Method of making a printing blanket

Abstract

The present invention provides an improvement in the manufacture of laminates containing a rubber surface and particularly to a method of preparing printing blankets for the printing industry wherein the top or printing layer comprises a substantially void-free fluoroelastomer. The improved method of preparing the printing blankets of the invention comprises preparing a composite of a fibrous or pressure sensitive adhesive backing material; a layer of a foamable and cross-linkable elastomeric material over the backing material; a second fibrous material over the layer of foamable material; a top layer of a non-foamable cross-linkable elastomeric material over said second layer of fibrous material; and molding the composite at an elevated temperature under pressure. The improved process of the present invention provides a compressible printing blanket having a top layer surface which not only is substantially void free but also is substantially free of surface irregularities.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.