Apparatus and method for removing soluble portions of a coating
AssigneeNapp Systems (USA), Inc.
InventorLawrence E. Howard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method in which a coating is wetted with a solvent to initiate dissolution of soluble coating portions and the hydraulic pressure of the solvent at the surface of the coating is repeatedly increased and decreased to assist in the dissolution of the soluble coating portions. A brush with an array of bristles reciprocating in a path perpendicular to the coating may be utilized to produce the increasing and decreasing hydraulic pressure. Also, the coating may be immersed in the solvent to wet it and to initiate dissolution of the soluble coating portions.
Claims37
In a process for developing a graphic arts article in which the article is exposed, developed, dried, and hardened, the improvement comprising:
- immersing said article in a developing solution while repeatedly applying point pressure thereto in a direction generally perpendicular to the coating surface to assist in the removal of soluble portions of said coating.
An apparatus for developing a photosensitive graphic arts article wherein a latent image is converted to a relief image by removing soluble portions of the photosensitive coating of the article, said apparatus comprising:
- means for immersing said graphic arts article in a bath containing a solvent;
- and
- means for mechanically engaging said coating while immersed in said solvent to assist in the removal of said soluble portions, said engaging means reciprocating in a path generally perpendicular to the surface of said coating to repreatedly contact said coating thereby assisting in the removal of soluble portions of said photosensitive coating.
The development apparatus of claim 27 wherein said bath is maintained within a predetermined temperature range by controlling the temperature of said rinse liquid.
A method for developing an exposed letterpress printing plate having a water-developable photopolymer coating wherein a relief image is produced by removing soluble portions of the photopolymer coating comprising:
- conveying said plate through a developer bath;
- subjecting said photopolymer coating to point pressure from a plurality of brush bristles as said plate moves through said bath, said bristles reciprocating in a path generally perpendicular to the surface of said coating;
- conveying said plate out of said bath;
- and
- subjecting said plate to a stream of developer to rinse said relief image.
An apparatus for removing soluble portions of a coating to leave a high resolution comprising:
- means for wetting the coating with a solvent to initiate dissolution of the soluble portions;
- means reciprocating relative to the coating and traveling through a path generally perpendicular to the surface of the coating to assist in the dissolution and removal of the soluble portions;
- said reciprocating means including means for repeatedly increasing and decreasing the hydraulic pressure of said solvent at the surface of the coating;
- and
- wherein the coating is immersed in said solvent while said reciprocating means acts on the soluble portions thereof.
An apparatus for removing soluble portions of a coating to leave a high resolution image comprising:
- means for wetting the coating with a solvent to initiate dissolution of the soluble portions;
- means reciprocating relative to the coating and traveling through a path generally perpendicular to the surface of the coating to assist in the dissolution and removal of the soluble portions;
- said reciprocating means including means for repeatedly increasing and decreasing the hydraulic pressure of said solvent at the surface of the coating;
- and
- wherein said reciprocating means is driven by an electromagnetic vibrator.
An apparatus for removing soluble portions of a coating to leave a high resolution image comprising:
- means for wetting the coating with a solvent to initiate dissolution of the soluble portions;
- means reciprocating relative to the coating and traveling through a path generally perpendicular to the surface of the coating to assist in the dissolution and removal of the soluble portions;
- said reciprocating means including means for repeatedly increasing and decreasing the hydraulic pressure of said solvent at the surface of the coating;
- and
- said reciprocating means acts to assist in the dissolution and removal of the soluble portions without substantial transverse mechanical development action on the coating.
A method for removing soluble portions of a coating to obtain a high resolution image, comprising the steps of:
- wetting the coating with a solvent to initiate dissolution of the soluble portions;
- and
- repeatedly increasing the decreasing the hydraulic pressure at the surface of the coating by the use of means which reciprocates relative to the coating without substantial transverse mechanical development action on the coating, to thereby assist in the dissolution and removal of the soluble portions.
An apparatus for removing soluble portions of a coating to leave a high resolution image comprising:
- means for immersing the coating in a solvent to wet the coating and to initiate dissolution of soluble portions;
- and
- means reciprocating relative to said coating and traveling through a path generally perpendicular to the surface of the coating to act on the coating and to assist in the dissolution and removal of said soluble portions while said coating is immersed.
A method for removing soluble portions of a coating to leave a high resolution image comprising:
- immersing the coating in a solvent to wet the coating and to initiate dissolution of the soluble portions;
- and
- repeatedly applying point pressure to a plurality of locations across the surface of the coating, said point pressure being applied in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the coating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.