Method of making a mold for patterned surface articles
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsVerlyn H. Paulson, Gary J. Geissler, Gerald M. Benson, Chester A. Bacon JR.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for making a substantially cylindrical tool from a substantially planar substrate, wherein the tooling has at least one patterned surface. The resulting tooling includes a patterned surface with a sufficiently strong weld that is capable of producing an article having a pattern surface that has a relatively narrow and preferably cosmetically pleasing seam line. Such articles include retroreflective sheeting, structured abrasive articles, adhesive articles suitable for use in personal care products, and the like.
Claims25
A method of making a tooling, comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially planar tooling having a first end and a second end opposing one another, a patterned side, and a back side opposite the patterned side;
- placing the opposing ends together to form a substantially cylindrical shape forming a lumen therein, wherein the back side faces the lumen;
- and
- welding the ends together from the lumen such that at least the opposing ends of the back side are joined.
A microstructured composite sheeting, comprising:
- a three dimensional array of cured microstructure elements formed from a polymeric material, wherein any seam present in the array has a width of about 0.0025 mm to about 0.2 mm on the patterned side.
A mold for making an article having a patterned surface, the mold comprising:
- a patterned surface outer surface, an inner surface, and a joining line having a weld penetration of less than about 100% of a tooling thickness.
A method of making a tooling, comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially planar tooling having a first end and a second end opposing one another, a patterned side comprising an array of mcirostructure elements, and a back side opposite the patterned side by assembling a plurality of tiles, thereby forming lay-up lines between adjacent tiles, wherein the lay-up lines between adjacent tiles are parallel to the array of microstructure elements;
- placing the opposing ends together to form a substantially cylindrical shape forming a lumen therein, wherein the back side faces the lumen;
- and
- joining the ends together such that at least the opposing ends of the back side are joined.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.