Curtain coater for fluid binder application

A binder applicator for applying binder to a moving substrate comprising:

• a distribution pipe for containing liquid binder, the pipe extending transverse to the direction of movement of the substrate, having a bottom provided with a plurality of discharge orifices for discharging the liquid binder contained therein, and having a top;
• a distributor channel for receiving liquid binder from the discharge orifices and directing the liquid binder upward;
• a horizontal reservoir for receiving the liquid binder from the distributor channel;
• a weir for metering discharge of the liquid binder from the horizontal reservoir to form a thin horizontal flow of liquid binder;
• and
• a curved surface for receiving the thin horizontal flow of binder and gradually changing flow path of the liquid binder from the thin horizontal flow of binder to a substantially vertical thin flow of binder for discharge onto the moving substrate.

The method of applying binder to a substrate comprising:

• moving the substrate along a machine direction;
• discharging liquid binder from the discharge orifice arranged on bottom of a distribution pipe extending transverse to the direction of movement of the substrate;
• receiving the liquid binder from the discharge orifice and directing the liquid binder upward through a distributor channel;
• receiving the liquid binder from the distributor channel into a horizontal reservoir;
• metering discharge of the liquid binder from the horizontal reservoir with a weir to form a thin horizontal flow of liquid binder;
• gradually changing flow path of the liquid binder with a curved surface from the thin horizontal flow of the liquid binder to a substantially vertical thin flow of binder;
• and
• discharging the substantially vertical flow of binder onto the moving substrate.

A binder applicator for applying binder to a moving substrate comprising:

• a distribution pipe for containing liquid binder extending traverse to the direction of movement of the substrate, the pipe having a bottom provided with a discharge opening for discharging the liquid binder contained therein;
• a distributor channel for receiving the liquid binder from the discharge opening and directing the liquid binder upward;
• and
• a horizontal reservoir for receiving the liquid binder from the distributor channel;
• wherein the pipe has a top and the top of the pipe acts as a weir for metering discharge of the liquid binder from the horizontal reservoir to form a thin horizontal flow of the liquid binder and wherein the pipe has a curved outer surface and the curved outer surface provides a curved surface for receiving the thin horizontal flow of binder and gradually changing flow path of the liquid binder from the thin horizontal flow of binder material to a substantially vertical thin flow of binder for discharge onto the moving substrate.

The method of applying binder to a substrate comprising:

• moving the substrate along a machine direction;
• discharging liquid binder from a discharge orifice arranged on bottom of a distribution pipe extending transverse to the direction of movement of the substrate;
• receiving the liquid binder from the discharge orifice and directing the liquid binder upward through a distributor channel;
• receiving the liquid binder from the distribution channel into a horizontal channel;
• metering discharge of the liquid binder from the horizontal reservoir with top of the pipe which acts as a weir to form a thin horizontal flow of liquid binder;
• gradually changing flow path of the liquid binder with curved surface of the pipe from a thin horizontal flow of the liquid binder to a substantially vertical thin flow of binder;
• and
• discharging the substantially vertical flow of binder onto the moving substrate.