JP3037872U - Image making device for plate making - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: A printing plate having four color separation images is prepared by an efficient method. SOLUTION: Each color ink is applied by an ink roller 20 onto a printing plate 30 on which four color separation images 31 to 34 are formed, and a blanket cylinder 40 prints each image at printing positions P1 to P.
Transfer printing is performed on the telephone card C on 4. The tray 51 is conveyed by one pitch and color printing is performed. The mutual position error of the printing positions P1 to P4 peculiar to this printing apparatus is measured,
Type on your computer. In the computer, a color image to be printed is prepared as digital image data, which is decomposed into four CMYK plates, and each plate is output side by side on one plate-making film. At this time, the respective plates are arranged in consideration of the measured mutual positional error. Based on this one plate-making film, a printing plate 30 is created by one optical transfer step.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

 The present invention relates to a plate-making film making apparatus, and more particularly, an apparatus for making a plate-making film in which CMYK plates are arranged side by side on a single film in order to perform color printing on a relatively small print object such as a prepaid card. Regarding

[0002]

[Prior art]

 In general color printing, a printing plate is created for each color of CMYK, and four types of inks of CMYK are overprinted. A plate-making film for each color is required to make the four-color printing plate necessary for color printing, but recently, a plate-making film for each color is output by digital image processing using a computer. Is becoming more common. That is, first, a color image to be printed is prepared in the form of digital image data using a computer. Normally, images such as photographs and images are input to a computer as raster data using an image input device such as a scanner, and character images are input to a computer as character code data using a code input device such as a keyboard. In the computer, these photographic image, illustration image, and character image are allocated, and further, necessary color correction processing is performed to prepare a final color image to be printed. Subsequently, the color separation process for this color image is executed in the computer. That is, the prepared color image is separated into four CMYK colors, and a color separated image for each color is generated. Then, the data of the four color separated images is sent to the imagesetter, and each color separated image is output on the film. In this way, when a plate-making film on which four color separation images are formed is created, a plate for each color is created by an optical image transfer process using this plate-making film. Printing will be done for each.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 Normally, a total of four printing plates are made for each color of CMYK by the above-mentioned process, and these four printing plates are respectively wound on different plate cylinders, and the printing object is passed through these four plate cylinders one after another. However, four colors will be printed. However, when performing color printing on a relatively small print object such as a prepaid card, four color separation images are formed side by side on one printing plate, and each part of this one printing plate is different. A method is often adopted in which color inks are applied and four colors are printed simultaneously. In order to create a printing plate in which four color separation images are arranged side by side in this way, in principle, prepare a plate-making film on which four color separation images are arranged, and use the image on this plate-making film as an optical image. The transfer process need only be performed once.

However, in reality, this optical transfer process does not have to be performed once, and a separate transfer process has to be performed for each color-resolved image. This is because each printing device has its own mechanical position error. Therefore, when four color separation images on the plate-making film are transferred to the plate side in one transfer process, delicate colors are generated during printing. This is because a shift will occur. Therefore, in actuality, the optical transfer process to the printing plate side is performed while taking into account the mechanical position error peculiar to each printing device, and performing delicate position adjustment for each color separation image. There is a need. This optical transfer process is composed of so-called photolithography processes such as resist coating, positioning of the plate-making film, exposure, and development. It is extremely inefficient to perform each of these processes for each color separation image.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for preparing a plate-making image that can prepare a printing plate having four color separation images in an efficient manner.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 (1) According to a first aspect of the present invention, a print target is continuously supplied to a predetermined transport path, and the print target is transported to each of the four print positions defined on the transport path. At that time, a plate-making image used to form a plate for a color printing apparatus having a function of simultaneously printing CMYK colors on the printing object at each printing position is prepared. A position data setting means for setting position data indicating a mutual positional relationship among four printing positions of the printing device, an image preparing means for preparing a color image to be printed as digital image data, The color separation means that separates the color image into four CMYK colors to generate four color separation images, and the four color separation images so that the mutual positional relationship indicated by the set position data is satisfied. Same Allocation on the surface, in which four color separation image is formed and image allocation means for generating an integrated image arranged in a predetermined position, and an image output means for outputting the integrated image.

(2) A second aspect of the present invention is, in the plate-making image forming apparatus according to the above-mentioned first aspect, defining an XY plane along a print surface of a print object on a conveyance path, A reference point is defined at each of the four printing positions, and the position data setting means can set the X coordinate value and the Y coordinate value of the reference point at each printing position as position data.

(3) According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the plate-making image forming apparatus according to the above-mentioned first aspect, an XY plane is defined along a print surface of a print object on a conveyance path, A reference point is defined for each of the four printing positions, and the position data setting means sets the X-coordinate value and the Y-coordinate value of the reference point for each printing position, and the angle indicating the orientation of the print target at each printing position. This makes it possible to set θ as position data.

[0009]

[Embodiment of the invention]

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on an illustrated embodiment. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the basic configuration of a printing apparatus that performs color printing on relatively small print objects such as prepaid cards, business cards, and postcards. The ink supply unit 10 is provided with four ink tanks 11 to 14, and each of the ink tanks 11 to 14 has cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), respectively. Each color of ink is filled. The ink roller 20 is provided with individual rollers 21 to 24 corresponding to the respective colors of ink. Further, the printing plate 30 is composed of one metal plate, and four color separation images 31 (C plate), 32 (M plate), 33 (Y plate) corresponding to each color ink are formed on this metal plate. , 34 (K plate) are formed. The blanket cylinder 40 is a roller whose front surface is made of rubber and has a function of transferring an image on the printing plate 30 to a printing target.

The transport system 50 has a mechanism for transporting the print target along a predetermined transport path. In the illustrated example, the telephone card C as the print target is transported in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure. This is the case (in the figure, this telephone card C is shown with hatching). That is, in the carrying system 50, a large number of trays 51 are connected by the chains 52, and an annular carrying path is formed as a whole. Each tray 51 is driven in the direction of the arrow in the figure by a drive system (not shown). A convex positioning member 53 is formed at one corner of each tray 51, and a telephone card as an object to be printed is positioned at a predetermined position on the tray 51 by this positioning member 53. In the transport system 50, a position P0 shown in the drawing is a supply position of the print target, positions P1 to P4 are print positions, and position P5 is a discharge position. When an empty tray 51 arrives at the supply position P0, one telephone card C is supplied onto the tray 51 by a supply device (not shown). A large number of suction holes are formed on the upper surface of the tray 51, and the positioned telephone card C is suction-fixed onto the tray 51 by vacuum suction using these suction holes. The telephone card C on the tray 51 is conveyed in the direction shown by the arrow in the figure, but is printed at the printing positions P1 to P4 and finally discharged at a discharging position P5 by a discharging device (not shown). It

The transport system 50 is driven intermittently for each pitch of the tray 51. That is, after the tray 51 is driven by one pitch in the transport direction, the transport operation is temporarily stopped, and the tray 51 is driven again by one pitch, which is repeated. Printing is performed by rolling the blanket cylinder 40 onto the telephone card C at the printing positions P1 to P4 while the transportation is temporarily stopped. Prior to this printing, first, the ink roller 20 is rolled onto the ink supply unit 10, and the individual rollers 21 to 24 are put into the respective ink tanks 11 to 14 to adhere the individual inks. Subsequently, the ink roller 20 is reversed to the printing plate 30 side, and ink of a predetermined color is applied to each color separation image 31 to 34 on the printing plate 30. Next, the blanket cylinder 40 is rolled on the printing plate 30, and the color separation images 31 to 34 are transferred to the surface of the blanket cylinder 40, which is transferred to the telephone cards C at the printing positions P1 to P4. .

Positioning mechanisms 61 to 64 are provided at the printing positions P1 to P4, and when the trays 51 reach the printing positions P1 to P4, they are fixed at predetermined positions by the positioning mechanisms 61 to 64. It The chain 52 connects the trays 51 with a certain degree of freedom, but the trays 51 that have arrived at the printing positions P1 to P4 are accurately positioned by the positioning mechanisms 61 to 64. The color separation images 31 to 34 on the plate 30 are formed at positions corresponding to the accurate printing positions P1 to P4 by the positioning mechanisms 61 to 64.

