Processes Of Lithographic Printing Patents (Class 101/450.1)
  • Patent number: 7240615
    Abstract: A self-dampening ink composition and methods for lithographic printing using a single fluid lithographic ink are provided in the invention in which the composition comprises glycerol in an amount greater than 0 to about 10 percent by weight, a nonionic surfactant with an HLB value of about 8 to about 20 in an amount from about 0.25 to about 2 percent by weight, and water in an amount of about 20 to about 50 percent by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sun Chemical Corp.
    Inventors: Christian John Lee, Olgierd Wasilewski, Richard Durand, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7223438
    Abstract: A direct-write method for fabricating magnetic nanostructures, including hard magnetic nanostructures of barium hexaferrite, BaFe, based on nanolithographic printing and a sol-gel process. This method utilizes a conventional atomic force microscope tip, coated with a magnetic material precursor solution, to generate patterns that can be post-treated at elevated temperature to generate magnetic features consisting of barium ferrite in its hexagonal magnetoplumbite (M-type) structure. Features ranging from several hundred nm down to below 100 nm were generated and studied using AFM, magnetic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The approach offers a new way for patterning functional inorganic magnetic nanostructures with deliberate control over feature size and shape, as well as interfeature distance and location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Lei Fu, Xiaogang Liu, Vinayak P. Dravid
  • Patent number: 7213516
    Abstract: A method of developing a laser sensitive lithographic printing plate with ink and/or fountain solution is described. The printing member comprises on a substrate a photosensitive layer soluble or dispersible in ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to a laser. The plate is exposed with a laser and deactivated under a safe light or in the dark, and then on-press developed with ink and/or fountain solution preferably under white light. Alternatively, the plate is developed with ink and/or fountain solution or the likes off press, and then mounted on press for lithographic printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Patent number: 7214725
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to radiation-curable ink formulations, and particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a family of radiation-curable ink formulations specifically for lithographic printing applications. The inventive ink formulations are based on multifunctional acrylate resins formed by the reaction of acrylate monomers and oligomers with ?-keto esters (e.g., acetoacetates), ?-diketones (e.g., 2,4-pentanedione), ?-keto amides (e.g., acetoacetanilide, acetoacetamide), and/or other ?-dicarbonyl compounds that can participate in Michael addition reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Ashland Licensing and Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Sridevi Narayan-Sarathy, Lisa M. Hahn
  • Patent number: 7214469
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lithographic printing plate precursor and a lithographic printing method using the lithographic printing plate precursor, which is capable of an image recording by infrared laser scanning and an on-press development and excellent in fine line reproducibility and press life while maintaining good on-press developing properties, the lithographic printing plate precursor comprising: a support; and an image recording layer capable of being removed by a printing ink and/or a fountain solution, in which the image recording layer comprises an infrared absorber and a graft polymer having a specific graft chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Sumiaki Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 7191705
    Abstract: In a method and device to generate a print image on a carrier material, a surface of a print carrier is coated with a layer which is one of ink-repelling and ink-attracting. In the structuring process, ink-attracting regions and ink-repelling regions are generated. Ink that adheres to the ink-attracting regions and that is not absorbed by the ink-repelling regions is applied on the surface. The applied ink is transferred onto the carrier material. Before a new structure process on the same surface of the print carrier, the surface is cleaned and recoated with said layer. Before the application of said layer, a wetting-aiding substance is applied with a molecular layer thickness. A surfactant with hydrophilic molecule sections is used as the wetting-aiding substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Oce Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Berg, Erich Kattner, Robert Link
  • Patent number: 7162955
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of carrying out lithographic printing using a plate having an image recording layer capable of being developed with dampening water and/or ink, the method including: a development step in which a plate bearing a recorded image, mounted on a plate cylinder and having a given surface speed is subjected to contact with a dampening roller and/or a form roller having a surface speed differing from the surface speed of the plate, and is thereby supplied with dampening water and/or ink; and a printing step in which ink is transferred to a printing material while the dampening roller and form roller remain in contact with the plate. The method of the present invention is a lithographic printing method which uses on-machine development type plates and has a very high productivity because the amount of paper spoilage at the start of printing is low and the time until scum-free impressions are obtained is short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mutsumi Naniwa, Toshifumi Inno
