JPH1177950A - Imaging apparatus and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate positioning of an imaged imaging medium, by inclining a scanning direction substantially by a ratio of a scanning speed of a scanning means with respect to a rotary shaft of the medium to a circumferential speed of a surface of the medium wound on a mount. SOLUTION: An imaging medium 10 is inclined by a ratio of a scanning speed of an energy beam emitting unit in an axial direction to a circumferential speed of the medium 10 wound on a plate cylinder 11, and mounted on the cylinder 1. And, an imaging head 12 is fixed onto a ball screw unit 14 inclined by a ratio of the scanning speed of the emitting unit in the axial direction to a circumferential speed of the mount wound with the medium 10 and moved. An interval between the head 12 and the medium 10 is regulated to condense the beam to a surface of the medium 10. An output of a beam emission source is regulated based on a value of a laser power detector 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus for performing imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiating an energy beam from a beam irradiation source, and an ink on an imaged imaging medium. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for supplying a printing medium to print on a recording medium, a printing system including the printing apparatus, and an imaging method and a printing method using the printing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art While continuously rotating a mounting body on which an imaging medium is wound at a constant speed, a beam irradiation apparatus having a plurality of beam irradiation sources is continuously scanned at a constant speed in a rotation axis direction of the mounting body to perform imaging. In this case, the conventional apparatus has a problem that an image is formed obliquely with respect to the reference direction of the original imaging area of the imaging medium.

That is, in an imaging apparatus as shown in FIG. 15, the imaging medium is rotated at a peripheral speed Vr in the R direction (rotation direction of the mounting body), and the beam irradiation device is rotated at a feed speed Vy in the S direction (rotation of the mounting body). When scanning is performed in the (axial direction), as shown in FIG. 14A, the imaging dots 92 formed in the imaging area 91 of the imaging medium 10 are arranged in a rectangular matrix along the direction 93 of the imaging area 91. Is ideal. However, since the beam irradiation device scans in the rotation axis direction while rotating the mounting body, the reference direction of the imaging area of the imaging medium 10 is parallel to the rotation axis of the plate cylinder 11 on the plate cylinder 11 as the mounting body. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 15 in which the scanning direction of the beam irradiating apparatus is completely coincident with the S direction, the imaging dots 92 are arranged as shown in FIG.
It was a parallelogram as shown in FIG. 4 (b).

[0004]

In order to solve such a problem of the conventional imaging apparatus, according to the knowledge of the present inventors, the image on the imaging medium 10 is not shown in FIG. As shown in the apparatus, a method of inclining the feed direction of the beam irradiation device by θ with the rotation axis of the plate cylinder 11 and the beam irradiation direction as axes centering on the center of the imageable range of the imaging device may be considered.
According to this method, as shown in FIG. 14 (c), the image is created inclined by θ with respect to the reference direction of the original imaging area of the imaging medium, but does not become a parallelogram.

Here, since the value of θ is small as shown in an example to be described later, the beam irradiating device is fed by the scanning means in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the plate cylinder while the plate cylinder 10 makes one rotation. And the ratio of the scanning speed of the energy beam irradiation device to the peripheral speed of the imaging medium surface wound on the plate cylinder. It is almost the same as the ratio. According to this method, the image on the imaging medium 10 is 1/1 with respect to the rotation direction of the imaging medium as compared with the target image.
The image is magnified by cos θ times and is imaged. Normally, this magnified portion is 1 μm or less even in an image of A3 horizontal equivalent size (480 mm in the axial direction and 350 mm in the circumferential direction), and there is almost no problem. However, it is more preferable to correct the timing of turning on the energy beam in advance by that amount. The displacement ds of the image head position due to the image tilting by θ is 2540 dpi, 4
Assuming that a zero-channel energy beam irradiation apparatus is used, s = 0.4 mm, and in an image of A3 horizontal equivalent size, the maximum is about 0.4 mm.

[0006] By the way, since an imaging device such as a plate making device and a printing device are usually independent devices in many cases, the mutual positioning of the imaging medium such as a printing plate for each color in multicolor printing is determined by registration marks or the like. Marks are drawn on the imaging media of each color, the imaging media of each color are wrapped around the plate cylinder of the printing apparatus, ink is supplied to the imaging medium, and printed on a recording medium such as paper,
Until the position of the register mark printed on the recording medium coincides, the position of each imaging medium in the printing apparatus and the printing timing are adjusted. Therefore, even if the image was inclined with respect to the plate, it was not a serious problem because the adjustment was usually made by a printing press. However, when using an imaging medium in which an image is inclined by θ, such as a imaging medium imaged by an imaging apparatus as described above, the operator in advance tilts the imaging medium by θ at the stage of attaching the imaging medium to the printing press. It is necessary to mount it, which requires extra labor for mounting, and makes it difficult to position the imaging medium in multicolor printing.

According to the findings of the present inventors, Japanese Patent Publication No.
As for the pin system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 71983, for example, in the case of using a positioning hole provided in a raw plate in advance for positioning the plate in a printing press, a plate having an inclined image is used. Is used, since the image is printed on the recording medium at an angle, the recording medium cannot be used because it is not a commercial product. It cannot be mounted on a printing press as described in JP-A-71983 and printed.

As described above, an imaging apparatus for imaging a pattern corresponding to imaging data by causing a change in imaging characteristics on an imaging medium by irradiating an energy beam, and winding the imaging medium. In an imaging apparatus that continuously scans the beam irradiation device at a constant speed in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis of the mounting body while continuously rotating the mounting body at a constant speed, the imaging apparatus is configured to scan the mounting body around which the imaging medium is wound. In the mounting of the imaging medium, there has been no particular consideration for correcting the inclination of the image with respect to the imaging medium. Therefore, an imaging apparatus with consideration for correcting the inclination of the image has been desired.

In addition, a plurality of irradiation devices having a plurality of energy beam irradiation sources are used for the imaging device.
There is a type in which an imaging medium is wound and scanning in the direction of a rotation axis of a mounting body is intermittently performed by a linear motor or the like.
In such an apparatus, the energy beam irradiation source is intermittently fed for each rotation of the mounting body, so that an image is not created with an inclination with respect to the imaging medium. Since the apparatus is extremely expensive compared to the apparatus, there is a problem that the apparatus itself becomes expensive.

Further, in a conventional imaging apparatus which performs imaging by continuously scanning a beam irradiation device at a constant speed in the axial direction of the mounting body while continuously rotating the mounting body around which the imaging medium is wound at a constant speed. In addition to the inclination of the image with respect to the imaging medium, there are the following problems in positioning when attaching the imaging medium to the mounting body.

As a method of fixing an imaging medium in a conventional imaging apparatus, there are known techniques disclosed in JP-A-3-24549 and JP-A-5-8366. In the apparatus disclosed in JP-A-3-24549, as shown in FIG. 12, an imaging medium is transported by a transfer roller or a conveyor belt.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-8366, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, fixing the imaging medium to the plate cylinder
It is fixed with a flathead screw or an adhesive layer.

In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-24549, a printing plate, which is an exposed and developed imaging medium, is cut by a built-in cutting device and then automatically mounted. In such a device, since the positioning of the printing position between the imaging media of each color is not accurate in the multi-color printing device, there is a problem that the position of the imaging medium needs to be adjusted again before continuous printing. In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-8366,
Although a method of fixing the imaging medium to the plate cylinder with a flathead screw or a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is described, such a method still cannot accurately position the imaging medium and the print pattern. In addition to the method using a flathead screw or an adhesive layer, a method for positioning an imaging medium and a print pattern is not specifically described. Therefore, in the case of an imaging medium produced by an apparatus as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-8366, positioning at the time of mounting the imaging medium on a printing apparatus has to be performed separately by the above-described method.

There is also known an apparatus in which a laser head for imaging and the like are provided inside a printing apparatus. In such an apparatus, the imaging medium is wound around the plate cylinder to perform imaging, and the ink is supplied as it is for printing. The positioning of the imaging medium can be omitted or at least greatly simplified.

However, if a head for imaging is provided inside the printing apparatus, imaging cannot be performed during printing, and printing cannot be performed during imaging. Therefore, the productivity of the printing apparatus or the imaging apparatus alone has to be reduced. In addition, since the imaging head is an expensive device that accounts for most of the cost of the imaging apparatus, providing the head for each color cylinder significantly increases the cost of the entire apparatus.
Further, it is not necessary to provide one imaging device for each printing device, and usually one imaging device has the productivity of producing imaging media used for several printing devices.

