EP1886812A2 - Method and device for printing individual objects - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves orienting objects e.g. bottle, on a conveyor (1) e.g. pair of longitudinally extending and transversely spaced belts, extending through and upstream from a printing station in a longitudinally extending row in groups. The oriented objects with the conveyor are displaced through the printing station in alternating long steps. The objects are taken from the conveyor in a printing station, and the objects are printed. The objects in the printing station are arrested between the long steps. An independent claim is also included for an apparatus for printing on objects, comprising a printing station.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for printing individual objects by means of a printing method in which the individual objects are supplied in a clocked manner by means of a transport device along a transport path of at least one stationary printing device.

An industrially common method for the decoration of individual objects is the printing of the objects by means of any printing process. Here, e.g. Screen printing, pad printing, offset printing, flexographic printing, inkjet printing or similar printing processes are particularly suitable. Thus, any individual objects, such as bottles, cans or even data carriers, in particular disc-shaped data carriers, such as CDs and DVDs preferably by screen printing completely or partially be printed because screen prints partially have properties that are difficult or impossible by other printing processes such as flexographic or offset can be generated.

A type of screen printing frequently used particularly in the printing of smaller individual objects is the flat screen printing process. Flat screen printing machines use a sieve clamped flat in a clamping frame which contains the information to be printed. Such printing units operate in principle in the way that the surface to be printed on an object is stationary during printing relative to the printing screen. The printing process is then done in such a way that with a screen printing squeegee printing ink is painted through the printing screen. The printing screen contains the printed image to be transferred in such a way that only on the areas to be printed, the printing screen for the ink is permeable and thus only at these points, the ink can be transferred to the object to be printed.

On the part of a printing press, for a flat screen printing unit, lifting and lowering devices for the screen frame or an object holder are required in addition to the aforementioned screen frame and a corresponding holder in order to bring the object to be printed close enough to the screen frame during printing and, secondly, during the printing process. and Wegführens the object to the printing station to ensure a sufficient distance to the printing screen.

Furthermore, movement elements for flood and squeegee are needed, which color the printing screen with color or transfer the printed image to the object. All of these elements have to be moved mechanically more or less quickly and, moreover, be positioned with high accuracy so that an increase in the speed of the mechanical processes for higher productivity is limited, which can only be overcome with considerable technological effort. This is especially true when individual objects are cyclically conveyed in a printing device, with each clock each a single object is promoted and in the time between two bars a printing must take place. If, in such a case, the throughput of individual objects is to be increased, then this has a directly negative effect on the available time for the printing.

In the DE 102004018189 For example, to increase production, the printing screen and thus also partially the screen printing unit with the continuously moving object to be printed is carried along. As a result, the object for printing need not be stopped, but can be printed during a continuous and synchronized movement, so that the Time of the start-stop phases in order to stop the object under the screen printing unit and to remove it again after printing can be saved.

The disadvantage here is that the printing screen and the color therein are exposed to high acceleration forces, since after completion of printing the printing screen with the color therein must be moved as quickly as possible in the starting position for the subsequent pressure. Since in this case the ink is thrown back and forth in the screen frame problems with a homogeneous color distribution on the printing screen and thus in the printed image arise and there is still the risk of ejection of ink from the screen frame, resulting in unacceptable contamination of the machine or the can lead to printed objects.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the disadvantages mentioned and to provide a method and an apparatus with which it is possible to increase the production speed of a clocked printing press for individual objects. The object of the invention is furthermore to ensure an existing before the entry into a printing device arrangement of individual objects to be printed in the same way again after leaving the printing device, so that previous and downstream production units each find the same individual object arrangement and are not affected in their functionality and modifications of these production units are dispensable.

The objects are achieved according to the invention by a method of the generic type, in which the individual objects are placed in / on a means of transport of a transport device, that a number N of successively occupied with individual objects positions N-1 successively unoccupied positions follows, where N successive individual objects conveyed into the at least one printing device, from Transport means are removed and printed, while the transport is forwarded by N-1 positions, after which the N printed individual objects placed back in / on the means of transport and carried out by a further N positions from the at least one printing device, at the same time N new individual objects in the at least one printing device are conveyed in.

