Patents Assigned to Agfa Graphics NV
  • Publication number: 20100007692
    Abstract: A 3D-inkjet printing method includes the steps of a) providing two or more fluids having a different composition to an inkjet printer; b) mixing the two or more fluids in a controlled amount; c) jetting the mixture of the two or more fluids with the inkjet printer onto a support; d) at least partially curing the jetted mixture by actinic radiation or electron beam; and e) repeating steps b) to d) in order to build a 3D-relief on the support. The method is capable of printing 3D-objects with inkjet fluid sets in an inkjet printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Luc Vanmaele, Eddie Daems, Frank De Voeght, Etienne Van Thillo
  • Publication number: 20100002050
    Abstract: A print head mounting assembly and a method of mounting and positioning a print head on a print head carriage framework suitable for mounting in a printing system includes a print head positioning device for receiving a print head, and a print head mounting tile having a mounting surface for mounting the print head positioning device. The print head mounting tile is adjustably mounted on the print head carriage framework such that it provides a mounting surface for the print head positioning device that is level with a reference printing surface, when the print head carriage framework is mounted in the printing system. The print head positioning device is adjustably mounted on the print head mounting tile such that the print head, being received in the print head positioning device, is accurately positioned on the mounting surface of the print head mounting tile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Werner Van De Wynckel, Albert Brals, Bart Verhoest, Bartholomeus Verlinden
  • Publication number: 20090326091
    Abstract: A radiation curable composition comprising a curable compound, a photo-initiator and a co-initiator, wherein said co-initiator has a structure according to Formula I A-L-B ??Formula I wherein A represents a structural moiety comprising an aromatic tertiary amine; B represents a structural moiety comprising at least one aliphatic tertiary amine; L represents a divalent linking group positioning the nitrogen atom of the aromatic amine of the structural moiety A and the nitrogen of at least one aliphatic amine of the structural moiety B in a 1-3 to 1-23 position; with the proviso that at least one aromatic and at least one aliphatic amine each have at least one alfa-hydrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Johan Loccufier, Roland Claes
  • Patent number: 7637994
    Abstract: A color pigment containing, based upon the total weight of the pigment, at least 70.0 weight % of a first compound COP according to Formula (I): wherein one of R1 and R2 is hydrogen and the other one of R1 and R2 represents —COOR4; R4 and R5 represent methyl; R3 is selected from the group consisting of: with C* representing the point of attachment of R3 to the nitrogen in Formula (I); and having a pigment surface including between 2.0 and 30.0 weight %, based upon the total weight of the pigment of a second compound according to Formula (I), wherein —R1, R2?, R3, R4 and R5 have the same meaning as above with the exception that at least one of R4 and R5 represents hydrogen. Also, methods of preparation of the pigment and non-aqueous pigment dispersions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Geert Deroover, Jan Gilleir
  • Patent number: 7637604
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for wet-on-wet ink-jet printing. This invention provides a progressive dot printing ink-jet process comprising the steps of applying a first ink drop to a substrate and subsequently applying a second ink drop on to the first ink drop without intermediate solidification of the first ink drop. The first and second ink drops have a different viscosity, surface tension or curing speed. Further ink drops may be applied sequentially to the combined first and second ink drops without intermediate solidification of the first and subsequent ink drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Bernard Deckers, Keith Edward Nixon
  • Publication number: 20090315930
    Abstract: A method of inkjet printing includes using a grayscale inkjet print head. The inkjet print head is driven driving to eject a number of successive ink droplets from the ink chamber in accordance with print tone data provided to the grayscale print head, the number of successive ink droplets forming a multiple-droplet drop creating a printed dot of appropriate tone on the receiving medium. The method includes the step of excluding print tone data corresponding with the ejection of a single-droplet drop from being provided to the grayscale print head. A preferred embodiment includes the removal of this print tone data from the data provided to the grayscale print head. A more preferred embodiment includes applying a multilevel halftoning technique for avoiding the use of print tone data corresponding with a single-droplet drop during the generation of the print tone data for inkjet printing the image with the grayscale print head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventor: Stefaan De Meutter
  • Publication number: 20090312463
    Abstract: A non-aqueous inkjet ink containing a pigment includes C.I.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Katrien Bernaerts, Ivan Hoogmartens, Geert Deroover
  • Patent number: 7632346
