Adhesive with Embedded Optical Fibers for Curing Blocked Regions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Radiation-curable adhesive compositions often cure slowly when not directly exposed to actinic radiation due to blocking materials, leading to unacceptably long fixing times, as direct exposure is hindered by materials blocking the radiation or light-blocking coatings.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a structured optical particulate material into the adhesive composition that scatters actinic radiation, allowing it to reach and cure blocked portions, while avoiding excessive amounts that might affect adhesive properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a light-blocking coating is applied over the optical element surface to obstruct radiation that would cause adhesive degradation, then adhesive protection is improved, but radiation exposure to blocked adhesive portions is reduced, worsening curing speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light-diffusing optical fiber as an intermediary element that redirects actinic radiation to blocked adhesive portions. The fiber acts as a mediator between the radiation source and the adhesive, enabling indirect exposure without compromising the light-blocking coating's protective function. This resolves the contradiction by providing an alternative radiation pathway that doesn't interfere with the coating's adhesive protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from direct linear radiation exposure to three-dimensional radiation distribution by embedding optical fibers within the adhesive composition. This dimensional change allows radiation to reach blocked portions through lateral and vertical pathways created by the fiber network, bypassing the limitation of direct line-of-sight exposure while maintaining coating integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If radiation-curable adhesive composition is used in regions blocked from direct radiation exposure, then adhesive application flexibility is improved, but curing time increases excessively, worsening productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The light-diffusing optical fiber serves as an intermediary radiation delivery system that enables curing in blocked regions. By distributing radiation through the fiber network embedded in the adhesive, the system maintains application flexibility in complex geometries while achieving acceptable curing times through indirect radiation exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates light-diffusing optical fibers into the adhesive composition before application and curing. This preliminary preparation of the radiation delivery infrastructure enables subsequent rapid curing even in blocked regions, eliminating the need for time-consuming alternative curing methods while maintaining application versatility.
3Productivity
If light-diffusing optical fiber is used to expose blocked adhesive portions to actinic radiation, then curing speed is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase, worsening ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light-diffusing optical fiber directly into the adhesive composition, combining two previously separate elements (adhesive and optical fiber) into a single integrated material. This integration eliminates the need for separate fiber installation steps and complex positioning apparatus, significantly reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost while maintaining rapid curing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite adhesive material that combines the adhesive matrix with light-diffusing optical fiber elements. This composite approach enables the adhesive to simultaneously provide bonding functionality and self-contained radiation distribution, eliminating the need for separate optical delivery systems and simplifying the overall device architecture.
4Reliability
If light-diffusing optical fiber is properly positioned within adhesive composition to facilitate exposure, then curing effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases, worsening ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the optical fiber with the adhesive composition into a single integrated material, the patent eliminates the need for separate positioning steps. The fiber is uniformly distributed within the adhesive matrix, ensuring effective radiation exposure without requiring complex positioning apparatus or manual placement procedures, thereby maintaining curing effectiveness while greatly simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves homogeneous distribution of light-diffusing optical fiber elements throughout the adhesive composition. This uniform distribution ensures consistent curing effectiveness across all adhesive regions while eliminating the need for complex positioning procedures, as the homogeneous structure naturally provides appropriate fiber placement without additional manufacturing complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates rapid curing of blocked portions of the adhesive composition, achieving bond strengths comparable to direct exposure, thus reducing curing time and improving adhesion without increasing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the structured optical particulate material is capable of scattering the actinic radiation throughout the photocurable material
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device includes a support structure configured to retain an optical element using a cured adhesive composition that is disposed between a surface of the support structure and a surface of the optical element, wherein a structured optical particulate material is dispersed throughout the cured adhesive. The structured optical particulate material redirects curing radiation via a scattering mechanism to facilitate curing of portions of the adhesive compositions that cannot be directly exposed to the radiation, thereby facilitating rapid and more thorough curing than could otherwise be achieved without the structured optical particulate material.