JPH03288155A - Processing method and processing device for photosensitive planographic printing plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the drying of a development accelerating means and squeezing rollers and to obviate the staining of printing by using a brush roller as the paired roller of the development accelerating means and rotating the development accelerating means, etc., at all times or rotating the same for every specified time while PS plates are not processed. CONSTITUTION:This device has the development accelerating means 12 consisting of the brush rollers, the brush roller 13 which is the paired roller existing on the lower side thereof, the squeezing rollers 14, etc., consisting of a pair of upper and lower rollers, etc. The brush roller 13 is used as the paired roller of the development accelerating means 12. This brush roller 13 and the lower rollers of the squeezing rollers 14 are immersed into a developing soln. and while the photosensitive printing plate (PS plate) is not processed, the development accelerating means 12, the brush roller 13 and the lower roller are kept rotated at all time or rotated for every specified time. The drying of the development accelerating means 12 while the PS plate is not processed is prevented in this way and the staining of the printing is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing photosensitive planographic printing plates (hereinafter referred to as "PS plates") using an automatic developing machine, and more specifically, The present invention relates to a processing method and a processing apparatus suitable for elution and removal of the non-image layer of a PS plate using a machine.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in the technical field of processing exposed PS plates into printing plates using automatic processors, it is possible to stabilize a wide variety of PS plates without the need for troublesome developer management and without the need for complex and expensive replenishment equipment. As a processing method that can be used repeatedly, a substantially unused developer is supplied to the surface of the PS plate to be processed, as disclosed in JP-A-63-71855. A processing method has been put into practical use in which development is performed by immersing the material in a tank holding a developer, then passing it through a development accelerator, and then passing it through a pair of upper and lower squeezing rollers.

In such a processing method, if the processing liquid adheres to the development accelerator and the squeeze roller and dries, it will be transferred to the surface of the PS plate and cause printing stains, so the development accelerator and the squeeze roller should be showered. Used developer solutions were supplied through a nozzle to prevent them from drying out. However, in this method, the precipitates generated in the used developer adhere to the development accelerator and the squeezing roller through the shower nozzle, and are transferred to the surface of the PS plate being transported. There is a problem in that scumming occurs in non-image areas during printing. Furthermore, since the used developer is circulated using a pump, the pump, piping, shower nozzle, etc. are likely to become clogged, and there is a problem in that these must be cleaned frequently.

As a means to solve such problems,
No. 5633 discloses that a roller that rotates in contact with the development promotion means is provided below the development promotion means such as a brush roller or a sponge roller, and the development is promoted by immersing the roller and the lower squeezing roller in the developer. A technique is disclosed that prevents the printing plate from becoming smeared by preventing the means and the squeeze roller from drying out. However, it is not configured to rotate these while the PS version is not being processed.
If the 23rd plate is left unprocessed for a long period of time, the development accelerator and the squeeze roller will dry out, resulting in the problem of print stains.

[Purpose of the invention]

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a PS plate processing method and a processing apparatus that prevent drying of the development accelerator when the PS plate is not being processed, thereby improving printing stains.

Another object of the present invention is to solve the problem of the drying prevention method by supplying a used developer to a development accelerator and a squeezing roller, in which a precipitate formed in the developer is transferred to the surface of a PS plate. A PS plate processing method and processing device that improves the drawbacks of printing stains, and also improves the drawbacks of clogging of pumps, piping, shower nozzles, etc., eliminates the hassle of cleaning these, and improves workability. It is to provide.

[Structure of the invention]

The above objects of the present invention are achieved by the following processing method and processing apparatus.

In the processing method of the present invention, a photosensitive lithographic printing plate is automatically conveyed, a developer is supplied to the plate surface, the plate is passed between a development accelerator and a pair of rollers located below the plate, and then a pair of upper and lower rollers are provided. In a method for developing a photosensitive planographic printing plate, which includes a step of removing a developer by passing the developer through a squeezing roller consisting of a roller, a brush roller is used as a pair of rollers of the development accelerator, and the brush roller and the squeezing roller are The lower roller is immersed in a developer, and while the photosensitive lithographic printing plate is not being processed, the development accelerator, the brush roller, and the lower roller are constantly rotated or rotated at regular intervals. shall be.

