Method of applying a photosensitive resin to a substrate for use in papermaking

A method of applying a photosensitive resin to a substrate to form an apparatus for use in papermaking, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate having a first surface, a second surface, and a thickness, the substrate having voids intermediate the first and second surfaces;
• providing a liquid photosensitive resin;
• providing a second material different from the liquid photosensitive resin;
• providing a source of actinic radiation;
• providing a mask comprising regions opaque to the radiation and regions transparent to the radiation;
• applying the second material to the substrate to occupy at least some of the voids in the substrate intermediate the first and second surfaces of the substrate;
• providing a portion of the thickness of the substrate adjacent the first surface of the substrate which is substantially free of the second material;
• applying the liquid photosensitive resin to the first surface of the substrate to occupy at least some of the voids in the portion of the thickness of the substrate which is substantially free of the second material;
• positioning the mask intermediate the source of radiation and the coating of liquid photosensitive resin;
• and
• exposing liquid photosensitive resin to the actinic radiation through the mask to induce curing of photosensitive resin in registration with the transparent regions in the mask to provide a patterned resin layer disposed on the first surface of the substrate.

A method of applying a photosensitive resin to a substrate to form an apparatus for use in papermaking, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate having a first surface, a second surface, and a thickness, the substrate having voids intermediate the first and second surfaces;
• providing a liquid photosensitive resin;
• providing a second material different from the liquid photosensitive resin;
• providing a source of actinic radiation;
• providing a mask comprising regions opaque to the radiation and regions transparent to the radiation;
• applying the second material to the substrate to occupy at least some of the voids in the substrate intermediate the first and second surfaces of the substrate;
• removing some, but not all, of the second material from the substrate prior to applying the liquid photosensitive resin to the substrate, to provide a portion of the thickness of the substrate adjacent the first surface of the substrate which is substantially free of the second material;
• applying the liquid photosensitive resin to the first surface of the substrate;
• positioning the mask intermediate the source of radiation and the coating of liquid photosensitive resin;
• exposing the liquid photosensitive resin to the actinic radiation through the mask to induce curing of the photosensitive resin in registration with the transparent regions in the mask to provide a patterned resin layer on the first surface of the substrate;
• removing at least some uncured photosensitive resin and second material from the substrate after curing photosensitive resin in registration with the transparent regions in the mask;
• and
• post curing the photosensitive resin after removing substantially all of the second material from the substrate.

A method of applying a photosensitive resin to a papermakers dewatering felt, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a papermakers dewatering felt having a first surface, a second surface, and a thickness, the papermakers dewatering felt having voids intermediate the first and second surfaces;
• providing a liquid photosensitive resin;
• providing a second material different from the liquid photosensitive resin;
• providing a source of actinic radiation;
• applying the second material to the papermakers dewatering felt to occupy at least some of the voids in the papermakers dewatering felt intermediate the first and second surfaces of the papermakers dewatering felt;
• applying the liquid photosensitive resin to the papermakers dewatering felt;
• exposing at least some of the liquid photosensitive resin to the actinic radiation;
• and
• curing at least some of the photosensitive resin to provide a patterned resin layer disposed on the first surface of the papermakers dewatering felt.