Transport Device for Continuous Liquid Coating of Flexible Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coating technologies face challenges in achieving homogeneous layer thickness over large surfaces, particularly in semiconductor and solar technology, where efficient coating of flexible substrates and metal foils is necessary to reduce production costs.
Innovation Solution
A transport device that brings the surface into contact with a liquid coating solution, allowing for variable contact time and reaction parameters such as temperature and reagent concentration, enabling continuous coating of extended materials without interruption, and includes heating and drying mechanisms to optimize the coating process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a liquid coating solution is used with variable contact time, then manufacturing precision of layer thickness is improved, but device complexity increases due to transport device requirements
Solution Approach 1:
A transport device acts as an intermediary between the coating solution and the substrate, enabling controlled movement and variable contact time without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms for each coating parameter. The transport device mediates the coating process by simply varying its speed to achieve different layer thicknesses.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the transport device (speed, contact time) to control the coating thickness dynamically. By adjusting the transport speed and contact time, homogeneous layer thickness can be achieved without modifying the fundamental structure of the coating device.
2Productivity
If continuous coating of extended materials is implemented, then productivity increases, but maintaining manufacturing precision becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device enables continuous movement of the substrate through the coating solution without interruption, maintaining constant coating action. This continuous process improves productivity while the controlled variable contact time ensures consistent layer thickness throughout the coating process.
3Manufacturing precision
If heating and drying mechanisms are added, then manufacturing precision of coating quality is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
Heating and drying mechanisms are integrated into the coating device to perform preliminary preparation and final drying of the coating in a single continuous process. This eliminates the need for separate heating and drying steps, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining coating quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for efficient, continuous coating of large areas with controlled layer thickness, reducing production costs and maintaining coating quality by varying the contact time and reaction conditions, and ensuring the coating is not compromised by mechanical influences.
Implementation Method 1
a heating device in order to heat the surface of the item to be coated and/or the liquid with any chemical reagents, so that an endothermic reaction is made possible or in order to vary the reaction speed
Implementation Method 2
a drying device to dry the coated material, so that the liquid of the coating is completely dried before the coated material is removed or wound onto a removal roller
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for coating an item comprises a device for supplying a liquid (2) containing reagents required for coating. The device further comprises a transport device (3) for bringing the surface of the item (4) to be coated into contact with the liquid and passing it over the liquid, so that the surface to be coated remains in contact with the liquid for a certain period of time in order to effect coating.