Dry film developing apparatus

Claim 2

A heated platen surface for processing dry film having a deformed portion thereon containing a wrinkle, the amplitude of which diminishes over the length of the film and a non-deformed portion, including a first region on the platen surface for tensioning the wrinkled deformed portion upon said film, said first region having a radius of curvature that increases proportionally to the decrease in amplitude of film wrinkling whereby the normal forces acting on the deformed portion of the film decrease as the amplitude of wrinkles decreases, and a second region on said platen surface for tensioning the nondeformed portion of said film having a uniform radius of curvature whereby a substantially uniform normal pressure is exerted upon the non-deformed portion of the film.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 having a second heated platen surface which complements the first platen described in claim 1 being positioned from said first platen at a distance that is greater than the thickness of the film in process.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein both platens are heated to about the same temperature.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said temperature is at or above the developing threshold temperature of the film.

Claim 6

In a device for continually processing discrete exposed portions upon a web of dry film by moving said discrete portions of the web seriatim into a heated developing zone, apparatus for substantially eliminating deformations induced in the web within the boundary region at the entrance to the development zone including a heated platen surface within the developing portion against which each discrete portion of the web to be developed is placed under uniform tensioN, said platen surface having a first region thereon arranged to contact the deformed portion of said web and having a radius of curvature that increases inversely with the amplitude of the deformation in said web whereby a higher normal force is exerted by the platen upon the deformed portion of the web containing a high amplitude of deformation and a lower normal force is exerted on the deformed portion of the web containing a low amplitude of deformation, a second region upon said platen surface arranged to contact the non-deformed portion of the web and having a uniform radius of curvature whereby a substantially uniform normal force is exerted over the non-deformed portion of the web during development.

Claim 7

In a device for continually processing discrete exposed portions upon a web of dry film by moving said discrete portions of the web seriatim into a heated developing zone, apparatus for substantially eliminating deformations induced in the web within the boundary region at the entrance to the development zone including a heated platen surface within the developing portion against which each discrete portion of the web to be developed is placed under uniform tensioN, said platen surface having a first region thereon arranged to contact the deformed portion of said web and having a radius of curvature that increases inversely with the amplitude of the deformation in said web whereby a higher normal force is exerted by the platen upon the deformed portion of the web containing a high amplitude of deformation and a lower normal force is exerted on the deformed portion of the web containing a low amplitude of deformation, a second region upon said platen surface arranged to contact the non-deformed portion of the web and having a uniform radius of curvature whereby a substantially uniform normal force is exerted over the non-deformed portion of the web during development.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the normal force acting upon the film portions containing a low amplitude of deformation are the same as the normal force acting upon the non-deformed portion of the web.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 further including a second surface positioned adjacent to said platen surface in non-contiguous relationship therewith which complements said platen surface to form a cavity of uniform depth therebetween.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein both the platen surface and said second surface have means operatively associated therewith for heating said surfaces to the same temperature.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the radius of curvature on said first platen region increases substantially linearly.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the radius of curvature at any point along the first platen region is expressed by the relationship