Patent ID: 6318262
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: B41C,G03F

Abstract:
An external drum platesetter having a front side and a rear side for recordingan image onto a printing plate, the external drum platesetter comprising:an external drum having a cylindrical media support surface for supporting the printing plate during recording of the image onto said printing plate;an input tray for supporting the printing plate in a staging position prior to recording the image thereon such that the printing plate is ready for displacement to the cylindrical media support surface;said input tray angularly positioned between a horizontal plane and a vertical plane, said input tray having at least a portion thereof positioned over an upper hemisphere of said drum;said input tray positioned to feed a leading edge of said plate to the upper hemisphere of said drum;a device for holding the printing plate on the input tray until the external drum is ready to receive the printing plate from the input tray;a system for feeding the printing plate from the input tray to the media support surface; andan output tray formed separately from the input tray, said output tray for receiving the printing plate by a trailing edge from said external drum after said image is recorded onto said printing plate.