Integrated doctor blade and back-up blade

摘要

A wiping blade, especially useful as a doctor blade (10) for gravure printing and made from a single piece of unitary material, e.g., metal, is provided. The doctor blade has a top surface and a planar bottom surface spaced from the top surface. Front and rear longitudinal edges are spaced from and parallel to each other. The blade has a backup portion (14) which has a first thickness (T1) and extends a first distance from the rear edge toward the front edge. The blade also has a doctor blade portion (16) that extends a second distance from the backup portion toward the front edge (B) and has a second thickness (T2) less than the first thickness. Furthermore, the doctor blade can include a blade tip portion (18) that extends a third distance (a) from the doctor blade portion to the front longitudinal edge and which has a third thickness (T3) less than the second thickness. The blade tip portion may also have an angled tip end at the front longitudinal edge angled upward from the planar bottom surface. A method of manufacturing the doctor blade is also provided. <IMAGE>