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US 4,871,623 AGranted
Sheet-member containing a plurality of elongated enclosed electrodeposited channels and method
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsTimothy L. Hoopman, Dee L. Johnson, Harlan L. Krinke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sheet member and a method for constructing the sheet member. The sheet member includes a plurality of elongated, enclosed channels formed by electrodeposition.
Claims14
An article for circulating fluids, comprising:
- (a) a sheet member having opposing major surfaces;
- and
- (b) a plurality of elongated, enclosed electroformed channels extending through said sheet member between said opposing major surfaces for the circulation of fluids through each of said channels, said channels having a predetermined cross sectional shape.
A method for constructing a sheet member having a plurality of channels said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a mandrel having a base portion and a plurality of elongated ridge portions projecting from the base portion and having elongated edges spaced above the base portion, the ridge portions defining elongated grooves between the ridge portions, and the ridge portions having conductive surfaces;
- and
- (b) electrodepositing a conductive material on the conductive surfaces with the conductive material being deposited on the edges of the ridge portions at a faster rate than on the surfaces defining inner surfaces of the grooves until the conductive material bridges across between the ridge portions to envelope central portions of the grooves and form the sheet member having a base layer and a plurality of elongated projections extending from the sheet member base layer into each of the grooves, with each of the projections containing an elongated enclosed channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.