Coating method, coating apparatus, and method and apparatus for manufacturing pattern members using webs on which coating films have been formed by coating method and coating apparatus

A coating method, comprising the steps of:

• feeding and applying a coating liquid through a slit of a coating head to form a coating film of a specified thickness on a continuously running web at a fixed distance apart from the coating head,
• wherein an average flow rate of the coating liquid in the slit of the coating head is set for 100 to 500 mm/sec, a thickness of the coating film right after the applying step is set for 2 to 40 μm, and the web is held in a horizontal position within 0.5 seconds after the applying step.

A coating apparatus, comprising:

• a coating head having a slit through which a coating liquid is fed and applied to form a coating film of a specified thickness on a continuously running web at a fixed distance apart from the coating head;
• and
• a drying device which subsequently dries the coating film formed on the web, the drying device being capable of controlling a relative airflow rate on a surface of the coating film to be 0.2 m/sec or less.

A coating apparatus, comprising:

• a coating head having a slit through which a coating liquid is fed and applied to form a coating film of a specified thickness on a continuously running web at a fixed distance apart from the coating head,
• wherein the coating apparatus is capable of varying an average flow rate of the coating liquid in the slit of the coating head within a range of 100 to 500 mm/sec, and holding the web in a horizontal position within 0.5 seconds after the application of the coating liquid.