US 12,251,951 B2
Plate making system and plate making method
Yuki Yamamoto, Tokyo (JP); Hideo Saito, Tokyo (JP); Thomas Pascal, Itzehoe (DE); and Klein Thomas, Itzehoe (DE)
Assigned to ASAHI KASEI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP); and ESKO GRAPHICS IMAGING GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG, Itzehoe (DE)
Appl. No. 17/915,743
Filed by ASAHI KASEI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP); and ESKO Graphics imaging Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Itzehoe (DE)
PCT Filed Mar. 31, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/014010
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 29, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/201162, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 7, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-066682 (JP), filed on Apr. 2, 2020; and application No. 2020-161162 (JP), filed on Sep. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0126302 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B41F 5/24 (2006.01); B41M 1/04 (2006.01); B41C 1/05 (2006.01); B41N 1/12 (2006.01)
CPC B41M 1/04 (2013.01) [B41F 5/24 (2013.01); B41C 1/05 (2013.01); B41N 1/12 (2013.01)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plate making system, comprising:
a writing device that applies laser writing onto a flexographic printing original plate;
an exposure device that exposes the flexographic printing original plate subjected to the laser writing;
a developing device that develops the exposed flexographic printing original plate;
a plate cutting device that cuts the developed flexographic printing original plate;
a first transfer device that transfers the flexographic printing original plate subjected to the laser writing by the writing device to the exposure apparatus;
a second transfer device that transfers the flexographic printing original plate exposed by the exposure device to the developing device;
a third transfer device that transfers the flexographic printing original plate developed by the developing device to the plate cutting device,
wherein the plate making system comprises the writing device, the exposure device, the developing device, the plate cutting device, the first transfer device, the second transfer device and the third transfer device in an integrated manner, and
wherein the plate making system further comprises a control device that controls a series of plate making processes for the flexographic printing original plate performed by the writing device, the exposure device, the developing device and the plate cutting device; and
wherein the developing device performs development, drying, and post-exposure as an integrated unit, the developing device continuously transfers the flexographic printing original plate with a transfer device that has a plate setter for transferring the flexographic printing original plate; a device for attaching the plate setter to the flexographic printing original plate is provided at an entrance of the integrated unit of the developing device; and a device for removing the plate setter from the flexographic printing original plate is provided at an exit of the integrated unit of the developing device.