JP3036003B2 - Plate making apparatus and method of manufacturing intaglio sheet - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a plate making apparatus suitable for gravure printing and the like, and a method of manufacturing an intaglio sheet thereof.

[Summary of the Invention]

The present invention is suitable for use in gravure printing. The first plate making apparatus of the present invention winds a plate sheet made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin around a plate cylinder, irradiates the plate sheet with a beam from a laser source, In a plate making apparatus configured to form an intaglio corresponding to the density of a laser, a laser block means slidably disposed in the direction of the rotation axis of the plate cylinder, and a laser source provided in the laser block means. Optical means for irradiating the plate sheet surface with the beam of a long ellipse, integrated with the laser block means, angle adjusting means for adjusting the irradiation angle at which the long elliptical beam from the optical means is irradiated on the plate sheet, Irradiation time adjusting means for continuously and intermittently irradiating an irradiation time for irradiating the plate sheet with the oblong beam adjusted by the angle adjusting means, and adjusting the time over a predetermined time; Angle and The intaglio sheet having various halftone patterns can be obtained only by changing the optical system of one plate making apparatus by changing the shape of the intaglio formed on the plate sheet variously according to the adjustment time of the irradiation time adjusting means. According to the second method for producing an intaglio sheet of the present invention, a plate sheet made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is wound around a plate cylinder, and the plate sheet is irradiated with an oblong beam from a laser source to irradiate the plate sheet. A plate having an intaglio pattern of various predetermined shapes by continuously or intermittently irradiating the irradiation time for a predetermined time by tilting the elliptical beam in the direction of the axis of the plate cylinder in the direction of the rotation axis of the plate cylinder or at a predetermined angle from this position. A gravure printing is performed using an intaglio sheet in which the dot angle and the dot pattern are variously changed so as to obtain a sheet, thereby making it possible to easily obtain a printed matter free of moiré. Method of manufacturing a door is obtained.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, many printing methods have been proposed for printing, and relief printing plates, flat plates, intaglio printing, stencil printing, and the like have been used as printing plates. In particular, intaglio printing is used for high-speed printing of photographic images and the like on paper having a large number of copies.

The present applicant has previously proposed an inexpensive plate making apparatus which can be used in individuals and offices suitable for high-quality, medium-volume printing and an intaglio sheet thereof. FIG. 10 shows a conceptual diagram of an optical system of such a plate making apparatus, in which a recess (3) is formed in a plate sheet (2) by using a small energy emission type semiconductor laser (1) of about 1 W. It is what we did.

In FIG. 10, an image input signal (4) captured by an image scanner or the like is supplied to a semiconductor laser (1), and the drive current is turned on / off by a PCM-converted image input signal, and directly modulated. Therefore, the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser (1) blinks in synchronization with the image signal. The laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser (1) is a collimating lens (5)
And is radiated through the objective lens (6) so as to focus on the surface position of the plate sheet (2). The laser block (14) including the semiconductor laser (1), the collimating lens (5), and the objective lens (6) is initially a plate cylinder (8).
Is focused on a predetermined position on the leftmost side. Since the plate cylinder (8) is adapted to be rotated in the direction of arrow B by a plate cylinder rotation motor connected to the plate cylinder shaft (9), the plate cylinder (8)
Is rotated once, the depression (3) for one track along the circumference is scattered by the laser beam to form a depression (3) for a predetermined track. Next, when the laser block (14) is moved by one pixel in the axial direction of the plate cylinder to scatter the surface of the plate sheet (2), a predetermined depression (3) is formed in two tracks. If such scanning is sequentially performed over the entire surface of the plate cylinder (8), the synthetic resin material on the surface of the plate sheet (2) forms a depression (3) corresponding to the density of the image input signal (4). .

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

According to the semiconductor laser (1) shown in FIG. 10 described above, the pattern (10) emitted from the active surface of the semiconductor laser (1) and projected on the plate sheet (2) is long as shown in FIG. It is oval. The major dimension in the major axis direction of the long elliptical pattern (10) is, for example, 150 μm, and the minor dimension in the minor axis direction is about 5 μm. Not only the minor dimension of the depression (3) on the plate sheet (2) is too short, but also For example, when a predetermined image is printed using three primary color printing inks such as cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), using a plate sheet (2) on which a half-elliptical halftone dot pattern is formed. However, there is a problem that moire is generated on printed matter. In order to prevent such moiré from occurring, the halftone dot shape, halftone dot pitch, halftone dot angle and the like may be changed. Could not be obtained with this optical system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to freely change a dot angle and a dot shape by an optical system attached to one plate making apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a plate making apparatus and a method of manufacturing an intaglio sheet.

