Laminated flexographic printing sleeves and methods of making the same

US8871431B2 · kind B2 · utility

Inventors

• Timothy Gotsick · Acworth, US
• David A. Recchia · Smyrna, US
• Ryan W. Vest · Cumming, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 8, 2011
• Grant date: Oct 28, 2014
• Expiry date: Sep 24, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/34
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of tailoring the shape of a plurality of relief dots created in a photosensitive printing blank during a digital platemaking process is provided. The photosensitive printing blank comprises a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on at least one photocurable layer which is mountable on a printing sleeve. The method comprises the steps of (1) laser ablating the laser ablatable mask layer to create an in situ negative in the laser ablatable layer; (2) placing a barrier layer on top of the laser ablatable mask layer; (3) exposing the at least one photocurable layer to actinic radiation through the barrier layer and the in situ negative; (4) removing the barrier layer; and (5) developing the imaged and exposed photosensitive printing blank to reveal the relief image therein, the relief image comprising the plurality of relief dots. The presence of the barrier layer produces printing dots having desired geometric characteristics.