Methods of Producing Flat Top Dots on Flexographic Printing Plates, and Laminates Therefor

1 . A laminate, comprising:

(a) a release coating;

(b) an image opaque to actinic radiation;

(c) an adhesive layer;

(d) a photopolymer layer; and

(e) a substrate.

2 . The laminate of claim 1 , further comprising:

a backing layer adhering to said release coating opposite said image.

3 . The laminate of claim 2 , in which:

said image is inkjet-printed on the release coating.

4 . The laminate of claim 3 , in which:

said layers (e) and (f) are layers of a sheet photopolymer.

5 . The laminate of claim 2 , in which:

said release coating is a clear glossy inkjet-receptive coating; and

said adhesive layer is a cyanoacrylate glue.

6 . The laminate of claim 5 , in which:

said backing sheet is polyester; and

said clear glossy inkjet-receptive coating has no binder additives.

7 . The laminate of claim 2 , in which:

said backing sheet adheres to said release coating with less peel strength than said image adheres to said photopolymer layer.

8 . A laminate, comprising:

(a) a release coating;

(b) an adhesive layer;

(c) an imaged digital photopolymer sheet.

9 . The laminate of claim 8 , further comprising:

a backing layer adhering to said release coating opposite said adhesive layer.

10 . The laminate of claim 9 , in which:

said release coating is a clear glossy inkjet-receptive coating; and

said adhesive layer is a cyanoacrylate glue.

11 . The laminate of claim 9 , in which:

said backing sheet is polyester; and

said clear glossy inkjet-receptive coating has no binder additives.

12 . The laminate of claim 11 , in which:

said backing sheet adheres to said release coating with less peel strength than said release coating adheres to said imaged digital photopolymer sheet.

13 . A method of making a flexo plate, comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a release coating to a backing sheet;

(b) printing an image on the release coating, creating a release coating image side;

steps (c) and (d), taken from the list of:

(c) applying an adhesive layer to the image side of a sheet photopolymer;

(d) applying the release coating image side to the adhesive layer; or

(c) applying an adhesive layer to the release coating image side, creating a release coating adhesive side;

(d) applying the release coating adhesive side to the image side of a sheet photopolymer;

(e) allowing the adhesive layer to cure;

(f) peeling the backing sheet away from the release coating to produce a printed sheet photopolymer;

(g) exposing the printed sheet photopolymer to actinic radiation; and

(h) cleaning the ink, release coating, adhesive, and un-crosslinked photopolymer off the exposed printed sheet photopolymer.

14 . The method of claim 13 , in which:

said image is an inkjet image;

said release coating is a clear glossy inkjet-receptive coating with no binder additives;

said backing sheet is polyester; and

said adhesive is a cyanoacrylate glue.

15 . The method of claim 13 , in which:

said backing sheet adheres to said release coating with a first peel strength;

said release coating adheres to said image with a second peel strength; and

said release coating adheres to said cured adhesive with a third peel strength;

the first peel strength being less than the second peel strength and the third peel strength.

16 . A method of making a flexo plate, comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a release coating to a flexible backing sheet;

(b) creating an etched image in the thermal layer of a digital photopolymer sheet;

steps (c) and (d), taken from the list of:

(c) applying an adhesive layer to the thermal layer side of the photopolymer sheet;

(d) applying the release coating to the adhesive layer; or

(c) applying an adhesive layer to the release coating, creating a release coating adhesive side;

(d) applying the release coating adhesive side to the thermal layer side of the photopolymer sheet;

(e) allowing the adhesive layer to cure;

(f) peeling the backing sheet away from the release coating to produce an unexposed sheet photopolymer;

(g) exposing the unexposed sheet photopolymer to actinic radiation; and

(h) cleaning the thermal layer, release coating, adhesive, and un-crosslinked photopolymer off the exposed sheet photopolymer.

17 . The method of claim 16 , in which:

said release coating is a clear glossy inkjet-receptive coating with no binder additives;

said flexible backing sheet is clear polyester; and

said adhesive is a cyanoacrylate glue.

18 . The method of claim 16 , in which:

said backing sheet adheres to said release coating with a first peel strength;

said release coating adheres to said thermal layer with a second peel strength; and

said release coating adheres to said cured adhesive with a third peel strength;

the first peel strength being less than the second peel strength and the third peel strength.

19 . A method of transferring an image to a surface, comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a release coating to a flexible backing sheet;

(b) applying an image to the release coating, creating a release coating image side;

steps (c) and (d), taken from the list of:

(c) applying an adhesive layer to a surface;

(d) applying the release coating image side to the adhesive layer; or

(c) applying an adhesive layer to the release coating image side, creating a release coating adhesive side;

(d) applying the release coating adhesive side to the surface;

(e) allowing the adhesive layer to cure; and

(f) peeling the backing sheet away from the release coating.

20 . The method of claim 19 , in which:

said release coating is a clear glossy inkjet-receptive coating with no binder additives;

said flexible backing sheet is polyester; and

said adhesive is a cyanoacrylate glue.

21 . The method of claim 19 , in which:

said backing sheet adheres to said release coating with a first peel strength;

said release coating adheres to said image with a second peel strength; and

said release coating adheres to said cured adhesive with a third peel strength;

the first peel strength being less than the second peel strength and the third peel strength.