Method for continuous fabrication of structured surface light guides
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorDavid Jon Lundin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of fabricating an elongate light guide includes providing a moving mold assembly with at least two mold parts, wherein the mold parts have an engaged portion and a non-engaged portion. The mold parts are moved such that the non-engaged portions move in a first direction and the engaged portions move in a second direction different from the first direction to form an elongate regenerated mold cavity having a longitudinal axis, wherein the cavity comprises a molding surface with at least one structure transverse to the longitudinal axis. A thermosettable material is introduced into the cavity and at least partially polymerized in the cavity to form a light guide therein. The light guide is then removed from the mold assembly.
Claims13
A method of fabricating an elongate light guide, comprising:
- (a) providing a moving mold assembly comprising at least two mold parts, wherein the mold parts have an engaged portion and a non-engaged portion;
- (b) moving the mold parts such that the non-engaged portions move in a first direction and the engaged portions move in a second direction different from the first direction to form an elongate regenerated mold cavity having a longitudinal axis, wherein the cavity comprises a molding surface with at least one structure transverse to the longitudinal axis;
- (c) introducing a thermosettable material into the cavity;
- (d) at least partially polymerizing the thermosettable material in the cavity to form a light guide therein;
- and,
- (e) removing the light guide from the mold assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.