Furthermore, the objects are achieved by a device for printing on individual objects by means of a printing method comprising at least one transport device, at least one printing device and at least one laying device, with the individual objects on / in the transport device are auf / inserted into these by means of the transport device along a transport path fed to at least one stationary printing device, wherein by means of the laying device and the transport device, the individual objects are placed in / on a transport means of a transport device that a number N of positions occupied by individual objects successively N-1 successively unoccupied positions follows and that N consecutive individual objects can be conveyed into the at least one printing device at the same time, can be removed and printed by the transport means, while the transport means can be forwarded further by N-1 positions, and there The N printed individual items can be placed back in / on the means of transport and conveyed out of the at least one printing device by further transporting N positions, whereby at the same time N new individual objects can be conveyed into the at least one printing device.

An essential idea with the invention is that several, namely N individual objects are printed simultaneously in one printing operation, so that the operating speed of the printing device can be reduced. However, if a printing device is no longer in the same cycle as the conveying speed, then, with a uniformly continuous feeding of the printing device with individual objects, the distance between the individual objects would be the same after the printing device change with respect to the distance in front of the printing device, if they are conveyed with the same conveying speed before and after the printing device.

In order to avoid this problem, it is a further essential core idea of the invention that a transport means of a transport device with respect to the transport path has a plurality of successive positions, which are preferably equidistant from each other. Among these positions, there are those that are each provided with a single object to be printed and those that have no individual objects, so remain free. Here, the division of occupied positions into unoccupied positions according to the invention is N to N-1, thus e.g. 2 to 1, 3 to 2, 4 to 3 etc.

Preferably, it may be provided that the transport device operates in such a clocked manner that two clock steps of the same time duration are executed repetitively one after the other, with a first clock step two integer multiples of a transport length and with a following second clock step an integer multiple of a transport length. Here, the transport length corresponds to the equidistant distance of the aforementioned positions. In a general embodiment, it is provided that the transport device is clocked in such a way that N integer multiples of a transport length and subsequently N-1 steps of one transport length are repeatedly executed one after the other in a first clock step.

Is clocked in this manner, so there is a clocked continuous operation of the device according to the invention in which in the selected time cycle by means of a corresponding Auflegevorrichtung the individual objects can be placed continuously in time on / in the means of transport. The Auflegevorrichtung thus operates with a time constant clock, with each clock is a hang up and results in the different transport lengths with a clock, the above-mentioned arrangement of the individual objects on the means of transport. The corresponding means of transport, eg a conveyor belt runs in this embodiment in one of the two bars faster, or faster than in the other clock to get in the same time the different transport lengths.

In another embodiment, it may be provided that the transport device operates in such a timed manner that repetitive successive clock steps of different time duration are performed, wherein in each clock step, a transport takes place by a clock length and one or more free positions on the transport means are generated by the Time duration of the associated clocks T ₁ equal to T _0/2 , T _0/3 , etc., or is generally T ₀ / N, where T _{0 is} the duration of the slowest clock. At the same time, the laying of the individual objects with the clock T ₀ , so that there is also a continuous placement of the individual objects on the means of transport.

In another embodiment, it may be provided that the transport device operates in such a timed manner that two clock steps of different time duration are executed repetitively one after the other, wherein integer multiples of partial clock steps are performed with a first clock step N and integer multiples of partial clock increments with a following second clock step N-1 be, with each sub-clock step, the transport per unit time is moved by a distance between two positions. This results in a consistently continuous pulsed operation in which a means of transport, e.g. a conveyor belt in each sub-cycle step promotes the same transport length. In this case, however, must be hung up asynchronously, so it must be placed at N sub-cycles and then N-1 Teiltake be hung up with hang up. This also results in the same sequence mentioned above.

Thus, the first and the second variant have the advantage that uniformly clocked the individual objects can be placed on / in a means of transport, however, the means of transport is accelerated differently in two successive cycles, whereas in the third variant, the transport transported uniformly cycled and uneven the individual objects on / in the Means of transport are put, then in the sequence N times hang up, N-1 times do not hang up.

Regardless of the aforementioned variants, the invention has the advantage that it is always possible to use a clocked drive for transporting the individual objects along a transport path and the use of one or more printing devices each having a low production speed along the transport path, in each case during one or more clocks in each case several individual objects are printed simultaneously.

By a control in which the individual objects in the ratio of N to N-1 multiples of a transport length (position distance) is transported by a transport to a printing device and there, when N individual objects have arrived in the printing device, taken these N individual objects from the transport and printed simultaneously be transported while the transport N-1 multiples a transport length and then the N printed individual objects are put back on the means of transport and is conveyed over a length of N simple transport lengths, always ensures that an existing when entering the individual objects in the printing device product sequence in the same way at the output of the printing device is ready again.