The processing apparatus of the present invention includes means for supplying a developer to the plate surface of a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, a development promoting means and a pair of rollers provided below it, and a squeezing roller consisting of an upper aperture and a lower roller; and a developing device having a conveying means for sequentially passing between the development promoting means and the pair of rollers and through the squeezing roller, wherein the pair of rollers is a brush roller, and the lower roller of the brush roller and the squeezing roller is coated with a developer. It is characterized by having means for immersing it in the water.

The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an automatic developing machine having a processing apparatus according to the present invention.

In the figure, l is a developing section that performs development, 2 is a washing section, and 3 is a washing section.
is a rinsing agent that performs treatment with a rinsing liquid or a fat-free treatment.
The gum section, PS, is the conveyance path of the PS plate.

In the developing section 1, numeral 4 denotes a pair of transport rollers, and 5 denotes a developer supplying member configured to apply developer to a uniform thickness on the plate surface through a slit formed from two flexible plates. , the configuration is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-238564. Reference numeral 6 denotes a developing unit roller which is in contact with the lower end of the slit when the PS plate is not being conveyed, and has a function of conveying the PS plate when the PS plate is being conveyed; 7 is a developer supplying member 5;
8 is a developer tank for immersion development of the PS plate, and 8a is a developer tank in which the developer in the developer tank 8 is applied to the PS plate. 9 is a developer mixing tank that mixes a concentrated developer and water to form a developer (used solution), and is connected to a concentrated developer tank and a water tank for dilution (not shown) or by piping to a water supply tank. It is configured to be connected and pumped. IO is a developer supply tank into which the developer mixed in the developer mixing tank 9 is placed, and lla and llb are metering pumps that send the developer in the developer supply tank IO to the developer supply member 5 and the developer tank 8, respectively. .

12 is a development accelerator consisting of a brush roller, 13 is a brush roller that is a pair of rollers located below it, and 14 is an upper and lower roller 1.
This is a squeeze roller consisting of a pair of rollers.

15 is a dipping tank, which includes a brush roller 13 and a squeezing roller 14;
The lower part of each of the lower rollers is immersed in the developer in the immersion tank 15. brush roller 12
．． 13. The squeezing roller 14 is configured to be rotated at predetermined time intervals by a drive mechanism and control means (not shown) while the PS plate is not being processed. This intermittent rotation is performed every 3 to 60 minutes (more preferably 5 to 30 minutes).
Preferably, it is rotated for ~60 seconds.

In this specification, "while the PS version is not being processed" refers to a state that satisfies the following two conditions (1) and (2).

■The automatic processor is turned on.

■The automatic developing machine is always in a state where it can normally develop the PS plate (the developer temperature, etc. is adjusted to a predetermined value).

That is, in FIG. 1, the developer temperature is adjusted to a preset temperature in the developer supply member 5 and developer tank 8, and the PS plate is adjusted so that the development time is the set time. The conveyance speed is adjusted and the PS
If the plate is inserted from the left end of the drawing, each mechanism of the automatic developing machine will operate and normal development processing can be performed.

The developer in the immersion tank 15 is configured to be replenished and renewed by the overflow of the developer tank 8. Soaking tank 1
The liquid level of the developer in the developer 5 is kept constant by an overflow 16, and the overflow 16 is led to a waste liquid tank (not shown). In the figure, *l, *i*2, *2, etc. are connected by piping.

In the washing section 2, 21 is a washing water tank for storing washing water, 22a and 22b are shower nozzles, and 23 is a pump for sending washing water to the shower nozzles 22a and 22b.

In the rinse/gum section 3, 31 is a rinse/gum liquid tank into which a rinsing liquid or desensitizing liquid is placed, 32 is a shower nozzle, and 33 is a pump for feeding the rinsing liquid or desensitizing liquid to the shower nozzle 32.

The development accelerating means in the present invention physically rubs the plate surface with a rubbing member such as a brush or sponge,
In addition to the brush roller shown in Fig. 1, there are methods of rubbing by rotating a flat rubbing member, methods of rubbing by sliding a flat rubbing member back and forth and/or left and right, and brush rollers. When used, a method of swinging back and forth and/or left and right while rotating can be used. A plurality of these rubbing members may be used in combination. These rubbing members can be created using, for example, brushes, sponges, cloth, or the like.

In the present invention, the development accelerator is preferably a brush roller. When using a brush roller as a development accelerator, for example, a pipe made of vinyl chloride resin with a diameter of about 50 mm and a nylon single yarn with a diameter of about 0.05 to 1 arm implanted in a pile length of 10 to 20 mm may be used. I can do it.

A brush roller provided below the development accelerator as a counter roller is configured to rotate in contact with the development accelerator. A preferable example of this brush roller is a diameter of 50 m +
A pipe with a diameter of 0 (e.g. made of vinyl chloride resin)
．． 05~l arm nylon single yarn with pile length 1
Examples include those implanted at a depth of 0 to 20 mm.

The depth of the immersion tank 15 is such that the distance between the lower end of the pair roller of the development accelerator and the lower roller of the squeezing roller 14 and the bottom of the immersion tank 15 is at least lcra. This is preferable because the amount of solids in the surface liquid can be reduced by precipitating the solids at the bottom of the nuclide.

As the squeezing roller 14, a commonly used one can be used.

Next, the method of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG.

When processing a PS plate, when the PS plate is inserted from the left end of the device in the figure with the side to be processed facing up, it is conveyed from the left side to the right in the figure by a conveyance roller 4, etc., and developed by a developer supply member 5. The liquid is applied onto the plate surface to a uniform thickness, then immersed in the developer in the developer tank 8, and then rubbed on the plate surface with the brush roller 12, and then adhered to the surface of the PS plate with the squeezing roller 14. The developing solution, eluted components, etc. are removed, and development is completed.

The developer in the developer tank 8 is replenished by bringing in the developer on the PS plate coated with the developer supply member 5 and by sending the developer in the receiver 7 with the pump llb. The developer in the developer tank 8 is replenished and renewed by the overflow of the developer in the developer tank 8. The PS plate is then sent to a water washing section 2 and then to a rinse/gum section 3.

When the PS plate is not processed, development accelerator 12;
Brush roller 13 and squeezing roller 1 are the pair rollers.
4 are operated all the time, or are rotated intermittently at intervals at least so that the liquid adhering to them does not dry. The lower portions of the brush roller 13 and the squeeze roller 14 are immersed in the developer in the immersion tank 15, and the brush roller 13 is connected to the development accelerator 12 and the squeeze roller 14.
The lower roller rotates in contact with the upper roller, so that the development accelerator 12 and the brush roller 13 are rotated.
The surface of the squeezing roller 14 is constantly wetted with the developer and never dries out. This prevents the developing solution, components eluted from the PS plate, etc. from sticking to these, and the sticking substances from being transferred to the plate surface of the PS plate, thereby preventing background smudges from occurring.

Further, in the present invention, by using a brush roller as a pair roller of the development accelerator, it is possible to supply a relatively large amount of developer to the development accelerator, and thereby the developer is supplied to the development accelerator. It is extremely effective in preventing the components contained in it from adhering and drying out. It is not necessary to replenish the developer into the immersion tank 15 while the PS plate is not being processed.

In the present invention, there is no restriction on the means for supplying the developer to the plate surface of the PS plate, and in addition to the above-mentioned coating method,
Any method can be used, including a one-way shower system, an immersion system, and the like.

Further, in the present invention, in addition to the development promotion means, other development promotion means, such as a method of blowing high pressure air,
A method of irradiating ultrasonic waves, a method of electrochemical development as described in JP-A-58-42042, a method of instantaneously heating the developer on the 23rd plate by microwave irradiation, or polishing. It is optional to add a method of honing the plate surface using a processing liquid containing agent powder.

The developer used in the present invention may be one that is suitable for the PS plate to be processed. In addition, post-treatment of the PS plate subjected to the development treatment according to the present invention (washing with water, treatment with a rinsing liquid,
Desensitization treatment, etc.] can be carried out according to a conventional method.

The PS plates to which the present invention is applied include, for example, negative-type 23 plates that use a diazo compound as a photosensitive component and positive-type PS plates that use an 0-quinonediazide compound as a photosensitive component, as well as image-forming plates that are formed using electrophotography, etc. The lithographic printing plate includes a type in which a resist layer is provided on the plate material of the lithographic printing plate, and a layer that is soluble in a developing solution is provided.

Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be listed.

■ The development promoting means is a brush roller.

■ When rotating the development accelerator, counter roller, and squeezing roller intermittently while the PS plate is not being processed, select 1 or 3.
Rotate lθ for ~60 seconds, more preferably every 5-30 minutes.

(2) The rotation speed of the development accelerator when the PS plate is not being processed is 6 to 150 rpm.

(2) Immersion development is included in the development process of the PS plate, and the overflow from the developer tank in which this immersion development is performed is put into the developer solution that immerses the lower brush roller and lower squeezing roller of the development accelerator.

(2) The distance between the lower brush roller and lower squeezing roller of the development accelerator and the bottom surface of the immersion tank containing the developer in which they are immersed is 1 cm or more.

[Effect]

In the present invention, while the PS plate is not being processed, the development accelerator, its counter roller, and the squeezing roller are operated at all times or at regular intervals, and the lower roller of the pair of rollers and the squeezing roller is heated with developer. Since the paired roller and the development accelerator and squeezing roller that rotate in contact with the roller are always wetted with the developer and do not dry, the eluted components adhere to them and dry. This prevents objects from being transferred to the surface of the PS plate and causing background stains. Furthermore, since a brush roller is used as a pair of rollers for the development accelerator, a relatively large amount of developer is supplied to the development accelerator, which is highly effective in preventing the development accelerator from drying out.

In addition, compared to the known method of pouring repeatedly used developer from a shower nozzle, which can prevent dirt from adhering to the development accelerator, etc., in the present invention, the developer is immersed in the developer, so the developer is fatigued by air. Since there is less precipitation, there is less occurrence of precipitates in the developer, which reduces the causes of scumming and eliminates problems such as clogging of shower nozzles.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples.

Embodiment 1 In the automatic developing machine shown in FIG. 1, the brush roller 12.
As the dipping tank 13, a vinyl chloride pipe with a diameter of 40+nm and a nylon single yarn with a diameter of 0 and 5+am implanted in a pile length of 10 mm was used as the dipping tank 15.
The distance from the bottom of the brush roller 13 to the bottom end of the brush roller 13 is 5c+a
I installed one (capacity 5Q).

As the developer, 5D-32 (manufactured by Konica Corporation, common developer for negative and positive) is used, and it is automatically diluted six times with water in the developer mixing tank 9, and then diluted with 28% water via the developer supply member 5. It is now supplied on the printing plate. Further, 1ffi and 512 of 5D-32 diluted six times with water were placed in the developer tank 8 and the immersion tank 15, respectively.

20 Q1 of water was added to the rinse water tank 21. 1Off of 5GW-2 (manufactured by Konica Corporation, gum liquid) diluted twice with water was put into the rinse gum liquid tank 31.

The temperature of the developer solution is set at 2 in the developer supply member 5 and the developer tank 8.
The temperature was adjusted to 7° C., and the transport speed of the PS plate was adjusted so that the development time was 20 seconds.

Under these conditions, negative type PS#LSWN (Konica Corporation)
(manufactured by Konica Corporation) and positive base PS version SMP-N (manufactured by Konica Corporation)
A total of 30 plates of 10010O3800+m size were processed at a ratio of 1:2, and then after 5 hours of no PS plate processing, SIN and SMP-N were processed again for a total of 30 plates at a ratio of 1:2. .

The squeezing roller 14 was constantly rotated while the PS plate was not being processed. In addition, the brush rollers 12 and 13 should be rotated every 30 minutes.
The rotation speed was 110 revolutions per minute for 0 seconds.

Such experiments were conducted once a day for two consecutive weeks. During this period, the developer in the immersion tank 15 was not replaced other than by flowing in from the developer tank 8.

The dryness and damage of the brush roller 12, stains on the surface of the treated PS plate (particularly the latter 30th plate), and the sediment in the dipping tank 15 after two weeks of processing were evaluated. The results are shown in Table 1.

Example 2 An experiment similar to Example 1 was conducted except that the brush rollers 12 and 13 were rotated for 50 seconds every 1.5 hours while the PS plate was not being processed. The results are shown in Table 1.

Example 3 Example 1 except that the brush rollers 12 and 13 were rotated for 5 seconds every 30 minutes while the PS plate was not being processed.
A similar experiment was conducted. The results are shown in Table 1.

Example 4 Example 1 except that the brush rollers 12 and 13 were rotated for 2 minutes every 30 minutes while the PS plate was not being processed.
A similar experiment was conducted. The results are shown in Table 1.

Example 5 An experiment similar to Example 1 was conducted except that the brush rollers 12 and 13 were rotated at a rotational speed of 5 revolutions per minute for 50 seconds every 30 minutes while the PS plate was not being processed. . The results are shown in Table 1.

Example 6 An experiment similar to Example 5 was conducted except that the rotational speed of the brush rollers 12 and 13 was set to 200 revolutions per minute. Table 1 shows the results.
Shown below.

Comparative Example 1 In the automatic developing machine shown in FIG. 1, an experiment similar to Example 1 was conducted, except that the brush rollers 12, 13 and squeeze roller 14 were not rotated while the PS plate was not being processed. . The results are shown in Table 1.

Comparative Example 2 In the automatic developing machine shown in FIG. 1, an experiment similar to Example 1 was conducted except that the brush roller 13 was replaced with a roller with a smooth surface. The results are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 (note) Drying the brush roller ◎: The brush roller is sufficiently wet.

○: The level of wetness is slightly inferior to the level of ◎, but there is no problem.

X: The brush dries and becomes hard.

Dirt on the surface of the treated PS plate ◎: No stains at all.

○: Some stains are seen on the first or second edition after the downtime, but there is no problem. (Does not appear on printed matter) x: Approximately half of the plates treated after the downtime are stained.

Sediment in the soaking tank ◎: There is a slight amount of precipitate.

○: Approximately 21,111 precipitates were deposited on the bottom of the dipping tank, but the level was not a problem.

Δ: Approximately 1 cm of sediment is deposited on the bottom of the dipping tank.

Brush roller pain ◎: The brush is not damaged at all.

○: The bristles of the brush are slightly flattened, but it is at a level that is not a problem.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, a developing solution is supplied to the plate surface of a PS plate using an automatic developing machine, the non-image layer is scraped off by passing through a development accelerator, and the developing solution, eluted components, etc. are removed by a squeezing roller. The drying of the development accelerator and the squeezing roller in the processing method and processing device is prevented, thereby making it possible to obtain a printing plate that does not cause background smear during printing. , cleaning of piping, etc. is no longer necessary, and work efficiency can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of an automatic developing machine having an example of a processing apparatus according to the present invention. l...Developing section 2...Water washing section 3...Rinse φ gum section 12...Development accelerator 13...Plan roller 14...Squeezing roller 15...Immersion tank PS...Transportation route

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) The photosensitive lithographic printing plate is automatically conveyed, a developer is supplied to the plate surface, and after passing between a development accelerator and a pair of rollers located below it, the plate consists of a pair of upper and lower rollers. In a method for processing a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, which includes a step of removing a developer by passing the developing solution through a squeeze roller, a brush roller is used as a pair of rollers of the development accelerator, and the lower roller of the brush roller and the squeeze roller is used for development. A photosensitive lithographic printing plate, characterized in that the development accelerator, the brush roller, and the lower roller are constantly rotated or rotated at regular intervals while the photosensitive lithographic printing plate is immersed in a solution and is not being processed. How printing plates are processed. (2) A means for supplying a developer to the plate surface of a photosensitive planographic printing plate, a development accelerator and a pair of rollers provided below it, a squeezing roller consisting of an upper roller and a lower roller, and a development accelerator and a pair of rollers provided below the plate; In a developing device having a conveying means for sequentially passing between a pair of rollers and through the squeezing roller, the pairing roller is a brush roller, and the developing device has a means for immersing the brush roller and the lower roller of the squeezing roller in a developer. A photosensitive lithographic printing plate processing device characterized by: