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US 2007/0046771 A1Published application
Device and method for digital exposure
AssigneeXeikon IP BV
InventorsFriedrich Luellau, Stefan Eggers
Life of this patent
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AssigneeXeikon IP BV
InventorsFriedrich Luellau, Stefan Eggers
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a device for exposing light-sensitive materials, with an electronic picture memory (2) for storing a master image, with an exposure unit which comprises a light source (22), an electronically activatable light modulator (21) for representing a part picture (24) of the master image (2), and imaging optics (23) for the projection of the part picture (24) onto the light sensitive material (10), with a drive device consisting of motors (9) and of a motor control (12), for moving the exposure unit (8) parallel to the surface of the light-sensitive material (10), with a scroll means (7) for scrolling a picture strip (25, 26) of the master image through the light modulator (21), and with a control device (1) for synchronising the drive device (9, 12) with the scroll means (7). For reducing the processing time for the exposure of the complete printing plate (10), according to the invention, it is envisaged for a rapid intermediate memory (16) for storing a strip-like region to be provided, from which the picture data for the part picture (24) to be exposed, in each case, may be transmitted onto the light modulator (21) synchronously with the movement of the exposure unit (8).
A device for the digital exposure of light-sensitive materials, with an electronic picture memory (2) for storing a master image, with an exposure unit (8) which preferably comprises a light source (22), an electronically activatable light modulator (21) for representing a part picture (24) of the master image, and imaging optics (23) for projection of the part picture (24) onto the light-sensitive material (10), with a drive device consisting of motors (9) and of a motor control (12), for the movement of the exposure unit (8) parallel to the surface of the light-sensitive material (10), with a scroll means (7) for scrolling a picture strip (25, 26) of the master image through the light modulator (21), and with a control device (1) for synchronising the drive device (9, 12) with the scroll means (7), wherein a rapid intermediate memory (16) for storing a strip-like region (25, 26) of the master image is provided, from which the picture data for the part picture (24) to be exposed in each case, may be transmitted onto the light modulator (21) synchronously with the movement of the exposure unit (8).
A method for the digital exposure of light-sensitive materials using a device with an electronic picture memory (2) for storing a master image, with an exposure unit (8) which preferably comprises a light source (22), an electronically activatable light modulator (21) for representing a part picture (24) of the master image, and imaging optics (23) for the projection of the part picture (24) onto the light sensitive material (10), with a drive device, consisting of motors (9) and a motor control (12), for moving the exposure unit (8) parallel to the surface of the light-sensitive material (10), with a scroll means (7) for scrolling a picture strip (25, 26) of the master image through the light modulator (21), and with a control device (1) for synchronising the drive device (9, 12) with the scroll means (7), wherein the method encompasses the use of a rapid intermediate memory (16) in which a strip-like region (25, 26) of the master image is stored, from which the picture data for the part picture (24) to be exposed in each case is transmitted onto the light modulator (21) synchronously with the movement of the exposure unit (8).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.