US 8,985,016 B2 · Printing plate sleeve loading and unloading apparatus and method

Abstract

A device and method are described for the easy and rapid loading and unloading of flexographic sleeves from flexographic processing machines. The device includes internal chucks that hold on to the end of a sleeve or sleeve adapter. The chucks are rotatably mounted within a flexographic processing machine to permit sleeve processing. In addition, the chucks may move to accommodate a large range of sleeve or adapter diameters and lengths. The method permits the loading and unloading of sleeves with a minimum amount of sleeve handling and without additional end pieces or adapters.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims23

Dependent claims

An apparatus for mounting a cylindrical printing sleeve or printing sleeve adapter along the cylinder axis in a housing, the printing sleeve or printing sleeve adapter having a first hollow end having a first cylindrical inner surface with a first inner radius and a second hollow end having a second cylindrical inner surface with a second inner radius, the apparatus comprising:

a first device including a first chuck attached to the housing, the first chuck having a first plurality of jaws each having a grip end, where the first chuck includes a first adjusting mechanism to adjust the radial distance between the axis and the grip ends of all of the first plurality of jaws, where the radial distance is adjustable between a first initial distance that is less than the first inner radius, and a first gripping distance that is equal to the first inner radius;
and
a second device including a second chuck attached to the housing, the second chuck having a second plurality of jaws each having a grip end, where the second chuck includes a second adjusting mechanism to adjust the radial distance between the axis and the grip ends of the second plurality of jaws, the radial distance being adjustable between a second initial distance that is less than the second inner radius, and a second gripping distance that is equal to the second inner radius,
where the first plurality of jaws and the second plurality of jaws are spaced to accept the first hollow end and the second hollow end, respectively,
such that when the grip ends of the first chuck and the second chuck are adjusted to the first initial distance and second initial distance, respectively, and the first plurality of jaws and the second plurality of jaws are positioned in the first and second hollow ends, respectively, the first chuck and the second chuck are adjustable to move the respective grip ends to the first gripping distance and second gripping distance, respectively, such that the printing sleeve or printing sleeve adapter is mounted within the housing.

2 more elements

A method of mounting a cylindrical printing sleeve or printing sleeve adapter supporting a sleeve, the sleeve or sleeve adapter having an axis and a length within a housing of a flexographic processing machine, the sleeve or printing sleeve adapter further having a first hollow end having a first cylindrical inner surface with a first inner radius along the axis in the housing, and a second hollow end having a second cylindrical inner surface with a second inner radius along the axis, the method comprising:

restraining the printing sleeve or printing sleeve adapter by:
placing the first hollow end of the sleeve or of the sleeve adapter supporting the sleeve, over a first device including a first chuck attached to the housing, the first chuck having a first plurality of jaws each having a grip end, the first chuck including a first adjusting mechanism to adjust the radial distance between the axis to the grip ends of the first plurality of jaws, the radial distance being adjustable between a first initial distance from the axis that is less than the first inner radius, and a first gripping distance from the axis, the first gripping distance being equal to the first inner radius;
expanding the first chuck using the first adjusting mechanism to cause the grip ends of the first plurality of jaws to extend radially away from the axis to the first gripping distance to grip by friction the first inner surface of the first hollow end of the sleeve, or of the sleeve adapter supporting the sleeve;
placing the second hollow end of the sleeve or sleeve adapter over a second device including a second chuck, the second chuck having a second plurality of jaws each having a grip end, the second chuck including a second adjusting mechanism to adjust the radial distance between the axis to the grip ends of the second plurality of jaws, the radial distance being adjustable between second initial distance from the axis that is less than the second inner radius, and a second gripping distance from the axis that is equal to the second inner radius;
and
expanding the second chuck using the second adjusting mechanism to cause the grip ends of the second plurality of jaws to extend radially away from the axis to the second gripping distance to grip by friction the second inner surface of the second hollow end of the sleeve the sleeve adapter supporting the sleeve.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description5,034 words

Summary516 words

#The present disclosure is generally related to printing devices, and more specifically to the handling of printing sleeves and plates.

#Flexographic printing plates may be formed from a flexographic material having a photosensitive layer. In a computer-to-plate operation, an image to be printed exposes an ablatable masking material on a photopolymer plate to form a mask. The resulting mask is then uniformly exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and processed to form raised portions for use in printing. Thus, for certain flexographic materials, processing includes curing an exposed material with UV radiation in a UV exposure unit.

#It is common to use cylindrical sleeves of flexographic plate material to form printing plates. After exposure to imaging data, the sleeves are transferred from the imager to a UV exposure unit and other processing machines. In order to match diameters the sleeve diameter to the size of specific machines, it is also common to place the sleeves on the outer surface of sturdy cylindrical sleeve adapters for imaging and and/or UV exposure.

Brief description of the drawings9 figures

#FIG. 1A shows a side view image of an embodiment of a support device for a cylindrical printing sleeve or printing sleeve adapter;

#FIG. 1B shows a end view 1B-1B of FIG. 1A;

#FIGS. 2 to 4 show side view images of the device of FIG. 1 in different configurations, where FIG. 2 shows the device in a slightly closed configuration and where FIGS. 3 and 4 shows the device in a more closed configuration;

Detailed description4,240 words

#Reference symbols are used in the drawings to indicate certain components, aspects or features shown therein, with reference symbols common to more than one drawing indicating like components, aspects or features shown therein.

#Brief Overview

#It may be advantageous to have an apparatus for handling sleeves or sleeve adapters that can align a sleeve or sleeve adapter relative to a rotation axis. It may also be advantageous to have a mechanism for handling sleeves or sleeve adapters that can expose the entire surface of the sleeve. It may also be advantageous to have a mechanism for handling sleeves or sleeve adapters that is usable with a variety of sleeve and/or sleeve adapter diameters. It may also be advantageous to have a mechanism for handling sleeves or sleeve adapters that is compatible with current flexographic sleeve processing machines. It may also be advantageous to have a mechanism for handling sleeves or sleeve adapters that is relatively easy to use. Some embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of these properties, although the inventor is not insisting that any of these advantages is or are provided by any embodiment of the invention. Rather, the invention is as described by the claims and their legal equivalents.

Facts

Application

13/294,892Filed 11 Nov 2011 · us provisional application

Priority

25 Nov 2010

Published

US 2012/0132094 A131 May 2012

Granted

24 Mar 2015

Term ends

2 Jan 2033

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 418 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification8 codes

B41F 27/105
For attaching non-deformable curved printing formes to forme cylinders: for attaching cylindrical printing formes
B41C 1/1083
For lithographic printing; Master sheets for transferring a lithographic image to the forme: mechanical aspects of off-press plate preparation
B41F 27/005
Devices for attaching printing elements or formes to supports: attaching and registering printing formes to supports
B41P 2227/20
Mounting or handling printing plates; Forming printing surfaces in situ: means enabling or facilitating exchange of tubular printing or impression…

Timeline

25 Nov 2010Priority claimedParent application 61/417,248
11 Nov 2011Application filedUS 13/294,892
24 Jan 2012Assigned to Esko-Graphics Imaging GmbHassignment of assignor's interest
31 May 2012PublishedUS 2012/0132094 A1
24 Mar 2015GrantedUS 8,985,016 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
2 Jan 2033Term endsEstimated, includes 418 days of adjustment

Printing plate sleeve loading and unloading apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Printing plate sleeve loading and unloading apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims23

Description5,034 words

Drawings

Classification8 codes

Life of this patent

Description5,034 words