JPS6277992A - Etching mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a loss of thermal energy or wasting of electric power from occurring and reduce the overall size of a device, by a method wherein both fixation after development of a master paper and drying after an etching treatment are performed by a single hot air blowing means. CONSTITUTION:A blower comprising a fan 26, a heater 27 and a hood 28 is provided at a central part on the upper side of an etcher 23 so as to feed hot air downwards. A baffle plate 29 as an air flow direction changing means capable of changing the direction of air flow so that hot air is fed toward either one of a development post-treatment chamber 22 and an etching post-treatment chamber 24 is provided between the blower and the etcher 23. In the condition a, hot air fed from the fan 26 is fed toward a master paper 20 being fed through the development post-treatment chamber 22. When the baffle plate 29 is turned to the condition B, hot air fed from the fan 26 is fed toward the master paper 20 being fed through the etching post-treatment chamber 24.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an etching processing mechanism in a wet electrophotographic engraving machine.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, as a wet electrophotographic engraving machine, one shown in FIG. 3, for example, is known. That is, this wet type electrophotographic engraving machine takes out a master paper 1 (for example, zinc dioxide paper) wound into a roll, cuts it into an appropriate length with a cutter 2, and transfers the cut master paper 1 to a charging section 3.
After being charged by corona discharge, the suction fan 4
The document 7 placed on the document table 6 is temporarily held on the exposure table 5 by negative pressure from the document table 6, and is irradiated with the lamp 13, so that the document image is transferred to the mirror 8. After forming a latent image by projecting it onto the master paper 1 on the exposure table 5 using an optical system consisting of a lens 9, it is developed by a developing section 10, fixed by a fixing section 11, and discharged as a plate onto a tray 12. be.

The plate thus discharged is used for offset printing.

By the way, when offset printing is performed using such a plate, a so-called etching process is performed in which an etching liquid is applied to the surface of the plate to make the non-image area a hydrophilic surface and the image area an oleophilic surface. If this etching process is incomplete, printing ink may stain the non-image area during printing, making it impossible to obtain a beautiful finish, or the wood-philicity of the non-image area may gradually decrease, resulting in a hydrophilic surface. The interfacial balance between the oleophilic surface and the oleophilic surface becomes incomplete, resulting in problems such as a decrease in the number of prints the plate can print. For this reason, the plate obtained from the above-mentioned wet electronic plate making machine is further processed by an etching processing device (hereinafter referred to as an "etcher") prepared separately from this plate making machine.
The material is then transported to and etched. However, with this method of carrying the plate, the plate is easily soiled and scratched, and a separate etching device is required, resulting in poor workability and a large installation area, resulting in cost problems. there were. In contrast, wet electrophotographic engraving machines equipped with an etcher inside have recently become known.

In other words, as shown in the outline of the process in FIG. 4, this plate-making machine with an etcher develops a master paper 1 on which an original image has been copied in a developing section 10, and then fixes it using a hot air blower consisting of a fan 13 and a heater 14. - After drying, it is transported to an etcher 15 for etching treatment, roughly dried with a heater 18, and then stocked on a tray 12 as a plate.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In the conventional wet-type electronic plate making machine with an etcher as described above, two heat sources are required: the heater 14 for fixing and the heater 1B for drying the etching solution. There is a disadvantage that energy loss and power consumption increase, and the device becomes larger and costs increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an etching mechanism for a wet-type electrophotographic plate-making machine that eliminates the drawbacks of the wet-type electronic plate-making machine with an etcher as described above.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is that, in an etching mechanism of a wet electronic plate making machine that etches a developed plate with an etcher, an etching mechanism is provided on the upstream side of the etcher, centering on the etcher. is provided with a post-development processing chamber, and downstream thereof a post-etching processing chamber for post-processing the etched plate, and
Above the etcher, there is provided a blowing means for sending warm air, and a wind direction changing means for changing the direction of the hot air so as to send the hot air from the blowing means to either the post-development processing chamber or the post-etching processing chamber. It is characterized by becoming.

Function> With the above configuration, the steps of fixing the developer and drying the etching solution, which are required to be carried out upstream and downstream of the etcher, can be performed by one warm air blowing means.

