EP0703090B1 - Schablonendruckvorrichtung - Google Patents

Schablonendruckvorrichtung Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0703090B1
EP0703090B1 EP19950306279 EP95306279A EP0703090B1 EP 0703090 B1 EP0703090 B1 EP 0703090B1 EP 19950306279 EP19950306279 EP 19950306279 EP 95306279 A EP95306279 A EP 95306279A EP 0703090 B1 EP0703090 B1 EP 0703090B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
drum
solvent
stencil sheet
stencil
printing apparatus
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19950306279
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0703090A1 (de
Inventor
Hideo C/O Riso Kagaku Corp. Watanabe
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Riso Kagaku Corp
Original Assignee
Riso Kagaku Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Riso Kagaku Corp filed Critical Riso Kagaku Corp
Publication of EP0703090A1 publication Critical patent/EP0703090A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0703090B1 publication Critical patent/EP0703090B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41L—APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR MANIFOLDING, DUPLICATING OR PRINTING FOR OFFICE OR OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSES; ADDRESSING MACHINES OR LIKE SERIES-PRINTING MACHINES
    • B41L13/00—Stencilling apparatus for office or other commercial use
    • B41L13/04—Stencilling apparatus for office or other commercial use with curved or rotary stencil carriers
    • B41L13/06—Stencilling apparatus for office or other commercial use with curved or rotary stencil carriers with a single cylinder carrying the stencil

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a stencil printing apparatus.
  • a known stencil printing apparatus uses heat sensitive stencil sheet comprising a thermoplastic resin film layer laminated on a porous substrate.
  • a heating means such as a thermal head having a plurality of dot-like heat generating bodies has been used for example.
  • the heat generating bodies of the thermal head and the stencil sheet are moved while being in contact relative to each other and character image information is given in the form of electric signals to the thermal head in synchronization with the movement.
  • the heat generating body of the thermal head generates heat selectively to melt and puncture the stencil sheet and form punctured images corresponding to the character image information onto the stencil sheet.
  • the stencil sheet When the stencil sheet has been made-up, this is wound around a drum of a stencil printing apparatus having ink supplying devices disposed to the inside of the drum.
  • the drum is rotated and, at the same time, ink is supplied to the inner circumferential surface of the drum, and, further, printing paper is fed between a roller disposed out of the drum and the drum.
  • the ink transfers passing through an ink passing portion of the drum and the punctured portion of the stencil sheet to the printing paper, by which images corresponding to the punctured image of the stencil sheet are printed on the printing paper.
  • the plate stencil printing method or apparatus as explained above has already be proposed as a digital printing machine and has been popularized as a stencil printing apparatus at a low running cost.
  • Embodiments of the present invention overcome the foregoing problems in the prior art and provide stencil printing stencil printing apparatus with no loss of stencil sheet and capable of obtaining clear printed matters.
  • the stencil printing apparatus defined in the first aspect of the present invention comprises a drum which is driven rotationally around a central axis of itself with a stencil sheet having a solvent-soluble resin layer wrapped around an outer circumferential surface of itself, an ink supplying means disposed to the inside of the drum for supplying an ink to an inner circumferential surface of the drum, and a solvent supplying means for selectively supplying a solvent which dissolves the solvent-soluble resin layer of the stencil sheet in a contactless manner to the stencil sheet attached to the drum thereby making up the stencil sheet.
  • the stencil printing apparatus as defined in the second aspect of the present invention comprises a stencil sheet holding means for holding the top end of the stencil sheet to the outer circumferential surface of the drum and applying a predetermined tension to the stencil sheet attached to the drum along with the rotation of the drum.
  • the stencil printing apparatus defined in the third aspect of the present invention comprises a driving control means for driving the solvent supplying means such that the solvent is selectively applied in accordance with image signals in synchronization with the rotation of the drum, to the solvent-soluble resin layer of the stencil sheet attached to the drum.
  • a stencil printing apparatus defined in the fourth aspect of the present invention comprises a document reading means for reading images of a document to generate image signals and giving the image signals to the driving control means in the stencil printing apparatus defined in the third aspect.
  • the stencil sheet in the present invention comprises a solvent-soluble resin layer formed to a porous substrate.
  • the top end of the stencil sheet is held to a stencil sheet holding means of the drum.
  • the drum is rotated and the stencil sheet is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the drum under a predetermined tension.
  • the driving control means drives the solvent supplying means being provided with the image signals from the document reading means.
  • the solvent supplying means selectively discharges the solvent in a contactless manner to the solvent-soluble resin layer of the stencil sheet attached to the drum.
  • the solvent supplied in a contactless manner from the solvent supplying means dissolves the solvent-soluble resin layer.
  • the dissolved ingredient penetrates and diffuses into the porous substrate to form a punctured portion to complete preparation.
  • the stencil printing apparatus of this embodiment is adapted to attach stencil sheet having a solvent-soluble resin layer to an outer circumferential surface of rotationally driven drum, selectively discharge a solvent dissolving the solvent-soluble resin layer by a solvent supplying means in a contactless manner to stencil sheet and can perforate the stencil sheet. Then, the perforated stencil sheet can be applied to printing paper by using perforated stencil sheet. Explanation is at first made to stencil sheet having the solvent-soluble resin layer and the solvent for dissolving the solvent-soluble resin layer and then a making up mechanism using them is explained.
  • Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of stencil sheet 20 used in one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the stencil sheet 20 is formed with a solvent-soluble resin 21 on one surface of a porous substrate 22.
  • the stencil sheet 20 of the above-mentioned structure can be manufactured, for example, by the following exemplary methods (1)- (4).
  • porous substrate 22 used in this embodiment there can be mentioned natural fibers such as Manila hemp, pulp, mitsumata, paper mulberry, Japanese paper, synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, vinylon and acetate, nonwoven fabric, metal fibers, tissue paper using glass fibers, etc. alone or in admixture, non-woven fabric and screen silk gauze.
  • natural fibers such as Manila hemp, pulp, mitsumata, paper mulberry, Japanese paper
  • synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, vinylon and acetate
  • nonwoven fabric such as nonwoven fabric, metal fibers, tissue paper using glass fibers, etc. alone or in admixture, non-woven fabric and screen silk gauze.
  • the unit weight of the porous substrate is preferably within a range from 1 to 20 g/m 2 , more preferably within range from 5 to 15 g/m 2 . If it is less than 1 g/m 2 , strength as the stencil sheet is deteriorated. If it exceeds 20 g/m 2 , ink passage upon printing may be deteriorated.