In this case, it is provided in a preferred embodiment that the sequence of transport lengths is such that a simple transport length follows a double transport length, ie N = 2 is selected.

The transport means may be formed as at least one conveyor belt, in particular two parallel conveyor belts running in parallel. This has the advantage that in a printing device to be printed individual objects can be lifted simultaneously from below from the at least one conveyor belt with a lifting device upwards towards a printing device, in particular to a printing element of the printing device, such as a printing screen, so that in a then following clock step the at least one Transport belt is transported without taking the individual objects. Such a lifting device may for example form part of a printing device.

It may further be provided that a lifting device comprises a worktop on which rest all individual objects when lifting, wherein in the surface of the worktop a along the at least one conveyor belt extending groove is disposed below the upper edge of which passes at least one conveyor belt in the raised state , Thus, after lifting each individual object is on the worktop, wherein a conveyor belt without further contact to a single object is conveyed below this.

It can be provided that a worktop on its upper side has at least one stop edge, in particular which extends along a conveyor belt, to which the individual objects are pushed by means of a sliding device. Thus, the individual objects, in particular all at the same time, can be aligned / centered in the lifting device before a printing operation in order to achieve reproducible prints.

The centering / alignment can be effected in that the pusher has for each individual object at least one associated sliding element, which is slidable in the direction of a single object and in particular in the direction of the stop edge. In such an embodiment, two sliding elements are each assigned to a single object, which is advantageous in the case of disk-shaped, round individual objects, such as e.g. CDs or DVDs is because then there is a three-point system between two sliding elements and a stop edge, which causes a centering / alignment.

The printing methods that can be used in a printing device can be, in particular, a screen printing method, for example the flat screen printing method or an inkjet printing method.

By way of example, the method according to the invention will be described below on the basis of screen printing on CDs, the method according to the invention also being used in combination with other printing methods and printing units, for example pad printing, inkjet printing, thermal printing, transfer printing or even rotational printing methods such as flexographic printing, offset printing, gravure printing etc. as well as other individual objects is applicable.

In the production of optical data carriers such as CDs, DVDs, etc. - referred to as CDs below - the CD disks are produced in an injection molding machine as polycarbonate disks and the information pits already embossed into a surface during the injection molding process in a subsequent step with a reflective layer, for example Aluminum or gold vaporized.

A subsequently applied lacquer layer protects the sensitive information layer against mechanical influences and the CDs thus produced are placed on transport spindles. The spindles filled with CDs are then transported to the input side of a printing press for printing. Since for printing the CDs must be separated again, the CDs are each taken from the top of one or more spindles simultaneously, for example by means of a vacuum suction system and stored on a transport system or on individual designated transport carriers.

The transport system may for example be a conveyor belt with or without running carriers or centering or may also have specially provided for the reception of CDs transport carrier. The drive of the transport system can be clocked depending on the printing process or used continuously or be a combination of different movements. It is usually necessary the unprinted CDs, which after their production on the print side show a shiny shiny surface, first with a homogeneous, opaque and in the Usually full-surface, white printing to provide, which serves as a background for a subsequent multi-colored printing.

Since, according to experience, a relatively thick ink layer must be applied in order to achieve a sufficient degree of whiteness, the screen printing process is usually used for this purpose.

For this purpose, the CDs taken from a separating station by one or more spindles are placed on a transport device which transports the CDs to a first screen printing station. According to the invention a flat screen printing unit is used and this is designed so that at the same time at least two CDs can be printed. In order to continue to place CDs from the separating station on the transport device during the printing time of the screen printing unit, it is provided according to the invention that the CDs which are located in a printing position below the screen printing device as far as the printing by means of a lifting device are lifted from the transport device that on the one hand a printing by means of the screen printing device can take place easily and on the other hand, a transport movement of the transport device can be done without affecting the raised CDs in their position.

For this purpose, the transport device may be designed, for example, as a circulating transport belt, onto which the CDs are deposited by means of the separating station. The drive of the conveyor belt is clocked in such a way that the conveyor belt is alternately indexed by a desired transport length or a double transport length with each clock step, so come before the entry into the screen printing each two CDs in a row, followed by an empty Position.

