US5154121A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method to apply a printing image on a printing machine cylinder having ink accepting receptors or cells, in accordance with electronically furnished image information
Assignee: Manroland AG
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Filing: 1991-08-20
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Granted: 1992-10-13
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Expires: 2011-08-20
Abstract
Abstract To apply the negative of an image to be printed to a printing form (1, 1701), the receptors or cells (7, 1704) of the printing form are first made to have the maximum size required for transfer of the necessary quantity of ink to a substrate (12) and the cells are then, selectively, filled with a flowable, solidifiable substance (9, 1704a), in accordance with the printed image. The quantity of substance (9) introduced into gravure cells (7) can be inversely proportional to the quantity of ink to be transferred to the substrate (12) and injected, for example by a spray of ink jet device similar to an ink jet printer, into the cells under control of a control unit (M), the melted substance solidifying upon contact with the gravure form (1). In a screen printing from, the substance can fill the interstices of the screen, forming the cells (1704). After printing, the form which, if a gravure form, preferably is a seamless ceramic cylinder, can be re-programmed by re-use by cleaning the form to be free from ink, then melting-out the solidified prior substance, assisted for example by wiping, suction, compressed air or hot air blowing or blotting, and then re-imaging the printing form in accordance with new image information by introducing molten, then solidifying substance into the cells in accordance with the new image information.
Inventors
- 👤 Josef Schneider
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:38
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M1/00; B41M1/10; B41M1/12; B41N; B41N3/00; B41N3/003; B41N3/006; B41P; B41P2227/00; B41P2227/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of applying a printing image requiring specific quantities of ink at discrete locations of the image of a printing form (5, 1701) having ink accepting receptors or cells, wherein said form is formed with receptors or cells (7, 1704) or uniform size for the reception of ink (35) therein for transfer to a printing substrate (12) for reproduction of said printing image, and said receptors or cells have a size sufficient to accept the maximum quantity of ink to be transferred to said printing substrate (12). comprising the steps of controlling the volume available for reception of ink of selected receptors or cells by introducing, in liquid state, a solidifiable substance into the respective receptors or cells of the form; and controlling the introduction of the substance being introduced into selected individual receptors or cells as a function of the specific quantity of ink required to reproduce the discrete locations of the image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of applying a printing image requiring specific quantities of ink at discrete locations of the image of a printing form (5, 1701) having ink accepting receptors or cells, wherein said form is formed with receptors or cells (7, 1704) or uniform size for the reception of ink (35) therein for transfer to a printing substrate (12) for reproduction of said printing image, and said receptors or cells have a size sufficient to accept the maximum quantity of ink to be transferred to said printing substrate (12). comprising the steps of controlling the volume available for reception of ink of selected receptors or cells by introducing, in liquid state, a solidifiable substance into the respective receptors or cells of the form; and controlling the introduction of the substance being introduced into selected individual receptors or cells as a function of the specific quantity of ink required to reproduce the discrete locations of the image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said substance is heat-meltable and applied into the receptors or cells (7) of said printing form (1) by at least one of: spraying; injecting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the introduction of the substance includes controlling the quantity of said substance introduced into the respective receptors or cells (7) to be inversely proportional to the quantity of ink to be transferred from said printing form (1) to said substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said form is a gravure printing form.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4, further including the step of stripping excess substance off the surface of the gravure form by a doctor blade (11).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 4, wherein said step of stripping excess substance off the surface of the gravure form comprises stripping said substance off the form by a heated doctor blade.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of removing solidified substance (9, 1704a) from said receptors or cells by re-melting said substances and then removing said re-melted substances from said depressions or cells.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
108 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said receptors or cells have ink applied therein; further including the steps of removing the ink from the receptors or cells (7, 1704) of the printing form (1), to thereby clean the surface and said receptors or cells and hence said printing form (1); and removing, by re-melting said substance (9, 1704) from said receptors or cells (7, 1704) to thereby provide said form with said receptor depressions or cells of a size sufficient to accept the maximum quantity of ink for subsequent re-use to apply a subsequent printing image, upon subsequently introducing further solidifiable substance in accordance with a further image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
105 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said printing form is a gravure printing form, including the step of erasing and removing image information carried by said gravure printing form (1), said step comprising heating the substances (9) within the receptors or cells (7) of the printing form, to melt said substances; and removing said melted, and hence liquefied substances, from said receptors or cells (7) of the printing form by at least one of: wiping said form; applying suction means to said receptors or cells (7); applying compressed air blow into said receptors or cells (7); applying a blotting means against said receptors or cells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said form is a screen printing form and said step of introducing the solidifiable substance comprises completely filling said receptors or cells (1704).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 10, further including the step of mechanically reinforcing the substance transferred to the screen printing form by applying a material having the characteristic of hardening or curing or reinforcing said substance applied to the screen printing form.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said printing form is a screen printing form, including the step of erasing and removing image information carried by said screen printing form (1701), said step comprising heating the substances (1704a) within the receptors or cells (1704) of the printing form, to melt said substances; and removing said melted and hence liquefied substances from said receptors or cells (1704) of the printing form by at least one of: blowing off with hot air; wiping.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
230 words
Apparatus for applying a printing image on a printing machine printing form (1, 1701) having ink accepting receptors or cells requiring specific quantities of ink at discrete locations of the image, in accordance with image information provided by an electronic memory (M), wherein said printing form (1, 1701) is formed with receptors or cells (7, 1704), which are uniform and of sufficient size to accept the maximum quantity of ink to be transferred to a substrate (12), comprising means for controlling the quantity of ink which can be accepted in said receptors or cells in accordance with the specific ink requirement in the respective receptors or cells at said specific locations to thereby reproduce said image, by selective control of the volume of the receptors or cells available for reception of ink, including means (3, 4) for introducing into said receptors or cells (7) of uniform size a filler substance (9, 1704a) in flowable form, said filler substance being solidifiable; and a control unit (M, 5, 6) coupled to an controlling said introducing means (3, 4) to introduce said filler substance into the respective receptors or cells (7, 1704) as a function of the specific quantity of ink required to reproduce the discrete locations of the image, to selectively, and under control of said control unit, change the volume of the respective receptors or cells available for reception of ink.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
230 words
Apparatus for applying a printing image on a printing machine printing form (1, 1701) having ink accepting receptors or cells requiring specific quantities of ink at discrete locations of the image, in accordance with image information provided by an electronic memory (M), wherein said printing form (1, 1701) is formed with receptors or cells (7, 1704), which are uniform and of sufficient size to accept the maximum quantity of ink to be transferred to a substrate (12), comprising means for controlling the quantity of ink which can be accepted in said receptors or cells in accordance with the specific ink requirement in the respective receptors or cells at said specific locations to thereby reproduce said image, by selective control of the volume of the receptors or cells available for reception of ink, including means (3, 4) for introducing into said receptors or cells (7) of uniform size a filler substance (9, 1704a) in flowable form, said filler substance being solidifiable; and a control unit (M, 5, 6) coupled to an controlling said introducing means (3, 4) to introduce said filler substance into the respective receptors or cells (7, 1704) as a function of the specific quantity of ink required to reproduce the discrete locations of the image, to selectively, and under control of said control unit, change the volume of the respective receptors or cells available for reception of ink.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said substance introducing means (3, 4) comprises means for melting said substance; and an ejection means ejecting into said receptors or cells (7) said liquefied substance under control of said control unit (M, 5, 6), said substance hardening or solidifying within said receptors or cells.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said printing form comprises a gravure form having a continuous and seamless ceramic surface, said surface being formed with said receptors or cells (7).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said printing form comprises a gravure form; and said control unit (M, 5, 6) controls the quantity of filler substance being ejected by the introducing means (3, 4) to be representative of the inverse of the quantity of ink (35) to be transferred to said substrate in accordance with image information.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
84 words
The apparats of claim 13, including inking means (10) for inking said gravure printing form after said receptor depressions or cells (7) have been filled with said substance (9), said inking means applying ink into the space of the receptor depressions or cells (7) which is left after said substance (9) has been introduced in quantities inversely proportional to the quantity of ink to be transferred to said substrate (12); and doctor blade means (11) stripping excess ink from the surface of said form.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
73 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said printing form comprises a screen printing form (1701); and wherein said control unit (M, 5, 6) coupled to an controlling said introducing means controls introduction of ink to the respective receptors or cells (1704) to fill said receptors or cells, in accordance with image information, and block transfer of ink through the fill receptors or cells where no ink is to be transferred to said substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-10-13 | 1996-04-13 | 1996-10-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-13 | 2000-04-13 | 2000-10-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-10-13 | 2004-04-13 | 2004-10-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |