Abstract: Positive-working thermally imageable elements, useful as printing plate precursors and having reduced ablation when thermally imaged, and methods for their preparation are disclosed. In one aspect, the elements contain a hydrophilic substrate, an underlayer, a barrier layer, and a top layer. The underlayer comprises a photothermal conversion material.

Abstract: A positive working, multi-layer thermally imageable element is disclosed. The element comprises a substrate, an underlayer, and a top layer. The top layer comprises a crosslinked polymeric material. The element may be thermally imaged and developed to form a lithographic printing plate.

Abstract: Multi-layer thermally imageable elements, useful as a lithographic printing plate precursors, are disclosed. The elements contain a top layer, an absorber layer that contains a photothermal conversion material and a hydrophilic substrate. An optional underlayer may also be present between the absorber layer and the hydrophilic substrate. The elements can be thermally imaged and processed with an aqueous alkaline developer.

Abstract: Positive-working thermally imageable elements, useful as printing plate precursors and having reduced ablation when thermally imaged, and methods for their preparation are disclosed. In one aspect, the elements contain a hydrophilic substrate, an underlayer, a barrier layer, and a top layer. The underlayer comprises a photothermal conversion material.

Abstract: Multi-layer thermally imageable elements, useful as a lithographic printing plate precursors, are disclosed. The elements contain a top layer, an absorber layer that contains a photothermal conversion material and a hydrophilic substrate. An optional underlayer may also be present between the absorber layer and the hydrophilic substrate. The elements can be thermally imaged and processed with an aqueous alkaline developer.

Abstract: A thermally imageable element, useful as a lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed. The element comprises a hydrophilic substrate; an underlayer comprising a first polymeric material; and an ink-receptive top layer comprising a second polymeric material and a solubility-suppressing component. The solubility-suppressing component may be a separate dissolution inhibitor compound and/or the second polymeric material may also function as a solubility-suppressing component. On thermal exposure the exposed regions of the top layer becomes more readily soluble in an aqueous developer, allowing the developer to remove the top layer and reveal the surface of the hydrophilic substrate. The lithographic printing plate thus formed has excellent properties, including the absence of sludging of the developer.

Abstract: An imageable element comprises: (A) a substrate; and (B) an imageable composition applied to the substrate comprising: (1) a first layer, comprising: (a) a photosensitive composition capable of absorbing actinic radiation; and (b) a photothermal converter; and (2) an ablatable second layer contiguous to the first layer, wherein the second layer is opaque to the actinic radiation. This imageable element advantageously is useful in both positive and negative working printing plate applications, increases the efficiency of use of mask-generating radiation such as IR radiation and eliminates the need for chemicals and additional time to create a mask.

Abstract: A thermally imageable element, useful as a lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed. The element comprises a hydrophilic substrate; an underlayer comprising a first polymeric material; and an ink-receptive top layer comprising a second polymeric material. Preferably, the top layer comprises a compound that functions as a solubility-suppressing component. The solubility-suppressing component may be a separate dissolution inhibitor compound and/or the second polymeric material may also function as a solubility-suppressing component. On thermal exposure the exposed regions of the top layer becomes more readily soluble in an aqueous developer, allowing the developer to remove the top layer and reveal the surface of the hydrophilic substrate. The lithographic printing plate thus formed has excellent properties, including the absence of sludging of the developer.

Abstract: A thermal lithographic printing plate, which can be imaged by thermal energy typically by imagewise exposure with an infrared emitting laser, a thermal printing head, etc., is made up of a hydrophilic substrate, and a composite layer structure composed of two layer coatings. Preferably, the first layer of the composite is composed of an aqueous developable polymer mixture containing a photothermal conversion material which is contiguous to the hydrophilic substrate. The second layer of the composite is composed of one or more non-aqueous soluble polymers which are soluble or dispersible in a solvent which does not dissolve the first layer. The plate is exposed with an infrared laser or a thermal print head, and upon aqueous development of the imaged plate, the exposed portions are removed exposing hydrophilic substrate surfaces receptive to conventional aqueous fountain solutions. The unexposed portions contain the ink-receptive image areas.

Abstract: A thermal lithographic printing plate, which can be imaged by thermal energy typically by imagewise exposure with an infrared emitting laser, a thermal printing head, etc., is made up of a hydrophilic substrate, and a composite layer structure composed of two layer coatings. Preferably, the first layer of the composite is composed of an aqueous developable polymer mixture containing a solubility inhibiting material and a photothermal conversion material which is contiguous to the hydrophilic substrate. The second layer of the composite is insoluble in the aqueous solution, is ink receptive, and is composed of one or more non-aqueous soluble polymers which are soluble or dispersible in a solvent which does not dissolve the first layer. The plate is exposed with an infrared laser or a thermal print head, and upon aqueous development of the imaged plate, the exposed portions are removed exposing hydrophilic substrate surfaces receptive to conventional aqueous fountain solutions.

Abstract: Imageable elements useful as lithographic printing members are disclosed. The elements contain a substrate, an underlayer, and a top layer. The underlayer contains a combination of polymeric materials that provides resistance both to fountain solution and to aggressive washes, such as a UV wash. The underlayer can be used in either thermally imageable or photochemically imageable elements.

Abstract: A lithographic printing surface is prepared using a thermal lithographic printing plate which requires no chemical development to remove areas of the imaged plate. The processless thermal lithographic printing plate has a sheet substrate; a hydrophilic layer on the sheet substrate; and a thermally sensitive imaging layer on the hydrophilic layer. The hydrophilic layer contains about 30 weight % of an aluminosilicate or clay, and preferably has an exterior surface which is micro-porous. The imaging layer preferably is micro-porous. The imaging layer is exposed imagewise using infrared laser radiation to produce an imaged layer. The imaged layer is treated with a conditioner liquid to produce a lithographic printing surface.

Abstract: A page holder for holding the pages of a book in an open arrangement having an attachment means such as a spring clip for attaching the page holder to the cover or to one or more pages of the book, a holding means adapted to hold, to the cover of the open book, one or more pages on each side of the spine of the open book, and a support member connecting the attachment means to the holding means, the support member being adapted to allow movement of the holding means from a page holding position to a page releasing position, without detaching the page holder from the book, so that one or more pages of the book can be turned.

Abstract: A system and method for processing analog XYZ calligraphic video signals for presentation as a stroke image on a flat panel LCD raster display screen by converting such signals in coordinated sets to digital data in a stroke frame buffer memory. The X and Y signals define column and row addresses in memory for storage of the coordinated Z digital color brightness data, which addresses correspond to pixel locations on the surface of the display screen to which the data is transferred to form the stroke image. By storing fractional bits from the X and Y digital data in the buffer memory along with the coordinated color intensity data a high resolution stroke image can be formed using a conventional sized buffer memory. Further, noise and clock conversion artifacts are minimized by saving the first point of each stroke line or vector and by using the X and Y fractional bits for beam shaping utilizing anti-aliasing discs.

Abstract: A persistent photoconductive coating composition contains a persistent photoconductor, photoinitiator, an acetate or phenolic hydroxyl containing resin and ketone dispersed in an inert coherent matrix.

Abstract: An aqueous composition-sensitive photoconductive composition useful in the preparation of aqueous composition decoatable electrophotographic elements, such elements and low cost lithographic printing plates prepared from said elements the aqueous composition-sensitive photoconductive composition comprising the admixture of an inorganic photoconductor, an organic photoconductor and an aqueous composition-sensitive resin, and, if desired, to increase exposure speed, a dyestuff photosensitizer.