JP3060337B2 - Photosensitive material processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus for developing an exposed photosensitive material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among lithographic printing plates used for lithographic printing, a lithographic printing plate obtained by applying a photosensitive agent to a thin metal plate such as a PS plate has a positive film adhered to the printing plate. After the exposure, the photosensitive layer is subjected to a developing process, and the printing plate after the developing process is carried into a dryer and dried to prepare a lithographic printing plate. The development process of this photosensitive layer
Depending on the type of the developing machine, for example, a shower system, a dip system, a coating and developing system, and the like are employed. .

In a developing machine currently used, a lithographic printing plate on which image exposure processing has been performed is mounted on an insertion table by a known method, and inserted into a developing tank constituting a developing section via a developing inlet roller. I do. The developing tank contains a developing solution, and the inserted lithographic printing plate P is immersed in the developing solution 5 while being conveyed by the developing tank conveying rollers to be subjected to a developing process.

A replenishing developer tank is provided below the developing tank and stores a replenishing developer. When the developing solution in the developing tank is consumed, the developing solution is replenished by feeding the developing solution for replenishing to a developing solution replenishing port provided in an upper part of the developing tank 4 by a developing solution replenishing pump provided in a replenishing pipe. I do. or,
Dilution water is also sent from the dilution water tank to the developer replenishing pump, and is also sent to the developing tank.

[0005] A heater is provided in the developing tank so as to maintain the developing solution at a predetermined processing temperature. This developing solution is sent to a developing filter provided in a circulation pipe, where impurities are removed and filtered, and returned to the developing tank 4 again by a developing pump. A discharge pipe is provided at the bottom of the developing tank, and the used developer is discarded in a waste liquid collecting tank by operating an opening / closing valve. By rotating a pair of rotary brushes disposed above and below the central portion of the transport path in the developing tank 4, the image portion of the lithographic printing plate immersed in the developing solution and swollen is scraped off. The configuration in which a pair of upper and lower rotating brushes are provided is such that a photosensitive material may be applied to both surfaces of the lithographic printing plate, and is provided for simultaneous scraping.

Next, the lithographic printing plate P after the development is inserted into the developing squeeze roller 20 and the rinsing section inlet roller 21, and is carried into the rinsing section 22.

However, the rotary brushes are provided on the upper and lower sides, and the planographic printing plate passes between the rotary brushes and is conveyed by guide rollers in the next developing tank, and the rear end of the planographic printing plate is moved to the lower position. There is a drawback that the rotating brush provided in the above is strongly bent downward. A lithographic printing plate having its rear end bent downward cannot be used for printing.

Further, the developer is supplied into the developer tank by a circulation pipe. Conventionally, however, the discharge port of the circulation pipe is simply connected to the wall of the developer tank, and the developer is directed toward the planographic printing plate from the side. It was discharged and discharged from the other side and circulated. Such a flow of the developing solution flows out of the discharge port of the circulation pipe, and at the same time, the flow is diffused to the right and left, and a new developing solution is not sufficiently supplied to the photosensitive material surface of the lithographic printing plate.

Further, an apparatus for completing the development of the lithographic printing plate and performing washing in the next washing section is provided integrally.
The washing water is replenished to the washing tank correspondingly because the washing water is used a number of times, and is slightly stained or reduced.

After the flushing amount reaches a predetermined number, all the water in the flushing tank is discarded in a waste liquid collecting tank installed at the lower part of the apparatus. In this case, the replenished fresh water is also discarded in the waste liquid recovery tank at the same time, so that the waste liquid recovery tank becomes full within a short period of time, and much time and effort is required to dump it outside.

[0011]

However, as described above, a lithographic printing plate is generally a large and wide printing plate. In particular, a developing solution is immersed in the exposed photosensitive surface of the lithographic printing plate by contacting a rotating brush. In the action of scraping the swollen line drawing part, the rotating brush rotates at about 10 times the rotation speed of the lithographic printing plate, and strongly strikes the rear end of the slowly moving lithographic printing plate with the tip of the rotating brush That is, the rear end is bent or bent. Therefore, means for preventing bending is required.

[0012]

[0013]

An object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material processing method in which a processing solution stored in a processing solution tank is circulated, and an exposed photosensitive material is developed by an immersion developing method while moving the exposed photosensitive material into the processing solution tank. In the apparatus, a first pair of a rotating brush that contacts the surface of the photosensitive material so as to sandwich the linear moving portion and a guide roller that faces the rotating brush is provided. And provided on the downstream side of the first pair and opposite to the first pair of rotating brushes, as viewed in the moving direction of the photosensitive material,
A second pair of a rotating brush that contacts the other surface of the photosensitive material and a guide roller facing the rotating brush; and a first pair and a second pair between the first pair and the second pair. A photosensitive material guide member provided on the rotating brush side of the first pair and partially protruding from the linearly moving portion.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a lithographic printing plate developing device provided with a lithographic printing plate drying device of the present invention.