Now, in such a printing apparatus, a plate-making film 70 as shown in FIG. 2 is required in order to make the printing plate 30. Color separation images 71 to 74 are formed on the plate-making film 70. By transferring the color separation images 71 to 74 onto the plate 30 by an optical process, the color separation images 71 to 74 are formed on the plate 30. The decomposed images 31 to 34 (concavo-convex pattern on the printing plate) will be formed. At this time, if the mutual positional relationship of the color separated images 71 to 74 on the plate-making film 70 exactly matches the mutual positional relationship of the printing positions P1 to P4 defined by the positioning mechanisms 61 to 64, The optical transfer process onto the printing plate 30 is greatly facilitated. That is, the photolithography process for transferring the image of the plate-making film 70 shown in FIG.

However, when the plate-making film 70 is created using the conventional plate-making film creating apparatus, the mutual positional relationship between the color separation images 71 to 74 on the plate-making film 70 and the mutual positional relationship between the printing positions P1 to P4 are as follows. , In fact, does not exactly match. This is because the mechanical accuracy of the positioning mechanisms 61 to 64 has a limit, and a specific position error occurs at the printing positions P1 to P4 depending on each printing machine. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the mutual positional relationship of the trays 51 existing at the printing positions P1 to P4 in the printing apparatus shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, if an XY coordinate system is defined and the print positions P1 to P4 are indicated by the XY coordinate values of a reference point (position indicated by a black dot in the figure) defined at the center position of each telephone card C, Each printing position can be indicated by coordinate value P1 (x1, y1), coordinate value P2 (x2, y2), coordinate value P3 (x3, y3), coordinate value P4 (x4, y4). Now, regarding the X coordinate, when the interval between the coordinate values x1 to x2 is d1, the interval between the coordinate values x2 to x3 is d2, and the interval between the coordinate values x3 to x4 is d3, at the stage of designing the printing machine, normally d1 = D2 = d3 is generally designed to be evenly spaced, and the Y coordinate is generally designed to be arranged in a line as y1 = y2 = y3 = y4. Is.

If the actual printing machine is designed as described above, the color separation images 71 to 74 are vertically aligned at the same position in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. For this purpose, those arranged at a uniform pitch (D1 = D2 = D3) may be prepared. In fact, in the conventional plate-making film making apparatus, the color-separated images 71 to 74 are horizontally arranged at a uniform pitch (D1 = D2 = D3).

However, it is very difficult to manufacture a printing apparatus that maintains such ideal mechanical precision, and in an actual printing apparatus, a mechanical position error of about several tens of μm cannot be avoided. Therefore, in FIG. 3, the values of d1, d2, and d3 have an error of about several 10 μm, and the values of y1, y2, y3, y4 also have an error of about several 10 μm. ing. These errors are, of course, inherent in the individual printing device. When printing is performed by ignoring such positional errors, misregistration occurs for each color, and it becomes impossible to obtain high-quality printing results. Since the conventional plate-making film creating apparatus does not have a function of outputting a plate-making film in consideration of such a positional deviation peculiar to each printing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2, the color separation images 71 to 74 are There is no choice but to output those arranged at the same position in the vertical direction and arranged at a uniform pitch (D1 = D2 = D3) in the horizontal direction. For this reason, the optical process of forming the color separated images 31 to 34 on the printing plate 30 had to be performed independently for each color separated image. Specifically, for example, a plate-making film 70 as shown in FIG. 2 is separated into color-separated images 71 to 74 and divided into four plate-making films, and each plate-making film has its own position unique to the printing apparatus. It was unavoidable to carry out the process of optically transferring the image onto the printing plate 30 after performing the alignment in consideration of the error.

The present invention has been made for the purpose of simplifying such an optical transfer process, and its basic concept is to eliminate the positional error inherent in each printing device at the stage of making the plate-making film 70. The point is to allocate the color-separated images 71 to 74 in consideration.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the plate-making image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. This apparatus comprises an image preparing means 1 for preparing a color image G to be printed as digital image data and four color separated images Gc, Gm, Gy, Gk by separating the color image G into four colors of CMYK. And the position data setting means 3 for setting the position data L indicating the mutual positional relationship between the four printing positions P1 to P4 of the printing device that actually prints. The four color separation images Gc, Gm, Gy, and Gk are allocated on the same plane so that the mutual positional relationship shown is satisfied, and an integrated image GG in which the four color separation images are arranged at predetermined positions is generated. The image allocating means 4 for forming the image and the image outputting means 5 for outputting the integrated image GG on the plate-making film F are provided. Actually, among these constituent elements, the image preparation means 1, the color separation means 2, the position data setting means 3 and the image allocating means 4 are realized by using a computer. For example, it can be realized by using hardware in which various peripheral devices are connected to a general-purpose personal computer and operating this computer using dedicated application software. As the image output means 5, for example, an existing device such as an imagesetter can be used.

The procedure for preparing a plate-making film using this plate-making image forming apparatus is as follows. First, the operator prepares the position data L indicating the mutual positional relationship of the print positions P1 to P4 for the printing apparatus that actually prints, and sets this position data L in the position data setting means 3. As the position data L, for example, data as shown in FIG. 5 can be prepared. This defines XY coordinate values for each of the printing positions P1 to P4 (reference points) shown in FIG. Specifically, the printing positions P1 to P4 of the actually used printing device are accurately measured, and the measurement result is input to the position data setting means 3 as position data L as shown in FIG. Good. By setting such coordinate values as the position data L, it is possible to accurately recognize the position error peculiar to each printing apparatus. Of course, the format of the position data L shown in FIG. 5 is an example, and the position data L may be set in any other format. In short, if the data is in a format that can recognize the mutual positional relationship between the four printing positions P1 to P4 of the printing device that actually prints, set the position data L in any format. I don't care.

When a plurality of printing devices are used, it is only necessary to prepare separate position data L for each printing device and set for each printing device. For example, if there are three printers, the first to third printers, position error L is measured for each printer and position data L is prepared. It is only necessary to make separate settings such as L1, position data L2 of the second machine, and position data L3 of the third machine. In this case, for example, when creating a printing plate for the second machine, the plate making film is output using the position data L2.

The color image G to be printed is prepared as digital image data by the image preparation means 1. The image preparation means 1 is usually realized by an image data input device such as a scanner, a character code input device such as a keyboard, and software for executing various image processing and layout processing for an input image or character. It In this way, when the color image G is prepared, the color separation unit 2 separates the color image G into four colors of CMYK, and four color separated images Gc, Gm, Gy, and Gk are generated. Each color separation image is an image expressing only a specific color component of the original color image G, and these four color separation images Gc, Gm, Gy and Gk are on the same plane by the image allocating means 4. Assigned to. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, four color separation images 71 to 74 are allocated. The important point here is that the four color separation images 71 to 74 are allocated to positions that satisfy the mutual positional relationship indicated by the position data L. In the specific example shown here, the central positions of the color-separated images 71 to 74 are assigned so as to match the coordinate positions P1 to P4 indicated by the position data L in FIG. The integrated image GG composed of the four color-separated images 71 to 74 allocated in this way is output onto the plate-making film F by the image output means 5. Thus, the plate-making film 70 as shown in FIG. 2 is obtained.

As described above, the plate-making film 70 output by the conventional plate-making image forming apparatus has four color-separated images 71 to 74 arranged side by side at the same pitch (D1 = D2 = D3). However, in the plate-making film 70 output by the plate-making image forming apparatus of the present invention, the pitches D1, D2, D3 of the color separation images 71-74 are not always the same, and are not always horizontal. It does not line up in a line. That is, the arrangement of the color separation images 71 to 74 on the plate-making film 70 corresponds to the four printing positions of the printing apparatus that actually prints, and the actual position error is taken into consideration. ing. Therefore, when the plate 30 is produced using the plate-making film 70 output by the plate-making image making apparatus of the present invention, it is sufficient to transfer the four color separation images 71 to 74 at the same time. You just have to go through the process. The color separation images 31 to 34 formed on the printing plate 30 are arranged in consideration of the positional error of the printing positions P1 to P4. Therefore, printing is performed using this printing plate 30 in this printing apparatus. As long as it is performed, the misregistration for each color does not occur. As described above, the use of the present invention enables the optical transfer process to the printing plate 30 to be performed only once, and the working efficiency is greatly improved.

Note that the position data L shown as an example in FIG. 5 shows only the XY coordinate values for the reference points of the printing positions P1 to P4. You may make it add the angle (theta) which shows direction. For example, in the printing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, the four printing positions P1 to P4 are aligned on a straight line, but as shown in FIG. 6, the four printing positions P1 to P4 are formed in an arc shape. In the case of using a printing apparatus in which the print positions are arranged side by side, in addition to the XY coordinate values of the reference points of the print positions P1 to P4, the angle θ indicating the orientation of the print target is also required. Specifically, for the print position P1, in addition to the coordinate value P1 (x1, y1) of the reference point (black circle), an angle θ1 indicating the orientation of the telephone card C (in this example, the long side of the telephone card C and The angle formed by the Y axis) must be prepared as position data. In order to deal with such a printing apparatus, the position data L as shown in FIG. 7 should be set after all. In this case, the image allocating unit 4 may perform a process of creating an integrated image GG in which four color separation images are arranged on a plane in consideration of the angle θ in addition to the XY coordinate values.

Although the example using the telephone card as the print object has been described above, the present invention is applied to all other print objects such as prepaid cards, business cards, CDs, IC cards, optical cards, and the like. It is possible. In the above example, the integrated image GG is output from the image output means 5 onto the plate making film F, and a plate is made using this plate making film F. When a device having a function of outputting (CTP device: Computer To Plate) is used, the integrated image GG may be directly output from the image output means 5 to the CTP device.

[0025]

[Effect of the invention]

 As described above, according to the plate-making image creating apparatus of the present invention, the positional error peculiar to the printing apparatus that actually performs printing is set, and four color separation images are allocated in consideration of this positional error. Since a plate-making film is output, it is possible to simplify the optical image transfer process to the plate, and it is possible to efficiently make the plate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a basic configuration of a printing apparatus that performs color printing on a relatively small print target such as a telephone card, a business card, and a postcard.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a plate-making film 70 necessary for producing a printing plate 30 used in the printing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a printing position P1 to P in the printing apparatus shown in FIG.
4 is a plan view showing a mutual positional relationship of trays 51 existing in No. 4 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a plate-making image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram showing an example of position data L used in the plate-making image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a printing apparatus in which printing positions P1 to P4 are arranged on an arc.

7 is a diagram showing an example of position data L suitable for the printing apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image preparation means 2 ... Color separation means 3 ... Position data setting means 4 ... Image allocation means 5 ... Image output means 10 ... Ink supply section 11-14 ... Ink tank 20 ... Ink rollers 21-24 ... Individual roller 30 ... Printing Plates 31 to 34 ... Color separation image 40 ... Blanket cylinder 50 ... Conveying system 51 ... Tray 52 ... Chain 53 ... Convex positioning member 61-64 ... Positioning mechanism 70 ... Plate making film 71-74 ... Color separation image C ... Telephone card D1 to D3 ... Pitch of color separation image d1 to d3 ... Pitch of printing positions P1 to P4 G ... Color image GG ... Integrated image Gc, Gm, Gy, Gk ... Color separation image L ... Position data P0 ... Supply position P1 to P4 … Printing position P5… Discharging position

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] December 19, 1996

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claim 2

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claim 3

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Claims (3)

[Utility model registration claims] 1. A print target is continuously supplied to a predetermined transport path, and when the print target is transported to each of four print positions defined on the transport path, each print position is moved. A device for creating a plate-making image used to form a plate for a color printing device, which has a function of simultaneously printing CMYK colors on the print target, Position data setting means for setting position data indicating a mutual positional relationship of printing positions, image preparation means for preparing a color image to be printed as digital image data, and the color image is separated into four colors of CMYK. Color separation means for generating four color separation images, and the four color separation images are allocated on the same plane so that the mutual positional relationship indicated by the position data is satisfied. Image is the image and allocation means, the image output means for outputting integrated image, plate making image creating apparatus characterized by comprising a generating synthetic images arranged in a predetermined position. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an XY plane is defined along a print surface of a print target on a transport path, reference points are defined at four print positions, and position data is set. An image forming apparatus for plate making, wherein the means has a function of setting the X coordinate value and the Y coordinate value of the reference point of each printing position as position data. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an XY plane is defined along a print surface of a print target on a conveyance path, reference points are defined at four print positions, and position data is set. An image forming process for plate making, characterized in that the means has a function of setting, as position data, the X coordinate value and the Y coordinate value of the reference point of each printing position, and the angle θ indicating the orientation of the printing object at each printing position. apparatus.