Coating nozzle, coating method, and inner volume control valve

Abstract

A coating nozzle includes a nozzle body including an inlet opening for receiving a liquid supplied from a liquid supply valve and an outlet opening, a distribution plate disposed adjacent to the nozzle body and including an elongated bore in fluid communication with the outlet opening, a shim plate disposed adjacent to the distribution plate and including a shim plate cutout communicating with the elongated bore of the distribution plate, and a baffle plate disposed adjacent to the shim plate. At least a portion of the shim plate cutout is located between the first elongated bore and the baffle plate so as to define a multi-face dispensing slot for dispensing the liquid onto at least two faces of the substrate.

1 . A coating method for dispensing liquid on a substrate including an end face and at least two additional faces adjacent to the end face with a nozzle including a nozzle body with a nozzle body cutout, an inlet opening, and a first outlet opening in fluid communication with a first elongate bore in a distribution plate and a multi-face dispensing slot defined by a shim plate, the method comprising:
 positioning the substrate within the nozzle body cutout such that the dispensing slot is adjacent to the end face and the at least two additional faces of the substrate;   translating the nozzle body in a first direction along the end face of the substrate;   delivering the liquid through the nozzle body from the inlet opening to the first elongate bore via the first outlet opening; and   dispensing the liquid from the first elongate bore through the multi-face dispensing slot such that at least the end face of the substrate is coated with the liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The coating method of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle body further includes a second outlet opening in fluid communication with a second elongate bore in the distribution plate, and the method further comprises:
 delivering the liquid through the nozzle body from the inlet opening to the second elongate bore via the second outlet opening; and   dispensing the liquid from the second elongate bore through the multi-face dispensing slot such that the end face and at least one of the additional faces are simultaneously coated with the liquid.   
     
     
         3 . The coating method of  claim 2 , wherein the nozzle body further includes an inner volume control valve including a cylinder in fluid communication with the inlet opening and the first and second outlet openings and a plunger operable to move in a reciprocating manner in the cylinder, the method further comprising:
 moving the plunger selectively between an extended position wherein liquid flow through the second outlet opening is blocked such that liquid is dispensed only on the end face of the substrate, and a retracted position wherein liquid flow through the first and second outlet openings is such that liquid is dispensed on the end face and at least one of the additional faces of the substrate simultaneously.   
     
     
         4 . The coating method of  claim 2 , wherein the substrate includes first, second, third, and fourth end faces adjacent to the two additional faces, and the method further comprises:
 for the first and third end faces:
 dispensing the liquid from the second elongate bore through the multi-face dispensing slot to coat the end face and the two additional faces as the nozzle body translates from a first corner to a second corner, wherein the dispensed liquid defines a predetermined width on the two additional faces; and 
   for the second and fourth end faces:
 dispensing the liquid from the first elongate bore through the multi-face dispensing slot to coat only the end face as the nozzle body translates from a first corner to a first intermediate position which is the predetermined width away from the first corner; 
 then dispensing the liquid from the second elongate bore through the multi-face dispensing slot to coat the end face and the two additional faces as the nozzle body translates from the first intermediate position to a second intermediate position a predetermined width away from a second corner; 
 then dispensing the liquid from the first elongate bore through the multi-face dispensing slot to coat only the end face as the nozzle body translates from the second intermediate position to the second corner. 
   
     
     
         5 . The coating method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes first and second pairs of opposing end faces, and the method further comprises:
 providing two of the nozzles spaced from one another such that the respective nozzle body cutouts are directed toward each other;   aligning the first pair of opposing end faces with the respective nozzle body cutouts;   dispensing the liquid from the first elongate bores through the multi-face dispensing slots as the substrate translates in a first direction such that the first pair of opposing end faces of the substrate is coated with the liquid;   rotating the substrate such that the second pair of opposing end faces are aligned with the respective body cutouts; and   dispensing the liquid from the first elongate bores through the multi-face dispensing slots as the substrate translates in a second direction such that the second pair of opposing end faces of the substrate is coated with the liquid.   
     
     
         6 . The coating method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes first and second pairs of opposing end faces, and the method further comprises:
 providing a first pair of the nozzles spaced from one another such that the respective nozzle body cutouts are directed toward each other along a first path;   providing a second pair of nozzles spaced from one another such that the respective nozzle body cutouts are directed toward each other along a second path generally orthogonal to the first path;   dispensing the liquid from the multi-face dispensing slots of the first pair of nozzles as the substrate translates in a first direction along the first path such that the first pair of opposing end faces of the substrate is coated with the liquid; and   dispensing the liquid from the multi-face dispensing slots of the second pair of nozzles as the substrate translates in a second direction along the second path such that the second pair of opposing end faces of the substrate is coated with the liquid.   
     
     
         7 . An inner volume control valve configured for use in a nozzle body having an inlet opening and a plurality of outlet openings, the control valve comprising:
 a cylinder in fluid communication with the inlet opening and each of the plurality of outlet openings;   a first plunger configured to move in a reciprocating manner within the cylinder between a plurality of positions;   a first piston coupled to the first plunger; and   at least one second plunger and at least one second piston coupled to the first piston and operable to control the movement of the first plunger between the plurality of positions, wherein each of the plurality of positions defines a first portion of the outlet openings which the first plunger blocks during a dispensing operation from the inlet opening to the remaining portion of the outlet openings.