Abstract: A dryer includes a plurality of transport rollers, turn bars, and a heater. Some of the transport rollers support the continuous base material transported in the +Y direction in a first position in the Z direction. Some of the transport rollers support the continuous base material transported in the ?Y direction in a second position in the Z direction. The turn bars support the continuous base material in a third position in the Z direction while bending the continuous base material so that the continuous base material is transported in the ?X direction. The heater is capable of heating part of the continuous base material in a position on the transport path TR between the transport rollers and the turn bars. The transport rollers and the turn bars are located on the second surface side of the continuous base material.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an unwinder, a recorder, a take-up part, a first supporter, a surface modifying part, and a second supporter. The unwinder unwinds a base material from a roll. The recorder records an image onto a surface of the base material. The take-up part takes up the base material on which an image has been recorded by the recorder. The first supporter supports the base material that is being conveyed in a direction away from the recorder after having been unwound from the unwinder. The surface modifying part modifies a surface of the base material by energizing the surface of the base material that has passed through the first supporter. The second supporter supports the base material that is being conveyed in a direction toward the recorder after having passed through the surface modifying part. The second supporter is more distant from the unwinder than the first supporter is.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an unwinder, a recorder, a take-up part, a first supporter, a surface modifying part, and a second supporter. The unwinder unwinds a base material from a roll. The recorder records an image onto a surface of the base material. The take-up part takes up the base material on which an image has been recorded by the recorder. The first supporter supports the base material that is being conveyed in a direction away from the recorder after having been unwound from the unwinder. The surface modifying part modifies a surface of the base material by energizing the surface of the base material that has passed through the first supporter. The second supporter supports the base material that is being conveyed in a direction toward the recorder after having passed through the surface modifying part. The second supporter is more distant from the unwinder than the first supporter is.

Abstract: A discharge liquid agitating mechanism, and an inkjet recording apparatus having the discharge liquid agitating mechanism, are provided which are simple in construction, and are yet capable of preventing sedimentation of particles and the like contained in a discharge liquid.

Abstract: A discharge liquid agitating mechanism, and an inkjet recording apparatus having the discharge liquid agitating mechanism, are provided which are simple in construction, and are yet capable of preventing sedimentation of particles and the like contained in a discharge liquid.

Abstract: Punches 44 of punchers 41a to 41d each punch a plate P lying immediately thereunder to form a notch. Then, stopper pins 47 of the punchers 41c and 41d abut with the deepest portion of the notch, such that the plate P is further inserted. The punches 44 of the punchers 41a and 41b each punch the plate P lying immediately thereunder to form a deeper notch. In other words, the puncher 41 is capable of forming notches of different depths along one end face of the plate P, whereby it is possible to realize various methods for positioning the plate P on the recording drum 5 in a suitable manner.

Abstract: Depending on the lateral width thereof, an image recording material P is stably positioned on a recording drum, employing two positioning pins with an appropriate pitch therebetween. Non-contacting portions prevent any irrelevant positioning pins from coming into contact with the material P. The material P may be transported onto the recording drum 5 while one end thereof constitutes an angle U with a rotation axis 5N of the recording drum 5. A reference notch 44ae first fits with a positioning pin 51a. Thereafter, as the aforementioned end of the material P abuts with a positioning pin 51b, accurate positioning occurs. Each positioning pin 51 includes a tapered portion having a reference taper angle 2T. When a leading-end clamp 52 clamps the aforementioned end, the material P comes in contact with the tapered portion, with a, reduced friction force against the positioning pin 51, thereby preventing deformation of the material P.

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 plate is consecutively mounted on the outer peripheral surface of a recording drum under pressure from a squeegee roller, with its leading edge clamped by leading edge clamps. Guide members for causing the squeegee roller to climb up thereon are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the recording drum such that the squeegee roller is prevented from interfering with the leading edge clamps during plate mounting. Without the need to stop the rotation of the recording drum during plate mounting, a time period required for plate mounting can be reduced.

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.

Abstract: Punches 44 of punchers 41a to 41d each punch a plate P lying immediately thereunder to form a notch. Then, stopper pins 47 of the punchers 41c and 41d abut with the deepest portion of the notch, such that the plate P is further inserted. The punches 44 of the punchers 41a and 41b each punch the plate P lying immediately thereunder to form a deeper notch. In other words, the puncher 41 is capable of forming notches of different depths along one end face of the plate P, whereby it is possible to realize various methods for positioning the plate P on the recording drum 5 in a suitable manner.

Abstract: A plate is consecutively mounted on the outer peripheral surface of a recording drum under pressure from a squeegee roller, with its leading edge clamped by leading edge clamps. Guide members for causing the squeegee roller to climb up thereon are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the recording drum such that the squeegee roller is prevented from interfering with the leading edge clamps during plate mounting. Without the need to stop the rotation of the recording drum during plate mounting, a time period required for plate mounting can be reduced.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sensitive material mounted on a drum by emitting light beams to the sensitive material. The apparatus includes a cylindrical drum for supporting the sensitive material mounted peripherally thereof, a drive mechanism for rotating the drum with a rotary shaft disposed on an axis of the drum, guide members formed in opposite end surfaces of the drum and extending circumferentially about the rotary shaft, a pair of counterweights movable along each of the guide members, a moving mechanism for engaging each of the counterweights and moving relative to the drum, thereby to move the counterweight along the guide member, and a fixing mechanism for fixing the counterweight to the guide member in time of image recording.

Abstract: Depending on the lateral width thereof, an image recording material P is stably positioned on a recording drum, employing two positioning pins with an appropriate pitch therebetween. Non-contacting portions prevent any irrelevant positioning pins from coming into contact with the material P.

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: An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sensitive material mounted on a drum by emitting light beams to the sensitive material. The apparatus includes a cylindrical drum for supporting the sensitive material mounted peripherally thereof, a drive mechanism for rotating the drum with a rotary shaft disposed on an axis of the drum, guide members formed in opposite end surfaces of the drum and extending circumferentially about the rotary shaft, a pair of counterweights movable along each of the guide members, a moving mechanism for engaging each of the counterweights and moving relative to the drum, thereby to move the counterweight along the guide member, and a fixing mechanism for fixing the counterweight to the guide member in time of image recording.

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 conveying unit is disposed so as to be swingable above a recording drum. The conveying unit has a first plate carry-in conveying path and a second plate carry-out conveying path. A punching device is disposed in the plate on the side of a front end of the conveying unit. The plate is conveyed to the punching device through the first conveying path in the conveying unit before being conveyed onto the recording drum. Recording drum positioning holes and printing machine positioning holes are formed at a front end of the plate. The recording drum positioning holes of the plate are respectively fitted on positioning pins provided on an outer peripheral surface of the recording drum.

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 punch mechanism for an image recording device 1 that is disposed in an image recording device 1 which has a recording drum 11 in which photo-sensitive material F may be arranged on the peripheral surface and a main frame body 17 within the image recording device 1 which supports the recording drum 11 and allows it to selectively rotate. The punch unit P1 is an mechanism that forms a plurality of punch holes in the photo-sensitive file F arranged on the recording drum 11 and consists of at least one punch assembly 21 located on the outer periphery of the recording drum 11, at least one die 20, and a drive assembly 22. The punch assembly 21 opens punch holes in the photo-sensitive material F. The die 20 has a die hole 26 coupled to a punch 31 of the punch assembly 21. The drive assembly 22 drives the punch 31.