# US 2009/0199733 A1 · Apparatus for forming a printing form having a cylindrical support > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0199733 A1 - Document ID: US20090199733A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/157,882 - Filed: 2008-06-13 - Published: 2009-08-13 - Earliest claimed: 2004-11-12 - Inventors: Dietmar Dudek; Allan Banke; Soren Michael Juul Jorgensen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090199733A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/06: for developing - G03F 7/18: Coating curved surfaces - G03F 7/36: Imagewise removal not covered by groups G03F7/30 - G03F7/34, e.g. using gas streams, using plasma - G03G 15/75: {Details relating to xerographic drum, band or plate, e.g. replacing, testing (electrographic recording members per se G03G5/00)} - G03G 2215/0631: melted, or otherwise made liquid - Y10S 430/136: Coating process making radiation sensitive element - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for heating the composition layer to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for treating comprises means for contacting a development medium to the exterior surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for contacting comprises means for supplying the development medium to the exterior surface of the element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for contacting comprises means for delivering the exterior surface of the element to the development medium. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the development medium contacts the exterior surface adjacent the first means for supporting. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising means for separating the photosensitive element from the development medium. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising: means for pressing the photosensitive element and a development medium into contact at a pressure sufficient for at least a portion of the liquefied material to be absorbed by the development medium. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for heating the composition layer to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy and wherein the means for treating is selected from the group consisting of air stream, liquid stream, and vacuum. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first part and the second part are opposite or substantially opposite each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for providing relative movement between the first means and the second means. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first means is stationary and the second means is moveable relative to the first means. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for moving the second means for supporting. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a means for moving the second means for supporting comprising: a moving assembly comprising an arm having one end pivotally mounted to the apparatus and an opposite end engaging an end of the second support means, and an actuating device coupled to the arm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for tensioning the cylindrical support between the first means and second means. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for loading and unloading the cylindrical support about the first means for supporting and the second means for supporting. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for providing relative movement between the first means for supporting and a means for supplying a development medium to the exterior surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a carriage assembly comprising a carriage having mounted thereon at least the first supporting means and a motor-driven spindle which is rotated to move the carriage and thereby position the first supporting means relative to the means for treating. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive element has an axial length and the first means supports the first part along the axial length of the element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive element has an axial length and the second means supports the second part along the axial length. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first means for supporting comprises a roller. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising means for rotating the roller. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the roller has an outer circumferential surface, the apparatus further comprising means for increasing the circumference of the outer surface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the roller is an air-shaft having radial passages for supplying air to an outer circumferential surface of the roller. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising an adapter sleeve mounted to the air-shaft. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the adapter sleeve comprises a resilient layer. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the adapter sleeve comprises a resilient layer as an outermost circumferential surface. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second means for supporting has an outer surface having an arcuate shape contacting the second part. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second means for supporting is selected from the group consisting of a roller and a platform member. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second means for supporting comprises a platform member having an arcuate outer surface. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the outer surface of the platform member has a fixed curvature. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the outer surface of the platform member has a changeable curvature that can conform or substantially conform to a curvature of the interior surface of the cylindrical support. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the platform member is segmented in at least two parts that are flexibly coupled together. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the outer surface of the second means for supporting is a layer of a reduced friction material. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for treating comprises means for supplying a development medium to the exterior surface of the element wherein the means for supplying is selected from the group consisting of a roll and a non-cylindrical supplying member. ### Claim 36 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the non-cylindrical supplying member has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of elliptical, arcuate, parabolic, circular, semi-circular, wedge, triangular, rectangular, and polygonal shapes. ### Claim 37 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for heating the composition layer to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy, wherein the heating means is selected from the group consisting of a first heating means for applying heat to the exterior surface of the composition layer adjacent where a development medium contacts the layer; a second heating means for heating a means for supplying the development medium to a temperature capable of heating the exterior surface of the composition layer while the development medium is contacting the exterior surface of the layer; a third heating means for heating the first means for supporting to a temperature capable of heating the exterior surface of the composition layer; a combination of the first heating means and the second heating means; a combination of the first heating means and the third heating means; a combination of the second heating means and the third heating means; and combination of the first heating means, the second heating means, and the third heating means, wherein the first heating means, the second heating means, and the third heating means, individually or in the above combinations, is capable of heating the exterior surface of the composition layer sufficiently to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the first heating means comprises an infrared heating device. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising at least one sensor for sensing at least one of the temperatures of the means for heating, and a controller to maintain the at least one sensed temperature at predetermined temperature. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the means for heating is a combination of the first heating means and the second heating means. ### Claim 41 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for cooling the photosensitive element. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the cooling means is selected from the group consisting of a first cooling means for cooling the first means for supporting; a second cooling means for cooling the second means for supporting; and a combination of the first cooling means and the second cooling means. ### Claim 43 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second means for supporting includes a cavity for transporting a temperature controlled fluid. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the temperature controlled fluid is water. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the water cools an outer surface of the second means for supporting, and thereby cools the second part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the water heats an outer surface of the second means for supporting, and thereby heats the second part of the interior surface of the cylindrical support. ### Claim 47 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: means for heating the composition layer to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy, and means for contacting a development medium to the exterior surface. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the first means for supporting is a roller, and the means for contacting is a hot roil for supplying a web of the development medium. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising means for synchronizing a linear speed of the exterior surface of the photosensitive element rotating on the roller with a linear speed of the web transporting on the hot roll. ### Claim 50 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first means for supporting and the second means for supporting are mounted on a first frame of the apparatus, and the means for treating is mounted on a second frame of the apparatus, wherein the first frame and second frame are each a module removable from the apparatus. ### Claim 51 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for rotating the cylindrical support about the first means for supporting and the second means for supporting. ### Claim 52 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for treating comprises: means for contacting a development medium to the exterior surface of the photosensitive element opposite the support, comprising a supplying member; and means for heating the exterior surface of the composition layer to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The apparatus of claim 52 further comprising means for rotating the roller and means for synchronizing a linear speed of the exterior surface with a linear speed of a web of the development medium. ### Claim 54 (canceled) ### Claim 55 (canceled) ### Claim 56 (canceled) ### Claim 57 (canceled) ### Claim 58 (canceled) ### Claim 59 (canceled) ### Claim 60 (canceled) ### Claim 61 (canceled) ### Claim 62 (canceled) ### Claim 63 (canceled) ### Claim 64 (canceled) ### Claim 65 (canceled) ### Claim 66 (canceled) ### Claim 67 (canceled) ### Claim 68 (canceled) ### Claim 69 (canceled) ### Claim 70 (canceled) ### Claim 71 (canceled) ### Claim 72 (canceled) ### Claim 73 (canceled) ### Claim 74 (canceled) ### Claim 75 (canceled) ### Claim 76 (canceled) ### Claim 77 (canceled) ### Claim 78 (canceled) 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