Image scan and ink control system
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorsJames E. Murray, Algirdas J. Krygeris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for predetermining appropriate settings for the ink flow control devices of a printing press in dependence upon the average inked area in each of a plurality of image zones whose ink supply rate is controlled by a respective one of the ink flow control devices. An image-bearing member such as a lithographic printing plate is imaged onto an electronic camera tube where it is scanned. Electrical signals from the camera tube are integrated for each ink control zone and the resultant signals indicate the appropriate settings for the ink flow control devices, which can be remotely controlled. Spatial variations in illumination are compensated; output signals are automatically normalized.
Claims33
Apparatus for predetermining the settings of a plurality of ink control devices which control the amount of ink applied to respective circumferential zones of a printing cylinder for printing an image having ink zones where the ink supply rate of each zone is controlled by a respective one of said ink control devices comprising
- means for supporting an image-bearing member having a first image which corresponds to the image to be printed and zones which correspond to said ink zones, each of said zones comprising sub-areas therein,
- means for directing light onto said image-bearing member to project light therefrom which varies spatially in accordance with at least one zone of said first image,
- means for receiving at one time the projected light from at least said one zone comprising camera means having a photosensitive area responsive to said projected light for producing separate electrical signals from sub-areas of said photosensitive area which vary in accordance with the light projected from respective ones of said sub-areas of said zone,
- and means distinct from said photosensitive area and individually rsponsive to said separate electrical signals for establishing for each of said zones received by said camera means an individual resultant signal which has a characteristic indicating the approximate ink supply rate required for the zone and including means for approximately integrating signals derived from said separate electrical signals that are produced for the respective sub-areas of the zone,
- whereby each of said individual resultant signals is indicative of a predetermined setting for one of the ink control devices.
Apparatus for predetermining the settings of ink control equipment of a printing press having a member bearing a pattern to be printed comprising an optical system viewing said member and producing an image of at least a portion of said pattern, a camera including camera tube means for viewing said image of said portion of said pattern and for producing signals according to the inked and uninked areas required for printing said portion of said pattern, and means for approximately summing said signals with respect to the inked area of said portion of said pattern to produce a signal indicative of the overall inked area of said portion of said pattern, whereby said signal indicative of the overall inked area of said portion of said pattern is indicative of a predetermined setting for ink control equipment.
Apparatus for predetermining the settings of a plurality of ink control devices which control the amount of ink applied to respective circumferential zones of a printing cylinder for printing an image having ink zones where the ink supply rate of each zone is controlled by a respective one of said ink control devices comprising
- means for supporting an image-bearing member having a first image which corresponds to the image to be printed and zones which correspond to the ink zones thereof,
- means for directing light onto said image-bearing member to project light therefrom which varies spatially in accordance with at least a zone of said first image,
- camera means spaced away from said image-bearing member and responsive to said projected light projected across the intervening space from said member for producing a second image having zones corresponding to said ink zones, said camera means comprising camera tube means receiving said second image for producing electrical signals varying in accordance with the light striking said camera tube means at different areas of said second image,
- and means responsive to said electrical signals for establishing for each of said zones an individual resultant signal which has a characteristic indicating the approximate ink supply rate required for the zone, including means for approximately adding together signals derived from said electrical signals that are produced within each zone by said camera means, whereby the settings for the ink control devices are predetermined.
A method of predetermining the settings of a plurality of ink control devices which control the amount of ink applied to respective circumferential zones of a printing cylinder for printing an image having ink zones where the ink supply rate of each zone is controlled by a respective one of said ink control devices which comprises the steps of
- directing light onto an image-bearing member having a first image which corresponds to the image to be printed and zones which correspond to the ink zones thereof,
- projecting light from at least a portion of said first image onto a camera means having a photosensitive area to form a second image on said photosensitive area and having at least one zone corresponding to an ink zone of the first image,
- producing from said second image a plurality of first electrical signals varying in accordance with the light of different portions of said second image.
- and establishing in response to said first electrical signals a respective resultant electrical signal for each zone, each of which resultant signals has a magnitude as a function of the ink supply rate required for the zone, including approximately summing signals derived from said first electrical signals that are produced within each zone, to thereby predetermine the settings for the plurality of ink control devices.
Apparatus for predetermining the settings of a plurality of ink control devices which control the amount of ink applied to respective circumferential zones of a printing cylinder for printing an image having ink zones where the ink supply rate of each zone is controlled by a respective one of said ink control devices comprising;
- means for supporting an image-bearing member having a first image which corresponds to the image to be printed and zones which correspond to said ink zones, each of said ink zones comprising sub-areas therein;
- means for directing light onto said image-bearing member to project light therefrom which varies spatially in accordance with at least one zone of the image;
- means for scanning responsive to said projected light for sequentially producing separate electrical signals from sub-areas of said zones as a result of sequential line scans each covering a plurality of zones, said electrical signals being dependent on the light projected from respective ones of said sub-areas of said zone;
- and
- means coupled to said scanning means for receiving said signals in sequence and individually rsponsive to said separate electrical signals for approximately integrating said signals by zone to provide individual resultant signals,
- whereby said individual resultant signals are indicative of predetermined settings for the ink control devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.