Abstract: A razor cartridge including a guard at a front portion of the cartridge, a cap at a back portion of the cartridge, at least one blade positioned between the guard and the cap, a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, and a lubricating member positioned in the cartridge at the top surface. The lubricating member has a visible surface with a visible surface area. The visible surface includes a printed lubrication control structure on the visible surface of the lubricating member. The printed lubrication control structure is formed from a UV curable ink and covers a portion of the visible surface area creating a covered portion and an open portion.

Abstract: An approach is provided for generating a printing member. The approach involves determining one or more image areas associated with printing one or more images, the one or more image areas being positioned on a surface of a substrate. The approach also involves determining a liquid interaction behavior of at least the surface of substrate is one of hydrophobic or hydrophilic. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a substance that is the other of the determined liquid interaction behavior of the surface of the substrate to be applied to the one or more image areas on the surface of the substrate by a jetting process. In one embodiment, the printing member is mounted inside a printing system when the substance is applied. In one embodiment, the surface may be completely or partially cleaned and a new image created by another application of the substance.

Abstract: An ink composition includes (A) a polymerization initiator; (B) an ester or amide of a mono-functional (meth)acrylic acid having an alkylene oxide repeating unit in a molecule; and (C) a colorant, and preferably further includes (E) a sensitizing dye.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming method comprising the steps of exposing imagewisely an image forming material having a photosensitive layer comprising an infrared absorbing agent, a polymerization initiator and a polymerizable compound on a substrate to overlapping infrared beams. The solubility of the photosensitive layer in an alkali developing solution reduces upon exposure to light of wavelengths in the range of 750 nm to 1400 nm. The exposed image forming material is developed, and the infrared beam diameter used in light exposure is 20 ?m or less, and the overlapping coefficient is 0.8 or more.

Abstract: The present invention relates to negative-working imageable elements that can be used for the manufacture of printing plates. These imageable elements can be developed on on-press by the action of a lithographic printing ink used in combination with either water or a fountain solution. The imageable elements comprise an imageable layer that is not removable in water or fountain solution alone. The imageable layer includes a free radically polymerizable compound, a free radical initiator composition, an infrared radiation absorbing compound, and a polymeric binder comprising poly(alkylene oxide) pendant groups, and preferably additionally pendant cyano groups.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor which is capable of being on-machine developed by supplying at least one of an ink and a fountain solution and comprises a hydrophilic support having provided thereon an image-forming layer containing the following components (1) to (3), wherein the image-forming layer further contains a filler: (1) an infrared absorbing agent; (2) a compound capable of generating an acid or a radical; and (3) a compound capable of undergoing addition polymerization with the acid or radical.

Abstract: A single manufacturing pass for manufacturing a multilayered self-organized coating onto a substrate to provide all of the functions usually provided in multiple-pass coatings for manufacturing an infrared imageable offset lithographic printing plate; and a process whereby two or more polymeric materials that cannot usually co-exist in solution may be dissolved in suitably dilute solvent mixtures which, when coated onto a substrate and the solvents evaporated, deposit a continuous graduation of polymeric mixtures vertical to the substrate, caused by the self-assembly process.

Abstract: A lithographic printing process which comprises the steps of: imagewise exposing to infrared light a presensitized lithographic plate which comprises a hydrophilic support and a removable image-forming layer containing an infrared absorbing agent having the absorption maximum within an infrared region and a dye precursor having substantially no absorption within a visible region to change the dye precursor to a visible dye having an absorption within a visible region within the exposed area, and to make the image-forming layer irremovable within the exposed area; removing the image-forming layer within the unexposed area of the lithographic plate mounted on a cylinder of a printing press; and then printing an image with the lithographic plate mounted on the cylinder of the printing press. The other processes are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is prepared a printing plate on which a material being hydrophilic due to light energy at a first temperature and being hydrophobic at a second temperature due to heat energy which is lower than the first temperature is provided. First, the whole surface of the printing plate is forcibly made either one of hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Next, a region having the other nature out of hydrophobic and hydrophilic is formed so as to correspond to an image to be printed. Then, ink is supplied onto the region having hydrophobic nature to conduct offset printing.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive composition which forms an image without the removal of material, which does not require any developing treatment after the stage of exposure to heat and comprises: (a) a switchable polymer, (b) an IR absorber, (c) a triazine compound, and (d) a novolak resin. Negative lithographic plate comprising a substrate coated with the said composition. A method for obtaining a negative image on a substrate coated with a composition which is first hydrophobic and then lipophilic after exposure to heat, without the removal of material, the said negative image being obtained by applying a small quantity of energy to the said composition.

Abstract: In a method and system to generate a print image on a carrier material, the surface of a print substrate is covered with at least one of an ink-repelling and an ink-attracting layer. In a structuring process, ink-attracting regions and ink-repelling regions are generated corresponding to a structure of the print image to be printed. An ink-attracting carrier substance is applied which can be an ink or other carrier substance on the print substrate surface that adheres to the ink-attracting regions and is not accepted by the ink-repelling regions. The carrier substance is fixed and subsequently the fixed carrier substance is inked with ink at least once. The applied ink is transferred to the carrier material. Before a new structuring process, the print substrate surface is cleaned and newly covered.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an original method of copying a printing plate. Said plate, intended for wet offset printing, comprises a base substrate and a photosensitive layer which is soluble in a solvent. As is conventional, said method comprises selectively eliminating said photosensitive layer at suitable locations and is characterized in that said selective elimination comprises: depositing droplets of said solvent at said suitable locations; and rinsing the plate to evacuate the deposited solvent, which by then is charged with the photosensitive layer eliminated from said locations and is inactive.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a printing plate comprises inkjet printing an oleophilic image on a surface of a support by applying to the support an aqueous solution or aqueous colloidal dispersion of an oleophilising compound on the surface of the support and drying the applied solution or dispersion, such that on drying the area of the surface to which the solution or dispersion was applied becomes lithographic ink-accepting, characterised in that the oleophilising compound has the chemical structure MO2C—(CHR)1—(CHR?)m—(CHR?)n—CO2M or MO2C—(CHR)1—(CHR?)m—(CHR?)n—SO3M wherein each M is the same or different and is independently selected from H or a cation; each of 1, m and n independently is 0 or 1, provided that 1+m+n=at least 1; each of R, R? and R? independently is —H, —B or -L-B; L is a linking group selected from alkylene, alkyleneoxy, thio, sulfonyl, sulfinyl, sulfoxyl, amido, alkylamido, oxyamido, alkylcarbamoyl carbamoyl, sulfonylamido, aminosulfonyl, aminosufonylam

Abstract: Disclosed are a printing plate material capable of being developed on a printing press and its manufacturing method which comprises the steps of subjecting an aluminum plate to electrolytic surface roughening treatment, subjecting the electrolytic surface roughened aluminum plate to etching treatment in an aqueous alkali solution, subjecting the resulting aluminum plate to anodization treatment, whereby an aluminum support is obtained, and providing on the aluminum support an image formation layer which contains thermoplastic particles and a light-to-heat conversion dye and changes in color due to infrared laser exposure.

Abstract: Provided is a printing plate comprising a substrate and a hydrophilic porous layer formed on a surface of the substrate. Typically, the substrate is made of aluminum plate, and the porous substrate consists of an anodized layer. Owing to the porous nature of the surface of the printing plate, the imaging resin deposited on the surface of the printing plate seeps into the printing plate and is thereby securely anchored to the printing plate so that an adequate bonding force between the imaging resin and printing plate can be ensured. Also, by suitably controlling the amount of the imaging resin that seeps or penetrates into the porous layer, an adequate thickness of the imaging resin on the surface of the printing plate can be ensured, and this also contributes to the wear resistance of the printing plate.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive composition which forms an image without the removal of material, which does not require any developing treatment after the stage of exposure to heat and comprises: (a) a switchable polymer, (b) an IR absorber, (c) a triazine compound, and (d) a novolak resin. Negative lithographic plate comprising a substrate coated with the said composition. A method for obtaining a negative image on a substrate coated with a composition which is first hydrophilic and then lipophilic after exposure to heat, without the removal of material, the said negative image being obtained by applying a small quantity of energy to the said composition.

Abstract: A lithographic printing original plate, a lithographic printing plate using the lithographic printing original plate and a process for producing the lithographic printing plate are disclosed. The lithographic printing original plate has, on a substrate, a photosensitive layer made of a crosslinked polymer comprising a hydrophilic polymer, a crosslinking agent and a light absorbing compound or comprising a hydrophilic polymer, a crosslinking agent, a light absorbing compound and a hydrophobic polymer, and has properties that the photosensitive layer is changed from ink-repellent to ink-receptive by irradiation with a light.

Abstract: Improved resolution plates based on hydrophilic organic coated substrates, where a hydrophobic layer is present during inkjet imaging and where after heating to fuse the inkjet image, the hydrophobic layer does not irreversibly fuse into the organic coating, but can be removed by aqueous washing to restore the hydrophilic nature of the plate surface.

Abstract: The plate-making printing press is constructed by installing a plate-making apparatus in a printing press that supplies ink and dampening water to a printing plate and performs printing on a medium. In order to realize a high-precision plate-making operation, the printing press is equipped with a target disposed on the printing cylinder and a sensor for detecting the target and provided on the writing device, and the zero point of the encoder is corrected. Furthermore, at the time of plate-making, the adjustment mechanism is operated so that the printing cylinder is returned to the position of the point of origin.

Abstract: A method for forming an image by imaging and developing a multi-layer imageable element, in which the developer is fresh developer and the developer is not reused, is disclosed. Much smaller variation in dot percentage is obtained when each imaged imageable element is developed in fresh developer than when the developer is reused to develop additional imaged imageable elements. The method is especially suited to the formation of images using stochastic screening. Either a solvent based developer or a high pH developer may be used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a printing plate comprises forming an oleophilic image on a substrate for a printing plate comprising a support having at least one hydrophilic layer on its surface, the oleophilic image being formed by inkjet printing an aqueous solution or aqueous colloidal dispersion of an anionic oleophilising agent on the surface of the support and drying the applied solution or dispersion, such that, on drying, the area of the surface to which the solution or dispersion was applied becomes lithographic ink-accepting, characterised in that the hydrophilic layer comprises a crosslinked cationic polymer. The invention further relates to a substrate for a printing plate comprising a support having at least one hydrophilic layer on its surface wherein the hydrophilic layer comprises a crosslinked cationic polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of imaging a printing plate precursor in which a printing plate precursor including a substrate and an image forming layer is imagewise contacted with a catalyst, for example, by imagewise ink-jet application. The image forming layer is then heated and developed in a suitable developer liquid such that portions of the image forming layer that are contacted with the catalyst resist development while portions of the image forming layer that are not contacted with the catalyst are removed during development.

Abstract: A method for applying printing ink to a printing material, includes producing ink-conducting and ink-repelling areas on an at least approximately flat surface. A plurality of areas with defined color acceptor properties are provided to produce the ink-conducting areas on the surface. The surface is brought into contact with color particles, including a subgroup of dyes, pigments, colored molecules or colored particles. At least one of the subgroups colored molecules and pigments has surface acceptor properties corresponding to the color acceptor properties of the areas. The at least one subgroup colored molecules and pigments is deposited on the areas of defined color acceptor properties of the surface corresponding to the surface acceptor property. The at least one deposited subgroup colored molecules and pigments is transferred from the surface to a printing material. A printing form, an inking unit and a printing machine are also provided.

Abstract: A method for producing a pattern of hydrophilic (34) and hydrophobic (32) regions on a printing form (30) is presented which, in a first, essentially unpatterned state, features a polymer material containing imide groups, for example, polybenzene diimide or polyamide imide. The method includes a chemical treatment of the surface with an oxidizing agent subsequent in time to a locally selective exposure with UV light. Optionally, the locally selective exposure can be preceded by a large-area chemical treatment of the surface with a strong base. The printing form (30) can be restored to the first state by a large-area chemical treatment of the surface with a strong acid. The patterned printing form (30) is suitable for use in offset printing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of producing images on a series of master plates that are suitable for use as printing plates for the reproduction of multiple copies of composite images from said plates. The master plates are supported with a predetermined alignment relative to each other before mounting on a printing press. Counterpart raster lines of images on the master plates are recorded simultaneously or substantially simultaneously using preferably an ink jet printer so that the counterpart raster lines are printed in alignment.

Abstract: A method of lithographic printing is disclosed, which includes forming an image based on signals of image data directly on a printing plate precursor mounted on a plate cylinder of a printing press, thereby preparing a printing plate, and conducting lithographic printing, wherein the formation of the image on the printing plate precursor is carried out by an ink jet recording method in which oil-based ink is ejected utilizing an electrostatic field.

Abstract: A method for forming an image by imaging and developing a multi-layer imageable element is disclosed. When thermally imageable, multi-layer imageable elements that have been imaged using stochastic screening are developed, a much smaller variation in dot percentage throughout the developer loading cycle is observed when a smaller initial charge of developer and a higher replenishment rate than are used in a conventional developing process are used. The developer is a solvent based developer with a pH below about 10.5. The developed imageable elements are useful as lithographic printing plates.

Abstract: An on-press recording type lithographic printing method comprising mounting a plate material on a plate cylinder of a press, ejecting an oil-based ink onto the plate material from a recording head having a plurality of ejection channels utilizing an electrostatic field according to signals of image data to directly form an image on the surface of the plate material and prepare a printing plate, and then effecting the lithographic printing using the printing plate as it is, wherein the distance of the ejection channels is 170 &mgr;m, or more (150 dpi (150 dots per inch) or less as calculated in terms of resolution of recorded image).

Abstract: Photosensitive compositions comprising a phenol resin having a urea bond in the main chain, planographic printing plate precursors containing the photosensitive compositions, and methods for preparing planographic printing plates using the planographic printing plate precursors are disclosed. Planographic printing plates that exhibit good durability, good exposure visual image property, and good solvent resistance; particularly superior resistance to washing oil used in UV ink printing; and superior baking property are produced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a presensitized plate useful for making a lithographic printing plate comprising an intermediate layer and a photopolymerizable photosensitive layer on an aluminum substrate in this order, wherein the roughness of a surface of said aluminum substrate (Ra) is in the range of 0.2 to 0.55 &mgr;m and the intermediate layer comprises a polymer compound comprising at least one monomer unit having a sulfonic acid group and a method for making a lithographic printing plate by imagewise exposing the presensitized plate described above and developing the imagewise exposed presensitized plate with a developer comprising an inorganic alkali salt and a nonionic surfactant comprising a polyoxyalkylene ether group. The presensitized plate or the method of the present invention provides a lithographic printing plate showing good contrast between an image area and non-image area, no background contamination during printing, good stability with time and good printing durability.

Abstract: The invention provides a negative image-recording material for heat-mode exposure systems, which comprises (A) an IR absorbent including cyanine dye having a substituent that contains an atom having an atomic weight of at least 28 such as halogen atom, or a substituent that contains a non-covalent electron pair such as carbonyl group, (B) a radical generator and (C) a radically-polymerable compound, and which is imagewise exposed to IR rays for image formation thereon.

Abstract: An imaging unit for a printing form cylinder of a printing press, the printing form cylinder having a width, the imaging unit comprising: an imaging unit comprising, in combination: a cleaning unit, a coating unit positioned below said cleaning unit, an image creating unit positioned below said coating unit, and an image developing unit positioned below said image creating unit. Each of the cleaning, coating, image creating and image developing units traverse over the width of the printing form cylinder thereby rendering reverse movement without active operation to the other side of the printing form cylinder unnecessary.

Abstract: An apparatus for offset lithographic printing including an offset lithographic printing press including a printing cylinder having a surface including a mixture of cationic colloidal silica, fumed alumina, and a polymeric amine; and an inkjet printhead disposed to print a digital image on the printing cylinder with an ink jet fluid including a pigment and a polymeric dispersing agent, which ink jet fluid dries to produce a surface active to oleophilic lithographic printing inks.

Abstract: A planographic printing member precursor comprises a first component, for example a hydroxy group containing polymer, and a second component which may be a siloxane or a compound of general formula (I), wherein M represents a silicon or a titanium atom and each of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is independently selected from hydrogen or halogen atoms; a hydroxy group; an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group; an optionally substituted alkoxy group; or an optionally substituted saturated or unsaturated cyclic or heterocyclic group. On exposure, the second component reacts with the first component to define an oleophobic/hydrophilic material in exposed areas and in non-exposed areas the second component is removed, on processing of the precursor.

Abstract: A method for preparing lithographic printing plates comprising coating a substrate with a mixture including colloidal silica, fumed alumina, polyethylenimine, a quaternary ammonium polymer and a hardener; utilizing an inkjet printer with pigmented inks to print a digital image on the coated substrate; and drying the image.

Abstract: Provided is a printing plate comprising a substrate and a hydrophilic porous layer formed on a surface of the substrate. Typically, the substrate is made of aluminum plate, and the porous substrate consists of an anodized layer. Owing to the porous nature of the surface of the printing plate, the imaging resin deposited on the surface of the printing plate seeps into the printing plate and is thereby securely anchored to the printing plate so that an adequate bonding force between the imaging resin and printing plate can be ensured. Also, by suitably controlling the amount of the imaging resin that seeps or penetrates into the porous layer, an adequate thickness of the imaging resin on the surface of the printing plate can be ensured, and this also contributes to the wear resistance of the printing plate.

Abstract: A variable data lithographic printing device comprises surrounding a printing cylinder a photosensitive layer coater, an exposure source, optionally a developer, an inking applicator, optionally a transfer system, and optionally an eraser. During printing operation, each surface areas of the rotating cylinder continuously undergo the cycle of coating, imagewise exposure, optionally developing, inking, printing of inked images to the receiving medium, and optionally erasing processes. The developing means can be omitted if an ink and/or fountain solution developable photosensitive layer is used. In an alternative design, the cylinder is replaced with a continuous supply of a ribbon with lithographic substrate surface. In another alternative design, the cylinder and the coater are replaced with a continuous supply of a pre-sensitized ribbon comprising on a substrate a photosensitive layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods of ink jetting oleophilic images onto a substrate. The composition includes an oleophilic polymer having polar moieties that is soluble in an organic carrier and adheres to a substrate. Compositions of the present invention may be used to form oleophilic image areas for lithographic printing.

Abstract: At printing time, a blanket cylinder gear is meshed with a plate cylinder gear, whereby a first plate cylinder is rotatable by a drive motor. At image-recording time, the blanket cylinder gear is separated from the plate cylinder gear. In this state, a different motor drives the plate cylinder gear to rotate the first plate cylinder at low speed.

Abstract: A method for making a printing plate including a step of forming a hydrophobic image area on at least a part of a hydrophilic surface of a plate. The plate surface contains a photocatalyst and the image area is formed by using an organic compound which is decomposed and removed by the irradiation of light having a higher energy than the band gap energy of the photocatalyst.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a printing plate comprises inkjet printing an oleophilic image on a surface of a support by applying to the support an aqueous solution or aqueous colloidal dispersion of an oleophilising compound on the surface of the support and drying the applied solution or dispersion, such that on drying the area of the surface to which the solution or dispersion was applied becomes lithographic ink-accepting, characterised in that the oleophilising compound has the chemical structure

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for image formation on cylindrical surfaces of printing machines. The object of the invention is to provide a compact image formation unit with a broad application rage regarding its usage, the sequence in time and variation in time of the process steps. The invention accomplishes this by processing units mounted on slides movable separately on a common cross bar. Each slide carries at least one processing unit. The cross bar is located in a gusset area between a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder.

