초록 ▼

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

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. According to the invention, a substrate inverter system is also provided. This system inverts the substrates from being imaging or emulsion side down to emulsion side up in the present implementation. This allows plates, for example, which are stored emulsion side down in cassettes to be flipped to an emulsion side up orientation, and then transferred, using the substrate transfer system to the imaging engine. This flipping process has two advantages. First, the plates can be emulsion side up during the transfer. This prevents any damage to the sensitive plate emulsions. Moreover, the plates, now in an emulsion side up configuration are in the right orientation for being installed on the outside of a drum on an external drum imaging system, as is common in many platesetters. Also, the plates are picked from the non emulsion side. Thus the system is less sensitive to emulsion formulation changes. A slip sheet capture mechanism is also provided to transfer slip sheets separating the plates to a storage location.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A substrate manager, comprising:a substrate storage system with a stack of substrates;a substrate picker for picking, substrate, from the stack of substrates;a substrate inverter system for inverting the substrate, comprising a leading arm and a lagging arm for carrying the substrates over an arc

1. A substrate manager, comprising:a substrate storage system with a stack of substrates;a substrate picker for picking, substrate, from the stack of substrates;a substrate inverter system for inverting the substrate, comprising a leading arm and a lagging arm for carrying the substrates over an arcuate transfer path between the substrate storage system and a substrate transfer system; andthe substrate transfer system for providing the substrates, after being inverted, to an imaging engine. 2. The substrate manager as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate storage system is capable of containing multiple cassette for holding stacks, of substrates. 3. The substrate manager as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate picker comprises a substrate peeler for separating a substrate from the stack of substrate. 4. The substrate manager as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a slip sheet separator for ensuring that a slip sheet separated from the substrate that is being picked by the substrate picker. 5. The substrate manager as claimed in claim 1, wherein the leading arm carries a header of the substrates over the arcuate transfer path and the lagging arm carries a trailing edge of the substrates over the arcuate transfer path. 6. The substrate manager as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the leading and lagging arms. 7. A plate inverter for a platesetter system, the plate inverter comprising:a place picker for picking a plate; anda leading arm and a lagging arm for carrying the plate over an arcuate transfer path between the plate picker and an imaging engine. 8. The plate inverter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the leading arm carries a header of the plate over the arcuate transfer path and the lagging arm carries a trailing edge of the plate over the arcuate transfer path. 9. The plate inverter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the leading arm comprises a first roller and a second roller for both holding the plate and moving the plate relative to the leading arm. 10. A method of managing substrates for a substrate exposure machine, the method comprising:storing substrates to be exposed in a stack of substrates;picking the substrates from the stack of substrates;inverting the substrates by conveying the substrates over an arcuate transfer path by holding headers of the substrates with a leading arm and guiding the headers over the arcuate transfer path; and holding trailing edges of the substrates with a lagging arm and guiding the trailing edges over the arcuate transfer path; and conveying the substrates, after being inverted, to an image engine. 11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of storing substrates comprising comprises storing stacks of substrates in cassettes. 12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of picking the substrates comprises peeling the substrates to separate the substrates from the stack of substrates. 13. The method of claimed in claim 10, further comprising separating slip sheets from the substrates as the substrates are being picked. 14. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising feeding the substrates with rollers on the leading arm after the headers of the substrates have been conveyed over the arcuate transfer path. 15. A printing plate handler for a platesetter system, the plate handler comprising:an arm including a first nip roller and a second nip roller for closing on a plate and pulling the plate through an arcuate path and then rotating to drive the plate between the first nip roller and the second nip roller. 16. The plate handler as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a second arm including a third nip roller and fourth nip roller for conveying a trailing edge of the plate over the arcuate path. 17. The plate handler as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plate handler receives plates from a plate storage system. 18. The plate handler as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plate handler provides plates to an imaging engine.