Printing Blanket Surface Irregularities for Ink Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blanket printing faces challenges in transferring ink from an original printing plate to a printing blanket with high accuracy, as high viscosity ink fails to adhere and low viscosity ink is crushed, leading to reduced image resolution.
Innovation Solution
A printing blanket with an elastic body featuring a printing surface having irregularities with an elevation difference of 2 to 20 µm, allowing ink to adhere and transfer effectively while maintaining image resolution, even on curved or irregular surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the viscosity of the ink is increased to prevent crushing and spreading, then the ink can maintain high accuracy on the original printing plate, but the ink cannot be reliably transferred from the original printing plate to the printing blanket
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating irregularities with specific elevation differences (2 to 20 μm) at the printing surface of the printing blanket. These localized surface features enable high viscosity ink to adhere reliably to the blanket while maintaining image accuracy, resolving the contradiction between ink transfer reliability and manufacturing precision.
2Reliability
If the viscosity of the ink is decreased to enable easy transfer to the printing blanket, then the ink can be reliably transferred from the original printing plate, but the ink is crushed when the printing blanket is pressed against the original printing plate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces localized surface irregularities (2 to 20 μm elevation difference) at the printing blanket surface that provide mechanical interlocking for low viscosity ink, preventing crushing while maintaining transfer reliability. This resolves the contradiction between reliable ink transfer and prevention of ink crushing.
3Ease of manufacture
If a smooth printing surface is used on the printing blanket, then the ink transfer may be easier, but the ink cannot adhere reliably when high viscosity ink is used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating controlled surface irregularities (2 to 20 μm) on the printing blanket surface. These localized features provide adhesion sites for high viscosity ink while maintaining overall ease of manufacture through consistent surface treatment processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes surface curvature variations through the irregularities (2 to 20 μm elevation differences) on the printing blanket surface. These curved surface features enhance ink adhesion by creating mechanical interlocking, resolving the contradiction between smooth surface ease of manufacture and reliable ink adhesion.
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
Enables precise and high-resolution printing by preventing ink crushing and ensuring reliable transfer, even with high viscosity ink, on various surface shapes.
Implementation Method 1
the ink can thus be transferred to the printing surface. It is therefore possible to prevent the ink from being crushed, and transfer the ink onto the printing surface while maintaining the resolution of a printed image
Implementation Method 2
an elastic body which deforms in accordance with the shape of a to-be-printed surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3(a)~3(c)
Figure 4A(a)~4A(d)
AI summary
There are provided a printing blanket which maintains the accuracy of printing of an image, and also prevents a failure of transfer of an ink from an original printing plate to the printing blanket, a method for manufacturing the printing blanket, and a printing method using the printing blanket. The printing blanket according to the present invention includes an elastic body which deforms in conformity to the shape of a to-be-printed surface. The elastic body includes a printing surface to be pressed against the to-be-printed surface. In the printing surface, an entire region is provided with a plurality of irregularities are formed over the entire surface of the printing surface, and an elevation difference from a highest part of the irregularities to a lowest part thereof falls within the range of 2 to 20 µm.