JPH0535400Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a printing plate material processing apparatus.

Recently, in the production of printing plates, printing plate processing equipment that automatically processes unprocessed printing plate materials to create planographic plates has been put into practical use in order to improve processing capacity and eliminate the hassle of manual work. has been made into

The basic structure of a conventional device of this type is, for example, as shown in FIG. are provided in this order, and first, a developing treatment liquid is injected onto the plate surface of the printing plate material from the swelling mechanism 1, and the swollen photosensitive layer is rubbed by the rubbing roller 2.
After rubbing with the printing plate material, the developing treatment liquid adhering to the printing plate material is squeezed (liquid removed) by the squeeze roller 3, and the printing plate material discharged from the squeeze roller 3 is washed with water from the cleaning mechanism 4. In this way, a series of processing is performed.

However, in such a device, if the operation is stopped for a long time, such as at night, or if the time interval between printing plate processing is long even when the device is in operation, the printing plate working path P When the surface of the roller placed above dries, alkaline substances in the developing solution, resin dissolved from the photosensitive layer of the printing plate material, etc. may precipitate on the surface, and in particular crystals may appear on the surface of the squeeze roller 3. If a substance is precipitated, the crystal substance will be transferred to the surface of the printing plate material passing through this area. The printing plate material discharged from the squeeze roller 3 is then washed by a jet of water in the cleaning mechanism 4, but the crystals from the squeeze roller 3 are transferred and attached to the plate surface of the printing plate material. If this happens, the presence of water may cause the crystals to become even more stuck to the printing plate, making it difficult to completely wash away the deposits.

On the other hand, the printing plate material discharged from the cleaning mechanism 4 is subjected to a gumming process in which a thin rubber layer is formed on the plate surface to protect it, but the gumming process is performed with crystals still attached to the plate surface. If the adhered area is an image area, the adhesion of that area will be poor, and if it is a non-image area, it will appear as a stain, and the value of the resulting printing plate will be low. Put it away.

For this reason, conventionally, after processing a predetermined number of printing plate materials or after finishing work, the squeeze roller is washed with hot water, or a pretreatment is performed in which the printing plate material is passed through in advance to remove stains. A method is used to remove crystals from the surface of the roller.

However, in the former method, cleaning treatment must be performed every time a predetermined operation is performed, and in the latter method, the same material as a normal printing plate material is used for removing dirt at the expense of being used for printing. In addition, it requires a long time to pre-process the required number of printing plates, and as in the case of the former method, this leads to a decrease in work efficiency. There is a problem.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, printing is configured such that the lower part of the lower roller 3A of a pair of rollers constituting the squeeze roller 3 that are vertically opposed to each other is immersed in the developer in the developer reservoir 5. Plate material processing devices are known. However, in this configuration in which the lower roller 3A of the squeeze roller 3 is immersed in the developer, the developer is not directly supplied to the upper roller that is in direct contact with the photosensitive resin layer that forms the plate surface of the printing plate material. As a result, the photosensitive resin layer forming the printing plate surface may be damaged by the deposits adhering to the upper roller.

The present invention was developed based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to greatly improve work efficiency, and also to process unprocessed printing plate materials in a good manner at all times without damaging the plate surface. The purpose of this invention is to provide a printing plate material processing apparatus that can perform the following steps.

The printing plate processing apparatus of the present invention is characterized by a swelling mechanism that supplies a developing solution to an untreated printing plate to swell the non-image area of the printing plate, and a swelling mechanism that swells the non-image area of the printing plate. A development processing mechanism having a rubbing roller that develops the printing plate material by rubbing and removing portions thereof, and a development processing mechanism having a rubbing roller that develops the printing plate material by rubbing and removing portions, and a mutual development processing mechanism that squeezes the development processing solution adhering to the printing plate material sent from the development processing mechanism. A squeeze roller is composed of an upper roller and a lower roller that face each other vertically, and before the printing plate material from the development processing mechanism reaches the squeeze roller, the above squeeze roller is applied to the surface of the upper roller of the squeeze roller. A flexible wetting liquid impregnated with the wetting liquid, which is placed in contact with the surface of the upper roller and directly supplies a small amount of the wetting liquid having approximately the same composition as the development processing liquid to wet the surface of the upper roller. The present invention comprises a wetting liquid supply mechanism made of an impregnated body, and a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the printing plate material discharged from the squeeze roller.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG. 2.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is an apparatus for processing a printing plate material having a photosensitive layer on its surface containing a light-absorbing substance such as carbon black, an endothermic substance, or a photosensitive substance such as quinone diazides, nitro compounds, and diazoresin. , the movement path P of the unprocessed printing plate material
Along the development processing mechanism 50, the squeeze roller 3
and a cleaning mechanism 4 are sequentially provided.

The development processing mechanism 50 includes a first conveyance roller 11 and a second conveyance roller 12 for conveying the unprocessed printing plate material along the movement path P, and a photosensitive layer of the unprocessed printing plate material. A developing solution, for example, an alkaline aqueous solution, is injected onto the first conveyor so as to swell the non-image area of the photosensitive layer that has not received light in the case of a negative type, or to swell the non-image area that has received light in the case of a positive type. roller 11
A swelling mechanism 1 is provided above the moving path P between the second transport roller 12 and a rubbing roller that rubs and removes the photosensitive layer portion of the non-image area swollen by the swelling mechanism 1. 2 is disposed on the exit side of the second conveyance roller 12.
In the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes a storage tank for storing the developing solution from the swelling mechanism 1.

The squeeze roller 3 is for squeezing the developing solution adhering to the printing plate material sent from the developing mechanism 50. This squeeze roller 3 is composed of an upper roller and a lower roller that vertically oppose each other, and each of the upper roller and the lower roller is connected to a wetting liquid supply mechanism 6, which will be described later.
The first conveying roller 11 is made of a material that can be wetted by the wetting liquid, such as a rubber roller.
It is operated in conjunction with the operation of the second conveying roller 12.

The cleaning mechanism 4 includes an introduction roller 41 located on the exit side of the squeeze roller 3, and removes the abraded photosensitive layer material adhering to the printing plate material introduced by the introduction roller 41 and the developing material. Spray nozzles 42A and 42B are arranged below and above the movement path P of the printing plate material, respectively, so as to remove the processing liquid by jetting water.
It consists of a discharge roller 43 for discharging the printing plate material that has been cleaned by the cleaning process 2B.

Accordingly, in the present invention, in the printing plate material processing apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration, as shown in FIG. A sponge body 68, which is constantly impregnated with a wetting liquid, is disposed in contact with, for example, the top of the upper roller 3B located above the roller P, thereby forming the wetting liquid supply mechanism 6.

In the above configuration, first, by putting the apparatus into operation, each roller and each mechanism are put into operation, and then when the unprocessed printing plate material is fed to the development processing mechanism 50, the printing plate material is A developing treatment solution is sprayed from the swelling mechanism 1, and as a result, the photosensitive layer of the printing plate material does not swell in the case of a negative type because the image area that has received the light due to image exposure has been hardened. The non-image area that has not received light is swollen by the developing solution, and in the case of a positive type, the non-image area that has received light is swollen by the developing solution, and then by the rubbing action of the rubbing roller 2, it is swollen. The portion of the photosensitive layer corresponding to the non-image area is separated. Then, the printing plate material whose non-image area in the photosensitive layer has been rubbed is transferred to the squeeze roller 3.
Here, the developing solution adhering to the surface is squeezed and sent to the cleaning mechanism 4. The printing plate material sent to the cleaning mechanism 4 in this way is
After being washed with water as a cleaning liquid, it is discharged from the discharge roller 43, and is subjected to a subsequent gumming process and the like.

In the above embodiment, since the squeeze roller 3 is rotated when the device is in operation, the wetting liquid from the wetting liquid supply mechanism 6 is applied to the surface of the upper roller 3B of the squeeze roller 3. As a result, the entire outer circumferential surface of the squeeze roller 3, including the upper roller 3B, is supplied with wetting liquid and is moistened, so that the surface of the squeeze roller 3 is subjected to development treatment. Alkaline substances caused by the liquid or resins dissolved from the photosensitive layer do not precipitate as crystals.
Therefore, when the printing plate material is processed next after a long time interval has elapsed, there is no fear that crystals or the like will adhere to the printing plate material.

On the other hand, even if the surface of the squeeze roller 3 dries and crystals precipitate there due to long-term suspension of operation at night, etc., by putting the device into operation, the entire outer circumferential surface of the squeeze roller 3 can be removed. The surface of the squeeze roller 3 is wetted by the wetting liquid, so that the crystalline substance is dissolved, and even if the crystalline substance is not completely dissolved, the boundary with the squeeze roller 3 is dissolved and the stuck state is released, so that the surface of the squeeze roller 3 is Therefore, before the printing plate material to be manufactured into a product is processed, the printing plate material for removing stains is simply passed through the squeeze roller 3 once as a pre-treatment, and the dirt adheres to the roller 3. Crystals can be completely removed.

As a result, there is no need for the conventional cleaning process that had to be performed every time a predetermined work is completed, and the pretreatment process is performed using many sheets of printing plate material until no deposits are observed. As a result, working efficiency can be greatly improved, and printing plate materials can be processed reliably and efficiently at all times while reducing costs.

In the present invention, the wetting liquid from the wetting liquid supply mechanism 6 is supplied to the upper roller 3B of the squeeze roller 3.
Since the wetting liquid is directly supplied to the upper roller 3B, which is in direct contact with the photosensitive resin layer forming the plate surface of the printing plate material, a small amount of new wetting liquid is always stably supplied to the upper roller 3B, which keeps the surface of the upper roller 3B in a wet state. Therefore, the surface of the upper roller 3B can always be kept clean and free of deposits, and as a result, the photosensitive resin layer forming the printing plate surface of the printing plate material will not be damaged. do not have.

Furthermore, since the dampening liquid supply mechanism 6 is made of a flexible dampening liquid-impregnated body such as a sponge body 68 impregnated with the dampening liquid, there is no risk of damaging the surface of the upper roller 3B.

In the above, as the wetting liquid supplied to the upper roller 3B of the squeeze roller 3, the same developing treatment liquid as in the swelling mechanism 1 is used. Furthermore, water may be used as a wetting liquid depending on the developing treatment liquid.

In the present invention, instead of developing the printing plate material through the swelling and rubbing process, the development may be performed through chemical treatment or the like, and the wetting liquid from the wetting liquid supply mechanism 6 may be squeezed. roller 3
The timing at which the printing plate material starts to be supplied to the surface of the plate does not necessarily have to be at the same time as the operation start timing of the conveyance rollers 11 and 12, and the printing plate material from the development processing mechanism 50 reaches the squeeze roller 3. It is fine as long as it is before.

As described above, the present invention is applicable to a printing plate material processing apparatus that performs a series of steps in which an unprocessed printing plate material is developed with a developing solution, and then squeezed with a squeeze roller and washed. Before the printing plate material reaches the squeeze roller, a wetting liquid having approximately the same composition as the developing treatment liquid is applied from a wetting liquid supply mechanism to the surface of the upper roller of the squeeze roller.
Since it is configured to directly wet the surface of the upper roller by supplying only a small amount, it can greatly improve work efficiency and ensure that printing plate materials are always processed reliably while reducing costs. In addition to being able to achieve a good result, a new wetting liquid is always supplied little by little to the upper roller that is in direct contact with the photosensitive resin layer of the printing plate material, so that the surface of the upper roller is always kept moist and clean. The photosensitive resin layer forming the printing plate surface of the printing plate material is maintained at The surface of the upper roller is not damaged by the supply mechanism.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams showing the configuration of a known printing plate processing apparatus, respectively, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory side view showing the main parts of an embodiment of the printing plate processing apparatus according to the present invention. be. 1...Swelling mechanism, 2...Rubbing roller, 3...
Squeeze roller, 3A...Lower roller, 3B...
Upper roller, 4...Cleaning mechanism, 5...Developer reservoir, 5
0... Development processing mechanism, 6... Wetting liquid supply mechanism, 6
8... Sponge body.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A swelling mechanism that supplies a developing solution to an untreated printing plate material to swell the non-image area of the printing plate material, and a portion swollen by this swelling mechanism that is removed by rubbing. a development processing mechanism having an abrasion roller that develops the printing plate material; and an upper roller that faces each other vertically and squeezes the development solution adhering to the printing plate material sent from the development processing mechanism. and a lower roller; and before the printing plate material from the development processing mechanism reaches the squeeze roller, a surface of the upper roller of the squeeze roller is coated with a liquid substantially similar to the development processing solution. A wetting liquid supply comprising a flexible wetting liquid-impregnated body impregnated with the wetting liquid, which is disposed in contact with the surface of the upper roller and directly supplies a small amount of the wetting liquid of the composition to wet the surface of the upper roller. A printing plate material processing device comprising: a mechanism; and a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the printing plate material discharged from the squeeze roller.