Including Exposure Step Or Specified Pre-exposure Step Perfecting Exposure Patents (Class 430/494)
  • Patent number: 12115744
    Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens is provided. The method involves preparing a cross-polarization cancelling optical film for an optical article comprising providing a film having at least a first section comprising a first edge, a second section comprising a second edge, and a predetermined color intensity; providing an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises at least a first roller and a second roller, wherein the first roller and the second roller are configured to stretch at least a portion of the film; and continuously and asymmetrically stretching at least a portion of the film using the apparatus, while substantially maintaining the color intensity of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventors: Zbigniew Tokarski, Eric Begg, Srinivasan Balasubramanian, Hao-Wen Chiu
  • Patent number: 12025600
    Abstract: Mercury that may be contaminated radioactively is converted with radionuclides of other elements to a gaseous state of aggregation, which increases the distance between the mercury atoms and reduces the shielding effect of the mercury with respect to the radionuclides of other elements contained in the mercury. The method disclosed, enables the radiological characterisation of the radiation listing of mercury, without prior processing, in particular homogenization, of the sample being necessary. In particular, the method enables continuous measurement of the entire mass to be characterized and includes preparing a predefined quantity of mercury, evaporating at least one fraction of the prepared mercury, and measuring the radioactive ?-radiation emitted by the gaseous mercury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: ARGENTUM VIVUM SOLUTIONS
    Inventor: Michael Franck
  • Patent number: 11704836
    Abstract: A method and computer software for creating an encoded image and which can optionally include a method for decoding the encoded image. The encoded image is preferably formed from at least one symmetric image but can be formed from a plurality of symmetric images. Embodiments of the present invention can be performed with physical paper and writing utensils or can be performed via computer software. Embodiments of the present invention can be used for art authentication based on results obtained by decoding an image. In one embodiment, one or more encoded image elements can be revealed simultaneously. Optionally, however, encoded image elements can be caused to be revealed in a series that gives a sense of motion in a manner similar to that of motion picture animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: More Than Halfway, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Brent Schultz
  • Patent number: 11584641
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally structured member which can be made by a simpler process. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally structured member includes shaping a flat plate-shaped base member to produce a three-dimensionally structured member having a plurality of sections that are different from one another in thickness. The manufacturing method comprises: a mask formation step for forming a mask over the whole of at least one main surface of the base member; a mask removal step for removing a part of the mask; and an etching step for etching an exposed part of the base member wherein a combination of the mask removal step and the etching step is performed on the mask and the base member that correspond to each of the plurality of sections of the three-dimensionally structured member, in the order from thinnest to the thickest of thicknesses of the three-dimensionally structured members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO KEIKl INC.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tani, Takayoshi Yamaguchi, Takayuki Tamaki
  • Patent number: 9731283
    Abstract: Bulk metallic catalyst precursor compositions are provided that include a Group VIB metal, a Group VIII metal, an organic-compound based component, and an organo-metalloxane polymer or gel. The catalyst precursor compositions can further include a binder. Amorphous sulfided catalysts formed from the catalyst precursor compositions are also provided. The catalyst precursor compositions can have a surface area of about 20 m2/g or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Majosefina Cunningham, Jason M. Golias, Chuansheng Bai
  • Patent number: 8946631
    Abstract: A substrate is irradiated by primary electrons and secondary electrons generated from the substrate are detected by a detector. A reference die is placed on the stage to obtain a pattern matching template image including feature coordinates of the reference die. A pattern matching is performed with an arbitrary die in a row or column including the reference die using the template image to obtain feature coordinates of the arbitrary die. An angle of misalignment is calculated between the direction of the row or column including the reference die and one of the directions of movement of the substrate on the basis of the feature coordinates of the arbitrary die and those of the reference die. The stage is rotated to correct the angle of misalignment to conform the direction of the row or column including the reference die with the one of the directions of movement of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Hirosi Sobukawa, Toshifumi Kimba, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Tsutomu Karimata, Kenichi Suematsu, Yutaka Tabe, Ryo Tajima, Keiichi Tohyama
  • Publication number: 20140147775
    Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to the use of molybdenum (VI) peroxo complex containing an amino acid, such as MoO(O2)2(GLY)(H2O), in marking applications, as well as to ink formulations comprising such complexes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Anthony Jarvis, Martin Walker, Adam O'Rourke, Richard Cook
  • Publication number: 20140147392
    Abstract: Water soluble marking compounds comprising a transition metal oxyanion and at least one ammonium cation, comprising a nitrogen atom at least one further group selected from the group consisting of OH, COOH, NH2, NHC1-5 alkyl, and N(C1-5 alkyl)2, wherein the two C1-5 alkyl may be the same type of alkyl or different alkyls, may be used to obtain clear imageable coatings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Adam O'Rourke, Martin Walker, Richard Cook, Anthony Jarvis
  • Patent number: 8722322
    Abstract: A method of improving conductivity of a metal pattern (18) includes providing a developed silver pattern (14) formed from a photographic silver salt provided in a binder coated on a substrate (12); and selectively heating the silver pattern with electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Donald R. Preuss, Mitchell S. Burberry
  • Patent number: 8450031
    Abstract: The present invention provides a determination method of determining a light intensity distribution to be formed on a pupil plane of an illumination optical system in an exposure apparatus, the method including a step of setting a cut line used to evaluate an image of a pattern of a mask, which is formed on an image plane of a projection optical system, and a target value of a dimension of the image, and a step of obtaining the dimension of the image of the pattern on the cut line, and determining a weight to be applied to each of a plurality of element light sources such that the obtained dimension comes close to the target value of the dimension, thereby determining, as the light intensity distribution, light sources obtained by combining the plurality of element light sources applied with the weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Gyoda, Hiroyuki Ishii, Youzou Fukagawa, Yuji Shinano
  • Patent number: 8026183
    Abstract: A lower-layer film to which a fluorine-doped polymer is added is formed on a film to be processed. The lower-layer film is baked. An intermediate film is formed on the lower-layer film. A resist film is formed on the intermediate film. The resist film is baked. A resist protection film is formed. The resist film is immersion-exposed. The resist film is developed to form a resist pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Koutaro Sho
  • Patent number: 7965883
    Abstract: The method comprises a first step (S1 in FIG. 1) of obtaining a transmission image, a second step (S2) of applying a quadratic differential filter to the transmission image, thereby to emphasize a part of large luminance change as a quadratic differential filter image, a third step (S3) of binarizing the quadratic differential filter image with a predetermined threshold value, and then storing the resulting binarized image, a fourth step (S4) of binarizing the transmission image with another predetermined threshold value, and then storing the resulting binarized image, a fifth step (S5) of performing the measurement of binary feature quantities for the binarized image stored at the third step (S3) and the binarized image stored at the fourth step (S4), and a sixth step (S6) of deciding the quality of the object to-be-inspected from the binary feature quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohisa Nishino, Masahiko Uno
  • Publication number: 20110070548
    Abstract: Disclosed is a silver halide photographic photosensitive material which includes a support and at least one silver halide photosensitive layer on the support, wherein the average equivalent sphere diameter of the silver halide of the silver halide photosensitive layer is 0.30 ?m or less, the silver halide photosensitive layer includes four or more kinds of silver halide grains having mutually different average equivalent sphere diameters, and the thickness between a surface of the support at a side at which the silver halide photosensitive layer is provided and a surface of the silver halide photosensitive layer at a side opposite to the support is 10 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi HOSOYA, Naoharu KIYOTO, Junichiro HOSOKAWA, Masaaki MIKI, Kouichi YOKOTA, Ryoji NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 7835028
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, a toner image forming unit, a color forming information applying unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit and a color forming unit, the color forming information applying unit exposing a toner image formed on a surface of the image holding member from a back surface side of the image holding member, light transmitted through the image holding member applying color forming information to the toner image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Isao Ito
  • Patent number: 7799444
