Ozone Removal Filter for Lithographic Printing Plate Sensitivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Negative-working lithographic printing plate precursors lose imaging sensitivity due to exposure to ambient ozone, especially when stored near or inside imaging apparatuses without protective coverings.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus with an enclosure that includes an ozone removing means, such as an ozone-removing filter containing activated charcoal or a catalyst, is used to minimize ozone levels around the precursors, ensuring controlled air flow and maintaining imaging sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If precursors are stored near imaging apparatus without protective coverings, then ease of operation and automation are improved, but imaging sensitivity is lost due to ozone exposure
Solution Approach 1:
An ozone-removing filter is introduced as an intermediary component between the ambient environment and the precursor storage area within the imaging apparatus. The filter contains activated charcoal or catalyst materials that chemically adsorb and decompose ozone molecules, creating a protective barrier that allows precursors to be stored exposed while preventing ozone damage to imaging sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a locally inert atmosphere within the imaging apparatus by actively removing ozone from the air surrounding the precursors. This establishes an ozone-free environment that protects the radiation-sensitive layers while maintaining normal atmospheric conditions for other operations.
2Productivity
If precursors are stored near imaging apparatus, then productivity is improved through high-speed automated operations, but precision of imaging is degraded due to ozone exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The ozone-removing filter serves as a mediating device that enables high-speed automated precursor handling while maintaining imaging precision. By continuously removing ozone from the local environment, the filter allows precursors to be stored and loaded automatically without compromising the quality or precision of the subsequent imaging process.
3Ease of operation
If precursors are exposed to ambient air, then ease of operation is improved by eliminating protective coverings, but harmful effects increase due to ozone sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The ozone-removing filter acts as a protective intermediary that allows precursors to be handled openly without coverings while still protecting them from ozone. The filter materials (activated charcoal or catalysts) chemically intercept ozone molecules in the air path, enabling simple open handling while eliminating the harmful ozone exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful ozone present in ambient air into a beneficial protective mechanism by using ozone-removing filter materials that selectively adsorb and decompose ozone. The naturally occurring ozone is transformed from a harmful agent into the driving force for the filtration process, which then protects the precursors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ozone removal system effectively reduces ozone levels, preventing sensitivity loss and enabling high-speed lithographic printing by maintaining the imaging sensitivity of the precursors.
Implementation Method 1
an ozone removing means, such as an ozone-removing filter containing activated charcoal or a catalyst
Implementation Method 2
an ozone removing means, such as an ozone-removing filter containing activated charcoal or a catalyst
Data Source
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AI summary
The imaging sensitivity of negative-working lithographic printing plate precursors is improved by removing ozone from the ambient air surrounding the precursors that can be stored near an imaging means such as a platesetter prior to use. Ozone can be removed using a suitable filter containing activated charcoal or other ozone decomposing means, through which ambient air is filtered before and during the imaging process.