E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Robert A McMillen

Mark A Hackler

Dietmar Dudek

Joseph Anthony Perrotto

Carl Bernard Arnold

Anandkumar R Kannurpatti

Andreas Koch

Michael Lee Rudolph

Dhiren V Patel

Helmut Luetke

Jeffrey Robert Lake

William W Early

Pier Luigi Sassanelli

David B Neufeglise

Todd M Scheske

Alan S Dubin

John W Trainor, Jr

Allan Banke

Ib Vestergaard

R David Mitchell

Soeren Joergensen

The invention provides an apparatus for preparing a relief printing form from a photosensitive element. More specifically, this invention describes an apparatus for preparing a relief form in an environment having controlled oxygen concentration during exposure to actinic radiation. The apparatus includes means for exposing a photosensitive element having an in-situ mask to actinic radiation through the in-situ mask in an environment having an inert gas and a concentration of oxygen between 190,000 and 100 ppm, and treating the exposed element to form the relief printing form having a pattern of raised surface areas.

Apparatus for preparing relief printing form

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for thermally developing a photosensitive element. The thermal development method includes heating the photosensitive element to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of a composition layer in the element to liquefy, soften, or melt; supporting a development medium with a non-rotating surface to provide contact of the development medium with the heated photosensitive element; and providing relative movement between the development medium and the non-rotating surface.

Apparatus for thermal development with supporting surface for a development medium

Method for thermal development with supporting surface for a development medium

This invention provides an apparatus and process for forming a printing form from a photosensitive element having an exterior surface and a composition layer capable of being partially liquefied. The apparatus includes a displaceable heater for heating the composition layer, means for removing at least a portion of the composition layer from the element, and means for displacing the displaceable heater to a predetermined distance from the exterior surface. Positioning the displaceable heater at the predetermined distance assures reproducible removal of the liquefied composition from the various types of photosensitive elements that can be thermally treated in the apparatus, resulting in the printing forms having improved relief surface uniformity.

Process and apparatus having an adjustable heater

A relief printing form is prepared from a photosensitive element in an environment having controlled oxygen concentration during exposure to actinic radiation. An in situ mask is formed on a photosensitive element, the element is exposed to actinic radiation through the in-situ mask in an environment having an inert gas and a concentration of oxygen between 190,000 and 100 ppm, and the exposed element is treated to form the relief printing form having a pattern of raised surface areas.

Device and method for preparing relief printing form

This invention pertains to a method and apparatus for thermally developing a photosensitive element, and particularly to a method and apparatus for supporting the photosensitive element with a removable flexible support member during thermal treatment.

Method for thermal development using apparatus having a removable support member

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for thermally developing a photosensitive element. The thermal development method includes heating the photosensitive element to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of a composition layer in the element to liquefy, soften, or melt, contacting the heated photosensitive element with a development medium to absorb the liquefied portion at a contact location, and removing the development medium from the photosensitive element with a remover at a location away from the contact location.

Method and apparatus for thermal development with development medium remover

Apparatus for thermal development having a removable support member

This invention relates to a method for thermally developing a photosensitive element to form a relief pattern. The method includes heating a composition layer of the element to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy and providing a development medium under tension to the element to absorb the liquefied composition. The development medium includes an absorbent material and a support, the combination of which minimizes stretch and distortion of the absorbent material and can impede the migration of the liquefied composition through the absorbent material.

Method for thermal development of a photosensitive element using a development medium having a support

Process for formation of a hardened, insoluble or crosslinked stencil or resist image on a substrate, e.g., having a metal surface such as copper, and modifying the substrate or image surface comprising:

Process for preparation of a stencil or resist image

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Downingtown, PA, United States of America

Robert A McMillen