US 5,154,121 A · System and method to apply a printing image on a printing machine cylinder having ink accepting receptors or cells, in accordance with electronically furnished image information

Abstract

To apply the negative of an image to be printed to a printing form (1, 1701), the receptors or cells (7, 1704) of the printing form are first made to have the maximum size required for transfer of the necessary quantity of ink to a substrate (12) and the cells are then, selectively, filled with a flowable, solidifiable substance (9, 1704a), in accordance with the printed image. The quantity of substance (9) introduced into gravure cells (7) can be inversely proportional to the quantity of ink to be transferred to the substrate (12) and injected, for example by a spray of ink jet device similar to an ink jet printer, into the cells under control of a control unit (M), the melted substance solidifying upon contact with the gravure form (1). In a screen printing from, the substance can fill the interstices of the screen, forming the cells (1704). After printing, the form which, if a gravure form, preferably is a seamless ceramic cylinder, can be re-programmed by re-use by cleaning the form to be free from ink, then melting-out the solidified prior substance, assisted for example by wiping, suction, compressed air or hot air blowing or blotting, and then re-imaging the printing form in accordance with new image information by introducing molten, then solidifying substance into the cells in accordance with the new image information.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of applying a printing image requiring specific quantities of ink at discrete locations of the image of a printing form (5, 1701) having ink accepting receptors or cells,

wherein said form is formed with receptors or cells (7, 1704) or uniform size for the reception of ink (35) therein for transfer to a printing substrate (12) for reproduction of said printing image, and
said receptors or cells have a size sufficient to accept the maximum quantity of ink to be transferred to said printing substrate (12).
comprising the steps of
controlling the volume available for reception of ink of selected receptors or cells by
introducing, in liquid state, a solidifiable substance into the respective receptors or cells of the form;
and
controlling the introduction of the substance being introduced into selected individual receptors or cells as a function of the specific quantity of ink required to reproduce the discrete locations of the image.

4 more elements

Apparatus for applying a printing image on a printing machine printing form (1, 1701) having ink accepting receptors or cells requiring specific quantities of ink at discrete locations of the image, in accordance with image information provided by an electronic memory (M),

wherein said printing form (1, 1701) is formed with receptors or cells (7, 1704), which are uniform and of sufficient size to accept the maximum quantity of ink to be transferred to a substrate (12), comprising
means for controlling the quantity of ink which can be accepted in said receptors or cells in accordance with the specific ink requirement in the respective receptors or cells at said specific locations to thereby reproduce said image, by selective control of the volume of the receptors or cells available for reception of ink, including
means (3, 4) for introducing into said receptors or cells (7) of uniform size a filler substance (9, 1704a) in flowable form, said filler substance being solidifiable;
and
a control unit (M, 5, 6) coupled to an controlling said introducing means (3, 4) to introduce said filler substance into the respective receptors or cells (7, 1704) as a function of the specific quantity of ink required to reproduce the discrete locations of the image, to selectively, and under control of said control unit, change the volume of the respective receptors or cells available for reception of ink.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method to apply a printing image on a printing machine cylinder having ink accepting receptors or cells, in accordance with electronically furnished image information

Life of this patent

System and method to apply a printing image on a printing machine cylinder having ink accepting receptors or cells, in accordance with electronically furnished image information

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18