Process for producing a printing form

Details Process for producing a printing form Process for producing a printing form

1998-11-30

2001-05-01

Crispino, Richard (Department: 1734)

Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture

Methods

Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

C156S230000, C156S240000, C156S234000, C156S294000, C156S272200, C427S146000, C427S148000, C427S487000, C101S463100, C101S471000, C430S269000, C430S945000, C425S014000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06224708

ABSTRACT:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for producing a printing form on a form cylinder by applying a surface layer.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
According to German reference DE 44 30 555 C1, a printing form is produced on a form cylinder so that a surface layer is transferred from a transfer film strip to the printing form as a result of heating by means of a laser beam. In this case, the transfer film strip is carried along with the movement of the laser beam. In addition, for the purpose of renewal, the strip is unwound from a supply reel and wound up onto another reel.
The disadvantage with this teaching is that, in the case of large-format form cylinders, the spooling device for the film strip requires large supply reels in order to have an adequate storage capacity. In addition, a higher transport speed of the transfer film can lead to problems, as a result of relatively high laser powers, for example to static charging and resultant lifting from the printing form. Finally, transfer film strips have a tendency to so-called microbanding, that is to say to thermal drop-off at the strip edges, which leads to streaky transfer of surface elements and ultimately to a streaky printed image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing a printing form which operates reliably even in the case of large form cylinders and high laser powers.
Pursuant to this object, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one aspect of the present invention resides in a process for producing a printing form on a form cylinder by applying a surface layer, which process includes the steps of applying a blown film molding to the form cylinder, which blown film molding carries the surface layer as a coating on its inner side, transferring surface elements of the surface layer, in accordance with an image, by heating with a laser beam, and removing the blown film molding from the form cylinder. By virtue of the blown film molding, spooling devices for a strip-like transfer film, together with the above-mentioned disadvantages, are rendered superfluous. In addition, the microbanding caused by the edge zones is dispensed with, which provides the preconditions for reliable layer transfer and good plate and printing quality. Furthermore, the degree of utilization of the transfer film is very high.
In another embodiment of the invention the step of applying a blown film molding includes drawing a tubular film that has been expanded by compressed air onto the form cylinder and subsequently fixing the film on the form cylinder by turning off the compressed air. It is often desirable to also utilize heated compressed air.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4063949 (1977-12-01), Uhlig et al.
patent: 4685189 (1987-08-01), Palmqvist et al.
patent: 5440987 (1995-08-01), Williams et al.
patent: 5709765 (1998-01-01), Herbert et al.
patent: 44 14 084 (1995-10-01), None
patent: 44 30 555 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 664 211 (1995-07-01), None

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