Process for preparing embossed flexible graphite article

Abstract

A process for embossing a flexible graphite sheet, and the flexible graphite article produced thereby is presented. The inventive process includes the steps of providing an embossing apparatus which generally comprises two opposed elements, one of the two opposed elements comprising an embossing element having an embossing pattern thereon, the embossing pattern formed by arraying a series of lands having a predetermined height from the surface of the embossing element and channel floors, about the surface of the embossing element; and the other of the two opposed elements comprising a landing element, wherein the embossing element and landing element are arrayed in the embossing apparatus such that the surface of the landing element is separated from the channel floors of the embossing element by a distance “d” which is at least equal to the height of the lands; and embossing a flexible graphite sheet by passing it between the embossing element and the landing element of the embossing apparatus such that the lands of the embossing element exert pressure on the flexible graphite sheet, wherein the flexible graphite sheet has a thickness in the region of the embossing pattern prior to embossing which is less than distance “d”, but greater than the distance between the surface of the landing element and the lands of the embossing element, thus forming a gap between the flexible graphite sheet and the channel floors of the embossing element, further wherein embossing of the flexible graphite sheet in the embossing apparatus causes material to flow from the area of the flexible graphite sheet which encounters pressure from the lands of the embossing element to the gap between the flexible graphite sheet and the channel floors of the embossing element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.