US5538674A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for reproducing holograms, kinoforms, diffractive optical elements and microstructures
Assignee: Magna Donnelly Corp
•
Filing: 1993-11-19
•
Granted: 1996-07-23
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Expires: 2013-11-19
Abstract
Abstract A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure embedded therein includes the steps of providing a master having a microstructure therein; casting a liquid surface coating over said master; solidifying the liquid surface coating to form a rigid molding tool containing said microstructure; placing the molding tool into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the microstructure from the molding tool to the plastic element; and removing the molded plastic element from the molding machine. The molding tool may also be produced by machining directly into a molding base element a predetermined microstructure without machining through a transfer interlayer. An injection-molded binary optical element produced according to the method of the present invention provides an injection molded optical element which diffracts light.
Inventors
- 👤 Jon Nisper
- 👤 Gina Kritchevsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:51
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03H; G03H1/00; G03H1/02; G03H1/0276; B; B29; B29C; B29C33/00; B29C33/38; B29C33/3842; B29C33/3857; B29C33/42; B29C33/424; B29C39/00; B29C39/02; B29C39/026; B29C45/00; B29C45/17; B29C45/26; B29C45/37; B29C45/372; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/0074; B29D11/00769; B29D11/00951; B29D11/00961; B29D11/00971; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/18; G02B5/1876; B29L; B29L2011/00; B29L2011/0016; B29L2011/005; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/722; B29L2031/7224; B33; B33Y; B33Y80/00; G03H1/04; G03H1/08; G03H1/0891; G03H2001/0284; G03H2001/0296; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure embedded therein, comprising the steps of: defining a microstructure for performing a predetermined function; converting the defined microstructure into at least one pattern corresponding to a negative of the defined microstructure; machining directly into a molding base element a negative microstructure corresponding to said pattern without machining material other than the molding base element; placing the machined base element into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the negative microstructure from the molding base element into a positive microstructure in the plastic element; and removing the molded plastic element having the positive microstructure from the molding machine.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure embedded therein, comprising the steps of: defining a microstructure for performing a predetermined function; converting the defined microstructure into at least one pattern corresponding to a negative of the defined microstructure; machining directly into a molding base element a negative microstructure corresponding to said pattern without machining material other than the molding base element; placing the machined base element into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the negative microstructure from the molding base element into a positive microstructure in the plastic element; and removing the molded plastic element having the positive microstructure from the molding machine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said machining step comprises the step of ion-milling a molding base element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said machining step comprises the step of reactive ion etching the molding base element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said machining step comprises the step of machining the molding base element using a numerical control milling machine to machine the molding base element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said machining step comprises the step of machining the molding base element a plurality of times.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the molding base element is selected from a group consisting of hardened tool steel, aircraft aluminum, nickel, nickel plated aluminum, nickel plated steel, epoxy, metal matrix composites, metal filled epoxies, engineering polymers, ceramics, nickel alumanide, and gamma prime nickel alumanide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said machining step comprises the step of electrical discharge machining a conductive molding base element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of forming a microstructure on a conductive electrode using one or more of the following methods: diamond-machining, ion milling, reactive-ion etching, lithographic techniques.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of forming a molding tool having a negative microstructure embedded therein, the molding tool for use in molding a plastic element having a positive microstructure corresponding to the negative microstructure, comprising the steps of: defining a positive microstructure for performing a predetermined function; converting the defined positive microstructure into at least one pattern corresponding to a negative of the defined positive microstructure; and machining directly into a molding base element a negative microstructure corresponding to said pattern without machining material other than the molding base element.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of forming a molding tool having a negative microstructure embedded therein, the molding tool for use in molding a plastic element having a positive microstructure corresponding to the negative microstructure, comprising the steps of: defining a positive microstructure for performing a predetermined function; converting the defined positive microstructure into at least one pattern corresponding to a negative of the defined positive microstructure; and machining directly into a molding base element a negative microstructure corresponding to said pattern without machining material other than the molding base element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein said converting step comprises the step of producing at least one mask which defines said microstructure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein said machining step comprises the step of ion-milling the molding base element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein said machining step comprises the step of reactive ion-etching the molding base element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein said converting step comprises the step of producing at least one conductive electrode having said microstructure embedded therein.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said machining step includes the step of electrical discharge machining a conductive molding base element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the microstructure includes the step of transferring the microstructure from the molding base element to the plastic element to cause the plastic element to correct chromatic and/or thermal aberrations in light passing through said element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of transferring the microstructure includes the step of transferring the microstructure from the molding base element to the plastic element to cause the plastic element to refract and diffract light passing therethrough.