Processes for the manufacture or reproduction of printing surfaces.

Printing forme precursors and printing formes.

Printing formes and methods of making the same for printing methods using said formes.

Methods for making printing plate precursors and printing plates wherein the imaging exposure is heat or infrared light.

Group B41M 1/00 and its hierarchical lower subgoups cover the printing methods using the printing formes made in accordance with the methods as covered by B41C 1/00.

Methods for preparing relief printing formes, flexographic printing formes, intaglio printing formes and.

gravure printing formes.

Printing formes obtained by said methods.

Methods for preparing relief printing formes, flexographic printing formes intaglio printing formes and

gravure printing formes.

Printing formes obtained by said methods.

Methods for preparing printing formes by transferring the design to the printing forme, e.g. transferring by heat or by pressure.

The compositions of the different types of image-forming layers.

The following table shows the relevant classification places for different layers of lithographic printing plate precursors and lithographic printing plates:

*If the invention lies in the constituents of the non-imaging layers, Indexing Codes B41C 2201/10, B41C 2201/12 and/or B41C 2201/14 shall be given accordingly in addition to the Indexing Codes specifying the location or the type of the layers.

Methods for preparing lithographic printing formes by removal or destruction of lithographic material on the lithographic support, e.g. by laser or spark ablation; by the use of materials rendered soluble or insoluble by heat exposure, e.g. by heat produced from a light to theat transforming system; by on the press exposure or on the press development, e.g. by the fountain of photolithographic materials.

Lithographic printing forme precursors and lithographic printing formes characterised by the compositions of the image-forming layers. Said compositions of the image-forming layers are specifically adapted to the methods for preparing lithographic printing formes covered by this group.

The lithographic printing plates or the plate precursors with different layers including particular details to the different layers not including the single imaging layer.

Usually the hydrophilic coating of the substrate is classified in B41N 3/03 and its hierarchical lower subgroups (see the table in the definition statement of the subgroup B41C 1/10). However, if an application claims a conventional method for making lithographic printing plates having a highly unusual hydrophilic layer, then the appropriate classification entry is B41C 1/1016, since B41N 3/03 does not relate to the preparation of printing plates per se.

Apparatuses for lithographic printing plate preparation when using heat or infrared exposure.

Apparatuses for lithographic printing plate preparation when using heat or infrared exposure.

Only forme preparation for lithographic printing.

Thermographic and transfer processes for producing other than lithographic printing formes are classified in B41C 1/055 and B41C 1/06. If an independent claim is directed to such a process in general either group B41C 1/055 or B41C 1/06 is given. If a dependent claim concerns lithography then the Indexing Code B41C 1/1091 is given.

The sleeves and endless belts having a printing layer thereon.

Reproduction or duplicating of printing formes, including:

stereotyping, reproduction or duplicating of printing formes to produce rubber printing blocks or to produce printing blocks from plastics. And further, electrotyping and application of backing layers thereon.