Zirconia ceramic lithographic printing plate
US5870956A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 23, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41N1/006
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Lithographic printing is carried out by a novel process utilizing a zirconia ceramic as a printing plate. In this process, the surface of the zirconia ceramic printing plate is imagewise exposed to 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. The zirconia ceramic printing plate utilized in this process is capable of extremely long printing runs, is especially well adapted for direct digital laser imaging using images that are electronically captured and digitally stored, and can be reused by erasing the image from the ceramic surface by thermally-activated oxidation or laser-assisted oxidation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.