Auxiliary device for conveying device, and method for manufacturing planographic printing plate

Abstract

Provided are an auxiliary device for a conveying device and a method for manufacturing a planographic printing plate with which it is possible to take out original planographic printing plates one by one from a stack of a plurality of original planographic printing plates.　An auxiliary device (60) for a conveying device (10) that takes out and conveys an original planographic printing plate (41) from a stack (40) formed by stacking a plurality of original planographic printing plates (41) comprises a contact part configured to be capable of contacting an edge part (41E) of an original planographic printing plate (41S) conveyed by the conveying device (10). The contact part is configured by an elastic member (61) including a region disposed at a trajectory (40T) of the edge part (41E).

Description

Auxiliary device for transport device and method for producing lithographic printing plate

[0001] The technology of the present disclosure relates to an auxiliary device for a transport device and a method for producing a lithographic printing plate.

[0002] Patent document 1 describes a printing plate removal device that includes a removal device main body that can be positioned above a printing plate stacking position where multiple printing plates are stacked, a suction means supported by the removal device main body and that sucks in the top printing plate, a lifting means that raises and lowers the suction means relative to the removal device main body, and a separating member that is provided on the removal device main body and is positioned above the suction means when it descends to suck in the printing plate, and at a position where the edge of the printing plate comes into contact when the suction means that has sucked the printing plate rises.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a method for feeding lithographic printing plates in an automatic platemaking machine having an automatic plate feeding mechanism that places multiple lithographic printing plates with chamfered sides on a pallet and feeds each plate one by one, in which compressed air is blown by an air blowing means toward the chamfered sides of the lithographic printing plates placed on the pallet.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-142901 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-180868

[0005] The technology of the present disclosure aims to make it possible to remove lithographic printing plate precursors one by one from a stack of a plurality of lithographic printing plate precursors.

[0006] One embodiment of the technology disclosed herein provides an auxiliary device for a conveying device that removes and conveys a lithographic printing plate precursor from a stack of multiple lithographic printing plate precursors, and is equipped with a contact portion configured to be able to contact the edge of the lithographic printing plate precursor being conveyed by the conveying device, and the contact portion is composed of an elastic member that includes multiple regions that are arranged at different positions on the trajectory of the edge.

[0007] One embodiment of the technology disclosed herein relates to a method for producing a lithographic printing plate, comprising a first step of arranging an elastic member at a position where it is not in contact with a laminate formed by stacking a plurality of lithographic printing plate precursors; a second step of removing the lithographic printing plate precursor from the laminate and transporting it to an exposure device; and a third step of developing the lithographic printing plate precursor exposed by the exposure device to produce a lithographic printing plate, wherein in the first step, the elastic member is arranged at a plurality of positions on the trajectory of the edge of the lithographic printing plate precursor transported in the second step, and in the second step, the edge of the lithographic printing plate precursor is brought into contact with the elastic member.

[0008] According to the technology of the present disclosure, it becomes possible to remove and transport the planographic printing plate precursors one by one from a stack of a plurality of planographic printing plate precursors.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a general configuration of a printing system 100 according to an embodiment of the technology disclosed herein. FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a detailed configuration of the transport device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of an auxiliary device 60. FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a state in which the auxiliary device 60 is attached to the transport device 10. FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a state in which the support member 62 is rotated clockwise relative to the standing portion 63Z from the state illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of an auxiliary device 60A, which is a first modified example of the auxiliary device 60. FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of an auxiliary device 60B, which is a second modified example of the auxiliary device 60. FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of an auxiliary device 60C, which is a third modified example of the auxiliary device 60. FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of an auxiliary device 60D, which is a fourth modified example of the auxiliary device 60. FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating a state in which the auxiliary device 60D is attached to the transport device 10.

[0010] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of a printing system 100 according to an embodiment of the technology of the present disclosure. The printing system 100 processes a lithographic printing plate precursor to produce a lithographic printing plate, and uses the lithographic printing plate to print characters, images, etc. on a sheet of paper.

[0011] A lithographic printing plate precursor has, for example, a surface treatment layer formed by mechanically, chemically, and electrochemically treating the surface of a thin, rectangular support made of metal such as aluminum, and an image forming layer (photosensitive layer or thermosensitive layer) formed thereon. This image forming layer is subjected to platemaking processes such as exposure processing, development processing (development and washing with water), and gumming processing, and letters, images, etc. are printed on the paper surface by applying ink to the lithographic printing plate precursor after the platemaking processes. In recent years, it has become mainstream to omit the gumming processing and perform the development processing and ink application simultaneously.

[0012] In this specification, a lithographic printing plate precursor that has undergone development processing is defined as a lithographic printing plate. Furthermore, the surface of the lithographic printing plate precursor on which an image-forming layer is formed is referred to as an image-forming surface, and the surface on which no image-forming layer is formed is referred to as a non-image-forming surface. Although some types of lithographic printing plate precursors have image-forming surfaces on both sides, so-called double-sided products, the following description will be limited to a case where only one side is an image-forming surface.

[0013] The printing system 100 includes a transport device 10 , an exposure device 20 , and a printing device 30 .

[0014] The conveying device 10 has, for example, a rectangular plate-shaped pallet 11 and a space for accommodating it. A stack 40, which is formed by stacking a plurality of planographic printing plate precursors 41, is placed on a surface 11S of the pallet 11. The surface 11S forms a mounting surface on which the stack 40 is placed. The stack 40 is formed by stacking a plurality of planographic printing plate precursors 41 with the non-image-forming surface of each of the planographic printing plate precursors 41 facing the pallet 11 side.

[0015] The laminate 40 is preferably one that does not sandwich interleaf paper between the lithographic printing plate precursors 41. However, the technology of the present disclosure does not exclude application to a laminate 40 in which interleaf paper is sandwiched between the lithographic printing plate precursors 41. The interleaf-less laminate 40 does not require interleaf paper by subjecting the non-image-forming surfaces of the lithographic printing plate precursors 41 to a treatment such as roughening. The technology of the present disclosure is particularly effective for a laminate 40 of lithographic printing plate precursors 41 that do not use interleaf paper and that have not been subjected to a roughening treatment on the non-image-forming surfaces, or for a laminate 40 of on-press development-type non-processing plates that can be developed and ink-coated simultaneously. An example of such a laminate 40 is SUPERIA ZX-W, a product manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation.

[0016] The transport device 10 takes out one lithographic printing plate precursor 41 from the stack 40 and transports it to the exposure device 20. More specifically, the transport device 10 lifts up and transports the lithographic printing plate precursor 41S on the surface opposite to the surface 11S side of the stack 40 in the thickness direction of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41S (in other words, the overlapping direction of the lithographic printing plate precursors 41 in the stack 40).

[0017] The exposure device 20 performs an exposure process on one lithographic printing plate precursor 41 transported by the transport device 10. Various exposure methods can be adopted. The transport device 10 and the exposure device 20 may be configured as separate devices, or may be configured as a single integrated device.

[0018] The printing device 30 performs development processing and ink application, etc. on the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 after exposure processing in the exposure device 20, and prints characters, images, etc. on the paper surface. Note that the printing device 30 performs development processing and ink application simultaneously, but a processing device may be separately provided between the exposure device 20 and the printing device 30, and this processing device may perform processing necessary for printing, such as development processing and gumming processing.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a side view schematically showing a detailed configuration of the conveying device 10 shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2, the overlapping direction of the planographic printing plate precursors 41 is shown as direction Z, the direction toward the pallet 11 within direction Z is shown as direction Z2, and the opposite direction to direction Z2 is shown as direction Z1. The thickness direction of the planographic printing plate precursor 41 and direction Z coincide. When the surface 11S is a flat surface, direction Z is perpendicular to surface 11S.

[0020] In Figure 2, the direction in which the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 is transported by the transport device 10 is shown as direction X1, and the opposite direction to direction X1 is shown as direction X2. Directions X1 and X2 are collectively referred to as direction X. Direction X and direction Z intersect (orthogonal in the example of Figure 2). Figure 2 also shows direction Y, which intersects (orthogonal in the example of Figure 2) with directions X and Z. In a plan view seen in direction Z, the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 has a rectangular shape having first and second sides extending in direction Y and aligned with direction X, a third side extending in direction X connecting one end edge of each of the first and second sides, and a fourth side extending in direction X connecting the other end edges of each of the first and second sides. The shape of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 in a plan view is not limited to this.

[0021] The conveying device 10 comprises a frame 12 arranged on the direction Z1 side of the pallet 11, a first suction section 13 supported by the frame 12, a second suction section 14 supported by the frame 12, and an alignment section 15 on which the conveyed lithographic printing plate precursor 41 is placed and aligned.

[0022] The first suction unit 13 is capable of contacting the surface of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 and holding it by suction, and is constituted by various means such as a suction cup made of polyurethane or the like. The first suction unit 13 is configured to be able to move up and down along direction Z by an elevation mechanism (not shown). As the elevation mechanism, various linear motion means (cylinder means, a combination of a motor and a linear stage, etc.) can be used. The first suction unit 13 is disposed at a position where, when lowered, it can come into contact with the end of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 placed on the pallet 11 on the direction X2 side. It is preferable to dispose a plurality of first suction units 13 along the side of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 on the direction X2 side, but it is sufficient that at least one first suction unit 13 is disposed.

[0023] The second suction unit 14 is capable of contacting the surface of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 and holding it by suction, and is composed of various means such as a suction cup made of polyurethane or the like. The second suction unit 14 is configured to be able to move up and down along direction Z by a lifting mechanism (not shown). The various linear motion means described above can be used as the lifting mechanism. The second suction unit 14 is positioned so that, when lowered, it can contact the end of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 on the direction X1 side placed on the pallet 11. It is preferable to arrange multiple second suction units 14 along the side of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 on the direction X1 side, but at least one second suction unit 14 is sufficient. The second suction unit 14 is supported by the frame 12 so as to be movable along direction X. The second suction unit 14 is configured to be able to move between a position where it can contact the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 and a position where the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 can be placed on the alignment unit 15 (the position indicated by the dashed line in the figure).

[0024] The transport device 10 is provided with a control unit (not shown), which controls the lifting and lowering of the first suction unit 13 and the second suction unit 14, the movement of the second suction unit 14 in the X direction, and the like.

[0025] An example of the operation of the transport device 10 to transport the planographic printing plate precursor 41 is as follows. From the state shown in FIG. 2 , first, the first suction unit 13 is lowered to contact the image-forming surface of the planographic printing plate precursor 41S, thereby suction-holding the end of the planographic printing plate precursor 41S on the direction X2 side. In this state, the first suction unit 13 is raised to lift the planographic printing plate precursor 41S from the direction X2 side. Thereafter, the second suction unit 14 is lowered to contact the image-forming surface of the planographic printing plate precursor 41S, thereby suction-holding the end of the planographic printing plate precursor 41S on the direction X1 side. In this state, the first suction unit 13 is raised to release the suction-holding of the end of the planographic printing plate precursor 41S on the direction X2 side, and the second suction unit 14 is moved in the direction X1 to transport the planographic printing plate precursor 41S to the registration unit 15. After the planographic printing plate precursor 41S has been transported to the alignment section 15, the second suction section 14 is raised and moved in the direction X2 to return to the initial position. The above operations are repeated.

[0026] When the conveying device 10 lifts the planographic printing plate precursor 41S in the direction Z1, the planographic printing plate precursor 41S and the adjacent planographic printing plate precursor 41 may be lifted simultaneously while remaining in close contact with each other. If this occurs, where two planographic printing plate precursors 41 are conveyed to the alignment section 15 while remaining in close contact with each other, a so-called multiple plate feed occurs. This can affect the efficiency of the printing process, as the planographic printing plate precursor 41 that is not in direct contact with the second suction section 14 falls during conveyance, or two planographic printing plate precursors 41 are positioned at the alignment section 15. In the printing system 100, to prevent such multiple plate feed, an auxiliary device 60 can be additionally provided to the conveying device 10. The auxiliary device 60 is configured to be detachable from the conveying device 10.

