Apparatus and methods for manipulating plates
AssigneeXsys Prepress NV
InventorBart Marc Luc Wattyn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for moving a flexible plate, in particular a printing plate or a printing plate precursor, over a support surface in the direction of a treatment station, such as a washer station. The system includes a support configured for supporting the plate on a support surface thereof, and intended to be located upstream of the treatment station. A movement means includes a plate engagement means configured to contact the plate in such a way that the plate is engaged by adhesion or by friction or a combination thereof, in a movement mode, and that the plate can be slid over the support surface by controlling the movement means in the movement mode. A control means is configured to control the movement means such that the plate is slid over the support in the direction of the treatment station.
Claims24
A system for moving a flexible plate, in particular a printing plate or a printing plate precursor, over a support surface in the direction of a treatment station, such as a washer station, said system comprising:
- a support configured for supporting the plate on a support surface thereof, and intended to be located upstream of the treatment station;
- a movement means comprising a plate engagement means configured to contact the plate in such a way that the plate is engaged by adhesion or by friction or a combination thereof, whilst being pressed against the support surface, in a movement mode, and that the plate is slid over the support surface by controlling the movement means in the movement mode whilst pressing the plate against the support surface;
- a control means configured to control the movement means such that the plate is slid over the support in the direction of the treatment station.
A system for moving a flexible plate, in particular a printing plate or a printing plate precursor, over a support surface in the direction of a treatment station, such as a washer station, said system comprising:
- a support configured for supporting the plate on a support surface thereof, and intended to be located upstream of the treatment station;
- a movement means comprising a plate engagement means configured to contact the plate in such a way that the plate is engaged by adhesion or by friction or a combination thereof, in a movement mode, and that the plate can be slid over the support surface by controlling the movement means in the movement mode;
- a control means configured to control the movement means such that the plate is slid over the support in the direction of the treatment station,
- wherein the plate engagement means is arranged to be rotatable around a third rotation axis perpendicular on the support surface, wherein preferably the control means comprises an actuating means configured for rotating the plate engagement means around the third rotation axis.
A method for moving a flexible plate, in particular a printing plate or a printing plate precursor, over a support surface in the direction of a treatment station, such as a washer station, said method comprising the steps of:
- supporting the plate on a support surface located upstream of the treatment station;
- sliding the plate over the support surface using with a movement means comprising a plate engagement means;
- controlling the movement means, such that the plate engagement means presses the plate against the support surface and engages the plate by friction and/or adhesion and/or suction and such that the plate is slid over the support surface in the direction of the treatment station, whilst being pressed against the support surface by the engagement means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.