Systems for coating a substrate
AssigneeNordson Corporation
InventorsMichel Van De Vijver, Stephane Etienne, Ronny Franken, Marc Knippenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for applying a coating to a substrate. The system includes a coating station for applying a coating material to the substrate, where the coating station has a bottom portion, an oven for curing the coating material on the substrate, where the oven is positioned vertically below the bottom portion, and a first lift for transporting the substrate from the coating station to the oven. The system can also include an inspection station for inspecting the substrate. Each of the separate elements of the coating system, including the coating station, first lift, oven, and inspection station can define self-contained modules.
Claims24
A system for applying a coating to a substrate, the system comprising:
- a coating station for applying a coating material to the substrate, wherein the coating station has a bottom portion;
- an oven for curing the coating material on the substrate, wherein the oven is positioned vertically below the bottom portion, such that a vertical axis extends vertically through both the oven and the bottom portion, wherein the oven comprises a first opening configured to receive the substrate, the oven comprises a second opening that is offset from the first opening, and the first opening and the second opening are configured such that the substrate is transportable through the first opening and the second opening, wherein the first opening and the second opening of the oven are opposed to one another, whereby the first opening is configured to receive the substrate moving in a first direction and the second opening is configured such that the substrate moves in the first direction to exit the second opening;
- and
- a first lift for transporting the substrate from the coating station to the oven, whereby the first lift is configured to transport the substrate downward along a second direction that is parallel to the vertical axis to the oven.
A system for applying a coating to a substrate, the system comprising:
- a coating station for applying a coating material to the substrate, wherein the coating station has a bottom portion;
- a first oven for curing the coating material on the substrate, wherein the first oven is positioned vertically below the bottom portion, such that a vertical axis extends vertically through both the first oven and the bottom portion;
- a first lift for transporting the substrate from the coating station to the first oven, whereby the first lift is configured to transport the substrate downward along the vertical axis to the first oven;
- an inspection station for inspecting the substrate;
- a loading area disposed between the inspection station and the coating station, wherein the loading area includes a conveyer that extends from the inspection station to the coating station;
- a second oven positioned vertically below the conveyer, such that the second oven is also positioned vertically below the bottom portion of the coating station;
- and
- a third oven positioned vertically below the inspection station, such that the third oven is also positioned below the bottom portion.
A method for applying a coating to a substrate, the method comprising:
- applying a coating material to the substrate with a coating station;
- transporting the substrate from the coating station to an oven in a vertically downward direction, wherein the oven receives the substrate at a first opening of the oven and the substrate moves through the first opening;
- curing the coating on the substrate within the oven;
- after curing the coating, transporting the substrate through a second opening, that is offset from the first opening, of the oven and transporting the substrate from the second opening of the oven in a vertically upward direction opposite the vertically downward direction to an inspection station, wherein the first opening and the second opening of the oven are opposed to one another, whereby the first opening receives the substrate moving in a first direction and the substrate moves in the first direction to exit the second opening;
- and
- inspecting the substrate with the inspection station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.