US4200044A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for gravure printing that includes line work
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-01-26
•
Granted: 1980-04-29
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Expires: 1998-01-26
Abstract
Abstract An improved gravure printing method and apparatus is disclosed which is particularly useful in gravure printing operations which involve both tonal work and line work. The tonal work image on the gravure printing surface is engraved to form a multiplicity of varying depth ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports spaced to provide a high degree of resolution of the tonal work. The line work image of the gravure printing surface is engraved to form a multiplicity of ink wells all similar in depth and shallower in depth than at least some of the ink wells in the tonal work. These ink wells are separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports spaced with a centerline-to-centerline spacing substantially greater than the spacing of the doctor-blade supports for the tonal work to provide only a small number of intersections between the doctor-blade supports and the edges of the printed line work, thereby improving the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work. Prior to engraving the ink wells, the doctor-blade-support areas in the line work image have a substantially smaller width than the doctor-blade-support areas in the tonal work image, which also improves the continuity of the edges of the printed line work and reduces the various spans between adjacent ink wells in the line work image. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the ink wells in the line work image having a greater surface area relative to the surface area of the doctor-blade supports, and are engraved more shallow than the ink wells in regions of similar hue in the tonal work image.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry S. Vested
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:30
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F5/00; G03F5/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for reproducing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) engraving the tonal work image on a printing surface, said image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports with a centerline-to-centerline spacing that provides a high degree of resolution of the tonal work image, (b) and engraving the line work image on a printing surface, said line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports with a centerline-to-centerline spacing that is substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of said doctor-blade supports for said tonal work to provide a smaller number of intersections between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the line work image than between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the tonal work image, thereby to improve the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the line work image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for reproducing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) engraving the tonal work image on a printing surface, said image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports with a centerline-to-centerline spacing that provides a high degree of resolution of the tonal work image, (b) and engraving the line work image on a printing surface, said line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports with a centerline-to-centerline spacing that is substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of said doctor-blade supports for said tonal work to provide a smaller number of intersections between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the line work image than between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the tonal work image, thereby to improve the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the line work image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 1, wherein said grid of doctor-blade supports in said engraved line work image has not more than about 150 lines per inch and a ratio of support width/well width of at least about 1:8.5.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 1, wherein the maximum width of said doctor-blade supports at the intersections of said supports with each other in the line work image and with the edges of the line work image is substantially less than the maximum width of said doctor-blade supports at the comparable intersections of said supports with each other in the tonal work image and with the edges of the tonal work image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least certain of the ink wells in said tonal work image are engraved deeper than the ink wells in said line work image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ink wells in said line work image have a greater surface area and are engraved more shallow than the ink wells in regions of similar hue in said tonal work image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ink wells engraved in said line work image comprise at least about 80% of the area of the line work image.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
200 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) forming the tonal work image on a printing surface, said image comprising a multiplicity of ink-well areas separated by a grid of doctor-blade-support areas of predetermined width to accommodate a high degree of lateral engraving during the engraving of at least some of the ink wells in said tonal work image, (b) forming the line work image on a printing surface, said line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink-well areas separated by a grid of doctor-blade-support areas having a substantially smaller width than the doctor-blade-support areas in said tonal work image to increase the quantity of copy image transfer, to improve the continuity of the edges of the copy image transfer, and to reduce the spans between adjacent ink-well areas in the line work image, (c) and engraving said ink-well areas in the tonal work image and in the line work image with at least certain of the resulting ink wells in the tonal work image being engraved deeper than the resulting ink wells in the line work image.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
200 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) forming the tonal work image on a printing surface, said image comprising a multiplicity of ink-well areas separated by a grid of doctor-blade-support areas of predetermined width to accommodate a high degree of lateral engraving during the engraving of at least some of the ink wells in said tonal work image, (b) forming the line work image on a printing surface, said line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink-well areas separated by a grid of doctor-blade-support areas having a substantially smaller width than the doctor-blade-support areas in said tonal work image to increase the quantity of copy image transfer, to improve the continuity of the edges of the copy image transfer, and to reduce the spans between adjacent ink-well areas in the line work image, (c) and engraving said ink-well areas in the tonal work image and in the line work image with at least certain of the resulting ink wells in the tonal work image being engraved deeper than the resulting ink wells in the line work image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 7, wherein the ink-well areas in said line work image have a greater surface area and are engraved to a more shallow depth than the ink-well areas in regions of similar hue in said tonal work image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 7, wherein said grid of doctor-blade-support areas in said line work image has not more than about 150 lines per inch and a ratio of support-area width/well-area width of at least about 1:4.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 7, wherein the doctor-blade-support areas in said line work image have a centerline-to-centerline spacing substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of the doctor-blade-support areas in said tonal work image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for printing both tonal work and line work as set forth in claim 7, wherein the ink-well areas in said line work image comprise at least about 65% of the area of the line work image.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of gravure printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) printing the tonal work with a printing surface comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports spaced to provide a high degree of resolution of the tonal work, (b) and printing the line work with a printing surface comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports having a centerline-to-centerline spacing substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of the doctor-blade supports for said tonal work to provide a smaller number of intersections between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the printed line work than between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the tonal work image, thereby improving the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of gravure printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) printing the tonal work with a printing surface comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports spaced to provide a high degree of resolution of the tonal work, (b) and printing the line work with a printing surface comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports having a centerline-to-centerline spacing substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of the doctor-blade supports for said tonal work to provide a smaller number of intersections between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the printed line work than between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the tonal work image, thereby improving the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 12, wherein said grid of doctor-blade supports for said line work has not more than about 150 lines per inch and a ratio of support-width/well-width of at least about 1:8.5.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 12, wherein said doctor-blade supports for said line work have a more narrow width than the doctor-blade supports in at least a portion of the printing surface for said tonal work.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 12, wherein the maximum width of said doctor-blade supports for said line work at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the line work image to be printed is substantially less than the maximum width of said doctor-blade supports for regions of comparable hue in said tonal work at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the tonal work image to be printed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 12, wherein at least certain of the ink wells for said tonal work are engraved deeper than the ink wells for said line work.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 12, wherein the ink wells for said line work have a greater surface area and are engraved more shallow than the ink wells for regions of similar hue in said tonal work.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 12, wherein the ink wells for said line work comprise at least about 80% of the area of the line work image to be printed.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of gravure printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) printing the tonal work with a printing surface comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports which increase in width at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the tonal work image, (b) printing the line work with a printing surface comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports which increase in width at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the line work image, the maximum width of said supports in the line work image being substantially smaller than the maximum width of said supports in regions of comparable hue in the tonal work image to improve the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work and to reduce the spans between adjacent ink wells in said line work image, at least certain of the ink wells in said tonal work image being deeper than the ink wells in said line work image.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of gravure printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) printing the tonal work with a printing surface comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports which increase in width at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the tonal work image, (b) printing the line work with a printing surface comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports which increase in width at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the line work image, the maximum width of said supports in the line work image being substantially smaller than the maximum width of said supports in regions of comparable hue in the tonal work image to improve the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work and to reduce the spans between adjacent ink wells in said line work image, at least certain of the ink wells in said tonal work image being deeper than the ink wells in said line work image.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 19, wherein the ink wells for said line work have a greater surface area and are engraved more shallow than the ink wells for regions of similar hue in said tonal work.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 19, wherein said grid of doctor-blade supports for said line work has not more than about 150 lines per inch and a ratio of support width/well width of at least about 1:8.5.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 19, wherein the doctor-blade supports for said line work have a centerline-to-centerline spacing substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of the doctor-blade supports for said tonal work.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of gravure printing as set forth in claim 19, wherein the ink wells for said line work comprise at least about 80% of the area of the line work image.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
140 words
A gravure printing surface for printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said printing surface comprising the combination of (a) a tonal work image comprising the multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports having a centerline-to-centerline spacing that provides a high degree of resolution of the tonal work, (b) a line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports with a centerline-to-centerline spacing substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of the doctor-blade supports for said tonal work to provide a smaller number of intersections between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the printed line work than between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the printed tonal work and thereby improve the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
140 words
A gravure printing surface for printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said printing surface comprising the combination of (a) a tonal work image comprising the multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports having a centerline-to-centerline spacing that provides a high degree of resolution of the tonal work, (b) a line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports with a centerline-to-centerline spacing substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of the doctor-blade supports for said tonal work to provide a smaller number of intersections between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the printed line work than between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the printed tonal work and thereby improve the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