[Means for solving the problem]

In the plate making apparatus of the present invention, a plate sheet (2) made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is wound around a plate cylinder (8) as shown in FIG. 1, and a laser source ( In a plate making apparatus in which a beam is irradiated from 1) to form an intaglio corresponding to the density of an image, a laser slidably disposed in the direction of the rotation axis of the plate cylinder (8). Blocking means (1
4) optical means (5) (73) for irradiating the surface of the plate sheet (2) with a beam from the laser source (1) provided in the laser blocking means (14) into an oblong shape; Optical means (5) integrated with the block means (14)
Angle adjusting means (47) for adjusting the irradiation angle of the oblong beam from (73) onto the plate sheet (2), and the oblong beam adjusted by the angle adjusting means (47) is applied to the plate sheet (2). Irradiation time adjusting means (38) to adjust the time over a predetermined time by continuously interrupting the irradiation time for irradiation
(41), in which the shape of the intaglio formed on the plate sheet (2) is variously changed depending on the adjustment angle of the angle adjusting means (47) and the adjusting time of the irradiation time adjusting means (38) to (41). According to the method for producing an intaglio sheet of the present invention, a plate sheet (2) made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is transferred to a plate cylinder (8).
And the plate sheet (2) is irradiated with an oblong beam from the laser source (1), and the long axis direction of the oblong beam applied to the plate sheet (2) coincides with the rotation axis direction of the plate cylinder (2). The plate sheet having various intaglio patterns of various predetermined shapes is obtained by continuously intermittently irradiating the irradiation time over a predetermined time by tilting it at a predetermined angle or from this position.

[Action]

According to the plate making apparatus and the method of manufacturing an intaglio sheet of the present invention, an intaglio sheet having a pattern having a different halftone dot shape is obtained by scanning an elliptical pattern of a laser source applied to the plate sheet in the short axis direction. By rotating the laser clockwise or counterclockwise about the optical axis of the laser source, a laser beam having a halftone dot shape and a different halftone dot angle pattern can be easily obtained by one optical system.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the plate making apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a system diagram of a plate making apparatus of the present embodiment, and shows a system for supplying data corresponding to the density of an image signal to a semiconductor laser (1).

In FIG. 1, the input operation unit (30) transmits a status signal (31) for stopping, resetting, etc.
(32). The CPU (32) supplies a forward or reverse rotation pulse to the laser block moving motor driver (33) and the plate cylinder rotating motor driver (35) to supply the laser block moving motor (34) and the plate cylinder rotating motor (36). ) Is driven to rotate. Plate cylinder drive motor (36) with plate cylinder (8)
Is rotated, and the semiconductor laser (1) is used to make the depression (3) corresponding to the image input signal data (48) from the input signal source (49).
Is formed on the plate sheet (2), and when the plate cylinder (8) makes one rotation, the laser block moving motor (34) is moved by one pixel data, and the screen is moved along the circumference of the plate cylinder (8). The CPU (32) controls to make the depression (3) according to the shading.

The data RAM (38) stores digital image data D captured by an image scanner or the like at 3 bits per pixel. The CPU (32) drives the address counter (37), and the output address A is supplied to the data RAM (38). According to this address, the image data D is supplied to the addresses A17 to A10 of the gray scale ROM (41).

Addresses A9 to A0 of the gray scale ROM (41) are supplied with 10 bits output from a counter (40) driven by a pulse generator (39).

The gray scale ROM (41) has a role of converting the density of an image into a certain amount of laser irradiation time. This grayscale
The data in the ROM (41) is supplied to an AND gate circuit (42), and by controlling a modulation pulse from a pulse generator (39), the semiconductor laser (1) is driven via a laser driver (43). It has been done.

Further, the CPU (32) controls a stepping motor (46) that can adjust the irradiation angle of the semiconductor laser in the laser block. That is, the CPU (32) sends the semiconductor laser (1) from the input operation unit (30) to the stepping motor control circuit (44).
The stepping motor control circuit (44) supplies the data to the stepping motor driver (45) to rotate the stepping motor (46) by a predetermined angle. .

The overall configuration of the plate making apparatus described in the system diagram of FIG. 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the plate making apparatus of the present invention. A laser block moving section (13) is provided on a base (11) in addition to a plate cylinder rotating section (12). (14) is the plate cylinder (8) along the guide (15)
It is configured to move in the axial direction. The plate cylinder (8) of the plate cylinder rotating part (12) is a metal cylinder as shown in the explanatory view of the mounting state of the plate sheet (2) in FIG. 3, and is synthesized along the outer diameter of the cylinder part. Wrap a resin plate sheet (2),
The plate screw (8) is fixed to a set screw (17) with a flathead screw (16) or the like. This fixing method can be appropriately selected, and for example, can be fixed with a double-sided tape or the like.

