CN109263284B

CN109263284B - Inkjet printing beam cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN109263284B
Application number: CN201810788825.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: S·布奇科; M·沃尔夫; W·莱夫肯; M·格赖弗
Original assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Current assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Priority date: 2017-07-18
Filing date: 2018-07-18
Publication date: 2021-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-18
Also published as: DE102018206327A1; CN109263284A

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cleaning a printing beam (2) for ink jet, comprising: a cleaning station (3) having a cleaning slide (7) for cleaning the printing beam (2); a slider guide (8) for guiding the cleaning slider (7) along the printing beam (2); and a guide spring means (11) for pressing the slider guide (8) towards the printing beam (2). Furthermore, the apparatus comprises a beam guide for guiding the printing beam (2) towards the cleaning station (3). The beam guide can be, for example, an X-Y guide.

Description

Inkjet printing beam cleaning apparatus

Technical Field

The invention relates to a device for cleaning a printing bar (Druckbalken) for ink jet printing.

Background

DE 102011002727 a1 describes a device in which the printing head is moved past a cleaning station during cleaning. A springing bearing (fenderde Lagerung) is provided for the cleaning station.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is based on the object of providing a further device for cleaning a printing bar.

This object is achieved by a device having the features according to the invention. The device according to the invention for cleaning a printing beam for ink jet comprises a cleaning station having: a cleaning slider for cleaning the printing beam; a slider guide for guiding the cleaning slider along the print beam; and a guide spring means for pressing the slide guide towards the printing beam, the apparatus according to the invention furthermore comprising a beam guide for guiding the printing beam towards the cleaning station.

The present invention has various advantages. The printing area and the cleaning area are clearly separated from each other and do not affect each other. A high degree of flexibility is achieved with respect to possible variations of the cleaning parameters. For example, the cleaning shoe can perform a plurality of cleaning strokes while cleaning is being performed. The cleaning slide can be equipped with a slide attachment (schlittenauftatz), which is constructed in a modular manner. There is a great freedom in the mounting of the cleaning slide with the functional unit. For example, it can be provided that a detergent spray nozzle unit for cleaning in a contactless manner is replaced by a washing cloth unit which operates in wiping contact during cleaning. The cleaning station can be configured as a closed box in which a mist suction can take place. Maintenance and repair of such cleaning stations and print beams is less costly. Such a cleaning station is automatically and simply oriented towards the printing beams, so that no costly correction is required.

Different embodiments are possible. The beam guide can be an X-Y guide. The cleaning slide can be a wash slide. Here, the printing beams are wet-cleaned by means of a washing fluid. The slider guide may have a distance holder for holding a distance between the cleaning slider and the printing beam. The guide spring means can be a leaf spring system. The cleaning station can have a slide spring device for pressing the cleaning slide against the slide guide. The slider spring arrangement can be a leaf spring system. The cleaning station can have a housing having a first chamber and a second chamber. In the first chamber the cleaning slide can be arranged and in the second chamber a drive system for driving the cleaning slide is arranged. A connecting arm for connecting the drive system with the cleaning carriage can project from the first chamber into the second chamber.

Drawings

Advantageous embodiments also emerge from the following description of exemplary embodiments and the associated drawings, in which:

FIG. 1: a top view of a cleaning apparatus of a digital printer,

FIG. 2: a side view of the cleaning station and the print beam of the cleaning apparatus,

FIG. 3: a detailed view of the sprung bearing of the slide guide of the cleaning station,

FIG. 4: a separate illustration of the cleaning slide of the cleaning station,

FIG. 5: the other side view of the cleaning shoe in figure 4,

FIG. 6: a side view of the print beam and the cleaning station beside the transport cylinder of the digital printing press,

FIG. 7: a first variant of the design of the interior of the housing of the cleaning station, and

FIG. 8: a second variant of the construction solution of the inner space of the housing of the cleaning station.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a digital printing press with a transport element 1 for a printing material. The printing material is a web or sheet of paper or film. The conveying element 1 is a drum or a conveyor belt. The transport element 1 transports the printing material in the direction indicated by the single arrow. Above the transport element 1, a printing bar 2 is arranged, which printing bar 2 prints the print substrate on the transport element 1 by means of ink jet. Each printing beam 2 extends over the entire printing width. In addition to the transport element 1, an own cleaning station 3 is arranged for each printing beam 2. These printing beams 2 are shown in their working position in fig. 1 and in their cleaning position in fig. 2, in which the respective printing beam 2 rests on the cleaning station 3. A beam guide 4 is assigned to each printing beam 2, which beam guide 4 guides the printing beam 2 from the working position to the cleaning position and back. The beam guide 4 is configured as an X-Y guide having an X rail and a Y rail. Each guide rail is configured as a rail system or a telescopic system. The X-rail runs horizontally and the Y-rail runs vertically relative to the X-rail. The printing beam 2 is moved along the X-guide from the working position to an intermediate position above the cleaning station 3, from which intermediate position the printing beam 2 is lowered along the Y-guide to the cleaning position. This movement along the X-guide is illustrated in fig. 1 by means of a double-headed arrow.

Fig. 2 shows how the printing beam 2 is placed on the cleaning station 3. The viewing direction is parallel to the printing material transport direction, which is shown in fig. 1. The beam guides 4 are not shown together in fig. 2. The print beam 2 comprises an array of print heads 5 with nozzle plates which together form a nozzle face 6 of the print beam 2. During printing, ink is ejected from the nozzles on the nozzle surface 6. The cleaning station 3 comprises a cleaning slider 7 and a slider guide 8, said cleaning slider 7 and said slider guide 8 being arranged in a housing 9. The cleaning slider 7 slides or rolls along the slider guide 8; this driving movement is indicated by arrows. The slider guide 8 guides the cleaning slider 7 in such a direction that: which runs parallel to the arrangement of the print heads 5. The nozzle surface 6 is cleaned without contact by the cleaning slider 7 while maintaining the distance a between the nozzle surface 6 and the cleaning slider 7. The slide guide 8 comprises a distance holder 10, which distance holder 10 can be a frame system or a rail system and is responsible for maintaining said distance a. In the cleaning position, the printing bar 2 rests on the distance holder 10. The slider guide 8 is longer than the print head 5 arrangement and protrudes beyond this arrangement. In the extended section of the slide guide 8, a passive position of the cleaning slide 7 is provided, which is shown by a solid line. The active position of the cleaning slide is shown in dashed lines. During cleaning, the cleaning carriage 7 is moved and the cleaning carriage 7 assumes different active positions in this case opposite the printing bar 2. In the passive position, the cleaning slide 7 is not opposite the printing beam 2. The slider guide 8 is supported on each end in a guide spring arrangement 11.

Fig. 3 shows one of these guide spring arrangements 11, viewed in the viewing direction, which is parallel to the travel movement of the cleaning carriage 7. The guide spring arrangement 11 is constructed as a leaf spring system and comprises two leaf spring pairs (Blattfederpaare) which are arranged in an inverted manner. Each leaf spring pair has a flat "Y" shape and comprises two leaf springs which are connected to each other at their ends. Due to the chosen orientation of the narrow and flat sides of the leaf springs, the guide spring arrangement 11 reacts softly (weich) in the case of loading the leaf springs in the plane of the drawing of fig. 3; in the case of a load applied perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, the guide spring arrangement 11 reacts very hard (hart). By this soft reaction, the slider guide 8 is enabled to be oriented according to the printing beam 2 and the accuracy requirements of the beam guide 4 are enabled to be reduced.

Fig. 4 shows the cleaning slider 7 alone, wherein the viewing direction corresponds to that of fig. 3. The cleaning carriage 7 is supported in a carriage spring arrangement 14, which carriage spring arrangement 14 presses the cleaning carriage 7 against the carriage guide 8 (see fig. 5). The slide guides 8 are not shown together in fig. 4. The slider spring arrangement 14 is supported on a member 15.

