Appeal No. 2003-0292 Page 7
Application No. 09/584,032
The plating process is preferably conducted in a suitable cabinet or work
chamber. The preferred small peening particles of Babecki's invention are
spherical peening particles such as glass beads, however, other suitable peening
particles include metal shot, ceramic beads and the like. Any metallic powder of varying
degrees of hardness and particle shape, (for instance, flake or spherical) is
contemplated for use as the coating material. Illustrative of metallic powders that may
be used are aluminum, nickel, silver, gold, tungsten, copper, zinc, etc. The substrates
which can be metal plated or coated in accordance with Babecki's invention include any
hard material having a peenable surface. Such materials include metals and alloys,
such as copper, steel, magnesium, aluminum alloys, etc., wood, plastics such as nylon,
polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethacrylates, etc., fiberglass, ceramics, and the like.
Figure 1 shows a conduit 3 attached to a source of compressed air (not shown)
to provide a blast of air that propels the mixture of metal powder and particles onto
substrate 15. A spray nozzle 6 is fitted onto conduit 3 for directing the air spray. A
supply of small spherical particles such as glass beads 9 and metallic powder 12 are
admixed in a hopper (not shown) and both propelled first through conduit 3 and then
nozzle 6, exiting as a spray stream which impinges upon the substrate 15.
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