Claims
- 1. A lithographic printing member directly imageable by laser discharge, the member comprising:
- a. a solid, non-metal first layer;
- b. a solid second layer underlying the first layer; and
- c. a solid, non-metal third layer underlying the second layer: wherein
- d. the second layer, but not the first layer, is formed of a material being subject to ablative absorption of imaging radiation;
- e. the first layer is hydrophilic; and
- f. the third layer is oleophilic and hydrophobic.
- 2. The member of claim 1 wherein the second layer absorptive material absorbs infrared imaging radiation.
- 3. The member of claim 2 wherein the second layer comprises a dispersion of at least one of a pigment and a dye that absorbs infrared radiation.
- 4. The member of claim 3 wherein the second layer comprises a pigment that absorbs infrared radiation.
- 5. The member of claim 3 wherein the second layer comprises a dye that absorbs infrared radiation.
- 6. The member of claim 3 wherein the second layer comprises a non-metal.
- 7. A method of imaging a lithographic printing member, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a printing member including a solid, non-metal first layer, a solid second layer underlying the first layer, and a solid, non-metal third layer underlying the second layer, wherein the second layer, but not the first layer, is formed of a material being subject to ablative absorption of imaging radiation, the first layer is hydrophilic, and the third layer is oleophilic and hydrophobic; and
- b. scanning at least one laser source over the printing member and selectively exposing, in a pattern representing an image, the printing member to laser energy during the course of the scan so as to ablate the second layer, thereby removing or facilitating removal of the first layer and directly producing on the member an array of image features.
RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/675,985, filed Jul. 9, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,753 which is itself a continuation of Ser. No. 08/380,805, filed Jan. 30, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,150, which is itself a continuation of Ser. No. 08/159,955, filed Nov. 29, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,092, which is itself a continuation of Ser. No. 07/917,481, filed Jul. 20, 1992, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3507 |
Jan 1982 |
JPX |
197192 |
Aug 1991 |
JPX |
197191 |
Aug 1991 |
JPX |
9207716 |
May 1992 |
WOX |
Continuations (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
675985 |
Jul 1996 |
|
Parent |
380805 |
Jan 1995 |
|
Parent |
159955 |
Nov 1993 |
|
Parent |
917481 |
Jul 1992 |
|