Thin-film coating apparatus for applying enhanced performance coatings on outdoor substrates

Abstract

A thin-film coating applicator assembly is disclosed for coating substrates in outdoor applications.

1 . A coating assembly for applying a performance enhancement coating on a substrate substantially transparent or absorbent to visible, ultraviolet, or infrared light, comprising:
 i) a mobile support structure having a top side and a bottom side, the mobile support structure having a traction means; and   ii) one or more performance enhancement coating applicator heads disposed on the mobile support structure, said one or more coating applicator heads comprising a mechanism to deposit said performance enhancement coating on said substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism to deposit said performance enhancement coating comprises a porous layer to transfer said performance enhancement coating onto said substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The coating assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the porous layer is in intimate contact with a deformable core. 
     
     
         4 . The coating assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the porous layer is a capillary interface layer. 
     
     
         5 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism to deposit said performance enhancement coating comprises one or more spray nozzles to transfer said performance enhancement coating onto said substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism to deposit said performance enhancement coating comprises one or more slots to transfer said performance enhancement coating onto said substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism to deposit said performance enhancement coating comprises one or more rollers to transfer said performance enhancement coating onto said substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism to deposit said performance enhancement coating comprises one or more brushes to transfer said performance enhancement coating onto said substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism to deposit said performance enhancement coating is selected from the group consisting of one or more doctor blades, one or more wipers and one or more draw bars. 
     
     
         10 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is the top surface of a solar panel. 
     
     
         11 . The coating assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said solar panel is part of an existing outdoor solar panel array. 
     
     
         12 . The coating assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the capillary interface layer is a porous foam. 
     
     
         13 . The coating assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the capillary interface layer is a felt fabric. 
     
     
         14 . The coating assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the capillary interface layer is a microporous textile. 
     
     
         15 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coating applicator heads are movably affixed to the mobile support structure. 
     
     
         16 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coating applicator heads are adapted to be raised and lowered relative to the mobile support structure. 
     
     
         17 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a motor drive coupled to the traction means. 
     
     
         18 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said performance enhancement coating is substantially uniform across substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the traction means comprises one or more rollers. 
     
     
         20 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the traction means comprises caterpillar tracks. 
     
     
         21 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a means to maintain a substantially constant vertical force on the one or more coating applicators. 
     
     
         22 . The coating assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the means to maintain a substantially constant vertical force on the one or more coating applicators comprises a hinged mechanism affixed to one side of the mobile support structure and affixed to the one or more coating applicators. 
     
     
         23 . The coating assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the means to maintain a substantially constant vertical force on the one or more coating applicators comprises a spring mechanism affixed to the mobile support structure and affixed to the one or more coating applicators. 
     
     
         24 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coating applicators are affixed to the mobile support structure by struts. 
     
     
         25 . The coating assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the struts are leaf springs. 
     
     
         26 . The coating assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the struts comprise a spring-loaded hinge. 
     
     
         27 . The coating assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the struts comprise a dashpot mechanism. 
     
     
         28 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more applicator heads are adapted to pivot about an axis of the mobile support structure such that the one or more applicator heads are raised and lowered relative to the mobile support structure. 
     
     
         29 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for flowing liquid coating solution to the applicator heads. 
     
     
         30 . The coating assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the means for flowing liquid to the applicator heads is a pump in fluidic communication with the applicator heads through a plurality of tubes which supplies fluid from a fluid reservoir. 
     
     
         31 . The coating assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the means for flowing liquid to the applicator heads is a service station. 
     
     
         32 . The coating assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the service station comprises:
 i) a superstructure;   ii) a dosing platform, having a top side and an underside, and a plurality of perforations disposed therethrough, the dosing platform adapted to disperse a liquid coating solution along the top side, the top side of said dosing platform adapted to receive a coating assembly;   iii) at least one liquid conduit disposed on the underside of the dosing platform, the at least one conduit having one or more apertures disposed along its wall whereby the interior of the conduit is in communication with the exterior, wherein the at least one conduit is adapted to deliver a liquid coating solution to the dosing platform; and   iv) a movable press structure adapted to apply a repeatable vertical force to the coating assembly wherein the coating assembly is pressed against the top side of the dosing platform.   
     
     
         33 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an elongated handle pivotally affixed to said mobile support structure. 
     
     
         34 . The coating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said performance enhancement coating is an energy transmission improvement coating. 
     
     
         35 . The coating assembly of  claim 34 , wherein said energy is light energy. 
     
     
         36 . The coating assembly of  claim 34 , wherein said energy transmission improvement coating is an anti-reflective coating. 
     
     
         37 . The coating assembly of  claim 34 , wherein said energy transmission improvement coating is a wave-length shifting coating. 
     
     
         38 . The coating assembly of  claim 34 , wherein said energy transmission improvement coating is a filter coating. 
     
     
         39 . The coating assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said filter coating is a Low-E coating that minimizes the transmission of light selected from the group consisting of infrared and ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         40 . A method for coating a substrate with a performance enhancement coating, comprising:
 i) providing a substrate in an ambient;   ii) providing a coating apparatus comprising: a mobile support structure, the mobile support structure having a traction means, and one or more performance enhancement coating applicator heads affixed to the mobile support structure, said one or more coating applicator heads comprising a mechanism to deposit said performance enhancement coating on said substrate;   iii) positioning said coating apparatus at a first location on the substrate;   iv) supplying the one or more applicator heads with liquid coating solution;   v) engaging the one or more coating applicator heads of said coating apparatus in close proximity or intimate contact with the substrate whereby the coating solution is transferred to the substrate from the applicator heads;   v) translating the coating apparatus along the surface of the substrate in a trajectory leading from the first location to a second location on the substrate, and simultaneously depositing the performance enhancement coating onto the substrate surface wherein the applicator heads are adapted to cover at least a portion of the substrate surface.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of translating the coating apparatus along the surface of the substrate comprises commanding a motorized drive to translate the coating apparatus between the first and second locations. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of translating the coating apparatus along the surface of the substrate further comprises commanding the speed of translation of the coating apparatus along the surface of the substrate between the first and second locations. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of engaging the one or more applicator heads with the substrate comprises lowering the one or more applicator heads from a raised position until one or more applicator heads are in close proximity or in intimate contact with the substrate. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of supplying liquid performance enhancement coating solution to the applicator heads comprises a pumping means adapted to pump liquid coating solution from a reservoir to the applicator heads. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the substrate is a photovoltaic panel. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40 , where the substrate is a photovoltaic panel array. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the substrate is a solar thermal panel. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the substrate is a glass window pane. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the ambient is out of doors. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the ambient is indoors. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising the step curing the coating by sunlight energy. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising the step of curing the coating thermally at ambient temperatures. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said performance enhancement coating is an anti-reflective coating. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said performance enhancement coating is a wave-length shifting coating. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said performance enhancement coating is a filter coating. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said performance enhancement coating is a Low-E coating that minimizes the transmission of light selected from the group consisting of infrared and ultraviolet light.