Patent ID: 6978715
Filing Date: 2005-12-27
Classification: B41C,B41N,B41P

Abstract:
1. A process for regenerating, for future reuse, a printing plate including a photosensitive layer, formed on the surface of a substrate and having a photocatalyst that exhibits hydrophilicity responsive to activating light having energy higher than a band-gap energy of the photocatalyst, and one or more hydrophobic image areas, formed on the surface of the photosensitive layer and operable to hold ink, said process comprising the steps of: (a) removing ink remaining on the surface of the printing plate; (b) irradiating the surface of the printing plate, from which ink has been removed in said step (a) of removing ink, with the activating light; after said step (b) of irradiating, (c) applying water onto the surface of the printing plate; (d) irradiating the surface of the printing plate, to which the water has been applied, with the activating light; and after said step (d) of irradiating, (e) applying an organic compound onto the surface of the printing plate.