The material of the plate sheet (2) is preferably a thermoplastic resin having a relatively narrow melting point distribution range, being hard when cured, and being scattered or sublimated at a low temperature when melted, such as polyethylene resin, acrylic resin, and polypropylene. A resin containing about 20% of carbon in a resin can be used. The thickness t of the plate sheet (2) is selected to be about 200 microns. Metallic caps (19L) and (19R) are inserted into the left and right ends of the plate cylinder (2) so as to fix the left and right ends of the plate sheet (2). Shafts (18L) and (18R) are erected on the caps (19L) and (19R) and are connected to a plate cylinder rotating motor (36) so that the plate cylinder (2) is rotated in the direction of arrow B.
In Fig. 2, (20L) (20R) is the cap (19L) (19R)
The bearing part receives the shaft (18L) (18R).

The laser block (14) is arranged to face the plate sheet (2) wound around the plate cylinder (8), and is configured to move in the axial direction of the plate cylinder (8) along the guide portion (15). . The laser block moving portion 13 for moving the laser block (14) is bridged between the bearing portions (21L) and (21R), and is screwed into a screw (23) rotated by a laser block moving motor (34). A moving element (24) for moving the moving element (24)
The laser head mounting base (50) of the laser block (14) is fixed to.

The assembled state diagram of the laser block (14) will be described with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of the laser block (14), FIG. 5 is a side view of the assembled state, FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a part of the assembled state, and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view. Is shown. In these FIGS. 4 to 7,
A stepping motor mounting plate (51) is fixed to a laser head mounting table (50) made of a plate material formed in a substantially T shape via screws, and a stepping motor (46) is attached to the stepping motor mounting plate (51). Is fixed. A first gear (52) is fitted and fixed to a rotation shaft of the stepping motor (46). A laser holder support box (53) is further fixed to the laser head mount (50), and the optical system of the semiconductor laser (1) is incorporated in the support box (53). The semiconductor laser (1) is a semiconductor laser holder (5
An electric signal is supplied via a stem pin from a central through hole (55) formed in the semiconductor laser presser (54). The semiconductor laser retainer (54) is screwed into a tap hole (59) provided on the back surface of the laser holder (58) fitted in a through hole (57) formed in the center of the second gear (56). 60). A first step (62) formed in connection with the flange (61) of the laser holder (58) has a through hole (64) formed in the center of the laser holder support box (53).
a), and the second gear (56) is rotatably loosely fitted to the through-hole (5).
7) is fitted and fixed to the second step (63) of the laser holder (58). The tip of the semiconductor laser (1) is inserted into one end of a center hole (64) formed in the center of the laser holder (58), and a coil spring () for adjusting a collimator lens is inserted into the center hole (64). The collimator lens (5) is inserted through the hole (65), the collimator lens adjusting screw (66) is inserted into the center hole (64) and screwed, and the collimator lens (5) is stored and fixed in the laser holder (58). . The objective lens holder (67) is mounted on the flange (6) of the laser holder (58).
The outer part is composed of a screw part (70) with a screw on the outer circumference along with a step part (68) and a flange part (69) of the same diameter as 1), and a center hole (71) is drilled in the center part. ing. The step (68) of the objective lens holder (67) is
The objective lens cover (73) into which the objective lens (6) is inserted through the focus adjustment spring (72) is inserted into the center hole (71) through the through hole (64a) of (3). (74) is screwed into the screw portion (70) to constitute the laser block (14). The angle adjusting means (47) for adjusting the laser irradiation angle comprises a stepping motor (46), first and second gears (52) and (56), and a laser holder (58).

As described above, when forming the depression (3) that becomes an intaglio along the circumference of the plate sheet (2) by each configuration, an image input signal from an input signal source such as an image scanner is used as a semiconductor laser (1). When supplied to PCM, it is converted to PCM and is controlled “on” and “off”. Conventionally, “ON” in FIG. 8B
The oblong pattern (10) shown in FIG. 8A was formed on the plate sheet (2) by the pulse (75) and the off-pulse (76), but in this example, the rectangular pattern (10a) or the rectangular pattern (10a) shown in FIG. In order to obtain a square pattern (10b), as shown in FIG. 8B, in the relationship between the "on" pulse (75a) or (75b) and the "off" pulse (76a) or (76b), By changing the values of the data RAM (38), gray scale ROM (41), etc. in parallel with the modulation pulse from the pulse generator (39) so as to lengthen the period, rectangular and square patterns (10a ), (10b) can be obtained.

Further, in this example, the semiconductor laser (1) is formed before the pattern (10) of the depression (3) is formed on the plate sheet (2) by the above-described angle adjusting means (47) provided in the laser block (14).
9A is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by a predetermined angle from the horizontal long elliptical pattern (10) as shown in FIG. 9A and tilted as shown in the pattern (10c) in FIG. 9A. . To tilt like this, input operation unit (30) to CPU (32)
The CPU (32) instructs the stepping motor control circuit (44) to instruct the number of pulses to incline the predetermined angle from the stepping motor (46).
By a predetermined angle, the laser holder (58) rotates clockwise or counterclockwise by a predetermined angle via the first and second gears (52) and (56), and the semiconductor laser (1)
The angle of emergence from the pattern is as shown in the pattern (10c) in FIG. 9A. The relationship between the "on" pulse (75c) and the off pulse (76c) in this state is as shown in FIG. 9B.
If the relationship between the "on" pulse (75d) and the "off" pulse (76d) is made longer by the period of the "on" pulse (75d) as shown in FIG. 9B, the parallelogram pattern shown in FIG. 10d) is obtained. By appropriately selecting such an inclination angle and an “ON” pulse period, it is possible to continuously obtain an arbitrary parallelogram pattern having an arbitrary inclination with respect to the scanning direction. For this reason, the width of the recess pattern of about 150 μm
Not only can a hollow pattern of about μm be opened, but the shape can also be changed to a rectangle, square, or rhombus, so that the dot angle, dot shape, and dot pitch can be easily changed with one optical system. An intaglio sheet can be obtained at the same level as a plate making apparatus that can easily take measures against moiré.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, such as changing the projection pattern from the semiconductor laser from a long ellipse in the vertical direction to a predetermined shape by changing the angle. Obviously gaining.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the plate making apparatus and the intaglio sheet of the present invention, intaglio sheets having various halftone dot patterns can be obtained by simply changing the optical system of one plate making apparatus, and changing the halftone dot angle and halftone dot pattern of these intaglio sheets. By performing gravure printing using the intaglio sheet, there is an effect that a printed matter free of moiré can be easily obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a plate making apparatus of the present invention and an intaglio sheet thereof, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the plate making apparatus of the present invention, FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a laser block used in the plate making apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a side view of the laser block used in the plate making apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an assembly of the laser block used in the plate making apparatus of the present invention. Plan view with part of state in cross section, seventh
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a laser block used in the plate making apparatus of the present invention, FIGS. 8 and 9 are patterns on an intaglio sheet formed by the plate making apparatus of the present invention and waveform diagrams at the time of pattern formation, and FIG. FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram of an optical system showing a conventional laser scanning system, and FIG. 11 is a projection pattern of a conventional semiconductor laser. (1) semiconductor laser, (32) CPU, (44) stepper motor control circuit, (45) stepper motor driver, (46) stepper motor, (47) angle adjustment means, (52), ( 56) is the first and second gears, (58)
Is a laser holder.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41C 1/00-1/05 B23K 26/00-26/18

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plate making method wherein a plate sheet made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is wound around a plate cylinder, and the plate sheet is irradiated with a beam from a laser source to form an intaglio plate corresponding to the density of an image. In the apparatus, a laser block means slidably disposed in the direction of the rotation axis of the plate cylinder, and a beam from the laser source provided in the laser block means is formed into an oblong shape, and the surface of the plate sheet is formed. Optical means for irradiating the plate sheet; an angle adjusting means integrated with the laser block means for adjusting an irradiation angle at which the long elliptical beam from the optical means is applied to the plate sheet; An irradiation time adjusting means for continuously and intermittently irradiating an irradiation time of the long elliptical beam onto the plate sheet to adjust the time over a predetermined time; Plate making device by adjusting time means, characterized in that form so as to variously modify the shape of the intaglio formed on the plate sheet. 2. A plate sheet made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is wound around a plate cylinder, and the plate sheet is irradiated with an oblong beam from a laser source. A plate sheet having various intaglio patterns of a predetermined shape is obtained by continuously or intermittently irradiating an irradiation time over a predetermined time by tilting a predetermined angle from the position coinciding with the plate cylinder rotation axis direction or from this position. A method for producing a plate sheet, characterized in that: