# US 8,739,702 B2 · Printing plate loading apparatus for loading plates from either a plate stack or cassette

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- Number: US 8,739,702 B2
- Document ID: US8739702B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/269,910
- Filed: 2008-11-13
- Published: 2010-05-13
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2008-11-13
- Assignees: Eastman Kodak Company
- Applicants: Pavel Korolik; David Tulipman
- Inventors: Pavel Korolik; David Tulipman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739702B2

## CPC

- B41C 1/1083: {Mechanical aspects of off-press plate preparation (B41C1/1008 - B41C1/1066 take precedence)}
- B65H 1/26: with auxiliary supports to facilitate introduction or renewal of the pile
- B65H 3/44: Simultaneously, alternately, or selectively separating articles from two or more piles
- B65H 2301/14: of batches of material of different characteristics
- B65H 2301/42254: Boxes; Cassettes; Containers
- B65H 2301/42256: Pallets; Skids; Platforms with feet, i.e. handled together with the stack
- B65H 2701/1928: Printing plate
- B41C: PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR REPRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES (photomechanical processes for producing printing surfaces G03F; photoelectrical processes for producing printing surfaces G03G)
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

A printing plate loading apparatus (10) configured to load plates into a printing plate imaging device (120) includes a plate pallet loading system (100) for loading plates from originally packed plate pallet into the printing plate imaging device. Additionally a plate cassette unit (110, 310) connected to the plate pallet loading system, which is configured to receive a single cassette (112) from the plate cassette unit and to load plates from the single cassette directly into the printing plate imaging device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printing plate loading apparatus configured to load plates from either a plate stack or cassette onto a printing plate imaging device comprising:
a plate pallet wherein said plate pallet comprises a stack of printing plates positioned on said plate pallet wherein said stack of printing plates are positioned on said plate pallet as originally packed at a plate manufacturing site and wherein said stack of printing plates are not from a cassette;
an automatic plate loader (100);
a plate cassette unit (110, 310) wherein said automatic plate loader is configured to receive a cassette (112) from said plate cassette unit via a cassette bi-directional path (114) into a selected cassette position in said automatic plate loader; and
a plate loading system (102) in said automatic plate loader wherein said plate loading system is configured to load said printing plates directly from said stack of printing plates positioned on said plate pallet into said imaging device or alternatively to load said printing plates from a cassette which is in said selected cassette position into said imaging device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printing plate loading apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plate cassette unit is comprised of a plurality of cassettes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The printing plate loading apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plate cassette unit is comprised of a single cassette unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The printing plates loading apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the cassette in said single cassette unit is configured to carry plates with different sizes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The printing plate loading apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plate stack is configured to carry plates with different sizes.