Abstract: A process of forming an overcoat on a printed image to provide improved stability comprising:a) applying an image layer on a substrate using a liquid ink to form an imaged element;b) either charging the imaged element to a given polarity or applying a voltage across the surface of the element which is attracted to a conductive surface behind the element;c) applying colorless, charged particles to the element which causes them to be electrostatically attracted to the surface of the image layer; andd) heat-fusing the particles to obtain a protective overcoat over the entire surface of the image layer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for imprinting duplicate copies of a credit card receipt using a single-ply roll of paper. The paper can be either coated on a first side with a carbonless coating that contains rupturable microcapsules, each filled with reactive, colorless dyes, and coated on a second side with a resin adapted to react with the colorless dyes, or coated on a single side with self-contained microencapsulated colorless dyes and reactive resins. To include transaction information printed on the credit card receipt as well as information written on the receipt by the customer (such as a signature and an indication of the amount of any gratuity), the transaction information is substantially duplicated in two separate fields each on a separate portion of the credit card receipt. At least part of the two separate portions are then aligned and presented to the customer for completion.

Abstract: A method of printing a color image on a medium, the method comprising the following steps:separating the image to be reproduced into a composition of colored unit areas, said unit areas being disposed in a predetermined distribution, the color of each unit area being selected from a predetermined set of base colors and a predetermined set of tones of said base colors, the number of tones for at least one of the base colors being greater than or equal to three, the base color and the tone allocated to each of said unit areas being selected so that said composition of colored unit areas visually reconstitutes the image to be reproduced; andprinting said composition of colored unit areas on said medium by means of inks whose hues are selected, taking into account the color of said support, so as to be capable of reproducing said base colors and the tones thereof during printing, the tone of a base color allocated to a given unit area being obtained during printing by acting on the proportion of each ink within t

Abstract: In a method of applying a decoration to an object, at least one layer of enamel frit slip is applied to the object, after which, without curing this layer, a decoration based on enamel frit and mineral pigments is applied to localized areas of this layer in the form of a paste containing the enamel frit, the pigments and a binder that can be melted by application of heat or cross-linked by exposure to ultraviolet light. The paste is heated when it is applied to the enamel frit slip layer to melt the binder that can be melted by heat, after which the combination is cured to vitrify the enamel frit slip layer and the decoration.

Abstract: Hand-held printing apparatus and method are disclosed that provide a replaceable ink cartridge with an ink reservoir defined therein to store wet ink that may typically have a paste like consistency. A piston movable within the ink cartridge is operably connected to the tape spool for compressing the wet ink through a nozzle of the ink cartridge onto the first of a series of printing rollers that smooth out the ink for transfer to a printing roller to effect offset printing of a desired image onto the adhesive side of clear adhesive tape. The cartridge is provided in a low cost throw away package for disposal after the ink is depleted. Multiple color logos or images can be printed by using two to four different color ink cartridges.

Abstract: Resins and waxes made by reacting selected nucleophiles, including alcohols and/or amines, with an isocyanate are disclosed. The order of addition of the isocyanate and the different nucleophiles can tailor the distribution of di-urethane, mixed urethane/urea, and/or di-urea molecules in the final resin product. The isocyanate-derived resin and wax materials are useful as ingredients as phase change ink carrier compositions used to make phase change ink jet inks.

Abstract: Binders for papercoating slips which permit uniform printability contain a polymer prepared by the seed procedure and comprisingfrom 1 to 49% by weight of a polymer seed A) having a glass transition temperature of from -80.degree. to +25.degree. C. and based on esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, andfrom 51 to 99% by weight of ethylenically unsaturated monomers B), from 10 to 100% by weight of which monomers are butadiene,the polymer seed A being added before or during the polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomers.

Abstract: An offset printing method is suitable for high-precision printing. Errors caused by the relative movement between a blanket cylinder 4 and a form plate 10 and the rotation of the blanket cylinder 4 on its axis which are produced in a step of transferring an ink image to the blanket cylinder 4 from the form plate 10, are reproduced in the relative movement between the blanket cylinder 4 and a surface to be printed on 11 and the rotation of the blanket cylinder 4 on its axis in a step for printing the ink image on the surface to be printed on 11 from the blanket cylinder 4. The dimensional errors produced in the ink image transferred to the surface 12 of the blanket cylinder 14 of the offset printing methods are cancelled when transferring the ink image from the surface of the blanket cylinder 4 to the surface to be printed on.