    Abstract: The invention describes a glass and a glass-ceramic which at least includes the constituents SiO2, Al2O3 and Y2O3 and is preferably doped with rare earth ions. The weight ratio between the weight of Y2O3 and the total weight of SiO2, Al2O3 and Y2O3 is at least 0.2, preferably at least 0.4 or more. The rare earth ions can preferably be incorporated in crystal phases which are precipitated out of glass with a high yttrium content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Peuchert, Thilo Zachau, Martin Letz, Joseph S. Hayden, Carol Click, Karine Seneschal, Axel Engel
  • Patent number: 7790355
    Abstract: A method of deactivating and on-press developing an exposed lithographic printing plate is disclosed. The plate comprises on a substrate a photosensitive layer developable with ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to a radiation. The plate is exposed with the radiation, deactivated, and then on-press developed with ink and/or fountain solution. The deactivation of the exposed plate allows the handling of the plate under regular office light or any other light without causing the hardening of the non-exposed areas of the photosensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Patent number: 7787688
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating depth-of-field effects includes receiving information specifying an input image rendered using a pinhole camera. A first set of circles of confusion associated with portions of the input image are determined based a set of parameters associated with the pinhole camera. The first set of circles of confusion are then associated with heat conductivity of a medium. The portions of the input image are blurred according to heat diffusion in the medium to generate a first output image having a first depth-of-field effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Pixar
    Inventor: Michael Kass
  • Patent number: 7781141
    Abstract: The present invention relates to barrier layer compositions that are applied above a photoresist composition for immersion lithography processing. In a further aspect, new methods are provided for immersion lithography processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC
    Inventors: Michael K. Gallagher, Gerald B. Wayton, Gregory P. Prokopowicz, Stewart A. Robertson
  • Patent number: 7709184
    Abstract: A method of on-press developing a thermosensitive lithographic printing plate with ink and/or fountain solution is described. The lithographic plate 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 plate can be a pre-coated plate in the form of sheet or web, 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: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Patent number: 7598025
    Abstract: The present invention is characterized to provide a hologram silver halide photographic material having high sensitivity and diffraction efficiency, providing an excellent image and having less color residue and noise in a transparent part, a hologram, a method for producing the same. In the present invention, a hologram silver halide photographic material having at least one silver halide emulsion layer formed on a support, wherein an average particle diameter of silver halide particles in a silver halide emulsion is 0.03 ?m to 0.07 ?m; a film thickness of the silver halide emulsion layer is 4 ?m to 9 ?m; a silver/gelatin ratio of the silver halide emulsion layer is 0.3 to 0.6; and the silver halide emulsion layer contains sensitizing dye of specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignees: Konica Minolta Opto Inc., Dia Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Michiue, Tomonobu Moriya, Masashi Iwasaki, Toshihiro Kubota, Masachika Watanabe, Tsuyoshi Yamauchi, Tomoko Kumasawa, Kenji Ueda
  • Publication number: 20090166319
    Abstract: A system and method for performing high flow rate dispensation of a chemical onto a photolithographic component are disclosed. The system and method includes providing a photolithographic component in a manufacturing tool. The photolithographic is positioned at a predetermined distance from a nozzle dispensing a chemical. Dispensation of a chemical at a high flow rate onto a photolithographic component, the rate of flow operable to reduce harmful effects from occurring on the surface of the photolithographic substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Daniel Courboin, Jong Woo Choi
  • Patent number: 7514115
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention can provide a method of fabricating an organometallic compound film capable, by stably forming a film with the organometallic compound, of increasing bonding forces of junction interfaces and of realizing a hyper thin film, the organometallic compound film, and an organoelectronic device (e.g., an organic electroluminescence device, an organic solar battery, or an organic thin film transistor) and an electronic device equipped with the organometallic compound film are provided. The method of fabricating a thin film of an organometallic compound on a substrate, can include the step of forming an organic material by a liquid phase process and the step of forming metal by a vapor phase process to form a thin film of an organometallic compound composed of the organic material and the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Takashima, Katsuyuki Morii, Hirofumi Hokari, Rie Makiura
