Eastman-kodak Company

Kodak Polychrome Graphics, Gmbh

Other

Kodak Polcyhrome Graphics LLC

Kodak Polychrome Grpahics, LLC

Paul R West

Jeffery Allen Gurney

Gary R Miller

James E Mitchell

Paul R Josephson, Jr

Nicki R Miller

Jeffrey W Leon

Raymond W Ryan, Jr

Kevin Barry Ray

Shashikant Saraiya

Jayanti Patel

John E Walls

Daniel John Blondal

Harry Booyens

Jianbing Huang

Ting Tao

Murray Figov

Scott A Beckley

Heidi M Munnelly

Melanie A Felker

Eduard Kottmair

Hans-Horst Glatt

Stefan Hilgart

Celin M Savariar-Hauck

Hans-Joachim Timpe

Ken-ichi Shimazu

Kevin W Williams

Gerhard Hauck

Neil F Haley

Eiji Hayakawa

Frederic E Mikell

Thomas R Jordan

Yasushi Miyamoto

Robert E McCovick

Paul Kitson

Elizabeth Knight

Jianfei Yu

Jian Bing Huang

Scott Wertz

Lee Korionoff

Robert E Mccovick

Murray Flgov

Jeffery A Gurney

Jr, Raymond Ryan

A micro-lens enhanced element comprises a substrate bearing sequences of printed image elements, each sequence containing image elements from more than one image. A transparent spacer layer is coated over the interlaced image strips. Lenticular lenses are fashioned over each sequence of image elements by deposition of a transparent layer of low surface energy polydimethyl siloxane based material and ablation of the same to create strips of material abhesive to a polymeric lens forming material between consecutive sequences of printed image elements. During deposition of a liquid lens forming material, the liquid withdraws from the liquid abhesive low surface energy strips to form a meniscus, thereby providing lenticular lenses. The transparent low surface energy material comprises a near infrared dye with low absorption in the visible range of the spectrum to render the material both transparent and ablateable by infrared laser.

Micro-lens enhanced element

A negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor can be imaged with infrared radiation and processed in a single step using a single processing solution having a pH of from about 3 to 11. The precursor has a primary polymeric binder that comprises recurring units derived from one or more N-alkoxymethyl(meth)acrylamides, provided that such recurring units are present in the primary polymeric binder in an amount of at least 10% based on the total dry primary polymeric binder weight. In addition, the primary polymeric binder is present in an amount of from about 12 to about 70% based on total imageable layer dry weight. The imaged precursor can be processed off-press or on-press.

Method of preparing lithographic printing plates

A micro-lens enhanced element comprises a substrate bearing sequences of printed image elements, each sequence containing image elements from more than one image. A transparent spacer layer is coated over the interlaced image strips. Lenticular lenses are fashioned over each sequence of image elements by deposition of a transparent layer of low surface energy polydimethyl siloxane based material and ablation of the same to create strips of material adhesive to a polymeric lens forming material between consecutive sequences of printed image elements. During deposition of a liquid lens forming material, the liquid withdraws from the liquid adhesive low surface energy strips to form a meniscus, thereby providing lenticular lenses. The transparent low surface energy material comprises a near infrared dye with low absorption in the visible range of the spectrum to render the material both transparent and ablateable by infrared laser.

A micro-lens enhanced element comprises a substrate bearing sequences of printed image elements, each sequence containing image elements from more than one image. A transparent spacer layer is coated over the interlaced image strips. Lenticular lenses are fashioned over each sequence of image elements by deposition of a transparent layer of low surface energy polydimethyl siloxane based material and imagewise conversion of the same to create strips of material abhesive to a polymeric lens forming material between consecutive sequences of printed image elements. During deposition of a liquid lens forming material, the liquid withdraws from the liquid abhesive low surface energy strips to form a meniscus, thereby providing lenticular lenses. The transparent low surface energy material comprises a near infrared dye with low absorption in the visible range of the spectrum to render the material both transparent and convertible by infrared laser.

A radiating-sensitive composition and negative-working imageable element includes a free radically polymerizable component, an initiator composition capable of generating radicals sufficient to initiate polymerization of the free radically polymerizable component upon exposure to imaging radiation, a radiation absorbing compound, and particles of a poly(urethane-acrylic) hybrid that are distributed throughout the composition forming an imageable layer in the element. Imaging can be accomplished at a wide range of wavelengths from about 150 to about 1500 nm, and development can be accomplished using an organic solvent-based developer, warm water, plate cleaner, or on-press using a combination of a lithographic printing ink and a fountain solution.

Negative-working radiation-sensitive compositions and imageable materials

Negative-working imageable elements can be imaged and then developed using a lower pH organic-based single-phase developer that is less toxic and corrosive and that can be more readily disposed of after use. This developer has a pH less than 12 and comprises a) an amphoteric surfactant comprising a nitrogen-containing heterocycle, b) an amphoteric surfactant having two or more nitrogen atoms, or c) an amphoteric surfactant of a) and an amphoteric surfactant of b).

Method of imaging and developing negative-working elements

The present invention provides an imageable member having an imageable layer including a heat-sensitive ionomer characterized by a net positive or negative charge, and a photothermal conversion material. The photothermal conversion material includes carbonaceous particles having thereon both an organic moiety including an ionic substituent having like charge as the ionomer, and a group represented by the formula&#x2014;X-[NIon]-R;wherein X represents an aromatic group or an alkyl group, NIon represents a non-ionic, non-ionizable group, Rrepresents hydrogen, an aromatic group, an alkoxy group, or an alkyl group, and p is an integer from 1 to about 500. The heat-sensitive ionomer and modified carbonaceous particles can be formulated in water or water-miscible solvents without agglomeration. Imageable members utilizing the modified carbonaceous particles as a photothermal conversion material exhibit acceptable optical density and exposure speed, and imaged members made therefrom exhibit excellent background performance.

Switchable polymer printing plates with carbon bearing ionic and steric stabilizing groups

The present invention provides an imageable element including a lithographic substrate and an imageable layer disposed on the substrate. The imageable layer includes a radically polymerizable component, an initiator system, and a polymeric binder. The imageable element further includes a tetraarylborate salt. The presence of the tetraarylborate salt may provide improved imaging speed and may enhance press life due to better adhesion between the imageable layer and the substrate. The tetraarylborate salt may be present in the imageable layer, an interlayer, or a separate layer between the substrate and the imageable layer. The imageable element may be imaged and mounted on-press without a separate development step.

On-press developable imageable element comprising a tetraarylborate salt

A negative-working radiation-sensitive composition includes a polymeric binder comprising a polymer backbone and having attached thereto a carbazole derivative represented by the following Structure (I): wherein Y is a direct bond or a linking group, and Rto Rare independently hydrogen, or an alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, halo, cyano, alkoxy, acyl, acyloxy, or carboxylate groups, or any adjacent Rthrough Rgroups can together form a carbocyclic or heterocyclic group or a fused aromatic ring. The composition can be sensitive to radiation having a maximum wavelength of from about 150 to about 1500 nm, and can be used to prepare negative-working imageable elements that be imaged and developed as lithographic printing plates.

Radiation-sensitive compositions and imageable materials

Imageable elements that contain silicate-coated polymer particles in the imageable layer, stacks of these elements, and methods for forming images using these elements are disclosed. The elements do not stick to each other when stacked without interleaving paper, and only one imageable element is lifted at a time when the imageable elements are handled by automatic processing equipment. Blanket piling is not observed when silicate-coated particles are present in the imageable layer.

Imageable element containing silicate-coated polymer particle

Negative working imageable compositions and imageable elements comprising a layer of the imageable composition over a support are disclosed. The imageable compositions comprise a free-radical polymerizable system and an effective amount of curcumin. The curcumin is effective as an antihalation agent, but does not substantially reduce the photospeed of the imageable composition.

Antihalation dye for negative-working printing plates

Negative working thermally imageable elements useful as lithographic printing plate precursors and methods for their use are disclosed. The elements have a substrate, a layer of imageable composition over the substrate, and, optionally, an overcoat layer over the layer of imageable composition. The imageable composition has an allyl-functional polymeric binder. Optimum resolution and on-press performance can be attained without a post-exposure bake. The elements do not require a post-exposure bake and can be used in on-press development applications.

High speed negative-working thermal printing plates

A method for reducing start up blinding in no-process lithographic printing plates is disclosed. An imageable element, comprising an imageable layer over a substrate, is thermally imaged. The imageable layer comprises a thermally sensitive polymer that comprises quaternary ammonium salts of carboxylic acids. Following imaging, the surface of the imaged imageable is contacted with an aqueous solution comprising 0.05 wt % to about 5 wt % of an added organic acid having a pKa of about 1 to about 6. This reduces the amount of waste produced by the printing process by reducing the number of unusable sheets produced during the 'make ready' process.

Method for reducing start up blinding in no-process lithographic printing plates

An imaging member, such as a negative-working printing plate or on-press cylinder, can be prepared using a hydrophilic imaging layer comprising a hydrophilic heat-sensitive polymer containing a crosslinking agent comprising ionic groups and epoxy groups. This polymer may comprise quaternary ammonium carboxylate groups which may include at least one substituted-alkylene(C-C)-phenyl group. The imaging member also includes an infrared radiation sensitive material to provide added sensitivity to heat that can be supplied by laser irradiation in the IR region. The heat-sensitive polymer may be 'switchable' in response to heat, and provides a lithographic image without wet processing.

Imaging members with ionic multifunctional epoxy compounds

A positive working, multi-layer thermally imageable element is disclosed. The element comprises a substrate, an underlayer, and a top layer. The top layer comprises a crosslinked polymeric material. The element may be thermally imaged and developed to form a lithographic printing plate.

Multi-layer imageable element with a crosslinked top layer

Growing community of inventors

Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Paul R West