A coating device for supplying a liquid to a substrate, particularly in the form of an optionally printed web, foil, strip or sheet, comprises a reservoir for holding a quantity of liquid. Coating means are provided which are able and configured to take liquid from the reservoir and transfer it to the substrate. Supply means deliver the liquid into the reservoir during operation. The supply means are controllable and are able to lead a constant liquid flow into the reservoir. The reservoir is provided with level detecting means which are able and configured to detect a liquid level in the reservoir. Provided between the level detecting means and the coating means is a control which controls the coating means during operation on the basis of a detection (LS) of the liquid level in the reservoir in order to maintain the liquid level at a fixed value.

At the time of forming a paste layer on a substrate sheet by use of three rolls placed at right angles, in order to offset a variation amount of a first gap due to thermal expansion of the rolls, a variation amount in a given detection period is calculated by use of outputs of a first sensor configured to detect a coating film surface of a second-roll coating film of a second roll and a second sensor configured to detect a second-roll surface, and the first roll is moved by use of a first-roll moving mechanism.

Systems and methods for coating a thin film with a viscous material, such as a liquid, a paste, or an adhesive, at a desired thickness. In such a system, two films move adjacent to one another, optionally in opposite directions, atop two rollers separated by a known gap that defines a coating thickness, with the material being transferred from one film to the other. The rollers may be maintained in their relative positions by springs and/or linear actuators and positioned using linear encoders. In alternative arrangements, the material to be coated could be low viscosity material such as a polymeric solution. Air knives may be provided near the gap to create an air flow that aids in preventing the free flow of low viscosity materials outside the bounds of the film during coating.

An excess coating removal device, which may be used with or retrofit to a can coating machine. Excess coating is removed before it can contact undesirable locations on the machine or the can.

Systems and methods for coating a thin film with a viscous material, such as a liquid, a paste, or an adhesive, at a desired thickness. In such a system, two films move adjacent to one another, optionally in opposite directions, atop two rollers separated by a known gap that defines a coating thickness, with the material being transferred from one film to the other. The rollers may be maintained in their relative positions by springs and/or linear actuators and positioned using linear encoders. In alternative arrangements, the material to be coated could be low viscosity material such as a polymeric solution. Air knives may be provided near the gap to create an air flow that aids in preventing the free flow of low viscosity materials outside the bounds of the film during coating.

A dispensing unit for dispensing liquid material includes a hollow reservoir for accommodating a syringe and having an elongated nipple at one end of the reservoir, a piston including a shaft disposed therein, and a bracket adapted to receive the nipple of the reservoir and the piston. The reservoir nipple provides a fluid path for liquid material dispensed from the syringe supported in the reservoir. The bracket receives the nipple of the reservoir such that the fluid path for the liquid material is oriented towards a nozzle disposed in the bracket. The nipple also has holes disposed near an end thereof, and the bracket is adapted to receive the piston oriented with respect to the reservoir nipple such that the shaft of the piston is aligned with the holes in the nipple and the nozzle. The shaft is displaceable through the holes in the nipple towards the nozzle.

Systems and methods for coating of a thin film with a viscous material, such as a liquid, a paste, or an adhesive, at a desired thickness. In such a system, two films move adjacent to one another, optionally in opposite directions, atop two rollers separated by a known gap that defines a coating thickness, with the material being transferred from one film to the other. The rollers may be maintained in their relative positions by springs and/or linear actuators and positioned using linear encoders. In alternate arrangements, the material to be coated could be low viscosity material such as a polymeric solution. Air knives may be provided near the gap to create an air flow that aids in preventing the free flow of low viscosity materials outside the bounds of the film during coating.

At the time of forming a paste layer on a substrate sheet by use of three rolls placed at right angles, in order to offset a variation amount of a first gap due to thermal expansion of the rolls, a variation amount in a given detection period is calculated by use of outputs of a first sensor configured to detect a coating film surface of a second-roll coating film of a second roll and a second sensor configured to detect a second-roll surface, and the first roll is moved by use of a first-roll moving mechanism.

At the time of forming a paste layer on a substrate sheet by use of three rolls placed at right angles, in order to offset a variation amount of a first gap due to thermal expansion of the rolls, a variation amount in a given detection period is calculated by use of outputs of a first sensor configured to detect a coating film surface of a second-roll coating film of a second roll and a second sensor configured to detect a second-roll surface, and the first roll is moved by use of a first-roll moving mechanism.

Systems and methods for dispensing liquid materials as may be used in applications for coating flexible films and the like. Such a film may be coated by dispensing a rheological material onto its surface while drawing the film through a gap between a pair of rollers. The gap defines the thickness of a layer of the material applied to the film and is maintained at a desired width by microwires positioned through the gap. Another film across the gap from that to which the rheological material is applied aids in the coating of the layer and a contact area of the second film may be adjusted relative to the gap, e.g., when changing materials or when the coating film becomes abraded or deformed.