Method and apparatus for patch coating printed circuit boards

A method for applying a layer of liquid with a controlled volume per unit area of the liquid to a substrate comprising the steps of:

• A. fluidly coupling a source of the liquid to a liquid containing chamber, said liquid containing chamber being fluidly coupled to an applicator slot having an exit aperture so that both the chamber and applicator slot are filled with the liquid;
• B. moving a substrate and the applicator slot exit aperture into proximity with each other;
• C. sending a controlled volumetric flowrate of the liquid from the source of liquid to the liquid containing chamber and then to the applicator slot to create a uniform volumetric flowrate of liquid exiting from each point along the applicator slot exit aperture;
• D. generating a pulse to control the formation of a connecting bead of liquid coating on the substrate, said connecting bead of liquid coating being formed prior to, at the same time as, or after the sending of said controlled volumetric flowrate of the liquid;
• and,
• E. relatively moving the substrate and the applicator slot exit aperture with respect to each other to apply a uniform layer of the liquid with a controlled volume per unit area of the liquid on the substrate.

A method for applying controlled volume per unit area of liquids to a printed circuit board comprising the steps of:

• A. fluidly coupling n sources of corresponding n liquids to corresponding n liquid containing chambers that are fluidly coupled to corresponding n applicator slots each having an exit aperture so that each liquid containing chamber and its corresponding applicator slot are filled with the corresponding liquid and with said n applicator slot exit apertures being located in parallel, adjacent relationship, where n is equal to or greater than 2;
• B. moving a printed circuit board and said n applicator slot exit apertures into proximity with each other;
• C. sending controlled volumetric flowrates of the n liquids from the sources of the liquids to the corresponding n liquid containing chambers and then through the corresponding n applicator slots to create a uniform volumetric flowrate of each n liquid exiting from each point along its corresponding applicator slot exit aperture;
• D. generating a pulse to control the formation of a connecting bead of liquid coating between said n applicator slot exit apertures and the printed circuit board with the connecting bead containing each one of the n liquids, said connecting bead of liquid coating being formed prior to, at the same time as, or after the sending of the controlled volumetric flowrates of n liquids;
• and,
• E. relatively moving the printed circuit board and the n applicator slot exit apertures with respect to each other to simultaneously apply to the printed circuit board n superposed liquid layers each with a controlled volume of its liquid per unit area thereon.

A method for applying n layers of liquids with a controlled volume per unit area of each liquid to a substrate comprising the steps of:

• A. fluidly coupling n sources of corresponding n liquids to corresponding n liquid containing chambers that are fluidly coupled to corresponding n applicator slots each having an exit aperture so that each liquid containing chamber and its corresponding applicator slot are filled with the corresponding liquid and with said n applicator slot exit apertures being located in parallel, adjacent relationship, where n is equal to or greater than 2;
• B. moving a substrate and the applicator slot exit apertures into proximity with each other;
• C. sending controlled volumetric flowrates of the n liquids from the sources of liquid to the corresponding n liquid containing chambers and then through the corresponding n applicator slots to create a uniform volumetric flowrate of each n liquid exiting from each point along its applicator slot exit aperture;
• D. generating a pulse to control the formation of a connecting bead of liquid coating on the substrate containing each one of the n liquids, said connecting bead of liquid being formed prior to, at the same time as, or after the sending of said controlled volumetric flowrate of the liquid;
• and,
• E. relatively moving the substrate and the n applicator slot exit apertures with respect to each other to simultaneously apply to the substrate n superposed layers of the n liquids each with a controlled volume per unit area of its liquid thereon.

A method for applying a layer of a liquid with a controlled volume per unit area of the liquid to an integrated circuit substrate comprising the steps of:

• A. fluidly coupling a source of the liquid to a liquid containing chamber, said liquid containing chamber being fluidly coupled to an applicator slot having an exit aperture so that both the chamber and applicator slot are filled with the liquid;
• B. moving an integrated circuit substrate and the applicator slot exit aperture into proximity with each other;
• C. sending a controlled volumetric flowrate of the liquid from the source of the liquid to the liquid containing chamber and then through the applicator slot to create a uniform volumetric flowrate of liquid exiting from each point along the applicator slot exit aperture;
• D. generating a pulse to control the formation of a connecting bead of liquid coating between the applicator slot exit aperture and the integrated circuit substrate, said connecting bead of liquid coating being formed prior to, at the same time as, or after the sending of the controlled volumetric flowrate of the liquid;
• and,
• E. relatively moving the integrated circuit substrate and the applicator slot exit aperture with respect to each other to apply a uniform layer of the liquid with a controlled volume per unit area of the liquid on the integrated circuit substrate.

A method for applying controlled volume per unit area of liquids to an integrated circuit substrate comprising the steps of:

• A. fluidly coupling n sources of corresponding n liquids to corresponding n liquid containing chambers that are fluidly coupled to corresponding n applicator slots each having an exit aperture so that each liquid containing chamber and its corresponding applicator slot are filled with the corresponding liquid and with said n applicator slot exit apertures being located in parallel, adjacent relationship, where n is equal to or greater than 2;
• B. moving an integrated circuit substrate and said n applicator slot exit apertures into proximity with each other;
• C. sending controlled volumetric flowrates of the n liquids from the sources of the liquids to the corresponding n liquid containing chambers and then through the corresponding n applicator slots to create a uniform volumetric flowrate of each n liquid exiting from each point along its corresponding applicator slot exit aperture;
• D. generating a pulse to control the formation of a connecting bead of liquid coating between said n applicator slot exit apertures and the integrated circuit substrate with the connecting bead containing each one of the n liquids, said connecting bead of liquid coating being formed prior to, at the same time as, or after the sending of the controlled volumetric flowrates of n liquids;
• and,
• E. relatively moving the integrated circuit substrate and the n applicator slot exit apertures with respect to each other to simultaneously apply to the integrated circuit substrate n superposed liquid layers each with a controlled volume of its liquid per unit area thereon.