EP0819082A1

EP0819082A1 - Process and device for decorating cylindrical packings

Info

Publication number: EP0819082A1
Application number: EP96904725A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wolfgang Fiwek
Original assignee: Heineken Technical Services BV
Current assignee: Heineken Technical Services BV
Priority date: 1995-03-18
Filing date: 1996-03-02
Publication date: 1998-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 2016-03-02
Also published as: JP3713669B2; EP0819082B1; DE29624331U1; ES2200053T3; DE19509984C1; US6098689A; JPH11502173A; US6811644B2; US20040261948A1; EP1298064A1; DE59610455D1; WO1996029248A1; US20030015297A1

Abstract

The purpose is to simplify the heat transfer process and extend the performance range of the corresponding installations. The purpose is achieved by arranging for opposite movements of the conveyor (4) with the cylindrical packings (5) and those of the conveyor (7, 7') with the decoration, rotating the objects (5) by means of the movement of the conveyor (7, 7') and applying the necessary heat to the conveyor (7, 7'). Such processes and devices are used in the foodstuffs and beverages industry among others to decorate cylindrical packings of different materials.

Description

W ith honor

Method and device for decorating containers with curved surfaces

The invention relates to a continuous process in which the containers with a superimposed internal rotation are moved on a transport path and the decorations on a carrier web are moved past at a transfer location at constant speeds and tangentially, where the decorations are successively applied under pressure and heat the containers are transferred.

The invention further relates to a corresponding device which consists of a drivable endless transport track with uniformly spaced, drivable and rotating receiving means for the containers, a drivable endless carrier track with uniformly spaced decorations and a contact area between the Transport track and the carrier track, wherein means for exerting pressure and means for heating the decoration are arranged in the area of the transfer location. Such methods and devices are used, inter alia, in the food and beverage industry for decorating containers made of paper, plastic, glass or metal. For various reasons, the thermal transfer process is becoming more popular than others, for example the labeling process, for decorating containers in the manner mentioned at the beginning.

In this case, the decorative motif is printed on a carrier web by means of known printing technology in such a way that it is connected to the carrier web by an adhesive with a lower adhesive force and is coated with another adhesive with a higher adhesive force. A carrier web produced in this way is brought into contact with the containers to be decorated. Pressure and heat in this contact area detach the decor from the carrier web and at the same time connect it to the container. The heat is supplied via the container.

This method can therefore only be used for containers with a high heat capacity, for example glass bottles. A continuous process and a device for this purpose, in which the thermal transfer process can also be used in containers with low heat capacity, for example plastic containers, are described in DE 44 37 379.1. In this case, the carrier web is separated into individual sections each bearing a print motif and transferred to heated application segments which are arranged at equal intervals on an application conveyor. This order conveyor briefly takes over the containers in such a way that a container is assigned to each order segment. The decor is then transferred from the individual section to the container during transport. However, due to a large number of individual operations, this method requires a high level of technical equipment. There are also problems with the coordination of the Many individual movements from the screw conveyors for the containers, from the application conveyor for the containers and the order segments, from the order segments, from the containers, from the endless conveyor for the decorations and from the cutting unit. This coordination of the individual movements is only possible by means of complex gear and curve control or can only be achieved by means of appropriate electrical gear.

In addition, the handling of the individual label sections represents a limitation of the performance of the machine. It is particularly disadvantageous that heat energy input into the label material, which is dependent on the machine speed, is not possible. This severely limits the variable power range of the machine, which has a disadvantageous effect on an overall production line. At low speeds there is also the risk of thermal damage to the label material and thin-walled plastic containers.

The containers printed by the thermal transfer process generally still require post-heat treatment so that the transferring color image is given an increased gloss, the colors are dried and the adhesion of the substrate is improved.

For this purpose, DE 44 27 870.5 describes how to transport the freshly printed structures with the still moist printed image to a separate oven using a separate removal means.

It is also part of the general state of the art to use an open flame in conjunction with a rotation of the container instead of the furnace. An open one Flame, however, places very high demands on the device technology and, on top of that, does not permit the use of plastic containers because of the risk of deformation.

It is therefore an object to provide a method and an apparatus of the present type which work with a large, variable power range, rich and simple technology.

On the process side, this object is achieved in that the movements of the transport path and the carrier path are opposite, the distance between the containers on the transport path and the speed of the transport path behaving in exactly the same way as the distance between the decorations on the carrier path and the speed of the carrier path . Furthermore, the container is brought to a peripheral speed in the area of the transfer location which corresponds to the speed of the carrier web and the necessary heat is supplied to the carrier web.

