Maintaining raw flexible plate integrity using pre-hardened flexible plate regions
AssigneeDupont Electronics, Inc.
InventorsLewis B. Jennings, Peter J. Fronczkiewicz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a component of a flexographic printing system. The component includes an electromagnetic energy source operable to electronically couple to a controller. The electromagnetic energy source is further operable to apply a pre-hardening process to a non-print region of a raw flexible plate. The pre-hardening process results in a pre-hardened region of the non-print region of the raw flexible plate. The pre-hardened region of the non-print region of the raw flexible plate counters a clamping force applied to the non-print region of the raw flexible plate.
Claims20
A component of a flexographic printing system, the component comprising:
- an electromagnetic energy source operable to electronically couple to a controller;
- wherein the electromagnetic energy source is further operable to apply a pre-hardening process to a non-print region of a raw flexible plate;
- wherein the pre-hardening process results in a pre-hardened region of the non-print region of the raw flexible plate;
- and
- wherein the pre-hardened region of the non-print region of the raw flexible plate counters a clamping force applied to the non-print region of the raw flexible plate.
A flexible plate comprising:
- a print region;
- a non-print region having an exposed edge sidewall;
- and
- an electromagnetic energy source operable to, responsive to instructions from a controller, convert at least a portion of the non-print region to a pre-hardened non-print region by applying a pre-hardening process to the exposed edge sidewall.
A method of forming a component of a flexographic printing system, the method comprising:
- providing an electromagnetic energy source operable to electronically couple to a controller;
- wherein the electromagnetic energy source is further operable to apply a pre-hardening process to a non-print region of a raw flexible plate;
- wherein the pre-hardening process results in a pre-hardened region of the non-print region of the raw flexible plate;
- and
- wherein the pre-hardened region of the non-print region of the raw flexible plate counters a clamping force applied to the non-print region of the raw flexible plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.