[0027] Fig. 3 is a perspective view that schematically shows the configuration of the auxiliary device 60. In the example of Fig. 3, the auxiliary device 60 includes an L-shaped base 63, a plurality of support members 62 (three in the example of Fig. 3) supported by the base 63, and elastic members 61 supported by the support members 62. The base 63 and the support members 62 form a support section 64 that supports the elastic members 61.

[0028] The base 63 includes a columnar bottom portion 63Y and a columnar standing portion 63Z standing upright from one end of the bottom portion 63Y. The standing portion 63Z is provided with a recess 63A along the extending direction thereof.

[0029] In the example of FIG. 3 , the support member 62 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is provided with an engagement portion (not shown) that engages with the recess 63A. The support member 62 is supported by the upright portion 63Z via this engagement portion. The three support members 62 are supported in a lined-up state with a gap between them along the recess 63A. Each of the three support members 62 is configured so that its engagement position with respect to the recess 63A can be changed. Note that the three support members 62 do not need to be separate members, and may be configured as a single integrated member.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the auxiliary device 60 attached to the conveying device 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the auxiliary device 60 is attached to an area of ​​the surface 11S adjacent to the stack 40 in the direction X2. If the pallet 11 is made of metal, the auxiliary device 60 can be attached to the pallet 11 by magnetic force by providing a magnet on the surface of the bottom 63Y facing the surface 11S. It is also possible to attach the bottom 63Y of the auxiliary device 60 to the pallet 11 with double-sided tape without using magnetic force. Although the means for attaching and detaching the auxiliary device 60 to the pallet 11 are not limited to these, a configuration using magnetic force allows the auxiliary device 60 to be easily attached and detached.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, the auxiliary device 60 is attached to the pallet 11 so that the direction in which the bottom portion 63Y extends is approximately aligned with the direction Y, and the direction in which the upright portion 63Z extends is approximately aligned with the direction Z. The three support members 62 are engaged with the recesses 63A extending in the direction Z, and are therefore arranged side by side in the direction Z in the attached state shown in Figure 4. The positions of the three support members 62 in the direction Z can be changed by changing the engagement positions with the recesses 63A.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4 , the elastic member 61 is supported on the surface of the support member 62 facing the direction X1 and has a plate-like shape with its thickness direction substantially aligned with the direction Z. The elastic member 61 may be made of any material as long as it is elastic. The elastic member 61 may be made of, for example, resin, metal, or wood (preferably bamboo). As will be described in detail later, since the elastic member 61 may come into contact with the lithographic printing plate precursor 41, it is preferable that the elastic member 61 be made of a material with lower rigidity than the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 to prevent scratches on the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 upon contact with the lithographic printing plate precursor 41. The elastic member 61 is particularly preferably made of resin, and a hook-and-loop fastener made of a resin such as polyester is more preferably used. The support member 62 may be made of any material capable of supporting the elastic member 61, such as metal or resin. In the example of FIG. 4 , the lengths of the three elastic members 61 in the direction X are the same.

[0033] 4 shows the track 40T through which the edge 41E of the planographic printing plate precursor 41S on the direction X2 side passes when the planographic printing plate precursor 41S is lifted by the first suction unit 13. The auxiliary device 60 is disposed relative to the stack 40 so that each elastic member 61 has an area where it is disposed on the track 40T (the area where the track 40T and the elastic member 61 intersect in FIG. 4). In other words, each of the three elastic members 61 has an area where it intersects with the track 40T. Note that, in order for the three elastic members 61 to have an area where they intersect with the track 40T, at least the edge of each elastic member 61 on the direction X1 side must be located closer to the direction X1 side than the edge of the stack 40 on the direction X2 side. In other words, when viewed in direction Z, the edge of the stack 40 on the direction X2 side and the elastic member 61 must partially overlap. In this way, the three elastic members 61 constitute contact sections that are configured to be able to come into direct contact with the edge 41E of the planographic printing plate precursor 41 passing through the track 40T. Furthermore, each elastic member 61 is disposed at a position that does not contact the stack 40 in a state before the start of the transport operation by the first suction section 13. Specifically, each elastic member 61 is disposed on the direction Z1 side of the outermost planographic printing plate precursor 41S in the stack 40.

[0034] When the auxiliary device 60 configured as described above is attached to the pallet 11, the three elastic members 61 are arranged side by side along the track 40T, so that in the process of lifting the planographic printing plate precursor 41 from the stack 40 by the first suction section 13, the edge 41E of the lifted planographic printing plate precursor 41 sequentially comes into contact with the three elastic members 61. Assume that the two planographic printing plate precursors 41 are lifted simultaneously while remaining in close contact with each other. In this case, the elastic members 61 deform in a manner that follows the movement of the edge 41E of the planographic printing plate precursor 41, so that an appropriate contact force can be applied from the elastic members 61 to the edge 41E of the two planographic printing plate precursors 41. Furthermore, after the two planographic printing plate precursors 41 pass the elastic member 61, the elastic member 61 begins to return to its original position due to its elastic force, and a contact force acts from the elastic member 61 to press downward on the one of the two planographic printing plate precursors 41 on the direction Z2 side. Due to these actions, even if the two planographic printing plate precursors 41 are in close contact, the close contact can be released and the two planographic printing plate precursors 41 can be separated. In this way, by using the auxiliary device 60, it is possible to prevent multiple plate feeding.

[0035] In the auxiliary device 60 shown in Figure 3, multiple elastic members 61 are supported by support parts 64 while being aligned along the track 40T. Therefore, the action of separating the two planographic printing plate precursors 41 by the elastic members 61 occurs multiple times. As a result, by simply lifting the planographic printing plate precursor 41S once, the planographic printing plate precursor 41S can be separated from the planographic printing plate precursor 41 that is in close contact with it with a high degree of accuracy. Note that the planographic printing plate precursor 41S can also be separated from the planographic printing plate precursor 41 that is in close contact with it with a high degree of accuracy by repeating the lifting operation of the planographic printing plate precursor 41S by the first suction part 13 multiple times.

