Patents by Inventor Alfred Hirt

Alfred Hirt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6796237
    Abstract: A method for imaging a printing form in which the printing form is charged on its entire surface and is coated on its entire surface with particles, in particular toner particles, which bear the opposite charge. The layer formed by the particles is then fixed in accordance with the image by a beam, in particular a laser beam, and especially by infrared radiation, on the surface of the printing form or ablated in accordance with the image. Thereupon, the unfixed portions of the layer are removed or the non-ablated portions are fixed by full-surface heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Alfons Schuster, Michael Schönert, Alfred Hirt, Robert Weiss
  • Publication number: 20030089260
    Abstract: A method for imaging a printing form in which the printing form is charged on its entire surface and is coated on its entire surface with particles, in particular toner particles, which bear the opposite charge. The layer formed by the particles is then fixed in accordance with the image by a beam, in particular a laser beam, and especially by infrared radiation, on the surface of the printing form or ablated in accordance with the image. Thereupon, the unfixed portions of the layer are removed or the non-ablated portions are fixed by full-surface heat treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: ALFONS SCHUSTER, MICHAEL SCHONERT, ALFRED HIRT, ROBERT WEISS
  • Patent number: 6032011
    Abstract: A process and a device for the image-differentiated development (inking) of a latent electrostatic image on an image carrier is disclosed, wherein, in an unlimited wide area, a fluid inking agent is applied to the image areas of the image carrier in the form of ink jets. The image areas have a potential V.sub.B, which is sufficient, in addition to an offset potential V.sub.O of the nozzles, to produce ink jets, which image the image areas of the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Alfred Hirt, Robert Weiss
  • Patent number: 6031551
    Abstract: A printing head suitable for imaging a ferroelectric printing form is sealed relative to the printing form by a spring-elastic seal. In the discharge chamber of the printing head, at a low pressure, preferably less than 10 hPa, and especially in the presence of a gas with high ionization probability, a discharge plasma is created, from which charge carriers emerge onto the printing form as the result of activation between electrodes, with simultaneous focussing by the application of electric and/or magnetic fields between plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 5900341
    Abstract: A printing form and process relating to the formation of images on the printing form. The printing form includes a ferroelectric layer (1) on which photoferroelectric effect is used to polarize or depolarize the layer to form the image to be printed in the layer (1). The printing form may also include a layer which is neither ferroelectric nor has the function of a photoconductor which adjoins the ferroelectric layer 1. In this instance, the photoelectric effect is used to form the image to be printed on the ferroelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Robert Weiss, Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 5580688
    Abstract: Various processes for enhancing the contrast between image and non-image regions of a printed image are implemented by increasing the toner-accepting charge on the surface of a printing form having a ferroelectric layer and from which the image is printed. The increase in charge is achieved, in alternate forms of the inventive process, either by increasing the temperature of the printing form surface relative to the temperature at which the form has been polarized, or by mechanically loading the printing form carrying cylinder for transfer of the toner from the printing form, or by applying additional charge carriers to the entire surface of the printing form (30) so as to create an enhanced potential difference between positively-polarized regions and negatively-polarized regions and, thereby, increased contrast between image and non-image regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 5555809
    Abstract: A method for producing an erasable printing form by making the outer layer of the printing form from a material containing strong micro-dipoles, preferably a ferroelectric material, in particular a ferroelectric ceramic. In wet offset printing, the non-printing areas of the printing form are rendered hydrophilic by a hydrophilizing agent and they are maintained during the entire printing process. Plate cleaners can, for example, be used as the hydrophilizing agents. The printing form can be erased by a nonpolar solvent and can be reused again by rendering the non-printing areas hydrophilic again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Alfred Hirt, Barbara N ussel, Robert Weiss
  • Patent number: 5454318
    Abstract: A method for producing an erasable printing form by making the outer layer of the printing form from a material containing strong micro-dipoles, preferably a ferroelectric material, in particular a ferroelectric ceramic. In wet offset printing, the non-printing areas of the printing form are rendered hydrophilic by a hydrophilizing agent and they are maintained during the entire printing process. Plate cleaners can, for example, be used as the hydrophilizing agents. The printing form can be erased by a nonpolar solvent and can be reused again by rendering the non-printing areas hydrophilic again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Alfred Hirt, Barbara Nussel, Robert Weiss
  • Patent number: 5194881
    Abstract: To program or selectively image or erase a printing form (9) of ferroelectric material, in which the state of polarization of discrete areas of the printing form is controlled, utilizes an electron beam (12) generated by an electron gun (1, 3) which is impinged against a surface area (30) of the ferroelectric printing form. The beam is controlled in accordance with an image to be recorded, for subsequent printing, on the printing form; it is directed to the ferroelectric material by an electron beam focussing and accelerating system, for example similar to the system used in a television camera. The printing form (9) can be sealed with respect to an evacuated electron gun by a slide seal (14, 15) with a vacuum lock, or by a ferrofluidic vacuum lock (18, 20); or the electron gun can be closed by a Lenard window, or an end plate (27) with micro channels or micro ducts (26) therein. The intensity of the beam can be controlled by a suitable image control unit (32a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Man Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 5191834
    Abstract: To provide an electrically controllable printing form, on which the printing image is retained even upon repeated application of printing toner or printing ink formed of toner suspended in a carrier liquid, the printing form (10) has a surface layer (12) of ferroelectric material or, if a gravure form (40), the cells (31) have a bottom (32) of ferroelectric material. The form is programmed under control of a control unit (13, 13') by an electrode (14, 14') which selectively polarizes the ferroelectric material. Upon application of electrically charged toner or ink, the ink or toner particles which are charged oppositely to the polarization of the ferroelectric layer or bottom will be retained, the equally charged particles repelled, so that, by selective positive or negative polarization, two-color printing can be effected at one pass of a printing substrate over the form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Man Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Fuhrmann, Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 4959668
    Abstract: The invention proposes an electrical image producing device for use with printing image carriers of printing presses. The main components of the device are writing units designed in the form of electrodes which are able to be activated individually in accordance with the image to be produced by connection with a power supply. In the case of a purely electrical form of the device the writing units consist of a stylus which is able to be connected with the power supply via a photoconductor. For driving the stylus use is made of a light guide on which there is a magneto-optic light switching module controlled by current pulses. In one switched state the light switching module allows the passage of a light ray from a light source through the light guide, the light ray passing through the photoconductor and making it locally electrically conducting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: MAN Technologie GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 4927702
    Abstract: A heat insulating structure of ceramic material for high temperatures is made up of a plurality of reflective layers in order to provide protection against the action of heat for short periods of time. The reflective layers are made up of a substrate of impregnated, fired ceramic fiber and a noble metal layer. The heat insulating structure is made up of a plurality of such parallel spaced reflective layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Man Technologie AG
    Inventors: August Muhlratzer, Karin Handrick, Siegfried Lassmann, Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 4833990
    Abstract: For modifying the printing image on a printing image carrier within a printing press the printing image carrier is in the form of a material with ferroelectric properties. Electrodes with or without heat sources are used to delete and write matter on the printing image carrier by polarizing and depolarizing the respective parts of the printing image carrier or the ferroelectric material. The depolarized material is hydrophobic so that it accepts the printing ink whereas the polarized parts are hydrophilic and accept water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Man Technologie GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Hirt, Hartmut Fuhrmann
  • Patent number: 4575765
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for the transmission of images to a screen, wherein luminescence centers of the screen are excited by way of electron beams controlled to suit the image to be transmitted. The electrons are emitted by cathode tips of a thin-film field-effect cathode. The cathode tips are driven individually, the flow of electrons emitted from each cathode tip corresponding to the grey tone for each image point. The cathode tips may be driven by mutually intersecting conducting strips to which are fed successive trigger pulses. In another version, the cathode tips are driven by the use of charge transfer systems, which enable a still picture to be produced by concurrently driving the cathode tips in their entirety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1986
    Assignee: MAN Maschinenfabrik Augsburg Nurnberg AG
    Inventor: Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 4373512
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for the protection of an arrangement located in the region of highly-concentrated radiation, such as the radiation receiver of a solar tower project. Smoke cartridges forming a smoke fog or water vapor sprays form a diffusion radiation in the path of radiation towards the arrangement so as to lower any critically or excessively high temperature capable of causing damage to the arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nurnberg Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Alfred Hirt
  • Patent number: 4331505
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electron emission aperture of an electron beam generator using the associated electron beam generator and the cathode of the generator which emits electrons at a plurality of points, as well as aperture lenses, and employing electron projection lithography. The associated electron beams are used to burn the emission spot pattern of the associated cathode into an electron-sensitive layer of a blank of a perforated mask, through holes in the mask are produced by etching at the burn spots, individual aperture spots corresponding to the emission spot pattern are burned into an electron-sensitive layer of a blank of the aperture through the through holes using the perforated mask and the associated electron beams, and the blind holes near the spots are etched allowing their individual apertures and a supporting grid to remain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Assignee: Man Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nurnburg A.G.
    Inventor: Alfred Hirt