Fig. 5 (the viewing direction of which corresponds to that of fig. 2) shows: the cleaning carriage 7 has a supply channel 12 for the washing fluid, which supply channel 12 serves for cleaning the nozzle face 6, and has a suction channel 13, which suction channel 13 serves for sucking away washing fluid which is contaminated after said cleaning by ink residues, paper dust or the like. These

channels

12, 13 open into an opening in the side of the cleaning slide facing the nozzle face 6, which side has a distance a with respect to this nozzle face. The slider spring arrangement 14 comprises four leaf spring pairs which are configured in a manner corresponding to the leaf spring pairs 11a, 11b of the guide spring arrangement 11. In the slider spring arrangement, the two leaf spring pairs are each arranged in a common plane, wherein in the two leaf spring pairs shown in fig. 5 this plane is the drawing plane of fig. 5. The two leaf spring pairs shown in fig. 5 shield the two leaf spring pairs located behind them. The two mutually parallel planes of the leaf spring pairs of the slider spring arrangement 14 extend perpendicularly with respect to the two mutually parallel planes in which the leaf spring pairs 11a, 11b of the guide spring arrangement 11 lie.

In fig. 6, it is assumed that the conveying member 1 is a conveying roller. The printing beams 2 are arranged in a sheet-like arrangement, which runs along the cylinder circumference. Only one printing beam 2 of the four or more printing beams of the digital printer is shown in fig. 6 by way of example. This printing beam 2, which is located at the end of the printing beam array, is supported in a beam guide 4, the Y-rail of which beam guide 4 runs at an angle to the vertical. Thus, by means of arrows: the printing beam 2 travels obliquely to the vertical with its descent onto the cleaning station 3. The orientation of the cleaning station 3 is adapted to the orientation of the beam guide 4 (or Y-rail) so that the cleaning station 3 is also inclined with respect to the vertical. Without the countermeasures shown in the following fig. 7 and 8 and described for this, this would lead to difficulties in the outflow and dripping of the washing fluid in the interior of the inclined cleaning station 3.

For the sake of simplicity of illustration, the originally inclined cleaning station 3 is shown in a section view in fig. 7 and 8 without inclination.

Fig. 7 shows: the housing 9 is divided into a first chamber 18 and a second chamber 19 by an upper partition wall 16 and a lower partition wall 17. In the first chamber 18, the cleaning slider 7 is arranged, and the first chamber 18 has an upwardly directed window 20. The cleaning slider 7 cleans the nozzle face 6 through the window 20. In the second chamber 19 a drive system 21 is arranged for driving the cleaning slider 7. The drive system 21 is schematically illustrated and comprises a toothed belt drive and an electric motor which drives the feed movement of the cleaning carriage 7 via the toothed belt drive. The drive system 21 is connected to the cleaning slider 7 via a connecting arm 22 and a slider spring device 14. The previously mentioned member 15 is formed here by a connecting arm 22 and the slider spring device 14 transmits the drive movement to the cleaning slider 7. The lower end of the upper partition wall 16, which is offset in the direction of the cleaning carriage 7 (or of the first chamber 18), and the upper end of the lower partition wall 17, which is offset in the direction of the drive system 21 (or of the second chamber 19), are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction of the connecting arm 22. There is a gap between the upper and

lower partition walls

16, 17 through which the connecting arm 22 extends. In the region between the upper and

lower partition walls

16, 17, a shutter 23 is arranged on the connecting arm 22. The shield 23 forms a flange (Kragen) which surrounds the connecting arm 22 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of fig. 7. The bottom of the first chamber 18 can be configured as a collection tank for said washing fluid. The mist suction channel opens into the first chamber 18. In a vertical direction V shown by means of a dashed line, the lower end of the upper partition wall 16 overlaps the upper end of the lower partition wall 17. When the mist generated during cleaning condenses on the side of the upper partition wall 16 facing the first chamber 18, the washing fluid can collect there. The washing fluid flowing away on this wall surface can, because of the mentioned overlap, not enter the second chamber 19, but drip or flow from the lower end of the upper partition 16 onto the side of the lower partition 17 directed toward the first chamber 18. From there the washing fluid flows into a collection tank. If the connecting arm 22 is located in the path of the washing fluid falling as a result of this travel movement, although the washing fluid drops locally from the upper separating wall 16 onto the connecting arm 22, it cannot enter the second chamber 19 because of the shutter 23. The washing fluid dripping onto the connecting arm 22 flows over the connecting arm 22 up to the shield 23 and is diverted from this shield 23 towards the lower partition wall 17. The washing fluid flows away at the shield 23 and drips from this shield 23 onto the face of the lower partition wall 17 directed toward the first chamber 18. The corresponding overlap between the shield 23 and the upper end of the lower partition wall 17 ensures this. The division into an inner space which is moisture-laden (first chamber 18) and an outer space which is moisture-tight (second chamber 19) by the housing 9 in the manner described makes it possible for sensitive drive systems 21 arranged in the outer space to be reliably protected against damage which may be caused in general by moisture (for example corrosion, deposits or the like).

Fig. 8 shows a modification of the housing 9, wherein the reference numerals used have the same meaning as in fig. 7, and therefore no further explanation is necessary. In this variant, the lower partition wall 17 is part of the collecting trough 24, and the lower section of the upper partition wall 16 is bent over toward the first chamber 18. The lower section runs approximately parallel to the lower partition wall 17. In this variant, therefore, an overlap between the

partition walls

16, 17 is also achieved. In this variant, the shutter 23 is eliminated (see fig. 7), and instead the connecting arm 22 has a ramp 25. The ramp 25 causes the washing fluid from the upper partition wall 26 onto the connecting arm 22 to drip into the collection trough 24.

List of reference numerals

1 conveying element

2 printing the roof beam

3 cleaning station

4 Beam guide

5 printing head

6 nozzle face

7 cleaning slide block

8 sliding block guide

9 casing

10 distance keeper

11 guide spring device

11a leaf spring pair

11b leaf spring pair

12 supply channel

13 suction channel

14 slider spring device

15 structural member

16 upper partition wall

17 lower partition wall

18 first chamber

19 second chamber

20 window

21 drive system

22 connecting arm

23 baffle (blend)

24 collecting tank

25 slope

Distance A

V vertical direction

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning a printing beam (2) for ink jetting, the apparatus comprising:

a) a cleaning station (3) comprising:

aa) a cleaning slide (7) for cleaning the printing beam (2),

ab) a slider guide (8) for guiding the cleaning slider (7) along the printing beam (2),

ac) guide spring means (11) for pressing the slider guide (8) towards the printing beam (2), and

b) a beam guide (4) for guiding the printing beam (2) towards the cleaning station (3).

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein,

wherein the beam guide (4) is an X-Y guide.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2,

wherein the cleaning slider (7) is a washing slider.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2,

wherein the slider guide (8) has a distance holder (10) for holding a distance (A) between the cleaning slider (7) and the printing beam (2).

5. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2,

wherein the guide spring means (11) is a leaf spring system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2,

wherein the cleaning station (3) has a slider spring device (14) for pressing the cleaning slider (7) against the slider guide (8).

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein,

wherein the slider spring arrangement (14) is a leaf spring system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2,

wherein the cleaning station (3) has a housing (9) with a first chamber (18) and a second chamber (19).

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein,

wherein the cleaning slide (7) is arranged in the first chamber (18) and a drive system (21) for driving the cleaning slide (7) is arranged in the second chamber (19).

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein,

wherein a connecting arm (22) for connecting the drive system (21) to the cleaning carriage (7) projects from the first chamber (18) into the second chamber (19).