EP1737665A1

EP1737665A1 - Embossing device

Info

Publication number: EP1737665A1
Application number: EP05739492A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans-Georg Eitel; Rainer Gebhardt; Wolfgang Mexner; Uwe Püschel; Michael Reising; Guido Reschke; Jürgen Schölzig; Michael Zinke
Original assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
Current assignee: Manroland Sheetfed GmbH
Priority date: 2004-04-13
Filing date: 2005-04-13
Publication date: 2007-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2025-04-13
Also published as: WO2005100028A1; JP2007532354A; ATE534518T1; EP1737665B1

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to transfer an image-type coating from a carrier foil onto a printed sheet. Said aim is achieved by applying an image-type adhesive to the printed sheet. The carrier foil comprising the image-type coating is then directed past the printed sheet while contact pressure is applied in a coating mechanism (2) such that the coating adheres at the adhesive points and an image is created. Adhesive is applied and the layer is transferred in a single printing unit of a printing press, among other things, in order to improve the function of and simplify the device while increasing flexibility.

Description

embosser

The invention relates to a method and a device for transferring imaging layers from a carrier film to printed sheets according to the preamble of claims 1 and 12.

It is known to produce metallic layers on printed sheets by means of a film transfer process. For example, EP 0 569 520 B1 describes a printing material and a printing device that uses this material. A sheet-processing machine is shown, which has a feeder and a delivery, printing units and a coating unit being arranged between the two units. An adhesive sample is applied in at least one of the printing units by means of the planographic printing process. This adhesive pattern is applied in a cold printing process and has a specific imaging subject. A film guide is provided in the coating unit following the printing unit with an impression cylinder and a press roller. This is designed in such a way that a film strip or a transfer film is guided from a film supply roll through the transfer nip of the coating unit between the impression cylinder and the press roller. The film strip is wound up again on the outlet side after leaving the coating plant. The transfer film has a carrier layer on which imaging layers such as metallic layers, for example made of aluminum, can be applied. A separating layer is provided between the metallic layer and the carrier film, which ensures that the metallic layer can be removed from the carrier layer.

When transporting printed sheets through the printing unit, each printed sheet is provided with an adhesive pattern. The printed sheet is then passed through the coating unit, the printed sheet resting on the impression cylinder being connected to the film material by means of the press roller. The downward-lying metallic layer is closely connected the areas with adhesive on the printed sheet. After the printing sheet has been transported further, the metallic layer adheres only in the area of the pattern provided with adhesive. The metallic layer in the area of the adhesive pattern is therefore removed from the carrier film. The transfer film used in this way is rewound. The printed sheet is laid out in the coated state.

It is known to use such coating units, for example in printing units of printing presses. It is also known as a press roller to use, for example, the blanket cylinder or the blanket cylinder of a printing unit.

A disadvantage of the known devices is that they work with at least two conventional printing units, so that the use of the printing press is uneconomical or that the devices cannot be used flexibly.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device by means of which the transfer of an imaging layer e.g. a metallization layer can be done safely, economically and exactly, the device should be easy to handle.

This object is achieved in a device according to the features of patent claim 1 and a method according to the features according to patent claim 12.

The coating is advantageously carried out using the elements of a single printing unit.

In a first advantageous variant, an adhesive pattern is applied directly to the imaging layer on the carrier film. The imaging layer in the desired subject is then transferred directly to the printing material in a press nip.

The associated device consists of a printing unit, for example a printing tower or a coating tower of a sheet-fed offset printing machine, which in a known manner a plate or form cylinder, an inking unit, a rubber, printing contains cloth or press roller and a counter jerk cylinder. The carrier film is guided around the press roll with an external imaging layer. In this case, an adhesive is applied to the carrier film via the plate cylinder using the inking unit. After the adhesive has been applied, the imaging layer is transferred to a printing sheet in a press nip between the press roller and the impression cylinder.

In an advantageous variant of the invention, the adhesive is applied in the printing unit and the layer is applied in a nip downstream of the printing nip on the same impression cylinder.

To ensure the economy of the coating process, provision can be made to control the film feed in such a way that the transfer film is stopped when there is no transfer of the imaging or detail layer.