  • Patent number: 7147988
    Abstract: A printing plate material including: a plastic support; a hydrophilic layer on the plastic support; and a back layer on the plastic support, being provided on the opposite side to the hydrophilic layer, wherein the back layer includes a matting agent, and a distribution width of a projection amount of the matting agent is 1 to 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7143695
    Abstract: A rotary printing press is operated using temperature controls. The temperature is set in accordance with a speed at which the printing press is operating. The temperature and speed are set to attain optimum printing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Schneider, Wolfgang Otto Reder
  • Patent number: 7140297
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing process employing a printing plate material obtained by providing, on a support, a coating solution for an image formation layer capable of forming an image by heating, the process comprising the steps of imagewise heating the printing plate material, and then carrying out printing supplying printing ink and a dampening solution to the heated printing plate material, wherein the acid base property of the coating solution is the reverse of that of the dampening solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomonori Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7121204
    Abstract: A method of printing is disclosed which comprises the steps of (i) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support and a heat- or light-sensitive coating; (ii) image-wise exposure of the coating to heat or light; (iii) prior to step (ii) or (iv), mounting the lithographic printing plate precursor in a printing unit of a printing press, said printing unit comprising a dampening system and an inking system; (iv) development by supplying a processing liquid to the coating by means of the dampening system, thereby obtaining a lithographic printing plate; (v) printing by supplying single-fluid ink or driographic ink to the lithographic printing plate by means of the inking system. This method allows on-press processing of printing plate materials that require wet processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Agfa Gevaert
    Inventors: Eric Verschueren, Rudi Goedeweeck, Joan Vermeersch
  • Patent number: 7112282
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for extending the life of fountain solutions used in commercial printing presses comprises withdrawing fountain solution from the dampener recirculation system of a printing press and directing the withdrawn fountain solution through a sediment prefilter, a separation filter, and a post treatment filter. The sediment prefilter preferably comprises a melt blown polypropylene filter; the separation filter preferably comprises a diatomaceous earth filter; and the post treatment filter preferably comprises a zeolite filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Inventors: David J. Stinson, David A. Douglas, Roy E. Seibert, Jose A. Villarreal
  • Patent number: 7089856
    Abstract: Method of on-press developing a thermosensitive lithographic printing member with ink and/or fountain solution is described. The printing member comprises on a substrate a thermosensitive layer soluble or dispersible in ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to an infrared radiation. The printing member can be a pre-coated plate or can be prepared on press by coating a thermosensitive layer onto a substrate that is a sheet material or a seamless sleeve mounted on a plate cylinder or is the surface of a plate cylinder of the lithographic press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Patent number: 7089855
    Abstract: The tack of an ink that is used in a printing group of a rotating printing press, or the temperature of a rotating component in the printing group is selected or controlled. This selection or control is accomplished in a manner so that optimal printing is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Schneider, Wolfgang Otto Reder, Karl Erich Albert Schaschek
  • Patent number: 7087159
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for extending the life of fountain solutions used in commercial printing presses comprises withdrawing fountain solution from the dampener recirculation system of a printing press and directing the withdrawn fountain solution through a sediment prefilter, a separation filter, and a post treatment filter. The sediment prefilter preferably comprises a melt blown polypropylene filter; the separation filter preferably comprises a diatomaceous earth filter; and the post treatment filter preferably comprises a zeolite filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Inventors: David J. Stinson, David A. Douglas, Roy E. Seibert, Jose A. Villarreal
  • Patent number: 7059246
    Abstract: A process is provided for obtaining or refreshing the illustration of a printing form, preferably in wet-offset printing. Instead of clearing the illustration over the entire area, the printing form is acted on during the production. For this, a processing agent can act on the printing form in different areas for images. A processing agent preferably acts over the entire area of the printing form, in which case the layer of ink located on the printing form leads to a locally different intensity of the action, corresponding to the illustration of the printing form. Photocatalytic effects are preferably used. A hydrophilization of non-image areas is brought about by irradiation in the presence of water molecules. Since printing ink containing little water lies on the image areas, hydrophilization cannot occur on the image areas. Thus, in spite of the entire-area action on the printing form, an image-related refreshing or obtaining of the illustration is automatically achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Maschinenfabric WIFAG
