Apparatus for manufacturing a laminated unit of ceramic green sheets

Claim 3

A manufacturing method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a repetition of said steps (c) and (d).

Claim 4

A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a unit of laminated ceramic green sheets, comprising: an endless belt moveable in a downstream direction along a predetermined running path, at least the outermost surface of said endless belt comprising a synthetic resin material; a reservoir for storing a ceramic slurry which is situated above a predetermined position on the running path of said endless belt and which has an open outlet facing a main surface of said endless belt so that said slurry is in constant contact with said main surface of said belt and with any material located on said surface of said belt; a doctor blade forming part of said reservoir and being located at a downstream end of said reservoir, said doctor blade being displaceable in a vertical direction so as to adjust the distance between said belt and a doctoring surface of said blade; and blade displacement means connected to said blade for displacing said blade along said vertical direction so as to meter the amount of slurry that is applied to said main surface of said belt and to any such material located on said main surface of said belt; a first drying means which is situated downstream of said reservoir and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for drying said applied ceramic slurry so as to form a ceramic green sheet; a printing means which is situated downstream of said first drying means and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for printing an electronic material paste on said ceramic green sheet; a first driving means for continuously moving said endless belt through said reservoir; and a second driving means for intermittently moving said endless belt through said printing means.

Claim 5

A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a unit of laminated ceramic green sheets, comprising: an endless belt moveable in a downstream direction along a predetermined running path, at least the outermost surface of said endless belt comprising a synthetic resin material; a reservoir for storing a ceramic slurry which is situated above a predetermined position on the running path of said endless belt and which has an open outlet facing a main surface of said endless belt so that said slurry is in constant contact with said main surface of said belt and with any material located on said surface of said belt; a doctor blade forming part of said reservoir and being located at a downstream end of said reservoir, said doctor blade being displaceable in a vertical direction so as to adjust the distance between said belt and a doctoring surface of said blade; and blade displacement means connected to said blade for displacing said blade along said vertical direction so as to meter the amount of slurry that is applied to said main surface of said belt and to any such material located on said main surface of said belt; a first drying means which is situated downstream of said reservoir and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for drying said applied ceramic slurry so as to form a ceramic green sheet; a printing means which is situated downstream of said first drying means and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for printing an electronic material paste on said ceramic green sheet; a first driving means for continuously moving said endless belt through said reservoir; and a second driving means for intermittently moving said endless belt through said printing means.

Claim 6

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 3, further comprising a tension means which is situated on said endless belt between said reservoir and said printing means and which is effective for removing slack in said endless belt.

Claim 7

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 4, further comprising a slack forming means which adjoins said endless belt at a position between said printing means and said reservoir and is for producing a slack on said endless belt.

Claim 8

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 3, further comprising a first suction means which is situated beneath said reservoir and under said endless belt and is for applying suction to said endless belt.

Claim 9

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a second suction means which is situated beneath said printing means and under said endless belt and is for applying suction to said endless belt.

Claim 10

A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a unit of laminated ceramic green sheets, comprising: an endless belt moveable in a downstream direction along a predetermined running path; a reservoir for storing a ceramic slurry which is situated above a predetermined position on the running path of said endless belt and which has an open outlet facing a main surface of said endless belt so that said slurry is in constant contact with said main surface of said belt and with any material located on said surface of said belt; a doctor blade forming part of said reservoir and being located at a downstream end of said reservoir, said doctor blade being displaceable in a vertical direction so as to adjust the distance between said belt and a doctoring surface of said blade; and blade displacement means connected to said blade for displacing said blade along said vertical direction so as to meter the amount of slurry that is applied to said main surface of said belt and to any such material located on said main surface of said belt; a first drying means which is situated downstream of said reservoir and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for drying said applied ceramic slurry to thereby form a ceramic green sheet; a printing means which is situated downstream of said first drying means and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for printing an electronic material paste on said ceramic green sheet; a second drying means which is situated downstream of said printing means and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for drying said printing electronic material paste; a first driving means for continuously moving said endless belt through said reservoir; and a second driving means for intermittently moving said endless belt through said printing means.

Claim 11

A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a unit of laminated ceramic green sheets, comprising: an endless belt moveable in a downstream direction along a predetermined running path; a reservoir for storing a ceramic slurry which is situated above a predetermined position on the running path of said endless belt and which has an open outlet facing a main surface of said endless belt so that said slurry is in constant contact with said main surface of said belt and with any material located on said surface of said belt; a doctor blade forming part of said reservoir and being located at a downstream end of said reservoir, said doctor blade being displaceable in a vertical direction so as to adjust the distance between said belt and a doctoring surface of said blade; and blade displacement means connected to said blade for displacing said blade along said vertical direction so as to meter the amount of slurry that is applied to said main surface of said belt and to any such material located on said main surface of said belt; a first drying means which is situated downstream of said reservoir and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for drying said applied ceramic slurry to thereby form a ceramic green sheet; a printing means which is situated downstream of said first drying means and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for printing an electronic material paste on said ceramic green sheet; a second drying means which is situated downstream of said printing means and adjacent said endless belt and which is effective for drying said printing electronic material paste; a first driving means for continuously moving said endless belt through said reservoir; and a second driving means for intermittently moving said endless belt through said printing means.

Claim 12

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein at least the outermost surface of said endless belt comprises a synthetic resin material.

Claim 13

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a tension means which is situated on said endless belt between said reservoir and said printing means and which is effective for removing slack in said endless belt.

Claim 14

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a slack forming means which adjoins said endless belt at a position between said printing means and said reservoir and is for producing a slack on said endless belt.

Claim 15

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a first suction means which is situated beneath said reservoir and under said endless belt and is for applying suction to said endless belt.

Claim 16

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a second suction means which is situated beneath said printing means and under said endless belt and is for applying suction to said endless belt.

Claim 17

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said reservoir includes a frame with an operable side which is situated transverse to said endless belt and which includes said blade, said operable side being so arranged as to permit vertical displacement of said blade.

Claim 18

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said blade includes at both of its side edges a groove or a protrusion extending in a vertical direction, and said openable side of said frame includes a pair of confronting protrusions or grooves slidably mating with said grooves or protrusions on the side edges of said blade, respectively.

Claim 19

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said grooves and said protrusions are configured with a V-shaped cross-section.

Claim 20

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a partition plate attached to said frame and transverse to said blade with a bottom end thereof slanted in the direction of said blade.

Claim 21

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 17, further comprising a sheet member attached to the bottom end of the partition plate.

Claim 22

A manufacturing apparatus in accordance with claim 17, further comprising a means for displacing said partition plate in a direction parallel with the main surface thereof.