First, in the lithographic printing plate developing apparatus A, the insertion table 1
A lithographic printing plate P on which image exposure processing has been performed by a known method is placed, and inserted into a developing tank 4 constituting the developing unit 3 via a developing inlet roller 2. The developing tank 4 contains a developing solution 5, and the inserted lithographic printing plate P is immersed in the developing solution 5 while being conveyed by the developing tank conveying rollers 6A and 6B to undergo a developing process.

A replenishing developer tank 7 is provided below the developing tank 4 and stores a replenishing developer 5a. When the developing solution 5 in the developing tank 4 is consumed, the replenishing developing solution 5 a is supplied to a developing solution replenishing pump 9 provided in a replenishing pipe 8.
To supply the developer to the developer replenishing port 10 provided in the upper portion of the developing tank 4 to replenish the developer. Further, dilution water is also sent from the dilution water tank 11 to the developer replenishment pump 9, and is similarly sent to the development tank 4.

A heater 12 is provided in the developing tank 4 so as to maintain the developing solution 5 at a predetermined processing temperature. The developing solution 5 is sent to a developing filter 13 a provided in the circulation pipe 13 to remove impurities, filtered, and returned to the developing tank 4 again by the developing pump 14.
At the bottom of the developing tank 4, a discharge pipe 15 is provided.
By operating the opening / closing valve 16, the used developer 5 is discarded in the waste liquid collecting tank 17. By rotating the brush rollers B1 and B2 disposed at the center of the transport path 18 in the developing tank 4, the image area of the lithographic printing plate P immersed in the developing solution 5 and swollen is scraped off.

Referring now to FIG. The lithographic printing plate P exposed as described with reference to FIG. 1 is inserted from the insertion table 1 and is inserted into the developing tank 4 by the developing inlet roller 2. α
The planographic printing plate P is securely inserted into the developing tank 4 at an angle of about 15 degrees, which is indicated by a constant angle θ. The inserted lithographic printing plate P is transported by developer transport rollers 6A, 6B and 6C provided in the developer.
Next, the lithographic printing plate P passes between the developing solution discharge sections 131 or 13B for circulating and discharging the processing liquid, that is, the developing solution 5. The developer discharging section 131 is configured as shown in FIG. 3A, and is connected to a developer guide member 133 having a U-shaped cross section with an opening in the passage direction of the lithographic printing plate P, and following the movement of the lithographic printing plate P. The developer 5 is discharged from the developer discharge section 131 by the operation of the developing pump 14. The discharged developer 5 moves in the direction of the arrow, but flows in the developer guide member 133, and flows through the opening.
Flows efficiently to the lithographic printing plate P and does not spread outward.
Therefore, the new developing solution 5 always hits the photosensitive material surface of the lithographic printing plate P to improve the developing efficiency. The developed developer 5 is rapidly discharged from the discharge unit 132, and is again returned to the developing pump 14.
After being sent to the developing filter 13a, the toner is sent into the developing tank 4 by the circulation pipe 13.

FIG. 3B shows another embodiment of the developer guide member, in which discharge portions 134 and 135 of the developer 5 are provided on both sides of a developer guide member 136 having a U-shaped cross section, and the developer 5 is supplied from the discharge portions 134 and 135. It is discharged from the developing pump 14. The developer 5 flows inside the developer guide member 136 toward the center, and a developer guide plate 138 and a discharge port 13 formed substantially at the center of the developer guide member 136.
From FIG. 7, the developer 5 flows in the direction of the arrow, respectively, and is further discharged vertically. In this way, the discharge ports 134,
By providing 135, the flow path of the developer 5 in the developer guide member 136 can be shortened, and the diffusion of the developer 5 can be reduced, so that the photosensitive material of the lithographic printing plate P can be efficiently developed. it can.

