Apparatus for making printing plates and other materials having a surface in relief
AssigneeApplied Display Services, Inc.
InventorRonald C. Barker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surface in relief is formed by scanning coherent radiation over a surface defined by a thin film supported upon a plastic substrate. The wave length of the coherent radiation is chosen so that it is absorbed by the film and hence removes portions of the film exposing the substrate. The coherent radiation for removing the film may be switched on and off or otherwise modified so as to write information on the surface. Thereafter, the surface is again scanned by coherent radiation of a wave length that is reflected by the film but absorbed by the plastic substrate thereby removing portions of the plastic exposed by the coherent radiation. The film may or may not then be completely removed leaving a pattern in relief upon the surface of the substrate.
Claims9
Apparatus for forming a surface in relief in a composite plate of the type having a layer of material which is absorptive of a first wavelength of radiation but reflective of a second wavelength of radiation and a substrate which is absorptive of the second wavelength of radiation, comprising:
- first means for optically reading page composition information,
- second means operatively associated with said first means for selectively generating a first coherent radiation at said first wavelength, said first wavelength radiation having sufficient energy to remove selected portions of said layer of material and to expose corresponding portions of said substrate.
- third means operatively associated with said first means for selectively generating a second coherent radiation at said second wavelength, said second coherent radiation having sufficient energy to remove at least partially each of said exposed portions of said substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.