Therefore, it is significantly disadvantageous in terms of productivity and cost of the apparatus that the imaging apparatus is provided inside the printing apparatus as in the above-described apparatus, as compared with the case where the printing apparatus and the imaging apparatus are provided separately. Was.

An object of the present invention is to improve the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide an imaging apparatus in which an array of imaging dots on an imaging medium is rectangular when performing imaging while continuously scanning a beam irradiation source. It is in.

Another object of the present invention is to facilitate the positioning of an imaging medium in imaging while an image is formed without tilting with respect to the imaging medium and the imaging apparatus and the printing apparatus are separated. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive imaging apparatus and an inexpensive imaging method that can easily perform a work of positioning a printing plate in a printing press because an inclination of an image position in the image forming apparatus is corrected to an accurate position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a printing system which can easily position an imaging medium imaged by an imaging apparatus without being conscious of correction of inclination or the like and mount it on a printing apparatus.

[0019]

According to the present invention, there is provided an imaging apparatus for performing imaging by causing a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam, wherein the imaging medium is wound. A mounting body to be mounted, means for rotating the mounting body, and scanning means for scanning the energy beam irradiation device in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body, and the irradiation device Upon scanning in substantially the same direction as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body, the scanning direction is
An imaging apparatus is provided, characterized in that it is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the imaging medium by substantially the ratio of the scanning speed of the scanning means to the peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around the mounting body. Is done.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging apparatus for performing imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiation with an energy beam, wherein the imaging medium is wound. A mounting body to be mounted, means for rotating and driving the mounting body, scanning means for scanning the energy beam irradiation device in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body, and mounting the imaging medium to the mounting body In doing so, the reference direction of the imaging area is substantially equal to the ratio of the scanning speed of the scanning means to the rotation axis of the mounting body and the peripheral speed of the imaging medium surface wound around the mounting body. There is provided an imaging apparatus comprising: a positioning means for performing tilting positioning.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the scanning direction of the energy beam irradiating device is substantially the same as the scanning speed of the scanning means with respect to the rotation axis of the mounting body and the scanning direction of the mounting body. There is provided an imaging apparatus characterized by being inclined by a ratio with respect to a peripheral velocity of a surface of a wound imaging medium.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the imaging medium is mounted on the mounting body, the mounting body is driven to rotate, and the energy beam irradiating device is set in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body. Irradiating the imaging medium with an energy beam from the energy beam irradiating device while scanning the imaging medium to cause a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on the imaging medium to perform imaging; In winding the imaging medium, the reference direction of the imaging area is substantially equal to the scanning speed of the energy beam irradiation device with respect to the rotation axis of the mounting body and the surface of the imaging medium wound around the mounting body. An imaging method is provided, which is characterized in that the device is mounted at a tilt relative to the peripheral speed. That.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, when scanning the energy beam irradiating apparatus, the scanning direction of the energy beam is substantially equal to the rotation axis of the mounting body. Scanning by tilting the beam irradiation direction of the energy beam irradiation device as an axis by the ratio of the scanning speed of the energy beam irradiation device to the peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around the mounting body. An imaging method is provided.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging apparatus for performing imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiating an energy beam, and applying ink to an imaged imaging medium. A printing system comprising: a printing device that supplies and prints on a recording medium, wherein the imaging device includes an imaging mount for winding an imaging medium, and a driving unit that rotationally drives the imaging mount. Scanning means for scanning the energy beam irradiating device in a direction substantially the same as the rotational axis direction of the imaging mounting body, and wherein the printing device winds an imaging medium after imaging. Body, and a driving unit that rotationally drives the mounting body for printing. When the imaging medium is wound around the mounting body for imaging, and when the imaging medium after imaging is wound around the mounting body for printing, the winding direction of the imaging medium around each of the mounting bodies is different. Are configured so as to have directions substantially different from each other by a ratio of a scanning speed of a scanning unit of the energy beam irradiation device and a peripheral speed of a surface of the imaging medium wound around the imaging medium mounting body. Is provided.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the scanning direction of the energy beam irradiating device is substantially equal to the scanning speed of the scanning means with respect to the rotation axis of the mounting member of the imaging medium. A printing system wherein the energy beam irradiation device is tilted about a beam irradiation direction as an axis by a ratio of a peripheral speed of a surface of the imaging medium wound around a mounting body of the imaging medium.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the method of positioning the imaging medium in the printing apparatus is substantially the same as the method of positioning in the imaging apparatus except for the difference in the winding direction. Is provided.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the method of fixing the imaging medium to the printing apparatus is substantially the same as that of the imaging apparatus except for the difference in the winding direction. A printing system is provided.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the imaging medium mounting body and the printing mounting body are
The printing system according to the above, wherein the printing system has substantially the same configuration except for the difference in the winding direction.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the method of positioning the imaging medium in the imaging apparatus is substantially the same as the method of positioning in the printing apparatus except for the difference in the winding direction. Is provided.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the method of fixing the imaging medium in the imaging device is substantially the same as the fixing method in the printing device except for the difference in the winding direction. Is provided.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the method of positioning the imaging medium in the imaging apparatus is performed by engaging a positioning hole provided in the imaging medium with a positioning pin provided in the imaging apparatus. An imaging device is provided.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, when a resin film is used as the base material of the imaging medium, the positioning pin provided in the imaging device and the positioning pin provided in the imaging device are connected to each other. If the engagement state is such that the opening diameter of the positioning hole is larger than the outer diameter of the positioning pin, the difference is smaller than the dot pitch, and if the opening diameter is smaller than the outer diameter, An imaging apparatus is provided, wherein the positioning hole is set so as not to be damaged.

Further, according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, when a metal is used for the substrate of the imaging medium,
The engagement state between the positioning hole provided in the imaging medium and the positioning pin provided in the imaging device is such that the opening diameter of the positioning hole is larger than the outer diameter of the positioning pin, and the difference is the dot pitch. An imaging device characterized by being set to be smaller than

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the method of positioning the imaging medium in the imaging apparatus and the method of positioning the imaging medium in the printing apparatus include the steps of: An imaging apparatus is provided, which is performed by abutting against an abutting receiving portion of the imaging apparatus.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, in the method of positioning an image on an imaging medium in the imaging device, the positioning hole provided in the imaging medium is detected by a positioning hole position detecting means provided in the imaging device. An imaging apparatus characterized in that it is performed based on the result obtained.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, in the method of positioning an image on an imaging medium in the imaging apparatus, the position of a register mark provided on an imaging medium mounting body of the imaging apparatus is provided in the imaging apparatus. An imaging apparatus is provided which performs the operation based on the result detected by the register mark position detecting means.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the method of positioning an image on an imaging medium in the imaging apparatus includes: There is provided an imaging apparatus characterized in that the imaging is performed based on the result detected by the position detecting means.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, an imaging apparatus for imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiating an energy beam, and applying ink to an imaged imaging medium. A printing method for printing using a printing system comprising a printing device for supplying and printing on a recording medium, wherein the imaging device includes an imaging mount for winding an imaging medium, and the imaging mount. And a scanning unit for scanning the energy beam irradiation device in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body for imaging, and wherein the printing apparatus has an imaging medium after imaging. The print mounting body for winding the And a dynamic driving means,
When the imaging medium is wound around the mounting body for imaging, and when the imaging medium after imaging is wound around the mounting body for printing, the winding direction of the imaging medium around each of the mounting bodies is substantially the same. Wherein the scanning directions of the scanning means of the energy beam irradiation device and the peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around the imaging medium mounting member are different from each other. Is provided.

