Etching a substrate: processes – Forming or treating cylindrical or tubular article having... – Forming or treating an embossing cylinder or tubular article
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-11
2004-05-11
Alanko, Anita (Department: 1765)
Etching a substrate: processes
Forming or treating cylindrical or tubular article having...
Forming or treating an embossing cylinder or tubular article
C216S009000, C216S011000, C216S052000, C216S083000, C425S542000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06733682
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates in the first place to a method for the manufacture of a matrix using an original.
More particularly the present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a matrix which will be able at least to display a surface section with a negative microstructure, intended for replication as a positive microstructure on an object, such as a plastic component, produced in a plastic moulding machine.
Matrices of this type are suitable for inclusion as a mould insert in a mould cavity in a unit producing plastic components, in order to assign said plastic components a positive microstructure in a corresponding surface section.
Concepts like negative or positive microstructure are used in this application solely for the purpose of being able to elucidate the altered shape of the microstructure in the matrix or in the mould-cavity insert and the replicated microstructure in the plastic component.
The invention also relates to a matrix, suitably manufactured in accordance with the method.
The manufacture of matrices in accordance with the method for the present invention is based on using an original with a surface section displaying a sharp positive microstructure in order to apply on this original at least one layer of material and/or a mixture of materials producing a matrix, this material having been selected to withstand the forces exerted on a mould-cavity insert in a machine for moulding plastic components.
When the matrix or mould-cavity insert has been completely built up, measures are taken to remove the matrix from said original or remove the material in the original, so that the microstructure-related surface section of the matrix, with a sharp negative microstructure, will appear.
The present invention relates more particularly to use in applications where the microstructure is chosen with a groove width or the like of less than 500 &mgr;m, for instance in the range of 50-0.1 &mgr;m, but may naturally be used for greater groove widths.
Although the invention indicates the possibility of forming a matrix, for inclusion in a unit producing plastic components such as a mould-cavity insert, on an original such as a silicon disc, the invention also enables a second matrix with reverse microstructure to be formed from such a matrix or the like.
BACKGROUND ART
Regarding the properties associated with the present invention it can be mentioned that patent publication EP-A1-0 400 947 shows a method to be already known for manufacturing a substantially independent diamond or diamond-like film (
16
) with a desired profile, the method comprising:
the application of a thin carbide layer (
14
) on a fixed substrate (
10
) having a surface (
12
) with a form corresponding to the desired profile,
the application of a film (
16
) consisting of crystalline diamond or a diamond-like film, on the carbide layer (
14
), and removal of the substrate (
10
).
Patent publication EP-A10 417 924 shows a method for manufacturing moulded diamond articles, the method comprising:
the formation of a reactive gas or chemical vapour, said gas comprising active carbon and means for forming a diamond deposit on a predetermined substrate,
the use of a non-flat model of predetermined shape, the surface of the model being such that a layer of diamond can be built up from said vapour,
where the non-flat model is also assigned the ability to release a diamond layer formed by a chemical vapour phase being deposited thereon,
the formation of a layer of synthetic diamond against the non-flat model by allowing the surface of the non-flat model to be brought into contact with the vapour under such conditions that the diamond buildup produces a synthetic diamond article, the shape of which conforms to the shape of the non-flat model, and
removing the synthetic diamond article from said non-flat model.
Also pertaining to prior art is an article entitled “CVD Replication for Optics Applications” by Jitendra S. Goela and Raymond L. Taylor, published in SPIE, Vol. 1047, “Mirrors and Windows for High Power/High Energy Laser Systems” (1989), describing a deposition process using a chemical vapour in order to replicate shapes, patterns and highly reflective surfaces in optical material (ZnS, ZnSe) and mirror material (Si, SiC) transferable in infrared rays, for several applications.
A method is also known through patent publication EP-A1-0 442 303 for producing three-dimensional workpieces or components made of diamond, comprising:
a) placing a model heated to a CVD diamond-forming temperature (500 to 1100° C.) in a chamber, the model constituting a negative of the workpiece,
b) applying or supplying a gas mixture of hydrocarbon/hydrogen to said chamber at a pressure of 0.013 to 1334 mbar (0.01 to 1000 torr),
c) creating at least a partial degradation or decomposition of said gas mixture in, said chamber to form a CVD diamond layer on more than one surface of said model, and
d) removing said model from said CVD diamond layer to produce said diamond workpiece, which will thus display the surface characteristics of the surface of the model on which it was formed.
More particularly,
FIGS. 5A
,
5
B and
5
C show a step-shaped or groove-shaped pattern manufactured from molybdenum, in which identical parallel grooves form a check pattern with 5 mm spacing after machining.
Groove
32
has a width of 0.03 inch (0.76 mm) and a depth of 0.013 inch (0.33 mm), with 5 mm between the centre lines of the grooves. The thickness of the plate is chosen as 3.81 mm.
Parts of the workpiece
34
are soldered to a carbide substrate in order to produce a cutting tool.
Methods for manufacturing a matrix with at least one surface section displaying a negative microstructure, in which the matrix is suitable for inclusion in a mould cavity, as a mould cavity insert in a unit producing plastic components, in order to assign said plastic components a corresponding surface section with corresponding positive microstructure, wherein an original with a surface section displaying a positive microstructure is used in order to apply on this original layer upon layer of material and/or mixtures of material producing a matrix, and thereafter removing the matrix from said original or removing the material in the original, are also known.
In a method as described above it is also known to coat the negative microstructure, in a subsequent treating process, with a material layer that per se has good durability qualities against stresses in the plastic moulding unit when used as a mould-cavity insert.
It is also known that each application of such additional, reinforcing materials on a matrix results in somewhat deteriorated exactitude in the negative microstructure of the matrix, and thus somewhat deteriorated quality of the positive microstructure to be transferred to the plastic component.
It is also known that the wear caused by a plastic compound on the mould-cavity insert is considerable and that the surface displaying the microstructure must be coated with a material that will stand up to wear, particularly if the plastic compound contains an abrasive filler such as quartz.
Such filler materials may also be selected from materials that will give a low thermal expansion coefficient, such as 0 or close to zero, or may offer reinforcing properties from the mechanical aspect.
The following publications also pertain to prior art in this field:
D1) Patent Abstracts of Japan, abstract of JP 2 225 668, publ. 1990-09-07 & JP-2 225 688-A and Derwent's abstract, No. 1990-316 827, week 9042.
A method is shown and described here for producing a core with an exact relief-related pattern on its surface, a non-electrical plated coating of a first layer on the surface of the core, and dipping the platedcore in an alectro-bath prior to oxidation of the non-electrical plating coating is undertaken. A strong union is ensured between the model and the non-electrical coating.
It is advocated here that an epoxy plastic is supplied via an inlet (
9
b
), as a reinforcing agent (
9
a
), through which a counterdie (
9
) is formed with
Andersson Joakim
Björkman Henrik
Hjort Klas
Hollman Patrik
Alanko Anita
AMIC AB
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
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