# US 5,348,605 A · Tilting bucket assembly for photopolymer platemaking > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,348,605 A - Document ID: US5348605A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/120,839 - Filed: 1993-09-15 - Granted: 1994-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 1993-09-15 - Assignees: Hercules Incorporated - Inventors: Norman E. Hughes; Richard B. Schroeder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348605A ## CPC - G03F 7/16: Coating processes; Apparatus therefor (applying coatings to base materials in general B05; applying photosensitive compositions to base for photographic purposes G03C1/74) - Y10T 156/179: with liquid applying means - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Photopolymer platemaking apparatus comprises a tilting bucket assembly comprising a tilting bucket having a lip, a substantially vertical wall associated with the tilting bucket, and positioning means for maintaining the lip in contact with a substantially vertical wall during tilting of the tilting bucket from an upright position to a pre-pouring position, and for separating the lip from the substantially vertical wall as the tilting bucket tilts from the pre-pouring position to a pouring position. Preferably, the positioning means additionally moves the tilting bucket from the pouring position to the post-pouring position, and from the post-pouring position to the upright position, and maintains the lip in contact with the substantially vertical wall during movement of the tilting bucket from the post-pouring position to the upright position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tilting bucket assembly, comprising: a tilting bucket having a lip thereon; a substantially vertical wall associated with said tilting bucket; positioning means for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during tilting of said tilting bucket from an upright position to a pre-pouring position, and for separating said lip from said substantially vertical wall as said tilting bucket tilts from said pre-pouring position to a pouring position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 1, wherein said positioning means additionally moves said tilting bucket from said pouring position to a post-pouring position, and from said post-pouring position to said upright position, and maintains said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during movement of said tilting bucket from said post-pouring position to said upright position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 2, wherein said substantially vertical wall has a lower edge which serves as a doctor blade. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 2, further comprising means for controlling a rate of pouring of a liquid resin from said tilting bucket, so that a uniform flow of the liquid resin can be provided on a surface of a film. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 2, wherein said tilting bucket is moveable laterally towards and away from said substantially vertical wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 2, wherein at the pouring position there is a gap between said lip and said substantially vertical wall of from about 0.02 inch to 2 inches. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 6, wherein at the pouring position there is a gap between said lip and said substantially vertical wall of from about 0.1 inch to 1 inch. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 7, wherein at the pouring position there is a gap between said lip and said substantially vertical wall of from about 0.2 inch to 0.3 inch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 7, wherein at the pouring position there is a gap between said lip and said substantially vertical wall of from about 0.4 inch to 0.8 inch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 2, wherein said means for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during tilting, for separating said lip from said substantially vertical wall, and for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during moving, comprise a hanger assembly comprising a pair of side plates comprising opposing traverse slots, a pair of opposing, outwardly extending traverse hanger pins, each of said traverse slots having one of said pair of opposing hanger pins positioned therein, each of said side plates further comprising a pair of inwardly extending stop pins, and a spring biasing said lip against said substantially vertical wall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The tilting bucket assembly according to claim 2, wherein said means for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during tilting, for separating said lip from said substantially vertical wall, and for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during moving, comprise a hanger assembly comprising a pair of side plates each comprising two traverse slots, and two pairs of opposing, outwardly extending traverse hanger pins on said tilting bucket, each of said traverse slots having a traverse hanger pin positioned therein. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) A photopolymer platemaking apparatus, comprising a tilting bucket assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a horizontal flat plate and a press roll. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The photopolymer platemaking apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: a photo transparency on said flat plate; a cover film on said photo transparency; a movable carriage for traversing said flat plate, said tilting bucket assembly being mounted on said movable carriage assembly; means for rolling a backing sheet into a photosensitive liquid resin layer; said press roll being mounted on said carriage assembly; and said substantially vertical wall being mounted on said carriage assembly, said substantially vertical wall having a lower edge serving as a doctor blade. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The photopolymer platemaking apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said positioning means for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during tilting, for separating said lip from said substantially vertical wall, and for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during moving, comprises a hanger assembly comprising a pair of side plates comprising opposing traverse slots, each of said traverse slots having a traverse hanger pin positioned therein, each of said side plates further comprising a pair of inwardly extending stop pins, and a pair of opposing, outwardly extending traverse hanger pins, and a spring biasing said lip against said substantially vertical wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The photopolymer platemaking apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: means for controlling the speed of movement and the amount of movement of said lip with respect to said substantially vertical wall, for controlling a gap between said lip and said substantially vertical wall, so that said gap provides uniform flow of a photosensitive liquid resin onto a surface of said cover film, and a lower edge of said substantially vertical wall doctors said photosensitive liquid resin to a substantially uniform thickness before an application of said backing sheet to said photosensitive liquid resin; a shim above at least a portion of said flat plate, said press roll riding on said shim, a height of said press roll from said flat plate being determined by the thickness of said shim; and means for driving said carriage, comprising gearing connected to said press roll and said flat plate, pivotally mounted to said carriage, and vertically adjustable for a height of said press roll from said flat plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The photopolymer platemaking apparatus according to claim 13, wherein: said positioning means for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during tilting, for separating said lip from said substantially vertical wall, and for maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during moving, comprise a hanger assembly comprising a pair of side plates each comprising two traverse slots, and two pairs of opposing, outwardly extending traverse hanger pins on said tilting bucket, each of said traverse slots having a traverse hanger pin positioned therein. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The photopolymer platemaking apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising means for controlling the speed of movement and the amount of movement of said lip with respect to said substantially vertical wall, and for controlling a gap between said lip and said substantially vertical wall, so that said gap provides uniform flow of a photosensitive liquid resin onto a surface of said cover film, and a lower edge of said substantially vertical wall doctors said photosensitive liquid resin to a substantially uniform thickness before an application of said backing sheet to said photosensitive liquid resin; a shim above at least a portion of said flat plate, said press roll riding on said shim, a height of said press roll from said flat plate being determined by the thickness of said shim; and means for driving said carriage, comprising gearing connected to said press roll and said flat plate, pivotally mounted to said carriage, and vertically adjustable for a height of said press roll from said flat plate. ### Claim 18 A process for preparing a photopolymeric printing plate from a photosensitive liquid resin, comprising: tilting a tilting bucket containing the photosensitive liquid resin, said tilting bucket having a lip thereon, while maintaining said lip in contact with a substantially vertical wall during tilting of said tilting bucket from an upright position to a pre-pouring position; separating said lip from said substantially vertical wall as said tilting bucket is further tilted from said pre-pouring position to a pouring position; and maintaining said tilting bucket in said pouring position during pouring of the photosensitive liquid resin onto a supporting surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The process according to claim 18, further comprising: moving said tilting bucket from said pouring position to a post-pouring position; and moving said tilting bucket from said post-pouring position to said upright position while said lip remains in contact with said substantially vertical wall. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, further comprising: doctoring said photosensitive liquid resin on said supporting surface using a predetermined clearance from said supporting surface, to produce a doctored photosensitive liquid resin layer; laminating a backing sheet onto said doctored resin layer to form an assembly of said backing sheet and said doctored photosensitive liquid resin layer; exposing said assembly to actinic radiation through an image-bearing transparency, so that exposed portions of said photosensitive liquid resin layer are polymerized; and removing non-exposed, unpolymerized portions of said layer of photosensitive material, to form relief images on said backing material. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, wherein said tilting bucket assembly supplies said photosensitive liquid resin over said supporting surface without substantial bubble formation in said photosensitive liquid resin. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The process according to claim 21, wherein said moving of said tilting bucket from said post-pouring position to said upright position recaptures at least 60% of an amount of said photosensitive liquid resin remaining on said substantially vertical wall after said photosensitive liquid resin is supplied over said supporting surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The process according to claim 22, wherein said moving of said tilting bucket from said post-pouring position to said upright position recaptures at least 80% of an amount of said photosensitive liquid resin remaining on said substantially vertical wall after said photosensitive liquid resin is supplied over said supporting surface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The process according to claim 23, wherein said moving of said tilting bucket from said post-pouring position to said upright position recaptures at least 90% of an amount of said photosensitive liquid resin remaining on said substantially vertical wall after said photosensitive liquid resin is supplied over said supporting surface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, wherein said substantially vertical wall has a lower edge serving as a doctor blade. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, further comprising controlling the rate of supplying said photosensitive liquid resin from said tilting bucket, so that a uniform flow of said resin is provided on a surface of a cover film. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, wherein said tilting bucket is moveable laterally towards and away from said substantially vertical wall while said tilting bucket is tilted and is moved. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, wherein said lid of said tilting bucket separates from said substantially vertical wall to produce a gap of from about 0.02 inch to 2 inches, as said tilting bucket tilts from said pre-pouring position to said pouring position. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The process according to claim 28, wherein said lip of said tilting bucket separates from said substantially vertical wall to produce a gap of from about 0.1 inch to 1 inch, as said tilting bucket tilts from said pre-pouring position to said pouring position. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The process according to claim 29, wherein said lip of said tilting bucket separates from said substantially vertical wall to produce a gap of from about 0.2 inch to 0.3 inch, as said tilting bucket tilts from said pre-pouring position to said pouring position. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The process according to claim 29, wherein said lid of said tilting bucket separates from said substantially vertical wall to produce a gap of from about 0.4 inch to 0.8 inch, as said tilting bucket tilts from said pre-pouring position to said pouring position. ### Claim 32 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, further comprising tilting said tilting bucket from said upright position to said pre-pouring position while maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall, separating said lip from said substantially vertical wall as said tilting bucket is further tilted from said pre-pouring position to said pouring position, maintaining said tilting bucket in said pouring position, moving said tilting bucket from said pouring position to said post-pouring position, and maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during moving said tilting bucket from said post-pouring position to said upright position, including the use of: a hanger assembly comprising a pair of side plates comprising opposing traverse slots, each of said side plates further comprising a pair of inwardly extending stop pins, and a pair of opposing, outwardly extending traverse hanger pins on said tilting bucket, each of said traverse slots having a traverse hanger pin positioned therein, and a spring biasing said lip against said substantially vertical wall. ### Claim 33 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, further comprising tilting said tilting bucket from said upright position to said pre-pouring position while maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall, separating said lip from said substantially vertical wall as said tilting bucket is further tilted from said pre-pouring position to said pouring position, maintaining said tilting bucket in said pouring position, moving said tilting bucket from said pouring position to said post-pouring position, and maintaining said lip in contact with said substantially vertical wall during moving said tilting bucket from said post-pouring position to said upright position, including the use of: a hanger assembly comprising a pair of side plates each comprising two traverse slots, and two pairs of opposing, outwardly extending traverse hanger pins, each of said traverse slots having a traverse hanger pin positioned therein. ### Claim 34 (depends on 20) The process according to claim 20, wherein said process is performed using a photopolymer platemaking apparatus comprising a horizontal flat plate, and a carriage assembly comprising said tilting bucket, said substantially vertical wall having a lower edge serving as a doctor blade, a press roll, and means for rolling a backing sheet into the photosensitive liquid resin. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The process according to claim 34, wherein said photopolymer platemaking apparatus further comprises a photo transparency on said flat plate, and a cover film on said photo transparency, a shim above at least a portion of said flat plate, said press roll riding on said shim, a height of said press roll from said flat plate being determined by the thickness of said shim, and means for driving said carriage, comprising gearing connected to said press roll and said flat plate, pivotally mounted to said carriage, and vertically adjustable for a height of said press roll from said flat plate.