US 12,391,034 B2
Method and system for applying a pattern on a mask layer
Dirk Ludo Julien De Rauw, Ninove (BE)
Assigned to XSYS PREPRESS N.V., Ypres (BE)
Appl. No. 17/439,919
Filed by XSYS Prepress N.V., Ypres (BE)
PCT Filed Mar. 19, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/057645
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/188041, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2022776 (NL), filed on Mar. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0176688 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. B41C 1/00 (2006.01); B41F 3/28 (2006.01); G03F 1/20 (2012.01); G06F 9/30 (2018.01)
CPC B41C 1/003 (2013.01) [B41F 3/28 (2013.01); G03F 1/20 (2013.01); G06F 9/30018 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for applying a pattern on a mask layer for a printing plate precursor, said method comprising:
obtaining an image file without a screen pattern, said image file representing pixels with a first pixel size in a first direction parallel to an edge of the pixel, and a second pixel size in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first and second pixel size are the same or different; and
treating the mask layer such that a plurality of areas with altered physical properties are created in the mask layer, said plurality of areas corresponding to a plurality of pixels of said image file without a screen pattern, wherein the treatment is done such that a first and/or a second area size of an area of said plurality of areas, seen in said first and/or said second direction, is smaller than the first and/or second pixel size, respectively;
wherein the method is performed without manipulating said image file without a screen pattern for obtaining a surface screen pattern on the mask;
wherein the method comprises a step of combining the mask layer and a substrate layer, the substrate layer comprising a support layer and a photoactive layer, before or after the step of treating the mask layer so as to obtain a printing plate precursor.