JP2002001896A - Plate making apparatus and plate making and printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the point at issue such that control is not performed with respect to the irregularity of a glaze layer largely contributing to the heat efficiency (heat accumulation) in a thermal head, that is, the perforation energy supplied to the individual heating elements of the thermal head corresponding to the thickness of the glaze layer is not adjusted and, therefore, the density of a printing image or various qualities such as set off or the like become easy to differ at every plate making and printing apparatus. SOLUTION: In a plate making apparatus 35 for thermally applying plate making to a master 12 using the thermal head 30 equipped with a plurality of heating elements 7 arranged in a main scanning direction and the glaze layer 3, an energy adjusting means 28 for adjusting the perforation energy supplied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 30 to predetermined energy corresponding to the thickness of the glaze layer 3 of the thermal head is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stencil making apparatus for thermally making a stencil on a heat-sensitive stencil master (hereinafter referred to as "master") using a thermal head, and a stencil printing machine provided with the stencil making apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction and a thermal head having a glaze layer are brought into contact with a master having a thermoplastic resin film, and individual heating elements of the thermal head are contacted in accordance with an image signal. Plate making apparatuses that form a perforation pattern in accordance with the above-described image signal by heat-generating a positionally selective perforation of a thermoplastic resin film are already known, and various apparatuses have been proposed. Equipped with such a plate-making device, the plate-making master obtained by the plate-making device is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the print drum, ink is supplied from the inner peripheral side of the print drum, and oozes through the perforation pattern. A stencil printing machine including a stencil printing machine for obtaining a desired printed matter by forming an ink image corresponding to the image signal on a printing paper with the used ink is already known.

In a digital copying machine, in particular, a master as a medium is perforated by using a thermal head as described above. The perforated state is faithful to a document image. A stand-alone one is desirable from the viewpoint of forming a perforated image or a printed image to secure an appropriate printed image density and preventing the occurrence of a set-off defect peculiar to the stencil printing method.

For this reason, in recent years, the applicant of the present application has disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 8-132584 and 8-142299 for improving the size of a heating element and reducing the heat storage effect in a glaze layer portion of a thermal head. By making a proposal to reduce the thickness of the layer (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “glaze layer thickness”) (60 μm or less), the glaze layer thickness has been reduced.

Here, the heat generation effect of the thermal head and the degree of influence of the variation in the glaze layer thickness on the heat storage effect will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
Shows a schematic sectional structure of the thermal head.
The so-called thin-film type thermal head is often used in digital copying and printing machines and the like, and the general structure of the thermal head will first be described as a representative example.

As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B of JP-A-8-132584, for example, the glaze layer of the thermal head is roughly divided into glaze structures. There are two types, a full glaze type in which a glaze layer is entirely formed on the upper surface of the substrate, and a partial glaze type in which a glaze layer is partially formed below the heating element on the upper surface of the ceramic substrate. Here, as a representative example, FIG.
The cross-sectional structure of the entire glaze type shown in FIG. FIG.
In the cross-sectional structure of the thermal head 10 shown in FIG. 1, an aluminum radiator plate 1 is formed at the bottom, and a ceramic substrate 2 is provided above the aluminum radiator plate 1, and a glaze layer greatly related to the present invention is provided above the ceramic substrate 2. 3, a resistor layer 6, an aluminum lead electrode 4, and a protective film layer 5 are laminated in this order. The portion of the resistor layer 6 surrounded by the left and right aluminum lead electrodes 4 in FIG. 13 indicates a heating element 7 that actually generates heat. The glaze layer 3 is formed of an electric and heat insulating material such as glass, and is also called a heat insulating layer. As the shape of the heating element 7 of the thermal head 10, there are a rectangular shape and a heat concentration type as shown in FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b) of JP-A-8-132584, for example. The shape of the heating element of the thermal head according to the present invention includes a rectangular type and a heat concentration type.

A driver IC for driving the thermal head 10 is connected to one of the aluminum lead electrodes 4, and a power supply (+ Vhd: common electrode) used for actually generating heat is connected to the other aluminum lead electrode 4. Are connected, and when the above-described driver IC is turned on,
When a voltage is applied between both aluminum lead electrodes 4,
An electric current flows through the resistor layer 6 between the aluminum lead electrodes 4, that is, the heating element 7, and the heating element 7 generates heat by Joule heat.
A master (not shown) in contact with the heating element 7 via the protective film 5 is heated and melted and perforated, and a perforation pattern is formed on the master to perform plate making.

The heat used when the master is heated, melted and perforated is the heat in the upper direction in the cross-sectional structure of FIG. 13, and the heat only needs to be transmitted in the upper direction. Heat is also transmitted to the glaze layer 3 and the like. That is, the heat in the downward direction described above is transmitted to the glaze layer 3, the ceramic substrate 2, and the aluminum radiator plate 1,
In particular, when the thermal head 10 performs perforation and plate making (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “printing”), the state of heat storage in the glaze layer 3 has the most influence in the same plate.

In the graph of FIG. 12, the horizontal axis indicates the glaze layer thickness of the thermal head, and the vertical axis indicates the number of manufactured thermal heads. (Hereinafter, it may be simply referred to as “within the glaze layer thickness production lot”). The data of the glaze layer thickness may be obtained when manufacturing a glaze substrate (in FIG. 13, a state where the glaze layer 3 is present on the ceramic substrate 2).
When managing for each manufacturing lot (LOT), that is, the thickness data at the time of the glaze substrate inspection or the average value or the representative value of the manufacturing lot is used.

From the graph of FIG. 12, the glaze layer thickness has a substantially normal distribution with a large variation among manufacturing lots, whereas the glaze layer thickness has a relatively normal distribution with a relatively small variation within a manufacturing lot. You can see that. That is,
It can be seen that if the glaze substrates are of the same production lot, the variation in glaze layer thickness is fairly small.

As described above, the variation width of the glaze layer thickness has not changed in recent years (from the product specification of 60 μm or less, for example, preferably 20 to In the range of 60 μm, the control value within the range is ± 10 μm), and the degree of influence of the variation in the glaze layer thickness is increasing on the contrary. This degree of influence is particularly large when the thermal head is driven at a high speed in order to shorten the plate making time.
The relationship between the glaze layer thickness and the heat storage effect when the thermal head is driven at a high speed will be described in detail in an embodiment of the invention described later. Note that the fact data shown in the graph of FIG. 12 is borrowed for the sake of clarifying the problem in the conventional device, and does not mean that it is known as a conventional technology. Keep it.

[0012]

However, in the prior art as described above, a PCB (printed circuit board) provided in the thermal head 10 is used.
The temperature of the thermal head is detected by attaching a thermistor or the like to the printed circuit board) or the aluminum heat radiating plate 1 or the like, and the perforation energy applied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 10 is corrected based on the information. Although the adjustment was performed, the thermal response was poor at the detection at that location, and although it was possible to cope with the control over a long span, it was necessary to have a real slope such as the above-mentioned heat storage action in the glaze layer 3. On the other hand, timely control is difficult.

As described above, no control has been made on the variation of the glaze layer which greatly contributes to the thermal efficiency (heat storage) of the thermal head. In other words, each heat generation of the thermal head depends on the thickness of the glaze layer. Since the adjustment of the drilling energy supplied to the body has not been performed, various qualities such as print image density and set-off tend to be extremely different in each plate-making printing apparatus.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and performs plate making by adjusting perforation energy supplied to individual heating elements of a thermal head according to the thickness of a glaze layer. An object of the present invention is to provide a plate-making apparatus and a plate-making printing apparatus in which there is little variation in various qualities such as print image density and set-off in each plate-making printing apparatus including the apparatus.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above objects and objects, the invention according to claim 1 uses a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements and a glaze layer arranged in the main scanning direction. In a plate making apparatus for performing plate making thermally on a master, an energy for adjusting perforation energy supplied to each heating element of the thermal head to a predetermined energy according to a thickness of the glaze layer for each of the thermal heads. It is characterized by having adjusting means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the plate making apparatus of the first aspect, the thermal head itself has glaze layer thickness information recognizing means for recognizing information on the thickness of the glaze layer. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the plate making apparatus according to the second aspect, the glaze layer thickness information recognizing means outputs a glaze layer thickness data signal relating to the thickness of the glaze layer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the plate-making apparatus according to the third aspect, the energy adjusting means is configured to control each of the thermal heads based on the glaze layer thickness data signal from the glaze layer thickness information recognizing means. The drilling energy supplied to the heating element is adjusted to a predetermined energy.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the plate making apparatus of the second aspect, the glaze layer thickness information recognizing means is a glaze layer thickness data recording medium recording the glaze layer thickness data. And

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the plate-making apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the thickness data of the glaze layer is set (input) from the glaze layer thickness data recording medium to thereby obtain the thickness of the glaze layer. Glaze layer thickness data signal generation means for generating a glaze layer thickness data signal for the thermal head based on the glaze layer thickness data signal from the glaze layer thickness data setting means. The present invention is characterized in that perforation energy supplied to each heating element is adjusted to a predetermined energy.

The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claims 1 to 6
A plate cylinder for winding a master made by the plate making apparatus around the outer peripheral surface, and an ink supply means for supplying ink to the master on the plate cylinder. A plate making printing apparatus characterized in that a printing sheet is pressed against a master on a plate cylinder to perform printing on the printing sheet.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention including embodiments with reference to the drawings (hereinafter, simply referred to as "embodiments").
Will be described. Throughout the embodiments and the like, components and members having the same function, shape, and the like are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as much as possible. Components and members that are configured as a pair in the drawing and do not need to be specifically distinguished from each other are described in order to simplify the description.
By appropriately describing one of them, the description will be replaced.

First, with reference to FIG. 11, a description will be given of the entire configuration and operation of a plate making apparatus to which the present invention is applied and a digital thermosensitive plate making and printing apparatus equipped with the plate making apparatus. In FIG. 11, reference numeral 50 indicates an apparatus body frame. The portion indicated by reference numeral 80 at the top of the apparatus main body frame 50 constitutes a document reading apparatus,
A part indicated by 0 is a plate making apparatus to which the first embodiment to be described later is specifically applied, a part indicated by reference numeral 100 is a printing drum apparatus on which a printing drum 101 also called a porous plate cylinder is arranged, and a left part thereof is denoted by reference numeral 100. A portion indicated by 70 is a plate discharging device, a portion indicated by reference numeral 110 below the plate making device 200 is a sheet feeding device, a portion indicated by reference numeral 120 below the print drum 101 is a printing pressure device, and a reference numeral 130 is a lower left portion of the apparatus body frame 50.
The portions indicated by are each a paper discharge device. In the plate making printing apparatus, a digital thermal plate making type plate making apparatus 200 is mounted on an apparatus main body frame 50.

The operation of the plate-making printing apparatus will be described below. First, an original 60 having an image to be printed is placed on an original placing table (not shown) arranged above the original reading device 80, and a plate making start key (not shown) is pressed. With the press of the plate making start key, a plate discharging process is first executed. That is, in this state, the used master 12 used in the previous printing remains mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the printing drum 101 of the printing drum device 100.

The printing drum 101 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, and the rear end of the used master 12 on the outer peripheral surface of the printing drum 101 is moved to the plate discharging peeling roller pair 71 in the plate discharging device 70.
a, 71b, the pair of rollers 71a, 71b rotates and scoops up the rear end of the used master 12 with one of the plate discharging / separating rollers 71b.
a, 71b, a plate discharging roller pair 73a, 73 disposed to the left of
b is discharged into the plate discharge box 74 while being conveyed in the direction of arrow Y1 by the plate discharge conveyance belt pairs 72a, 72b stretched between the plate discharge separation roller pairs 71a, 71b. The plate is peeled off from the outer peripheral surface, and the plate discharging process is completed. At this time, the printing drum 101 continues to rotate in the counterclockwise direction. The used master 12 that has been peeled and discharged is thereafter compressed inside the plate discharge box 74 by the compression plate 75.

In parallel with the plate discharging process, the original reading device 80 reads the original. That is, the document 60 placed on the document table (not shown) is conveyed in the directions of arrows Y2 to Y3 by the rotation of the separation roller 81, the front document conveyance roller pairs 82a and 82b, and the rear document conveyance roller pairs 83a and 83b. While reading, it is subjected to exposure reading. At this time, if there are many originals 60, the separation blade 84
Only the lowermost document is conveyed. Manuscript 60
Is read by a mirror 87 which reflects reflected light from the surface of the document 60 illuminated by a fluorescent lamp 86 while being conveyed over a contact glass 85, passes through a lens 88, and passes through a CCD (photoelectric conversion element such as a charge-coupled device) ) Is performed by making the light incident on the image sensor 20 composed of The original 60 from which the image has been read is discharged onto the original tray 80A.

The optical information of the original 60 is photoelectrically converted by the image sensor 20, and the analog electric signal is input to an analog / digital (A / D) converter 21 and converted into a digital image signal. This digital image signal is subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 22, and the image signal thus subjected to image processing is input to the plate making control unit 300. The image signal input to the plate making control unit 300 is already known and is used as a signal for driving the thermal head by the thermal head driving signal generating means 27 shown in FIG. 1 and used as image data for punching and plate making (printing). 13, a latch signal for latching the image data, a clock signal for transferring the image data, and a voltage between the aluminum lead electrodes 4 on both sides shown in FIG. A strobe signal (energization signal) for controlling the application time is generated and transmitted to the thermal head drive circuit 24 shown in FIG.

At this time, in the plate making control section 300, a heat history control process or the like is performed by the heat history control means 26 which is already known and shown in FIG. As a technique related to the heat history control, for example, a technique disclosed in FIG. 8 of JP-A-8-132584 is used.

On the other hand, in parallel with this image reading operation,
A plate making and plate feeding process is performed based on digitalized image information (data signal of image data). That is, the master 12 is set at a predetermined portion of the plate making apparatus 200 so as to be able to be fed out, pulled out from a master roll 12A formed by being wound in a roll shape around a core tube 12a, and transferred to the thermal head 10 by the master 12A. The rotation of the platen roller 16 and the pair of tension rollers 17a and 17b pressing through the sub scanning direction F
It is transported downstream (which is also the master transport direction). A plurality of minute heating elements 7 arranged in a line in the main scanning direction orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction F of the thermal head 10 are sent from the plate making control unit 300 to the master 12 conveyed in this manner. Each of the masters 12 selectively generates heat in accordance with an incoming data signal and is in contact with the heat generating element 7.
Is heat-melted and perforated. As described above, the image information is written in the master 12 as a perforation pattern by the position-selective fusion perforation of the master 12 according to the image information.

The platen roller 16 is connected to the platen drive motor 11 via a rotation transmission member (not shown) such as a timing belt and gears, and is rotated by the platen drive motor 11. Platen drive motor 11
Consists of, for example, a stepping motor. The rotational driving force of the platen driving motor 11 is transmitted to a pair of tension rollers 17a and 17b via a rotation transmitting member (not shown) such as a gear.
Further, the power is transmitted to a pair of upper and lower reversing rollers 18a and 18b via an electromagnetic clutch (not shown).

The leading end of the stencil master 12 on which the image information is written is sent out toward the outer peripheral side of the printing drum 101 by the pair of reversing rollers 18a and 18b while being guided on the guide plate 19A. The direction of travel is changed downward by 19B, and the print drum 101 hangs down toward the expanded master clamper 102 (shown by a phantom line) of the printing drum 101 in the illustrated plate feeding position state. At this time, the used master 12 has already been removed from the printing drum 101 by the plate discharging process.

Then, the leading end of the master 12, which has been made,
When the printing drum 101 is clamped by the master clamper 102 at a certain timing, the printing drum 101 gradually winds the stencil master 12 around the outer peripheral surface while rotating in the direction A (clockwise) in the drawing. The rear end of the master 12 having been made is cut by the cutter 13 into a predetermined length.

When the master 12 on which one plate has been made is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the printing drum 101, the plate making and plate feeding steps are completed, and the printing step is started. First, the uppermost one of the printing papers 62 stacked on the paper feed table 51 is sent out by the paper feed roller 111 and the separation roller pairs 112a and 112b toward the registration roller pairs 113a and 113b in the arrow Y4 direction. And a pair of registration rollers 113a, 11
The printing paper is sent to the printing pressure device 120 at a predetermined timing synchronized with the rotation of the printing drum 101 by 3b. The print paper 62 sent out includes a print drum 101 and a press roller 103.
, The press roller 103 which has been separated below the outer peripheral surface of the printing drum 101 is moved upward, so that the press roller 103 is pressed by the stencil master 12 wound on the outer peripheral surface of the printing drum 101. You. Thus, the printing drum 10
Ink oozes out from the perforated portion 1 and the perforated pattern portion (both not shown) of the stencil master 12, and the oozed ink is transferred to the surface of the printing paper 62 to form a printed image.

At this time, on the inner peripheral side of the printing drum 101, an ink reservoir 107 formed between the ink roller 105 and the doctor roller 106 from the ink supply pipe 104.
The ink is supplied to the inner surface of the printing drum 101 while rotating in the same direction as the rotation direction of the printing drum 101 and in synchronization with the rotation speed of the printing drum 101. It is supplied to the peripheral side. The ink supply pipe 104, the ink roller 105, and the doctor roller 106 constitute an ink supply unit that supplies ink to the master 12 on the printing drum 101 that has been made.

The printing paper 62 on which the printing image has been formed by the printing pressure device 120 is peeled off from the printing drum 101 by the paper discharging peeling claw 114 of the paper discharging device 130, and is sucked by the suction fan 118 while being sucked by the suction paper discharging inlet. Due to the counterclockwise rotation of the transport belt 117 wrapped around the roller 115 and the suction / discharge exit roller 116, the transport belt 117 is transported toward the paper discharge device 130 as indicated by an arrow Y5, and is sequentially discharged and stacked on the paper discharge table 52. Is done. In this way, the so-called plate printing is completed. Next, the number of prints is set using a numeric keypad (not shown), and a print start key (not shown) is pressed. In the same process as in the plate printing, the processes of feeding, printing, and discharging are repeated by the set number of prints. Then, all the steps of the stencil printing are completed.

Hereinafter, a supplementary explanation of the configuration and the like around the plate making apparatus 200 will be given. The master 12 currently used in the plate-making printing apparatus includes a thermoplastic resin film such as a very thin polyester, and a mixture of Japanese paper and synthetic fibers, or Japanese paper and synthetic fibers as an ink-permeable porous support. Are laminated through an adhesive layer or the like. In recent years, in order to improve the print quality, the thickness of a porous support such as Japanese paper, which is the source of so-called fibrous paper, has been reduced, or a master consisting essentially of a thermoplastic resin film from which the porous support itself has been removed. In addition, although not as large as a master (having a thickness of about 1 to 7 μm) consisting essentially of a thermoplastic resin film, a conventional master (for the purpose of improving print image quality and environmental protection, etc.) The thickness is about 40 to 50 μm), the thickness is about 10 to 30 μm, and the base of the master is 100% thin synthetic fibers, or a natural fiber mixed with thin synthetic fibers. Fiber-based masters have also been used.

In FIG. 11, reference numeral 400 denotes a drilling energy adjusting means. This drilling energy adjusting means 4
Reference numeral 00 denotes a function of adjusting the perforation energy supplied to each heating element 7 of the thermal head 10 to a predetermined energy in accordance with the thermal head temperature detected by the thermal head temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the thermal head 10. Specifically, it is configured by a microprocessor or a microcomputer having a ROM or the like. As described above, in the conventional plate making apparatus 200, the printed circuit board (not shown) provided in the thermal head 10 is used.
Alternatively, the temperature of the thermal head is detected by attaching a thermistor or the like as an example of a thermal head temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the thermal head 10 to the aluminum radiating plate 1 or the like shown in FIG. 13 and based on the information. Adjustments were made to correct the drilling energy applied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 10 (see, for example,
No. 132584). (Embodiment 1) A first embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as "Embodiment 1") will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 and FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 35 denotes a plate making apparatus in the plate making and printing apparatus of the first embodiment. Plate making device 3
Reference numeral 5 denotes a thermal head including a printed circuit board 32 having a specific configuration and function in place of the thermal head 10 shown in FIG. 11 as compared with the plate making apparatus 200 in the conventional plate making printing apparatus shown in FIG. Having 30; FIG.
1 in place of the plate making control unit 300 shown in FIG.
The main difference is that the energy adjusting means 28 is provided instead of the perforation energy adjusting means 400 shown in FIG.

The plate making device 35 is shown in parentheses in FIG. 11 to indicate that the plate making device 35 is provided in the plate making and printing device of FIG. 11 instead of the plate making device 200 of FIG. In FIG. 2, the A / D conversion unit 21, the image processing unit 22, the plate making control unit 23, and the energy adjusting unit 28 are schematically shown and arranged in the plate making device 35, respectively. Since it is related to the plate making device, it is provided in the plate making device 35 for convenience. The present invention
Of course, the present invention can be applied to a plate-making printing apparatus equipped with a plate-making apparatus. Therefore, when the name of the present invention is a plate-making printing apparatus, the A / D conversion unit 21, the image processing unit 22, the plate-making control unit 23, and It is not necessary to dispose the energy adjusting means 28 in the plate making device 35, respectively, and they may be disposed outside the plate making device 35 at appropriate portions in the apparatus main body frame 50, respectively. The same applies to the A / D conversion unit 21, the image processing unit 22, the plate making control unit 300, and the perforation energy adjusting unit 400 in the conventional plate making printing apparatus shown in FIG.

Next, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, a control configuration of the plate making apparatus 35 including a specific configuration of the thermal head 30 will be described. The thermal head 30 is called, for example, a planar thermal head among thin-film thermal heads, and its heating element 7 has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and has an A3 size and a resolution of 400 DPI (size and specification). Dot Per Inch), in which 4608 heating elements are arranged in a line in the main scanning direction S, and the thickness of the glaze layer 3 shown in FIG. The following description will be made assuming that the ones within the management range of are used.

The thermal head 30 is not limited to the above-mentioned one, and the shape of the heating element in plan view may be a heat-concentrating type. A so-called thermal head may be used. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-278329 and
A thermal head having a specific arrangement of heating elements as described in JP-A-329350 or the like may be used. That is, the thermal head 30 may be of any type, provided that it has the glaze layer 3 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, optical information of a document 60 is photoelectrically converted by an image sensor 20, and an analog electric signal is input to an A / D converter 21 and converted into a digital image signal. This digital image signal is subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 22. The image signal subjected to this image processing is
The image data signal, the latch signal, the clock signal, and the strobe signal are input to the plate making control section 23, and are used as signals for driving the thermal head by the well-known thermal head driving signal generating means 27 or the like. A signal or the like is generated and transmitted to the thermal head drive circuit 24 via a connector 29 schematically shown in FIG. 3 and an engagement / connection state of a connector on a printed circuit board 32 (not shown). The image signal input to the plate making control unit 23 is not limited to a signal read by a CCD or the like, but is an image signal from a contact type sensor or a personal computer connected to the outside of the plate making device 35. No problem.

In the thermal head drive circuit 24, as shown in FIG. 21 of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-329350 and described in the specification, the image data which is the write data is the image data. The signal is input from a signal, and is serially transferred to a shift register (not shown) in synchronization with a clock signal. After transferring a certain number (the number of heating elements of the thermal head 30), the image data signal is determined and output to each shift register by a latch signal. Next, for example, by taking an on-time of an energizing signal and an AND gate, a driver I (not shown) where write data (image data) is present under application of a voltage is provided.
When C is turned on, one of the heat generating elements 7 is turned on and a current flows to generate Joule heat and generate heat.

Drilling energy (hereinafter referred to as electric energy) supplied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 30
The supply of “applied energy” may be performed by changing the width of the energization pulse to each heating element 7 according to the image data signal, or may be performed according to the image data signal. May be performed by a change in the value of the current flowing through the circuit or the value of the applied voltage. Plate making device 35
Then, the energy for drilling is supplied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 30 by changing the applied pulse width, also called the energized pulse width, and the heat history control means 26 provided in the plate making control unit 23 is provided. This is performed with history control or the like.

The thermal head drive circuit 24 is formed by patterning as an integrated IC (integrated circuit) from the driver IC to the shift register, and is formed on the thin film substrate 9 provided above the thermal head 30 or by printing. It is stored and mounted on a substrate (PCB) 32.
Above the printed circuit board 32, a board protection plate 34 for protecting the printed circuit board 32 is provided along the master transport path.

Printed circuit board 32 of thermal head 30
Has a glaze layer thickness ID signal generation unit 31 as a glaze layer thickness information recognizing means for recognizing and inputting information on the glaze layer thickness, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in addition to the thermal head drive circuit 24. Is one of the features. In the first embodiment, as a circuit formed by patterning on the printed circuit board 32 side, in addition to the electronic circuits (the shift register, the AND gate circuit, the driver IC, and the like), a thermal head applied to the thermal head 30 is used. There are a head power supply line (including GNDh), a power supply line (including GNDL) to the driver IC of the thermal head 30, and the like. The connector 29
It is detachable from a connector (not shown) on the printed circuit board 32 side, and transmits to the printed circuit board 32 the signals related to the above-mentioned various signals from the plate making control unit 23 and applied energy such as an energizing pulse width supplied to a power supply line. Connect.

