneously heats the coating with radiant IR energy and convection heat generated by the plasma in the bulb

fill. The short wavelength UV radiation generated by the bulb 6 is used to activate the photoinitiators in the coating.

By using a small diameter quartz envelope for the bulb 6, typically in the neighborhood of 15 mm inside diameter, controlling the amount of mercury and argon in the bulb to provide maximum short wavelength UV radiation, and using a type of quartz that transmits well in the short wavelength UV range, the short wavelength W radiation generated is increased.

The apparatus of the present invention allows for thicker coatings and instant curing of the coating. This virtually eliminates the link between process cure speed and wire size.

The thicker coatings allow the number of passes in the oven to be reduced from 15 to 30 down to about 1 to 3. The size of the apparatus is about 1/20th of the conventional bake and cool chambers of the prior art. The cooling tunnel used in the prior art is advantageously completely eliminated.

The present invention advantageously reduces energy consumption, factory floor space, labor, VOC's and the number of passes through the oven. It also de-couples the process speed from wire size.

The short wavelength W radiation, the heat provided by the IR radiation, visible radiation and convection heat are used to cure the coating on the magnet wire. While visible radiation, infrared radiation and convective heat are considered waste energy in most curing processes, the present invention utilizes

these forms of energy generated by the bulb 6 in curing the wire coating.

Although the present invention has been described in an application for curing the coatings on magnet wires, it should be understood that the present invention would be also applicable to other curing applications involving wire-like elements that require the general characteristics provided by the UV oven disclosed herein.

While this invention has been described as having preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modification, uses and/or adaptations following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.