Abstract: A substrate manager for a substrate exposure machine is used, in one example, as a platesetter. As such, it comprises a substrate storage system, containing one or more stacks of substrates, such as plates in one implementation. A substrate picker is provided for picking substrates from the stack of substrates. The substrates are then handed to a transfer system that conveys the substrates to an imaging engine. A substrate registration system is provided upstream of the imaging engine. The substrate registration system includes (1) a substrate transfer system for supporting and conveying substrates and (2) at least one engaging member for pushing the substrates on the substrate transfer system to a desired position. Preferably, two sets of engaging members are used, one on either side of the plates. This allows angular as well as positional registration. The substrate transfer system includes a frame and a series of rollers for supporting the substrates.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a printing plate to an external drum platesetter includes: a plate traversing table for displacing a printing plate into a staging position; and a plate angling table, nested within the plate traversing table, for rotating the printing plate between the staging position and a loading position. The plate traversing table includes: a first shaft; a second driven shaft including a plurality of nip rollers; a plurality of pulleys mounted to the first and second shafts; a plurality of rotatable belts, extending between corresponding sets of the pulleys on the first and second shafts; and a drive system for rotating the driven shaft.

Abstract: A printing plate mounted on an external drum platesetter is verified to be securely fastened to the drum using an autofocus system prior to spinning the drum to maximum operating speed. An autofocus mode is employed to set a reference signal using a light beam and light sensor. After establishing the reference signal at one end of the plate, the system switches to a second mode of operation where the autofocus system is fixed, and the reference signal is monitored as the drum and plate are rotated. If the reference signal deviates from the initial value, the rotation of the drum is stopped and an operator is alerted.

Abstract: A thin wall external drum for an external drum imaging system includes a cylindrical portion having a hollow tube and a pair of end plates mounted to opposing sides of the hollow tube, wherein the hollow tube has the wall thickness less than or equal to about 1.5 percent of the outside diameter of the external drum.

Abstract: In an external drum imaging system, a plate locating mechanism and method for operation of same are provided for automatically locating printing plates of various sizes in a staging position so as to be mounted on a predetermined position on external drum of the imaging system. The predetermined position in a particular embodiment is substantially center-justified on the external drum to help prevent artifacts in the recorded image.

Abstract: An imaging system is disclosed for imaging and registering recordable media. The imaging system includes an input opening through which recordable media may be input to the imaging system, an imaging unit, a registration unit and an output opening through which registered imaged media may exit the imaging system. The imaging unit is for imaging the recordable media that is received through the input opening, and provides imaged media. The registration unit is for receiving imaged media from the imaging unit, and for registering the imaged media by creating registration features in the imaged media. The registration unit provides registered imaged media.

Abstract: A cooling system having a single circulator cools a laser, laser power supply, and laser light valve using two parallel cooling loops having different flow rates. Independent protection against an over temperature condition of the laser, laser power supply, and/or laser light valve is provided in each cooling loop.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for analyzing an illumination field of a line of laser illumination. The system includes a first movable unit, a second movable unit, and a sensor unit. The first movable unit includes a first opening through which at least a portion of the illumination field may pass. The first movable unit is adapted for movement in a first direction. The sensor unit is adapted to receive illumination and to produce a sensor output signal representative a characteristic of the illumination field. The second movable unit includes a second opening through which at least a portion of the illumination field may pass. The second movable unit is positioned between the first movable unit and the sensor unit and is adapted for movement between at least a first position in which very little or no light from the illumination field may reach the sensor unit, and a second position in which a relatively high amount of light from the illumination field may reach the sensor unit.

Abstract: An imaging system is disclosed that includes an illumination source, a modulator and a variable Fourier diaphragm. The illumination source produces a first illumination field having a first frequency and a second illumination field having a second frequency. The modulator receives the first illumination field and the second illumination field, and produces a first modulated illumination field and a second modulated illumination fields. The variable Fourier diaphragm selectively passes one of the first modulated illumination field and the second modulated illumination field.

Abstract: An apparatus for clamping the trailing edge of a supply of recording media on the external drum of an imaging system. The trailing edge clamping apparatus includes a plurality of magnetic clamp sections. Each magnetic clamp section includes: a body having a top portion and a pair of legs, wherein a bottom surface of each leg forms a clamping surface of the magnetic clamp section; a plurality of apertures formed in the top portion of the body for receiving a corresponding plurality of lift pads of an actuating system; a set of permanent magnets mounted to an underside of the top portion of the body; and a cover for encapsulating and protecting the set of permanent magnets, wherein the cover includes a raised portion for accommodating the set of permanent magnets, and a pair of flanges for securing the cover to the underside of the top portion of the body.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing artifacts in an imaging system by directing a stream of air onto the beam deflection assembly of the imaging system. An air displacement system, such as a fan assembly or the like, is oriented to direct, a stream of air onto the rotating deflector element of the beam deflection assembly. The stream of air is positioned to distribute a substantially uniform amount of air around the rotating deflector element.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an imaging system and method for operating same are provided which includes a media support surface for supporting a printing plate during recording of an image thereon, a leading edge clamping mechanism for securing a leading edge of the printing plate to the media support surface, and a trailing edge clamping mechanism for securing a trailing edge of the printing plate to the media support surface. An actuation system is used to actuate both the leading edge clamping mechanism and the trailing edge clamping mechanism.

Abstract: A multi-level printing process using a printer by converting electronic page data to multi-level bitmap data with a specific number of gradation levels Nlev at a specified spatial resolution higher than that of the printer; converting the multi-level bitmap data to a lower spatial resolution; reducing the number of gradation levels by a processing technique to some lower number Nlevp giving a second multi-level bitmap; and printing the multi-level output bitmap by a printer having at least Nlevp different gradation levels at a single pixel location.

Abstract: A method for loading and unloading substrates on a drum of an imaging engine is applicable to the loading of plates in a platesetter. The method comprises unclamping a trailing edge of a first substrate of the drum and clamping a header of a second substrate to the drum. The order in which these two steps are performed is not critical to the invention. For example, the clamping and unclamping can happen simultaneously. Alternatively, the unclamping of the trailing edge can occur before the clamping of the header, or visa versa. In any case, the drum is then rotated to eject the first substrate from the drum while installing the second substrate on the drum. The notion here is that, as the drum is rotated, one substrate is being ejected while a second substrate is being installed on the drum. Thereafter, the header of the first substrate is unclamped and the trailing edge of the second substrate is clamped to the drum.

Abstract: A visual sensor includes a reference portion comprising an image independent of banding and a banding test portion adjacent to the reference portion comprising an image sensitive to banding. In one embodiment, the visual sensor also includes a process check portion adjacent to the banding portion for indicating whether a predetermined imaging parameter is within designated limits.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for applying a coating material onto a print substrate mounted on a plate cylinder of a printing press. The method comprising: delivering a supply of the coating material to a distributive surface of an ultrasonic horn, the distributive surface controlling a flow of the coating material to an active edge of the ultrasonic horn, and atomizing the coating material at the active edge of the ultrasonic horn and directing the atomized coating material onto a surface of the print substrate. The present invention also provides a multi-purpose ultrasonic acoustic coating/cleaning system for applying a coating material onto, and cleaning the coating material from, a print substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for clamping the leading edge of a supply of recording media, such as a printing plate, on the external drum of an imaging system. The leading edge clamping apparatus includes a spring segment disposed on the external drum, wherein the spring segment may be selectively displaced between a clamping position for clamping the leading edge of the printing plate against the external drum and a release position, and an inflatable member positioned between the spring segment and the external drum for displacing the spring segment between the clamping position and the release position.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for removing a slip sheet from the top of a stack of printing plates. The apparatus includes a wing for covering an end section of the slip sheet, an air manifold coupled to an end of the wing, the air manifold including a plurality of orifices for directing streams of air along an underside of the wing to lift the end portion of the slip sheet off of the printing plate and toward the underside of the wing, a plurality of idler rollers rotatably mounted about the air manifold, and a clamping bar mounted to the wing for selectively pinching the lifted end section of the slip sheet against the underside of the wing, thereby capturing the slip sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for picking a single printing plate from a stack of printing plates. The apparatus includes a plurality of suction cups, a peeler, a drive system for displacing the suction cups and the peeler against the surface of the top printing plate on the stack, a vacuum source for supplying a vacuum to the suction cups to secure the suction cups against the surface of the top printing plate, and a system for rotatably displacing the suction cups relative to the peeler to peel a portion of the top printing plate off of the stack. The center line of rotation of the displacing system is located at a contact point between the peeler and the surface of the top printing plate. This prevents any relative motion of the top printing plate against the next, underlying printing plate on the stack during the peeling operation.

Abstract: A method in the field of image enhancement is described for smoothing the staircase effect in electronic images. These staircases may be introduced by electronic zooming of an original image having a low spatial resolution or by the application of a lossy compression algorithm, such as JPEG, to the image data. According to one example, for each pixel of the image local gradients are computed according to four directions. A first direction associated with the highest local gradient is selected. In order to smooth the image in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, the pixel value is changed according to the values of pixels situated along the second direction in the neighborhood of the pixel. Optionally, the smoothed image data may be subsequently sharpened by a method including the use of gradients.