Process and apparatus for microreplication
First Claim
1. A method of embossing a sheet material, the method comprising:
- pressing a patterned tool against the sheet; and
while maintaining the pressing, radiantly heating the sheet, using near-infrared radiant energy from a radiant energy source;
wherein the radiantly heating includes passing the radiant energy through a relatively radiantly-transparent material in contact with the sheet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of embossing a sheet material includes: heating at least a portion of the sheet directly or indirectly with radiant energy from a radiant energy source; pressing a tool against the heated portion of the sheet, thereby patterning a surface of the sheet; and separating the sheet and the tool. The radiant energy may travel through a solid material that is relatively transparent to radiation, on its way to being absorbed by a relatively-absorptive material. The relatively-transparent material may be an unheated portion of the sheet, and the relatively-absorptive material may be either the tool or the heated portion of the sheet. Alternatively, the relatively-transparent material may be the tool, and the relatively-absorptive material may be all or part of the sheet. The method may be performed as one or more roll-to-roll operations.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A method of embossing a sheet material, the method comprising:
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pressing a patterned tool against the sheet; and
while maintaining the pressing, radiantly heating the sheet, using near-infrared radiant energy from a radiant energy source;
wherein the radiantly heating includes passing the radiant energy through a relatively radiantly-transparent material in contact with the sheet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of embossing a sheet material, the method comprising:
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radiantly heating a relatively radiantly-absorptive portion of the sheet, using radiant energy from a radiant energy source;
pressing a patterned tool against the relatively radiantly-absorptive portion of the sheet, wherein the pressing includes patterning a surface of the sheet; and
separating the tool from the surface;
wherein the heating includes passing the radiant energy through a relatively radiantly-transparent portion of the sheet before absorbing the radiant energy in the relatively radiantly-absorptive portion of the sheet; and
wherein the relatively radiantly-transparent portion has a lower absorptivity of the radiant energy than does the relatively radiantly-absorptive portion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of embossing a sheet material, the method comprising:
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heating a patterned tool, using radiant energy from a radiant energy source;
pressing the patterned tool against a surface of the sheet, thereby patterning the surface of the sheet; and
separating the tool from the surface;
wherein the sheet material is relatively radiantly transparent;
wherein the heating includes passing the radiant energy through the sheet before absorbing the radiant energy in the patterned tool; and
wherein the sheet material has a lower absorptivity, relative to an absorptivity of the patterned tool. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48)
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47. The method of claim 47, wherein the heating and the pressing overlap in time.
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49. An embossing system, comprising:
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a plurality of rollers, arrayed on opposite sides of a passage for receiving therein a sheet material to be embossed;
a radiant heater operatively configured to heat the sheet material while in the passage; and
a patterned belt in the passage, for patterning the sheet material. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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53. An embossing system, comprising:
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a pair of belts arrayed on opposite sides of a passage for receiving therein a sheet material to be embossed; and
a radiant heater operatively configured to heat the sheet material while in the passage. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. An embossing system, comprising:
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a pair of press platforms configured to press a sheet material therebetween; and
a radiant heater configured to deliver radiant energy between the press platforms. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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60. A method of embossing a sheet material, the method comprising:
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radiantly heating the sheet material, using radiant energy from a radiant energy source; and
pressing patterned tools against opposite major surfaces of the sheet material. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification