Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6823984
-
Patent Number
6,823,984
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, March 26, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 30, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 198 571
- 198 572
- 198 577
- 198 783
- 198 784
- 198 780
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material with a processing liquid while conveying the photosensitive material by a roller pair. A driving device for providing a rotation drive to the roller pair. A drive controlling device that gradually raises voltage of the electric power at the time of starting the rotation drive of the roller pair.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic developing device provided with a preheating section for heating a photosensitive planographic printing plate prior to a developing process. Moreover, it relates to an automatic developing device provided with a pre-water washing section in addition to the preheating section.
Moreover, the present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material such as a photosensitive planographic printing plate with a processing liquid while being conveyed by a roller. More specifically, it relates to a roller washing method for eliminating the processing liquid adhered to the roller.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material by soaking in a processing liquid. More specifically, it relates to a photosensitive material processing device for circulating a processing liquid by suctioning the processing liquid in a processing vessel and jetting into the processing vessel.
Moreover, the present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material while being conveyed by transmitting driving force to a conveying roller for the photosensitive material disposed along the conveying path of the photosensitive material.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material such as a photosensitive planographic printing plate with a processing liquid while being conveyed by a roller pair.
Moreover, the present invention relates to a preparation method for a processing liquid for preparing a processing liquid according to the capacity of a processing vessel of the above-mentioned processing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a photosensitive planographic printing plate comprising a photosensitive layer formed on a supporting body made of an aluminum, or the like, a light receiving part and a light unreceiving part are produced in the photosensitive layer by exposure, and thereafter the unnecessary photosensitive layer is eliminated by performing a developing process with a developing liquid so as to form an image.
Among the photosensitive planographic printing plates, there is a so-called photo polymer plate comprising a photosensitive layer of a photo adhesion layer, a photo polymerization layer, or the like, and further with the surface protection by an overcoat layer. According to the photo polymer plate, the printing resistance is improved by firmly bonding the photo polymerization layer of the light receiving part onto the supporting body via the photo adhesion layer by being heated to a predetermined temperature. Moreover, the overcoat layer covering the photo polymerization layer is water-soluble.
Therefore, according to an automatic developing device for processing the photo polymer plate, a preheating section and a pre-water washing section are provided on the upstream side with respect to the developing section for reliably eliminating the photo polymerization layer of the light unreceiving part at the time of the developing process by eliminating the overcoat layer by brushing the surface of the photo polymer plate while supplying washing water after heating the photo polymer plate prior to the developing process.
The preheating section provided in such an automatic developing device in general heats the photo polymer plate by the radiation heat discharged from a far infrared radiation heater, and by the zone temperature in the preheating section.
The operation of heating the photo polymer plate by the preheating section is controlled by the heating temperature and the heating time. However, in order to heat in a short time, a high zone temperature should be provided. Under a high zone temperature, the rear end portion of the aluminum plate passing through the preheating section is heated to a high temperature due to the heat conduction of the aluminum plate as the supporting body of the photo polymer plate, and the rear end portion easily exceeds the upper limit temperature.
Moreover, the photo polymer plate can easily wrinkle by the thermal expansion at the time of heating, or by nipping by the conveying roller pair while being heated. Furthermore, when dispatching the highly heated plates to the pre-water washing section, adhering water to the heated plate therein results in stains.
When the heating process is attempted with a lowered heating temperature in order to avoid such a problem (first problem), the heating operation needs a longer performing time, and thus the preheating section requires a larger space.
Further, the photo polymer plates have different thermal capacities depending on the supporting body thickness and the plate size. Consequently, the heating temperature needs to be adjusted according to the thickness and the size for heating at appropriate temperature and of an appropriate duration. Therefore this adjustment of the heating temperature complicates the heating process for the photo polymer plate.
Next, among the photosensitive materials, there is a photosensitive planographic printing plate (hereinafter referred to as a “PS plate”) comprising a photosensitive layer on a supporting body made of an aluminum or the like. A PS plate processor as a photosensitive material processing device for processing the PS plate comprises a plurality of processing steps such as developing, water washing, desensitizing processes and the like. The PS plate after image-wise exposure is treated in the developing step of processing the PS plate by soaking in a developing liquid. water washing, desensitizing process using a processing liquid, such as a developing step of processing the PS plate by soaking in a developing liquid, a water washing step of applying a water washing process by blowing washing water onto the PS plate, a desensitizing step of performing a desensitizing process by coating a desensitizing process liquid such as a gum liquid onto the surface of the PS plate after the water washing process.
According to the desensitizing process step for the PS plate, a thin film for protecting the plate surface is formed on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate by coating a gum liquid evenly on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate while conveying the PS plate by a conveying roller pair disposed outside the stored gum liquid, and squeezing off the excessive gum liquid by the conveying roller pair.
Here, when the gum liquid used for the desensitizing process for the PS plate is adhered to the circumferential surface of the conveying roller pair (roller), problems such as rotation disability of the roller pair, conveyance failure, pollution, damage and the like of the PS plate may occur. Therefore, in the PS plate processor, the circumferential surface of the roller to which the gum liquid adheres is washed with a washing liquid according to a preset schedule such as the time of stopping the drive of the PS plate after finishing the PS plate processes so as to wash off the gum liquid from the roller surface.
Additionally, among the PS plates, there is one having a width of about 1100 mm orthogonal to the conveyance direction. In a PS plate processor for processing such a PS plate, the length along the axis direction of the roller for conveying the PS plate is elongated as well. The elongated roller has difficulty in evenly supplying a washing liquid in the axis. Thus a larger amount of the washing liquid is used for removing the gum liquid from the roller successfully. Consequently, the amount of waste liquid increases as well.
Moreover, among the PS plate processors, there is one using the washing liquid after washing the roller as a diluting liquid for the gum liquid. According to this PS plate processor, a problem exists that the gum liquid can be diluted excessively due to the large amount of the washing liquid for removing the gum liquid from the roller (second problem).
Next, the PS plate is treated in the developing process after the image-wise exposure. According to the PS plate processor for treating the PS plate, the developing process is performed while conveying the PS plate soaked in the developing liquid stored in the developing vessel.
A heater and the like for heating the developing liquid to a predetermined temperature is provided in the developing vessel so as to maintain a temperature range of the optimum processing state of the PS plate. Moreover, according to the PS plate processor, the developing liquid in the developing vessel is agitated by suctioning the developing liquid in the developing vessel and jetting the developing liquid from a spray pipe disposed on one side of the PS plate conveying path in the developing vessel so as to prevent developing irregularity due to the temperature irregularity and the like.
In a submerged spray method where a developing liquid is sprayed from a spray pipe with an axis direction disposed along the PS plate width direction, the developing liquid on one side can not easily be agitated in the direction orthogonal to the axis direction while the developing liquid on the other side of the PS plate can easily be agitated. Due to this, substituting the developing liquid may delay.
Therefore, when an environmental temperature is lower than the developing liquid temperature, the developing liquid temperature will differ at the circumferential rim of the PS plate. Such a temperature difference will lead to a sensitivity difference in the PS plate after the developing process. As a result the finish quality of the PS plate will be deteriorated. For example, the temperature difference of about 0.2° C. causes the sensitivity difference of about 5 to 10%.
In contrast, a lateral jetting method allows jetting a developing liquid in the direction orthogonal to the PS plate conveyance direction from an outer side of the PS plate width direction. As a result the temperature difference in the circumferential rim of the PS plate can be prevented even with a low environmental temperature since substituting the developing liquid can be performed rapidly in the vicinity of the PS plate surface.
However, in the lateral jetting method, difference occurs in the flow rate of jetted developing liquid; one rate in the vicinity of the jetting opening differs from another rate at a position away from the jetting opening. The developing liquid flow rate difference will lead to the difference in the progress of development. That is, the development is promoted in a region with a higher developing liquid flow rate compared with another region with a lower developing liquid flow rate. Consequently, the sensitivity difference will appear locally (third problem)
Next, the PS plate processor as the photosensitive material processing device for processing the PS plate comprises a pair of side plates for laying the PS plate on the conveying roller for conveyance. The pair of side plates is disposed in a processing vessel for storing a processing liquid such as a developing liquid. With the driving force transmitted to the conveying roller, the conveying roller conveys the PS plate.
In such a PS plate processor, the convenience of maintaining the driving system generally leads to disposing a drive shaft along the PS plate conveyance direction and on one end side of the direction orthogonal to the PS plate conveyance direction. The drive shaft transmits the driving force to each conveying roller. Here, by providing a worm gear in the drive shaft and a helical gear in the side plates, and elongating the rotation shaft provided with the helical gear in the direction orthogonal to the PS plate conveyance direction, the driving force is transmitted to the conveying roller.
Here, in the combination of the worm gear and the helical gear, the speed reduction ratio is 4 to 12 times. That is, the worm gear on the driving source side transmits the driving force to the helical gear on the side plate side, reducing the speed.
Furthermore, in the PS plate processor, conveyance failure of the PS plate such as jamming may occur. In this case, removing the jammed PS plate immediately can resume processing of the PS plate.
However, when the so-called jamming as the PS plate conveyance failure occurs, the roller will be locked. At the time, a large torque acts on the helical gear side since the speed reduction ratio is large in the driving system using a combination of the worm gear and the helical gear. As a result, the helical gear or the other gears on the side plate side may be damaged (fourth problem).
Next, a gum liquid used for the desensitizing process of the PS plate includes a component of a gum arabic or the like. When rotating the conveying roller pair is stopped with the gum liquid adhered to the surface of the conveying roller pair and the adhered liquid is left as it is, the component in the gum liquid will precipitate and fix on the circumferential surface of the roller.
Accordingly, if the gum liquid is adhered to the contact part of the rollers comprising the conveying roller pair, the rollers can attach to each other due to the gum liquid. With this attaching state, rotating the conveying roller pair causes a large torque on a gear for transmitting the driving force to the rollers so as to result in breakage of the gear (fifth problem).
The PS plates include conventionally existing commonly used PS plates (conventional), thermal plates, and photo polymer plates. The commonly used PS plates include the positive type and the negative type. And furthermore, each of them has a one side type provided with a photosensitive layer on one surface of the supporting body, and a both side type provided with a photosensitive layer on both surfaces. Moreover, the photo polymer plates are, in general, a one surface type (one side type) and a negative type, but the thermal plates are one surface type (one side type) and both negative type and positive type.
The PS processors include for example, those including a conveying path for the PS plate with conveying roller pairs in a developing vessel, those including a conveying path with conveying rollers and guide plates, and those with brush rollers, depending on the kind of the PS plate to be processed. Moreover, the number of the brush rollers depends on the kind of the PS plate (such as the one side type or the both side type).
That is, among the PS plate processors, despite of a common processing tank such as a developing vessel, there are those including arranging of conveying rollers and brush rollers corresponding to the kind of the PS plates to be processed. Furthermore, modifying the conveying path configuration has been discussed and practiced so as to make the PS plate processor capable of processing different PS plates.
In the PS plate processors, a replenishing liquid is replenished according to the PS plate process amount and for compensating the aging deterioration of the developing liquid as well as the developing liquid in the developing vessel is replaced per certain period. Consequently, the processing performance of the developing liquid is always maintained so as to enable the optimum developing process.
The basic liquid of the developing liquid and the replenishing liquid for replenishment to be introduced into the developing vessel at the time of periodical replacing the developing liquid may be those prepared by diluting a common original liquid with a common diluting ratio. Diluting ratios may be different between the basic liquid and the replenishing liquid. Further, the basic liquid may differ from the replenishing liquid.
In general, a certain amount of the original liquid for the basic liquid is contained in a bottle. When a preparation liquid as the basic liquid for processing the PS plate is newly prepared, the original liquid and the diluting water are preliminarily prepared according to the capacity of the developing vessel and the preparation liquid is supplied to the developing vessel. If the developing vessel capacity changes, the preparation liquid must be prepared according to the changed capacity.
That is, although the original capacity of the developing vessel in the processing tank remains the same, the net capacity of the developing vessel (the storable amount of the developing liquid) depends on the number of the rollers, guide plates, and brush rollers to be disposed inside the developing vessel. Therefore, for the PS plate processors with different developing vessel capacities, it is difficult to commonly use a preparation device for preparing a preset amount of the preparation liquid.
Therefore, a method of preparing the preparation liquid by directly introducing the original liquid and the diluting water into the developing vessel is conceivable.
Here, the PS plate processor is provided with a replenishing mechanism for supplying the original liquid and the water (diluting water) for replenishing the replenishing liquid to the developing vessel. In the replenishing mechanism, the replenishing liquid (the original liquid and the water for dilution) can be supplied accurately to the developing vessel using a bellows pump corresponding to the PS plate processing amount and the time.
When the preparation liquid is prepared in the developing vessel, a large amount of water should be supplied in a short time into the developing vessel with the original liquid preliminarily stored. Accordingly, the water is supplied using a magnet pump, monitoring the liquid level with a float sensor.
However, when a pump with high ejection ability such as a magnet pump makes it difficult to supply an amount of water accurately and appropriately to the original liquid with the liquid level monitored. Moreover, when the diluting ratio of a predetermined amount of the original liquid depends on the kind of the PS plate, the amount of the diluting water to be added to the original liquid must be changed. This hinders versatility of a device for replenishing (sixth problem).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-mentioned fact (first problem), the present invention has been achieved. A first objective thereof is to provide an automatic developing device comprising a preheating section capable of achieving a compactness, and capable of performing a heating process or performing the heating process and a water washing process, with an appropriate temperature range with respect to a photosensitive planographic printing plate.
The present invention has also been achieved in view of the above-mentioned fact (second problem). A second objective thereof is to provide a roller washing method capable of washing reliably the circumferential surface of rollers without increasing the waste liquid amount of the washing water after washing the rollers.
The present invention has also been achieved in view of the above-mentioned fact (third problem). A third objective thereof is to provide a photosensitive material processing device capable of processing uniformly at the time of processing the photosensitive material such as a PS plate with a processing liquid jetted from a spray pipe, or the like, while circulating the processing liquid in the processing vessel.
The present invention has also been achieved in view of the above-mentioned fact (fourth problem). A fourth objective thereof is to provide a photosensitive material processing device without the risk of damaging the driving system even when jamming of the photosensitive material occurs.
The present invention has also been achieved in view of the above-mentioned fact (fifth problem). A fifth objective thereof is to provide a photosensitive material processing device capable of smoothly starting the drive without the risk of damaging the gear for transmitting the driving force to the roller pairs when the component in the processing liquid such as the gum liquid precipitates to fix the roller pairs.
The present invention has also been achieved in view of the above-mentioned fact (sixth problem). A sixth objective thereof is to provide a processing liquid preparation method enabling providing a processing tank with versatile members as well as versatile preparation of a preparation liquid and the like by supplying the original liquid and the water in the processing vessel in the photosensitive material processing device.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic developing device, including a preheating section and a developing section, for processing an imagewise exposed planographic printing plate, comprising: a heating chamber providing the preheating section; a heating device provided in the heating chamber capable of heating the photosensitive planographic printing plate by discharging the radiation heat to a conveying path of the printing plate; a circulator for circulating air in the heating chamber by blowing the air in the heating chamber toward the conveying path of the printing plate; a temperature detecting device for detecting the temperature in the heating chamber; and a temperature controller for maintaining an inside of the heating chamber at a predetermined temperature by controlling the heating device and the circulator based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting device.
According to the invention, the heating device for discharging the radiation heat and the circulator for circulating the air in the heating chamber are provided in the heating chamber comprising the preheating section. The temperature controller controls the circulator and the heating device such that the temperature in the heating chamber detected by the temperature detecting device is maintained at a predetermined temperature.
Here, the photosensitive planographic printing plate sent into the heating chamber is heated by the radiation heat discharged from the heating device as well as the air maintained at the predetermined temperature by the circulator is blown onto the photosensitive planographic printing plate for eliminating the air of a relatively low temperature from the outside of the heating chamber in the vicinity of the surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate so as to promote heating of the photosensitive planographic printing plate.
Thereby, the photosensitive planographic printing plate can be heated to the predetermined temperature efficiently in a short time so that compactness of the preheating section can be facilitated. Moreover, since the predetermined temperature can be maintained while agitating the air in the heating chamber, a large thermal capacity can be provided to the heating chamber so that the temperature change of the air in the heating chamber can be restrained even when the thickness or the size of the photosensitive planographic printing plate is changed. Thus adjustment of the heating temperature, or the like is unnecessary even when the thickness or the size of the supporting body of the photosensitive planographic printing plate is changed, and the developing work of the photosensitive planographic printing plate can be simplified.
In the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that at least one of the rollers of the roller pair for nipping and conveying the photosensitive planographic printing plate sent out from the heating chamber is a skewered roller comprising a plurality of short rollers.
According to the invention, at least one roller of the roller pair for nipping the photosensitive planographic printing plate sent out from the heating chamber is a skewered roller comprising a plurality of short rollers disposed along the axial direction.
Thereby, deformation stress generation can be restrained at the time the photosensitive planographic printing plate is sent out from the heating chamber so as to be shrunk.
At the time, it is further preferable that each of the short rollers is provided movably along the axial direction. Thereby, the deformation stress of the photosensitive planographic printing plate can be discharged reliably so as to prevent deformation, such as warpage of the photosensitive planographic printing plate after preheating.
In the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that a cooling device disposed between the heating chamber and the roller pair including the skewered roller, is provided for blowing the cooling air toward the photosensitive planographic printing plate sent out from the heating chamber.
According to the invention, the cooling device is provided on the downstream side of the heating chamber so that cooling of the photosensitive planographic printing plate sent out from the heating chamber can be facilitated by the cooling device. Thereby, the temperature of the high temperature photosensitive planographic printing plate sent out from the heating chamber can be lowered quickly to a room temperature level, and stain caused by adherence of water on the high temperature photosensitive planographic printing plate in the pre-water washing section can be prevented.
Moreover, since the high temperature photosensitive planographic printing plate can be cooled down before contacting with the water in the pre-water washing section, deformation such as wrinkles in the photosensitive planographic printing plate by quenching, can be prevented.
In the first aspect of the present invention, it is further preferable that the conveying path of the photosensitive planographic printing plate in the heating chamber is a skewered roller comprising a plurality of short rollers disposed along the conveyance direction of the photosensitive planographic printing plate.
According to the invention, the conveying path of the photosensitive planographic printing plate in the heating chamber is a skewered roller comprising a plurality of short rollers so that the photosensitive planographic printing plate can be conveyed by the skewered roller while being supported. Thereby, generation of wrinkles on the photosensitive planographic printing plate being heated due to nipping by the roller pair can be prevented reliably.
In the present invention, as to the control of the heating device and the circulator for maintaining the air in the heating chamber at a predetermined temperature, conventionally known optional methods can be adopted.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic developing device for further preferably performing a developing process at a developing section after providing a heating process at a preheating section and providing a washing process at a pre-water washing section while conveying a photosensitive planographic printing plate with an image exposed, wherein a conveying device for conveying the photosensitive planographic printing plate after the heating process at the preheating section obliquely downward while being contacted with the conveying roller disposed zigzag, is provided at the upstream part of the pre-water washing section.
According to the invention, the photosensitive planographic printing plate sent out from the preheating section is conveyed by the conveying device with the conveying roller disposed zigzag. Wrinkles may form in the photosensitive planographic printing plate if the photosensitive planographic printing plate to be conveyed at a high temperature after being heated by the preheating section is nipped by the conveying roller pair. The conveying device, however, provides the conveyance force by disposing the conveying roller zigzag without nipping the photosensitive planographic printing plate. Consequently, finishing failures such as the wrinkles will not form in the photosensitive planographic printing plate.
In the first aspect of the present invention, it is further preferable that the conveying roller disposed zigzag comprises a skewered roller facing one surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate, and a rubber roller facing the other surface.
According to the invention, the conveying path for the photosensitive planographic printing plate is provided by the skewered roller facing one surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate and the rubber roller facing the other surface. Thereby, the conveyance force can be provided reliably without generating wrinkles or the like in the photosensitive planographic printing plate at the time the photosensitive planographic printing plate shrinks due to the temperature drop.
As to the conveying device, it is preferable that skewered roller faces the photosensitive layer side surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate and the rubber roller faces the surface on the opposite side with respect to the photosensitive layer.
In the first aspect of the present invention, it is more preferable that a conveying roller pair disposed on the downstream side of the conveying path inclined obliquely downward of the photosensitive planographic printing plate, and a water supply device for supplying the washing water to the surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate being conveyed in the inclined state, are provided.
According to the invention, the photosensitive planographic printing plate is conveyed in the inclined state between the conveying device with the conveying roller disposed zigzag, and the conveying roller pair provided on the downstream side of the conveying device. The water supply device supplies the washing water to the photosensitive planographic printing plate being conveyed on the inclined conveying path.
Thereby, since the washing water remains on the surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate between the upper side roller of the conveying roller pair and the photosensitive planographic printing plate inclined downward, the water soluble overcoat layer can easily be dissolved by reliably soaking the upper surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate in the washing water. Moreover, since the interval is ensured between the washing water remained on the surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate supplied from the water supply device, and the conveying roller disposed zigzag, so as not to adhere the washing water on the conveying roller, irregularity generation on the surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate due to adherence of the washing water on the photosensitive planographic printing plate in the high temperature state via the conveying rollers can be prevented.
In the first aspect of the present invention, it is further preferable that one roller of the conveying roller pair is a brush roller for brushing the surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate with the washing water supplied.
According to the invention, since the brush roller brushes the surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate soaked in the washing water, the washing effect can be obtained reliably.
In the device of the first aspect according to the present invention, it is more preferable that a supporting guide facing the lower side surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate being conveyed along the inclined conveying path and facing the conveying path, for supporting and guiding the rear end part of the photosensitive planographic printing plate sent out by the conveying device, and a receiving plate disposed between the inclined conveying path and the liquid surface of the washing water collected from the photosensitive planographic printing plate, for receiving the washing water falling from the photosensitive planographic printing plate, are provided. Thereby, scattering of the washing water supplied to the photosensitive planographic printing plate, and bubbling of the washing water can be prevented so that finish failure of the photosensitive planographic printing plate derived from the scattered washing water, the washing water bubbling, or the like, can be prevented.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a roller washing method in a photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material with a processing liquid while conveying the photosensitive material with a roller, wherein the surface of the roller disposed outside the processing liquid is washed with washing water. In the washing method, an idle roller disposed in contact with the circumferential surface of the roller, to be rotated following the roller is provided so that the circumferential surface of the roller is washed by rotation drive of the roller with the washing water supplied in the contact part of the roller and the idle roller.
According to the invention, the idle roller to be rotated integrally with the roller is provided facing the circumferential surface of the roller to be washed so that the washing water can be supplied between the roller and the idle roller. Thereby, the washing water stays at the contact part of the roller and the idle roller so as to be spread at the contact part along the axial direction.
By rotating the roller in this state, the washing water can be adhered in the roller circumferential direction so that the entire region of the roller circumferential surface can be washed with the washing water adhered.
Therefore, even with a roller lengthy in the axial direction, the washing operation can be performed efficiently and reliably with a relatively small amount of washing water.
In the second aspect of the present invention, it is also possible to wash the roller circumferential surface by supplying the washing water by a predetermined time interval while rotating the roller. Moreover, in the present invention, it is also possible to wash the roller circumferential surface by starting the rotation drive of the roller after passage of a predetermined time after starting the washing water supply. Furthermore, it is also possible to wash the roller circumferential surface by repeating the washing water supply and the roller rotation drive each by a predetermined time interval.
Moreover, the washing method of the second aspect according to the present invention can be achieved by comprising a driving device for the rotation drive of the roller, an idle roller to be rotated following the rotation of the roller, with the axis disposed parallel with the axis of the roller, a supply device for supplying the washing water between the roller and the idle roller, and a washing controller for washing the roller by controlling the operation of the supply device and the driving device by a predetermined timing.
At the time, as to the supply device, it is more preferable that the washing water is supplied to a plurality of points along the roller axis direction.
According to a device of a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material by circulating a processing liquid in the processing vessel by a circulating device for suctioning a processing liquid in a processing vessel for jetting the same into the processing vessel, wherein a jetting opening for jetting the processing liquid is provided in a middle part in the width direction of the photosensitive material on one side of the conveying path of the photosensitive material so that the processing liquid can be jetted from the jetting opening toward the side wall of the processing vessel.
According to the invention, the jetting opening for jetting the processing liquid is provided in the middle part in the width direction of the photosensitive material on one side of the conveying path of the photosensitive material. The processing liquid is jetted from the jetting opening toward the side wall of the processing vessel along the photosensitive material width direction.
Thereby, the processing liquid jetted from the jetting opening is reflected by the side wall of the processing vessel toward the conveying path of the photosensitive material so as to flow moderately along the photosensitive material surface on the other side of the conveying path of the photosensitive material.
Therefore, flow rate of the processing liquid of the front surface does not differ from that of the rear surface of the photosensitive material so that sensitivity difference derived from the processing liquid flow rate difference cannot be caused in the photosensitive material.
The jetting opening of the third aspect of the present invention can be formed on the tip end of a jetting pipe provided projecting from the other side wall side of the processing vessel.
Moreover, in the device of the third aspect according to the present invention, when a plurality of jetting pipes each capable of jetting the processing liquid are provided in the processing vessel, the jetting opening can be provided in at least one of the jetting pipes.
It is more preferable that the jetting pipe provided with the jetting opening is disposed on the downstream side with respect to the middle part along the conveyance direction of the photosensitive material. That is, since the sensitivity difference derived from the processing liquid flow rate difference can easily be caused on the downstream side with the photosensitive material process proceeded, the sensitivity difference can accurately be restrained.
In the third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that a suction opening for suctioning the processing liquid jetted from the jetting opening is provided between the jetting opening and the side wall in the opposite direction with respect to the processing liquid jetting direction from the jetting opening.
According to the invention, the suction opening is provided between the jetting opening and the other side wall. That is, the jetting pipe is provided projecting from the other side wall side to a position exceeding the suction opening.
Thereby, the processing liquid jetted from the jetting opening can be provided along the width direction of the photosensitive material toward the side wall of one side so that the processing liquid can be circulated and agitated efficiently.
In the third aspect of the present invention, it is more preferable that a guide plate disposed between a pair of side plates of a processing rack in the processing vessel, for guiding the photosensitive material along the conveyance direction, is provided between the jetting opening and the conveying path of the photosensitive material.
According to the invention, the jetting opening is disposed on the side opposite to the conveying path of the photosensitive material with respect to the guide plate for guiding the photosensitive material. Thereby, direct contact with the photosensitive material of the processing liquid of a high flow rate, jetted from the jetting opening can reliably be prevented.
In the third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to form a notch part between a pair of the side plates of the processing rack and the guide plate, for communicating the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the guide plate. Thereby, the processing liquid jetted from the jetting opening can be supplied to the conveying path of the photosensitive material.
Moreover, in the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible that a through hole for allowing passage of the processing liquid between the side wall side of the processing vessel of the side plate and the conveyance side of the photosensitive material is formed in the pair of the side plates of the processing rack instead of the notch part.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material while conveying by transmitting the driving force of the driving source to the conveying roller provided between the pair of the side plates, comprising a worm gear provided on a shaft to be rotated by the driving force of the driving source, a helical gear supported integrally rotatably with a rotation shaft provided between the pair of the side plates so as to be engaged with the worm gear for transmitting the rotation force to the conveying roller, and an urging device for forcing the helical gear to the direction of engaging with the worm gear as well as having at least the shaft and the rotation shaft relatively rotatably when a predetermined amount or more of the rotation torque is applied between the helical gear and the worm gear.
According to the invention, the driving force is transmitted to the conveying roller by mounting the worm gear on the shaft to be rotated by the driving force of the driving source, and engaging the worm gear with the helical gear in the driving system with the helical gear mounted on the side plates.
At the time, the helical gear is engaged integrally rotatably with the worm gear according to the urging force of the urging device. Moreover, the urging device is provided such that the shaft provided with the worm gear, and the rotation shaft provided with the helical gear are provided relatively rotatably when a predetermined amount or more of the torque is applied to the helical gear.
Thereby, application of the torque of a predetermined amount or more on the helical gear can be prevented when the conveying roller placed between the pair of the side plates is locked due to jamming, or the like so that damage of the helical gear or the other gears can be prevented due to application of a large torque. Moreover, application of a large load on the driving source via the shaft can be prevented.
In the forth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the urging device forces the helical gear away from the worm gear.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when a predetermined amount or more of the torque is applied on the helical gear, the helical gear is moved away from the worm gear, resisting to the urging force. Thereby, application of a predetermined amount or more of the torque on the helical gear can reliably be prevented.
In the fourth aspect of the present invention, the helical gear may comprise a base plate to be mounted rotatably, and the urging device may be provided between the base plate and the side plates so that the base plate is forced by a predetermined urging force such that the helical gear is engaged with the worm gear.
In the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is further preferable that the urging device is a one way clutch mechanism provided either between the shaft and the worm gear, or between the helical gear and the rotation shaft.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the one way clutch mechanism is provided either between the shaft and the worm gear, or between the rotation shaft and the helical gear. In general, the one way clutch mechanism is rotated integrally in the positive direction, and relatively in the negative direction. However, the urging force of the urging device is set such that relative rotation can be provided when a predetermined amount or more of the torque is applied with respect to the positive direction.
According to a device of a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material with a processing liquid while conveying by a roller pair, comprising a driving device for the rotation drive of the roller by the drive of a driving source by supplying electric power of a predetermined voltage, and a drive controlling device for gradually raising the voltage of the electric power supplied to the driving source at the time of starting the rotation drive of the roller pair.
According to the invention, at the time of processing the photosensitive material again with the processing liquid by stopping the rotation drive of the roller pair after processing the photosensitive material with the processing liquid while being conveyed by the roller pair, the driving source of the driving device is operated for the rotation drive of the roller pair. At the time, the drive controller gradually raises the voltage of the electric power supplied to the driving source. Thereby, rotation with the rotational frequency of the roller gradually raised can be enabled at the time the rollers comprising the roller pair are not attached with each other at the contact part.
Moreover, when the rollers are attached with each other at the contact part by the processing liquid or a component in the processing liquid, since gradual raise of the output of the driving source (output torque) for drastically providing a large output torque to the driving device such as the gears for transmitting the driving force to the roller can be prevented, the gears will not be damaged.
Moreover, since the torque is provided gradually also to the roller pair, the rollers can be detached with each other without damaging the surface of the rollers so as to solve the attached state.
According to the device of the fifth aspect of the present invention, a zero cross detecting device for detecting the zero cross point of the alternating current voltage input as the driving electric power, and a setting device for setting the electric power supply time of each half cycle of the alternating current voltage at the time of starting the drive of the driving source when of using an alternating current motor driven by the alternating current electric power as the driving source, are provided such that the drive controller drives the driving source by repeating the supply and the blockage of the alternating current electric power based on the setting result of the setting device and the detection result of the zero cross detecting device.
According to the invention, the electric power supply time in the half cycle of the alternating current voltage is set so that the supply and the blockage of the electric power is controlled in the half cycle of the alternating current voltage by the electric power supply time. At the time, by gradually prolonging the electric power supply time, the alternating current voltage (effective value) is raised gradually.
Accordingly, by performing the supply and the blockage of the electric power in the half cycle of the alternating current voltage, generation of the rotation irregularity or the output irregularity of the driving source can be restrained so that the driving force can be provided stably to the roller pair.
The fifth aspect of the present invention is not limited thereto, but various controlling methods can be adopted. For example, the effective value of the alternating current voltage to be supplied to the driving source can be controlled by the ratio of the on cycle and the off cycle by providing an on cycle for providing the electric power and an off cycle for shielding the electric power supply in the alternating current voltage.
By adopting such a control method, for example, the torque to be applied on the roller can be enlarged gradually with fluctuation by generating the output irregularity of the driving source, the attached state of the rollers can be released effectively.
According to sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing liquid preparation method for preparing a processing liquid stored in a processing vessel by introducing an original liquid and diluting water for diluting the original liquid in the processing vessel, comprising a step of supplying a predetermined amount of the original liquid and an amount of the diluting water adjusted to the amount of the original liquid in the processing vessel, and a step of adjusting replenishment by supplying the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting water for diluting the original liquid for the replenishment by a diluting ratio according to the kind of the photosensitive material to be processed.
According to the method, a certain amount of the diluting water is added to a predetermined amount of the original liquid in the processing vessel. The supply of the diluting water at the time can be performed in a short time by using a supply device with high ejection ability, such as a magnet pump.
After adding a certain amount of the diluting water to a predetermined amount of the original liquid, the adjusting replenishment is performed for the residual amount to a desired amount by a diluting ratio according to the kind of the photosensitive material. The adjusting replenishment can be performed by the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting water for diluting the original liquid for the replenishment. Thereby, a desired amount of the processing liquid can be prepared in the processing vessel.
Moreover, the processing liquid preparation method of a sixth aspect of the present invention is a processing liquid preparation method for preparing a processing liquid stored in a processing vessel by introducing an original liquid and diluting water for diluting the original liquid in the processing vessel, comprising a step of supplying a predetermined amount of the original liquid and a certain amount of the diluting water in the processing vessel and supplying the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting water for diluting the original liquid for the replenishment by a diluting ratio according to the kind of the photosensitive material to be processed, and a step of adjusting replenishment for supplying the original liquid for the replenishment or the diluting water for diluting the original liquid for the replenishment according to the detection result by an electric conductivity sensor.
According to the invention, a certain amount of the diluting water is added to a predetermined amount of the original liquid in the processing vessel. Then, for the residual amount to the desired amount, the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting water for diluting the original liquid for the replenishment are supplied by the diluting ratio according to the kind of the photosensitive material. Thereafter, when a targeted electric conductivity is not obtained with reference to the electric conductivity detected by the electric conductivity sensor, the adjusting replenishment for supplying the original liquid for the replenishment or the diluting water is performed according to the detection result.
Thereby, a desired amount of the processing liquid can be prepared in the processing vessel by a desired electric conductivity.
In the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the certain amount of the diluting water is set based on the amount of the processing liquid with the least processing liquid capacity stored in the processing vessel.
According to the invention, it is preferable that the certain amount of the diluting water supplied to the processing vessel is set smaller than the least processing liquid amount by for example, 0.2 l (litter) to 0.5 l.
Moreover, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, a liquid level detecting device for detecting attainment of the predetermined amount of the processing liquid amount in the processing vessel is provided in the processing vessel so that the diluting water is supplied in addition to the original liquid until the processing liquid can reach the predetermined amount according to the liquid level to be detected by the liquid level detecting device.
Furthermore, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the adjusting replenishment is performed using a replenishing device for supplying the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting water to the processing vessel so that the adjusting replenishment can be performed accurately without the need of additionally providing a mechanism for the adjusting replenishment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an automatic developing device adopted in a first embodiment.
FIG. 2
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the essential part of a preheating part adopted in the present invention.
FIG. 3
is a schematic perspective view showing the essential part of a skewered roller adopted in the present embodiment.
FIG. 4
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the essential part of an automatic developing device adopted in a second embodiment.
FIG. 5
is a schematic perspective view showing the essential part of a conveying path of a photo polymer plate between a preheating part and a pre-water washing part according to the second embodiment.
FIGS. 6A
,
6
B,
6
C are schematic diagrams showing another configuration of the conveying path of the photo polymer plate between the preheating part and the pre-water washing part.
FIG. 7
is a schematic diagram showing another configuration of the conveying path of the photo polymer plate between the preheating part and the pre-water washing part.
FIG. 8
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a PS plate processor adopted in a third embodiment.
FIG. 9
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a desensitizing process part for washing a roller.
FIG. 10
is an essential part perspective view showing the schematic configuration of an idle roller and a water supply bucket disposed facing to roller.
FIG. 11
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the arrangement of the roller, the idle roller, and the water supply bucket, viewed from above the conveying path for the PS plate.
FIGS. 12A and 12B
are timing charts each showing a preferable adoption example of the water supply timing and the driving timing of the conveying roller pair.
FIG. 13
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a PS plate processor according to the fourth embodiment.
FIG. 14
is a schematic perspective view showing the essential part of the processing rack.
FIG. 15
is a schematic diagram showing the essential part of a developing vessel with the processing rack provided, viewed from the PS plate conveyance direction.
FIG. 16
is a schematic cross-sectional view along the direction orthogonal to the PS plate conveyance direction, showing the essential part of the developing vessel and the processing part according to the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 17
is a schematic perspective view showing one of the side plates of the processing part, viewed from the direction opposite to the PS plate conveying path.
FIG. 18
is a schematic perspective view showing one of the side plates of the processing part, viewed from the direction opposite to the PS plate conveying path, and different from that of FIG.
15
.
FIG. 19
is a schematic perspective view showing one of the side plates of the processing part, viewed from the PS plate conveying path side.
FIG. 20
is a schematic diagram showing a helical gear and a wall gear according to the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 21
is a schematic perspective view showing the side plate of the processing part according to a sixth embodiment.
FIG. 22A
is a schematic cross-sectional view along the axis direction of the wall gear according to the sixth embodiment.
FIG. 22B
is a schematic cross-sectional view along the direction orthogonal to the axis direction of the wall gear according to the sixth embodiment.
FIG. 23
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a desensitizing process part for washing the roller, according to a seventh embodiment.
FIG. 24
is a plate diagram showing the schematic configuration of a driving controller for driving a conveyance motor.
FIG. 25A
is a linear diagram showing an example of the waveform of an alternating current voltage to be supplied to the conveyance motor.
FIG. 25B
is a linear diagram showing an example of a signal for driving the conveyance motor.
FIG. 26
is a flow chart showing the schematic configuration of the driving control of the conveyance motor.
FIG. 27A
is a linear diagram showing the schematic configuration of the voltage waveform to be supplied to the conveyance motor at the time of washing the roller.
FIG. 27B
is a linear diagram showing an example of a signal for driving the driver at the time of washing the roller.
FIG. 28
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the developing vessel for the PS plate processor shown in FIG.
13
.
FIG. 29
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the developing vessel of a configuration different from that of
FIG. 28
, using the same processing tank.
FIG. 30
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the developing vessel of a configuration different from those of FIG.
28
and
FIG. 29
, using the same processing tank.
FIG. 31
is a flow chart showing the schematic configuration of the preparation process for the preparation liquid.
FIG. 32
is a table showing an example of the replenishing pattern at the time of the adjusting replenishment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
FIG. 1
shows the schematic configuration of an automatic developing device
10
adopted in the first embodiment. The automatic developing device
10
is used for the developing process of the so-called photo polymer plate (hereinafter referred to as the “photo polymer plate
12
”) comprising an aluminum plate, or the like as the supporting body, a photo adhesion layer and a photo polymerization layer superimposed on one side surface of the supporting body, and further an overcoat layer superimposed on the photo polymerization layer as the photosensitive planographic printing plate.
In the photo polymer plate
12
with the four-layer structure, the polymerization reaction of the image portion of the photo polymerization layer is promoted by the image-wise exposure by a laser beam or the like. The image-wise exposure for the photo polymer plate
12
is performed by scanning a laser beam with a setter or the like based on the digital image information.
The automatic developing device
10
comprises a preheating section
14
, a pre-water washing section
16
, a developing section
18
, a rinsing section
20
and a finisher section
22
along the photo polymer plate
12
conveyance direction. The photo polymer plate
12
is nipped by an inserting roller pair
24
and sent into a heating chamber
26
of the preheating section
14
to be treated by a developing process of the automatic developing device
10
.
In the preheating section
14
, a plurality of skewered rollers
28
are provided in the heating chamber
26
. As shown in
FIG. 3
, each of the skewered rollers
28
is provided as a short roller
96
pivoted by the rotation shaft
94
with an interval provided. Moreover, a pair of E rings
98
, or the like is fitted onto the rotation shaft
94
so as to interpose the short roller
96
at a predetermined interval. Thereby, each of the skewered rollers
28
has the short roller
96
slightly movable along the axis of the rotation shaft
94
.
As shown in FIG.
1
and
FIG. 2
, in the heating chamber
26
, the conveying path for the photo polymer plate
12
comprises a plurality of the skewered rollers
28
. The photo polymer plate
12
sent into the heating chamber
26
by the inserting roller pair
24
is conveyed to the pre-water washing section
16
while being supported substantially horizontally by the skewered rollers
28
.
Moreover, in the preheating section
14
, a far infrared ray heater
30
is provided as a heating device in the heating chamber
26
. Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
is heated to a predetermined temperature at the time of passing through the heating chamber
26
. Details of the preheating section
14
will be described later.
The pre-water washing section
16
comprises a conveying roller pair
36
on the preheating section
14
side, and a conveying roller pair
38
on the developing section
18
side. Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
is nipped by the conveying roller pair
36
so as to be conveyed toward the conveying roller pair
38
while being introduced into the pre-water washing section
16
. Further, the conveying roller pair
38
sends out the photo polymer plate
12
, on a slant, conveyed through the pre-water washing section
16
toward the developing section
18
.
In the pre-water washing section
16
, a brush roller
40
and a backup roller
42
are disposed between the conveying roller pairs
36
,
38
. A spray pipe
44
and a spray pipe
45
are disposed between the conveying roller pair
36
and the brush roller
40
.
Further, the pre-water washing section
16
comprises a post-water washing vessel
32
, a pre-water washing vessel
34
and an overflow vessel
70
disposed successively from the developing section
18
side. Washing water for the washing process of the photo polymer plate
12
is stored in the post-water washing vessel
32
and the pre-water washing vessel
34
. The lower side roller of the conveying roller pair
38
is partially soaked in the washing water in the post-water washing vessel
32
. Additionally, the washing water in the pre-water washing vessel
34
is supplied to the spray pipes
44
,
45
.
In the pre-water washing section
16
, supplying the washing water in the pre-water washing vessel
34
to the spray pipe
44
, the spray pipe
44
sprays the washing water onto the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
. Thereby, the water soluble overcoat layer on the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
can dissolve easily. Furthermore, the washing water is supplied from the spray pipe
45
to the brush roller
40
by supplying the washing water in the pre-water washing vessel
34
to the spray pipe
45
.
In this structure, the brush roller
40
brushes the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
nipped by the brush roller
40
and the backup roller
42
. With the washing water supplied from the spray pipe
45
, the brush roller
40
eliminates the overcoat layer dissolving easily by the washing water from the spray pipe
44
. Moreover, the washing water sprayed from the spray pipe
45
is collected into the pre-water washing vessel
34
together with the overcoat layer eliminated by the brush roller
40
.
In the pre-water washing section
16
, the photo polymer plate
12
brushed by the brush roller
40
is sent into the developing section
18
while being nipped by the conveying roller pair
38
. When the conveying roller pair
38
is not activated for conveying the photo polymer plate
12
, the conveying roller pair
38
is washed with the washing water in the post-water washing vessel
32
. For this washing, the washing water is pumped up to the lower side roller of the conveying roller pair
38
to wet the upper side roller of the conveying roller pair
38
.
Next, in the pre-water washing section
16
, for example, the processing amount (processing area, or the like) of the photo polymer plate
12
is detected. Water to be the washing water is replenished to the post-water washing vessel
32
when the processing amount reached at a preset value. Thereby, by overflowing the excessive washing water in the post-water washing vessel
32
to the pre-water washing vessel
34
, the washing water can be replenished to the pre-water washing vessel
34
. Furthermore, by overflowing the washing water from the pre-water washing vessel
34
to the overflow vessel
70
, the overcoat layer eliminated from the photo polymer plate
12
, and the washing water with the overcoat layer dissolved can be discharged.
Accordingly, in the pre-water washing section
16
, by replenishing the washing water with this cascade method to supply the washing water with a low concentration of the overcoat layer dissolved from the photo polymer plate
12
to the conveying roller pair
38
, the conveyance failure is prevented from happening due to adhesion of the overcoat layer component to the conveying roller pair
38
.
In the developing section
18
, a developing vessel
46
storing the developing liquid is provided. The conveying roller pair
38
conveys the photo polymer plate
12
toward the developing vessel
46
. By being soaked in the developing liquid, the light unreceiving part of the photo polymerization layer of the photo polymer plate
12
swells so as to be eliminated. In the developing section
18
, the photo polymerization layer of the light unreceiving part is eliminated from the photo polymer plate
12
.
In the developing vessel
46
, a guide plate
48
is provided at an inlet of the photo polymer plate
12
. Further, in the developing vessel
46
, a brush roller
50
and a roll roller
52
are provided on the downstream side of the guide plate
48
. Like the skewered rollers
28
disposed in the heating chamber
26
, the roll roller
52
is a skewered roller with a plurality of short rollers spaced at an interval along the axis direction of the rotation shaft. Furthermore, the roll roller
52
is slightly movable along the axis direction of the rotation shaft by E rings, or the like, fitted on the rotation shaft so as to face with each other at both ends of the short roller.
The guide roller
48
guides the photo polymer plate
12
conveyed into the developing vessel
46
to a position between the brush roller
50
and the roll roller
52
while smoothly curving the photo polymer plate
12
in a large arc soaked in the developing liquid.
The brush roller
50
rotates to brush the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
while nipping the photo polymer plate
12
with the roll roller
52
by a predetermined pressure. Thereby, the photo polymerization layer of the light unreceiving part swelled by the developing liquid is eliminated by the brush roller
50
from the photo polymer plate
12
. The brush roller
50
can reliably eliminate the unnecessary light unreceiving part in the vicinity of the boundary between the light receiving part and the light unreceiving part.
In the developing section
18
, a conveying roller pair
54
is provided on the rinsing section
20
side. The conveying roller pair
54
nips the photo polymer plate
12
conveyed from the developing vessel
46
and brushed by the brush roller
50
in order to convey the same into the rinsing section
20
. Besides this conveyance, the conveying roller pair
54
also serves for squeezing out the developing liquid from the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
.
The rinsing section
20
is provided with conveying roller pairs
56
,
58
. The conveying roller pairs
56
,
58
convey the photo polymer plate
12
coming in the rinsing section
20
in the substantially horizontal state.
Moreover, spray pipes
60
,
62
are provided in the rinsing section
20
between the conveying roller pairs
56
,
58
. The spray pipes
60
,
62
are provided above and below with respect to the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
for spraying the washing water as the rinsing liquid toward the front and rear surfaces of the photo polymer plate
12
conveyed in the rinsing section
20
. Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
are ready to be conveyed to the finisher section
22
after having the front and rear surfaces washed.
In the finisher section
22
, conveying roller pairs
64
,
66
are provided. The conveying roller pairs
64
,
66
convey the photo polymer plate
12
coming into the finisher section
22
in the substantially horizontal state.
Moreover, a spray pipe
68
is provided between the conveying roller pairs
64
,
66
in the finisher section
22
. The spray pipe
68
is provided on the upper side of the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
for spraying the finisher liquid toward the upper surface of the photo polymer plate
12
conveyed in the finisher section
22
. Thereby, the image forming surface of the photo polymer plate
12
is coated with the finisher liquid.
To the photo polymer plate
12
after the developing process mentioned above is subject to a drying process by a drying device (not shown) or the like.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, an inlet
72
is formed on the inserting roller pair
24
side, and an outlet
74
is formed on the pre-water washing section
16
side in the heating chamber
26
of the preheating section
14
. The above-mentioned skewered rollers
28
are disposed rotatably at a predetermined interval between the inlet
72
and the outlet
74
.
Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
conveyed into the heating chamber
26
by the inserting roller pair
24
is guided toward the outlet
74
in the substantially horizontal state while being supported by the skewered rollers
28
so as to be handed to the conveying roller pair
36
. The conveying roller pair
36
nips the photo polymer plate
12
so as to draw it out from the heating chamber
26
and convey it into the pre-water washing section
16
.
Next, the far infrared ray heater
30
as the heating device is disposed on the inlet
72
side of the heating chamber
26
. The far infrared ray heater
30
is arranged with the longitudinal direction thereof along the width direction orthogonal to the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
. Due to this arrangement, the entire region of the photo polymer plate
12
along the width direction can be heated when the photo polymer plate
12
is inserted to be heated in the heating chamber
26
by the inserting roller pair
24
. Moreover, the upper side of the far infrared ray heater
30
is covered with a cover
78
with a reflection plate
76
.
Accordingly, the radiation heat is discharged from the far infrared ray heater
30
toward the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
so as to heat the air in the heating chamber
26
. The photo polymer plate
12
is brought into the heating chamber
26
to be heated by the radiation heat discharged from the far infrared ray heater
30
.
A circulation fan
80
is provided in the central upper part of the heating chamber
26
. The circulation fan
80
comprises a chamber
82
along a blowing direction such that the air is blown from the chamber
82
into the heating chamber
26
by sending the air in the heating chamber
26
to the chamber
82
.
By operating the circulation fan
80
in the heating chamber
26
with the far infrared ray heater
30
radiating the heat, the air inside the heating chamber
26
can be agitated while being heated so as to reach a uniform temperature.
The chamber
82
diffuses the blowing air along the width direction of the photo polymer plate
12
as the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the photo polymer plate
12
.
Furthermore, the chamber
82
is oriented to the upstream side of the conveyance direction of the photo polymer plate
12
(inlet
72
side of the heating chamber
26
). Thereby, while heating the photo polymer plate
12
inserted from the inlet
72
by the radiation heat of the far infrared ray heater
30
, the cold air drawn from the outside of the heating chamber
26
on the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
can be eliminated by blowing the heated air in the heating chamber
26
by the circulation fan
80
. In this embodiment, as an example thereof, an angle of the heated air blowing from the chamber
82
is substantially 45° with respect to the photo polymer plate
12
conveyance direction. Although the blowing angle is preferably in the range between 30° and 80° with respect to the photo polymer plate
12
conveyance direction, it may be parallel with the conveyance direction, orthogonal to the conveyance direction, or any orientation.
Next, the preheating section
14
comprises a cooling section
84
next to the heating chamber
26
(FIG.
2
). The cooling section
84
comprises a chamber
86
above the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
delivered from the outlet
74
of the heating chamber
26
. The lower side of the chamber
86
is formed hollow. Moreover, a cooling fan
88
as a cooling device supplies cooling air to the chamber
86
.
Thereby, the chamber
86
blows the cooling air supplied from the cooling fan
88
onto the photo polymer plate
12
drawn from the heating chamber
26
while diffusing the cooling air substantially uniformly along the width direction of the photo polymer plate
12
. The cooling air is blown to lower the temperature of the photo polymer plate
12
drawn from the heating chamber
26
.
The upper side roller
36
A of the conveying roller pair
36
in the pre-water washing section
16
is a skewered roller having the structure substantially same as that of the skewered rollers
28
in the above-mentioned preheating section
14
.
Thereby, even with shrinkage of the supporting body or the photosensitive layer of the photo polymer plate
12
due to being cooled in the cooling section
84
, the wrinkles of the photo polymer plate
12
can be prevented when the conveying roller pair
36
nips to convey the photo polymer plate
12
.
In the preheating section
14
, a heating controller
90
is provided such that the far infrared ray heater
30
, the circulation fan
80
and the cooling fan
88
are connected to the heating controller
90
.
Moreover, the heating chamber
26
of the preheating section
14
comprises a temperature sensor
92
as a temperature detecting device for detecting the temperature in the heating chamber
26
, with the temperature sensor
92
connected to the heating controller
90
.
The heating controller
90
with the temperature sensor
92
controls the operation of the far infrared ray heater
30
and the circulation fan
80
so as to maintain the heating chamber
26
at a predetermined temperature.
The photo polymer plate
12
adopted in this embodiment can increase the printing resistance by appropriately hardening the photo polymerization layer in the light receiving part without the wrinkles under a heating temperature in a range between 80° C. and 120° C. with a heating time not less than 8 seconds, preferably not less than 10 seconds.
Therefore, the heating controller
90
is to have a temperature measured by the temperature sensor
92
at 120° C. or less. That is, the heating controller
90
controls such that the temperature of the air in the heating chamber
26
cannot exceed the upper limit heating temperature (120° C.) for the photo polymer plate
12
.
The automatic developing device
10
comprises a plate detecting sensor (not shown) in the vicinity of the upstream side of the inserting roller pair
24
. Driving of the conveying rollers, including the inserting roller pair
24
, for the photo polymer plate
12
can start by detecting the photo polymer plate
12
with the plate detecting sensor. A method known to the public can be applied for controlling the cooling fan
88
. In such a method, the heating controller
90
controls the operation of the cooling fan
88
when forwarding the photo polymer plate
12
detected by the plate detecting sensor from the outlet
74
of the heating chamber
26
; the heating controller
90
stops the cooling fan
88
when forwarding the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
by the conveying roller pair
36
to the pre-water washing section
16
.
In the automatic developing device
10
arranged as described, when the photo polymer plate
12
after the image-wise exposure is inserted to the preheating section
14
, the photo polymer plate
12
is heated so as to increase the printing resistance by increasing the polymerization degree of the photo polymerization layer in the light receiving part.
The photo polymer plate
12
passed through the preheating section
14
is conveyed into the pre-water washing section
16
for swelling the surface overcoat layer by the washing water sprayed from the spray pipe
44
, and thereafter it is brushed with the brush roller
40
. Thereby, the overcoat layer of the photo polymer plate
12
is eliminated.
Moreover, the photo polymer plate
12
after being brushed is conveyed into the developing section
18
while being nipped by the conveying roller pair
38
. At the time, in the pre-water washing section
16
, the photo polymer plate
12
is washed with the washing water pumped up from the post-water washing vessel
32
, and the washing water is squeezed off by the conveying roller pair
38
.
Furthermore, the washing water including the overcoat layer eluted from the photo polymer plate
12
is adhered to the conveying roller pair
38
. The polluted washing water including the overcoat layer component adhered to the conveying roller pair
38
is washed off with the fresh washing water pumped up from the post-water washing vessel
32
by the lower roller of the conveying roller pair
38
when the photo polymer plate
12
is not passing through. Thereby, the conveyance failure such as slippage of the photo polymer plate
12
to be nipped and conveyed by the conveying roller pair
38
due to adherence of the overcoat layer component having the slime to the conveying roller pair
38
can be prevented. Adherence of the precipitated overcoat layer component to the photo polymer plate
12
or flaw of the photo polymer plate
12
can also be prevented when the rotation drive of the conveying roller pair
38
is stopped.
The photo polymer plate
12
after finishing the pre-water washing is conveyed into the developing section
18
so as to be soaked in the developing liquid in the developing vessel
46
for having the photo polymerization layer of the light unreceiving part swelled. Thereafter, by being brushed by the brush roller
50
, the photo polymerization layer of the swelled light unreceiving part is eliminated so that an image can be formed by the exposed photo polymerization layer.
The photo polymer plate
12
from the developing section
18
has the front and rear surfaces washed by blowing the washing water sprayed from the spray pipes
60
,
62
while being conveyed in the rinsing section
20
by the conveying roller pairs
56
,
58
in the substantially horizontal state. Accordingly, the photo polymerization layer of the unexposed part is reliably washed off.
The photo polymer plate
12
after finishing the rinsing process is coated with a finisher liquid (desensitizing liquid) from the spray pipe
68
while being conveyed by the conveying roller pairs
64
,
66
in the substantially horizontal state in the finisher section
22
. Thereby, the image forming surface of the photo polymer plate
12
is coated with the finisher liquid, and it is conveyed from the automatic developing device
10
.
In the preheating section
14
, prior to the process of the photo polymer plate
12
, the far infrared ray heater
30
and the circulation fan
80
are operated based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor
92
in order to maintain the temperature of the air in the heating chamber
26
at 120° C., the upper limit temperature, for heating the photo polymer plate
12
.
In the heating chamber
26
, the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
comprises a plurality of the skewered rollers
28
. The photo polymer plate
12
conveying path in the heating chamber
26
has the distance (conveying path length) set such that the heating time can be 10 sec or longer based on a photo polymer plate
12
conveyance speed.
The photo polymer plate
12
nipped by the inserting roller pair
24
is conveyed through the heating chamber
26
while being supported by the skewered rollers
28
with the upper surface side opened.
In the heating chamber
26
, the far infrared ray heater
30
is provided at the inlet
72
side. The photo polymer plate
12
can be heated by the radiation heat from the far infrared ray heater
30
by being introduced from the inlet
72
into the heating chamber
26
. Furthermore, to the photo polymer plate
12
introduced into the heating chamber
26
, the heated air (warm air) in the heating chamber
26
is blown to the photo polymer plate
12
by the circulation fan
80
.
Thereby, the air of a relatively low temperature in the vicinity of the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
drawn from the outside of the heating chamber
26
is eliminated effectively to promote the heating operation up to a predetermined temperature. Since the air temperature of the heating chamber
26
, as the temperature of the warm air blown by the circulation fan
80
, is maintained at the upper limit of the temperature for heating the photo polymer plate
12
, the photo polymer plate
12
is heated rapidly to the upper limit temperature. Even if the heating temperature by the far infrared ray heater
30
is higher than the upper limit, the air temperature of the heating chamber
26
will not exceed the upper limit of the heating temperature.
The photo polymer plate
12
heated by the far infrared ray heater
30
is conveyed further through the heating chamber
26
. The photo polymer plate
12
is conveyed while receiving the heat of the air in the heating chamber
26
with the predetermined temperature maintained and the heat from the skewered rollers
28
heated by the air in the heating chamber
26
.
Next, the photo polymer plate
12
is delivered from the heating chamber
26
while being heated in a predetermined temperature range (80° C. to 120° C.) by a predetermined time. Therefore, only the photo polymerization layer of the light unreceiving part can be eliminated reliably in the developing section. This is because the photo polymer plate
12
from the heating chamber
26
has the increased polymerization degree of the photo polymerization layer of the light receiving part so as to harden properly for improving the printing resistance as well as making the boundary of the light unreceiving part clear.
At the time, wrinkles do not form on the photo polymer plate
12
due to nipping force since the skewered rollers
28
convey and support the photo polymer plate
12
in the heating chamber
26
without nipping of roller pairs.
In other words, expansion and shrinkage (mainly expansion) of the photo polymer plate
12
due to heating are unevenly suppressed if the roller pairs nip the photo polymer plate
12
in the heating chamber
26
. Instead, the skewered rollers
28
deal with the photo polymer plate
12
, and the photo polymer plate
12
will not deform with such wrinkles due to uneven influence of nipping.
Moreover, the thickness or the size of the supporting body of the photo polymer plate
12
hardly influences the heating temperature in the preheating section
26
. This is because the air circulated in the heating chamber
26
additionally warms the photo polymer plate
12
to the far infrared ray heater
30
.
In other words, the temperature of the surrounding air of the photo polymer plate
12
will not change regardless of the thickness or the size while the photo polymer plate
12
cools the surrounding air. This is because warm air is continuously supplied to the vicinity of the photo polymer plate
12
. Due to this, the photo polymer plate
12
can be maintained at an appropriate heating temperature.
Next, the cooling section
84
is provided between the heating chamber
26
and the pre-water washing section
26
in the preheating section
14
. The cooling section
84
blows the cooling air onto the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
before conveying the photo polymer plate
12
from the heating chamber
26
to the pre-water washing section
16
.
Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
heated in the heating chamber
26
is rapidly cooled after conveyed into the pre-water washing section
16
. Despite the washing water adhered to the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
in the pre-water washing section
16
, the cooling reliably prevents stains on the photo polymerization layer due to the washing water from occurring.
Therefore, ensuring the cooling time for the photo polymer plate
12
does not require elongating a conveying path while conveying the photo polymer plate
12
from the preheating section
14
to the pre-water washing section
16
. Consequently, a compact structure is achieved between the preheating section
14
and the pre-water washing section
16
.
As described above, according to the automatic developing device
10
adopted in this embodiment, the photo polymer plate
12
can be heated in an appropriate temperature range in the preheating section
14
regardless of the size or the thickness of the supporting body. The space for heating the photo polymer plate
12
is minimized as well. That is, the preheating section
14
is formed with a size enough for ensuring the heating time corresponding to the conveyance speed without changing the conveyance speed of the photo polymer plate
12
, which can influence the processing steps after the preheating section
14
.
The first embodiment heretofore explained shows an application of the present invention, and thus the configuration of the present invention is not limited thereby. For example, the far infrared ray heater
30
as the heating device in the first embodiment is not the only the heating device. Alternatives exist as long as they use radiational heating for the air in the heating chamber
26
and the photo polymer plate
12
.
Moreover, in the first embodiment the two skewered rollers are provided on the upper side of the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
between the preheating section
14
and the pre-water washing section
16
, and the rubber roller is provided between the two skewered rollers on the lower side of the conveying path. Rollers are not limited thereto. Alternatives exist as long as they convey the photo polymer plate
12
heated in the preheating section
14
with releasing the deformation stress due to cooling after heating in the preheating section
14
. For example, a rubber roller may be under the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
, and a skewered roller of a plurality of short rollers may be above and in the center of the width of the conveying path, opposing the rubber roller. The skewered roller is shorter than the rubber roller.
Moreover, although the circulation fan
80
is used as the air circulator and the cooling fan
88
is used as the cooling device in the first embodiment, the circulator and the cooling device are not limited thereto. Many other devices are applicable as long as they include a mechanism for circulating air so as to make the temperature in the heating chamber
26
uniform and for supplying the warm air appropriately to the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
when the photo polymer plate
12
is conveyed into the heating chamber
26
. Many other devices are applicable as the cooling device as long as they are capable of cooling the photo polymer plate
12
heated to the predetermined temperature appropriately when the photo polymer plate
12
is delivered into the pre-water washing section
16
.
For the steps of the pre-water washing section
16
to the finisher section
22
after the preheating section
14
, structuring the automatic developing device to which the present invention is applied is not limited to one for the photo polymer plate
12
. Modifying the automatic developing device is possible in accordance with a photosensitive planographic printing plate requiring the preheating operation.
Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be explained. Since the second embodiment has the same basic configuration as that of the first embodiment, the same numeral is given to the same member as in the first embodiment in the following description, and explanation for the same member is omitted.
FIG. 4
shows the essential part of an automatic developing device
100
adopted in the second embodiment. The automatic developing device
100
is provided with a pre-water washing section
102
instead of the pre-water washing section
16
of the above-mentioned automatic developing device
10
.
In the description below, upstream portions of the pre-water washing section
102
are explained based on the above-mentioned preheating section
14
. However, as the automatic developing device
100
according to the second embodiment, it is not limited to the preheating section
14
. Alternatives are applicable as long as they heat the photo polymer plate
12
to an appropriate temperature. Further variations are possible for performing predetermined processes of the photo polymer plate
12
after the developing section
18
.
The pre-water washing section
102
comprises a post-water washing vessel
104
on the developing section
18
side, and a pre-water washing vessel
106
on the preheating section
14
side. The pre-water washing section
102
includes an overflow vessel
108
on the preheating section
14
side of the pre-water washing vessel
106
in the pre-water washing section
102
.
In the pre-water washing section
102
, water is supplied by a cascade method; supplying fresh washing water to the post-water washing vessel
104
, and overflowing the washing water excessive in the post-water washing vessel
104
to the pre-water washing vessel
106
. Moreover, the washing water excessive in the pre-water washing vessel
106
flows toward the overflow vessel
108
together with the overcoat layer component eliminated from the photo polymer plate
12
so as to be discharged.
Next, the pre-water washing section
102
of the automatic developing device
100
comprises developing rollers
110
,
112
,
114
on the preheating section
14
side. The conveying rollers
110
,
112
,
114
are disposed zigzag such that the conveying rollers
110
,
114
faces the upper surface side of the photo polymer plate
12
, and the conveying roller
112
faces the lower surface side of the photo polymer plate
12
between the conveying rollers
110
,
114
. Furthermore, the conveying roller
112
includes the upper end part disposed between the lower end parts of the conveying rollers
110
,
114
.
Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
conveyed from the preheating section
14
passes through between the conveying rollers
110
,
114
and the conveying roller
112
. During this conveyance, since the conveying roller
112
is disposed between the conveying rollers
110
,
114
, the conveying roller
112
curves the photo polymer plate
12
between the conveying rollers
110
,
114
so as to form an arc upward.
As the conveying roller
112
, a rubber roller is used. Thus, the conveying rollers
110
,
114
get the photo polymer plate
12
contacted reliably with the conveying roller
112
in order to apply the conveyance force when the photo polymer plate
12
passes through between the conveying rollers
110
to
114
.
Moreover, in
FIG. 5
, the conveying rollers
110
,
114
are skewered rollers like the conveying roller
28
. Rollers
118
rotatably supported by the rotation shaft
116
are provided by a predetermined interval, movable and slightly slidable along the axis direction of the rotation shaft
116
by fitting E rings on both end parts.
Thereby, despite of contraction due to the temperature decline appearing on the photo polymer plate
12
heated by the preheating section
14
, the rollers
118
of the conveying rollers
110
,
114
move according to the contraction in the pre-water washing section
102
. Owing to this moving, nipping and conveying of the conveying rollers
110
,
114
and the conveying roller
112
do not cause the wrinkles. Furthermore, without nipping the entire surface in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, the conveying rollers
110
,
114
as a skewered roller convey the photo polymer plate
12
in the pre-water washing section
102
. The wrinkles due to the nipping pressure on the photo polymer plate
12
conveyed from the preheating section
14
are prevented reliably from occurring.
As shown in FIG.
4
and
FIG. 5
, a conveying roller pair
120
is provided on the developing section
18
side in the pre-water washing section
102
. A brush roller
40
and an idle roller
122
opposing to the brush roller
40
are provided between the conveying roller
114
and the conveying roller pair
120
.
The conveying roller pair
120
has the lower end part of the lower side roller
120
A soaked in the washing water in the post-water washing vessel
104
. Thereby, the conveying roller pair
120
rotates to wash its surface when the photo polymer plate
12
does not pass through it. The conveyance failure such as the slippage of the photo polymer plate
12
due to the overcoat layer component adhered on the conveying roller pair
120
eluted from the photo polymer plate
12
is prevented from occurring.
In the pre-water washing section
102
, the photo polymer plate
12
is conveyed toward between the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
while applying the conveyance force to the photo polymer plate
12
between the conveying rollers
110
to
114
in the pre-water washing section
102
. Furthermore, the photo polymer plate
12
is conveyed substantially horizontally between the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
, and the conveying roller pair
120
.
In the pre-water washing section
102
, the spray pipes
44
,
45
are provided between the conveying roller
114
and the brush roller
40
. The spray pipe
45
sprays the washing water toward the brush roller
40
, and the spray pipe
44
sprays the washing water toward the photo polymer plate
12
being conveyed between the conveying roller
114
and the brush roller
40
.
Also in the pre-water washing section
102
, a predetermined level difference is provided in the conveying path between the preheating section
14
and the conveying rollers
110
to
114
, and in the conveying path between the brush roller
40
and the conveying roller pair
120
.
The conveying rollers
110
to
114
are disposed such that the conveying roller
112
projects between the conveying rollers
110
,
114
, with the lower side tangents of the conveying rollers
110
,
114
inclined downward toward the downstream side. This is to convey the photo polymer plate
12
obliquely downward, which is conveyed from the preheating section
14
substantially horizontally. Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
is introduced between the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
in the pre-water washing section
102
.
The spray pipe
44
drops the washing water toward the surface (upper surface) of the photo polymer plate
12
being conveyed in the downwardly inclined state between the conveying roller
114
and the brush roller
40
. Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
reaches between the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
with the washing water stored on the upper surface so as to be brushed by the brush roller
40
.
That is, in the pre-water washing section
102
of the automatic developing device
10
, conveying the photo polymer plate
12
between the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
with the surface soaked in the washing water promotes elimination of the water soluble overcoat layer from the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
.
The conveyance speed of the photo polymer plate
12
and the inclination angle of the photo polymer plate
12
between the conveying roller
114
and the brush roller
40
are main determinants of the time for brushing the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
by the brush roller
50
. In other words, as shown in
FIG. 4
, the level difference h of the conveying path, the horizontal distance d between the first contacting position of the conveying roller
112
with the photo polymer plate
12
and the second contacting position of the brush roller
40
with the photo polymer plate
12
determines the inclination angle of the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
.
Moreover, in the pre-water washing section
102
, the photo polymer plate
12
conveyance speed is a main factor to set the position of dropping the washing water from the spray pipe
44
. This is to subject the photo polymer plate
12
to soaking in the washing water for a predetermined time before brushing by the brush roller
40
.
In the pre-water washing section
102
, the washing water is stored between the photo polymer plate
12
upper surface and the brush roller
40
by conveying the photo polymer plate
12
in the inclined state with the upstream side with respect to the brush roller
40
disposed above. That is, in the pre-water washing section
102
, the washing water is stored between the inclined photo polymer plate
12
and the brush roller
40
on the upstream side of the brush roller
40
.
Thereby, the photo polymer plate
12
is brushed by the brush roller
40
after being soaked in the washing water so that the water soluble overcoat layer can be eliminated efficiently and reliably.
Here, in the second embodiment, as an example, when the conveyance speed v of the photo polymer plate
12
is 1,700 mm/min, the level difference h is set to be 10 mm or larger (h 10 mm) and the horizontal distance d is set to be 80 mm or longer (d 80 mm).
Moreover, in the pre-water washing section
102
, the washing water is dropped rather to the horizontal distance d
0
position than the nipping point of the photo polymer plate
12
by the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
. In the pre-water washing section
102
adopted in the second embodiment, the horizontal distance d
0
is set at 65 mm (d
0
=65 mm) from the conveyance speed v=1,700 mm/min so as to have about 2.3 seconds for the time for soaking the photo polymer plate
12
in the washing water.
Also in the pre-water washing section
102
, a guide plate
124
is provided below the conveying roller
114
as the supporting guide. The guide plate
124
is inclined downward toward the conveyance direction of the photo polymer plate
12
. The guide plate
124
is arranged so as to avoid inadvertent contact of the tip end part or the middle part in the conveyance direction of the photo polymer plate
12
with the conveying roller
112
. Moreover, the lower end of the guide plate
124
between the conveying roller
114
and the brush roller
40
reaches at a position slightly lower than the height of the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
to be delivered from between the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
.
Thereby, in the pre-water washing section
102
, while the photo polymer plate
12
is conveyed to the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
with the washing water stored on the upper surface, the rear end portion of the photo polymer plate
12
separates from the conveying roller
112
, and the rear end portion comes in contact with the guide plate
124
. Then, the guide plate
124
guides and supports the photo polymer plate
12
. During this operation, the guide plate
124
reliably prevents adhesion on the conveying roller
112
of the washing water running down due to drastic slackening of the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
by the weight of the washing water on the upper surface.
Consequently, due to adhesion to the rear surface of the photo polymer plate
12
of the washing water including the overcoat layer component adhered to the conveying roller
112
, slippage of the photo polymer plate
12
with respect to the conveying roller
122
or pollution of the photo polymer plate
12
can be prevented during conveyance.
The guide plate
124
may have various configurations as long as slackening of the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
and dropping of the washing water from the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
is reliably prevented.
In the pre-water washing section
102
, a guide plate
126
is provided in the pre-water washing vessel
106
as the receiving plate. The guide plate
126
is disposed between the conveying roller
112
and the idle roller
122
with the idle roller
122
side inclined downward. Moreover, the guide plate
126
has a size larger than the width direction size of the photo polymer plate
12
.
Thereby, the washing water supplied onto the photo polymer plate
12
drops from both end parts in the width direction of the photo polymer plate
12
or the rear end part of the photo polymer plate
12
onto the guide plate
126
. The washing water further runs off the guide plate
126
and down into the pre-water washing vessel
106
. This is to avoid direct contact of the washing water running down from the photo polymer plate
12
onto the liquid surface of the washing water stored in the pre-water washing vessel
106
.
That is, since the overcoat layer component eliminated from the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
is contained in the washing water in the pre-water washing vessel
106
, bubbling can easily occur. In particular, when the overcoat layer component in the washing water exceeds 2% by weight, bubbling can easily be formed. To suppress the excessive bubbling, the guide plate
126
is provided in the pre-water washing section
102
in the automatic developing device
100
to avoid direct dropping of the washing water on the photo polymer plate
12
onto the surface of the washing water in the pre-water washing vessel
106
.
The guide plate
126
may have various configurations as long as the washing water running down from the photo polymer plate
12
is received.
In the automatic developing device
100
, fresh water is supplied into the post-water washing vessel
104
according to the processing amount (processing area) of the photo polymer plate
12
. Not only the washing water in the post-water washing vessel
104
but also the washing water in the pre-water washing vessel
106
, is the overcoat layer component concentration controlled so as not to exceed 2% (2% by weight).
In the automatic developing device
100
arranged as described, the photo polymer plate
12
preheated by predetermined time and temperature in the preheating section
14
is conveyed to the pre-water washing section
102
. The cooling part
84
may be provided between the preheating section
14
and the pre-water washing section
102
for promoting cooling of the photo polymer plate
12
to be conveyed to the pre-water washing section
102
in order to prevent the wrinkles or the irregular processing due to adherence and sudden cooling of the washing water on the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
.
In the pre-water washing section
102
, the photo polymer plate
12
delivered from the preheating section
14
is conveyed by the conveying rollers
110
to
114
disposed zigzag. Since the conveying rollers
110
,
114
are provided as a skewered roller, the conveyance force is provided reliably to the photo polymer plate
12
without nipping the photo polymer plate
12
on the entire surface in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction between the conveying rollers
110
to
114
. Thereby, the wrinkles due to nipping of the photo polymer plate
12
heated by the preheating section
14
on the entire surface in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction by the conveying roller pair is prevented from occurring.
Moreover, the photo polymer plate
12
is conveyed inclining obliquely downward between the conveying rollers
112
,
114
in the pre-water washing section
102
. Furthermore, in the pre-water washing section
102
, the washing water is dropped from the spray pipe
44
toward the upper surface of the photo polymer plate
12
moved in the inclined state.
Since the photo polymer plate
12
is inclined downward toward the brush roller
40
, the washing water is stored on the photo polymer plate
12
on the upstream side with respect to the brush roller
40
. Moreover, the spray pipe
44
drops the washing water at a preset predetermined position.
Thereby, the washing water is stored on the photo polymer plate
12
on the upstream side with respect to the brush roller
40
so that the photo polymer
12
is brushed by the brush roller
40
after being soaked in the washing water for a predetermined time so as to reliably eliminate the water soluble overcoat layer.
The photo polymer plate
12
after being brushed is conveyed substantially horizontally from between the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
toward the conveying roller pair
120
, and it is send out to the developing section
18
with the washing water squeezed by the conveying roller pair.
Accordingly, in the automatic developing device
100
, the photo polymer plate
12
after finishing the preheating operation can be conveyed without forming the wrinkles, with the overcoat layer reliably eliminated from the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
so as to be delivered to the developing section
18
.
In particular, since the washing water is dropped onto the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
while conveying the photo polymer plate
12
with the brush roller
40
side downward in the pre-water washing part
12
for storing the washing water on the photo polymer plate
12
, the photo polymer plate
12
is brushed after having the surface thereof soaked in the washing water for swelling the water soluble overcoat layer. Thereby, elimination of the overcoat layer by the brush roller
40
is reliably performed.
Moreover, since the preheating section
14
side of the photo polymer plate
12
with the washing water supplied from the spray pipe
44
is inclined upward in the pre-water washing section
102
, flowing out on the photo polymer plate
12
of the washing water supplied to the photo polymer plate
12
to the preheating section
14
side or partial change of the time having the washing water adhered is prevented. Thereby, deterioration of the finishing quality by irregularity on the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
by partial adhesion of the washing water to the photo polymer plate
12
in a high temperature state without passage of enough time after discharge of the photo polymer plate
12
from the preheating section
14
due to adhesion of the washing water on the conveying roller
114
is prevented.
The washing water supplied from the spray pipe
44
to the photo polymer plate
12
is dropped from the both end sides in the width direction of the photo polymer plate
12
or the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
being conveyed into the pre-water washing vessel
106
. During this, since the inclined guide plate
126
is provided in the pre-water washing vessel
106
so that the washing water dropping from the photo polymer plate
12
can be received by the guide plate
126
, bubbling of the washing water due to direct contact of the washing water dropping from the photo polymer plate
12
with the liquid surface of the washing water in the pre-water waving vessel
126
is prevented.
Moreover, since the guide plate
126
is inclined with the preheating section
14
side upward, splashing to the preheating section
14
side of the washing water dropped from the photo polymer plate
12
to the guide plate
126
so as to be adhered to the photo polymer plate
12
, is prevented. Thereby, the finishing defects such as irregularity on the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
due to adhesion of the scattered washing water on the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
are prevented.
Furthermore, the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
may be slackened by passage between the conveying rollers
112
,
114
. In particular, significant slackening easily occurs by the weight of the washing water on the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
. The washing water on the surface of the photo polymer plate
12
may falls off at one time from the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
causing splashing or frothing the washing water.
In view of this, the pre-water washing section
102
is provided with the guide plate
124
from the vicinity of the conveying roller
112
along the inclined conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
. Thereby, the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
separated from the conveying roller
112
comes in contact with the guide plate
124
so as to prevent the slackening. Therefore, running down of the washing water from the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
at one time is prevented. Additionally, the rear end of the photo polymer plate
12
is conveyed into between the brush roller
40
and the idle roller
122
in the state preliminarily soaked in the washing water. Consequently, the overcoat layer is reliably eliminated to the rear end part of the photo polymer plate
12
.
In the preheating section
102
of the automatic developing device
100
adopted accordingly in the second embodiment, irregular processing due to the stain of the adhered washing water caused by inadvertent adhesion of the washing water to the photo polymer plate
12
in a high temperature state after heated in the preheating section
14
is reliably prevented. Further, the overcoat layer of the photo polymer plate
12
is eliminated efficiently by soaking the same reliably in the washing water. Thereby, deterioration of the finishing quality of the photo polymer plate
12
in the pre-water washing stage is reliably prevented.
Although the skewered conveying rollers
110
,
114
are disposed above and the rubber conveying roller
112
is disposed below zigzag in the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
in the upstream part of the pre-water washing section
102
in the embodiment heretofore explained, it is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in
FIG. 6A
, the zigzag conveying path may be formed with the skewered conveying rollers
130
,
132
disposed on the lower side the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
and the conveying roller
134
using a rubber roller disposed on the upper side of the conveying path such that the photo polymer plate
12
delivered while being nipped by the conveying rollers
112
,
114
before in contact with the washing water to be sprayed from the spray pipes
44
,
45
is nipped and conveyed.
Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 6B
, the skewered conveying rollers
130
,
132
maybe disposed on the upper side of the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
, and the conveying roller
134
on the lower side. Furthermore, as shown in
FIG. 6C
, the skewered conveying roller
130
and the conveying roller
134
using a rubber roller on the downstream side of the conveying rollers
110
,
112
,
114
as a pair may be disposed as well.
Furthermore, as shown in
FIG. 7
, it is also possible to dispose the skewered conveying roller
138
and the conveying roller
140
using a rubber roller on the upstream side of the conveying roller
110
so that the photo polymer plate
12
can be conveyed between the conveying rollers
110
,
112
while being nipped.
That is, other configurations maybe adopted as long as they have the rubber roller disposed on one side of the conveying path of the photo polymer plate
12
, and provide the skewered conveying roller on the other side corresponding to the rubber roller.
Furthermore, it is an example of the present invention, and thus the configuration of the present invention is not limited thereby. Each of the present invention can be adopted to an automatic developing device with an optional configuration comprising a preheating part and a pre-water washing part for applying preheating and pre-water washing to the photosensitive planographic printing plate.
Third Embodiment
Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained.
FIG. 8
shows the schematic configuration of a photosensitive planographic printing plate processing device adopted as an example of the photosensitive material processing device (hereinafter referred to as a “PS plate processor
210
”). The PS plate processor
210
is for performing a developing process for a photosensitive planographic printing plate (hereinafter referred to as a “PS plate
212
”) such as a photo polymer plate after image-wise exposure by an exposing device (not shown) The PS plate
212
comprises a thin rectangular flat plate such as an aluminum plate as the supporting body, and a photosensitive layer formed on the supporting body. The photo polymer plate is provided with a photosensitive layer by superimposing a photo adhesion layer, a photo polymerization layer, and an overcoat layer such that the polymerization reaction in the image part of the photo polymerization layer is promoted by the image-wise exposure by a laser beam.
According to the PS plate processor
210
to be explained below, the PS plate
212
of a large side with about a 1,100 mm width in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction can be processed.
The PS plate processor
210
is provided with a developing part
214
for processing the PS plate
212
with a developing liquid, a water washing part
216
for supplying the washing water to the PS plate
212
processed with the developing liquid for washing the same with the water, a desensitizing process section
218
for applying a gum liquid to the PS plate
212
after washing with the water for the desensitizing process, and a drying part
220
for drying the PS plate
212
. That is, in the PS plate processor
210
, the developing process, the water washing process, the desensitizing process and the drying step are disposed successively along the conveyance direction of the PS plate
212
(arrow A in FIG.
8
).
In the PS plate processor
210
, a processing tank
222
is provided. In the processing tank
222
, a developing vessel
224
is formed at a position to be the developing part
214
, and a water washing vessel
226
and a desensitizing vessel
228
are formed as a processing vessel at a position to be the water washing part
216
and the desensitizing process section
218
.
In an outer plate panel
230
covering the processing tank
222
, a slit-like insertion opening
232
is formed, and a discharge opening
234
is formed on the drying part
220
side in the processing tank
222
.
In the PS plate processor
210
, a cover
236
for covering the upper part of the processing tank
222
is provided. The cover
236
integrally covers the developing process, the water washing process and the desensitizing process provided in the processing tank
222
. Moreover, a reentry insertion opening (sub insertion opening)
238
is provided in the cover
236
for inserting the PS plate
212
between the developing part
214
and the water washing part
216
. The sub insertion opening
238
is for inserting the PS plate
212
for performing the process in the PS plate processor
210
except the process in the developing part
214
.
An insertion base
240
is provided outside the insertion opening
232
, and a rubber conveying roller pair
242
is provided on the PS plate
212
insertion side of the developing part
214
. The PS plate
212
with the image printed is placed on the insertion base
240
so as to be inserted from the insertion opening
232
along the arrow A direction and sent between the conveying roller pair
242
.
The conveying roller pair
242
is rotated by the driving force of a driving device (not shown) for taking in the inserted PS plate
212
, and sending the same into the developing part
214
by about a 15° to 31° angle range with respect to the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, a one side type PS plate
212
with a photosensitive layer formed on one surface of the supporting body is used. The PS plate
212
is inserted from the insertion opening
232
into the PS plate processor
210
in the state with the photosensitive layer disposed upward.
The developing vessel
224
formed in the processing tank
222
has a substantially protruded shape with the bottom part center projecting downward for storing the developing liquid for performing the developing process for the PS plate
212
. In the developing vessel
224
, a guide plate
244
is disposed along the bottom part on the lower side along the conveyance direction of the PS plate
212
.
The guide plate
244
is provided on the upstream part (insertion opening
232
side) of the developing vessel
224
, with a plurality of rotatable rolls (small rollers)
246
mounted. The PS plate
212
sent into the developing part
214
by the conveying roller pair
242
is conveyed on the guide plate
244
while being guided by the rolls
246
.
In the developing vessel
224
, a conveying roller pair
248
with the outer circumference made of a rubber is disposed on the water washing part
216
side so that the PS plate
212
guided and conveyed in the developing vessel
224
in a substantially U shape is nipped by the conveying roller pair
248
so as to be taken out from the developing vessel
224
. The PS plate
212
is soaked in the developing liquid while being conveyed accordingly in the developing vessel
224
so that the unnecessary part of the photosensitive layer exposed by the image-wise exposure is swelled by the developing liquid, and peeled off from the supporting body so as to eliminate the unnecessary photosensitive layer.
In the developing vessel
224
, a spray pipe
250
is provided so that the developing liquid in the developing vessel
224
suctioned by a pump (not shown) is blown onto the photosensitive layer surface of the PS plate
212
by the spray pipe
250
for supplying the developing liquid to the surface of the PS plate
212
as well as for circulating the developing liquid in the developing vessel
224
.
Moreover, in the developing vessel
224
, a brush roller
280
is provided between the guide plate
244
and the conveying roller pair
248
. The brush roller
280
brushes the surface of the PS plate
212
by rotating with the hairy material in contact with the surface of the PS plate
212
being conveyed while being soaked in the developing liquid so as to promote elimination of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the surface of the PS plate
212
.
In the developing part
214
, a liquid surface lid
252
is disposed with the lower surface below the liquid surface of the developing liquid stored in the developing vessel
224
. Moreover, shielding members
254
A,
254
B are provided on the insertion opening
232
side on the developing vessel
24
wall surface and the liquid surface lid
252
, and shielding members
254
C,
254
D are mounted on the water washing part
224
side. In the processing tank
222
, shielding members
254
E,
254
F contacting with the circumferential surface of the conveying roller pair
256
are mounted in the vicinity of the discharge opening
234
, and a shielding member
254
G is mounted on the sub insertion opening
238
of the cover
236
.
The shielding members
254
A to
254
G are made of a silicone rubber, or the like. In the developing vessel
224
, a large capacity liquid surface lid
252
is provided contacting with the liquid surface in the space in the sealed part provided by the shielding members
254
A to
254
G, the conveying roller pairs
242
,
248
, or the like, for reducing the amount of the air contained in the space as well as for preventing entrance of fresh air in the vicinity of the liquid surface of the developing liquid by the liquid surface lid
252
, the shielding members
254
A to
254
G, or the like so that deterioration of the developing liquid by the carbon gas in the air and the moisture evaporation can be restrained. The liquid surface lid
252
is provided with skewered rollers
252
A,
252
B on the end part lower surface on the upstream side and the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
212
so that damage of the surface (mainly the photosensitive surface) due to contact of the PS plate
212
being conveyed in the developing part
214
with the lower surface of the liquid surface lid
252
can be prevented.
The PS plate
212
taken out from the developing vessel
224
by the conveying roller pair
248
is sent into the water washing part
216
while squeezing off the developing liquid adhered on the surface by the conveying roller pair
248
.
In the water washing part
216
, the conveying path for conveying the PS plate
212
by the conveying roller pairs
258
,
260
disposed above the water washing vessel
226
in the substantially horizontal state is formed so that the PS plate
212
is conveyed horizontally above the water washing vessel
226
by being nipped by the conveying roller pairs
258
,
260
.
In the water washing part
216
, spray pipes
262
A,
262
B are provided as a pair on the upper side and the lower side with respect to the PS plate
212
conveying path between the conveying roller pairs
258
,
260
. The spray pipes
262
A,
262
B are disposed with the axis direction along the PS plate
212
width direction (direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction), with a plurality of ejection holes formed facing the PS plate
212
conveying path and along the axis direction of the spray pipes
262
A,
262
B.
In the water washing vessel
226
, the washing water is stored as the processing liquid. Moreover, one end of a pipe
282
is opened on the bottom part of the water washing vessel
226
. The pipe
282
is connected to the spray pipes
262
A,
262
B via a liquid supply pump (not shown). The spray pipes
262
A,
262
B jets out the washing water supplied by the drive of the water supply pump synchronously with the conveyance of the PS plate
212
toward the PS plate
212
from the ejection holes. The developing liquid adhered on the surface of the PS plate
212
is washed off by the washing water.
The developing liquid accordingly washed off by the washing water is dropped into the washing vessel
226
together with the washing water. The new liquid of the washing water is supplied to the water washing vessel
226
by a device (not shown) according to the PS plate
212
processing amount.
The washing water supplied to the PS plate
212
is squeezed off from the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
together with the developing liquid adhered on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
by nipping and sending out the PS plate
212
by the conveying roller pair
60
so as to be collected in the water washing vessel
226
. As to the jetting direction of the washing water from the spray pipes
262
A,
262
B, it is set for the spray pipe
262
A to be the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
212
, and it is set for the spray pipe
262
B to be the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
212
, but it is not limited thereto, and another direction can be used.
In the desensitizing process section
218
, a conveying roller pair
256
is provided above the desensitizing process vessel
228
. After being conveyed in the desensitizing process section
218
by the conveying roller pair
256
, the PS plate
212
is sent out from the discharge opening
234
.
A spray pipe
264
is provided on the upper side of the conveying path of the PS plate
212
in the desensitizing process section
218
. The spray pipe
264
is disposed with the axis direction along the width direction of the PS plate
212
, with a plurality of ejection holes formed facing the PS plate
212
conveying path along the axis direction of the spray pipe
264
. Moreover, an ejection unit
266
with a slit continuous in the PS plate
212
width direction formed is provided below the PS plate
212
conveying path in the desensitizing process section
218
.
In the desensitizing process vessel
228
, a gum liquid used for protection of the plate surface of the PS plate
212
is stored. The gum liquid is supplied to the spray pipe
264
and the ejection unit
266
synchronously with the conveyance of the PS plate
212
. The spray pipe
264
drops the gum liquid toward the PS plate
212
for applying the same spread on the surface of the PS plate
212
. Moreover, the ejection unit
266
coats the gum liquid ejected from the slit on the entire surface of the rear surface side of the PS plate
212
at the time the PS plate
212
rear surface side passes in contact with the slit part.
In the PS plate
212
, a protection film is formed by the gum liquid coated on the front and rear surfaces. The ejection direction of the gum liquid from the spray pipe
264
is not limited to the PS plate
212
conveyance direction downstream side, but it can be another direction. Moreover, although the ejection unit
266
is provided on the lower side of the conveying path of the PS plate
212
for coating the gum liquid, it is not limited thereto, but it is also possible to coat the gum liquid on the rear surface of the PS plate
212
by providing a spray pipe for ejecting the gum liquid from the spray pipe.
The PS plate
212
coated with the gum liquid in the desensitizing process section
218
is nipped by the conveying roller pair
256
so as to be discharged from the discharge opening
234
in the state with the gum liquid slightly remaining on the front and rear surfaces, and sent into the drying part
220
.
In the drying part
220
, a supporting roller
268
for supporting the PS plate
212
is provided in the vicinity of the discharge opening
234
. A conveying roller pair
272
and a conveying roller pair
274
are provided in the central part of the PS plate conveying path
212
in the drying part
220
as well as in the vicinity of the discharge opening
270
. The PS plate
212
is conveyed in the drying part
220
by the supporting roller
268
and the conveying roller pairs
272
,
274
.
Ducts
276
A,
276
B are provided between the supporting roller
268
and the conveying roller pair
272
, and between the conveying roller pair
272
and the conveying roller pair
274
as a pair with the PS plate
212
conveying path interposed therebetween. The ducts
276
A,
276
B are disposed with the longitudinal direction along the PS plate
212
width direction, with slit holes
278
provided on the surface facing the PS plate
212
conveying path.
When the drying air generated by a drying air generating device (not shown) is supplied from one end side in the longitudinal direction, the ducts
276
A,
276
B eject the drying air from the slit holes
278
toward the PS plate
212
conveying path for blowing the same to the PS plate
212
. Thereby, the gum liquid coated on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
are dried so as to form the protection film. The discharge opening
234
is provided with a shutter (not shown) for sectioning a processor part until the desensitizing process section
218
for processing the PS plate
212
with the processing liquid, and the drying part
220
so as to prevent entrance of the heated air in the drying part
220
into the desensitizing process section
218
by inadvertent opening of the discharge opening
234
.
In the PS plate processor
210
accordingly provided, when the PS plate
212
with an image recorded by a printing device (not shown), or the like is placed on the insertion base
240
so as to be inserted into the insertion opening
232
, the PS plate
212
is taken in by the conveying roller pair
242
so as to be sent into the developing part
214
. In the PS plate processor
210
, when the PS plate
212
passing through the insertion opening
232
is detected by a sensor (not shown), a timer is started. The timer is used for measuring the timing for ejecting the washing water from the spray pipes
62
A,
62
B of the water washing part
216
, and the timing for ejecting the gum liquid in the desensitizing process section
218
together with the operation of the driving device for conveying the PS plate
212
.
In the developing part
214
, the PS plate
212
is taken in by the conveying roller pair
242
by an insertion angle in a range of about 15° to 31° with respect to the horizontal direction so as to be conveyed while being soaked in the developing liquid. Moreover, the PS plate
212
is sent out from the developing liquid by a discharge angle in a range of about 17° to 31°. By soaking the PS plate
212
in the developing liquid in the developing part
214
, the unnecessary part of the photosensitive layer is swelled according to the image-wise exposure so that the swelled photosensitive layer is eliminated from the supporting body. By brushing the surface of the PS plate
212
with the brush roller
280
disposed in the developing vessel
224
at the time, elimination of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the surface of the PS plate
212
can be promoted.
As the PS plate processor
210
, one having a plurality of the brush rollers
280
facing the surface of the PS plate
212
for brushing, or one for processing the PS plate
212
without using the brush roller
280
can be used as well.
The PS plate
212
sent out from the developing liquid after the process with the developing liquid is taken out by the conveying roller pair
248
so as to be sent into the water washing part
216
. At the time, the developing liquid adhered on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
is squeezed off from the PS plate
212
by the conveying roller pair
248
.
In the water washing part
216
, the washing water is jetted from the spray pipes
262
A,
262
B while conveying the PS plate
212
nipped by the conveying roller pair
258
,
260
in the substantially horizontal state. Moreover, the conveying roller pair
260
disposed on the downstream side in the PS plate
212
conveyance direction sends out the PS plate
212
to the desensitizing process section
218
while squeezing off the washing water supplied to the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
together with the remaining developing liquid without being squeezed off by the conveying roller pair
248
.
Thereby, the PS plate
212
has the developing liquid remaining on the front and rear surfaces washed off at the time of passing through the water washing part
216
.
The PS plate
212
sent into the desensitizing process section
218
passes between the spray pipe
264
and the ejection unit
266
. By being nipped by the conveying roller pair
256
, it is sent out from the desensitizing section
218
by the conveying roller pair
256
.
At the time, in the desensitizing process section
218
, the gum liquid is supplied from the spray pipe
264
and the ejection unit
266
to the PS plate
212
so as to coat the gum liquid on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
. The conveying roller pair
256
nips and sends out the PS plate
212
so as to form the gum liquid thin film on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
as well as squeezes off the excessive gum liquid from the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
.
The PS plate
212
coated with the gum liquid is sent from the discharge opening
234
into the drying part
220
by the conveying roller pair
256
. The shutter (not shown) provided in the discharge opening
234
is operated at the timing of starting the process of the PS plate
212
or at the timing of sending out the PS plate
212
from the desensitizing process section
218
so as to open the discharge opening
234
for preventing inadvertent entrance of the drying air in the drying part
220
into the desensitizing process section
218
so as to adhere the gum liquid on the conveying roller pair
256
as well as for preventing entrance of the air from the discharge opening
234
to the developing part
214
so as to deteriorate the developing liquid by the carbon gas in the air, or for preventing evaporation of the moisture in the developing liquid or washing water, or the moisture in the gum liquid and discharge from the discharge opening
234
.
In the drying part
220
, the drying air is blown from the ducts
276
A,
276
B while conveying the PS plate
212
by the supporting roller
268
and the conveying roller pairs
272
,
274
. Thereby, with a protection film formed thereon by the coated gum liquid, the PS plate
212
is discharged from the discharge opening
270
.
Next, as shown in
FIG. 9
, a replenishing liquid tank
300
is provided in the PS plate processor
210
for storing the replenishing liquid for the gum liquid as the processing liquid used in the desensitizing process section
218
so that the replenishing liquid in the replenishing liquid tank
300
is replenished to the desensitizing process vessel
228
by the operation of a replenishing liquid pump
302
by a predetermined timing.
The replenishing liquid supplied from the replenishing liquid tank
300
to the desensitizing process vessel
228
is stored as the gum liquid. Moreover, a liquid supply pump
304
to be operated synchronously with the conveyance of the PS plate
212
is provided in the desensitizing process section
218
so that the gum liquid in the desensitizing process vessel
228
is supplied to the spray pipe
264
and the ejection unit
266
by the operation of the liquid supply pump
304
so as to be coated on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
. The excessive gum liquid is squeezed off from the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
212
by the conveying roller pair
256
so as to be collected in the desensitizing process vessel
228
.
Moreover, a replenishing water tank
306
is provided in the PS plate processor
210
so that the water in the replenishing water tank
306
is used as the diluting water for diluting the replenishing liquid for the developing liquid used in the developing part
214
, or as the washing water in the water washing part
216
.
Furthermore, in the desensitizing process section
218
, the water in the replenishing water tank
306
is supplied to the desensitizing process vessel
228
by the operation of the water supply pump
308
. In the PS plate processor
210
, the water in the replenishing water tank
306
is used as the diluting water for the gum liquid such that it is supplied according to the moisture evaporation amount, or the like from the gum liquid stored in the desensitizing process vessel
228
for maintaining the component in the gum liquid in a predetermined concentration range (the appropriate concentration range of the gum liquid for protecting the plate surface of the PS plate
212
). Moreover, the PS plate processor
210
is provided with a mechanism for replenishing the developing liquid to the developing vessel
224
and for supplying the washing water to the water washing vessel
226
, but illustration and explanation are not provided in this embodiment concerning the diluting water for diluting the replenishing liquid for the developing liquid and the supply of the washing water.
By the adhesion of the gum liquid squeezed off from the PS plate
212
, remaining on the conveying roller pair
256
provided in the desensitizing process section
218
may cause rotation failure, deteriorate the finish of the PS plate
212
by being transferred onto the surface of the PS plate
212
to be processed next by the adhered gum liquid, or cause the flaw on the surface of the PS plate
212
.
In the PS plate processor
210
, in order to prevent generation of the finish failure, or the like of the PS plate
212
, the circumferential surface of the conveying roller pair
256
is washed by a predetermined timing for washing off the gum liquid so as to prevent adhesion of the component in the gum liquid onto the circumferential surface of the conveying roller pair
256
.
Here, the washing operation of the conveying roller pair
256
in the desensitizing process section
218
of the PS plate processor
210
will be explained.
As shown in FIG.
8
and
FIG. 9
, the conveying roller pair
256
provided in the desensitizing process section
218
comprises an upper side roller
256
A and a lower side roller
256
B. In the desensitizing process section
218
, an idle roller
320
is provided facing the upper side roller
256
A of the conveying roller pair
256
.
As shown in
FIG. 11
, the idle roller
320
has the length along the axis direction substantially same as the length along the axis direction of the roller
256
A, and the idle roller
320
is disposed with the axis parallel with the axis of the roller
256
A.
Moreover, as shown in FIG.
9
and
FIG. 10
, the idle roller
320
is contacted with the circumferential surface of the roller
256
A on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
212
so as to be rotated following the rotation of the roller
256
A when the roller
256
A is rotated (rotation in the arrow B direction).
The contact position of the idle roller
320
with the roller
256
A is not limited to the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
212
but it can also be the downstream side as long as it is on the lower side with respect to the top part of the roller
256
A (end part on the upper side) and until the axis position height. Moreover, the idle roller
320
can be one contacted with the circumferential surface of the roller
256
A by its self weight. Furthermore, it can be one contacted with the circumferential surface of the roller
256
A by a predetermined urging force.
In contrast, as shown in
FIG. 8
to
FIG. 11
, a water supply bucket
310
is provided in the desensitizing process section
218
. As shown in detail in the
FIG. 8
to
FIG. 11
, the water supply bucket
310
is formed by bending a flat plate with a predetermined width into a shape with a horizontal part
312
, and a bucket part
314
elongating downward in a substantially V shape from the horizontal part
312
.
The water supply bucket
310
is disposed with the longitudinal direction parallel with the axis of the idle roller
320
, and it is mounted with the bottom part
318
of the lower end of the bucket part
314
disposed above the contact part of the idle roller
320
and the roller
256
A.
The horizontal part
312
of the water supply bucket
310
is provided with a nozzle
316
communicating with the water supply pump
308
, with the nozzle
316
opened to the bucket part
314
. The nozzle
316
opening position is the central position along the axis direction of the idle roller
320
to be the middle part of the longitudinal direction of the water supply bucket
310
.
Thereby, the water in the replenishing water tank
306
is supplied to the bucket part
314
of the water supply bucket
310
by the operation of the water supply pump
308
. Moreover, the water is provided to the both end sides in the longitudinal direction along the bottom part
318
of the substantially V-shaped bucket part
314
.
As shown in FIG.
10
and
FIG. 11
, in the bucket part
314
, a plurality of through holes
322
are formed at a predetermined position in the vicinity of the bottom part
318
shaped in the substantially V shape. The through holes
322
are provided by a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the bucket part
314
.
Thereby, the water supplied from the nozzle
316
is dropped from the through holes
322
to the contact part of the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
. Moreover, in the water supply bucket
310
, the water reached at the end part of the bucket part
314
without falling off from the through holes
322
is dropped from the end part of the bucket part
314
to the contact part of the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
.
It is preferable that the through holes
322
are formed at a position away from the bottom part
318
on the middle part side in the longitudinal direction of the bucket part
314
, and across the bottom part
318
on the both end part sides in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, a substantially equal amount of the waters can be dropped from each of the plurality of the through holes
322
.
In contrast, since the contact part between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
is closed, the water dropped from the through holes
322
is spread along the axis direction of the roller
256
A without dropping off between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
.
That is, since the water dropped on the contact part of the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
is spread along the axis direction of the roller
256
A, the water can be supplied evenly along the axis direction of the roller
256
A. At the time, since the idle roller
320
has the substantially same length as that of the roller
256
A along the axis direction, the water reaches to the shaft end of the roller
256
.
In contrast, as shown in
FIG. 9
, the PS plate processor
210
is provided with a control section
324
connected each to the replenishing liquid pump
302
provided in the desensitizing process section
218
, the liquid supply pump
304
and the water supply pump
308
. The operation of each of the replenishing liquid pump
302
, the liquid supply pump
304
and the water supply pump
308
is controlled by the control section
324
. Moreover, the control section
324
is connected to a driving source
326
for a motor, or the like for rotation drive of the conveying roller pair
256
so that the control section
324
controls the drive of the driving source
326
according to the process of the PS plate
212
by the PS plate processor
210
.
In contrast, the control section
324
washes the conveying roller pair
256
by operating the driving source
326
together with the water supply pump
308
at the time of for example, stopping the operation of the PS plate processor
210
, and washes off the gum liquid adhered on the circumferential surface of the rollers
256
A,
256
B of the conveying roller pair
256
by the process of the PS plate
212
.
In the desensitizing process section
218
accordingly provided, for example, in order to wash off the gum liquid adhered on the circumferential surface of the conveying roller pair
256
at the time of stopping the operation of the drive after finishing the process for the day of the PS plate processor
210
, the control section
324
operates the water supply pump
308
. Thereby, the water in the replenishing water tank
306
is supplied to the washing bucket
310
as the washing water. At the same time, the control section
324
operates the driving source
326
for rotating the conveying roller pair
256
. For the calculation of the washing timing of the conveying roller pair
256
and the amount of the water to be used for washing, the conventionally known timing and method can be used.
In the desensitizing process section
218
, by the operation of the liquid supply pump
308
, the water is supplied to the bucket part
314
of the washing bucket
310
. The water flows to the both end sides along the bottom part
318
of the bucket part
314
so as to be dropped from the through holes
322
onto the contact part of the roller
256
A of the conveying roller pair
256
and the idle roller
320
. Moreover, the water reached at the both end parts of the bucket part
314
is dropped from the end parts of the bucket part
314
to the vicinity of the axis end part of the roller
256
A in the contact part of the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
.
Since dropping of the water accordingly dropped to the contact part of the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
is prevented by the idle roller
320
contacting with the circumferential surface of the roller
256
A, the water is spread in the axis direction of the roller
256
A along the contact part so that the washing water can be supplied reliably in the entire region in the axis direction of the roller
256
A.
In the control section
324
, the driving source
326
is driven by a predetermined timing so as to rotate the conveying roller pair
256
(rollers
256
A,
256
B). The idle roller
120
is rotated, following the rotation of the roller
256
A.
Thereby, the region in contact with the water supplied between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
is rotated and moved to the roller
256
B side in the wet state, and furthermore, the surface of the roller
256
B is wetted thereby by the contact with the roller
256
B.
Moreover, a new region of the roller
256
A is rotated to the contact part with the idle roller
320
so as to be soaked in the water remaining on the contact part with the idle roller
320
. Thereby, the water can be supplied not only to the entire region on the circumferential surface of the roller
256
A but also the entire region on the circumferential surface of the roller
256
.
Therefore, the gum liquid adhered on the circumferential surface of the rollers
256
A,
256
B of the conveying roller pair
256
is thinned by the water supplied from the water supply bucket
310
to the idle roller
320
as well as it is squeezed off from the circumferential surface of the rollers
256
A,
256
B together with the water by the contact and rotation of the roller
256
A and the roller
256
B so as to be dropped into the desensitizing process vessel
228
and eliminated from the circumferential surface of the rollers
256
A,
256
B. That is, the gum liquid adhered on the circumferential surface of the rollers
256
A,
256
B is washed off from the circumferential surface of the rollers
256
A,
256
B by the water supplied from the water supply bucket
310
between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
.
As to the water supply timing at the time of accordingly washing the conveying roller pair
256
and the rotation timing of the conveying roller pair
256
, various timings can be used.
Here, with reference to FIG.
12
A and
FIG. 12B
, an example thereof will be explained.
In the timing charge shown in
FIG. 12A
, a predetermined amount (for example, total 200 cc) of the water is supplied by intermittently operating the water supply pump
308
while rotating the conveying roller pair
256
. That is, while rotating the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
, the washing water is supplied between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
per a predetermined amount.
At the time, by providing the time t
1
for stopping the water supply pump
308
(for example, about 2 sec to 3 sec), overflow of the water supplied between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
so as to deteriorate the washing efficiency, can be prevented. That is, by providing the time t
1
for stopping the water supply after operating the water supply pump
308
by a predetermined time t
2
, the circumferential surface of the rollers
256
A,
256
B can be washed using all the water supplied between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
.
Moreover, it is preferable to rotate the conveying roller pair
256
for a predetermined time t
3
(for example, 30 sec) after stoppage of the water supply pump
308
(water supply stoppage). Thereby, the gum liquid can be dropped from the rollers
256
A,
256
B together with the water supplied to the circumferential surface of the rollers
256
A,
256
B so that the so-called draining effect can be improved.
In contrast, as shown in
FIG. 12B
, the rotation of the conveying roller pair
256
is started, delayed by a predetermined time t
4
(for example, about 2 sec to 3 sec) from the start of the water supply between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
by operating the water supply pump
308
.
Thereby, since the time for spreading the water supplied between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
in the roller
256
A axis direction can be provided, the washing water can be supplied reliably in the entire region along the axis direction of the rollers
256
A,
256
B.
Thereafter, the conveying roller pair
256
is rotated intermittently. The time t
5
from the halfway stoppage of the rotation of the conveying roller pair
256
to the start of the water supply by operating the water supply pump
308
can be set optionally as long as at least the rotation drive of the conveying roller pair
256
is stopped at the time of starting the water supply. For example, it can be t
5
=0.
By accordingly setting the driving timing of the water supply pump
308
and the conveying roller pair
256
in consideration of the water supply amount per one time and the water supply time, and the total water supply amount, the conveying roller pair
256
can be washed efficiently with a small amount of the water. The times t
1
to t
5
can be set optionally according to the configuration of the desensitizing process section
218
, or the like.
By reliably washing the conveying roller pair
256
accordingly, adhesion of the component in the gum liquid onto the rollers
256
A,
256
B can be prevented reliably. Moreover, by efficiently washing the rollers
256
A,
256
B, too much thinning of the gum liquid stored in the desensitizing process vessel
228
by a large amount of the washing water can be prevented.
Moreover, in the PS plate processor
210
, generation of the finish failure of the PS plate
212
due to thinning of the gum liquid can be prevented as well as generation of the finish failure due to adhesion to the surface of the PS plate
212
of the component in the gum liquid adhered on the rollers
256
A,
256
B, stoppage of the rotation of the rollers
256
A,
256
B thereby, and further, damage of the surface of the PS plate
212
can reliably be prevented.
The configuration of the present invention is not limited by the third embodiment heretofore explained. For example, although the example adopted in the PS plate processor
210
using the PS plate
212
as the photosensitive material, and processing the PS plate
212
has been explained. The present invention can be adopted in a configuration for washing the rollers disposed outside the liquid also in the photosensitive planographic printing plate processing devices of various configurations used for the process of not only the PS plate
212
but also for the other photosensitive planographic printing plate, and the photosensitive material processing devices used for the process of the other photosensitive materials, such as a printing paper, a photography film, or the like.
Moreover, although the water is used as the washing water for the conveying roller pair
256
in this embodiment, it is not limited thereto, but it can also be a water soluble liquid containing a moist mildew preventing agent, or the like.
Furthermore, although the water is supplied by a predetermined interval along the axis direction of the roller
256
A using the water supply bucket
310
in this embodiment, the water can be supplied directly from the nozzle
216
between the roller
256
A and the idle roller
320
without using the water supply bucket
210
, or the like. Moreover, not only the water supply bucket
310
, but also an optional water supply method can be adopted.
Fourth Embodiment
Next, a fourth embodiment will be explained.
FIG. 13
shows an example of a PS plate processor adopted in this embodiment as the photosensitive material processing device (hereinafter referred to as the “PS plate processor
410
”).
The PS plate processor
410
is for performing a developing process of a photosensitive planographic printing plate such as a photo polymer plate after image-wise exposure by an exposing device (not shown) as the photosensitive material (hereinafter referred to as the “PS plate
412
”). The PS plate
412
comprises a thin rectangular flat plate such as an aluminum plate as the supporting body, and a photosensitive layer formed on the supporting body. The photo polymer plate is provided with a photosensitive layer by superimposing a photo adhesion layer, a photo polymerization layer, and an overcoat layer such that the polymerization reaction in the image part of the photo polymerization layer is promoted by the image-wise exposure by a laser beam.
The PS plate processor
410
is provided with a developing section
414
for processing the PS plate
412
with a developing liquid, a water washing section
416
for supplying the washing water to the PS plate
412
processed with the developing liquid for washing the same with the water, a desensitizing process section
418
for applying a gum liquid to the PS plate
412
after washing with the water for the desensitizing process, and a drying section
420
for drying the PS plate
412
. That is, in the PS plate processor
410
, the developing process, the water washing process, the desensitizing process and the drying step are disposed successively along the conveyance direction of the PS plate
412
(arrow A in FIG.
13
).
In the PS plate processor
410
, a processing tank
422
is provided. In the processing tank
422
, a developing vessel
424
is formed at a position to be the developing section
414
as a processing vessel, and a water washing vessel
426
and a desensitizing vessel
428
are formed at a position to be the water washing section
416
and the desensitizing process section
418
.
In an outer plate panel
430
covering the processing tank
422
, a slit-like insertion opening
432
is formed, and a discharge opening
434
is formed on the drying section
420
side in the processing tank
422
.
In the PS plate processor
410
, a cover
436
for covering the upper part of the processing tank
422
is provided. The cover
436
integrally covers the developing process, the water washing process and the desensitizing process provided in the processing tank
422
. Moreover, a reentry insertion opening (sub insertion opening)
438
is provided in the cover
436
for inserting the PS plate
412
between the developing section
414
and the water washing section
416
. The sub insertion opening
438
is for inserting the PS plate
412
for performing the process in the PS plate processor
410
except the process in the developing section
414
.
An insertion base
440
is provided outside the insertion opening
432
, and a rubber conveying roller pair
442
is provided on the PS plate
412
insertion side of the developing section
414
. The PS plate
412
with the image printed is placed on the insertion base
440
so as to be inserted from the insertion opening
432
along the arrow A direction and sent between the conveying roller pair
442
.
The conveying roller pair
442
is rotated by the driving force of a driving device (not shown) for taking in the PS plate
412
, and sending the same into the developing section
414
by about a 15° to 31° angle range with respect to the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, a one side type PS plate
412
with a photosensitive layer formed on one surface of the supporting body is used. The PS plate
412
is inserted from the insertion opening
432
into the PS plate processor
410
in the state with the photosensitive layer disposed upward.
The developing vessel
424
formed in the processing tank
422
has a substantially protruded shape with the bottom part center projecting downward for storing the developing liquid for performing the developing process for the PS plate
412
as the processing liquid. In the developing vessel
424
, guide plates
444
,
446
are disposed along the bottom part on the lower side along the conveyance direction of the PS plate
412
.
The guide plate
444
is provided on the upstream part (insertion opening
432
side) of the developing vessel
424
for guiding the PS plate
412
introduced by the conveying roller pair
442
obliquely downward. Moreover, the guide plate
446
is provided on the downstream part of the developing vessel
424
for guiding the PS plate
412
obliquely upward along the bottom surface of the developing vessel
424
.
Moreover, in the developing vessel
424
, a conveying roller pair
445
is provided between the guide plate
444
and the guide plate
446
. The conveying roller pair
445
provides the conveyance force to the PS plate
412
being guided by the guide plate
444
and sends out the same to the guide plate
446
while being rotated. Thereby, the PS plate
412
is soaked in the developing liquid while being guided and conveyed in a substantially U shape in the developing vessel
424
.
In the developing vessel
424
, a conveying roller pair
448
with the outer circumference made of a rubber is disposed on the water washing section
416
side so that the PS plate
412
is guided by the guide plate
446
toward the conveying roller pair
448
so as to be nipped by the conveying roller pair
448
and taken out from the developing vessel
424
. The PS plate
412
is soaked in the developing liquid while being conveyed accordingly in the developing vessel
424
so that the unnecessary part of the photosensitive layer exposed by the image-wise exposure is swelled by the developing liquid, and peeled off from the supporting body so as to eliminate the unnecessary photosensitive layer according to the image exposed.
In the developing vessel
424
, a spray pipe
450
is provided on the lower surface side of the guide plates
444
,
446
. Furthermore, a large number of liquid passage holes (not shown) are projected in each of the guide plates
444
,
446
.
To the spray pipe
450
, the developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
suctioned by a pump (not shown) is supplied so that the developing liquid is jetted from the spray pipe
450
. Thereby, the developing liquid in the developing vessel is agitated so as to enable the even process of the PS plate
412
. At the time, by providing the developing liquid from the liquid passage holes formed in the guide plates
444
,
446
to the conveying path side of the PS plate
412
, the quick developing process of the PS plate
412
and prevention of the processing irregularity generation can be achieved.
Moreover, in the developing vessel
424
, a brush roller
480
is provided facing the guide plate
446
. The brush roller
480
brushes the surface of the PS plate
412
by rotating with the hairy material in contact with the surface of the PS plate
412
being conveyed on the guide plate
446
while being soaked in the developing liquid so as to promote elimination of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the surface of the PS plate
412
.
In the developing section
414
, a liquid surface lid
452
is disposed with the lower surface below the liquid surface of the developing liquid stored in the developing vessel
424
. Moreover, shielding members
454
A,
454
B are provided on the insertion opening
432
side on the developing vessel
424
wall surface and the liquid surface lid
452
, and shielding members
454
C,
454
D are mounted on the water washing part
424
side. In the processing tank
422
, shielding members
454
E,
454
F contacting with the circumferential surface of the conveying roller pair
456
are mounted in the vicinity of the discharge opening
434
, and a shielding member
454
G is mounted on the sub insertion opening
438
of the cover
436
.
The shielding members
454
A to
454
G are made of a silicone rubber, or the like. In the developing vessel
424
, a large capacity liquid surface lid
452
contacting with the liquid surface is provided in the space in the sealed part provided by the shielding members
454
A to
454
G, the conveying roller pairs
442
,
448
, or the like, for reducing the amount of the air contained in the space as well as for preventing entrance of fresh air in the vicinity of the liquid surface of the developing liquid by the liquid surface lid
452
, the shielding members
454
A to
454
G, or the like so that deterioration of the developing liquid by the carbon gas in the air and the moisture evaporation can be restrained. The liquid surface lid
452
is provided with skewered rollers
452
A,
452
B on the end part lower surface on the upstream side and the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
412
so that damage of the surface (mainly the photosensitive surface) due to contact of the PS plate
412
being conveyed in the developing section
414
with the lower surface of the liquid surface lid
452
can be prevented.
The PS plate
412
taken out from the developing vessel
424
by the conveying roller pair
448
is sent into the water washing section
416
while squeezing off the developing liquid adhered on the surface by the conveying roller pair
448
.
In the water washing section
416
, the conveying path for conveying the PS plate
412
by the conveying roller pairs
458
,
460
disposed above the water washing vessel
426
in the substantially horizontal state is formed so that the PS plate
412
is conveyed horizontally above the water washing vessel
426
by being nipped by the conveying roller pairs
458
,
460
.
In the water washing section
416
, spray pipes
462
A,
462
B are provided as a pair on the upper side and the lower side with respect to the PS plate
412
conveying path between the conveying roller pairs
458
,
460
. The spray pipes
462
A,
462
B are disposed with the axis direction along the PS plate
412
width direction (direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction), with a plurality of ejection holes formed facing the PS plate
412
conveying path and along the axis direction of the spray pipes
462
A,
462
B.
The water washing vessel
426
stores the washing water as the processing liquid. In the PS plate processor
410
, the washing water is supplied to the spray pipes
462
A,
462
B synchronously with the conveyance of the PS plate
412
by a water supply pump (not shown). Thereby, the washing water is jetted from the spray pipes
462
A,
462
B to the PS plate
412
so as to wash off the developing liquid adhered on the surface of the PS plate
412
.
The washing water supplied to the PS plate
412
is squeezed off from the front and rear surfaces of the BS plate
412
together with the developing liquid adhered on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
by nipping and sending out the PS plate
412
by the conveying roller pair
460
so as to be collected in the water washing vessel
426
. As to the jetting direction of the washing water from the spray pipes
462
A,
462
B, it is set for the spray pipe
462
A to be the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
412
, and it is set for the spray pipe
462
B to be the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
412
, but it is not limited thereto, and another direction can be used. The new liquid of the washing water is supplied to the water washing vessel
426
by a device (not shown) according to the PS plate
412
processing amount.
In the desensitizing process section
418
, a conveying roller pair
456
is provided above the desensitizing process vessel
428
. After being conveyed in the desensitizing process section
418
by the conveying roller pair
456
, the PS plate
412
is sent out from the discharge opening
434
.
In the desensitizing process section
418
, a spray pipe
464
is provided on the upper side of the conveying path of the PS plate
412
, and an ejection unit
466
is provided on the lower side of the conveying path. The spray pipe
464
and the ejection unit
466
are disposed above and below with the conveying path of the PS plate
412
interposed therebetween, with the longitudinal direction (axis direction) along the width direction of the PS plate
412
. A plurality of ejection holes are formed in the spray pipe
464
along the PS plate
412
width direction, and a slit hole is formed in the ejection unit
466
along the PS plate
412
width direction.
In the desensitizing process vessel
428
, a gum liquid used for protection of the plate surface of the PS plate
412
is stored. The gum liquid is supplied to the spray pipe
464
and the ejection unit
466
synchronously with the conveyance of the PS plate
412
. The spray pipe
464
drops the gum liquid toward the PS plate
412
for applying the same spread on the surface of the PS plate
412
. Moreover, the ejection unit
466
ejects the gum liquid from the slit hole. While moving the PS plate
412
in contact with the gum liquid, the gum liquid is coated on the PS plate.
In the PS plate
412
, a protection film is formed by the gum liquid coated on the front and rear surfaces. The ejection direction of the gum liquid from the spray pipe
464
is not limited to the PS plate
412
conveyance direction downstream side, but it can be another direction. Moreover, it is also possible to provide a straightening vane for directing the gum liquid jetted toward the straightening vane to the PS plate
412
surface for coating by flowing down while evenly diffusing the gum liquid by the straightening vane along the PS plate
412
width direction. Moreover, it is also possible to use a spray pipe, or the like instead of the ejection unit
466
.
In the desensitizing process section
418
, a washing spray
501
is provided above the conveying roller pair
456
so that the gum liquid can be washed off from the circumferential surface of the rollers comprising the conveying roller pair
456
by the washing water dropped from the washing spray
502
onto the circumferential surface of the conveying roller pair
456
by a preset predetermined timing so as to prevent damage of the PS plate
412
derived from adhesion of the gum liquid on the circumferential surface of the rollers.
The PS plate
412
coated with the gum liquid in the desensitizing process section
418
is nipped by the conveying roller pair
456
so as to be discharged from the discharge opening
434
in the state with the gum liquid slightly remaining on the front and rear surfaces, and sent into the drying section
420
.
In the drying section
420
, a supporting roller
468
for supporting the PS plate
412
is provided in the vicinity of the discharge opening
434
. Moreover, a conveying roller pair
472
and a conveying roller pair
474
are provided in the central section of the PS plate conveying path
412
as well as in the vicinity of the discharge opening
470
. The PS plate
412
is conveyed in the drying section
420
by the supporting roller
468
and the conveying roller pairs
472
,
474
.
Ducts
476
A,
476
B are provided between the supporting roller
468
and the conveying roller pair
472
, and between the conveying roller pair
472
and the conveying roller pair
474
as a pair with the PS plate
412
conveying path interposed therebetween. The ducts
476
A,
476
B are disposed with the longitudinal direction along the PS plate
412
width direction, with slit holes
478
provided on the surface facing the PS plate
412
conveying path.
When the drying air generated by a drying air generating device (not shown) is supplied from one end side in the longitudinal direction, the ducts
476
A,
476
B eject the drying air from the slit holes
478
toward the PS plate
412
conveying path for blowing the same to the PS plate
412
. Thereby, the gum liquid coated on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
are dried so as to form the protection film. The discharge opening
434
is provided with a shutter (not shown) for sectioning a processor section until the desensitizing process section
418
for processing the PS plate
412
with the processing liquid, and the drying section
420
so as to prevent entrance of the heated air in the drying section
420
into the desensitizing process section
418
by inadvertent opening of the discharge opening
434
.
In the developing vessel
424
, spray pipes
450
,
451
are provided on the lower surface side of the guide plates
444
,
446
so that the developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
can be agitated by the developing liquid jetted from the spray pipes
450
,
451
.
As shown in FIG.
14
and
FIG. 15
, a processing rack
500
is provided in the developing vessel
424
. The processing rack
500
comprises a pair of side plates
504
,
506
. Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 15
, the processing rack
500
is mounted with each of the side plates
504
,
506
facing the side walls
424
A,
424
B of the developing vessel.
The processing rack
500
is provided with the above-mentioned conveying roller pairs
442
,
445
,
448
and brush roller
480
(
FIG. 13
) comprising the PS plate
412
conveying path between the pair of the side plates
504
,
506
.
Moreover, as shown in FIG.
14
and
FIG. 15
, a guide plate
446
is disposed between the side plates
504
,
506
. A large number of communication holes
508
are formed in the guide plate
446
. Thereby, passage of the processing liquid is enabled between the guide plate
446
conveying path side and the processing vessel
424
bottom part side (the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the guide plate
446
).
Next, a spray pipe
451
is provided below the guide plate
446
. As shown in
FIG. 15
, the spray pipe
451
is projected from one side wall
424
B of the processing vessel
424
to the other side wall
424
A along the PS plate
412
conveying path width direction such that the tip end reaches to the middle part in the width direction of the conveying path of the PS plate
412
.
As shown in
FIG. 13
, a circulation pump
512
is provided in the developing section
414
of the PS plate processor
410
so that the developing liquid can be supplied to the spray pipe
450
,
451
by the operation of the circulation pump
512
.
As shown in FIG.
14
and
FIG. 15
, the spray pipe
451
has the tip end opening opened toward the other side wall
424
A of the developing vessel
424
as a jetting opening
510
. According to the supply of the developing liquid from the circulation pump
512
, the spray pipe
451
jets the developing liquid from the jetting opening
510
toward the side wall
424
A along the PS plate
412
width direction. In FIG.
14
and
FIG. 15
, the schematic flow of the developing liquid between the side plates
504
,
506
is shown by the arrows.
The spray pipe
450
(see
FIG. 13
) provided on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
412
is disposed along the PS plate
412
width direction, with the both ends interlocked with the side walls
424
A,
424
B of the developing vessel
424
. Moreover, a large number of jetting holes (not shown) are formed on the outer circumferential part in the spray pipe
450
so as to provide an ordinary configuration for jetting the developing liquid supplied from the circulation pump
512
along the bottom surface of the developing vessel
424
or the conveyance direction of the PS plate
412
.
In contrast, as shown in FIG.
14
and
FIG. 15
, a notch part
514
is formed on the end parts on the side plates
504
,
506
sides of the processing rack
500
. Thereby, the developing liquid jetted from the jetting opening
510
of the spray pipe
451
is collided with the side plate
504
so as to be returned and flow out from the notch part
514
of the side plate
504
to the upper surface side of the guide plate
446
. Moreover, it flows from the side wall
424
A side of the developing vessel
424
to the side wall
424
B side on the upper surface side of the guide plate
446
.
That is, by jetting the developing liquid from the spray pipe
451
, the developing liquid flow is created along the width direction of the PS plate
412
in the PS plate
412
conveying path on the upper surface side of the guide plate
446
.
Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 15
, a suction opening
516
is provided on the side wall
424
B side in the bottom part of the developing vessel
424
. That is, the spray pipe
451
has a length from the side wall
424
B of the developing vessel
424
to a position reaching ahead of the suction opening
516
.
The developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
is sucked out from the suction opening
516
by the operation of the circulation pump
512
. Thereby, the developing liquid on the side wall
424
B side of the developing vessel
424
(the side plate
506
side of the processing rack
500
) can flow into the suction opening
516
.
In the PS plate processor
410
accordingly provided, when the PS plate
412
with an image recorded by a printing device (not shown), or the like is placed on the insertion base
440
so as to be inserted into the insertion opening
432
, the PS plate
412
is taken in by the conveying roller pair
442
so as to be sent into the developing section
414
. In the PS plate processor
410
, when the PS plate
412
passing through the insertion opening
432
is detected by a sensor (not shown), a timer is started. The timer is used for measuring the timing for ejecting the washing water from the spray pipes
462
A,
462
B of the water washing section
416
, and the timing for ejecting the gum liquid in the desensitizing process section
418
together with the operation of the driving device for conveying the PS plate
412
.
In the developing section
414
, the PS plate is sent into by the conveying roller pair
442
by an insertion angle in a range of about 15° to 31° with respect to the horizontal direction so as to be conveyed while being soaked in the developing liquid. Moreover, the PS plate
412
is sent out from the developing liquid by a discharge angle in a range of about 17° to 31°. By soaking the PS plate
412
in the developing liquid in the developing section
414
, the unnecessary part of the photosensitive layer is swelled according to the image-wise exposure so that the swelled photosensitive layer is eliminated from the supporting body. By brushing the surface of the PS plate
412
with the brush roller
480
disposed in the developing vessel
424
at the time, elimination of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the surface of the PS plate
412
can be promoted.
As the PS plate processor
410
, one having a plurality of the brush rollers
480
facing the surface of the PS plate
412
for brushing, or one for processing the PS plate
412
without using the brush roller
480
can be used as well.
The PS plate
412
sent out from the developing liquid after the process with the developing liquid is taken out by the conveying roller pair
448
so as to be sent into the water washing section
416
. At the time, the developing liquid adhered on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
is squeezed off from the PS plate
412
by the conveying roller pair
448
.
In the water washing section
416
, the washing water is jetted from the spray pipes
462
A,
462
B while conveying the PS plate
412
nipped by the conveying roller pair
458
,
460
in the substantially horizontal state. Moreover, the conveying roller pair
460
disposed on the downstream side in the PS plate
412
conveyance direction sends out the PS plate
412
to the desensitizing process section
418
while squeezing off the washing water supplied to the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
together with the remaining developing liquid without being squeezed off by the conveying roller pair
448
.
Thereby, the PS plate
412
has the developing liquid remaining on the front and rear surfaces washed off at the time of passing through the water washing section
416
.
The PS plate
412
sent into the desensitizing process section
418
passes between the spray pipe
464
and the ejection unit
466
. By being nipped by the conveying roller pair
456
, it is sent out from the desensitizing section
418
by the conveying roller pair
456
.
At the time, in the desensitizing process section
418
, the gum liquid is supplied to the spray pipe
464
and the ejection unit
466
so as to coat the gum liquid on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
. The conveying roller pair
456
nips and sends out the PS plate
412
so as to form the gum liquid thin film on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
as well as squeezes off the excessive gum liquid from the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
.
The PS plate
412
coated with the gum liquid is sent from the discharge opening
434
into the drying section
420
by the conveying roller pair
456
. The shutter (not shown) provided in the discharge opening
434
is operated at the timing of starting the process of the PS plate
412
or at the timing of sending out the PS plate
412
from the desensitizing process section
418
so as to open the discharge opening
434
for preventing inadvertent entrance of the drying air in the drying section
420
into the desensitizing process section
418
so as to adhere the gum liquid on the conveying roller pair
456
as well as for preventing entrance of the air from the discharge opening
434
to the developing section
414
so as to deteriorate the developing liquid by the carbon gas in the air, or for preventing evaporation of the moisture in the developing liquid or washing water, or the moisture in the gum liquid and discharge from the discharge opening
434
.
In the drying section
420
, the drying air is blown from the ducts
476
A,
476
B while conveying the PS plate
412
by the supporting roller
468
and the conveying roller pairs
472
,
474
. Thereby, with a protection film formed thereon by the coated gum liquid, the PS plate
412
is discharged from the discharge opening
470
.
In the PS plate processor
410
, the developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
is agitated by the operation of the circulation pump
512
by a predetermined timing. Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
, the circulation pump
512
is operated during the process of the PS plate
412
. In the developing vessel
424
, the developing liquid is jetted from the spray pipes
450
,
451
into the developing vessel
424
by the operation of the circulation pump
512
.
Here, the spray pipe
451
provided on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the PS plate
412
in the developing vessel
424
has the jetting opening
510
disposed in the middle part in the width direction of the PS plate
412
such that the developing liquid can be jetted from the jetting opening
510
to the side plate
504
of the processing rack
500
.
Thereby, the developing liquid is blown onto the side plate
504
from the jetting opening
510
of the spray pipe
451
.
Next, an opening allowing the passage of the developing liquid is formed by the notch section
414
between the side plate
504
and the guide
446
. Thereby, while being returned by the side plate
504
, the developing liquid blown onto the side plate
504
passed through the opening part between the side plate
504
and the guide plate
446
so as to flow to the conveying path side of the PS plate
412
.
In the developing vessel
424
, the suction opening
516
is provided in the vicinity of the side plate
506
on the opposite side with respect to the side plate
504
so that the developing liquid in the vicinity of the side plate
506
is sucked by the operation of the circulation pump
512
. At the time, since the opening part is provided by the notch part
514
between the side plate
506
and the guide plate
446
, the developing liquid on the upper surface side of the guide plate
446
flows toward the suction opening
516
.
Thereby, the flow of the developing liquid is formed between the side plate
504
and the side plate
506
on the upper surface side of the guide plate
446
. The upper surface side of the guide plate
446
provides the PS plate
412
conveying path so that the developing liquid flows moderately in the width direction along the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
with respect to the PS plate
412
being conveyed on the guide plate
446
. Therefore, the developing liquid can be substituted smoothly in the vicinity of the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
.
By substituting the developing liquid in the vicinity of the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
accordingly, the problem of generation of the temperature difference in the developing liquid for processing the PS plate
412
can be prevented, for example when the PS plate
412
at the substantially same temperature as the room temperature in which the PS plate processor
410
is disposed is inserted in the PS plate processor
410
, the developing liquid temperature maintained at about 30° C. by the low temperature of the PS plate
412
is lowered so that the developing liquid with the temperature decline caused is eliminated from the vicinity of the surface of the PS plate
412
and the developing liquid without the temperature decline is newly supplied to the vicinity of the front and rear surfaced of the PS plate
412
.
Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
, since the developing liquid jetting direction from the jetting opening
510
of the spray pipe
451
is provided opposite to the suction opening
516
, the developing liquid jetted from the spray pipe
451
cannot directly flow into the suction opening
516
as well as the smooth developing liquid flow can be formed along the width direction of the PS plate
412
in the developing vessel
424
. Thereby, while improving the agitation efficiency of the developing liquid, generation of the flow rate difference in the developing liquid passing on the front and rear surface of the PS plate
412
can be prevented.
Therefore, the developing process can be provided by a certain sensitivity to the PS plate
412
to be processed in the developing vessel
424
without generation of the sensitivity difference due to the developing liquid temperature difference or the sensitivity difference derived from the flow rate difference of the developing liquid flowing in the vicinity of the surface of the PS plate
412
.
Furthermore, high finishing quality of the PS plate
412
is ensured in the PS plate processor
410
. This is because the developing liquid is supplied by the downstream side spray pipe
451
where the developing process progress is more likely to differ from other members so as not to cause the developing process progress difference.
The configuration of the present invention is not limited by this embodiment heretofore explained. For example, although the present invention is adopted on the spray pipe
451
side in this embodiment, the present invention can be adopted also in the spray pipe
450
provide on the upstream side.
Moreover, although the spray pipe
451
is projected from the side wall
424
B of the developing vessel
424
in this embodiment, it can be provided in any configuration as long as at least a jetting opening for jetting the developing liquid toward one side plate between the suction opening and one side plate of the processing rack by for example, providing an elbow opened toward the side plate
504
side in the bottom part of the developing vessel
424
.
Furthermore, although the jetting opening
510
is provided on the lower side of the conveying path of the photosensitive material in this embodiment, it is also possible to provide the jetting opening
510
in either of the right and left sides of the conveying path of the photosensitive material to be conveyed in the up and down direction, with the suction opening
516
provided at the side closer to the side plate with respect to the jetting opening.
Moreover, although the jetting opening
510
is provided in one direction at the lower side of the conveying path of the photosensitive material in this embodiment, the jetting openings
411
can be provided on the both sides of the conveying path of the photosensitive material in a range that the processing liquid flows jetted from the jetting openings
411
do not collide with each other.
Furthermore, although the developing liquid jetted from the jetting opening
510
is collided with the side plate
504
having the vertical surface with respect to the jetting direction so as to be returned in this embodiment, it is also possible to provide a member with the conveying path side of the PS plate
412
of the side plate
504
formed in a recessed shape can be used for facilitating the smooth return of the jetted developing liquid.
Moreover, although an example of the developing vessel
424
of the PS plate processor
410
for processing the PS plate
412
as the photosensitive planographic printing plate is explained in this embodiment, the present invention can be adopted in a PS plate processor of an optional configuration. Furthermore, the present invention can be adopted not only in the PS plate processor, but also in the photosensitive material processing device for processing the other photosensitive materials, such as a printing paper, a photography film, or the like, or not only in the developing vessel but also in the other processing vessels such as a fixing vessel, a water washing vessel, or the like. That is, the present invention can be adopted for a processing liquid for a photosensitive material processing device in an optional configuration for agitating the processing liquid at the time of soaking and processing the photosensitive material.
Fifth Embodiment
Hereinafter, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Since the basic configuration of the fifth embodiment is same as that of the above-mentioned fourth embodiment, the same numeral is provided for the same part as in the fourth embodiment in the following description, and further explanation is not given in the fifth embodiment to be explained below.
In the developing vessel
424
of the developing section
414
, a pair of side plate members
600
is provided (in
FIG. 13
, one of them is provided and the other is not shown). The above-mentioned conveying roller pairs
442
,
445
,
448
and brush roller
480
, or the like, are provided between the pair of the side plates
604
of the side plate members
600
as the conveying rollers.
As shown in FIG.
17
and
FIG. 19
, the side plates
604
of the side plate member
600
are provided with gear units
622
,
624
,
626
as a driving force transmitting device. The gear unit
622
transmits the driving force to the conveying roller pair
442
, and the gear unit
626
transmits the driving force to the conveying roller pair
445
and the brush roller
480
. Moreover, the gear unit
626
transmits the driving force to the conveying roller pair
448
.
As shown in for example,
FIG. 18
, in the gear unit, the gear unit
624
comprises gears
628
,
630
,
632
as gears. The gear
628
is mounted on the rotation shaft
480
A of the brush roller
480
(not shown in FIG.
18
), projecting from the side plate
604
. The gear
628
engages with the gear
630
, and the gear
630
engages with the gear
632
. Thereby, according to the rotation of the gear
632
, the brush roller
480
is rotated.
Moreover, the gear unit
624
is provided with gears
644
,
646
,
648
, with the gear
644
and the gear
648
engage with the gear
646
. As shown in
FIG. 19
, the rotation shaft
648
A of the gear
648
projects through the side plate
604
at the lower end part of the side plate
604
to the PS plate
412
conveying path side, with a gear
652
mounted on the projected end part.
The gear
652
engages with a gear provided in the lower side roller of the conveying roller pair
445
(not shown in FIG.
19
). Moreover, the gears provided each in the rollers facing with each other in the conveying roller pair
445
are provided in an ordinary configuration of engaging with each other so as to be rotated integrally. According to the rotation of the gear
652
, the rotation force is transmitted to the conveying roller pair
445
.
Thereby, the conveying roller pair
445
is rotated by the rotation of the gear
644
in the gear unit
624
.
As shown in
FIG. 18
, the gear unit
622
comprises gears
656
,
658
,
660
. As shown in
FIG. 19
, the rotation shaft
656
A of the gear
656
projects at the lower end part of the side plate
604
to the PS plate
412
conveying path side, with a gear
664
mounted on the rotation shaft
656
A. The gear
664
engages with the gear provided in the conveying roller pair
442
. Thereby, the conveying roller pair
442
is rotated together with the gear
660
.
Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 18
, the gear unit
626
comprises gears
666
,
668
,
670
. As shown in
FIG. 19
, the rotation shaft
666
A of the gear
666
projects at the lower end part of the side plate
604
to the PS plate
412
conveying path side, with a gear
674
mounted on the rotation shaft
666
A. The gear
674
engages with the gear provided in the conveying roller pair
448
. Thereby, the conveying roller pair
448
is rotated together with the gear
670
.
Next, as shown in
FIG. 16
, a cover plate
606
is mounted on the upper end part of the side plate
604
of the side plate member
600
. The cover plate
606
is projected from the upper end of the side plate
604
to the side wall
424
A of the developing vessel
424
in the direction opposite to the PS plate
412
conveying path. Moreover, a shielding bracket
608
is mounted in the tip end part of the cover plate
606
. The shielding bracket
608
is formed in a substantially L-shaped cross-section, with the tip end oriented downward facing the upper end part of the side wall
424
A.
Thereby, the developing vessel
424
has the space between the side plate
604
of the side plate member
600
and the side wall
424
A closed with the cover plate
606
and the shielding bracket
608
at the time the side plate member
600
is disposed. The above-mentioned liquid surface lid
452
is disposed between the pair of the side plates
604
of the side plate member
600
so as to cover the liquid surface of the developing liquid between the side plates
604
.
That is, in the developing vessel
424
, by covering the space between the pair of the side plates
604
with the liquid surface lid
452
as well as the space between the side plate
604
and the side wall
424
A with the cover plate
606
and the bracket
608
, entrance of the fresh air to the vicinity of the liquid surface of the developing liquid is restrained so as to restrain the processing performance change due to moisture evaporation from the developing liquid or the developing liquid deterioration by the carbon gas in the air, or the like.
Next, as shown in
FIG. 16
, a communication section
610
is provided at one end side in the width direction of the PS plate
412
(the paper surface left direction in
FIG. 16
) in the processing tank
422
. The communication section
610
is provided along the paper surface front and rear direction of
FIG. 16
reaching from the developing vessel
424
side to the drying section
420
.
In the communication section
610
, a drive shaft
612
to be rotated by a conveying roller (not shown) is provided. The drive shaft
612
has a length elongating across the drying section
420
to the developing section
414
. In the PS plate processor
410
, the driving force of a conveying roller (not shown) is transmitted from the drive shaft
612
to the supporting roller
468
and the conveying roller pair
472
,
474
in the drying section
420
, the conveying roller pair
456
in the desensitizing process section
418
, the conveying roller pairs
458
,
460
in the water washing section
416
, and the conveying roller pairs
442
,
445
,
448
and the brush roller
480
in the developing section
414
.
As shown in FIG.
17
and
FIG. 18
, the side plate member
600
is mounted in the developing vessel
424
such that the gear units
622
,
624
,
626
provided in the side plate
604
are on the communication section
610
side (see FIG.
16
).
Next, as shown in FIG.
18
and
FIG. 19
, the side plate member
600
is provided with helical gears each corresponding to the gear units
622
,
624
,
626
, that is, helical gears
614
.
Each of the helical gears
614
is mounted on the rotation shaft
616
pivoted by the shielding bracket
608
. As shown in
FIG. 16
, the helical gears
614
are disposed in the communication section
610
. Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 18
, the gears
660
,
618
,
670
are mounted on the end part projecting to the side plate
604
side on the rotation shaft
616
. Among them, the gear
618
is formed with a gear
620
A and a small size gear
620
B such that the gear
620
A engages with the gear
644
, and the gear
620
B engages with the gear
632
.
Thereby, in the side plate member
600
, the rotation force is transmitted from the helical gears
614
to the conveying roller pairs
442
,
445
,
448
and the brush roller
480
.
As shown in FIG.
16
and
FIG. 17
, in the drive shaft
612
, a worm gear, that is, a worm gear
634
is mounted at a position facing each of the helical gears
614
. Each of the worm gears
634
engages with the helical gears
614
. Thereby, in the PS processor
410
, the rotation of the drive shaft
612
is transmitted to the rotation shaft
616
while reducing the speed (for example, with about a 4 to 12 speed reduction ratio) so as to rotate the conveying roller pairs
442
,
445
,
448
and the brush roller
480
at a predetermined rotation speed.
Next, as shown in
FIGS. 17
to
19
, a plurality of pins
636
is formed projecting from the surface facing the cover plate
606
in the shielding bracket
608
. Moreover, a pin hole
638
is formed in each cover plate
606
corresponding to each of the pins
636
. The shielding bracket
608
is positioned with respect to the cover plate
606
by inserting each of the pins
636
into the pin holes
638
.
In the cover plate
606
, a wing nut
640
is mounted in the middle part along the longitudinal direction (PS plate
412
conveyance direction). The wing nut
640
is screwed in the shielding bracket
608
, and thereby the shielding bracket
608
is mounted on the cover plate
606
.
Next, as shown in
FIG. 20
, a predetermined gap is provided between the cover plate
606
and the shielding bracket
608
, with a coil spring
642
disposed in the gap as an urging device. The coil spring
642
forces the shielding bracket
608
in the direction away from the cover plate
606
by a predetermined urging force. Moreover, the cover plate
606
and the shielding bracket
608
can approach with each other, resisting to the urging force of the coil spring
642
.
Thereby, the helical gear
614
mounted on the shielding bracket
608
engages with the worm gear
634
by the urging force of the coil spring
642
. Moreover, by moving upward the shielding bracket
608
resisting to the urging force of the coil spring
642
so as to approach the cover plate
606
, the helical gear
614
is moved away from the worm gear
634
so that the helical gear
614
and the worm gear
634
can rotate relatively.
By moving the helical gear
614
away from the worm gear
634
in the side plate member
600
, transmission of the driving force to the conveying roller pairs
442
,
445
,
448
and the brush roller
480
is released.
In the PS plate processor
410
, the urging force of the coil spring
642
is set such that the helical gear
614
is lifted with the shielding bracket
608
resisting to the urging force of the coil spring
642
when the torque for rotating the helical gear
614
exceeds a predetermined value in transmitting the driving force from the worm gear
634
of the drive shaft
612
to the helical gear
614
. Setting of the urging force can be adjusted also by an optional method of changing the distance between the cover plate
606
and the shielding bracket
608
by the wing nut
640
, or the like.
In general, when transmitting the rotation force from the worm gear
634
to the helical gear
614
by engaging the worm gear
634
and the helical gear
614
, the helical gear
614
is rotated with a torque larger than the torque (the load torque for the helical gear
614
) necessary for rotating the helical gear
614
. Consequently, the driving force is transmitted to the conveying roller pairs
442
,
445
,
448
and the brush roller
480
.
When the torque of the helical gear
614
becomes large, the force of moving the helical gear
614
away from the worm gear
634
(separating force) F
s
becomes large.
In the PS plate processor
410
, the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
is set such that the separating force F
s
of moving the helical gear
614
away from the worm gear
634
exceeds the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
when the torque T becomes a predetermined value or more.
Thereby, when the torque T exceeds the predetermined value, the helical gear
614
moves away from the worm gear
634
so that transmission of the driving force to the gear units
622
,
624
,
626
is blocked.
At the time, according to this embodiment, in the conveyance process of the PS plate
412
in an ordinary state, the helical gear
614
is not moved away from the worm gear
634
until the torque T necessary for the drive of the helical gear
614
reaches to 2′T
s
, more preferably to 3′T
s
when the torque T necessary for driving the helical gear
614
is T
s
.
Moreover, the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
is set such that the helical gear
614
is reliably moved away from the worm gear
634
until the torque value (for example, 30′T
s
) at the limit not to cause the breakage, or the like in each gear provided in the helical gear
614
, and the gear units
622
,
624
,
626
reaches to about a ⅓ value (10′T
s
).
That is, the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
is adjusted such that the helical gear
614
is moved away from the worm gear
634
with the torque necessary for rotating the helical gear
614
T (N/m) is 2′T
s
T 30′T
s
, preferably 3′T
s
T 10′T
s
. The 30′T
s
value is merely an example of the limit torque value not to cause the breakage in the gear, or the like, and thus the torque T upper limit is not limited thereto.
In the PS plate processor
410
accordingly provided, when the PS plate
412
with an image recorded by a printing device (not shown), or the like is placed on the insertion base
440
so as to be inserted into the insertion opening
432
, the PS plate
412
is taken in by the conveying roller pair
442
so as to be sent into the developing section
414
. In the PS plate processor
410
, when the PS plate
412
passing through the insertion opening
432
is detected by a sensor (not shown), a timer is started. The timer is used for measuring the timing for ejecting the washing water from the spray pipes
462
A,
462
B of the water washing section
416
, and the timing for ejecting the gum liquid in the desensitizing process section
418
together with the operation of the driving device for conveying the PS plate
412
.
In the developing section
414
, the PS plate
412
is taken in by the conveying roller pair
442
by an insertion angle in a range of about 15° to 31° with respect to the horizontal direction so as to be conveyed while being soaked in the developing liquid. Moreover, the PS plate
412
is sent out from the developing liquid by a discharge angle in a range of about 17° to 31°. By soaking the PS plate
412
in the developing liquid in the developing section
414
, the unnecessary part of the photosensitive layer is swelled according to the image-wise exposure so that the swelled photosensitive layer is eliminated from the supporting body. By brushing the surface of the PS plate
412
with the brush roller
480
disposed in the developing vessel
424
at the time, elimination of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the surface of the PS plate
412
can be promoted.
As the PS plate processor
410
, one having a plurality of the brush rollers
480
facing the surface of the PS plate
412
for brushing, or one for processing the PS plate
412
without using the brush roller
480
can be used as well.
The PS plate
412
sent out from the developing liquid after the process with the developing liquid is taken out by the conveying roller pair
448
so as to be sent into the water washing section
416
. At the time, the developing liquid adhered on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
is squeezed off from the PS plate
412
by the conveying roller pair
448
.
In the water washing section
416
, the washing water is jetted from the spray pipes
462
A,
462
B while conveying the PS plate
412
nipped by the conveying roller pair
458
,
460
in the substantially horizontal state. Moreover, the conveying roller pair
460
disposed on the downstream side in the PS plate
412
conveyance direction sends out the PS plate
412
to the desensitizing process section
418
while squeezing off the washing water supplied to the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
together with the remaining developing liquid without being squeezed off by the conveying roller pair
448
.
Thereby, the PS plate
412
has the developing liquid remaining on the front and rear surfaces washed off at the time of passing through the water washing section
416
.
The PS plate
412
sent into the desensitizing process section
418
passes between the spray pipe
464
and the ejection unit
466
. By being nipped by the conveying roller pair
456
, it is sent out from the desensitizing section
418
by the conveying roller pair
456
.
At the time, in the desensitizing process section
418
, the gum liquid is supplied from the spray pipe
464
and the ejection unit
466
to the PS plate
412
so as to coat the gum liquid on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
. The conveying roller pair
456
nips and sends out the PS plate
412
so as to form the gum liquid thin film on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
as well as squeezes off the excessive gum liquid from the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
.
The PS plate
412
coated with the gum liquid is sent from the discharge opening
434
into the drying section
420
by the conveying roller pair
456
. The shutter (not shown) provided in the discharge opening
434
is operated at the timing of starting the process of the PS plate
412
or at the timing of sending out the PS plate
412
from the desensitizing process section
418
so as to open the discharge opening
434
for preventing inadvertent entrance of the drying air in the drying section
420
into the desensitizing process section
418
so as to adhere the gum liquid on the conveying roller pair
456
as well as for preventing entrance of the air from the discharge opening
434
to the developing section
414
so as to deteriorate the developing liquid by the carbon gas in the air, or for preventing evaporation of the moisture in the developing liquid or washing water, or the moisture in the gum liquid and discharge from the discharge opening
434
.
In the drying section
420
, the drying air is blown from the ducts
476
A,
476
B while conveying the PS plate
412
by the supporting roller
468
and the conveying roller pairs
472
,
474
. Thereby, with a protection film formed thereon by the coated gum liquid, the PS plate
412
is discharged from the discharge opening
470
.
In the PS plate processor
410
, when the conveyance failure of the PS plate
412
such as jamming occurs, the conveying roller for the PS plate
412
is locked. For example, in the side plate member
600
provided in the developing vessel
424
, the PS plate
412
is conveyed by rotation drive of the conveying roller pairs
442
,
445
,
448
and the brush roller
480
. At the time, when, for example, the conveying roller pair
445
is locked due to the conveyance failure generation such as jamming, the load on the gears
644
,
646
,
648
, the gears
620
A,
620
B, and the helical gear
614
in the gear unit
624
is increased. That is, a large torque is applied on the gears.
The torque increase may give rise to the damage in the helical gears
614
,
646
,
648
, the gears
620
A,
620
B, the helical gear
614
, or the like.
Next, in the PS plate processor
410
, the coil spring
642
is provided between the cover plate
606
of the side plate member
600
and the shielding bracket
608
such that when the separating force F
s
of pushing up the shielding bracket
608
by the helical gear
614
by the increase of the torque T applied on the helical gear
614
exceeds the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
, the helical gear
614
is moved away from the worm gear
634
.
That is, the separating force F
s
for moving the helical gear
614
away from the worm gear
634
is created between the helical gear
614
and the worm gear
634
according to the torque T for rotating the helical gear
614
.
Since the separating force F
s
is in general, smaller than the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
(F
s
<F
c
), the engaging state of the helical gear
614
and the worm gear
634
is maintained so that the driving force of the drive shaft
612
is transmitted to the conveying roller pair
445
, or the like.
If the torque T functioning on the helical gear
614
increases and the separating force F
s
exceeds the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
(F
s
>F
c
), the helical gear
614
is lifted up together with the shielding bracket
608
so that the helical gear
614
is moved away from the worm gear
634
. Thereby, the transmission of the driving force not only to the conveying roller pair
445
but also to the helical gear
614
and the gear unit
624
is blocked so as to prevent damage of the helical gear
614
, the gear unit
624
, or the like.
In the PS plate processor
410
, the urging force F
c
by the coil spring
642
is set such that the helical gear
614
and the worm gear
634
are reliably moved away by about a ⅓ value of 10′T
s
or less (T 10′T
s
) of the limit torque value (for example, 30′T
s
) not to break the gears including the helical gear
614
and the gear unit
624
with the premise that the torque T (N/m) necessary for rotating the helical gear
614
is the torque T
s
.
Thereby, in the PS plate processor
410
, even when jamming, or the like occurs, damage is avoided not only in the helical gear
614
but also in the gears of the gear unit
624
, or the like.
Next, in the PS plate processor
410
, the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
is set such that the helical gear
614
is not moved away from the worm gear
634
with a less than 2′T
s
torque T (T<2′T
s
), more preferably a less than 3′T
s
torque T (T<3′T
s
).
Thereby, generation of the conveyance stoppage, the conveyance failure, or the like of the PS plate
412
due to inadvertent separation of the helical gear
614
and the worm gear
634
can be prevented.
That is, in the PS plate processor
410
, since the urging force F
c
of the coil spring
642
is set such that the helical gear
614
is moved away from the worm gear
634
with the torque T functioning on the helical gear
614
(N/m) is 2′T
s
T 30′T
s
, (wherein 30′T
s
is an example of the limit torque value not to cause breakage in the gear, or the like), preferably 3′T
s
T 10′T
s
, damage of the helical gear
614
, the gear unit
624
, or the like can reliably be prevented while preventing inadvertent shielding of the driving force.
Thereby, in the PS plate processor
410
, even when jamming, or the like occurs, damage of the members for transmitting the driving force to the conveying roller for the PS plate
412
, or the like can reliably be prevented so that the recovery for resuming the process of the PS plate
412
can be facilitated.
Although the coil spring
642
is disposed between the cover plate
606
and the shielding bracket
608
for pivoting the helical gear
614
in the fifth embodiment heretofore explained, it is not limited thereto, and an optional configuration can be adopted as long as the helical gear
614
is moved away from the worm gear
634
by a torque T of a predetermined value or more by, for example, providing an urging device between the rotation shaft
616
and the shielding bracket
608
, or the like.
Sixth Embodiment
Hereinafter, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Since the basic configuration of the sixth embodiment is same as that of the above-mentioned fourth and fifth embodiments, the same numeral is provided for the same member as in those embodiments in the following description, and further explanation is not given in the sixth embodiment to be explained below.
FIG. 21
shows the essential part of a side plate section
680
according to the sixth embodiment. The side plate section
680
is used instead of the side plate member
600
in the fifth embodiment. Moreover, in the sixth embodiment, a worm gear
682
is used instead of the worm gear
634
provided in the drive shaft
612
.
Accordingly, in the side plate member
680
, the shielding bracket
608
is fixed on the cover plate
606
without providing the coil spring
642
between the cover plate
606
of the side plate
604
and the shielding bracket
608
.
As shown in FIG.
22
A and
FIG. 22B
, the worm gear
682
comprises an outer cylinder member
686
with a tooth part
684
formed on the circumferential part, and an inner cylinder member
690
with a shaft hole
688
for inserting the drive shaft
612
formed such that the inner cylinder member
690
is fitted into the outer cylinder member
686
.
In the worm gear
682
, a space part
692
is provided between the outer cylinder member
686
and the inner cylinder member
690
, with the space part
692
closed by a cap
694
(see FIG.
22
A).
The worm gear
682
is provided with a twist coil spring
696
in the space part
692
as an urging device. The twist coil spring
696
is engaged with a stopper part
698
wound around on the outer circumference of the inner cylinder member
690
, with one end projected from the outer cylinder member
686
into the space part
692
.
Thereby, the twist coil spring
696
can be rotated integrally with the outer cylinder member
686
. Moreover, since the twist coil spring
696
is wound around on the inner cylinder member
690
, it can be rotated integrally with the inner cylinder member
690
at the time it fastens the inner cylinder member
690
by the urging force.
That is, the worm gear
682
is engaged by the twist coil spring
696
in an ordinary state such that the outer cylinder member
686
and the inner cylinder member
690
are rotated integrally. The twist coil spring
696
adopted in this embodiment is formed with a wire material with a rectangular cross-sectional shape so that the contact area with respect to the inner cylinder member
690
is enlarged so as to enable certain engagement with the inner cylinder member
690
.
Next, in the worm gear
682
, the outer cylinder member
686
can be rotated relatively with respect to the inner cylinder member
690
, resisting to the urging force of the twist coil spring
696
.
That is, a one way clutch mechanism is formed in the worm gear
682
such that fastening of the inner cylinder
690
by the twist coil spring
696
is weakened so as to enable the relative rotation of the outer cylinder member
686
and the twist coil spring
696
with respect to the inner cylinder member
690
when the torque T functioning on the helical gear
614
exceeds the torque by the urging force by the twist coil spring
696
at the time of transmitting the driving force of the drive shaft
612
from the worm gear
682
to the helical gear
614
.
Thereby, when the torque T (N/m) functioning on the helical gear
614
exceeds a predetermined value due to generation of jamming, or the like in the side plate member
680
, the transmission of the driving force to the helical gear
614
is released by the relative rotation of the helical gear
614
and the drive shaft
612
.
At the time, also in the sixth embodiment, the urging force of the twist coil spring
696
is set such that the transmission of the driving force to the helical gear
614
is released in a T (N/m) range of 2′T
s
T 30′T
s
, preferably 3′T
s
T 10′T
s
.
Thereby, also in the PS plate processor
410
using the side plate member
680
, inadvertent release of the driving force transmission to the conveying roller pair
445
, or the like can be prevented as well as generation of damage in the helical gear
614
, the gear unit
624
, or the like at the time of generating jamming, or the like can reliably be prevented.
Although the one way clutch mechanism is formed in the sixth embodiment using the twist coil spring
696
in the worm gear
682
, one having the one way clutch mechanism formed between the helical gear
614
and the rotation shaft
616
can be used as well.
Moreover, although the PS plate processor
410
for processing the PS plate
412
as the photo sensitive material is adopted as an example of the photosensitive material processing device in this embodiment heretofore explained, the photosensitive material processing device with the present invention adopted is not limited thereto, and it can be adopted in a photosensitive material processing device with an optional configuration for processing various photosensitive materials, such as a printing paper, a photography film, or the like while conveying the same using a conveying roller.
Seventh Embodiment
Hereinafter, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Since the basic configuration of the seventh embodiment is same as that of the above-mentioned fourth, fifth and sixth embodiments, the same numeral is provided for the same member as in those embodiments in the following description, and further explanation is not given in the seventh embodiment to be explained below.
As shown in
FIG. 23
, in the desensitizing process section
418
, a replenishing liquid tank
704
is provided for storing a gum liquid for replenishment so that the gum liquid in the replenishing liquid tank
704
is replenished to the desensitizing process vessel
428
by operating a replenishing pump
706
by a preset predetermined timing.
Moreover, in the desensitizing process section
418
, a liquid supply pump
708
to be operated synchronously with the conveyance of the PS plate
412
is provided so that the gum liquid in the desensitizing process vessel
428
is supplied to the spray pipe
464
and the ejection unit
466
by operating the liquid supply pump
708
so as to be coated on the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
. The excessive gum liquid is squeezed off from the front and rear surfaces of the PS plate
412
by the conveying roller pair
456
so as to be collected in the desensitizing process vessel
428
.
The gum liquid stored in the desensitizing process vessel
428
contains a component, such as a gum Arabic so that when the conveying roller pair
456
with the gum liquid adhered is left for a long time in the state with the gum liquid adhered, the gum liquid component is precipitated on the circumferential surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B comprising the conveying roller pair
456
so as to fix the roller
456
A and the roller
456
B. When the rollers
456
A,
456
B are rotated again, a large torque is applied on the gear, or the like for transmitting the driving force to the rollers
456
A,
456
B so that breakage of the gear, or the like may be caused. Moreover, the surface of the PS plate
412
can be damaged at the time the rollers
456
A,
456
B with the gum liquid component precipitated on the circumference are contacted with the PS plate
412
so as to deteriorate the finish quality of the PS plate
412
.
Moreover, as shown in FIG.
13
and
FIG. 23
, in the desensitizing process section
418
of the PS plate processor
410
, a washing spray
702
is provided as a washing device for the conveying roller pair
456
.
The washing spray
702
is disposed, for example, with the axis direction along the axis direction of the conveying roller pair
456
, with a plurality of ejection holes (not shown) formed. The ejection holes are provided along the axis direction of the washing spray
702
. The washing spray
702
is mounted with the ejection holes facing the upper roller
456
A of the conveying roller pair
456
.
Furthermore, in the desensitizing process section
418
, a water tank
710
for storing water for dilution and a washing pump
712
are provided so that the water in the water tank
710
can be supplied to the washing spray
702
by operating the washing pump
712
.
By the supply of the water from the water tank
710
, the washing spray
702
drops the water as the washing water to the circumferential surface of the roller
456
A while diffusing the same. Thereby, the circumferential surface of the roller
456
B together with the circumferential surface of the roller
456
A can be washed with the washing water dropped from the washing spray
702
.
As the washing device for washing off the gum liquid adhered on the circumferential surface of the conveying roller pair
456
is not limited to that using the washing spray
702
, and it is also possible to for example, drop the washing water onto the conveying roller pair
456
while diffusing the washing water in the axis direction of conveying roller pair
456
by providing a water supply bucket along the axis direction of the conveying roller pair
456
and supplying the washing water to the water supply bucket. Furthermore, an optional configuration of evenly diffusing the washing water in the axis direction of the roller
456
A by providing a backup roller contacting with the circumferential surface of the roller
456
A, and dropping the washing water on the contact part of the roller
456
A and the backup roller, or the like can be used.
The washing water supplied from the washing spray
702
to the conveying roller pair
456
is collected in the desensitizing process vessel
428
as the diluting water for diluting the gum liquid in the desensitizing process vessel
428
so as to prevent the concentration rise due to the moisture evaporation from the gum liquid stored in the desensitizing process vessel
428
, or the like so that the component in the gum liquid can be maintained in a predetermined concentration range (a gum liquid concentration range appropriate for protecting the plate surface of the PS plate
412
).
Although the water in the water tank
710
is used also as the diluting liquid for the developing liquid to be supplied to the developing vessel
424
and the washing water to be replenished in the water washing vessel
426
, illustration and explanation are not given for the diluting water for diluting the replenishing liquid for the developing liquid and supply of the washing water in this embodiment.
Next, in the PS plate processor
410
, a conveyance motor
714
is provided as a driving source for driving the conveying roller in the device including the conveying roller pair
456
. The conveyance motor
714
is interlocked with each conveying roller including the conveying roller pair
456
via a driving force transmitting device formed with a gear or the like (not shown) Thereby, the PS plate
412
can be conveyed by driving the conveyance motor
714
.
Further, in the PS plate processor
410
, a control section
716
for controlling the operation of the conveyance motor
714
is provided together with the replenishing liquid pump
706
, the liquid supply pump
708
, the washing pump
712
, or the like. In the control section
716
, by rotating the conveying roller pair
456
(rollers
456
A,
456
B) by driving the conveyance motor
714
according to the operation of the washing pump
712
, the washing efficiency of the rollers
456
A,
456
B can be improved.
As shown in
FIG. 24
, in the control section
716
, a driving controller
718
is provided such that the operation of the conveyance motor
714
is controlled by the driving controller
718
. The control section
716
has a general function for controlling the operation of the devices in the PS plate processor
410
. Among them, the operation control of the conveyance motor
714
will be explained in this embodiment.
In the driving controller
718
, a driver
720
is provided. The driver
720
supplies or plates the alternating current electric power supplied from an alternating current power source
722
to the conveyance motor
714
.
In the PS plate processor
410
, an alternating current motor to be rotated by the alternating current electric power is used as the conveyance motor
714
. The conveyance motor
714
is driven by an output torque and a rotational frequency corresponding to the effective value of the inputted alternating current voltage.
The driving controller
718
controls the conveyance speed of the PS plate
412
in the PS plate processor
410
by controlling the effective value of the alternating current voltage to be supplied to the conveyance motor
714
as well as controls the output torque at the time of washing the conveying roller pair
456
.
Therefore, the driving controller
718
is provided with a rotational frequency detector
724
for detecting the rotational frequency of the conveyance motor
714
, a memory
726
for storing the reference rotational frequency of the conveyance motor
714
for the conveying the PS plate
412
by a preset conveyance speed, and a comparator
728
for comparing the rotational frequency detected by the rotational frequency detector
724
and the reference rotational frequency stored in the memory
726
. Thereby, the driving controller
718
carries out the feedback control of the conveyance motor
714
.
Next, in the driving controller
718
, the on time for supplying the electric power in a half cycle of the alternating current voltage at the time of operating the conveyance motor
714
, and the off time for stopping the electric power supply are set so that the driver
720
is operated based on the setting result. That is, as shown in FIG.
25
A and
FIG. 25B
, the driver
720
energizes the conveyance motor
714
during the on time T
ON
in the half cycle of the alternating current voltage, and stops the power supply during the off time T
OFF
at the time of operating the conveyance motor
714
.
FIG. 25B
shows the on/off state of the driver
720
, and
FIG. 25A
shows the change of the output voltage (momentary value) according to the on/off state of the driver
720
by a solid line.
As shown in
FIG. 24
, a time adjustor
730
is provided in the driving controller
718
. The time adjustor
730
controls the on time T
ON
based on the comparison result of the comparator
728
such that the rotational frequency of the conveyance motor
714
is kept at a predetermined rotational frequency (for example, the reference rotational frequency).
That is, the time adjustor
730
shortens the on time T
ON
so as to lower the rotational frequency of the conveyance motor
714
when the rotational frequency of the conveyance motor
714
is higher than the reference rotational frequency, and prolongs the on time T
ON
so as to raise the rotational frequency of the conveyance motor
714
when the rotational frequency of the conveyance motor
714
is lower than the reference rotational frequency. Thereby, the conveyance speed can be controlled accurately using a low cost alternating current motor in the PS plate processor
410
.
Moreover, in the driving controller
718
, a driver activator
732
and a zero-crossing detector
734
are provided. The zero-crossing detector
734
detects the zero cross point P (see
FIG. 25A
) at which the polarity of the alternating current voltage inputted from the alternating current power source
722
is switched. Moreover, the driver activator
732
operates the driver
720
based on the detection result of the zero-crossing detector
734
and the on time T
ON
set by the time adjustor
730
.
Next, a timer
736
is provided in the driving controller
718
. Furthermore, the on time T
ON
for gradually raising the alternating current voltage effective value to be supplied to the conveyance motor
714
at the time of operating the conveyance motor
714
according to the roller washing operation is stored in the memory
726
.
In the driving controller
718
, the on time T
ON
stored in the memory
726
is read by a predetermined time interval at the time of washing the roller for setting at the on time T
ON
so as to gradually raise the alternating current voltage effective value to be supplied to the conveyance motor
714
.
Thereby, the driving controller
718
gradually raises the output torque of the conveyance motor
714
at the time of washing the roller.
The gum liquid used for the PS plate processor
410
contains a component such as a gum Arabic. When the conveying roller pair
456
with the gum liquid adhered outside is left in the air, the component of the gum liquid is precipitated and fixed on the surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B comprising the conveying roller pair
456
. When the rollers
456
A,
456
B re-start rotating, a large torque acts on the gears for transmitting the driving force to the rollers
456
A,
456
B, and the gears may be damaged. Moreover, the finishing failures such as adherence of the gum liquid component precipitated on the circumference of the rollers
456
A,
456
B to the PS plate
412
to be newly processed, damage of the surface of the PS plate
412
may occur.
In the PS plate processor
410
, in order to prevent the breakage of the gear, or the like, and the finish failure of the PS plate
412
, the roller washing operation is performed for the conveying roller pair
456
at the time of starting the drive of the device. As to the washing operation for the conveying roller pair
456
provided in the desensitizing process section
418
, it can be performed by the conventionally known optional timing and washing method (washing water supply method), and thus detailed explanation is not given in the sixth embodiment.
For example, in the PS plate processor
410
, when the drive is started for processing the PS plate
412
from the state with the drive of the device stopped for a predetermined time or more, the washing pump
712
is operated for dropping the water in the water tank
710
from the washing spray
702
as washing water, onto the upper side roller
456
A of the conveying roller pair
456
. Simultaneously with the operation, in the PS plate processor
410
, the conveyance motor
714
is driven so as to rotate the conveying roller pair
456
.
Thereby, the washing water dropped from the washing spray
702
is diffused on the circumferential surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B, and further, it is squeezed off from the circumferential surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B for eliminating the gum liquid or the component in the gum liquid adhered on the circumferential surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B so that generation of the finish quality decline due to adherence of the component of the gum liquid fixed on the circumferential surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B on the surface of the PS plate
412
to be processed by the PS plate processor
410
, or damage of the surface thereby can be prevented.
If the rollers
456
A,
456
B with the gum liquid adhered are left unrotating, the contact part between the rollers
456
A,
456
B may be attached with each other by the gum liquid. When the conveying roller pair
456
restart rotating, a large load acts on the gears for transmitting the driving force to the conveying roller pair
456
. Subsequently, if a large torque acts suddenly, damage such as chip off of the gears may occur. Moreover, when a large rotation torque acts suddenly for peeling off the attached rollers
456
A,
456
B, the circumferential surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B may be damaged.
The conveyance controller
718
controls the drive of the conveyance motor
744
so as to gradually raise the output torque of the conveyance motor
714
in order to prevent damage of the components for transmitting the driving force and damage of the rollers
456
A,
456
B.
With reference to the flow chart of
FIG. 26
, the drive control of the conveyance motor
714
by the driving controller
718
will be explained. In this embodiment, as an example, the time interval for changing the on time T
ON
(time Ts) is set at 0.5 sec. Moreover, time data with the electric power (alternating current voltage) supplied to the conveyance motor
714
to be raised by 10% of the voltage effective value set so as to be the reference rotational frequency per the time Ts are stored in the memory
726
.
The flow chart is performed when a power source (not shown) of the PS plate processor
410
is turned on so as to start the drive. In the first step
800
, whether or not the conveying roller pair
456
is washed is confirmed. At the time, if the stoppage time of the PS plate processor
410
is short or the drive start is finished, a negative determination is made in the step
750
so as to move to the step
752
for performing an ordinary control for conveying the PS plate
412
at a constant speed.
Here, when of washing the roller, a positive determination is made in the step
750
for performing the drive control of the conveyance motor
714
according to the roller washing operation. In the drive control at the time of washing the roller, the initial value (first value) of the time data stored in the memory
826
is read in the step
754
, and the on time T
ON
in the half cycle of the alternating current voltage is set based on the time data in the following step
756
.
Thereafter, in the step
758
, the electric power is supplied or stopped to the conveyance motor
714
based on the on time T
ON
as well as the timer
736
is reset or started in the step
760
for starting measurement of the passage of the time.
Thereby, as shown in FIG.
27
A and
FIG. 27B
, the electric power is supplied to the conveyance motor
714
with the electric conduction and blockage repeated according to the on time T
ON
in the half cycle of the alternating current voltage for starting the operation by the electric power. At the time, since the on time T
ON
is short so that the inputted alternating current voltage effective value is low, the rotation drive of the conveyance motor
714
is started by a small output torque.
Next, in the flow chart of
FIG. 26
, whether or not the measurement time T by the timer
736
reached the time Ts is confirmed in the following step
762
. When the measurement time T reached the time Ts so as to make a positive judgment, it moves to the step
764
for confirming whether or not setting of the on time T
ON
is at the final stage. When it is at the final stage (positive determination in the step
764
), it moves to the step
766
for reading the time data of the next stage. Based on the time data, the next on time T
ON
is set (step
756
,
758
) as well as the timer
736
is reset/started (step
760
).
Accordingly, by gradually prolonging the on time T
ON
at the time of driving the conveyance motor
714
so that the effective value of the alternating current voltage to be supplied to the conveyance motor
714
reaches a predetermined voltage (voltage of the alternating current power source
722
) at the final stage, a negative determination is made in the step
764
so as to move to the step
752
for starting the ordinary control.
Thereby, by prolonging the on time T
ON
stepwise, the effective value of the alternating current voltage to be supplied to the conveyance motor
714
is gradually raised.
When the effective value of the alternating current voltage to be supplied is low, the output torque of the conveyance motor
714
is small. Therefore, a large torque is not applied to the gear for transmitting the driving force to the conveying roller pair
456
immediately after starting the operation of the driving motor
714
.
Thereby, since a large torque does not act on the gear even when the rollers
456
A,
456
B are fixed by the gum liquid, the gear is not damaged.
Next, by prolonging the on time T
ON
stepwise, the output torque of the conveyance motor
714
is gradually increased and enlarged. Thereby, the rotation torque applied on the rollers
456
A,
456
B is gradually enlarged so that when they are in the attached state by the gum liquid, the attachment of the gum liquid is gradually peeled off. At the time, since the on time T
ON
and the off time T
OFF
are set in the half cycle of the alternating current voltage, irregularity does not occur in the output torque even when of repeating the supply and stoppage of the electric power.
Since the attached state of the rollers
456
A,
456
B by the gum liquid is released accordingly in the conveying roller pair
456
, breakage of the gear in the driving force transmission system, the circumferential surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B is not damaged due to forcible peel off of the attachment by the gum liquid. Moreover, the gum liquid adhered on the circumferential surface of the rollers
456
A,
456
B after release of the attachment is washed off by the washing water supplied from the washing spray
702
.
Accordingly, in the PS plate processor
410
, even when the rollers
456
A,
456
B of the conveying roller pair
456
for squeezing off the excessive gum liquid from the PS plate
412
are in the attached state by the component in the gum liquid, the rollers
456
A,
456
B can be peeled off without damaging the gear for transmitting the driving force to the conveying roller pair
456
so that the rotation of the rollers
456
A,
456
B can be resumed.
When of repeating the continuous rotation of the conveying roller pair
456
for a predetermined time interval (for example, from several tens of seconds to several minutes) at the time of washing the roller, the effective value of the alternating current voltage can be raised stepwise each time, and furthermore, the effective value of the alternating current voltage may be controlled only for the first time or the several times in the continuous rotation of the conveying roller pair.
Furthermore, although the on time T
ON
in the half cycle of the alternating current voltage is set in the sixth embodiment heretofore explained, it is not limited thereto, and for example, it is also possible to performe the so-called cycle control of setting the off cycle of the alternating current voltage for supplying the electric power to the conveyance motor
714
, and the off cycle for stopping the supply, and controlling the effective value of the alternating current voltage supplied to the conveyance motor
714
based on the ratio of the on cycle and the off cycle.
Moreover, although an alternating current motor is used as the conveyance motor
714
is used in this embodiment as the driving device, a direct current motor can be adopted in stead of the alternating current motor as long as the output torque can be controlled. In this case, an optional control method, for example, a method of supplying a pulse waveform voltage to the direct current motor, and controlling the duty ratio, or the like can be used.
Furthermore, although an example of the PS plate processor
410
for processing the printing plate (PS plate) such as a photo polymer plate is explained as the photosensitive material processing device in this embodiment, the present invention can be adopted in a photosensitive material processing device using a processing liquid with the risk of generating attachment of the rollers comprising the conveying roller pair due to adherence of the conveying rollers. Thereby, generation of the damage, or the like in the components of the driving force transmitting device, such as the gear for transmitting the driving force to the conveying roller pair can reliably be prevented at the time of rotating the conveying roller pair attached by the processing liquid.
Eighth Embodiment
Hereinafter, an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Since the basic configuration of the eighth embodiment is same as that of the above-mentioned fourth to seventh embodiments, the same numeral is provided for the same member as in those embodiments in the following description, and further explanation is not given in the eighth embodiment to be explained below.
The processing tank
422
used in the PS plate processor
410
can be adopted in a PS plate processor capable of processing the conventional commonly used PS plate (conventional) of the one side type and the both side type each of the positive type and the negative type, the thermal plate of the one side type each of the positive type and the negative type, and the photo polymer plate of the one side type of the negative type by changing the kind, the number, the arrangement, or the like of the members comprising the conveying path of the PS plate
412
.
Here, an example of the developing section
414
will be explained.
FIG. 28
shows the schematic configuration in the developing vessel
424
of the PS plate processor
410
shown in
FIG. 13
(hereinafter referred to as the “PS plate processor
410
A” when of specifying). In the PS plate processor
410
, the one side type commonly used PS plate
412
, and the thermal plate can be processed.
Next, in the PS plate processor
410
shown in
FIG. 29
(hereinafter referred to as the “PS plate processor
410
B” when of specifying), a roll roller
482
is provided facing the brush roller
480
in the developing vessel
424
instead of the guide plate
46
. Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
B, the brush roller
484
facing the lower side surface of the PS plate
412
, and the roll roller
482
facing the brush roller
484
are provided.
Thereby, the PS plate processor
410
B can process the both side type PS plate
412
.
In the PS plate processor
410
shown in
FIG. 30
(hereinafter referred to as the “PS plate processor
410
C” when of specifying), the guide plate
486
smoothly curved in a substantially U shape is disposed from the insertion side of the developing vessel
424
to the discharge side. Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
C, in addition to the brush roller
480
at the downstream part of the developing vessel
424
, a brush roller
488
at the upstream part of the developing vessel
424
is disposed.
Thereby, in the PS plate processor
410
C, the PS plate
412
is soaked in the developing liquid while being guided on the guide plate
486
. Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
C, the surface of the PS plate
412
is brushed by the brush rollers
480
,
488
so that the process of for example, a one side type photo polymer plate can be enabled.
Accordingly, the process of the PS plates
412
of different kinds is enabled in the process tank
422
by changing the members comprising the conveying path of the PS plate
412
, or the like in the processing vessel corresponding to the developing vessel
424
.
That is, the PS plate processor
410
A shown in
FIG. 28
can be used for the process of the one side type thermal plate or the commonly used PS plate
412
. The PS plate processor
410
B shown in
FIG. 29
can be used for the process of the both side type PS plate
412
. Moreover, the PS plate processor
410
C shown in
FIG. 30
can be used mainly for the process of the one side type photo polymer plate.
As shown in
FIGS. 28
to
30
, in these PS plate processors
410
, a circulation pump
810
is provided so that the developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
is supplied to the spray pipe
450
by the operation of the circulation pump
810
. Thereby, the developing liquid is jetted from the spray pipe
450
so as to agitate the developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
so that generation of the finish failure, such as the developing irregularity is prevented by supplying the fresh developing liquid to the surface of the PS plate
412
during the process of the PS plate
412
. As the circulation pump
810
, a magnet pump, or the like is used.
Next, in the PS plate processor
410
, a replenishing liquid replenishing mechanism
812
is provided for preventing the deterioration of the developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
. The replenishing liquid replenishing mechanism
812
comprises an original liquid tank
814
for storing the original liquid for the replenishment, a replenishing pump
816
for supplying the original liquid in the original liquid tank
814
to the developing vessel
424
, a water tank
818
for storing the water for diluting the original liquid for the replenishment to be supplied to the developing vessel
424
by a predetermined ratio, and a diluting pump
820
for supplying the water in the water tank
818
to the developing vessel
424
.
Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
, a control section
822
is provided, and it is connected to the replenishing pump
816
, and the diluting pump
820
together with the circulation pump
810
. The control section
822
supplies the original liquid for the replenishment, and the water for diluting the original liquid by a preset diluting ratio to the developing vessel
424
by operating the replenishing pump
816
and the diluting pump
820
by a preset predetermined timing. Thereby, the replenishing liquid is replenished to the developing vessel
424
.
At the time, in the PS plate processor
410
, a bellows pump is used as the replenishing pump
816
, and the diluting pump
820
so that the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting water can be supplied with the amount accurately controlled.
As to the replenishment timing for the replenishing liquid, a commonly known optional timing can be adopted, and thus detailed explanation is not given in this embodiment. Moreover, the water tank
818
may be provided outside the PS plate processor
410
. Furthermore, the tap water is supplied to the water tank
818
according to the reduction of the water. As to the replenishment of the tap water to the water tank
818
, conventionally known various configuration can be adopted.
Next, after using the developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
for a preset period, the PS plate processor
410
abandons the developing liquid and prepares the new developing liquid (preparation liquid).
In the PS plate processor
410
, in addition to the diluting pump
820
, a water supply pump
824
is provided so that the water in the water tank
818
can be supplied to the developing vessel
424
by operating the water supply pump
824
at the time of preparing the preparation liquid.
As the water supply pump
824
, a magnet pump is used so that a large amount of water can be supplied to the developing vessel
424
in a short time so as to enable the quick preparation of the preparation liquid.
Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
, a liquid level sensor
826
is provided in the developing vessel
424
as a liquid level detecting device. The liquid level sensor
826
is provided corresponding to the liquid level of the developing liquid at the time of supplying a preset predetermined amount of the developing liquid to the developing vessel
424
.
Thereby, the control section
822
can determine whether or not a predetermined amount of the developing liquid is supplied into the developing vessel
424
based on the detection result of the liquid level sensor
826
. As the liquid level sensor
826
, various conventionally known sensors, such as a float method can be used.
In preparation of the preparation liquid in the developing vessel
424
, the control section
822
provided in the PS plate processor
410
supplied a preset certain amount of the diluting water into the developing vessel
424
by operating the water supply pump
824
while confirming the detection result of the liquid level sensor
826
after supplying the original liquid of the developing liquid into the developing vessel
424
.
Next, in the PS plate processor
410
, even when the developing vessel
424
of the same volume is provided in the same processing tank
422
, the amount of the developing liquid differs depending on the configuration of the members comprising the conveying path of the PS plate
412
in the developing vessel
424
, or the like. Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
, the diluting ratio for the original liquid may differ depending on the kind of the PS plate
412
to be processed.
That is, in the PS plate processor
410
, the amount of the original liquid and the diluting water differs at the time of preparing the preparation liquid depending on whether the PS plate
412
to be processed is the commonly used PS plate, the thermal plate, or the photo polymer plate, and further depending on whether it is the one side type or the both side type.
For example, the volume of the developing vessel
424
(amount of the storable developing liquid) is 20 l (litters) in the PS plate processors
410
A, and
410
C, whereas it is 19 l (letters) in the PS plate processor
410
B.
Next, the original liquid used for preparation of the preparation liquid is sealed in a bottle by a certain amount so that when of preparing the preparation liquid in the developing vessel
424
, it is necessary to introduce the diluting water into the developing vessel
424
so as to dilute the original liquid by a predetermined ratio according to the kind of the PS plate
412
after introducing the bottle of the original liquid in the developing vessel
424
.
Moreover, in the PS plate processor
410
, the original liquid for the replenishment stored in the original liquid tank
814
can be used for example, as a part of the original liquid for the preparation.
Therefore, in the control section
822
, the preparation liquid can be prepared according to the kind of the PS plate
412
by replenishing the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting water, or either of the original liquid and the diluting water according to the capacity of the developing vessel
424
and the diluting ratio using the replenishing liquid replenishing mechanism
122
after introducing a certain amount of the original liquid and the diluting water in the developing vessel
424
.
That is, a certain amount of the basic liquid is prepared with the original liquid and diluting water to be supplied by the water supply pump
824
as the preparation liquid by a certain ratio regardless of the kind of the PS plate
412
, and thereafter the adjusting replenishment is performed by the replenishing liquid replenishing mechanism
812
according to the kind of the PS plate
412
so as to prepare the preparation liquid according to the kind of the PS plate
412
.
Therefore, in the control section
822
, the basic liquid amount is set as well as the adjusting replenishment pattern according to the kind of the PS plate
412
is stored. Moreover, in the liquid level sensor
826
provided in the developing vessel
424
, the detecting position is set so as to detect the liquid level according to the amount of the basic liquid.
Moreover, as shown in
FIGS. 28
to
30
, an electric conductivity sensor
828
for detecting the electric conductivity of the developing liquid is provided in the PS plate processor
410
. The electric conductivity sensor
828
is provided on the ejection side of the circulation pump
810
so as to detect the electric conductivity of the developing liquid supplied from the circulation pump
810
to the spray pipe
50
.
The developing liquid has the electric conductivity changeable according to the diluting ratio. The control section
822
detects the electric conductivity of the developing liquid by the electric conductivity sensor
828
for confirming whether or not the developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
maintains a predetermined processing performance. Moreover, in the control section
822
, a certain processing performance (developing performance) is maintained for example by replenishing the replenishing liquid based on the detected electric conductivity by the electric conductivity sensor
828
. For the administration of the developing liquid using the electric conductivity sensor
828
, the conventionally known method can be adopted, and thus detailed explanation is not given in this embodiment.
Next, the control section
822
confirms whether or not the electric conductivity according to the kind of the PS plate
412
is obtained by supplying a predetermined amount of the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting water by the diluting ratio according to the kind of the PS plate
412
, and detecting the electric conductivity by the electric conductivity sensor
828
at the time of performing the adjusting replenishment of the preparation liquid using the replenishing liquid replenishing mechanism
812
.
Here, with reference to
FIG. 31
, the schematic procedure of preparing the preparation liquid in the PS plate processor
410
will be explained. In this embodiment, as an example, the total basic liquid amount will be 17.5 l (litters) using 2 l (litters) of the original liquid sealed in a bottle. That is, when the developing liquid amount in the developing vessel
424
becomes 17.5 l (litters), the liquid level sensor
826
detects the liquid level of the developing liquid so that the 15.5 l (litters) of the water is introduced using the water supply pump
824
so as to have 17.5 l (litters) of the basic liquid. Then, after circulating and agitating the basic liquid, whether or not the original liquid and the water are introduced by a predetermined ratio is confirmed by measuring the electric conductivity by the electric conductivity sensor
828
.
Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 32
, the adjusting replenishment pattern according to the kind of the PS plate
412
is set and stored in the control section
822
. For example, when of processing the positive type one side type PS plate
412
in the PS plate processor
410
A, the pattern P
1
is selected so that 0.15 l (litter) of the diluting water and 2.0 l (litters) of the replenishing liquid with a 1:12 diluting ratio (replenishing liquid made of 12 units of the diluting water with respect to 1 unit of the original liquid for the replenishment) are replenished.
As shown in the flow chart of
FIG. 31
, for the preparation of the preparation liquid, first, the waste liquid process of discharging the used developing liquid in the developing vessel
424
is performed (step
200
). When the developing vessel
424
is emptied thereby, in the next step
202
, 2 l (litters) of the original liquid for a bottle is introduced manually into the developing vessel
424
.
Thereafter, by the switch operation of an operation panel (not shown), the replenishing pattern at the time of the adjusting replenishment is set (step
854
), and start of performing the preparation of the preparation liquid is commanded.
In the step
856
, whether or not the start of the preparation of the preparation liquid is commanded is confirmed. If the start of the preparation is commanded and a positive determination is made, it moves to the step
858
so as to start the operation of the water supply pump
824
. Simultaneously therewith, in the step
860
, using the liquid level sensor
826
, whether or not the liquid level in the developing vessel
424
reaches at a predetermined level, that is, whether or not the liquid amount of the basic liquid reaches at a predetermined amount (17.5 l) by introducing 15.5 l (litters) of the water into the developing vessel
424
by the water supply pump
824
is confirmed.
Since the water supply pump
824
with a high ejection ability, such as a magnet pump is used at the time of introducing the basic liquid, even a large amount of water can be supplied in a short time.
Here, when the liquid level sensor
826
detects the liquid surface of the developing liquid (basic liquid), a positive determination is made in the step
860
so that it moves to the step
862
for stopping the water supply pump
824
and introduction of the basic liquid is finished.
Next, in the step
864
, the replenishing pattern set for performing the adjusting replenishment is read.
Thereafter, in the step
866
, the adjusting replenishment is performed by operating the replenishing pump
816
or the diluting pump
820
in the replenishing liquid replenishing mechanism
812
based on the read replenishing pattern.
For example, when of processing a positive type one side type PS plate
412
, the replenishing pattern P
2
is selected and set in the PS plate processor
410
A and introduction of the basic liquid is finished, then the diluting pump
820
is operated so as to supply 0.5 l (litter) of the water into the developing vessel
424
, and then the replenishing pump
816
and the diluting pump
820
are operated so as to replenish 2 l (litters) of the replenishing liquid with a 1:12 diluting ratio.
Thereby, 20 l (litters) of the preparation liquid can be prepared accurately in the developing vessel
424
of a 20 l (litters) capacity.
Moreover, when of processing a positive type both side type PS plate
412
in the PS plate processor
410
B, the replenishing pattern P
1
is selected and set and introduction of the basic liquid is finished, then the diluting pump
820
is operated so as to supply 0.5 l (litters) of the water into the developing vessel
424
, and then the replenishing pump
816
and the diluting pump
820
are operated so as to replenish 1 l (litter) of the replenishing liquid with a 1:12 diluting ratio.
Thereby, 19 l (litters) of the preparation liquid can be placed accurately in the developing vessel
424
of a 19 l (litters) capacity.
Furthermore, when of processing a one side type photo polymer plate in the PS plate processor
410
C as the PS plate
412
, the replenishing pattern P
7
is selected and set, then the diluting pump
120
is operated so as to supply 2.5 l (litters) of the water or 0.5 l (litters) of the water, and 2.0 l (litters) of the replenishing liquid with a 1:100 diluting ratio in the developing vessel
424
.
Thereby, 20 l (litters) of the preparation liquid can be placed in the developing vessel
424
of the PS plate processor
410
C of a 20 l (litters) capacity.
Next, in the adjusting replenishment, after placing 20 l (litters) or 19 l (litters) of the preparation liquid in the developing vessel
424
, the preparation liquid is circulated and agitated. Thereafter, using the electric conductivity sensor
828
, whether the preparation liquid has the targeted electric conductivity according to the kind of the PS plate
412
is measured.
As a result, when the measurement result is off the targeted electric conductivity, based on the displacement, adjustment is made for obtaining the targeted electric conductivity by operating the replenishing pump
816
so for supplying the original liquid for the replenishment, or operating the diluting pump
820
for supplying the diluting water. It is also possible to perform the adjusting replenishment while detecting the electric conductivity of the preparation liquid being prepared in the developing vessel
424
using the electric conductivity sensor
828
after the introduction of the basic liquid.
That is, in the control section
822
, at the time of supplying the original liquid for the replenishment and the diluting liquid to the developing vessel
424
, the circulation pump
810
is operated for agitating the original liquid and the diluting water supplied to the developing vessel
424
. At the time, in the control section
822
, the electric conductivity is measured by the electric conductivity sensor
828
.
Thereby, in the control section
822
, whether or not the original liquid and the diluting water are sufficiently agitated is confirmed. The electric conductivity of the developing liquid is determined by the diluting ratio of the original liquid, and the electric conductivity is determined by the replenishing pattern.
Therefore, in the control section
822
, whether or not the electric conductivity detected by the electric conductivity sensor
828
is at the electric conductivity determined by the replenishing pattern is confirmed. Thereby, the preparation mistake of the preparation liquid is prevented as well as the process of the PS plate
412
by the preparation liquid prepared in a wrong manner can be prevented reliably.
Accordingly, in the PS plate processor
410
using the processing tank
422
, by selecting the replenishing pattern set according to the kind of the PS plate
412
to be processed, an appropriate amount of the preparation liquid can be prepared accurately. Moreover, since the water supply pump
824
provided independently from the diluting pump
820
is used, the preparation liquid can be prepared quickly at the time of supplying a large amount of the water into the developing vessel
424
.
Moreover, bubbling can be caused by introducing a large amount of the water in a short time in the developing vessel
424
with the original liquid introduced. While the water supply pump
824
is used until it reaches the liquid surface level detected by the liquid level sensor
826
, the replenishing pump
816
and the diluting pump
820
with a relatively small ejection ability are used for the adjusting replenishment in the PS processor
410
. Due to these pumps
816
and
820
, the bubbling is suppressed when the adjusting replenishment, and prevented from growing large enough to overflow from the developing vessel
424
when preparing the basic liquid.
The configuration of the present invention is not limited by this embodiment heretofore explained. This embodiment can be adopted in each of the photosensitive material processing devices in the same basic configuration with different capacity and diluting ratio.
As heretofore explained, according to the present invention, the photosensitive planographic printing plate can be heated in an appropriate temperature range regardless of the size of the photosensitive planographic printing plate or the thickness of the supporting body. Moreover, the excellent effect of restraining the space for preheating the photosensitive planographic printing plate at minimum necessary level so as to provide the device in a compact configuration can be obtained.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, by conveying the photosensitive planographic printing plate in an inclined state, the washing water can be stored between the roller on the inclination downstream side and the photosensitive planographic printing plate so that a further certain washing process of the photosensitive planographic printing plate can be enabled.
Moreover, according to the present invention, since a backup roller to be contacted along the axis direction of the circumferential surface of the roller is provided so that the washing water is supplied between the roller and the backup roller, the washing water can be supplied reliably to the entire region along the axis direction of the roller. Furthermore, the excellent effect of efficiently washing the roller by reliably supplying the washing water to the entire region along the axis of the roller by rotation drive of the roller by a predetermined timing according to the water supply can be obtained.
Moreover, according to the present invention, since the processing liquid in the vicinity of the surface of the photosensitive material can be substituted without generating the flow rate difference of the processing liquid in the vicinity of the surface of the photosensitive material, the excellent effect of processing the photosensitive material without generating the sensitivity difference derived from then temperature difference, the flow rate difference, or the like of the processing liquid can be obtained.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, by separating the rotation shaft from the drive shaft when a preset torque or more is applied on the helical gear, the excellent effect of reliably preventing damage of the helical gear or the driving force transmitting device even when the torque applied on the helical gear is increased due to locking of the conveying roller by generation of jamming, or the like, can be obtained.
Moreover, according to the present invention, since the voltage supplied to the driving source for driving the roller pair is raised gradually at the time of starting the rotation of the roller pair with the processing liquid adhered, the torque applied on the gear for transmitting the driving force to the roller pair, or the like can be increased moderately, and thus the excellent effect of preventing damage of the gear, or the like due to adhesion of the rollers with each other can be obtained.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the roller pair can be rotated with the torque moderately increased, the rollers attached with each other can be peeled off gradually.
Moreover, according to the present invention, since the adjusting replenishment is performed based on the processing vessel capacity and the diluting ratio in addition to a predetermined amount of the basic liquid prepared by diluting the original liquid by the diluting water, the excellent effect of preparing the processing liquid (preparation liquid) with different capacity and diluting ratio easily and accurately can be obtained.
Claims
- 1. A photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material with a processing liquid while conveying by a roller pair, comprising:a driving device for the rotation drive of the roller pair by the drive of a driving source by supplying electric power of a predetermined voltage; and a drive controlling device for gradually raising the voltage of the electric power supplied to the driving source at the time of starting the rotation drive of the roller pairs, wherein the roller pair is positioned to nip the photosensitive material.
- 2. A photosensitive material processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:a zero cross detecting device for detecting the zero cross point of the alternating current voltage inputted as the driving electric power, and a setting device for setting the electric power supply time of each half cycle of the alternating current voltage at the time of starting the drive of the driving source when using an alternating current motor driven by the alternating current electric power as the driving source, wherein the drive controlling device drives the driving source by repeating the supply and the stop of the alternating current electric power based on the setting result of the setting device and the detection result of the zero cross detecting device.
- 3. A photosensitive material processor comprising:at least one pair of rollers for conveying a photosensitive material to be processed with a processing liquid; a driving device for driving electrically and rotating said at least one pair of rollers; and a controller which is capable of controlling the driving device so as to cause a gradual increase of output torque when said at least one pair of rollers has been started to rotate by the driving device, wherein said at least one pair of rollers is positioned to nip the photosensitive material.
- 4. The photosensitive material processor of claim 3, wherein the driving device includes a driving source which generates drive for driving and rotating said at least one pair of rollers in accordance with a supply of electric power.
- 5. The photosensitive material processor of claim 4, wherein the driving source includes an alternating current motor to be driven by an alternating current, and the photosensitive material processor further comprises a zero-cross detector for detecting the zero-cross point of an alternating current voltage which is input as the electric power, and a setting device for setting an electric power supply time for each half cycle of the alternating current voltage at a time of starting the driving source, and the controller drives the driving source by changing a state repeatedly between a supply and a stop of an alternating current electric power based on a setting result of the setting device and a detection result of the zero-cross detector.
- 6. A photosensitive material processing device for processing a photosensitive material with a processing liquid while conveying by a roller pair, comprising:a driving device for the rotation drive of the roller pair by the drive of a driving source by supplying electric power of a predetermined voltage; a drive controlling device for gradually raising the voltage of the electric power supplied to the driving source at the time of starting the rotation drive of the roller pair; a zero cross detecting device for detecting the zero cross point of the alternating current voltage inputted as the driving electric power; and a setting device for setting the electric power supply time of each half cycle of the alternating current voltage at the time of starting the drive of the driving source when using an alternating current motor driven by the alternating current electric power as the driving source, wherein the drive controlling device drives the driving source by repeating the supply and the stop of the alternating current electric power based on the setting result of the setting device and the detection result of the zero cross detecting device.
- 7. A photosensitive material processor comprising:at least one pair of rollers for conveying a photosensitive material to be processed with a processing liquid; a driving device for driving electrically and rotating said at least one pair of rollers; a controller which is capable of controlling the driving device so as to cause a gradual increase of output torque when said at least one pair of rollers has been started to rotate by the driving device, wherein the driving device includes a driving source which generates drive for driving and rotating said at least one pair of rollers in accordance with a supply of electric power, and wherein the driving source includes an alternating current motor to be driven by an alternating current, and the photosensitive material processor further comprises a zero-cross detector for detecting the zero-cross point of an alternating current voltage which is input as the electric power, and a setting device for setting an electric power supply time for each half cycle of the alternating current voltage at a time of starting the driving source, and the controller drives the driving source by changing a state repeatedly between a supply and a stop of an alternating current electric power based on a setting result of the setting device and a detection result of the zero-cross detector.
Priority Claims (7)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2001-093149 |
Mar 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-093151 |
Mar 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-101656 |
Mar 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-101657 |
Mar 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-101658 |
Mar 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-101660 |
Mar 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-194996 |
Jun 2001 |
JP |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
06-332193 |
Dec 1994 |
JP |