Appeal No. 1999-2406
Application No. 08/825,256
nozzle is liable to be smeared with coating solution as its tip
end contacts the coating solution" and "the coated film tends to
become irregular in thickness when the slit nozzle is lifted off
the coating solution after the coating solution is deposited..."
(Id. at page 3, lines 1-5.)
According to the originally filed specification, these
problems are overcome by "ejecting the solution from the slit
nozzle toward the surface of the rectangular substrate while
reducing the surface tension of the solution..." or by applying
forces on the solution that tend to "cancel out the surface
tension of the solution..." (Id. at page 3, lines 11-23 and
page 5, lines 19-24.) Further details of this appealed subject
matter are recited in illustrative claims 1, 2, and 5, which are
the only independent claims on appeal, reproduced below:
1. A method of coating a solution on a surface
of a non-circular substrate, comprising the steps of:
positioning a slit nozzle above the substrate;
ejecting the solution from the slit nozzle toward
the surface of the substrate so as to minimize effects
of surface tension of the solution when the solution
is brought into contact with the surface of the
substrate;
translating the slit nozzle parallel to the
substrate to coat the solution on substantially the
entire surface of the substrate while the solution is
being ejected from the slit nozzle without
interruption, and while maintaining a tip end of said
nozzle out of contact with said solution after the
solution is ejected from the nozzle; and
thereafter rotating the substrate to spread the
3
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