Patents Assigned to Agfa Graphics NV
  • Negative working, heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor
    Patent number: 8304165
    Abstract: A heat-sensitive negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor comprising: a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer; and an image-recording layer comprising hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles and an infrared light absorbing dye; characterized in that: said image-recording layer further comprises a compound, said compound comprising an aromatic moiety and at least one acidic group or salt thereof and having a most bathochromic light absorption peak at a wavelength between 300 nm and 450 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: AGFA Graphics NV
    Inventors: Hieronymus Andriessen, Paul Callant, Alexander Williamson
  • Heat sensitive positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor
    Patent number: 8304166
    Abstract: A heat-sensitive positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor comprising (1) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (2) a heat-sensitive coating, comprising an underlayer on said support and thereon an upperlayer, an IR absorbing agent in at least one of said underlayer and upperlayer, a phenolic resin in said upperlayer, and a first polymer in said underlayer, characterized in that said first polymer is an alkaline soluble polymer comprising a first sulfonamide containing monomeric unit having a specified structure according to formula I or formula II and a second amide containing monomeric unit having a specified structure according to formula III. The printing plates show an improved chemical resistance of the coating and a reduced undercutting of the image forming parts of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Johan Loccufier, Stefaan Lingier, Heidi Janssens
  • WHITE INKJET INK IMPROVED FOR DISPERSION STABILITY
    Publication number: 20120277340
    Abstract: An inkjet printing method includes in order the steps of: a) providing to an inkjet printer one or more colorless liquids and a white ink including a pigment with a refractive index greater than 1.60; b) mixing the white ink in a controlled amount with the one or more colorless liquids to form a white ink-mixture wherein the viscosity is reduced by at least 5 mPa·s by reference to the white ink when measuring the viscosity at 40° C. with a Brookfield DV-II+Pro at 12 rotations per minute; and c) printing the white ink-mixture with the inkjet printer onto an ink-receiver. Additionally, a color inkjet ink set includes the one or more colorless liquids and the white ink, and an inkjet printer for use in the inkjet printing method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Etienne Van Thillo, Frank De Voeght, Emiel Verdonck
  • Lithographic Printing Plate Precursor
    Publication number: 20120266768
    Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed which comprises on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer a heat and/or light-sensitive coating including an infrared absorbing agent, said heat and/or light-sensitive coating comprising a first layer comprising a binder including a monomeric unit including a sulfonamide group; characterized in that the binder further comprises a monomeric unit including a phosphonic acid group or a salt thereof, and that the monomeric unit comprising the phosphonic acid group is present in an amount comprised between 2 mol % and 15 mol %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Johan Loccufier, Stefaan Lingier, Heidi Janssens
  • Ink supply system without pump, for ink jet printer with ink recirculation system
    Patent number: 8292385
    Abstract: An ink supply system for an industrial inkjet printer makes use of a least one buffer vessel wherein ink at low pressure is isolated and pressurized to a high pressure suited for feeding the ink to the printhead. A recirculation ink supply system using plural buffer vessels is suited for repressurizing the ink without the use of a pump. The system avoids generation of gas bubbles due to cavitation which are present in systems using a pump for repressurizing ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Peter Bracke, Davy De Vetter
  • White inkjet ink improved for dispersion stability
    Patent number: 8287112
    Abstract: An inkjet printing method includes in order the steps of: a) providing to an inkjet printer one or more colorless liquids and a white ink including a pigment with a refractive index greater than 1.60; b) mixing the white ink in a controlled amount with the one or more colorless liquids to form a white ink-mixture wherein the viscosity is reduced by at least 5 mPa·s by reference to the white ink when measuring the viscosity at 40° C. with a Brookfield DV-II+Pro at 12 rotations per minute; and c) printing the white ink-mixture with the inkjet printer onto an ink-receiver. Additionally, a color inkjet ink set includes the one or more colorless liquids and the white ink, and an inkjet printer for use in the inkjet printing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Etienne Van Thillo, Frank De Voeght, Emiel Verdonck
