US4770928A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of curing a compressible printing blanket and a compressible printing blanket produced thereby
Assignee: Day International Inc
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Filing: 1986-06-09
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Granted: 1988-09-13
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Expires: 2006-06-09
Abstract
Abstract A laminated printing blanket having compressible and resilient properties and a method for its production are provided. The compressible characteristics are provided by disposing an intermediate layer having substantially uniformly distributed voids of substantially uniform size between the base layer and the surface layer of the printing blanket. The voids of the compressible intermediate layer are formed by introducing microcapsules into an elastomeric compound formulated for production of the intermediate layer, and by vulcanizing the intermediate layer at a temperature below the melting point of the microcapsules to a degree sufficient to fix the microcapsules in place within the structure of the intermediate layer. A final vulcanizing step completes the curing of all layers to produce a laminated unitary blanket.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew J. Gaworowski
- 👤 Mayo B. Tell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:46
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/06; B29C70/08; B29C70/086; B32; B32B; B32B3/00; B32B3/10; B32B3/12; B29C70/58; B29C70/66; B32B25/00; B32B25/10; B32B25/12; B32B25/14; B32B25/18; B32B27/00; B32B27/18; B32B27/20; B32B27/205; B32B37/00; B32B37/14; B32B37/144; B32B5/00; B32B5/22; B32B5/24; B32B5/26; B41; B41N; B41N10/00; B41N10/02; B41N10/04; B29C2791/00; B29C2791/001; B29K; B29K2021/00; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29K2105/08; B29K2105/0809; B29K2105/16; B29K2105/165; B32B2264/00; B32B2264/02; B32B2305/00; B32B2305/02; B32B2307/00; B32B2307/50; B32B2307/51; B32B2307/70; B32B2307/75; B32B2317/00; B32B2317/22; B32B2319/00; B32B2323/00; B32B2323/16; B32B2355/00; B32B2355/02; B41N2210/00; B41N2210/04; B41N2210/14; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/909; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249971; Y10T428/249972; Y10T428/249975; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/30; Y10T442/3325; Y10T442/335
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of making a laminated printing blanket construction comprising the steps of: providing at least one fabric substrate layer, forming an intermediate compressible layer of an elastomeric material thereon, said intermediate compressible layer having a substantially uniform thickness and having microcapsules incorporated therein, said microcapsules being substantially uniformly distributed throughout said intermediate compressible layer, maintaining said intermediate compressible layer at a temperature below the melting point of said microcapsules for a time sufficient to cause said elastomeric material to vulcanize to a degree sufficient to substantially fix the positions of said microcapsules within said intermediate compressible layer, providing a surface layer over said intermediate compressible layer to form said printing blanket construction, and vulcanizing said construction to cure said layers and provide said intermediate layer with substantially uniformly distributed voids of substantially uniform size.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of making a laminated printing blanket construction comprising the steps of: providing at least one fabric substrate layer, forming an intermediate compressible layer of an elastomeric material thereon, said intermediate compressible layer having a substantially uniform thickness and having microcapsules incorporated therein, said microcapsules being substantially uniformly distributed throughout said intermediate compressible layer, maintaining said intermediate compressible layer at a temperature below the melting point of said microcapsules for a time sufficient to cause said elastomeric material to vulcanize to a degree sufficient to substantially fix the positions of said microcapsules within said intermediate compressible layer, providing a surface layer over said intermediate compressible layer to form said printing blanket construction, and vulcanizing said construction to cure said layers and provide said intermediate layer with substantially uniformly distributed voids of substantially uniform size.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of adding an accelerator to said intermediate compressible layer during formation thereof, said accelerator being capable of promoting vulcanization of said intermediate compressible layer at temperatures of between about 110 to 170 degrees F. in from about 1 to 12 hours.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the formation step for said intermediate compressible layer includes the steps of forming said elastomeric material, incorporating said microcapsules therein to form a mixture, spreading said mixture onto said fabric substrate layer, and applying a fabric reinforcing layer over the upper surface of said intermediate compressible layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which said construction is vulcanized at a temperature of about 270 to 320 degrees F.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which said construction is vulcanized at a temperature of about 290 to 300 degrees F.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 in which said accelerator is a dithiocarbamate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 in which said microcapsules are formed of a thermoplastic resin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 2 in which said step of maintaining said intermediate compressible layer below the melting point of said microcapsules is carried out at a temperature of about 110 to 170 degrees F.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 in which said step of maintaining said intermediate compressible layer below the melting point of said microcapsules is carried out at about 150 degrees F. for a period of about 8 hours.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 in which said accelerator is a dithiocarbamate and said microcapsules are of a copolymer of acrylonitrile and vinylidene chloride.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
139 words
A laminated printing blanket construction comprising at least one substrate layer, a surface layer, and an intermediate compressible layer having a substantially uniform thickness, said intermediate compressible layer comprising an elastomeric material and having a cellular structure with a plurality of closed cells forming voids, said voids being of substantially uniform size and being substantially uniformly distributed throughout said intermediate compressible layer, said voids being formed by distributing microcapsules and an accelerator capable of causing vulcanization of said elastomeric material at a temperature below the melting point of said microcapsules within said intermediate compressible layer, and maintaining said intermediate compressible layer at a temperature below the melting temperature of said microcapsules for a time sufficient to cause said elastomeric material to vulcanize to a degree sufficient to substantially fix the positions of said microcapsules within said intermediate compressible layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
139 words
A laminated printing blanket construction comprising at least one substrate layer, a surface layer, and an intermediate compressible layer having a substantially uniform thickness, said intermediate compressible layer comprising an elastomeric material and having a cellular structure with a plurality of closed cells forming voids, said voids being of substantially uniform size and being substantially uniformly distributed throughout said intermediate compressible layer, said voids being formed by distributing microcapsules and an accelerator capable of causing vulcanization of said elastomeric material at a temperature below the melting point of said microcapsules within said intermediate compressible layer, and maintaining said intermediate compressible layer at a temperature below the melting temperature of said microcapsules for a time sufficient to cause said elastomeric material to vulcanize to a degree sufficient to substantially fix the positions of said microcapsules within said intermediate compressible layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The printing blanket of claim 11 in which said voids have a diameter in the range of from about 10 to 125 microns.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The printing blanket of claim 11 in which said microcapsules are formed of a thermoplastic resin.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The printing blanket of claim 11 in which said blanket is subjected to a final vulcanizing step at a temperature above the melting point of said microcapsules.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The printing blanket of claim 11 in which from about 25 to 100% of said microcapsules remain in said voids.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
123 words
A compressible layer for use in a laminated printing blanket construction comprising an elastomeric material having a substantially uniform thickness and having a cellular structure with a plurality of closed cells forming voids, said voids being of substantially uniform size and being substantially evenly distributed throughout said compressible layer, said voids being formed by distributing microcapsules and an accelerator capable of causing vulcanization of said elastomeric material at a temperature below the melting point of said microcapsules within said compressible layer, and maintaining said compressible layer at a temperature below the melting temperature of said microcapsules for a time sufficient to cause said elastomeric material to vulcanize to a degree sufficient to substantially fix the positions of said microcapsules within said compressible layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
123 words
A compressible layer for use in a laminated printing blanket construction comprising an elastomeric material having a substantially uniform thickness and having a cellular structure with a plurality of closed cells forming voids, said voids being of substantially uniform size and being substantially evenly distributed throughout said compressible layer, said voids being formed by distributing microcapsules and an accelerator capable of causing vulcanization of said elastomeric material at a temperature below the melting point of said microcapsules within said compressible layer, and maintaining said compressible layer at a temperature below the melting temperature of said microcapsules for a time sufficient to cause said elastomeric material to vulcanize to a degree sufficient to substantially fix the positions of said microcapsules within said compressible layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The compressible layer of claim 16 in which said voids have a diameter in the range of from about 10 to 125 microns.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The compressible layer of claim 16 in which said microcapsules are formed of a thermoplastic resin.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The compressible layer of claim 16 in which said compressible layer is subjected to a final vulcanizing step at a temperature above the melting point of said microcapsules.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The compressible layer of claim 16 in which from about 25 to 100% of said microcapsules remain in said voids.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of making a compressible layer for use in a laminated printing blanket construction comprising the steps of: forming said compressible layer of an elastomeric material and mixing microcapsules with said elastomeric material so that said microcapsules are substantially uniformly distributed therein, maintaining said compressible layer at a temperature below the melting point of said microcapsules for a time sufficient to cause said elastomeric material to vulcanize to a degree sufficient to substantially fix the positions of said microcapsules within said compressible layer, thereby providing a compressible layer having a substantially uniform thickness with said microcapsules being substantially uniformly distributed throughout said compressible layer.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of making a compressible layer for use in a laminated printing blanket construction comprising the steps of: forming said compressible layer of an elastomeric material and mixing microcapsules with said elastomeric material so that said microcapsules are substantially uniformly distributed therein, maintaining said compressible layer at a temperature below the melting point of said microcapsules for a time sufficient to cause said elastomeric material to vulcanize to a degree sufficient to substantially fix the positions of said microcapsules within said compressible layer, thereby providing a compressible layer having a substantially uniform thickness with said microcapsules being substantially uniformly distributed throughout said compressible layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 21 including the step of adding an accelerator to said compressible layer during formation thereof, said accelerator being capable of promoting vulcanization of said compressible layer at temperatures of between about 110 to 170 degrees F. in from about 1 to 12 hours.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 22 in which said accelerator is a dithiocarbamate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 21 in which said microcapsules are formed of a thermoplastic resin.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 21 in which said step of maintaining said compressible layer below the melting point of said microcapsules is carried out at a temperature of about 110 to 170 degrees F.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 22 in which said accelerator is a dithiocarbamate and said microcapsules are of a copolymer of acrylonitrile and vinylidene chloride.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-09-13 | 1992-03-14 | 1992-09-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-09-13 | 1996-03-14 | 1996-09-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-09-13 | 2000-03-14 | 2000-09-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |