IP Library › Granted Patent US 12692351
Granted Patent B2
US 12692351 · App. 18/223,162 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Process for the treatment of the photopolymer material that constitutes the matrix plates in flexographic printing

Inventor: Ira Nicoletti (Mira, IT)
C08J3/203C08J3/005C08J3/12C08J11/06C08J2300/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12692351
App. No.
18/223,162
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A process for the treatment of a photopolymer material that constitutes matrix plates in flexographic printing includes: shredding and refining the matrix plates into pieces and subsequent cold grinding to obtain a powder; mixing the powder with a thermosetting resin and an amine hardener; carrying out a first phase of turbomixing; carrying out a first phase of cooling; carrying out a second phase of turbomixing; carrying out a second cooling phase; mixing the mixture in a cooling unit; adding an amine catalyst for thermosetting resins; inserting into a vacuum gauge; pouring the mixture into a mold; subjecting the mixture to two post-polymerization cycles in an oven.

Claims (19)

1 . A process for the treatment of a photopolymer material that constitutes matrix plates in flexographic printing, the method comprising:

shredding and refining of the matrix plates into pieces smaller than 10 mm in each direction and subsequent cold grinding to obtain a powder with a particle size between 100 and 500 microns;

mixing said powder with a thermosetting resin and an amine hardener for a time of 1-3 minutes; the weight ratio between thermosetting resin and amine hardener being 100:25;

carrying out a first phase of turbomixing with an impeller that rotates in the range of 9000 RPM-10,000 RPM;

carrying out a first phase of cooling in a freezer that operates between −25° C. and −35° C.;

carrying out a second phase of turbomixing with an impeller that rotates in the range of 9000 RPM-10,000 RPM;

carrying out a second cooling phase in a freezer that operates between −25° C. and −35° C., the second cooling phase lasting about 25-35 minutes;

mixing of the mixture in the freezer for a time of 4-6 minutes;

adding an amine catalyst for thermosetting resins to the mixture;

inserting the mixture into a vacuum for about 8-12 minutes, at a pressure of 45-55 mbar;

pouring the mixture into a mold allowing the mixture to crosslink at room temperature for about 12-24 hours;

subjecting the mixture to two post-polymerization cycles in an oven, the first lasting about an hour at a temperature of 80° C. and the second lasting 6 hours at a temperature of 105° C.

2 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the photopolymer material is triturated into pieces of 5 mm.

3 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein by cold grinding a powder with a particle size of between 100-250 microns is obtained.

4 . The process according to claim 1 wherein the powder is mixed with the thermosetting resin and the amine hardener for two minutes.

5 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the turbomixing impeller rotates at 9500 RPM.

6 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the two cooling phases have a duration of 10 minutes.

7 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the freezer works at a temperature of −30° C. for a time of 30 minutes.

8 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture in the mold is cross-linked for eighteen hours.