CA2003949C - Process and device for forming a resist pattern on a cylindrical object, and an etched metal cylinder obtained using such a resist pattern - Google Patents
Process and device for forming a resist pattern on a cylindrical object, and an etched metal cylinder obtained using such a resist patternInfo
- Publication number
- CA2003949C CA2003949C CA002003949A CA2003949A CA2003949C CA 2003949 C CA2003949 C CA 2003949C CA 002003949 A CA002003949 A CA 002003949A CA 2003949 A CA2003949 A CA 2003949A CA 2003949 C CA2003949 C CA 2003949C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- cylindrical object
- outside
- etching
- laser beam
- pattern
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41C—PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR REPRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES
- B41C1/00—Forme preparation
- B41C1/14—Forme preparation for stencil-printing or silk-screen printing
- B41C1/145—Forme preparation for stencil-printing or silk-screen printing by perforation using an energetic radiation beam, e.g. a laser
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41C—PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR REPRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES
- B41C1/00—Forme preparation
- B41C1/02—Engraving; Heads therefor
- B41C1/04—Engraving; Heads therefor using heads controlled by an electric information signal
- B41C1/05—Heat-generating engraving heads, e.g. laser beam, electron beam
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/20—Exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/24—Curved surfaces
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Process and device for forming a resist pattern on a cylindrical object, and an etched metal cylinder obtained using such a resist pattern.
Described are a process and device for forming a resist pattern on both the inner side and the outer side of a cylindrical object (20) with use of one or more laser beams.
In the device the cylindrical object (20) is arranged such that it may be rotatably driven while free access is left for the laser equipment to process the material layer on the inner and outer surfaces of the cylindrical object (20).
Preferably use is made of one single laser (12) of which the beam is split using a beam splitter (13).
Also is claimed an etched metal cylinder which is obtained by etching a metal cylinder (20) using an etching resistance pattern on the inside and outside and formed with use of the claimed process.
Process and device for forming a resist pattern on a cylindrical object, and an etched metal cylinder obtained using such a resist pattern.
Described are a process and device for forming a resist pattern on both the inner side and the outer side of a cylindrical object (20) with use of one or more laser beams.
In the device the cylindrical object (20) is arranged such that it may be rotatably driven while free access is left for the laser equipment to process the material layer on the inner and outer surfaces of the cylindrical object (20).
Preferably use is made of one single laser (12) of which the beam is split using a beam splitter (13).
Also is claimed an etched metal cylinder which is obtained by etching a metal cylinder (20) using an etching resistance pattern on the inside and outside and formed with use of the claimed process.
Description
20039~
Process and device for forming a resist pattern on a cylindrical object, and an etched metal cylinder obtained using such a resist pattern.
The invention relates in the first place to a process for forming a resistance pattern on a cylindrical object, comprising the application of a layer of a material which is resistant or can be made resistant to S a treatment agent to be used and~or the treatment condi-tions, and the formation, using a laser beam treatment, of a pattern of places which are freed of said material layer, if desired followed by further treatment of the material layer in order to make it resistant to the treatment agent and the treatment conditions.
A resistance pat~ern in this case is generally understood to mean a material pattern which protects the underlying parts of a cylinder to which it is applied against the influence of a treatment agent and/or the conditions prevailing during a treatment.
The treatment can be, for example, the etching of a cylinder made of metal or etchable plastic. The treat-ment can also be the electrodeposition of metal in an electrolysis bath.
It will be mainly etching resistance patterns which are discussed below, but the invention i5 not restricted thereto, as is clear from the above.
The formation of a resistance pattern on the outside of a cylindrical object i5 known. During the formation of an etching resistance pattern on a cylindri-!,, ~ I cal metal object, the latter is coated with a layer of material which is resistant or can be made resistant to etching agent, such as a photographic lacquer or in general an organic lacquer. The metal cylindrical object can be, for example, a seamless metal cylindrical object such as a copper, nickel or iron sleeve; it is also possible to start from a cylindrical object which is obtained by welding the ends of a metal sheet to each other.
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Process and device for forming a resist pattern on a cylindrical object, and an etched metal cylinder obtained using such a resist pattern.
The invention relates in the first place to a process for forming a resistance pattern on a cylindrical object, comprising the application of a layer of a material which is resistant or can be made resistant to S a treatment agent to be used and~or the treatment condi-tions, and the formation, using a laser beam treatment, of a pattern of places which are freed of said material layer, if desired followed by further treatment of the material layer in order to make it resistant to the treatment agent and the treatment conditions.
A resistance pat~ern in this case is generally understood to mean a material pattern which protects the underlying parts of a cylinder to which it is applied against the influence of a treatment agent and/or the conditions prevailing during a treatment.
The treatment can be, for example, the etching of a cylinder made of metal or etchable plastic. The treat-ment can also be the electrodeposition of metal in an electrolysis bath.
