JP2000112143A - Printing plate processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing plate processing device which is capable of wringing the processing liquid on a printing plate to a minimum required amount with a simple constitution and decreasing the carry-over of the processing liquid to a rear stage to the absorlute minimum without the generation of deposits in transporting rollers of the rear stage. SOLUTION: The printing plate P is transported in a developing tank 5 by the transporting rollers 6 and guide rollers 7 and is subjected to immersion processing by a development processing liquid. The printing plate P emerging from the developing tank 5 is transported to a washing processing section 3 of the rear stage in the state of wringing the development processing liquid from the plate surface substituted by wringer rollers 8a, 8b. Since plural circumferential grooves are uniformly formed on the peripheral surface of the wringer roller 8b, part of the development processing liquid remains in a uniform state on the printing plate. If, therefore, the development processing liquid is little, the generated deposits are maintained in the dissolved state in the developer and, therefore, the contamination of the inlet side transporting rollers of the rinsing processing section with the deposits is averted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing plate processing apparatus for processing a printing plate on which an image is formed with a processing liquid, and more particularly to removing a preceding processing liquid on a printing plate before supplying a latter processing liquid. The present invention relates to a printing plate processing apparatus having a pair of squeezing rollers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional printing plate processing apparatus, a plurality of processing units for supplying different processing liquids to a printing plate are provided in parallel, and printing plates to be processed are sequentially conveyed to each processing unit for processing. For example, in a general printing plate processing apparatus, a printing plate is immersed and conveyed in a developing tank for storing a developing solution, and a washing plate and a rinsing liquid are sequentially applied to the printing plate exiting the developing tank by shower coating. Post-processing is performed. Each processing solution is circulated and used in each processing section.

When the printing plate is continuously conveyed across the respective processing units, the processing liquid of the preceding stage remaining on the printing plate is taken out to the subsequent processing unit. For example, when the developing solution remaining on the printing plate is taken out to the rinsing section, the developing solution is mixed into the rinsing solution, so that the replacement frequency of the rinsing solution and the replenishment amount of the new rinsing solution increase. For this reason, in the conventional printing plate processing apparatus, a pair of squeezing rollers including a pair of opposed rollers urged against the printing plate in order to remove the processing liquid at the previous stage from the printing plate surface is provided between the respective processing units. Was.

[0004]

In recent years, unlike the conventional ultraviolet exposure, a printing plate called a thermal plate for performing exposure by a laser beam having an infrared wavelength has appeared. When such a thermal type printing plate is processed by the above-described printing plate processing apparatus, when the developing solution on the printing plate is squeezed by the above-described pair of squeezing rollers, it is present in the developing solution. There is a problem that the deposited precipitate precipitates and the conveying roller on the inlet side of the washing section becomes dirty. This is because the precipitate is dissolved in the developing solution, but precipitates more when the developing solution decreases.

[0005] If the developing solution on the printing plate is not squeezed at all, the precipitate is dissolved in the remaining developing solution on the printing plate, and few of them actually crystallize. However, if the developing solution on the printing plate is not squeezed, there is a problem that contamination in the subsequent washing section increases, and as described above, the replacement frequency and the replenishment amount of the washing solution increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a processing liquid on a printing plate can be squeezed to a necessary minimum amount with a simple structure. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing plate processing apparatus which does not cause the generation of the processing liquid and can minimize the amount of the processing liquid taken out to the subsequent stage.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a printing plate is sequentially formed from a developing section having a developing tank for storing a developing solution to a post-processing section disposed at a subsequent stage of the developing section. In a printing plate processing apparatus for carrying and processing, at least an image surface side of a pair of squeezing rollers provided at an outlet side of the developing tank and for removing a developing solution present on a printing plate before entering the post-processing unit. Was a grooved roller having a plurality of orbital grooves on its peripheral surface. Further, in the printing plate processing apparatus according to the second aspect, the printing plate is a printing plate of a type in which an image is formed by infrared rays.

In the printing plate processing apparatus according to the first and second aspects, at least the roller on the image surface side of the pair of squeezing rollers for removing the developing solution is a grooved roller. It is squeezed in a state where it remains as appropriate according to the existence of the groove. Since the precipitate can be maintained in a dissolved state by the remaining developing solution, it is possible to prevent the transfer roller and the like on the entrance side of the post-processing section from being stained by the precipitate. In particular, the effect is great in a thermal type printing plate which forms an image by infrared rays.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part showing a printing plate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a printing plate processing apparatus includes an insertion tray unit 1 for inserting a printing plate P into a subsequent developing processing unit, a developing processing unit 2 for performing a developing process on the printing plate P, and a washing process for the printing plate P after the developing process. Rinse processing unit 3 for performing processing, and rinsing processing unit 4 for performing rinsing processing
The description of other components such as a processing liquid circulation mechanism and a replenishment mechanism is omitted. In the present embodiment, the image plane side of the printing plate P is the upper side in FIG.

The developing section 2 includes a developing tank 5 for storing a temperature-controlled developing solution, and a plurality of conveying rollers 6 driven by driving means (not shown) to convey the printing plate P into the developing tank 5. A guide roller 7 for guiding the printing plate P; and squeezing rollers 8a and 8 for removing the developing solution from the printing plate P when the printing plate P is discharged from the developing tank 5.
b. The details of the aperture rollers 8a and 8b will be described later. In the printing plate processing apparatus, the printing plate P is immersed in the developing solution in the developing tank 5 to perform the developing process.

