Patent ID: 6536342
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: B41N,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for transferring ink onto a substrate comprising:providing an offset printing blanket comprising a printing layer and a base, wherein the printing layer has a Shore Resilience of less than about 40% and an average surface roughness of less than about 0.5 microns, said printing layer comprising: (a) a filler selected from the group consisting of synthetic fibers, glass beads, thermoplastic microspheres, and mixtures thereof; and (b) an elastomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, isobutylene isoprene elastomer, polysulfide rubber, ethylene propylenediene terpolymer, natural rubber, neoprenes, nitrile rubbers, styrene butadiene rubber, a blend of acrylonitrile-butadiene and polysulfide rubber, and mixtures thereof; transferring ink to said offset printing blanket from an image-bearing printing element; and transfering said ink from said offset printing blanket onto a substrate, wherein at least about 75% of said ink is transferred from said offset printing blanket to said substrate.