Patent ID: 7802935

Claim:
A printing table for a flatbed printing machine, the printing table comprising: a printing table base; a printing table plate disposed on the printing table base and including a point form area which is fixed relative to the printing table base, the point form area being located at a center portion of the printing table plate; and a first set comprising first connecting elements and a second set comprising second connecting elements arranged to connect the printing table base to the printing table plate and to permit movement of the printing table plate relative to the printing table base due to thermal expansion only in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the printing table plate; the first connecting elements are arranged to apply a holding force in a first holding direction which prevents displacement of the printing table plate only in a direction substantially perpendicular to the printing table plate surface, and allows displacement of the printing table plate in directions substantially perpendicular to the first holding direction; a first imaginary line extending from the center portion of the printing table plate in a direction parallel to the printing table surface at an angle selected from 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°; a second imaginary line extending from the center portion of the printing table plate a direction parallel to the printing table surface at an angle selected from 45°, 135°, 225° and 315°; each of the second connecting elements of the second set is arranged to apply a holding force in a second holding direction which prevents displacement of the printing table plate only in a direction substantially parallel to the printing table plate surface along a longitudinal axis of said second connecting element, and allows displacement of the printing table plate in directions substantially perpendicular to the second holding direction; wherein a first plurality of said second connecting elements of the second set is disposed such that their respective second holding directions are perpendicular to the first imaginary line; and a second plurality of said second connecting elements of the second set is disposed such that their respective second holding directions are perpendicular to the second imaginary line.