Patent ID: 9458568
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: D06M,D06Q

Claim Text:
1. A method for fabricating a patterned fibrous matrix, comprising the steps of: providing an inkjet printer adapted to use an etching solvent as an ink; providing a fibrous matrix, including a plurality of fibers, as a printing medium; providing said etching solvent for said inkjet printer, said etching solvent being adapted to at least partially dissolve said plurality of fibers of said fibrous matrix upon contact of said etching solvent to said plurality of fibers; configuring said inkjet printer to print a pattern on said fibrous matrix; operating said inkjet printer to print said pattern on said fibrous matrix by contacting some of said plurality of fibers with said etching solvent to produce contacted fibers, said etching solvent forming said pattern by at least partially dissolving some of said contacted fibers to form a printed area on said fibrous matrix and fusing together others of said contacted fibers to form fused fibers, said fused fibers being thicker than unfused fibers of said plurality of fibers of said fibrous matrix.