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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to image registration boards of the type
used in photomechanical platemaking, duplication of negatives, and
particularly to those used in page makeup (stripping) and exposing plates,
proofs, or contact prints utilizing uniform reproducible alignment and
registration such as in a "step-and-repeat" registration system.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,049 to Andrisani discloses a system for accurately
positioning one or more negatives, flats, screens, plates, or masking
sheets, and repositioning those items relative to a fixed reference point
(or to one another) in discrete repeating increments. The system comprises
a ruled board having evenly spaced index holes aligned with predetermined
divisions of the rulers, and registration pins or offset spacers which may
be received within those index holes. This ruled board is commonly
referred to as a "step and repeat board," and the current state of the art
in construction of step and repeat boards is shown and described in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,987,686 to Ternes. The common practice is to space the flat
(screen, plate, or masking sheet) a short distance away from the ruler and
spacer, and apply a paper or thin plastic stripping tab overlapping both
the spacer and flat (as shown in FIG. 15 of Andrisani '049 and FIG. 1 of
Ternes '686.) The stripping tab has one or more holes to receive the pin
of the spacer, and the opposing end is taped or adhered directly to the
negative, flat, screen, plate, or masking sheet.
Once the negative, flat, screen, plate, or masking sheet has been aligned
or registered as desired using a registration pin or spacer, this
particular registration may be accurately reproduced at the same location
or anywhere along the ruler (or on a remote board or apparatus having a
corresponding line of holes with or without a ruler) using either the same
or a distinct set of negatives, flats, plates, screens, or masking sheets
and a similar set of registration pins or spacers.
Page makeup may be done on a light table, step and repeat board, or similar
layout device, and then subsequently transferred to the platemaker. The
platemaker might be a vacuum frame, or an automated step and repeat
registration machine. Factors affecting whether a vacuum frame or step and
repeat machine is used in platemaking are discussed in the above
referenced parent application Ser. No. 07/780,739.
Images (individual or combined negatives or flats and any associated
screens, plates, or masking sheets) may be transferred to an unruled image
control board having spaced registration pins for exposure in a vacuum
frame, such as shown in Harder '683. It is known to provide the image
control board with compressible registration pins or compressible spacers,
or in some cases the vacuum frames may have an integral registration
system also including compressible registration pins. Compressible
registration pins and spacers were similarly discussed in the above
referenced parent application Ser. No. 07/780,739 and related
continuation-in-part application Ser. No.07/917,456, now abandoned,
thereof, with representative examples of compressible pins on image
control boards and vacuum frames being shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,977,683
to Harder and 3,634,009 to Van Dusen.
As shown particularly in the Andrisani '049 patent, it is known in the art
to position the rulers and lines of indexing holes along all four side
edges of the image layout area of a rectangular board, or alternately
along two perpendicularly adjacent edges thereof in an L-shaped
configuration.
However, in many applications such as the layout of large tabloid or
newspaper sheets having gutters, ganging multiple or related images on a
single board, color separations with extensive color bars or test strips,
non-uniform or displaced register marks, or bleeds or masks that require
additional pasteboard surrounding the image, conventional image
registration boards are unsuitable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore one object of this invention to design an image
registration board particularly adapted for use with both offset spacers
and compressible registration pins, and configured for specific
applications employing single or parallel rulers that do not surround the
image layout area or which are not perpendicularly adjacent to one
another.
It is contemplated herein that the terms "image registration board" or
"image board" may comprise embodiments as discussed and claimed herein
without regard for their intended or actual use, including those
conventionally referred to as step and repeat boards, image control
boards, or contact boards. As such, the terms image registration board or
image board should be construed, whenever appropriate, to include any
board utilized in the uniform and reproducible layout, page makeup,
stripping, and transfer or transportation of flats, screens, plates, or
masking sheets, and the exposure of negative and positive flats or plates
in platemakers. The term spacer relates to any pin or post assembly
designed to align or hold a flat, screen, plate, or masking sheet in a
predetermined or selected position on an image registration board or image
board, and may include those having either a null offset, a fixed offset,
or an adjustable offset relative to an index hole or similar reference
point. The term registration pin may similarly relate to any fixed,
adjustable, or compressible pin or assembly designed to be attached to the
image board, or selectively repositioned along the image layout area of an
image board for controlling and constraining the position of an image
disposed within or adjacent to the image layout area.
