Patent ID: 6217965
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: B32B,B41C,B41M,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A flexographic printing plate comprising:a) an elastomer layer,b) a dimensionally stable substrate; andc) a photosensitive adhesive layer removably bonding the elastomer layer to the substrate;wherein a peel strength of the adhesive layer is increasable from a pre-irradiation peel strength to a post-irradiation peel strength which is significantly greater than the pre-irradiation peel strength by irradiating the printing plate with ultraviolet light and at least one of the elastomer layer and the substrate are substantially transparent to ultraviolet light capable of increasing the peel strength of the adhesive layer;the pre-irradiation peel strength is low enough to allow non printing areas of the elastomer layer, as defined by cuts in the elastomer layer, to be peeled-off the substrate, but high enough to prevent significant movement relative to the substrate of the un-peeled portions of the elastomer layer as the non-printing areas are peeled-off the substrate; and, the post-irradiation peel strength is great enough to prevent significant movement relative to the substrate of the un-peeled portions of the elastomer layer during printing.