Method of imaging of lithographic printing plates using laser ablation
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsMitchell Stewart Burberry, Charles David DeBoer, Sharon Wheten Weber
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Abstract
A lithographic printing plate is comprised of an anodized aluminum support having thereon an oleophilic image-forming layer comprising an infrared-absorbing agent dispersed in a film-forming cyanoacrylate polymer binder. The plate is imagewise exposed to a focused high-intensity infrared laser beam which removes the oleophilic image-forming layer by thermal ablation to thereby reveal the underlying hydrophilic support surface. The cyanoacrylate polymers provide superior performance due to their combination of low decomposition temperature, good ink receptivity, good adhesion to the support and good wear characteristics.
Claims20
A method of providing a positive image comprising:
- A) providing a lithographic printing plate comprising an anodized aluminum support and an image-forming layer overlying said support,
- said image-forming layer comprising an infrared-absorbing agent dispersed in a film-forming polymeric binder, said film-forming polymeric binder being a cyanoacrylate polymer and said infrared-absorbing agent being dispersed therein in an amount sufficient for said image-forming layer to be imaged by laser-induced thermal ablation which completely removes said image-forming layer in exposed regions thereof to thereby reveal said underlying support, and
- B) imagewise directing infrared laser radiation to said printing plate to thermally ablate said image-forming layer in said exposed regions thereof to form a positive image.
A method of imaging comprising:
- A) mounting a lithographic printing plate on a printing press or plate setting device, said plate comprising an anodized aluminum support and an image-forming layer overlying said support,
- said image-forming layer comprising an infrared-absorbing agent dispersed in a film-forming polymeric binder, said film-forming polymeric binder being a cyanoacrylate polymer and said infrared-absorbing agent being dispersed therein in an amount sufficient for said image-forming layer to be imaged by laser-induced thermal ablation which completely removes said image-forming layer in exposed regions thereof to thereby reveal said underlying support, and
- B) imagewise directing infrared laser radiation to said printing plate to thermally ablate said image-forming layer in said exposed regions thereof to form a positive image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.