Joseph A Lyons

US Patent:

20030188985, Oct 9, 2003

Filed:

Apr 5, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/117749

Inventors:

Steven DaSilva - Reading MA, US
Thomas Marincic - Tyngsboro MA, US
Donald Richardson - Atkinson NH, US
Robert Olenio - North Andover MA, US
Joseph Lyons - Wilmington MA, US

Assignee:

Agfa Corporation

International Classification:

B65D085/48

US Classification:

206/456000, 206/216000

Abstract:

A plate cassette for a platesetter comprises a tray that receives and stores stacks of plates. Side frame members are located on opposed sides of the tray. These side frame members have tracks that engage with wheels of another plate cassette and wheels that engage with tracks of still another plate cassette. In this way, cassettes may be stacked and stored, one on top of each other. The wheel engagement strategy, between cassettes, however, allows individual cassettes to be rolled out, enabling access to the plate stack in the selected cassette's tray. A suction leak groove is formed in a surface of the tray. This provides for a suction leakage path for a picker, when the picker must grab typically the last plate in the stack and the plate is not full-sized. The suction grabbers that do not directly grab the plate do not adhere to the tray, allowing the picker to separate the plate from the tray. A slip sheet removal groove is also provided.