Printing blanket construction and method and apparatus for making the same
AssigneeDay International, Inc.
InventorsMelvin D. Pinkston, Thomas D. Hower
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printing blanket construction and method and apparatus for making the same are provided, the blanket construction comprising an outer layer formed mainly of polymeric material and having an outer printing surface for carrying liquid printing ink or the like for printing purposes or the like, the outer printing surface having a plurality of separate ink wells interrupting the same in a closely spaced apart generally uniform pattern thereof throughout substantially the entire printing area thereof and with a relatively large number of the wells each having a mouth opening at the printing surface that has a substantially straight-line length across the largest portion thereof of approximately 3 microns to approximately 65 microns.
Claims31
A printing blanket construction including an outer layer, said outer layer having a printing surface for carrying printing ink, said printing surface having a plurality of separate ink well means interrupting said printing surface in a closely spaced apart generally uniform pattern thereof throughout substantially the entire printing area thereof and with a relatively large number of said ink well means each having a mouth opening at said printing surface having a substantially straight-line length across the largest portion thereof of approximately 3 microns to approximately 65 microns.
A printing blanket construction including an outer layer, said outer layer having a printing surface for carrying printing ink, said printing surface having a plurality of separate ink well means interrupting said printing surface in a closely spaced apart generally uniform pattern thereof throughout substantially the entire printing area thereof and with a relatively large number of said ink well means each having a mouth opening at said printing surface having a substantially straight-line length across the largest portion thereof of approximately 3 microns to approximately 65 microns, said ink well means having been formed by a plurality of starch particles having been embedded into said printing surface and then having been removed therefrom by chemically reacting said starch and converting it into more soluble compounds which are dissolved from said printing surface.
A method of making a printing blanket construction including the steps of forming an outer layer of said construction having a printing surface thereon, said printing surface being formed by the steps of embedding a plurality of projection means into said outer layer and then chemically or mechanically removing said projection means therefrom in a manner which does not destroy or degrade said printing surface to form a closely spaced apart generally uniform pattern of ink well means over substantially the entire printing surface of said printing blanket construction.
A method of making a printing blanket construction including the steps of forming an outer layer of said construction having a printing surface thereon, said printing surface being formed by the steps of embedding a plurality of particles of starch into said outer layer and then removing said particles of starch therefrom by chemically reacting said starch particles with an alkaline solution to convert said starch into more soluble compounds, and then washing said soluble compounds from said printing surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.