The particular advantage of the invention lies in the extremely high peripheral speed of the containers. As is known, this speed results from the sum of the two speeds of the transport path and the carrier path, but in this case by an addition under the same sign.

The high peripheral speed enables a continuous process, since the distances between the containers on the transport track and the distances between the decorations on the carrier track are now independent of one another. A to-- cutting into individual sections of the carrier web is no longer necessary.

The minimal contact time also prevents temperature transfer from the carrier web into the container, which is particularly advantageous for plastic containers. In addition, the two temperature-dependent layers of adhesive on the carrier web remain unaffected.

It is particularly expedient if the containers are not driven separately but by the movement of the carrier web. This eliminates the otherwise necessary coordination of the movements of the container and carrier web. It is advantageous if, in addition to the container to be decorated, the container behind in the direction of movement is simultaneously driven by the carrier web. This enables the container behind it to accelerate and thus avoids a speed difference between the container and carrier web during the transfer.

It is also advantageous if the necessary heat is supplied before or at the point of transmission. The heat supply can be metered best in the immediate vicinity of the transmission location and the loss of heat can be calculated more precisely.

It is particularly expedient if the heating time depends on the speed of the carrier web and if this regulation takes place automatically.

This has a positive effect on the heat flow and thus on the quality of eds decor transfers. It is of particular advantage if the containers with the fresh decorations pass through a heat treatment device in order to obtain a higher color gloss. It is advantageous to use the existing conveyor belt and to lead the containers past a stationary and temperature-controlled heat source.

On the device side, the object of the invention is achieved in that the drive means for the transport track and the carrier track are designed for directions of movement opposite to one another and a guide element for the carrier track is designed for the application of pressure and the heat transfer. The guide element is movable and biased transversely to the direction of movement of the carrier web and is designed as a heating element.

It is expedient to design the receiving means for the containers to rotate freely and to drive the container to be decorated or to be decorated and the subsequent container through the carrier web.

However, it is also possible to use a separate conventional drive. Means for realizing the same peripheral speeds are to be used. The combination of both drive options is also possible. Thus, a speed at the container lower than the required speed is generated via the separate drive, and the missing differential speed is realized by the carrier web. For this purpose, the separate drive must be equipped with an additional freewheel. In an expedient embodiment, a movable heating element is connected upstream of the guide element for the carrier web. By changing the position of the heating element, the contact area between the heating element and the carrier web can be varied continuously from zero to a maximum. The heating time can thus be adapted in an advantageous manner to the speed of the carrier web. The convex design of the guide surface of the heating element increases the contact capability and improves the heat transfer.

It is expedient to make the heating element pivotable.

It is also advantageous to make the heating element stationary and to carry it out in operative connection with a swivel arm. This swivel arm has a deflection roller for the carrier web, with which the contact area of the heating element with the carrier web can be changed.

The heating element or the swivel arm can have its own actuator or can be driven by its own weight if appropriately suspended. The corresponding regulation can take place automatically.

It is also possible to design the heating element in two parts. The movable heating element takes on the task of a preheater and the print head takes on that of the actual heating element.

Particular care should be taken with a selected heat treatment of the decorations to ensure that the colors to give a high degree of shine and improve the adhesion to the surface. A stationary and electrically operated hot plate or a stationary hot air shower meet these requirements to a high degree. In both devices, the existing transport path of the carousel is advantageously used for the transport of the containers. With the length of the effective heat surface and the speed of the transport path, the time of the heat treatment can be clearly determined.

The invention will be explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment.

Show u

Fig. 1: a schematic top view of the device for decorating,

Fig. 2: an appropriate design for driving the containers through the carrier web,

Fig. 3: an expedient version for the heating device of the carrier web,

Fig. 4: a heat treatment device and

Fig. 5: another wash _. Post-treatment facility.

The device for decorating mainly consists of a transport device for the containers and a transport device for the decorations, both of which have a common interface for transferring the decorations to the containers.

1, the transport device for containers is designed as a rotatable carousel 1. The carousel 1 has a drive (not shown), an input station 2, an output station 3 and a transport path 4 for the containers 5. On the transport path 4, receiving means 6 for the containers 5 to be decorated are arranged at equal intervals. These receiving means 6 are designed to rotate freely.

The transport device for the decorations consists of a carrier web 7, which is loaded by a drive (not shown) and corresponding guide elements for this carrier web 7. The carrier web 7 is designed in a known manner and carries the same in the same way by means of an adhesive with a lower adhesive force Distances arranged decor. The surfaces of the decorations are covered with another adhesive with greater adhesive strength.

The guide elements consist of at least one deflection roller 8, a pivotable heating element 9 and a print head 10 which can be displaced in the direction of the container 5. The pivotable heating element 9 has an outer guide surface 12, which is expediently convex and has an upper pivot point. The heating element 9 can be pivoted about this pivot point by a drive of a conventional type in the direction transverse to the direction of movement of the carrier web 7. This results in a contact surface between the guide surface 12 and the carrier web 7 that is different in size and dependent on the swivel angle. The print head 10 also has an outer, preferred-- wise flat guide surface 11 and is driven in the direction of the carousel 1 by a prestressed compression spring or by another conventional drive system. The transport path 4 for the bundles 5 and the carrier path 7 for the decorations touch each other in the area of the print head 10, the movements of the transport path 4 and the carrier path 7 being opposite. Thus, in this area there is direct contact between the carrier web 7 and the containers 5 and thus also with the freely rotatable receiving means 6.

As FIG. 2 shows, a deflection roller 13 can be arranged in a special way in the direction of movement of the carrier web 7 after the print head 10. The location of the deflecting roller 13 outside the transport path 4 is at a distance from the print head 10 which is greater than the distance between the containers 5, as a result of which the carrier web 7 freed from the decoration comes into contact with the next container 5.

3, the guide element for the carrier web 7 consists of the print head 10 'and the heating element 9'. Both are fixed to each other. The print head 10 'has an outer guide surface 11', a mechanical presetting device 14 and a pneumatic drive 15.

The heating element 9 'is equipped with an outer, convex guide surface 12' and has an active connection with a swivel arm 16. This swivel arm 16 is equipped on its head with a deflection roller 17 and with a spacer roller 18. The swivel arm 16 has Furthermore, a drive, not shown, with which the position of the deflection roller 17 relative to the heating element 9 'can be changed. This position is set as a function of the speed of the carrier web 7 and determines the size of the contact area between the heating element 9 'and the carrier web 7. At a slow speed, the deflection roller 17 positions itself closer and further at a fast speed away from the printhead 10 '. The spacer roller 18 keeps the carrier web 7 away from the heating element 9 ′ in the region in front of the deflection roller 17.

The carrier web 7 ¹ shows the state when the roll with the carrier web 7 has expired.

4 consists of a fixed and electrically operated heating plate 19 and a controller 20 that can be set to a setpoint temperature. The heating plate 19 can be equipped with a plane or with a concave heating surface 21 that can be equipped should depend on whether the transport direction of the container 5 describes a linear or a circular path. If, for example, the conveyor track 4 of the carousel 1 is also used for the post-treatment of the containers 5, a concave heating surface 21 is advantageous. With the correct choice of the shape of the heat surface 21, a specific heat treatment time can be defined over the length of the heat surface 21.

As a drive for the rotation of the containers 5, the friction that occurs between the moving containers 5 and the stationary heating plate is preferably used again. A heat treatment device according to FIG. 5 mainly consists of a nozzle head 22, a temperature-controlled hot air generator 23, a quantity-controlled bypass valve 24 and a temperature and quantity regulator 25.

The containers 5 are again on a linear or circular path. A separate drive is required for the rotation of the containers 5.

The setpoint of the temperature for the controller 20 or for the temperature and quantity controller 25 is to be specified taking into account the material of the container 5. Plastic containers 5 therefore require special attention. In order to avoid undesired deformations, it may be appropriate to additionally stabilize plastic containers 5 with blown compressed air.

The mode of operation of the device is explained with reference to FIG. 1.

The carousel 1 and the carrier web 7 are driven at desired but constant speeds. The movements are oriented in opposite directions. The containers 5 placed on the receiving means 6 from the input station 2 are transported on the transport path 4 in the direction of the print head 10. At the same time, the decorations heated on the heating element 9 to the necessary temperature on the carrier web 7 move in the opposite direction towards the print head 10. Due to the contact between each container 5 and If the carrier web 7 adjusts in the area of the print head 10, the container 5 rotates freely on the receiving means 6. A circumferential speed of the size of the speed of the carrier web 7 occurs at the container 5. The container 5 rolls on the carrier web 7 under the pressure emanating from the print head 10. The decor detaches from the carrier web and adheres to the container 5. The containers 5 then pass through one of the heat treatment devices.

List of reference signs

1 carousel

2 input station

3 output station

4 transport track

5 containers

6 Recording center 1

7, 7 'carrier web

8 pulley

9, 9 'heating element

10, 10 'printhead

11, 11 'guide surface of the print head

12, 12 'guide surface of the heating element

13 pulley

14 presetting device

15 pneumatic drive

16 swivel arm

17 pulley

18 spacer roller

19 hot plate

20 controllers

21 heating surface

22 nozzle head

23 hot air generator

24 bypass valve

25 temperature and volume controller

Claims

claims

1. A method for the continuous decoration of containers with curved surfaces, in which the containers with a superimposed inherent rotation on a transport path and the decorations on a carrier path are moved at constant speeds and tangentially past a transfer location, where the decorations are successively under pressure and heat is transferred to the container and the container is subjected to a heat treatment, characterized in that

- The movements of the transport path (4) and the carrier path (7, 7 ') are directed in opposite directions, the distance of the containers (5) on the transport path (4) to the speed of the transport path (4) behaving exactly like the distance of the Decorations on the carrier web (7, 7 ') for the speed of the carrier web (7, 7'),

the rotating containers (5) in the area of the transfer location are accelerated to a peripheral speed which corresponds to the speed of the carrier web (7, 7 '),

- The necessary heat is brought onto the carrier web (7, 7 ¹ ) and

- The rotating containers (5) are finally guided past a stationary and temperature-controlled heat source.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive for the rotation of the container (5) by the movement of the carrier web (7, 7 ¹ ).

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that each container (5) is accelerated before the transfer location by the carrier web (7, 7 ').

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the necessary heat is fed before or at the transfer point in the carrier web (7, 7 ').

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the heating time of the carrier web (7, 7 ¹ ) depends on the speed of the carrier web (7, 7 ').

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the regulation of the heating time of the carrier web (7, 7 ') takes place automatically.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the container (5) made of plastic are stabilized by injected compressed air.

8. Device for the continuous decorating of Ge¬ with curved surfaces, consisting

from a drivable endless transport path with uniformly spaced, drivable and rotating receiving means for the containers,

- From a drivable endless carrier web with evenly spaced decorations and

from a contact area between the transport track and the carrier track, which is designed as a transfer location,

- With means for training in the area of the Applying pressure to the carrier web in the direction of the containers and means for heating the decor and

- Devices for heat treatment are arranged behind the transmission area, characterized in that

the drive means for the transport path (4) and the carrier path (7, 7 ') are designed for opposite directions of movement,

the means for exerting pressure and heating are formed from a guide element,

. that transversely to the direction of movement of the carrier web

(7, 7 ') is movable and biased and. which is designed as a heating element and

- The facilities for post-heat treatment consists of a stationary and temperature-controlled heat source and a transport path for the containers (5).

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the receiving means (6) for the containers (5) are designed freidre¬ hend and each receiving means (6) via the container (5) from the carrier web (7, 7 ') can be driven .

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the carrier web (7, 7 ') is guided so that it has contact with at least one other structure (5) with an area freed from the decor.

11. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the receiving means (6) for the container (5) have a special drive ge.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the receiving means (6) have a separate drive for a speed lower than the required and the required speed by the contact of the container (5) with the carrier web (7, 7 ') is generated.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the guide element is a movable heating element (9, 9 ') with a contact surface upstream, the size of the contact surface between the heating element (9, 9') and the carrier web (7, 7 " ) is infinitely variable between zero and maximum.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the contact surface of the heating element (9, 9 ') is convex.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the movable heating element (9 ", 9 ') is designed to be pivotable and has an actuator for a pivot path dependent on the speed of the carrier web (7, 7').

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the swivel path is automatically adjustable.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the movable heating element (9, 9 ') is designed with a lateral pivot point and with contact surface lying below and the pivoting path arises from the ratio of the net mass of the heating element (9, 9 ') and the speed-related buoyancy of the carrier web (7, 7').

18. The device according to one or more of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that the print head (10, 10 ') is designed as a heating element and the movable heating element (9, 9') as a preheater.

19. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the heat source of the aftertreatment device consists of an electrically operated hot plate (19) with a flat or concave heating surface (21) and a, on ei¬ ne setpoint temperature adjustable controller (20).

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that the flat heating surface (21) relates to a linear transport path and the concave heating surface (21) relates to a circular transport path of the packs (5) and the length of the effective heating surface (21 ) is defined for a target reheating time.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the containers (5) on the transport path of the post-treatment device are arranged freely rotating and are driven by the stationary heat plate (19).

22. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the heat source of the aftertreatment device consists of a nozzle head (22), a temperature-controlled hot air generator (23), a volume-controlled bypass valve (24) and a temperature and quantity controller (25) and the container (5) have a separate drive for the rotation.