Patent ID: 6420100
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: B05D,D21F,G03F,Y10S

Abstract:
A process for making a deflection member, the process comprising steps of:providing a coating of a liquid curable material supported by a forming surface, the coating having a bottom surface facing the forming surface, a top surface opposite to the bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces; providing a source of curing radiation structured and configured to emit a curing radiation to cure the coating supported by the forming surface; providing a mask having a pattern of transparent and opaque regions therein, and a pattern of a three-dimensional topography; positioning the mask in a face-to-face contact with the top surface of the coating to selectively shield the coating with the opaque regions of the mask, and to form in the coating a three-dimensional pattern approximating the three-dimensional topography of the mask, the mask having a bottom side adjacent to the coating, and a top side opposite to the bottom side; curing the curable material, wherein the opaque regions of the mask at least partially shield selected areas of the coating from the curing radiation such that the selected areas are cured through at least a portion of their thickness, thereby forming a partly-formed deflection member; and removing substantially all uncured material from the partly-formed deflection member to leave a hardened resinous structure comprising a patterned framework having a web-side formed from the top surface of the coating, and a backside formed from the bottom surface of the coating.