It will be mainly etching resistance patterns which are discussed below, but the invention i5 not restricted thereto, as is clear from the above.
The formation of a resistance pattern on the outside of a cylindrical object i5 known. During the formation of an etching resistance pattern on a cylindri-!,, ~ I cal metal object, the latter is coated with a layer of material which is resistant or can be made resistant to etching agent, such as a photographic lacquer or in general an organic lacquer. The metal cylindrical object can be, for example, a seamless metal cylindrical object such as a copper, nickel or iron sleeve; it is also possible to start from a cylindrical object which is obtained by welding the ends of a metal sheet to each other.
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For the selection of the materials to be used, the choice of the type of laser beam treatment is impor-tant.
If the laser beam treatment is a burning-away process, then in principle any material which is suitable for burning-away or vaporizing using a laser beam can be selected for the material layer to be used.
If the laser beam treatment is a photochemical treatment, one can opt for a material which hardens under the influence of radiation or is soluble in a developing fluid under the influence of radiation, in which case : ~, negative or positive photographic lacquer system~ are --;
used. Following such a laser beam treatment in the carrying out of a photochemical process, a development step also has to be carried out, in order to remove the material layer from the places which are still soluble or have been made soluble in a developing fluid. If neces~
sary, following any development step, or following the ~ ~ -laser beam treatment itself, an additional treatment can ;~
be carried out in order to give the material layer the desired etching agent resistance.
In all cases, a cylindrical metal object provided with an etching resistance pattern which during the subsequently carried out etching protects the places of the cylindrical object which must not be attacked by etching agent is obtained at the end of the treatments.
During the application of such an etching resis-tance pattern on the outside of the cylindrical ob~ect alone, the problem of a very considerable degree of lateral etching is encountered if perforations have to be formed through etching in the wall of the cylindrical object. -Such a strong lateral etching means that the fineness of the perforation pattern to be applied is greatly limited, on account of the fact that the perfora-tions must not overlap, particularly on the inside of the ~-cylindrical object.
The object of the present invention is to pro~uce a process of the type mentioned in the preamble in which ~ --394~
, it is possible to achieve an etching resistance pattern on both sides of a metal cylindrical object, through which much greater fineness can be achieved in etching through than was the case hitherto.
According to the invention, the above-mentioned process is characterized in that the material layer is applied to both the inside and the outside of the metal cylindrical object, while a pattern of places from which the material layer is removed is formed both on the inside and on the outside, and the patterns on the inside and the outside have a fixed, predetermined relationship to each other.
It was found that it is possible both on the inside and on the outside of a cylindrical metal object to form resistance patterns such as etching resistance patterns which can be positioned with very great accuracy relative to each other, so that etching can take place on two sides.
Etching on both sides means, on the one hand, that a reduction in the lateral etching over the entire thickness of the cylindrical object is achieved, so that greater through etching fineness can be achieved, i.e. a greater perforation density (holes per unit area). It is al80 possible by etching on two sides to achieve a greater passage (open surface per unit area) with the same perforation density. Etching on both sides also means a considerable shortening of the total etching time.
It is pointed out that etching of an object on two sides is known per se. In such known processes the starting material is a flat, sheet-type metal material which is provided on two sides with an etching resistance pattern, the two patterns being positioned very accurate-ly relative to each other. In such a case the image-bearing photographic lacquer patterns on either side of the sheet correspond, and come about by making use of a pattern-forming stage by means of a photographic film system in which the top and bottom film are positioned accurately relative to each other within approximately 25 Z003~4~
If the laser beam treatment is a burning-away process, then in principle any material which is suitable for burning-away or vaporizing using a laser beam can be selected for the material layer to be used.
If the laser beam treatment is a photochemical treatment, one can opt for a material which hardens under the influence of radiation or is soluble in a developing fluid under the influence of radiation, in which case : ~, negative or positive photographic lacquer system~ are --;
used. Following such a laser beam treatment in the carrying out of a photochemical process, a development step also has to be carried out, in order to remove the material layer from the places which are still soluble or have been made soluble in a developing fluid. If neces~
sary, following any development step, or following the ~ ~ -laser beam treatment itself, an additional treatment can ;~
be carried out in order to give the material layer the desired etching agent resistance.
In all cases, a cylindrical metal object provided with an etching resistance pattern which during the subsequently carried out etching protects the places of the cylindrical object which must not be attacked by etching agent is obtained at the end of the treatments.
During the application of such an etching resis-tance pattern on the outside of the cylindrical ob~ect alone, the problem of a very considerable degree of lateral etching is encountered if perforations have to be formed through etching in the wall of the cylindrical object. -Such a strong lateral etching means that the fineness of the perforation pattern to be applied is greatly limited, on account of the fact that the perfora-tions must not overlap, particularly on the inside of the ~-cylindrical object.
