JP2004277033A - Suction sheet separation method and device of printing plate - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a suction sheet separation method and device of a printing plate capable of certainly sucking and separating the printing plate without marring a sensitized surface of the printing plate at the time of carrying and supplying it to a supplying part of a following process by sucking and separating the printing plate by a sucking board from one cassette selected from a plurality of the cassettes and capable of achieving cost reduction without complicating constitution of the device. <P>SOLUTION: The sucking board 40 is made in a stand-by state at a sucking position set as one of specifications at the time of sucking and separating the printing plate. Thereafter, the selected cassette 38 is raised and moved and reaches the sucking position (the cassette 38 goes to the sucking position to receive the printing plate). Consequently, the sucking board 40 makes contact with the printing plate in the cassette 38, and the sucking board 40 comes to a state capable of sucking the printing plate 12. The cassette 38 is lowered and moved after the printing plate 12 is sucked by the sucking board 40, and the printing plate is lifted by the sucking board 40, separated sheet by sheet. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing plate that sucks a printing plate from a selected cassette among a plurality of cassettes in which the printing plate is accommodated by a suction disk, and conveys the printing plate to a supply target in the next process. The present invention relates to an adsorption single wafer method and an adsorption single wafer apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Technology that uses a printing plate (for example, a PS plate such as a thermal plate or a photopolymer plate) provided with a recording layer (photosensitive layer) on a support, and records an image directly on the photosensitive layer of the printing plate with a laser beam or the like Has been developed (printing plate exposure apparatus). With such a technique, it is possible to quickly record an image on a printing plate.
[0003]
Here, in the printing plate automatic exposure apparatus using the technology of image recording on the printing plate, a large number of printing plates are stacked and accommodated in the cassette, but the image forming surface of the printing plate is easily damaged. In order to protect the surface, protective sheets (interleaf sheets) are overlaid on the image forming surface of the printing plate, and these are sequentially laminated in layers and accommodated in a cassette. When a printing plate is fed into a cassette, one end of the uppermost printing plate among a plurality of printing plates stacked in a cassette is adsorbed by a suction cup and separated from the other (sheets) Then, it is conveyed and supplied to the next process (for example, exposure process) while being reversed.
[0004]
Further, in such a printing plate automatic exposure apparatus, as described above, cassettes containing a large number of printing plates are stacked in a plurality of stages, and printing plates of different sizes are accommodated in each cassette. Has been. As a result, by selecting a cassette in which a printing plate of a desired size is stored, taking out the printing plate from the cassette and sheeting it, it becomes possible to record an image on printing plates of different sizes. ing.
[0005]
By the way, when a printing plate accommodated in a cassette is adsorbed by a suction cup, and is fed one by one to a portion to be supplied in the next process, one selected cassette is selected from the cassette accommodating portion. Move to the platform of the automatic plate feeder main unit, move the platform up and down to a predetermined position (fixed position), and move the suction single wafer transfer mechanism (suction cup, arm, etc.) to that position (fixed position) (A so-called suction cup is picked up), and after the suction plate sucks the printing plate, the suction plate feeding mechanism transports the printing plate to the next portion to be supplied (Patent Document). 1).
[0006]
However, in such a conventional printing plate suction sheet transport mechanism (method), after moving one selected cassette to a predetermined position (fixed position), the suction sheet transport mechanism (suction cup) to the fixed position. ) Moves and the suction operation of the suction cup is carried out, so that the suction single wafer transfer mechanism (suction cup) can be expanded and contracted so that it can follow the height change of the suction face due to the remaining printing plate in the cassette. It is necessary to provide a mechanism (suction cup vertical movement absorption mechanism).
[0007]
In this case, as the simplest structure of the contraction mechanism, when the suction cup moves to a predetermined suction position (fixed position), the spring is caused by the reaction force of the force with which the suction cup (or its auxiliary member) presses the printing plate. It is conceivable that the configuration is such that the vertical movement of the suction cup is absorbed to follow the change in the height of the suction surface. However, such a configuration that absorbs the vertical movement of the suction cup by the expansion and contraction of the spring is not preferable because the printing plate may be pressed with an excessive force unnecessarily, and the photosensitive surface of the printing plate may be damaged. In particular, when performing “turning reversal (adsorption sheet using both turning and reversing operations)”, the vertical and horizontal movements are performed at the same time. The possibility of occurrence of the scratch is great.
[0008]
On the other hand, when the printing plate accommodated in one selected cassette among the plurality of cassettes as described above is adsorbed by a suction cup, and is fed one by one to the supplied part in the next process, the selected one is selected. One cassette is pulled out in a horizontal direction independently of the other cassettes, and the suction single wafer transfer mechanism (suction cup) is moved individually to the respective cassette pull-out position (the suction cup picks up). It can be considered that the suction operation is performed and the printing plate is transported and supplied to the supply target in the next process after the suction.
[0009]
However, in such a configuration, it is possible to follow the height change of the suction surface depending on all the drawing positions (suction surface positions) of the plurality of cassettes and the remaining amount of the printing plate in the cassette, that is, at all the suction positions. It is necessary to set and realize the conveyance path so that the suction cup can reach and the printing plate is not damaged by conveyance from all suction positions. For this reason, a complicated arm mechanism and position control are required, and the apparatus becomes complicated, and it is difficult to reduce the size and cost of the apparatus.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-351460 A
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In consideration of the above facts, the present invention adsorbs a printing plate from a selected one of a plurality of cassettes in which the printing plate is accommodated by a suction plate, and transports and supplies it to a supply target in the next process. In order to achieve this, it is not only possible to reliably adsorb sheets without causing scratches on the photosensitive surface of the printing plate, but also the adsorbing sheet of the printing plate that can reduce the cost without complicating the structure of the apparatus. It is an object to obtain a leaf method and an adsorption single wafer device.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing plate adsorption sheet-fed method in which a selected printing plate is stored in a plurality of cassettes stacked in a plurality of stages in a state where a predetermined interval is provided. A printing plate suction sheet feeding method in which the printing plate is sucked from one cassette by a suction disk and conveyed to a supply target in the next process, wherein the suction is performed at a suction position set to a predetermined one. The board is put on standby, and the selected one cassette is moved until the waiting suction board becomes ready to suck the printing plate, thereby making the suction board ready for suction, and then printing in the cassette is performed. It is characterized in that the plate is adsorbed by the adsorbing plate and is cut into single sheets.
[0013]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the suction position by the suction disk is set to a predetermined one. The suction disk stands by at this one suction position.
[0014]
Next, the selected cassette is moved until the standby suction plate is ready to suck the printing plate (the cassette is picked up to the suction position), and thereby the suction plate is ready for suction. Thereafter, the printing plate in the cassette is adsorbed by the adsorbing board and is fed into a fed portion in the next process.
[0015]
As described above, since the cassette is moved to the pickup position (that is, the pickup position) to the standby position (that is, the pickup position), the suction surface changes in the suction surface depending on the remaining amount of the printing plate in the cassette. It is not necessary to have an expansion / contraction mechanism (up-and-down movement absorption mechanism of the suction disk) that can follow the movement, and since the apparatus configuration is established only by the cassette movement mechanism, the apparatus configuration does not become complicated. Cost can be reduced. Further, since such a mechanism for absorbing the vertical movement of the suction disk is not required, the printing plate is not unnecessarily pressed with excessive force and the photosensitive surface of the printing plate is not damaged.
[0016]
Furthermore, since the suction plate is not individually moved to the respective drawer positions of the cassettes (the suction plate is picked up at each suction position), all the pull-out positions of the plurality of cassettes (that is, different suction surfaces). Position) and the height of the suction surface depending on the remaining amount of the printing plate in the cassette, that is, the suction plate can reach all suction positions, and the printing plate is damaged by transport from all suction positions. There is no need to set a special transport trajectory. For this reason, a complicated arm mechanism and position control are unnecessary, and this also does not complicate the apparatus, and it is possible to reduce the cost.
[0017]
In this way, in the method for adsorbing the printing plate according to claim 1, the printing plate is adsorbed by the adsorption disk from the selected one of the plurality of cassettes in which the printing plate is accommodated, and is separated into sheets. When transporting and feeding to the supply target part in the next process, the suction plate can be surely produced without causing scratches on the photosensitive surface of the printing plate, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced without complicating the configuration of the apparatus. Is possible.
[0018]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for adsorbing a printing plate, wherein the printing plate is stored in each of the cassettes and is selected from a plurality of cassettes stacked in a plurality of stages with a predetermined interval. A printing plate adsorption sheet-fed method in which the printing plate is adsorbed by an adsorption disk from one cassette and fed to a supply unit in the next process, wherein the selected one cassette is combined with another cassette. Is independently pulled out horizontally and then moved up and down to the suction preparation position to be in a ready state, and the suction disk is moved to the printing plate suction position set to a predetermined one to stand by, The cassette in the ready state is held up by the suction plate waiting at the suction position until the printing plate is in a suckable state, the printing plate in the held cassette is sucked by the suction plate, After wear, the cassette the retained after once lowered to a predetermined retracted position, the transfer to supply the printing plate sucked by the suction disk to the supply of the next step, it is characterized in that.
[0019]
In the method for adsorbing a printing plate according to claim 2, the adsorption position by the adsorption disk is set to a predetermined one.
[0020]
In the case of suction single wafer, one selected cassette is pulled out in the horizontal direction independently of the other cassettes and then moved up and down to the suction preparation position to be in a ready state. It is moved to a printing plate suction position set to a predetermined one and waits.
