JPH0457052A - Developing method and developing device for photosensitive planographic printing plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the developing method and device which lessens the fatigue of a developer and consumes the developer in a lesser amt. by passing the developer in a space part forming the route for transporting a photosensitive planographic printing plate and inserting and passing the printing plate therein. CONSTITUTION:Transporting rollers 1a, 1b, squeezing rollers 1c and a brush roller 10 revolve and the photosensitive planographic printing plate (PS plate) is transported when the PS plate is inserted. A pump 8a operates for a prescribed period of time and the developer is supplied into the spacing part 4. The developer of the amt. corresponding to the area of the PS plate is supplied by a sensor for detecting the area of the PS plate and a controller. The PS plate passes the inside of the spacing 4 filled with the developer and is discharged. The PS plate is transported via the brush roller 10 and the squeezing roller 1c to a washing device W and is washed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method and a developing device for developing a photosensitive lithographic printing plate (hereinafter referred to as 123rd plate).

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, the method of developing PS plates using an automatic developing machine is as follows:
(a) A method in which the PS plate is conveyed horizontally and developed by spraying it onto the plate surface while circulating and reusing the developer (for example, JP-A No. 58-95349); (b) A method in which a large amount of developer is added. A method of developing a PS plate by immersing it in a curved developing tank while conveying it (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-64237
No.), (c) A method of supplying the developer through a slit formed by two plates and disposing of it (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-238564), (d) An upper guide plate and a lower guide plate. A method of developing by supplying unused developer into the gap and passing the PS plate through the filled developer (
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-288845 is known.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, the above (a) to (d) have the following problems. In (a), the degree of fatigue of the developer is large due to absorption of carbon dioxide gas in the air. In (b), the PS plate is transported in a curved manner, so it may get stuck during transport. In (c) and (d), since the developer is discarded, the consumption amount of the developer is large.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a developing method and a developing device for a PS plate, which cause less fatigue of the developer due to contact with air, are less likely to cause transportation defects, and consume a relatively small amount of developer. be.

[Means for solving problems]

The purpose of the present invention is to provide the following developing methods (1) and (2);
This is also achieved by the following developing devices (3) and (4).

(1) In a method for developing a photosensitive lithographic printing plate in which an image-exposed photosensitive lithographic printing plate is developed with a developer that is repeatedly used by replenishing a developer replenisher using an automatic developing machine, the photosensitive lithographic printing plate Photosensitive lithographic printing characterized in that the developer is poured into a gap formed by two opposing surfaces with the conveying surface of the printing plate in between, and the photosensitive lithographic printing plate is developed by passing through the gap. How to develop the plate.

(2) The above (1) characterized in that the gap is lower on the outlet side than on the inlet side, and has a developer tank into which the developer flowing out from the outlet side is placed, and the conveying roller is immersed in the developer tank. Development method described.

(3) In a developing device that automatically conveys and develops a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, a gap formed by two surfaces facing each other across the conveying surface of the photosensitive lithographic printing plate, and this gap. 1. A developing device for a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, comprising a means for circulating a developing solution.

(4) The outlet side of the gap is sloped lower than the inlet side, and a developer tank is provided continuously to the outlet of the gap, into which the developer flowing out from the outlet enters, and in which the conveyance roller is immersed. The developing device as described in (3) above.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on the drawings.

In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the developing device according to the present invention, where Dl is the developing device according to the present invention, W is a water washing device that performs water washing after processing by the developing device, and P is a transport path for the PS plate. It is.

In the developing device D1, la is a pair of transport rollers, lb is a transport roller, and lc is a squeeze roller that also serves as a transport roller. 2
3 is an upper liquid reservoir plate, and 3 is a lower liquid reservoir plate, which are provided facing each other across the conveyance path P, and form a gap 4 filled with a developer and through which the PS plate is conveyed.

2a and 3a are liquid supply pipes that supply a developer to the gap 4. It is preferable to apply means for reducing conveyance resistance, such as providing rollers for conveyance or implanting nylon or other bristles on the surface of the lower liquid reservoir plate 3 on the side of the gap 4. 3
b is a roller rotatably installed in a groove provided on the gap 4 side of the lower liquid reservoir plate 3 for transporting the PS plate. Gap part 4
Both sides of the transport width direction are closed to prevent developer from leaking. 5 is a developer tank for storing a repeatedly used developer, 6 is a developer replenisher tank, 7 is a dilution water tank, 8as and 8b are pumps for feeding the solution, and 9 is a heater that heats the developer to a predetermined temperature. The developing solution sent to the solution supply pipe 2a 13a is heated to a predetermined temperature by a temperature sensor and a control device (not shown). 10 is a brush roller for promoting development, and 12a is a developer tank for cleaning the roller, and the developer flowing out from the outlet of the gap 4 enters the developer tank 12a.

In the washing device W, 20 is a washing water tank, 21 is a shower nozzle, and 22 is a pump.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the main part of the gap 4 in FIG.
This is a liquid feeding path that sends the developer from a to the gap 4.

The liquid feeding paths 2c, 3c may be slits extending in the width direction of the conveyor, holes arranged in the width direction of the conveyor having a circular cross section, or the like. The direction of the liquid feeding path is preferably such that the developing liquid is ejected in a downward direction rather than perpendicular to the conveying surface as shown in the figure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the rollers 3b in FIG. 1. As for the rollers 3b, the interval A in the transport width direction is usually set to 5.
~20cm 1 Distance B in the conveying direction is 5~30cm.

The diameter of the roller may be 5 to 20 degrees.

In the present invention, the interval between the upper liquid reservoir plate and the lower liquid reservoir plate is preferably about 5 to 50 mm.

The width of the gap in the transport width direction is at least wide enough to cover the transport width of the PS plate. The length of the gap in the conveying direction is preferably such that the distance between the conveying roller 1a on the entrance side of the developing device and the squeezing roller 1c on the exit side is 45 cm or less. The upper liquid reservoir plate and the lower liquid reservoir plate are preferably formed of a material that is difficult to deform, such as hard vinyl chloride or stainless steel. In order to prevent deformation of the upper liquid reservoir plate and the lower liquid reservoir plate, a reinforcing plate may be appropriately attached as shown in FIG. 4 (perspective view). In Fig. 4, 23 is the upper liquid reservoir plate;
24 is a reinforcing plate. It is preferable that the amount of developer solution flowing out from the solution supply pipe into the gap is 5 to 5 H/min. The developer is preferably supplied to the gap from both above and below the gap, close to the entrance of the gap, as shown in FIG. Further, additional supply may be made from the middle of the gap.

Next, the method of the present invention will be explained based on FIGS. 1 to 3.

First, when the PS plate is inserted from the left end of the apparatus with the surface to be processed facing up, the PS plate is carried in and transported by a plurality of optical sensors and a control device (not shown) that detect the area of the PS plate. Roller las lb1 squeeze roller lc.

The brush roller 10 rotates and the PS plate is conveyed rightward in the figure. Further, the pump 8a operates for a predetermined period of time, and the developer in the developer tank 5 flows from the solution supply pipes 2a, 3a into the gap 4 formed by the upper liquid reservoir plate 2 and the lower liquid reservoir plate 3. The developer is supplied, and the gap 4 is filled with the developer. At the same time, the area detection sensor and control device of the PS version (not shown)
A developer replenisher (concentrate) and dilution water in an amount corresponding to the area of the 28 plates inserted are supplied from the developer replenisher tank 6 and the dilution water tank 7, respectively, by the operation of the pump 8b. The PS plate is conveyed to the right in the figure on the rollers 3b of the lower liquid reservoir plate 3 in the gap 4 filled with the developer. Although the roller 3b is not driven and rotated, since the distance between the conveying roller 1a and the squeezing roller lc is smaller than the minimum standard size of the PS plate, the roller 3b is pinched by at least one of them and passes through the gap 4. The surface of the PS plate coming out of the gap 4 is rubbed by a brush roller 10, then squeezed by a squeezing roller lc, and conveyed to a washing device W where it is washed with water.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the gap is inclined so that the outlet side is lower than the inlet side, and a developer tank for cleaning the rollers is provided continuously at the outlet of the gap. The liquid flows into the developer tank 12b for cleaning the rollers,
The structure is such that it goes over 70- from the lower side of the developer tank 12b (on the right side in the figure) and returns to the developer tank 5. The slope of the gap is 5° to 30° with respect to the horizontal plane.
A range of 50° is preferred. By inclining the gap in this manner, the moving speed of the developer in the gap can be increased, thereby increasing the development speed. In addition, by combining the developer according to the present invention with a developer tank for cleaning rollers having the above-described configuration, the brush roller and the squeezing roller can be effectively cleaned, resulting in an overall excellent PS. The plate can be developed. The liquid capacity of the developer tank for roller cleaning is preferably 1 to 10 L, particularly preferably 1 to 5 Q.

The photosensitive lithographic printing plates processed according to the present invention include water as the main solvent (at least 5Qw L% of the solvent is water) on the surface of the support that can be the non-image area of the lithographic printing plate. (1) A printing material having a layer in which a non-image area layer is eluted by an alkaline developer, such as a negative 23rd plate using a diazo compound as a photosensitive component and a positive 28th plate using an 0-quinonediazide compound as a photosensitive component. A lithographic printing material, etc., in which a photoconductive layer is provided on a support as described above, a toner image is formed by an electrophotographic method, and then 9= non-image parts of the photoconductive layer can be removed by elution treatment. is included.

[Effect]

As a method for supplying a developer to a PS plate, the present invention provides a narrow gap that blocks air circulation in the transport path of a nearly horizontal PS plate, replenishes the gap with replenisher, and repeats the process. Since we have adopted a method of supplying the developer to the PS plate by flowing the developer to be used, deterioration of the developer due to air in the conventional shower-only method of supplying developer is reduced, and it is also easier to use the developer for immersion development. This method does not cause transportation defects that occur in a method in which the PS plate is transported in a curved manner in a liquid tank, and the amount of developer consumed can be reduced compared to a method in which the developer is discarded.

〔Example〕

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

A developer 5DR is placed in the developer tank 5 of the processing device shown in FIG.
-1 (manufactured by Konica Corporation) 6 times diluted solution 3012,
A PS plate SMP-N (manufactured by Konica Corporation) was exposed for 60 seconds from a distance of 70 cm using a 2 kW metal halide lamp as a light source at 8.0 kW/cm'' with a positive chart in close contact at 27° Cl2O seconds. 5DR-IR (manufactured by Konica Corporation) was put into the developer replenisher tank 6, and bonder 8 was added so that the dilution rate was 4 times.
b was adjusted. When 50 of the above PS plates of size lo03mm x 800mm were processed in succession, the amount of developer replenisher used to keep the po and developability constant was 540ml.
It was ρ. In addition, the PS plate could be processed without getting caught during transportation.

Shower type automatic developing machine PSK-9 as a comparative example developing device
10 (manufactured by Konica Corp.) was conducted in the same manner as in Example 2 above, and the developer replenishment amount was 920 mQ because it was a shower type.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, an automatic developing machine for PS plates is used. In the development process, the amount of developer consumed is relatively small, and development is possible that is less likely to cause transport defects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a processing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a sectional view of the main part, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the rollers in Figure 1, and Figure 4 shows an example in which a reinforcing plate is added to the upper liquid reservoir plate in Figure 1. The perspective view and FIG. 5 are cross-sectional views showing another embodiment of the processing apparatus according to the present invention. Dl, D2...Developing device P...PS plate transport path 2...Upper liquid reservoir plate 3...Lower liquid reservoir plate 4...Gap portion 5...Developer tank 6 ...Developer replenisher tank 7...Water tank for dilution

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In a method for developing a photosensitive lithographic printing plate in which an image-exposed photosensitive lithographic printing plate is developed with a developer that is repeatedly used by replenishing a developer replenisher using an automatic developing machine, the photosensitive lithographic printing plate Photosensitive lithographic printing characterized in that the developer is poured into a gap formed by two opposing surfaces with the conveying surface of the printing plate in between, and the photosensitive lithographic printing plate is developed by passing through the gap. How to develop the plate. (2) Claim (1) characterized in that the gap portion is lower on the outlet side than on the inlet side, and has a developer tank into which the developer flowing out from the outlet side is placed, and the conveying roller is immersed in the developer tank. ) Development method described. (3) In a developing device that automatically conveys and develops a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, a gap formed by two surfaces facing each other across the conveying surface of the photosensitive lithographic printing plate, and this gap. 1. A developing device for a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, comprising a means for circulating a developing solution. (4) The outlet side of the gap is sloped lower than the inlet side, and a developer tank is provided continuously to the outlet of the gap, into which the developer flowing out from the outlet enters, and in which the conveyance roller is immersed. The developing device according to claim (3), characterized in that: