Coating apparatus, printing apparatus, imaging apparatus, printing system and printing method

A printing method comprising the steps of:

• positioning an imaging medium at an imaging apparatus;
• generating a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data on said imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam so as to execute imaging;
• positioning said imaging medium at a printing apparatus by substantially the same positioning method as said imaging apparatus by means of positioning holes or an abutment portion formed in a head portion of said imaging medium;
• and
• feeding ink to said imaging medium so as to execute printing on a recording medium,
• wherein when imaging is executed by attaching said imaging medium to an attaching member, rotating said attaching member, scanning an irradiation apparatus of energy beam in substantially the same direction as the direction of a rotation axis of said attaching member and generating a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data on said imaging mediums by irradiation of said energy beam, a reference direction of an imaging area is inclined against the rotation axis of said attaching member substantially at an angle corresponding to a ratio of a scanning speed of said irradiation apparatus to a peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around said attaching member when said imaging medium is wound around said attaching member.

A printing method comprising the steps of:

• positioning an imaging medium at an imaging apparatus;
• generating a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data on said imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam so as to execute imaging;
• positioning said imaging medium at a printing apparatus by substantially the same positioning method as said imaging apparatus by means of positioning holes or an abutment portion formed in a head portion of said imaging medium;
• and
• feeding ink to said imaging medium so as to execute printing on a recording medium,
• wherein when an irradiation apparatus of energy beam is scanned, a scanning direction of said energy beam is inclined against the rotation axis of an attaching member and about a beam irradiation direction of said irradiation apparatus substantially at an angle corresponding to a ratio of a scanning speed of said irradiation apparatus to a peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around said attaching member.

An imaging apparatus for generating a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam so as to execute imaging,

• wherein said imaging apparatus comprises positioning means which is substantially the same as that of a printing apparatus for feeding ink onto said imaging medium imaged by said imaging apparatus so as to execute printing on a recording medium, and
• wherein said positioning means includes positioning holes or an abutment portion formed in a head portion of said imaging medium;
• said imaging apparatus further comprising:
• an attaching member for winding said imaging medium therearound;
• a motor for rotating said attaching member;
• scanning means for scanning an irradiation apparatus of said energy beam in substantially the same direction as the direction of the rotation axis of said attaching member;
• and
• positioning means for positioning said imaging medium such that a reference direction of an imaging area is inclined against the rotation axis of said attaching member substantially at an angle corresponding to a ratio of a scanning speed of said scanning means to a peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around said attaching member when said imaging medium is attached to said attaching member.

A printing apparatus, which uses an imaging apparatus for generating a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data on an imaging medium by irradiation of an energy beam so as to execute imaging, for printing on a recording medium by feeding ink onto said imaging medium imaged by said imaging apparatus,

• wherein said printing apparatus comprises a positioning means which is substantially the same as that of said imaging apparatus, and
• wherein said positioning means includes positioning holes or an abutment portion formed in a head portion of said imaging medium,
• said imaging apparatus further comprising:
• an attaching member for winding said imaging medium therearound;
• a motor for rotating said attaching member;
• scanning means for scanning an irradiation apparatus of said energy beam in substantially the same direction as the direction of the rotation axis of said attaching member;
• and
• positioning means for positioning said imaging medium such that a reference direction of an imaging area is inclined against the rotation axis of said attaching member substantially at an angle corresponding to a ratio of a scanning speed of said scanning means to a peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around said attaching member when said imaging medium is attached to said attaching member.

A printing method comprising the steps of:

• positioning an imaging medium on an imaging apparatus;
• positioning said imaging medium, on which a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data is generated by irradiation of an energy beam, on a printing apparatus by substantially the same positioning method as said imaging apparatus by means of positioning holes or an abutment portion formed in a head portion of said imaging medium;
• and
• feeding ink to said imaging medium so as to execute printing on a recording medium, wherein when imaging is executed by attaching said imaging medium to an attaching member, rotating said attaching member, scanning an irradiation apparatus of energy beam in substantially the same direction as the direction of a rotation axis of said attaching member and generating a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data on said imaging mediums by irradiation of said energy beam, a reference direction of an imaging area is inclined against the rotation axis of said attaching member substantially at an angle corresponding to a ratio of a scanning speed of said irradiation apparatus to a peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around said attaching member when said imaging medium is wound around said attaching member.

A printing method comprising the steps of:

• positioning an imaging medium on an imaging apparatus;
• positioning said imaging medium, on which a change in an imaging characteristic according to imaging data is generated by irradiation of an energy beam, on a printing apparatus by substantially the same positioning method as said imaging apparatus by means of positioning holes or an abutment portion formed in a head portion of said imaging medium;
• and
• feeding ink to said imaging medium so as to execute printing on a recording medium,
• wherein when an irradiation apparatus of energy beam is scanned, a scanning direction of said energy beam is inclined against the rotation axis of an attaching member and about a beam irradiation direction of said irradiation apparatus substantially at an angle corresponding to a ratio of a scanning speed of said irradiation apparatus to a peripheral speed of the surface of the imaging medium wound around said attaching member.