The rinsing section 3 includes two pairs of opposed rollers 9 for transporting the printing plate P, and a rinsing liquid discharge nozzle 10 and a similar rinsing liquid discharge nozzle disposed between the opposed rollers 9. A guide roller 11 provided with a plurality of roller members rotatable around the shaft, and a washing tank 12 for receiving a washing treatment liquid discharged from the nozzle. In this printing plate processing apparatus, the printing plate P is conveyed between the pair of opposed rollers 9, and the washing processing liquid is showered onto the printing plate surface from a washing processing liquid discharge nozzle 10 and a similar nozzle provided in the guide roller 11. The processing is performed after being discharged. The dropped washing liquid is received by the washing tank 12, and is discharged from the nozzle again by a circulating means (not shown).

The rinsing section 4 includes an opposing roller pair 13 similar to the opposing roller pair 9 of the rinsing section 3, and an outlet side of the opposing roller pair 9 and the opposing roller pair 13 in the rinsing section 3.
And a rinsing tank 16 for receiving the rinsing liquid discharged from the rinsing liquid discharge nozzle 14. The rinsing unit 4 also discharges the rinsing liquid from the rinsing liquid discharge nozzle 14 to both surfaces of the printing plate P in a shower while the printing plate P is being conveyed between the pair of opposed rollers 9 and 13. Is performed. Then, the dropped rinsing liquid is received by the rinsing tank 16 and is discharged again from the rinsing liquid discharge nozzle 14 by circulating means (not shown).

The term "washing solution" as used herein refers to a simple washing water containing no chemicals, a stopping solution for stopping the developing process, and the like. Also, the rinsing liquid may be washing water containing no chemicals.

Next, the squeezing rollers 8a and 8b will be described. In this embodiment, the lower squeezing roller 8a in contact with the non-image surface side of the printing plate P has the same configuration as a conventional squeezing roller, and is formed of, for example, a roller having a smooth surface. And an upper squeezing roller 8b which contacts the image surface side of the printing plate P.
Is a grooved roller having a plurality of circumferential grooves formed on its peripheral surface.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the aperture roller 8b. A plurality of circumferential grooves 17 are formed on the peripheral surface of the aperture roller 8b. As the orbiting groove 17, a plurality of grooves forming a closed loop closed individually may be formed along the outer peripheral surface, or one continuous spiral groove may be formed. In the present specification, even if the spiral groove is continuous as described above, it is equivalent to a plurality of grooves when viewed from the contact portion with the printing plate P. It is called a circumferential groove.

In both cases of the closed loop type spiral groove and the spiral spiral groove, it is desirable that the groove size and the formation pitch are uniform. As the material of both rollers, an appropriate material such as plastic or rubber can be used. The two squeezing rollers 8a and 8b are opposed to each other with a predetermined pressing force by means (not shown), and are configured to squeeze the developing solution from the printing plate passing between the two rollers.

However, since the upper squeeze roller 8b is provided with the orbital groove 17, the processing liquid is not completely squeezed and a small amount of liquid remains. As a result, the precipitate generated when the developing solution is squeezed is maintained in a state of being dissolved in the remaining developing solution, so that the opposed roller pair 9 on the inlet side of the washing section 3 is contaminated with the precipitate. There is no. Thus, the groove of the squeezing roller 8b is set so that the developing solution remains in such an amount that no precipitation occurs. Excess liquid other than that necessary for suppressing the precipitation is squeezed and removed, so that contamination of the washing section can be minimized. The circumferential groove 1 formed on the squeezing roller 8b
Since the setting of the size and pitch of 7 differs depending on the type of the printing plate P and the processing liquid, it is preferable to obtain the setting experimentally.

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, the squeezing roller 8b on the image surface side of the printing plate P is a grooved roller, but the non-image surface squeezing roller 8a is also a grooved roller. Good. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the squeezing roller 8b is a grooved roller having the circumferential groove 17 on the peripheral surface. However, the roller may be replaced with a roller having irregularities on the peripheral surface. However, a roller having such irregularities is difficult to squeeze while leaving the developing solution in a uniform state on the printing plate, and it is difficult to process the roller,
It is preferable to use a grooved roller that can be easily processed.

[0019]

According to the printing plate processing apparatus of the present invention, the developing solution on the printing plate can be squeezed in a state where an appropriate amount of the developing solution remains, and the generation of precipitates on the printing plate can be suppressed. it can. Therefore, the deposit does not adhere to the opposing roller on the entrance side of the post-processing section. In addition, since the amount of the processing solution taken out to the post-processing unit can be minimized, contamination by the developing solution in the post-processing unit can be reduced. In particular, since the groove is formed in the squeezing roller, the processing of the roller is easy, and the amount of the remaining developing solution can be easily adjusted by changing the pitch and size of the groove.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a printing plate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an aperture roller according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Developing section 3 Rinse section (Post-processing section) 4 Rinse section (Post-processing section) 5 Developing tank 8a Squeeze roller 8b Squeeze roller (Roller roller)

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masaharu Kimura 4-chome Tenjin, Horikawa-dori Teranouchi, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 1 Nippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H096 AA06 EA04 GA17 GA21 GA60 HA30 2H097 CA17 LA03

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printing plate processing apparatus for sequentially transporting and processing a printing plate from a developing section having a developing tank for storing a developing solution to a post-processing section disposed downstream of the developing section. A pair of squeezing rollers, which are provided at the outlet side of the developing tank and remove at least the developing solution present on the printing plate before entering the post-processing section, are arranged at least on the image surface side. A printing plate processing apparatus comprising a grooved roller having grooves. 2. The printing plate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing plate is a printing plate of a type that forms an image by infrared rays.