E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Roxy Ni Fan

Abraham B Cohen

Stephen Cushner

Carol Marie Van Zoeren

William J Hommes

John Anthony Quinn

Ernst Leberzammer

Paul Thomas Shea

Edward Andrew Calisto

Daniel Francis Sheehan, Jr

Mark A Hackler

Anandkumar R Kannurpatti

Bradley K Taylor

Adrian Lungu

Anankumar R Kannurpatti

William John Hommes

A photosensitive element for use as a photopolymer printing plate comprising a support, a layer of a photopolymerizable material on the support, and an infrared ablation layer which is ablatable by infrared radiation and substantially opaque to actinic radiation on the photopolymerizable material. The infrared ablation layer comprises at least one infrared absorbing material, a radiation opaque material, and at least one binder which is substantially incompatible with low molecular weight materials in the photopolymerizable layer. The infrared ablation layer is tack-free or substantially tack-free on the photopolymerizable layer. The infrared ablation layer is ablatable from the surface of the photopolymerizable layer upon exposure to infrared laser radiation.

Flexographic element having an infrared ablatable layer

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for forming a photopolymerizable element useful as a flexographic printing plate having at least one layer of particulate material. The process includes forming a layer of a molten photopolymerizable material onto a support; and applying the particulate material onto an exterior surface of the photopolymerizable layer opposite the support within 48 hours of forming the layer of photopolymerizable material. The process optionally includes heating of the surface of the photopolymerizable layer.

Apparatus for forming a photosensitive element having a layer of particulate material

Process for forming a photosensitive element having a layer of particulate material

The invention relates to a process for preparing a flexographic printing plate from a photosensitive element having a photopolymerizable layer and a thermally removable layer on the photopolymerizable layer. The process includes imagewise exposing the photosensitive element and thermally treating the exposed element to form a relief suitable for use in flexographic printing. The thermally removable layer can be transparent or opaque to actinic radiation. The invention also relates to a photosensitive element for use in this process. The photosensitive element includes a photopolymerizable layer and at least one thermally removable layer having a filler and a binder, wherein the binder is less than 49% by weight, based on the total weight of the binder and filler.

Process for making a flexographic printing plate and a photosensitive element for use in the process

A process for making a flexographic photopolymer printing plate includes providing a photosensitive element comprising a support, a layer of a photopolymerizable material on the support, and an infrared ablation layer which is ablatable by infrared radiation and substantially opaque to actinic radiation on the photopolymerizable material. The infrared ablation layer comprises at least one infrared absorbing material, a radiation opaque material, and at least one binder which is substantially incompatible with low molecular weight materials in the photopolymerizable layer. The infrared ablation layer is imagewise ablated with infrared laser radiation to form a mask. The photosensitive element is then overall exposed to actinic radiation through the mask, and treated with at least one developer solution to remove the remaining infrared ablation layer and areas of the photopolymerizable layer not exposed to actinic radiation.

Process for making a flexographic printing plate

A method for forming a seamless cylindrical photosensitive element on a flexible cylindrical sleeve wherein the flexible sleeve is mounted onto a sleeve support to isolate the flexible sleeve from high temperature and/or high pressure associated with forming a cylindrical photosensitive layer on the flexible sleeve.

Method for forming a cylindrical photosensitive element

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming seamless cylindrical photosensitive elements of uniform thickness on flexible sleeves. The apparatus for forming a seamless cylindrical photosensitive element of uniform thickness on a flexible sleeve, comprises a mandrel, a mandrel support assembly, a calendering assembly, a drive system and at least a heating element. The methods comprise forming seamless cylindrical photosensitive elements of uniform thickness on flexible sleeves from a stream of molten photopolymerizable material, or a solid or molten sheet of photopolymerizable material. The seamless cylindrical photosensitive elements are formed on polyester sleeves for use on a printing cylinder.

Methods and apparatus for forming cylindrical photosensitive elements

A photosensitive printing element having an overall layer of powder material and a process for making a flexographic printing plate from such an element are disclosed. The photosensitive element includes a support, a photopolymerizable layer, and a layer of powder material on the photopolymerizable layer. The layer of powder material can be opaque or transparent depending upon desired use.

Flexographic printing element having a powder layer

Method for making a flexographic printing plate from a flexographic

A process for making a multilayer flexographic printing plate which involves reinforcing and laser engraving a multilayer flexographic printing element.

Lasers engravable multilayer flexographic printing element

A process for making a single layer flexographic printing plate which involves reinforcing and laser engraving a single layer flexographic printing element.

Laser engravable single-layer flexographic printing element

This invention relates to an apparatus for imagewise exposing an infrared sensitive layer and, more specifically, for imagewise ablating an infrared radiation sensitive layer of a flexographic printing element for use in making a flexographic printing plate.

Laser apparatus

A process for making a flexographic printing plate from a flexographic element having an infrared ablatable layer capable of being selectively removed by a laser beam is described.

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East Brunswick, NJ, United States of America

Roxy Ni Fan