[0021]
Next, the cassette in the preparation state is raised and held until the suction plate waiting at the suction position is ready to suck the printing plate (the cassette is picked up to the suction position), and thereby the suction plate is sucked. It becomes possible. After that, the printing plate in the held cassette is sucked by the suction disk and is separated into sheets, and after the suction, the held cassette is once lowered to a predetermined retracted position, and then the printing plate sucked by the suction disk is used. Is conveyed and supplied to the supply target in the next process.
[0022]
As described above, since the cassette is moved to the pickup position (that is, the pickup position) to the standby position (that is, the pickup position), the suction surface changes in the suction surface depending on the remaining amount of the printing plate in the cassette. It is not necessary to have an expansion / contraction mechanism (up-and-down movement absorption mechanism of the suction disk) that can follow the device, and the apparatus configuration is established only by the vertical movement mechanism of the cassette, so that the apparatus configuration does not become complicated Cost reduction can be achieved. Further, since such a mechanism for absorbing the vertical movement of the suction disk is not required, the printing plate is not unnecessarily pressed with excessive force and the photosensitive surface of the printing plate is not damaged.
[0023]
Further, since the suction plate is not individually moved to the respective drawer positions of the cassettes (the suction plate is picked up), all the drawer positions (ie, different suction surface positions) of the plurality of cassettes and the cassettes are used. Special so that the suction plate can reach all suction positions and does not damage the printing plate when transported from all suction positions. It is not necessary to set a correct transport locus. For this reason, a complicated arm mechanism and position control are unnecessary, and this also does not complicate the apparatus, and it is possible to reduce the cost.
[0024]
Thus, in the method for adsorbing a printing plate according to claim 2, the printing plate is adsorbed by an adsorbing board from a selected one of a plurality of cassettes in which the printing plate is accommodated, and is separated into sheets. When transporting and feeding to the supply target part in the next process, the suction plate can be surely produced without causing scratches on the photosensitive surface of the printing plate, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced without complicating the configuration of the apparatus. Is possible.
[0025]
In addition, as a mechanism for moving up and down after the selected cassette is pulled out in the horizontal direction, for example, it may be configured by a lifting platform provided at the cassette drawing position and a feed screw mechanism that lifts and lowers the lifting platform. It is possible to move the cassette to the standby position (suction position) of the suction disk by moving the cassette pulled out in the horizontal direction on the lifting platform and operating the feed screw mechanism in this state (to pick up). Can do.
[0026]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adsorption sheet-fed device for a printing plate, wherein a plurality of cassettes each containing a printing plate are stacked and accommodated in a plurality of stages in a state where a predetermined interval is provided, and the accommodation And a sheet by adsorbing the printing plate from the cassette located at the predetermined suction position by a suction plate. An adsorbing and conveying mechanism that conveys and supplies the material to the supplied part in the next process, and pulls out one cassette selected from the plurality of cassettes to the single-wafer part independently of the other cassettes, and performs the predetermined adsorbing And a cassette moving mechanism that moves the cassette to a position where the suction plate waiting at a position can suck the printing plate, and puts the suction plate into a suckable state.
[0027]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the plurality of cassettes in which the printing plates are accommodated are stacked and accommodated in a plurality of stages in the accommodating portion, and are provided adjacent to the accommodating portion. In the sheet portion, the printing plate suction position is set to a predetermined one.
[0028]
Here, in the case of the suction sheet, the suction disk is moved to the suction position of the printing plate set to the predetermined one by the suction conveyance mechanism and waits. In addition, the selected cassette is pulled out to the single-wafer portion independently of the other cassettes by the cassette moving mechanism, and the cassette is moved to a suction disk that stands by at the predetermined suction position by the cassette moving mechanism. The printing plate is moved to a position where the printing plate can be sucked (the cassette is picked up to the sucking position), and thereby the suction plate is in a suckable state.
[0029]
After that, the printing plate in the cassette that has reached the suction position is sucked by the suction disk and is fed into a sheet, and the sucked sheet is conveyed and supplied to the supply portion of the next process.
[0030]
As described above, since the cassette is moved to the pickup position (that is, the pickup position) to the standby position (that is, the pickup position), the suction surface changes in the suction surface depending on the remaining amount of the printing plate in the cassette. It is not necessary to have an expansion / contraction mechanism (up-and-down movement absorption mechanism of the suction disk) that can follow the apparatus, and the apparatus configuration is established only by the up-and-down movement mechanism of the cassette. The cost can be reduced without being complicated. Further, since such a mechanism for absorbing the vertical movement of the suction disk is not required, the printing plate is not unnecessarily pressed with excessive force and the photosensitive surface of the printing plate is not damaged.
[0031]
Further, since the suction plate is not individually moved to the respective drawer positions of the cassettes (the suction plate is picked up), all the drawer positions (ie, different suction surface positions) of the plurality of cassettes and the cassettes are used. Special so that the suction plate can reach all suction positions and does not damage the printing plate when transported from all suction positions. It is not necessary to set a correct transport locus. For this reason, a complicated arm mechanism and position control in the suction conveyance mechanism are not required, and this also does not complicate the apparatus and can reduce the cost.
[0032]
As described above, in the printing plate adsorption sheet-fed device according to claim 3, the printing plate is adsorbed by the adsorption disk from the selected one of the plurality of cassettes in which the printing plates are accommodated, and is separated into sheets. When transporting and feeding to the supply target part in the next process, the suction plate can be surely produced without causing scratches on the photosensitive surface of the printing plate, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced without complicating the configuration of the apparatus. Is possible.
[0033]
As a cassette moving mechanism for moving the selected cassette to the position where the suction plate can suck the printing plate after the selected cassette is pulled out to the sheet-fed portion, for example, an elevator platform provided at the cassette pull-out position It can be constituted by a feed screw mechanism that raises and lowers the lifting platform, and the cassette pulled out from the accommodating portion to the single-wafer portion is placed on the lifting platform and the feeding screw mechanism is operated in this state, whereby the adsorption The cassette can be moved (to pick up) to the stand-by position (suction position) of the board.
[0034]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a schematic overall configuration of a printing plate automatic exposure apparatus 10 to which a printing plate suction sheet-fed apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
[0035]
The printing plate automatic exposure apparatus 10 includes an exposure unit 14 that irradiates an image forming layer of a printing plate 12 with a light beam to expose an image, and a suction sheet that feeds the printing plate 12 and conveys it to the exposure unit 14. It is divided into two blocks: a single wafer transport unit 15 as an apparatus. Further, the printing plate 12 subjected to the exposure processing by the printing plate automatic exposure device 10 is sent out to a developing device (not shown) installed adjacent to the printing plate automatic exposure device 10.
[Configuration of Exposure Unit 14]
The exposure unit 14 includes a rotating drum 16 that winds and holds the printing plate 12 around the peripheral surface, and the printing plate 12 is guided by a conveyance guide unit 18 and is tangential to the rotating drum 16. It comes to be sent from. The conveyance guide unit 18 includes a plate supply guide 20 and a plate discharge guide 22, and a conveyance roller 108 and a guide plate 109 are arranged on the boundary side of the conveyance guide unit 18 with the sheet conveyance unit 15. It is installed.
[0036]
The plate feed guide 20 and the plate discharge guide 22 of the transport guide unit 18 have a horizontal V-shape relative to each other, and have a structure that rotates a predetermined angle as the center on the right end side in FIG. By this rotation, the position where the plate feed guide 20 is selectively made to correspond to the rotary drum 16 (position where the plate feed guide 20 is arranged in the tangential direction of the rotary drum 16) and the insertion direction into the puncher 24 provided above the rotary drum 16 Position. The printing plate 12 fed from the sheet conveying section 15 is first guided by the plate feeding guide 20 and fed into the puncher 24, and a notch for positioning is formed at the tip of the printing plate 12. The printing plate 12 is configured to be moved to a position corresponding to the rotating drum 16 by being returned to the plate feeding guide 20 after being processed by the puncher 24 as necessary.
[0037]
The rotating drum 16 is driven by a driving means (not shown) in the mounting exposure direction of the printing plate 12 (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) and in the removal direction of the printing plate 12 opposite to the mounting exposure direction (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1). It is rotated.
[0038]
A tip chuck 26 is attached to the rotary drum 16 at a predetermined position on the outer peripheral surface. In the exposure unit 14, when the printing plate 12 is mounted on the rotating drum 16, first, the front end chuck 26 is opposed to the front end of the printing plate 12 fed by the plate supply guide 20 of the conveyance guide unit 18 (printing plate). The rotating drum 16 is stopped at the mounting position).
[0039]
Further, the exposure unit 14 is provided with a mounting unit 28 facing the front end chuck 26 at the printing plate mounting position. The front end chuck 26 allows the printing plate 12 to be inserted between the front end chuck 26 and the peripheral surface of the rotary drum 16 when the telescopic rod 28A of the mounting unit 28 extends and is pressed on one end side. With the front end of the printing plate 12 inserted between the front end chuck 26 and the rotary drum 16, the telescopic rod 28 </ b> A of the mounting unit 28 is pulled back to release the pressure on the front end chuck 26. In this configuration, the front end chuck 26 and the peripheral surface of the rotary drum 16 are sandwiched and held. At this time, the printing plate 12 is positioned by abutting a positioning pin (not shown) provided on the rotary drum 16 at the tip. When the leading end of the printing plate 12 is fixed to the rotating drum 16, the rotating drum 16 is rotated in the mounting exposure direction. Accordingly, the printing plate 12 fed from the plate supply guide 20 of the conveyance guide unit 18 is configured to be wound around the peripheral surface of the rotary drum 16.
[0040]
In the vicinity of the peripheral surface of the rotary drum 16, a squeeze roller 30 is disposed downstream of the printing plate mounting position in the mounting exposure direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1). The squeeze roller 30 moves toward the rotating drum 16 to press the printing plate 12 wound around the rotating drum 16 toward the rotating drum 16, thereby bringing the printing plate 12 into close contact with the peripheral surface of the rotating drum 16. it can.
[0041]
Further, a rear end chuck attaching / detaching unit 32 is disposed in the exposure unit 14 in the vicinity of the upstream side in the mounting exposure direction of the rotary drum 16 relative to the front end chuck 26. In the rear end chuck attaching / detaching unit 32, the rear end chuck 36 moves along a guide protruding toward the rotary drum 16. When the rear end of the printing plate 12 wound around the rotary drum 16 faces the rear end chuck attaching / detaching unit 32, the rear end chuck 36 is moved in the direction of the rotary drum 16, and the rear end chuck 36 is moved to a predetermined position of the rotary drum 16. Attach to. Thus, the rear end chuck 36 is configured to sandwich and hold the rear end of the printing plate 12 with the rotary drum 16.
[0042]
When the front end and the rear end of the printing plate 12 are held by the rotary drum 16, the squeeze roller 30 is separated (see the chain line in FIG. 1). Thereafter, the exposure unit 14 irradiates a light beam modulated based on image data from the recording head unit 37 in synchronization with the rotation of the rotary drum 16 while rotating the rotary drum 16 at a high speed at a predetermined rotational speed. . As a result, the printing plate 12 is scanned and exposed based on the image data.
[0043]
When the scanning exposure on the printing plate 12 is completed, the rotating drum 16 is temporarily stopped at a position where the trailing edge chuck 36 holding the trailing edge of the printing plate 12 faces the trailing edge chuck attaching / detaching unit 32, The rear end chuck 36 is removed. Thereby, the rear end of the printing plate 12 is opened. Thereafter, by rotating the rotating drum 16 in the direction of taking out the printing plate 12, the printing plate 12 is discharged from the rear end side along the tangential direction of the rotating drum 16 to the discharging guide 22 of the transport guide unit 18, and then It is a structure conveyed to the developing device of the next process.
[Configuration of the single wafer transport unit 15 (adsorption single wafer device)]
As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet transport unit 15 includes a sheet unit 17 and a cassette stock unit 19 serving as a storage unit provided adjacent to the sheet unit 17.
[0044]
In the cassette stock section 19, a plurality of cassettes 38 are stacked and accommodated in a plurality of stages (in this embodiment, five stages) vertically at predetermined intervals, and further, the cassette stock section 19 has a sheet along a rail (not shown). It can be pulled out horizontally to the leaf portion 17. The cassette 38 contains a plurality of printing plates 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the printing plate 12 has a structure in which an emulsion surface 12B (image recording surface) is formed on a support 12A. In the cassette 38, a protective sheet for protecting the emulsion surface 12B of the printing plate 12 is provided. The interleaving paper 13 and the printing plate 12 with the emulsion surface 12B facing downward are alternately stacked and accommodated.
[0045]
The uppermost portion of the cassette stock section 19 is provided with a storage space 21 for one cassette 38. When the printing plate 12 is accommodated (loaded) in the empty cassette 38, the cassette 38 is stored. Is moved (positioned) to the evacuation space 21 so that the printing plate 12 can be easily loaded into the cassette 38 from above the cassette stock portion 19.
[0046]
On the other hand, the single wafer portion 17 is provided with a lifting platform 23 constituting a cassette moving mechanism. Similarly, the elevator 23 is supported by a feed screw 25 that constitutes a cassette moving mechanism, and can be moved up and down by the operation of the feed screw 25. As a result, the lifting platform 23 can be moved up and down to a position corresponding to each cassette 38 of the cassette stock unit 19. This is a configuration that can be placed on the table 23.
[0047]
Further, in the sheet portion 17, a “suction position (fixed position in the vertical direction)” of the printing plate 12 by a suction conveyance mechanism 50 described later is set to a predetermined one (one place) (see FIG. 1). Position shown). Here, the cassette 38 placed on the lifting platform 23 is also moved to the “sucking position” of the printing plate 12 set to the predetermined one by the operation of the feed screw 25 (to pick up). (The state shown in FIG. 1).
[0048]
Further, the single wafer portion 17 is provided with a suction conveyance mechanism 50. In the suction conveyance mechanism 50, a plurality (for example, nine) of suction plates 40 are arranged at a predetermined pitch interval along the width direction of the printing plate 12. Each suction board 40 is suspended and supported with reference to a base point 70, and this base point 70 can be moved substantially horizontally in the left-right direction in FIG. 1 along the cassette 38 on the lifting platform 23. Can be rotated. Thereby, after adsorbing the printing plate 12, the suction plate 40 is configured to be able to convey the printing plate 12 while reversing it by rotating 180 ° while moving horizontally.
