Lithographic printing members with deformable cushioning layers
AssigneePresstek, Inc.
InventorThomas E. Lewis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Printing members resistant to handling damage include a porous compressible layer that deforms in response to applied forces, inhibiting overlying layers from tearing or scratching. One type of construction involves ablation-type printing members, wherein pulses from a heat source ablate one or more layers to expose (or facilitate exposure of by cleaning) an underlying layer. A second type of construction utilizes traditional photoexposure-type layers that harden or increase adhesion to adjacent layers in response to actinic radiation. The compressible layer is typically located below the radiation-responsive or imaging layer, but may also serve as that layer.
Claims33
A deformable lithographic printing member directly imageable by laser discharge, the member comprising:
- a. a first solid layer;
- and
- b. a second solid layer;
- wherein
- c. the second layer is compressible and has a porous structure;
- d. the first and second layers exhibit different affinities for at least one printing liquid selected from the group consisting of ink and an abhesive fluid for ink, the second layer being oleophilic;
- e. the second layer, but not the first layer, comprises a material that is subject to ablative absorption of imaging radiation;
- and
- f. the first layer is elastomeric.
A deformable lithographic printing member directly imageable by laser discharge, the member comprising:
- a. a first solid layer;
- b. a second solid layer;
- and
- c. a compressible layer having a porous structure and being disposed beneath the second solid layer;
- wherein
- d. the first and compressible layers exhibit different affinities for at least one printing liquid selected from the group consisting of ink and an abhesive fluid for ink, the compressible layer being oleophilic;
- e. the second layer, but not the first layer, comprises a material sensitive to imaging radiation;
- and
- f. the first layer is elastomeric.
A deformable lithographic printing member directly imageable by laser discharge, the member comprising:
- a. a first solid layer;
- b. a second solid layer, said layer being compressible and having a porous structure;
- wherein
- c. the first and second layers exhibit different affinities for at least one printing liquid selected from the group consisting of ink and an abhesive fluid for ink, the second layer being oleophilic;
- d. the first layer, but not the second layer, comprises a material that is sensitive to imaging radiation;
- and
- e. the first layer is elastomeric.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.