Shape dispensing of photopolymer

Claim 1

A liquid dispensing and shaping apparatus for providing sequential dispensing of discrete substantially rectangular pools of liquid comprising (1) an elongated linearly aligned manifold, open on one side and having a plurality of aligned inlets on the opposite side, one linear edge and at least a portion of the two ends of said open side forming a dam with the opposite edge opening out at a height below the upper most extremity of the manifold, (2) a doctor blade in working association with said opposite edge of the manifold where it opens out, (3) a plurality of capillary ducts feeding respective inlets in said manifold and remaining continuously open to said inlets and continuously full of polymer during sequential operation of said liquid dispensing and shaping apparatus, (4) a plurality of feed outlets feeding respective capillary ducts, (5) valving means mechanically interconnected for unitary opening and closing of said plurality of feed outlets, (6) a gravity feeding liquid supply reservoir feeding said plurality of outlets, and (7) a reservoir liquid level sensing and control means maintaining said liquid level in said reservoir at a predetermined head, said head providing the sole means of liquid pressure at said inlets to said manifold.

Claim 8

A method of sequentially dispensing and shaping a liquid to form a sequence of substantially rectangular sheets comprising (1) filling a supply reservoir to a predetermined depth and maintaining said depth, (2) intermittently opening and closing a valving means and providing a gravity outflow of liquid from the reservoir, (3) feeding the liquid from the reservoir intermittently through a plurality of respective capillary ducts and retaining said capillary ducts substantially full at all times during said sequential operation, (4) feeding the liquid from said capillary ducts into an open sided hollow manifold along a linearly aligned path and intermittently breaking the flow into said manifold from every one of said inlets, (5) restraining the flow of the liquid from the manifold by a dam formed by an edge of the open side of the manifold, (6) flowing the liquid from an opening out portion of the opposite edge of the open side of the manifold when said manifold is fed through the capillary ducts until its contents are exhausted intermittently and restricting the height of the outflow to below the height of the inside of the manifold, and (7) leveling the liquid flowing from the opening out portion of said manifold by a doctor means and thereby providing a substantially rectangular sheet of liquid.

Claim 9

A method of sequentially dispensing and shaping a liquid to form a sequence of substantially rectangular sheets comprising (1) filling a supply reservoir to a predetermined depth and maintaining said depth, (2) intermittently opening and closing a valving means and providing a gravity outflow of liquid from the reservoir, (3) feeding the liquid from the reservoir intermittently through a plurality of respective capillary ducts and retaining said capillary ducts substantially full at all times during said sequential operation, (4) feeding the liquid from said capillary ducts into an open sided hollow manifold along a linearly aligned path and intermittently breaking the flow into said manifold from every one of said inlets, (5) restraining the flow of the liquid from the manifold by a dam formed by an edge of the open side of the manifold, (6) flowing the liquid from an opening out portion of the opposite edge of the open side of the manifold when said manifold is fed through the capillary ducts until its contents are exhausted intermittently and restricting the height of the outflow to below the height of the inside of the manifold, and (7) leveling the liquid flowing from the opening out portion of said manifold by a doctor means and thereby providing a substantially rectangular sheet of liquid.