Microstructured surface film assembly for liquid acquisition and transport
First Claim
1. A laminate floor assembly comprising:
- a liquid control layer having a top side and a bottom side, the top side having a microstructure-bearing surface with a plurality of channels thereon that facilitate directional flow control of a liquid disposed thereon;
a floor substrate layer;
means for attaching the bottom side of the liquid control layer to the floor substrate layer;
a cap layer having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side of the cap layer being placed over the top side of the liquid control layer to define a relatively enclosed channel structure therebetween; and
means for moving liquid along the channel structure defined between the top side of the liquid control layer and the bottom side of the cap layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A film or tape has one of its major surfaces defined by microstructured features including a plurality of channels defined by spaced apart ridges. The microstructured film is able to acquire liquids and to control the directional transport of such liquids for subsequent removal therefrom. The transport can be passive or active (i.e., caused or enhanced by an applied potential). The inventive microstructured films and tapes have applications in laminate floor assemblies (for spill removal) and industrial articles such as computer keyboards and other devices and assemblies that benefit from fluid removal. The invention also has application in evaporative and condensation applications. In one embodiment, at least one cross-channel is formed on the microstructured surface to join adjacent channels for liquid flow therebetween.
44 Citations
70 Claims
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1. A laminate floor assembly comprising:
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a liquid control layer having a top side and a bottom side, the top side having a microstructure-bearing surface with a plurality of channels thereon that facilitate directional flow control of a liquid disposed thereon;
a floor substrate layer;
means for attaching the bottom side of the liquid control layer to the floor substrate layer;
a cap layer having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side of the cap layer being placed over the top side of the liquid control layer to define a relatively enclosed channel structure therebetween; and
means for moving liquid along the channel structure defined between the top side of the liquid control layer and the bottom side of the cap layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of defining an alternate liquid flow path on a polymeric rnicrostructured liquid transport surface of the type having a plurality of channels which are formed to divert a liquid thereon in a first desired directional path and which are formed to control the displacing and evaporating of a liquid disposed on the surface, the method comprising:
forming at least one cross-channel on the polymeric microstructured liquid transport surface to join at least two adjacent channels of the plurality of channels for liquid flow therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A laminate liquid disposal assembly comprising:
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a liquid control layer having a top side and a bottom side, the top side having a liquid landing zone for receiving liquid thereon and a liquid removal zone, and the top side having a microstructure-bearing surface with a plurality of channels thereon that facilitate directional flow control of the liquid across the top side from the liquid landing zone to the liquid removal zone;
a substrate layer;
means for attaching the bottom side of the liquid control layer to the substrate layer; and
means for removing the liquid from the liquid removal zone of the top side of the liquid control layer. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 70)
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48. A method for enhancing the rate of evaporation of liquid disposed on a surface comprises:
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defining an exposed face of a film as a polymeric microstructure-bearing surface with a plurality of channels thereon, the channels being defined by generally spaced apart projections with valleys therebetween;
introducing a liquid onto the polymeric microstructure-bearing surface of the film, wherein the channels are formed to facilitate spontaneous wicking of the liquid along each channel which receives liquid therein so that the exposed evaporatively active surface area of the liquid is increased by its spatial distribution in the x-direction along the valley of each channel, by its spatial distribution in the y-direction between the projections of each channel as well as by meniscus height variations of the liquid in each channel in the z-direction; and
exposing the increased evaporatively active surface area of the liquid on the microstructure-bearing surface to ambient air.
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68. A thin polymeric film having first and second major surfaces which is adapted to enhance the rate of evaporation of a liquid disposed on the first surface thereof, the first surface being defined by a microstructure-bearing surface having channels thereon, the channels being defined by generally spaced apart projections with valleys therebetween and formed to facilitate spontaneous wicking of the liquid along each channel which receives liquid therein so that the exposed evaporatively active surface area of the liquid on the first surface is increased by its spatial distribution in the x-direction along the valley of each channel, by its spatial distribution in the y-direction between the projections of each channel, and by meniscus height variations of the liquid in each channel.
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69. An assembly for enhancing the rate of evaporation of a liquid moving over a surface, the asssembly comprising:
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a film having first and second major surfaces, the first surface being defined by a polymeric microstructure-bearing surface having channels thereon and adapted for supporting a moving liquid theroen, the channels being defined by generally spaced apart protrusions with valleys therebetween so that the exposed evaporativley active surface area of the liquid on the first surface is increased by meniscus height variaitons of the moving liquid in each channel; and
means for causing the liquid to move across the first surface of the film.
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Specification