DE102015208916B4 - printing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

Printing unit (02) of a printing press that prints a substrate (B) at least one printing point (03) using a screen printing process, with a forme cylinder (04) designed as a screen printing cylinder (04), with an impression cylinder (06) that forms an abutment for the screen printing cylinder (04), and with a squeegee device (51), comprising- a screen printing forme (43), - a squeegee (44) which can be placed in a setting position ("AN"), forming an acute squeegee angle (α) against the screen printing forme (43), - a a bearing device (53) enabling an on and off movement between the on position ("AN") of the squeegee (44) and a off position ("AB"), the bearing device (53) being mounted on a frame (61 ) is arranged, - a drive device (74), by which the squeegee (44) can be placed on and off the screen printing forme (43), - a drive means (56) comprised by the drive device (74), by which the - and parking movement of the R akel (44) can be actuated mechanically independently of a rotary drive of the screen printing forme and of a conveyor means (06) conveying printing material (B), characterized in that the bearing device (53) comprises bearing means (81, 82) by which at least within one setting position ("AN") and a setting position ("AB") comprising the setting of the squeegee (44) along a direction running at an acute angle against the screen printing forme (43) of the longitudinal extent of one of the squeegee ( 44) included squeegee blade (52) takes place in a straight line, with the state of the squeegee blade (52) being understood as the unloaded contact state which is present when the screen printing forme (43) is first touched without additionally applied squeegee pressure, and that the bearing device (53) a the squeegee ( 44) includes directly or indirectly supporting position means (68) which run parallel to the edge of the squeegee nde pivot axis (S1) is pivotable and when pivoting causes a change in a squeegee angle (a) formed between a squeegee blade (52) of the squeegee (44) and the screen printing forme (43).

Description

The invention relates to a printing unit according to the preamble of claim 1.

the WO 2007/119167 A2 discloses a machine for the multi-stage treatment and/or processing of sheet-form printing materials with a screen printing unit comprising a cylinder mold and a squeegee and a plurality of upstream offset printing units. In a first embodiment, the cylinder mold is elastically deformed by the squeegee in the direction of the impression cylinder and thereby employed. When an impression cylinder pit passes through the nip point, the squeegee is moved radially inwards, so that if the squeegee remains in contact, the deformation is canceled and the cylinder mold is lifted off the impression cylinder. In a second variant, the cylinder sieve with the squeegee is lifted off as a whole when sipping through the pit.

through the EP 1 820 646 A2 a printing machine is known which, in one embodiment, comprises a screen printing unit comprising a cylinder mold and a squeegee, as well as several offset printing units and a dryer. In order to prevent the cylinder mold from collapsing when rolling over an impression cylinder cavity, a layer protruding in this section over the remaining lateral surface is applied to the cylinder mold on the corresponding circumferential section.

Also the EP 1 717 028 A2 discloses a printing machine having a screen printing unit and an offset printing unit, the screen printing cylinder having a peripheral section corresponding to the counter-pressure cylinder pit carrying a protection that supports the cylinder mold.

In the U.S. 5,630,363A discloses a printing machine with a printing unit working according to the flexographic printing process and an offset printing unit.

the EP 0 723 864 A1 discloses a rotary screen printing unit with a screen printing forme and a squeegee, the squeegee being switched off via a cam control during the passage of an impression cylinder pit through the nip point and then switched on again until the next passage.

Also in the EP 1 246 726 B1 a squeegee is switched on and off the screen printing form via a cam disk, whereby this should alternatively also be able to take place pneumatically, electronically or hydraulically. The squeegee can be moved in a purely translatory manner on a squeegee mount rigidly arranged on the machine frame. In addition to this, the squeegee can be adjusted linearly in the event of wear.

through the EP 1 724 113 B1 a storage device for a cylinder mold of a screen printing unit is known, the cylinder mold being mounted on both sides in holders which can be moved axially independently of one another. An axis distance to an impression cylinder can be adjusted via eccentric bearings on both sides and an axis inclination can also be varied via an additional eccentric bearing on one side. A circumferential position relative to the counter-pressure cylinder can be varied via axially relatively movable helical gearing in the drive train. A squeegee holder running inside the screen cylinder and carrying a squeegee can be moved pneumatically diametrically to the frame.

In the EP 2 848 406 A2 For example, a squeegee carrier accommodating a squeegee is mounted on the end face in a support plate so as to be pivotable about a longitudinal axis, with the pivoting for setting a squeegee angle being effected by a motor provided for this purpose. The squeegee plates supporting the squeegee carrier are in turn mounted pivotably on a frame part for switching the squeegee on and off and can be pivoted by a pressure medium cylinder. The center distance to the counter-pressure cylinder assumed in the contact position can be adjusted by a screw acting as a stop. A contact line of the squeegee in the tangential direction present in the nip between the screen printing cylinder and the impression cylinder is also possible via an adjusting eccentric. Finally, the sub-frame supporting the screen printing device with the squeegee carrier and the cylindrical mold is pivotably mounted on a machine frame and can be switched on and off as a whole by a pressure medium-operated cylinder.

through the EP 2 014 466 A2 a screen printing machine is known in which a squeegee running inside the cylindrical screen can be adjusted in its radial position by drives acting on both sides and can be placed on and off the screen. For this purpose, a rubber squeegee is mounted on a radially movable holder running obliquely towards the inner edge of the screen.

The object of the invention is to create a printing unit.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention consist in particular in the fact that a machine or printing stage is created which can be used particularly variably with regard to its range of application - possibly among other things - working according to a through-printing process.

In a special embodiment as a pure further processing and/or finishing stage, a high quality can be guaranteed by a—preferably particularly variably designed—through-printing stage, without this being at the expense of the overall productivity in the print shop.

A very special advantage of the variable printing stage, in particular the screen printing stage, is that the axes of movement of a squeegee are located straight or largely in their theoretical direction of action. Regardless of this or preferably in addition to this, it is particularly advantageous to carry out adjustment movements in at least more than two stages, in particular at least continuously in the adjustment range provided for operation.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of a printing device comprising the squeegee and the printing forme, this can be brought not only into print-on and print-off but also into a maintenance and/or set-up position.

Adjusting movements of the printing device are advantageously realized via as few movement axes as possible.

It is also of particular advantage that adjustments to variable printing material thicknesses and/or to variable screen thicknesses and/or to varying print format lengths can be made particularly easily and quickly during set-up. This also applies to changes in parameters that become necessary during the printing process due to changed conditions and/or print quality.

An advantageous machine for the multi-stage treatment and/or processing of sheet-shaped printing materials comprises at least one first processing stage designed as a printing stage, which is designed as a first-type printing stage working according to a rotary through-printing method. The sheet-shaped printing material can be guided on a printing material path through the machine between a printing material master and a delivery through the printing stage working according to the rotary screen printing process and can be printed inline. At least one additional processing stage that differs in type and type from the first processing stage is provided in the printing material path. In a particularly preferred embodiment, as a further processing stage in the printing material path, a printing stage of another type that works according to a printing process that differs from the through-printing and an offset process and/or a conditioning stage that differs in the type of processing of printing stages and cleans the printing material surface during operation is provided.

To produce printed products from the sheet-shaped printing materials, sheets of printing material that have already been printed using a flat printing process are fed to the machine on the inlet side and on their way through the machine to the outlet at least once according to a through-printing process and additionally at least once more according to a different from the through-printing and flat printing process Printing process printed and / or superficially cleaned by a conditioning device upstream of the through-printing process.

In a preferred system for the production of printed products from sheet-shaped printing materials, such a machine is provided as a further processing and/or finishing machine and, in addition to this, a printing machine that is decoupled from it with regard to the printing material flow and can be operated independently, with one or more printing stages working according to a flat printing process.

When producing printed products from sheet-form printing materials, sheets of printing material that have already been printed using a flat printing process are fed to the machine on the inlet side and on their way through the machine to the outlet at least once according to a through-printing process and additionally at least once more according to a different from the through-printing and flat printing process Printing process printed and / or superficially cleaned by a conditioning device upstream of the through-printing process.

Basically independently of, but particularly advantageously in connection with, an above-mentioned preferred embodiment of the machine and/or system, an advantageous squeegee device for a printing machine that prints a printing material on at least one printing point using a screen printing method, e.g. B. a screen printing forme, a squeegee, which in a contact position with a squeegee edge is placed against the screen printing forme and/or can be placed against the screen printing forme, and a bearing device that enables placement and removal between the contact position of the squeegee and a put-down position, the bearing device is arranged on a frame directly or indirectly supporting the screen printing forme. Furthermore, it comprises a drive device, by means of which the squeegee can be placed on and off the screen printing forme, and a drive means comprised by the drive device, by means of which the movement of the squeegee on and off is mechanically independent of a rotary drive of the screen printing form and can be effected by a funding means conveying the printing material.

In a preferred embodiment of such an advantageous squeegee device, the drive means causing the on and off movement is designed and set up to reproducibly approach and/or assume more than two defined, different radial relative positions between the squeegee edge and the screen printing forme.

Fundamentally independently of, but particularly advantageously in connection with, an above-mentioned preferred embodiment of the machine and/or system and/or the first-mentioned preferred embodiment, the bearing device comprises bearing means, by means of which the positioning of the Squeegee along a in the unloaded touch state, d. H. in the state of initial contact with the screen printing form without additionally applied pressure from the squeegee, the longitudinal extent of a squeegee blade encompassed by the squeegee running perpendicularly to the squeegee edge.

Fundamentally independent of, but particularly advantageous in connection with an above-mentioned preferred embodiment of the machine and/or system and/or one or more of the two mentioned preferred embodiments, the two mentioned preferred embodiments of a squeegee device for a printing material at at least one printing point after a screen printing printing press this includes z. B. a screen printing forme, a squeegee, which in a positioning position with a squeegee edge is placed against the screen printing forme and/or can be placed against the screen printing forme, as well as a bearing device with a bearing means directly or indirectly supporting the squeegee, which is about a pivot axis running parallel to the squeegee edge pivotably on a frame - in particular also supporting the screen printing forme directly or indirectly - and when pivoting causes a change in a squeegee angle formed between a squeegee blade of the squeegee and the screen printing forme. In a preferred embodiment, the pivot axis of the bearing means coincides with a theoretical contact line which, in the unloaded contact state of the squeegee, i. H. when the screen printing form is first touched by the squeegee edge without additional squeegee pressure applied.

Fundamentally independent of, but particularly advantageously in connection with an above-mentioned preferred version of the machine and/or system and/or one or more of the three preferred versions of a squeegee device, a printing unit comprises e.g. B. a forme cylinder designed as a screen printing cylinder, an impression cylinder serving as an abutment for the screen printing cylinder, a screen printing forme and a squeegee that can be placed against the screen printing forme, with at least the screen printing forme being rotatably mounted directly or indirectly on a frame and controlled by a remotely controlled one that acts on the frame Drive means comprehensive drive device in the center distance to the impression cylinder is variable. The drive means causing the change in distance is preferably designed and set up to reproducibly reproducibly at least one further defined operating state in addition to an operating state assumed or to be assumed in a print-on position of the screen printing forme on the impression cylinder and a different defined operating state representing a print-off position To take operating state, which represents a position of the screen printing form with a relation to the first two positions greater center distance between the impression cylinder and the screen printing forme.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are described in more detail below.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung für die Ausführung einer einen flächigen Bedruckstoff B be- und/oder verarbeitenden Maschine mit wenigstens einem Siebdruckaggregat;
• 2 schematische Darstellungen für die vorteilhafte Ausführung einer als Weiterverarbeitungsmaschine ausgeführten Maschine mit einem Siebdruckaggregat und a) einem nach einem rotativen Tief- oder Hochdruckverfahren arbeitenden Druckaggregat sowie b) einem diesem zusätzlich vorgeordneten Konditionieraggregat;
• 3 eine schematische Schnittansicht einer mit einem Gegendruckzylinder zusammen wirkenden Siebdruckform;
• 4 eine Schrägansicht einer die Rakel an einem Gestell lagernden Lagereinrichtung;
• 5 eine schematische Darstellung der Rakel bzw. deren Rakelblattes in einem An-Abstellzyklus;
• 6 eine schematische Darstellung eines An-Abstellzyklus in Abhängigkeit von der Bedruckstofflänge;
• 7 eine schematische Darstellung eines An-Abstellzyklus in Abhängigkeit von der Druckbildlänge;
• 8 eine schematische Darstellung eines An-Abstellzyklus in Abhängigkeit von einem eine schematische Darstellung eines An-Abstellzyklus in Abhängigkeit von der Bedruckstofflänge;
• 9 eine perspektivische Schrägansicht einer als Siebdruckwerk ausgeführten Bedruckstufe;
• 10 eine schematische Darstellung unterschiedlicher Relativlagen zwischen Drucksieb bzw. Siebdruckzylinder und Gegendruckzylinder;
• 11 eine Schnittansicht einer ersten Ausführung einer vom Siebdruckwerk umfassten Siebdruckeinrichtung;
• 12 eine Schnittansicht einer zweiten Ausführung einer vom Siebdruckwerk umfassten Siebdruckeinrichtung;
• 13 ein Längsschnitt durch eine vom Siebdruckwerk umfassten Siebdruckeinrichtung.

Show it:

• 1 a schematic representation for the execution of a flat printing material B on and / or processing machine with at least one screen printing unit;
• 2 Schematic representations for the advantageous embodiment of a machine designed as a further processing machine with a screen printing unit and a) a printing unit working according to a rotary gravure or relief printing process and b) a conditioning unit additionally arranged upstream of this;
• 3 a schematic sectional view of a screen printing forme which interacts with an impression cylinder;
• 4 an oblique view of a bearing device supporting the doctor blade on a frame;
• 5 a schematic representation of the squeegee or its squeegee blade in an on-off cycle;
• 6 a schematic representation of an on/off cycle as a function of the printing material length;
• 7 a schematic representation of an on/off cycle as a function of the printed image length;
• 8th a schematic representation of an on-off cycle as a function of a schematic representation of an on-off cycle as a function of the printing material length;
• 9 a perspective oblique view of a printing stage designed as a screen printing unit;
• 10 a schematic representation of different relative positions between the printing screen or screen printing cylinder and impression cylinder;
• 11 a sectional view of a first embodiment of a screen printing device comprised by the screen printing unit;
• 12 a sectional view of a second embodiment of a screen printing device comprised by the screen printing unit;
• 13 a longitudinal section through a screen printing device comprised by the screen printing unit.

A machine 01 that treats and/or processes a flat printing material B as substrate B comprises at least one processing stage 02, in particular in the form of a printing stage 02, that prints on a supplied printing material B using a rotary through-printing method, in particular a screen printing method on at least one of its sides in at least one printing position 03. The printing unit 02 is designed in particular as a rotary impression unit 02, in particular as a rotary screen printing unit 02, with the printing point 03 being formed between a printing unit cylinder 04 embodied as a forme cylinder 04, in particular a screen printing cylinder 04, and a printing unit cylinder 06 that acts as an impression cylinder 06. In principle, the processing stage 02 or the printing unit 02 could comprise a plurality of forme cylinders 03 or printing points 03, with the forme cylinders 04 then e.g. B. with different impression cylinders or advantageously with the same impression cylinder 06 together.

Although machine 01 may be limited to this one processing stage 02, which operates according to the screen printing process, with regard to the processing of printing substrate B, in the preferred embodiment of this processing stage 02, one or more further processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 upstream and/or downstream of the printing stage working after the through-printing process, through which the substrate B printed or to be printed in the through-printing process is or can be additionally processed inline one or more times in the same machine 01 by different ways in a through-printing process . In this case, the machine 01 can, in the event of several further processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 of different types and/or processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 of the same type, e.g. B. in the manner of a printing stage and/or in the manner of a conditioning stage. In the case of further processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 of the same type, these can be of different types and/or of the same type, e.g. B. Bedruckstufen of the same or Bedruckstufen different printing processes (z. B. flat printing, relief printing, gravure printing, digital printing or possibly other) or z. B. conditioning stages of the same type of treatment or different types of treatment (z. B. drying, moistening, cleaning or possibly other) belong.

In particular, by designing it as a processing stage 02 working according to the rotary screen printing process or as a rotary screen printing unit 02, this is particularly advantageously integrated into a multi-stage treatment and/or processing process, e.g. B. a multi-stage process for finishing, can be integrated.

In a first embodiment, this can be the integration into a plurality of printing units 02; 07; 09; 09' formed processing stages 02; 07; 09; 09' can be a machine 01 which, downstream and/or preferably upstream of the through-printing or screen printing unit 02, has one or more additional printing stages 07; 09; 09', e.g. B. one or more printing stages 07 working according to the offset printing method and/or one or more using a gravure or preferably letterpress method and/or one or more printing stages 07 working according to a printing formeless or digital printing method, in particular an inkjet printing method; 09; 09' (see e.g. 1 ).

In an embodiment of the machine 01 that is to be preferred in terms of quality and efficiency, the processing stage 02 that works according to the screen printing method or the rotary screen printing unit 03 - as far as the printing material flow is concerned - is without inline coupling to one or more according to a flat printing method, in particular according to the Offset method, working processing stages 07 provided. The machine 01 comprising the at least one screen printing stage 02 is therefore preferably embodied as a single-stage or preferably multi-stage further processing machine 01, in particular a finishing machine. B. at least one printed substrate B, in particular printed at least once or several times by the offset process, is fed to a preceding and independent production step.

In other words, a machine 01 that is preferably embodied as a further processing or finishing machine 01 has e.g. B. at least two processing stages 08 serving for the further processing and/or finishing of printing material B previously printed in a separate process that is decoupled with respect to the material flow; 09; on. In particular, the printing material B supplied on the input side has, for example, a printed image applied by offset printing on at least one side. The further processing or, in particular, finishing machine 01 is then limited to further processing and/or finishing and is preferably designed without processing stages that work according to a planographic printing process, in particular without processing stages that work according to the offset printing process. In addition to a printing stage 02 that operates according to the through-printing process, this machine 01 can preferably include a printing stage 09 that operates according to a letterpress or gravure printing process and/or a printing stage 09 that transfers the printed image directly onto the printing substrate B, in particular a different flat and/or offset printing stage. Alternatively or additionally, as a further printing stage, it can also include a printing stage that works according to a digital printing process, which can also be used for subsequent finishing and/or individualization and/or regularly does not reach the production speed that can be achieved with flat printing.

A plant for the production of printed products from - e.g. B. still unprocessed or already pre-processed - printing materials B can then, for example, both one or more such further processing or in particular finishing machine 01 and at least one z. B. faster-running planographic printing machine, not explicitly shown here, in particular offset planographic printing machine, with one or preferably more after a planographic printing process, z. B. the offset process working printing stages, in particular printing units. In its printing material path, which is to be traversed in particular inline, from its template to the delivery, this can in principle also include one or more further printing stages working according to different printing methods to planographic printing or offset planographic printing, but preferably no processing stage working according to a through-printing method, in particular a screen printing method. The printed products produced can represent the end products to be produced themselves or also intermediate products.

A machine 01 embodied as a postpress machine 01 comprises, for example, at least one processing stage inline downstream or preferably upstream of the screen printing stage 02 in the printing substrate path, which operates according to a rotary gravure or preferably letterpress method, in particular according to the flexographic printing method and/or transfers the printed image to the printing substrate B in direct printing 09, which is designed, for example, as a gravure or preferably as a letterpress, in particular as a flexographic printing stage 09 or printing unit 09 (e.g. 1 , 2a and 2 B) . In addition to this or instead, as an additional printing stage 09', a printing unit 09' that works according to a printing formeless or digital printing process can be arranged downstream or preferably upstream of the planographic printing stage 02.

In a particularly advantageous development, the through-printing stage 02 and this precisely or at least one further printing stage 09; 09' a processing stage 08 that serves to condition the previously printed printing material B, in particular to remove powder, such as a e.g. B. a calendering comprehensive conditioning stage 08, be provided as conditioning stage 08. The latter can also be referred to as cleaning stage 08 and/or a conditioning stage 08 comprising suction means and/or blowing means and/or mechanical scraping means or other means suitable for cleaning. This can be used to remove a powder, for example, which was provided between the layers of the printing material B provided on the input side in order to prevent the already printed surfaces from curling.

For the execution of the or another machine 01 provided in the printing material path of the machine 01, which is preferably embodied purely as a postpress machine 01, in particular a printing unit 09 that operates using the flexographic printing process, printing ink is required in a first advantageous embodiment variant, and varnish, in particular transparent varnish, in a second, preferred embodiment variant , applicable. In the second case, the printing unit 09 that uses flexographic printing is designed as a so-called “coating unit” 09 and comprises e.g. B. in a pressure fluid reservoir, not shown, or in a pressure fluid supply device a supply of a paint to be applied to the printing point.

In principle, such a processing stage 09 used for finishing, for example such a printing unit 09 or varnishing unit 09 designed as a gravure or preferably as a letterpress, in particular as a flexographic printing unit 09, could also comprise one or more inline offset printing stages 07 in addition to the screen printing stage 02 in one of the aforementioned processes combined offset and further processing or finishing machine 01. However, this may result in compromises in either the quality of the finishing or in the production speed of offset printing, which is reduced compared to a possible performance.

In a printing press 01 that includes both an offset printing unit 07 and inline further processing or finishing, as well as in the design as a pure further processing machine 01 without offset printing units, the printing unit 02 that operates according to the through-printing method can, in a first embodiment variant, be used as a printing unit 02 that applies printing ink to the printing substrate B , e.g. B. screen printing unit 02, in a second, preferable embodiment variant of paint, in particular transparent paint applying printing unit 02, z. B. as a screen printing varnishing unit 02. In the second case, the printing unit 02 that works according to the through-printing process is designed as a so-called varnish printing unit 02, or varnishing unit 09 for short, and comprises e.g. B. in a pressure fluid reservoir, not shown, or in a pressure medium supply device a supply of a paint to be applied to the pressure point.

In the presented versions of the machine, in particular as a pure, i. H. further processing and/or finishing machine 01 configured without a flat or offset printing process, at least one processing stage 11 configured with means for accelerating the drying process, e.g. B. in the form of a drying-supporting conditioning stage 11, in particular a dryer 11, may be provided. Such a dryer 11 is z. B. downstream of the through-printing or screen printing stage 02 and/or designed as a thermally effective dryer 11, in particular as an IR dryer, and ensures, for example, improved paint flow, i. H. a particularly smooth surface structure as a result of the areas previously printed with printing ink and/or varnish.

The processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 of the machine 01 can be provided in a common frame or in separate but interconnected frames. The frame assigned to the screen printing stage 02 or the part of the frame assigned to it comprises, for example, an opening 12 that can be temporarily closed, e.g. B. an inspection and / or maintenance hatch 12, through which - with little installation effort - a squeegee change and / or an inspection of the inside of the forme cylinder is possible during operation (e.g. indicated in 1 ).

On the input side, the machine 01 comprises a substrate feed device 13, e.g. Printing material master 13, in or on which the machine 01 on the input side of the - preferably already printed, in particular already printed in the offset process - printing material B - z. B. depending on the characteristics of the printing material to be processed B in stacks, in an imbricated stream, in rolls or coils - is or is provided for its supply. On the output side, it includes a substrate delivery device 14, e.g. B. delivery 14, in or on which the printing material B' processed in the machine 01, for example further processed, in particular finished, after passing through the processing stages 07 provided in the printing material path; 08; 09; 11 for collection, e.g. B. is provided depending on the characteristics of the processed printing material B in stacks, in an imbricated stream, in rolls or coils. Between the last processing stage 07; 08; 09; 11 and the display 14, an extended transport route 16, z. B. a so-called delivery extension 16, can be provided, through which the transport time and thus the drying time until the formation of the container ready for collection at the delivery 14 is extended and/or on which one or more additional processing stages 17 , e.g. B. one or more dryers 17 designed, for example, as radiation dryers 17, in particular as UV dryers 17, are provided. Instead or in addition to this, a device 18 for quality control can also be provided in the non-extended or the preferably extended transport path 16, which can be or at least include an image recording device, for example a camera.

Although the printing material B for the machines described above and as a variation on the following illustrations can also be designed in web form and machine 01 can be designed to process webs and/or webs, the printing material B in the preferred embodiment here is a sheet-shaped substrate B, with the Machine, but at least the screen printing stage 02 and possibly one or more downstream processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 comprehensive part, as a sheet-working and / or processing is performed. The term “sheet” is used here, for example, to mean any type of flat printing material B, which is used as isolated material sections, e.g. B. not simultaneously through all processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 of the machine 01, but have such a limited section length that they have at least a first processing stage 07; 08; 09; 11 before they leave one of the last processing stages 07; 08; 09; 11 come into effective contact. In particular, these are flat and preferably rectangular sheets of printing material B, which can be made of paper, cardboard, cardboard, plastic, metal or a composite of several of the materials mentioned, for example. The term "area" is to be understood, for example, that a length and a width of the Printing material sheet B corresponds in each case to 50 times, in particular at least 100 times or even at least 500 times the thickness of the sheet.

In the embodiment as a sheet-shaped substrate B or printing material sheet B treating and/or processing machine, hereinafter referred to as sheet processing machine 01 for short, this includes, for example, in addition to the z. B. as a feeder 13 designated printing substrate template 13 in the printing substrate path of the first processing stage 02; 07; 08; 09; 11; 16 upstream, for example as a system 19 or sheet system 19 designated alignment. The substrate delivery device 14 is formed by a display 14 referred to, for example, as a product display 14 . The screen printing stage 02 and, if applicable, one or more of the further processing stages 07; 08; 09; 09'; 11; 16 is or are between the substrate feed device 13 and the substrate discharge device 14 are the one or more processing stages 02; 07; 08; 09; 09'; 11; 16 arranged.

The investor 13, the one to z. B. a stacking plate receives sheet stack placed, preferably includes not shown in detail sheet separating organs and sheet transport organs, which are designed and are, for example, as separating suckers and as transport suckers. To the so-called. "Change" of the sheet stack, d. H. the reloading of the feeder 13 with a new stack of sheets, to avoid stopping the machine 01, the feeder 13 is equipped with a non-stop device, not shown here. This non-stop facility has z. B. via an auxiliary stack carrier that can be moved into the stack template area of the feeder 13 and is arranged on a slide-in unit, which is designed in particular as a rake, roller blind or plate.

dem z. B. also referred to as a pile feeder or sheet feeder feeder 13 follows downstream, for example, a z. B. as a belt table, in particular as a suction belt table, conveyor section 21.

The sheet feeder 19 preferably comprises a feed table, with the working cycle of the sheets of printing material to be fed being moved into the movement path of the same for aligning them, e.g. B. as so-called front marks designated attacks, in particular front stops, are performed. The attacks is z. B. a trained in particular as a rocking gripper 22 sheet acceleration means 22 downstream, which with respect to the front edge and optionally with respect to a side edge aligned sheets of printing material B a z. B. also referred to as feed drum 23, in particular transfer drum 23 conveying means 23 feeds. As an alternative to the stops, the sheet B can also be brought into its correct position and transferred to the feed drum 23 in an aligned manner during the movement of the swing gripper. The feed drum 23 transfers the printing material sheets B coming from the conveyor line 21 directly or, if necessary, via one or more further transfer drums to the transfer and/or serving as an abutment and preferably as a rotating body 06; 24; 26 trained conveyor 06; 24; 26 of the downstream first processing stage 02; 07; 08; 09; 09'; 11, especially in the case of a further processing machine 01, e.g. B. a conveying means 24, preferably configured as a rotating body 24, in particular also referred to as a cylinder 24 or drum 24, of a gravure or letterpress printing stage 09, in particular a flexographic printing stage 09, or a z. B. likewise designed as a rotating body funding means of a printing stage 09' that works without a printing forme.

If, for further development of the machine 01, which is preferably configured as a further processing machine 01, is one of the through-printing stage 02 and a preferably further printing stage 09; 09' upstream conditioning stage 08, e.g. g. a conditioning stage 08 serving to remove powder, is provided, the printing material sheet B is fed from the feed drum 23 directly or, if necessary, via one or more further transfer drums to a z. B. as a rotating body 26, in particular also referred to as a cylinder 26 or drum 26, transfer means 26 of the relevant conditioning stage 08.

In a preferred embodiment, at least those in the printing stages 02; 09; 09' and in the optionally the printing stages 02; 09; 09' upstream conditioning stage 08 via the printing material B with the respective processing tools 04; 29; 31 of the relevant processing stages 02; 08; 09; 09' interacting conveying means 06; 24; 26; 28 as a rotating body 06; 24; 26; 28, in particular as a cylinder 06; 24; 26; 28 or as drums 06; 24; 26; 28 designated executed. Relevant processing tools 04; 29; 31 can be used here by the forme cylinder 04 already mentioned above for the impression stage 02, by a cylinder 29, e.g. B. printing cylinder 29, or by a printing formeless printing device that interacts with it, and possibly by a cleaning tool 31, e.g. B. a calender roller 31 serving for powder removal, can be formed as a processing tool 31 . The cleaning tool 31, for example, as a - preferably "non-fluid-carrying" in particular "non-pressurized fluid-carrying" (i.e. H. non-ink-carrying or non-lacquer-carrying) roller 31 - pick-up device 31 is formed.

Cleaning stage 08 can be configured, for example, similar to a printing unit, with one or more rollers 31 interacting with an impression cylinder 31 that transports printing substrate B, but without applying a printing fluid or dampening solution to the printing substrate surface. This conditioning stage, which is similar to a printing unit, is designed without a supply or supply of pressurized fluid. In contrast to this, however, you can use a removal device or a container for receiving the removed impurities, e.g. B. powder, be executed.

The cleaning tool 31 can thus be arranged as a roller 31 in rolling contact with the surface to be cleaned. In an alternative that is not shown, it can also be arranged as a suction or blowing tool without making contact with the surface to be cleaned.

In a preferred embodiment as a sheet-treating and/or processing machine 01, the rotating bodies 06; 24; 26 for taking over or handing over the sheet of printing material B to be conveyed in its peripheral region holding means 32, for example one or more in the peripheral direction from each other z. B. equidistantly spaced and explained in more detail below holding devices 32, z. B. gripper devices 32, in particular gripper bars 32 on.

Between the machining tools 04; 29; 31 interacting rotating bodies 06; 24; 26 of at least the printing stages 02; 09; 09' and, if necessary, the printing stages 02; 09; 09' upstream conditioning stage 08, the substrate sheets B are either transferred directly or preferably via at least one other, e.g. B. designed as a rotating body 33 conveyor 33, in particular also referred to as a transfer drum 33, promoted, which also in its peripheral region holding means 34, for example one or more in the circumferential direction from each other z. B. equidistantly spaced holding devices 32, gripper strips 34 have.

If a conditioning stage 11 configured as a dryer 11, in particular as a thermal dryer 11 and preferably upstream of the delivery 14 and the delivery extension 16 that may be provided, is provided in the printing material path, transport can also take place in this stage via a rotating body 36, in particular also a cylinder 36 or drum 36 designated, trained funding 36 take place, which or which for exposure to drying agent, z. B. a heated gas stream or IR radiation, with an appropriate means, for. B. a hot air blower or preferably a radiation source 37, in particular IR radiation source 37, as a processing tool 37 acts together.

After the last downstream printing stage 02; 09; 09' and a possibly downstream thermal conditioning stage 11, delivery takes place to a conveyor system 38 that conveys the further processed printing material sheets B' to the delivery 14, which conveyor system is preferably designed as a chain conveyor system 38 and is used to guide and convey a z. B. as a chain 39 trained circulating traction means 39 a number of sprockets 41 designed as drive and / or guide wheels 41 and for receiving and delivering the substrate sheets B to be conveyed opening and closing, not shown here holding means, z. B. gripper includes. In the area of receiving the printing material sheets, the previously open grippers are closed to accept the sheets, whereas they are used to deliver the sheets in the area of the delivery 14, e.g. B. be opened over the stack to be formed.

In a preferred embodiment of the further printing stage 09, this is designed as a printing stage 09 that works according to a direct printing process and/or letterpress process, in particular as a printing stage 09 that works according to the flexographic printing process, with the cylinders 24; 29 are designed as impression cylinders 24 and forme cylinders 29 . In this case, the forme cylinder 29 carries one or more printing formes on the circumference, the raised areas of which carry an image. The printing forms are inked by at least one roller of a printing fluid application device 42 (regardless of whether printing ink or varnish is to be applied, also referred to here as inking unit 42), in particular by an anilox roller, which in turn is inked by an inking system. The latter can include a roller that dips into a supply of ink or varnish and inks the anilox roller, and a squeegee removes excess ink on the anilox roller. The inking system is preferably implemented by a chamber doctor blade inking the anilox roller.

In an embodiment not shown here, the other z. B. as an inkjet pressure stage 09 'designed pressure stage 09' or a further development with an additional pressure stage is the pressure fluid, i. H. the ink or paint applying tool 29 z. B. as one or more print heads, in particular inkjet print heads.

The preferably executed as a screen printing stage 02, working according to the through-printing process The tool used in printing stage 02 is a forme cylinder 04 designed as a screen printing cylinder 04. A printing forme 43 carried by forme cylinder 04 is a screen printing forme 43 in the preferred case of a printing unit 02 that uses the screen printing method, and is, for example, a screen printing forme in the case of rotary printing so-called cylinder mold 43, which forms the or at least part of the cylinder jacket and carries a template with the negative of the printed image of a repeat length to be applied to the printing material B, ie the sheet B or a repeat length of a web-shaped printing material B. In the case of planographic printing, the printing form would be e.g. B. designed as a flat screen printing form. The printing forme 43, which rotates in the case of rotary printing, and the printing material B move during operation in a synchronized manner relative to one another via a mechanical or electronic coupling in such a way that the same lengths unwind on one another. When the sheet of printing material B is guided over an impression cylinder 06, the two lateral surfaces roll off one another essentially without slipping over the printing material B to be printed.

The pressure point 03 is formed by the nip point between the forme cylinder 04 and the impression cylinder 06.

For pushing through located inside the cylindrical sieve 43, z. B. designed as printing ink or as a paint printing fluid F through the open areas of the stencil of the printing forme 43, in particular through the uncovered mesh openings of a screen fabric or through openings in a printing forme 43 produced by electroforming, a certain compressive force is required. This is generated by means of a sweeping-through device, referred to as a squeegee 44 , which causes a dynamic pressure of the printing fluid F held up by it on the printing form 43 . With a rotatable cylinder mold 43, the z. B. operatively rotationally fixed inside the screen printing cylinder arranged squeegee 44 in the area of a free, d. H. unclamped end section, pressed with a pressing force from the inside against the rotating screen. The free end section effective for squeegeeing can be the front part of the squeegee 44 itself acting as a squeegee blade 52 or--as shown here--a part of a squeegee blade 52 specifically encompassed by the squeegee 44. In both cases, the so-called squeegee blade 52 forms a squeegee edge at the end that interacts with the printing form 43 .

The squeegee 44, in particular the squeegee blade 52 formed by it or surrounded by it in the area of the free end, is attached - in particular from the inside - to the screen printing forme - in particular designed as a cylinder screen 43 - forming a preferably acute angle α, also referred to as the squeegee angle α 43 employable or employable. The squeegee angle α is to be understood as the angle which - viewed in a sectional plane running perpendicularly to the axial direction of the printing forme 43 - at the contact point P of the squeegee blade 52 between the latter extending from the free end to a squeegee carrier 54 carrying the squeegee 44 in the unloaded, i. H. without contact force, just touching condition and the course of the inner peripheral line running perpendicular to the axial direction at this contact line, d. H. of the "internal tangent" present at the point of contact P is or is formed. Viewed in the axial direction, the contact that can be seen as the respective contact points P in the cross-sectional view forms a contact line L1 that preferably runs parallel to the axis. H. non-deformed operating condition is also referred to here as the "theoretical" contact line L1.

A contact force that may be applied during operation can cause a deviation, in particular a reduction, in the angle actually effective at the contact point P compared to the above-mentioned manner via a deflection of the squeegee blade 52 - which is formed as part of the squeegee 44 or is surrounded by it in the manner described above defined squeegee angle α are present. This deviation in the inclination, which may be present under load, from the inclination present in the squeegee section near the holding center and/or corresponding to the squeegee angle □ can be neglected or left unconsidered for the following consideration of the preferred adjustment of the squeegee angle α (in the above definition). For example, it is less than 10°, e.g. B. less than 5 °.

The squeegee angle α--as defined here in the just unloaded contact state--can be in the range of 70° to 85°, for example, and can be varied in the manner set out below. This angle α is - z. B. an originally flat and rectilinear shape provided - for example, also under load and possibly resulting deformation in the blade carrier 54 directly adjoining blade section before.

In the preferred case of a sheet-processing printing stage 02 or a sheet-processing machine 01, one or more holding devices 32 are provided on the circumference of impression cylinder 06, which are offset from one another in the circumferential direction, and through which the printing material sheets B can be picked up by the upstream conveyor on the input side and delivered to the subsequent conveyor on the output side. In principle, the recording, holding and dispensing can be done by any means suitable for this purpose, e.g. B. based on a switchable vacuum and / or releasable form fit. In schematic In the preferred embodiment indicated here, however, a gripper device 32 comprising one or a group of several grippers 46 is provided as the holding device 32, by means of which the printing material sheets B can be picked up at their leading end on the input side and released again on the downstream conveyor section on the output side. The gripper device 32 is z. B. in a provided in the otherwise cylindrical lateral surface of the cylinder 06 and axially extending recess 47, also referred to as a pit 47, arranged, the radially outward opening, z. B. pit opening that interrupts and disturbs the cylinder jacket-shaped lateral surface. If impression cylinder 06 is designed to be several times larger, i.e. an impression cylinder with a circumference on which several sheets of printing material are to be accommodated one after the other, the corresponding number of holding devices 32 and pits 47 are arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction and are each separated by a corresponding number of undisturbed cylinder jacket sections 48, also known as Called saddle or pressure saddle, arranged separately from each other.

A circumferential section U _N that cannot be used as a thrust bearing can basically be penetrated solely through the opening of the pit 47 accommodating the holding device 32 or possibly through this opening and—if provided—an adjoining functional section on the upstream and/or downstream side, for example an overlapping region of a possibly upstream provided inking aid 49, indicated here only by dashed lines, and/or a distance a _S to be maintained by definition from the trailing edge of the following pit opening. Conversely, a circumferential section U _D that can be used for printing can basically be given by the undisturbed cylinder jacket section lying between a leading end of the pit opening and the trailing end of the same or next following pit opening in the circumferential direction.

A above Inking aid 49 can be provided in order to enable early positioning of the doctor blade 44 in the forme cylinder 04 before it reaches the end of the pit on the impression cylinder 06, which forms the abutment. It can be provided, for example, in the form of a pivotable flap 49 on impression cylinder 06, which slides over gripper device 32 after the printing substrate B has been gripped and thereby shortens the length of the pit opening viewed in the circumferential direction, at least in the area of the leading end of the printing substrate.

A circumferential length of the screen printing cylinder 04 that is effective during unwinding should be exactly the same or an integer multiple of that formed by the sum of the length of the usable circumferential section U _D that can be used for printing and the length of the disturbed circumferential section U _N that cannot be used for printing and cannot be used as a platen Cycle sounds L _Z correspond.

In the following, solutions are proposed by means of which the most varied of requirements for the desired print image can be met, either individually or advantageously in combination. H. despite a wide range of screen resolutions and printing fluid consistencies, a print quality that is optimal for the relevant parameters can be achieved with as little effort as possible. This is not only of particular advantage, but particularly in connection with the above-mentioned machine 01 designed as a further processing and/or finishing machine 01, since such a machine 01 produces pre-printed intermediate products in a particularly wide range of different types and/or different printing or printing material formats should be able to process further.

In order to be able to adapt the printing stage embodied as screen printing stage 02 to different printing fluids and/or different screen sizes and/or types on which the printed image is based, the squeegee 44 with its squeegee blade 52 is, in particular, a unit of length that acts against the screen printing forme 43 contact force related along the contact line and/or with regard to the squeegee angle α formed with the inside of the screen at the level of the contact line in the above sense can be varied and/or adjusted.

the z. Am 3 Squeegee 44, shown only schematically inside forme cylinder 04, is part of a squeegee device 51, which—such as Am 4 can be seen - in addition to the squeegee 44 itself and the squeegee 44 carrying and extending axially over at least the length of the squeegee 44 at least one squeegee carrier 54 on a frame 61, but preferably the holding means 51 on both sides on respective side parts 59 of the z . B. also includes the forme cylinder 04 directly or indirectly supporting the frame 61 storage device 53. The squeegee carrier 54 is formed, for example, by a one-part or multi-part traverse 54 on which the squeegee 44 is arranged. As already explained, the squeegee blade 52 can be formed by a front part of the squeegee 44 itself, or it can be comprised by the squeegee 44 as an independent part. In the preferred embodiment shown here, the squeegee 44 comprises a squeegee blade 52 and a one-part or multi-part squeegee holder 58 on which the squeegee blade 52 z. B. is releasably attached. The squeegee carrier 54 carrying the squeegee 44 is mounted, for example, in or on bearing means of the respective bearing device 53 .

The squeegee device 51 also comprises one or more drive means 56 that move the squeegee 44 or the squeegee carrier 54 carrying the squeegee 44 relative to the screen printing or forme cylinder 04; 57, which z. B. via appropriate signal connections 62; 63 with the drive means 56; 57 controlling control means 66; 67 are connected to a control device 64, which is indicated only schematically. For example, first drive means 56, which bring about a switching on and off of the squeegee 44, and/or second drive means 57, which bring about a change in a squeegee angle α, are provided. The drive means 56; 57 controlling control means 66; 67 of the control device 64 can be provided spatially in the same structural unit or also distributed in a signal-technically connected control system, whereby, for example, the control of the first drive means 56 can be provided for first control means 66 and the control of the second drive means 57 can be provided for second control means 67. The control means 66; 67 can be designed as a control circuit or as a program routine programmed in data processing means. You can here as control modules 66; 67 of a common control device 64 can be executed.

The bearing device 53 that movably supports squeegee carrier 54 and thus squeegee 44 is now designed and set up to pivot squeegee 44 or the squeegee carrier 54 carrying it about a pivot axis S1 that is axially parallel to the axis of rotation R04 of forme cylinder 04 and/or the radial position of the Squeegee 44 to vary relative to the axis of rotation R04 of the forme cylinder 04. Although both or only one of the two mentioned adjusting movements can be effected by manually operated adjusting drives, for at least one, preferably for both of the adjusting movements, at least one of the aforementioned drive means 56; 57 provided. In the event that two bearing devices 53 are provided for mounting the holding means 54, a corresponding drive means 56; 57 be provided.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the bearing device 53, in particular the adjusting means thereof that causes the pivoting, is designed and set up to be able to pivot the squeegee 44 or the squeegee carrier 54 by the relevant actuating mechanism in such a way that when the squeegee 44 or of the squeegee blade 52 by an adjustment angle Δα within at least one operating range of z. B. at least 15°, preferably at least 20°, the relative position measured in the circumferential direction on the inner circumference of the cylinder mold 43 between a position with which the axes of rotation R04; R06 connecting plane on the inner circumference of the cylinder mold 43 formed intersection line V and the theoretical contact line L1 not or at least not significantly, z. B. by less than the hundredth part of the working together with the doctor blade 44 cylinder mold inner circumferential length changes. In operating position, i. H. in print-on, the above Line of intersection V and the line of contact L1 coincide or at a small angle, e.g. B. offset by up to 5 ° or at least up to 3 ° to each other.

For giving away the squeegee 44 or its squeegee carrier 54, the bearing device 53 comprises a frame 61 or the two side parts 59 of the frame 61 by a z. B. frame-fixed pivot axis S1 pivotably mounted bearing means 68, z. B. an eccentric trained bearing or preferably a lever arm 68. The blade carrier 54 carrying the blade 44 is now - z. B. at a point radially spaced from the pivot axis S1 - connected to the lever arm 68 in such a way that when the lever arm 68 pivots, the doctor blade 44 pivots as a result.

In the embodiment of squeegee device 51 that is particularly preferred here, this - in particular the bearing device 53 and its position relative to the screen printing forme 43 - is designed and set up in such a way that the pivot axis S1 of the lever arm 68 or lever arms 68 carrying the squeegee carrier 54 has the theoretical line of contact L1 collapses. The term "collapse" is to be understood, for example, as an exact collapse up to a collapse with at most a slight maximum radial offset between the theoretical contact line L1 and the pivot axis S1 that does not significantly impair the basic underlying solution idea. This maximum offset corresponds, for example, to no more than one tenth, in particular no more than one twentieth, of the cylinder mold inner radius at the axial height of the interaction with the doctor blade 44 or its doctor edge and/or, for example, no more than 10 mm, preferably no more than 5 mm. In case of doubt, the geometric center of the possibly forming, albeit extremely narrow, contact line is to be used under the line of contact, which extends geometrically regularly and not just one-dimensionally. In principle, this approach can be or can be transferred to a flat screen printing method with a printing form designed as a flat screen, unless something contradictory arises.

The lever arm 68 can in principle in the most varied of ways, e.g. B. by the eccentricity of a frame 61 rotatably mounted eccentric bearing or preferably as an arm of a multi-armed or, in particular, one-armed lever 69 . This can be in or on the frame 61 or in or on the respective side part 59 via z. B. a bearing means 91 designed as a bolt 91 or a stub axle 91 and possibly a friction-reducing radial bearing can be arranged so as to be rotatable about the pivot axis S1.

The at least one or preferably both lever arms 68 carrying the squeegee carrier 54 can be pivoted by at least one drive device 71, or drive 71 for short, which can be actuated in particular by remote control. Drive means 57 includes. In principle, the drive device can be designed in a wide variety of ways in order to cause the lever arm 68 to pivot when the drive means 57 is actuated accordingly. The drive 71 and / or the drive means 57 directly or via a gear between a - z. B. with respect to the frame 61 fixed to the frame and / or fixed with respect to a radial distance to the cylinder mold axis of rotation - point of application 73, z. B. pivot point 73, and a lever-fixed point of attack 72, z. B. lever-fixed pivot point 72, be effective.

The coupling in the points of attack 72; 73 are preferably cardanically mounted on the frame 61, so that in addition to the pivoting movement, a sideways movement that may be explained in more detail below, e.g. B. for setting a side register can be included.

Irrespective of the configuration with or without a gear, the drive means 57 is designed and set up in a preferred embodiment to reproducibly approach more than two defined drive operating states, or operating states for short, that represent different positions of the lever arm 68 .

In a particularly advantageous development, drive means 57 is designed and set up to enable continuous adjustment at least within an adjustment range that corresponds, for example, to pivoting lever arm 68 through an angle of 15°, preferably at least 20°. This continuous setting is basically to be realized by a wide variety of configurations of the drive device 71, for example via a - possibly arcuate - toothed rack, which is connected by a z. B. electric motor driven pinion is pivoted.

In here e.g. In the preferred embodiment shown, for example, the lever arm 68 is driven via a drive 71 designed as a motorized spindle drive 71, with the spindle gear comprising the spindle and the motor 56 driving the spindle, in particular electric motor 57, being able to be combined in one structural unit as a spindle linear drive.

The drive means 57, preferably embodied as an electric motor 57, can be actuated by the control unit 64, in particular by the control means 67 implemented and appropriately set up and/or programmed in it, in such a way that the drive 71 - preferably embodied here as a motorized spindle drive 71 - continuously at least those operating states are to be approached that are within the above Control range lying pivot positions of the lever arm 68 represent.

The drive means 57 embodied as an electric motor 57 can be embodied as a position-controllable motor or as a stepping motor, or it can form a control circuit with an external position sensor system for reproducible position assumption. In an advantageous embodiment variant, the electric motor 57 is designed as a servo drive.

The two drives 71 acting indirectly on the squeegee 44 or on the squeegee carrier 54 or their drive means 57 can in principle be set synchronously with one another by the control device 64 or the relevant control means 67 .

Due to the pivoting drive for the squeegee 44, which can in particular be operated remotely, the squeegee angle α can now be changed to possibly new conditions and/or also during operation to optimize the printing result without any manual adjustment effort.

In addition to adjusting the squeegee angle α, in an advantageous development. a device, not explained further here, can be provided, by which the contact line L1 can be adjusted in a tangential direction parallel to the cylinder mold axis or at an angle to it. The adjustment can be possible both in the printing direction or against the printing direction. Here, too, the type of adjustment is preferably implemented by a motor, and adjustment is therefore possible during printing operation.

Considered a particularly advantageous aspect of the solution on its own or particularly advantageous in connection with the above-mentioned pivot drive 71 about a pivot axis S1 that is preferably straight or at least essentially coincides with the theoretical contact line L1, the doctor blade 44 or the doctor blade carrier 54 carrying the doctor blade 44 is in its position or its radial position relative to the screen printing forme 43 can be varied. This radial position can preferably be varied in an adjustment range which, in addition to shutting down the squeegee 44, ie lifting it off the squeegee edge from the undisturbed inner circumference of the unloaded cylinder mold 43 at a distance a _AN of z. B. at least 0.2 mm, a pressing of the squeegee 44, in particular the squeegee blade 52, going beyond the initial contact during positioning, ie a positioning of the squeegee 44 with possibly slight deflection of the squeegee 44 in the region of its free end section or squeegee blade 52 and/or or the cylinder screen 43, which z. B. assuming the zero position lying in the point of contact, a setting at a negative distance a _AB of z. B. corresponds to - 0.2 mm or further in the negative.

The squeegee 44 or the squeegee carrier 54 is used to carry out the above-mentioned radial adjusting movement by at least one, preferably by one in particular remotely actuated drive device 74, drive 74 for short, which can be adjusted, which already has the above-mentioned Drive means 56 includes. The drive device 74 can fundamentally be designed in a wide variety of ways in order to bring about a positioning of the doctor blade 44 or the doctor blade carrier 54 with regard to the relative position of the doctor blade edge to the inside of the cylinder mold when the drive means 57 is actuated accordingly. The drive 74 and / or the drive means 56 can in principle directly or via a gear between a - z. B. with respect to the frame 61 and / or relative to the alignment of the cylinder mold axis of rotation - be effective fixed point and a blade or blade carrier fixed point. For the above In the case of the squeegee 44 or squeegee carrier 54, which can be pivoted via one or two lever arms 68, the drive 74 and/or the drive means 56, e.g. B. effective between a lever arm fixed point and a squeegee or squeegee carrier fixed point.

Basically independent of the version with or without a gear, a drive device 74 with a controllable drive means 56 is provided, by which the movement of the squeegee 44 on and off is mechanically independent of the rotary drive of the forme and impression cylinder 04; 06 and/or can be brought about by the machine and/or printing material phase position Φ _M. In addition, such a drive device 74 and the controllable drive means 56 can preferably be used to vary the extent of a contact force present in the contact position “ON”, ie for example the movement of the squeegee 44 in the contact direction beyond the above-mentioned initial contact.

For this purpose, the radially effective drive 74, which is mechanically independent of the rotary drive, and the bearing device 53 carrying the doctor blade 44 or the doctor blade carrier 54 are preferably set up by appropriate means and designed to cover the stroke of the setting and stopping, in particular at least that relating to the setting position “ON”. End position to vary remotely. This can preferably be made possible via a corresponding activation of the drive means 56 by the control means 66 set up for this purpose itself or, alternatively, if necessary, via activation of a drive of a stop means (not shown) that limits the actuating movement.

The drive 74 and/or in particular the drive means 56 is preferably designed and set up to reproducibly represent more than two defined, mutually different radial relative positions between the squeegee edge and the cylinder mold inner surface drive operating states BZ; BZ _AB ; BZ _AN ; BZ' _AN , or short operating states BZ; BZ _AB ; BZ _AN ; BZ′ _AN , in particular operating states BZ _AN representing two or even more than two different contact positions or contact forces; BZ' _AN to approach or take (see, for example, in 5 with a drive operating states BZ _AN representing a parked position "AB" and two different applied positions; BZ' _AN shown). In particular, the drive means 56, which is mechanically independent of the rotary drive, and the bearing device 53 for the doctor blade 44 or the doctor blade carrier 54 are set up to vary the stroke of the throwing on and off, in particular the end position relating to the throw-on position, by actuating the drive means 56. In principle, this approach can be or can be transferred to a flat screen printing method with a printing form designed as a flat screen, unless something contradictory arises.

In a particularly advantageous development, the drive means 56 is designed and set up for this purpose, at least within a positioning range which, for example, involves positioning the doctor blade edge in at least a minimum positioning range between a parking position or an operating state BZ _AB representing a parking position "AB" and a positioning position or a one Operating state BZ _AN representing the setting position "AN"; BZ ' _AN - for example, within at least one adjustment range of z. B. -0.2 to +0.2 mm, in particular in at least one setting range of -0.2 to 0.5 mm, to allow continuous setting. In this context, “continuous” should also be understood to mean a sequence of equidistant discrete steps, which is caused, for example, by limitation or rounding to the smallest steps to be considered and/or handled in the size to be considered.

In principle, this continuous setting can be realized by a wide variety of configurations of the drive device, for example by means of a pivoting movement effected by an electric motor or in some other way. In here e.g. B. illustrated, particularly preferred embodiment, the drive of the squeegee 44 and / or the squeegee carrier 54 - within at least the above-mentioned minimum setting range - along a straight-line movement by a drive 74 designed as a linear drive 74. For this purpose, the bearing device 53 is designed with corresponding bearing means 81, 82 for the linear setting. This linear drive 74 can be implemented in different ways in order to switch the squeegee 44 or squeegee edge on and off along a straight-line positioning movement. Since a continuous and controlled, i.e. defined, position is possible in a preferred embodiment, the extent of the setting off and/or in particular setting, i.e. the positive or negative distance, along the linear setting movement and thus also the setting force, also referred to as squeegee pressure, variable and/or adjustable.

In principle, the linear movement could be formed by drive devices 74 of any design that bring about linear movements. The linear drive of the squeegee 44 or of the squeegee carrier 54 is, however, preferably effected by an electric motor. This can be realized by an electric linear motor or preferably by a drive 74 designed as a spindle drive 74, which is or is preferably operated by an electric motor. The spindle drive 74 is preferably designed as a ball screw drive 74 . The spindle gear and the spindle-driving motor 56, in particular electric motor 56, can—as shown by way of example—be combined in a structural unit forming a linear spindle drive.

The drive means 56, preferably embodied as an electric motor 56, can be actuated by the control device 64, in particular by the control means 66 implemented and appropriately set up and/or programmed therein, in such a way that the drive 74—preferably embodied here as a spindle drive 74—continuously drives at least those operating states BZ; BZ _AB ; BZ _AN ; BZ' _AN are to be approached, which represent the relative positions of the squeegee 44 or squeegee edge to the cylinder mold 43 within the above-mentioned adjustment range.

The drive means 56 embodied as an electric motor 56 can be embodied as a position-controllable motor or as a stepper motor, or it can form a control loop with an external position sensor system for reproducible position assumption. In a preferred embodiment, it is designed as a servo drive 56, preferably with electronic position and/or speed and/or torque control.

In a preferred embodiment, the squeegee 44 or the squeegee carrier 54 engages directly or indirectly on both sides, i. H. in the area of both end faces of the screen printing stage 02 or the screen printing cylinder 04, such that the drives 74 or drive means 56 relating to the relative position are preferably linearly adjusted. In this case, these drives 74 or drive means 56 can preferably each independently via z. B. the control device 64 can be adjusted.

Due to the - in particular remotely controlled - actuator 74 for the doctor blade 44 and the doctor blade carrier 54 can now be switched on and off as well as the doctor blade pressure, d. H. the extent of the contact going beyond the initial contact and, if necessary, the extent of the gap when it is set down without manual adjustment effort can be changed to possibly new circumstances and/or also during operation to optimize the print result. In an advantageous embodiment, two drives 74 and/or drive means 56 to be set independently of one another are provided. As a result, for example, the doctor blade pressure in the area of the two doctor sections near the end can be adjusted differently from one another and/or an off-centre, i. H. to compensate for the asymmetrical arrangement of the cylinder screen 43 in relation to the squeegee length.

The bearing device 53 and/or drive device 74 for the on/off position—preferably along the adjustment path, which is rectilinear at least in the adjustment area—is designed and set up in such a way that the adjustment movement between the on and off positions “ON”; "AB" of the squeegee 44 runs at least within the stated minimum adjustment range along the longitudinal extension of the squeegee blade 52 in the unloaded contact state. This should also be understood to mean, if necessary, only slight directional deviations of, for example, at most 5°, in particular at most 3°, which do not significantly impair the basic idea of the solution. The "longitudinal extension" of the doctor blade 52 is the area perpendicular to the axial direction in the unloaded state, i. H. perpendicular to the printing unit width and perpendicular to the squeegee blade thickness, i. H. its thickness, running rectilinear extension of the free, d. H. understood not clamped end portion of the squeegee blade 52 between the clamping point and squeegee edge.

By switching the squeegee 44 on and off in the above sense along the direction of the longitudinal extension between the clamping point and the squeegee edge, the squeegee 44 and/or the squeegee blade 52 is positioned for the purpose of switching it on and off and/or to vary the amount when positioning it and/or when parking is possible without the doctor blade angle α being forced to change or a change having to be compensated for by setting other actuators.

The drive device 74 described so far for the throw-on and throw-off movement can in principle only be used within the framework of the Pressure-on and pressure-off or for maintenance or armament purposes required on and off the squeegee 44 are used.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, however, the described drive device 74 for the on and off movement, together with the control means 66 that controls it, can be designed to move the squeegee 44 cyclically and synchronized to the machine and/or printing material phase position Φ _M , in particular directly or indirectly correlated to the rotational angle position of the counter-pressure cylinder 06, in particular to lift it slightly from the inner circumference of the cylinder mold 43 and to put it back on again. This can prevent the squeegee 44, due to its contact pressure, from squeezing the cylinder mold 43 while it is being rolled over in the area of a longitudinal fabric seam that may be present (e.g. in the case of fabrics) and/or when the forme and impression cylinders 04; 06 is inadmissibly deformed while passing the pit opening or collides with the grippers 46 or other counter-pressure cylinder parts and is damaged. An inking aid 49 mentioned above can at least shorten the opening of the pit during the overrolling and/or cover the grippers 46 and thus the doctor blade 44 can be positioned against the cylinder mold 43 and in the direction of the impression cylinder 06 as early as possible, and thus a timely build-up of the ink bead and dynamic pressure in front of the squeegee 44 allow.

A purely control-related synchronization, ie not based on mechanical coupling, of a cyclically repeating switching-on and switching-off sequence to the machine and/or printing material phase position Φ _M , the switching-on and switching-off sequence z. B. is or is formed by a cycle with one or more positioning phases PAN each interrupted by a positioning phase P _AB , can in principle be connected in a wide variety of ways to a rotational movement of a component involved in the transport of the printing material or to the control signals of a control device that determines the transport movement of the printing material B respectively. For example, drive means 56 and/or a control device 64 that controls drive means 56, or the relevant control means 66, has a signal connection to a machine and/or printing material phase position Φ _M and the control of drive means 56 with regard to a length and/or position a turn-on and turn-off sequence serving as a master phase position encoder 76, the z. e.g. as a sensor system 76 that supplies an angular position and is also referred to as a master axis encoder 76, or preferably as an electronic master axis 76 that specifies and therefore represents the machine phase position. The information representing the machine and/or printing material phase position Φ _M is in 4 indicated by way of example with the angle symbol symbolizing the machine and/or printing material phase position Φ _M .

Particularly in the case of the sheet processing and/or processing execution of the through-printing, in particular screen printing stage 02 and/or in the case of the impression cylinder 06 designed for sheet transport with at least one of the above-mentioned gripper devices 32, the squeegee device 51 can thus perform the movement of the squeegee on and off 44 between the contact position “AN” and a position “AB” and a drive device 74 configured, for example, in the manner described above, with appropriately configured control means 66, through which the squeegee 44 is synchronized during operation to a machine or printing material phase position Φ _M to the e.g. B. formed as a cylinder screen 43 screen printing forme 43 on and off this can be. In this case, the drive device 74 comprises a controllable drive means 56, by means of which the movement of the squeegee 44 on and off can be brought about mechanically independently of the machine and/or printing material phase position Φ _M .

The drive device 74 is thus preferably by the drive means 56 without a mechanically rigid coupling to a machine element representing the machine and/or printing material phase position Φ _M in at least one operating state BZ _AN causing the adjustment position "AN" or preferably in several operating states causing the adjustment position "AN". BZ _AN ; BZ' _AN and can be brought into at least one operating state BZ _AB causing the parking position "AB" (see e.g. 5 ).

In a particularly advantageous embodiment and/or preferable development of the aforementioned squeegee device 51, the control means 66 comprised by the control device 64 and connected to the drive means 56 can be designed and set up to move the squeegee 44 as a function of the printing material format F.1; F.2 and/or the information I _B relating to the printed image can be switched on and off with varying phase lengths and/or positions. Here, the control means 66 included in the control device 64 determine a length and/or position and/or number of phases PAN relating to the adjustment position “AN” within a fixed and repetitive sequence with regard to their cycle length L _Z as a function of the printing material format F.1 ; F.2 and/or the information I _B relating to the printed image can be varied. A corresponding number of cycle lengths L _Z can be run through per revolution of the counter-pressure cylinder 06 in the case of a multiple-size design. The substrate format F.1; F.2 and/or relating to the printed image and to be processed processing information I _B can the control means 66 z. B. via a signal connection from a planning and / or control level 77 ago be made available. This can for example - especially in the case of the printing material format F.1; F.2 and/or information relating to or representing the printed image - via a signal connection from a control center assigned to the planning and/or control level 77 or via a signal connection for transmitting data from product planning or via a signal connection for transmitting data the pre-press stage.

In a first example of the design of the control means 66 or for controlling the squeegee movement, z. Am 6 schematically indicated using a side view of a cylinder jacket development comprising a usable peripheral section U _D , for example, in a first operating situation, printing material sections B of a first format F.1, ie with a first printing material layer L _B1 , and in a second operating situation printing material sections B of a second format F.2 ie can be printed with a second printing material layer L _B2 or will be printed. Depending on the respective substrate length L _B1 ; L _B2 or an item of information I _B representing this length, the phase length of the phase PAN with the squeegee 44 engaged or—preferably in this case—an end of the phase PAN with the squeegee 44 engaged is determined by the control device 64 or the implemented control means 66 and/or or it takes place as a function of the respective printing material length L _B1 ; L _B2 or an item of information I _B representing this length, switching the squeegee 34 on and off in a respective cycle Z ₁ ; Z ₂ (see e.g. 5 ), in which the differing lengths of printing material L _B1 ; L _B2 mutually deviating phase lengths for the respective phase PAN with squeegee 44 engaged or--preferably in this case--deviating phase positions for the end of the respective phase PAN with squeegee 44 engaged are or will be assigned. The phase position for the beginning of the respective phase PAN with the squeegee 44 employed can in each case be the same and z. B. fixed, but may be changeable. In the manner explained above, this can already be before the start of the circumferential section U _N that can be used for printing.

In a second embodiment, which can be carried out or can be provided instead of or alternatively to the first embodiment, e.g. Am 7 indicated schematically using a side view of a cylinder jacket development comprising a usable circumferential section U _D , the phase length of the phase PAN with the squeegee 44 applied or at least one end of the phase PAN with the squeegee 44 applied is determined by the control device 64 or the control means 66 as a function of the respective print image length L _D or information I _B representing this length. Under the print image length L _D z. B. be understood here as the length that is limited on the feed side by the first and on the return side by the last ink application to be provided by the printing form given by the cylinder mold 43 . An intermediate printing region 78 provided thereby may have continuous or discontinuous printing regions 44 . For operating situations in which the print image length L _D differs from one another, the squeegee 44 is switched on and off in a respective cycle Z 1 as a function of the respective print image length L _D or information I _B representing this length _; Z ₂ , in which the differing print image lengths L _D are assigned or are assigned differing phase lengths for the respective phase PAN with squeegee 44 engaged or differing phase positions for the end of the respective phase PAN with squeegee 44 engaged. The phase position for the beginning of the respective phase PAN with the squeegee 44 employed can in each case be the same and z. B. fixed, but may be changeable. In the manner explained above, this can already be before the start of the circumferential section U _N that can be used for printing. As above, the phase position for the start of the respective phase PON with the squeegee 44 engaged can be the same in each case or a phase position dependent on the start of the print image.

In a third embodiment, which can be carried out or can be provided instead of or alternatively to the first and/or second embodiment, e.g. Am 8th indicated schematically using a side view of a cylinder jacket development comprising a usable peripheral section U _D , several phases P _AN with employed doctor blade 44 and several phases P _AB with employed doctor blade 44 can be provided for each cycle length L _Z . In this case, a start and an end of the respective phases PON with the squeegee 44 engaged is determined by the control device 64 or the control means 66 as a function of information I _B which, viewed in the transport direction, indicates the phase position of print strips 79 interrupted by strips that are not to be printed in a print area 78 represent. For operating situations in which the pattern of strips to be printed and those not to be printed differs from one another, the doctor blade 44 is switched on and off several times individually, depending on the respective distribution of the print strips 79 or on information I(M) representing this distribution a respective cycle in which the mutually in the distribution of the print strips 79 deviating print areas 78 different patterns for the phase positions and / or lengths, ie the position of the respective beginnings and ends, the are or will be assigned to the respective phase PAN with the squeegee 44 employed. The information I _B relating to the print pattern relating to the number and/or position of the print strips 79 is based, for example, on data obtained by evaluating the print image to be printed by the printing stage 02 or the printing forme 43, in particular by evaluating the z. B. in the prepress in data form present target print image can be obtained or are. In this case, strips to be printed, which are formed by z. B. narrower strips that are not to be printed are interrupted, despite their discontinuity, can be or will be combined to form larger print strips 79 .

In particular in connection with the first and the second embodiment, the control means 64 or the included control means 66 within the preferably fixed cycle length L _Z establishes a ratio between the phase length related to the length of the swept inner circumference on the screen printing stencil and the phase relating to the adjustment position “ON”. PAN and the phase P _AB relating to the parking position “AB” can be varied.

Regardless of whether the control means 66 includes a control circuit and/or control routine for the above-mentioned cyclic and synchronized positions, adjusting the degree of at least the engagement, i. H. setting the contact force present in the contact position “ON” phase, manually via an operator interface, e.g. B. can be selected and / or varied via an operator interface provided at the control station.

In a preferred embodiment for the squeegee device 51 and/or bearing device 53, this is equipped with both a drive 71 and possibly corresponding bearing means for varying and/or setting the squeegee angle α and a drive 74 and possibly corresponding bearing means for switching it on and off the squeegee 44 is provided on the printing forme 43 designed as a round screen 43 . Bearing device 73 is preferably designed in such a way that when the squeegee angle α is set by means of drive means 71 provided for this purpose, drive 74, in particular linear drive 74, which causes squeegee 44 to be raised and lowered is forcibly moved along with squeegee 44.

In this case, drive 74 and, if applicable, corresponding bearing means for moving doctor blade 44 on and off are arranged on lever 69, which can be pivoted about pivot axis S1, in particular on lever arm 68 carrying doctor blade carrier 54, with drive 74 acting between a point of application fixed to the lever and a point of application fixed to blade carrier is.

In a preferred embodiment, the squeegee-fixed point of action is provided by a bearing means 81 designed as a squeegee-carrier-fixed carriage 81, which is linearly movably mounted in a bearing means 82 designed as a lever-fixed guide 82, in particular linear guide 82. In particular, the linear guide 82 is arranged and oriented on the lever 69 or lever arm 68 in such a way that—in at least the above Minimum adjustment range - the above-mentioned resulting when moving the slide. Adjusting movement of the squeegee 44 runs along the longitudinal extent of the squeegee blade 52 running in the unloaded contact state.

In this case, the lever 69 or lever arm 68 is preferably extended by a Way with a coinciding approximately with the edge of the squeegee pivot axis S1 stored.

The frame-fixed point of application 73 for the drive 71 causing the doctor blade angle change can in principle be provided on the frame 83 or frame part 83 assigned to the screen printing stage 02, which, for example, forms the operationally fixed printing unit frame 83.

However, at least the screen printing forme 43 is preferably mounted directly or indirectly rotatably on a frame 61 of a screen printing device 86 . The screen printing forme 43 can be changed in the axial distance a to the impression cylinder 06 by means of a drive device 88 that acts on the frame 61 and includes a drive means 87 that can be controlled remotely. The screen printing forme 43 and the squeegee 44 can preferably be moved together by the drive device 88 to change the center distance between the impression cylinder 06 and the screen printing forme 43. For this purpose, they are preferably mounted directly or indirectly on the same one-piece or multi-piece frame 61 that can be moved overall. In particular, the frame 61 is by the drive device 88 relative to a z. B. the impression cylinder 06 and possibly at least one transfer drum 33 supporting frame 83, z. B. above stationary printing unit frame 83, movable frame 61 mounted. The lower part of the printing unit 06, which includes the impression cylinder 06 and possibly at least one transfer drum 33, is also referred to as the printing unit substructure 91 and can be embodied as a substructure module 91 that can be introduced overall into the machine room.

The movable frame 61 forms, together with the components arranged thereon, e.g. B. the screen printing device 86, which can be engaged and disengaged, which, in addition to the frame 61, comprises at least the screen printing cylinder 04 carrying the screen printing forme 43 and the squeegee 44 that can be and/or is engaged on the screen printing forme 43.

In the case of a storage device 53 with storage means 68; 69; 91 and a drive device 71 for varying the squeegee angle α, these are also included in the screen printing device 86. These are moved, for example, by the drive device 88 . In addition or instead, in the case of a storage device 53 mentioned above with storage means 81; 82 and a drive device 74 for switching the squeegee 44 on and off, these are also encompassed by the screen printing device 86 and moved, for example.

In a preferred embodiment, the drive means 87 that brings about the change in the center distance is designed and set up to have a print-off position L _A in addition to an operating state BZ _D assumed in a print-on position L _D of the screen printing forme 43 on impression cylinder 06 and a different operating state a defined operating state BZ _A that represents a greater axial distance a between the impression cylinder 06 and the screen printing forme 43 and that is to be assumed reproducibly than the first-mentioned position L _D , to assume at least one further defined operating state BZ _R , which has a position L _R with a position L R with a position L A compared to the first two mentioned positions L _A ; L _D larger center distance a represents. This further layer L _R , e.g. B. maintenance and / or set-up position L _R , for example, for set-up or maintenance work, for example as a cleaning position for cleaning the screen printing forme 43 and / or as a set-up position for a printing forme change in the case of a z. B. formed as a flexible flat screen and up or unwound printing forme 43 are taken or be. For the set-up position L _R , the center distance a z. B. can be increased by at least 50 mm, preferably even by at least 100 mm, compared to that of the pressure-on location L _D.

In a first, e.g. In an advantageous embodiment that is not very complex, e.g. This can be designed as a fluid-operated cylinder-piston system 87, in particular as a multi-position cylinder-piston system 87 with a total of at least three defined piston positions on the output side. For example, it includes a total of exactly or at least three different defined operating states BZ _D ; BZ _A ; BZ _R representing switching states. For example, for the maintenance and/or set-up position L _R a switching state with two chambers being pressed in the same direction causing the shutdown, for the print-down position L _A a switching state with only one chamber being pressed in the shutdown effecting direction and for the print-to-position L _D a switching state with a pressing of two chambers in the same, the queuing-effecting direction can be provided. For this purpose, the cylinder-piston system 87 is preferably designed to be double-acting, at least with regard to bringing it into the pressure-on position L _D , ie it is designed with a piston stroke chamber that can be pressed in both the throw-off direction and the throw-on direction. Preferred are both of z. B. two chambers are designed in such a double-acting manner. Although in principle hydraulic operation can also be provided, the cylinder-piston system 87 is preferably operated pneumatically.

The operating state BZ _D assumed in print-on can—as far as the output-side state of the drive means 87 is concerned—in principle be freely assumable and limited only by a maximum end position to be assumed. The operating state BZ _D actually assumed in print-on can be limited and/or variable, for example, by a positioning device 107 explained in more detail below.

In an alternative embodiment, which is advantageous in terms of greater variability, the drive means 87 comprised by the drive device 88 can be used as an at least within the two operating states BZ _R ; BZ _D given adjustment range continuously adjustable drive means 87 be executed.

In this case, the drive device 88 is designed, for example, as an electric motor linear drive 88 and/or as a spindle drive 88 operated by an electric motor. The drive means 87 is then correspondingly by an electric motor, such as an electric linear motor or z. B. performed by an electric motor servo drive

The movement of the screen printing forme 43, in particular the screen printing cylinder 04 carrying it or the frame 61 carrying the screen printing cylinder 04, can in principle be carried out in any way - e.g. B. translatory or rotary - be realized by which a relative movement with at least one relative to the axis of the impression cylinder radial movement component is or can be effected. In the embodiment preferred here, however, the drive device 88 and corresponding bearing means 89 are designed and arranged in such a way that the actuating movement leading out of this position for the screen printing forme 43 in unloaded physical contact is approximately, i.e. with a maximum directional deviation of at most 15°, preferably at most 10 °, runs in the radial direction of the impression cylinder 06. In one embodiment, this movement can be performed by a linear movement with appropriately designed bearing means. In a preferred here, a large adjustment path is also made possible by simple means In the end embodiment, the movement is pivoted about a pivot axis S2 that is axially parallel to the impression cylinder 06 . The frame 61 carrying the screen printing forme 43 or the screen printing cylinder 04 is preferably mounted such that it can pivot about the pivot axis S2, which is axially parallel to the impression cylinder 06. Corresponding bearing means 89 are then formed, for example, by a bolt 89, an axle 89 that extends across the width of the frame, or an axle stub 89.

In order to fulfill the above-mentioned condition for the adjustment direction present in the area of the nip point 03 and to enable a large adjustment path in the above-mentioned maintenance and/or set-up position L _R , the pivot axis S2 is advantageously in a plane E that includes a contact line L2 that runs through the nip point the printing forme and counter-pressure cylinder lateral surface just touching each other in the unloaded state, and runs inclined by at most 10° to the tangential plane T of the undisturbed counter-pressure cylinder lateral surface, which includes the contact line L2. The distance between the pivot axis S2 and the cylinder mold axis of rotation R43 is preferably greater than the length of the outer radius r43 of the undisturbed screen printing forme 43.

A respective front frame wall of the movable, in particular pivotable frame 61 of the screen printing device 86 can by the z. Am 4 shown side part 59 itself or by a multi-part side wall 92 encompassing the side part 59 . For example, the side part 59 carrying the bearing device 53 can be detachably fastened to a stronger frame plate 93 and together with this can be enclosed by the side wall 92 . The frame 61, which directly or indirectly supports the screen printing forme 43, comprises, in addition to the one-part or multi-part side walls 92, one or preferably several cross braces 94; 96; 97, which can be formed, for example, by one or more traverses 96 and/or by one or more axles or shafts 94 (see below) and/or by one or more axial guides 97 (see below).

The drive device 88 that pivots the frame 61 is effective between a point of application 98 that is fixed to the frame with respect to the screen printing device 86 and a point of application 99 that is fixed in space, for example with respect to the printing unit frame 83 . For example, the point of application 98 on the side of the screen printing device 86 can be given by a coupling to an axis of rotation that is fixed to the frame with respect to the screen printing device 86 and runs parallel to the axis of the screen printing forme 43 . This can be realized by a rotatable coupling to an axis 94 that is fixed to the frame with respect to the screen printing device 86 or by a non-rotatable coupling to a shaft 94 that is rotatably mounted on the frame 61 . Preferably, a drive device 88 can be provided on each end face, both of which are mounted on a shaft 94, e.g. B. synchronous shaft 94 attack. The drive means 87 comprised by the drive device 88 can be coupled on the output side via one or more transmission and/or gear mechanisms 101, for example via a lever mechanism 101 (see e.g. 11 ), or - apart from any extension elements provided on the output side - directly (see e.g. 12 ) respectively.

In a first embodiment of the drive device 88, it comprises a lever mechanism 101, in particular a toggle lever mechanism 101, which can be actuated by the drive means 87 and has a first rocker 102 and a second rocker 103 which is rotatably connected thereto, the respective free ends of these rockers 102; 103 at the above points of attack 98; 98 are specified (see e.g. 12 ). The drive means 87 could in principle act on one of the rockers 102, 103, but in the case presented here acts via a lever arm 104 on the shaft 94, which is non-rotatably connected to one of the rockers 102, 103. Depending on the operating state BZ _D ; BZ _A ; BZ _R of the drive means 87, z. B. Piston-cylinder system 87 is that of the rockers 102; 103 trained toggle lever angled more or less, so that for the three correspondingly provided operating states BZ _D ; BZ _A ; BZ _R the three above mentioned layers L _A ; L _D ; L _R for print-on, print-off and set-up or waiting.

In a second, e.g. B. with regard to a less complex mechanism advantageous embodiment of the drive device 88, the drive means 88 on both sides - if necessary via an output side and / or a fixed point side extension - directly, ie without further movement mechanisms, to the points of application 98; 99 paired. The three operating states BZ _D ; BZ _A ; BZ _R in turn the three above-mentioned layers L _A ; L _D ; _LR .

In addition to the at least two, in particular the at least three layers L _A ; L _D ; L _R for switching the screen printing forme 43 on and off, a positioning device 107 comprising a positioning drive 106 is provided in an advantageous embodiment for remotely controlled and/or remotely controllable adjustment and/or variation of the defined print-on position L _D . Positioning drive 106 can be based on the position of a radial bearing relating to the mounting of screen printing cylinder 04 or the position of a member of drive device 88 relating to the switching on and off (see, e.g. 12 ) act or on a stop element 108 one of the position adjustment device 107, stop device 109 limiting the adjustment movement in the desired print-on position "L _D " (see e.g. 12 ).

By the positioning device 107 and the positioning drive 106, the center distance a z. B. at least by at least 0.1 mm, preferably by at least 0.2 mm, possibly even by 0.3 mm and more variable. In this way, adjustments to variable printing material thicknesses and to possibly varying screen thicknesses and/or slightly varying outer diameters of the screen printing forme 43 are possible.

The pressure-on position "L _D " can be selected in such a way that there is just contact between the cylinder mold 43 and the impression cylinder 06, which is also referred to as the so-called "kiss print". Alternatively, however, a center distance a can also be selected for the print-on position "L _D ", so that in the print-on position "L _D " of the screen printing forme 43 but with the squeegee 43 turned off, there is a distance greater than zero between the cylinder mold 43 and the impression cylinder 06 present. The cylinder mold 43 only touches the impression cylinder 06 through slight deformation when the doctor blade 43 is in the engaged and pretensioned position.

In the case of the first embodiment of the drive device 88 (see e.g. 11 ) the positioning drive 106 can, for example, change the length of one of the two rockers 102; Cause 103, for example, by himself as a rocker or part of the rocker 102; 103 acts and is variable in its longitudinal extent between the frame-fixed end and the output end.

In the case of the second embodiment of the drive device 88 (see e.g. 12 ) the positioning drive 106 can be embodied as an actuator driving a stop element 108 . For example, the positioning drive 106 moves a wedge-like stop 108 of a stop device 109 designed as a wedge drive, which works together with a second wedge-like stop 11 . One of the two stop elements 108; 111 is now operationally fixed to the frame 61 of the screen printing device 86 and the other operationally fixed to the frame, in particular with regard to the printing unit frame 83. To adjust the stop device 109 is one of the stop elements 108; 109 adjustable relative to the other in the manner of the wedge drive.

The positioning device 107 and the positioning drive 106 are preferably designed and set up for this purpose, at least within an operational minimum setting range which, for example, corresponds to a resulting variation in the center distance a by z. B. at least 0.2 mm, but at least corresponds to at least 0.1 mm, to allow continuous adjustments. This continuous setting is to be realized in principle by a wide variety of configurations of the positioning drive 107, for example via a toothed rack, which is driven by a z. B. electric motor driven pinion is moved. In the preferred embodiment shown here as an example, the positioning drive 106 is designed as a motorized spindle drive 106, with the spindle gear comprising the spindle and the motor driving the spindle, in particular an electric motor, being able to be combined in a structural unit as a spindle linear drive.

In a particularly advantageous development of screen printing stage 02 and/or screen printing device 86, screen printing forme 43 or the screen printing cylinder 04 carrying screen printing forme 43 as a whole and/or a bearing device 112 at the end of screen printing forme 43 is arranged so that it can move axially relative to impression cylinder 06. Preferably, the two bearing devices 112 that receive the screen printing forme 43 at the front are axially movable in the printing unit frame 83 or preferably in the above-mentioned Frame 61 of the screen printing device 86, which is movable overall radially relative to the impression cylinder, is arranged. For this purpose, the end bearing devices 112 are, for example, in or on end support elements 113, e.g. B. side wall 113, added or arranged, which in turn are mounted on one or preferably on a plurality of axially extending cross braces 97, in particular axial guides 97. The two support elements 113 could be connected to one another axially and form a common movable frame. However, the two support elements 113 are preferably axially independent and can be moved separately from one another. Movement can take place or can be effected manually or via respective axial drives (not shown). Particularly in the case of manually moved and/or movable support elements 113, means 114, e.g. B. clamping devices 114 may be provided for locking the current position.

In a preferred embodiment of the screen printing stage 02 and/or the screen printing device 86, the screen printing cylinder 04 is rotationally driven by a mechanically independent of the rotational drive of the impression cylinder 06; drive means 116 designed in particular as a drive motor 116, for example an electric motor 116, in particular an electric servo drive 116. The drive takes place here, for example, via a continuous shaft 117 or a split shaft 117 connected via a clutch compensating for an axial offset, e.g. B. toothed shaft 117, on which preferably in the area of both screen printing cylinder end faces a drive wheel 118, preferably designed as a gear wheel, is non-rotatable and axially movable has been recorded. From this, a further intermediate wheel, preferably designed as a toothed wheel 119, is driven directly or indirectly to a drive wheel 121, preferably designed in the form of a toothed wheel 121 or a toothed wheel rim 121.

Reference List

01

machine, further processing machine, finishing machine

02

Processing stage, printing stage, printing unit, rotary through-printing unit, screen printing unit, screen printing coating unit

03

pressure point

04

Printing unit cylinder, forme cylinder, screen printing cylinder, processing tool

05

-

06

Printing unit cylinder, impression cylinder, conveyor, rotating body, cylinder, drum

07

Processing stage, printing stage, printing unit, offset printing stage, offset printing unit

08

Processing level, conditioning level, cleaning level

09

Processing stage, printing stage, printing unit, coating unit, flexo printing stage, flexo printing unit, flexo coating unit

09'

Processing stage, printing stage, printing unit, inkjet printing stage

10

-

11

Processing level, conditioning level

12

Opening, inspection and/or maintenance hatch

13

Substrate feed device, substrate template, feeder

14

substrate dispenser, display, product display

15

-

16

Transport route, delivery extension

17

Processing stage, conditioning stage, radiation dryer, dryer, UV dryer

18

Quality control device

19

System, sheet system, alignment device

20

-

21

conveyor line

22

Arch acceleration means, swing grippers

23

Conveyor, transfer drum, feed drum

24

Conveyor, rotating body, cylinder, drum

25

-

26

Conveyor, rotating body, cylinder, drum

27

-

28

-

29

Machining tool, cylinder, printing unit cylinder

30

-

31

Processing tool, cleaning tool, calender roller

32

Holding means, holding device, gripper system

33

Conveyor, rotating body, cylinder, false drum

34

Holding means, holding device, gripper system

35

-

36

Conveyor, rotating body, cylinder, drum

37

Processing tool, radiation source, IR radiation source

38

Conveyor system, chain conveyor system

39

traction means, chain

40

-

41

Drive and/or guide wheel

42

Pressure fluid application device, inking unit

43

Printing form, round screen

44

squeegee

45

-

46

gripper

47

recess, pit

48

Cylinder jacket section, saddle, pressure saddle

49

Coloring aid, flap

50

-

51

squeegee device

52

squeegee blade

53

storage facility

54

Squeegee carrier, traverse

55

-

56

Drive means, electric motor, servomotor

57

Drive means, motor, electric motor, servomotor

58

squeegee carrier

59

side panel, frame wall

60

-

61

frame

62

signal connection

63

signal connection

64

control device

65

-

66

means of control

67

means of control

68

bearing means, lever arm

69

lever

70

-

71

Drive device, drive, motorized spindle drive

72

point of attack, fulcrum

73

point of attack, fulcrum

74

Drive device, drive, spindle drive, ball screw drive

75

-

76

Phase encoder, master axis encoder, sensors, master axis

77

Planning and/or management level

78

print area

79

pressure stripe

80

-

81

Storage means, carriage

82

Bearing means, guide, linear guide

83

Frame, frame part, printing unit frame

84

rack wall

85

-

86

screen printing device

87

Drive means, fluid-operated actuator, cylinder-piston system

88

drive device

89

Bearing means, bolts, axle, stub axle

90

-

91

Bearing means, bolts, stub axle

92

side wall (61)

93

frame plate

94

Cross brace, axle, shaft, synchronous shaft

95

-

96

cross brace, truss

97

Cross brace, axial guide

98

point of attack

99

point of attack

100

-

101

Transmission and / or gear member

102

swingarm

103

swingarm

104

lever arm

105

-

106

Positioning drive, spindle drive

107

positioning device

108

Stop element, stop

109

anchor device

110

-

111

Stop element, stop

112

storage facility

113

supporting element, side wall

114

Means for locking, clamping device

115

-

116

Drive means, drive motor, electric motor, servo drive

117

shaft, toothed shaft

118

drive wheel, cogwheel

119

intermediate wheel, cogwheel

120

-

121

Drive wheel, gear wheel, ring gear

a

center distance

like

distance

aAB

distance

aAN

distance

a'AN

distance

"AWAY"

Parking position (44; 52)

"AT"

Pitch position (44; 52)

B

substrate, printing material, printing material sheet

B'

Substrate, printing material, printing material sheet, processed

BZAB

Operating status (44; 52)

BZ

Operating status (44; 52)

BZAN

Operating status (44; 52)

BZ'AN

Operating status (44; 52)

E

level

f

Printing fluid (paint or varnish)

F.1

Substrate format, format, first

F.2

Printing material format, format, second

G

straight line ("inside tangent")

IB

information

L1

touch line (43, 44)

L2

Touch line (06, 43)

L.A

position, print-down position (04; 43)

LD

Position, print-to-position (04; 43)

LR

Position, maintenance and/or set-up position, cleaning position (04; 43)

LZ

cycle length

LS1

substrate length

LS2

substrate length

P

touchpoint

PAN

phase, pitching phase

PAB

phase, shutdown phase

R43

rotary mold axis

S1

pivot axis

S2

pivot axis

T

tangent plane

U.D

Circumference section (usable for printing)

U.N.

Circumferential section (disrupted or not usable for printing)

Z1

cycle

Z2

cycle

a

Angle, squeegee angle

ΦM

Machine and/or substrate phase position

Claims (13)

Printing unit (02) of a printing press that prints a substrate (B) at least one printing point (03) using a screen printing process, with a forme cylinder (04) designed as a screen printing cylinder (04), with an impression cylinder (06) that forms an abutment for the screen printing cylinder (04), and with a squeegee device (51), comprising - a screen printing forme (43), - a squeegee (44) which can be placed against the screen printing forme (43) in a setting position ("AN"), forming an acute squeegee angle (α), - a a bearing device (53) enabling an on and off movement between the on position ("AN") of the squeegee (44) and a off position ("AB"), the bearing device (53) being mounted on a frame (61 ) is arranged, - a drive device (74), by which the squeegee (44) can be placed on and off the screen printing forme (43), - a drive means (56) included in the drive device (74), by which the - and parking movement the squeegee (44) can be actuated mechanically independently of a rotary drive of the screen printing forme and of a conveyor means (06) conveying printing material (B), characterized in that the bearing device (53) comprises bearing means (81, 82) by which at least within one an adjustment range comprising a contact position ("AN") and a deactivation position ("AB") the positioning of the squeegee (44) along a direction running at an acute angle towards the screen printing forme (43) of the longitudinal extension of one of the squeegee in the unloaded contact state and running perpendicularly to the squeegee edge (44) included squeegee blade (52) takes place in a straight line, whereby the unloaded contact state is understood to be the state of the squeegee blade (52) that is present when the screen printing forme (43) is first touched without additional applied squeegee pressure, and that the bearing device (53) in the squeegee (44) indirectly or directly supporting position means (68) which is parallel to the blade edge ve r running pivot axis (S1) is pivotable and when pivoting causes a change in a squeegee angle (a) formed between a squeegee blade (52) of the squeegee (44) and the screen printing forme (43). printing unit claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing means (81, 82) comprises a linear guide (82) and a carriage (81) guided in or on the linear guide (82). sen, which is directly or indirectly connected to the squeegee (44) to be switched on and off. printing unit claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the drive device (74) is designed as a linear drive (74) and/or as a spindle drive (74) and/or as a ball screw drive (74). printing unit claim 1 , 2 or 3 , characterized in that the drive means (56) is formed by an electric motor (56) and/or by a servo drive (56). printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 or 4 , characterized in that the drive means (56) effecting the on and off movement is designed and set up to reproducibly represent more than two defined operating states (BZ; BZ _AB ; BZ _AN ; BZ' _AN ) to approach and/or take. printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 or 5 , characterized in that by the drive means (56) within a positioning range that corresponds to positioning the doctor blade edge in at least a minimum positioning range between an operating state (BZ _AB ) representing a parking position "AB" and an operating state (BZ _AN ; BZ′ _AN ) a continuous adjustment to intermediate states can be effected. printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 or 6 , characterized in that a lever arm (68) of a one-armed or multi-armed lever (69) is provided as the doctor blade (44) directly or indirectly supporting and pivotable bearing means (68) and/or that the pivot axis (S1) of the bearing means ( 68) coincides with a theoretical contact line (L1), which is given by a line running in the unloaded contact state of the squeegee (44), ie in the state of the first contact of the screen printing forme (43) by the squeegee edge without additional applied squeegee pressure. printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 or 7 , characterized in that on the circumference of the impression cylinder (06) one or more holding devices (32) are provided which are offset from one another in the circumferential direction and by means of which the printing material sheets (B) can be picked up by the upstream conveyor on the input side and delivered to the subsequent conveyor on the output side. printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 or 8th , characterized in that the drive means (56) has a signal connection to control means (66) of a control device (64), which are designed and set up to, during operation of the printing press, switching the squeegee (44) on and off correlates to a machine or printing material phase position (Φ _M ). printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8th or 9 , characterized in that the drive means (56) has a signal connection to control means (66) of a control device (64), which are designed and set up to, during operation of the printing press, a switching on and off of the squeegee (44) correlates to a machine or printing material phase position (Φ _M ). printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8th , 9 or 10 , characterized in that the bearing device (51) and the screen printing forme (43) are mounted at a variable distance from the impression cylinder (06) and/or that the frame that supports both the bearing device (51) and the screen printing forme (43) directly or indirectly radially (61) is movably and/or pivotably mounted on a frame (83) carrying the impression cylinder (06). printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8th , 9 , 10 or 11 , characterized in that the squeegee (44) is arranged on a squeegee carrier (54) and can be adjusted by the drive device (74) in order to carry out the adjusting movement of the squeegee carrier (54). printing unit claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8th , 9 , 10 , 11 or 12 , characterized in that the screen printing cylinder (04) is driven in rotation by a drive means (116) which is mechanically independent of the rotary drive of the impression cylinder (06).

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