EP2316646A1 - Conveying system for a rotary printing press - Google Patents

Abstract

The system (1) has a protective wall (50) separating a user area (40) from a machine area (80) surrounding a rotary printing press. The protective wall exhibits a protective function to keep printing process-related harmful emissions away from a user located in the user area. A channel (60) is located in the protective wall, so that objects (30) e.g. printing plate transport container, pass through the channel under extensive maintenance of the protective function of the protective wall in the machine area or out of the machine area.

Description

The present invention relates to a conveyor system for a rotary printing machine.

Conveyor systems for rotary printing presses are known from the prior art, wherein by means of the conveyor systems, for example, printing plates can be automatically transported away to printing units or away from the printing units, so that a time and power consuming transport by a user or printer operating the printing machine is avoided , These conveyor systems usually include rails along which the printing plates or conveyors are conveyed with printing plates mounted therein.

New printing plates (re-plates) are usually supplied to the conveyor system from the platemaking or pre-press, and then transported to the printing units where the printing plates either manually by the printer or automatically by a so-called plate robot or plate changing device on the corresponding printing cylinder are placed in the printing units. Similarly, unused printing plates (old plates) can be removed either manually by the printer or automatically by the same plate changing device from the printing cylinders, and then transferred to the conveyor system for removal.

It is also known from the prior art that in the printing room in which the rotary printing machine including the control station or the control stations is located, a protective wall is arranged, which separates a user area from a machine area surrounding the rotary printing press, wherein the protective wall has a protective function for one in the user area itself Keeping users from printing process-related harmful emissions such as noise, vapors, etc. Likewise, however, the protective wall can also have a function to prevent climatic fluctuations, ie temperature and humidity fluctuations, from the printing press. It is obvious that a protective function of the protective wall is all the more effective the better the protective wall seals the machine area from the user area (and vice versa). However, the rails forming the conveyor system or the printing plates or conveyors conveyed along the rails must be passed through the protective wall to get to the printing units, the problem arises as to how the conveyor system must be designed, thus still a relatively effective protective function the protective wall is given.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved conveyor system for a rotary press.

This object is solved by the features of independent claim 1.

The invention proposes for this purpose a conveyor system for a rotary printing press, wherein the conveyor system comprises a protective wall which separates a user area from a machine area surrounding the rotary printing press, wherein the protective wall has a protective function in order to keep away harmful pressure emissions for a user in the user area, and wherein at least one sluice is arranged in the protective wall so that objects can be passed through the at least one sluice, while maintaining the protective function of the protective wall largely in the machine area or out of the machine area. Such a lock has the advantage that along the conveyor system objects such as printing plates or transport devices for it can be passed through the protective wall, without causing the protective wall loses its protective function.

The lock in this case has a lock housing with at least one first and second closable passage opening, which are permeable in each case in a conveying direction substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction, and wherein the lock housing is connected in a sealing manner with the protective wall. But it is also possible that the lock has further passage openings in the conveying direction, so as to increase the lock effect or sealing protective function.

A distance between two passage openings adjoining in the conveying direction can be variably adjusted, so that the sound emerging from the rotary printing press can be suppressed even more effectively by a greater distance between two passage openings adjacent in the conveying direction, since the sound in the lock housing forming a type of tunnel is greater at a longer tunnel length is better absorbed.

Advantageously, when inserting an object, e.g. a printing plate, from the user area in the machine area or vice versa always closed at least one passage opening, i. If, for example, a new printing plate is to be conveyed from the user area into the machine area, first the first passage opening is opened, while the second passage opening adjoining the machine area still remains closed. As soon as the pressure plate is in the lock housing, the first passage opening is closed again, and only then the second passage opening is opened and the pressure plate is conveyed further into the machine area. In this way, it is ensured that user area and machine area are always separated from each other by at least one closed passage opening.

The passage openings can each be closed or opened by one or more pivotable and / or sliding closure elements, for example pivoting flaps, sliding doors, etc., being meant. The flaps or doors can be in one piece or in several parts.

In this case, the closure elements may also consist of a flexible material, for example rubber, silicone or the like, so that a closure element may also be in the form of a brush, each with a plurality of flexible brush elements, through which an object can be passed. In this case, the closure element may also consist of a single brush, which seals against the lock housing, or two brushes facing each other, which seal against each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the conveyor system, the objects may be passed through the at least one lock along a predetermined distance, i.e., the objects, e.g. Printing plates, along a rail, a rope, or a band, such. a conveyor belt, are displaced or transportable. The predetermined route is preferably a part of a route system which may include one or more ring routes, two-way routes or even parking routes. In order to move objects from one route to another route, different routes are preferably interconnected by transfer stations, where objects can be carried from one route to the next.

In addition to printing machine-relevant consumables, the objects can also be transport devices which are suitable for holding or receiving the printing machine-relevant consumables for transport, as is the case for example with a transport container for printing plates.

The relocation or transport of the objects is preferably monitored by a controller which ensures that the respective objects pass the correct route at the right time and reach the intended location.

So that the objects can be transported along the routes, either the transport devices are provided with their own drive, with which the transport devices can move along with the objects along the routes, or the transport devices or the objects or printing machine-relevant consumables are connected to an external Drive can be transported along the routes.

In a further embodiment, the sections or sections of sections of the route system run at different height levels relative to one another, so that, for example, printing plates can be transferred to a section in a simple manner by a user standing on the pressure chamber floor, and then by corresponding progression the track can be guided to a higher level, for example, to be guided to a corresponding printing unit in a printing tower.

The controller is preferably operable or influenceable by a user via an input device, so that a transfer or removal of a transport device and / or consumables relevant to printing machines to or from the route system can be predetermined by the user. In addition, the input device may comprise a display device on which a position and / or a property of a transport device and / or printing machine-relevant consumables can be read by the user. For example, the input device and / or display device may be integrated in a control station, wherein both input and display devices may be in the form of a monitor, such as a touch-sensitive surface monitor.

• Figur 1 eine schematische Querschnittsansicht eines Ausschnitts des erfindungsgemäßen Fördersystems;
• Figuren 2a und 2b eine Detailansicht einer Schleuse in verschiedenen Betriebszuständen; und
• Figur 3 eine schematische Gesamtansicht einer Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Fördersystems.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to figures. Hereby show:

• FIG. 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of the conveyor system according to the invention;
• FIGS. 2a and 2b a detailed view of a lock in different operating conditions; and
• FIG. 3 a schematic overall view of an embodiment of the conveyor system according to the invention.

In FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of the conveyor system 1 according to the invention shown. The conveyor system 1 comprises a feed section 10 or a section thereof, along which an object 30 is guided on a transport device 20. In this case, the distance 10 in the example shown is a rail, with which the transport device 20 is engaged. In the example shown, the object 30 is a transport container for one or more printing plates. However, it is also conceivable that printing plates are directly connected to the transport device 20.

The route 10 leads from a user area 40 through a protective wall 50 into a machine area 80. In the machine area 80 is a rotary printing machine, not shown here, while the user area 40 is provided for the operation of the rotary printing press, for example via a control station 90, whose components continue will be explained in more detail below.

The protective wall 50 has an opening 51, to which a lock 60 with a lock housing 61 adjacent in sound and odor-sealing manner. In the example shown, the lock 60 or the lock housing 61 has a first through-opening 62 and a second through-opening 63, which are each dimensioned such that the transport device 20 includes, for example a transport container 30 along the route 10 can be conveyed through. A more detailed description of the lock 60 will be made with reference to FIGS FIGS. 2a and 2b given.

The control station 90 comprises an input device 110 and a display device 130. The input device 110, in conjunction with a controller 140 integrated into the control station 90, serves to transport the transport device 20 together with an opening or closing of the first through-opening 62 and the second through-opening 63 to specify or monitor. On the display device 130, on the one hand, the inputs made via the input device 110 can be displayed; on the other hand, the display device 130 can serve to display a virtual image of the conveyor system, including the transport devices 20 currently located in the conveyor system, besides the current positions of the respective transport devices also the operating state of the transport devices can be displayed, ie whether the respective transport device carries, for example, old or reprinted plates, which printing plates it is, where the printing plates come from, and to which destination the printing plates should be conveyed.

