Dispenser shield with adjustable aperture to improve drop placement and residual layer thickness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040366-B2
Application number	US-201816134827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2018
Priority date	Sep 18, 2018
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A fluid dispenser apparatus includes a fluid dispenser having plurality of nozzles aligned in a first longitudinal direction. A dispenser shield is positioned relative to the plurality of nozzles, the dispenser shield configured to form an aperture aligned in the first longitudinal direction with the plurality of nozzles. The plurality of nozzles are configured to dispense fluid towards a substrate. The dispenser shield is further positioned such that fluid dispensed from a first subset of the plurality of nozzles passes through the aperture while fluid dispensed from a second subset of the plurality nozzles is captured by the dispenser shield.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A fluid dispenser apparatus comprising:
a fluid dispenser including a first plurality of nozzles and a second plurality of nozzles aligned in a longitudinal direction, wherein the first plurality of nozzles is between the second plurality of nozzles in the longitudinal direction;
a dispenser shield including an aperture and blocking portions, the dispenser shield being positioned relative to the first and second plurality of nozzles such that the aperture is aligned in the longitudinal direction with the first plurality of nozzles and the blocking portions are aligned in the longitudinal direction with the second plurality of nozzles; and
a tension mechanism configured to adjust tension of the dispenser shield to prevent the dispenser shield from sagging relative to the fluid dispenser,
wherein the first and second plurality of nozzles are configured to dispense fluid towards a substrate, and
wherein the dispenser shield is positioned such that fluid dispensed from the first plurality of nozzles passes through the aperture while fluid dispensed from the second plurality of nozzles is blocked by the blocking portions and captured by the dispenser shield.

2. The fluid dispenser apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the aperture is adjustably moveable along the longitudinal direction.

3. The fluid dispenser apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the aperture is expandable or contractible along the longitudinal direction.

4. The fluid dispenser apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser shield includes a channel for receiving the captured fluid from the dispenser shield.

5. The fluid dispenser apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one vacuum port configured to remove the captured fluid from the dispenser shield.

6. The fluid dispenser apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the dispenser shield includes a channel for receiving the captured fluid from the dispenser shield.

7. The fluid dispenser apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one vacuum port is connected to a tube that has a terminus end position within the channel for removing the captured fluid from the dispenser shield.

8. The fluid dispenser apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of aperture support brackets configured to attach the dispenser shield to the fluid dispenser,
wherein the dispenser shield has opposing distal ends along the longitudinal direction, and
wherein one of the pair of aperture support brackets is attached to a respective each one of the opposing distal ends of the dispenser shield.

9. A fluid dispenser shield assembly adapted to be installed onto a fluid dispenser including a first plurality of nozzles and a second plurality of nozzles aligned in a longitudinal direction, the first plurality of nozzles being between the second plurality of nozzles in the longitudinal direction, the fluid dispenser shield assembly comprising:
a dispenser shield including an aperture and blocking portions, the dispenser shield being configured to be positioned relative to the first and second plurality of nozzles such that the aperture is aligned in the longitudinal direction with the first plurality of nozzles and the blocking portions are aligned in the longitudinal direction with the second plurality of nozzles; and
a tension mechanism configured to adjust tension of the dispenser shield to prevent the dispenser shield from sagging relative to the fluid dispenser,
wherein the first and second plurality of nozzles are configured to dispense fluid towards a substrate, and
wherein the dispenser shield is positioned such that fluid dispensed from the first plurality of nozzles passes through the aperture while fluid dispensed from the second plurality of nozzles is blocked by the blocking portions and captured by the dispenser shield.

10. The fluid dispenser shield assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the aperture is adjustably moveable along the longitudinal direction.

11. The fluid dispenser shield assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the aperture is expandable or contractible along the longitudinal direction.

12. The fluid dispenser shield assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the dispenser shield includes a channel for receiving the captured fluid from the dispenser shield.

13. The fluid dispenser shield assembly according to claim 9 , further comprising at least one vacuum port configured to remove the captured fluid from the dispenser shield.

14. The fluid dispenser shield assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one vacuum port is connected to a tube that has a terminus end position within the channel for receiving the captured fluid from the dispenser shield.

15. The fluid dispenser shield assembly according to claim 9 , further comprising a pair of aperture support brackets configured to attach the dispenser shield to the fluid dispenser assembly,
wherein the dispenser shield has opposing distal ends along the longitudinal direction, and
wherein one of the pair of aperture support brackets is attached to a respective each one of the opposing distal ends of the dispenser shield.

16. An imprint apparatus comprising:
a fluid dispenser including a first plurality of nozzles and a second plurality of nozzles aligned in a longitudinal direction, wherein the first plurality of nozzles is between the second plurality of nozzles in the longitudinal direction;
a dispenser shield including an aperture and blocking portions, the dispenser shield being positioned relative to the first and second plurality of nozzles such that the aperture is aligned in the longitudinal direction with the first plurality of nozzles and the blocking portions are aligned in the longitudinal direction with the second plurality of nozzles; and
a tension mechanism configured to adjust tension of the dispenser shield to prevent the dispenser shield from sagging relative to the fluid dispenser,
wherein the first and second plurality of nozzles are configured to dispense fluid towards a substrate, and
wherein the dispenser shield is positioned such that fluid dispensed from the first plurality of nozzles passes through the aperture while fluid dispensed from the second plurality of nozzles is blocked by the blocking portions and captured by the dispenser shield.

17. A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising:
forming a pattern on a substrate using an imprint apparatus; and
processing the substrate, on which the pattern has been formed, to manufacture the article,
wherein the imprint apparatus performs imprint processing of forming the pattern of an imprint material on the substrate using a mold, and includes:
a fluid dispenser including a first plurality of nozzles and a second plurality of nozzles aligned in a longitudinal direction, wherein the first plurality of nozzles is between the second plurality of nozzles in the longitudinal direction;
a dispenser shield including an aperture and blocking portions,

the dispenser shield being positioned relative to the first and second plurality of nozzles such that the aperture is aligned in the longitudinal direction with the first plurality of nozzles and the blocking portions are aligned in the longitudinal direction with the second plurality of nozzles; and
a tension mechanism configured to adjust tension of the dispenser shield to prevent the dispenser shield from sagging relative to the fluid dispenser,
wherein the first and second plurality of nozzles are configured to dispense fluid towards a substrate, and
wherein the dispenser shield is

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Simpson Logan L
• Bamesberger Seth J
• Williamson John

Classifications

• B05C5/0266

  adjustable in length, e.g. for coating webs of different width · CPC title

• B05B12/34

  movable relative to the spray area · CPC title

• B05B12/32 Primary

  Shielding elements, i.e. elements preventing overspray from reaching areas other than the object to be sprayed (nozzles with integral shielding elements B05B1/28) · CPC title

• B05B12/22

  movable relative to the spray area · CPC title

• B05C5/025

  only at particular part of the work (at particular part of separate articles B05C5/0212) · CPC title