Method and apparatus for mounting a printing plate
AssigneeLeader Engineering-Fabrication, Inc.
InventorsCharles Burleigh Leader, Jr., James R. Eddy, Michael J. Manzella, David L. Casler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for mounting a printing plate onto a printing cylinder, wherein the printing plate includes a first registration mark and a second registration mark centrally located along opposing edges thereof. The apparatus includes an optical system to transmit images of the registration marks to a user interface, wherein a user selects a desired location point location of each of the registration marks displayed on the user interface to facilitate an alignment of the printing plate in respect of a central axis of the printing cylinder.
Claims8
A method for mounting a printing plate comprising the steps of:
- providing a printing cylinder for receiving at least one flexible printing plate thereon, the at least one flexible printing plate having a first registration mark and a second registration mark;
- providing an optical system for viewing images of the registration marks, the optical system including a first camera and a second camera;
- providing a control system having a user interface in communication with the optical system;
- transmitting an image of the first registration mark from the first camera to the user interface;
- selecting a desired location point of the first registration mark displayed on the user interface;
- transmitting an image of the first registration mark from the second camera to the user interface;
- selecting a desired location point of the first registration mark displayed on the user interface;
- transmitting an image of the second registration mark from the first camera to the user interface;
- selecting a desired location point of the second registration mark displayed on the user interface;
- transmitting an image of the second registration mark from the second camera to the user interface;
- selecting the desired location point of the second registration mark displayed on the user interface;
- and
- aligning the at least one flexible printing plate in respect of a central axis of the printing cylinder based upon the desired location points of the registration marks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.