Patent Application
20090165707
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a film applicator, in particular to a film applicator for simultaneously forming multiple layers of film.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional fixed-gate applicators comprise two parallel supportive devices and a fixed knife connecting the supportive devices. When moving, the applicator forms a film with specific thickness on the substrate by scrapping off excessive fluidic film solution and pushing it to other areas of the substrate surface.
The choice of a suitable applicator generally depends on the characters of the film material such as color, transparency, gloss, elasticity, hardness, weatherability, chemical resistance . . . etc. Therefore, when multiple layer structure of thin film is desired, it is often needed to use a number of different film applicators.
Thus, a film applicator able to simultaneously form multiple layers of thin film is desired for industrial usage.
Therefore, in accordance with the previous summary, objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the subsequent description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The present invention discloses an adjustable film applicator to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional techniques.
One feature of the present invention is to provide an adjustable film applicator which can simultaneously form multiple layers of thin film with varying thickness/material.
The disclosed film applicator comprises an applicator body, a first knife, a second knife, a first fixing apparatus, a second apparatus, a pair of first adjusting screws, and a pair of second adjusting screws.
The applicator body comprises a platform and a pair of foot planks, wherein the platform has a slot parallel to the longer edge of the platform, the foot planks are set under the two shorter edges of the platform.
Each of the foot planks has, on its inner side surface, a front groove and a rear groove, wherein a line connecting the grooves on individual foot planks runs parallel with the longer edge of the platform. The first and second knife are set movable in the front and rear grooves, respectively. The first and second fixing apparatus are set under the platform for confining the first and second knife in the front and rear grooves.
The first and second adjusting screws are set on top of the platform and aligned with the first and second knife, respectively, for adjusting the first knife to a first height and the second knife to a second height, wherein the second height is greater the first height.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings:
The present disclosure can be described by the embodiments given below. It is understood, however, that the embodiments below are not necessarily limitations to the present disclosure, but are used to a typical implementation of the invention.
Having summarized various aspects of the present invention, reference will now be made in detail to the description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings. While the invention will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
It is noted that the drawings presents herein have been provided to illustrate certain features and aspects of embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated from the description provided herein that a variety of alternative embodiments and implementations may be realized, consistent with the scope and spirit of the present invention.
It is also noted that the drawings presents herein are not consistent with the same scale. Some scales of some components are not proportional to the scales of other components in order to provide comprehensive descriptions and emphasizes to this present invention.
The film applicator moves on a substrate on whose surface the film is to be applied. When moving, the film applicator scrapes off excessive fluidic film solution and pushes it to the other area of the substrate surface, so as to form a film on the substrate with a desired thickness. The present invention discloses an adjustable film applicator with two knifes which when working simultaneously generates two layers of film, with one on top of the other.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the first fixing apparatus 140 and the second fixing apparatus 150 are set under the platform 112 for confining the first knife 120 and second knife 130 in the grooves 1142. A pair of first adjusting screws 160 and a pair of second adjusting screws 170 are set on top of the platform 112 and aligned with the first knife 120 and second knife 130, respectively, for adjusting the first knife to a first height and the second knife to a second height, wherein the second height is greater than the first height. This embodiment can further comprises a funnel 180, which is surrounded by supporting apparatuses 182 for setting up the funnel 180 in the slot 1122, such that the film solution can be directed to the region between the first knife 120 and second knife 130.
The disclosed adjustable film applicator can further comprise a third knife, fourth knife . . . and so on and so forth behind the second knife. The relationship between the associate height is the first height<the second height<the third height<the fourth height . . . . Through the above multi-height settings the disclosed film applicator is able to form a multi-layer film structure of more than three film layers.
Referring to
The second fixing apparatus 150 is a second elastic fixing strip 152. The middle portion of the second elastic fixing strip 152 is fixed on the bottom surface of the platform 112 and behind the slot 1122. The two end portions of the second elastic fixing strip 152 are deformable. The second knife 130 has two protruding bodies 132 set on the blade of the second knife 130 which are perpendicular to the blade. When the end portions of the second elastic fixing strip 152 is deformed, the protruding bodies 132 are pushed upwards by the second fixing strip 152 through the resilience force of the second fixing strip 152 such that the second knife 130 is confined in the rear grooves 1142 of the foot planks 114.
Referring to
In this example, the second fixing apparatus 150 is a second π-shaped magnetic fixing apparatus 154 which comprises a magnetic bottom rod 1542, two short rods 1544, two springs 1546 and two nuts 1548. The magnetic bottom rod 1542 is located underneath the platform 112 and behind the slot 1122. The magnetic bottom rod 1542 attaches to the second knife 130 through magnetic force. One end of the short rods 1544 joins the magnetic bottom rod 1542; the other end of the short rods 1544 perforate through the platform 112, emerging from the top surface of said platform 112. Each springs 1546 slips on each above-mentioned the other end of short rods 1544. The nuts 1548 screw to compress the springs 1546 thereby adjusting the degree of deformation of the springs 1546. When the springs 1546 are deformed, the magnetic bottom rod 1542 is pulled upwards by the short rods 1544 through the resilience force of the springs 1546, which along with turning the second adjusting screws 170 enables the second knife 130 to be adjusted to a second height.
Referring to
The base 124 has a recess for accommodating the blade 126. The base 124 comprises an upper portion 1242 and a lower portion 1244. The upper portion 1242 has a V-shaped edge which matches the V-shaped top portion 1262 of the blade 126; the lower portion 1244 is in planar contact with the blade 126. It is noted that the base 124 and blade 126 can both made of magnet so as to attach to each other through magnetic force and form the knife assembly 240. Alternatively, magnet can be set on the base 124 and blade 126 so as to form the knife assembly 240.
The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. In this regard, the embodiment or embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the inventions as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breath to which they are fairly and legally entitled.
It is understood that several modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
