JPH05249762A - Direct printing plate making device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently make a key plate in a direct printing plate device in which not only electrostatic charging exposure but also punching and bending the plate are consecutively performed. CONSTITUTION:A developing and fixing part 22 which develops and fixes a printing plate 20 which is electrostatically charged and exposed is arranged on the upstream side of an elution part 28 for eluting the OPC layer of the non-image area of the printing plate 20. An insertion path 46 inclined to the insertion port 44 of the elution part is formed in the casing 22A of the developing and fixing part. An insertion roller pair 56 is arranged near the insertion port of the elution part. The upper side roller 56A of the insertion roller pair is deviated to a downstream side in a horizontal direction with respect to the lower side roller 56B and the printing plate is inserted between the insertion roller pair from obliquely above.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a direct printing plate making apparatus equipped with a charging and exposing device for continuously carrying out development fixing processing and elution processing of a charging exposed printing plate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Photosensitive lithographic printing plates (hereinafter referred to as "printing plates") used in offset rotary presses for newspapers are prepared by coating an organic photo-semiconductor on a conductive support such as an aluminum plate. Layered OPC (Organic Photocondu
There is a direct plate-making recording system using what is called a sensitive material. In such a direct plate-making recording system, a developing and fixing unit that forms a toner image by applying toner to a printing plate that has been subjected to electrification and exposure according to an image that is continuously recorded, and a photosensitive layer that corresponds to the toner image And an elution part for elution of the.

Generally, for example, four printing plates are mounted and mounted on a plate cylinder of a rotary press for printing. When four printing plates are not mounted on the plate cylinder of the rotary press, the ink applied to the surface of the printing plate during printing is
The plate cylinder is attached to the plate cylinder, and the plate cylinder becomes dirty, and the stains on the plate cylinder adhere to the printed matter. Therefore, for example, 4
When printing with less than one printing plate, create a printing plate with no image recorded in advance (hereinafter referred to as "discard"), and attach this scrap to the surplus position of the plate cylinder of the rotary press. Then, the printing cylinder of the rotary press always prints with four printing plates mounted.

[0004]

However, in the direct plate making system as described above, the charging and exposing device, the developing and fixing section, and the elution section are arranged in succession, and a printing plate on which an image is not recorded (so-called "so-called" In the case of producing a "disposal plate", the same shall apply hereinafter), it must be produced by sequentially processing from the charging exposure apparatus, a lot of processing time is required, and unnecessary processing must be performed. Alternatively, another processing device must be provided to produce the discarded version.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and an object of the present invention is to provide a direct printing plate making apparatus capable of efficiently making a waste plate.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a direct plate making apparatus, which is arranged at a downstream side of the developing and fixing unit for developing and fixing the charged and exposed printing plate. A direct printing plate creating apparatus having a transport path for transporting the printing plate in a substantially horizontal direction, which comprises an elution part that elutes the photosensitive layer of the printing plate that has been developed and fixed according to the recorded image. There is provided an insertion opening into which a non-exposed printing plate can be inserted from outside the upper part of the developing and fixing section to obliquely downward in the transport path of the elution section.

The direct printing plate producing apparatus according to claim 2 of the present invention is the direct printing plate producing apparatus according to claim 1, which is formed on the upper surface of the casing of the developing and fixing section and puts the printing plate into the insertion opening. It is characterized in that it has an insertion path for guiding and a roller pair which is provided in the vicinity of the insertion opening above and below to form a conveyance path for the printing plate and in which the axial center of the upper roller is shifted to the downstream side.

[0008]

In the direct plate making apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the insertion port for inserting the printing plate is provided between the developing and fixing section and the elution section in the transport path of the elution section. A printing plate is inserted into the insertion port from above the developing and fixing unit into the transport path of the elution unit.

