Zirconia alloy cylinders and sleeves for imaging and lithographic printing methods
US5855173A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jan 5, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41N1/006
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Rotary lithographic printing members are prepared from a non-porous zirconia ceramic that is an alloy of ZrO.sub.2 and a second oxide chosen from MgO, CaO, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3, a rare earth oxide or a combination of any of these. These printing members can be rotary printing cylinders having a zirconia alloy ceramic printing surface. Such cylinders can be composed of zirconia alloy ceramic throughout, or have a ceramic sleeve or shell mounted around a non-ceramic core. In use, the surface of the zirconia alloy ceramic printing member is imagewise exposed to infrared radiation which transforms it from a hydrophilic to an oleophilic state or from an oleophilic to a hydrophilic state, thereby creating a lithographic printing surface which is hydrophilic in non-image areas and is oleophilic and thus capable of accepting printing ink in image areas. These printing members are directly laser-imageable as well as image erasable.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.