l Method for producing individual compacts suitable for coke oven chambers by dividing a coal cake in a non-mechanical manner By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST A method for producing individual compacts made of coke and suitable for coke oven chambers by dividing a coal cake in a non-mechanical manner, wherein the coal cake is produced by a compression method according to the prior art and the coal cake is divided by non-mechanical, energy-supplying media, and the non-mechanical media supplying shearing energy are, for example, a laser beam, a high-pressure water jet, an abrasive-solid jet, an ultrasonic beam, a compressed-air jet, or a gas jet. By using the method, coal compacts can be produced from coal cakes without forming dust, without wearing out cutting tools, and with high precision. Full Article
l Method of increasing anhydrosugars, pyroligneous fractions and esterified bio-oil By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST The device and method are provided to increase anhydrosugars yield during pyrolysis of biomass. This increase is achieved by injection of a liquid or gas into the vapor stream of any pyrolysis reactor prior to the reactor condensers. A second feature of our technology is the utilization of sonication, microwave excitation, or shear mixing of the biomass to increase the acid catalyst rate for demineralization or removal of hemicellulose prior to pyrolysis. The increased reactivity of these treatments reduces reaction time as well as the required amount of catalyst to less than half of that otherwise required. A fractional condensation system employed by our pyrolysis reactor is another feature of our technology. This system condenses bio-oil pyrolysis vapors to various desired fractions by differential temperature manipulation of individual condensers comprising a condenser chain. Full Article
l Method for converting waste plastic to lower-molecular weight hydrocarbons, particularly hydrocarbon fuel materials, and the hydrocarbon material produced thereby By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 08:00:00 EST The method produces a hydrocarbonaceous fluid (a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, or in other words a mixture of hydrocarbons which is liquid at ambient room temperature and atmospheric pressure), which functionally is a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, from a feed of waste plastic. The method can comprise the steps of: (step 1) melting a feed of substantially solid waste plastic in an aerobic atmosphere (for instance, air) whereby a waste-plastic melt is produced; (step 2) distilling at least a portion of the waste-plastic melt whereby a hydrocarbonaceous distillate is produced; and (step 3) collecting the hydrocarbonaceous distillate. That distillate is generally referred to above as a condensate. The method can include the step of comminuting the feed of substantially solid waste plastic into pieces substantially no greater than about 1.5 cm2 prior to step 1. The method can also include the step of adding an effective amount of a cracking catalyst to the waste plastic prior to step 2. Full Article
l Disposal method for entirely recycling solid refuse By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 08:00:00 EST A disposal method for entirely recycling solid refuse includes the following steps: sorting, crushing, drying, pressing with high pressure to shaped articles, producing charcoal from combustible refuse in high temperature and firing incombustible refuse in high temperature, at last cooling high temperature articles to obtain solid fuel with various shapes and bricks or board used for building. The method achieves entirely recycling house refuse, especial solid refuse. The method recycles solid refuse to obtain fuel and building material with economic value. The method is simple and its processing cost is low. Full Article
l Coking plant with flue gas recirculation By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 08:00:00 EST Improvement in carbonization in a carbonization furnace and simultaneous reduction in NOx emissions is achieved by recirculation of waste gas from a coking oven back to the oven chamber, the downcomers, or the sole channel system. Full Article
l Solids removal from bio-oil using biomass filter aid By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST A green process and system are disclosed for utilizing a biomass filter aid in the filtration of a bio-oil. The process comprises filtering a bio-oil containing residual solids from a conversion reaction in the presence of the biomass filter aid to produce a filtered bio-oil. The biomass filter aid facilitates efficient removal of residual solids from the bio-oil. The spent biomass filter aid containing the residual solids may be recycled as a conversion feedstock or used as a combustion heat source in the biomass conversion system. Full Article
l Coal processing to upgrade low rank coal having low oil content By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EST A method of treating untreated low calorific coal containing moisture and organic volatiles includes feeding untreated coal to a dryer, and drying the coal. The dried coal is subjected to a pyrolyzing step where oxygen-deficient gases are brought into contact with the coal, thereby lowering the volatile content of the coal and producing a stream of pyrolysis effluent gases. The pyrolysis effluent gases are subjected to a separation process to separate lean fuel gases from liquids and tars, wherein the separation process removes less than about 20 percent of the pyrolysis effluent gases as the liquids and tars, with the remainder being the lean fuel gases. The lean fuel gases are returned to the dryer combustor, the pyrolyzer combustor, or the pyrolyzer. Full Article
