A slot die shim for use with a slot die, the slot die shim including a first channel configured to receive a first coating, a second channel configured to receive a second coating, and a third channel configured to receive a third coating. The slot die shim simultaneously dispenses the first coating through the first channel, the second coating through the second channel, and the third coating through the third channel onto a substrate. The coatings can be applied at different flow rates and include different test reagents. A vacuum force is applied to the first, second, and third coatings to control a width and a thickness of each of the coatings and a gap or distance between the coatings. The first, second, and third coatings are placed near one another or directly in contact with one another to minimize the area required for the coatings.

An applicator for applying adhesive to a moving web has a housing with an interior chamber, an inlet and a discharge port. The inlet and discharge port are in fluid communication with the interior chamber. A rotor is disposed within the interior chamber of the housing. The rotor has a body and a nonlinear channel extending about at least a portion of the body. The nonlinear channel is selectively positionable for fluid communication with the inlet and the discharge port of the housing such that adhesive flowing into the housing through the inlet flows through and is directed by the nonlinear channel to the discharge port in the housing. The rotor is rotatable relative to the housing to change the position of the nonlinear channel relative to the discharge port and thereby change the location from which adhesive flows from the discharge port.

A device for interruption-free coating of can bodies with a coating liquid comprises an inlet container for providing the coating liquid to be applied, a pressurized air source for supplying pressurized air, an application nozzle for spraying the coating liquid with an application pressure onto the container body. An intermediary container is provided, which is connected on the inlet side to the inlet container by means of the inlet pipe and which is connected on the outlet side to the application nozzle by means of an outlet pipe.

A fluid dispenser apparatus includes a fluid dispenser having plurality of nozzles aligned in a first longitudinal direction. A dispenser shield is positioned relative to the plurality of nozzles, the dispenser shield configured to form an aperture aligned in the first longitudinal direction with the plurality of nozzles. The plurality of nozzles are configured to dispense fluid towards a substrate. The dispenser shield is further positioned such that fluid dispensed from a first subset of the plurality of nozzles passes through the aperture while fluid dispensed from a second subset of the plurality nozzles is captured by the dispenser shield.

A coater assembly includes an array of side-by-side selectively closable slot portions to control pressurized fluid flow onto a substrate during relative movement between the coater assembly and the substrate to form a coating pattern on the substrate. A control module produces the coating pattern via control over selective independent closure of the slot portions based on a mapping matrix of individually addressable coatable elements.

Systems and methods of applying self-seal strips of multiple different adhesives are disclosed. In one embodiment, two spaced apart spoked applicator wheel assemblies are positioned beneath a web of moving shingle stock such that each of the applicator wheels applies dots of different adhesives in an alternating pattern. In other embodiments, a layer of a second adhesive is deposited onto previously applied dots of a first adhesive to form layered adhesive dots with dual properties of both adhesives.

A glue supply apparatus for a gypsum board supplies glue to a board base paper of the gypsum board. The glue supply apparatus includes a tank section configured to store the glue; a supply port disposed near an end of the board base paper of the gypsum board and configured to supply the glue; and a pump section disposed on a glue supply path between the tank section and the supply port. The pump section is a positive displacement pump.

Methods and apparatuses herein provide for the application of viscous fluids, such as adhesives, in pre-determined patterns, to an advancing substrate. The fluid applicator comprises a slot die applicator and a substrate carrier. The slot die applicator comprises a plurality of applicator channels, each applicator channel being controlled by a switching valve, and wherein the switching valves are independently switchable.

Systems and methods of forming roofing shingles having selected patterns of an adhesive material applied thereto include a conveying system along which a roofing substrate material is conveyed past an adhesive applicator having a nozzle configured to apply a fiberized adhesive to a surface of the roofing substrate material, the fiberized adhesive adapted to attach a layer of the roofing substrate material to an additional layer for forming the roofing shingles. A drive system is coupled to the nozzle and is configured to move the nozzle across the roofing substrate material as the roofing substrate material is moved along a processing path for selectively applying a pattern of the fiberized adhesive across the roofing substrate material.

A process for applying a coating material onto a substrate as a non-uniform patterned layer of coating material, the method including providing a first distribution manifold having a cavity and a first multiplicity of dispensing outlets in fluid communication with the cavity, providing a second distribution manifold having a cavity and a second multiplicity of dispensing outlets in fluid communication with the cavity, creating relative motion between a substrate and the dispensing outlets in a first direction, dispensing a first coating material from the first dispensing outlets while maintaining the relative motion and simultaneously translating the plurality of dispensing outlets in a second direction non-parallel to the first direction, and dispensing a second coating material from the second dispensing outlets while maintaining the relative motion and simultaneously translating the plurality of dispensing outlets in a second direction non-parallel to the first direction. Useful non-uniformly patterned coated articles can be prepared using the process.