In the present invention, the imaging medium is
It refers to a film having a multilayer structure including a layer that shows a specific response to irradiation by a beam irradiation source such as a laser light source, a plate for producing a printing plate, and the like. Most of the cases are classified into either the photon mode or the heat mode depending on the difference in the reaction. In the case of the photon mode, the layer, that is, the photosensitive layer, has its physicochemical properties such as solubility in a specific solvent changed by the light energy of the beam. That is, for example, those that were soluble change to insoluble, or those that were insoluble change to soluble. Further, some of them may change characteristics such as light transmittance and affinity of the surface with a specific liquid. Then, a film plate or a printing plate is formed by performing a development process using the specific solvent after the imaging process. On the other hand, in the case of the heat mode, a change occurs such that the layer, that is, the heat-sensitive layer, is removed by the thermal energy of the beam, or the layer is easily removed or hardly removed. If the irradiated portion or the non-irradiated portion is not completely removed only by irradiation with the beam, it is completely removed by the subsequent physical post-processing. In this way, physical irregularities are generated on the surface of the imaging medium, and a film plate or a printing plate is formed. In addition, as a printing film plate, a film provided with a photosensitive layer such as a silver salt or a photon mode provided with a photodecomposition type resin layer or a photopolymerization type resin layer is used as a heat destruction layer, a heat bonding layer, and a heat condensation layer. There may be a heat mode with a layer. As a printing plate, a substrate, a heat-sensitive layer (or a photosensitive layer) formed thereon, and a heat-sensitive layer formed on the heat-sensitive layer, as described in JP-A-6-186750, are used. Preferably, the heat-sensitive layer and the surface layer have different affinities for a printing liquid such as ink or an ink repellent liquid (fountain solution). In addition, a primer layer or the like may be provided between the heat-sensitive layer (photosensitive layer) and the substrate, and the difference in affinity between the primer layer and the surface layer may be given as described above. As the heat-sensitive layer for the heat mode, a layer obtained by dispersing carbon black in nitrocellulose or a metal oxide film such as titanium oxide is preferably used. As described above, the characteristics such as the optical characteristics such as the shape, chemical affinity, and light transmittance between the portion of the imaging medium that has undergone the beam irradiation and the portion that has not received the beam are referred to as physical characteristics of the imaging medium in this specification. .

In the present invention, the "beam irradiation source" means a source for generating a beam of light (including all electromagnetic waves such as ultraviolet rays, visible light, and infrared rays) such as a laser beam,
A source such as a particle beam such as an electron beam is also included. Further, in addition to a beam having a clear directivity, a discharge of a stylus electrode or the like used in an electrostatic printer or the like can cause a change in the physical characteristics as described above in a minute portion of the imaging medium as a result. These are all included in the “beam irradiation source” in the present invention. The most suitable beam irradiation source is a laser light source or an emission end of an optical fiber in which an optical fiber is connected to and coupled to an emission end of the laser light source. In order to reduce the size of the apparatus, it is preferable to use a semiconductor laser as the laser light source. When a large power is desired, a gas laser such as an argon ion laser or a carbon dioxide laser or a solid laser such as a YAG laser is preferably used.

In the present invention, the term “mounting member for an imaging medium” refers to an imaging device (an imaging head or the like) of an imaging device or a recording medium of a printing device in which an imaging medium is integrally fixed in an imaging device or a printing device. This is for fixing or moving the imaging medium at a predetermined position with respect to the transport path. In an apparatus of a type in which an imaging medium is mounted on a plate cylinder, the plate cylinder is a mounting body. In addition, in an apparatus of a type in which an imaging medium is mounted inside a cylindrical drum, the cylindrical drum is a mounting body.

The "positioning method of the imaging medium" refers to a method of positioning the imaging medium on a mounting body of the imaging apparatus or the printing apparatus when the imaging medium is mounted on the mounting body. As a preferred embodiment, there is a method using the positioning holes provided in the imaging medium and the corresponding positioning pins provided in the mounting body as described above.

The "method of fixing the imaging medium" refers to a method of fixing the imaging medium to the mounting body when the imaging medium is mounted on the mounting body of the imaging apparatus or the printing apparatus.

[0044]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG.
The imaging apparatus 1 includes a plate cylinder 11, which is an imaging mounting body for winding and mounting an imaging medium 10 around an outer surface, a beam irradiation source, and an optical system for condensing a beam emitted from the beam irradiation source. Including imaging head 12, beam irradiation source control unit 16, imaging head 12 and beam irradiation source control unit 1
And a cable 15 for connecting the cable 6.

The imaging medium 10 is attached to the plate cylinder 11 at a ratio of the scanning speed of the energy beam irradiation device in the axial direction to the peripheral speed of the imaging medium 10 wound around the plate cylinder 11. ing. Further, the imaging head 12 is a ball screw which moves while being inclined with respect to the axial direction of the plate cylinder 11 by the ratio of the scanning speed in the axial direction of the energy beam irradiation device to the peripheral speed of the mounting body on which the imaging medium is wound. The imaging head 12 and the imaging medium 10 are fixed on the unit 14.
Are adjusted so that the beam is focused on the imaging medium surface. Further, the output of the beam irradiation source is detected by laser power detection such that the output is sufficient to cause a change in physical characteristics such as physical unevenness or a change in solubility in a solvent between the irradiated portion and the non-irradiated portion of the beam of the imaging medium 10. It is adjusted based on the value of the vessel 17. Then, when performing the imaging of the print pattern, the plate cylinder 11 around which the imaging medium 10 is wound is rotated in the direction of arrow R in the drawing directly or via a transmission by using a drive motor 13 such as a pulse motor. While moving the imaging head 12 fixed on the ball screw unit 14 in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the arrow S in the figure, which is parallel to the axis of the plate cylinder, the beam irradiation source is switched so as to correspond to the imaging data. A physical property change such as a physical unevenness or a change in solubility in a solvent corresponding to the two-dimensional imaging data is caused on the medium surface.

As a method of improving the performance of such an imaging apparatus, it is easy to use a plurality of beam irradiation sources that can be driven independently. The term "improving the performance of the imaging apparatus" as used herein means improving the imaging speed and the resolution, and there is a trade-off between the imaging speed and the resolution. Here, the resolution indicates how many dots can be formed per unit length, and the unit is generally dpi (dots per inch). For example, 2540dpi corresponds to 100dots / mm. As an example, suppose that an imaging head having n beam irradiation sources is used to simultaneously image n consecutive lines in the main scanning direction by n beam irradiation sources. At this time, a dot interval for realizing a predetermined resolution r
dp is 1 / r. Substantially parallel to the direction of the line imaged by the rotation of the plate cylinder 11 (inclined by an angle θ)
If R is defined as the main scanning direction and S substantially parallel to the direction of the line imaged by the parallel movement of the imaging head 12 (inclined by the angle θ) is defined as the sub-scanning direction, imaging for one round in the R direction is completed. After that, the imaging head moves in the S direction by a predetermined distance s, and the predetermined distance s is n times the dot interval dp on the imaging medium. Thereafter, the next n lines are imaged, and a series of these operations are repeated to complete the imaging of the entire imaging region. By using n beam irradiation sources, the time required for imaging is reduced to 1 / n when the resolution is the same.
To increase the resolution by a factor of j, the dot interval must be dp / j and the moving distance of the imaging head must be dp × n / j, and the time required for imaging is j / n times.

As an example, when the outer diameter when the imaging medium is mounted on the mounting body for imaging is 160 mm, the modulation frequency of the laser is 1 MHz, and the dot density is 2540 dpi (dot pitch is 10 μm), the rotation speed of the imaging mounting body becomes It becomes 1193.7 rpm, and the peripheral speed becomes 10 m / sec. If the number of beam irradiation sources of the imaging head is 40, the energy beam is fed in the direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction at 400 μm / rotation, so that the scanning speed is 8 mm / sec. Therefore, the inclination θ of the above-described imaging medium is 0.046 °, which is about 0.4 mm for the axial length of 480 mm which is an imaging area of A3 horizontal equivalent size.
You will lean.

One method of using a plurality of beam irradiation sources is a laser diode array. FIG. 7 shows a general external view thereof. This laser diode array 8 includes eight laser diodes that can be driven independently in one chip, each of which has a laser light emitting end 81a to 81d.
1h, drive-side electrodes 82a to 82h, and a back surface common electrode 83 common to all laser diodes. By passing a predetermined current through the drive-side electrodes 82a to 82h, laser light is emitted from the corresponding laser light emitting ends 81a to 81h. Here, the predetermined current means a current value equal to or higher than a threshold value at which the laser diode starts laser oscillation.

Another method using a plurality of beam irradiation sources is a fiber array.

FIG. 8 is an external view of a fiber-output laser device. The laser device 6 includes a package section 61 and an optical fiber 62 for guiding laser light to the outside.
The package portion 61 includes a laser diode chip having at least one light emitting end, a conductive member for realizing electrical contact between electrodes of the diode chip and the outside, and heat conduction for releasing heat from the diode chip to the outside. It is constituted by an optical system for causing a laser beam from a member and a laser diode to enter an optical fiber. And
The laser light is emitted from the emission end 63 of the fiber.

The emitting end 63 of the fiber shown in FIG. A fiber array is obtained by arranging and fixing the emission ends 63 of the plurality of fibers of the laser device that outputs the fibers in an array. When the fiber array is used as the beam irradiation source, the minimum value of the interval between the beam irradiation sources is limited by the outer dimensions of the clad portion 65.

Regardless of the method of the laser diode array or the fiber array, it is often impossible to arrange the beam irradiation sources, that is, the respective light emitting ends in close proximity without any gap. In order to perform imaging without gaps, the array is often inclined by a predetermined angle φ with respect to the sub-scanning direction S as shown in FIG. This array 7 has 8 of 71a to 71h.
And the tilt angle φ
Is an angle defined by cos φ = da / a. Here, a is an interval between beam irradiation sources, and a light source surface dot interval.
da is a value obtained by converting the center interval of dots to be formed in order to obtain a predetermined resolution in the sub-scanning direction S into a dimension on the beam irradiation source surface, and dividing the medium surface dot interval dp by the magnification of the optical system. Things. For example, when the resolution is 2540 dpi, dp = 10 μm, and when the magnification of the optical system is ４, da = 40 μm.

In order to improve the quality of printing in multi-color printing, it is necessary to improve the positional accuracy of dots on an imaging medium imaged by an imaging apparatus having one or more imaging heads, and to write out the imaging medium of each color. Obviously, it is important that the locations be the same. Therefore, it is troublesome to image the imaging medium directly without using an intermediate and to make the imaging medium the same starting position, thereby minimizing a small displacement of the printing pattern of the imaging medium of each color in multi-color printing. This is an effective means for improving the quality of multicolor printing without any problem.

Conventionally, direct imaging on an original as an imaging medium has been rarely performed. A plurality of beam irradiation devices are connected to the axis of the mounting body while the mounting body on which the imaging medium is wound is continuously rotated at a constant speed. Even when imaging is performed by scanning continuously at a constant speed in the direction, it is not necessary to consider the inclination of the image because the number of beams is small, so it is necessary to attach it to the mounting body on which the imaging medium is wound. No particular consideration was given to the mounting of the imaging medium. In addition, there has been none of the above-mentioned considerations even at the present time when the number of imaging media has been rapidly created by an imaging apparatus.

One of the features of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention is an imaging apparatus for performing imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam. Body, means for rotating and driving the mounting body, scanning means for scanning the energy beam irradiation device in a direction substantially the same as the axial direction of the mounting body, and mounting the imaging medium on the mounting body, The ratio of the scanning speed of the energy beam scanning means to the peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around the mounting body is substantially the same as the reference direction of the imaging region with respect to the axis of the rotation center of the mounting body. And positioning means for positioning only inclining. FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the mounting direction of the imaging medium of the present invention and the created image corresponding to FIG. 14 described above. As described above, by tilting the mounting direction of the imaging medium by θ, the same imaging as the ideal state of FIG. 14A can be performed.

As described above, since the image on the imaging medium is always formed at an accurate position without tilting with respect to the imaging medium by tilting and positioning the imaging medium, the image is formed by the above-described method. When the printing plate, which is the obtained imaging medium, is mounted on the printing press, the printing press operator does not need to mount the printing plate at an angle, so that the positioning can be performed without extra work. In addition, the register pin system, which uses the positioning holes provided in the raw plate in advance to position the plate on the printing press, is always accurate without tilting the image on the plate, which is the imaging medium. Since the printing plate is drawn at an appropriate position, the printing plate created by the direct plate making can be used, and the position adjustment of the printing plate by the printing press becomes extremely easy.
Also, in a printing press without a printing plate twist adjusting mechanism, the work of mounting the printing plate is similarly facilitated.

Also, preferably, the method of positioning the imaging medium in the printing apparatus is substantially the same as that of the imaging apparatus, and the positioning method in which the inclination in the mounting is eliminated (that is, corrected) is adopted. The burden of mounting the plates and positioning the plates of each color in multicolor printing can be extremely reduced. The same effect can be obtained by a method of eliminating the inclination on the imaging apparatus side and giving the same inclination to the printing press to perform positioning. Essentially, it is only necessary that the inclinations at the time of positioning the imaging medium in both of them differ from each other by the aforementioned angle θ. It goes without saying that the direction of this inclination should be such that the inclination of the imaging area caused by the scanning of the energy beam irradiation device of the imaging device is canceled.

Further, for example, an imaging apparatus in which a positioning hole is provided in advance in an imaging medium, and then a printing pattern is formed directly on the imaging medium by an energy beam with reference to the positioning hole, is used as a mounting body for the imaging medium. By providing the same plate cylinder as that of the apparatus except for the presence or absence of the above-described inclination correction, the reference of the mounting position of the imaging medium to the imaging apparatus and the reference of the mounting position of the imaging medium to the printing apparatus are the same. This eliminates the slight displacement due to the difference in the reference position for mounting the imaging medium in each device, and the slight displacement due to the unique curvature of the plate cylinder of each device and the device habit when winding the imaging medium. Design and manufacture by minimizing By reducing the cost can be constituted inexpensive device.

Even when the plate cylinder of the imaging apparatus cannot be completely shared with the plate cylinder of the printing apparatus due to the weight reduction of the plate cylinder or the like, the structure of the imaging medium mounting section is made common, so that the difference of the imaging medium mounting reference position can be obtained. Small deviations due to the unique curvature of the plate cylinder of each device and the slight deviation of the device when winding the imaging medium can be minimized. Obviously, high-quality printing with a small displacement of the medium can be performed.

Generally, a laser array, a fiber array, or the like is used as an energy beam irradiation source of such an imaging apparatus, and each of them includes an optical system for condensing an emitted beam. The distance between the imaging head and the imaging medium is small, and the depth of focus is generally very small, typically tens of μm. Therefore, in consideration of the overall assembly accuracy, the deflection of the mounting member of the imaging device, and the thickness accuracy of the imaging medium, the allowable deviation of the diameter of the mounting member of the imaging device is about ± 5 μm. In order to obtain the accuracy of the fluctuation of the diameter of the imaging medium mounting body, a processing method is considered so that the mounting body is not deformed by heat even in processing.

[0061] Usually, the imaging medium mounting of imaging device is fabricated by aluminum of 6000 series usually called corrosion-resistant aluminum such as for example A6061, its surface hardness is often H _B 30 to 95 in Brinell hardness. On the other hand, when a metal is used for the base material, the imaging medium uses A1000-based aluminum generally called pure aluminum such as A1100 for the base material.
Its surface hardness is H _B from 23 to 44 in Brinell hardness.
As described above, the difference in surface hardness between the imaging medium mounting body and the base material of the imaging medium is relatively small. Therefore, when the imaging apparatus is used for a long period of time, when the imaging medium is mounted, the winding start side end of the imaging medium on the opposite side of the imaging surface from the imaging surface rubs against the imaging medium mounting body. There is a concern that the surface of the imaging medium is roughened and the accuracy of the diameter of the imaging medium mounting body cannot be maintained.

Therefore, the imaging medium preferably used in the present invention is obtained by chamfering the winding start side end of the imaging medium around the mounting body opposite to the imaging surface when winding the imaging medium, or In cutting the imaging medium into a predetermined size to be wound around the mounting body, such a problem is prevented beforehand by performing cutting processing from the side opposite to the imaging surface. In addition, the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment is configured such that at least the circumferential surface of the mounting body on which the imaging medium is wound and mounted does not affect the processing accuracy, and the surface is subjected to a low-temperature electroless plating process using nickel or the like. by coating process, the hardness of the mounting surface in Brinell hardness terms have addressed to solve the problem by stiff H _B 200 or more hardened steel par.

When the positioning hole provided in the imaging medium and the positioning pin provided in the imaging device are engaged with each other, when the base material of the imaging medium is a film, the diameter of the opening of the positioning hole is determined by the positioning diameter. When the diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the pin, the difference is smaller than the dot pitch of the imaging dots, and when the opening diameter is smaller than the outer diameter, the difference is set so that the positioning hole is not damaged by the engagement. Have been. On the other hand, when the base material of the imaging medium is metal, the state of engagement between the positioning holes provided in the imaging medium and the positioning pins provided in the imaging device is determined by the fact that the opening diameter of the positioning holes is the outer diameter of the positioning pins. It is set to be larger and the difference is smaller than the dot pitch. The reason is that when the base material of the imaging medium is a film, when the diameter of the positioning pin provided in the imaging device is smaller than the diameter of the positioning hole provided in the imaging medium, the positioning accuracy is equal to the gap between the hole and the pin. This is because it is necessary to reduce the gap in order to increase the positioning accuracy, and it is better to make the gap smaller than the dot pitch in order to improve color reproduction in multicolor printing. Further, when the diameter of the positioning pin provided in the imaging device is larger than the diameter of the positioning hole of the imaging medium, the film is elastically deformed and fitted, so that good positioning can be performed without damaging the positioning hole. As long as the positioning hole of the medium is within the functioning range, there is no problem even if the diameter of the positioning pin provided in the imaging apparatus is larger than the diameter of the positioning hole of the imaging medium. On the other hand, when the base material is metal, when the diameter of the positioning pin provided in the imaging device is smaller than the diameter of the positioning hole provided in the imaging medium,
Since the positioning accuracy is deteriorated by the gap between the hole and the pin, it is necessary to reduce the gap in order to increase the positioning accuracy.In order to improve color reproduction in multicolor printing, the gap is smaller than the dot pitch. It is better to reduce the size as in the case where the substrate of the imaging medium is a film, but when the diameter of the positioning pin provided in the imaging device is larger than the diameter of the positioning hole of the imaging medium, the positioning hole is almost It is not preferable because it is broken without being elastically deformed. Obviously, the relationship between the positioning holes and the positioning pins by the imaging medium substrate is the same not only in the imaging apparatus but also in the printing press.

As a method for satisfying the above-described relationship between the positioning pin and the positioning hole, at least the size, arrangement, or shape of the positioning pin and the hole differs depending on whether the imaging medium is a film or a metal. One may be different, and as a specific example, for example, when the diameter of the positioning pin of the plate cylinder 11 is the same when the base material of the imaging medium is a film or metal,
When the substrate of the imaging medium is a film, the opening diameter of the positioning hole is larger than the outer diameter of the positioning pin,
The difference may be smaller than the dot pitch, or the opening diameter may be smaller than the outer diameter of the positioning pin as long as the positioning hole is not damaged. Also,
When the base material of the imaging medium is metal, the opening diameter of the positioning hole may be larger than the outer diameter of the positioning pin, and the difference may be smaller than the dot pitch.

As another method, the diameter of the positioning hole provided in the imaging medium is the same when the base material of the imaging medium is a film or a metal, and
The diameter of the positioning pin of the plate cylinder 11A is smaller than the diameter of the positioning hole when the base material is a film, and the difference is smaller than the dot pitch, or the positioning pin is not damaged. Then, the outer diameter of the positioning pin may be made larger than the diameter of the positioning hole. When the base material of the imaging medium is metal, the diameter of the positioning pin may be smaller than the diameter of the positioning hole, and the difference may be smaller than the dot pitch.

As an example, two types of positioning pins are provided on the plate cylinder for the base material of the imaging medium for the film and for the metal, and the same number of positioning holes are also provided for the imaging medium. Then, if the positioning pins to be used are determined for each base material of the imaging medium, half of the hole row of the imaging medium is fitted for positioning, and the other half has a hole diameter sufficiently larger than the pin diameter, Or
If the pin diameter is made sufficiently small with respect to the hole diameter, a plate cylinder can be constructed in which the substrate of the imaging medium can be used for both film and metal. In this case, the positions of the positioning pins used when the substrate of the imaging medium is a film and when the substrate is a metal are different.

As another method, the positioning pins provided on the plate cylinder 11 have completely different shapes when the base material of the imaging medium is a film and when it is a metal, such as a circle and a square. The holes of the imaging medium which are not used for positioning when the base material is a film and when the base material is a metal may be formed as an escape hole which is sufficiently large with respect to the pin diameter.

As described above, the point is that at least one of the size, arrangement, or shape of the pins and holes used for positioning the imaging medium in the imaging apparatus is determined when the substrate of the imaging medium is a film or metal. It is clear that the effect of the method is the same even in a combination of the above methods in addition to those described above.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the imaging medium when the positioning method of the imaging medium according to the present invention is performed by engaging the positioning holes provided in the imaging medium with the positioning pins provided in the imaging apparatus. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the imaging apparatus in this case. FIG.
As shown in the figure, the imaging medium head has a plurality of imaging medium positioning pin holes 181 and an imaging medium trailing portion fixing hole 182, and the plurality of pin holes 181 and the imaging medium trailing portion fixing holes are provided. 182 is
In the production of the imaging medium 10, after cutting such that at least one of the two sides along the feeding direction to the plate cylinder is orthogonal to the two sides of the imaging medium head, the two orthogonal sides are cut off. It is precisely processed into a predetermined shape by a dedicated processing machine as a reference. Since the reference position for mounting the imaging medium in plate making and printing is the plurality of pin holes 181, the two sides of the side of the imaging medium and the side of the top of the imaging medium that are used as the reference for making holes need not necessarily be orthogonal to each other. It is preferable that they are orthogonal to each other in the cutting of the medium, the boring of the pin hole 181, the packing of the imaging medium, and the like, because the workability is improved. Normally, the imaging region has a reference direction that is a direction parallel to any side of the outer shape of the imaging medium or the arrangement direction of the pin hole rows. In the present invention, the reference direction is a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the pin hole rows. I have.

Next, the mounting and removing operations of the imaging medium to and from the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment are as follows.

FIG. 2 shows a plate cylinder 1 as a mounting body for imaging an imaging medium in the imaging apparatus of FIG.
1 shows an aspect of attachment to 1A. Imaging medium 10A mounted on an unillustrated imaging medium stocker
The plate cylinder 11 is moved by the imaging medium supply roller 26.
Sent to A. At this time, the feeding direction of the imaging medium 10A depends on the ratio between the scanning speed of the plurality of energy beams in the axial direction with respect to the rotation center of the plate cylinder 11A and the peripheral speed of the plate cylinder 11A around which the imaging medium 10A is wound. It is sent in a state inclined only by the minute. The plate cylinder 11A is
The arrangement direction of the plate cylinder and the positioning pin array 23 of the printing apparatus of the type in which the imaging medium is fixed by pins is set to the aforementioned angle θ.
It has the same structure except that it is only tilted,
The scanning speed of the imaging medium 10A in the axial direction of the plurality of energy beams with respect to the center axis of the plate cylinder 11A and the plate cylinder 11A for winding the imaging medium
It can be mounted at an angle corresponding to the ratio of the peripheral speeds. The plate cylinder 11A is provided in the axial direction so as to engage with a shaft 20 serving as a center of rotation and rotatably holding the plate cylinder 11A and a positioning hole of the imaging medium head of the imaging medium 10A. Positioning pin row 2
3 and an imaging medium head fixing claw 2 which is a member for fixing the imaging medium head about a shaft 21 as a center of rotation.
2 and the imaging medium 1 with the axis 24 as the center of rotation.
An imaging medium tail fixing claw 25 for fixing the bottom of the imaging medium of 0A and applying a tension to the imaging medium 10A to eliminate slack.

The stop position is controlled by detecting the phase by a sensor (not shown) and controlling the drive motor 13 so that the phase of the plate cylinder 11A when stopped is always the same. The imaging medium 10A sent to the plate cylinder 11A stopped at a predetermined position,
The feeding by the imaging medium supply roller 26 is stopped by a signal from a position detection sensor (not shown) of the imaging medium head, and the rotation of the imaging medium head fixing claw 22 in the counterclockwise direction activated by a signal from the sensor is stopped. By the movement, the positioning pin hole 181 is engaged with the positioning pin row 23 to perform positioning. The imaging medium 10A with the imaging medium head positioned in this way is attached to the shaft 2 to which the imaging medium head fixing claw 22 is attached by a spring or the like.
After the printing cylinder 11A is securely held by applying a pressing force to the positioning pin array 23 through the first printing cylinder 1, the driving motor 13 moves the printing cylinder 11A to a peripheral speed of 2 to 10 m / sec during an imaging operation. In addition to being rotated at a much slower speed of 1/10 or less than that of the plate cylinder 11A, it is wound around the plate cylinder 11A while being sent out by the imaging medium supply roller 26 at the same peripheral speed as the plate cylinder 11A.

The intersection of the positioning pin array 23 and the outer periphery of the plate cylinder 11A has a radius of about 15 mm for the purpose of preventing the imaging medium from being damaged when the imaging medium is mounted and preventing the imaging medium from becoming loose. , The imaging medium is hardly damaged during winding. The pressing roller 27 arranged around the plate cylinder 11A has a configuration in which a metal shaft is provided on a plurality of rollers made of a material having a soft elasticity such as a rubber sponge. Plate cylinder 11
A separation / contact mechanism for A. Also, when the plate cylinder 11A is rotated, the roller 27 is pressed and rotated when the plate cylinder 11A is rotated.
The imaging medium 1 wound on the plate cylinder 11A
0A is not allowed to sag.

Further, the phases of the plurality of rollers of the pressing roller 27 and the imaging medium head fixing claw 22 and the imaging medium rear end fixing claw 25 are such that the plurality of rollers do not collide with each of the claws. In the axial direction.

By the rotation of the plate cylinder 11A, when the trailing portion of the imaging medium of the imaging medium 10A passes through the pressing roller 27, the trailing portion fixing claw 25 of the imaging medium is driven by a cam (not shown) and a spring (not shown). As a result, it rotates in the B direction about the shaft 24.
The imaging medium 10A is tensioned by the spring from the imaging medium rear end fixing claw 25 inserted into the fixing hole 182 of the imaging medium rear end, and the pressing roller 27 is moved by the separating mechanism. When the user moves away from the plate cylinder 11A, the mounting operation of the imaging medium 10A is completed.

A register mark 28 is provided on the plate cylinder 11A, and the register mark is read by a register mark detecting device 19 provided on the imaging head 12, and thereby the positional relationship between the imaging head 12 and the plate cylinder 11A is determined. After confirming, imaging is started. The imaging medium 1 mounted on the plate cylinder 11A
Since the position of 0A is always the same by the positioning pin array 23, if the imaging head 12 starts imaging from a predetermined position while controlling and driving the plate cylinder 11A at a constant peripheral speed, the imaging On the medium 10A, the scanning speed of the plurality of energy beams in the axial direction with respect to the rotation center of the plate cylinder 11A and the imaging medium 1 with respect to the plate cylinder 11A from a fixed position.
Since the print pattern is tilted by an amount corresponding to the ratio of the peripheral velocities of the plate cylinder 11A around which 0A is wound, and is not tilted with respect to the imaging medium 10A, the imaging medium of each color in multicolor printing is formed. It is possible to minimize the slight positional deviation of the print pattern and to produce an imaging medium with high positional accuracy without any trouble.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, an example of an imaging apparatus using an imaging medium of a type having no pin hole for positioning will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, after creating an imaging medium 10B in which at least one of the two sides along the feed direction to the plate cylinder and the two sides of the head of the imaging medium are orthogonal, an imaging medium (not shown) is used. The imaging medium 10B is mounted on a stocker,
6 sends the imaging medium 10B to the plate cylinder 11B. At this time, the feeding direction of the imaging medium 10B depends on the ratio between the scanning speed of the plurality of energy beams in the axial direction with respect to the rotation center of the plate cylinder 11B and the peripheral speed of the plate cylinder 11B around which the imaging medium 10B is wound. It is sent in a state inclined by the minute. The plate cylinder 11B has the same structure as the plate cylinder of the printing apparatus of the type in which the imaging medium is fixed with the gripper, except for the presence or absence of the inclination.
A shaft 40 serving as a center of rotation by rotatably holding B and a projection 3 for positioning in the circumferential direction for positioning the side of the head of the imaging medium 10B by abutting on the axis 40
3, an axial positioning projection 39, a jaw 32 for fixing the head of the imaging medium, and a suction hole 37 for fixing the tail of the imaging medium by vacuum suction. In the above case, a portion from the vicinity of the intersection of the two orthogonal sides of the imaging medium to the side of the head of the medium corresponds to the abutting portion of the imaging medium processed into a predetermined shape according to the present invention. In addition, if it is a predetermined shape, the left sides do not necessarily need to be orthogonal.

The stop position is controlled by detecting the phase by a sensor (not shown) and controlling the drive motor 13 so that the phase of the plate cylinder 11B when stopped is always the same. The imaging medium 10B sent to the plate cylinder 11B stopped at a predetermined position,
The feed by the imaging medium supply roller 26 is stopped by a signal from a position detection sensor (not shown) of the imaging medium head, and the imaging medium is supplied to the circumferential positioning projections 33 and the axial positioning projections 39. The scanning speed of the plurality of energy beams in the axial direction with respect to the rotation center of the plate cylinder 11B and the imaging medium 10B
Is positioned in a state of being inclined by an amount corresponding to the ratio of the peripheral speeds of the plate cylinder 11A on which is wound. The imaging medium 10B with the imaging medium head positioned in this manner is securely held by applying a pressing force to the imaging medium head fixing claw 32 by a spring or the like from a shaft 31, and then is held by the drive motor 13. The plate cylinder 11B is rotated at a speed of 1/10 or less, which is much slower than the peripheral speed of 2 to 10 m / sec during the imaging operation. It is wound on the plate cylinder 11B while being sent out.

The intersection of the circumferential positioning portion and the outer periphery of the plate cylinder 11B has a radius of 15 mm for the purpose of preventing the imaging medium from being damaged when the imaging medium is mounted and preventing the imaging medium from becoming loose. Since the curvature r is finished to a moderate degree, the imaging medium is not damaged during winding.

The pressing roller 27 disposed around the plate cylinder 11B has a configuration in which a plurality of rollers made of a soft elastic material such as a rubber sponge are provided with a metal shaft. It is free and has a mechanism for separating and approaching the plate cylinder 11B.

When the plate cylinder 11B rotates, the roller 27 is pressed and rotated so that the imaging medium 10B wound on the plate cylinder 11B cannot be loosened.

The phases of the plurality of rollers of the pressing roller 27 and the fixing head 32 of the imaging medium are shifted in the axial direction so that the plurality of rollers do not collide with the fixing claw. Has become.

At the same time as the rotation of the plate cylinder 11B, the suction device (not shown) makes the holes 36 through the vacuum suction holes 38.
To start suction through the side plate of the plate cylinder 11B and the partition wall 34.
And the imaging medium 10B wound on the plate cylinder 11B is suction-fixed from the imaging medium suction hole 37 through the space 30 surrounded by the partition wall 35, and the bottom of the imaging medium of the imaging medium 10B is fixed. When the pressing roller 27 has passed the pressing roller 27, the pressing roller 27 releases the pressure contact state with the plate cylinder 11B and separates, thereby completing the mounting operation of the imaging medium 10B.

A register mark 28 is provided on the plate cylinder 11B, and the register mark is read by a register mark detecting device 19 provided on the imaging head 12, and thereby the positional relationship between the imaging head 12 and the plate cylinder 11B is determined. After confirming, imaging is started. The imaging medium 1 mounted on the plate cylinder 11B
0B is attached to the projection 3 for positioning in the circumferential direction.
3 is always the same by abutting the end face of the imaging medium 10B against the positioning projection 39 in the axial direction, so that the imaging head 12 controls the plate cylinder 11B at a constant peripheral speed while driving it. If imaging is started from a predetermined position, the imaging medium 1
0B, the scanning speed of the plurality of energy beams in the axial direction with respect to the rotation center of the plate cylinder 11B and the imaging medium 10 with respect to the plate cylinder 11B from a fixed position.
Since the print pattern is created by tilting by an amount corresponding to the ratio of the peripheral speeds of the plate cylinder 11B around which B is wound and without tilting with respect to the imaging medium 10A, the imaging medium of each color in multicolor printing is created. It is possible to minimize the slight positional deviation of the print pattern, and to create an imaging medium with high positional accuracy without any trouble.

As another method for accurately producing a print pattern at a predetermined position on the imaging medium 10, as shown in FIG. 5, the imaging medium 10 is mounted on the Before imaging, a plurality of register marks 28 previously provided on the imaging medium 10 by a register mark detecting device 19 provided at a position determined from the imaging head.
The position of the imaging medium 10 in the circumferential direction and the axial direction is detected by detecting the position of a registration hole (which may be a registration hole for positioning), and thereafter, the plate cylinder 11 is controlled and driven at a constant peripheral speed. If the imaging head 12 starts imaging from a predetermined position based on the positions detected in the circumferential direction and the axial direction of the imaging medium 10, a print pattern is created at an accurate position on the imaging medium 10, It is possible to minimize a slight positional shift of the print pattern of the imaging medium of each color in multicolor printing, and to create an imaging medium with high positional accuracy without any trouble.

In this case as well, the imaging medium 10
For the plate cylinder 11, an amount corresponding to the ratio of the scanning speed of the plurality of energy beams in the axial direction with respect to the rotation center of the plate cylinder 11 to the peripheral speed of the plate cylinder 11 around which the imaging medium 10 is wound. Attach it only at an angle. The method of using the register mark provided on the imaging medium is described in FIGS.
May be used in a complementary manner to improve the accuracy of the method using the butting shown in FIG.

Further, according to the method in which a plurality of register marks or a plurality of register pin holes provided on the imaging medium 10 are used as a reference for imaging, the outer shape is not necessarily formed in a rectangular shape, and the outer shape is not necessarily formed on the plate cylinder. 2 along the feed direction
Even if the imaging medium is not an imaging medium in which at least one of the two sides is orthogonal to the top side of the imaging medium, positional accuracy can be achieved by cutting or drilling the imaging medium based on multiple register marks in post-processing. It can be easily guessed that an imaging medium with good quality can be obtained. However, it is preferable that they are orthogonal to each other in cutting the imaging medium, punching the pin hole 181, packing the imaging medium, and the like because the workability is improved.

In each of the above embodiments, the imaging head is configured to scan in the direction inclined by the angle θ from the direction of the rotation axis of the plate cylinder. You may make it scan in a direction. In this case, the image can be prevented from becoming a parallelogram by slightly shifting the timing of beam irradiation.

FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a multicolor printing apparatus used in the printing system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11, a printing apparatus 101 includes a recording medium supply device 12
0, and the delivery cylinder 130, the impression cylinders 131, 13
2, a transfer cylinder 133, a discharge unit 170, and ink applicators 161, 162, 163, and 164. Each ink applicator includes a plate cylinder 141, 142, 143, which is a mounting body for printing an imaging medium. 144, which are in contact with each plate cylinder,
1, 152, 153 and 154 are respectively attached. Further, the supply device 120 detects a leading end of a sheet feeder 121, a sheet supply device 122, a sheet conveyer 123, and a sheet feeder 130, which is a stacker of a recording medium, and feeds the sheet.
And a paper supply device 124 for supplying the paper to the printer. The discharge unit 170 includes a rod 171 including a sheet gripping device that receives a printed sheet of recording medium P from an impression cylinder, and a discharge table 1.
73, a delivery table 173 that stacks the printed recording media and rotates after printing to change the direction of the recording media by 180 ° in a horizontal direction, and a delivery table 173 that is transported by the chain delivery 172. The drying apparatus 174 dries the recording medium P during conveyance.

In the printing operation of the printing apparatus shown in FIG.
After the sheet recording medium P is handled by a person or a machine, the recording medium P is stacked at a predetermined position on the sheet feeding table 121 in an orderly manner. By the operation of the printing device, the printing paper P stacked on the paper feed table 21 is separated from the recording media one by one by jetting compressed air from an air nozzle (not shown) attached to the paper feeding device 122. , 1 by the paper supply device 22
The sheets are sent to the sheet conveyor 123 at intervals.

The recording medium P sent to the sheet conveying conveyor 123 is sent out by the sheet feeding device 124 at a timing when the leading position of the recording medium exactly matches the sheet holding portion of the rotating sending cylinder 130. Torso 130
Is gripped by the paper gripping device of
It is delivered to the paper gripping device of the impression cylinder 131 that rotates in synchronization with 30.

The outer diameters of the delivery cylinder 130 and the impression cylinder 131 are formed so as to have an integer ratio such as 1: 2, and the paper gripper of each cylinder has the ratio of the integer ratio. It is provided on the torso. Therefore, the delivery cylinder 13
The paper gripping portion of No. 0 and the paper gripping portion of the impression cylinder 131 can always transfer the paper, and the paper gripping portion does not interfere between the cylinders. In this apparatus, the printing apparatus is configured to have an integer ratio of 1: 2 in order to reduce the size of the printing apparatus.

The recording medium P whose top is gripped by the paper gripping device of the impression cylinder 131 rotates together with the impression cylinder 131,
A predetermined pressure is applied between the contact portions of the blanket cylinder 151 and the impression cylinder 131 and the contact portions of the blanket cylinder 152 and the impression cylinder 131 in that order.

At this time, on the blanket cylinders 151 and 152, the image patterns of the imaging media 141H and 142H wound around the plate cylinders 141 and 142 by the inks of the colors supplied by the ink application devices 161 and 162, respectively. The ink images are transferred as ink images, and the respective ink images are transferred to a recording medium P that rotates together with the impression cylinder 131. Also, the impression cylinder 131,
The length from the portion where the blanket cylinder 151 contacts the portion where the impression cylinder 131 contacts the blanket cylinder 152 is set wider than the maximum length of the recording medium P in the traveling direction. P is prevented from contacting two blanket cylinders at the same time.

In this way, the recording medium P on the impression cylinder 131 is transferred with the ink images of the two colors of the ink application devices 161 and 162, respectively. Is delivered to the transfer cylinder 133.

The outer diameter of the impression cylinder 131 and the transfer cylinder 133 is also 2
The paper gripping portion of each cylinder is provided on each cylinder at a ratio of the integer ratio, similarly to the sending cylinder. For this reason, the paper gripping portion of the impression cylinder 131 and the paper gripping portion of the transfer cylinder 133 can be always transferred at the same timing. Further, on the surface of the transfer drum 133, special paper having many fine particles is wound, and the printing ink of the ink image transferred to the sheet P is not transferred to the surface of the transfer drum 133. It has become.

The recording medium P transferred to the transfer cylinder 133 in this way is then transferred from the transfer cylinder 133 to the impression cylinder 1.
The impression cylinder 1 having the same shape as that of the cylinder 31 and having the same paper holding device.
It is passed to 32. At this time, the ink application device 16
The image patterns on the imaging media 143H, 144H wound on the plate cylinders 143, 144 are transferred as ink images to the blanket cylinders 153, 154, respectively, by the respective inks supplied by the ink jet printers 3, 164. The ink image is subsequently transferred to the recording medium P which is delivered to the cylinder 132 and rotates together. The recording medium P onto which the four colors have been transferred in this manner is fed from the impression cylinder 132 to a rod 171 serving as a paper gripping member of the chain delivery 172.
Passed to. The recording medium P transferred to the rod 171 is dried on the surface of the sheet by the dryer 174 in the process of being conveyed to the discharge table 173 by the chain delivery 172 so that the printed image is not shown off the sheet. Has become. The recording media P thus conveyed to the discharge table 173 by the chain delivery 172 are stacked and a series of printing processes is completed. As described above, the method of positioning and fixing the imaging medium on the plate cylinder of the printing apparatus 101 is different from that of the imaging apparatus except that there is no tilt set (corrected) when the imaging medium is positioned on the mounting body for imaging. It is the same, and there is no minute displacement due to the difference in the mounting reference position of the imaging medium between the printing apparatus and the imaging apparatus.

Each cylinder 141 to 14 of the printing apparatus 101
The method for positioning the imaging medium on the plate 4 is substantially the same as the method for positioning the imaging medium on the plate cylinder 11 of the imaging apparatus 1 described above. For example, if the imaging apparatus positions the imaging medium by providing a positioning hole in the imaging medium and providing a positioning pin on the plate cylinder side, use the same method on the printing apparatus side, or change the position of the positioning hole. It is preferable to take a detection method. Further, when the imaging device is positioned by the abutting portion of the imaging medium and the abutting receiving portion of the plate cylinder, it is preferable to use the same method on the printing device side. Of course, when sufficient positioning accuracy can be expected, positioning is performed by a method using pin holes on the imaging device side, and substantially the same even when positioning is performed by abutting method on the printing device side or by using the opposite combination. Although an effect may be obtained, in general, it is often simpler and more accurate to use the same or similar positioning method for both as described above.

Further, since the method of fixing the imaging medium on the printing apparatus side is substantially the same, even if the imaging medium becomes deformed on the imaging apparatus side, the habit is actively used. As a result, it is possible to perform fixing that enables highly accurate positioning. Since the design of the plate cylinder is also the same or substantially the same, the effect of the curl of the imaging medium is also substantially the same.

[0100]

As described above, according to the imaging apparatus of the present invention, while continuously rotating the mounting body on which the imaging medium is wound at a constant speed, the beam irradiating apparatus is moved in substantially the same direction as the rotation axis of the mounting body. An imaging device that scans continuously at a constant speed to perform imaging.The image is created without tilting the imaging medium, and the positioning of the imaging medium in imaging can be performed with the imaging device and printing device separated. Since it can be easily performed and the image position on the imaging medium is always accurate without tilting, an inexpensive imaging apparatus that can easily perform the printing plate positioning operation with the printing press can be easily configured, and the workability can be improved. And a good printing system can be easily configured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plate body of an embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one embodiment of an imaging medium for an imaging device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a plate body of another embodiment of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an image shape created by the imaging apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a laser diode array used in the imaging apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a fiber array used in the imaging apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an emission end of the fiber of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the inclination of the fiber array.

FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view of one embodiment of a multicolor printing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional imaging apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a plate body in the imaging apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of an image shape created by the imaging device.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a plate body in a conventional imaging apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: imaging apparatus 1A: imaging apparatus 5: imaging medium 6: laser apparatus 8: laser diode array 10: imaging medium 10A: imaging medium 10B: imaging medium 11: plate cylinder 11A: plate cylinder 11B: plate cylinder 12: imaging head 13 : Drive motor 14: Linear stage 15: Cable 16: Beam irradiation source control unit 17: Laser power detector 19: Register mark detector 20: Axis 21: Axis 22: Imaging medium head fixing claw 23: Positioning pin array 24: Axis 25: Imaging medium rear part fixing claw 26: Imaging medium supply roller 27: Press roller 28: Register mark 30: Space 31: Axis 32: Imaging medium head fixing claw 33: Positioning protrusion 34: Partition wall 35: Partition wall 36 : Hole 37: Image Zing medium suction hole 38: Vacuum suction hole 39: Axial positioning projection 40: Shaft 41: Separating claw 42: Shaft 43: Imaging medium discharge roller 61: Package 62: Optical fiber 63: Emitting end 64: Core 65 : Cladding portions 71a to 71h: Beam irradiation sources 81a to 81h: Laser light emitting ends 82a to 82h: Drive side electrodes 83: Back side common electrode 91: Imaging area 92: Image dots 93: Reference direction 101: Printing device 111: Main frame Reference numeral 120: supply device 121: paper supply table 122: paper supply device 123: paper conveyor 124: paper supply device 125: paper supply tractor 126: discharge tractor 130: delivery cylinder 131: impression cylinder 132: impression cylinder 133: transfer cylinder 141: Plate cylinder (print mounting body) 141H: Imaging medium 142: Plate cylinder (printing) 142H: Imaging medium 143: Plate cylinder (printing body) 143H: Imaging medium 144: Plate cylinder (printing body) 144H: Imaging medium 151: Blanket cylinder 152: Blanket cylinder 153: Blanket cylinder 154: Blanket cylinder 161: Ink applying device 162: Ink applying device 163: Ink applying device 164: Ink applying device 170: Discharge unit 171: Rod 172: Chain delivery 173: Discharge stand 174: Dryer 181: Positioning pin hole 182: Imaging Fixing hole at the bottom of the media

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. An imaging apparatus for performing imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam, comprising: a mounting body on which the imaging medium is wound; A rotation driving unit; and a scanning unit that scans the energy beam irradiation device in a direction substantially the same as a rotation axis direction of the mounting body, wherein the irradiation device is configured to scan the energy beam in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body. When scanning, the scanning direction is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the imaging medium substantially by the ratio of the scanning speed of the scanning unit and the peripheral speed of the imaging medium surface wound around the mounting body. An imaging apparatus characterized in that: 2. An imaging apparatus for performing imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiating an energy beam, comprising: a mounting body on which the imaging medium is wound; Means for rotationally driving, scanning means for scanning the energy beam irradiation device in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body, and, when mounting the imaging medium on the mounting body, Positioning means for positioning the reference direction so as to be inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the mounting body by substantially the ratio of the scanning speed of the scanning means to the peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound on the mounting body; An imaging apparatus, characterized in that: 3. The scanning direction of the energy beam irradiating device is substantially equal to the scanning speed of the scanning means with respect to the rotation axis of the mounting body, and the circumference of the surface of the imaging medium wound around the mounting body. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is tilted by a ratio with respect to the speed. 4. An energy beam irradiating device, wherein an imaging medium is mounted on a mounting body, and the energy beam irradiating device is driven to rotate, and the energy beam irradiating device is scanned in substantially the same direction as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body. When irradiating the imaging medium with a more energy beam to cause a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on the imaging medium and perform imaging, upon winding the imaging medium around the mounting body, the imaging medium Attachment is performed such that the reference direction of the imaging region is substantially inclined by the ratio of the scanning speed of the energy beam irradiation device and the peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around the attachment with respect to the rotation axis of the attachment. An imaging method, comprising: 5. The scanning of the energy beam irradiating device, wherein the scanning direction of the energy beam is substantially equal to the scanning speed of the energy beam irradiating device with respect to the rotation axis of the mounting body. 5. The imaging method according to claim 4, wherein the scanning is performed by inclining about a beam irradiation direction of the energy beam irradiation device as an axis by a ratio with respect to a peripheral speed of a surface of the imaging medium wound around a mounting body. . 6. An imaging apparatus for performing imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam, and a printing apparatus for supplying ink to the imaged imaging medium and printing it on a recording medium. A printing system comprising: an imaging mounting body on which an imaging medium is wound; a driving unit configured to rotationally drive the imaging mounting body; Scanning means for scanning in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body, and wherein the printing apparatus rotates the mounting body for printing around which the imaging medium after imaging is wound. Driving means for driving the imaging medium, When the imaging medium is wound around the mounting body for imaging, and when the imaging medium after imaging is wound around the mounting body for printing, the winding direction of the imaging medium around each of the mounting bodies is substantially equal to the energy. A printing system configured to have directions different from each other by a ratio between a scanning speed of a scanning unit of a beam irradiation device and a peripheral speed of a surface of the imaging medium wound around the imaging medium mounting body. . 7. The scanning direction of the energy beam irradiating device is wound substantially around the scanning speed of the scanning means and the mounting body of the imaging medium with respect to the rotation axis of the mounting body of the imaging medium. A printing system characterized by being tilted about a beam irradiation direction of the energy beam irradiation device as an axis by a ratio with respect to a set peripheral speed of the imaging medium surface. 8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the method of positioning the imaging medium in the printing apparatus is substantially the same as the method of positioning the imaging medium except for the difference in the winding direction. Printing system. 9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the method of fixing the imaging medium to the printing apparatus is substantially the same as that of the imaging apparatus except for the difference in the winding direction.
9. The printing system according to any one of 8. 10. The mounting medium for an imaging medium and the mounting body for printing have substantially the same configuration except for the difference in the winding direction. The printing system according to any one of the above. 11. The printing method according to claim 10, wherein a positioning method of the imaging medium in the imaging device is substantially the same as a positioning method in the printing device except for the difference in the winding direction. system. 12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method of fixing the imaging medium in the imaging device is substantially the same as the fixing method in the printing device except for the difference in the winding direction. Printing system. 13. A method for positioning an imaging medium in said imaging apparatus by engaging a positioning hole provided in said imaging medium with a positioning pin provided in said imaging apparatus. 4. The imaging device according to any one of 3. 14. When a resin film is used as a base material of said imaging medium, an engagement state between said positioning hole provided in said imaging medium and said positioning pin provided in said imaging device is determined by the state of said positioning hole. If the opening diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the positioning pin,
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein when the difference is smaller than the dot pitch and the opening diameter is smaller than the outer diameter, the positioning hole is set so as not to be damaged by engagement. An imaging device according to any of the preceding claims. 15. When a metal is used as a base material of the imaging medium, an engagement state between the positioning holes provided in the imaging medium and the positioning pins provided in the imaging device is determined by opening of the positioning holes. 14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an aperture is set to be larger than an outer diameter of the positioning pin, and a difference between the two is smaller than a dot pitch. 16. A method of positioning an imaging medium in said imaging apparatus and a method of positioning an imaging medium in said printing apparatus, wherein the abutting portion of the imaging medium processed into a predetermined shape is abutted against an abutting receiving portion of said imaging device. The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the imaging is performed by touching. 17. The method for positioning an image on an imaging medium in said imaging apparatus, based on a result of detecting a positioning hole provided in said imaging medium by a positioning hole position detecting means provided in said imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 18. A method for positioning an image on an imaging medium in said imaging apparatus, wherein a position of a registration mark provided on an imaging medium mounting body of said imaging apparatus is detected by a registration mark position detection means provided on said imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging is performed based on a result. 19. The method for positioning an image on an imaging medium in said imaging apparatus, based on a result of detecting a position of a registration mark provided on said imaging medium by a registration mark position detecting means provided on said imaging apparatus prior to imaging. The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the imaging is performed. 20. An imaging apparatus for imaging by causing a change in imaging characteristics according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam, and a printing apparatus for supplying ink to the imaged imaging medium and printing on a recording medium. A printing method for printing using a printing system comprising: an imaging device for winding an imaging medium; a driving unit configured to rotationally drive the imaging device; and Scanning means for scanning the beam irradiation device in a direction substantially the same as the rotation axis direction of the mounting body for imaging, and the mounting body for printing, wherein the printing device winds the imaging medium after imaging, Driving means for rotationally driving the mounting body for printing. When the imaging medium is wound around the mounting body for imaging, and when the imaging medium after imaging is wound around the mounting body for printing, the winding direction of the imaging medium around each of the mounting bodies is substantially the same. A printing method in which directions differ by a ratio of a scanning speed of a scanning unit of the energy beam irradiation device and a peripheral speed of a surface of the imaging medium wound around the imaging medium mounting body.