Abstract: A method of forming a coating film, in which the coating film is formed by supplying a coating liquid onto a surface of a substrate, while the substrate housed in a processing vessel is rotated together with the processing vessel, includes the steps of coating the surface of the substrate with a solvent, supplying the coating liquid to the substrate, rotating the substrate and the processing vessel at a first rotation speed to diffuse the coating liquid on the surface of the substrate, closing the processing vessel with a lid to seal the substrate in the processing vessel, and rotating the processing vessel with the lid and the substrate at a second rotation speed to uniform a film thickness of the coating film.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for coating an article on a flat line, powder coating system comprises a powder coating booth with a reduced inlet opening for articles to be coated and an enlarged outlet opening for coated articles. Powder spray guns of the tribo-electric type, or having internal charging electrodes, are arranged in rows with parallel tube spray heads and are disposed at a shallow angle with respect to the conveyor to spray powder onto the articles generally in the direction of conveyor movement. Baffle plates are installed under the spray guns so that any powder which collects on the spray guns does not fall on the articles being coated. Oversprayed powder is collected from a part of the booth intermediate the spray guns and the enlarged outlet opening. Preferably, the thickness of powder coating on the articles in the precured condition is measured and the system is controlled so that the coating thickness is uniform and of the desired thickness.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for applying adhesive to platens of a textile screen printing machine as the platens move from the unload stage to the load stage. The device comprises a frame mountable to the screen printing machine so that it extends over the moving platens, at least one interconnectable housing carried by the frame. Each housing has an array of adhesive-depositing nozzles and adhesive-spreading air nozzles plus a drying nozzle. As a platen passes under the housings, a sensor initiates the array of adhesive nozzles to deposit columns of adhesive onto the platens. Then the air nozzles spread the columns of adhesive by blowing air onto the columns. Finally, the spread adhesive is dried by gas from the drying nozzle, preferably directing a single curtain of air under pressure onto the adhesive. The housings are modular so that the device can be used with larger platens by simply adding one or more housings.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing system has a number of cartridges, preferably two or four, selectively coupled to a single motor with a respective clutch for dispensing dots of liquid at high speed. The motor drives a spur gear that meshes with individual spur gears associated with each of the clutches. Multiple cartridges are thus activated with a single motor and are housed together in one housing. Each cartridge is movable relative to the housing and is biased downward to a dispensing position with a spring. Air is selectively provided between the dispensers and the housing to drive the cartridges upward to a non-dispensing position. When the air is not provided, the spring returns the cartridge to its downward position. By moving the cartridge relative to the housing, the assembly can dispense at different locations without it being necessary to move the entire pump assembly every time a dot is dispensed.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying fluent material to a moving surface comprising a housing having an elongated continuous opening therein positioned adjacent to and extending generally transversely across the path of a moving surface, a row of rotatable spray heads mounted in the housing for rotation about parallel axes and positioned along the elongated opening to direct fluent material through the elongated opening and onto the moving surface, with next adjacent spray heads rotating in opposite directions to centrifugally discharge fluent material onto the moving surface in multiple overlapping patterns to blend the material in a substantially uniform concentration across the width of the moving surface.

Abstract: A device for distributing pulverulent solids in suspension in a gas, for the purpose of depositing a coating, notably by pyrolysis, on a moving substrate (1), includes a distribution nozzle (24), the walls of which define a cavity (11) which terminates in a longitudinal distribution slit (13) and a principal powder feed duct (6) equipped with a distribution portion (7). A plurality of secondary powder feed ducts (8), connected to this principal duct by the distribution portion, enables the cavity (11) of the nozzle (24) to be supplied with powder over its entire length. At least a portion of the secondary ducts (8) is equipped with at least one pneumatic device adapted for modulating the flow rate of the powder-gas suspension which each of the secondary ducts concerned is intended for carrying.

Abstract: A unit for gumming sheet elements traveling along a given path, with the unit presenting s support set to an adjustable position facing a portion of the path, and at least one spray gumming device directed towards the path, and connected to the support by means of an adjustable connecting device for adjusting the position of the gumming device in relation to the support and in at least a first direction extending in a plane parallel to the path, and in a second direction perpendicular to the plane of the first direction, and about at least one axis parallel to the second direction.

Abstract: A baffle is placed in a position opposed to discharge openings of a treating solution supply nozzle and between the discharge openings and the surface of a substrate. The baffle intercepts a treating solution discharged from the discharge openings, whereby the treating solution is supplied evenly to the surface of the substrate by flowing over a surface of the baffle and falling from an edge of the baffle to the substrate, instead of falling from the discharge openings directly to the substrate. No microbubbles are formed in the treating solution on the substrate, which would cause an unevenness of treatment. The discharge openings may be defined by a plurality of circular bores formed in the supply nozzle. Each circular bore may have a diameter at least equal to a spacing between an adjacent pair of circular bores.

Abstract: A rotating cup type liquid supply device comprises an inner cup 3, a vacuum chuck 5 disposed in the center of a bottom surface of the inner cup 3 for holding thereon a planar material W to be treated, and a tray 7 fixed onto the bottom surface of the inner cup 3 for substantially surrounding the planar material W held by the vacuum chuck 5. The tray is of a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and includes an tapered wall portion 9 turned inwardly along a circumferential wall portion thereof for defining an upper opening 8 of the tray 7. The tray 7 further includes a plurality of drain guiding conduits 10 each extending at a predetermined angle outwardly from an outer peripheral portion thereof. Also, the tray can be provided thereon with the cover having an opening slightly larger than the planar material W.

Abstract: A self propelled, walk-behind or surrey drawn striping machine includes a single fluid tank for confining and, delivering under a pressure, fluid drive, heated thermoplastic, paint and the new, environmentally preferred, thin line thermoplastic. The machine is propelled by hydraulic wheel motors. A primary material tank comprises a pressurized interior vessel that is substantially surrounded by a heating fluid circulation jacket. A third wall around the fluid circulation jacket provides a heat riser insulating space. Combustion products from a burner head below the circulation jacket rise through the insulating space. A coaxial flow channel around the conduits that deliver the striping material to a spray head carries heat transfer medium such as hot oil drawn from the heating fluid circulation jacket.

Abstract: A flat glass sheet is formed using the float process. Before annealing of glass carried on rollers, the glass is conveyed by a fluid bed formed by a mixture of gasses, in order to cool the glass to approximately 600.degree. C. before it reaches an annealing lehr.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for distributing liquid by gravity, particularly in a photographic coating process.The device comprises: a) a rigid cylindrical outer pipe; an inner casing produced from a flexible material and the external diameter of which is less than or equal to the internal diameter of the pipe, said casing being arranged so as to define, with the pipe, substantially concentric first and second zones isolated from each other, the second zone being connected to a source of fluid so as to be able, under the effect of the pressure of the fluid, to cause the relative volumes of the first and second zones to vary in order to control the flow of liquid in the first zone; and c) a source of pressurized fluid connected to the second zone.

Abstract: A device for feeding out reinforcement fibres at production of thermosetting plastic products, which device includes at least one magazine spool for a fibre thread (15), and guiding means (17, 18, 19) for guiding the fibre thread to a fibre feedout head (13). The feedout head is provided with feed means (21, 22, 31, 32) for feeding the fibre thread from the magazine spool coil via the guiding means, and cutting means (26, 26a, 27), which enables cutting off the fibre thread. The feed means of the feedout head (13) means includes on one hand driven feed rollers (21, 22), which form at least one nip for the fibre thread (15) and on the other hand fibre ejecting means (31, 32). The cutting means (26, 26a, 27) are individually driven and placed between the feed rollers (21, 22) and the fibre ejecting means (31, 32).

Abstract: The present invention provides a resist processing method for an object to be processed, including the processing step of supplying a process solution onto the object to be processed to perform a process on the object to be processed, and the cleaning step of supplying a cleaning solution onto the object to be processed to clean the object to be processed, wherein the processing step at least partially overlaps the cleaning step.

Abstract: A device is for recovering superfluous photoresist material exhausted from a spin coater having a drive motor alternately operated at a high speed and a low speed at predetermined intervals. The device includes a solution collecting member into which superfluous photoresist material and cleaning solution are collected after a photoresist is coated onto a wafer and the wafer is cleaned during operation of the drive motor. The solution collecting member has a groove circumferentially formed therein to allow the superfluous photoresist material to flow therein. First and second discharge pipes communicate with the solution collecting member to drain the superfluous photoresist material and a cleaning solution and a third discharging pipe communicates with the groove formed in the solution collecting member. An actuator is provided to move a blocking member between an open position and closed position to open and close the groove.

Abstract: A glass breaking system is provided for breaking large sheets of glass into small sheets, in which a laser beam having an elongated beam spot shape, with a largest dimension which is at least 20 mm, more preferably at least 30 mm, and most preferably at least 40 mm, is moved across a glass sheet to produce a partial crack score line. The glass sheet is then separated along the score line by applying a bending moment in the area of the partial crack.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a loading section for guiding wiring boards into the apparatus, a printing section equipped with a mask for printing a conductive material onto each of the wiring boards, a position detecting device for detecting a position of the wiring board held by the holding device, an alignment section for positionally correcting the mask or wiring board held by the holding device on the basis of an output signal from the position detecting device, and a transfer device having holding device for holding the wiring boards and turning to transfer the holding device and stop the holding device at the loading, printing, and alignment sections at the same time so that loading, printing, and alignment operations are simultaneously performed.

Abstract: A coating apparatus for detecting the presence of contaminants carried by a liquid a is that is applied as a coating on a workpiece. A tube guides the liquid along a flow path to the workpiece. A light source illuminates the liquid along the flow path with an optical fiber or other light carrier, and light is scattered by any contaminants present in the liquid. Light scattered by the contaminant particles is more intense than light scattered by the other liquid particles, and this brighter scattered light is detected by a light detector positioned adjacent to the fluid flow path. The coating system is particularly well suited for use in a spin-on coating process that applies a liquid, such as a photoresist material or a dielectric material, to a semiconductor wafer or other workpiece that is secured to a rotating turntable and rotated to receive a coating of the liquid.

Abstract: A vacuum control and detection system for a semiconductor fabricating apparatus includes a vacuum line connected to a plate for holding a semiconductor wafer to be processed. An electromagnetic valve is connected to the vacuum line for selectively opening and closing the vacuum line. A control unit receives a wafer sensing signal from the plate, and supplies an actuating voltage to the electromagnetic valve to open the vacuum line and securely hold the wafer to the plate via a vacuum force. A time delay device also receives the actuating voltage from the control unit and outputs a wafer holding signal to the control unit after a 2-3 second time delay. After wafer processing operations are completed, the control unit deactivates the actuating voltage supplied to the electromagnetic valve and the time delay device to close the vacuum line and release the vacuum force on the wafer.

Abstract: A spin-coating device comprises; a turntable for concentrically supporting a substrate; a spindle motor for rotating the turntable about a central axis thereof and connected via a rotating shaft thereto; a supply mechanism for feeding and dripping a fluid coating material onto the substrate; and a holding mechanism for maintaining that the central axis of rotation of the turntable carrying the substrate is placed to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a gravitational direction while the fluid coating material is dripped onto the rotating substrate.