Abstract:
An image recorder and a method of recording an image on a printing plate are provided. A punch unit for forming punched holes and the like for use in a printing apparatus in the printing plate positions the printing plate by bringing a pair of reference pins into contact with an edge of the printing plate, and punches the printing plate. Next, the printing plate is transferred to a recording drum in the image recorder for image recording. The recording drum is provided with positioning pins mounted upright in substantially the same location as the reference pins of the punch unit. Thus, a portion of the edge of the printing plate which made contact with the reference pins of the punch unit is also brought into contact with the positioning pins of the recording drum. Therefore, the positional relationship between the punches holes for printing and the recorded image is held constant without being affected by an undulation or swell on the edge of the printing plate.
Abstract:
A recording drum has a clamp groove extending in its circumferential direction formed on its outer peripheral surface. A plurality of front end clamps are attached to the outer peripheral surface of the recording drum. Rear end clamps are attached so as to be movable and so as to be fixable along the clamp groove on the outer peripheral surface of the recording drum. A recording head is disposed ahead of the recording drum, and a clamp driving device is disposed behind the recording drum. The clamp driving device comprises a first driving device for fixing the front end clamps and fixing and releasing the rear end clamps and a second driving device for releasing the front end clamps. The front end clamps and the rear end clamps reliably fix a front end and a rear end of a plate to the outer peripheral surface of the recording drum by a reaction force produced by a spring and a centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the recording drum.
Abstract:
A trailing-end sensor 81 is provided in the neighborhood of a trailing-end clamp 53. The trailing end sensor 81 detects whether or not a plate is located at its sensing point. Based on the trailing end position of the plate P detected by the trailing-end sensor 81, a rotational angle position of a recording drum 5 is fixed at a trailing-end clamp position, where the trailing end of the plate P is clamped by the trailing-end clamp 53. Thus, it is possible to securely stabilize the plate P by means of the trailing-end clamp 53, and stably ensure a gripper margin of the plate P by the trailing-end clamp 53 regardless of the plate-to-plate variations which may occur in the manufacturing process.