Abstract: A plate feeding method includes a suction-holding step for causing suction pads to suck and hold an upper surface adjacent an end edge, remote from nip rollers, of each plate, a moving step, while swinging the suction pads about a moving unit, for moving the moving unit toward the nip rollers, thereby inverting a portion adjacent the end edge of each plate P, and subsequently moving the end edge of the plate inverted to a position to be pinched by the nip rollers, a pinching step for causing the nip rollers to pinch the end edge of the plate having been inverted, a releasing step for canceling suction-holding of the plate by the suction pads, a pressing step for pressing the plate with a support roller, and a transporting step for rotating the nip rollers to transport the plate P.

Abstract: A representative point determining method for determining representative points to be compared when adjusting color tones of a print made by a printing machine, by comparing image data serving as a reference and image data obtained by reading an image on the print. The method includes a representative point setting step executed by an operator for setting a representative point to at least one of a plurality of areas corresponding to ink keys of the printing machine, and a representative point determining step for determining representative points for other areas corresponding to the ink keys based on the representative point set by the operator and by using setting conditions for setting representative points to the other areas.

Abstract: A first gas nozzle and a second gas nozzle are fixedly provided in the vicinity of the forward end of a nozzle arm. The nozzle arm is rotated along a locus R while a substrate rinsed with deionized water is rotated, for discharging nitrogen gas from the first and second gas nozzles. Visible moisture is loosely expelled from the upper surface of the substrate by spraying the nitrogen gas from the first gas nozzle, and moisture slightly remaining on a fine pattern or the like can also be completely removed by spraying the nitrogen gas from the second gas nozzle to the same region of the substrate as that sprayed with the nitrogen gas by the first gas nozzle. Consequently, the surface of the substrate can be stably and reliably dried. Thus, a substrate processing apparatus capable of stably and reliably drying the surface of the substrate is provided.

Abstract: An image scanning technique of the present invention shortens the time required for reading images of a plurality of originals set on an original tray. The positions of a lens 18 and a line of CCDs 20 are adjusted, so as to enable a scanning range of the line of CCDs 20 in a primary scanning direction to cover a plurality of originals. A first shooting range Z1 of the line of CCDs 20 covers four trimming areas Tr1,Tr2, Tr5, and Tr6. The procedure of the image scanning technique first reads white reference data of a white reference plate in the first shooting range Z1, then scans the four trimming areas Tr1, Tr2, Tr5, and Tr6 while fixing the shooting range to the first shooting range Z1, and carries out shading correction to correct image data obtained by the scan with the white reference data. This structure requires the process of scanning the white reference plate and updating the white reference data only once for correcting the image data of the plurality of originals.

Abstract: An engraving mechanism for engraving gravure cylinders having an engraving head, an engraving head movement mechanism, a sensor coupled to the movement mechanism for sensing the relative position between the engraving head and the gravure cylinder, and a control unit connected to the sensor and the movement mechanism. The control unit has a CPU and memory to store data related to the engraving of one or more gravure cylinders to determine the length of the cylinder in response to movement of the engraving head and sensor information from the sensor, to determine an initial position for positioning the engraving head prior to each engraving operation based upon the length and diameter of the gravure cylinder, and to determine a gap between the engraving head and the cylinder prior to engraving.

Abstract: A subject color and a non-subject color of color change operation are specified and then a first color vector representing the subject color and a second color vector representing the non-subject color are obtained. A substitute color for replacing a component of the subject color is further specified, and a color vector representing the substitute color is obtained. A third color vector independent of the first and second color vectors is further determined. A color of each pixel in an original color image is expressed by linear combination of the first through third color vectors, thereby obtaining first through third coefficients for the first through the third color vectors. If the first coefficient is positive, the first color vector is replaced by the substitute color vector. The pixel color after the color change operation is then determined by producing a composite vector using the first through the third coefficients.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including: a screen having a printing plate portion and reinforcing strips formed on both sides of the printing plate portion; a stretching device for stretching the screen by applying a predetermined tension thereto in a longitudinal direction of the strips; a squeegee for sliding on the screen in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the strips, thereby transferring ink onto a surface subjected to printing; and a support table for supporting a material subjected to printing. The squeegee has a width larger than the minimum spacing of the strips on both sides of the printing plate portion. When the squeegee slides on the screen, it presses the printing plate portion and the strips on both sides simultaneously. In printing, the portion of the screen in contact with the surface subjected to printing is maintained flat in the transverse direction. A stretching amount of the screen in the moving direction of the squeegee is equal to a stretching amount of each strip.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a stripe filter for optical usages, the method being based on a partially hardening of a liquid colored composition spread on a transparent base plate together with a partially eliminating of portions remaining soluble after the hardening operation, wherein a series of these operations is repeated with said compositions respectively assuming different colors.