Abstract: This invention pertains to a system for thermally treating a photosensitive element to form a relief structure suitable for flexographic printing. The system of the invention comprises a plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations for removing uncured photopolymer from the imaged surface of the photosensitive printing element. The flexographic plates produced in the apparatus of the invention are especially suited for use in printing newspapers and other publications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous primer composition for use in manufacturing flexographic printing plates. The aqueous primer composition comprises a polyurethane, a copolymer, a layered silicate, and optionally a surfactant and/or a dye or pigment. The use of the layered silicate as a filler in the primer composition produces an improved primer composition with a stronger water/solvent resistance and less delamination.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a system for thermally treating a photosensitive element to form a relief structure suitable for flexographic printing. The system of the invention comprises a plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations for removing uncured photopolymer from the imaged surface of the photosensitive printing element. The flexographic plates produced in the apparatus of the invention are especially suited for use in printing newspapers and other publications.

Abstract: An improved digitally imageable relief printing element having an increased direct-cure imaging speed upon exposure to lasers and other digital sources of actinic radiation. The printing elements of the invention comprise a reflective layer beneath a photosensitive resin layer so that instead of being absorbed by the reflective layer, photons of actinic radiation are reflected back up into the photosensitive layer, thereby speeding up the curing rate of the printing element.

Abstract: An improved digitally imageable relief printing element having an increased direct-cure imaging speed upon exposure to lasers and other digital sources of actinic radiation. The printing elements of the invention comprise a reflective layer beneath a photosensitive resin layer so that instead of being absorbed by the reflective layer, photons of actinic radiation are reflected back up into the photosensitive layer, thereby speeding up the curing rate of the printing element.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided high performance, photoimageable resin compositions for flexographic printing, having excellent physical properties, e.g., resilience, hardness, toughness, and the like, as well as increased rates of cure upon exposure to radiation. In a further aspect of the invention, there are provided printing plates prepared employing invention compositions, wherein said printing plates are characterized as having excellent exposure sensitivity, the capability of rapidly curing upon exposure, excellent retention of fine details, and excellent colorless performance. Moreover, printing plates prepared employing invention compositions have good flexibility, excellent washout properties, and retain such properties over extended periods of storage. In another aspect of the invention, there are provided methods for the preparation of formulations comprising said compositions and methods for use thereof.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided high performance, photoimageable resin compositions for flexographic printing, having excellent physical properties, e.g., resilience, hardness, toughness, and the like, as well as increased rates of cure upon exposure to radiation. In a further aspect of the invention, there are provided printing plates prepared employing invention compositions, wherein said printing plates are characterized as having excellent exposure sensitivity, the capability of rapidly curing upon exposure, excellent retention of fine details, and excellent colorless performance. Moreover, printing plates prepared employing invention compositions have good flexibility, excellent washout properties, and retain such properties over extended periods of storage. In another aspect of the invention, there are provided methods for the preparation of formulations comprising said compositions and methods for use thereof.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided high performance, photoimageable resin compositions for flexographic printing, having excellent physical properties, e.g., resilience, hardness, toughness, and the like, as well as increased rates of cure upon exposure to radiation. In a further aspect of the invention, there are provided printing plates prepared employing invention compositions, wherein said printing plates are characterized as having excellent exposure sensitivity, the capability of rapidly curing upon exposure, excellent retention of fine details, and excellent colorloss performance. Moreover, printing plates prepared employing invention compositions have good flexibility, excellent washout properties, and retain such properties over extended periods of storage. In another aspect of the invention, there are provided methods for the preparation of formulations comprising said compositions and methods for use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to solvent-developable printing formulations useful for the manufacture of printing plates. In particular, the present invention provides formulations which exhibit markedly improved processing characteristics when deposited on a printing plate, such as reduced tack, increased image resolution, and/or improved mechanical properties, e.g., tensile strength, elongation. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there are provided methods for the preparation of said formulations and methods for use thereof.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided apparatus and methods useful for efficiently subjecting photosensitive materials to a relatively low energy pre-exposure using the electromagnetic energy during the non-imaging portion of the exposure process (i.e., a backscan beam exposure) prior to subjecting such materials to the main imaging exposure (i.e., an imagewise exposure). In a further aspect of the present invention, there are provided combinations and improvements useful for the enhanced imagewise exposure of photosensitive materials. In additional aspects of the present invention, there are provided methods of enhancing the imagewise exposure of photosensitive materials, imagewise exposed photosensitive material made according to such methods, methods for enhancing sensitivity of a photosensitive material for imagewise exposure, and photosensitive materials having enhanced sensitivity for imagewise exposure made according to these methods.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided water-developable photopolymerizable compositions useful for the preparation of printing plates. Printing plates prepared employing invention compositions have excellent form stability, thereby enabling such plates to be handled without the need for excessive care. Once photopolymerized, printing plates of the invention have excellent physical properties, enabling their use in many very demanding applications, e.g., flexographic printing. Such applications require the photopolymerized resin to have excellent water resistance (so that exposure to water-based inks does not significantly alter resin properties), as well as high durability (so that the physical contacting associated with the printing process does not significantly degrade resin properties).

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided methods for producing printing plates comprising rapid, efficient drying of solvent-containing resin compositions of the printing plates and apparatus useful therefor. Printing plates processed employing invention methods and apparatus are ready for use in printing applications in a relatively short period of time, especially compared to the time required for conventional convection drying. Moreover, printing plates processed according to the present invention method and apparatus are not subjected to excessive levels of heat, as is frequently the case with conventional convection drying. Excessive heating tends to be detrimental to the performance properties of the polymeric resin. In a particular aspect of the present invention, there are provided novel compositions which, upon drying according to the methods described herein, undergo a color change, thereby indicating when the drying process is substantially complete.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, water-developable photopolymerizable compositions useful for the preparation of durable printing plates capable of providing very high levels of resolution have been developed. Printing plates prepared employing invention compositions, once photopolymerized, have excellent physical properties, enabling their use in many very demanding applications, e.g., commercial letterpress and newspaper printing. Such applications require the photopolymerized resin to provide a sharp image and good durability after curing. Photopolymerization of invention resin yields a product with excellent physical characteristics, acceptable by letterpress printing standards. In addition, photopolymerization of invention composition provides a product which demonstrates sufficient toughness to be used for extended printing runs as required in such areas as metal decorating, newspaper, plastic packaging, business forms, and the like.

Abstract: A novel printing plate mounting device and procedure are provided. A small-scale single-color representation of a carton blank or other substrate and a complete usually multi-color image to be printed thereon is projected from an acetate film or other suitable substrate onto a carrier sheet to provide a full-scale single-color representation of the substrate and the image to be printed thereon. A small-scale usually multi-color representation of the carton blank and the complete usually multi-color image to be printed thereon is used as a template to determine which ones of a plurality of individual printing plate elements is used to print which ones of the color of the multi-color image. The individual printing plate elements for each color then are affixed to separate carrier sheets in the position shown by the full-scale single-color representation.

Abstract: A novel printing plate mounting device and procedure are provided. A small-scale single-color representation of a carton blank or other substrate and a complete usually multi-color image to be printed thereon is projected from an acetate film or other suitable substrate onto a carrier sheet to provide a full-scale single-color representation of the substrate and the image to be printed thereon. A small-scale usually multi-color representation of the carton blank and the complete usually multi-color image to be printed thereon is used as a template to determine which ones of a plurality of individual printing plate elements is used to print which ones of the color of the multi-color image. The individual printing plate elements for each color then are affixed to separate carrier sheets in the position shown by the full-scale single-color representation.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided water-developable photopolymerizable compositions useful for the preparation of printing plates. Printing plates prepared employing invention compositions have excellent form stability, thereby enabling such plates to be handled without the need for excessive care. Once photopolymerized, printing plates of the invention have excellent physical properties, enabling their use in many very demanding commercial applications, e.g., commercial flexographic printing. Such applications require the photopolymerized resin to have excellent water resistance (so that exposure to water-based inks does not significantly alter resin properties), as well as high durability (so that the physical contacting associated with the printing process does not significantly degrade resin properties).

Abstract: A photosensitive printing medium is compounded from a latex copolymer, a linear thermoplastic, elastomeric block copolymer, a basic nitrogen atom-containing compound, an ethylenically unsaturated compound, and a polymerization initiation system. The printing medium has a microstructure of distinct domains of the latex copolymer and the elastomeric block copolymer in a matrix of the other components. The printing medium is typically supported on a substrate to form a printing plate. The printing medium is photosensitive, and is imaged by exposure to actinic radiation through a photographic negative film. The unexposed portions are washed away in a water dispersive medium, without the use of organic solvents, producing a printing plate which, after drying and postexposure to UV light, is ready for printing.