Abstract: Regarding filling of a paste, a temperature gradient at a paste-pressing face is managed by a heater incorporated in a filling head. Alternatively, a nonvolatile component is applied to a printing face of a base material before the paste is filled, thereby preventing a volatile component of the paste from evaporating with time. Viscosity of the paste is thus maintained. Meanwhile, a change of the quantity of the paste is coped with by changing a moving speed of the filling head or a contact angle of the filling head to the printing face, or by supporting the filling head at the side in touch with the printing face.

Abstract: A direct drawing type lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a water-resistant support having provided thereon an image-receiving layer comprising inorganic particles and a binder resin, wherein the inorganic particles comprise at least one kind of particles selected from: (i) metal oxide hydrate particles having an average particle size of from 0.01 to 5 &mgr;m and comprising a metal atom selected from Mg, Al, Zn, Ge, Ti, Co, Zr, Sn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, Pd, Cd, Cr, Ga, Mn, V, Mo, Ce and La, and (ii) metal hydroxide particles having an average particle size of from 0.

Abstract: A stencil making apparatus having a single conveyance section, a reading section which reads an original to obtain data during conveyance of the original, and a stencil making section which perforates a stencil sheet during conveyance of the stencil sheet, based on the data read by the reading section. The reading section and the stencil making section are juxtaposed on the single conveyance section, and the conveyance of the original to the reading section and the conveyance of the stencil sheet to the stencil making section are performed by the single conveyance section.

Abstract: An ergonomic keyboard having a mount and a plurality of keys arranged in a plurality of unbroken adjacent rows is provided. Each row is comprised of an arcuate portion, a left portion, and a right portion. The left and right portions extend tangentially from the left and right sides of the arcuate portion, respectively. The arcuate portion, of each row is convex to the user side of the keyboard, and at least two keys in each arcuate portion are elongated. Alphanumeric indicia on the keys can be arranged in the QWERTY pattern.

Abstract: Product is printed in a combined printing process with two ink systems. The printing material is first printed with a solvent-based or radiation-curing ink and then with at least one offset-typical ink. The printing machine for the inline implementation of the novel process is a hybrid press, having a flexo printing unit and a downstream offset printing unit. A UV, electron-beam or air-stream dryer is integrated into the flexo printing unit, or a UV, electron-beam or air-stream drying unit is arranged between the flexo printing unit and the offset printing unit.

Abstract: To adjust positions of pinch rollers without rotating a press drum, in a nonprinting state, the pinch rollers are lifted to upper positions at which the pinch rollers are not brought into contact with the press drum by pivoting arms and cams, and the pinch rollers are moved along a shaft in conformity with width of a print sheet to thereby adjust a clearance therebetween. In starting a printing operation, since the pinch rollers are not brought into contact with the press drum and the width can immediately be adjusted, it is not necessary to move a recess portion of the press drum to location of the pinch rollers by rotating the press drum, therefore a first print time is shortened.

Abstract: The present invention provides an offset printing apparatus for transferring an ink pattern onto a medium to be printed through a blanket. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting an amount of ink solvent impregnated into the blanket.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for guiding recording media through a printer comprises a roller unit which is coupled to the printer and which comprises a plurality of roller wheels.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a planographic printing plate having a notched portion on its surface having a required size, and having smaller burrs at a rear face, and a planographic printing plate cutting device and a planographic printing plate cutting method for forming such a planographic printing plate by cutting. The planographic printing plate cutting device of the present invention includes an upper roller for forming a recessed section at the planographic printing plate. The upper roller, which is formed substantially into a disc shape as a whole, has a pressing portion parallel to a web (the planographic printing plate), and a slope portion that is slanted with respect to the surface of the web at a predetermined inclination. This upper roller presses the web such that a sloped face (recessed section) that is slanted with respect to the surface of the web is formed. Next, a shearing roller shears the web at the sloped face such that a remaining portion of the sloped face forms a notched portion.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a heat-sensitive imaging element for making lithographic printing plates. The heat-sensitive imaging element comprises an image-forming layer comprising hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles having a specific particle size and polydispersity for obtaining printing plates with an improved sensitivity, excellent developability, high throughput and less scumming.

Abstract: A stencil for use in fabricating semiconductor devices is disclosed that has an aperture having a first portion extending from a first side thereof and a second portion extending from a second side thereof to minimize the shear stress between the material extruded therethrough and the stencil. The stencil allows for material to be extruded through the top of the stencil to the surface of the substrate and not contact the wall of the second portion of the aperture of the stencil. Since the material only contacts a small area of the first portion of the aperture near the top of the stencil, the material remains on the substrate and not in the aperture of the stencil.

Abstract: A method for correcting mistakes and other imperfections in printing members is disclosed. Ink accepting areas of the printing member are rendered non-ink accepting by treatment with a deletion fluid. Deletion fluids include, for example, acids, alkalis, and oxidizing formulations. A preferred deletion fluid is concentrated sulfuric acid.

Abstract: A method of preparing a printing plate for printing comprises applying a fluid composition by ink jetting to a substrate, and thereafter curing the fluid applied to the substrate. The fluid composition is jetted onto the substrate at a jetting temperature T2. The substrate is at a temperature Ts. The viscosity of the fluid composition at temperature Ts is about at least 300 times greater than the fluid's viscosity at temperature T2. The invention minimizes the dot spreading which otherwise occurs when a substrate is imaged via ink jetting to prepare a printing plate.

Abstract: There are provided a plate-making sheet and a printing device for printing on the plate-making sheet. The plate-making sheet is in the form of a strip and for being printed with stamp characters to be engraved on a stamping face of a stamp, in parallel with a process for making the stamp, for permitting checking of the stamp characters and for indication of the stamp characters on a back surface of the stamp. The plate-making sheet comprises a backing sheet, and an adhesive sheet laminated on the backing sheet and having a surface to be printed with the stamp characters. The surface of adhesive sheet is formed with a character check area to be printed with the stamp characters for permitting the checking of the stamp characters, and at least one indication character area to be printed with the stamp characters for the indication of the stamp characters. In the printing device, a printing mechanism prints stamp characters in a character check area and at least one indication character area.

Abstract: A method for forming a seamless cylindrical photosensitive element on a flexible cylindrical sleeve wherein the flexible sleeve is mounted onto a sleeve support to isolate the flexible sleeve from high temperature and/or high pressure associated with forming a cylindrical photosensitive layer on the flexible sleeve.

Abstract: An improved hydrophilized substrate for planographic printing is disclosed. The substrate contains a support and a hydrophilic layer over the support. The hydrophilic layer contains titanium dioxide (titania) particles. In one embodiment, the hydrophilic layer contains a mixture of coated and uncoated titanium dioxide particles, and, optionally, alumina particles. A method for preparation of the substrate and a printing member comprising the substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: A screen printing apparatus with a circular screen (1) and a squeegee (2) therein and an impression cylinder (3). A system that is synchronized with a screen drive device and the impression cylinder (3), and lifting the squeegee (2) in controlled manner. The system includes at least one cam disk (14) which, via a squeegee lever (16), moves the squeegee (2) into the desired position.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for removing ink accepting areas of a printing surface of a lithographic printing master by treatment with an atmospheric plasma. Preferably, the plasma is directed to the printing surface as a plasma jet while the printing master is mounted on the plate cylinder of a printing press. The method enables to clean a support of a printing master and then reuse the cleaned support for making another printing master. Preferably, all the following steps are performed on-press: (i) making an imaging material by providing a support with an image recording layer; (ii) making a printing master having a printing surface comprising ink accepting areas by image-wise exposing and optionally developing the imaging material; (iii) starting a pressrun; (iv) a cleaning step using an atmospheric plasma and then repeating steps (i) to (iv).

Abstract: A process for making lithographic sheet material suitable for imaging by laser radiation. A metal substrate is electrocoated in a bath containing a polymeric resin and laser-sensitive particles, thereby depositing a laser ablatable layer on a principal surface of the metal substrate. In one embodiment, the laser-ablatable layer is treated with a corona discharge for a time sufficient to render the layer non-ink wettable. In other preferred embodiments, the laser-ablatable layer is overcoated with an overlayer such as a non-ink wettable silicone layer or a water-wettable layer comprising an organophosphorus polymer, preferably a copolymer of acrylic acid and vinylphosphonic.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a camera-ready copy sheet to be inserted between a plate cylinder and a lithographic printing plate at least the back side of which is made of a non-metallic material. The copy sheet has asperities of a predetermined shape on the front side that are urged against the back side of the lithographic printing plate to depress it. The height of the projections in the asperities ranges from 5 &mgr;m to 50 &mgr;m. The sum per unit area of maximum cross-sectional areas of planes in the projections that are parallel to the surface of the sheet ranges from 0.2% to 4% of the unit area.