Integrated laminating process

Claim 2

An integrated process for laminating a continuous layer of photosensitive composition to a surface of each member of a series of substrate elements and trimming the layer from at least one of the transverse edges of the laminated substrate elements comprising the sequential steps of: (1) advancing a continuous layer of photosensitive organic polymeric composition, the layer being supported on one side only by a strippable polymeric film, and advancing the continuous supported layer and a first substrate element to the nip of a set of laminating rolls; (2) contacting the unsupported surface of the supported layer with a surface of the substrate element within the nip under pressure to effect lamination of the layer to the surface of the substrate element; (3) pulling on the laminated substrate element along its longitudinal axis in the direction of advancement by which the breaking strength of the laminated layer and, if present, the support film is exceeded at a trailing edge of the substrate transversely to the direction of advancement; and (4) repeating the sequence of steps (2) through (3) with respect to subsequent substrate elements in the series.

Claim 3

An integrated process for laminating a continuous layer of photosensitive composition to a surface of each member of a series of substrate elements and trimming the layer from at least one of the transverse edges of the laminated substrate elements comprising the sequential steps of: (1) advancing a continuous layer of photosensitive organic polymeric composition, the layer being supported on one side only by a strippable polymeric film, and advancing the continuous supported layer and a first substrate element to the nip of a set of laminating rolls; (2) contacting the unsupported surface of the supported layer with a surface of the substrate element within the nip under pressure to effect lamination of the layer to the surface of the substrate element; (3) removing the support film from the layer as the laminated substrate element emerges from the nip of the laminating rolls and continuing advancement of the laminated substrate element until the support film is completely removed from the laminated layer; (4) pulling on the laminated substrate element along its longitudinal axis in the direction of advancement by which the breaking strength of the laminated layer and the support film is exceeded at a trailing edge of the substrate transversely to the direction of advancement; and (5) repeating the sequence of steps (2) through (4) with respect to subsequent substrate elements in the series.

Claim 4

An integrated process for laminating a continuous layer of photosensitive composition to a surface of each member of a series of substrate elements and trimming the layer from at least one of the transverse edges of the laminated substrate elements comprising the sequential steps of: (1) advancing a continuous layer of photosensitive organic polymeric composition, the layer being supported on one side only by a strippable polymeric film, and advancing the continuous supported layer and a first substrate element to the nip of a set of laminating rolls; (2) contacting the unsupported surface of the supported layer with a surface of the substrate element within the nip under pressure to effect lamination of the layer to the surface of the substrate element; (3) removing the support film from the layer as the laminated substrate element emerges from the nip of the laminating rolls and continuing advancement of the laminated substrate element until the support film is completely removed from the laminated layer; (4) pulling on the laminated substrate element along its longitudinal axis in the direction of advancement by which the breaking strength of the laminated layer and the support film is exceeded at a trailing edge of the substrate transversely to the direction of advancement; and (5) repeating the sequence of steps (2) through (4) with respect to subsequent substrate elements in the series.

Claim 5

The process of claims 1 or 2 in which the substrate elements in the series are abutting.

Claim 6

The process of claim 2 in which the substrate elements in the series are spaced and a leading edge of each element is trimmed during step (3) by bending the film back along the longitudinal axis of the advancing layer at an obtuse angle, the radius of the bend being sufficiently small that the breaking strength of the web on the leading edge of the substrate element is exceeded.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 in which the photosensitive composition has randomly dispersed therein nonfibrous solid particles having a particle size of 0.1-25 microns, the layer having an optical density below about 0.7 and elongation at break between about 2 and 50%.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 in which the unsupported surface of the supported layer and the surface of the substrate element to be laminated are brought into contact without pressure immediately before step (2).

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 in which prior to step (2) the surface of the substrate element is treated by first forming a thin layer of inert liquid thereon and then removing the thin layer of liquid from the surface by absorption into the photosensitive layer during lamination step (2).

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 in which both surfaces of the substrate element are laminated simultaneously.

Claim 11

The process of claims 1 or 2 in which the support film is removed by the action of driven take-up rolls.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 in which the pulling action on the laminated substrate element is carried out in step (4) by grasping and advancing the element in friction contact between the sides of the element and a set of driven rolls rotating on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the advancing substrate elements.

Claim 13

The process of claim 1 in which the photosensitive composition is comprised of (a) addition polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer; (b) an initiating system activatable by actinic radiation; and (c) an organic polymeric binder containing at least two percent by weight of amphoteric polymer which is an interpolymer of (1) 30-60 percent by weight of a comonomer selected from the group consisting of C 2-12 N-alkyl acrylamide and C 2-12 N-alkyl methacrylamide, C 1-4 alkyl (C 2-4 ) aminoalkyl acrylates and C 1-4 alkyl (C 2-4 ) amino alkyl methacrylates, and mixtures thereof; (2) 10-25 percent by weight of an acidic comonomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic, methacrylic, crotonic, itaconic, maleic and fumaric acids and C 1-4 alkyl half esters of maleic and fumaric acid, and mixtures thereof; and (3) 20-55 percent of a copolymerizable comonomer selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 12 alkyl acrylates, C 1 -C 12 alkyl methacrylates, C 2-4 hydroxyalkyl acrylates, hydroxystearyl acrylate, hydroxyalkyl methacrylates, hydroxystearyl methacrylates, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11 in which the binder is comprised of a major continuous phase of organic polymer having randomly dispersed therein a minor discontinuous phase of nonfibrous solid particles having a particle size of 0.1-25 microns, the layer having an elongation at break between about 2 and 50%.