Patent ID: 7814830

Claim:
An apparatus for printing an image, comprising: a printing plate, the printing plate defining in a main surface thereof an arrangement of imageable areas, each imageable area being capable of changing an amount of marking material retainable thereat, in response to radiant energy applied thereto; each imageable area being of a size consistent with a desired printing resolution and having at least one cavity associated therewith, each cavity being capable of selectably increasing or decreasing an amount of marking material disposable therein, in response to radiant energy applied thereto, each cavity containing therein a quantity of energy-sensitive material comprising a light-induced shape-memory polymer which, when at a full size and when shrunken, is disposed entirely within the cavity below the main surface of the plate; an exposure device including a laser for applying ultraviolet light to at least a portion of the main surface of the printing plate, each cavity exposed to the ultraviolet radiation being able to contain more marking material due to the light-induced shape-memory polymer contained therein decreasing in volume; and an erase device including an emitter for applying radiation of a predetermined frequency to the main surface of the printing plate following a transfer operation, each cavity exposed to the radiation of a predetermined frequency being able to retain less marking material due to the light-induced shape-memory polymer contained therein increasing in volume, whereby erasing of the printing plate is effected without contact by a solid member.