US 5,683,508 AGranted

Coating apparatus and method for dispensing a liquid, and draining and cleaning a coating apparatus

AssigneeFIT Group, Inc.

InventorsDean K. Bleiler, Edward B. Overly

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Abstract

An improved coating apparatus which uniformly applies inks and other compositions onto substrates. The apparatus has the facility of an automated washing cycle for cleanup between different coating compositions. It includes an applicator for applying a liquid to a substrate; a supply pump which draw the liquid from a reservoir to the applicator means; a return pump which draw the liquid away from the applicator to a drain or back to the reservoir; and a flow controller which independently controls the pumping action of each of the supply pump and the return pump such that a return pumping force is maintained which is greater than an applied supply pumping force. The pumps and a series of three-port valves are automechanically adjusted to sequentially cause the apparatus to draw a liquid from a reservoir and direct the liquid to the applicator, drain the liquid from the apparatus, circulate a cleaning solution about the apparatus and drain the cleaning solution from the apparatus.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A coating apparatus comprising:

a) applicator means capable of applying a liquid from a reserve on the applicator means to a substrate;
b) supply pump means coupled in liquid flow communication with the applicator means, the supply pump means being capable of drawing the liquid from a reservoir and forcing the liquid to the applicator means;
and
c) return pump means coupled in liquid flow communication with the applicator means, the return pump means being capable of drawing the liquid from the applicator means and forcing the liquid to a drain;
and
d) flow controller means capable of independently controlling the pumping action of each of the supply pump means and the return pump means;
e) a supply liquid accumulator positioned between the supply pump means and the applicator means and a return liquid accumulator positioned between the applicator means and the return pump means;
f) a first three-port valve having a first port connected to the reservoir, a second port connected to the supply pump means and a third port connected to a port of a second three-port valve;
g) a second three-port valve having a first port connected to said first three-port valve, a second port connected to the reservoir and a third port connected to a port of a third three-port valve;
h) a third three-port valve having a first port connected to a port of the second three-port valve, a second port connected to the drain and a third port connected to the return pump means;
i) a fourth three-port valve having a first port connected to the return pump means, a second port connected to the return liquid accumulator and third port connected to an output of the supply pump means and an input of the supply liquid accumulator.

8 more elements

A method of dispensing a liquid to a substrate which comprises:

I) providing a coating apparatus comprising:
a) applicator means capable of applying a liquid from a reserve on the applicator means to a substrate;
b) supply pump means coupled in liquid flow communication with the applicator means, the supply pump means being capable of drawing the liquid from a reservoir and forcing the liquid to the applicator means;
and
c) return pump means coupled in liquid flow communication with the applicator means, the return pump means being capable of drawing the liquid from the applicator means and forcing the liquid to a drain;
and
d) flow controller means capable of independently controlling the pumping action of each of the supply pump means and the return pump means;
e) a supply liquid accumulator positioned between the supply pump means and the applicator means and a return liquid accumulator positioned between the applicator means and the return pump means;
f) a first three-port valve having a first port connected to the reservoir, a second port connected to the supply pump means and a third port connected to a port of a second three-port valve;
g) a second three-port valve having a first port connected to said first three-port valve, a second port connected to the reservoir and a third port connected to a port of a third three-port valve;
h) a third three-port valve having a first port connected to a port of the second three-port valve, a second port connected to the drain and a third port connected to the return pump means;
i) a fourth three-port valve having a first port connected to the return pump means, a second port connected to the return liquid accumulator and third port connected to an output of the supply pump means and an input of the supply liquid accumulator,
II) causing the flow controller means to independently adjust each of the supply pump means and the return pump means such that a return pumping force is applied and maintained which is greater than an applied supply pumping force.

10 more elements

A method of dispensing a liquid to a substrate which comprises:

I) providing a coating apparatus comprising:
a) applicator means capable of applying a liquid from a reserve on the applicator means to a substrate;
b) supply pump means coupled in liquid flow communication with the applicator means, the supply pump means being capable of drawing the liquid from a reservoir and forcing the liquid to the applicator means;
and
c) return pump means coupled in liquid flow communication with the applicator means, the return pump means being capable of drawing the liquid from the applicator means and forcing the liquid to a drain;
and
d) flow controller means capable of independently controlling the pumping action of each of the supply pump means and the return pump means;
e) a supply liquid accumulator positioned between the supply pump means and the applicator means and a return liquid accumulator positioned between the applicator means and the return pump means;
f) a first three-port valve having a first port connected to the reservoir, a second port connected to the supply pump means and a third port connected to a port of a second three-port valve;
g) a second three-port valve having a first port connected to said first three-port valve, a second port connected to the reservoir and a third port connected to a port of a third three-port valve;
h) a third three-port valve having a first port connected to a port of the second three-port valve, a second port connected to the drain and a third port connected to the return pump means;
i) a fourth three-port valve having a first port connected to the return pump means, a second port connected to the return liquid accumulator and third port connected to an output of the supply pump means and an input of the supply liquid accumulator;
II) causing the flow controller means to independently adjust each of the supply pump means and the return pump means such that a return pumping force is applied and maintained which is greater than an applied supply pumping force;
and
III) automechanically adjusting the first, second, third and fourth three-port valves to sequentially cause the apparatus to draw a liquid from a reservoir and direct the liquid to the applicator means, drain the liquid from the apparatus, circulate a cleaning solution about the apparatus and drain the cleaning solution from the apparatus.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.