Patent Application
20140245914
A touch screen enabled system allows a user to control various aspects of the system by touch or gestures. For example, a user may interact directly with objects depicted on a display device by touch or gestures that are sensed by a touch sensor. The touch sensor typically includes a pattern of conductive lines disposed on a substrate configured to sense touch.
Touch screens are commonly found in consumer systems, commercial systems, and industrial systems including, but not limited to, smartphones, tablet computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, printers, monitors, televisions, appliances, kiosks, copiers, desktop phones, automotive display systems, portable gaming devices, and gaming consoles.
According to one aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate includes disposing a backing tape on a printing plate cylinder forming a taped printing plate cylinder. A transverse center of the flexographic printing plate is attached to the taped printing plate cylinder at a mount line offset relative to a scribe line of the printing plate cylinder. A first portion of the flexographic printing plate is wrapped around a first portion of the taped printing plate cylinder from the mount line outward in a first direction away from the mount line. A second portion of the flexographic printing plate is wrapped around a second portion of the taped printing plate cylinder from the mount line outward in a second direction away from the mount line. The mount line is offset relative to the scribe line at a distance that ensures banding occurs in a non-patterned non-printing area of the flexographic printing plate.
According to one aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention, a flexographic printing station includes a printing plate cylinder that includes a scribe line, a backing tape disposed on the printing plate cylinder forming a taped printing plate cylinder, and a flexographic printing plate disposed on the taped printing plate cylinder. The flexographic printing plate is disposed on the taped printing plate cylinder by a process that includes attaching a transverse center of the flexographic printing plate to the taped printing plate cylinder at a mount line offset relative to the scribe line, wrapping a first portion of the flexographic printing plate around a first portion of the taped printing plate cylinder from the mount line outward in a first direction away from the mount line, and wrapping a second portion of the flexographic printing plate around a second portion of the taped printing plate cylinder from the mount line outward in second direction away from the mount line. The mount line is offset relative to the scribe line at a distance that ensures banding occurs in a non-patterned non-printing area of the flexographic printing plate.
Other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.
One or more embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. For consistency, like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals. In the following detailed description of the present invention, specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. In other instances, well-known features to one of ordinary skill in the art are not described to avoid obscuring the description of the present invention.
In certain embodiments, touch screen 100 may include touch sensor 130 that overlays at least a portion of a viewable area of display device 110. In other embodiments, touch sensor 130, or the function that it implements, may be integrated into display device 110 (not independently illustrated). Controller 210 electrically drives at least a portion of touch sensor 130. Touch sensor 130 senses touch (e.g., capacitance, resistance, optical, or acoustic) and conveys information corresponding to the sensed touch to controller 210. In typical applications, the manner in which the sensing of touch is measured, tuned, and/or filtered may be configured by controller 210. In addition, controller 210 may recognize one or more gestures based on the sensed touch or touches. Controller 210 provides host 220 with touch or gesture information corresponding to the sensed touch or touches. Host 220 may use this touch or gesture information as input and respond in an appropriate manner. In this way, the user may interact with computing system 200 by touch or gestures on touch screen 100. In certain embodiments, host 220 may be the one or more printed or flex circuits (not shown) on which the one or more processors (not shown) are disposed. In other embodiments, host 220 may be a subsystem or any other part of computing system 200 that is configured to interface with display device 110 and controller 210.
In certain embodiments, one or more of the plurality of parallel conductive lines oriented in the first direction 310 and one or more of the plurality of parallel conductive lines oriented in the second direction 320 may have a line width less than approximately 5 micrometers. In other embodiments, one or more of the plurality of parallel conductive lines oriented in the first direction 310 and one or more of the plurality of parallel conductive lines oriented in the second direction 320 may have a line width in a range between approximately 5 micrometers and approximately 10 micrometers. In still other embodiments, one or more of the plurality of parallel conductive lines oriented in the first direction 310 and one or more of the plurality of parallel conductive lines oriented in the second direction 320 may have a line width in a range between approximately 10 micrometers and approximately 50 micrometers. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the shape and width of one or more of the plurality of parallel conductive lines oriented in the first direction 310 and one or more of the plurality of parallel conductive lines oriented in the second direction 320 may vary based on an application or a design in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
In operation, ink roll 420 transfers ink 480 from ink pan 405 to anilox roll 430. In certain embodiments, ink 480 may be a precursor ink, a catalytic ink, or a catalytic alloy ink that serves as a plating seed suitable for metallization by electroless plating, immersion, and/or other buildup processes. In other embodiments, ink 480 may be any other conductive ink or material. In still other embodiments, ink 480 may be non-conductive ink or material. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the composition of ink 480 may vary based on an application or a design. Anilox roll 430 is typically constructed of a steel or aluminum core that may be coated by an industrial ceramic whose surface contains a plurality of very fine dimples, also referred to as cells (not shown). Doctor blade 440 removes excess ink 480 from anilox roll 430. In transfer area 490, anilox roll 430 meters the amount of ink 480 transferred to flexographic printing plate 460 to a uniform thickness. Printing plate cylinder 450 is typically constructed of a metal such as steel or the like. Flexographic printing plate 460 may be mounted to printing plate cylinder 450 by an adhesive or backing tape (not shown). One or more substrates 410 move between printing plate cylinder 450 and impression cylinder 470. Impression cylinder 470 is typically constructed of metal that is coated with an abrasion resistant coating. Impression cylinder 470 applies pressure to printing plate cylinder 450, transferring an ink 480 image of the patterned printing area (not shown) from flexographic printing plate 460 onto substrate 410 at transfer area 495. The rotational speed of printing plate cylinder 450 is synchronized to match the speed at which substrate 410 moves through flexographic printing station 400. The speed may vary between 20 feet per minute to 750 feet per minute.
In certain touch sensor embodiments, the patterned printing area may comprise at least a portion of an image of a conductive pattern (e.g., conductive pattern 300). One or more flexographic printing stations 400 may be used to dispose a precursor ink, a catalytic ink, or a catalytic alloy ink 480 image (not independently illustrated) of one or more conductive patterns (e.g., conductive pattern 300) on one or more sides of one or more substrates 410. Subsequent to flexographic printing, the precursor ink, the catalytic ink, or the catalytic alloy ink image (not shown) may be metallized by one or more of an electroless plating process, an immersion bathing process, and/or other buildup processes, forming one or more conductive patterns (e.g., conductive pattern 300) on one or more sides of one or more substrates 410. In other embodiments, one or more flexographic printing stations 400 may be used to directly print a conductive pattern (e.g., conductive pattern 300) comprised of conductive ink or material 480 on one or more sides of one or more substrates 410. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, substrate 410 may be transparent. Transparent means capable of transmitting a substantial portion of visible light through the substrate. In certain embodiments, substrate 410 may comprise polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”), polyethylene naphthalate (“PEN”), cellulose acetate (“TAC”), cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons (“COP”), bi-axially-oriented polypropylene (“BOPP”), polyester, polycarbonate, glass, or combinations thereof. In other embodiments, substrate 410 may comprise any other material suitable for use as a touch sensor substrate. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the composition of substrate 410 may vary based on an application or design in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
In certain non-touch sensor embodiments, the patterned printing area may comprise an image of any other pattern suitable for flexographic printing. One or more flexographic printing stations 400 may be used to print an ink 480 image (not independently illustrated) of one or more patterns (conductive or non-conductive) on one or more sides of one or more substrates 410. In certain embodiments, when the image is printed on substrate 410 as part of a non-touch sensor embodiment, substrate 410 may be transparent or opaque depending on an application or design. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that, in addition to the transparent substrates discussed above, any opaque substrate suitable for use in a flexographic printing process may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
When a flexographic printing station 400 is used to print a patterned printing area (not independently illustrated) on substrate 410, a number of issues may arise that affect the quality of the printed pattern. For example, a backing tape (not independently illustrated) disposed on printing plate cylinder 450 may have a gap or otherwise imperfect seam. The flexographic printing plate 460 attached to the taped printing plate cylinder 450 may have a gap or otherwise imperfect seam. When anilox roll 430 rotates, one or more of these gaps may result in anilox roll 430 bumping flexographic printing plate 460 during flexographic printing operations. When anilox roll 430 bumps flexographic printing plate 460, flexographic printing plate 460 may transfer ink or other material 480 to substrate 410 in a non-uniform manner. A bump may also result in banding during flexographic printing operations. When anilox roll 430 bumps flexographic printing plate 460, flexographic printing plate 460 may transfer unintended ink or other material 480, that are not part of patterned printing area, to substrate 410. When the banding is in the patterned printing area, the unintended ink or other material 480 may degrade the printed pattern on substrate 410. In touch sensor embodiments, banding may cause electrical shorts, electrical opens, and other failure modes. These issues and others are exacerbated when the feature size, such as the width, of lines or features of the patterned printing area are micrometer-fine.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate prevents banding in a patterned printing area.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, backing tape 510 may be disposed on at least a portion of, and in some cases all of, a circumferential surface of printing plate cylinder 450 by attaching a first end 520 of backing tape 510 to printing plate cylinder 450 at a scribe line 550. Scribe line 550 is an indentation along a longitude of printing plate cylinder 450 that may be used to locate a longitudinal center of printing plate cylinder 450 and make a clean cut. Backing tape 510 is then wrapped around at least a portion of, and in some cases all of, a circumferential surface of printing plate cylinder 450. A second end 530 of backing tape 510 may be cut at a cut line (not independently illustrated). In certain embodiments, the cut line may be scribe line 550 such that the second end 530 of backing tape 510 is cut along scribe line 550 forming a seam (not independently illustrated) with the first end 520 of backing tape 510. The seam may be imperfect. In other embodiments, the cut line may be offset from the scribe line 550 such that there is a gap 540 between the first end 520 of backing tape 510 and the second end 530 of backing tape 510. The exposed portion of printing plate cylinder 450 in gap 540 may not be level with backing tape 510.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, backing tape 510 may be disposed on at least a portion of, and in some cases all of, a circumferential surface of printing plate cylinder 450 by attaching a first end 520 of backing tape 510 to printing plate cylinder 450 at an offset line (not shown) that is offset from the scribe line 550. Backing tape 510 is then wrapped around at least a portion, but sometimes the entire, circumferential surface of printing plate cylinder 450. A second end 530 of backing tape 510 may be cut at a cut line (not independently illustrated). In certain embodiments, the cut line may be the offset line such that the second end 530 of backing tape 510 is cut along the offset line forming a seam (not shown) with the first end 520 of backing tape 510. The seam may be imperfect. In other embodiments, the cut line may be offset from the offset line such that there is a gap (not shown) between the first end 520 of backing tape 510 and the second end 530 of backing tape 510. The exposed portion of printing plate cylinder 450 in gap 540 may not be level with backing tape 510. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other techniques for mounting backing tape 510 to printing plate cylinder 450 may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
In certain embodiments, backing tape 510 may comprise ChannalBAC™ structured patterned backing tape commercially available from Controlled Displacement™ Technology LLC of Parkland, Fla. ChannalBAC™ differs from cellular foam in that ChannalBAC™ completely separates the air and elastomeric components by forming solid elastomeric channels separated by channels of air within its membrane. As such, ChannalBAC™ cannot be crushed like cellular foam and resists fatigue and deformation in a spring-like manner. Because of the more uniform density and resistance when compared to cellular foam, ChannalBAC™ provides a more uniform and consistent transfer of ink (480 of
Flexographic printing plate 460 may be substantially rectangular having a width 630 and a length 640. In certain embodiments, flexographic printing plate 460 may have a width 630 of approximately 14 inches. In other embodiments, flexographic printing plate 460 may have a width 630 of approximately 17 inches. In still other embodiments, flexographic printing plate 460 may have a width 630 in a range between approximately 3 inches and approximately 90 inches. In certain embodiments, flexographic printing plate 460 may have a length 640 of approximately 18⅞ inches. In other embodiments, flexographic printing plate 460 may have a length 640 of approximately 24 inches. In still other embodiments, flexographic printing plate 450 may have a length 640 of approximately 12 inches. In still other embodiments, flexographic printing plate 460 may have a length 640 in a range between approximately 12 inches and approximately 24 inches. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a size of flexographic printing plate 460 may vary based on an application or design in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
The patterned printing area 610 may comprise one or more lines, features, shapes, or patterns. The patterned printing area 610 may be disposed anywhere within the boundaries of flexographic printing plate 460. In certain embodiments, patterned printing area 610 may comprise an image of a conductive pattern (e.g., conductive pattern 300). In other embodiments, patterned printing area 610 may comprise an image of a non-conductive pattern. In still other embodiments, patterned printing area 610 may comprise one or more of lines, features, shapes, or patterns. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a pattern or design of patterned printing area 610 may vary based on an application or design in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
One or more registration marks 650 may be formed in flexographic printing plate 460 along a transverse center 660 line that traverses a width 630 of flexographic printing plate 460. The transverse center 660 line may or may not be formed in flexographic printing plate 460. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a location of transverse center 660 along a length 640 of flexographic printing plate 460 may vary based on an application or design. The transverse center 660 may be viewed as partitioning flexographic printing plate 460 into a first portion 670 and a second portion 680. In certain embodiments, the first portion 670 and the second portion 680 may be the same size. In other embodiments, the first portion 670 and the second portion 680 may not be the same size. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the relative size of the first portion 670 and the second portion 680 may vary based on an application or design in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the art will also recognize that the role of the first portion 670 and the second portion 680 may be reversed in certain applications or designs. The one or more registration marks 650 may be a cross hair pattern used to assist in the alignment of flexographic printing plate 460 to taped printing plate cylinder 450. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the number and the location of the one or more registration marks 650 may vary in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
Once the transverse center 660 of flexographic printing plate 460 is attached to taped printing plate cylinder 450 at mount line 710, a first portion (670 of
When a mount line (710 of
Continuing the example, a mount line (710 of
Continuing the example, a mount line (710 of
However, a mount line (710 of
While the above noted examples are based on an example of a patterned printing area 610, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that patterned printing area 610 may vary in shape and/or size. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that an offset of mount line (710 of
Advantages of one or more embodiments of the present invention may include one or more of the following:
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate to avoid banding improves mounting precision.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate to avoid banding ensures banding occurs in a non-patterned non-printing area of a flexographic printing plate. In this way, the banding may be hidden in the non-functional or otherwise unimportant area of the substrate.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate to avoid banding allows for the flexographic printing of micrometer-fine lines or features on a substrate.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate to avoid banding allows for more uniform ink transfer when printing micrometer-fine lines or features on a substrate.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate to avoid banding improves yield when printing fine lines or features on substrate.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate to avoid banding reduces wear and tear on flexographic printing station components.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate to avoid banding reduces manufacturing expense, manufacturing time, and manufacturing complexity.
In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a method of mounting a flexographic printing plate to avoid banding is compatible with existing flexographic printing processes.
While the present invention has been described with respect to the above-noted embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will recognize that other embodiments may be devised that are within the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the appended claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/784,765, filed on Mar. 4, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13784765 | Mar 2013 | US |
| Child | 14252945 | US |
