Apparatus and process for positioning a cylindrically-shaped printing element
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsHelmut Luetke, Ib Vestergaard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention provides an apparatus for treating and a process for positioning a cylindrically-shaped element. The apparatus includes means for supporting the element adapted to contact a first part of an interior surface of the element, the supporting means having an axial length; and means for moving the element along the axial length of the supporting means.
Claims16
An apparatus for treating a cylindrical element having a first side edge and a side edge opposite the first side edge, comprising:
- means for supporting the cylindrical element adapted to contact a first part of an interior circumferential surface of the cylindrical element without firmly fixing the cylindrical element to the means for supporting, the supporting means having an axial length;
- means for moving the cylindrical element axially along the axial length of the supporting means comprising a finger mounted on a guide for linear movement in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction and configured to travel along a length of the guide to contact independently the first side edge and the opposite side edge of the cylindrical element, wherein the finger contacts the first side edge of the cylindrical element and moves on the guide in the first direction to thereby move the cylindrical element in the first direction from a first position to a second position, and selectively, the finger contacts the opposite side edge of the cylindrical element to thereby move the cylindrical element in the second direction from the second position to the first position;
- and,
- means for thermally treating the cylindrically-shaped element to create a relief structure suitable for printing.
A process for treating a cylindrical element having an interior surface and a first side face and a side face opposite the first side face, comprising:
- supporting the cylindrical element by contacting a first part of an interior circumferential surface of the cylindrical element on a support member without firmly fixing the cylindrical element to the support member, the support member having an axial length;
- moving the cylindrical element axially along the axial length of the supporting means with a finger that moves linearly on a guide in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction and is configured to travel along a length of the guide to contact independently the first side face and the opposite side face of the cylindrical element, by contacting the finger to the first side face of the cylindrical element and moving the finger on the guide in the first direction to thereby move the cylindrical element from a first position to a second position, or by contacting the finger to the opposite side face of the cylindrical element and moving the finger on the guide in the second direction to thereby move the cylindrical element from the second position to the first position;
- and
- thermally treating the cylindrical element to create a relief structure suitable for printing.
A thermal treating apparatus for thermally developing a cylindrical photosensitive printing element having a first side edge and a side edge opposite the first side edge, comprising a device for positioning the cylindrical element in the apparatus, the positioning device comprising:
- a support member for supporting the cylindrical element in contact with a first part of an interior circumferential surface of the cylindrical element without firmly fixing the cylindrical element to the support member, the support member having an axial length;
- and adjacent the support member, a finger mounted for linear movement on a guide in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction and configured to travel along a length of the guide to contact independently the first side face and the opposite side face of the cylindrical element, wherein the finger positions the cylindrical element axially on the support member by contacting the first side edge of the cylindrical element and moving in the first direction to thereby move the cylindrical element in the first direction from a first position to a second position, and selectively by contacting the opposite side edge of the cylindrical element and moving in the second direction to thereby move the cylindrical element in the second direction from the second position to the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.