  • Device for coating a peripheral surface of a sleeve body
    Patent number: 8286578
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Luc Leenders, Willem Mues, Jackie Duprez, Bart Verhoest, Hilbrand Vanden Wyngaert, Eddie Daems, Luc Vanmaele
  • Inkjet printing methods and inkjet ink sets
    Patent number: 8282197
    Abstract: An inkjet printing method including, in order, the steps of: a) providing at least two or more color inkjet inks of the same color and color density but having a different composition to an inkjet printer; b) mixing the two or more color inkjet inks in a controlled amount; and c) printing the mixture of the two or more color inkjet inks with the inkjet printer onto an ink-receiver. An inkjet printer and an inkjet ink set include two or more color inkjet inks of the same color and color density but having a different composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Frank De Voeght, Etienne Van Thillo
  • Flexographic printing forme precursor for laser engraving
    Patent number: 8268533
    Abstract: A method of making a flexographic printing form precursor for laser engraving including the steps of (i) providing at least one layer of a curable composition on a substrate; (ii) curing the at least one layer; wherein the curable composition defining an outermost layer includes at least 0.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition of an organo-silicon compound including at least one polymerizable group; and a urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer having three or less polymerizable groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: AGFA Graphics NV
    Inventors: Eddie Daems, Luc Leenders
  • Method for creating a color link
    Patent number: 8270028
    Abstract: The invention deals with a method for replacing the colorant values of a raster image by a new set of colorant values that is for example optimized for a standardized printing process. According to the invention, a forward look up table is identified that transforms the colorant values in the raster image into color values. The color values in this look up table are separated into new colorant values to obtain a colorant to colorant interpolation look up table. This is done by using an inverse transformation that is based on the forward look up table using appropriate separation parameters for the standardized printing process. The method has the advantage that it enables to map pure colorant values in the original image back onto pure colorant values in the transformed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Marc Mahy, Wim Cliquet, Stefan Livens
  • FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING FORME PRECURSOR FOR LASER ENGRAVING
    Publication number: 20120213984
    Abstract: A method of making a flexographic printing forme precursor for laser engraving including the steps of (i) providing at least one layer of a curable composition on a substrate; (ii) curing the at least one layer; wherein the curable composition defining an outermost layer includes at least 0.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition of an organo-silicon compound including at least one polymerizable group; and a urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer having three or less polymerizable groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Eddie DAEMS, Luc LEENDERS
  • NOVEL CYANINE DYES AND LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATE PRECURSORS COMPRISING SUCH DYES
    Publication number: 20120208126
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor includes a cyanine dye, characterized in that the cyanine dye includes two different chromophoric groups, a chromophoric group that has its main absorption in the infrared region and another chromophoric group that has its main absorption in the visible light region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventor: Paul Callant
  • UV CURABLE INKJET COMPOSITIONS FOR HIGH-DENSITY PRINT HEADS
    Publication number: 20120194616
    Abstract: A combination of: a) an inkjet print head having a nozzle density of at least 600 dpi and nozzles with an outer nozzle diameter D smaller than 25 ?m; and b) a UV curable inkjet composition containing 0 to 10 wt % of one or more monofunctional monomers and at least A wt % of 2-(2-vinyloxyethoxy)ethyl acrylate, wherein both wt % are based on the total weight of the UV curable inkjet composition; and wherein A is defined by the formula 100 wt %?D×3.0 wt %/?m?A?100 wt %?D×1.0 wt %/?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicants: AGFA-GEVAERT N.V., AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Geert Van Dyck, David Tilemans
  • Method of making a lithographic printing plate
    Patent number: 8232043
