Actuation system in an imaging system
AssigneeAgfa NV
InventorRichard T. Shih
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, an imaging system and method for operating same are provided which includes a media support surface for supporting a printing plate during recording of an image thereon, a leading edge clamping mechanism for securing a leading edge of the printing plate to the media support surface, and a trailing edge clamping mechanism for securing a trailing edge of the printing plate to the media support surface. An actuation system is used to actuate both the leading edge clamping mechanism and the trailing edge clamping mechanism.
Claims23
A method of securing or unsecuring a printing plate to or from a media support surface comprising:
- actuating, with an actuation system, a leading edge clamping mechanism to secure or unsecure a leading edge of the printing plate to the media support surface;
- and
- actuating, with the same actuation system, a trailing edge clamping mechanism to secure a trailing edge of the printing plate to the media support surface.
An imaging system comprising:
- a media support surface for supporting a printing plate during recording of an image thereon;
- a leading edge clamping mechanism for securing a leading edge of the printing plate to the media support surface;
- a trailing edge clamping mechanism for securing a trailing edge of the printing plate to the media support surface;
- and
- an actuation system for actuating both the leading edge clamping mechanism and the trailing edge clamping mechanism to secure or unsecure the leading or trailing edge of the printing plate.
An external drum platesetter, comprising:
- an external drum cylinder having a cylindrical media support surface for supporting a printing plate during recording of an image thereon;
- a leading edge clamping mechanism for holding a leading edge of the printing plate onto the cylindrical media support surface during rotation of the external drum cylinder;
- a trailing edge clamping mechanism for holding a trailing edge of the printing plate onto the cylindrical media support surface during rotation of the external drum cylinder;
- and
- an actuation system used to actuate the leading edge clamping mechanism and the trailing edge clamping mechanism to secure or unsecure the leading or trailing edge of the printing plate.
An actuation system for use in an imaging system comprising an actuator for actuating a leading edge clamping mechanism to secure or unsecure a leading edge of a printing plate to a media support surface, the actuator also actuating a trailing edge clamping mechanism to secure a trailing edge of the printing plate to the media support surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.