External drum imaging system
AssigneeAgfa NV
InventorsJohn Wolber, Phillip A. Rombult, Dennis W. Dodge, David B. Larsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a media handling system for an imaging system, such as an external drum platesetter. Separate input and output trays are provided, thereby allowing pre-staging of a second printing plate while a first printing plate is being imaged. The input tray is positioned over the output tray to reduce the floor space (i.e., footprint) of the imaging system.
Claims49
An external drum platesetter having a front side and a rear side for recording
- an image onto a printing plate, the external drum platesetter comprising:
- an external drum having a cylindrical media support surface for supporting the printing plate during recording of the image onto said printing plate;
- an input tray for supporting the printing plate in a staging position prior to recording the image thereon such that the printing plate is ready for displacement to the cylindrical media support surface;
- said input tray angularly positioned between a horizontal plane and a vertical plane, said input tray having at least a portion thereof positioned over an upper hemisphere of said drum;
- said input tray positioned to feed a leading edge of said plate to the upper hemisphere of said drum;
- a device for holding the printing plate on the input tray until the external drum is ready to receive the printing plate from the input tray;
- a system for feeding the printing plate from the input tray to the media support surface;
- and
- an output tray formed separately from the input tray, said output tray for receiving the printing plate by a trailing edge from said external drum after said image is recorded onto said printing plate.
A method, wherein a platesetter includes a front side, a rear side, and wherein an input tray is oriented for being loaded from the front side, further comprising:
- providing an input tray angularly positioned between a horizontal plane and a vertical plane, said input tray having at least a portion thereof positioned over an upper hemisphere of an external drum of a platesetter;
- loading a first unimaged printing plate onto said input tray;
- holding the printing plate on the input tray with a holding device;
- displacing a leading edge of the printing plate from the input tray to an upper hemisphere of said external drum and
- providing an output tray at the rear side of the platesetter for receiving printing plates from the external drum after image recording.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.