# US 8,539,881 B2 · Laser leveling highlight control

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- Number: US 8,539,881 B2
- Document ID: US8539881B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/011,103
- Filed: 2011-01-21
- Published: 2012-07-26
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-21
- Assignees: Eastman Kodak Company
- Applicants: Mitchell S. Burberry; Lee W. Tutt
- Inventors: Mitchell S. Burberry; Lee W. Tutt
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539881B2

## CPC

- B41C 1/05: Heat-generating engraving heads, e.g. laser beam, electron beam
- B41C: PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR REPRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES (photomechanical processes for producing printing surfaces G03F; photoelectrical processes for producing printing surfaces G03G)

## Abstract

A method of preparing a flexographic printing member includes forming a relief image that consists of both fine-featured regions and coarse-featured regions; and leveling a top most surface of at least one of the coarse-featured regions by means of laser engravings.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of preparing a flexographic printing member comprising:
providing a laser for engraving the flexographic printing member;
forming a relief image with the laser that consists of both fine-featured regions and coarse-featured regions;
wherein the fine featured regions are areas on the flexographic printing member that are undercut due to the spot size limitations of the laser; and
leveling the coarse-featured regions nearest a fine featured region to a given level with the laser.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 comprising:
leveling the nearest coarse-featured regions to the same level as the fine-featured regions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 comprising:
leveling the nearest coarse-featured regions to a level above the fine-featured regions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 comprising:
leveling the nearest coarse-featured regions to a level below the fine-featured regions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 comprising:
patterning or roughening the nearest coarse-featured regions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 comprising:
patterning or roughening the nearest coarse-featured regions with a high frequency height variation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein nearest the coarse-featured regions is leveled to within 30 μm of the fine-featured regions.