Patent · US Expired

Printing plate mounting and proofing apparatus

US5065677A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
19References
31Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 27, 1989
Grant dateNov 19, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 27, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S101/36
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for mounting flexible printing plates on a printing cylinder includes a base rotatably supporting a printing cylinder in a predetermined position and an adjacent support table having a turntable for supporting a flexible printing plate having a reference point thereon. Actuators move the support table along three orthogonal axes one of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the printing cylinder. The position of the reference point is sensed by a video camera and feedback signals representing the positions of the camera and the table with respect to the three axes are inputs to a computer. The computer determines the positional relationship between the reference point on the printing plate and the predetermined position of the printing cylinder and moves the support table and the turntable to position the printing plate at a desired position for mounting on the printing cylinder. A plurality of grooves formed in the turntable are selectively connected to a vacuum source to retain the printing plate. The printing cylinder is rotated by a drive motor through an anti-backlash gearbox.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.