[0049]
Furthermore, in this suction conveyance mechanism 50, each suction disk 40 can stand by in the “suction position” set to a predetermined one in the single wafer portion 17 as described above. Accordingly, the cassette 38 pulled out from the cassette stock unit 19 to the sheet unit 17 and placed on the lifting platform 23 in a state where each suction plate 40 is waiting at the “sucking position” together with the lifting platform 23. Each suction disk 40 adsorbs the printing plate 12 from the inside of the cassette 38 by being moved by the feed screw 25 and reaching the “adsorption position” (in other words, when the cassette 38 is picked up). It is the structure which can be done.
[0050]
That is, when the printing plate 12 is taken out from each cassette 38 by the suction conveyance mechanism 50, the suction plate 40 is made to stand by at the “suction position” set to a predetermined one in the sheet unit 17, and this standby suction plate is set. Each suction disk 40 is configured to be in a suckable state by moving the selected cassette together with the lift 23 by the feed screw 25 until the printing plate 12 is in a suckable state.
[0051]
In this case, when the printing plate 12 is taken out from each cassette 38 by the suction conveyance mechanism 50, the slip sheet 13 and the printing plate 12 with the emulsion surface 12B facing down are alternately stacked in the cassette 38. The suction disk 40 comes into contact with the upper layer paper 13 in the cassette 38. When the suction disk 40 is given a suction force at the time of contact, the suction force is transmitted not only to the upper layer paper 13 but also to the lower printing plate 12, so that the pair of paper 13 and the printing plate 12 are paired (one set). ) (Both simultaneously).
[0052]
After the suction, the lifting platform 23, that is, the cassette 38 is temporarily lowered to a predetermined retracted position and then retracted. As a result, the sucked slip sheet 13 and the printing plate 12 are sucked by the separating plate (not shown) provided in the cassette 38. The sheet is “spun (separated)” from the lower interleaving paper 13 and the printing plate 12. After separation, the suction plates 40 are reversed while moving horizontally to convey the printing plate 12. When each suction disk 40 rotates 180 °, in the state shown in FIG. 1, the lower side becomes the interleaf 13 and the upper side becomes the printing plate 12 and is delivered to the conveying roller 108.
[0053]
A belt 56 is wound around a roller 107 adjacent to the lower roller 108 </ b> A of the conveying roller 108. The belt 56 is also wound around a roller 74A on the right side of the pair of rollers 74 disposed in the vicinity of the conveyance guide unit 18 of the exposure unit 14. A pair of rollers 76 is further provided below the pair of rollers 74, and the belt 56 is wound around each of a roller 76 </ b> A on the right side of the lower roller 76 and a pair of small rollers 78. A letter-shaped loop is formed and driven in the direction of arrow D in FIG.
[0054]
A belt 80 is provided between the left roller 74B of the upper pair of rollers 74 and the left roller 76B of the lower pair of rollers 76.
[0055]
The roller 74B is a roller that rotates in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction, and has a structure in which a frictional force with the interleaf sheet 13 is increased. During normal conveyance, the roller 74B is retracted below the conveyance surface. The printing plate 12 and the slip sheet 13 rise after passing over the roller 74B, and the slip sheet 13 is drawn between the rollers 74 by the frictional force, and the roller 74B is retracted. The interleaf paper 13 is sent to a pair of lower rollers 76 and discarded (see a chain arrow E in FIG. 1).
[0056]
On the other hand, the printing plate 12 passes over the upper pair of rollers 74 and is fed into the plate feeding guide 20 (see the solid line arrow F in FIG. 1).
[0057]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of the suction single wafer operation shown in FIG. 3 and the schematic front view shown in FIG.
[0058]
In the printing plate automatic exposure apparatus 10 configured as described above, when the printing plate 12 (and the interleaf sheet 13) is taken out from the cassette 38 accommodated in the cassette stock unit 19 of the sheet transporting unit 15, the cassettes 38 stacked in a plurality of stages are stored. Select (specify) one.
[0059]
When the cassette 38 is selected (specified), an adsorption preparation operation is executed in step 100. That is, the lift 23 is moved up and down by the operation of the feed screw 25 and stands by at a position corresponding to one selected cassette 38. Furthermore, the selected one cassette 38 is pulled out in the horizontal direction to the single-wafer portion 17 independently of the other cassettes, and placed on the lifting platform 23. Next, the cassette 38 (elevating platform 23) is moved up and down to a “preparation position” set slightly below the “adsorption position (a fixed position in the vertical direction)” (FIG. 4A). ) State shown).
[0060]
Further, in step 102, the suction conveyance mechanism 50 is operated, and each suction disk 40 is moved to a “suction position” set to a predetermined one and is set in a standby state (shown in FIG. 4B).
[0061]
Next, in step 104, the cassette 38 that is in the ready state at the “adsorption preparation position” is moved upward by the feed screw 25 together with the elevator 23 as shown in FIG. In step 106, it is determined whether or not the plate surface of the printing plate 12 in the cassette 38 has been detected.
[0062]
The means for detecting the plate surface of the printing plate 12 may be a non-contact type of an optical system or a contact type in which an actuator or the like directly contacts the printing plate 12.
[0063]
When the plate surface of the printing plate 12 in the cassette 38 is detected, in step 108, the cassette 38 is further moved by the feed screw 25 together with the lifting platform 23 by the amount of the suction buffer of the so-called suction disk 40 to the "suction position". And is held in this state (shown in FIG. 4D). As a result, the suction plate 40 comes into contact with the slip sheet 13 positioned at the uppermost layer of the cassette 38, and each suction plate 40 is in a state in which the printing plate 12 can be sucked from the cassette 38.
[0064]
Next, in step 110, suction by each suction disk 40 is started, and the printing plate 12 in the cassette 38 is suctioned by each suction disk 40.
[0065]
After suction by each suction board 40, in step 112, the cassette 38 is moved down by the feed screw 25 together with the lifting platform 23 and temporarily retracted to a predetermined retracted position below (FIG. 4 (E) shown state). ). As the cassette 38 is moved downward, the suction disk 40 sucks and lifts the printing plate 12 together with the uppermost slip sheet 13.
[0066]
In this case, when the printing plate 12 is detached from the cassette 38 together with the adsorbed interleaving paper 13, the interleaving paper 13 and the printing plate 12 of the next layer adhere to the adsorbing printing plate 12 due to static electricity and vacuum adhesion of the plate itself. There is. At this time, only the uppermost interleaving paper 13 and the next printing plate 12 receiving the suction force are separated by the separating plate (not shown) provided in the cassette 38, so that the lower interleaving paper 13 Or separated from the printing plate 12 and separated.
[0067]
After the suction plate 40 of the suction conveyance mechanism 50 takes out the printing plate 12 (and the interleaf paper 13) from the cassette 38, in step 114, each suction plate 40 rotates by 180 ° around the base point 70 while exposing the exposure unit 14. It moves horizontally in the direction (shown in FIG. 4F).
[0068]
After adsorption separation and separation by each adsorption board 40, in step 116, the cassette 38 (elevating platform 23) is again moved up to the “preparation position” to be in a preparation state (the state shown in FIG. 4G). .
[0069]
Thereafter, the above operation is repeated, and the printing plate 12 is sequentially sucked from the cassette 38.
[0070]
On the other hand, the printing plate 12 (and the slip sheet 13) that is inverted by 180 ° by each suction disk 40 is delivered to the transport roller 108. Further, the slip sheet 13 is peeled from the printing plate 12 by the roller 74B that rotates in the opposite direction to the transport direction. The peeled interleaving paper 13 is drawn between the rollers 74, sent to the lower roller 76, and discarded into a waste box (not shown).
[0071]
On the other hand, the printing plate 12 continues to convey the guide plate 109 substantially horizontally and is fed into the plate supply guide 20. The printing plate 12 on the plate supply guide 20 is fed into the rotating drum 16, and the leading end portion of the printing plate 12 is held by the leading end chuck 26, and the rotating drum 12 rotates in this state, so that the rotating plate 16 rotates on the peripheral surface. After tightly winding, the trailing edge of the printing plate 12 is held by the trailing edge chuck 36, whereby preparation for exposure is completed.
[0072]
In this state, image data is read and exposure processing is started by the light beam from the recording head unit 37. The exposure process is so-called scanning exposure in which the recording head unit 37 is moved in the axial direction of the rotating drum 16 while rotating the rotating drum 16 at high speed (main scanning).
[0073]
When the exposure process is completed, the conveyance guide unit 18 is switched (the discharge guide 22 is made to correspond to the rotary drum 16), and then the printing plate 12 wound around the rotary drum 16 is discharged from the tangential direction. At this time, the printing plate 12 is sent to the discharge plate guide 22. When the printing plate 12 is sent to the discharge plate guide 22, the conveyance guide unit 18 is switched, the discharge plate guide 22 is made to correspond to the discharge port, and the printing plate 12 is discharged. A developing section is provided in the discharging direction, and the printing plate 12 is continuously developed.
[0074]
Here, in the sheet transport unit 15 (print plate suction sheet apparatus and suction sheet method) according to the present embodiment, when the printing plate 12 is taken out from each cassette 38 by the suction transport mechanism 50, the sheet is transported. Since the cassette 38 is moved to the standby position of the suction disk 40 that stands by at the “suction position” set to a predetermined one in the unit 17 (ie, picks up), that is, a predetermined one in the sheet unit 17. The suction disk 40 is made to stand by at the set “suction position”, and the selected cassette is moved together with the lifting platform 23 by the feed screw 25 until the standby suction disk 40 becomes capable of sucking the printing plate 12. Since each of the suction disks 40 is configured to be in a suckable state by being moved, an expansion / contraction mechanism that can follow the suction surface height change due to the remaining amount of the printing plate 12 in the cassette 38 on each suction disk 40. It is not necessary to provide the suction disk 40 with a vertical movement absorption mechanism), and the apparatus configuration is formed only by the vertical movement mechanism (that is, the lifting platform 23 and the feed screw 25) of the cassette 38, so that the configuration of the apparatus is complicated. The cost can be reduced without becoming. Further, since such a mechanism for absorbing the vertical movement of the suction disk 40 is unnecessary, the printing plate 12 is unnecessarily pressed with excessive force to cause scratches on the emulsion surface 12B (image recording surface) of the printing plate 12. Nor.
[0075]
Further, since each suction plate 40 is not individually moved to the pull-out position of each cassette 38 (configuration where the suction plate 40 is picked up), all the pull-out positions of the plurality of cassettes 38 (that is, different upper and lower positions). (Suction surface position) and the height of the suction surface depending on the remaining amount of the printing plate 12 in the cassette 38 can be followed, that is, the suction disk 40 can reach all suction positions and is printed by conveyance from all suction positions. It is not necessary to set a special conveyance locus that does not damage the plate 12. For this reason, a complicated arm mechanism and position control are unnecessary, and this also does not complicate the apparatus, and it is possible to reduce the cost.
[0076]
As described above, in the sheet transport unit 15 (the printing plate suction sheet device and the suction sheet method) according to the present embodiment, the selected one of the plurality of cassettes 38 in which the printing plates 12 are accommodated. When the printing plate 12 is sucked from the two cassettes 38 by the suction plate 40 and is fed into a next supply target portion (exposure portion 14), the emulsion surface 12B (image recording surface) of the printing plate 12 is damaged. It is possible to reduce the cost without complicating the configuration of the apparatus, without failing to reliably produce a single wafer without generating it.
[0077]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the suction sheet feeding method and the suction sheet apparatus according to the present invention suck a printing plate from a selected cassette among a plurality of cassettes each containing a printing plate by a suction disk. When the sheet is fed and transported to the supply target in the next process, the suction plate can be reliably produced without causing scratches on the photosensitive surface of the printing plate, and the configuration of the apparatus is not complicated and the cost is low. It has an excellent effect that it can be realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing plate automatic exposure apparatus to which an adsorption sheet-fed apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which slip sheets and a printing plate in a cassette to which the suction sheet apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention sucks are stacked.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a suction sheet operation by the suction sheet apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic front view showing the suction sheet operation of the suction sheet apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Printing plate automatic exposure equipment
12 printing plate
13 Insert paper
15 single wafer transfer unit (adsorption single wafer device)
23 Elevator (cassette moving mechanism)
25 Feed screw (cassette moving mechanism)
38 cassettes
40 Suction board
50 Adsorption transport mechanism

Claims (3)

Each of the printing plates is accommodated in each of the plurality of cassettes stacked in a plurality of stages in a state where a predetermined interval is provided, and the printing plates are sucked from a selected one cassette by a suction disk and separated into sheets. A method for adsorbing and feeding a printing plate to be conveyed and fed to a portion to be supplied in the next process,
The suction disk is put on standby at a suction position set to a predetermined one,
By moving the selected one cassette until the waiting suction plate is ready to suck the printing plate, the suction plate is brought into a suckable state,
After that, the printing plate in the cassette is adsorbed by the adsorbing board and sheeted.
A method for adsorbing a printing plate, comprising: Each of the printing plates is accommodated in each of the plurality of cassettes stacked in a plurality of stages in a state where a predetermined interval is provided, and the printing plates are sucked from a selected one cassette by a suction disk and separated into sheets. A method for adsorbing and feeding a printing plate to be conveyed and fed to a portion to be supplied in the next process,
The selected one cassette is pulled out in the horizontal direction independently of the other cassettes and then moved up and down to the suction preparation position to prepare it, and the suction disk is set to a predetermined one. Move to the adsorption position of the plate and wait,
Next, the cassette in the ready state is raised and held until the suction plate waiting at the suction position is ready to suck the printing plate,
Adsorb the printing plate in the held cassette by the suction disk,
After the suction, the held cassette is once lowered to a predetermined retracted position,
Transporting and feeding the printing plate adsorbed by the suction plate to the supply target of the next process;
A method for adsorbing a printing plate, comprising: An accommodating part for accumulating and accommodating a plurality of cassettes each accommodating a printing plate in a plurality of stages with a predetermined interval;
A sheet-fed portion that is provided adjacent to the storage portion, and the suction position of the printing plate is set to a predetermined one;
An adsorption conveyance mechanism that adsorbs the printing plate from the cassette located at the predetermined adsorption position by an adsorption board and conveys the sheet to a supply target in the next process;
The selected cassette among the plurality of cassettes is pulled out to the sheet unit independently of the other cassettes, and the suction plate waiting at the predetermined suction position reaches a position where the printing plate can be sucked. A cassette moving mechanism for moving the cassette to bring the suction plate into a suckable state;
Printing plate adsorption sheet-fed device.

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