Structured preforms for thermal drawing
AssigneeEverix, Inc.
InventorsEsmaeil Banaei, Justin Boga
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device may generate a multi-layer stack of sheets that may be adhered into a slab-shaped preform for thermal drawing. The sheets may include sublayers. Stacking the sub-layered sheets results in accumulation of layers in the final fabricated preform. The stacking process may use mechanical translation and conveyance to support placement of the sheets and fabrication of the stack.
Claims15
A method of extruding a film comprising a preform stack, the preform stack including a plurality of layers including a current layer and a previous layer, the method comprising:
- extruding the current layer through an extrusion die to an extrusion output;
- and coordinated with the extrusion,
- translating a preform assembly platform relative to the extrusion output, such that the current layer falls onto a previous layer of the preform stack provided on the preform assembly platform, the previous layer also extruded through the extrusion die, and
- pressing the extruding current layer on to the previous layer with a roller fixed in a position relative to the extrusion output, wherein the pressing occurs as the preform assembly platform translates its position.
A method of extruding a film comprising a preform stack, the preform stack including a plurality of layers including a current layer and a previous layer, the method comprising:
- extruding the current layer through an extrusion die to an extrusion output;
- and
- coordinated with the extrusion,
- translating a preform assembly platform from a layer start point to a layer endpoint such that the current layer extrudes between the layer start point to the layer end point over a previous layer of the preform stack provided on the preform assembly platform, the previous layer also extruded through the extrusion die,
- pressing the extruding current layer on to the previous layer with a roller fixed in a position relative to the extrusion output, wherein the pressing occurs as the preform assembly platform translates its position, and
- cutting the current layer with a cutter after the current layer covers the previous layer as determined by the preform assembly platform reaching the layer endpoint,
- wherein the extrusion output, preform assembly, roller, and cutter are all provided in an enclosure, and the roller is heated to hold the temperature of the enclosure at a layer-adhesion temperature, and
- wherein the film is an optical film composed of a liquid crystal polymer, glass, or metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.