The object of the present invention is to pro~uce a process of the type mentioned in the preamble in which ~ --394~
, it is possible to achieve an etching resistance pattern on both sides of a metal cylindrical object, through which much greater fineness can be achieved in etching through than was the case hitherto.
According to the invention, the above-mentioned process is characterized in that the material layer is applied to both the inside and the outside of the metal cylindrical object, while a pattern of places from which the material layer is removed is formed both on the inside and on the outside, and the patterns on the inside and the outside have a fixed, predetermined relationship to each other.
It was found that it is possible both on the inside and on the outside of a cylindrical metal object to form resistance patterns such as etching resistance patterns which can be positioned with very great accuracy relative to each other, so that etching can take place on two sides.
Etching on both sides means, on the one hand, that a reduction in the lateral etching over the entire thickness of the cylindrical object is achieved, so that greater through etching fineness can be achieved, i.e. a greater perforation density (holes per unit area). It is al80 possible by etching on two sides to achieve a greater passage (open surface per unit area) with the same perforation density. Etching on both sides also means a considerable shortening of the total etching time.
It is pointed out that etching of an object on two sides is known per se. In such known processes the starting material is a flat, sheet-type metal material which is provided on two sides with an etching resistance pattern, the two patterns being positioned very accurate-ly relative to each other. In such a case the image-bearing photographic lacquer patterns on either side of the sheet correspond, and come about by making use of a pattern-forming stage by means of a photographic film system in which the top and bottom film are positioned accurately relative to each other within approximately 25 Z003~4~
micrometres.
The above-mentioned known processes give no information concerning the possibility of applying an etching resistance pattern on the inside and outside of S a cylindrical metal object.
The invention also relates to a device for the treatment with a laser beam, according to a predetermined pattern, of a layer of a material situated on the surface of a metal cylindrical object, at least comprising a clamping device for the rotatable mounting of the cylind-rical object, laser beam forming means, laser beam deflection and guide means, and electronic measuring and control systems for the regulation and control of the laser beam treatment. - ;~
Such a device is according to the invention characterized in that the device has means for accom-modating the end parts of a cylindrical object to be `
treated while leaving free the inside thereof, and in that it is provided with means for the formation of two laser beams, and guide means are present to feed the two beams to two beam focusing elements which are disposed ~ -opposite the outside and inside of the cylindrical object, and provision is made for means by which the beam focusing elements can carry out a controlled movement along lines which are parallel to the axis of the cylind-rical object, Eor the formation of patterns of places of :
a material layer treated with a laser beam on the in~ide ;~
and outside of the cylindrical ob~ect.
In particular, use is made of a beam splitting ~-device for splitting a single laser beam coming from one laser device into two partial beams. ~ -It was found that it is possible to use two laser beams or to split a formed laser beam into two partial ~i beams using a laser beam splitting device which is known per se, and to use the two beams or partial beams for processing material layers lying on the inside and outside of a cylindrical object, in order to form therein a pattern of places which have the material in question removed from them, so that in that way an etching :-: ':
: :-~ ':: ;.
:
2~3~49 resistance pattern is formed on both sides of the cylindrical object.
It is pointed out that a device of the type described above as the point of departure is kncwn per se from Austrian Patent Specification 382558 issued March 10, 1987.
The above-mentioned patent specification describes a device in which a lacquered screen printing stencil can be clamped on a clamping roller and a ~rogrammed laser beam is used to burn open those holes which lie in the p~rts of the stencil corresponding to the pattern parts which have to be printed using the stencil. The present application describes a device for the treatment of material layers present on the inside and outside of a cylindrical object, such as a metal sleeve. For this purpose, the clamping of the cylindrical object is arranged in such a way in the device according to the invention that the inside thereof remains free.
In its entirety, the device according to the invention will, as indicated, comprise two laser devices with the corresponding deflection, guide, control and regulating means.
If two lasers with separate control and regulation are used, a separate pattern can be formed simultaneously or otherwise on the inside and outside of a cylinder. Through coupling of the two systems a relationship between the two patterns can be ensured. The device according to the invention expediently has one laser device whose beam is split into two partial beams by means of a beam splitting device.
In order to make allowance for any wobbling of the cylindrical object to be treated, means are advantageously pr~esent in at least one of the beam focusing elements for keeping constant the distance between the centre of the lens system lorming part of a beam focusing element and the centre of the point where the beam strikes the cylindrical object to be treated.
.;~ .
r~ 2 ~ ~ 3 ~ ~ 9 Such systems of ~eeping the distance constant are known and described for example in JP-A-S8225107 and JP-A-6172214;
the incorporation thereof results in the distance between focusing lens assembly and the surface of a clamped cylinder being kept largely constant. -For a precise determination of the distance between, for example, a focusing lens system and an object on which focusing has to take place, use can be made of the processes 10and devices for measuring distance described in GB-A-2066449 and GB-A-2158228.