By inserting a printing plate which has not been subjected to electrification exposure into the elution portion, the photosensitive layer is eluted and removed from the printing plate, and a printing plate having no image recorded thereon, that is, a discarded plate can be prepared. .. In addition, a punching unit that forms a punch hole that serves as a reference for positioning on the plate cylinder of the rotary press is continuously provided on the downstream side of the elution section, and plate bending for performing plate printing on the plate cylinder of the rotary press is continuously performed. In such a case, the discarding plate can be continuously formed like the printing plate on which the image is recorded.

In the direct plate making apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the shaft center of the roller pair in the vicinity of the insertion port of the elution portion is shifted in the horizontal direction. Further, an insertion path is formed in the casing at the developing and fixing section on the upstream side of the elution section. As a result, the printing plate can be easily inserted through the insertion port. Further, even if the printing plate is inserted obliquely from above, it can be reliably and reasonably nipped and conveyed by the roller pair.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An outline of a direct printing plate making apparatus 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

The printing plate 20 used in this embodiment is a rectangular OPC direct printing plate, and an aluminum plate having a thickness of about 0.3 mm as a conductive support, and one surface of the aluminum plate is used for image recording. Surface (photosensitive surface), and an OPC layer having a thickness of several microns and containing an OPC alkali-soluble polymer as a main component for coating the upper surface thereof. The size of the conductive support, that is, the size of the printing plate 20 is 398 (mm) × 1120 (mm) (newspaper 2 pages) as a printing plate for newspaper printing. The size of the printing plate 20 is, for example, 398.
(Mm) × 560 (mm) (for one page of newspaper) is also applicable, and other dimensions may be used.

The arrow A direction shown in each drawing corresponds to the width direction of the printing plate 20, and the arrow B direction corresponds to the printing plate 2.
0 corresponds to the longitudinal direction. In the direct printing plate processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, when the printing plate 20 is conveyed to the adjacent processing unit, the printing plate 20 is moved in parallel along the width direction or the longitudinal direction of the printing plate 20.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the direct plate making apparatus 10 includes a plate supply unit 12 for supplying a printing plate 20 to a drawing unit 18, and a plate discharging unit for discharging the printing plate 20 from the drawing unit 18. 14 and a plate feeding / discharging section 16 which are respectively partitioned by partition walls 17A and 17B. Also,
A control unit 40 that controls the operations of the plate supply unit 12 and the plate discharge unit 14 is disposed above the plate supply / discharge unit 16.

The plate supply unit 12 is loaded with a printing plate placement table 38 on which printing plates 20 are stacked. The printing plate mounting table 38 has the printing plates 20 stacked and mounted substantially parallel to the floor surface.
The printing plate 20 mounted has the image recording surface facing downward, and by mounting the printing plate mounting table 38 at a predetermined position of the plate feeding unit 12, the printing plate 20 is positioned with respect to the plate feeding unit 12. Done.

The loading and unloading of the printing plate mounting table 38 to and from the plate supply unit 12 is performed by a shutter 42 (shown in FIG. 2) provided in the casing 16A, and normally, the shutter 42 is closed to shield the inside from light. Has been done. In addition,
The printing plate placement table 38 may be moved by a not-shown forklift or the like, or may be movable by a caster or the like provided at the bottom.

The plate feeding unit 12 is provided with a sheet feeding device 102 and a moving reversing device 104, and the printing plate 20 mounted on the printing plate placing table 38 is lifted up by the sheet feeding device 102 with its upper surface sucked and held. It is delivered to the reversing device 104.
The reversing device 104 attracts and holds one end of the printing plate 20 in the width direction and rotates (see arrow C in FIG. 3), whereby the printing plate 20 is reversed and the image recording surface is directed upward.

Further, the plate feeding section 12 is provided with a lift table 300 and a horizontal transfer device 106, and the reversing device 104.
The printing plate 20 reversed by the above is placed on the lift table 300. The printing plate 20 placed on the lift table 300 is positioned with respect to the lift table 300 and then passed to the horizontal transport device 106. The printing plate 20 has its lower surface supported by a plurality of claw portions of the horizontal transport device 106, and is transported onto the surface plate 408 of the drawing unit 18 provided adjacent to the plate supply unit 12.

The printing plate 20 placed on the surface plate 408 of the drawing unit 18 is charged, and then an electrostatic latent image is formed on the image recording surface by the drawing device. The printing plate 20 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed is moved from the surface plate 408 to the plate discharge unit 14 provided adjacent to the drawing unit 18 and above the plate supply unit 12 by the take-out device 450. It The plate discharge unit 14 is provided with a transport stage 502 that moves in the plate discharge unit 14 toward the drawing unit 18, and the printing plate 20 lifted by the take-out device 450 is placed on the transport stage 502.

A transport stage 502 on which the printing plate 20 is placed
Are moved toward the insertion stage 532 provided in the plate discharge section 14 adjacent to the developing section 22. The printing plate 20 is transferred from the transport stage 502 to the insertion stage 532. As shown in FIG. 4, when the printing plate 20 is placed on the insertion stage 532, the insertion stage 532 is tilted at a predetermined angle toward the developing unit 22 disposed on the downstream side of the plate feeding / discharging unit 16 and then placed. The printing plate 20 is sent out toward the developing unit 22. The inclination angle of the insertion stage 532 is equal to the inclination angle of the printing plate 20 conveyed near the insertion opening of the developing unit 22.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the developing and fixing section 22 on the downstream side of the plate supply / discharge section 16 includes a developing section 24 for developing the printing plate 20 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, and a developing section 24. It is composed of a fixing processing unit 26 for fixing the processed printing plate 20. The printing plate 20 is squeezed with unnecessary toner after the toner that is the developing solution is applied in the development processing section 24. The development system of the development processing unit 24 is a reversal development system, and toner having a positive charge is applied to the surface of the printing plate 20 that is positively charged in the drawing unit 18. Further, in the development processing section 24, when the toner particles are attached, the toner particles are applied so as to flow onto the surface of the printing plate 20, so that the toner particles are inclined at a predetermined angle so as to flow evenly on the surface of the printing plate 20. It is transported in the state of being. In the fixing processing unit 26 of the developing unit 22, after heating the printing plate 20 with the fixing lamp, the printing plate 20 is cooled. The heated toner particles are formed into a film and fixed on the surface of the printing plate 20. An elution unit 28 is disposed downstream of the developing and fixing unit 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the casing 28A of the elution section 28, the developing and fixing section 22 is provided on the developing and fixing section 22 side.
An insertion port 44 into which the printing plate 20 fed from is inserted is formed. Further, the casing 2 of the developing and fixing unit 22
In 2A, an insertion path 46 is formed on the upper surface, which is inclined from an intermediate portion along the transport direction and reaches the vicinity of the insertion port of the elution section 28. From this insertion path 46, a printing plate 20, for example, a waste plate is created. Plate 20 on which no image is recorded
Can be inserted.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the casing 28A of the elution section 28, an elution tank 48, an overflow tank 50, a washing tank 52 and a finisher tank 54 are provided along the conveyance direction of the printing plate 20 from the insertion port 44. They are arranged in order. An insertion roller pair 56 is disposed near the insertion port 44 of the elution portion 28. In this insertion roller pair 56, the rotation axis of the upper roller 56A is slightly displaced from the rotation axis of the lower roller 56B toward the downstream side in the transport direction of the printing plate 20, and from the insertion path 46 of the developing and fixing section 22. Printing plate 20
Even when the sheet is inserted, the insertion roller pair 56 can reliably hold the printing plate 20.

The elution tank 48 has a substantially inverted mountain shape,
Guide rollers 58, 60, roller pairs 62, along the bottom,
The skewer rollers 64 and 66 are disposed, and the brush roller 65 is disposed above the skewer roller 64 to configure a transport path for the printing plate 20. These rollers are rotated by driving means (not shown) to convey the printing plate 20. The guide rollers 58 and 60 guide the printing plate 20 inserted from the insertion port 44 obliquely downward to between the roller pair 62. The roller pair 62 and the skewer rollers 64 and 66 convey the printing plate 20 obliquely upward and send it out above the overflow tank 50 on the downstream side.

In the elution bath 48, an alkaline solution for eluting the OPC layer of the printing plate 20 is stored as an etching solution. When the printing plate 20 is transported in the elution tank 48, it is immersed in this etching solution, and the OPC layer of the non-image portion (the portion other than the portion on which the toner image is formed) is eluted.

Guide rollers 58, 60 are provided in the elution tank 48.
The spray pipe 68 is disposed above the transport path of the. This spray pipe 68 has an axial direction of the printing plate 20.
It is a hollow pipe attached along the width direction of the transport path, and a plurality of discharge holes (not shown) are formed in the outer peripheral portion along the axial direction thereof, and the discharge holes communicate the outer peripheral edge portion with the inside. Has been done. Further, the spray pipe 68 is also formed in the axial center portions of the guide roller 60 below the spray pipe 68 and the guide roller 60 upstream. Further, spray pipes 68 are also formed in the axial center portions of the skewer rollers 66 on the downstream side of the roller pair 64 and the most downstream skewer roller 66, and the discharge holes (not shown) of each spray pipe 68 are directed in different directions. ing.

The spray pipes 68 are arranged on the upper side and the lower side divided by the printing plate 20 that is immersed in the etching solution and conveyed in the elution bath 48, and is divided into a pair of squeezing rollers 64. At least one is arranged in each of the areas A, B, C, D on the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction.

An etching liquid is supplied to these spray pipes 68 by means of an etching liquid circulating means, which will be described later, and the etching liquid supplied to the spray pipes 68 is ejected from a discharge hole (not shown). .. At least one spray pipe 68 is arranged in each of the regions A, B, C, and D in the elution tank 48, and each spray pipe 68 is directed in a different direction. Therefore, the etching liquid ejected from the spray pipe 68 is discharged. Thus, the etching solution in the elution tank 48 is agitated. Further, the spray pipe 68 disposed above the transport path of the printing plate 20.
Discharges the etching liquid toward the surface of the printing plate 20 being conveyed.

The circulation means for supplying the etching solution to the spray pipe 68 is the bottom of the elution tank 48 and the spray pipe 6.
8, a pump 70A disposed in an intermediate portion of the pipe 70, a concentration sensor 70B, a filter 70.
It is composed of C. The pump 70A and the concentration sensor 70B are connected to the control unit 72 of the elution unit 28, and the etching liquid in the elution tank 48 is supplied to the spray pipe 68 by the operation of the pump 70A. The concentration sensor 70B measures the concentration of the etching liquid passing through the inside of the pipe 70 by, for example, the conductivity or the impedance. Elution tank 48
Then, the etching liquid or water is replenished.

A heater 74 is provided in the middle of the pipe 70.
Are arranged. The heater 74 is connected to the control unit 74 and warms the etching liquid passing through the pipe 70 to a predetermined temperature (for example, 35 ° C.). This temperature is a temperature at which the etching solution in the elution tank 48 is activated and the activity is stable. A heater 76 for warming the etching solution in the elution tank 48 is provided at the bottom of the elution tank 48, and when the elution section 28 is started up, the temperature of the etching solution is set to a predetermined temperature, and
The temperature of the etching solution in the elution bath 48 is kept constant while being sensed by a temperature sensor (not shown).

A squeezing roller 78 is arranged above the overflow tank 50 arranged on the downstream side of the elution tank 48. The printing plate 20 sent out from the elution tank 48 is nipped and conveyed by the squeeze roller 78, and is sent above the water washing tank 52. On this occasion. The squeezing roller 78 is designed to squeeze the etching liquid adhering to the printing plate 20, and the etching liquid squeezed by the squeezing roller 78 is collected in the receiving tray 79 and overflows from the receiving tray 79 when further squeezed. And stored in the overflow tank 50. Also,
The overflow tank 50 is adapted to also contain the etching solution overflowing from the elution tank 48.

