Apparatus and process for forming a printing form having a cylindrical support
AssigneeE.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsDietmar Dudek, Allan Banke, Soren Jorgensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention pertains to an apparatus and a process for forming a printing form from a photosensitive element having a cylindrical support, and in particular, to an apparatus and a process for thermally treating the photosensitive element to form a relief pattern and particularly to form a cylindrically-shaped flexographic printing form. The apparatus and process includes supporting the cylindrical support to accommodate thermal treating of photosensitive elements with various sizes of the cylindrical support.
Claims117
An apparatus for forming a printing form from a photosensitive element comprising a cylindrical support and a composition layer adjacent the support opposite an interior surface of the support, the composition layer capable of being partially liquefied, comprising:
- first means for supporting the photosensitive element by contacting a first part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support;
- second means for supporting the photosensitive element by contacting a second part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support different from the first part, wherein the cylindrical support has one or more unsupported parts between the first part and the second part;
- and
- means for treating an exterior surface of the photosensitive element opposite the support to form a relief surface in the element.
An apparatus for forming a printing form from a photosensitive element comprising a cylindrical support and a composition layer on the support opposite an interior surface of the support, the composition layer capable of being partially liquefied, comprising:
- first means for supporting the photosensitive element by contacting a first part of the interior surface, comprising a roller having a outer surface contacting the first part;
- second means for supporting the photosensitive element by contacting a second part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support different from the first part, wherein the cylindrical support has one or more unsupported parts between the first part and the second part, comprising a platform member having an arcuate outer surface contacting the second part;
- means for contacting a development medium to the exterior surface of the photosensitive element opposite the support, comprising a supplying member;
- means for heating the exterior surface of the composition layer to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy.
A process for forming a printing form from a photosensitive element comprising a cylindrical support and a composition layer on the support opposite an interior surface of the support, the composition layer capable of being partially liquefied, comprising:
- supporting the photosensitive element by contacting a first part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support with a first support member, and by contacting a second part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support different from the first part with a second support member, wherein the cylindrical support has one or more unsupported parts between the first part and the second part;
- and
- treating an exterior surface of the photosensitive element opposite the support to form a relief surface.
A process for forming a printing form from a photosensitive element comprising a cylindrical support and a composition layer on the support opposite an interior surface of the support, the composition layer capable of being partially liquefied, comprising:
- supporting the photosensitive element by contacting a first part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support and by contacting a second part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support different from the first part, wherein the cylindrical support has one or more unsupported parts between the first part and the second part;
- contacting a development medium to the exterior surface of the photosensitive element opposite the support;
- and
- heating the exterior surface of the composition layer to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.