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US 2002/0157554 A1Published application
Apparatus and method for feeding printing plate precursors
AssigneeFUJI PHOTO FILM CO. LTD. and FUJI PHOTO OPTICAL CO LTD.
InventorsTakashi Koizumi, Tsukasa Ono, Kazuhisa Tazaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for feeding printing plate precursors is provided with a detecting sensor for detecting a position of a separation plate mounted on a cassette accommodating printing plate precursors, and a plate surface detecting sensor for detecting an uppermost plate of printing plate precursors stacked in the cassette. A relative position of the separation plate with respect to suction nozzles of a suction frame of the apparatus for feeding plates is controlled constant.
Claims20
An apparatus for feeding printing plate precursors, the apparatus comprising:
- a cassette which accommodates printing plate precursors in a stack, the cassette including a separation plate that engages with corners of the printing plate precursors for aiding to separate an uppermost printing plate precursor from underlying printing plate precursors;
- a suction unit including a suction member which suction-adheres to an uppermost printing plate precursor accommodated in the cassette, the suction unit being supported so as to be movable toward and away from the cassette;
- a driving device which moves the suction unit;
- a plate detecting sensor provided in the suction unit, the plate detecting sensor being positioned within a predetermined distance of a printing plate precursor using a suction surface of the suction member as a reference so as to detect a position of the uppermost printing plate precursor when the suction unit moves close to the printing plate precursor;
- a separating plate detecting sensor provided in the suction unit, the separating plate detecting sensor for detecting the separating plate or a member having a fixed relative position with respect to the separating plate before the plate detecting sensor detects the uppermost printing plate precursor;
- and
- a controlling device which controls the driving device on the basis of the detection by the plate detecting sensor and the separation plate detecting sensor to move the suction unit toward and away from the cassette while controlling timing of the suction member for removal of printing plate precursors.
4 more elements
A system for feeding printing plate precursors into an automatic exposure apparatus, the system comprising:
- (a) a removably mounted cassette which receives and holds printing plate precursors in a stack prior to printing plate precursors being fed into the exposure apparatus, the cassette including a separation plate for facilitating separation of a printing plate precursor from underlying stack material;
- (b) a suction frame movable upon application of driving force towards and away from the cassette, along a movement range, the suction frame including suction nozzles that move with the suction frame;
- (c) a motor which when operated supplies driving force to the suction frame, moving the suction frame towards and away from the cassette;
- (d) a reduced pressure source connected in fluid communication with the suction nozzles, the reduced pressure source being operable for applying reduced pressure to the suction nozzles;
- (e) a separation plate sensor which indicates position of the suction frame and separation plate relative to one another at at least one location of the suction frame along the suction frame's range of movement;
- (f) an approach sensor which indicates when the suction frame is approaching the stack;
- and
- (g) a controller connected in electronic communication to the motor, the reduced pressure source, and the sensors, and controls operation of the motor and the reduced pressure source based upon indications from the sensors by at least:
- (i) moving the suction frame towards the cassette to where a printing plate precursor is adherable to the suction nozzles by applying reduced pressure to the suction nozzles from the reduced pressure source;
- (ii) applying reduced pressure to the suction nozzles and suction adhering the printing plate precursor to the suction nozzles;
- and
- (iii) moving the suction frame away from the cassette to where the separation plate facilitates separation of the printing plate from underlying stack material based upon an indication from the separation plate sensor.
9 more elements
A method for feeding printing plate precursors from a cassette holding the printing plate precursors in a stack, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining the initial position of a movably mounted suction frame which suction adheres printing plate precursors to suction nozzles provided on the suction frame by application of reduced pressure to the suction nozzles;
- moving the suction frame toward the cassette using a pulse-controlled motor which when operated moves the suction frame away and towards the cassette;
- detecting a portion of the cassette with a first sensor;
- detecting a surface of an uppermost printing plate precursor in the stack in the cassette with a second sensor;
- reading a first drive controlling pulse number of the motor;
- and
- moving the suction frame further downward by a predetermined amount and stopping the frame at a position at which the suction nozzles adhere to the uppermost printing plate on the stack when reduced pressure is applied to the suction nozzles.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.