Advantageously, the transfer film can be controlled in such a way that the film feed is stopped when passing through a cylinder channel receiving the grippers of the sheet-guiding impression cylinder, the press roller then sliding under the transfer film. In a further embodiment, the surface of the press roller can be provided with an increased press surface contoured in outline, which is limited to the area to be coated. A cut-out printing blanket, a plastic printing form or an adhesive pressure segment is suitable for this. As a result, the feed of the transfer film can also be stopped in a very advantageous manner if the area to be coated lies within the image area of the printing sheet.

A further improvement in the film utilization results from the fact that the transfer film is divided into one or more partial film webs of smaller width. In combination with the aforementioned method, different types of film can also be used side by side.

To improve the gloss effect, the imaging layer can be applied by means of so-called UV underprinting ink. The UV vacuum ink applied by means of the printing unit for the adhesive in a corresponding manner via an offset printing plate.

Within the sheet processing machine receiving the coating unit, the coating unit can advantageously be placed at any point on the machine. In the case of a printing press with several printing units, this enables imaging coatings or metallization layers to be applied both before and after and between the application of printing ink layers. For this purpose, the coating unit is advantageously designed as a coating module in the manner of a transportable unit.

It is also advantageously possible to provide a plurality of coating units in succession within a sheet-processing machine. Different imaging coatings or metallization layers can thus be applied in succession within one subject. It is possible to transfer the imaging layers next to each other using a single adhesive pattern with all image pattern elements. It is also possible to provide a first adhesive pattern in a first coating unit with a first imaging coating or metallization layer and, in a superimposed manner or associated with the first coating, subsequently apply a further adhesive pattern that includes the first and with an imaging image that differs from the first coating To provide coating or metallization layer.

The invention is illustrated in more detail below with reference to figures.

Show:

FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of a sheet-processing machine with a film transfer device,

Figure 2 is a film transfer device in a work unit and

Figures 3 to 5 device variants for film transfer in each printing unit. 1 shows a sheet processing machine, here a printing press, which consists of at least two printing units. The two printing units are used for the following purposes:

- A printed sheet to be coated is provided with an imaging adhesive pattern in a first step. The adhesive is applied in a device configured as application unit 1, e.g. a conventional printing unit of an offset printing machine via the inking and dampening units 11 present there, a printing plate on a plate cylinder 12, a printing blanket or rubber cylinder 13 and an impression cylinder 4. Likewise, application units in the form of flexographic printing units or painting units can be used here.

- Then, in a second step, a transfer film 5 is passed through a transfer nip 6 together with a printing sheet, the transfer film 5 being pressed against the printing sheet in the transfer nip 6. For this purpose, a coating module 2 is used, which can correspond to a printing unit or a coating module or a base unit or another processing station of a sheet-fed offset printing machine.

- The transfer nip 6 in the coating module 2 is formed by a press roll 3 and an impression cylinder 4. Here, the press roller 3 can correspond to a blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder 4 can correspond to an impression cylinder of an offset printing unit known per se. Furthermore, the press roller 3 can correspond to a forme cylinder and the impression cylinder 4 can correspond to an impression cylinder of a coating module of a sheet-fed printing machine.

Furthermore, a so-called calendering unit can be provided downstream of the coating module 2 if the coated printed sheet is used for To increase the adhesion of the coating or to increase the smoothness and gloss of the printed sheet under increased pressure.

A web guide for transfer films 5 is shown within the coating module 2 used for the film transfer.

Transfer films 5 that are suitable for processing are constructed in multiple layers. They have a carrier layer on which an imaging layer is applied by means of a separating layer. The separating layer serves to facilitate the lifting of the imaging layer from the carrier layer. The imaging layer can e.g. a metallized layer or a gloss layer or a texture layer or a colored layer or a layer containing one or more image patterns.

The film supply roll 8 is assigned to the coating module 2 on the sheet feed side. The film supply roll 8 has a rotary drive 7. The rotary drive 7 is required for the continuously regulated feeding of the transfer film 5 to the coating module 2 and is therefore controllable. Furthermore, guide devices 14, such as deflection or tensioning rollers, pneumatically actuated guide means, guide plates or the like are provided in the area of the film feed and removal. The film web of the transfer film 5 can thus always be guided without distortion and held in the same tension with respect to the press roll 3. The guide devices 14 can also contain aids for introducing the transfer film 5. Automatic feed aids for the film web of the transfer film 5 can also be used here. In this way, the film feed is simplified in the area of the contaminations 15 surrounding the coating unit 2. The protective function of the protectors 15 is at the same time fully maintained.

The transfer film 5 can in this case be guided around the press roll 3, the transfer film 5 advantageously being able to be fed in and out from only one side of the coating module 2 to the transfer nip 6 (see dashed line). In this case, the film web can deviate from the illustration according to FIG. 1 and, depending on the space available, also on one side of the coating. tion modules 2 are advantageously performed closely parallel to each other in the feeding strand and in the discharging strand.

In a further embodiment, the transfer film 5 can also pass the press roll 3 essentially tangentially, or it can be fed in and discharged only at a small circumferential angle to the press nip 6. For this purpose, the transfer film 5 is fed from one side of the coating module 2 and removed to the opposite side of the coating module 2.

A film collecting roller 9 is shown on the outlet side of the printing unit. The used film material is wound up again on the film collecting roll 9. Here too, a rotary drive 7 that can be controlled is to be provided for the optimized production. In essence, the transfer film 5 could also be moved by the rotary drive 7 on the outlet side and kept taut on the inlet side by means of a brake. In this context, film control is also possible with dancer roller 18 mentioned later.

For the transfer process of the imaging e.g. Wear layer from the transfer film 5 to the printing sheet in the transfer nip 6 between the press roller 3 and the impression cylinder 4 is essential that the surface of the press roller 3, ie the blanket cylinder or forme cylinder, is equipped with a compressible, damping element.

The press roll 3 is therefore provided with a press covering 10 or as a roll with a corresponding coating. The press covering 10 or press coating can be designed, for example, as a plastic cover, comparable to a rubber blanket or printing blanket. The surface of the press covering 10 or press coating is preferably very smooth. It can also be formed from anti-adhesive substances or structures. Here, for example, a relatively hard structure in the form of very fine spherical caps can be used. A press clothing 10 is held on the press roll 3 in a cylinder channel on tensioning devices.

The press clothing 10 can be provided with a targeted elasticity in order to improve the transmission properties in the transfer gap 6. If necessary, this can act in a compressible intermediate layer. This compressi Lity is preferably similar or less than in conventional blankets or blankets, which can also be used here. The compressibility mentioned can be produced by means of a conventional compressible printing blanket. Combined coverings made of a hard printing blanket and a soft pad can also be used.

Furthermore, a limited pressing area can be provided directly on the press roll 3 or on the press clothing 10. This can be worked out from the surface of the press clothing 10 or it can additionally be attached to the press roller 3 as a partial surface made of the material of the press clothing 10.

To improve the economy of the coating process, it is provided that the film advance of the transfer film 5 can be controlled from the film supply roll 8 to the transfer nip 6 and to the film collecting roll 9 such that the transfer film 5 is stopped as far as possible when the imaging layer is not to be transferred :

For this purpose, the transfer film 5 can be controlled in such a way that the film feed is stopped when a gripper passes through the cylinder channel receiving the sheet-guiding impression cylinder 4. The grippers hold the printed sheet on the impression cylinder 4. The press roll 3 has a corresponding cylinder channel 19 (see FIG. 3) in which a press clothing 10 is held. In the area of the corresponding cylinder channels, the transfer film 5 is not pressed between the press roll 3 (blanket cylinder) and the impression cylinder 4. The press roll 3 then continues to slide on the transfer film 5, while the transfer film 5 is stretched freely between the press roll 3 and the impression cylinder 4. This state continues until the cylinder channel 19 ends at the so-called start of printing and the transfer film 5 is again clamped between the press roller 3 and the impression cylinder 4, including a printing sheet. Then the transfer film 5 is transported further. The clocking of the film feed can begin or suspend somewhat earlier in accordance with a necessary acceleration or braking of the film supply roll 8 or film collecting roll 9 than the channel edges of the cylinder channel dictate. In the case of fast-responding clocking systems via so-called dancer rollers 18, as shown by way of example in FIG Control of the rotary drives 7 of the film supply rolls 8 or film collecting roll 9 may not be necessary. The necessary film tension is also maintained by means of the dancer rollers 18.

A further improvement in the film utilization of the type described results from the fact that the transfer film 5 is divided into one or more partial film webs of smaller width. With appropriate control by means of the device or devices for clocking the film feed of each of the partial film webs, the use of the transfer film 5 can thus be improved even in the case of coating regions of different lengths within an arc. For this purpose, each partial film web is only conveyed exactly in the area where the imaging surface layer is to be applied. In the areas that are not to be coated, each partial film web can be stopped independently of the other partial film webs, thereby avoiding unnecessary film consumption.

Furthermore, in order to improve the coating process, drier 16 is provided in the area of the adhesive application and in the area of the film application. In this way, in particular by means of UV drying, the image-wise applied adhesive layer can be pre-dried by means of a first dryer 16 (intermediate dryer I), so that the wear layer of the transfer film 5 adheres better. Furthermore, the adhesive effect of the embossed wear layer on the printed sheet can be improved by the action of a second dryer 16 (intermediate dryer II) by additionally accelerating the drying of the adhesive.

Finally, the quality of the coating can be checked by means of an inspection or monitoring device 17 after the film has been applied. For this purpose, the inspection device 17 is directed towards a sheet-guiding surface of the coating module 2 after the transfer gap 6 and, if appropriate, partitioned off from the dryer 16 or onto a sheet-guiding surface of a further sheet leading module after the coating module 2. The coated printed sheet passing there can thus be checked for completeness and quality of the coating. Printed sheets identified as defective can be marked or rejected as waste in a sorting device. According to the invention, there are various possibilities for carrying out the imaging coatings mentioned by means of an imaging or metallization layer in a single working unit or in a single printing unit. This has the advantage that no additional work units or printing units are occupied in the machine with special equipment.

A basic embodiment is shown in FIG. 2 for this purpose, which represents an integrated film transfer module for the film transfer for use in a sheet-processing machine, for example a printing press. In contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the coating module 2 is here integrated into the structural unit.

The foil transfer module is equipped as follows:

- For the transport of printed sheets, a sheet-guiding area, jerk cylinder 4 is provided. The impression cylinder 4 can have one or more gripper fields with associated printing surfaces and a corresponding one to multiple circumference for transporting printed sheets.

- The impression cylinder 4 is assigned a coating unit 1 in quadrant A. The application unit 1 has a form cylinder 24, an application roller 25 and a metering system 26. By means of the applicator 1, imagewise coatings can be applied to printing sheets held on the impression cylinder 4 via a printing form clamped on the forme cylinder 24.

- The counter-pressure cylinder 4 is assigned a coating module 2 integrated into the film transfer module in quadrant B. According to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the coating module 2 is also used for film transfer and has a transfer cylinder in the form of a pressure roller 21, which forms a transfer nip 6 with the impression cylinder 4. Furthermore, a film supply roll 8, a film collecting roll 9 and possibly web guides for a film web guided around or tangentially past the pressure roller 21 provided from transfer film 5. The cylinders can correspond to the forme cylinder and the impression cylinder of a coating module of an offset printing machine.

- The impression cylinder 4 can be assigned to the coating module 2 downstream of a calender that forms a calendering nip with the impression cylinder 4 by means of a calender roll.

In this way, an integrated film transfer module is formed, which has two work stations that are used for the following work steps:

- A printing sheet to be coated is firstly in the first work station (applicator unit 1) in a printing gap between the forme cylinder 24 and the impression cylinder 4 by means of a printing form with an imaging adhesive pattern generated on the form cylinder 24 by the metering system 26 via the application roller 25 on a printing form Mistake.

- Then the printing sheet is guided in the following work station (coating module 2) together with a film web of transfer film 5 through the transfer nip 6 between a cylinder equipped as a pressure roller 21 and the impression cylinder 4, the transfer film 5 in the transfer nip 6 being pressed against the printing sheet. As a result of the pressing, an imaging layer is transferred from the transfer film 5 to the printed sheet in the area of the adhesive pattern. The film web of the transfer film 5 is unrolled in the direction of the rotational movement of the impression cylinder 4 from the film supply roll 8, is guided around the pressure roll 21 or approximately tangentially past it and rolled up onto the film collecting roll 9.

- Furthermore, the imaging layer transferred from the transfer film 5 to the printed sheet can be rolled in the downstream calendering unit to increase the adhesive strength and smoothness. Such a device can be used in a coating module of a sheet-fed printing press, which already has all the necessary elements in its basic design. For the application mentioned, a chambered doctor blade system can be used instead of the supply of lacquer for metering the adhesive via the anilox roller or applicator roller and the forme cylinder, for example by means of a recessed blanket or a flexographic printing plate on the printing substrate.

In such a film transfer module, the printing material is guided in a very advantageous manner through all the necessary nip points in a single gripper closure, while it rests on a single impression cylinder 4.

In a further embodiment according to FIG. 3, the coating is carried out by means of an adhesive subject on the imaging or metallized side of the transfer film 5. For this purpose, the transfer film 5 is fed to the blanket cylinder of an offset printing unit, which also functions as a press roller 3. When the transfer film 5 is bypassed around the printing blanket cylinder / press roll 3, the adhesive film is fed to the transfer film 5 on the metallized or image-bearing layer by means of the plate cylinder 12. The adhesive motif is applied in the same way as already described. For this purpose, a printing plate is arranged on the plate cylinder 12, which carries the desired subject and can transfer an adhesive medium. After the application of the adhesive motif on the back of the transfer film 5, this is further guided around the printing blanket cylinder / press roller 3. When the surface of the transfer film 5 provided with an adhesive layer enters the transfer nip 6 between the blanket cylinder / press roller 3 and the impression cylinder 4, the corresponding surface is pressed against a printing sheet on the impression cylinder 4. The parts of the imaging or metallized layer provided with the adhesive adhere to the printed sheet. By moving the transfer film 5 away, for example via a deflection roll placed on the printing blanket cylinder / press roll 3, the metallized layer in the corresponding subject is removed from the transfer film 5. The metallized image or the image generated by the layer transfer remains on the printed sheet and is transported on. The processed transfer film 5 is after out of the blanket cylinder / press roller 3 on a reel.

In a further embodiment of a film transfer module according to FIG. 4 (in a variation of the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2), the adhesive subject is applied to the printed sheet in the already known form according to FIG. For this purpose, a modified film guide is provided for feeding the imaging or metallized layer within the same printing unit or the same working unit. The film guide consists in that the transfer film web 5 is placed on the impression cylinder 2 via a first deflection roller 22. This takes place in a position after the printing nip 6 between the blanket cylinder 13 and the impression cylinder 2. The deflection roller 22 is assigned a pressure roller 21 on the impression cylinder 4. The pressure roller 21 ensures that the transfer film 5 is placed evenly against the surface of the jerking cylinder 4 and thus against the printing sheet. The imaging or metallized layer on the adhesive image on the printed sheet can be removed in a known manner. The transfer film 5 is again guided away from the impression cylinder 4 via a second deflection roller 23. The deflecting rollers 22, 23 serve to optimize the guidance of the transfer film web 5 and hold it over a larger distance parallel to the surface of the impression cylinder 4 or the surface of the printing sheet to be coated.

In this way, both the adhesive application and the coating by means of an imaging or metallized layer within a single printing unit are made possible in very short succession.

In a further embodiment of a film transfer module according to FIG. 5, the deflection rollers 22, 23, which according to FIG. 4 are attached in front of and behind the pressure roller 21 and assigned to the impression cylinder 4, are omitted. In this embodiment, a pressure roller 21 of larger diameter can be used. This is advantageous for the transfer of the imaging or metallized layer to the printed sheet. Furthermore, the device is simpler and easier to handle when inserting the transfer film web 5. In the embodiments according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the coating module 2 is likewise integrated into the structural unit of the film transfer module.

The pressure roller 21 is provided with the largest possible diameter. The surface of the pressure roller 21 is elastic and can have the characteristics of a printing blanket. But it can also be designed as a smooth surface and equipped with an elastic or compressible structure.

The pressure roller 21 can also be designed as a so-called bending roller. Then it is possible to adjust the line pressure of the pressure roller 21 uniformly over the width of the transfer nip 6 with the impression cylinder 4.

