Layer-by-layer coating apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11052420-B2
Application number	US-201615767365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2016
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

Apparatus and method are described and useful for, among other things, providing a layer by layer coating of materials on a belt. A directional gas curtain producing element is used to provide a gas curtain blowing on the belt in an upstream direction that simultaneously meters liquid from the belt and dries the belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising
a belt having a first major surface and a second major surface;
a first roller for moving the belt;
a second roller for moving the belt;
the belt tensioned around the first roller and the second roller;
a source of a first self-limiting monolayer forming material and a second self-limiting monolayer forming material;
a deposition station positioned to face the first major surface of the belt, the deposition station comprising
a first depositing element to apply a first liquid comprising the first self-limiting monolayer forming material and affix a monolayer of the first self-limiting monolayer forming material to the belt,
a rinsing element, and
a second depositing element to apply a second liquid comprising the second self-limiting monolayer forming material and affix a monolayer of the second self-limiting monolayer forming material to the belt; and

a directional gas curtain producing element and positioned directly downstream from the the second depositing element to provide a gas curtain blowing on the belt in an upstream direction, wherein a gap between the directional gas curtain producing element and the first major surface of the belt is no more than 0.5 mm such that the gas curtain simultaneously meters liquid from the belt and dries the belt.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first self-limiting monolayer forming material depositing element and the second self-limiting monolayer forming material depositing element includes a sprayer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the directional gas curtain producing element produces a directional gas curtain having a pressure sufficient to remove liquid, cationic material, or anionic material that is not affixed to the belt.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is capable of affixing a monolayer of cationic material or anionic material to the belt while the belt is moving at a speed of at least 0.25 m/s.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the belt is an endless belt.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the first self-limiting monolayer forming material is one and only one of a cationic material or an anionic material; and
the second self-limiting monolayer forming material is one and only one of a cationic material or an anionic material;
with the proviso that one and only one of the first self-limiting monolayer forming material and the second self-limiting monolayer forming material is a cationic material and the other is an anionic material.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises at least 5 depositing elements.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a flux of gas of the gas curtain is no less than 0.02 m 2 /s.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first depositing element and the second depositing element each comprises at least one of a rod coater, a knife coater, an air knife coater, a blade coater, a roll coater, a slot coater, a slide coater, a curtain coater, a gravure coater, or a sprayer.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Kawakami Ellison G
• Kolb William Blake

Classifications

• B05B14/30

  comprising enclosures close to, or in contact with, the object to be sprayed and surrounding or confining the discharged spray or jet but not the object to be sprayed · CPC title

• B05D3/042

  Directing or stopping the fluid to be coated with air · CPC title

• B05D7/54 Primary

  No clear coat specified · CPC title

• B05D3/0466

  the gas being a non-reacting gas (B05D3/0406 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B13/0221

  characterised by the means for moving or conveying the objects or other work, e.g. conveyor belts (B05B13/0207 takes precedence; conveyors in general B65G) · CPC title