Patent ID: 8511227

Claim:
Apparatus for registering a printing plate comprising an electrically conductive material, the apparatus comprising: a support surface adapted for supporting the printing plate; a plurality of registration members comprising a first registration member adapted for providing an electrical signal to the printing plate when contact is established between the first registration member and a first edge of the printing plate, and a set of two or more registration members, each registration member in the set of two or more registration members adapted for receiving the electrical signal provided to the printing plate when contact is established between an edge of the printing plate and the registration member in the set of two or more registration members; a set of two or more sensors, each of the sensors adapted for detecting a presence of the electrical signal received by a registration member in the set of two or more registration members; a plurality of actuators, each of the actuators being individually operable for moving a portion of the printing plate towards a registration member of the plurality of registration members; a controller configured for determining a presence or absence of contact between the printing plate and a selected registration member of the plurality of registration members based at least on information provided by each sensor in the set of two or more sensors, the controller being further configured for selectively operating at least one of the actuators to cause the printing plate to move towards the selected registration member in the event that an absence of the electrical signal is detected by at least one sensor in the set of two or more sensors; wherein the set of two or more registration members comprises a second registration member, and the plurality of actuators comprises a first actuator operable for moving a first portion of the printing plate towards the first registration member and a second actuator operable for moving a second portion of the printing plate towards the second registration member; and comprising a gripping member adapted for gripping a surface of the printing plate, each of the first actuator and the second actuator being adapted for moving the gripping member.