l Depolymerizatin of plastic materials By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EST A styrene monomer reclamation process and system is described. The styrene monomer reclamation process includes providing a waste plastic. The waste plastic includes styrenic polymers. The waste plastic is formed into polymer particles. At least a portion of the polymer particles are dissolved in a solvent to form a polymer stream. The dissolved polymer particles are depolymerized to form a styrene monomer stream. Full Article
l Carbon-based durable goods and renewable fuel from biomass waste dissociation By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT Techniques, systems, apparatus and material are disclosed for generating renewable energy from biomass waste while sequestering carbon. In one aspect, a method performed by a reactor to dissociate raw biomass waste into a renewable source energy or a carbon byproduct or both includes receiving the raw biomass waste that includes carbon, hydrogen and oxygen to be dissociated under an anaerobic reaction. Waste heat is recovered from an external heat source to heat the received raw biomass waste. The heated raw biomass waste is dissociated to produce the renewable fuel, carbon byproduct or both. The dissociating includes compacting the heated raw biomass waste, generating heat from an internal heat source, and applying the generated heat to the compacted biomass waste under pressure. Full Article
l Air proportioning system for secondary air in coke ovens depending on the vault vs. sole temperature ratio By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A device for proportioning of secondary combustion air into the secondary air soles of coke oven chamber ovens is shown. The device is formed by a slide gate or a parallelepiped device or by plates moved by means of a thrust bar, the thrust bar being moved longitudinally in parallel to the coke oven chamber wall so that the plates move away from the secondary air apertures and open or close these. The thrust bar is moved by means of a positioning motor, with the power transmission being effected hydraulically or pneumatically. Via suitable measuring parameters, it is thus possible to optimize secondary heating so that heating is provided evenly from all sides, thus achieving an improvement in coke quality. Full Article
l Continuously converting biomass By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods, devices and systems for continuously converting biomass are described herein. A device has a feed section for holding a moving bed of biomass, namely wood, having a drying section, a flame zone for degassing, and a, smolder zone for carbonizing the biomass into a solid converted product, namely charcoal. The device includes a tank for collecting the solid converted product arranged below a grate and coupled with the feed section in a gas-tight manner. The system comprising the device, a biogas plant and/or a combined heat and power plant conveys the liquid converted product, namely pyroligneous acid or acetic acid, to the biogas plant and/or the solid converted product, namely charcoal, to the combined heat and power plant. Full Article
l Selective temperature quench and electrostatic recovery of bio-oil fractions By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 31 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A process for quenching, separating and collecting targeted components of a hot pyrolysis product stream from the pyrolysis of biomass is provided. The process utilizes sequential steps of rapid quenching and electrostatic precipitation comprising injecting a coolant comprising at least one of nitrogen, a noble gas and mixtures thereof into a hot pyrolysis vapor to selectively condense a first fraction of components from the hot pyrolysis vapor at a first predetermined temperature which is then collected by electrostatic precipitation in a first electrostatic precipitator at about the first predetermined temperature, where a wall temperature of the first electrostatic precipitator is maintained slightly higher than the first predetermined temperature. The sequential steps of coolant injection and collection are repeated at progressively cooler temperatures in order to selectively collect one or more fractions of the hot mixture. Full Article
l Ultrasonic microwave molecular vacuum distillation system for waste tires By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system for tire distillation including an upper chamber, a first conveyor configured to transport a tire through the upper chamber, a lower chamber located beneath the upper chamber, the lower chamber that includes an ultrasonic purge chamber configured to radiate the tire with ultrasonic radiation, a microwave radiation chamber configured to radiate the tire with microwave radiation, and a second conveyor configured to transport the tire from the ultrasonic purge chamber to the microwave radiation chamber. The system further includes a vacuum system configured to maintain an atmosphere in the ultrasonic purge chamber and the microwave radiation chamber under a vacuum wherein the tire is preheated during conveyance through the upper chamber from heat produced in the lower chamber. Full Article
l Reciprocating reactor and methods for thermal decomposition of carbonaceous feedstock By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present technology describes apparatus, systems, and methods for the thermal decomposition of carbonaceous feedstocks through continuous pyrolysis. A reciprocating reactor is described that includes an inner reactor pipe and an outer reactor pipe. The outer reactor pipe has a first portion that surrounds the inner reactor pipe forming an annulus space, and a second portion that extends beyond the inner reactor pipe and forms a turnaround zone. The inner reactor pipe defines an inner reactor zone that produces partially reacted carbonaceous feedstock, and the annulus space defines an outer reactor zone that produces product gases and solids. Full Article
