Wire-less variable gap coater device

Abstract

Systems and methods for coating a thin film with a viscous material, such as a liquid, a paste, or an adhesive, at a desired thickness. In such a system, two films move adjacent to one another, optionally in opposite directions, atop two rollers separated by a known gap that defines a coating thickness, with the material being transferred from one film to the other. The rollers may be maintained in their relative positions by springs and/or linear actuators and positioned using linear encoders. In alternative arrangements, the material to be coated could be low viscosity material such as a polymeric solution. Air knives may be provided near the gap to create an air flow that aids in preventing the free flow of low viscosity materials outside the bounds of the film during coating.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.