Abstract: A method for making a reusable printing plate in which a hydrophobic image area is formed on a hydrophilic plate surface containing a photocatalyst. The method includes the steps of carrying out a hydrophobic agent application process in which a solution containing an organic compound having a property of reacting with the plate surface by a heating process and a property of being decomposed by the action of the photocatalyst when irradiated by light having a higher energy than a band gap energy of the photocatalyst is applied on the plate surface; carrying out an image area formation process in which a part of the plate surface is subjected to a heating process to form a hydrophobic image area; and carrying out a non-image area formation process in which the organic compound applied to an area other than the hydrophobic image area on the plate surface is removed.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a lithographic printing plate comprises forming an oleophilic image on the surface of a hydrophilic support by depositing, preferably by ink-jetting, the desired image on the surface using an aqueous emulsion of an organic film-forming polymer which has been prepared by emulsion polymerization, whereby the polymer adheres to the surface of the printing plate forming an oleophilic film. The polymer preferably has functional groups such as sulphonate that bind the polymer to the hydrophilic surface. Preferably the polymer has a glass transition temperature of not greater than about 105° C. and where the glass transition temperature is above 50° C. the polymer, after deposition on the plate, is preferably subjected to a heat treatment to assist in film formation.

Abstract: An image forming method using a negative type image forming material is disclosed, and said method comprises the steps of exposing a negative type image forming material to infrared laser imagewise, which image forming material comprises a substrate and an image recording layer formed thereon, comprising (A) a radical generator, (B) a radical-polymerizable compound, (C) an infrared absorbing agent, and (D) a binder polymer; and developing the image forming material with an alkaline developing solution comprising a weak acid or a salt thereof having a dissociation constant pka of from 10 to 13.

Abstract: A lithographic printing precursor for lithographic offset printing comprises, a layer of imageable medium on a hydrophilic base. The imageable medium comprises hydrophobic polymer particles in an aqueous medium, a substance for converting light into heat, and a non-crosslinkable aqueous-soluble composition. The lithographic printing precursor may be used to make lithographic printing surfaces that obtain long run lengths on lower quality paper and in the presence of press-room chemicals. The lithographic printing precursor can be imaged and developed on-press and the imageable medium can also be sprayed onto a hydrophilic surface to create a printing surface that may be processed wholly on-press. It can also be processed in the more conventional fully off-press fashion. The hydrophilic surface can be a printing plate substrate or the printing cylinder of a printing press or a sleeve around the printing cylinder of a printing press. The cylinder can be conventional or seamless.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive method for the direct preparation of offset lithographic printing plates using computer-to-plate methods and an inkjet marking fluid jetted directly onto a printing surface by conventional inkjet systems. The marking fluid is a two-phase emulsion system, comprising an oleophilic inner phase and a continuous, aqueous, external phase. To effectively control the dot size in the image to he printed and advantageously produce long runs of good-quality impressions from printing on a conventional offset lithographic press, the viscosity of the marking fluid used is preselected, and a very thin cationic surfactant coating is applied to the printing surface. Alternatively, a marking fluid having a pre-selected viscosity is used together with a cationic surfactant coating solution applied directly to a printing surface in a plateless lithographic printing system.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor comprising an image receiving layer and a waterproof substrate, wherein the image receiving layer comprises: needle filler particles or porous filler particles; and a binder resin comprising a complex of: a resin comprising at least one of a metal atom and a semimetal atom, each of the at least one of a metal atom and a semimetal atom being bonded to an oxygen atom; with a polymer compound represented by the following formula (I): 1

Abstract: A lithographic printing method is disclosed which comprising the steps of providing an imaging material which comprises a support and an image-recording layer that is not removable with a single-fluid ink which comprises an ink phase and a polar phase; image-wise exposure of the image-recording layer to heat or light without substantially ablating said image-recording layer, thereby switching the affinity of the image-recording towards ink or an ink-abhesive fluid and thereby creating a printing master comprising a lithographic image which consists of unexposed areas that have affinity for one phase of said ink phase and polar phase and of exposed areas that have affinity for the other phase of said ink phase and polar phase; printing, wherein the single-fluid ink is supplied to the printing master.

Abstract: An offset plate sensitive to UV or visible light, prepared simply and imaged digitally therewith in a CTP method, and also processed in a simple manner. The plate is provided as a photopolymer plate with increased sensitivity, and is used in a simple imaging-on-press system, using the surface of a lithographic printing cylinder itself as a plate substrate.