The shrinkage of the CDs in the screen printing device by means of a clock step with double transport path, so that both CDs come to lie in each case at a printing position. In this position, the CDs are raised by means of a lifting device mounted below the conveyor belts, on the one hand, they are lifted off the conveyor belt and, moreover, lie above guide cams optionally mounted on the conveyor belt and, on the other hand, they approximate to the screen of the screen printing device, so that the surface of the CDs can be printed by means of the screen printing device.

For this purpose, the lifting device may have receiving surfaces for the CDs to be printed and optionally additional centering devices for the CDs, so as to ensure a positionally accurate printing. Furthermore, additional holding devices for the CDs can be introduced into the lifting device during printing, for example clamping devices or vacuum suction devices, in order to hold the CDs in the receiving surfaces during printing.

The printing of the CDs takes place during the period of the next cycle, in which the conveyor belt is moved on by a simple transport length. During this time, the transport device is moved by only one position, so that the subsequent empty position on the conveyor belt stops under the first operating position of the screen printing device seen in the transport direction. In this position, the printed CDs are lowered back to the conveyor belt after printing has taken place so that at this time four CDs lie directly behind one another on the conveyor belt.

In the following executed step with double transport length, the printed CDs are transported out of the screen printing device, whereas the following unprinted two CDs are transported to the printing positions of the screen printing unit. With this sequence, it is possible to provide all printed on a conveyor belt CDs with a screen printing at a given Auflegetakt, the power stroke of the screen printing device corresponds to only half Auflegetakt.

It is of course without limitation of the embodiment of the invention also possible instead of a sequence of simple and double transport length to choose a different combination, for example, 3: 2. In this case, three CDs are simultaneously printed in the screen printing unit while the transport device moves once by a double transport length or in the other embodiment twice by one simple part clock step.

In the general case, the transport of the CDs takes place such that a number of N CDs are deposited one after the other immediately following the respective transport positions of the transport device and they are followed by a number N-1 of empty transport positions. In the following screen printing unit, N CDs are then simultaneously printed during the period of N-1 clocks.

Figur 1:

Eine Übersichtsdarstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;

Figur 2-4:

Detailansichten einer Hebevorrichtung unterhalb einer Druckvorrichtung;

Figur 5:

Ein Ablaufschema bei der Beförderung von CDs.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the figures in an embodiment of 2: 1. Show it:

FIG. 1:

An overview of a device according to the invention;

Figure 2-4:

Detailed views of a lifting device below a printing device;

FIG. 5:

A flowchart for the transport of CDs.

Figure 1 shows an inventive embodiment of the transport device and the associated screen printing device. The CDs 4 are placed by means of a laying device, not shown, at the position 3 on the transport device 1, for example, has conveyor belts 11 with additional carriers 12, whereby the CDs 4 rest on the conveyor belts 11 and transported over these in the transport direction 100 and the drivers 12 simultaneously ensure a substantially equal distance of the CD positions on the bands to each other.

Characterized that means of the transport unit 1, the CDs 4 on the bands alternately by one or two positions, ie a single or a double Transport length to be transported, resulting in a CD arrangement on the conveyor belts as shown in Figure 1, in which two CDs 4c and 4d immediately following each other on the conveyor belts 11 come to lie, followed by a free position. 6

The arrangement of the screen printing device 2 relative to the CD positions is chosen so that after a clock step with simple transport length two immediately following CDs 4a and 4b come to lie directly in front of the screen printing unit 2, whereby these two CDs with the following clock step with double Transport length are transported to the respective working positions 6a in the screen printing device 2 for printing. The drive of the transport device 1, for example, by means of a clock transmission, not shown, a servo drive and a corresponding electrical control, a stepping motor or the like.

As soon as the CDs 4a and 4b are at their respective working position 6a, they are lifted by means of a lifting device 5 over the work surface 30 so far that they no longer rest on the conveyor belts 11 but come to rest on the work surface 30 provided on supporting surfaces 31 and on the other hand, the conveyor belts 11 can be moved under the CDs in guide grooves 44. In addition, the CDs are raised so far that-a printing can be done easily with the screen printing device arranged above.

In this raised position, the CDs can be aligned, for example, by means of an alignment device 7 and optionally simultaneously fixed in their position, so that the CDs can be printed easily.

The printing takes place during the time of the subsequent cycle step with a simple transport length, whereby the subsequent CDs 4 c and 4 d are moved by a single position and now immediately before the Working positions 6a of the screen printing device 2 come to rest. The printing is carried out in a known manner by ink is painted through the mesh of a printing screen 21 provided with an information by means of doctor devices 20a and 20b on the surface to be printed on the CDs.