In FIG. 1 the input device 110 and the display device 130 are shown separately in the form of monitors; However, it is also conceivable that input and display device are housed together in a monitor.

FIGS. 2a and 2b each show a perspective detail view of the lock 60 in FIG. 1 , in which FIG. 2a the lock 60 with closed first passage opening 62 shows, and FIG. 2b the same lock 60 with opened passage opening 62.

In the example shown in the FIGS. 2a and 2b is in front of the first through hole 62, a pair of sliding doors 64, 64 in a sealing manner to the lock housing 61, which are mounted in upper and lower guide rails 65, 65 and can be guided. The sliding doors 64, 64 are moved by adjusting elements 66, 66, which are controlled by the controller 140. In the example shown, the adjusting elements 66, 66 are pneumatic cylinders, but other types of adjusting elements are conceivable.

In the upper region of the passage opening 62, the rail 10 passes through the lock 60, namely into the machine area 80. The sliding doors 64, 64 have recesses 68, 68 in the upper region of their sliding door edges 67, 67 pointing towards the rail 10, so that with the sliding doors 67, 67 closed in FIG. 2a a seal to the rail 10 takes place.

At the protective wall 50 facing out the second through hole 63, which in the illustration of FIGS. 2a and 2b is concealed by the lock housing 61, a pair of sliding doors are also arranged, which are operated in the same manner as the sliding doors 64, 64 for the first through-opening 62. It is crucial for the invention that when passing through an object, such as a transport device with one or more printing plates from the user area 40 in the machine area 80 (and vice versa) always at least one through hole is closed when the other through hole is open, so that from the printing machine in the machine area 80 originating for the users located in the user area 40 users harmful emissions such as noise, vapors, etc. can not get into the user area 40. For this reason, the materials of lock housing 61, sliding doors 64, 64, protective wall 50 also have a corresponding resistance to these emissions.

Of course, instead of the sliding doors at the through-openings 62, 63, alternative closing devices are also conceivable, such as flaps, brushes etc. It is also conceivable that between the first and second through-openings further passage openings are arranged within the lock housing 61 in order to increase the lock effect. Furthermore, it is conceivable to vary the distance between the first and second through-openings, for example, to lengthen the lock housing, so that sound coming from the machine area 80 can be further reduced in intensity in the manner of a muffler.

In FIG. 3 is a schematic overall view of a conveyor system 1 in plan view, wherein the in FIG. 1 shown protective wall 50, the machine area 80, in which four printing towers 150, 150, 150, 150 are arranged as parts of a rotary printing machine, otherwise not shown, separates from the user area 40.

In the user area 40 is also in FIG. 1 shown control station 90, which is shown here only schematically. The conveyor system 1 is composed of a feed section 170, a ring track 180, a plurality of feed lines 10, 10, 10, and a parking track 190, each designed as rails, along which, as already described above, transport devices can be transported with printing plates , In FIG. 1 Transport devices 20a, 20b, 20c are shown in a schematic view on the feed section 170, the ring route 180 or the parking route 190. On the feed path 170, the transport device 20a, which is loaded, for example, with new printing plates, transported in the direction of the ring path 180, characterized by an arrow P1. In this case, a loading of the transport device 20 takes place at a not in FIG. 3 place shown either automatically or manually. At a transfer station 200, which connects the feed path 170 with the ring path 180, the transport device 20a with the new printing plates is automatically transferred from the feed path 170 to the ring path 180. This can be done, for example, by means of a switch integrated into the transfer device 200.

On the ring track 180, a transport device 20b is shown, which is conveyed in the direction of an arrow P2, to one of transfer devices 201, 202 and 203, which each connect the ring path 180 with supply lines 10a, 10b, 10c. That is, when the transporting device 20b is to be conveyed to the feeding path 10a, when the transferring device 201 is reached, the transporting device 20b is conveyed from the annular path 180 to the feeding path 10a. On the other hand, when the transfer device 20b is to be conveyed to the delivery path 10b, the transfer device 20b passes the transfer device 201 until it reaches the transfer device 202, from where it is conveyed to the delivery path 10b. Accordingly, when the transfer device 20b is to be conveyed to the delivery path 10c, the transfer device 20b first passes the transfer device 201 and then the transfer device 202 until it reaches the transfer device 203, from where it is conveyed to the delivery path 10c. If, on the other hand, the transport device 20b is not to be conveyed to any of the supply lines 10a, 10b, 10c but to the parking route 190, where transport devices can be parked for later use, the transport device 20b is forwarded to a transfer device 204, from where it then leaves the ring track 180 is conveyed onto the parking track 190. In FIG. 3 For example, a transport device 20c is shown on the parking route 190. If the transport device 20c is to be used, it is conveyed in the direction of an arrow P3 to a transfer device 205, from where it can be conveyed onto the annular path 180, in order then to first be conveyed to one of the transfer devices 201, 202 or 203, and then further to one of the feed lines 10a, 10b or 10c. It should be noted that the invention does not apply to the in FIG. 3 shown number of links 170, 180, 190 10a, 10b, 10c is limited. Rather, it is conceivable that, for example, several parking areas are available to park for maximum flexibility in the utilization of the rotary printing press several transport devices.

As well as a transport device is conveyed on one of the feed lines 10a, 10b, 10c, as in FIG. 3 is exemplified for feed line 10a, along a transport device 20d is conveyed in the direction of arrow P4, this passes to a lock 60a. The following description is given as an example for the lock 60a, but also applies to locks 60b, 60c, and 60c.

As described above, the lock 60a includes a lock housing 61 a, which is mounted in a sealing manner on the protective wall 50. The lock housing 61a comprises a first through-opening 62a and a second through-opening 63a, the second through-opening 63a being adjacent to an opening 51a in the protective wall, so that the supply path 10a is defined by the first through-opening 62a, the second through-opening 63a and finally the opening 51a runs.

As related to the FIGS. 2a and 2b described, includes the lock 63a at the through holes 62a and 63a also closure elements, which for reasons of clarity in FIG. 3 but are omitted.

Crucial for the operation of the lock 60a is that when conveying a transport device, in FIG. 3 For example, transport device 20d, through the lock 60a first the closure elements on the first passage opening 62a are moved accordingly to release the passage opening 62a, while the closure elements at the second passage opening 63a keep them closed. As the transport device is in the lock 60a, the shutter members again close the first through hole 62a, and the shutter members on the second through hole 63a open it. In this way it is ensured that at no time an open connection between machine area 80 and user area 40 exists, so that noise and odors can not penetrate from the machine area 80 into the user area 40.

After passage of the transport device through the opening 51 a and the closure elements at through-opening 63a close this again, and the transport device can be further transported to an automatic plate changing device 160, which removes printing plates from the transport device and attaches to a plate cylinder in a printing unit of a printing tower 150.

Similarly, unused printing plates are removed from the automatic plate changing device 160 from a plate cylinder, and transferred to the transport device, which is then conveyed the reverse path through the opening 51 a and the through holes 63 a and 62 a of the lock 60 a along the feed line 10 a , Finally, the transport device is conveyed, for example via the transfer station 201 to the ring track 180, and then transported either via transfer station 205 to the parking route 190 or via transfer station 200 to the feed line 170.

It should also be noted that the type of transport of transport devices along the routes can be done either via an external drive or an internal, ie own drive. However, it is important that the drive or the drives for the transport devices by means of a controller, which may be integrated, for example, in the control room 90, is monitored or, so that the carriage of a respective transport device at a predetermined time takes place at a predetermined location , As already described above, a user can influence the control by means of an input device 110 or check and track it with a display device 130.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

conveyor system

10

feed section

20,20a, 20b, 20c, 20d

transporters

30

Object, transport container

40

user area

50

bulkhead

60,60a, 60b, 60c, 60d

lock

61.61 a

lock housing

62,62a

first passage opening

63,63a

second passage opening

64

closure element

65

guide rail

66

actuator

67

sliding edge

68

recess

80

machine area

90

control station

110

input device

130

display device

150

printing tower

160

Plate changing device

170

feed section

180

ring route

190

Park path

200,201,202,203,204,205

Transfer device

P1 to P4

directional arrows

Claims (21)

A conveyor system (1) for a rotary printing machine, comprising a protective wall (50) separating a user area (40) from a machine area (80) surrounding the rotary printing machine, the protective wall (50) having a protective function to protect one in the user area (40). located users printing process-related keep harmful emissions, characterized in that in the protective wall (50) at least one lock (60; 60a, 60b, 60c, 60c) is arranged, so that objects (30) through the at least one lock (60; 60a, 60b, 60c, 60c) can be passed, while retaining the protective function of the protective wall (50) in the machine area (80) and out of the machine area (80). The conveyor system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lock (60; 60a, 60b, 60c, 60c) comprises a lock housing (61; 61a) with at least one first closable passage opening (62; 62a) and one second closable passage opening (63; 63a) which in each case can be opened in a conveying direction substantially perpendicular to the protective wall (50), and wherein the lock housing (61; 61a) is connected in a sealing manner to the protective wall (50). The conveyor system (1) according to claim 2, wherein the at least one lock (60; 60a, 60b, 60c, 60c) has one or more further closable passage openings in the conveying direction. Conveying system (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a distance between two adjacent in the conveying direction passage openings is variably adjustable. Conveyor system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein when introducing an object (30) from the user area (40) into the machine area (80) or vice versa always at least one closable passage opening (62, 63) is closed. Conveying system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the closable passage openings (62, 63) are each closed or opened by one or more pivotable and / or sliding closure elements (64, 64, 64, 64). A conveyor system (1) according to claim 6, wherein the closure members (64, 64, 64, 64) are made of a flexible material. Conveyor system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the objects (30) can be guided along a predetermined path (10; 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) through the at least one lock (60; 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d). A conveyor system (1) according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined route is part of a track system comprising a plurality of tracks (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 170, 180, 190) each comprising a track and / or rope and / or rope Band along which the objects (30) are displaced. Conveying system (1) according to claim 9, wherein the displacement of the objects (30) along the routes of the route system by means of a controller (140). Conveyor system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the objects (30) include printing machine-relevant consumables and / or transport devices (20; 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d), and wherein the transport devices (20; 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) are suitable for transporting the printing machine relevant consumables. Conveying system (1) according to claim 11, wherein the transport devices (20; 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) are provided with their own drive with which the transport devices (20; 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) are displaceable along the routes. Conveyor system (1) according to claim 11, wherein the transport devices (20; 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) and / or printing machine-relevant consumables are displaceable along the lines with an external drive. Conveying system (1) according to one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the route system comprises transfer stations (200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205) on which transport devices (20; 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) and / or consumables relevant to printing machines be transferred to the route system and / or removed from the route system. Conveying system (1) according to claim 14, wherein a transfer of a transport device (20; 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) and / or of printing machine-relevant consumables at a transfer station (200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205) automatically by means of the controller (140). Conveying system (1) according to one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the track system comprises at least one ring track (180), which is connected to at least one of the leading through a lock route via at least one transfer station (201, 202, 203). Conveying system (1) according to one of claims 9 to 16, wherein the track system comprises at least one parking track (190), which with at least one of the lock (60a, 60b, 60c, 60d) leading track and / or with the at least one ring track (180) via at least one transfer station (201, 202, 203) is connected. Conveying system (1) according to one of claims 9 to 17, wherein distances of the track system relative to each other run at different height levels. A conveyor system (1) according to any one of claims 10 to 18, wherein the controller (140) is operable by an operator via an input device (110). wherein a transfer or removal of a transport device (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) and / or consumables relevant to printing machines to or from the route system can be predetermined by the user. Conveyor system (1) according to claim 19, wherein the input device (110) comprises a display device (130) on which the user can read a position and / or a property of a transport device (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) and / or printing machine-relevant consumables are. Conveying system (1) according to one of claims 11 to 20, wherein the printing machine-relevant consumables are printing plates.

Images