Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Transfer procedure between image and image layer – image... – Image layer portion transfer and element therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1995-06-01
2001-07-17
Young, Christopher G. (Department: 1756)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Transfer procedure between image and image layer, image...
Image layer portion transfer and element therefor
C430S143000, C430S254000, C430S257000, C430S293000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261734
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the graphic arts, it is desirable to produce a three or more color proof to assist in correcting a set of color separation film prior to using them to produce printing plates. The proof should reproduce the color quality that will be obtained during the printing process. The proof must be a consistent duplicate of the desired halftone image. Visual examination of a color proof should show the color rendition to be expected from press printing using the color separations and any defects on the separations which might need to be altered before making the printing plates.
Coloring proofing sheets for multicolored printing can be made by using a printing press or proof press. This requires that all of the actual printing steps be performed. Therefore, this conventional method of color proofing is costly and time consuming.
Photoimaging processes can also be used to produce a color proof. There are two general types of photoimaging methods, namely the overlay type and the single sheet type.
In the overlay type of color proofing method, an independent transparent plastic support is used for producing an image of each color separation film by applying a photosensitive solution of the corresponding color. A plurality of such supports carrying images of the corresponding colors are then superimposed upon each other over a white sheet to produce a color proofing composite. The primary advantage of the overlay method is that proofs can be made quickly and can serve as a progressive proof by combining any two or three colors in register. However, this type of color proofing method has the disadvantage that the superimposed plastic supports tend to darken the color proofing sheet. As a result, the impression of the color proofing composite thus prepared is vastly different from that of copies actually obtained with conventional printing presses and with proof presses. Examples of such overlay approaches are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,136,637; 3,211,553; and 3,326,682.
In the single sheet type of color proofing method, a color proofing sheet is prepared by successively producing images of different colors from different color separation films on a single receiver sheet. This can be accomplished by sequentially applying colorants or colored, photosensitive layers to a single opaque support. This method more closely resembles the actual printing process and eliminates the color distortion inherent in the overlay system. Examples of such single sheet approaches are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,671,236; 4,260,673; 4,366,223; 4,650,738; 4,656,114; and 4,659,642.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,049 provides a thermal transfer process for printing a design on a final support which comprises (a) printing a design onto a temporary support, (b) superimposing the temporary support and the final support, (c) applying heat and/or pressure to the superimposed structure formed in (b), and (d) separating the temporary support from the final support which retains the printed design. The affinity of the matter of the design towards the final support is greater than its affinity towards the temporary support. This process has the disadvantage of a printing step.
Various processes for producing single sheet color proofs of an image embodying thermal transfer and photopolymerization techniques are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,060,023; 3,060,024; 3,060,025; 3,481,736; and 3,607,264. In these processes, a photopolymerizable layer coated on a suitable support is imagewise exposed through a color separation film. The surface of the exposed layer is then pressed into contact with an image receptive surface of a separate element. At least one of the said elements is heated to a temperature above the transfer temperature of the unexposed portions of the layer. The two elements are then separated, whereby the thermally transferrable, unexposed, image areas of the composite transfer to the image receptive element. If the element is not precolored, the tacky unexposed image may now be selectively colored with a desired toner. The colored matter preferentially adheres to the clear unpolymerized material.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,557, a method for transferring colored images is claimed which provides a stripping layer coated between a photosensitive element and a support. When the photosensitive layer is exposed to actinic light and developed, the more soluble portions are selectively removed to produce a visible image. The image carrying support is pressed against a suitable adhesive coated receptor member and the carrier support is subsequently stripped to accomplish the transfer of the image. A fresh layer of adhesive must be applied to the receptor for each subsequent transfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,757 provides a method for transferring images or solid colors which are subsequently imaged. The photosensitive material comprises a carrier support having sequentially disposed thereon a release layer; a colored, photopolymerizable layer; and an adhesive layer. The material can undergo exposure, lamination to a temporary support, wet development, and then lamination to a receptor sheet. Alternatively, the photosensitive material can be laminated to a receptor sheet, undergo exposure, and then wet processed. Both processes require development in an aqueous medium.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,154, a process is claimed which produces a single layer color proof without wet development. The photosensitive material comprises a strippable cover sheet; a colored photoadherent layer; a nonphotosensitive organic contiguous layer; and a sheet support. The material is exposed and peel developed. The positive or negative image is transferred to a receiver base. A fresh layer of adhesive must be applied to the receptor for each subsequent transfer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method for producing a positive image on a single sheet which comprises, in order:
a) providing a receiver sheet; and
b) providing an adhesive transfer article comprising a substrate having a release surface and an adhesive layer on said release surface, which adhesive layer comprises a thermoplastic resin or resins; and
c) laminating said adhesive transfer article via the adhesive layer to the receiver sheet with pressure at a temperature in the range of from about 60° C. to about 120° C.; and
d) peeling apart the substrate and the receiver sheet, thereby transferring the full adhesive layer from the substrate to the receiver sheet; and
e) providing a photosensitive article which comprises a transparent support and a photosensitive composition layer on said support, said photosensitive composition comprising an organic binding resin, a colorant, a photoinitiator, and a free radical polymerizable acrylate or methacrylate component having at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups; wherein the binding resin is present in sufficient amount to bind the composition components into a uniform film; wherein the colorant is present in sufficient amount to uniformly color the composition; wherein the photoinitiator is present in sufficient amount to initiate the free radical polymerization of the polymerizable component upon exposure to sufficient actinic radiation; and wherein the polymerizable component is present in sufficient amount to provide an image differentiation when the composition is exposed to actinic radiation; and
f) either
1) laminating the photosensitive composition layer to the adhesive layer on the receiver sheet and thereafter imagewise exposing the photosensitive composition layer to sufficient actinic radiation to provide an image differentiation; or
2) imagewise exposing the photosensitive composition layer to sufficient actinic radiation to provide an image differentiation and thereafter laminating the photosensitive composition layer to the adhesive layer on the receiver sheet; and thereafter
g) peeling apart the transparent support and the receiver sheet such that the imagewise nonexposed portions of the photosensitive composition are transferred to the adhesive layer on the receiver shee
AFGA Corporation
Robert & Mercanti, LLP
Young Christopher G.
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