Device for processing a three dimensional structure into a substrate

Abstract

A device and method for processing a substrate, wherein a flexible force absorbing means is provide in at least a part of a tool plan and/or a reaction plan, so as to locally absorbing the forces applied by the planes. The flexible force absorbing mean having spring-like properties such that it is adapted to be elastically deformed when the tool plan and the reaction plan are pressed against each other.

1 . A device for processing a non-planar hard substrate having a planar deviation δ, said device having a tool plan and a reaction plan, the tool plan comprising a multiple layer construction with: 
 a core having a substantially inflexible outer surface, and    at least one tool being attached to the surface of the core, and    wherein flexible force absorbing means is provided in at least a part of the tool plan and/or the reaction plan and comprises at least one force absorbing layer provided in the multiple 10 layer construction, said layer having a thickness τ that exceeds said planar deviation δ.    
   
   
       2 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible force absorbing means is resilient.  
   
   
       3 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the least one force absorbing layer is attached to the reaction plan.  
   
   
       4 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein both the tool plan and the reaction plan are provided with a force absorbing layer.  
   
   
       5 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible force absorbing layer is provided In the multiple layer construction between the core and the tool.  
   
   
       6 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool plan and the reaction plan are provided with co-operating edges for cutting the substrate.  
   
   
       7 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of either the tool plan or the reaction plan are adapted to shape at least a first layer of the substrate into a predefined form.  
   
   
       8 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool plan is provided as a stamp for processing at least a first layer of the substrate by stamping.  
   
   
       9 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool plan is provided as a drum for rotative processing of at least a first layer of the substrate.  
   
   
       10 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the force absorbing layer is selected with a thickness in the range of 0.1-5 mm, such as 0.2-4.5 mm, such as 0.3-4.0 mm such as 0.4-3.5 mm, such as 0.5-3 mm, such as 0.6-2.5 mm, such as 0.7-2.0 mm, such as 1.5 mm.  
   
   
       11 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible force absorbing layer is selected 40 with an elasticity enabling the flexible force absorbing layer to provide a force to the substrate, which force exceeds the yield point of the substrate at a given rate of compression γ, and wherein the thickness of the flexible force absorbing layer at that rate of compression γ exceeds the planar deviation δ.  
   
   
       12 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible force absorbing layer is a double sided adhesive tape for attaching the at least one tool to the outer surface of the core.  
   
   
       13 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein the double sided adhesive tape is selected with a thickness in the range of 0.1-0.5 mm, such as in the range of 0.20-0.4 mm, such as in the range of 0.21-0.3 mm, such as in the range of 0.22-0.26 mm, such as 0.24 mm.  
   
   
       14 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the core is provided with a steel surface.  
   
   
       15 . A device according to  claim 14 , wherein the steel surface is provided with a roughness in the range of 1-100 microns,  
   
   
       16 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein the tape is provided with an adhesion to steel in the range of 6-12 N/cm, such as in the range of 7-11 N/cm, such as in the range of 8-10 (M/cm, such as 9 N/cm.  
   
   
       17 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein the tape is attached to the core by an acrylic based adhesive.  
   
   
       18 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein the tool is attached to the tape by an acrylic based adhesive.  
   
   
       19 . A device according to claims  12 , wherein the adhesive layer of the tape is provided with a permanent adhesion so as to enable refitting of tool to the flexible layer.  
   
   
       20 . A device according to  claim 19 , wherein the tool comprises one or more shims to be adhered to the adhesive layer.  
   
   
       21 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises embossing of a three dimensional structure into the substrate.  
   
   
       22 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises embossing of a nano-structure into the substrate.  
   
   
       23 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises embossing of a nano-structure Into a metallic substrate.  
   
   
       24 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of lacquers, polymers, printing inks, plastics, carton, cardboard, metal such as tin, aluminium, copper, lead, steel.  
   
   
       25 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the Brinell-hardness of the substrate ranges from 10 N/mm 2 to 1000 N/mm 2 .  
   
   
       26 . A drum for rotative processing of a first layer of a multiple layer substrate, the first layer having a first degree of hardness and the succeeding layers having a second degree of hardness, said drum having: 
 a core with a substantially inflexible outer surface,    a flexible force absorbing layer with a third degree of hardness, the flexible force absorbing layer being peripherally attached to the core, and    a matrix having the three dimensional structure, the matrix being peripherally attached to the flexible force absorbing layer,    wherein the flexible force absorbing layer is selected so that the third degree of hardness is higher than the first degree of hardness and lower than the second degree of hardness.    
   
   
       27 . A method for processing a three dimensional structure into a first layer of a non-planar hard substrate having a planar deviation δ by use of a device having a tool plan and a reaction plan, the tool plan comprising a multiple layer construction, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a tool being attached to the surface of a core of the tool plan,    providing the core of the tool plan with a flexible force absorbing layer having a thickness τ that exceeds said planar deviation δ   disposing a sheet of the substrate between the tool plan and the reaction plan and    applying a pressure so as to process the substrate.