l Method and device for processing plastic waste, especially polyolefins By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for processing plastic waste, in particular polyolefins, and a device for processing plastic waste, in particular polyolefins, are used especially in the industrial utilization of plastic waste. The method consists in that a primarily refined charge after being fed into a reactor (6) is fluidized and cracked during forced progressive-rotational movement coinciding with heating. A gas-steam fraction obtained during a utilization process is continuously guided out to a cooling system whereas impurities are periodically guided out from the reactor (6) to a waste tank (22). Full Article
l Process for heat treatment of biomass with a coolant solid By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A process for heat treatment of a solid, with a coolant solid, in which a stage for mixing the solid with the pre-heated coolant solid is carried out, with the coolant solid being a solid hydrocarbon. The solid hydrocarbon is ground, before the mixing stage with the solid, to obtain a solid hydrocarbon powder with a grain size of between 20 μm and 300 μm. The solid is ground, before the mixing stage with the coolant solid, to obtain solid pellets with a thickness of between 1 mm and 30 mm, a width of between 1 mm and 40 mm, and a length of between 1 mm and 100 mm. The mixing is carried out at a temperature of between 80° C. and 700° C. Full Article
l Fast pyrolysis catalytic cracking pipe for producing bio-oils By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A pyrolyzer apparatus (i.e. a “cracking pipe”) comprises a first screen, a second screen, and a catalyst material positioned between the first and second screens. The pyrolyzer is structured so that feedstock is pyrolyzed and pyrolyzer-generated gas is drawn through the first screen, through the catalyst material, and then through the second screen in series. The gas may then be directed to other processing equipment so that bio-oil is extracted from the gas. Full Article
l Method to reduce heat radiation losses through coke oven chamber doors and walls by adapting the coal cake in height or density By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for reducing the coking time in the oven area near the door or end wall and for improving coke quality and situation of emissions by compensating for radiation losses through coke oven chamber doors and end walls is described. This compensation is accomplished by varying the height of the coal cake in the environment of the frontal coke oven chamber doors. The variation is achieved both by increasing or decreasing the coal cake over part of the length or over the entire length of the coke oven chamber door. The reduction in the height of the coal cake can be generated by omission of coal or coal compacts, the increase in height can be accomplished by stacking of coal and pressing or adding of coal compacts, with it also being envisaged to omit the pressing cycle so as to obtain a recess with a lower coal cake density which also has less heat radiation. Full Article
l Controllable air ducts for feeding of additional combustion air into the area of flue gas channels of coke oven chambers By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A device for feeding and controlling secondary air from secondary air ducts into flue gas channels of horizontal coke oven chambers is shown. The flue gas channels are located underneath the coke oven chamber floor on which coal carbonization is realized. The flue gas channels serve for combustion of partly burnt coking gases from the coke oven chamber. The partly burnt gases are burnt with secondary air, thus heating the coke cake also from below to ensure even coal carbonization. Secondary air comes from the secondary air ducts connected to atmospheric air and to the flue gas channels. Controlling elements are mounted in the connecting channels between the flue gas channels and secondary air ducts which can precisely control the air flow into the flue gas channels. Thereby, it is possible to achieve a much more regular heating and heat distribution in coke oven chambers. The actual controlling devices in the connecting channels can be formed by turnable pipe sections, wall bricks, or metal flaps. It is particularly advantageous to utilize a hump-like facility (tabouret) which sits in the secondary air ducts and which is comprised of a tabouret plate with a central opening that is slid under the corresponding embranchment to regulate the gas stream. The controlling mechanism can be actuated manually, electrically, or pneumatically. Thereby, the controlling device can also be automated. Full Article
l Device for loading printing plates on a plate cylinder of a rotary offset press By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The loading device according to the invention comprises a magazine for receiving at least one printing plate and transferring it from the magazine to the plate cylinder. It also comprises at least one guide rail to guide a printing plate during transfer thereof by cooperation with a notch of a front edge of the printing plate, the notch sliding along the guide rail during the transfer. Full Article