The distance-determining means described in the latter application can be used successfully in the means for keeping a constant distance disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese publications.
In particular, it is possible with the device according `
to the invention to form patterns which have a fixed, predetermined relationship to each other on the inside and outside of the cylindrical element. ,~
20As will be indicated later, this can mean that the ~ ~;
patterns on the inside and outside of the metal cylinder are identical, but it can also mean that the patterns are not identical and are displaced relative to each other.
Finally, the invention relates to an etched metal ;~
cylinder, obtained by etching of a metal cylinder using an etching resistance pattern which is removed after the etching operation, characterized in that the point of departure is a ~ ~
cylinder having on the inside and outside thereof an etching - ~-resistance pattern which was obtained by use of the process according to the invention, as described above.
The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawing, in which:
Fig. l shows a schematic picture of a device according to the invention; and -~
35Fig. 2 shows in cross-section a number of ~
' ~ .
- : - ~,.
h Z~1039~
possible pattern forms and pattern positionings.
Fig. 1 shows a device indicated by 1 for treating a cylindrical metal object which is pro~ided on the inside and outside with material layers.
5The cylindrical metal object 20 is, for example, a seamless sleeve which is formed by electrodeposition of nickel and is provided on the inside and outside with a suitable organic lacquer which can be burned away locally using laser radiation.
10The device has a laser 11 and laser guide and splitting means 12 and 13 respectively. The beam splitter 13 divides the beam into 2 parts which can be of equal ~
or, if desired, unequal intensity. The two partial beams -are guided via the mirror means 8, 8' and 6, 6' to the 15laser focusing means 5 and 5~, and the focus of the two partial beams comes to lie in the centre of the material layer which is at the inside and outside of the cylin-drical metal object 20. The focusing point is shown schematically by 21.
20The cylindrical metal object is clamped by means of end rings 25 (in enlarged cross-section detail indi-cated by 25'), rotary means and clamping means 2 and 3.
The cylindrical metal object 20, which is provi-ded on the inside and outside with a sui~able material 25layer, i8 rotated about its axis, and during the rotation the focusing means 5 and 5' carry out a predetermined movement which is parallel to the axis of the cylinder 20, and during which the actuation of the partial beam guide means is such that the partial beams can carry out 30their action on the relevant material layers as desired and according to a predetermined programme.
During the operation the laser focusing means 5 and 5' and the appropriate deflection means 6 and 6' are moved along spindles 4 and 4' according to a predeter-35mined plan, in which the movement is regulated by means -of motors 18 and 19 which are coupled to a central logical unit. The rotation of the cylindrical object is also regulated by means of motor 17, which is likewise connected to the central logical unit such as a computer.
...~ .~ ~ . , . . : i : . .
2(~394'~3 As can be seen schematically, the position of the partial beam focusing unit 5' is determined by making a part of the partial beam 22 radiate through the mirror 6' by making the latter slightly ~ransparent. The position of the focusing device 5' is in this way fixed relative to the optical ruler 23 whose signal is fed back via connection 24 to the central logical unit 10. The laser -~
regulation unit 14 is also coupled to the central com-puter, so that the computer can carry out a regulation which according to a predetermined programme regulates `~
the displacement of the focusing units 5 and 5'; the rotation of the cylinder 20; and the functioning of the ;`
partial beams transmitted by focusing means 5 and 5'.
The position of 5~ relative to the ruler can be ~ -determined as indicated above. Instead of using a part of ~ ~
the beam 22, a small laser which is made to shine on the .
ruler 23 can also be connected to 5~; in this way an ;~
accurate position fixing is also possible. Even without the use of a ruler, a position determination and reguila-tion can take place by feeding the motor position of the motor 18 and/or 19 back to the logical unit 10. Of ~ ;
course, such an approach is po~sible only if the mechan-ical accuracy of the motor, coupling and spindle is great enough and the settings thereof are reproducible.
The signal coming from a scanner can also be fed via an interface 15 to the computer, so that a direct translation can be produced between an original scanned on a scanner and the pattern applied by ~he laser irradiation to the inside and outside of a cylinder 20.
Fig. 2 shows schematically how the etching resistance patterns on either side of the wall of a cylindrical object can be positioned relative to each other, and how the shapes of both etching resistance patterns can relate to each other.
Fig. 2a shows a part of the wall of a cylindrical object 30 on which there are patterns 31 and 32 on two sides. The patterns show apertures 35 and 36, and it can be seen that an etching which formed hollows 33 and 34 has already taken place. In the situation shown, the ~()o~
etching can be continued until a full perforation of the material 30 is achieved. The etching can also be ended at this moment or continued for a short time further to ensure that a pattern of hollows is formed on the inside and outside of the material, but with the material not being fully etched through.
In the latter case a pattern of pits is obtained on both sides of the cylindrical metal object, the total pits being capable of containing information which can be scanned with optical or mechanical means.
It goes without saying that such a cylinder, which is provided on two side~ with a quantity of information can also be cut open to form a flat metal sheet which contains information on two sides.
Fig. 2b shows the situation in which the etching resistance patterns 31 and 32 are in the same position relative to each other on both sides of the cylindrical object, but where the patterns on the two sides differ from each other as regards open surface. During etching, the hollow 34 will have a smaller surface than the hollow 33, due to the fact that the aperture 35 is smaller in area than the aperture 36 (for an indication see Fig. 2a).
Such an arrangement and formation can be important if the lateral etching ha~ to be avoided to a large extent at one side of the cylindrical object. In the case illustrated here in Fig. 2b, complete etching through of the cylinder can also be produced depending on the envisaged purpose, while an etching oYer only part of the total thickness can also be carried out through doublesidedetching.
It can be seen from Fig. 2c that the patterns formed on both sides of the cylinder differ both in shape and in positioning. In this case an example could be a situation in which the etching resistance pattern 31 is of a grid nature at the top side, while the etching resistance pattern 32 on the inside has slit-type aper-tures which are arranged in a spiral form, and on through etching at predetermined places a slit-type aperture :
--: 20~3~4~ :
- 1 0 - ~'' '' ' ';
lyins in the spiral and a hole-shaped aperture touch each other. Fig. 2d shows the situation in which the etching resistance patterns are the same shape, but the position-ing of the patterns differs.
5Finally, it is also conceivable to have a situa-tion in which the etching resistance patterns are of different shapes on the inside and outside of the cylin~
der, and in which the positions of the two patterns bear no relation to each other. ;
10The etching resistance patterns shown in Figs. 2a to 2d can be formed simultaneously by laser irradiation in both material layers (where necessary, in conjunction with necessary developing and~or subsequent treatment ~-steps), but they can also be formed one after the other.
15If the patterns are formed after one another, the -~
formation can still be carried out in the same movement of the two focusing devices 5 and 5', while each of the patterns can also be formed in a separate passage and the focusing means 5 and 5' are actuated and controlled 20independently of each other.
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The above-mentioned known processes give no information concerning the possibility of applying an etching resistance pattern on the inside and outside of S a cylindrical metal object.
The invention also relates to a device for the treatment with a laser beam, according to a predetermined pattern, of a layer of a material situated on the surface of a metal cylindrical object, at least comprising a clamping device for the rotatable mounting of the cylind-rical object, laser beam forming means, laser beam deflection and guide means, and electronic measuring and control systems for the regulation and control of the laser beam treatment. - ;~
Such a device is according to the invention characterized in that the device has means for accom-modating the end parts of a cylindrical object to be `
treated while leaving free the inside thereof, and in that it is provided with means for the formation of two laser beams, and guide means are present to feed the two beams to two beam focusing elements which are disposed ~ -opposite the outside and inside of the cylindrical object, and provision is made for means by which the beam focusing elements can carry out a controlled movement along lines which are parallel to the axis of the cylind-rical object, Eor the formation of patterns of places of :
a material layer treated with a laser beam on the in~ide ;~
and outside of the cylindrical ob~ect.
In particular, use is made of a beam splitting ~-device for splitting a single laser beam coming from one laser device into two partial beams. ~ -It was found that it is possible to use two laser beams or to split a formed laser beam into two partial ~i beams using a laser beam splitting device which is known per se, and to use the two beams or partial beams for processing material layers lying on the inside and outside of a cylindrical object, in order to form therein a pattern of places which have the material in question removed from them, so that in that way an etching :-: ':
: :-~ ':: ;.
:
2~3~49 resistance pattern is formed on both sides of the cylindrical object.
It is pointed out that a device of the type described above as the point of departure is kncwn per se from Austrian Patent Specification 382558 issued March 10, 1987.
The above-mentioned patent specification describes a device in which a lacquered screen printing stencil can be clamped on a clamping roller and a ~rogrammed laser beam is used to burn open those holes which lie in the p~rts of the stencil corresponding to the pattern parts which have to be printed using the stencil. The present application describes a device for the treatment of material layers present on the inside and outside of a cylindrical object, such as a metal sleeve. For this purpose, the clamping of the cylindrical object is arranged in such a way in the device according to the invention that the inside thereof remains free.
In its entirety, the device according to the invention will, as indicated, comprise two laser devices with the corresponding deflection, guide, control and regulating means.
If two lasers with separate control and regulation are used, a separate pattern can be formed simultaneously or otherwise on the inside and outside of a cylinder. Through coupling of the two systems a relationship between the two patterns can be ensured. The device according to the invention expediently has one laser device whose beam is split into two partial beams by means of a beam splitting device.
In order to make allowance for any wobbling of the cylindrical object to be treated, means are advantageously pr~esent in at least one of the beam focusing elements for keeping constant the distance between the centre of the lens system lorming part of a beam focusing element and the centre of the point where the beam strikes the cylindrical object to be treated.
.;~ .
r~ 2 ~ ~ 3 ~ ~ 9 Such systems of ~eeping the distance constant are known and described for example in JP-A-S8225107 and JP-A-6172214;
the incorporation thereof results in the distance between focusing lens assembly and the surface of a clamped cylinder being kept largely constant. -For a precise determination of the distance between, for example, a focusing lens system and an object on which focusing has to take place, use can be made of the processes 10and devices for measuring distance described in GB-A-2066449 and GB-A-2158228.
The distance-determining means described in the latter application can be used successfully in the means for keeping a constant distance disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese publications.
In particular, it is possible with the device according `
to the invention to form patterns which have a fixed, predetermined relationship to each other on the inside and outside of the cylindrical element. ,~
20As will be indicated later, this can mean that the ~ ~;
patterns on the inside and outside of the metal cylinder are identical, but it can also mean that the patterns are not identical and are displaced relative to each other.
Finally, the invention relates to an etched metal ;~
cylinder, obtained by etching of a metal cylinder using an etching resistance pattern which is removed after the etching operation, characterized in that the point of departure is a ~ ~
cylinder having on the inside and outside thereof an etching - ~-resistance pattern which was obtained by use of the process according to the invention, as described above.
The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawing, in which:
Fig. l shows a schematic picture of a device according to the invention; and -~
35Fig. 2 shows in cross-section a number of ~
' ~ .
- : - ~,.
h Z~1039~
possible pattern forms and pattern positionings.
Fig. 1 shows a device indicated by 1 for treating a cylindrical metal object which is pro~ided on the inside and outside with material layers.
5The cylindrical metal object 20 is, for example, a seamless sleeve which is formed by electrodeposition of nickel and is provided on the inside and outside with a suitable organic lacquer which can be burned away locally using laser radiation.
10The device has a laser 11 and laser guide and splitting means 12 and 13 respectively. The beam splitter 13 divides the beam into 2 parts which can be of equal ~
or, if desired, unequal intensity. The two partial beams -are guided via the mirror means 8, 8' and 6, 6' to the 15laser focusing means 5 and 5~, and the focus of the two partial beams comes to lie in the centre of the material layer which is at the inside and outside of the cylin-drical metal object 20. The focusing point is shown schematically by 21.
20The cylindrical metal object is clamped by means of end rings 25 (in enlarged cross-section detail indi-cated by 25'), rotary means and clamping means 2 and 3.
The cylindrical metal object 20, which is provi-ded on the inside and outside with a sui~able material 25layer, i8 rotated about its axis, and during the rotation the focusing means 5 and 5' carry out a predetermined movement which is parallel to the axis of the cylinder 20, and during which the actuation of the partial beam guide means is such that the partial beams can carry out 30their action on the relevant material layers as desired and according to a predetermined programme.
During the operation the laser focusing means 5 and 5' and the appropriate deflection means 6 and 6' are moved along spindles 4 and 4' according to a predeter-35mined plan, in which the movement is regulated by means -of motors 18 and 19 which are coupled to a central logical unit. The rotation of the cylindrical object is also regulated by means of motor 17, which is likewise connected to the central logical unit such as a computer.
...~ .~ ~ . , . . : i : . .
2(~394'~3 As can be seen schematically, the position of the partial beam focusing unit 5' is determined by making a part of the partial beam 22 radiate through the mirror 6' by making the latter slightly ~ransparent. The position of the focusing device 5' is in this way fixed relative to the optical ruler 23 whose signal is fed back via connection 24 to the central logical unit 10. The laser -~
regulation unit 14 is also coupled to the central com-puter, so that the computer can carry out a regulation which according to a predetermined programme regulates `~
the displacement of the focusing units 5 and 5'; the rotation of the cylinder 20; and the functioning of the ;`
partial beams transmitted by focusing means 5 and 5'.
The position of 5~ relative to the ruler can be ~ -determined as indicated above. Instead of using a part of ~ ~
the beam 22, a small laser which is made to shine on the .
ruler 23 can also be connected to 5~; in this way an ;~
accurate position fixing is also possible. Even without the use of a ruler, a position determination and reguila-tion can take place by feeding the motor position of the motor 18 and/or 19 back to the logical unit 10. Of ~ ;
course, such an approach is po~sible only if the mechan-ical accuracy of the motor, coupling and spindle is great enough and the settings thereof are reproducible.
The signal coming from a scanner can also be fed via an interface 15 to the computer, so that a direct translation can be produced between an original scanned on a scanner and the pattern applied by ~he laser irradiation to the inside and outside of a cylinder 20.
Fig. 2 shows schematically how the etching resistance patterns on either side of the wall of a cylindrical object can be positioned relative to each other, and how the shapes of both etching resistance patterns can relate to each other.
Fig. 2a shows a part of the wall of a cylindrical object 30 on which there are patterns 31 and 32 on two sides. The patterns show apertures 35 and 36, and it can be seen that an etching which formed hollows 33 and 34 has already taken place. In the situation shown, the ~()o~
etching can be continued until a full perforation of the material 30 is achieved. The etching can also be ended at this moment or continued for a short time further to ensure that a pattern of hollows is formed on the inside and outside of the material, but with the material not being fully etched through.
In the latter case a pattern of pits is obtained on both sides of the cylindrical metal object, the total pits being capable of containing information which can be scanned with optical or mechanical means.
It goes without saying that such a cylinder, which is provided on two side~ with a quantity of information can also be cut open to form a flat metal sheet which contains information on two sides.
Fig. 2b shows the situation in which the etching resistance patterns 31 and 32 are in the same position relative to each other on both sides of the cylindrical object, but where the patterns on the two sides differ from each other as regards open surface. During etching, the hollow 34 will have a smaller surface than the hollow 33, due to the fact that the aperture 35 is smaller in area than the aperture 36 (for an indication see Fig. 2a).
Such an arrangement and formation can be important if the lateral etching ha~ to be avoided to a large extent at one side of the cylindrical object. In the case illustrated here in Fig. 2b, complete etching through of the cylinder can also be produced depending on the envisaged purpose, while an etching oYer only part of the total thickness can also be carried out through doublesidedetching.
It can be seen from Fig. 2c that the patterns formed on both sides of the cylinder differ both in shape and in positioning. In this case an example could be a situation in which the etching resistance pattern 31 is of a grid nature at the top side, while the etching resistance pattern 32 on the inside has slit-type aper-tures which are arranged in a spiral form, and on through etching at predetermined places a slit-type aperture :
--: 20~3~4~ :
- 1 0 - ~'' '' ' ';
lyins in the spiral and a hole-shaped aperture touch each other. Fig. 2d shows the situation in which the etching resistance patterns are the same shape, but the position-ing of the patterns differs.
5Finally, it is also conceivable to have a situa-tion in which the etching resistance patterns are of different shapes on the inside and outside of the cylin~
der, and in which the positions of the two patterns bear no relation to each other. ;
10The etching resistance patterns shown in Figs. 2a to 2d can be formed simultaneously by laser irradiation in both material layers (where necessary, in conjunction with necessary developing and~or subsequent treatment ~-steps), but they can also be formed one after the other.
15If the patterns are formed after one another, the -~
formation can still be carried out in the same movement of the two focusing devices 5 and 5', while each of the patterns can also be formed in a separate passage and the focusing means 5 and 5' are actuated and controlled 20independently of each other.
:' ~ ' '^ .
'' ~ ' ~ '~', "
' "", ,~
~, ~
~: . . ,:, ', ; ' ~,'~''"'' ... ~ , ,.
Claims (6)
1. Process for forming a resistance pattern on a cylindrical object, comprising the application of a layer of a material which is resistant or can be made resistant to a treatment agent to be used and the treat-ment conditions, and the formation, using a laser beam treatment, of a pattern of places which are freed of said material layer, if desired followed by further treatment of the material layer in order to make it etch-resistant to the treatment agent and the treatment conditions, characterized in that the material layer (31, 32) is applied to both the inside and the outside of the cylind-rical object (30), and a pattern of places (35, 36) from which the material layer (31, 32) is removed is formed both on the inside and on the outside, while the patterns on the inside and the outside have a fixed, predetermined relationship to each other.
2. Device for the treatment with a laser beam, according to a predetermined pattern, of a layer of a material situated on the surface of a metal cylindrical object, at least comprising a clamping device for the rotatable mounting of the cylindrical object, laser beam forming means, laser beam deflection and guide means, and electronic measuring and regulating systems for the regulation and control of the laser beam treatment, characterized in that the device has means (2, 3) for accommodating the end parts (25) of a cylindrical object (20), while leaving free the inside thereof, and in that the device (1) is provided with means for the formation of two laser beams, and guide means (6, 6', 8, 8') are present to feed the two beams to two beam focusing elements (5, 5') which are disposed opposite the outside and inside of the cylindrical object (20), and provision is made for means by which the beam focusing elements (5, 5') can carry out a controlled movement along lines (4, 4') which are parallel to the axis of the cylindrical object (20) for the formation of patterns of places of a material layer treated with a laser beam on the inside and outside of the cylindrical object.
3. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the means for forming two laser beams comprise a laser beam splitting device (13) for forming two partial laser beams (21, 22).
4. Device according to Claim. 2, charac-terized in that at least one of the beam focusing ele-ments (5, 5') has means for keeping a constant predeter-mined distance between the centre of the lens system forming part of a beam focusing element (5, 5') and the centre of the striking point (21) of the beam against the surface of the cylindrical object (20).
5. Device according to Claim 2, charac-terized in that the device is capable of forming patterns which have a fixed, predetermined relation to each other on the inside and outside of the cylindrical element (20).
6. Etched metal cylinder obtained by etching a metal cylinder using an etching resistance pattern which is removed after the etching operation, charac-terized in that the etching resistance pattern is on the inside and outside of the cylinder and is obtained by using the process according to Claim 1.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL8802928A NL8802928A (en) | 1988-11-28 | 1988-11-28 | A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A RESISTANT PATTERN ON A CYLINDRICAL ART AND A METAL CYLINDER CREATED BY THE USE OF SUCH A RESISTANCE PATTERN. |
| NL8802928 | 1988-11-28 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2003949A1 CA2003949A1 (en) | 1990-05-28 |
| CA2003949C true CA2003949C (en) | 1994-08-16 |
Family
ID=19853300
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002003949A Expired - Fee Related CA2003949C (en) | 1988-11-28 | 1989-11-27 | Process and device for forming a resist pattern on a cylindrical object, and an etched metal cylinder obtained using such a resist pattern |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0445207A1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH04502433A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU631393B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2003949C (en) |
| NL (1) | NL8802928A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1990006234A1 (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA898561B (en) |
Families Citing this family (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB9016488D0 (en) * | 1990-07-27 | 1990-09-12 | Zed Instr Ltd | Printing cylinder |
| GB9017190D0 (en) * | 1990-08-06 | 1990-09-19 | Zed Instr Ltd | Printing member engraving |
| DE4404560C1 (en) * | 1994-02-12 | 1995-08-24 | Schepers Druckformtechnik Gmbh | Process for producing a mother die for the galvanic production of seamless rotary screen printing stencils, in particular made of nickel |
| GB2326952B (en) * | 1997-07-03 | 2002-06-12 | Gkn Sheepbridge Stokes Ltd | Method of providing microscopic features |
| US9307648B2 (en) | 2004-01-21 | 2016-04-05 | Microcontinuum, Inc. | Roll-to-roll patterning of transparent and metallic layers |
| US7833389B1 (en) | 2005-01-21 | 2010-11-16 | Microcontinuum, Inc. | Replication tools and related fabrication methods and apparatus |
| US8062495B2 (en) | 2005-01-21 | 2011-11-22 | Microcontinuum, Inc. | Replication tools and related fabrication methods and apparatus |
| EP1905065B1 (en) | 2005-06-20 | 2014-08-13 | Microcontinuum, Inc. | Roll-to-roll patterning |
| US8845912B2 (en) | 2010-11-22 | 2014-09-30 | Microcontinuum, Inc. | Tools and methods for forming semi-transparent patterning masks |
| US9589797B2 (en) | 2013-05-17 | 2017-03-07 | Microcontinuum, Inc. | Tools and methods for producing nanoantenna electronic devices |
| CN109435438A (en) * | 2018-12-30 | 2019-03-08 | 广州市申发机电有限公司 | A kind of complete complex-curved screen process press of servo drive control monochrome double-station |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AU6984274A (en) * | 1973-06-08 | 1975-12-11 | Grace W R & Co | Printing plate process |
| AU493268B2 (en) * | 1976-01-20 | 1977-07-28 | American Hoechst Corp. | Laser read-write system forthe production of engravings |
| DE2708039A1 (en) * | 1977-02-24 | 1979-04-19 | Boc Ltd | Beam splitter for laser for welding large pipes - has reflecting tube allowing constant and varying beams to rotate around one another |
| GB8727613D0 (en) * | 1987-11-25 | 1987-12-31 | Zed Instr Ltd | Moving support |
-
1988
- 1988-11-28 NL NL8802928A patent/NL8802928A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
1989
- 1989-11-09 ZA ZA898561A patent/ZA898561B/en unknown
- 1989-11-24 EP EP90900372A patent/EP0445207A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1989-11-24 JP JP2501153A patent/JPH04502433A/en active Pending
- 1989-11-24 WO PCT/NL1989/000088 patent/WO1990006234A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1989-11-24 AU AU48072/90A patent/AU631393B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1989-11-27 CA CA002003949A patent/CA2003949C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| NL8802928A (en) | 1990-06-18 |
| AU4807290A (en) | 1990-06-26 |
| JPH04502433A (en) | 1992-05-07 |
| ZA898561B (en) | 1990-08-29 |
| AU631393B2 (en) | 1992-11-26 |
| WO1990006234A1 (en) | 1990-06-14 |
| CA2003949A1 (en) | 1990-05-28 |
| EP0445207A1 (en) | 1991-09-11 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |