# US 9,751,295 B2 · Method for manufacturing a lithographic printing plate precursor having a patterned back layer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,295 B2 - Document ID: US9751295B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/891,055 - Filed: 2014-06-16 - Published: 2016-05-05 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-18 - Assignees: Agfa Graphics NV - Applicants: Agfa Graphics NV - Inventors: Stefaan Lingier; Karen Demmers - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751295B2 ## CPC - B41C 1/1066: {by spraying with powders, by using a nozzle, e.g. an ink jet system, by fusing a previously coated powder, e.g. with a laser} - B41C 1/1016: {characterised by structural details, e.g. protective layers, backcoat layers or several imaging layers} - G03F 7/0002: {Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping} - G03F 7/092: {characterised by backside coating or layers, by lubricating-slip layers or means, by oxygen barrier layers or by stripping-release layers or means} - B41C 2201/06: Backcoats; Back layers - B41C 2201/14: characterised by macromolecular organic compounds, e.g. binder, adhesives - B41C: PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR REPRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES (photomechanical processes for producing printing surfaces G03F; photoelectrical processes for producing printing surfaces G03G) - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract A method for manufacturing a lithographic printing plate precursor includes the steps of providing a support as a web, coating an image recording layer on the front side of the support, and depositing a back layer on the back side of the support using a deposition technique which is capable of depositing the back layer according to a predefined image. The method enables stacking and recutting of lithographic printing plate precursors without the need for interleafs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a lithographic printing plate precursor, the method comprising the steps of: providing a support as a web, the support including a front side and a back side; coating an image recording layer on the front side of the support; and depositing a non-continuous back layer on the back side of the support according to a predefined image the predefined image including a cutting scheme defining predefined cutting edges of the lithographic printing plate precursor; and slicing and cutting the web along the predefined cutting edges; wherein the non-continuous back layer has a lower average surface coverage in sections within 1 cm of the predefined cutting edges than in neighboring sections of the web. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the non-continuous back layer comprises the steps of: (i) applying a curable liquid with a depositing technique selected from the group consisting of ink jet printing, valve jet printing, and aerosol jetting; and (ii) at least partially curing the applied curable liquid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least partially cured applied curable liquid has a Shore A hardness of 90 or less. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the curable liquid applied in the applying step is cured by ultra violet light or electron beam radiation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the predefined image includes a regular pattern of dots, lines, voids, or a combination thereof; and the regular pattern does not coincide with the predefined cutting edges. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the predefined image includes randomly distributed dots, lines, voids, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the curable liquid applied in the applying step is a phase-change liquid that is cured by ultra violet light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of: depositing and curing droplets of the curable liquid on the at least partially cured droplets by repeating steps (i) and (ii). ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the predefined image includes a regular pattern of dots, lines, voids, or a combination thereof; and the regular pattern does not coincide with the predefined cutting edges. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the predefined image includes randomly distributed dots, lines, voids, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-continuous back layer includes a plurality of dots, lines, voids, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more continuous layers are applied between the non-continuous back layer and the back side of the support. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined image includes a regular pattern of dots, lines, voids, or a combination thereof; and the regular pattern does not coincide with the predefined cutting edges. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined image includes randomly distributed dots, lines, voids, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-continuous back layer has a lower average weight in the sections within 1 cm of the predefined cutting edges than in the neighboring sections of the web. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: stacking printing plate precursor sheets obtained by the step of slicing and cutting the web to define a stack of printing plate precursor sheets; and re-cutting the stack of printing plate precursor sheets.