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US 8,973,497 B2Granted
Flexographic proofing tools and methods
AssigneeProbity Engineering, LLC
InventorRonald K. Westby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hand holdable ink proofing tool including an anilox roll and an ink transfer roll, supporting a resilient printing plate. A metering roll adjacent the anilox roll is shiftable to be in contact with the anilox roll and to force ink into cells of the anilox roll; and a leading edge doctor blade is positioned to shear excess ink from a surface of the anilox roll.
Claims19
An ink proofing device comprising:
- an anilox roll;
- an ink transfer roll including an outer surface, a first end, a second end and a gear disposed adjacent each of the first end and second end, the ink transfer roll further including a photopolymer printing plate disposed on the outer surface between the gears, the plate having a width and an etched, ink-receiving surface, the transfer roll and the anilox roll being shiftable relative to each other;
- a rotational linkage positively rotationally coupling the anilox roll and the ink transfer roll, the rotational linkage selected to have a diameter configured to support the width of the photopolymer printing plate such that the etched, ink-receiving surface can receive ink in varying degrees;
- and
- a drive roll having first and second ends, the drive roll including a metallic center surface disposed between a first non-metallic resilient band and a second non-metallic resilient band,
- wherein each of the first and second gears of the ink transfer roll contacts a respective one of the first and second non-metallic resilient bands to form a semi-positive drive therebetween, and wherein each of the first and second non-metallic resilient bands rebounds to its original shape after being compressed and released by the respective first and second gears of the ink transfer roll.
3 more elements
A proofing device for proofing a printing operation, comprising:
- an anilox roll;
- an impression roll disposed proximate the anilox roll, the impression roll supporting a photopolymer printing plate having a width and an etched, ink-receiving surface, the impression roll including a gear disposed proximate each of a first end and a second end thereof;
- and
- a positive rotation linkage coupling the impression roll and the anilox roll, the rotational linkage selected to have a diameter configured to support the width of the photopolymer printing plate such that the etched, ink-receiving surface can receive ink in varying degrees;
- and
- a drive roll disposed proximate to the impression roll, the drive roll including a non-metallic resilient band disposed on each respective side of a central metallic surface segment, the gears of the impression roll configured to contact a respective non-metallic resilient band of the drive roll, wherein the respective non-metallic resilient bands rebound to their original shape after being compressed and released by the respective gears of the impression roll.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.