Plate-type printing device and method of use

A plate-type printing device and a method of using same are disclosed, wherein the device is composed of a plurality of plates stacked in a front-to-back facial configuration, the plurality of plates containing: at least one inlet port for at least one colorant; at least one colorant-supply plate having formed on a front facial surface thereof at least one colorant-supply cavity disposed in fluid communication with the at least one inlet port; and at least one colorant-transfer plate having formed on a front facial surface thereof at least one colorant-transfer cavity shaped to form a first design pattern, the at least one colorant-transfer plate further containing at least one cavity-port formed in the at least one colorant-transfer cavity, the at least one cavity-port being disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the at least one colorant-supply cavity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a plate-type printing device and a method of 
using same. More particularly, this invention relates to a plate-type 
multicolor printing device capable of printing a multicolored design in a 
single impression step. 
Multicolor printing devices are known in the art. Reference is made, for 
example, to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,864,310 to Nelson; 2,132,086 to Scheffler; 
and 4,516,496 to Giori. 
A major drawback to conventional multicolor printing devices such as those 
disclosed in the foregoing references is that these devices require a 
separate plate or cylinder for each color to be supplied to an inking 
surface. The use of a separate plate or cylinder for each color tends to 
make these conventional printing devices relatively expensive and 
time-consuming to make, clean, re-use and/or replace. It would be 
desirable, therefore, to provide a multicolor printing device which does 
not require a separate plate or cylinder for each color to be supplied. It 
would be particularly desirable to provide a multicolor printing device 
which is relatively compact in design. 
Another drawback to many conventional printing devices such as those 
disclosed in the Scheffler and Giori patents cited hereinabove is that ink 
is fed to the inking surface from a direction above or in front of the 
inking surface. In such an ink supply arrangement, ink replenishment of 
the inking surface generally requires manually and separately bringing 
each ink supply source in contact with the inking surface to transfer ink 
from the supply source to the inking surface. Such a step can be 
time-consuming and tends to make the printing system costlier and more 
complicated. Furthermore, the use of a plurality of separate ink supply 
sources and an inking source results in an undesirably bulky printing 
system. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a printing device 
wherein ink can be continuously supplied to the inking surface. It would 
further be desirable to provide a relatively compact printing device 
wherein the ink supply source is composed of a single structure disposed 
to provide continuous ink replenishment to the inking surface. 
The Nelson patent, cited hereinabove, discloses a printing device in which 
ink is fed to the inking surface from below, wherein the inking surface is 
disposed on an upper edge surface of a plate and the ink-supply source is 
disposed near the bottom edge of the plate. However, the Nelson printing 
device has a number of significant drawbacks. 
For example, as mentioned previously herein, Nelson requires a separate 
plate for each color to be printed. The inking surface in the Nelson 
printing device is not divided into sections for different colored inks. 
For reasons given previously herein, it would be desirable to provide a 
printing device which does not require a separate plate for each color to 
be supplied. 
In addition, in the Nelson printing device and method, ink is supplied to 
the inking surface by means of a relatively complicated labyrinth of 
channels, ducts, notches and holes. It would be desirable to provide a 
printing device wherein ink is supplied to the inking surface by means of 
a relatively simple channel arrangement. 
In Nelson, the inking surface is disposed on an edge of a plate and is 
composed of a plurality of slots through which ink reaches the inking 
surface. Nelson teaches that the depth and width of these slots will 
determine the amount of color which is carried to the inking surface. 
Because the inking surface in Nelson is disposed on a plate edge, the 
width of these slots (and, consequently, the amount of ink reaching the 
inking surface) is limited by the thickness of the plate. In other words, 
the thinner the plate, the more narrow the slots on the inking surface 
(plate edge) and the less ink which can reach the inking surface. However, 
where a plate edge serves an the inking surface, the use of thicker plates 
also has drawbacks. For example, thicker plates limit the resolution of 
the image obtained because the thickness of the plates will define the 
minimum separation of pixels. The thicker the plates, the greater the 
distance between pixels and the lower the image resolution achieved. In 
addition, thick plates are more expensive to make and replace than are 
thin plates. Thick plates also result in a bulkier structure than do thin 
plates. Bulkier structures are generally more expensive and time-consuming 
to make, clean, inspect, re-use and/or inspect than are less bulky 
structures. Furthermore, thick plates are harder and more expensive to 
machine than are thin plates. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide 
a printing device wherein the amount of color reaching the inking surface 
is not limited by plate thickness. 
In addition, it is continually desirable to provide a printing device and 
printing method wherein a multicolored print can be formed in a single 
impression with a single inking surface. Printing processes requiring more 
than one impression step have numerous drawbacks including, e.g., long 
drying periods between impression steps, differences in color register, 
waste of paper and other printed articles, waste of ink due to misprints, 
and reduced image sharpness of the first printed design. 
A primary object of this invention is to provide a plate-type 
single-impression, multicolor printing device wherein ink is continuously 
fed to the inking surface from the back or bottom of the inking surface. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a plate-type 
single-impression, multicolor printing device wherein a single plate can 
supply a plurality of colored liquids to an inking surface. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a plate-type 
single-impression, multicolor printing device wherein a single surface of 
a single plate can supply a plurality of colored liquids to an inking 
surface. 
A still further object of this invention is to provide a plate-type 
single-impression, multicolor printing device wherein a single plate can 
receive and be used to transfer a plurality of colored liquids. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a plate-type 
single-impression, multicolor printing device wherein a single surface of 
a single plate can receive and be used to transfer a plurality of colored 
liquids. 
A further object of this invention is to provide a plate-type 
single-impression, multicolor printing device wherein ink is supplied to 
the inking surface by means of a relatively simple channel design. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a plate-type 
single-impression, multicolor printing device wherein the inking surface 
and the ink-supply source are disposed in a relatively compact structure. 
A still further object of this invention is to provide a plate-type 
single-impression, multicolor printing device wherein the device is 
composed of relatively thin plates. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of 
single-impression, multicolor printing by means of a plate-type multicolor 
printing device having the characteristics set forth in the preceding 
objects. 
These and other objects which are achieved according to the present 
invention can be readily discerned from the following description. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
One aspect of the present invention is directed to a plate-type printing 
device containing a plurality of plates stacked in a front-to-back facial 
configuration, the plurality of plates containing: 
at least one inlet port for at least one colorant; 
at least one colorant-supply plate having formed on a front facial surface 
thereof at least one colorant-supply cavity disposed in fluid 
communication with the at least one inlet port; and 
at least one colorant-transfer plate having formed on a front facial 
surface thereof at least one colorant-transfer cavity shaped to form a 
first design pattern, the at least one colorant-transfer plate further 
containing at least one cavity-port formed in the at least one 
colorant-transfer cavity, the at least one cavity-port being disposed 
downstream of and in fluid communication with the at least one 
colorant-supply cavity. 
A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of 
single-impression printing a design, preferably a multicolored design, by 
means of the plate-type printing device of this invention. 
The plate-type printing device of this invention has a compact and simple 
design and is relatively less expensive and less time-consuming to make, 
clean, inspect, re-use and/or replace. 
By feeding the colorant through one or more through-holes disposed in a 
back surface area of the colorant-transfer cavity or cavities, the 
printing device and method of this invention can provide continuous, 
non-manual colorant-replenishment of the colorant-transfer cavity or 
cavities.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The plate-type printing device of this invention is composed of a plurality 
of plates. The plurality of plates is composed of at least one 
colorant-supply plate and at least one colorant-transfer plate. In 
addition, as will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow, the 
plurality of plates may further contain at least one intermediate plate. 
The printing device of this invention contains at least one inlet port, 
wherein each colorant preferably enters the device by means of a separate 
inlet port. Preferably, the inlet port or ports are disposed in the 
colorant-supply plate(s), e.g., as shown in FIG. 1a herein. 
The colorant-supply plate(s) has formed on a front facial surface thereof 
at least one colorant-supply cavity disposed in fluid communication with 
the at least one inlet port. 
The at least one colorant-transfer plate has formed on a front facial 
surface thereof at least one colorant-transfer cavity shaped to form a 
first design pattern. The colorant-transfer plate(s) further contains at 
least one cavity-port formed in the at least one colorant-transfer cavity, 
wherein the cavity-port(s) is disposed downstream of and in fluid 
communication with the at least one colorant-supply cavity. A colorant 
will flow into the colorant-transfer cavity by means of the cavity-port(s) 
formed in the colorant-transfer cavity. Each colorant-transfer cavity will 
contain at least one cavity-port. 
Preferably, the printing device of this invention will contain a plurality 
of inlet ports, a plurality of colorant-supply cavities, and a plurality 
of colorant-transfer cavities, and the method of this invention will 
involve the use of a plurality of colorants. 
The colorant-transfer plate(s) and the colorant-supply plate(s) may be 
stacked together in a front-to-back facial configuration. In this 
embodiment, the colorant or colorants will preferably flow directly from 
the colorant-supply cavity or cavities into the corresponding 
colorant-transfer cavity or cavities through the cavity-port or ports 
formed in the colorant-transfer cavity or cavities. 
Alternatively, the colorant-transfer plate(s) and the colorant-supply 
plate(s) may be separated from one another by at least one intermediate 
plate disposed between and in fluid communication with the colorant-supply 
and colorant-transfer cavities. The at least one intermediate plate 
contains at least one through-hole disposed in fluid communication with a 
colorant-supply cavity and with a colorant-transfer cavity. The 
through-hole serves as a passageway for a colorant passing from a 
colorant-supply cavity to a colorant-transfer plate. 
In some instances, it may be desired to supply two or more colorants from 
two or more colorant-supply cavities to two or more colorant-transfer 
cavities, wherein one or more of the colorant-supply cavities is not 
disposed directly beneath a corresponding colorant-transfer cavity or 
cavities (i.e., corresponding colorant-supply and colorant-transfer 
cavities are disposed at an angle from one another) such that 
colorant-directing through-holes connecting respective colorant-supply and 
colorant-transfer cavities would have to cross one another if disposed in 
a single plate. Since it is desired that colorants disposed in respective 
cavities and through-holes not be intermingled with one another, it is 
preferred that at least one intermediate plate be disposed between and in 
fluid communication with the colorant-supply and colorant-transfer 
cavities. More preferably, at least two intermediate plates will be 
disposed between the colorant-supply plate and the colorant-transfer 
plate. A first intermediate plate preferably has formed on a front facial 
surface thereof a flow-transfer channel disposed in fluid communication 
with a first colorant-supply cavity and a first colorant-transfer cavity. 
A second intermediate plate preferably contains a through-hole disposed in 
fluid communication with a second colorant-supply cavity and a second 
colorant-transfer cavity. 
As mentioned hereinabove, each colorant-transfer cavity has formed therein 
at least one cavity-port. The cavity-port(s) permits flow of the colorant 
into the colorant-transfer cavity. By means of the cavity-port(s), each 
cavity is able to be fed or replenished from below, i.e., from an upstream 
direction. This permits continuous, non-manual, replenishment of the 
colorant-transfer cavity or cavities. 
In the printing device of this invention, the colorant-transfer cavity 
forms or the plurality of mutually separated colorant-transfer cavities 
form a first design pattern. When a first substrate is placed on the one 
or more colorant-transfer cavities, colorant liquid portions will be 
transferred from the cavity or cavities to the first substrate to form 
thereon a second design pattern which is a substantial mirror image of the 
first design pattern. 
Because each colorant-transfer cavity is separate from and not in fluid 
communication with each other, each cavity contributes a separate and 
distinct feature to the first design pattern. Each cavity may be filled 
with a colorant of the same color or with a colorant of a different color. 
In general, in the operation of the printing device of this invention, one 
or more colorant liquids are introduced, via the one or more inlet ports, 
into the one or more colorant-supply cavities formed in the 
colorant-supply flow plate(s) and then conducted to the one or more 
colorant-transfer cavities formed in the colorant-transfer flow plate(s). 
In the device and method of the present invention, the colorant(s) may be 
conducted from the colorant-supply cavity or cavities to the 
colorant-transfer cavity or cavities by a variety of means. For example, 
in embodiments wherein the only plates present in the device are the 
colorant-transfer and colorant-supply flow plates, a colorant is 
introduced directly from a colorant-supply cavity in the colorant-supply 
flow plate to a colorant-transfer cavity in the colorant-transfer flow 
plate by means of the through-hole(s) formed in the colorant-transfer 
cavity. 
In alternative embodiments, one or more non-functional plates may be 
disposed between the colorant-transfer and colorant-supply flow plates, 
the non-functional plates containing appropriate through-holes formed 
therein to conduct the colorant(s) from the colorant-supply cavity or 
cavities to the corresponding color-transfer cavity or cavities. 
As stated previously herein, preferred embodiments of the printing device 
and method of the present invention use a plurality of colorant liquids, a 
plurality of inlet ports, a plurality of colorant-supply cavities and a 
plurality of colorant-transfer cavities. More preferably, the printing 
device of this invention will have a separate inlet port or ports, a 
separate colorant-supply cavity or cavities, and a separate 
colorant-transfer cavity or cavities for each colorant liquid of a 
different color. 
If the colorant-supply cavity or cavities in the printing device of this 
invention is formed in the back facial surface of a colorant-supply flow 
plate(s), the colorant-supply flow plate(s) preferably contains one or 
more through-holes (i.e., one through-hole for each colorant-supply 
cavity) through which the colorant liquid(s) passes to reach the 
through-hole(s) formed in the colorant-transfer cavity or cavities 
disposed in the colorant-transfer flow plate(s). 
If the colorant-transfer and colorant-supply flow plate(s)s are each in the 
form of a cylinder, the inlet port or ports may each be in the form of a 
through-hole extending from an exterior surface region of the 
colorant-transfer flow plate(s) or the colorant-supply flow plate(s) 
through to the surface on which the colorant-supply cavity or cavities is 
formed. 
The colorant liquid(s) can be forced from the colorant-supply cavity or 
cavities to the colorant-transfer cavity or cavities via the 
colorant-directing flow channels and through-holes (and other 
through-holes and colorant-flow channels, if present, as described 
previously herein) by means of pressure, centrifugal force, capillary 
action and the like, with pressure being the most preferred means. 
In the printing device of this invention, the printer plates, as well as 
the non-functional plates, are thin, with each plate preferably having a 
thickness of from about 0.001 inch to about 1.0 inch, more preferably from 
about 0.01 inch to about 0.25 inch, and most preferably from about 0.01 
inch to about 0.10 inch. 
Each colorant-transfer cavity and each colorant-supply cavity preferably 
has a depth of from about 10% to about 80%, more preferably from about 30% 
to about 70%, of the depth of the colorant-transfer and colorant-supply 
flow plate(s), respectively. 
The printer and non-functional plates can be composed of metallic or 
non-metallic material. Suitable non-metals include, e.g., thermoplastic 
resins. Suitable metals include, e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, 
aluminum-based alloys, nickel, iron, copper, copper-based alloys, mild 
steel, brass, titanium and other micromachinable metals. 
The plates may have any suitable shape. For example, the plates can be 
square, rectangular, round and the like. Furthermore, the plates can be 
flat or curved such as in a cylinder- or roller-like configuration. The 
particular shape and configuration of the plates used in the present 
invention will depend on the application in which the printing device is 
used. 
The colorant-transfer cavity or cavities, the through-holes, the 
colorant-supply cavity or cavities, and the inlet port or ports are 
preferably formed by means of a micromachining process. Non-limiting 
examples of suitable micromachining processes include etching, stamping, 
punching, pressing, cutting, molding, milling, lithographing, and particle 
blasting. Most preferably, the micromaching process is an etching process. 
Etching, e.g., photochemical etching, provides precisely formed cavities 
and channels while being less expensive than many other conventional 
machining processes. Furthermore, etched perforations generally do not 
have the sharp corners, burrs, and sheet distortions associated with 
mechanical perforations. Etching processes are well known in the art and 
are typically carried out by contacting a surface with a conventional 
etchant. 
In the printing device of this invention, at least one set of plates is 
disposed in a front-to-back facially stacked configuration. The at least 
one set of plates is composed of at least one colorant-transfer flow plate 
and at least one colorant-supply flow plate and any intervening plates as 
may be desired. The device may contain additional sets of plates, wherein 
the additional sets are stacked end-to-end or side-by-side with respect to 
the first set of plates. 
The printing device of this invention is preferably oriented in a 
horizontal direction. 
The present invention is also directed to a method of printing a design 
pattern onto a substrate by means of the plate-type printing device of 
this invention. The method of this invention involves the steps of: 
introducing the at least one colorant into the at least one colorant-supply 
cavity through the at least one inlet port; 
directing the at least one colorant from the at least one colorant-supply 
cavity to the at least one cavity-port disposed in the at least one 
colorant-transfer cavity; and 
applying a first substrate onto the at least one colorant-transfer cavity 
to transfer at least a portion of the at least one colorant disposed in 
the at least one colorant-transfer cavity, the portion forming a second 
design pattern which is a substantial mirror image of the first design 
pattern. 
In pad printing applications, the method of this invention further includes 
the step of applying the first substrate having the second design pattern 
formed thereon onto a second substrate to print a third design pattern 
onto the second substrate, the third design pattern being substantially 
identical to the first design pattern and a substantial mirror image of 
the second design pattern. 
The colorant liquid used in the present invention is preferably either an 
ink or a dye, more preferably an ink. 
Substrates which can be printed by means of the printing device and method 
of this invention can comprise any of the conventional substrates on which 
color images can be printed. For example, the substrate may comprise 
paper, fabric, plastic or metal, e.g., stainless steel. If the substrate 
is composed of a paper, plastic or fabric, the colorant-transfer and 
colorant-supply flow plate(s)s are preferably in the form of a cylinder. 
The present invention will now be described by reference to FIG. 1 herein. 
FIG. 1a illustrates a plate-type printing device within the scope of this 
invention, while FIG. 1b illustrates a pad which can be used in a pad 
printing process with the printing device shown in FIG. 1a. 
In FIG. 1a, a horizontally-oriented plate-type printing device 10 contains 
a colorant-transfer plate 12 and a colorant-supply plate 14. 
Colorant-transfer plate 12 is disposed on a front facial surface (not 
shown) of the colorant-supply plate 14. Formed on a front facial surface 
16 of colorant-transfer plate 12 are three colorant-transfer cavities, 18, 
20 and 22. The cavities together form a design pattern 24, to which each 
cavity contributes a separate and distinct design element corresponding to 
the shape of the respective cavities. 
Colorant-transfer cavity 18 is composed of two cavity-ports 26 and 28 
formed in a bottom portion 30 of cavity 18; second colorant-transfer 
cavity 20 has two cavity-ports 32 and 34 formed in a bottom portion 36 
thereof; and third colorant-transfer cavity 22 has three cavity-ports 38, 
40 and 42 formed in a bottom portion 44 thereof. 
Colorant-supply plate 14 has formed on the front facial surface thereof 
three colorant-supply cavities 46, 48 and 50 and three inlet ports 52, 54 
and 56 for passage therethrough of three colorant liquids of differing 
color, "A", "B" and "C". First-color colorant liquid A flows via inlet 
port 52 to colorant-supply cavity 46, then through through-holes 26 and 28 
into colorant-transfer cavity 18. Second-color colorant liquid B flows 
through inlet port 54 into colorant-supply cavity 48, then through 
through-holes 32 and 34 into colorant-transfer cavity 20. Third-color 
colorant liquid C flows through inlet port 56 into colorant-supply cavity 
50, then through through-holes 38, 40 and 42 into colorant-transfer cavity 
22. 
FIG. 1b illustrates a pad device which can be used in conjunction with the 
printing device shown in FIG. 1a in a pad printing process within the 
scope of the present invention. Pad device 60 is composed of a resilient, 
absorbent polymeric pad portion 62 which is pressed down in the direction 
of the arrow onto surface 16 of plate 12. Portions (not shown) of colorant 
liquids A-C are transferred to pad portion 62 from colorant-transfer 
cavities 18, 20 and 22. The portions form a second design pattern (not 
shown) substantially identical to the first design pattern 24. Pad device 
60 with pad portion 62 having the second design pattern formed thereon is 
then applied, preferably with pressure, against a substrate (not shown) to 
print on the substrate a third design pattern (not shown) which is 
substantially identical to the second design pattern. 
Although the present invention has been described with reference to 
preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that 
changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit 
and scope of the invention.