  • the thickness of the porous substrate is Preferably within a range from 5 to 100 ⁇ m and, more preferably, within a range 10 to 50 ⁇ m. If it is less than 5 ⁇ m, the strength as the stencil sheet is also deteriorated. If it exceeds 100 ⁇ m, the ink passage upon printing may be worsened.
  • the solvent-soluble resin layer 21 used in this embodiment contains a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin soluble for water or a solvent such as an organic solvent as a main ingredient.
  • a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin soluble for water or a solvent such as an organic solvent as a main ingredient.
  • the resin ingredient soluble for water or the organic solvent there can be used, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, isobutylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinyl acetate, acrylic resin, polyacrylonitrile, polyamide, polyimide, petroleum resin, phenol resin, amino resin, epoxy resin, polyester, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polysulfone, silicone resin, alkyd resin and melamine resin.
  • the resin ingredient may be used alone or in admixture or as a copolymer.
  • the water soluble resin ingredient there can be used a resin soluble to water or water immiscible organic solvent, for example, polyvinyl alcohol, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene - polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, polyethylene oxide, polyvinyl ether, polyvinyl acetal, polyacrylamide, starch, dextrine, alginic acid, ascorbic acid or water soluble urethane.
  • the resin may be used alone or in admixture, or may be used as a copolymer.
  • the solvent-soluble resin layer 21 may contain, in addition to the resin ingredient, dye, pigment, filler, binder, curing agent and the like.
  • the thickness of the solvent-soluble resin layer is desirably within a range from 0.1 to 100 ⁇ m, preferably, within a range from 0.5 to 50 ⁇ m. If the thickness is less than 0.1 ⁇ m, the strength of the resin layer is insufficient. If it exceeds 100 ⁇ m, it requires a great amount of solvent or water for dissolving the resin layer possibly bringing about insufficient dissolution.
  • the solvent for dissolving the solvent-soluble resin layer 21 of the stencil sheet 20 there can be mentioned, for example, aliphatic hydrocarbon type, aromatic hydrocarbon type, alcohol, ketone type, ester type, ether type, aldehyde type, carbonic acid type, amine type, low molecular heterocyclic compound, oxide type and water.
  • the solvent contains a colorant such as a dye or pigment for forming images on the printing paper. Further, the solvent may optionally be incorporated with filler, binder, curing agent, corrosion inhibitor, wetting agent, surfactant and Ph controller.
  • the solvent is discharged in the form of droplets by a solvent supplying means.
  • a solvent supplying means there can be used a nozzle having 10 to 2,000 (10 to 2,000 dpi) apertures per one inch, slit, injector, porous member, porous film connected to piezoelectric device, heat generating device, electric field device or liquid feeding pump.
  • the solvent can be discharged intermittently or continuously in accordance with character image signals.
  • Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of making-up the stencil sheet 10 in this embodiment.
  • a solvent 24 discharged selectively in a contactless manner in accordance with image signals from the solvent supplying means is supplied on a solvent-soluble resin layer 21 of stencil sheet 20.
  • the supplied solvent 24 dissolves and punctures the solvent-soluble resin layer 21 and a solution 26 is Penetrated and diffused into the porous substrate 22 and a punctured portion 25 is formed to the solvent-soluble resin layer 21 at a portion in contact with the solvent 24 to perforate the stencil sheet 20.
  • the stencil printing apparatus 10 has a perforating function for Perforating the stencil sheet 20 by dissolving the solvent-soluble resin layer 2 thereof with a solvent and a function of conducting stencil printing by using the made-up stencil sheet 20.
  • the stencil printing apparatus 10 has a cylindrical drum 41 as a stencil printing apparatus.
  • the drum 41 is rotatable around a central axis of its own, and rotationally driven by a motor as a driving means not illustrated in a counterclockwise direction in the drawing.
  • a portion of a circumferential wall of the drum 41 is an ink permeable region.
  • An ink supplying means is disposed in the drum 41.
  • the ink supplying means supplies an ink 42 to the inner surface of the circumferential wall of the drum 41.
  • the ink 42 supplied to the inner surface of the circumferential wall of the drum 41 is squeezed from the ink Permeable region of the circumferential wall to the outside by a squeezing roller 43 disposed in the drum 41.
  • the squeezed out ink 42 is externally squeezed by way of punctured images of the stencil sheet 20 wound around the drum 40 and deposited to the supplied printing paper 11 to form images.
  • an ink used generally for mimeograph for example, oily ink, aqueous ink, water-in-oil droplet (W/O)type emulsion ink, oil-in-water (O/W)type emulsion ink can be utilized.
  • a clamp plate 40 as a stencil sheet holding means is disposed to the outside of the circumferential wall of the drum 41.
  • a shaft 40a is disposed in parallel with one of generators of the drum 41 at a portion other than the ink permeable region of the circumferential wall of the drum 41.
  • the clamp plate 40 is rotatable around the shaft 40a as the center. As shown in Fig. 1, when the clamp plate 40 reaches the topmost position of the drum 41, the clamp plate 40 holds the top end of the stencil sheet 20 supplied to the drum 41 by sandwiching it relative to the outer surface of the drum 41.
  • the stencil sheet 20 rolled cylindrically is disposed to the upper right of the drum 41.
  • the stencil sheet 20 is supplied by a conveyor roller 93 to the topmost portion of the drum 41.
  • the stencil sheet 20 is supplied to the drum 41 and the top end of the supplied stencil sheet 20 is held by the clamp plate 40.