  • Patent number: 7485397
    Abstract: A reusable printing plate, in particular for use both in wet offset printing and in dry offset printing, includes a printing area and a metal oxide surface treated with at least one fluorinated phosphonic acid. A printing press and a printing unit having the printing plate, a process for imaging the printing plate and a process for preparation of a fluorinated organic phosphonic acid are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Eck, Martin Gutfleisch, Gerhard Daniel Peiter, Matthias Schlörholz
  • Patent number: 7485406
    Abstract: The invention provides a photostorage solid drawing medium comprising a solvent, a resin soluble in the solvent, a photostorage pigment and a gelling agent, wherein the photostorage pigment comprises a long afterglow fluorescent substance comprising an alkaline earth aluminosilicate as a matrix activated with a rare earth element wherein the alkaline earth element is at least one selected from the group consisting of strontium, calcium, magnesium and barium. The solvent used is a polar solvent, particularly a mixture of water and a water-soluble organic solvent, or at least one alcoholic solvent selected from the group consisting of glycols, glycol ethers, glycol ether esters and monovalent alcohols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sakura Color Products Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Fukuo, Masamitsu Takahashi, Kotaro Sumitomo
  • Patent number: 7462437
    Abstract: A presensitized lithographic plate comprises a support and a hydrophilic image-recording layer. The hydrophilic image-recording layer contains a hydrophilic polymer and an agent capable of converting hydrophilic to hydrophobic when the agent is heated. The hydrophilic polymer comprises a main chain and branched chains. Each of the branched chain comprises a hydrophilic chain having a molecular weight in the range of 200 to 1,000,000. A hydrophilic substrate and a lithographic printing process are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Hoshi, Kazuto Shimada, Gaku Kumada
  • Patent number: 7462441
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a planographic printing plate material as well as a printing method in which excellent properties of on-press development, exposure image visualization, scratch resistance, background contamination resistance, and printing durability are exhibited. Disclosed is a planographic printing plate material possessing a hydrophilic layer and an image formation layer provided on a plastic support, wherein the image formation layer contains polyolefin wax having a melting point of 105-120° C. and a melt viscosity of 1-1200 mPa·s, the hydrophilic layer contains spherical silica particles having a particle diameter of 5.0-7.0 ?m, and a content ratio of the spherical silica particles having a particle diameter of 5.0-7.0 ?m is not less than 60% by volume, based on a total volume of particles having a particle diameter of 2-10 ?m contained in the hydrophilic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Ezure
  • Patent number: 7442493
    Abstract: A printing method comprising: imagewise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support and an image recording layer being removable with a fountain solution or a combination of a printing ink and a fountain solution and loading the exposed lithographic printing plate precursor on a plate cylinder of a printing press, or loading the lithographic printing plate precursor on a plate cylinder of a printing press and imagewise exposing the loaded lithographic printing plate precursor, supplying at least a fountain solution comprising a compound represented by the formula (I) defined herein to the exposed lithographic printing plate precursor so as to remove an unexposed area of the image recording layer; and performing printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sonokawa, Kuniharu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7427465
    Abstract: A method of on-press 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 on-press developed with ink and/or fountain solution. The exposure and development are performed with the plate under lightings that contain no or substantially no radiation below a wavelength selected from 400 to 650 nm, or in the dark or substantially dark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Patent number: 7425405
    Abstract: A method for making a lithographic printing plate is disclosed which comprises the steps of: (i) providing a negative-working, heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer and a coating provided thereon, the coating comprising an image-recording layer which comprises hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles and a hydrophilic binder, wherein the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles have an average particle size in the range from 45 nm to 63 nm, and wherein the amount of the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles in the image-recording layer is at least 70% by weight relative to the image-recording layer; (ii) exposing the coating to heat or infrared light, thereby inducing coalescence of the thermoplastic polymer particles at exposed areas of the coating; (iii) developing the precursor by applying an aqueous alkaline solution, thereby removing non-exposed areas of the coating from the su
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics, N.V.
    Inventors: Joan Vermeersch, Pascal Meeus
  • Patent number: 7425400
    Abstract: A planographic printing plate precursor, including: a substrate; a photosensitive layer containing an IR absorber, a polymerization initiator, a polymerizable compound and a binder polymer; and a protective layer containing a UV absorber, disposed in this order. The photosensitive layer exhibits reduction in solubility in an alkaline developing solution upon being exposed to light having a wavelength of 750 nm to 1400 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Goto
  • Patent number: 7419766
    Abstract: A laser imageable flexographic printing plate precursor comprises a thermoset elastomeric upper layer that is at least partially ablatable and comprises a radiation sensitive compound, and a non-ablatable elastomeric underlayer. This flexographic printing plate precursor can be imaged to provide a printing plate that is primarily useful for “high quality” printing because the resulting relief image is generally not greater than 600 ?m and has an extremely even “floor”. The imaged flexographic printing plate also can have a high visual contrast between the imaged areas and the non-imaged background areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jankiel Kimelblat, Murray Figov, Yariv Y. Pinto
  • Publication number: 20080203518
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a method of selectively positioning sub-resolution assist features (SRAF) in a photomask pattern for an interconnect. The method comprises determining if a first interconnect pattern option will result in improved circuit performance compared with a second interconnect pattern option, where the first option is designed to be formed with SRAF and the second option is designed to be formed without SRAF. If it is determined that the first option will result in improved circuit performance, the first pattern option is selected as a target pattern and one or more SRAF patterns are positioned to facilitate patterning of the first pattern option. If it is not determined that the first option will result in improved performance, the second pattern option is selected as a target pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Nagaraj Savithri, Mark E. Mason, William R. McKee
  • Patent number: 7399575
    Abstract: A relief printing original plate including a substrate, a photosensitive resin layer thereon that is photosensitive to ultraviolet radiations, and a mask layer thereon having both ultraviolet and non-ultraviolet absorbability, the ultraviolet absorbability being deactivatable in response to receiving non-ultraviolet radiation. A method for producing a relief printing plate by using the original plate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiya Takagi, Takashi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7318994
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved compressible flexographic printing plate that uses a compressible layer comprising a polyurethane (meth)acrylate resin and microspheres. The process of the invention produces a chemically fused printing plate that eliminates the need for an adhesive to secure the compressible layer to the back of the printing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Inventors: Donald Long, Ryan Vest
  • Patent number: 7316891
    Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate is disclosed which comprises the steps of providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer and (ii) a coating provided thereon which comprises hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles; exposing the coating to heat, thereby inducing coalescence of the thermoplastic polymer particles at exposed areas of the coating; developing the precursor by applying a gum solution to the coating, thereby removing non-exposed areas of the coating from the support. According to the above method, the plate precursor can be developed and gummed in a single step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Joseph Vander Aa, Joan Vermeersch, Dirk Kokkelenberg, Huub Van Aert
  • Patent number: 7306898
    Abstract: A planographic printing method including: providing a planographic printing plate precursor including a substrate and an image recording layer which is disposed on the substrate and contains (A) an infrared absorber, (B) a polymerization initiator and (C) a polymerizable compound; imagewise exposing the planographic printing plate precursor with an infrared laser; and supplying oil-based ink and an aqueous component to the exposed planographic printing plate precursor without any development treatment, so as to print an image. A region of the planographic printing plate precursor that has not been exposed with an infrared laser is removed during the printing. The polymerizable compound of (C) is represented by the following formula (1): wherein Ar1, R1, Z and n are as defined in the claims and the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuto Shimada
  • Patent number: 7300740
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor capable of forming an image without alkali development, comprising a hydrophilic support and a laser-sensitive photopolymerizable layer, wherein the photopolymerizable layer or other layer included in the lithographic printing plate precursor contains a copolymer containing at least a repeating unit having at least one ethylenically unsaturated bond and a repeating unit having at least two functional groups capable of interacting with a surface of the support or a copolymer containing at least a repeating unit having at least two ethylenically unsaturated bonds and a repeating unit having at least one functional group capable of interacting with a surface of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Sumiaki Yamasaki, Akihiro Endo
  • Patent number: 7297462
    Abstract: A heat sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed comprising on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, a coating comprising an infrared light absorbing agent and a copolymer which comprises a plurality of recurring units X having a hydrophilic polymeric pendant group and a plurality of recurring units Y having a hydrophobic polymeric pendant group. Said coating is capable of switching from a hydrophilic state into a hydrophobic state after exposure to heat and/or infrared light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: AGFA Graphics NV
    Inventors: Huub Van Aert, Bert Groenendaal, Hieronymus Andriessen, Martin Moeller, Uwe Beginn, Ahmed Mourran
  • Patent number: 7288361
    Abstract: A lithographic printing process which comprises the steps of: imagewise exposing to infrared light a presensitized lithographic plate which comprises a hydrophilic support and a removable image-forming layer containing an infrared absorbing agent having the absorption maximum within an infrared region and a dye precursor having substantially no absorption within a visible region to change the dye precursor to a visible dye having an absorption within a visible region within the exposed area, and to make the image-forming layer irremovable within the exposed area; removing the image-forming layer within the unexposed area of the lithographic plate mounted on a cylinder of a printing press; and then printing an image with the lithographic plate mounted on the cylinder of the printing press. The other processes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuki Kakino, Naonori Makino, Sumiaki Yamasaki, Yasuhito Oshima
  • Patent number: 7273692
    Abstract: Disclosed are a planographic printing plate material and a planographic printing plate preparing process, the planographic printing plate material comprising a support and provided thereon, an image formation layer containing a colorant (a) having an absorption band in a wavelength region of from 700 to 1200 nm, a polymerization initiator (b) and a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated compound (c), wherein the polymerization initiator (b) is a compound represented by the formula R1—CX2—(C?O)—R2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Matsumura
  • Patent number: 7273689
    Abstract: A method for eliminating unwanted ink-receptive sections in positive working printing plates resulting from shading of the surface layer during exposure by the clamps holding the plate on the exposure apparatus following development of an imagewise exposed precursor. Accordingly the areas that are shaded are identified prior to development and the surface layer is scored in those areas to a depth and density sufficient to result in the scored layer being removed during development but not deep enough to damage the underlying hydrophilic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Kevin Wieland, Kevin Barry Ray, Ken-ichi Shimazu, Jianbing Huang
  • Patent number: 7270933
    Abstract: An organic anti-reflective coating composition and a method for forming a photoresist pattern using the same in order to improve uniformity of the pattern in an ultra-fine pattern formation process of the photoresist. In one aspect, organic anti-reflective coating composition contains a light absorbent agent, a cross-linking agent, a thermal acid generator, and a formanilide photo-base generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Jae Chang Jung
  • Patent number: 7270938
    Abstract: Disclosed is a photopolymerizable composition containing an addition-polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated compound, a photopolymerization initiator, a polymer binder, and a sensitizing dye represented by the following formula (A), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and X are as defined in the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Keiko Ishidai
  • Patent number: 7264918
    Abstract: A resist composition for liquid immersion lithography process, which comprises: (A) a polymer comprising (a1) alkali-soluble constitutional units each comprising an alicyclic group having both (i) a fluorine atom or a fluoroalkyl group and (ii) an alcoholic hydroxyl group, wherein the polymer changes in alkali-solubility due to the action of acid; and (B) an acid generator which generates acid due to exposure to light, and a method for forming a resist pattern using the resist composition. By the resist composition or the method, an adverse effect of the immersion liquid can be avoided while achieving high resolution and high depth of focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kotaro Endo, Masaaki Yoshida, Taku Hirayama, Hiromitsu Tsuji, Toshiyuki Ogata, Mitsuru Sato
  • Patent number: 7244543
    Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing starting plate for an infrared laser is provided that includes a support having a hydrophilic surface and a heat-sensitive layer provided above the support. The heat-sensitive layer includes a water-insoluble and alkali-soluble resin, an infrared-absorbing dye, and a sulfonium salt represented by Formula below. The heat-sensitive layer increases its solubility in aqueous alkaline solution upon exposure to an infrared laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Aoai
  • Patent number: 7244546
    Abstract: A planographic printing plate precursor includes a substrate and an image recording layer provided thereon, the image recording layer being capable of recording through exposure to an infrared ray and containing at least (A) an infrared absorbing agent, (B) a polymerization initiator comprising an onium salt formed by an onium cation and a carboxylic acid anion, where the carboxylic acid anion has an acid group, a hetero atom and an aromatic group, (C) a polymerizable compound and (D) a binder polymer. The planographic printing plate precursor is exposed imagewise with an infrared laser. Then, printing is carried out using the exposed planographic printing plate precursor, which is set in a printer without being subjected to any developing process, by feeding an oil based ink and an aqueous component onto the planographic printing plate precursor. Unexposed areas of the planographic printing plate precursor are removed during the printing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Shimada, Tomoyoshi Mitsumoto
  • Patent number: 7238462
    Abstract: This invention provides an undercoating layer material and a filler material containing a resin component having at least a substituent group which is capable of releasing a terminal group to form a sulfonic acid residue upon application of predetermined energy, and a solvent. The resin component has at least a repeating unit represented by formula (1): wherein n is an integer of 1 or more, X represents a C1 to C10 linear or branched alkyl chain, an aromatic or alicyclic alkyl chain or an alkyl ester chain, and Y is a substituent group forming a sulfonic acid residue upon application of predetermined energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsuko Nakamura, Kazumasa Wakiya
  • Patent number: 7235346
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a photosensitive flexographic printing element for the production of flexographic newspaper printing plates, comprising at least a flexible, metallic support, an adhesive layer applied thereto, a photopolymerizable layer which can be developed in organic media and which itself comprises at least one elastomeric binder, ethylenically unsaturated monomers, a photoinitiator or photoinitiator system and a plasticizer, a transparent substrate layer, and optionally a removable protective film, where the total thickness of the flexographic printing element is from 300 to 1000 ?m, the elastomeric binder has a weight average molecular weight Mw of from 80,000 to 150,000 g/mol and a Shore A hardness of from 50 to 80, and the amount of plasticizer is from 5 to 50% by weight, based on the amount of all constituents of the photopolymerizable layer, and to a process for the production of flexographic newspaper printing plates by imagewise exposure of the flexographic printing element to act
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: XSYS Print Solutions Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Knöll, Hartmut Sandig, Uwe Stebani, Thomas Telser, Thomas Zwez
  • Patent number: 7232649
    Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing a photosensitive printing element that minimizes relief variation and improves image fidelity. The method involves a step of pre-curing the first (floor layer) of photocurable material prior to depositing an additional layer or layers of photocurable material that may be imaged and developed to produce a desired relief image on the surface of the photosensitive printing element. The photosensitive printing element is then thermally developed by contacting the photosensitive printing element with at least one roll that is capable of moving over at least a portion of the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element to remove the softened or melted non-crosslinked photopolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Inventor: Ryan Vest
  • Patent number: 7229744
    Abstract: A method for preparing lithographic printing plates is disclosed. Imaged positive-working, thermally imageable, multi-layer imageable elements useful as lithographic printing plate precursors are developed using solvent based developers. Development may be carried out by immersing the imaged imageable element in the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Jayanti Patel