The glaze layer thickness ID signal generating section 31
In the circuit block diagram shown in FIG.
The data signal circuits GL1 and GL2 are formed by branching from the DL and generate 2-bit (bit) data signals for identifying the glaze layer thickness. The patterns of the data signal circuits GL1 and GL2 are formed on the printed circuit board 32 in advance to identify the glaze layer thickness, and by performing cutting or the like according to the value of the glaze layer thickness,
Create a 2-bit signal. Cutting means that the glaze layer thickness ID signal detection circuit 33 shown in FIG. 1 is electrically disconnected from GND "L" and provided with a pull-up resistor or the like on the connector 29 side which is a signal receiving side in an open state. Is provided, the signal state becomes "H". For example, when the glaze layer thickness variation range with respect to the product specification is 40 ± 10 μm, the range of the glaze layer thickness is divided at equal intervals for easy understanding, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0047]

[Table 1]

As described above, the glaze layer thickness I at 2 bits
To obtain the D signal, 2 ² = 4 types of signals are generated by a combination of cutting of the data signal circuits GL1 and GL2, that is, a combination of “L” and “H” as the glaze layer thickness ID signal to be generated. Then, it can be divided into four types of glaze layer thickness ranges as shown in Table 1. Of course, when more accurate information on the glaze layer thickness is required, the data signal circuits are patterned so as to increase the number of data signal circuits one by one in order to generate 3, 4 and 5 bit signals. By cutting and combining them (2 ³ = 8, 2 ⁴ =
(16, ²⁵ = 32 types) can be easily achieved by increasing the number of signals.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the thermal head 30 itself is provided with the glaze layer thickness ID signal generation section 31 as glaze layer thickness information recognizing means for recognizing and inputting information on the thickness of the glaze layer 3. And output a glaze layer thickness data signal of, for example, 2 bits relating to the thickness of the glaze layer. The glaze layer thickness ID signal detection circuit 33 shown in FIG. 1 provided on one connector 29 side outputs the glaze layer thickness ID signal generation unit 31 and outputs a glaze layer thickness of, for example, 2 bits. The data signal is detected and transmitted to the energy adjusting means 28.

The energy adjusting means 28 includes, for example, a microcomputer, and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown), an I / O (input / output) port (not shown), and a ROM (read only memory) 28A. And a not-shown RAM (readable / writable storage device) and the like, and are connected by a signal bus (not shown). The CPU of the energy adjusting unit 28 communicates with the plate making control unit 23 and the glaze layer thickness I via the input port.
It is electrically connected to the D signal detection circuit 33 and receives data signals and the like from these. The CPU of the energy adjusting unit 28 is electrically connected to the plate making control unit 23 through the output port, and transmits various command signals to the plate making control unit 23 to perform the following control. .

That is, the CPU of the energy adjusting means 28 controls the plate making control section 23 and the thermal head drive based on, for example, a 2-bit glaze layer thickness data signal transmitted through the glaze layer thickness ID signal detection circuit 33. It has a control function of adjusting the applied energy supplied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 30 to a predetermined energy via the circuit 24.

A glaze layer thickness ID signal detection circuit 33 is provided in the sense that transmission of information from the glaze layer thickness ID signal generation section 31 to the energy adjusting means 28 is also included in the circuit. Therefore, when the block diagram of FIG. 1 is to be described more simply, the glaze layer thickness ID signal detection circuit 33 may be omitted from the block diagram of FIG.

The ROM 28A of the energy adjusting means 28 stores a "program for adjusting applied energy" and an optimum drilling size (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "drilling diameter") at the time of drilling and plate making of the master 12. The “relationship between the glaze layer thickness and the applied energy for forming the perforations of the optimal size” to be obtained is experimentally determined in advance and stored as a data table or the like. ROM2
The change of the data table and the like stored in advance in 8A
ROM28A chip change and programmable PROM
Can be performed.

The plate making control unit 23 is different from the plate making control unit 300 shown in FIG. 11 in that predetermined energy (for example, energizing pulse) supplied to each heating element 7 of the thermal head 30 set by the energy adjusting means 28 is provided. (The width, etc.) only in that it has a function of transmitting to the thermal head drive circuit 24 via the thermal head drive signal generation means 27 and the like.

Here, referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B,
The relationship between the glaze layer thickness of the thermal head and the heat storage effect will be briefly described. FIGS. 7A and 7B show the outline of the results of the experiments described below in each graph.

In the graph of FIG. 7A, the printing speed, that is, the printing cycle is plotted on the horizontal axis, and the color density on the thermal paper is plotted on the vertical axis as a substitute characteristic of the heat storage effect. It shows the relationship with the action.
From this graph, it can be seen that as the printing speed increases, the difference in the glaze layer thickness appears as a difference in the heat storage effect.

The graph of FIG. 7B is a graph of FIG.
At high printing speeds where there is a difference in heat storage effect,
This graph shows the difference in the heat storage effect when printing continuous dots. The number of continuous printing dots is plotted on the horizontal axis, and the vertical axis is used as a substitute for the heat storage effect as shown in FIG. The color density is taken. From this graph, it can be seen that the difference in the heat storage effect due to the difference in the glaze layer thickness increases as the number of continuous print dots increases. In the graphs of FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b), an experiment was performed by adjusting the color density to be the same in order to make it easy to see the difference between a portion where the printing speed is slow and a portion where the number of continuous printing dots is small. It is a thing.

As described above, since the thermal efficiency (heat storage effect) differs depending on the thickness of the glaze layer, the applied energy supplied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 30 is adjusted according to the thickness of the glaze layer. The difference in the perforation diameter due to the difference between the products of the head 30, that is, the difference in the print image density is reduced.

At this time, preferably, the thermal head 30
It is to control the glaze layer thickness for each one and to adjust the applied energy. However, such an operation requires a large number of man-hours on the measurement side, the management side, and the like. Therefore, as described with reference to FIG. 12, the glaze substrate (the state in which the glaze layer 3 is present on the ceramic substrate 2 in FIG. 13) is manufactured in a manufacturing lot (LO
T) For each management, that is, actually obtain the thickness data at the time of the glaze substrate inspection or the average value and representative value of the production lot of the thickness data at the time of the inspection, and obtain the glaze layer thickness data at that time. Is used to adjust the applied energy supplied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 30 to a predetermined energy. If the glaze substrates are in the same production lot, as described with reference to FIG. 12, the variation in the glaze layer thickness is very small, and such a means may be used.

That is, the energy adjusting means 28 sets the direction to be higher than the standard applied energy when the glaze layer thickness is thin, and conversely, when the glaze layer thickness is large, the energy applied means 28 Is set lower. It is considered desirable to change the coefficient and the like when performing the thermal history control by the thermal history control means 26 at the same time, but basically, as described above, the direction as the adjustment of the applied energy by the glaze layer thickness is considered. (Whether to increase or decrease the applied energy) does not change.

Since the configuration of the first embodiment is as described above, the following operations can be performed to obtain the following advantages. The operation of the first embodiment differs from the operation of a plate-making printing apparatus provided with the conventional plate-making apparatus 200 only in the operation around the control configuration of the plate-making apparatus 35 described with reference to FIGS. Since it is clear from the contents described above, detailed description thereof will be omitted. According to the plate-making printing apparatus (digital copying and printing machine) of the first embodiment as described above, the perforation failure of the master 12 that occurs when the glaze layer thickness is small is reduced, and conversely, the glaze layer thickness is high. The advantage that incomplete independent perforation in the master 12 that occurs at the time of the perforation (which is easily connected as a perforation state) can be reduced is obtained, and white spots (due to poor perforation) in a printed image are reduced, and a characteristic of a digital copying press. It is possible to reduce the set-off, improve the printing durability, and improve the reproducibility of the image dimensions (reduce the variation width). The contents of these advantages will be briefly described below in a format in comparison with the conventional technology. The difference in the perforated state in the master 12 due to the difference in the glaze layer thickness is as follows. Regarding the size of the heating element in the thermal head of the digital copying press, the perforating state of the master is independently perforated as proposed by the present applicant in, for example, JP-A-8-67061 and JP-A-2000-79672. The heating element is miniaturized as a means. However, even if such a means is adopted, the master 1 after the plate making has been performed due to the difference in the glaze layer thickness described above.
When the 3 × 3 dot portion of the solid portion in 2 is extracted, a perforation state as described below occurs.

FIG. 4 shows a perforated state of the master 12 after plate making when the thickness of the glaze layer is thinner than the target. FIG. 5 shows a state of perforation of the master 12 after plate making at the target value (center value) of the glaze layer thickness. FIG. 6 shows the perforated state of the master 12 after plate making when the glaze layer thickness is thicker than intended. As an advantage of the first embodiment, the drilling state (the drilling state viewed from the size of the drilling diameter of the drilling 8 and the relationship with the adjacent drilling 8 and the like) which has been varied from FIG. 4 to FIG. It can be approximated to FIG. 5 in a perforated state. Improving print image quality (reducing variation width)
It is as follows. Master 1 after plate making as shown in FIG.
2. Variations in the perforated state due to the influence of the smoothness of the porous support (worst case, poor perforation) in Step 2 are reduced as much as possible, and the printed image is reduced by reducing so-called white spots or the like in the printed image. Quality can be improved (variation width can be reduced). The improvement of set-off (reduction in variation width) is as follows. Image formation in a stencil printing machine such as a digital copying machine is performed by using a master
The ink discharged from the perforated portion is formed by transferring to the printing paper 62, and the amount of ink transferred to the printing paper 62 varies depending on the size of the perforation 8.
Since the problem of set-off peculiar to a stencil printing machine is caused by excessive ink transfer, an excessively perforated state of the perforations 8 as shown in FIG. 6 is not desirable. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. Since an excessively pierced state in which ink transfer is increased can be made closer to an ideal pierced state as shown in FIG. 5, there is an advantage in that set-off is reduced (variation width is reduced). The improvement of printing durability (reduction of variation width) is as follows. Since the digital copying machine is designed on the assumption that the number of printed sheets is large due to its intended use and the like, the printing durability of the master 12 is required, and how strong the porous support is on the master side. , Whether the thermoplastic resin film has a high elongation strength or the thermoplastic resin film and the porous support have a strong adhesive force, especially in solid plate making, the more the remaining portion of the thermoplastic resin film, the better the printing durability. Excellent. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the perforated state in which the excessively large number of separated thermoplastic resin films as shown in FIG. 6 is small can be approximated to the ideal perforated state as shown in FIG. This has the advantage of improving the performance (reducing the variation width). The improvement of the image size reproducibility (reduction of variation width) is as follows. In the master 12, especially when a solid plate image is obtained corresponding to a document having a solid image, a phenomenon that image size reproducibility is deteriorated due to sticking or the like occurs. The phenomenon that the plate making length becomes short). In view of the deterioration of the image size reproducibility due to such sticking or the like, the applicant of the present application has disclosed, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-115145 and
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-115148 and the like have proposed a technique capable of improving the reproducibility of image dimensions. That is, the phenomenon of deterioration of the image size reproducibility due to sticking or the like is caused by the master 12 which has already been made.
It is known that the diameter of the hole is reduced when the diameter of the hole is small, and in the invention of the first embodiment, the state of excessive hole as shown in FIG. 6 is changed to the ideal state as shown in FIG. Since it is possible to approach the perforated state, it is apparent that the present invention also has an advantage of improving image size reproducibility (reducing variation width).

In the sticking operation, the master 12 is heated and melted and perforated in the thermoplastic resin film portion as shown in FIG. The sheet is conveyed while being clamped and pressed in the nip portion formed between the platen roller. At this time, the molten thermoplastic resin film is welded to the surface of the thermal head 30 and the platen roller 16 and the plate-making master are conveyed. 12 (that is, the master 1 on which the plate-making process has been performed on the front side of the thermal head 30).
2), which indicates that the frictional force with the contact surface (2) is insufficient and the intended normal master transport distance cannot be maintained. (Embodiment 2) FIGS. 8 to 10 show Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIG.
The main difference from the above configuration is that a plate making device 36 is provided instead of the plate making device 35. Compared with the plate making device 35 of the first embodiment, the plate making device 36 has a thermal head 10A instead of the thermal head 30 of the first embodiment, and the elimination of the glaze layer thickness ID signal detection circuit 33 of the first embodiment. Having an energy adjusting means 58 in place of the energy adjusting means 28 of the first embodiment;
The main difference is that an operation panel 40 having a unique configuration is newly provided. In the first embodiment, the thermal head 30 itself can output a glaze layer thickness ID signal, and the thermal head 30 automatically detects the glaze layer thickness data signal detected through the glaze layer thickness ID signal detection circuit 33. Although the applied energy supplied to each heating element 7 is adjusted, in the second embodiment, the glaze layer thickness data signal is manually input and set.

The thermal head 10A has a configuration in which the glaze layer thickness ID signal generating section 31 is removed from the thermal head 30 in the first embodiment, in other words, FIG. 13 is different from the conventional thermal head 10 shown in FIG. The only difference is that a glaze layer thickness data recording tag (not shown) as a glaze layer thickness data recording medium on which the thickness data of the glaze layer 3 is recorded is attached to the thermal head 10. As a specific example of the glaze layer thickness data recording tag, as the glaze layer thickness data in the same production lot of the thermal head 10A, a thermal head manufacturer, a manufacturing department, or the like may use the No. 1 shown in Table 1 for example. A description or ranking of the glaze layer thickness range described in any one of Nos. 1 to 4 is used, but it is a matter of course that the present invention is not limited to such recorded contents.

The operation panel 40 is provided on one side of the upper portion of the original reading device 80 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the operation panel 40 starts operation for starting a series of steps (operations) from reading of an image of a document to plate discharging, plate making, plate feeding, plate printing, and sheet discharging. A plate-making start key 41 as a means, a ten-key 43 for inputting and setting the number of prints and the like, and for inputting and setting a glaze layer thickness data value, and a number (input / setting) set by the ten-key 43 A print start key 42 for starting a printing operation for a predetermined number of prints, a decision key 46 for confirming a glaze layer thickness data value, and a glaze for generating a glaze layer thickness data signal relating to the thickness of the glaze layer. Initial setting key 45 constituting layer thickness data setting means
The operation method for selecting and setting the job / function in the plate making device 36 or the plate making / printing device equipped with the plate making device 36, the operation status, messages such as warnings, or the selected job / function, etc. LC for displaying at any time
A D (liquid crystal display) display section 48 and the like are arranged.

The glaze layer thickness data setting means comprises the above-mentioned initial setting key 45, ten keys 43, and enter key 46. For example, after assembling the plate making device 36, when the plate making device 36 is assembled into the plate making printing device and a trial operation is performed for the first time, for example, an inspector (or a service person or the like) initially performs the final assembly inspection process of the plate making printing device. When the setting key 45 is pressed, the display state of the LCD display section 48 is displayed, for example, "Please input and set the glaze layer thickness data value to set the initial conditions of the plate making printing apparatus." Therefore, the inspector (or a service person or the like) reads and recognizes the glaze layer thickness data from the glaze layer thickness data recording tag according to the display contents, thereby obtaining the glaze layer thickness data value (for example, 45 (μm ) Is entered using the numeric keypad 43, and the enter key 46 is pressed to confirm and set the information on the glaze layer thickness data. May be a data signal to the output enabled state. The method of setting the glaze layer thickness data described above is only an example, and may be a so-called serviceman program in which the setting is performed by a more complicated key operation or the like, or may be a simple setting method. In the case of an apparatus having only a plate making device, a function of activating only a plate making operation may be given to the plate making start key 41 on the operation panel 40, and the printing start key 42 and the like are not required. It should be noted that

The energy adjusting means 58 includes, for example, a microcomputer, and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown), an I / O (input / output) port (not shown), and a PROM (writable read-only memory). Device) 58A, a RAM (readable / writable storage device) not shown, and the like, and are connected by a signal bus (not shown). The CPU of the energy adjusting means 58 is connected to the plate making control unit 23 through the input port.
Are electrically connected to various keys of the operation panel 40 (especially, the initial setting key 45, the numeric keypad 43, and the enter key 46 constituting the glaze layer thickness data setting means), and receive data signals and the like from these. ing. The CPU of the energy adjusting unit 58 is electrically connected to the plate making control unit 23 and the LCD display unit 48 of the operation panel 40 through the output port, and the plate making control unit 23 and the LC
Various command signals are transmitted to the D display unit 48 to perform the following control.

The energy adjusting means 58 supplies the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 10A based on the glaze layer thickness data signal from the glaze layer thickness data setting means (initial setting key 45, numeric keypad 43 and enter key 46). Has a control function of adjusting the applied energy to be applied to a predetermined energy.

Since the configuration of the second embodiment is as described above, the following operations can be performed to obtain the following advantages. The operation of the second embodiment differs from the operation of the first embodiment only in the operation around the control configuration of the plate making device 36 described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10 and is apparent from the above-described contents. Detailed description is omitted. According to the plate-making printing apparatus (digital copying machine) of the second embodiment described above, the above-described various advantages similar to those of the first embodiment are made.
It is clear that can be obtained.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the second embodiment, and for example, the following configuration example may be used. That is, the glaze layer thickness data setting means is removed from the configuration of the second embodiment, and for example, an inspector (or a service person or the like) in the final assembly inspection process of the plate making printing apparatus can use the thermal head 10A.
Reading and recognizing (setting) the glaze layer thickness data from the glaze layer thickness data recording tag adhered to the glaze layer thickness data recording tag, thereby generating a glaze layer thickness data signal relating to the thickness of the glaze layer. Regardless of the setting means, for example, after selecting and mounting a ROM chip having a data table corresponding to glaze layer thickness data from several types of ROM chips, the energy adjusting means
The configuration may be such that the applied energy supplied to the individual heating elements 7 of the thermal head 10A is adjusted to a predetermined energy based on the glaze layer thickness data signal from the selected and mounted ROM.

In the means for solving the problem and the like, "the thermal head itself has glaze layer thickness information recognizing means for recognizing the information on the thickness of the glaze layer" refers to the first and second embodiments. The glaze layer thickness as a glaze layer thickness data recording medium that records thickness data of a glaze layer in a box or the like packed or housed as the same production lot of the thermal head without being limited to the example illustrated in FIG. This includes the case where a data recording tag or the like is attached.

[0072]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A new plate-making apparatus and plate-making printing apparatus can be provided by solving the above-mentioned conventional problems. The effects of each claim are as follows. According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an energy adjusting means for adjusting the perforation energy supplied to each heating element of the thermal head to a predetermined energy according to the thickness of the glaze layer for each thermal head. In addition, it is possible to reduce defective punching of the master which occurs when the thickness of the glaze layer is thin, or to imperfectly perform independent punching in the master which occurs when the thickness of the glaze layer is thick (it is easily connected as a drilling state). ) Can be reduced, thereby providing a small variation in the quality of each of the plate making apparatuses. Accordingly, in a plate making and printing apparatus having a plate making apparatus, the print image quality can be reduced. Improvements (reduction in variation width) include, in particular, the reduction of white spots in printed images, especially the reduction of set-off that is peculiar to stencil printers, the improvement of printing durability, and the reproducibility of image dimensions It can contribute to an improvement (reduction in the variation width). The above effects can be achieved based on the following empirical facts and actions. That is, when the thickness of the glaze layer is small, the heat storage is small. For example, when the conventional heat history control is performed, the energy becomes small, and the perforation of the master becomes defective. Conversely, when the thickness of the glaze layer is large (high), there is a large amount of heat storage. For example, when the conventional thermal history control is performed, the energy becomes large, and the imperfect independent perforation at the master (as a perforated state) (Easy to connect).

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the thermal head itself has glaze layer thickness information recognizing means for recognizing information on the thickness of the glaze layer. In addition, a relatively large variation in the thickness of the glaze layer in each manufacturing lot of the thermal head can be grasped as a relatively small variation in the same manufacturing lot of the thermal head, and can be easily recognized.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the glaze layer thickness information recognizing means outputs a glaze layer thickness data signal relating to the thickness of the glaze layer. For example, it is not necessary to perform a troublesome operation such as reading / recognition by a person or a reading device.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the energy adjusting means determines the drilling energy to be supplied to the individual heating elements of the thermal head based on the glaze layer thickness data signal from the glaze layer thickness information recognizing means. By adjusting to this energy, the effect of the invention described in claim 2 can be achieved automatically without performing a troublesome operation such as reading / recognition by a person or a reading device.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the glaze layer thickness information recognizing means is a glaze layer thickness data recording medium on which the glaze layer thickness data is recorded. In addition, the thickness data of the glaze layer can be read and recognized from the glaze layer thickness data recording medium by, for example, a person or a reading device.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the energy adjusting means determines the drilling energy to be supplied to each heating element of the thermal head based on the glaze layer thickness data signal from the glaze layer thickness data setting means. By adjusting the energy to the above, the thickness data of the glaze layer is read and recognized from the glaze layer thickness data recording medium by, for example, a person or a reading device, and the effect of the invention described in claim 2 is achieved.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plate cylinder comprising the plate-making apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein a master made by the plate-making apparatus is wound around an outer peripheral surface;
The plate making printing apparatus is provided with ink supply means for supplying ink to the master on the plate cylinder, and presses the printing paper against the master on the plate cylinder to perform printing on the printing paper. In particular, reduction of white spots in printed images, particularly reduction of set-off characteristic of a stencil printing machine, improvement of printing durability, and improvement of image dimension reproducibility (reduction of variation width) can be achieved. As a result, it is possible to provide less variation in the above-mentioned various qualities of each plate-making printing apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram mainly illustrating a control configuration of a plate making apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the plate making apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of a main part in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a perforated state when the master is made by the plate making apparatus of the first embodiment, and showing a perforated state when the glaze layer thickness of the thermal head is thinner than intended.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a perforation state when a master is made by the plate making apparatus of the first embodiment, and showing a perforation state when a glaze layer thickness of a thermal head is an aimed value.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a perforated state when the master is made by the plate making apparatus of the first embodiment, and showing a perforated state when the glaze layer thickness of the thermal head is larger than intended.

FIG. 7A is a graph showing a relationship between a glaze layer thickness and a heat storage state in the thermal head.
FIG. 7B is a graph showing a difference in heat storage effect when continuous dots are printed at a high printing speed at which a difference in heat storage effect appears in FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram mainly illustrating a control configuration of a plate making apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an operation panel of the plate-making printing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a schematic front view of a plate making apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a schematic front view of a conventional plate-making printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 12 is a graph showing a difference between a variation in the same production lot and a variation between the production lots with respect to the glaze layer thickness of the thermal head.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a general thermal head.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 Glaze Layer 7 Heating Element 10, 10A, 30 Thermal Head 12 Master 23 Plate Making Control Unit 24 Thermal Head Drive Circuit 31 Glaze Layer Thickness ID Signal Generating Unit as Glaze Layer Thickness Information Recognition Unit 32 Printed Circuit Board 35, 36 Plate Making Device 38, 58 Energy adjusting means 43 Numeric keys constituting glaze layer thickness data setting means 45 Initial setting keys constituting glaze layer thickness data setting means 46 Confirmation keys constituting glaze layer thickness data setting means 62 Printing paper 101 Printing drum as plate cylinder

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yasunobu Kidoura 3rd name Shinmei-do, Shimada-cho, Shibata-cho, Shibata-gun, Miyagi Prefecture, 1 Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd. No. 3 No. 1 ・ Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C066 AA04 BC04 BC06 BC14 2H084 AA13 AA38 AE05 CC09

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A plate making apparatus for thermally making a master on a master by using a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements and a glaze layer arranged in a main scanning direction, wherein a thickness of the glaze layer for each of the thermal heads is provided. A plate making apparatus having energy adjusting means for adjusting perforation energy to be supplied to individual heating elements of the thermal head to a predetermined energy accordingly. 2. The plate making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said thermal head itself has glaze layer thickness information recognizing means for recognizing information on the thickness of said glaze layer. 3. The plate making apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said glaze layer thickness information recognizing means outputs a glaze layer thickness data signal relating to the thickness of said glaze layer. 4. The plate-making apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said energy adjusting means supplies each heating element of said thermal head based on said glaze layer thickness data signal from said glaze layer thickness information recognizing means. A plate making apparatus characterized in that the energy for perforation is adjusted to a predetermined energy. 5. The plate making apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said glaze layer thickness information recognizing means is a glaze layer thickness data recording medium recording thickness data of said glaze layer. 6. The plate making apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a thickness data of the glaze layer is set from the glaze layer thickness data recording medium to generate a glaze layer thickness data signal relating to the thickness of the glaze layer. The glaze layer thickness data setting means for the, the energy adjustment means, based on the glaze layer thickness data signal from the glaze layer thickness data setting means,
A plate making apparatus characterized in that the perforating energy supplied to each heating element of the thermal head is adjusted to a predetermined energy. 7. A plate cylinder comprising the plate making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a master made by the plate making apparatus is wound around an outer peripheral surface, and ink is supplied to the master on the plate cylinder. And an ink supply means for performing printing on the printing paper by pressing the printing paper against the master on the plate cylinder.