The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 30, 1988
Filed:
Mar. 25, 1987
Frederick H Lindner, Canaan, NH (US);
PC Proto, Inc., Hanover, NH (US);
Abstract
A computer aided printer-etcher has a computer connected electrically to a printer etcher unit, such that the printer etcher unit is controlled by the computer through the keyboard and computer memory. The printer etcher unit mounts an etching chamber within a cabinet. A conveyor within the cabinet defining a conveyor film path for a metallized film which path includes a vertically oblique portion within the etching chamber. A high speed printer upstream of the etching chamber and on the conveyor film path applies a resist ink pattern onto the metal surface of the metalized film. A liquid applicator mounted downstream of the printer applies in sequence an etching liquid and a rinse liquid onto the metalized film to etch the exposed metal but not the metal covered by the resist ink pattern. The printer may be an ink jet printer. The resist may be a meltable or thermoplastic material applied as molten drops which solidify to lock out the etching liquid. A viewing window is provided within the cabinet for viewing the metalized film during droplet application of the etchant liquid and the rinse liquid. The applied liquids drain to the bottom of the etching chamber by gravity and flow to a respective etching liquid holding tank or rinse liquid holding tank through drain holes within the bottom wall of the etching chamber which are selectively closed by stopper solenoids.