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US 6,605,410 B2Granted
Laser imaged printing plates
AssigneePolyfibron Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMichael Wen-Chein Yang, Rustom Sam Kanga, Alvin Varnard Randall
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Abstract
Laser-imageable flexographic printing plates and a method of making same are disclosed. A thin polymeric film doped with a UV absorber is laminated to a photopolymer layer. The film is ablated from the photopolymer using a laser operating at a selected wavelength to create an in situ negative. The resulting negative can be subjected to typical UV flood exposure and development.
Claims14
A photosensitive flexographic printing element comprising:
- (a) a backing layer;
- (b) at least one layer of photopolymerizable material on said backing layer, said photopolyrmerizable material comprising a photopolymer and an initiator;
- (c) at least one ablation layer which is ablatable by a laser at a selected wavelength and a selected power, wherein said ablation layer is in direct contact with the at least one photopolymerizable layer and has a surface opposite the photopolymerizable layer capable of being exposed to laser ablation, said ablation layer comprising:
- (i) at least one ultraviolet radiation absorbing material;
- and
- (ii) at least one binder comprising a polyamide;
- wherein said ablation layer is ablatable front the surface of the photopolymerizable layer upon exposure to laser radiation at the selected wavelength and power.
4 more elements
A photosensitive flexographic printing plate element comprising:
- (a) a backing layer;
- (b) at least one layer of photopolymerizable material on said backing layer;
- (c) at least one ablation layer which is ablatable by a laser at a selected wavelength and a selected power, wherein said ablation layer is in direct contact with the photopolymerizable layer and has a surface opposite the photopolymerizable layer capable of being exposed to laser radiation, said ablation layer comprising;
- (i) at least one ultraviolet radiation absorbing material which substantially does not migrate from the ablation layer to the photopolymerizable layer;
- and
- (ii) at least one binder comprising a polyamide;
- wherein the ablation layer is ablatable from the surface of the photopolymerizable layer upon exposure to laser radiation at the selected wavelength and power and wherein prior to ablation the ablatable layer absorbs at leasl 97% of incident ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths of 300-400 nm.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.