Method and apparatus for conditioning moisture of object to be moisture conditioned

Abstract

There are provided a moisture conditioning method and a moisture conditioning apparatus which enable the moisturizing of a coating film in a short time and at high efficiency, thereby improving productivity, and besides, do not require an increase in the path length of the moisture conditioning zone, thereby contributing to cost saving and space saving. When moisture conditioning a coating film having been applied onto a substrate by allowing the coating film to stand in or pass through a moisture conditioning zone where humidity is controlled by spraying water, the water to be sprayed in the moisture conditioning zone is made into fine water particles before being sprayed by applying a high voltage or a magnetic force to the water using a moisture conditioning apparatus.

1 . A method for conditioning the moisture of an object to be moisture conditioned by allowing the object to be moisture conditioned to stand in or pass through a moisture conditioning zone where humidity is controlled by spraying water, comprising the steps of: 
 making the water to be sprayed into fine water particles; and    spraying the water made into fine water particles in the moisture conditioning zone.    
     
     
         2 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 1 , wherein the water having been made into fine water particles has a particle size of 2.0 μm or less.  
     
     
         3 . A method for conditioning the moisture of an object to be moisture conditioned by allowing the object to be moisture conditioned to stand in or pass through a moisture conditioning zone where humidity is controlled by spraying water, comprising the steps of: 
 charging the water to be sprayed positively or negatively; and    charging the object to be moisture conditioned opposite to the water to be sprayed or making to have a potential of 0 (being grounded).    
     
     
         4 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 3 , wherein the water is made into fine water particles at the time of or before being charged.  
     
     
         5 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 1 , wherein the water is made into fine water particles by applying a voltage as high as 1000 V to 20000 V to the water.  
     
     
         6 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 2 , wherein the water is made into fine water particles by applying a voltage as high as 1000 V to 20000 V to the water.  
     
     
         7 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 4 , wherein the water is made into fine water particles by applying a voltage as high as 1000 V to 20000 V to the water.  
     
     
         8 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 1 , wherein the water is made into fine water particles by applying a magnetic force of 500 Gauss or more to the water.  
     
     
         9 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 2 , wherein the water is made into fine water particles by applying a magnetic force of 500 Gauss or more to the water.  
     
     
         10 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 4 , wherein the water is made into fine water particles by applying a magnetic force of 500 Gauss or more to the water.  
     
     
         11 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 1 , wherein the object to be moisture conditioned is an overcoat layer containing PVA as a main component, which is applied onto a photosensitive layer in the production of a photopolymerizable lithographic plate.  
     
     
         12 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 2 , wherein the object to be moisture conditioned is an overcoat layer containing PVA as a main component, which is applied onto a photosensitive layer in the production of a photopolymerizable lithographic plate.  
     
     
         13 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 3 , wherein the object to be moisture conditioned is an overcoat layer containing PVA as a main component, which is applied onto a photosensitive layer in the production of a photopolymerizable lithographic plate.  
     
     
         14 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 4 , wherein the object to be moisture conditioned is an overcoat layer containing PVA as a main component, which is applied onto a photosensitive layer in the production of a photopolymerizable lithographic plate.  
     
     
         15 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 5 , wherein the object to be moisture conditioned is an overcoat layer containing PVA as a main component, which is applied onto a photosensitive layer in the production of a photopolymerizable lithographic plate.  
     
     
         16 . The moisture conditioning method according to  claim 8 , wherein the object to be moisture conditioned is an overcoat layer containing PVA as a main component, which is applied onto a photosensitive layer in the production of a photopolymerizable lithographic plate.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for conditioning the moisture of an object to be moisture conditioned by allowing the object to be moisture conditioned to stand in or pass through a moisture conditioning zone where humidity is controlled by spraying water, comprising: 
 a spraying device which sprays water in the moisture conditioning zone; and    a fine water particle-forming device which makes the water to be sprayed into fine water particles.    
     
     
         18 . The moisture conditioning apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the fine water particle-forming device is a high-voltage applying device which applies a high voltage to the water in the form of a mist which has been sprayed by the spraying device.  
     
     
         19 . The moisture conditioning apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the fine water particle-forming device is a magnetic force applying device which applies a magnetic force to the water fed to the spraying device.