Media clamping apparatus and method for an external drum imaging system
AssigneeAgfa NV
InventorKevin T. McManus
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for clamping the leading edge of a supply of recording media, such as a printing plate, on the external drum of an imaging system. The leading edge clamping apparatus includes a spring segment disposed on the external drum, wherein the spring segment may be selectively displaced between a clamping position for clamping the leading edge of the printing plate against the external drum and a release position, and an inflatable member positioned between the spring segment and the external drum for displacing the spring segment between the clamping position and the release position.
Claims25
A leading edge clamping apparatus for clamping a leading end of a printing plate on an external drum of an imaging system, comprising:
- a spring segment disposed on the peripheral surface of the external drum, wherein the spring segment may be selectively displaced between a clamping position for clamping the leading edge of the printing plate against the external drum and a release position;
- and
- an inflatable member positioned between the spring segment and the peripheral surface of the external drum for displacing the spring segment between the clamping position and the release position.
A method for clamping a leading end of a printing plate on an external drum of an imaging system, comprising:
- providing a spring segment on the peripheral surface of the external drum;
- selectively displacing a spring segment between a clamping position for clamping the leading edge of the printing plate against the external drum and a release position;
- and
- displacing the spring segment between the clamping position and the release position using an inflatable member positioned between the spring segment and the peripheral surface of the external drum.
An imaging system comprising:
- an external drum for supporting a printing plate;
- a system for recording image data onto the printing plate;
- and
- a leading edge clamping apparatus for clamping a leading end of the printing plate on the external drum, the leading edge clamping apparatus including:
- a spring segment disposed on the peripheral surface of the external drum, wherein the spring segment may be selectively displaced between a clamping position for clamping the leading edge of the printing plate against the external drum and a release position;
- and
- an inflatable member positioned between the spring segment and the peripheral surface of the external drum for displacing the spring segment between the clamping position and the release position.
A leading edge clamping apparatus for clamping a leading end of a printing plate on an external drum of an imaging system, comprising:
- an inflatable member positioned between the peripheral surface of the external drum and a spring segment located on the peripheral surface of the external drum for displacing the spring segment between a clamping position and a release position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.