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US 5,495,803 AGranted
Method of forming a photomask for a printing plate with an ink jet
AssigneeGerber Scientific Products, Inc.
InventorsH. Joseph Gerber, Russell F. Croft, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for preparing a printing plate without the need for a photomask formed from a sheet of photographic film bearing the positive or negative of the image to be printed. According to the invention, an ink jet print head deposits ink onto a light-sensitive emulsion in a pattern which corresponds to either the positive or negative of the image to be printed. The printed pattern provides a photomask for subsequent exposure of the emulsion.
Claims1
A method for preparing a printing plate comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a substrate having an unexposed light sensitive emulsion applied thereto;
- said emulsion being sensitive to UV radiation;
- (b) positioning the substrate in a printing mechanism having a printhead for dispensing ink onto the emulsion, said ink being transparent to UV radiation;
- (c) providing the printing mechanism with data defining a pattern to be printed on the emulsion;
- (d) printing the pattern on the emulsion by means of the printing mechanism according to the data provided;
- (e) coating the emulsion with a UV opaque ink which will not adhere to the printed pattern;
- (f) exposing the emulsion using the printed pattern as an exposure mask to form exposed and unexposed regions of the emulsion, and
- (g) washing the ink and one of the exposed and unexposed regions of the emulsion from the substrate to provide a pattern of raised areas of hardened emulsion supported by the substrate, said substrate and supported pattern of raised areas forming a printing plate.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.