Patent ID: 6425327
Filing Date: 2002-07-30
Classification: G03F,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for forming a seamless cylindrical photosensitive element on a flexible cylindrical sleeve, comprising:supporting the sleeve on a substantially rigid and thermally stable sleeve support such that the sleeve and sleeve support act as a unitary structure, the sleeve support having a longitudinal axis and adapted to be mounted onto a mandrel; supplying a substantially molten stream of photopolymerizable material onto the sleeve; providing relative axial movement between the sleeve support and the supply of photopolymerizable material along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve support; calendering the molten photopolymerizable material on the sleeve by metering with at least one rotating calender roll the photopolymerizable material to have a substantially constant thickness on the sleeve and rotating the sleeve support whereby the providing, calendering and rotating steps polish an outer circumferential surface of the material to a seamless uniform state without sanding, grinding or additional polishing steps, thereby forming the seamless cylindrical photosensitive element; and during the calendering step, heating the photopolymerizable material.