    Inventors: Matthias Riepenhoff, Reinhold Güth
  • Patent number: 7000542
    Abstract: A litho printing press comprising one or more litho ink printing stations, each of which has paste-type, oil-based litho ink applicating means for depositing said oil-based litho ink onto a printing plate, an adjacent first rotatable cylinder called the plate cylinder on which is clamped a non-planar, laminate multiple layer flexible printing plate which receives said oil-based litho ink from the ink applicator means in a nip therebetween, and at least a second rotatable cylinder called the impression cylinder over which passes the substrate to be printed upon in a nip between the substrate and either the plate cylinder or another and intermediate rotatable cylinder called the blanket cylinder. This results in elimination of dampener and the dampening solution. The non-planar multiple layer flexible printing plate has an outermost layer for receiving the litho ink after it has been adhesively secured in the pre-press department of the printing plant to an innermost layer of a different material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: Myer (Mike) H. Hecht
  • Patent number: 6994028
    Abstract: Disclosed is a developing process on a press of a planographic printing plate material comprising a hydrophilic layer and an image formation layer, which is capable of being developed with water or capable of being developed on a press, the process comprising the steps of (a) supplying dampening water to the planographic printing plate material with a recorded image mounted on a plate cylinder of a press by bringing a dampening roller into contact with the planographic printing plate material while rotating the plate cylinder, and (b) then supplying ink to the planographic printing plate material by bringing an ink roller into contact with the planographic printing plate material to remove an image formation layer unnecessary for printing, wherein in the step (a), the supplied amount of the dampening water is varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Saburou Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 6918339
    Abstract: First, densities are measured of a set of detecting patches having an equal number of lines and different area ratios between a printing area and a non-printing area, a set of detecting patches having an equal area ratio between a printing area and a non-printing area and different numbers of lines, and solid patches. Next, area ratios S relating to quantities of dampening water are calculated by using density of the set of detecting patches having the equal number of lines and different area ratios between the printing area and non-printing area, and density of the solid patches. Then, coefficients N relating to emulsification rates of ink are calculated by using density of the set of detecting patches having the equal area ratio between the printing area and non-printing area and different numbers of lines, and the density of the solid patches. Finally, a feed rate of dampening water is adjusted by using the area ratios S and coefficients N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Yamamoto, Kazuki Fukui
  • Patent number: 6919163
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support having provided thereon a hydrophilic layer which is converted to hydrophobic by heating, wherein the hydrophilic layer contains (1) an organic and inorganic composite having a crosslinking structure obtained by hydrolysis and poly-condensation on condition of coexistence of a metal complex compound and an organic hydrophilic resin, and (2) core-shell structural fine particles containing a resin core having a functional group capable of interacting with the organic and inorganic composite and a resin shell not substantially having a functional group capable of interacting with the organic and inorganic composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Oohashi, Sumiaki Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 6908558
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for extending the life of fountain solutions used in commercial printing presses comprises withdrawing fountain solution from the dampener recirculation system of a printing press and directing the withdrawn fountain solution through a sediment prefilter, a separation filter, and a posttreatment filter. The sediment prefilter preferably comprises a melt blown polypropylene filter; the separation filter preferably comprises a diatomaceous earth filter; and the post-treatment filter preferably comprises a zeolite filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventors: David J. Stinson, David A. Douglas, Roy E. Seibert, Jose A. Villarreal
  • Patent number: 6893798
    Abstract: A method for treating a micro-emulsion that can be used for removing the ink-accepting areas of a lithographic printing master is disclosed, which enables to recycle the water from the used micro-emulsion. The method comprises the heating of the micro-emulsion to a temperature above 50° C. thereby obtaining an aqueous phase and an organic phase and separating the aqueous phase from the organic phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Eric Verschueren, Peter Geerts
  • Patent number: 6890688