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of transferring the microstructure includes the step of transferring a fanout grating structure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the microstructure includes the step of transferring a microstructure to the plastic element which causes a light beam incident on the plastic element to be split into a plurality of light beams.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the microstructure includes the step of transferring a binary microstructure.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the microstructure includes the step of transferring analog surfaces to the plastic element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the microstructure includes the step of transferring a grating structure.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the microstructure includes the step of transferring a blazed diffraction grating.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of machining includes the step of diamond turning the molding base element.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said machining step comprises the step of machining into a metal molding base element the predetermined microstructure.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said machining step comprises the step of ion etching the molding base element.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said machining step comprises the step of electron beam etching the molding base element.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure embedded therein, comprising the steps of: defining a microstructure for performing a predetermined function; converting the defined microstructure into at least one pattern corresponding to a negative of the defined microstructure; machining directly into a molding base element a negative microstructure corresponding to said pattern without machining material other than the molding base element; placing the machine base element into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the negative microstructure from the molding base element into a positive microstructure in the plastic element, the plastic element with microstructure refracting and diffracting light beams passing therethrough; and removing the molded plastic element having the positive microstructure from the molding machine.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure embedded therein, comprising the steps of: defining a microstructure for performing a predetermined function; converting the defined microstructure into at least one pattern corresponding to a negative of the defined microstructure; machining directly into a molding base element a negative microstructure corresponding to said pattern without machining material other than the molding base element; placing the machine base element into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the negative microstructure from the molding base element into a positive microstructure in the plastic element, the plastic element with microstructure refracting and diffracting light beams passing therethrough; and removing the molded plastic element having the positive microstructure from the molding machine.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure, comprising the steps of: defining a microstructure for performing a predetermined function; converting the defined microstructure into at least one pattern corresponding to a negative of the defined microstructure; machining directly into a molding base element a negative microstructure corresponding to said pattern without machining material other than the molding base element; placing the machined base element into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the negative microstructure from the molding base element into a positive microstructure in the plastic element, the plastic element and microstructure correcting thermal and/or chromatic aberrations in light passing therethrough; removing the molded plastic element having the positive microstructure from the molding machine.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure, comprising the steps of: defining a microstructure for performing a predetermined function; converting the defined microstructure into at least one pattern corresponding to a negative of the defined microstructure; machining directly into a molding base element a negative microstructure corresponding to said pattern without machining material other than the molding base element; placing the machined base element into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the negative microstructure from the molding base element into a positive microstructure in the plastic element, the plastic element and microstructure correcting thermal and/or chromatic aberrations in light passing therethrough; removing the molded plastic element having the positive microstructure from the molding machine.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure embedded therein, comprising the steps of: defining a microstructure for performing a predetermined function; creating at least one primitive from the defined microstructure, the primitive corresponding to a negative of the defined microstructure; converting the at least one primitive into at least one mask, said mask having at least one opening therein; machining the predetermined microstructure into a molding base element directly through the openings in the mask without machining material other than the molding base element; placing the machined base element into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the microstructure from the molding base element to the plastic element; and removing the molded plastic element from the molding machine.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of molding a plastic element having a microstructure embedded therein, comprising the steps of: defining a microstructure for performing a predetermined function; creating at least one primitive from the defined microstructure, the primitive corresponding to a negative of the defined microstructure; converting the at least one primitive into at least one mask, said mask having at least one opening therein; machining the predetermined microstructure into a molding base element directly through the openings in the mask without machining material other than the molding base element; placing the machined base element into a molding machine; introducing a plastic element into the molding machine; transferring the microstructure from the molding base element to the plastic element; and removing the molded plastic element from the molding machine.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein said machining step comprises the step of machining the molding base element using a numerical control milling machine to machine the molding base element.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the step of machining includes the step of diamond turning the molding base element.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-07-23 | 2000-01-22 | 2000-07-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-07-23 | 2004-01-22 | 2004-07-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-07-23 | 2008-01-22 | 2008-07-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |