Apparatus and method for minimizing the drying of a coating fluid on a slide coater surface

A method for using a slide coater, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first slide surface of the slide coater;
• providing a substrate adjacent the first slide surface;
• transporting the substrate past the first slide surface;
• starting flow of a first coating fluid down the first slide surface and onto the substrate such that the first coating fluid coats the substrate;
• stopping the flow of the first coating fluid onto the substrate;
• starting flow of a slide-treating fluid down the first slide surface approximately when the flow of the first coating fluid onto the substrate is stopped, the slide-treating fluid substantially avoiding contact with the substrate;
• resuming the flow of the first coating fluid onto the substrate;
• and
• stopping the flowing of slide-treating fluid approximately when the flow of the first coating fluid onto the substrate is resumed such that the slide-treating fluid substantially avoids contact with the substrate.

A method for using a slide coater to form a particular coated substrate, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a first slide surface of the slide coater and a second slide surface of the slide coater adjacent the first slide surface;
• transporting a substrate adjacent the first slide surface;
• starting flow of a first coating fluid down the first slide surface and onto the substrate at a first volumetric flow rate such that the first coating fluid coats the substrate;
• starting flow of at least a second coating fluid down the second slide surface and onto the first coating fluid at a second volumetric flow rate when the first coating fluid flows on the first slide surface and onto the substrate, the first and at least second coating fluids on the substrate forming a particular coated substrate;
• reducing the flow of at least one of the first coating fluid and the at least second coating fluid onto the substrate to a reduced volumetric flow rate, wherein the reduced volumetric flow rate can equal no volumetric flow;
• starting flow of a slide-treating fluid down the first and second slide surfaces approximately when the flow of the at least one of the first coating and the at least second coating fluid onto the substrate is reduced, the slide-treating fluid substantially avoiding contact with the particular coated substrate;
• increasing the reduced flow such that the first coating fluid flows onto the substrate at the first volumetric flow rate and the at least second coating fluid flows onto the substrate at the second volumetric flow rate;
• and
• stopping the flow of slide-treating fluid approximately when the flow of the first coating fluid and the at least second coating fluid onto the moving substrate is resumed such that formation of the particular coated substrate is resumed and such that the slide-treating fluid substantially avoids contact with the particular coated substrate.