Creo Il. Ltd.

Scitex Inc.

Robert M Landsman

An improved offset printing press has a single plate blanket image (PBI) cylinder for holding an image formed on a thin film printing plate affixed thereto. The plate may be from 0.5 to 25 microns thick and has a thin layer of ink repelling material coated thereon. The plate is imaged, after being affixed to the PBI cylinder, by ablating selective portions of the ink repelling coating. The PBI cylinder is constructed to hold the printing plate by vacuum techniques, and apparatus to load and unload the plate is associated with the PBI cylinder. Because of the thinness of the printing plate, the PBI cylinder is a compliant surface, capable of printing on an inelastic media covered impression cylinder. In addition, unique inking apparatus is provided to transfer ink to the imaged printing plate. Variations of the press include a four color press utilizing a single PBI cylinder.

System and method for recording an image using a laser diode array

Laser ablatable waterless lithographic printing member

An internal drum recorder images a media to a radiation pattern using an image array, which extends along a primary track, such as a helical track, and in a direction essentially perpendicular to the primary track. In one embodiment, the source of radiation is a laser aimed along the longitudinal axis of the drum, deflected and applied through a light modifier within a spinner. The light modifier is a device breaking the single laser beam into a number of sub-beams. Alternately, a number of laser diodes rotating within a translatable spinner may be used to produce the image. A gripper bar rotating about the longitudinal axis of the drum facilitates introducing and removing new sheets into the drum. A focus detector rotating within the spinneris used to correct the radial distance to the media surface from the spinner.

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Boynton Beach, FL, United States of America

Robert M Landsman