After printing has taken place, the fixation of the CDs, if any, is released and the worktop 30 with the printed CDs is lowered again by means of the lifting device 5 during the downtime of the conveyor belts 11, so that the CDs again lie on the conveyor belts 11. The following clock with a double transport length now moves the printed CDs 4a and 4b out of the screen printing device and at the same time the next two immediately following CDs 4c and 4d are transported into the screen printing unit to the working positions 6a.

FIG. 2 shows the lifting device 5 in the screen printing unit 2 in the lowered position. In this position, the worktop 30 with the receiving surfaces 31 located on its surface in a lower position, whereby the CDs 4 rest on the conveyor belts 11 and can be transported out of the screen printing device with a next cycle of the transport device. For this purpose, the worktop 30 is connected via the shafts 42 with a connecting piece 45 which carries a movable roller 41. The roller 41 rolls over the lateral surface 40a of the synchronized driven eccentric roller 40, so that depending on the position of the eccentric roller 40, the support plate 30 can be raised or lowered. A bias, for example by means of the tension springs 43 ensures a controlled guidance of the roller 41 on the lateral surface 40a. Alternatively, the eccentric roller can also be designed as a disk with a guide groove so as to realize a forced operation. Furthermore, the support plate grooves or recesses 44, in which the transport belt can be passed as soon as the work surface 30 is in its raised position.

FIG. 3 shows the lifting device 5 in its raised position. In this position, the worktop 30 is in an upper position, whereby the CDs 4 rest on the designated support surfaces 31 and where appropriate, by means not shown devices, for example by means of vacuum devices or mechanical clamps can be fixed. The incorporated in the countertop 30 grooves 44 are expediently designed so that the conveyor belt 11 with the drivers mounted thereon can easily be passed under the lifted in this position CDs over.

In order to realize a register-accurate printing, it is further provided as an example in Figure 4 shown in the worktop 30 to integrate an alignment 7, which is realized for example by means of a fixed stop 32 and the movable stop pieces 33. For this purpose, the lifted by means of the lifting device 5 of the conveyor belts 11 and initially unaligned lying on the support surfaces 31 CDs 4 are pressed at its edge over the tips 33a of the stopper pieces 33 against the fixed stop 32 and held in this position or additionally fixed, for example by means of vacuum.

Conveniently, the upper edges of the stops 32 and 33a do not protrude beyond the surface of the CDs, so that the printing screen 21 of the screen printing device 2 can not be damaged during printing. For this purpose, it is provided the stop pieces 33 to be mounted on a rotatably mounted in a shaft 38 carrier 37 at the stop pieces 33 opposite side a roller 36 is fixed, which runs over a running surface 34 of a rotary shaft 39 mounted on a drive shaft 35. The tread 34 is shaped so that, depending on the rotational position of the rotary body 39, the stops 33 are moved over the axis of rotation 38 to the CD edge and thus press the CD against the fixed stop 32, or be moved away from this and release the CD so. The drive of the rotary body 39 via the drive shaft is synchronized with the lifting movement of the lifting device. 5

FIG. 5 schematically shows the sequence of the respective CD positions after the respective cycles with a single or double transport length. Starting at the laying position 3, in the diagram denoted by the coordinates (S0; 0) at which a first CD 4a is placed on the conveyor belt, this CD 4a is transported in a first single step E1 to the position 1 by a simple transport length, which is shown schematically with the single-step arrow 300.

In the same clock another CD 4b is placed so that now two CDs come to lie directly behind each other on the conveyor belt. The subsequent clock with double transport length D1 transports these two CDs 4a and 4b by one double position each, which is shown schematically by the double-step arrow 301, so that there is an empty position to the CD 4c launched in the same cycle. As a result of subsequent single and double transport lengths E2, D2, the CDs 4a and 4b reach the step positions S5 and S6 at which the working positions 6a of the screen printing unit 2 are located.

Here, the CDs 4a and 4b are lifted from the conveyor belt as already described and printed by screen printing during the next cycle E3 with a simple transport length, which is shown schematically with the Bedruckschritt-arrow 302. During this time, the CDs 4a and 4b are not transported further, so that after printing the four CDs 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d come to lie directly on the conveyor belt, since the two subsequent CDs 4c and 4d during the successful cycle with a simple transport length have been transported directly in front of the printing station.