A pipe 80, which is connected to the elution tank 48 and connects the overflow tank 50 and the elution tank 48, is connected to the bottom of the overflow tank 50. A return pump 80A operated by the controller 72 is provided in the middle of the pipe 80. The etching liquid in the overflow tank 50 is returned to the elution tank 48 by the operation of the return pump 80A. The overflow tank 50
Is provided with an overflow pipe (not shown),
When the liquid level of the etching liquid in the overflow tank 50 reaches or exceeds a predetermined level, the etching liquid is discharged to a waste liquid tank (not shown).

Washing tank 5 downstream of the overflow tank 50
A diaphragm roller pair 82 is arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side above 2, and a brush roller 84 and a guide roller 86 are arranged between these diaphragm roller pairs 82. The brush roller 84 is located above the conveyance path of the printing plate 20, and the guide roller 86 is in contact with the outer peripheral portion of the brush roller 84 below the brush roller 84. The printing plate 20 sent above the washing tank 52 is sandwiched and conveyed by the squeezing roller pair 82, and the brush roller 84 rubs the image recording surface to remove the eluted OPC layer from the image recording surface.

A spray pipe 88 is provided in the vicinity of the upstream squeezing roller pair 82 and in the vicinity of the downstream squeezing roller pair 82. These spray pipes 88
Is connected to the bottom of the washing tank 52 by a pipe 90, and a pump 90A and a filter 90B are arranged in the middle of the pipe 90. When the pump 90A is operated by the control unit 72, washing water is ejected from the spray pipe 88 toward the printing plate 20, and the printing plate 20 is washed.

Finisher tank 54 downstream of the washing tank 52
Above the plate, the printing plate 2
A transport path of 0 is formed. These squeezing rollers 92
A spray pipe 94 is arranged between the two. The spray pipe 94 is connected to the finisher tank 5 by a pipe 96.
It is communicated with the bottom of No. 4. A pump 96A and a filter 96B are disposed in the middle of the pipe 96, and when the pump 96A is operated by the control unit 72, the gum liquid stored in the finisher tank 54 is transferred from the spray pipe 94 to the surface of the printing plate 20. It is ejected toward. The printing plate 20
The gum surface protects the printing plate. Instead of directly ejecting the gum liquid from the spray pipe 94 toward the printing plate 20, a rectifying plate is provided near the upper spray pipe 94, and the gum liquid ejected from the spray pipe 94 is once received by the rectifying plate. Then, the gum liquid may be made to flow down uniformly from the current plate along the width direction of the printing plate 20.

The elution section 28 is covered with a semitransparent cover unit 28B (shown in FIG. 2) to reduce the evaporation of the processing liquid in each processing section.

In the elution section 28, an etching solution replenishing tank 150 and a water tank 152 for replenishing the processing solution in each of the elution tank 48, the water washing tank 52, and the finisher tank 54.
Also, a gum solution replenishing tank 154 is provided.

One end of a pipe 156 is inserted into the etching liquid replenishment tank 150, and the other end of the pipe 156 is connected to the elution tank 48 so that the etching liquid replenishment tank 150 and the elution tank 48 communicate with each other. A pump 156A is disposed in the middle of the pipe 156, and the pump 156A
The etching solution is replenished in the elution tank 48 by the operation of.

One end of a pipe 158 is inserted into the water tank 152, and the other end of the pipe 158 is connected to the elution tank 48.
160 connected to the water, the pipe 162 connected to the washing tank 52, and the pipe 16 connected to the finisher tank 54
It is branched into 4 and. These pipes 160, 162,
In the middle part of 164, pumps 160A, 162A,
164A is provided, and when these pumps 160A, 162A, 164A are operated by the control unit 72, water is supplied to each of the elution tank 48, the washing tank 52, and the finisher tank 54.

The gum solution replenishment tank 154 has a pipe 166.
One end of the pipe 166 is inserted, and the other end of the pipe 166 is connected to the finisher tank 54 to connect the finisher tank 54 and the gum solution replenishing tank 154. A pump 166A is arranged in the middle of the pipe 166, and when the control unit 72 operates the pump 166A, the finisher tank 5
The gum solution is replenished to 4.