FIG. 3C shows another embodiment of the developing solution guide member, in which a developing solution discharging portion 139 and a discharging portion 141 are provided, and on the other side, a developing solution discharging portion 142 and a discharging portion 140 are provided. And discharge unit 1
A developer guide member 143 having a U-shaped cross section is provided between 40, and a developer guide member having a U-shaped cross section between the developer discharge portion 142 and the discharge portion 141.
144 are provided. That is, the developing solution 5
And the developing solution guide members 143 and 144 having a U-shaped cross section are caused to flow to supply the developing solution 5 twice as large as that in FIG. 3A to the photosensitive material surface of the lithographic printing plate P. Diffusion of the developer 5 can also be prevented. When a photosensitive material is applied to both surfaces of the lithographic printing plate P, the discharge portion 13B and the developer guide member are sandwiched between the lithographic printing plate P as shown in FIG.
With 13A, the developer 5 can be supplied from above and below.

Next, the developed lithographic printing plate P is first nipped and transported in a horizontal direction by a pair of transport rollers 6D and 6E as shown in FIG. When the lithographic printing plate P conveyed in the horizontal direction is coated with the photosensitive material on both sides, first, the developing solution 5 is applied to one side of the lithographic printing plate P which is lightly guided by the upper guide roller 19 in front of the traveling direction. The swelled image portion is rubbed off with a rotating brush B2 rotating to the right. Next, the lithographic printing plate P gently pressed and guided by the lower guide roller 19A in the traveling direction is rubbed with the rotating brush B1 that rotates leftward by immersing the swelled image portion in the developing solution 5 on the other surface. . Guide roller 19, rotating brush B2 and guide roller 19
A and the rotating brush B1 are formed as a pair, respectively, and the transport rollers 6D and 6E, the pair of guide rollers 19A and the rotating brush B are formed.
The section H up to 1 is configured such that the transport of the lithographic printing plate P can go straight as indicated by a dashed line.

The rear end of the lithographic printing plate P is a rotating brush B
2 so as to prevent the rear end of the lithographic printing plate P from being bent by the rotating action of the brush front end of the rotary brush B2 before the rear end comes into contact with the next rotary brush B1.
Are provided at positions protruding slightly above the dashed line to prevent bending and inflection.

The lithographic printing plate P having completed the processing in the developing tank 4
Are transported by transport rollers 6G and are guided by guide rollers 6H, 6I,
While being guided by 6J, it is guided to the next washing section 22.

Next, the lithographic printing plate P after the development is inserted into the developing squeeze roller 20 and the rinsing section inlet roller 21, and is carried into the rinsing section 22. In the rinsing section 22, the rinsing water 24 stored in the rinsing tank 23 is driven by a rinsing pump 26 provided in a circulation pipe 25 to be sent to a shower nozzle 27 disposed above the rinsing section 22. In addition, the squeezing roller 28 is sprayed to wash each roller and the lithographic printing plate P.

The washing water 24 used for this washing is a foam preventing plate.
It is collected in the washing tank 23 through 29. This washing tank
A drain pipe 30 is provided at the bottom of 23, and the used washing water 24 is discharged into a waste liquid collection tank by operating an opening / closing valve 31.
Discarded at 32. Further, when the washing water 24 becomes a predetermined liquid level or more in the washing tank 23, the washing water 24 is similarly discarded from the overflow port 33 to the waste liquid collecting tank 32.

[0027] Then the sensors S _1, S ₂ for detecting automatically the weight loss of the washing water 24 provided in the wash tank 23, as shown in FIG. 4, when the washing water 24 is obtained by reduction for example up sensor S _1,
Only the reduced amount was supplied from outside.

As a method of replenishing the reduced amount, for example, a reduced volume up to the sensor S ₁ or S ₂ is obtained and stored in a CPU or the like, and a minute pump for replenishing the volume may be operated.

Next, the washed lithographic printing plate P is inserted into the gum solution application unit entrance roller 34 and carried into the gum solution application unit 35. In the gum solution application unit 35, the gum solution 37 stored in the gum solution tank 36 is driven by a gum solution pump 39 provided in a circulation pipe 38 to a shower nozzle 40 arranged above the gum solution application unit 35. Feed, gum solution application section entrance roller 34
To apply the gum solution 37 to the planographic printing plate P.

The gum solution 37 used for this coating is a foam preventing plate.
Collected in the gum solution tank 36 via 41. A discharge pipe 42 is provided at the bottom of the gum solution tank 36, and a used gum solution 37 is discarded in a waste solution collection tank 44 by operating an opening / closing valve 43. Also, this gum solution 37 is used in the gum solution tank.
When the liquid level becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined liquid level in 36, the liquid is similarly discarded from the overflow port 45 to the waste liquid collecting tank 44.

The lithographic printing plate P developed as described above is attached to a bracket C which is fixed to the outer surface of the lithographic printing plate developing device A through a guide roller 47 from an outlet 46 of the lithographic printing plate developing device A. The lithographic printing plate drying apparatus B is loaded on the dryer carrying port 48 of the drying apparatus B. In the planographic printing plate drying apparatus B, the planographic printing plate P carried in from the dryer carrying-in port 48 is carried along a carrying path 51 formed by the guide rollers 49 and the Molton rollers 50. A pair of a first nozzle 52 and a second nozzle 53 forming a drying unit from the dryer entrance 48 side are sequentially arranged in the transport path 51 at positions sandwiching the transport path 51.

The first nozzle 52 disposed on the transport path 51,
The drying section 54 containing the guide roller 49, the second nozzle 53 and the Molton roller 50 forms a box-shaped container, and a blower tube 56 connected to the blower 55 is mounted on the side surface 54a. A heater 57 is provided inside the blower tube 56,
The air generated by the blower 55 is changed to hot air, and the hot air is sent to the first nozzle 52 and the second nozzle 53 which are fixed to an opening (not shown) formed in the side surface 54a. This first nozzle 52
And slits on the side of the transport path 51 of the second nozzle 53
52a and 53a are formed, and hot air is directly blown on the surface of the lithographic printing plate P. The lithographic printing plate P dried by the hot air is carried out of the dryer outlet 58 by rotation of the Molton roller 50.

The lithographic printing plate dryer B has a carry-in shield plate 59 and a carry-out shield plate 60 at the dryer inlet 48 and dryer outlet 58, respectively. Details of the carry-in part shielding plate 59 and the carry-out part shielding plate 60 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a lithographic printing plate drying apparatus B having a dryer entrance 48 and a dryer exit 58 is provided, and a carry-in shielding plate 59 and a carry-out shielding plate 60 are provided. It is.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carry-in portion shield plate 59 and the carry-out portion shield plate 60 are made of a material such as polyester, for example.
= 50-200 μm, the size of which is necessary and sufficient to shield the dryer entrance 48 or the dryer exit 58.

The lithographic printing plate P after development processing is loaded into the dryer
When the lithographic printing plate P is carried into the lithographic printing plate drying apparatus B from above 48, the upper portion of the erection carrying plate shielding plate 59 is brought into contact with the non-development surface plate when the lithographic printing plate P is carried in and is elastically deformed and tilted. The inclined loading portion shielding plate 59 slides on the lower surface of the planographic printing plate P.

When the lithographic printing plate P passes, the carry-in portion shielding plate 59 is restored to its original shape by the elasticity of the surface material itself. When the lithographic printing plate P passes, the carry-out portion shielding plate 60 is restored to its original shape by the elasticity of the surface material itself, and again shields the dryer outlet 58.

As described above, since the dryer entrance 48 and the dryer exit 58 are shielded by the entrance shielding plate 59 and the exit shielding plate 60, the diffusion of noise is suppressed and the overall noise is reduced by 4 to 5 dB. I do. Also, hot air leaking from the inside of the dryer can be prevented.

[0039]

According to the present invention, as described above, a lithographic printing plate is inserted into a developing solution tank, which is a processing solution tank, and the developing solution is guided from a discharge section for discharging the developing solution to a discharge section during development. A guide plate is provided to prevent diffusion and efficiently flow a developing solution on the photosensitive layer surface of the lithographic printing plate to enhance the developing effect. In the process of scraping the line drawing part at, the tip of the rotating brush does not bend even if it touches one end of the lithographic printing plate,
It has excellent effects such as being usable as a good product.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic view of a photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part of a developer tank.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a guide device provided in a developer tank for guiding a developer.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing only a washing section.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List A planographic printing plate developing device P planographic printing plate 4 developing tank 5 developing solution 133, 136, 143, 144 developing solution guiding device 6D, 6E transport roller B1, B2 rotating brush 19, 19A guide roller 6F photosensitive material tip guide member

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photosensitive material processing apparatus which circulates a processing solution stored in a processing solution tank and develops the exposed photosensitive material by an immersion development method while moving the photosensitive material into the processing solution tank. A first pair of a rotating brush that contacts a surface of the photosensitive material so as to sandwich the linear moving portion, a first pair of guide rollers facing the rotating brush, and a moving direction of the photosensitive material. Thus, a rotating brush provided downstream of the first pair and opposite to the rotating brush of the first pair and in contact with another surface of the photosensitive material, and facing the rotating brush. A second pair of guide rollers, between the first pair and the second pair, provided on the side of the first pair of rotating brushes with respect to the linearly moving portion, and partially A photosensitive material guide member protruding from the linear moving portion; Photosensitive material processing apparatus characterized by having a. 2. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guide roller is a rotary roller.