Liquid applicators and methods of applying liquid to a substrate using the same

A liquid applicator configured to apply a liquid to a substrate via an applicator fabric, the liquid applicator comprising:

• a frame;
• an applicator head operably coupled to the frame and configured to support a section of the applicator fabric for operable application of the liquid to the substrate;
• a liquid delivery system configured to selectively deliver the liquid to the section of the applicator fabric;
• a fabric conveyance system operably coupled to the frame and configured to selectively move the applicator fabric across the applicator head, wherein the fabric conveyance system comprises:
• a fabric pay-out assembly configured to support a supply spool of the applicator fabric and deliver the applicator fabric from the supply spool to the applicator head;
• a fabric take-up assembly configured to receive the applicator fabric from the applicator head and to form and support a take-up spool of the applicator fabric received from the applicator head;
• a radius detector configured to detect a pay-out radius of the supply spool of the applicator fabric;
• and
• a pay-out torque adjuster configured to apply a pay-out torque to the supply spool;
• and
• wherein the liquid applicator further comprises a controller configured to receive, from the radius detector, a detector signal respective to the pay-out radius and to actuate the pay-out torque adjuster based on the detector signal to maintain a section tension in the section of the applicator fabric within a target section tension range.

A liquid applicator configured to apply a liquid to a substrate via an applicator fabric, the liquid applicator comprising:

• a frame;
• an applicator head operably coupled to the frame and configured to support a section of the applicator fabric for operable application of the liquid to the substrate;
• a fabric conveyance system operably coupled to the frame and configured to selectively move the applicator fabric across the applicator head, wherein the fabric conveyance system comprises a fabric pay-out assembly configured to supply the applicator fabric to the applicator head and a fabric take-up assembly configured to receive the applicator fabric from the applicator head;
• and
• a liquid delivery system configured to selectively deliver the liquid to the section of the applicator fabric, wherein the liquid delivery system comprises:
• a liquid outlet positioned to supply the liquid directly to the section of the applicator fabric;
• a liquid reservoir configured to contain the liquid;
• and
• a pump in fluid communication with the liquid outlet and the liquid reservoir and configured to selectively draw the liquid from the liquid reservoir and selectively flow the liquid through the liquid outlet at an ambient pressure;
• wherein the liquid delivery system further comprises a liquid distribution bar in fluid communication with the pump and configured to distribute the liquid evenly across the section of the applicator fabric, wherein the liquid distribution bar is operably coupled to the applicator head and oriented to extend at least substantially parallel to a width of the section of the applicator fabric, and wherein the liquid distribution bar includes a plurality of liquid ports distributed along a length of the liquid distribution bar and collectively defining the liquid outlet.

A method of using a liquid applicator configured to apply a liquid to a substrate via an applicator fabric, the liquid applicator comprising:

• a frame;
• an applicator head operably coupled to the frame and configured to support a section of the applicator fabric for operable application of the liquid to the substrate;
• a fabric conveyance system operably coupled to the frame and configured to selectively move the applicator fabric across the applicator head, wherein the fabric conveyance system comprises a fabric pay-out assembly configured to supply the applicator fabric to the applicator head and a fabric take-up assembly configured to receive the applicator fabric from the applicator head;
• and
• a liquid delivery system configured to selectively deliver the liquid to the section of the applicator fabric, wherein the liquid delivery system comprises:
• a liquid outlet positioned to supply the liquid directly to the section of the applicator fabric;
• a liquid reservoir configured to contain the liquid;
• and
• a pump in fluid communication with the liquid outlet and the liquid reservoir and configured to selectively draw the liquid from the liquid reservoir and selectively flow the liquid through the liquid outlet at an ambient pressure
• wherein the method comprises:
• delivering the liquid to the section of the applicator fabric that is supported by the applicator head of the liquid applicator, wherein the delivering comprises:
• drawing, with the pump, the liquid from the liquid reservoir;
• and
• flowing, with the pump, the liquid through the liquid outlet to the section of the applicator fabric at the ambient pressure;
• engaging, with the applicator head, the section of the applicator fabric with the substrate;
• and
• moving the section of the applicator fabric across a region of the substrate to deliver the liquid thereto;
• and
• wherein the fabric pay-out assembly is configured to supply the applicator fabric to the applicator head from a supply spool of the applicator fabric, wherein the fabric take-up assembly is configured to receive the applicator fabric from the applicator head and form a take-up spool therefrom, wherein the method further comprises:
• maintaining section tension in the section of the applicator fabric within a target section tension range, wherein the maintaining comprises:
• detecting, with a radius detector, a pay-out radius of the supply spool;
• and
• adjusting, with a pay-out torque adjuster, a pay-out torque applied to the supply spool based on the pay-out radius.