System and method for interchangeably interfacing wet components with a coating apparatus

A method for interchangeably interfacing wet components with other components to provide a modular coating apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cart adapted to contain said wet components and to couple with a work station portion of said coating apparatus, thereby creating a fluid cart;
• placing fluid storage and delivery equipment on the fluid cart, wherein said step of placing includes:
• coupling a dispensing head to said fluid cart with fluid transmission means;
• and
• initially mounting said dispensing head on said fluid cart;
• attaching the fluid cart to the work station prior to performing a coating operation;
• and
• removing said fluid cart from said work station after concluding said coating operation.

A method for providing interchangeable interfacing of wet components with additional components to comprise an apparatus useful in coating a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a movable assembly adapted to contain said wet components and to couple with a work station portion of said coating apparatus;
• adapting said movable assembly for storage of at least one fluid to be manipulated by ones of said wet components thereby providing a fluid reservoir which is a portion of said wet components;
• disposing fluid delivery equipment on the movable assembly in communication with said fluid reservoir, wherein said fluid delivery equipment is also a portion of said wet component;
• disposing the movable assembly in juxtaposition with a portion of said additional components adapted to receive said movable assembly;
• and
• attaching the movable assembly to ones of the additional components to provide a cooperative assembly adapted to provide coating of a substrate by delivery of a fluid contained in said movable assembly and directly manipulated exclusively by said wet components of said movable assembly, wherein said step of attaching the movable assembly comprises the steps of:
• removing a fluid delivery head which is at least a portion of said fluid delivery equipment from a mounting position on said movable assembly;
• and
• coupling said fluid delivery head to a mounting assembly which is a part of said additional components, wherein said mounting assembly is a shuttle mechanism adapted to provide movement of said fluid delivery head with respect to said substrate.

A method for providing interchangeable interfacing of wet components with additional components to comprise an apparatus useful in coating a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a movable assembly adapted to contain said wet components and to couple with a work station portion of said coating apparatus;
• adapting said movable assembly for storage of at least one fluid to be manipulated by ones of said wet components thereby providing a fluid reservoir which is a portion of said wet components;
• disposing fluid delivery equipment on the movable assembly in communication with said fluid reservoir, wherein said fluid delivery equipment is also a portion of said wet components;
• disposing the movable assembly in juxtaposition with a portion of said additional components adapted to receive said movable assembly, and
• attaching the movable assembly to ones of the additional components to provide a cooperative assembly adapted to provide coating of a substrate by delivery of a fluid contained in said movable assembly and directly manipulated exclusively by said wet components of said movable assembly, wherein said step of attaching the movable assembly comprises the steps of:
• making control signal connections between said movable assembly and said additional components;
• and
• making mechanical connections between said movable assembly and said additional components, wherein said step of attaching the movable assembly including said making of said control signal connections and said mechanical connections does not include making wet connections.

A system for providing interconnection between modular components of a coating work station, the system comprising:

• a work station for supporting a substrate during a coating operation;
• a fluid cart;
• interconnection means disposed between said work station and said fluid cart for assuring a substantially constant position of said fluid cart with respect to said work station during said coating operation;
• and
• wet equipment, for storage and deposition on said substrate of coating fluid for use in said coating operation, disposed on said fluid cart.