    Abstract: This invention relates to a lithographic template, a method of forming the lithographic template and a method for forming devices with the lithographic template. The lithographic template (10, 110, 210) is formed having a substrate (12, 112, 212) and a charge dissipation layer (20, 120, 220), and a patterned imageable relief layer, (16, 116, 216) formed on a surface (14, 114, 214) of the substrate (10, 110, 210) using radiation. The template (10, 110, 210) is used in the fabrication of a semiconductor device (344) for affecting a pattern in the device (344) by positioning (338) the template (10, 11, 210) in close proximity to semiconductor device (344) having a radiation sensitive material (334) formed thereon and applying a pressure (340) to cause the radiation sensitive material to flow into the relief image present on the template (10, 110, 210).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignees: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., University of Texas System
    Inventors: David P. Mancini, Douglas J. Resnick, Carlton Grant Willson
  • Patent number: 6868786
    Abstract: A patterning method for micro-contact printing involves the steps of: applying a resin on a master having projected patterns, hardening the resin and thereafter removing the hardened resin from the master to make a stamp of the resin; applying a molecular ink including hydrophobic molecules dispersed in a solvent on the stamp; forming micro-contact printed patterns of the hydrophobic molecular layer on a substrate by means of the stamp on which the molecular ink is applied; dipping the substrate with micro-contact printed patterns in a hydrophilic molecule solution dispersed in a solvent to give chemical modification to the areas of the surface of the substrate around the micro-contact printed patterns, the solution including hydrophilic molecules having a chain length shorter than the chain length of hydrophobic molecules included in the molecular ink is used as the hydrophilic molecule solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Dainippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Fujihira, Uichi Akiba, Hiroki Okui, Shintaro Fujii, Masaaki Kurihara
  • Patent number: 6834590
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lithographic printing method which performs lithographic printing with emulsion ink as it is supplied from an ink fountain which is a reservoir of the emulsion ink to a lithographic printing plate, comprising the steps of: computing amounts of consumption of ink and aqueous components of the emulsion ink on the basis of a percent image area of the lithographic printing plate; and replenishing the ink fountain with at least one member of the group consisting of the ink component, the aqueous component and the emulsion ink in accordance with the computed amounts of consumption of the ink and aqueous components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mutsumi Naniwa
  • Patent number: 6833225
    Abstract: A lithographic printing method forming a uniform layer of a hydrophobic substance on the entire surface of a printing plate precursor having a titanium dioxide-containing surface layer, by irradiating the surface of the precursor with active light to form imagewise hydrophilic areas to make a printing plate, said active light is far-ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 250 to 320 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisao Ooishi
  • Patent number: 6829994
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for printing on a substrate for preparing packaging blanks. The substrate is divided into copies, each of these copies having one or more areas for subsequent application of an adhesive, and a printed image produced on the copy by application of an ink film and coated with a lacquer. It is an object of the present invention to develop a method and apparatus for printing on a substrate for preparing packaging blanks, for which specially manufactured lacquer plates are not required. Pursuant to the present invention, this object is accomplished based on the fact that an ink film and a binder customarily used for offset printing inks are used to produce a printed image on a substrate and a lacquer is applied over the surface of the substrate, wherein the binder is applied at areas intended for application of an adhesive and the lacquer is absorbed by the binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer
    Inventor: Jürgen Veil
  • Publication number: 20040187720
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of carrying out lithographic printing using a plate having an image recording layer capable of being developed with dampening water and/or ink, the method including:
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Mutsumi Naniwa, Toshifumi Inno
  • Publication number: 20040154490
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing method employing a planographic printing plate material capable of being developed on a printing press, the method comprising the step of imagewise exposing a planographic printing plate material comprising a support, and provided thereon, an image formation layer containing hydrophobic precursor particles, developing the exposed planographic printing plate material with dampening water and/or printing ink to obtain a printing plate, the dampening water being re-circulated for re-use and filtered with a filter during re-circulation, and carrying out printing employing the resulting printing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Takahiro Mori
  • Patent number: 6752081