    Abstract: A non-aqueous pigment dispersion includes a diketopyrrolo-pyrrole pigment, a polymeric dispersant, and a dispersion synergist in a non-aqueous dispersion medium wherein the dispersion synergist is a diketopyrrolo-pyrrole derivative according to Formula (I): wherein R1, R2, and R3, are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a halogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, an tert.-butyl group, a phenyl group, a cyano group, and an acid group; R4-, R5, and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a halogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, an tert.-butyl group, a phenyl group, and a cyano group; and wherein one of R7 and R8 is a group including two acid functions while the other one of R7 and R8 represents hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventor: Geert Deroover
  • Publication number: 20090305164
    Abstract: A method for making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of: (1) providing a heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor including a heat-sensitive coating on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, the heat-sensitive coating including a first layer including a first polymer which is water-insoluble and alkali-soluble, and on the first layer, a second layer including a second polymer which is -water-insoluble and alkali-soluble, and an infrared absorbing dye present in at least one of the first and second layer, (2) image-wise exposing the precursor with IR-radiation or heat wherein the second layer exhibits an increased solubility in an aqueous alkaline developing solution, and (3) developing the image-wise exposed precursor with an aqueous alkaline developing solution, the solution including an alkali metal or ammonium salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid, having 8 to 11 carbon atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventor: Stefaan Lingier
  • Patent number: 7625440
    Abstract: A non-aqueous inkjet ink include a pigment and a mixture of at least two polyalkyleneglycol dialkylethers represented by Formula (I): wherein, R1 and R2 are each independently selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; Y represents an ethylene group or a propylene group; wherein n is an integer selected from 4 to 20 for a first polyalkyleneglycol dialkylether; and n is an integer selected from 5 to 20 for a second polyalkyleneglycol dialkylether. A method for preparing a non-aqueous inkjet ink is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Sonny Wynants, Ivan Hoogmartens
  • Patent number: 7616345
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a first representation of a digital image by means of a first output device and a second representation of the digital image by means of a second output device, wherein the first output device has a first, device dependent, colorant space and the second output device has a second, device dependent, colorant space, the method including (a) determining a transformation for transforming a set of colorant values of a pixel of the digital image from the first to the second colorant space; (b) selecting a particular set of colorant values in the first colorant space; and (c) modifying the transformation for the particular set of colorant values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventor: Marc Mahy
  • Publication number: 20090270537
    Abstract: A non-aqueous inkjet ink includes C.I.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Ivan Hoogmartens, Katrien Bernaerts, Geert Deroover
  • Publication number: 20090258314
    Abstract: A heat-sensitive negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor include a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer and a coating provided thereon, the coating including an image-recording layer which includes hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles, a binder, and an infrared absorbing dye; wherein the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles have an average particle diameter, measured by Photon Correlation Spectroscopy, of more than 10 nm and less than 40 nm; the amount of the IR-dye, without taking into account an optional counter ion, is more than 0.80 mg per m2 of the total surface of the thermoplastic polymer particles, measured by Hydrodynamic Fraction; and—the amount of hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles relative to the total weight of the ingredients of the imaging layer is at least 60-%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Hieronymus Andriessen, Steven Lezy, Hubertus Van Aert, Joan Vermeersch
  • Publication number: 20090249972
    Abstract: A method for making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, and a coating provided on the hydrophilic surface or the hydrophilic layer, wherein the coating includes an image recording layer including hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles and wherein the image recording layer or an optional other layer of the coating further includes an infrared light absorbing agent; image-wise exposing the precursor to infrared light having an energy density of 190 mJ/cm2 or less; developing the exposed precursor by removing unexposed areas in a processing liquid; baking the plate thus obtained by keeping the plate at a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic particles during a period between 5 seconds and 2 minutes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventor: Eric Verschueren
  • Publication number: 20090241788
    Abstract: A coating device for coating a peripheral surface of a sleeve body with a coating formulation includes a vertical support column for supporting a sleeve body in a vertical position coaxial with a coating axis, a carriage slideable along the vertical support column, and an annular coating stage attached to the carriage and moveable therewith for containing the coating formulation and for coating a layer of the coating formulation onto the peripheral surface of the sleeve body during a sliding movement of the carriage along the vertical support column. The coating device includes an irradiation stage that is arranged to be moveable with the annular coating stage and to provide radiation to at least partially cure the layer of coating formulation onto the peripheral surface so as to prevent flow off of the coating formulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Luc Leenders, Willem Mues, Jackie Duprez, Bart Verhoest, Hilbrand Vanden Wyngaert, Eddie Daems, Luc Vanmaele
  • Patent number: 7595910
    Abstract: A method for making a dot for dot proof for a printing device, such as a press, on another device, such as a proofer, the method including (a) inputting, at pixel level, binary or pseudo-binary data indicating at a given pixel screened colorant values of the printing device; (b) inputting contone colorant values of the printing device indicating a color in a neighborhood of the given pixel; (c) outputting colorant values for the other device at the given pixel, based on the input contone colorant values and on the input binary or pseudo-binary data, such that a color match is obtained with a given color behavior of the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Marc Mahy, Koen Vande Velde
  • Publication number: 20090231374
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning the printing of dots generated by at least one array of printing elements of a printing apparatus. The method includes the steps of printing a calibration test pattern, scanning the printed calibration test pattern, determining at least one calibration value based on the scanned calibration test pattern, and adjusting the alignment of the array of printing elements based on the determined calibration value. The step of scanning the printed calibration test pattern further includes automatically positioning a camera relative to the printed calibration test pattern and imaging a detail of the printed calibration test pattern within the field of view of the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Werner Van de Wynckel, Bart Verhoest
  • Publication number: 20090233235
    Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (ii) a coating on the support including a photopolymerizable layer, and, optionally, an intermediate layer between the photopolymerizable layer and the support, wherein the photopolymerizable layer includes a polymerizable compound, a polymerization initiator, and a reactive binder; b) image-wise exposing the coating in a plate setter; c) optionally, heating the precursor in a pre-heating unit; d) developing the precursor off-press in a gumming unit by treating the coating of the precursor with a gum solution, thereby removing the non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support, wherein the reactive binder is a polymer containing a monomeric unit which includes a group having an ethylenically unsaturated bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Alexander Williamson, Marc Van Damme, Willi-Kurt Gries, Hubertus Van Aert
  • Patent number: 7589851
    Abstract: A job control system for a document processing system wherein a number of tasks is performed in a workflow includes a user interface to define or change parameters. The job control system includes an identifier to identify and mark dependencies of one or more intermediate and/or final results to parameters. This enables a verifier, also part of the job control system, to verify, during execution of the job, a change in parameter and to determine whether or not an intermediate and/or final result obtained before the change in parameter is still useable despite the occurred change in parameter. The job control system furthermore includes a memory for storing the usable intermediate and/or final results. This enables, in case a parameter is changed, to use those results that are still useable, thus saving time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Carolus De Bie, Peter Frings, Bert Wynants
  • Patent number: 7589868
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a print file for printing a 3-D print using a 3-D printing system is described, the 3-D print comprising a plurality of 3-D structures printed on a substrate, each 3-D print structure having a height with respect to the substrate. A two-dimensional source image is input comprising a plurality of image pixel areas. A filtered image is obtained by applying a topographic operator to the source image to generate for every image pixel a representation of a pixel height profile, the pixel height profile corresponding to cross-sections through a 3-D print structure which is to be formed by 3-D printing. Thereby definitions of a plurality of image layers are generated from the filtered image for printing using the 3-D printing system. The print file is output based on the plurality of image layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Koen Vande Velde, Paul Delabastita, Luc Minnebo, Erik Van geel, Wim Helsen, Kris Vangeel