  • the drum 41 rotates in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 1 and when the conveyor roller 90 continuously delivers the stencil sheet 20 at an appropriate conveying speed, the stencil sheet 20 is wound around to the outer circumferential surface of the drum 41 under a predetermined tension.
  • a plate discharge portion 6 is disposed to the upper left of the drum 41 for discarding the stencil sheet 20.
  • the plate discharge portion 6 has a function of stripping off the used stencil sheet 20 from the drum 41, introducing it into a containing box and compressing it.
  • a paper feed tray 7 is disposed to the lower left of the drum 41 for supplying the printing paper 11.
  • a plurality of printing paper 11 stacked on the paper feed tray 7 are sent orderly from upper one by a pick-up roller 7a to the drum 41.
  • a press roller 5 is disposed below the drum 41 with a predetermined spacing from the drum 41.
  • the press roller 5 in this embodiment is vertically movable and moves vertically in synchronization with the rotation of the drum 41 and the conveyance of the printing paper 11 by the conveyor roller 91. That is, when the printing paper 11 is supplied between the drum 41 and the press roller 5 in synchronization with the rotation of the drum 41, the press roller 5 raises to sandwich the printing paper 11 relative to the drum 41 and conveys the printing paper 11 rightwardly in the drawing.
  • the printing paper 11 is subjected to stencil printing.
  • a conveyor roller 92 as a conveying means for conveying the printed printing paper 12 rightwardly in the drawing and a paper discharge tray 8 for receiving the printing paper 12 conveyed to the conveyor roller 92 and containing by successively stacking them.
  • an image sensor 1 as a document reading means is disposed substantially above the drum 41.
  • the image sensor 1 reads image of a document and outputs the image information as electric signals.
  • the images referred to herein should be considered in a most broad meaning containing not only pictures, photographs, graphics and patterns but also characters and they include all objects that can be recognized visually irrespective of colors.
  • a solvent supplying means 23 is disposed to the light of the drum 41.
  • the solvent supplying means 23 selectively supplies a solvent for dissolving the solvent-soluble resin layer of the stencil sheet 20 in a contactless manner to the stencil sheet 20 attached to the drum 41 to perforate the stencil sheet 20.
  • a driving control means 32 is disposed to the right of the solvent supplying means 23.
  • the driving control means 32 of this embodiment drives the solvent supplying means 23 in synchronization with the rotation of the drum 41 in accordance with image signals outputted from the image sensor 1.
  • the solvent supplying means 23 driven by the driving control means 32 discharges the solvent 24 selectively to the solvent-soluble resin layer 21 of the stencil sheet 20 attached to the rotating drum 41 and forms punctured images corresponding to the document image to the stencil sheet 20 to conduct make-up.
  • the driving control means 32 of this embodiment may have a function of controlling the operation other than perforating the stencil sheet 20, for example, an operation of winding the stencil sheet 20 around the drum 41, printing operation after perforation and, further, plate discharging operation after printing.
  • the driving control means 32 of this embodiment can drive the solvent supplying means 23 by the image signals from the image sensor 1 and it can also drive the solvent supplying means 23 by image signals supplied from the outside of this stencil printing apparatus 10.
  • the document may be read by an image processing device disposed to the outside of the stencil printing apparatus 10 and the image information obtained therefrom may be supplied to the driving control means 32 of this stencil printing apparatus 10 to conduct perforation by the solvent supplying means 23.
  • Each of the constituent portions of the stencil printing apparatus 10 described above is assembled to a not illustrated substrate and the entire portion is substantially covered with a casing 10a.
  • the paper feed tray 7 and the paper discharge tray 8 can easily be attached and detached to the casing 10a manually by an operator. Accordingly, the size of the printing paper 11 can optionally be selected as required.
  • the stencil sheet 20 is delivered by the conveyor roller 93.
  • the top end of the stencil sheet 20 is held by the clamp plate 2, and the stencil sheet 20 is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the drum 41 while undergoing tension along with the rotation of the drum. Accordingly, the stencil sheet 20 can be wound around the drum 41 with no creasing.
  • the driving control means 32 drives the solvent supplying means 23 in accordance with the image signals sent to the driving control means 32 and in synchronization with the rotation of the drum 41.
  • the solvent 24 is discharged from the solvent supplying means 23 in a contactless manner to a portion of the stencil sheet 20 to be dissolved.
  • the stencil sheet 20 having the solvent-soluble resin layer 21 formed on the porous substrate 22 is prepared.
  • the printing paper 11 on the paper feed tray 7 is conveyed by the conveyor roller 91, put between the press roller 5 and the drum 41 and kept in close contact with the stencil sheet 20.
  • the ink 42 passing through the punctured portion of the perforated stencil sheet 20 transfers to the printing paper 11 to conduct stencil printing.
  • the printed paper 12 is conveyed by the conveyor roller 92 to the paper discharge tray 28 and then stocked.
  • Arrow B in Fig. 1 shows the route of printed paper 11, 12.
  • the stencil printing apparatus utilizes stencil sheet having a solvent-soluble resin layer and conducts perforation by the solvent from the discharging means in a contactless manner after winding the stencil sheet to the drum , no creasing occurs to the stencil sheet. Further, upon attaching to the drum, even if the stencil sheet runs obliquely and is attached obliquely or even if creasing should occur, since make-up can be applied in a contactless manner to the stencil sheet, the stencil sheet is not wasted. Further, no molten matters remain punctured portion of the stencil sheet, passage of the ink is not hindered and clear printed matters can be obtained.