<Embodiments> Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, downstream of the developing section 21 that develops the master paper 20 on which the latent image of the original image is formed, the master paper 20 that has come out of the developing machine 21 is held downward and approximately vertically. A post-development processing chamber 22 leading to an etcher 23 is provided. An etching chamber 24 is provided downstream of the etcher 23 for etching the master paper 20. The etching chamber 24 guides the master paper 20 onto a tray 25 while holding the master paper 20 upward and substantially vertically. Furthermore, an air blowing device consisting of a fan 26, a heater 27, and a hood 28 is disposed at the upper center of the etcher 23 so as to send warm air downward. Further, between this blower device and the etcher 23, hot air is supplied to a post-development processing chamber 22 or a post-etching processing chamber 24.
A wind direction changing plate 23 is provided as a wind direction changing means that can change the direction of the wind so that it is sent to either one of the directions. This wind direction changing plate 29 is rotatably supported through a shaft 30 in the board width direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper) slightly above the center, and is supported by a sprocket fixed to the shaft 30. 31, it is rotated by a motor 34 via a sprocket 32 and a chain 33 on the motor side. Here, in the illustrated state A, the warm air from the fan 26 is sent to the master paper 20 passing through the post-development processing chamber 22, and the air direction changing plate 29 is rotated counterclockwise. In this state, warm air from the fan 26 is sent to the master paper 20 passing through the processing chamber 24.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, a wind direction changing body 35 is provided in place of the wind direction changing plate 29 in the first embodiment. This mountain-shaped wind direction changing body 35 is
It is supported by rollers 36 below, and can be moved in the horizontal direction in the figure via a guide bar 38. The wind direction changing body 35 is driven by a motor 37 via a pinion provided on its drive shaft and a rack formed on the guide bar 38 and meshing with the pinion.

Here, when the wind direction changing body 35 is located at the right end as shown in the figure, the fan 26. Heater 27. The warm air from the hood 28 is sent to the master paper 20 passing through the post-development processing chamber 22, and when the air direction changing body 35 is moved to the left end position, the hot air is sent to the post-etching processing chamber 2.
The master paper 20 is sent to the master paper 20 which passes through the paper 4.

In the mechanism as shown in the first and second embodiments described above, the master paper 20 coming out of the developing chamber 21 is fixed by hot air from the blower when it passes through the post-developing processing chamber 22, and is then fixed by the etcher 23. After being etched in the etching process chamber 24, it is dried by hot air and finally stacked on a tray 25 as a plate. In this way, the hot air from the blower is directed to either the post-development processing chamber 22 or the post-etching processing chamber 24 by the wind direction changing plate 29 or the wind direction changing body 35. 29 and the air direction changing body 35 act to prevent the hot air from directly hitting the etcher 23, so that the temperature of the etching liquid in the etcher 23 is prevented from rising abnormally.

Furthermore, in the mechanisms shown in the first and second embodiments described above, the heater 27 in the blower can be turned on and off as appropriate.
Fusing temperature by controlling off.

It is also possible to set the drying temperature to a predetermined value.

<Effects of the Invention> As specifically explained above in conjunction with the embodiments, according to the etching processing mechanism according to the present invention, the fixing after the development processing and the drying after the etching processing of the master paper can be performed by one warm air blowing means. As a result, loss of thermal energy and waste of power consumption can be prevented, and the entire device can be downsized, resulting in cost reduction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are explanatory diagrams conceptually showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a wet electrophotographic engraving machine.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing an etching processing mechanism according to the prior art. In the drawing, 20 is a master paper, 21 is a developing chamber, 22 is a post-development processing chamber, 231 is an etcher, 24 is a post-etching processing chamber, 26 is a fan, and 27 is a heater. 29 is the wind direction changing board. 35 is a wind direction changing body.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In the etching processing mechanism of a wet electronic plate making machine in which a developed plate is etched by an etcher, a post-development processing chamber is located upstream of the etcher, and an etching chamber is located downstream of the etching processing chamber for post-processing the etched plate. A post-processing chamber is provided, and above the etcher there is a blowing means for sending warm air, and the direction of the air is adjusted so that the hot air from the blowing means is sent to either the post-development processing chamber or the post-etching processing chamber. 1. An etching processing mechanism for a wet type electrophotographic engraving machine, characterized in that the etching processing mechanism is provided with means for changing the wind direction.