Apparatus for Controlled Application of Liquid Streams to a Substrate with Diverted Liquid Collection System

摘要

An improved system for application of liquid streams to a substrate. The system incorporates open face flow channels for carrying the liquid away from fully enclosed flow segments prior to discharge along an unconstrained flow path. The present invention further provides an improved, self-aligning modular assembly for delivery of impingement jet to the liquid streams for diverting the direction of the liquid streams. The present invention further provides an improved arrangement for collection of the deflected liquid in response to application of the impingement jet without excess residue build-up.

主权项

1. An apparatus for intermittently applying a liquid from a pressurized source onto a target substrate (20) in the form of liquid streams (11), the apparatus comprising:
a manifold chamber (111) for receiving the liquid from the pressurized source; a channel component (130) having a plurality of liquid channels (112) in fluid communication with the manifold chamber, each liquid channel having a liquid discharge end (116) projecting towards the target substrate whereby the liquid from the manifold chamber passes through the liquid channels creating the liquid streams directed toward the substrate, each channel component further having a landing (142) disposed adjacent to the liquid discharge ends of the liquid channels, the landing having a plurality of impingement jet positioning apertures (143) extending there through, each impingement jet positioning aperture being associated with a particular liquid channel and having a central axis oriented in an intersecting relation to the central axis of the corresponding liquid channel; an impingement jet module (200) having a plurality of impingement jet gas tubes (230) mounted in an impingement jet body (220) with tube distal ends (231) extending therefrom, each impingement jet gas tube having a jet tube opening, wherein each impingement jet gas tube is aligned with an associated impingement jet positioning aperture, and wherein the tube distal ends of the impingement jet gas tubes further being inserted into the corresponding impingement jet positioning apertures, whereby an impingement stream passing through the impingement jet tube towards an associated liquid stream will create a diverted flow path in the associated liquid stream; and a liquid collection module (300) adapted to capture the liquid streams in the diverted flow paths, and characterized in that the jet tube openings of the impingement jet tubes are substantially planar with the surface of the landing nearest to the location of the liquid stream; and wherein the jet tube openings are spaced at a distance of about 10 to about 25 mils from the undisrupted flow path of the corresponding liquid stream.