Apparatus for slot die setup and control during coating

A coating apparatus comprising:

• a support device that supports an object to be coated;
• a coating head;
• a first support contacting and supporting said coating head in a selected position, said first support movable along at least one axis;
• a second support contacting and supporting the first support, wherein the first and second supports are movable with respect to each other along the at least one axis;
• an adjustment mechanism supported by the first support and positioned to move the first support relative to the support device to adjust a gap between said coating head and said object to be coated, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes;
• a tapered or wedge-shaped adjustment member contacting and supported by said first support, the tapered or wedge-shaped adjustment member being movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the at least one axis,
• a drive mechanism to move the tapered or wedge-shaped adjustment member to adjust the first support relative to the second support,
• a cam positioned against the tapered or wedge-shaped adjustment member wherein movement of the tapered or wedge-shaped adjustment member in a direction perpendicular to the at least one axis causes a movement of the first support along the at least one axis adjusting said coating position of said coating head relative to said object being coated;
• and
• a cam drive for providing rotation to the cam, wherein rotation of the cam adjusts said coating position of said coating head relative to said object to be coated.

A coating apparatus comprising,

• a support device that supports an object to be coated,
• a coating head,
• a first support supporting said coating head in a selected position, said first support movable along at least one axis,
• an adjustment mechanism positioned to move the first support relative to the support device to adjust a gap between said coating head and said object to be coated,
• a cam positioned to move the first support, and
• a cam drive for providing rotation to the cam, wherein rotation of the cam adjusts the position of said coating head relative to said object to be coated,
• a second support supporting the first support, wherein the first and second supports are movable with respect to each other along the at least one axis, wherein the cam drive is supported by the second support and is positioned to move the first support to adjust the gap, and
• wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises an element supported by the second support and having a wedge shaped surface contacting and movable with the first support, and a drive mechanism to move the element and wedge shaped surface to adjust the first support relative to the second support.