Coating apparatus and coating method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10960434-B2
Application number	US-201615067934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 18, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a coating apparatus includes an application head, a first moving device, a second moving device, a feeding device, and a suction device. The application head is opposed to a coating surface of a target with a predetermined distance, and forms a meniscus pillar of a coating material between the application head and the coating surface. The first moving device moves the application head. The second moving device moves the application head. The feeding device feeds the coating material between the application head and the coating surface of the target. The suction device sucks the coating material. A distance between the application head and the coating surface is made greater than the predetermined distance, and the coating material is sucked from the meniscus pillar by the suction device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coating apparatus comprising:
an application head opposed to a coating surface of a target with a predetermined distance, and configured to form a meniscus pillar of a coating material between the application head and the coating surface;
a first moving device configured to move the application head relative to the target along the coating surface;
a second moving device configured to move the application head relative to the target in a direction in which the coating surface and the application head move away from each other and in a direction in which the coating surface and the application head move toward each other;
a feeding device configured to feed the coating material between the application head and the coating surface of the target;
a suction device that includes a suction portion independent of the application head and configured to suck the coating material;
a detection device configured to detect the meniscus pillar between the application head and the coating surface;
a third moving device configured to move the suction device to the meniscus pillar; and
a control device configured to move, by controlling the second moving device, the application head and the coating surface relative to each other in a direction in which the application head and the coating surface move away from each other, after the coating material is applied to the coating surface, and to move, by controlling the third moving device, the suction device to the meniscus pillar detected by the detection device,
wherein a distance between the application head and the coating surface is made greater than the predetermined distance, and the coating material is sucked from the meniscus pillar by the suction portion of the suction device,
wherein when the application head is moved away from the coating surface and the meniscus pillar is formed, a distal end of the suction portion is opposed to the meniscus pillar to suck part of the coating material of the meniscus pillar,
wherein the third moving device moves the suction device in a width direction of the application head and in a direction perpendicular to the width direction,
wherein the control device is configured to control the detection device,
wherein the detection device is configured to detect position information of the meniscus pillar and send the position information to the control device, and
wherein the control device is configured to move, based on the position information of the meniscus pillar detected by the detection device, the suction portion of the suction device to a position for sucking the coating material of the meniscus pillar.

2. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second moving device is configured to move a position of the application head such that the distance between the application head and the coating surface is different between two points in a width direction of the application head.

3. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the coating apparatus further comprises a rotating device configured to rotate the application head,
the application head includes a projection portion on an outer peripheral surface of a part of the application head, the part being a part in a circumferential direction of the application head and being a part in a width direction of the application head, and
the control device is configured to move, by controlling the second moving device, the application head in a direction away from the coating surface, after the coating material is applied to the coating surface, to rotate the application head, and to locate the projection portion such that the projection portion is opposed to the coating surface.

4. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the suction portion includes a nozzle configured to move along an axial direction of the application head.

5. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the suction portion sucks the coating material from the meniscus pillar at an application end point of application of the coating material, or sucks the coating material from the meniscus pillar when the application by the application head is stopped.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Saeki Tatsuya
• Kobayashi Hiroaki

Classifications

• B05C1/0804 Primary

  the material being applied without contact with the roller · CPC title

• B05C1/0895

  responsive to the thickness of the weight of material applied to the work · CPC title

• B05C1/0813

  characterised by means for supplying liquid or other fluent material to the roller · CPC title

• B05C11/1039

  Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material; Controlling means therefor · CPC title

• B05C1/0808

  Details thereof, e.g. surface characteristics · CPC title