    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, b) image-wise exposing the coating in a plate setter, c) optionally, heating the precursor in a preheating unit, and 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 coating from the support, wherein the coating further includes a compound capable of interacting with the support, the compound being present in the photopolymerizable layer and/or in the intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Alexander Williamson, Marc Van Damme, Willi-Kurt Gries
  • Radiation curable inkjet fluids and inks improved for photoyellowing
    Patent number: 8227047
    Abstract: A radiation curable inkjet fluid includes a radiation curable composition including at least 25 wt % of a vinylether acrylate and at least 15 wt % of a polymerizable compound including at least three acrylate groups, each wt % being based upon the total weight of the radiation curable composition; and a photoinitiator including a tertiary amine group and 0 to 3 wt % of isopropylthioxanthone based upon the total weight of the radiation curable inkjet fluid. Also, an inkjet printing method using the radiation curable inkjet fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Johan Loccufier, Ivan Hoogmartens
  • Method for making a lithographic printing plate
    Patent number: 8216771
    Abstract: A method for making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of: (1) providing a heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor including on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, a heat-sensitive coating, (2) image-wise exposing the precursor with IR-radiation or heat, and (3) developing the image-wise exposed precursor with an alkaline developing solution including a compound having at least two onium groups. According to the above method, a printing plate is formed with an improved developing latitude or an improved exposure latitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Johan Loccufier, Stefaan Lingier, Marc Van Damme
  • Negative working, heat sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor
    Patent number: 8216769
    Abstract: A heat-sensitive negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor includes 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 Fractionation; 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: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Hieronymus Andriessen, Steven Lezy, Hubertus Van Aert, Joan Vermeersch
  • Set of curable liquids and methods for inkjet printing
    Patent number: 8197058
    Abstract: A method for inkjet printing includes, in order, the steps of a) providing an ink-receiver having an image thereon; b) forming on the ink-receiver a layer of a first curable liquid and curing the layer; and c) forming an outermost layer of a second curable liquid only on the cured first curable liquid and at least partially covering the image; wherein the second curable liquid contains an abherent agent which is absent in the first curable liquid and wherein at least one of the first and second curable liquids is inkjet printed. Also, a polymerizable abherent agent may be used in a curable liquid to prevent falsification of an ID document. Also, a set of curable liquids for inkjet printing includes a first curable liquid and a second curable liquid wherein the second curable liquid contains an abherent agent which is absent in the first curable liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Luc Leenders, Eddie Daems
  • Methods for preparing curable pigment inkjet ink sets
    Patent number: 8197584
    Abstract: A curable pigment inkjet ink set includes a cyan inkjet ink, a yellow inkjet ink, and a magenta inkjet ink, wherein the yellow inkjet ink having ABS(Y)momo <5 and ABS(Y)400-500>60 includes one or more yellow pigments; the cyan inkjet ink includes one or more ?-copper phthalocyanine pigments; and the magenta inkjet ink contains a mixed crystal including a first quinachdone and a second quinacridone in a ratio of the first quinacridone over the second quinacridone such that ABS(M)500-530>20 and ABS(M)500-600 >60. ABS(Y)500-530 represents the absorbance of the yellow inkjet ink between 500 and 530 nm; ABS(M)500-530 represents the absorbance of the magenta inkjet ink between 500 and 530 nm; ABS(Y)400-500 represents the absorbance ot the yellow inkjet ink between 400 and 500 nm; and ABS(M)500-600 represents the absorbance of the magenta inkjet ink between 500 and 600 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Roland Claes, Geert Deroover
  • INKJET PRINTING METHODS AND INKJET INK SETS
    Publication number: 20120140005
    Abstract: An inkjet printing method including, in order, the steps of: a) providing at least two or more color inkjet inks of the same color and color density but having a different composition to an inkjet printer; b) mixing the two or more color inkjet inks in a controlled amount; and c) printing the mixture of the two or more color inkjet inks with the inkjet printer onto an ink-receiver. An inkjet printer and an inkjet ink set include two or more color inkjet inks of the same color and color density but having a different composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Frank DE VOEGHT, Etienne VAN THILLO