Landscapes

  • Manufacture Or Reproduction Of Printing Formes (AREA)
  • Printing Plates And Materials Therefor (AREA)

Claims (4)

  1. Schablonendruckvorrichtung, aufweisend:
    Eine Trommel, die um ihre Mittenachse drehangetrieben ist, wobei ein Schablonenbogen mit einer lösungsmittellöslichen Harzschicht um ihre Außenumfangsfläche gewickelt ist,
    eine Tintenzufuhreinrichtung, die auf der Innenseite der Trommel angeordnet ist und Tinte einer Innenumfangsfläche der Trommel zuführt, und
    eine Lösungsmittelzufuhreinrichtung zum selektiven Zuführen eines Lösungsmittels, welches eine lösungsmittellösliche Harzschicht des Schablonenbogens in kontaktfreier Weise auflöst, zu dem Schablonenbogen, der an der Trommel angebracht ist, um dadurch einen Schablonenbogen zuzubereiten.
  2. Schablonendruckvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, aufweisend eine Schablonenbogenhalteeinrichtung zum Halten des oberen bzw. vorderen Endes des Schablonenbogens an der Außenumfangsfläche der Trommel und zum Anlegen einer vorbestimmten Spannung an den Schablonenbogen, der an der Trommel angebracht ist, zusammen mit der Drehung der Trommel.
  3. Schablonendruckvorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, aufweisend eine Antriebssteuereinrichtung zum Antreiben der Lösungsmittelzufuhreinrichtung derart, daß ein Lösungsmittel in Übereinstimmung mit Bildsignalen selektiv synchron zur Drehung der Trommel auf die lösungsmittellösliche Harzschicht des Schablonenbogens aufgetragen wird, der an der Trommel angebracht ist.
  4. Schablonendruckvorrichtung nach Anspruch 3, aufweisend eine Vorlagenleseeinrichtung zum Lesen von Bildern einer Vorlage zur Erzeugung von Bildsignalen und zum Versehen der Antriebssteuereinrichtung mit den Bildsignalen.
EP19950306279 1994-09-09 1995-09-07 Schablonendruckvorrichtung Expired - Lifetime EP0703090B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP21603294A JPH0872215A (ja) 1994-09-09 1994-09-09 製版印刷装置
JP216032/94 1994-09-09

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0703090A1 EP0703090A1 (de) 1996-03-27
EP0703090B1 true EP0703090B1 (de) 1998-07-08

Family

ID=16682229

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19950306279 Expired - Lifetime EP0703090B1 (de) 1994-09-09 1995-09-07 Schablonendruckvorrichtung

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0703090B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH0872215A (de)
DE (1) DE69503329T2 (de)

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB707160A (en) * 1950-07-28 1954-04-14 Dick Co Ab Improvements in or relating to method for manufacturing stencils
JPS59143679A (ja) * 1983-02-07 1984-08-17 Riso Kagaku Corp 孔版式製版印刷装置
GB8720018D0 (en) * 1987-08-25 1987-09-30 Bicc Plc Screen printing
JP2828473B2 (ja) * 1989-12-04 1998-11-25 理想科学工業株式会社 製版印刷装置
JP3377562B2 (ja) * 1993-08-04 2003-02-17 理想科学工業株式会社 孔版印刷用原紙の製版方法
JP3466237B2 (ja) * 1993-09-09 2003-11-10 理想科学工業株式会社 溶剤穿孔性孔版印刷用原紙の製造法
JPH07237367A (ja) * 1994-02-28 1995-09-12 Riso Kagaku Corp 孔版印刷用原紙および製版方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69503329T2 (de) 1999-02-11
EP0703090A1 (de) 1996-03-27
JPH0872215A (ja) 1996-03-19
DE69503329D1 (de) 1998-08-13

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5662039A (en) Recording apparatus for selectively supplying a solvent to perforate a stencil sheet
EP0771647B1 (de) Schablonendruckvorrichtung
JP3466237B2 (ja) 溶剤穿孔性孔版印刷用原紙の製造法
EP0635362A1 (de) Druckplatte und Verfahren zu ihrer Herstellung
US5713278A (en) Plate-making method and apparatus for stencil sheet
KR100197322B1 (ko) 공판 인쇄 시트의 제조방법
AU675856B2 (en) Platemaking process for stencil printing sheet
EP0703090B1 (de) Schablonendruckvorrichtung
AU675579B2 (en) Stencil printing sheet and process for perforating the same
US7536950B2 (en) Stencil printing system with print pressure controlling means
JPH0872383A (ja) 孔版印刷装置及び該装置に用いられる孔版印刷用原紙
JP3356237B2 (ja) 孔版印刷装置
AU680710B2 (en) Stencil printing sheet and process for stencil-making the same
JPH0611831Y2 (ja) 製版印刷装置
JPH0781265A (ja) 孔版印刷用原紙およびその製造法
JPH06312569A (ja) 孔版印刷装置
JPH0858055A (ja) 孔版印刷用原紙の製版方法

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19960702

GRAG Despatch of communication of intention to grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19971015

GRAG Despatch of communication of intention to grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69503329

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19980813

ET Fr: translation filed
PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: IF02

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 20030904

Year of fee payment: 9

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 20030910

Year of fee payment: 9

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20040907

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20041130

Year of fee payment: 10

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20040907

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20050531

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060401