l Solvent assisted method of microcontact printing By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method of microcontact printing comprises (a) providing an elastomeric stamp comprising a printing surface inked with an ink comprising surface-functionalizing molecules, (b) treating the inked printing surface of the stamp with solvent, and (c) contacting the treated inked printing surface of the stamp to a surface of a substrate. The printing surface of the stamp comprises a first relief pattern, or the surface of the substrate comprises a second relief pattern, or both of the surfaces comprise the relief patterns, and a pattern of surface-functionalizing molecules is transferred to the substrate according to one or both of the relief patterns. Full Article
l Reflection densitometer By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for determining optical density is disclosed. A first measurement is taken on a white area of a substrate (402). A second measurement is taken on an area of the substrate printed with ink (404). A relative optical density of the ink is determined using the first and second measurements (406). Full Article
l Method and device for controlling the register settings of a printing press By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for controlling register settings of a printing press, includes rotating imaging cylinders of a first print unit and a second print unit, located downstream of the first print unit in a movement direction of a print medium, at a rotational speed to print an image on the print medium. The method includes of changing a length of the print image to a pre-determined length. The method further includes changing a register setting of the imaging cylinder of the second print unit based on the predetermined change in length of the print image to avoid misalignment of the print image printed by the first and the second print units on the print medium. Changing the register setting is dependent on a length of a section of the print medium between the first and the second print units. A device for controlling register settings of a printing press is also disclosed. Full Article
l Digital sheet-fed printing method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A digital sheet-fed printing method includes providing one cycle of printing to print on a series of sheets of paper whose number is equal to the least common multiple of respective numbers of allocated positions; producing a reference signal on the basis of which an image in each color is printed on the sheet of paper; detecting with an image detection sensor means a mutual out of register between images in different colors printed on each sheet of paper in the series, furnishing the printing control means with a detection signal for each sheet of paper from the image detection sensor, and correcting the timing at which each image is printed on each sheet of paper in one cycle of printing so that timings to print the images in different colors on each sheet of paper coincide with one another; and printing images in the different colors. Full Article
l Method of printing an image on a gelatin capsule By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A paintball or other gelatin capsule has a printed image applied to its shell before encapsulation using a gelatin ribbon printing machine. The printing machine includes a motor driven cylindrical casting drum, a cylindrical print roll having a pattern formed on and around its outer periphery, said print roll being positioned relative to said casting drum so that said gelatin ribbon is sandwiched in between and in contact with both said casting drum and said print roll and so that the print roll is rotary driven by said casting drum solely through frictional contact with the gelatin ribbon. A rotary ink roller is in contact with the print roll to drives the ink roller solely through frictional contact between said print roll the inking roller. A doctor blade is configured to scrape excess ink from said inking roller. A method of printing on a gelatin capsule is also provided. Full Article
l Operation of a cold foil apparatus by a printing press By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method of transferring a transfer foil having an image forming layer through a transfer gap of a printing press under a foil cycle timing control that is selectively changeable such that it can be turned on, turned off, or is adjustable in its frequency and period of operation as a function of operating parameters of the press. Full Article
l Screen printer and method for detecting amount of residual paste By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A light receiving section 27b receives a measurement beam, which is cast from a light projection section 27a and partially blocked by cream solder 19 scraped up by a squeegee 16, whereby a sensor 27 measures a one-dimensional size of a predetermined region of a cross sectional profile of the cream solder 19 as a cross sectional paste length and takes the cross sectional paste length as an index for an amount of residual cream solder 19. The amount of residual cream solder 19 can be numerically grasped at all times, so that versatility and accuracy in detecting the amount of residual cream solder 19 can be assured. Full Article
l Printers, methods, and apparatus to filter imaging oil By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Printers, methods, and apparatus to filter imaging oil are disclosed. An example apparatus to filter imaging oil, includes adjacent electrodes and a switching circuit. The example switching circuit selectively generates an electrostatic field between the adjacent electrodes to cause particles suspended in the imaging oil between the adjacent electrodes to adhere to at least one of the adjacent electrodes, and generates an alternating electric field between the adjacent electrodes to cause the particles to be detached from the adjacent electrodes. Full Article
