DE29717921U1 - Calculator for a printing press - Google Patents

Abstract

US5692989 A This invention relates to high reduction planetary transmissions that do not use internal ring gears and particularly planet gears that are the support for the planet carrier and in some cases the planet carrier may be used as a support bearing for the input shaft relative to the stationary and output gears with which they mesh. The floating is accomplished by providing means to let the carrier move radially in response to unbalanced forces from the planet gears. The floating of the planet gears improves the alignment between the intermeshing gears and the balancing of the load between the planet gears. A speed reducing device placed between the input shaft of the transmission and the drive means is used to decrease the speed of the input shaft to decrease the centrifugal force on the planetary pinions as they rotate around the sun and output gears. <E3-Claims PN=5692989> The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: ÄECNÜ A planetary power transmission in combination with a speed reducer comprising; a stationary housing; a drive shaft extending into said housing; a stationary gear having external teeth surrounding said drive shaft and fixed to said housing; an output shaft extending into said housing opposite to and a axially aligned with said input shaft; an output gear mounted on said output shaft; a planet carrier having at least two equally arcuately spaced planet shafts extending therefrom; first planet gears rotatably mounted on said planet shafts and positioned to mesh with said stationary gear; second planetary gears rotatably mounted on said planetary shaft and positioned to mesh with said output gear; said planetary gears being coupled to rotate together; a radially extending drive plate mounted on the inward end of said drive shaft for rotation therewith and having opening near its radially outward ends; pins attached to said carrier and extending into said openings in said drive plate to rotate said carrier with said drive shaft, said pins being in a loose fitting relationship with said drive plate to allow radial movement or said pins and said carrier relative to said drive plate; a power source; a speed reduction mechanism positioned between the output shaft of said power source and said transmission drive shaft.

Description

_t MAN _a [ROLAMDl

MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG Mühlheimer Str. 341 D-63075 Offenbach

Calculator for a printing press

The invention relates to a computer for a printing machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

To control printing machines, to prepare, record and forward the variables that control the printing process and to record the data provided during the printing process, computers that are designed like a PC are usually used. These computers therefore include a non-volatile, rewritable storage medium in the form of at least one hard disk in addition to a working memory designed as a RAM. The various tasks or workstations of the printing machine or computers assigned to the printing machine are connected to one another via a data network, so that the data required at the individual stations can be controlled in particular from a server. Such a computer network in the form of a printing control system is known from EP 0 356 704 B1.

In this known system, the computers assigned to the individual workstations/work areas within the printing shop are designed as identical PCs, which are connected to a server via a network cable. Different devices can be connected to the individual computers via interfaces, such as densitometers, printing plate scanners or other measuring devices. The network, which is set up according to the client-server principle, is also configured in such a way that only the data to be processed at the respective workstation or workstation computer can be called up or made available to the corresponding computer.

_r MAN _a [ROLANDl

-2-

ensures that unauthorized access to third-party data sets is not possible from a computer and, in particular, that the at least one printing machine connected to another computer cannot be manipulated in the sense of control intervention. The interfaces available on the workstation computers make it possible to expand this network in the sense of remote data transmission, i.e. a modem (RDT/ISDN) can be connected to one of the computers so that data can be sent and received.

EP 0 395 890 B1 discloses such a computer network for controlling printing machines, which, like the previously mentioned printing control system, is constructed in the form of a client-server architecture and has a central computer as a database. A modem for remote data transmission, in particular via ISDN, is connected to this central computer, so that a connection can be established with the manufacturer of the printing machines or a representative in order to exchange service data, spare parts information or other messages.

As already mentioned above, in computer networks of this type, to which printing machines are connected, precautions must be taken to ensure that, in addition to unauthorized data manipulation, the running or operating behavior of the printing machine cannot be influenced from a workstation not intended for controlling the machine. The printing machine may only be operated from a specially designated work area (terminal / control center), but not from a computer assigned to a completely different task area. If the computer network is supplemented by a device for remote data transmission, these precautions must be expanded to ensure that only specially designated data can be queried or manipulated from a station connected via the modem.

, MAN , [ROLANDl

-3-

The object of the present invention is therefore to expand a computer for a printing machine according to the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that a simple diagnostic option for the computer of the printing machine or the computers connected in the network with regard to the respective existing interfaces is possible.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1. Further developments of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

&iacgr;&ogr; According to the invention, it is provided that the computer has a device for recording the data representing the state of at least one interface, whereby this data can be stored on the non-volatile, rewritable storage medium (hard disk). The device for recording the data representing the state of the interface is controlled by a, i.e. the process of recording and storing the data representing the system state of the at least one interface as well as the end of this recording process can be triggered by an operator.

According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided that in addition to the device for recording the data representing the interface status, a device for manipulating this data on the non-volatile, rewritable storage medium is also provided. This device for handling the data can essentially comprise the function for deleting the logging file, for copying such files and the functions known per se for sorting or structuring the data.

The device for interface logging provided according to the invention is designed as a client-server process, i.e. the user interface of the computer with the corresponding device (keyboard monitor) represents the client, which sends commands for file access to a device that starts the interface data acquisition.

, MAN , [ROLAND]

-4-

the/stopping server process in the computer. The client sending the corresponding request can be integrated into the user interface of the respective computer, which means that the triggering of the interface logging according to the invention and the data handling provided for in the further development takes place via the user interface of the respective computer itself. Such a design is particularly advantageous if the computer is the control center computer or the computer of the control panel of the printing machine, i.e. the computer has its own keyboard and display device (monitor, CD). If the computer designed according to the invention is

If the computer is a control computer within the machine or a computer that is to carry out a specific task within a control cabinet, then in order to trigger the recording of the interface logging, it can be provided that the corresponding client is housed in a service computer that can be connected to the computer. The service computer can be connected either via a special interface (plug connection) with the respective computer or via the network that connects this computer to other computers. It is also possible for the client that triggers the interface logging to be housed in the control room computer or the computer assigned to the operating terminal of the printing machine and for the corresponding client signals to be sent to the corresponding interfaces in the respective computers via the data bus that connects this computer to the other computers in the printing machine control system. It is also possible, using the invention, for the interface data not to be sent to a non-volatile, rewritable memory of the computer itself, but rather via a data collection line (network) to a suitable memory of another computer and stored there. For example, the protocol data of a large number of interfaces present in different computers can be stored centrally on a hard disk of a computer in the control center of the printing press.

·· ·· · ·( tt ItIt

, MAN , [ROLANDl

-5-

According to a preferred development of the invention, it is provided that the activation or deactivation of the logging of the at least one interface of the computer is sent from an external computer via a device for remote data transmission connected to the computer, i.e. the corresponding client can be located, for example, at the manufacturer of the printing machine or a representative office. The commands for activating/deactivating the logging, coupled in from an external service computer via the data line and the modem, then also trigger the saving of the system state of the at least one interface.

&iacgr;&ogr; representing data on the hard disk.

Furthermore, an embodiment of the invention is explained based on the single drawing. The figure shows in principle a computer for the control station of a printing machine with a non-volatile, rewritable storage medium in the form of a hard disk and a number of interfaces.

A computer 1 on a printing machine (not shown) is arranged within the control station of the machine, i.e. the computer is used to enter, record and manage data that is used by the printing machine or to control the printing process, and also to record and manage job-specific data. The computer 1 has a non-volatile, rewritable storage medium 2 in the form of a hard disk on which the various data can be stored and accessed. The computer 1 also has a number of interfaces 3.1, 3.2,...., by means of which various devices can be connected to the computer. The interfaces 3.1, 3.2,.... can be used to connect the control station monitor, the keyboard, a network connection to other computers and, if necessary, measurement data acquisition devices.

, MAN [ROLANDl

-6-

The computer 1 further comprises a logging device in the form of a server process 4, which as a suitably designed program part of the program running on the computer in the manner shown is connected to the non-volatile, rewritable storage medium 2 (hard disk) and the interfaces

3.1, 3.2. This server process 4 acts on the interfaces 3.1, 3.2 via a device 'protocol start' 5 and a device 'protocol stop' 6, so that a recording process of data representing the state of the interfaces 3.1, 3.2, .... can be triggered on the non-volatile, rewritable storage medium 2 and correspondingly

&iacgr;&ogr; recording process can be terminated again. The interfaces 3.1, 3.2 intended for logging are extended by program codes so that

the corresponding data can be saved on the hard disk using the 'Protocol Start' device 5 and the 'Protocol Stop' device 6. According to the invention, a corresponding control file is created on the server side (logging device) using the 'Protocol Start' device 5, whereby the file name (including path) specifies which interface 3.1, 3.2, .... is to be logged. The correspondingly created control file can also contain information on controlling or parameterizing the logging (or the maximum number of data bits to be logged; logging with or without a time stamp, etc.).

The corresponding control file on the server side is deleted using the 'Log Stop' facility 6. The file name (including path) is used to specify which interface 3.1, 3.2, .... the logging is to be deactivated for. This prevents the transfer and saving of corresponding data on the non-volatile, rewritable storage medium 2 (hard disk).

The server process 4 of the logging device is in active connection with a modem 7, which establishes a connection with a transmission channel 8 (telephone, ISDN, Internet, intranet, etc.). The

, MAN , [ROLAND!

-7-

The computer 1 according to the invention is connected via the transmission channel 8 to a computer 10, for example, located at the manufacturer of the printing machine or at a service branch, which enables the client process already mentioned above for activating and deactivating the logging as well as the data handling of the logging files, which can also be carried out. According to the invention, the computer 1 provides a menu via a user interface (keyboard, display) not shown, by means of which a connection can be established to the service computer 10 indicated in the figure at, for example, a service branch. After the connection in question has been made

&iacgr;&ogr; is established, a qualified service person can use the computer 10 to read the data stored on the non-volatile, rewritable storage medium 2 (hard disk) of the

Log files of interfaces 3.1, 3.2 stored on computer 1

read out and processed for analysis purposes using appropriate software tools. The server process 4 of the logging facility and thus the facility 'Protocol Start ¹ 5' and the facility 'Protocol Stop' 6 can be activated within the computer via the computer 10, ie the operator can start and also end very specific diagnostic and logging processes.

. MAN , [ROLAND!

-8- Reference symbols list

1 Computer (control room computer) 2 non-volatile, rewritable storage medium (hard drive) 3.1,3.2,.... interface 4 Server process 5 Setup 'Protocol Start' 6 Establishment 'Protocol Stop' 7 modem 8th Transmission channel 9 modem 10 Computer (service branch)

Claims (5)

, MAN , [ROLANDl -9- Protection claims 1) Computer for a printing machine, in particular a sheet-fed offset printing machine, wherein the computer is operatively connected to a non-volatile, rewritable storage medium, in particular in the form of a hard disk, and has at least one interface for connecting data input and output devices, characterized, that a logging device is provided by means of which data representing the state of at least one interface (3.1, 3.2, ....) can be stored on the non-volatile, rewritable memory (2). 2) Computer according to claim 1,
characterized, that the logging device in the computer (1) is designed as a server process (4) acting on the at least one interface (3.1, 3.2, ....) via a 'protocol start ¹ ' device (5) and a 'protocol stop' device (6). 3) Computer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized, that the logging device is connected to another computer (10) for starting and stopping a logging process. 4) Computer according to claim 3, characterized, that the logging device is connected to the further computer (10) via a modem (7) and a remote data transmission channel (8). / MAN \ IRELANDl -10- 5) Computer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data stored on the non-volatile, rewritable memory (2) (hard disk) and representing the status of at least one interface (3.1, 3.2, ....) can be handled via a user interface of the computer (1) with regard to the start and stop of the logging. &iacgr;&ogr; 6) Computer according to claim 3, characterized, that the computer (1) has a menu that can be operated via a keyboard and display device for establishing a connection with another computer (10) via the modem (7).