Apparatus and method for printing color images
First Claim
1. A method of printing a color image in a printing process comprising the sequential steps of creating a plurality of color separated halftones of the image, forming the halftones of the image from a liquid medium applied to a substrate, and embossing the liquid medium to form a plurality of surface relief configurations thereon, each halftone of the image having a different surface relief configuration formed thereon so as to reflect a different color when the embossed halftones are viewed at a specific angle whereby the embossed halftones create a printed copy of the color image.
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Abstract
A method of printing color images which includes the formation of a pattern of three primary color separated halftones of the image from a medium applied to a substrate. The medium is embossed to form a surface relief configuration on each halftone image. Each surface relief configuration reflects one specific primary color at a specific angle. In one embodiment, the medium is applied to a substrate in the pattern of color separated halftone images in a single printing pass by a composite offset printing plate. The medium is then embossed by an embossing plate to create the surface relief configurations thereon. In a second embodiment, the medium is applied to the substrate and embossed by a single plate in a single printing pass. In a third embodiment, the medium is applied to the substrate in a relatively continuous layer and thereafter embossed to simultaneously create a pattern of color separated halftones of the image and a different surface relief configuration on each halftone image. In a fourth embodiment, the medium is applied to the substrate in a relatively continuous layer and thereafter embossed to form a plurality of surface relief configurations thereon. The halftone images are then formed on the embossed medium to produce a full color image by applying a coating over the portions of the medium where the primary colors should not be reflected.
57 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. A method of printing a color image in a printing process comprising the sequential steps of creating a plurality of color separated halftones of the image, forming the halftones of the image from a liquid medium applied to a substrate, and embossing the liquid medium to form a plurality of surface relief configurations thereon, each halftone of the image having a different surface relief configuration formed thereon so as to reflect a different color when the embossed halftones are viewed at a specific angle whereby the embossed halftones create a printed copy of the color image.
- 23. A method of printing a color image comprising the steps of creating three distinctly configured color separated halftones of the image, creating a printing plate having a pattern of the three color separated halftones of the image thereon, applying a single ink with the printing plate in a printing process to printing stock to produce the pattern of the three color separated halftones of the image on the printing stock, embossing the ink with an embossing plate to produce a different diffraction grating on each color separated halftone of the image and curing the ink, the three color separated halftones of the image each reflecting a different color when the ink is viewed at a specific angle so as to create a printed copy of the color image.
Specification