In the subsequent cycle with a double transport length D3, the two printed CDs 4a and 4b are transported out of the printing station and the two subsequent CDs 4c and 4d are transported into the printing station, so that in the now following cycle E4 with a simple transport length the CDs 4c and 4d can be printed.

As a result of the succession of the CD transport, as can easily be seen in FIG. 5, there are certain step positions, such as the positions S8 or S11 or S14, at which a CD comes to lie for each individual step or double step. It is therefore expedient to provide additional devices at one or more of these positions, such as, for example, a drying device for the printed ink, since an optimum utilization of the drying performance of the ink dryer can be effected here.

It is also expedient to provide the last position of the transport device 1, at which the printed CDs are removed from the transport device 1, at one of said positions S8 or S11 or S14, since such a continuous material flow, for example, for a subsequent further printing or processing of the CDs is guaranteed.

Claims (15)

Method for printing on individual objects by means of a printing process in which the individual objects are fed clocked by means of a transport along a transport path at least a stationary printing device, characterized in that the individual objects (4) in such a way / on a transport means (11) of a transport device (1) in that a number N of positions consecutively occupied by individual objects (4) follows a number N-1 of consecutively unoccupied positions, wherein N successive individual objects (4) are conveyed into the at least one printing device (2), removed from the transporting means (11) and are printed while the transport means (11) is advanced by N-1 positions, after which the N printed individual objects (4) are placed back in / on the transport means (11) and conveyed further by N positions from the at least one printing device (2). be transported out, at the same time N new Einzelob projects (4) are conveyed into the at least one printing device (2). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport device (1) clocked operates such that repetitive successive clock steps of the same period are performed, with a first clock step N integer multiples of a transport length and subsequent N-1 clock steps simple transport length are executed. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport device (1) operates in such a clocked manner that repetitive successive clock steps of different time duration and the same transport length are performed, with a sequence of N first clock steps of duration T ₁ N integer multiples of the transport length are executed and executed with subsequent N-1 clock steps of duration T ₀ N-1 integer multiples of the transport length, wherein the clock period T ₁ equal to a time T ₀ / N corresponds. Method according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the sequence of transport lengths is such that follows a single transport length a double transport length. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport means (11) is designed as at least one conveyor belt, in particular two parallel adjacent conveyor belts (11). A method according to claim 5, characterized in that to be printed individual objects (4) is lifted simultaneously from below from the at least one conveyor belt (11) with a lifting device (5) upwards towards a printing device (2), so that in one following cycle step, the at least one conveyor belt (11) without entrainment of the individual objects (4) is conveyed on. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the individual objects (4), in particular all at the same time, before a printing operation in the lifting device (5) are aligned / centered. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing method is a screen printing method. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screen printing method is an inkjet printing method Device for printing individual objects by means of a printing process comprising at least one transport device, at least one printing device and at least one laying device, with the individual objects on / in the transport device can be placed on / inserted to clocked by the transport device along a transport path at least one stationary printing device, characterized in that by means of the laying device and the transport device (1) the individual objects (4) in / on a transport means (11) of a transport device can be placed such that a number N of positions occupied successively with individual objects (4) follows a number N-1 of consecutively unoccupied positions and that N consecutive individual objects (4) are simultaneously inserted into the at least one printing device (2 ), are removable and printable by the transport means (11), while the transport means (11) can be forwarded by N-1 positions, and that the N printed individual objects (4) can be placed back in / on the means of transport (11) and transported further herausbe N positions from the at least one printing device (2) herausbe can be conveyed, wherein at the same time N new individual objects (4) into the at least one printing device (2) are hineinbeförderbar. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that a transport means (11) as at least one conveyor belt (11) is formed. Device according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that a lifting device (5) is provided, in particular forms a part of a printing device (2), by means of which the individual objects (4) can be lifted simultaneously from the at least one conveyor belt (11) towards a printing element of a printing device (2). Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the lifting device (5) comprises a worktop (30) on which all individual objects (4) rest on lifting, wherein in the surface of the worktop (30) along the at least one conveyor belt (11 ) extending groove (44) is arranged, below the upper edge of which passes at least one conveyor belt (11) in the raised state. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that a worktop (30) on its upper side at least one stop edge (32), against which the individual objects (4) are alignable by means of a sliding device. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the sliding device for each individual object at least one associated sliding element (33), which in the direction of a single object (4) is slidable.

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