42 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 24, wherein said grid of doctor-blade supports in said line work image has not more than about 150 lines per inch and a ratio of support width/well width of at least about 1:8.5.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 24, wherein said doctor-blade supports in said line work image have a more narrow width than said doctor-blade supports in at least a portion of said tonal work image.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
62 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 24, wherein the maximum width of said doctor-blade supports at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the line work image is substantially less than the maximum width of said doctor-blade supports at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the tonal work image in regions of comparable hue.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
35 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 24, wherein at least certain of the ink wells in said tonal work image are engraved deeper than the ink wells in said line work image.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 24, wherein the ink wells in said line work image have a greater surface area and are engraved more shallow than the ink wells in regions of similar hue in said tonal work image.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 24, wherein the ink wells engraved in said line work image comprise at least about 80% of the area of the line work image.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
179 words
A gravure printing surface for printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said printing surface comprising the combination of (a) a tonal work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports which increase in width at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the tonal work image, (b) a line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports which increase in width at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the line work image, the maximum width of said supports in said said line work image being substantially smaller than the maximum width of said supports in regions of comparable hue in said tonal work image to improve the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work and to reduce the spans between adjacent ink wells in the line work image, at least certain of the ink wells in said tonal work image being deeper than the ink wells in said line work image.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
179 words
A gravure printing surface for printing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said printing surface comprising the combination of (a) a tonal work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports which increase in width at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the tonal work image, (b) a line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports which increase in width at the intersections of said supports with the edges of the line work image, the maximum width of said supports in said said line work image being substantially smaller than the maximum width of said supports in regions of comparable hue in said tonal work image to improve the continuity and smoothness of the edges of the printed line work and to reduce the spans between adjacent ink wells in the line work image, at least certain of the ink wells in said tonal work image being deeper than the ink wells in said line work image.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
43 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 31, wherein the ink wells in said line work image have a greater surface area and are engraved more shallow than the ink wells in regions of similar hue in said tonal work image.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
42 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 31, wherein said grid of doctor-blade supports in said line work image has not more than about 150 lines per inch and a ratio of support width/well width of at least about 1:8.5.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
38 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 31, wherein the doctor-blade supports in said line work image have a centerline-to-centerline spacing substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of the doctor-blade supports in said tonal work image.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
33 words
A gravure printing surface as set forth in claim 31, wherein the ink wells engraved in said line work image comprise at least about 80% of the area of the line work image.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
230 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for reproducing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) engraving the tonal work image on a printing surface, said image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports with a centerline-to-centerline spacing that provides a high degree of resolution of the tonal work image, (b) and engraving the line work image on a printing surface, said line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports having not more than 150 lines per inch, a support width/well width ratio of at least 1:8.5, a substantially narrower width than the doctor-blade supports for at least a portion of said tonal work, a centerline-to-centerline spacing that is substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of said doctor-blade supports for said tonal work to provide a smaller number of intersections between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the line work image than between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the tonal work image, the ink wells engraved in said line work image comprising at least 80% of the area of the line work image and having a greater surface area and a more shallow depth than the ink wells engraved in regions of similar hue in the tonal work image.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
230 words
A method of preparing a gravure printing surface or surfaces for reproducing both tonal work and line work on a single printed media, said method comprising the steps of (a) engraving the tonal work image on a printing surface, said image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports with a centerline-to-centerline spacing that provides a high degree of resolution of the tonal work image, (b) and engraving the line work image on a printing surface, said line work image comprising a multiplicity of ink wells separated by a grid of doctor-blade supports having not more than 150 lines per inch, a support width/well width ratio of at least 1:8.5, a substantially narrower width than the doctor-blade supports for at least a portion of said tonal work, a centerline-to-centerline spacing that is substantially greater than the centerline-to-centerline spacing of said doctor-blade supports for said tonal work to provide a smaller number of intersections between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the line work image than between said doctor-blade supports and the edges of the tonal work image, the ink wells engraved in said line work image comprising at least 80% of the area of the line work image and having a greater surface area and a more shallow depth than the ink wells engraved in regions of similar hue in the tonal work image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2039195A
Cited
US2456608A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-04-29 | 1983-10-29 | 1984-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-04-29 | 1987-10-29 | 1988-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-04-29 | 1991-10-29 | 1992-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |