Patent ID: 8845874
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: B29C,B29K,B29L,C25D

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a porous electroformed shell for patterning, comprising the steps of: providing a low hardness negative-type silicone cast having a patterned surface; implanting at least one fiber directly into said patterned surface of said negative-type silicone cast, said at least one fiber being of sufficient hardness to permit said implanting step to be performed without pre-forming holes in said negative-type silicone cast prior to said implanting step; manufacturing an epoxy mandrel by applying, laminating, and curing an epoxy resin on said patterned surface of said negative-type silicone cast, and transferring said at least one fiber from said negative-type silicone cast to said epoxy mandrel when separating said epoxy mandrel from said negative-type silicone cast, to form a patterned surface on said epoxy mandrel; forming a conductive thin film on said patterned surface of said epoxy mandrel, and causing said patterned surface of said epoxy mandrel to be conductive; removing said at least one fiber from said epoxy mandrel having said conductive thin film, prior to electroforming, leaving a plurality of openings defined by said epoxy mandrel and said conductive thin film where said at least one fiber was implanted; electroforming a metal on said conductive thin film to create an electroformed layer while generating and growing a fine pore in said plurality of openings defined by said epoxy mandrel and said conductive thin film; and separating said electroformed layer having said fine pore from said epoxy mandrel.