On the other hand, a plate detection sensor 168 is arranged in the vicinity of the insertion port 44, and in the control section 72, the printing plate 2 passing through the insertion port 44 by this plate detection sensor 168.
By detecting 0, the processing area of the printing plate 20 in the elution section 28 is calculated. As a result, instead of the liquid concentration detected by the concentration sensor 70B, the elution unit 28 can replenish the elution tank 48 with the etching liquid according to the processing area of the printing plate. When calculating the processing area of the printing plate 20,
In the present embodiment, when a printing plate having a size of two pages of newspaper is processed, the processing area for each printing plate 20 can be stored in advance, and the processing area can be determined according to the number of processed sheets. In addition, when the printing plate 20 having a size of 2 pages of newspaper and the printing plate 20 having a size of 1 page of newspaper are mixed and processed, since the lengths in the width direction are substantially the same, the front end and the rear end of the inserted printing plate 20 are The processed area can be obtained by detecting and by measuring the length. In the case of the printing plate 20 other than these, the processing area can be calculated by measuring the length along the width direction.

In addition, the control section 72 counts the time after each processing solution is exchanged, and the etching solution is replenished to the elution tank 48 at regular intervals. Each processing tank is provided with a drain (not shown) for discharging the stored processing liquid, and the processing liquid can be discharged by opening the drain.

The printing plate 20, which has been subjected to etching and plate surface protection in the elution section 28, is dried in the drying section 30 and then sent out to the standby section 32. The standby unit 32 temporarily positions the punch unit 34 in the next process and sends the printing plate 20 to the punch unit 34.

In the punching section 32, the printing plate 20 is positioned on a surface plate (not shown), and a notch and a round hole are formed at the end of the printing plate for positioning when the plate is hung on the plate cylinder of a rotary press. In the plate bending portion 34, both end portions of the printing plate 20 in the longitudinal direction are bent into predetermined shapes. This allows printing plate 2
0 is positioned on the plate cylinder of the rotary press to enable plate hanging. After the plate bending is completed, the printing plate 20 is discharged from the plate bending section 34 and stored.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. In addition,
In the elution section of the direct plate making apparatus 10, the printing plate 20
Prior to the treatment of the
2, and a gum solution is preliminarily made to flow in the finisher tank 54, and in the elution tank 48, the etching solution is warmed to a predetermined temperature by the heater 76.

An upper surface (non-image recording surface) of the printing plate 20 is sucked and held from the printing plate mounting table 38 by the sheet-fed device 102, and is lifted and transferred to the reversing device 104. In the reversing device 104, one end of the printing plate 20 in the width direction is sucked and held and rotated, whereby the printing plate 20 is reversed and the photosensitive surface is directed upward.

The printing plate 20 with the photosensitive surface facing upward is
After being placed on the lift table 300 and positioned, it is transferred to the horizontal transfer device 106, the lower surface is supported by a plurality of claws, and transferred onto the surface plate 408 of the drawing unit 18.

After the printing plate 20 placed on the surface plate 408 of the drawing unit 18 is charged, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive surface by the drawing device, and the plate discharge unit 1 is taken by the take-out device 450.
4 is placed on the insertion stage 532 and sent to the developing unit 22. In the developing unit 22, the printing plate 20 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed is subjected to a developing process, the developing process printing plate 20 is subjected to a fixing process, and then sent to the elution unit 28.

In the elution section 28, the printing plate 20 is dipped in the etching liquid stored in the elution tank 48 to etch the printing plate 20 on which the toner image is formed. As a result, the non-image portion of the printing plate 20, that is, the OPC layer other than the portion where the toner image is formed is dissolved. At this time, the etching liquid is ejected from the spray pipe 68 onto the upper surface (image recording surface) of the printing plate 20. The etching liquid is kept at a predetermined temperature by the heater 74 provided in the pipe 70, and the etching liquid accelerates the elution of the OPC layer. The OPC layer eluted from the printing plate 20 is discharged from the vicinity of the transport path of the printing plate 20 by the ejected etching liquid.

