GB1604794A

GB1604794A - Film lenticulating and laminating apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: GB1604794A
Application number: GB25516/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Winnek D F
Current assignee: Winnek D F
Priority date: 1977-06-15
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-12-16
Also published as: JPS5753931B2; NL7805275A; CA1099207A; DE2819811A1; JPS547325A

Description

(54) FILM LENTICULATING AND LAMINATING APPARATUS AND METHOD 071) I, DOUGLAS FREDWELL WINNEK, a citizen of the United States of America, of 10450 West Loyola Drive, Los Atlos Hills, California, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to improvements in the preparation of films for use in threedimensional radiography and, particularly, to an apparatus and a method for forming a composite film from two films having a photographic emulsion on one face and a number of lenticulations on the opposite face.

U.S. Patent Nos. 2,218,227 and 2,562,078, disclose several methods of lenticulating a photographic film. In the first patent, a thermoplastic film is heated and passed over a lenticulating drum so that lenticulations can be formed in one face of the film. The film is of unitary construction and has a photographic emulsion on the opposite face thereof. The disadvantage associated with this technique is that the emulsion is adversely affected by the presence of the heat applied to the film. Moreover, the particular film involved, cellulose acetate, is not dimensionally stable in the presence of heat.

The second patent describes the use of a solvent to soften one face of a film, such as cellulose acetate, before it is moved onto a lenticulating drum so that lenticulations can be formed in the softened face of the film. A disadvantage with the technique of this patent is that the softening of the film by the solvent has an adverse effect on the emulsion because the cellulose acetate film is not dimensionally stable, thereby causing variations in the thickness of the emulsion applied to one face of the film.

Present day photographic film for X-ray, colour and black on white photographs is typically formed by applying a photosensitive emulsion to one face of a film of a polyester base material. Such material has very good dimensional stability; however, it becomes less so when subjected to heat and it must be heated to be softened sufficiently to permit lenticulations to be formed in one of its faces. Moreover, such lenticulations will be deformed or lost unless the material is chilled in the impression mould which forms the lenticulations. Also, the heat which must be applied to do the moulding warps and disfigures the emulsion.

Thus, while polyester based material is highly suited for use as photographic film, it is not suitable for receiving lenticulations on one of its faces.

A need has arisen to provide a photographic film with lenticulations which film can be readily exposed and developed, and the photographic image on the film can readily be viewed through the lenticulations already applied thereto so as to obtain a three-dimensional effect. Since the polyester based material, the typical base for photographic film, cannot be adequately lenticulated and because cellulose acetate can readily be lenticulated at room temperature, I have sought to provide a simple apparatus and method for forming a composite film which satisfies the foregoing need.

Thus the present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method for lenticulating a first of two films and laminating the two films together after the first film has been lenticulated. Thus, one of the films which is coated with a photographic emulsion can be bonded to a clear, flexible plastic film which is easily lenticulated so as to form a composite film which avoids the problems mentioned above with respect to the lenticulating of polyester based photographic film.

Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a method of forming a composite film having lenticulations on one face thereof and a photographic emulsion on the opposite face which comprises moving a first flexible film along a first path, applying a solvent to one face of the first film to soften the same, lenticulating the softened face of the first film, moving a second film along a second path of travel towards the first path with the second film having a photographic emulsion on one face thereof, laminating that face of the second film not carrying the photographic emulsion to the non-lenticulated face of the first film.

The resultant film can be used immediately to provide a three-dimensional image when the emulsion is exposed, processed and the resulting photographic images are viewed through the lenticulations.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for forming a photographic film with lenticulations thereon which comprises a support; means on the support for holding a supply of a first flexible, plastics film, a lenticulating drum rotatably mounted on the support for forming lenticulations in one face of the first film, means adjacent to the lenticulating drum for applying solvent to the face of the first film which is to be lenticulated, means on the support for holding a second flexible film with one face thereof having a photographic emulsion coated thereon; a guide means on the support for guiding the uncoated face of the second film into face-to-face engagement with the non-lenticulated face of the first film; means for laminating the two films together to form a composite film.

After lamination of the two films together, the bonding agent between the films is allowed to set to a permanent condition so that the resulting composite film has lenticulations on one face and a photographic emulsion on the opposite face.

Means adjacent the path of travel of the second film for applying a cement to the uncoated face of the second film prior to laminating the two films may be included.

The invention is further illustrated in the accompanying Drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a portion of the apparatus, showing the elements which lenticulate one film and bond the two films together; Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, crosssectional view of the film or sheet after it has been lenticulated by the apparatus; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, crosssectional view of the lenticulating roller of the apparatus.

Lenticulating and laminating apparatus 10 includes a frame-like support 12 having a pair of generally parallel side members 14 and 16 (see Figure 2) disposed above a floor or other surface by a number of legs 13. Members 14 and 16 are generally horizontal; however, they can be incline without departing from the scope of the invention.

Apparatus 10 includes a first film supply roller 20 near one end 22 of support 12.

Roller 20 is adapted to receive a flexible film or sheet 24 wound on the roller 20, film 24 being the material to be lenticulated. Preferably, this film is of cellulose acetate, a clear, flexible plastics material, having a thickness of about 10 mils.

Roller 20 is mounted by a shaft 26 in any suitable manner between side members 14 and 16 for rotation relative to support 12. For purposes of illustration, shaft 26 and a number of other shafts yet to be described are coupled by bearing blocks, such as bearing blocks 28, secured to side members 14 and 16.

Film 24 is movable off roller 20 and beneath an idler roller 30 spaced from roller 20 and disposed between members 14 and 16 as shown in Fig. 2. From idler 30, film 24 is movable beneath a second idler 32 and then over and partially about a pressure roller 34 which bears against a lenticulating drum 36. The pressure exerted by roller 34 against drum 36 can be adjusted by adjusting a pair of screws 38 enagaging bearing blocks 40 shiftably mounted in any suitable manner on side members 14 and 16.

Lenticulating drum 36 is provided with an outer surface of the type shown in Fig.

5. To this end, such outer surface includes a series of annular recesses 42 which are in side-by-side relationship so that the resulting lenticulation on one face of film 24 is as shown in Fig. 4. To assist in lenticulation film 24 is softened by applying a small amount of solvent to the face to be lenticulated. Thus, solvent feeder means 46 is provided for depositing a small amount of the solvent, such as acetone, to the upper longitudinal region 52 at the junction of roller 34 and drum 36 as shown in Fig. 3. The solvent contacts this face of the film and is just enough to soften the film to a small depth so that the face is readily moulded by the outer surface of drum 36 to thereby form lenticulations 44 shown in Fig. 4. Solvent feeder means 46 comprises a feeder tube containing acetone 48 which drips from a lower opening or series of openings 50 into region 52.

As film 24 passes beneath and partially about drum 36, it is lenticulated since it is mouldable due to contact with the solvent.

The lenticulations remain in the face of the film 24 as the film leaves drum 36 and moves upwardly along an inclined path in the direction of arrow 54 (Fig. 1).

Near the point of where film 24 leaves the drum 36, a second film or sheet 56 of a suitable photographic film, such as X-ray film, colour film, or black on white film, the latter being either negative or positive, moves into control with and is bonded to the face of film 24 which is not lenticulated. To this end, a supply roller 58 containing film 56 in roll form is provided between members 14 and 16. Film 56, after leaving roller 58, passes down and partially about an idler 60 but then upwardly toward, over and partially about a second idler 62, then downwardly and beneath and partially about a pressure roller 64 which presses film 56 into intimate contact with the unlenticulated face of film 24. Film 56 has an emulsion side which is kept out of contact with film 24. This emulsion side can be covered by a paper belt (not shown) to protect it.

A mass of fiowable cement contained in the trough 66 below side members 14 and 16 is transferred by a transfer roller 68 to the opposite side of film 56 as the film is moved beneath and about pressure roller 64. This cement is used to bond film 56 to film 24 when they come into intimate contact with each other at a region denoted by the numberal 70 (Fig. 1). The cement is wiped from roller 68 by a doctor blade to obtain the desired thickness on film 56.

The bonding of films 24 and 56 forms a composite sheet 72 which is then moved upwardly along an inclined path and about a roller 74 at the upper end of a frame 76 comprised of a number of upright channel members 78 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The length of the path from drum 36 to roller 74 is sufficient to cause setting of the cement and thereby the permanent bonding of sheets 24 and 56 together. Typically, the composite film moves under tension during the drying period at a speed of about 1 foot per minute to assure sufficient setting time for a good bond. After passing over roller 74, the composite sheet passes downwardly and then is wound onto a roll 80 by means of which it can be taken off apparatus 10 and put into use or stored for subsequent use.

A rotating means is provided for rotating drum 36, roller 68 and roller 80. For purposes of illustration, a single drive motor 82 is shown below members 14 and 16 on support 12. A first belt and pulley assembly 84 couples the drive shaft 86 of the motor with shaft 88 of drum 36. A second belt and pulley assembly 90 couples drive shaft 86 with drive shaft 92 and roller 68. A third belt and pulley assembly 94 couples drive shaft 86 with shaft 96 of roller 80.

Drum 36 can have any desired number of recesses 42 formed therein. The number of recesses can be from 100 to 1,000 per inch and typically, the radius of curvature of each recess 42 is selected to be approximately one-third of the thickness of the film.

By means of the apparatus of the present invention, a thin film of transparent cellulose acetate is bonded (laminated) to polyester film base at normal room temperatures. The sensitive emulsion of the polyester film may be protected by a paper belt (not shown) held in contact with the polyester film while the latter is first coated with the cement from trough 66 and then bonded to the cellulose acetate film by pressure and contact.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. An apparatus for forming a photographic film with lenticulations thereon which comprises a support; means on the support for holding a supply of a first flexible, plastics film, a lenticulating drum rotatably mounted on the support for forming lenticulations in one face of the first film, means adjacent to the lenticulating drum for applying solvent to the face of the first film which is to be lenticulated, means on the support for holding a second flexible film with one face thereof having a photographic emulsion coated thereon; a guide means on the support for guiding the uncoated face of the second film into face-to-face engagement with the non-lenticulated face of the first film; means for laminating the two films together to form a composite film.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, which further includes a cement applying means adjacent the path of travel of the second film for applying a cement to the uncoated face of the second film.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a pressure roller mounted on the support adjacent the lenticulating drum is provided for forcing the first film into engagement with the drum, the solvent applying means being adjacent to the junction between the pressure roller and the drum.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guide means includes a pressure roller carried by the support and disposed adjacent to the drum for forcing the second film into engagement with the first film near the point at which the first film leaves the drum after the drum has lenticulated the first film.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the guide means include a pressure roller carried by the support and spaced from the drum to direct the second film into engagement with the first film before the first film is lenticulated by the drum.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a frame is provided

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. of a suitable photographic film, such as X-ray film, colour film, or black on white film, the latter being either negative or positive, moves into control with and is bonded to the face of film 24 which is not lenticulated. To this end, a supply roller 58 containing film 56 in roll form is provided between members 14 and 16. Film 56, after leaving roller 58, passes down and partially about an idler 60 but then upwardly toward, over and partially about a second idler 62, then downwardly and beneath and partially about a pressure roller 64 which presses film 56 into intimate contact with the unlenticulated face of film 24. Film 56 has an emulsion side which is kept out of contact with film 24. This emulsion side can be covered by a paper belt (not shown) to protect it. A mass of fiowable cement contained in the trough 66 below side members 14 and 16 is transferred by a transfer roller 68 to the opposite side of film 56 as the film is moved beneath and about pressure roller 64. This cement is used to bond film 56 to film 24 when they come into intimate contact with each other at a region denoted by the numberal 70 (Fig. 1). The cement is wiped from roller 68 by a doctor blade to obtain the desired thickness on film 56. The bonding of films 24 and 56 forms a composite sheet 72 which is then moved upwardly along an inclined path and about a roller 74 at the upper end of a frame 76 comprised of a number of upright channel members 78 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The length of the path from drum 36 to roller 74 is sufficient to cause setting of the cement and thereby the permanent bonding of sheets 24 and 56 together. Typically, the composite film moves under tension during the drying period at a speed of about 1 foot per minute to assure sufficient setting time for a good bond. After passing over roller 74, the composite sheet passes downwardly and then is wound onto a roll 80 by means of which it can be taken off apparatus 10 and put into use or stored for subsequent use. A rotating means is provided for rotating drum 36, roller 68 and roller 80. For purposes of illustration, a single drive motor 82 is shown below members 14 and 16 on support 12. A first belt and pulley assembly 84 couples the drive shaft 86 of the motor with shaft 88 of drum 36. A second belt and pulley assembly 90 couples drive shaft 86 with drive shaft 92 and roller 68. A third belt and pulley assembly 94 couples drive shaft 86 with shaft 96 of roller 80. Drum 36 can have any desired number of recesses 42 formed therein. The number of recesses can be from 100 to 1,000 per inch and typically, the radius of curvature of each recess 42 is selected to be approximately one-third of the thickness of the film. By means of the apparatus of the present invention, a thin film of transparent cellulose acetate is bonded (laminated) to polyester film base at normal room temperatures. The sensitive emulsion of the polyester film may be protected by a paper belt (not shown) held in contact with the polyester film while the latter is first coated with the cement from trough 66 and then bonded to the cellulose acetate film by pressure and contact. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. An apparatus for forming a photographic film with lenticulations thereon which comprises a support; means on the support for holding a supply of a first flexible, plastics film, a lenticulating drum rotatably mounted on the support for forming lenticulations in one face of the first film, means adjacent to the lenticulating drum for applying solvent to the face of the first film which is to be lenticulated, means on the support for holding a second flexible film with one face thereof having a photographic emulsion coated thereon; a guide means on the support for guiding the uncoated face of the second film into face-to-face engagement with the non-lenticulated face of the first film; means for laminating the two films together to form a composite film.

on the support and extends upwardly therefrom, an idler roller is located at the upper end of the frame and a take-up roller near the bottom of the frame, the composite film being movable from the guide means along an inclined path to the idler roller and then downwardly toward and onto the take-up roller.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the cement applying means includes a container for the cement, and a transfer roller partially in the container and in a position to transfer cement to the second film as the latter moves along the guide means.

8. A method of forming a composite film having lenticulations on one face thereof and a photographic emulsion on the opposite face which comprises moving a first flexible film along a first path, applying a solvent to one face of the first film to soften the same, lenticulating the softened face of the first film, moving a second film along a second path of travel towards the first path with the second film having a photographic emulsion on one face thereof, laminating that face of the second film not carrying the photographic emulsion to the non-lenticulated face of the first film.

9. A method as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the first film is of cellulose acetate and the second film is of polyester.

10. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method as claimed in Claim 8 substantially as herein described.