HYBRID OPTICAL HEAD FOR DIRECT ENGRAVING OF FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATES

• US 20080153038A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miraclon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Siman-Tov, Alon, Chayet, Haim
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/307
• CPC Class Codes: B41C 1/05 Heat-generating engraving heads, e.g. laser beam, electron beam

Abstract

An optical imaging head for direct engraving of flexographic printing plates, comprising: at least two groups of radiation sources, each group comprising at least one radiation source, wherein the radiation sources within each group emit radiation having the same intensity and spot size, different from the intensity and spot size of radiation sources in the other groups, said groups of radiation sources operating simultaneously.

Claims

1. A system for engraving flexographic printing plates, comprising:

a first group of one or more radiation sources each emitting radiation having substantially the same intensity;

a first one or more optical elements coupled to the first group of one or more radiation sources for imaging the radiation emitted from the first group of one or more radiation sources onto a flexographic printing plate;

a second group of one or more radiation sources each emitting radiation having substantially the same intensity; and

a second one or more optical elements coupled to the second group of one or more radiation sources for imaging the radiation emitted from the second group of one or more radiation sources onto the flexographic printing plate, wherein the intensity and spot size of the first group of one or more radiation sources is different from the intensity and spot size of the second group of one or more radiation sources, and wherein said first and second groups of radiation sources operate simultaneously.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first group of one or more radiation sources are laser diodes, multi emitter laser diodes, laser bars, laser stacks, or fiber lasers.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second group of one or more radiation sources are laser diodes, multi emitter laser diodes, laser bars, laser stacks, or fiber lasers.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first one or more optical elements include a telecentric lens.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second one or more optical elements include a telecentric lens.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the first one or more optical elements include at least one collimating lens.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second one or more optical elements include at least one collimating lens.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the first one or more optical elements include an array of collimating lenses.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second one or more optical elements include an array of collimating lenses.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second group of one or more radiation sources are mounted on a single movable carriage.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second group of one or more radiation sources are mounted on a first and second movable carriage, respectively.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the radiation from the first group of one or more radiation sources is combined into a single optical path.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the radiation from the second group of one or more radiation sources is combined into a single optical path.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first group of one or more radiation sources is capable of engraving fine details on the flexographic printing plate.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second group of one or more radiation sources is capable of engraving broad details on the flexographic printing plate.

16. A method for engraving flexographic printing plates, comprising:

emitting radiation having substantially the same intensity by each of a first group of one or more radiation sources;

imaging the radiation emitted from the first group of one or more radiation sources onto a flexographic printing plate by a first one or more optical elements coupled to the first group of one or more radiation sources;

emitting radiation having substantially the same intensity by each of a second group of one or more radiation sources; and

imaging the radiation emitted from the second group of one or more radiation sources onto the flexographic printing plate by a second one or more optical elements coupled to the second group of one or more radiation sources, wherein the intensity and spot size of the first group of one or more radiation sources is different from the intensity and spot size of the second group of one or more radiation sources, and wherein said first and second groups of radiation sources operate simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising mounting the first and second group of one or more radiation sources on a single movable carriage.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising mounting the first and second group of one or more radiation sources on a first and second movable carriage, respectively.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein imaging the radiation emitted from the first group of one or more radiation sources step includes combining the emitted radiation from the first group of one or more radiation sources into a single optical path.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein imaging the radiation emitted from the second group of one or more radiation sources step includes combining the emitted radiation from the second group of one or more radiation sources into a single optical path.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising engraving fine details on a flexographic printing plate with the first group of one or more radiation sources.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising engraving broad details on the flexographic printing plate with the second group of one or more radiation sources.