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:
Jun. 01, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 24, 2000
Michael Douglas Hill, Tunkhannock, PA (US);
Paul Dennis Trokhan, Hamilton, OH (US);
Larry Leroy Huston, West Chester, OH (US);
The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
A mask for use in a process for curing a photosensitive material. The mask comprises a structure having a top side and a bottom side opposite to the top side, and a pattern of transparent regions and opaque regions, wherein the opaque regions comprise at least first opaque regions having a first opacity and second opaque regions having a second opacity different from the first opacity. The opaque regions can comprise a substantially continuous pattern, a substantially semi-continuous pattern, a pattern formed by a plurality of discrete areas, or any combination thereof. The opaque regions can comprise a gradient opacity that gradually changes in at least one direction. The mask can have a three-dimensional topography comprising, for example, a pattern of protrusions extending from the bottom side of the mask and/or the top side of the mask. The protrusions can form a substantially continuous pattern, a substantially semi-continuous pattern, a discrete pattern, or any combination thereof. The pattern of protrusions can correlate with the pattern of transparent and opaque regions to form a combined non-random and repeating pattern. The mask can comprise a composite structure, wherein the pattern of transparent and opaque regions can be independent and separable from the pattern of protrusions. A process for making the mask can comprise providing a thin transparent material of substantially uniform thickness, forming a pattern of opaque regions on the material according to a first predetermined pattern, and embossing the material according to a second predetermined pattern.