Further, the spray pipe 68 is used for the elution tank 4
Many spray pipes 6 are provided in
The etching liquid jetted from 8 and having an optimum predetermined temperature is diffused over substantially the entire area of the elution tank 48 while stirring the etching liquid in the elution tank 48. As a result, the etching liquid in the elution tank 48 is maintained at a predetermined temperature without unevenness.

The printing plate 20 has an O
The area of the PC layer to which the toner does not adhere is removed, and the surface that has been made hydrophilic is exposed.

After the elution treatment, the printing plate 20 is sandwiched by the squeezing roller pair 78 in the overflow tank 50, and the etching liquid adhering to the surface thereof is squeezed out. The squeezed etching solution is collected in the overflow tank 50. Further, the etching liquid collected in the overflow tank 50 is returned to the elution tank 48 by the return pump 80A.

Printing plate 20 with the etching liquid squeezed out
Is sent to the washing tank 52 and is washed by the washing water sprayed from the spray pipe 88 when being conveyed over the washing tank 52. The printing plate 20 that has been washed with water is sent to the finisher tank 54. In the finisher tank 54, the gum liquid ejected from the spray pipe 94 is uniformly applied to the surface of the printing plate 20 to protect the printing plate 20.

In the printing plate 20 coated with the gum solution, the gum solution is squeezed by the squeezing roller pair 92 located on the most downstream side of the elution section 28 and dried in the drying section 30, and then the punching section on the downstream side. After being sent to the plate 32 and the plate bending section 34 to bend the plate, it is discharged and stored.

Here, when a discarded plate is prepared, the printing plate 20 on which no image is recorded is inserted into the insertion port 44 of the elution unit 28 from the insertion path 46 formed in the casing 22A of the developing and fixing unit 22. The leading edge of the printing plate 20 inserted into the insertion port 44 is nipped by the pair of insertion rollers 56 and drawn into the elution tank 48. In the elution bath 48, the OPC layer in the area where the toner does not adhere is removed by the etching liquid, and the printing plate 20 on which no image is recorded has all the OPC layer removed. Then, the printing plate 20 is washed with washing water and the gum solution is applied.

The printing plate 20 to which the gum solution is applied has notches and round holes formed in the punch section 34 in the same manner as the printing plate 20 in the normal processing, and is wound around the plate cylinder of the rotary press at the plate bending section 36. Bending is done and a scrap plate is made.

By winding this discarded plate around the plate cylinder of the rotary press, the plate cylinder of the rotary press is not contaminated with ink and the finished product is not damaged.

When the plate detection sensor 168 provided in the vicinity of the insertion port 44 senses that the printing plate 20 has been inserted, the processing liquid for processing the printing plate 20 in the elution section 28 is replenished.
The control unit 72 calculates the processing area of the printing plate 20. The pump 156A operates according to the processing area to replenish the etching solution from the etching solution replenishment tank 150 to the elution tank 48. This prevents the processing performance of the etching liquid from deteriorating as the processing of the printing plate 20 progresses. In addition, the control unit 72 operates the pump 156A to replenish the etching solution at predetermined intervals in order to prevent the etching solution from deteriorating with time. Further, an etching solution concentration sensor 7 provided in the pipe 70 of the circulation means.
At 0B, when the concentration of the etching liquid is out of the predetermined range, particularly when the concentration is high, the pump 160A is operated to supply water to the elution tank 48 to dilute the etching liquid.

By replenishing these etching liquids, the processing performance of the etching liquid for eluting the printing plate 20 is kept constant in the elution section 28, and the processed printing plate 20 is processed.
Quality is constant.

[0060]

As described above, in the direct plate making apparatus of the present invention, a printing plate on which no image is recorded can be inserted between the developing and fixing section and the elution section. As a result, there is an excellent effect that an unnecessary processing step at the time of producing a discarded plate can be omitted.

