Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100024672 | Method and Apparatus for Thermal Processing of Photosensitive Printing Elements - The present invention pertains to a process and an apparatus for treating a photosensitive element to form a relief structure suitable for flexographic printing plate. The apparatus comprises an enclosure, a conveyor, a heatable roller with absorbent material conducted over it, and a roller that can significantly smooth or uniformly roughen the relief structure of the flexographic printing plate. Previously selectively cured photosensitive elements are developed by means of the heatable roller by blotting with the absorbent material, and the resulting relief structure is made uniform by way of a smoothing or roughening roller. The flexographic plates produced by the method and apparatus are especially suited to processes that require substantially smoothed or uniformly roughened printing plate surfaces, which are capable of producing better quality printing. | 02-04-2010 |
20110117500 | Carrier Sheet for a Photosensitive Printing Element - An improved apparatus for thermally developing a flexographic printing element to reveal a relief image on the surface and a method of using the apparatus to develop a flexographic printing element. The apparatus typically comprises means for softening or melting a crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; at least one roll that is contactable with the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element and 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 on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; and means for maintaining contact between the at least one roll and the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element. A layer of resilient compressible material is positioned between the flexographic printing element and a supporting conveying means. The means for softening or melting non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element comprise a heater positioned adjacent to the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element and/or heating the at least one roll that contactable with the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element. The apparatus may also contain an exposure device to crosslink and cure the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element prior to thermal development. | 05-19-2011 |
20110300398 | Method of Producing a Relief Image From a Liquid Photopolymer Resin - A method of producing a relief image from a liquid photopolymerizable resin, said method comprising the steps of a) placing a coverfilm onto an exposure glass; b) casting a liquid photopolymerizable resin layer onto the coverfilm; c) laminating a substrate to a backside of the liquid photopolymerizable resin layer as the liquid photopolymerizable resin layer is being cast onto the coverfilm; d) placing an image or film negative on top of the substrate; and e) exposing the liquid photopolymerizable resin layer through the image or film negative from the backside of the liquid photopolymerizable resin layer to selectively crosslink and cure the photopolymerizable resin layer and form a cured relief image, wherein said depth of the cured relief image is less than the height of the cast liquid photopolymerizable resin. | 12-08-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100119978 | Apparatus and Method for Thermally Developing Flexographic Printing Elements - A method for developing an imaged and exposed photopolymer printing element is disclosed where the printing element is heated to a temperature sufficient to selectively melt or soften the non-cured portions of the photopolymer such that the softened or melted non-cured photopolymer is removable from the printing element by contacting the heated printing element with a blotter. The image of the removed non-cured photopolymer is obscured by using a darkly colored blotter thereby increasing the security of the printing operation. | 05-13-2010 |
20100199871 | Means for Attaching a Printing Plate to a Printing Cylinder - A means for removably attaching a printing plate to a printing cylinder using an intermediate sheet of photopolymer. The tack of the photopolymer is used to attach itself to the printing cylinder and to attach the printing plate to it. Microspheres are incorporated into the photopolymer sheet to provide a cushioning effect when in use on the printing press. | 08-12-2010 |
20110281219 | Apparatus and Method for Thermally Developing Flexographic Printing Elements - A method for developing an imaged and exposed photopolymer printing element is disclosed where the printing element is heated to a temperature sufficient to selectively melt or soften the non-cured portions of the photopolymer such that the softened or melted non-cured photopolymer is removable from the printing element by contacting the heated printing element with a blotter. The image of the removed non-cured photopolymer is obscured by using a darkly colored blotter thereby increasing the security of the printing operation. | 11-17-2011 |
20120000384 | Multi-Layer Compressible Foam Sheet and Method of Making the Same - Various methods for providing multi-layer compressible foam sheets for backing relief image printing elements are described. The use of multi-layer compressible foam sheets as backing layers allows for customization of the compressible layer, for example to impact the print result, maximize cushion life, enhance press speed characteristics and to modify the imaging of the printing plate resin. As a result, a customized compressible foam sheet can be used for backing various relief image printing plates to achieve a desired result. | 01-05-2012 |
20120115083 | Biodegradable Film for Flexographic Printing Plate Manufacture and Method of Using the Same - The use of biodegradable polymer films in the manufacture of photosensitive relief image printing plates is described, including printing plates produced from liquid photopolymer resins and from sheet polymers as well as direct write/laser engravable printing plates. The biodegradable polymer films can be used as substrate layers, oxygen barrier layers, and coverfilms and, once the printing plates have been used and disposed of, the biodegradable polymer films are capable of decomposing in the environment. | 05-10-2012 |
20120214102 | Photosensitive Resin Laminate and Thermal Processing of the Same - A method of thermally developing a photocurable printing blank to produce a relief pattern comprising a plurality of relief dots. The photocurable printing blank comprises a backing layer having at least one photocurable layer disposed thereon and a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on top of the at least one photocurable layer. The method includes the steps of (1) imaging the at least one photocurable layer by ablating the laser ablatable mask layer to create the relief pattern on the surface of the at least one photocurable layer; (2) laminating an oxygen barrier membrane to a top of the laser ablated mask layer; (3) exposing the printing blank to actinic radiation through the oxygen barrier membrane and mask layer to one or more sources of actinic radiation to selectively crosslink and cure portions of the at least one photocurable layer, wherein the at least one photocurable layer is crosslinked and cured in the portions not covered by the mask layer, thereby creating the relief pattern; (4) removing the oxygen barrier membrane from the top of the laser ablated mask layer; and (5) thermally developing the printing blank to remove the laser ablated mask layer and uncured portions of the photocurable layer and reveal the relief pattern. The presence of the oxygen barrier membrane produces printing dots having desired characteristics. The method can also be used with an analog platemaking process that uses a negative instead of an ablatable mask layer, or, in the alternative, the negative itself can be used as the oxygen barrier layer. | 08-23-2012 |
20120270156 | Photosensitive Resin Laminate and Thermal Processing of the Same - A method of developing a photocurable printing blank to produce a relief pattern comprising a plurality of relief dots. The photocurable printing blank comprises a backing layer having at least one photocurable layer disposed thereon, a barrier layer disposed on the at least one photocurable layer, and a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on top of the barrier layer. The method includes the steps of (1) imaging the at least one photocurable layer by ablating the laser ablatable mask layer to create the relief pattern on the photocurable printing blank the printing blank to actinic radiation through the barrier layer and mask layer to one or more sources of actinic radiation to selectively crosslink and cure portions of the at least one photocurable layer, wherein the at least one photocurable layer is crosslinked and cured in the portions not covered by the mask layer, thereby creating the relief pattern; (3) developing the printing blank to remove the barrier layer, the laser ablated mask layer and uncured portions of the photocurable layer and reveal the relief pattern. The presence of the barrier layer produces printing dots having desired characteristics. The method can also be used with an analog platemaking process that uses a negative instead of an ablatable mask layer. | 10-25-2012 |
20130017502 | Method of Controlling Surface Roughness of a Flexographic Printing PlateAANM Baldwin; Kyle P.AACI AcworthAAST GAAACO USAAGP Baldwin; Kyle P. Acworth GA USAANM Vest; Ryan W.AACI CummingAAST GAAACO USAAGP Vest; Ryan W. Cumming GA US - A method of controlling surface roughness of a flexographic printing element during thermal processing is provided. An imaged and exposed relief image printing element is thermally developed to remove the portions of at least one layer of photopolymer that are not crosslinked and cured by a) heating the at least one layer of photopolymer to a sufficient temperature to soften uncured portions of the at least one layer of photopolymer; b) causing contact between the at least one layer of photopolymer and a blotting material, wherein when the blotting material contacts the at least one layer of photopolymer, the softened uncured photopolymer portions of the at least one layer of photopolymer are absorbed into the blotting material; and c) separating the blotting material from the at least one layer of photopolymer. Thereafter, a smooth material is inserted between the surface of the at least one layer of photopolymer and the blotting material. In the alternative, after the flexographic printing element is removed from the thermal processor, a polymeric film is laminated onto the relief image printing element using heat and pressure. Based thereon, the average surface roughness of the relief surface of the flexographic printing element can be reduced. | 01-17-2013 |
20130040243 | Laminated Flexographic Printing Sleeves and Methods of Making the Same - A method of tailoring the shape of a plurality of relief dots created in a photosensitive printing blank during a digital platemaking process is provided. The photosensitive printing blank comprises a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on at least one photocurable layer which is mountable on a printing sleeve. The method comprises the steps of (1) placing a barrier layer on top of the laser ablatable mask layer; (2) laser ablating the laser ablatable mask layer to create an in situ negative in the laser ablatable layer; (3) exposing the at least one photocurable layer to actinic radiation through the in situ negative; (4) removing the harrier layer; and (5) developing the imaged and exposed photosensitive printing blank to reveal the relief image therein, the relief image comprising the plurality of relief dots. The presence of the barrier layer produces printing dots having desired geometric characteristics. | 02-14-2013 |
20130299471 | Liquid Platemaking with Laser Engraving - A method of making a relief image printing element from a liquid photopolymer composition is described. The method includes the steps of (1) casting a liquid photopolymer layer onto a cover sheet and at least substantially simultaneously placing a hacking sheet onto the liquid photopolymer layer; (2) preliminarily exposing the liquid photopolymer layer to actinic radiation to create at least one island of solid photopolymer in the liquid photopolymer layer where it is desirable to laser engrave a relief image; (3) reclaiming uncured liquid photopolymer from the relief image printing element; (4) processing the at least one island of solid photopolymer to remove uncured liquid photopolymer; (5) exposing the at least one island of solid photopolymer to actinic radiation to fully cure the islands of solid photopolymer; and (6) laser engraving the at least one island of solid photopolymer to produce the relief image therein. | 11-14-2013 |
20130316290 | Liquid Platemaking Process - A method of making a relief printing element in a liquid photopolymer platemaking process is described. The method comprises the steps of: (a) selectively exposing the liquid photopolymer to actinic radiation through a negative to crosslink and cure portions of the liquid photopolymer; and (b) reclaiming uncured portions of the liquid photopolymer to be reused in the platemaking process. The step of reclaiming uncured portions of the liquid photopolymer comprises (i) heating the printing element to decrease the viscosity of the uncured liquid photopolymer; and (ii) removing uncured liquid photopolymer from the surface of the relief image printing element so that recovery of uncured liquid photopolymer from the surface of the relief image printing element is enhanced. | 11-28-2013 |
20140004466 | Photosensitive Resin Laminate and Thermal Processing of the Same | 01-02-2014 |
20140072913 | Method of Controlling Surface Roughness of a Flexographic Printing Plate - A method of controlling surface roughness of a flexographic printing element during thermal processing is provided. An imaged and exposed relief image printing element is thermally developed to remove the portions of at least one layer of photopolymer that are not crosslinked and cured by a) heating the at least one layer of photopolymer to a sufficient temperature to soften uncured portions of the at least one layer of photopolymer; b) causing contact between the at least one layer of photopolymer and a blotting material, wherein when the blotting material contacts the at least one layer of photopolymer, the softened uncured photopolymer portions of the at least one layer of photopolymer are absorbed into the blotting material; and c) separating the blotting material from the at least one layer of photopolymer. Thereafter, a smooth material is inserted between the surface of the at least one layer of photopolymer and the blotting material. In the alternative, after the flexographic printing element is removed from the thermal processor, a polymeric film is laminated onto the relief image printing element using heat and pressure. Based thereon, the average surface roughness of the relief surface of the flexographic printing element can be reduced. | 03-13-2014 |
20140101915 | Loading/Unloading System for Printing Plates - An apparatus for transferring a relief image printing blank between stations of a printing element manufacturing process and a method of using the same is described. The apparatus comprises a cylindrical mandrel for supporting the relief image printing element which includes means for securing the relief image printing blank to the mandrel. The mandrel is capable of transferring the relief image printing blank into and/or out of various stations of the printing element manufacturing process. | 04-17-2014 |
20140141378 | Photosensitive Resin Laminate and Thermal Processing of the Same - A method of thermally developing a photocurable printing blank to produce a relief pattern comprising a plurality of relief dots. The photocurable printing blank comprises a backing layer having at least one photocurable layer disposed thereon and a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on top of the at least one photocurable layer. The method includes the steps of (1) imaging the at least one photocurable layer by ablating the laser ablatable mask layer to create the relief pattern on the surface of the at least one photocurable layer; (2) laminating an oxygen barrier membrane to a top of the laser ablated mask layer; (3) exposing the printing blank to actinic radiation through the oxygen barrier membrane and mask layer to one or more sources of actinic radiation to selectively crosslink and cure portions of the at least one photocurable layer, wherein the at least one photocurable layer is crosslinked and cured in the portions not covered by the mask layer, thereby creating the relief pattern; (4) removing the oxygen barrier membrane from the top of the laser ablated mask layer; and (5) thermally developing the printing blank to remove the laser ablated mask layer and uncured portions of the photocurable layer and reveal the relief pattern. The presence of the oxygen barrier membrane produces printing dots having desired characteristics. The method can also be used with an analog platemaking process that uses a negative instead of an ablatable mask layer, or, in the alternative, the negative itself can be used as the oxygen barrier layer. | 05-22-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080265855 | Power regulator circuitry for programmable logic device memory elements - Power regulator circuitry for programmable memory elements on programmable logic device integrated circuits is provided. The programmable memory elements may each include a storage element formed from cross-coupled inverters and an address transistor. Address drivers may be used to supply address signals to the address transistors. The power regulator circuitry may include an address power supply circuit that produces a time-varying address power supply voltage to the address drivers and storage element power supply circuits that provide time-varying storage element power supply voltages to the cross-coupled inverters in the storage elements. Unity gain buffers may be used to distribute a reference voltage from a bandgap voltage reference to the power supply circuits. The power supply circuits may use voltage dividers and p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor control transistors. | 10-30-2008 |
20100148304 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DECOUPLING CAPACITORS - Power supply decoupling capacitors are provided for integrated circuits. The decoupling capacitors may be distributed in clusters amongst powered circuit components. Each cluster may contain a number of individual capacitor cells that are connected in parallel. Each capacitor cell may contain a capacitor and a resistor connected in series with the capacitor. The capacitors may be metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors. The resistor in each cell may limit the current through an individual capacitor in the event of a short in the capacitor due to a dielectric defect. | 06-17-2010 |
20100321984 | CONFIGURATION RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY - Integrated circuits such as programmable logic device integrated circuits are provided that have configuration random-access memory elements. The configuration random-access memory elements are loaded with configuration data to customize programmable logic on the integrated circuits. Each memory element has a capacitor that stores data for that memory element. A pair of cross-coupled inverters are connected to the capacitor. The inverters ensure that the memory elements produce output control signals with voltages than range from one power supply rail to another. Each configuration random-access memory element may have a clear transistor. The capacitor may be formed in a dielectric layer that lies above the transistors of the inverters, the address transistor, and the clear transistor. The inverters may be powered with an elevated power supply voltage. | 12-23-2010 |
20110062988 | POWER REGULATOR CIRCUITRY FOR PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE MEMORY ELEMENTS - Power regulator circuitry for programmable memory elements on programmable logic device integrated circuits is provided. The programmable memory elements may each include a storage element formed from cross-coupled inverters and an address transistor. Address drivers may be used to supply address signals to the address transistors. The power regulator circuitry may include an address power supply circuit that produces a time-varying address power supply voltage to the address drivers and storage element power supply circuits that provide time-varying storage element power supply voltages to the cross-coupled inverters in the storage elements. Unity gain buffers may be used to distribute a reference voltage from a bandgap voltage reference to the power supply circuits. The power supply circuits may use voltage dividers and p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor control transistors. | 03-17-2011 |