[0036] According to the auxiliary device 60, the elastic member 61 can deform in accordance with the movement of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41, thereby preventing damage to the lithographic printing plate precursor 41. For example, by configuring the elastic member 61 to have a lower rigidity than the lithographic printing plate precursor 41, damage to the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 can be more effectively prevented. This embodiment is particularly effective when the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 is a non-processing plate that can be developed and coated with ink simultaneously, as it is prone to scratches.

[0037] Furthermore, because the elastic member 61 can deform following the movement of the planographic printing plate precursor 41, it is possible to reduce the force pressing down on the planographic printing plate precursor 41 in the direction Z2 when the elastic member 61 and the planographic printing plate precursor 41 are in contact with each other. As a result, when the elastic member 61 and the planographic printing plate precursor 41S come into contact with each other, it is possible to prevent the suction hold of the planographic printing plate precursor 41S by the first suction section 13 from being released, and the planographic printing plate precursor 41 can be transported efficiently.

[0038] Furthermore, in the auxiliary device 60, even when the separated planographic printing plate precursor 41 falls due to the action of the elastic member 61 and the falling planographic printing plate precursor 41 comes into contact with the elastic member 61, the elastic member 61 is deformed by the weight of the planographic printing plate precursor 41. Therefore, the separated planographic printing plate precursor 41 is not prevented from returning to the surface of the stack 40. In other words, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the fallen planographic printing plate precursor 41 rides up on the elastic member 61 and does not return to its original position. As a result, it is no longer necessary to stop the transport process of the planographic printing plate precursor 41 midway, and printing can be performed efficiently.

[0039] As the process of removing and transporting the planographic printing plate precursors 41 from the stack 40 is repeated, the height of the stack 40 in the direction Z decreases. In the auxiliary device 60, the support position of the support member 62 at the upright portion 63Z can be changed in the direction Z. That is, the support portion 64 is configured to be able to change the distance of the elastic member 61 from the surface 11S. The distance of the elastic member 61 from the surface 11S can be defined, for example, by the distance in the direction Z between the center of gravity of the elastic member 61 and the surface 11S. With this configuration, even if the height of the stack 40 decreases and the position of the support member 62 shown in FIG. 4 causes the track 40T and the elastic member 61 to no longer intersect, the position of the support member 62 can be moved closer to the surface 11S to shorten the distance of the elastic member 61 from the surface 11S, thereby maintaining the state in which the track 40T and the elastic member 61 intersect.

[0040] The structure of the conveying device 10 and the size and height of the laminate 40 to be used vary, and various shapes of the track 40T are also assumed. By making the distance of the elastic member 61 from the surface 11S variable, it is possible to arrange the elastic member 61 on the track 40T regardless of the type of track 40T, making it possible to prevent multiple plate feeding under various conditions.

[0041] In the auxiliary device 60, the support portion 64 may be configured to change the angle of the elastic member 61 relative to the surface 11S. The angle of the elastic member 61 relative to the surface 11S can be defined, for example, as the angle between the surface 11S and a line connecting the X2-side and Z2-side edges of the elastic member 61 and the X1-side and Z2-side edges of the elastic member 61, as viewed in the Y direction. This configuration allows the elastic member 61 to be positioned on any track 40T, making it possible to prevent multiple plate feeding under various conditions. In this specification, the position of the elastic member 61 relative to the surface 11S is defined as a concept that includes both the distance of the elastic member 61 relative to the surface 11S and the angle of the elastic member 61 relative to the surface 11S.

[0042] Figure 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the support member 62 is rotated clockwise relative to the standing portion 63Z from the state shown in Figure 4 (a state in which the angle of the elastic member 61 relative to the surface 11S is changed). In the configuration shown in Figure 5, the three elastic members 61 are supported by the support portion 64 while being aligned in a direction intersecting the overlapping direction (direction Z) of the planographic printing plate precursors 41 in the stack 40. With the configuration shown in Figure 5, the planographic printing plate precursor 41S can be brought into contact with approximately the same position on each of the three elastic members 61. In other words, the contact force with the planographic printing plate precursor 41S can be equalized by the three elastic members 61, thereby improving the separation effect.

[0043] In the auxiliary device 60, the support member 62 may be detachable from the erected portion 63Z. In this way, when the elastic member 61 becomes worn, it can be replaced with a new one.

[0044] 4, the auxiliary device 60 is preferably disposed adjacent to the stack 40 on the upstream side in the transport direction of the lithographic printing plate precursor 41. In this way, the second suction section 14 can easily transport the lithographic printing plate precursor 41.

[0045] The auxiliary device 60 is arranged next to any one of the four sides of the stack 40 when viewed in the Z direction, thereby preventing the above-mentioned multiple plate feeding.

[0046] It is preferable to provide a plurality of auxiliary devices 60. For example, an auxiliary device 60 may be provided adjacent to each of the four sides of the stack 40. Furthermore, a plurality of auxiliary devices 60 may be provided adjacent to and along at least one of the four sides of the stack 40. For example, in FIG. 4, a configuration may be adopted in which one more auxiliary device 60 is provided on the far side of the page. By providing a plurality of auxiliary devices 60, the effect of preventing multiple plate feeding can be enhanced.

[0047] When viewed in direction Z, the elastic member 61 preferably fits within the area of ​​the planographic printing plate precursor 41 that comes into contact with the leading edge of the printing device 30 when the planographic printing plate precursor 41 is set in the printing device 30. This reduces the effect on printing even if the elastic member 61 comes into contact with and scratches this area.

[0048] In the auxiliary device 60, the three elastic members 61 have the same length in the direction X, but this length may be different. For example, the middle elastic member 61 of the three in Fig. 4 may be shorter than the other two elastic members 61, or the bottom elastic member 61 of the three in Fig. 4 may be shorter than the other two elastic members 61.

[0049] 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an auxiliary device 60A, which is a first modified example of the auxiliary device 60. The auxiliary device 60A differs from the auxiliary device 60 only in that the lengths of the three elastic members 61 in the direction X are different. In the auxiliary device 60A, the lengths of the three elastic members 61 in the direction X increase from the direction Z2 to the direction Z1. The auxiliary device 60A can make the contact force with the planographic printing plate precursor 41S approximately uniform among the three elastic members 61, thereby improving the separation effect. Furthermore, even when the first suction section 13 lifts the planographic printing plate precursor 41S multiple times, the operation can be performed smoothly.

[0050] 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an auxiliary device 60B, which is a second modified example of the auxiliary device 60. The auxiliary device 60B has the same configuration as the auxiliary device 60, except that the three support members 62 are changed to a single support member 62A, and the elastic member 61 is changed to a linear elastic member 61A.

[0051] The elastic member 61A is supported on the end surface of a rectangular parallelepiped support member 62A on the X1 side, and is linear and columnar extending in the X1 direction from this end surface. A plurality of elastic members 61A are supported on the end surface of the support member 62A on the X1 side. These elastic members 61A are arranged two-dimensionally in the X direction, with multiple elastic member rows arranged in the Y direction, each row consisting of a plurality of elastic members 61A aligned in the Z direction. The elastic members 61A and the support member 62A are configured as a so-called brush. All of the elastic members 61A included in the auxiliary device 60B include an area that is positioned on the track 40T. The elastic member 61A may be made of any material as long as it has the same elasticity as the elastic member 61, and is preferably made of fiber. Nylon fiber is preferably used to prevent scratches on the lithographic printing plate precursor 41. It is not necessary for all of the elastic members 61A included in the auxiliary device 60B to include areas where they are placed on the track 40T, and it is also possible for some of the elastic members 61A to be configured so as not to include areas where they are placed on the track 40T.

[0052] The auxiliary device 60B can achieve the same effects as the auxiliary device 60. Furthermore, with the auxiliary device 60B, the elastic members 61A are configured in a linear shape, so the extension direction (posture) of the elastic members 61A can be more easily maintained than with the elastic members 61. Furthermore, with the auxiliary device 60B, the planographic printing plate precursor 41 can be separated by the assembly of the elastic members 61A, so that the stress from each elastic member 61A to the planographic printing plate precursor 41 can be reduced, and the planographic printing plate precursor 41 can be prevented from being scratched.

[0053] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of auxiliary device 60C, a third modified example of auxiliary device 60. In auxiliary device 60C, the support member 62A is rotated clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 7 , and the angle of the elastic member 61A relative to the surface 11S is changed from that shown in FIG. 7 . The multiple elastic members 61A constituting the elastic member row in auxiliary device 60C are supported by support portion 64 while aligned in a direction intersecting the overlapping direction (direction Z) of the planographic printing plate precursors 41 in the stack 40. Auxiliary device 60C allows all elastic members 61A to exert a substantially uniform contact force on the planographic printing plate precursor 41, enhancing the separation effect. Furthermore, even when the first suction unit 13 repeatedly lifts the planographic printing plate precursor 41, this operation can be performed smoothly. While auxiliary devices 60B and 60C each have multiple elastic member rows aligned in direction Y, each consisting of multiple elastic members 61A aligned in direction Z, only one elastic member row may be used.

[0054] FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of an auxiliary device 60D, which is a fourth modified example of the auxiliary device 60. The auxiliary device 60D has a configuration in which the middle of the three support members 62 in the auxiliary device 60 shown in FIG. 3 is deleted and the elastic member 61 is replaced with a band-shaped elastic member 61B. One longitudinal end 611 of the elastic member 61B is supported by the upper support member 62 in FIG. 9, and the other longitudinal end 612 of the elastic member 61B is supported by the lower support member 62 in FIG. 9. In this manner, the elastic member 61B is supported by the support member 62 in a curved state. The material of the elastic member 61B is the same as that of the elastic member 61.

[0055] Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the auxiliary device 60D is attached to the conveyance device 10. As shown in Fig. 10, the elastic member 61B is supported by the support member 62 in a state in which it straddles the track 40T in its longitudinal direction, and is disposed so as to intersect with the track 40T at two points. In other words, the elastic member 61B has two regions that are disposed on the track 40T (regions that overlap with the track 40T in Fig. 10).

[0056] In the auxiliary device 60D, during the process of simultaneously lifting two planographic printing plate precursors 41, the edge 41E of the planographic printing plate precursor 41 continues to contact the portion of the elastic member 61B that protrudes beyond the track 40T in the direction X1. As a result, an appropriate contact force can be applied from the elastic member 61B to the planographic printing plate precursor 41, and an effect equivalent to that of the auxiliary device 60 can be obtained.

[0057] In the auxiliary devices 60 and 60A, by appropriately adjusting the instantaneous maximum contact force F1 between the elastic member 61 and the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 (the maximum value of the force applied from the elastic member 61 to the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 during the period when the elastic member 61 is in contact with the lithographic printing plate precursor 41), various effects can be obtained, such as preventing multiple feeding of the plate, preventing the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 from riding up onto the elastic member 61, preventing scratches on the lithographic printing plate precursor 41, and preventing the suction hold of the first suction section 13 from being released.

[0058] In the auxiliary devices 60B and 60C, the above-mentioned various effects can be obtained by appropriately adjusting the instantaneous maximum contact force F2 between the assembly of elastic members 61A and the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 (the maximum value of the force applied to the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 by the assembly of elastic members 61A during the period when the assembly is in contact with the lithographic printing plate precursor 41).

[0059] In the auxiliary device 60D, the above-mentioned various effects can be obtained by appropriately adjusting the instantaneous maximum contact force F3 between the elastic member 61B and the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 (the maximum value of the force applied from the elastic member 61B to the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 during the period when the elastic member 61B is in contact with the lithographic printing plate precursor 41).

[0060] The instantaneous maximum contact force F1 between the elastic member 61 and the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 is determined by the thickness, length in the X direction, length in the Y direction, and material of the elastic member 61. The instantaneous maximum contact force F2 between the assembly of elastic members 61A and the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 is determined by the thickness (outer diameter), length, density, and material of the elastic members 61A. The instantaneous maximum contact force F3 between the elastic member 61B and the lithographic printing plate precursor 41 is determined by the thickness, length in the longitudinal direction, length in the Y direction, and material of the elastic member 61B.

[0061] After careful consideration, it was found that the above-mentioned various effects can be enhanced by configuring the instantaneous maximum contact force F1, the instantaneous maximum contact force F2, and the instantaneous maximum contact force F3 to be greater than or equal to 0.2 N (Newton) and less than or equal to 10 N.

[0062] In the auxiliary devices 60B and 60C, the outer diameter of the elastic member 61A is preferably 0.05 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less, and more preferably 0.05 mm or more and 0.2 mm or less. The length of the elastic member 61A is preferably 20 mm or more and 100 mm or less. The length of the elastic member row in the Z direction is preferably 10 mm or more, and more preferably 20 mm or more. By adopting these numerical values, it is possible to set the instantaneous maximum contact force F2 to 0.2 N or more and 10 N or less. Taking installation constraints into consideration, the length of the elastic member row in the Z direction is preferably 100 mm or less, and more preferably 60 mm or less.

[0063] Although the auxiliary device 60 and the auxiliary devices 60A-60D described above are each attached to the pallet 11, this is not limiting. For example, they may be attached to the frame 12 shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, although the auxiliary device 60 and the auxiliary devices 60A-60D are each configured to be detachable from the conveying device 10, they may also be fixed to the conveying device 10 and configured not to be detachable from the conveying device 10.

[0064] The auxiliary device 60 and auxiliary devices 60A-60D described above are used when transporting the stack 40 of pre-developed lithographic printing plate precursors 41 to the exposure device 20, but the manner of use is not limited to this. For example, even in cases where the exposed lithographic printing plate precursors 41 are temporarily stacked and then the exposed lithographic printing plate precursors 41 are removed one by one from the stack of exposed lithographic printing plate precursors 41 and transported to the printing device 30, multiple plate feeding can be prevented by using the auxiliary device 60 and auxiliary devices 60A-60D during transport.

[0065] Next, an example will be described.

[0066] Example 1 An auxiliary device 60 having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 was attached to the pallet 11 of the transport device 10, and a lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported by the transport device 10. A SUPERIA ZX-W product manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation was used as the lithographic printing plate precursor P1. The lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was a so-called on-press development type processless printing plate. In this auxiliary device 60, the instantaneous maximum contact force between the elastic member 61 and the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was 1.5 N. In Examples 1-12, the instantaneous maximum contact force between the elastic member and the lithographic printing plate precursor was measured using a push-pull gauge attached to the surface of the lithographic printing plate precursor. The thickness of the elastic member 61 in this device (referred to as the length in the lifting direction in the table) was 3 mm.

[0067] Example 2 An auxiliary device 60 having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the three elastic members 61 were appropriately changed. This device was attached to the pallet 11 of the transport device 10, and the transport device 10 was used to transport a lithographic printing plate precursor P1. In this auxiliary device 60, the maximum instantaneous contact force between the elastic member 61 and the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was 0.2 N. The thickness of the elastic member 61 in this device (referred to as the length in the lifting direction in the table) was 3 mm. Example 3 An auxiliary device 60D having the configuration shown in FIG. 10 was attached to the pallet 11 of the transport device 10, and the transport device 10 was used to transport a lithographic printing plate precursor P1. In this auxiliary device 60D, the maximum instantaneous contact force between the elastic member 61B and the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was 5 N. The distance between both ends of the elastic member 61B in this auxiliary device 60D (referred to as the length in the lifting direction in the table) was 60 mm. Example 4 An auxiliary device 60B having the configuration shown in FIG. 7 was attached to the pallet 11 of the transport device 10, and a lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported by the transport device 10. In this auxiliary device 60B, the maximum instantaneous contact force between the assembly of elastic members 61A and the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was 10 N. The outer diameter of each elastic member 61A in this auxiliary device 60B was 0.2 mm, and the length in the direction in which the elastic member rows were aligned (the length in the lifting direction in the table) was 60 mm. Example 5 An auxiliary device 60C having the configuration shown in FIG. 8 was attached to the frame 12 of the transport device 10, and a lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported by the transport device 10. In this auxiliary device 60C, the maximum instantaneous contact force between the assembly of elastic members 61A and the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was 3 N. The configuration of each elastic member 61A in this auxiliary device 60C was the same as in Example 4. Example 6 A lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported in the same manner as in Example 5, except that the auxiliary device 60C having the configuration of Example 5 was attached to the pallet 11 of the transport device 10.

[0068] (Example 7) The planographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported in the same manner as in Example 6, except that the instantaneous maximum contact force between the assembly of elastic members 61A and the planographic printing plate precursor P1 was 0.5 N and the outer diameter of the elastic members 61A was 0.05 mm.

[0069] (Example 8) The planographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported in the same manner as in Example 6, except that the instantaneous maximum contact force between the assembly of elastic members 61A and the planographic printing plate precursor P1 was 1.5 N and the outer diameter of the elastic members 61A was 0.1 mm.

[0070] (Example 9) The planographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported in the same manner as in Example 6, except that the instantaneous maximum contact force between the assembly of elastic members 61A and the planographic printing plate precursor P1 was 2 N and the length in the direction in which the elastic member rows were aligned (the length in the lifting direction in the table) was 40 mm.

[0071] (Example 10) The planographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported in the same manner as in Example 6, except that the instantaneous maximum contact force between the assembly of elastic members 61A and the planographic printing plate precursor P1 was 0.2 N and the length in the direction in which the elastic member rows were aligned (the length in the lifting direction in the table) was 5 mm.

[0072] (Example 11) Except for changing the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 to the lithographic printing plate precursor P2, the lithographic printing plate precursor P2 was transported in the same manner as in Example 6. The lithographic printing plate precursor P2 used was a product named SUPERIA ZN2 manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation. The lithographic printing plate precursor P2 is a so-called on-press development type processless printing plate.

[0073] (Example 12) Except for changing the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 to the lithographic printing plate precursor P3, the lithographic printing plate precursor P3 was transported in the same manner as in Example 6. The lithographic printing plate precursor P3 used was a product name Sonora NX2 manufactured by Kodak. The lithographic printing plate precursor P3 is a so-called on-press development type processless printing plate.

[0074] (Comparative Example 0) An apparatus was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the number of elastic members 61 was changed from three to one, and this apparatus was attached to the pallet 11 of the transport device 10, and the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported by the transport device 10. In this auxiliary device 60, the maximum instantaneous contact force between the elastic member 61 and the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was 0.18 N. Furthermore, the thickness of the elastic member 61 in this apparatus (referred to as the length in the lifting direction in the table) was 1 mm.

[0075] Comparative Example 1 A lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported using the device described in Patent Document 1. In this device, the length of the separating member (the length in the direction of lifting the plate) was 10 mm, and the maximum instantaneous contact force between the separating member and the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was 15 N.

[0076] Comparative Example 2 A lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported using the device described in Patent Document 2. The blowing force of compressed air against the side surface of the lithographic printing plate precursor P1 was set to 0.25 MPa (megapascals).

[0077] Comparative Example 3 The planographic printing plate precursor P1 was transported by the transport device 10 without attaching the auxiliary device 60 or the like to the pallet 11 of the transport device 10.

[0078] Comparative Example 4 The planographic printing plate precursor P3 was transported by the transport device 10 without attaching the auxiliary device 60 or the like to the pallet 11 of the transport device 10.

[0079] The results obtained in Examples 1 to 12 and Comparative Examples 0 to 4 are shown below. The following table lists four evaluation items: multiple plate feeding, suction cup removal, plate scratches, and plate riding up.

[0080] The multiple feeding was evaluated on a five-point scale. A multiple feeding evaluation of "5" indicates that multiple feeding did not occur when the lithographic printing plate precursor was lifted only once. A multiple feeding evaluation of "4" indicates that multiple feeding did not occur when the lithographic printing plate precursor was lifted twice. A multiple feeding evaluation of "3" indicates that multiple feeding did not occur when the lithographic printing plate precursor was lifted three times. A multiple feeding evaluation of "2" indicates that multiple feeding occurred with a low probability even when the lifting operation was performed three times. A multiple feeding evaluation of "1" indicates that multiple feeding occurred with a high probability even when the lifting operation was performed three times.

[0081] The evaluation of suction cup release was based on a five-point scale. A rating of "5" for suction cup release indicates that the suction hold of the lithographic printing plate precursor by the first suction unit 13 continued completely. A rating of "4" for suction cup release indicates that the suction hold of the lithographic printing plate precursor by the first suction unit 13 was partially released, but lifting of the lithographic printing plate precursor was maintained. A rating of "3" for suction cup release indicates that the suction hold of the lithographic printing plate precursor by the first suction unit 13 was released over a wider area than in rating "3", but lifting of the lithographic printing plate precursor was maintained. A rating of "2" for suction cup release indicates that the suction hold of the lithographic printing plate precursor by the first suction unit 13 was completely released infrequently, making lifting impossible. A rating of "1" for suction cup release indicates that the suction hold of the lithographic printing plate precursor by the first suction unit 13 was completely released infrequently, making lifting impossible.

[0082] Plate scratches were evaluated on a 5-point scale. A plate scratch evaluation of "5" indicates that no visible scratches occurred on the lithographic printing plate precursor. A plate scratch evaluation of "4" indicates that visible scratches occurred on the lithographic printing plate precursor but did not pose a practical problem. A plate scratch evaluation of "3" indicates that more visible scratches than those evaluated as "4" occurred on the lithographic printing plate precursor but did not pose a practical problem. A plate scratch evaluation of "2" indicates that practically problematic scratches occurred at a low frequency on the lithographic printing plate precursor. A plate scratch evaluation of "1" indicates that practically problematic scratches occurred at a high frequency on the lithographic printing plate precursor.

[0083] The evaluation of plate riding-on was conducted on a five-point scale. A plate riding-on rating of "5" indicates that the lithographic printing plate precursor did not ride on the elastic member or the separating member. A plate riding-on rating of "4" indicates that the lithographic printing plate precursor rode on the elastic member or the separating member for a short period of time, but ultimately the lithographic printing plate precursor did not ride on the elastic member or the separating member. A plate riding-on rating of "3" indicates that the lithographic printing plate precursor rode on the elastic member or the separating member for a longer period of time than the rating of "4", but ultimately the lithographic printing plate precursor did not ride on the elastic member or the separating member. A plate riding-on rating of "2" indicates that the lithographic printing plate precursor rode on the elastic member or the separating member with low frequency. A plate riding-on rating of "1" indicates that the lithographic printing plate precursor rode on the elastic member or the separating member with high frequency.

[0084] If each of these evaluation values ​​is "3" or more, the printing process can be carried out efficiently.

[0085]

[0086] The results in Table 1 demonstrate that use of the auxiliary device of the embodiment described above provides various effects, such as preventing multiple feeding, preventing the lithographic printing plate precursor from climbing onto the elastic member, preventing scratches on the lithographic printing plate precursor, and preventing the suction hold of the first suction section 13 from being released. It was also found that increasing the length in the lifting direction (preferably to 3 mm or more) increases the contact time between the lithographic printing plate precursor and the elastic member, and reduces the probability of multiple feeding even if the instantaneous maximum contact force is reduced. It was also found that, although the probability of multiple feeding is high when the instantaneous maximum contact force is 0.18 N, the probability of multiple feeding is significantly reduced when the instantaneous maximum contact force is 0.2 N or more.

[0087] As described above, this specification describes at least the following: Components corresponding to the above-described embodiments are shown in parentheses below, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0088] (1) An auxiliary device (auxiliary device 60, auxiliary devices 60A-60D) for a transport device (transport device 10) that removes and transports a plurality of planographic printing plate precursors (planographic printing plate precursors 41) from a stack (stack 40) formed by stacking the planographic printing plate precursors, the auxiliary device having a contact portion configured to be able to contact an edge portion (edge ​​portion 41E) of the planographic printing plate precursor transported by the transport device, the contact portion being composed of elastic members (three elastic members 61, elastic member 61A, elastic member 61B) including a plurality of regions arranged at different positions on a track (track 40T) of the edge portion.

[0089] (2) The auxiliary device according to (1), wherein the elastic member constituting the contact portion is configured to be able to come into direct contact with the edge portion.

[0090] (3) The auxiliary device according to (2), wherein the elastic member constituting the contact portion is provided at a position where it does not come into contact with the stack.

[0091] (4) The auxiliary device according to (3), wherein the contact portion is configured by a plurality of elastic members (a collection of three elastic members 61 and an elastic member 61A) including the region.

[0092] (5) An auxiliary device according to (4), comprising a support portion (support portion 64) that supports the plurality of elastic members, and the plurality of elastic members are supported by the support portion in a state of being aligned in a direction along the track.

[0093] (6) The auxiliary device according to (5), wherein the plurality of elastic members are supported by the support section in a state where they are aligned in a direction intersecting the overlapping direction (direction Z) of the planographic printing plate precursors in the laminate.

[0094] (7) The auxiliary device according to any one of (4) to (6), wherein the elastic member (elastic member 61A) is formed in a linear shape.

[0095] (8) The auxiliary device according to (3), wherein the contact portion is configured by a strip-shaped elastic member (elastic member 61B) including the plurality of regions.

[0096] (9) The auxiliary device according to (8), further comprising a support portion (support portion 64) that supports the belt-shaped elastic member in a curved state.

[0097] (10) An auxiliary device according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the transport device lifts and transports the planographic printing plate precursor (planographic printing plate precursor 41S) on the surface of the stack opposite to the mounting surface (surface 11S) of the stack in the thickness direction of the planographic printing plate precursor.

[0098] (11) The auxiliary device according to (10), further comprising a support portion (support portion 64) that supports the elastic member, and the support portion is configured to be able to change the position of the elastic member relative to the placement surface.

[0099] (12) The auxiliary device according to (11), wherein the support portion is configured to be able to change the angle of the elastic member relative to the placement surface.

[0100] (13) The auxiliary device according to (11) or (12), wherein the support portion is configured to be able to change the distance between the placement surface and the elastic member.

[0101] (14) The auxiliary device according to any one of (1) to (13), further comprising a support portion (support portion 64) that detachably supports the contact portion.

[0102] (15) The auxiliary device according to any one of (1) to (14), which is configured to be detachable from the transport device.

[0103] (16) The auxiliary device according to any one of (1) to (15), wherein the contact portion has an instantaneous maximum contact force of 0.2 N or more and 10 N or less with the edge of the planographic printing plate precursor being transported by the transport device.

[0104] (17) A method for producing a lithographic printing plate, comprising: a first step of arranging an elastic member at a position where it does not come into contact with a laminate formed by stacking a plurality of lithographic printing plate precursors; a second step of removing the lithographic printing plate precursor from the laminate and transporting it to an exposure device; and a third step of developing the lithographic printing plate precursor exposed by the exposure device to produce a lithographic printing plate, wherein in the first step, the elastic members are arranged at a plurality of positions on a path of an edge of the lithographic printing plate precursor transported in the second step, and in the second step, the edge of the lithographic printing plate precursor is brought into contact with the elastic member.

[0105] Although various embodiments have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the invention.

[0106] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-150168) filed on September 15, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0107] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Conveying device 11 Pallet 11S Surface 12 Frame 13 First suction section 14 Second suction section 15 Alignment section 20 Exposure device 30 Printing device 40 Laminate 40T Track 41, 41S Planographic printing plate precursor 41E Edge portion 60, 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D Auxiliary device 61, 61A, 61B Elastic member 62, 62A Support member 63 Base 63A Recess 63Y Bottom 63Z Standing portion 64 Support portion 100 Printing system

Claims

1. An auxiliary device for a conveying device that removes and conveys a lithographic printing plate precursor from a stack of multiple lithographic printing plate precursors, the auxiliary device having a contact portion configured to be able to contact an edge portion of the lithographic printing plate precursor conveyed by the conveying device, the contact portion being constituted by an elastic member including multiple regions that are positioned at different positions on the trajectory of the edge portion.

2. An auxiliary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic member constituting the contact portion is adapted to be capable of directly contacting the edge portion.

3. An auxiliary device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastic member constituting the contact portion is provided at a position where it does not come into contact with the laminate.

4. An auxiliary device according to claim 3, wherein the contact portion is constituted by a plurality of elastic members including the region.

5. An auxiliary device as claimed in claim 4, comprising a support part for supporting said plurality of elastic members, said plurality of elastic members being supported by said support part in a state of being aligned in a direction along said track.

6. An auxiliary device according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of elastic members are supported by the support section in a state where they are aligned in a direction intersecting the overlapping direction of the planographic printing plate precursors in the laminate.

7. An auxiliary device according to claim 6, wherein the elastic member is configured in a linear shape.

8. An auxiliary device according to claim 3, wherein the contact portion is constituted by a band-shaped elastic member including the plurality of regions.

9. An auxiliary device according to claim 8, comprising a support part for supporting the band-shaped elastic member in a curved state.

10. An auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the transport device lifts and transports the lithographic printing plate precursor located on the surface of the stack opposite the placement surface of the stack in the thickness direction of the lithographic printing plate precursor.

11. An auxiliary device according to claim 10, comprising a support portion for supporting the elastic member, the support portion being configured to be capable of changing the position of the elastic member relative to the placement surface.

12. An auxiliary device according to claim 11, wherein the support portion is configured so that the angle of the elastic member relative to the placement surface can be changed.

13. An auxiliary device according to claim 11, wherein the support portion is configured so that the distance between the placement surface and the elastic member is changeable.

14. An auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a support part for detachably supporting the contact part.

15. An auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which is configured to be detachable from the transport device.

16. An auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the contact portion has an instantaneous maximum contact force with the edge of the lithographic printing plate precursor transported by the transport device of 0.2 N or more and 10 N or less.

17. A method for preparing a lithographic printing plate, comprising: a first step of arranging an elastic member at a position where it is not in contact with a laminate formed by stacking a plurality of lithographic printing plate precursors; a second step of removing the lithographic printing plate precursor from the laminate and transporting it to an exposure device; and a third step of developing the lithographic printing plate precursor exposed by the exposure device to prepare a lithographic printing plate, wherein in the first step, the elastic members are arranged at a plurality of positions on the trajectory of the edge of the lithographic printing plate precursor transported in the second step, and in the second step, the edge of the lithographic printing plate precursor is brought into contact with the elastic member.

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