Patent ID: 7066088

Claim:
An offset printing system for printing onto a substrate, said offset printing system comprising: a) at least two sources of ink having at least first and second different colors; b) at least two plate cylinders each providing a printing plate adapted to receive ink from one of said at least two sources of ink; c) at least two impression cylinders; d) an image transfer belt positioned to contact each of said printing plates at respective nips formed between respective ones of said plate cylinders and said impression cylinders and to receive in registration at least first and second inked images from said printing plates to form a multi-colored image on a first side of said image transfer belt; e) an image transfer belt tensioning system adapted to register said image transfer bell to respective ones of said impression cylinders positioned in the area of desired image transfer; and f) a coating station adapted to apply a coating material to said first side of said image transfer belt, said coating material being transferable with said multi-colored image from said image transfer belt onto the substrate to provide protection or a desired finishing to said multi-colored image.