In addition to this, when other processing steps are continuously arranged on the downstream side of the elution section, the same processing as that for a normal printing plate can be continuously performed for the waste plate.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of a direct printing plate making apparatus according to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an essential part showing a direct printing plate making apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view showing a plate feeding / discharging plate of the direct printing plate making apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a plate feeding / discharging plate of the direct printing plate making apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an elution unit according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Direct plate making device 12 Plate feeding section 14 Plate discharging section 16 Plate feeding and discharging section 18 Drawing section 20 Printing plate 22 Development fixing section 28 Elution section (photosensitive planographic printing plate processing apparatus) 44 Insertion port 46 Insertion path 48 Elution tank 56 Insertion Laura pair

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 17, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0005

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The present invention has the well was made in view of the aforementioned, regarding direct printing plate making apparatus capable of efficiently creating a discarded version.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0027

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The arrangement of these spray pipes 68 is divided into an upper side and a lower side divided by the printing plate 20 which is immersed in the etching solution and conveyed in the elution bath 48, and divided by the pair of squeezing rollers 62. At least 1 in each of the areas A, B, C, D on the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction.
Individually arranged.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0030

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

A heater 74 is provided in the middle of the pipe 70.
Are arranged. The heater 74 is connected to the control unit 72 and warms the etching liquid passing through the pipe 70 to a predetermined temperature (for example, 35 ° C.). This temperature is a temperature at which the etching liquid in the elution tank 48 is activated and the activity is stable. A heater 76 for warming the etching solution in the elution tank 48 is provided at the bottom of the elution tank 48, and when the elution section 28 is started up, the temperature of the etching solution is set to a predetermined temperature, and
The temperature of the etching solution in the elution bath 48 is kept constant while being sensed by a temperature sensor (not shown).

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0031

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

A squeezing roller 78 is arranged above the overflow tank 50 arranged on the downstream side of the elution tank 48. The printing plate 20 sent out from the elution tank 48 is nipped and conveyed by the squeeze roller 78, and is sent above the water washing tank 52. At this time , the squeeze roller 78 squeezes the etching liquid adhering to the printing plate 20, and the etching liquid squeezed by the squeeze roller 78 collects in the tray 79, and when it is further squeezed, the tray It overflows from 79 and is accommodated in the overflow tank 50. Also,
The overflow tank 50 is adapted to also contain the etching solution overflowing from the elution tank 48.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0042

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In addition, the control section 72 counts the time after each processing solution is exchanged, and the etching solution is replenished to the elution tank 48 at regular intervals. Incidentally, each processing tank, a drain (not shown) for discharging the treatment liquid is stored is provided with, it is possible to discharge the processing liquid by opening the drain.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0044

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the punch section 34 , the printing plate 20 is positioned on a surface plate (not shown), and a notch and a round hole are formed in the end portion of the printing plate 20 for positioning when the plate is hung on the plate cylinder of the rotary press. .. In the plate bending portion 36 , both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the printing plate 20 are bent into predetermined shapes. This allows printing plate 2
0 is positioned on the plate cylinder of the rotary press to enable plate hanging. The printing plate 20 after the plate bending is discharged from the plate bending section 36 and stored.

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0054

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the printing plate 20 coated with the gum solution, the gum solution is squeezed by the squeezing roller pair 92 located on the most downstream side of the elution section 28 and dried in the drying section 30, and then the punch section on the downstream side. After being sent to the plate 34 and the plate bending section 36 to bend the plate, it is discharged and stored.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A developing / fixing unit for developing and fixing a charging-exposed printing plate, and an image recorded on a photosensitive layer of the developing / fixing unit arranged downstream of the developing / fixing unit. A direct plate making apparatus having a transport path for transporting the printing plate substantially horizontally, the elution part being configured to elute by elution, wherein the elution is performed obliquely downward from outside the upper part of the developing and fixing part. A direct printing plate making apparatus having an insertion opening into which a non-exposed printing plate can be inserted into a conveyance path of a unit. 2. An insertion path formed on the upper surface of the casing of the developing and fixing unit for guiding the printing plate to the insertion port, and a conveyance path for the printing plate formed above and below the insertion port to form a conveyance path for the printing plate. 2. The direct printing plate making apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a roller pair in which the axis of the roller is shifted downstream.