Print control strip

Claim 2

Print control strip image production means for producing an image on printing plates, the image on the printing plate being for indicating the printing condition of a printing press, the printing press being operable to print at least both a first ink of a first color and a second ink of a second color, the second color being substantially different from the first color, the printing press having a first printing plate extending across the printing press for receiving and for transferring to a print receiving material the first ink of the first color, the printing press also having a second printing plate extending across the printing press for receiving and for transferring to the print receiving material the second ink of the second color, the printing press additionally having a first plurality of ink metering devices for metering the application of the first ink into the printing press, the first plurality of ink metering devices extending sequentially across the printing press, the printing press also having a second plurality of ink metering devices for metering the application of the second ink into the printing press, the second plurality of ink metering devices also extending sequentially across the printing press, the positioning of the first and second pluralities of ink metering devices defining ink zones of the printing press extending sequentially across the printing press, the ink zones of the printing press being separated from one another by ink zone boundaries, said print control strip image production means comprising: an image bearing medium having having thereon a multiplicity of measurement field images; a first set of said multiplicity of measurement field images comprising: a first single color solid tone image of a solid tone field corresponding to the first ink; and a second single color solid tone image of a solid tone field corresponding to the second ink; said first single color solid tone image and said second single color solid tone image being positioned on said image bearing medium adjacent and touching one another; each of said first set of measurement field images being located transversely on said image bearing medium at a position for producing a solid tone measurement field image on the first and second printing plates, which first set spans across one of the ink zone boundaries; and a second set of said multiplicity of measurement field images comprising: a first single color halftone image of a halftone field corresponding to the first ink; and a second single color halftone image of a halftone field corresponding to the second ink; said first single color halftone image and said second single color halftone image being positioned on said image bearing medium adjacent and touching one another; each of said second set of measurement field images being located transversely on said image bearing medium at a position for producing a halftone measurement field image on the first and second printing plates, which second set spans across one of the ink zone boundaries; and said first and second sets of measurement field images being alternately disposed across said image bearing medium.

Claim 3

The print control strip image production means according to claim 1, wherein said second set of measurement field images additionally comprises a multicolor halftone image comprising a first halftone field image corresponding to the first ink and a second halftone field image corresponding to the second ink.

Claim 4

The print control strip image production means according to claim 2, wherein the printing press is provided with at least third and fourth pluralities of ink metering devices for metering the application of third and fourth inks, respectively, into the printing press, wherein each of said first set of measurement field images additionally comprises at least third and fourth single color solid tone images corresponding to said third and fourth inks, respectively, and wherein each of said second set of measurement field images additionally comprises at least third and fourth single color halftone images corresponding to said third and fourth inks, respectively.

Claim 5

The print control strip image production means according to claim 1, wherein each of said single color halftone images comprises a single color dot halftone image.

Claim 6

The print control strip image production means according to claim 2, wherein each of said single color halftone images comprises a single color dot halftone image.

Claim 7

The print control strip image production means according to claim 3, wherein each of said single color halftone images comprises a single color dot halftone image.

Claim 8

The print control strip image production means according to claim 2, wherein said multicolor halftone image comprises a multicolored dot halftone image.

Claim 9

The print control strip image production means according to claim 3, wherein said multicolor halftone image comprises a multicolor dot halftone image.

Claim 10

The print control strip image production means according to claim 4, wherein said multicolor halftone image comprises a multicolor dot halftone image.

Claim 11

The print control strip image production means according to claim 5, wherein said multicolor halftone image comprises a multicolor dot halftone image.

Claim 12

The print control strip image production means according to claim 6, wherein said multicolor halftone image comprises a multicolor dot halftone image.

Claim 13

The print control strip image production means according to claim 4, wherein each of said single color dot halftone images has an area of surface coverage of about 75 percent.

Claim 14

The print control strip image production means according to claim 5, wherein each of said single color dot halftone images has an area of surface coverage of about 75 percent.

Claim 15

The print control strip image production means according to claim 13, wherein said multicolor dot halftone image has an area of surface coverage of about 75 percent.

Claim 16

A process for controlling the application of at least a first ink of a first color and at least a second ink of a second color into a printing press, the second color being substantially different from the first color, the printing press having a first printing plate extending across the printing press for receiving and transferring the first ink of the first color to a print receiving material, the printing press also having a second printing plate extending across the printing press for receiving and transferring to the ink receiving material the ink of the second color, the printing press having a first plurality of ink metering devices for metering the application of the first ink into the printing press, the first plurality of ink metering devices extending sequentially across the printing press, the printing press also having a second plurality of ink metering devices for metering the application of the second ink into the printing press, the second plurality of ink metering devices also extending sequentially across the printing press, the positioning of the first and second pluralities of ink metering devices defining ink zones of the printing press extending sequentially across the printing press, the ink zones of the printing press being separated from one another by ink zone boundaries, said process comprising the steps of: (a) producing, on the first and second printing plates, an image of a print control strip, the print control strip comprising: an image bearing medium having having thereon a multiplicity of measurement field images; a first set of said multiplicity of measurement field images comprising: a first single color solid tone image of a solid tone field corresponding to the first ink; and a second single color solid tone image of a solid tone field corresponding to the second ink; said first single color solid tone image and said second single color solid tone image being positioned on said image bearing medium adjacent and touching one another; each of said first set of measurement field images being located transversely on said image bearing medium at a position for producing a solid tone measurement field image on the first and second printing plates; and a second set of said multiplicity of measurement field images comprising: a first single color halftone image of a halftone field corresponding to the first ink; and a second single color halftone image of a halftone field corresponding to the second ink; said first single color halftone image and said second single color halftone image being positioned on said image bearing medium adjacent and touching one another; each of said second set of measurement field images being located transversely on said image bearing medium at a position for producing a halftone measurement field image on the first and second printing plates; and said first and second sets of measurement field images being alternately disposed across said image bearing medium; (b) applying said first ink of said first color to said first printing plate through said first plurality of ink metering devices; (c) applying said second ink of said second color to said second printing plate through said second plurality of ink metering devices; (d) transferring the first ink of the first color from the first printing plate and the second ink of the second color from the second printing plate to the print receiving material to form an image of the print control strip thereon; (e) analyzing, selectively only one of the following: (1) the first set of measurement field images comprising first and second solid tone images of the first and second inks, respectively; and (2) the second set of measurement field images comprising first and second halftone images of the first and second inks, respectively; and (f) adjusting said first and second pluralities of ink metering devices based upon the analysis carried out in said step (e).

Claim 17

A process for controlling the application of at least a first ink of a first color and at least a second ink of a second color into a printing press, the second color being substantially different from the first color, the printing press having a first printing plate extending across the printing press for receiving and transferring the first ink of the first color to a print receiving material, the printing press also having a second printing plate extending across the printing press for receiving and transferring to the ink receiving material the ink of the second color, the printing press having a first plurality of ink metering devices for metering the application of the first ink into the printing press, the first plurality of ink metering devices extending sequentially across the printing press, the printing press also having a second plurality of ink metering devices for metering the application of the second ink into the printing press, the second plurality of ink metering devices also extending sequentially across the printing press, the positioning of the first and second pluralities of ink metering devices defining ink zones of the printing press extending sequentially across the printing press, the ink zones of the printing press being separated from one another by ink zone boundaries, said process comprising the steps of: (a) producing, on the first and second printing plates, an image of a print control strip, the print control strip comprising: an image bearing medium having having thereon a multiplicity of measurement field images; a first set of said multiplicity of measurement field images comprising: a first single color solid tone image of a solid tone field corresponding to the first ink; and a second single color solid tone image of a solid tone field corresponding to the second ink; said first single color solid tone image and said second single color solid tone image being positioned on said image bearing medium adjacent and touching one another; each of said first set of measurement field images being located transversely on said image bearing medium at a position for producing a solid tone measurement field image on the first and second printing plates; and a second set of said multiplicity of measurement field images comprising: a first single color halftone image of a halftone field corresponding to the first ink; and a second single color halftone image of a halftone field corresponding to the second ink; said first single color halftone image and said second single color halftone image being positioned on said image bearing medium adjacent and touching one another; each of said second set of measurement field images being located transversely on said image bearing medium at a position for producing a halftone measurement field image on the first and second printing plates; and said first and second sets of measurement field images being alternately disposed across said image bearing medium; (b) applying said first ink of said first color to said first printing plate through said first plurality of ink metering devices; (c) applying said second ink of said second color to said second printing plate through said second plurality of ink metering devices; (d) transferring the first ink of the first color from the first printing plate and the second ink of the second color from the second printing plate to the print receiving material to form an image of the print control strip thereon; (e) analyzing, selectively only one of the following: (1) the first set of measurement field images comprising first and second solid tone images of the first and second inks, respectively; and (2) the second set of measurement field images comprising first and second halftone images of the first and second inks, respectively; and (f) adjusting said first and second pluralities of ink metering devices based upon the analysis carried out in said step (e).