l Method and apparatus to position and align pre-punched printing plates on an imaging cylinder By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus and method for positioning and aligning one or more pre-punched printing plates on a cylinder for imaging a plate in a computer-to-plate drum imaging device. The apparatus includes an imaging cylinder and a registration device connectable to the cylinder. The apparatus includes at least one groove and one pair of register pins, with a first register pin in a fixed position, and a second register pin movable in the groove to a second position, and collinear with the first register pin in the axial direction of the cylinder, arranged such that when connected to the cylinder, the registration device allows a plurality of pre-punched printing plates with variable widths to be positioned and aligned on the cylinder with simplicity. Full Article
l Web coating applicator with cooling and material recovery By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Apparatus and method for applying a water-based emulsion of silicone fluid to a printed web required to be cooled, such that evaporative cooling of the web is promoted in addition to coating of said web with a silicone material. Water evaporated following the application of the silicone fluid to the web is recovered by condensation on the applicator(s) and reapplied to the web, thus economizing the amount of silicone fluid mixture necessary to provide both cooling and enhanced slip characteristics necessary for further handling and processing of the web. The condensation step is effected by containing the evaporated water from the web within a compact enclosure enveloping both the applicator(s) and the web, and optionally chilling said applicator(s) with a cooling medium, preferably water, by means of said cooling medium flowing through at least one of the applicators. In certain embodiments, in addition to condensing the evaporated water, the airborne silicone mist created in the coating step is captured and is returned to the fluid applicator. Full Article
l Systems for dampening fluid removal, vapor control and recovery for ink-based digital printing By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system for dampening fluid recovery in an ink-based digital printing system includes a seal manifold having a front seal portion, the front seal portion having an upper wall facing the imaging surface, the upper wall being configured to define an air flow channel with the imaging surface, the upper wall being contoured to form a distance between the upper wall and the imaging surface at an evaporation location that is less than distance between the upper wall and the imaging surface at locations interposing the evaporation location and a vacuum inlet channel of the seal manifold. Full Article
l Method and an apparatus for processing a lenticular printing substrate By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for preparing a lenticular guide roll for use in a lenticular printing run. The method comprises providing a printing roll of a printing press and a first piece of lenticular media. The first piece of lenticular printing substrate has a pitch which is substantially identical to a second lenticular printing substrate to be used in the lenticular printing run. The, method further comprises attaching the first piece of lenticular printing substrate to the printing roll to allow the maneuvering of the second lenticular printing substrate by the printing roll in the printing press. Full Article
l Environmental control subsystem for a variable data lithographic apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods and structures are disclosed to minimize the presence of vapor clouding in the path between an energy (e.g., radiation) source and the dampening fluid layer in a variable data lithography system. Also disclosed are conditions for optimizing vaporization of regions of the dampening fluid layer for a given laser source power. Conditions are also disclosed for minimizing re-condensation of vaporized dampening fluid onto the patterned dampening fluid layer. Accordingly, a reduction in the power required for, and an increase in the reproducibility of, patterning of a dampening fluid layer over a reimageable surface in a variable data lithography system are disclosed. Full Article
l Dampening fluid recovery in a variable data lithography system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT In a variable data lithography system that employs a patterned dampening fluid layer for image formation, dampening fluid may be removed prior to image transfer to a substrate. Removed dampening fluid may be recovered and recycled to reduce operating expenses and environmental waste. A replacement fluid may be applied after inking and after removal of the dampening fluid. The replacement fluid preferentially occupies the regions previously occupied by dampening fluid, and may lubricate the transfer nip. Any replacement fluid and ink not transferred to the substrate upon printing may then be cleaned from the print image carrier prior to forming a new dampening fluid layer and subsequent pattern formation. Full Article
l Printer cylinder assembly for a printing machine By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A printing cylinder assembly for a printing machine having a sleeve cylinder which can be simply coupled to and decoupled from a rotating shaft and which can be exchanged easily. The sleeve cylinder is mounted to fit on the rotating shaft so that it can be fitted on, and be extracted from, the rotating shaft, constituting a printing cylinder. The rotating shaft is provided with a cam shaft and a coupling member that constitutes a coupling mechanism. In a coupling and a decoupling state which the coupling mechanism comes into, rotations of the cam shaft cause the coupling member to couple and decouple the sleeve cylinder to and from the rotating shaft when the coupling member is diametrically urged against, and parted from, the inner diametric surface of the sleeve cylinder, respectively. Full Article
l Forming an image on a flexographic media By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for forming an image on a flexographic media includes providing a screened image; locating transition points from data regions to non-data regions in said screened image; determining a distance between pixels in adjacent data regions for each transition point; if the distance is greater than a predetermined distance, modify said screened image to remove a shoulder of pixels in contact with the transition point; and forming the modified screened image on the flexographic media. Full Article
l Laser-assisted alignment of multi-station flexographic printing system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A multi-station flexographic printing system includes a plurality of flexographic printing stations. Each flexographic printing station includes a flexo master. Each flexo master comprises a Fresnel zone pattern in a unique position. A method of aligning a plurality of flexographic printing stations includes printing a Fresnel zone pattern on a substrate in a unique position for each flexographic printing station. Light is directed through the Fresnel zone patterns on the substrate. The light focused by the Fresnel zone patterns is captured with a sensor device. Full Article
l Marking device for golf balls By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A marking device for golf balls comprises a seat, an arch-shaped retainer, and a bottom plate. The seat defines a central recess and defines a bottom opening that communicates with the central recess. The seat is provided with an anti-slip pad within the central recess. Also, the seat is provided with upper positioning means and lower positioning means. The arch-shaped retainer is provided with retainer positioning means corresponding to the upper positioning means of the seat. The bottom plate is provided with plate positioning means corresponding to the lower positioning means of the seat. Therefore, the arch-shaped retainer and the bottom plate can be properly positioned on the seat. Furthermore, the arch-shaped retainer defines a central slit and the bottom plate defines a plurality of hollowed-out symbols. As such, the marking device can mark a line or symbol on a golf ball conveniently. Full Article
l Laser-engraveable flexographic printing precursors and methods of imaging By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A laser-engraveable flexographic printing precursor or patternable element comprises a laser-engraveable layer having two orthogonal dimensions. This laser-engraveable layer comprises one or more elastomeric resins and non-metallic fibers that are oriented in the laser-engraveable layer predominantly in one of its two orthogonal dimensions. The non-metallic fibers have an average length of at least 0.1 mm and an average diameter of at least 1 μm. The oriented non-metallic fibers reduce curl and shrinkage in the precursor and improve print quality and press life. Full Article
l Wrinkle detection in continuous feed printers By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A web printing system automatically detects the location of a wrinkle in a moving web. The web has a plurality of marked reference positions including an inboard position, a center position, and an outboard position. A plurality of contact image sensors detect the reference positions after the web passes through a spreader and an inboard distance and an outboard distance are respectively measured from the center position. If the inboard distance is less than a nominal inboard distance, the wrinkle is identified as inboard of the center position. If the outboard distance is less than a nominal outboard distance, the wrinkle is identified as outboard of the center position. The machine operator is notified of the fault condition and takes action to remedy the situation. Full Article
l Method and apparatus for orienting magnetic flakes By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention relates to a method of aligning magnetic flakes, which includes: coating a substrate with a carrier having the flakes dispersed therein, moving the substrate in a magnetic field so as to align the flakes along force lines of the magnetic field in the absence of an effect from a solidifying means, and at least partially solidifying the carrier using a solidifying means while further moving the substrate in the magnetic field so as to secure the magnetic flakes in the carrier while the magnetic field maintains alignment of the magnetic flakes. An apparatus is provided, which has a belt for moving a substrate along a magnet assembly for aligning magnetic flakes. The apparatus also includes a solidifying means, such as a UV- or e-beam source, and a cover above a portion of the magnet assembly for protecting the flakes from the effect of the solidifying means. Full Article
l Ink solutions for microcontact printing By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An ink solution comprises (a) a solvent having (i) a boiling point between about 50° C. and about 100° C., (ii) a relative polarity of less than about 0.4, and (iii) a poly(dimethylsiloxane) swelling ratio of less than about 1.25; and (b) one or more dissolved organosulfur compounds, wherein each organosulfur compound has 10 or more carbon atoms. The one or more organosulfur compounds are present in a total concentration of at least about 3 mM, and the ink solution contains essentially no solid particles of the organosulfur compounds or solid particles derived from the organosulfur compounds. Full Article