    Abstract: A method of adjusting dampening-solution feed of an offset printing press by a control device includes determining a required dampening-solution demand for a first calibration printing form with a known minimum percent area coverage and for a second calibration printing form with a known maximum percent area coverage at a calibration speed, and storing the dampening-solution demand in the control device as interpolation reference points; determining a percent area coverage lying between the maximum and the minimum percent area coverage of the calibration printing forms of a printing form to be used for a forthcoming print job, and passing the determined percent area coverage on to the control device; determining by the control device the dampening-solution demand required for the forthcoming print job with the printing form provided for the purpose at the calibration speed, by interpolating between the interpolation reference points; determining a printing-speed dependent characteristic curve of the dampening
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Martin John Callahan, Wolfgang Schönberger
  • Patent number: 6745693
    Abstract: A variable data lithographic printing device comprises surrounding a printing cylinder a photosensitive layer coater, an exposure source, optionally a developer, an inking applicator, optionally a transfer system, and optionally an eraser. During printing operation, each surface areas of the rotating cylinder continuously undergo the cycle of coating, imagewise exposure, optionally developing, inking, printing of inked images to the receiving medium, and optionally erasing processes. The developing means can be omitted if an ink and/or fountain solution developable photosensitive layer is used. In an alternative design, the cylinder is replaced with a continuous supply of a ribbon with lithographic substrate surface. In another alternative design, the cylinder and the coater are replaced with a continuous supply of a pre-sensitized ribbon comprising on a substrate a photosensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Publication number: 20040094057
    Abstract: A planographic printing apparatus and method is provided for single fluid lithographic printing using a plate cylinder having a generally neutral pH hydrophilic material in the non-image areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Graham C. Battersby, Mark D. Latunski, Kevin P. Kingman, Michael V. Oberski
  • Patent number: 6706337
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for applying a coating material onto a print substrate mounted on a plate cylinder of a printing press. The method comprising: delivering a supply of the coating material to a distributive surface of an ultrasonic horn, the distributive surface controlling a flow of the coating material to an active edge of the ultrasonic horn, and atomizing the coating material at the active edge of the ultrasonic horn and directing the atomized coating material onto a surface of the print substrate. The present invention also provides a multi-purpose ultrasonic acoustic coating/cleaning system for applying a coating material onto, and cleaning the coating material from, a print substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Agfa Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas K. Hebert
  • Patent number: 6680161
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor which comprises a support having a hydrophilic surface having provided thereon in order of a layer containing a latex (layer A) and an ink-receptive layer (layer B) whose solubility at least either in water or in an aqueous solution is converted by heat, wherein at least one layer of either layer A or layer B contains a light/heat converting agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidekazu Oohashi
  • Patent number: 6675714
    Abstract: A printing machine provided allows even unskilled operators to perform ink and water supply control according to the contents of an image. While a reference image to be printed is segmented into a plurality of regions similar in contents, image data is obtained from printed matter and a color difference between the reference image and a print image is calculated. Ink and water (I/W) supplies are determined based on regional color difference data obtained by summing the color differences for each region. At this time, by adding correction of the regional color difference data based on the characteristics of each region and the contents of the image, and correction of the I/W supplies based on external factors and variables, even unskilled operators can perform rapid I/W supply control based on the contents of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Itaru Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20030224259
    Abstract: A printing method is disclosed wherein a grained and anodized aluminum support is coated with an image recording layer comprising hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles. The heat-sensitive imaging material thus obtained is then image-wise exposed and processed, thereby obtaining a material having a lithographic image which consists of hydrophobic printing areas on a hydrophilic support and which is used as a printing master in a printing press. After the press run, the lithographic support is recycled by removing the hydrophobic printing areas from the hydrophilic surface of the aluminum support. The recycled support is then reused in a next cycle of coating, exposing, processing and printing. By using a grained and anodized aluminum support having a hydrophilic surface with a surface roughness, expressed as arithmetical mean center-line roughness Ra, which is less than 0.45 &mgr;m, the run length of the printing master is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: AGFA-GEVAERT
    Inventors: Eric Verschueren, Joan Vermeersch
  • Patent number: 6646025
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process of printing using a single fluid lithographic printing ink that includes a continuous phase and a discontinuous polyol phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Flint Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin P. Kingman, Rick A. Balyo, Michael V. Oberski
  • Publication number: 20030188652
    Abstract: A liquid transfer article is provided including a support assembly and an imaged surface formed directly on the surface of the support assembly by digital photopolymerization. The support assembly is in the form of a polymeric base, and the liquid transfer article is formed by providing a liquid photopolymer on the surface of the base and then irradiating the polymer with a light source to form the image. The liquid transfer article is reimagable and may be used in gravure printing processes, as well as other printing applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventors: Michael E. Mclean, Brett Scherrman, Douglas C. Neckers, Peter Serguievski
  • Publication number: 20030190553
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor which comprises a support having a hydrophilic surface having provided thereon in order of a layer containing a latex (layer A) and an ink-receptive layer (layer B) whose solubility at least either in water or in an aqueous solution is converted by heat, wherein at least one layer of either layer A or layer B contains a light/heat converting agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventor: Hidekazu Oohashi
  • Publication number: 20030183105
    Abstract: A process is provided for obtaining or refreshing the illustration of a printing form, preferably in wet-offset printing. Instead of clearing the illustration over the entire area, the printing form is acted on during the production. For this, a processing agent can act on the printing form in different areas for images. A processing agent preferably acts over the entire area of the printing form, in which case the layer of ink located on the printing form leads to a locally different intensity of the action, corresponding to the illustration of the printing form. Photocatalytic effects are preferably used. A hydrophilization of non-image areas is brought about by irradiation in the presence of water molecules. Since printing ink containing little water lies on the image areas, hydrophilization cannot occur on the image areas. Thus, in spite of the entire-area action on the printing form, an image-related refreshing or obtaining of the illustration is automatically achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Matthias Riepenhoff, Reinhold Guth
  • Publication number: 20030152868
    Abstract: Disclosed is a planographic printing plate precursor comprising a support, and provided thereon, an image forming layer, a first outermost layer on the image forming layer side and a second outermost layer on the side of the support opposite the first outermost layer, the first and second outermost layers containing a lubricant component, which is manufactured either by a method comprising the steps of preparing a planographic printing plate precursor comprising a support and provided thereon, an image forming layer so that only the first outermost layer contains a lubricant component and winding the resulting precursor in the roll form, or by a method comprising the steps of preparing a planographic printing plate precursor comprising a support and provided thereon, an image forming layer so that only the second outermost layer contains a lubricant component and winding the resulting precursor in the roll form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventor: Saburou Hiraoka
  • Publication number: 20030143488
    Abstract: Method of on-press developing a thermosensitive lithographic printing member with ink and/or fountain solution is described. The printing member comprises on a substrate a thermosensitive layer soluble or dispersible in ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to an infrared radiation. The printing member can be a pre-coated plate or can be prepared on press by coating a thermosensitive layer onto a substrate that is a sheet material or a seamless sleeve mounted on a plate cylinder or is the surface of a plate cylinder of the lithographic press.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Publication number: 20030136284
    Abstract: A printing system making use of a lithographic printing plate has been disclosed, said system comprising the steps of image-wise exposing to infrared light a heat sensitive imaging element, said element being optionally present on the printing press before starting said image-wise exposing step to infrared light, wherein said element comprises, on a lithographic base with a hydrophilic surface thereupon, an image-forming layer including hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles and a hydrophilic polymer binder, and, optionally, an infrared absorbing compound, wherein said hydrophobic polymer particles contain more than 0.1 wt % of nitrogen and have an average particle size diameter in the range from 0.015 to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventors: Huub Van Aert, Joan Vermeersch, Dirk Kokkelenberg
  • Patent number: 6596464
    Abstract: A lithographic printing method is disclosed which comprising the steps of providing an imaging material which comprises a support and an image-recording layer that is not removable with a single-fluid ink which comprises an ink phase and a polar phase; image-wise exposure of the image-recording layer to heat or light without substantially ablating said image-recording layer, thereby switching the affinity of the image-recording towards ink or an ink-abhesive fluid and thereby creating a printing master comprising a lithographic image which consists of unexposed areas that have affinity for one phase of said ink phase and polar phase and of exposed areas that have affinity for the other phase of said ink phase and polar phase; printing, wherein the single-fluid ink is supplied to the printing master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Marc Van Damme, Joan Vermeersch
  • Publication number: 20030129520
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a planographic printing plate precursor comprising a substrate comprising a hydrophilic surface having disposed thereon a heat-sensitive layer containing a thermoplastic particulate polymer having functional groups capable of interacting with the hydrophilic surface. Preferably, hydrophilic graft polymer chains are present on the hydrophilic surface of the substrate. The present invention further relates to a planographic printing plate precursor comprising a substrate comprising a hydrophilic surface having disposed thereon a heat-sensitive layer comprising microcapsules comprising a compound having functional groups capable of interacting with the hydrophilic surface. In addition, the present invention relates to methods of printing with the planographic printing plate precursors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: Hidekazu Oohashi, Koichi Kawamura, Miki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20030113653
    Abstract: An imaging member, such as a negative-working printing plate or on-press cylinder, comprises latex polymer-carbon black composite particles. Such imaging members can be prepared with a hydrophilic imaging layer comprised of a heat-sensitive hydrophilic polymer having ionic moieties and the latex polymer-carbon black composite particles as a photothermal conversion material. The latex polymer-carbon black composite particles can be formulated in water or water-miscible solvents without agglomeration with other components such as charged polymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Shiying Zheng, Xiaoru Wang, Jeffrey W. Leon, Edward Schofield
  • Publication number: 20030104314
    Abstract: An imaging member, such as a negative-working printing plate or on-press cylinder, can be prepared with a hydrophilic imaging layer comprised of a heat-sensitive hydrophilic charged polymer (ionomer) and an infrared radiation sensitive negatively-charged oxonol dye that has a &lgr;max of greater than 700 nm. The heat-sensitive polymer and IR dye can be formulated in water or water-miscible solvents to provide highly thermal sensitive imaging compositions. In the imaging member, the polymer reacts to provide increased hydrophobicity in areas exposed to energy that provides or generates heat. For example, heat can be supplied by laser irradiation in the IR region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The heat-sensitive polymer is considered “switchable” in response to heat, and provides a lithographic image without conventional alkaline processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Shiying Zheng, Kevin W. Williams
  • Patent number: 6566039
    Abstract: A variable data lithographic printing device comprises surrounding a printing cylinder a photosensitive layer coater, an exposure source, optionally a developer, an inking applicator, optionally a transfer system, and optionally an eraser. During printing operation, each surface areas of the rotating cylinder continuously undergo the cycle of coating, imagewise exposure, optionally developing, inking, printing of inked imaging to the receiving medium, and optionally erasing processes. The developing means can be omitted if an ink and/or fountain solution developable photosensitive layer is used. In an alternative design, the cylinder is replaced with a continuous supply of a ribbon with lithographic substrate surface. In another alternative design, the cylinder and the coater are replaced with a continuous supply of a pre-sensitized ribbon comprising on a substrate a photosensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Patent number: 6565761
    Abstract: A process and a device for producing a printing tool in which a mask for sectional chemical passivation is applied to the surface of a workpiece that is to be subjected to a chemical surface working. In accordance with one embodiment, the process for producing a printing tool includes the steps of providing a workpiece having a surface which is subjected to a chemical surface working and spot spraying the surface of the workpiece section-by-section with a mask for sectional chemical passivation where the mask is essentially a wax and is sprayed onto the surface of the workpiece by a plurality of nozzles that are controlled with EDP support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Kesper Druckwalzen GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Kesper
  • Patent number: 6543360
    Abstract: A printing system is provided which ensures easy formation of a plate and regeneration of the plate for continued use. The press plate used in a the printing system to form an image using a water-based ink is characterized in that, (I) prior to formation of a latent image, the surface forming the latent image exhibits extra ink-repellency to the ink to be used; (2) the press plate allows a water soluble material forming the latent image to be deposited thereon; (3) the latent image can be formed by allowing the water soluble material to be deposited on the press plate surface; and (4) the press plate can be regenerated as a plate which allows a new latent image to be formed by washing the press plate with water and drying it, upon completion of ensuing processes of development and transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sasaki, Mitsuyoshi Shouji, Kenichi Kawashima, Yutaka Ito, Teruaki Mitsuya, Nobuyoshi Hoshi