Stepped honed core mandrel
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsWilliam G. Herbert, Gary J. Maier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electroforming process and apparatus for forming an electroform with a roughened surface. The present invention roughens the surface of the mandrel using a sandblasting device in the center region of the mandrel allowing the two end regions to remain smooth. The intersection of the roughened center region and each of the two end regions form a step. This step on either side of the roughened center region facilitates sealing while the roughened center region enables toner distribution. The electroform created using the step roughened mandrel surface is separated from the mandrel without destroying the mandrel. The step roughened mandrel can then be reused to create another electroform with a roughened surface.
Claims14
A method for fabricating an electroform having a roughened surface, comprising:
- roughening a center region of a chromium surface of a mandrel, having two end regions opposed to one another and the center region located therebetween;
- forming steps on the surface of the mandrel where the roughened surface of the center region of the mandrel and each of the two end regions, being smooth, meet creating a step roughened mandrel surface, one step comprising a first end region of the mandrel being as high as protuberances of the roughened surface and another step comprising the second end region being as low as pits of the roughened surface;
- applying a layer of material on the mandrel, having the roughened surface in the center region and a smooth surface on each of the two end regions, to create a stepped roughened electroform;
- separating the stepped roughened electroform from the mandrel having the step roughened mandrel surface, the stepped roughened electroform facilitating distribution of toner particles between developing and an imaging surface;
- and
- reusing the mandrel, having a step roughened mandrel surface for applying material thereto, to form another stepped roughened electroform.
An apparatus for creating a roughened electroform comprising:
- a chromium plated mandrel having a surface comprising a center region and two end regions, the two end regions having a first end region and a second end region being opposed to one another, the center region being located between the two end regions, said mandrel being reusable;
- and
- means for roughening the center region of the surface of the mandrel by creating protuberances and pits thereon the roughened surface of the center region of the mandrel and the smooth surface of each of the end regions of the mandrel form steps, the steps comprising the meeting of the roughened surface of the center region of the surface of the mandrel and each of the two end regions, being smooth, creating a step roughened mandrel surface, one step comprising the first end region of the mandrel being as high as the protuberances of the roughened surface and another step comprising the second end region being as low as the pits of the roughened surface.
An apparatus for creating a roughened electroform comprising:
- a chromium plated mandrel having a surface comprising a center region and two end regions, the two end regions having a first end region and a second end region being opposed to one another, the center region being located between the two end regions, said mandrel being reusable;
- and
- means for roughening the center region comprising a sandblasting device, said sandblasting device roughens the center region of the surface of the mandrel by creating protuberances and pits thereon, the roughened surface of the center region of the mandrel and the smooth surface of each of the end regions of the mandrel form steps, the steps comprising the meeting of the roughened surface of the center region of the surface of the mandrel and each of the two end regions, being smooth, creating a step roughened mandrel surface, one step comprising the first end region of the mandrel being as high as the protuberances of the roughened surface and another step comprising the second end region being as low as the pits of the roughened surface, the center region comprises a roughened surface for toner distribution and the two end regions each comprise a smooth surface to facilitate sealing of the roughened electroform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.