l Lithographic printing plate precursor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor which comprises on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, a heat and/or light-sensitive coating comprising an infrared adsorbing agent and a binder including a monomeric unit including a salicylic acid group and a monomeric unit including a sulfonamide group. Full Article
l Silk screen printing device with one main actuator By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A device (1) for printing an impression by silk screen printing on at least one object (3), comprising of: a chassis (27); an object holder module (5) being movable relative to the chassis along a direction of pressing (Oz); a print head (7) including a screen holder module (29) and a squeegee holder module (31), the print head being movable relative to the chassis between an operating position close to the object holder module, and a maintenance position away from the object holder module, and an actuator (8) having a first part (125) and a second part (127) that is movable relative to the first part (125), the actuator (8) being adapted, in a first mode of operation, to be supported on the chassis by the first part and capable of moving the print head from the operating position to the maintenance position by a movement of the second part. The actuator is adapted, in a second mode of operation, to be supported on the chassis by the second part and is capable of moving the object holder module along the direction of pressing relative to the chassis by a movement of the first part. Full Article
l Dampening fluid deposition by condensation in a digital lithographic system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system and corresponding methods are disclosed for depositing of a layer of dampening fluid to a reimageable surface of an imaging member in a variable data lithography system by way of condensation. Dampening fluid in an airborne state is introduced proximate the reimageable surface in a condensation region. Conditions in the condensation region are such that the airborne dampening fluid preferentially condenses on the reimageable surface in a precisely controlled quantity, to thereby form a precisely controlled layer of dampening fluid of desired thickness over the reimageable surface. Among other advantages, improved print quality is obtained. Full Article
l Apparatus for applying indicia on web substrates By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A contact printing system is disclosed. A gravure cylinder having a plurality of discrete cells having an aspect ratio of at least about 25:1 disposed upon an outer surface thereof. A first portion of a first fluid and a second portion of a second fluid are disposed from a respective channel disposed internal to the gravure cylinder. Full Article
l Lithographic printing plate precursor, lithographic printing plate platemaking method, and polymerizable monomer By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT There is provided a lithographic printing plate precursor that enables image recording using a laser and that provides an excellent scumming resistance and an excellent developability while maintaining a satisfactory printing durability. Also provided are a platemaking method, and a novel polymerizable monomer. A lithographic printing plate precursor has a support, and an image recording layer disposed thereon and containing a radical polymerization initiator and a polymerizable monomer that has a sulfonamide group and at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups; a lithographic printing plate platemaking method uses this lithographic printing plate precursor; and a polymerizable monomer has a sulfonamide group and at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups. Full Article
l Method and an apparatus having a compressible collar for thermally treating a photosensitive precursor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for preparing a printing form from a precursor, particularly a method and apparatus for preparing the printing form by thermally treating a photosensitive precursor having a photopolymerizable layer. The method and apparatus includes heating the photosensitive precursor to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy, contacting the precursor with a development medium to remove the liquefied material, and supporting a development medium with a core member adjacent an exterior surface of the photosensitive precursor, wherein a compressible collar of a closed-cell foam having a Poisson's ratio of less than 0.4 is disposed between the core member and the development medium. Full Article
l Inductively heatable cylinder By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A device for heating at least one tool that is disposed on the circumference of a rotating cylinder, for example on the circumference of an embossing cylinder. The embossing tool is produced from a magnetizable material and it is fixed to a carrier sleeve that is produced from a non-magnetizable material. Full Article
l Silicone rubber material for soft lithography By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention relates to a silicone rubber like material and a printing device including a stamp layer (100;201) comprising such a material. The material is suitable for use in soft lithography as it enables stable features having dimensions in the nanometer range to be obtained on a substrate, and also allows for the accommodation onto rough and non-flat substrate surfaces. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing the silicone rubber like material and stamp layer (100;201) and use thereof in lithographic processes. Full Article