Briefly described, the image board of this invention comprises a metal
primary base layer such as aluminum, two lower intermediate layers of
polyester film such as Mylar.RTM., two upper intermediate layers of a low
molecular weight melanin polymer such as Melanex-T.RTM., and a single top
bed layer of an acrylic/PVC thermoplastic sheet such as Uniroyal.RTM.
DKF400 extrusion grade vinyl, preferably having a top surface defining a
level hair-line cell structure.
When utilized with removable compressible registration pins of the type
disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 07/780,739, a filler layer
such as an amorphous polyester including Kodar.RTM. PETG copolyester film
extrusion is preferably disposed between the base layer and the lowermost
lower intermediate layer. When utilized with compressible spacers, a
similar filler layer and a spacer layer of a closed cell polyethylene or
polyurethane foam are preferably disposed between the uppermost upper
intermediate layer and the top bed layer.
The top bed layer of the image board preferably defines an image layout
area having at least one border region including a plurality of index
holes uniformly positioned in a line equidistantly spaced along and
associated with the major divisions of a ruler or scale.
In a newspaper registration board embodiment of the image board, a pair of
rulers and lines of indexing holes are disposed on opposing parallel
peripheral edges of the rectangular image layout area. A predetermined
number of circular or elongated registration pins are aligned parallel
with and proximate to one of the rulers, and a tail pin is disposed
proximate to the opposing ruler. Alternately, the circular or elongated
registration pins may be aligned parallel with and proximate to a free
side edge of the image board extending between and perpendicular to the
two opposing rulers, with the tail pin disposed proximate to the opposing
free side edge of the image board.
In a contact board embodiment of the image board, a single ruler and line
of indexing holes are disposed along one peripheral edge of the
rectangular image layout area. A predetermined number of circular or
elongated registration pins are aligned parallel with and proximate to the
ruler, with a tail pin disposed proximate to the opposing free side edge
of the image board.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the newspaper registration board embodiment of
the image board of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the contact registration board embodiment of
the image board of this invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the image boards of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken
through line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a round compressible registration pin; and
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of an elongated compressible registration pin.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The image board of this invention is shown in FIGS. 1-5 and referenced
generally therein by the numerals 10 and 12.
Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, two differing embodiments of the
image board 10, 12 are depicted for exemplary purposes. The image board 10
of FIG. 1 may be referred to as a newspaper registration board or
newspaper board, and the image board 12 of FIG. 2 may be referred to as a
contact registration board or contact board.
Both the newspaper board 10 and contact board 12 of this invention may be
constructed using a plurality of layers as described in greater detail in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,987,686 and 5,042,165, as well as the above referenced
co-pending parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/780,739 and the
continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 07/917,456, now abandoned
thereof, including the variations and alternatives described therein, or
in some applications may diverge significantly from the layered
construction discussed therein.
Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the suitable and preferred embodiments of
the newspaper board 10 and contact board 12 of this invention may be
constructed using a plurality of layers including a generally planar
primary base layer 14 of #2024 T6 alclad aluminum having a thickness of
0.025" having a smooth bottom surface, a secondary base layer or filler
layer 16 of a plastic sheet material including a clear, amorphous
polyester such as Kodar.RTM. PETG copolyester #6763 film extrusion having
a thickness on the order of 0.040" adhered to the top surface of the
primary base layer 14, two synthetic polymeric lower intermediate layers
18, 20 of a polyester film such as 0.014" thick Du Pont Mylar.RTM. adhered
to one another and to the top surface of the filler layer 16, two
synthetic polymeric upper intermediate layers 22, 24 of an anionic low
molecular weight melanin polymer such as 0.014" thick #226 Melanex-T.RTM.
adhered to one another and to the upper surface of the topmost lower
intermediate layer 20, and a single synthetic polymeric top bed layer 26
of an acrylic/PVC thermoplastic sheet such as 0.030"-0.035" thick
Uniroyal.RTM. DKF400 extrusion grade vinyl, preferably having a top
surface 28 defining a level hair-line cell structure of uniformly oriented
peaks and intersecting valleys having a depth of approximately
0.003"-0.004". Alternately, it may be appreciated that in some
applications the filler layer 16 may be coextruded with the Mylar.RTM.
film for layers 18, 20 to achieve any properties or characteristics as
identified in the manufacturer's technical specifications relating to the
Kodar.RTM. PETG film for such a coextrusion process.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it may be seen that the top bed layer 26 is
inset transversely a short distance from one or two of the parallel outer
peripheral edges 30, 32, 34, 36 of the image board 10, 12 such that the
top bed layer 26 defines an image layout area 38.
As such, in the case of the newspaper board 10 shown in FIG. 1, the topmost
upper intermediate layer 24 defines a first and second border region 40,
42 disposed on opposing sides of the image layout area 38 directly
adjacent to the parallel edges 32, 36 of the newspaper board 10. In the
case of the contact board 12 of FIG. 2, the topmost upper intermediate
layer 24 defines a single border region 44 disposed along one side of the
image layout area 38 directly adjacent to an edge 32 of the contact board
12.
Each border 40-44 is preferably imprinted with a scale or ruler 46, and
defines a plurality of circular index holes 48 spaced evenly at
predetermined spacing distances along the rulers 46 and having center
points aligned with major ticks of the rulers 46.
The index holes 48 extend through both of the upper intermediate layers 22,
24, with the diameter of the index holes 48 in the lowermost upper
intermediate layer 22 being slightly greater than the diameter of the
corresponding aligned index holes 48 in the uppermost upper intermediate
layer 24 to provide relief when spacer pins (not shown) are received
therein.
The image boards 10, 12 further define one or more circular apertures 50 or
bores extending entirely through each of the base, intermediate, and bed
layers 14-26 and having a centerline substantially perpendicular thereto,
contained wholly within or at least partially bounded by the image layout
area 38, and spaced apart in a predetermined pattern or array on the image
boards 10, 12 as discussed below.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, it may be seen that compressible, conventional
non-compressible, or adjustable registration pins 52, 54 may be engagingly
received and mounted within the apertures 50. The construction of suitable
compressible registration pins 52, 54 is discussed further in the above
referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/780,739, including the
variations and alternatives described therein.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, each registration pin 52, 54 includes a base
cap 56 and a retaining collar 58, and a retractable post 60, 62. The
compressible registration pin 52 depicted for exemplary purposes in FIG. 4
has a retractable post 60 with a circular cross section corresponding
generally to a conventional 1/4" round standard registration pin (although
conventional 1/8", 5/32", 3/16", or 5mm diameter pins may alternately be
selected for use in other applications), whereas the retractable post 62
shown in FIG. 5 has a generally oblong shape with flat sides corresponding
to a convention 1/4" elongated registration pin (with a similar
corresponding range or selection of sizes being suitable.) The
registration pins 52, 54 and their relative positioning in FIGS. 1-5 are
not shown to scale, and their placement will vary as described below
depending upon the particular application and auxiliary equipment with
which the image boards 10, 12 are to be utilized.
The bottom surface of the base layer 14 of the image board 10, 12 defines a
reverse side opposing the top bed layer 26, and in the case of the
compressible registration pins 52, 54 shown in FIGS. 3-5 each of the
plurality of compressible registration pins 52, 54 are preferably
selectively and removably mounted within one of the apertures 50 from the
reverse side of the image board 10, 12 by slidably inserting the
registration pins 52, 54 into the apertures 50 until they are frictionally
engaged therein as shown in FIGS. 1-3.
Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, it may be seen that the image boards 10, 12
are utilized with one or more compressible or conventional
non-compressible spacers 64 as discussed further in the above referenced
co-pending parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/780,739 and the
continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 07/917,456, now abandoned
thereof, including the variations, alternatives, and conventional devices
described therein.
Each spacer 64 generally includes a base plate 66, one or two depending
bottom pins 68, and a fixed or compressible top pin or post 70 having a
predetermined null, fixed, or adjustable offset relative to the bottom
pins 68 and index holes 48. The depending bottoms pins 68 are slidably
received within and frictionally engage a pair of the index holes 48, with
the top pin or post 70 being aligned vertically with one of the pair of
index holes 48 or offset a predetermined fractional distance between the
pair of the index holes 48. The top surface of the base plate 66
preferably lies generally coplanar with the top surface of the top bed
layer 26 which defines the image layout area 38, such that the top pin or
post 70 extends upwardly above the top surface of the top bed layer 26
sufficient that a plurality of flats or plates (not shown) may be placed
on image layout area 38 with registration holes in the flats or plates
receiving the top pin or post 70 therethrough.
The comers 72 of the image board 10, 12 are preferably rounded or radiused,
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Referring particularly to FIG. 1, it may be seen that in the newspaper
board 10 embodiment, one each of a pair of borders 40, 42, rulers 46, and
lines of index holes 48 are disposed along and directly adjacent or
proximate to the opposing parallel side edges 32, 36 of the image board 10
on opposing sides of the rectangular image layout area 38. A predetermined
number of circular or elongated registration pins 52, 54 are mounted
within a predetermined array of apertures 50 aligned parallel with and
proximate to one of the borders 40 and rulers 46.
For exemplary purposes, FIG. 1 shows five apertures 50 with one central
circular registration pin 52 and two pair of elongated registration pins
54 disposed on each side thereof, each one of the apertures 50 that
receive the opposing pairs of elongated registration pins 54 being spaced
an equal distance apart from the aperture 50 receiving the center circular
registration pin 52. Any number and array of the apertures 50 and
combination of the circular registration pins 52 and elongated
registration pins 54 may be utilized depending upon the placement and
orientation of the holes punched in the image (one or more negatives,
flats, plates, screens, or masking sheets) for the registration system
employed in or required by a particular platemaker or printing press. For
example, the central circular registration pin 52 could be replaced by an
elongated registration pin 54 oriented with the major axis perpendicular
to the ruler 46, thus maintaining a definite "master" reference or
registration point relative to the corresponding ruler 46. One
registration pin 50, 52 could be disposed on each side of this master
reference point, or a single registration pin 52, 54 could be disposed on
one or the other side of the master reference point, as "ancillary"
reference or alignment points.
It may be readily appreciated that a circular registration pin 52 would
permit no degrees of freedom of movement (selective movement or that
resulting from factors such as thermal expansion) when received within a
circular aperture punched in the image. Alternately, a circular
registration pin 52 would permit one degree of freedom of movement if
received within an elongated aperture punched in the image. A circular
registration pin 52 received within a circular aperture having a
corresponding diameter, or an elongated registration pin 54 received
within an elongated aperture having a corresponding length and width,
would define a master reference point permitting registration in two
directions. Conversely, a circular registration pin 52 received within an
elongated aperture whose width corresponds to the diameter of the circular
registration pin 52, or an elongated registration pin 54 received within
an elongated aperture having a width corresponding to the width of the
elongated registration pin 54 but a greater length, would define a master
reference permitting registration in only one direction and permit lateral
or transverse linear movement in a second direction perpendicular to the
first. In most applications, a registration system in which the master
reference point is maintained in only one direction will have the major
axes of the elongated registration pins 54 or elongated apertures (and
therefore the direction of any transverse or lateral linear movement)
oriented perpendicular to the most closely proximate ruler 46. If a master
reference point is maintained in two directions, elongated apertures in
the image will normally be oriented to permit thermal expansion of the
image along lines extending between and parallel with the master reference
point and the corresponding aperture. The various arrays and patterns for
placement of a master reference point, the degrees of freedom associated
with that master reference point, and the selection of circular or
elongated registration pins 52, 54 and apertures for the ancillary
alignment or reference points will be dictated by the particular
characteristics of the application and the constraints imposed by the
prepress or printing apparatuses utilized. I coined two new phrases in the
specification that eliminate the problems you noted concerning the various
arrangements and different kinds of registration pins that could go in
row. As such, the term master reference point will usually refer to any
registration pin 52, 54 in the row that normally permits no more than one
degree of freedom of linear movement of the image, and that one degree of
freedom will be perpendicular to the corresponding ruler 46. An ancillary
alignment or registration point will usually refer to any registration pin
52, 54 that normally permits at least one degree of freedom and is not a
master reference point (or a tail pin, as discussed below). An ancillary
alignment point need not be disposed in the row with a master reference
point.
In the example of the newspaper board shown in FIG. 1, a tail pin aperture
74 is disposed proximate to the opposing border 42 and ruler 46 and
contained within or at least partially bounded by the image layout area
38. The tail pin aperture 74 is aligned with the center circular
registration pin 52 adjacent the opposing border 40 and ruler 46 and
receives an elongated registration pin 54, with the major or elongated
axis of the elongated registration pin 54 oriented perpendicular with the
borders 40, 42 and rulers 46. The tail pin aperture 74 is therefore
outside of and remote from the row of apertures 50 forming the remainder
of the pattern or array of apertures 50 receiving the plurality of
registration pins 52, 54.
Alternately, as shown in FIG. 1, the array or row of apertures 50 receiving
the registration pins 52, 54 may be aligned parallel with and proximate to
an exposed or free edge 30 of the image board 10 extending between and
perpendicular to the two opposing borders 40, 42 and rulers 46, with the
corresponding tail pin aperture 74 being disposed proximate to the
opposing exposed or free edge 34 and similarly oriented with the major or
elongated axis of the elongated registration pin 54 perpendicular to the
line or array of apertures 50 receiving the circular and elongated
registration pins 52, 54 proximate to the free edge 30.
Referring particularly to FIG. 2, it may be seen that in the contact board
12 embodiment a single border 44, ruler 46, and line of indexing holes 48
are disposed along one side edge 32 of the rectangular image layout area.
A predetermined number of apertures 50 receiving either circular
registration pins 52 and elongated registration pins 54 are aligned in a
row parallel with and proximate to the border 44 and ruler 46, with a tail
pin aperture 74 receiving an elongated registration pin 54 disposed
proximate to the opposing free edge 36 and aligned with the aperture 50
receiving the center circular registration pin 52.
Again for exemplary purposes, FIG. 2 shows a central aperture 50 receiving
a circular registration pin 52 with two pair of apertures 50 receiving
elongated registration pins 54 disposed on each side thereof, each one of
the apertures 50 receiving the opposing pairs of elongated registration
pins 54 being spaced an equal distance apart from the center aperture 50.
Any number and array of the apertures 50 and circular registration pins 52
and elongated registration pins 54 may be utilized as with the newspaper
board 10, however a center circular registration pin 52 with elongated
registration pins 54 disposed on each side thereof is a conventional
arrangement.
In the example of the contact board shown in FIG. 2, alternate positions
for two tail pin apertures 74 are provided, one tail pin aperture 74 being
disposed more closely adjacent to the free edge 36 than the second,
although it is understood that only one tail pin aperture 74 will normally
be utilized to receive an elongated registration pin 54 at any given time.
While the preferred embodiments of the above image boards 10, 12 have been
described in detail with reference to the attached drawing Figures, it is
understood that various changes and adaptations may be made in the image
boards 10, 12 without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended
claims.
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