A method and system for curing a curable sealant that is shadowed by metallization

• Main Authors: VON GUTFELD, ROBERT J, GLOWNIA, JAMES H
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.03.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The invention is a method for curing a sealant used to affix two substrates to one another. The sealant requires curing by heat or uv photons. To overcome the shadowing caused by metal patterns, the uv light is directed in a path towards said sealant, and a light diffusion element is positioned in the optical path. The diffusion element causes a diffusion of the optical radiation so as to enable some of the diffused optical radiation to avoid the metallization features and to be incident on the sealant. If the sealant is of the dual cure type, the curing thereof is further aided by application of heat.