To ensure the economy of the coating process, it is provided that the film advance of the transfer film 5 from the film supply roll 8 to

Transfer nip 6 and to the film collecting roll 9 can be controlled in such a way that the transfer film 5 is stopped as far as possible when the imaging layer is not to be transferred: for this purpose the transfer film 5 can be controlled in such a way that when a gripper of the sheet-guiding device passes through Back pressure cylinder 4 receiving cylinder channel of the film feed is stopped. The grippers hold the printed sheet on the impression cylinder 4. The press roller 3 also has a cylinder channel. In the area of the cylinder channel, there is therefore no pressing of the transfer film 5 between the press roll 3 (blanket cylinder) and the counter-pressure cylinder 4. The press roll 3 then runs smoothly under the transfer film 5, while the transfer film 5 between the press roll 3 and the counter-pressure cylinder 4 is tensioned freely is. This state continues until the cylinder channel ends at the so-called start of printing and the transfer film 5 is clamped again between the press roller 3 and the impression cylinder 4, including a printing sheet. Then the transfer film 5 is transported further. The clocking of the film feed can begin or suspend a little earlier in accordance with a necessary acceleration or braking of the film supply roll 8 or film collecting roll 9 than the channel edges of the cylinder channel 11 dictate. at responsive timing systems via so-dancer rolls 18, as shown by way of example in FIG. 1, such a sensitive control of the rotary drives 7 of the film supply roll 8 or film collecting roll 9 may not be necessary.

In the embodiments according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the film clocking can advantageously take place by turning the pressure roller 21 on and off. This is possible due to their smaller size and their independence from the applicator 1 in a technically simple manner. Here, e.g. Controllable pneumatic cylinders are used which, by articulation at the roller ends, lift the pressure roller 21 from the printing sheet or counter-pressure cylinder 4 in a short stroke or put it back there. Likewise, the contact pressure of the pressure roller 21 can be set in this way.

In a further embodiment, a contoured press surface can be provided as the surface of the press roll 3. For this purpose, a press area limited to the area to be coated on the press roller 3 is used instead of a full-surface plastic layer. The function of this limited pressing surface is that the transfer film 5 is only pinched when the pressing surface passes through the transfer gap 6 touching the transfer film 5. The transfer film 5 can thus be stopped in a very advantageous manner even when the area to be coated lies somewhere within the sheet area and has not yet reached the area of the limited pressing area or the area of the pressing area before the end of the area to be coated Arc area ends. A further improvement in the film utilization of the type described results from the fact that the transfer film 5 is divided into one or more partial film webs of smaller width. With appropriate control by means of the device or devices for clocking the film feed of each of the partial film webs, the use of the transfer film 5 can thus be improved even in the case of coating regions of different lengths within an arc.

On the basis of the present embodiments, it is possible to transfer different types of coatings from one transfer film 5 to different in the transfer process Transfer substrate materials. The detailed configurations of the invention are not limited to the possibilities specified here, but can also be interpreted within the scope of the expert knowledge.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

commissioned

coating module

press roll

Impression cylinder

Transfer film / film web

transfer nip

roller drive

Film supply roll

Foil composite role

Press covering

Inking / dampening unit

plate cylinder

Rubber / blanket cylinder

guide

Verschutzung

UV dryer

monitoring system

dancer roll

cylinder gap

pressure roller

deflecting

form cylinder

applicator roll

dosing

Claims

claims

1. Device for transferring imaging layers from a carrier film, which together form a transfer film (5), on printed sheets with at least one applicator (1) for an image-wise application of an adhesive, with a coating module (2) for transferring the imaging layers from the Carrier film on the printing sheet, wherein the coating module (2) contains an impression cylinder (4) and a pressing device, which form a common transfer gap (6), and furthermore the transfer film (5) around the pressing device or somewhat tangentially past the pressing device is feasible in such a way that it is placed with the coated side on the printing sheet guided on the jerking cylinder (4) and, under pressure, is passed together with the printing sheet through the transfer nip (6) between the pressing device and the impression cylinder (4) and the imaging layers after the printing sheet emerges from the transfer nip (6) in the area of the Adhesive-provided image-adhering areas adhere to the printing sheet and are lifted off the carrier film of the transfer film (5), characterized in that the applicator unit (1) and the pressing device are parts of a single processing station of a sheet-processing machine and in that the pressing device provides the application unit (1) is subordinate.

Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the application unit (1) is an inking unit and / or dampening unit (11) of an offset printing unit containing a plate cylinder (12).

3. Device according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that that an application medium (1) can be used to supply a printing form arranged on a plate cylinder (12) with an adhesive medium, the printing form being assigned to the side of the transfer film (5) provided with the imaging layer on the pressing device.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressing device is a blanket cylinder (13) of the offset printing unit.

5. Device according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that arranged on a plate cylinder (12) printing form with an adhesive medium is supplied by means of the ^applicators' s (1) that the printing form a blanket cylinder (13) of the offset printing unit for applying is assigned to the pictorial adhesive layer on the printing sheet guided on the impression cylinder (4) and that the transfer film (5) with the imaging layer is assigned to the printing sheet on the impression cylinder (4) after the printing nip for applying the adhesive by means of the pressing device ,

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that by means of the application mechanism (1) a printing form arranged on a form cylinder (24) can be supplied with an adhesive medium, that the form cylinder (24) for applying the imagewise adhesive layer by means of the printing form to the arranged on the impression cylinder (4) and that the transfer film (5) with the imaging layer side is assigned by means of the pressing device to the impression sheet on the impression cylinder (4) after the printing nip to apply the adhesive.

7. The device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the pressing device is a pressure roller (21), the transfer film (5) being guided around the pressure roller (21) and the pressure roller (21) together with the impression cylinder (2 ) forms a transfer gap (6).

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the pressure roller (21) one or more deflection rollers (22, 23) for guiding the transfer film (5) are assigned.

9. The device according to claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the pressing device can be turned on or off in relation to the impression cylinder (2) in time with the sheet processing machine.

10. The device according to claim 1 to 9, characterized in that the transfer film (5) is divided into one or more partial film webs of smaller width and that the partial film webs are fed side by side to the transfer nip (6).

11. The device according to claim 1 to 10, characterized in that within the sheet processing machine receiving the coating module (2), the coating module (2) can be placed at any point on the machine, the sheet processing machine being a printing press with a plurality of printing units and in that the coating module (2) is arranged upstream, intermediate or subordinate to the printing units or that several coating modules (2) are arranged one behind the other within a sheet-processing machine.

12. Method for transferring imaging layers from a carrier film, which together form a transfer film (5), to printed sheets with at least one application unit (1) for an image-based application of an adhesive, with a coating module (2) for transferring the imaging layers from the Carrier film on the printing sheet, the coating unit (2) containing an impression cylinder (4) and a pressing device which form a common transfer nip (6), and furthermore the transfer film (5) can be guided around the pressing device or approximately tangentially past it is such that it is placed with the coated side on the printing sheet guided on the counter-pressure cylinder (4) and, under pressure, is passed together with the printing sheet through the transfer nip (6) between the pressing device and the counter-pressure cylinder (4) and the imaging layers after the print sheet emerges from the transfer nip (6) in the area provided with adhesive The image-sensitive areas adhere to the printing sheet and are lifted off the transfer film (5), characterized in that - within a single processing station of a sheet-processing machine, an application unit (1) first applies adhesive to an imaging surface and then by means of a press device. tion, the imaging layer is placed on a printing sheet on an impression cylinder (4).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the adhesive is applied to the side of the transfer film (5) provided with the imaging layer and that the pressing device places the transfer film (5) with the side provided with the adhesive pattern under pressure on the printed sheet, so that the imaging layer is transferred image-wise onto the printed sheet.

14. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the adhesive application by means of an impression cylinder (4) associated. Neten printing unit takes place on the printing sheet and that the pressing device places the transfer film (5) in a transfer nip downstream of the printing nip (6) on the same impression cylinder (4) under pressure on the printing sheet provided with the adhesive pattern, so that the imaging layer is imaged onto the printing sheet is transmitted.

15. The method according to claim 12 to 14, characterized in that the pressing device, the transfer film (5) in the transfer nip (6) in time with the sheet processing machine and depending on the length based on its circumference on the impression cylinder (4) to be coated Areas of the printing sheet are placed on the impression cylinder (4) under pressure on the printing sheet provided with the adhesive pattern, so that the imaging layer in the areas to be coated is transferred to the printing sheet by image, but the transfer film (5) is not transported in the areas not to be coated becomes.