Abstract: In a printing method, an electrically encoded image to be transferred to a printing substrate during a printing process is provided in an electronic memory. A flexible carrier web is attached under tension to a cutting cylinder identical in dimensions to a blanket or printing cylinder of a printing machine. The curing cylinder may be a blanket or printing cylinder in a printing machine or a dedicated support cylinder in a stand-alone cutting assembly. The carrier web is cut automatically in accordance with the electrically encoded image after attachment of the carrier web to the cutting cylinder. Subsequently, sections of the carrier web are removed therefrom along cut lines made in the carrier web during the cutting thereof.

Abstract: Offset printing method wherein ink in the form of screened half-tone dots or pixels and unscreened printing-image elements is applied to a printing surface of a recording medium by means of a printing device; a printing form being generated from signals reproducing a printed image; the printing form being inked with an inking device; and the ink being transferred to the printing surface, upon transport of the recording medium relative to the printing device; the signals being processed in a control device for the printing device; includes, near the printing device and before the printing form is generated on a screen or monitor, forming a copy of the printed image from the signals reproducing the printed image and from signals containing parameters of the printing device; whenever the copy deviates from a desired printed image, manually inputting correction values for local inking into the control device, until the copy corresponds to the desired printed image; and generating the printing form and adjusting t

Abstract: A printing press blanket underliner is provided which allows for high quality printing on varying width items, such as envelopes, without the need for excess pressure on printing press blankets. The printing press blanket underliner is made of synthetic rubber of surgical quality and provides a resilient cushion underliner for printing press blankets.

Abstract: A transfer drum of an image forming apparatus has a setting section at which an image receiving material is set on the transfer drum and an image forming material bearing an image is superimposed on the image receiving material. The image forming apparatus further includes a cooling device for cooling the setting section of the transfer drum.

Abstract: A method used in offset printing utilizes an electrically encoded image, stored in an electronic memory, to be transferred to a printing substrate during a coating application in an offset printing process. An offset printing blanket is attached under tension to a blanket cylinder of an offset printing machine. After attachment of the blanket to the cylinder, the blanket is automatically cut in accordance with the electrically encoded image. Subsequently, sections of the blanket are removed along cut lines made in the outer layer during the cutting thereof.

Abstract: An image is printed on a medium by means of an electrographic device using an ink composition comprising heat activated inks, without substantial activation of the inks during the process of printing the image onto the medium. A molecular sieve added to the ink composition assists activation control. The image is transferred from the medium to the object on which the image is to permanently appear by applying sufficient heat and pressure to the medium to activate and permanently transfer the inks from the medium to an object.

Abstract: In the sheet-by-sheet printing process, a sheet is printed during its passage in the nip zone between a printing cylinder, which comprises on its periphery a rubber element, and an impression cylinder. The ink is supplied to the printing cylinder by an ink supply cylinder. In order to reduce the deformations of the printing dots, the ratios of the peripheral linear speeds of the ink supply cylinder and of the impression cylinder with respect to the peripheral linear speed of the rubber element of the printing cylinder are adjusted to values in the range of 1.004 to 1.05.

Abstract: A color filter for an AMLCD panel has a pattern of multi-color dots, each dot having red, green, and blue components in a black matrix. Each component is the cured product of a color pigment dispersed in a radiation-curable ink. The ink may be an ink curable by a cationic mechanism, a free-radical ink, or a hybrid, free-radical/cationic ink. The filter is produced by successively applying patterns of colored inks to a transfer roll, collecting the patterns on a collector roll to form an array of multi-color dots that is transferred to the substrate, and irradiating the array of dots to at least partially cure the inks.

Abstract: A method and a device for printing disc-shaped registration carriers, whereby a print built up of several colors is provided on the registration carrier. Use is made of a printing cylinder, which is moved over a few printing plates, which have been moistened with various colors of ink, whereby the printing cylinder is subsequently rolled over the registration carrier. The device comprises a plurality of processing stations for registration carriers, as well as a transport device by which the disc-shaped registration carriers can be moved from one processing station to the other processing station. One or more processing stations comprise a printing device disposed therein.

Abstract: A transfer cylinder for supporting freshly printed sheet material between printing units or at the delivery unit of a printing press is provided with an ink repellent, flexible jacket covering for supporting and transporting the sheet material without transfer of wet ink from one sheet to a successive sheet and without smearing the ink or causing indentations on the surface of the sheet material. The circumferential support surface of the transfer cylinder is covered with a conductive, fluoropolymer layer secured to the surface of the transfer cylinder beneath the protective, wash-free disposable flexible jacket covering. The low friction properties of the conductive base covering permit free movement of the ink repellent, flexible jacket covering relative to the transfer cylinder surface. Electrostatic charges delivered to the flexible jacket covering by the printed sheet material are drawn away from the flexible jacket covering and are discharged into the transfer cylinder by the conductive base covering.

Abstract: A pad printing machine is disclosed in which the downward pressure forces are transferred to a thrust collar on the ink cup by application through a divided bearing which applies the hold-down forces at points that are spaced forward and rearward of the transverse pivot axis of the ink cup, and only at such spaced points, to resist rocking moments such as may arise from the reciprocating movements of the cliche. Further, the thrust collar is a combination of a very rigid pressure ring and a hard but slightly resilient plastic pressure distribution ring which is accurately machined after subassembly with the rigid ring to assure full mating engagement with the upper surface of the annular flange around the entire circumference of the ink cup, to assure uniform pressure of the entire knife edge on the cliche. In a preferred embodiment, the ink cup also is formed of a hard plastic.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for printing on flat individual articles such as CDs by means of offset printing, the surface to be printed upon and the offset printing cylinder which is rolled against the article are adjusted relative to each other to produce a pressure effect which is favorable to transfer of the print image on to the article in order to compensate for differences in thickness between the individual articles. When adjusting the printing cylinder and the surface to be printed upon relative to each other, the radial position of transfer surfaces at the periphery of the printing cylinder may, if necessary, be taken into account. In the absence of an article in the printing station, it is possible to provide a replacement article in the form of a web of material, on to which the print image intended for the missing article is transferred from the printing cylinder.

Abstract: Operation of printing presses can typically require that various printing jobs be performed consecutively, or that is, one printing job may need to be performed immediately after a previous printing job is completed. Such printing operations can preferably be conducted, without a complete shutdown of the press, by providing a transitional, or changeover operation during which the various settings for the printing press can be changed from the previous settings to settings needed for the subsequent printing job.

Abstract: A multi-usable thermal transfer ink sheet wherein on a foundation is provided a thermal transfer ink layer which is tranferable in portions in terms of the thickness thereof. To realize multi-printing even in an indirect thermal transfer method, the multi-usable thermal transfer ink sheet is characterized in that the thermal transfer ink layer contains as main ingredients thereof a wax compound having a polar group, and a pigment.

Abstract: A letterpress printing method is disclosed wherein a printing plate, having plastic surface with a critical surface tension in the range of approximately 18-35 mN/m, is engraved or otherwise provided with raised ink-bearing impression sites and the printing plate is used for printing in a letterpress printing machine. As examples, the plastic surface of the printing plate may comprise a fluoropolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene or a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene. The low surface tension is shown to enhance the printing quality in this environment.

Abstract: Press component cleansing and desensitizing treatment solutions contain (A) about two percent to about thirty percent by weight of a liquid humectant, (B) about one percent to about twenty-five percent by weight of a buffer which can include a trace amount of phosphoric, lactic or citric acid to stabilize pH, (C) about two point five percent to about twenty-five percent by weight of a liquid constituent selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and propylene glycol n-butyl ether, and (D) about point two percent to about seven point five percent by weight of a non-soluble pulverant solid with a particle size of about three to about five micrometers; and, in such solutions, about one to about twenty-five percent by weight of an amine can be substituted for an alcohol, or about point two percent to about five percent by weight mineral spirits can be substituted in place of alcohols and/or amines, with the balance water; further, about point two percent to about five percent by weight

Abstract: Release of a resin mold from a photopolymeric mold is enhanced by using an unsaturated fatty acid ester release agent in the photopolymeric composition. In addition to providing quick release of the resin mold, the incorporation of the unsaturated fatty acid ester improves the flexibility of the photopolymeric mold without sacrificing tensile strength or hardness. The resin mold is used to fabricate rubber plates for ink printing.

Abstract: A mimeographic transfer printing machine includes a stencil support drum for supporting a stencil, an ink supply device for forcing ink through the stencil supported on the stencil support drum, an ink receiving transfer drum to which the ink forced out from the stencil is to be transferred, and a sheet support device for supporting a printing sheet to which the ink on the ink receiving transfer drum is to be transferred. The stencil support drum has a slightly larger diameter than the transfer drum so that the circumferential speed of the stencil support drum is greater than that of the transfer drum to provide to the stencil a tension acting in a direction opposite to the rotation of the stencil support drum.

Abstract: The present invention provides an offset blanket for printing having a supporting layer and a surface printing layer laminated on the supporting layer. The surface printing layer has a surface configuration in which the mean peak distance is controlled so that good paper discharging properties can be maintained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for printing on woven fabrics of natural fibers or of woven fabrics with a predominantly natural fiber component of cotton, wool, silk, linen, and the like, by means of a transfer printing method, with the woven fabrics being materials, the surfaces of which do not demonstrate sufficient inherent affinity for the dyes to be transferred from the transfer paper to the substrate, where the woven fabric surface to be printed on is first pretreated in such a manner that transparent varnish is applied to these surfaces, where the varnish is a varnish which is at least free of natural resins, which, after it dries, can absorb and fix the sublimable dye or dyes of the transfer paper during a subsequent transfer printing process.

Abstract: An improved method of fabricating integrated circuits, particularly active matrix arrays. The present method comprises applying an etch-resist pattern to an integrated circuit by printing to form resist patterns. The circuit is then etched, recoated with a different substance, a new ink pattern applied and the pattern repeated to form the successive layers of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: An ink sensing system for a vector plotter in which a pen is adapted to be raised and lowered from a drawing media surface along a system axis. An optical detection system is provided which has a focal point on the system axis and below the media surface when the pen is in its lowered position and at the media surface when the pen is in its raised position. The optical detection system includes a source of illumination and a detector system to determine the degree of reflectance from the media surface to indicate the presence or absence of ink on the media surface. In a particular embodiment the optical detection system is moveable and the movement of the optical detection system is coupled to the movement of the pen. Furthermore, the focal point of the optical detection system coincides substantially with the last point of contact of the pen with the media surface when the pen is in the raised position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary printing press, particularly offset printing press, the printing unit of which comprises a printing form, a damping unit as well as an inking unit, said inking unit being provided with a set ink profile. In order to obtain a fast change of ink profile, it is proposed that, in order to eliminate the previous ink profile and to prepare the buildup of a new ink profile, the printing form 32 is inked over its entire surface area with the inking unit 1.

Abstract: A dampening system has a pan for containing dampening fluid, and transfer and metering rollers for bringing dampening fluid up out of the pan. A transition roller contacts one of the transfer and metering rollers. The transition roller is movable between first and second position. In the first position, the transition is off of the plate cylinder and dampening fluid is applied to the plate cylinder by ink form rollers. In the second position, the transition roller is on the plate cylinder. Another version of the dampening system has a bridge roller between the transition roller and a ink form roller, which bridge roller is movable between the third and fourth positions. In the third position, the bridge roller is on the transition roller. In the fourth position, the bridge roller is off of the transition roller. The dampening system can dampen the plate cylinder without the use of alcohol. The transition roller is rotated by a separate motor so that its speed is controlled independently of the other rollers.

Abstract: An offset blanket print/coat assembly for printing or coating rotating containers has a blanket wheel supporting a plurality of blanket assemblies by means of radial frame plates and an air cylinder operable for retracting the blankets inwardly on the blanket wheel. The blanket assemblies move in both a radial direction and an axial direction in moving from a printing position to a stop-print position in response to the detection of the absence of a container of a mandrel approaching the printing position. Novel inker blade adjustment means adjusts the fountain blade relative to the fountain roll both inwardly and outwardly relative to the fountain roll and holds the blade edge in various desired positions along its entire length by the adjustment of individual adjustment members positioned along the blade length.

Abstract: A vacuum transfer apparatus for use in a sheet fed rotary printing press for supporting the unprinted side of a freshly printed sheet as it is moved from the press impression cylinder along a transfer path to a further processing station of the press, the apparatus including a vacuum chamber supporting a plurality of rotatable elongated rollers arrayed in spaced side-by-side parallel relationship laterally across the transfer path, and a vacuum pump connected to the chamber for producing a pressure differential across the freshly printed sheet to draw the unprinted side of the sheet into engagement with the support rollers by drawing air into the vacuum chamber through the spaces between the rollers as the sheet is pulled along the transfer path so that the printed side of the sheet can not be marked or marred.

Abstract: A process for the offset printing of stock material in which the blanket is inked repeatedly with the printing ink so that an image having an elevated ink layer thickness is produced on the blanket. Before the transfer of the image to the stock any moisture (water) on the blanket is removed, whereafter a non-hygroscopic stock is printed in a single printing step. Consequently, a high color saturation after a single printing is produced even when transparent or opal foil is used for illuminated advertising.

Abstract: An improved printing apparatus and method includes plate and blanket cylinders which are rotated at different surface speeds during printing on material. Since the plate and blanket cylinders are rotated at different surface speeds, the area on a blanket cylinder which engages a given portion of the surface on a plate cylinder is changed on each revolution of the blanket cylinder. Therefore, the area of a blanket cylinder which is engaged by the gap in the plate cylinder changes during a printing operation. In addition, the area where an image is applied to the blanket cylinder is moved relative to the surface of the blanket cylinder is tend to minimize build up of ink on the blanket cylinder during printing. The plate and blanket cylinders are driven at different surface speeds by a drive assembly which includes a harmonic drive unit.

Abstract: A multicolor printing press incorporating a plurality of plate cylinders (3, 4) capable of winding dampening-waterless plates (50) onto themselves at the predetermined positions of the printing press body (1). The multicolor printing press is provided with a plurality of inking devices (7, 8) and plate feeding/discharging devices (5, 6) which are commonly made available for these plate cylinders (3, 4) so that these devices can individually be mounted onto and removed from the positions of printing press body (1) opposite the plate cylinders (3, 4), thus allowing the printing plate (50) to be automatically fed to and discharged from the plate cylinders (3, 4) and the printing operation to be quickly and easily changed as required.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for oscillating the ink form rollers and dampening form roller in a lithographic printing press to apply a smooth, relatively uniform coating of ink to the ink-receptive areas of the lithographic printing plate and to prevent ink from being transferred from the dampening form roller to the ink-rejecting areas of the printing plate. The ink form rollers and the dampening form roller are each mounted on a shaft rotatable about its own axis. The shaft has at least one shaft key for mating with a complementary keyway in a bushing which is inserted at least partially into the central opening of the corresponding roller. The engagement between the shaft key and the bushing keyway allows the roller and bushing to engage the shaft for common rotation while permitting the roller and bushing to slide axially with resepct to the shaft.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ink impregnated material, particularly an ink roll, useful in the printing of high contrast images suitable for laser scanning. The ink roll according to the invention is a microporous polymeric structure impregnated with an ink. The ink is repetitively transferable to a surface in sufficient quantity to produce thousands of visible images. The invention further provides a method for printing a light scannable, coded image, and an apparatus therefor.

Abstract: The present invention provides method and apparatus for printing a pattern on articles employing a printing plate having a grooved pattern therein in which ink is applied to such plate and a scraper blade passes thereover to remove the excess ink from the plate surface while leaving such ink in the grooves. An apertured shield can be placed over the scraped plate, the aperture positioned to expose the grooved pattern. A transfer printing pad is then contacted with the so-shielded grooved plate and picks up the ink pattern. The so-inked transfer pad is then contacted with an article to print the inked pattern thereon. In some embodiments, the apertured shield is omitted.