Patent ID: 11872580
Assignee: FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A material applicator for controlling application of at least one material to a substrate, the material applicator comprising:
an array plate comprising a plurality of micro-applicators, each micro-applicator including:
a micro-applicator plate defining a plurality of apertures extending through the micro-applicator plate;
a frame cooperating with the micro-applicator plate to define a reservoir;
a material inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir; and
an actuator configured to vibrate to eject a liquid from the reservoir through the plurality of apertures,

wherein the plurality of micro-applicators includes a first subset of the micro-applicators and a second subset of the micro-applicators,
wherein the material applicator is configured to be operated in a first mode wherein the material inlets of the micro-applicators of the first subset are connected to a first material source and the material inlets of the micro-applicators of the second subset are connected to a second material source,
wherein in the first mode, the first material source is configured to supply liquid to the material inlets of the first subset of micro-applicators and the second material source is configured to supply pressurized gas to the material inlets of the second subset of micro-applicators.