EP3040203B1

EP3040203B1 - Waste liquid circulation plate wiping apparatus and implementation method therefor

Info

Publication number: EP3040203B1
Application number: EP15768359.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jianning LUAN; Lixiang Ma; Xiaojin Zhang; Qiangyong ZHANG; Wei Gao; Jinping Wu; Guanghui CAO; Yunjian ZHENG
Original assignee: Nanjing Mint Co Ltd; China Banknote Printing and Minting Corp
Current assignee: Nanjing Mint Co Ltd; China Banknote Printing and Minting Corp
Priority date: 2014-03-28
Filing date: 2015-02-05
Publication date: 2020-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2035-02-05
Also published as: CN104943360A; JP6134013B2; WO2015143919A1; CN104943360B; EP3040203A1; JP2016531015A; EP3040203A4

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a plate wiping device used in intaglio printing, and more specifically relates to a plate wiping apparatus using waste liquid circulation and implementation method thereof.

Background of the invention

Existing plate wiping devices of intaglio printing machines for printing negotiable securities or banknotes are sorted into two means. One is dry wiping: Cotton cloth or paper are used to wipe out the waste ink on the outer surface of the wiping cylinder. A higher cost is incurred, since the consumption for the cotton cloth or paper can be large. The other is wiping with liquid: The waste ink flows away along with the cleaning fluid, by using proper cleaning fluid and cleaning components. The above washing method pollutes the environment and raises the cost issue of waste water treatment, thus greatly wasting precious water resources. Currently, a major trend inland and abroad is adopting is washing with water for cleaning the plate wiping system in the intaglio printing machine. Several troubling unresolved issues are as follows. The water consumption by using the washing method is huge. The cost for the treatment of waste liquid is higher and the waste liquid causes pollution to the environment in intaglio printing. In the event that wiping with liquid is not replaced by other technical methods, efforts have to be paid to greatly reduce the water consumption issue and the following waste water treatment.
Existing commonly used plate wiping structure in the intaglio printing machine inland is spray-type wiping structure. The spray-type wiping structure has seven groups of cleaning fluids, four brushes and two groups of scrapers. Emulsification, wiping and cleaning are carried out on the surface of the wiping cylinder. The pressure between the two groups of scrapers and the wiping cylinder is difficult to control. If not properly handled, the wiping cylinder can be damaged, thus affecting the wiping effect. Besides, using seven groups of cleaning fluids results in a huge consumption of cleaning fluids (1-1.2 tons per hour on average) and a huge consumption of energy, which brings in burden to the late waste water treatment.
A company's new ORLOF intaglio machine adopts a wiping system that is a combination of pre-wiping by a scouring cloth and a spray washing hereinafter. A whole piece of scouring cloth is used as a cleaning substrate, which increases the wiping angle and the wiping area. Two separate new plate wiping fluids supply for the front and middle cleaning nozzles. The emulsification, wiping and cleaning for the ink adhered on the wiping cylinder are completed. This wiping system has a simpler structure and a significantly reduced water consumption than the previous spray-type system (an average of 0.6 to 0.8 tons of hourly consumption of new liquid).
Several different types of intaglio printing machines using water washing method are generally water-consuming in order to guarantee the printing quality. There are no reports on recycling and re-using the washing fluid in current literature concerning intaglio printing machines EP patent document ( EP 2559555 A1 ) shows one of the wiping device which reuses the waste fluid. US patent document ( US 5067193 A ) shows an another printing plate washing apparatus.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the existing technology and provides a plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine to solve the water and energy consumption issues by using liquid cleaning. The plate wiping device can achieve a separation of the dirty mixed plate wiping liquid and a cleaner liquid. Then by collecting, recycling and re-using the cleaner liquid, a reduced water and energy consumption are thus achieved.
The specific technical solution of the present invention is as follows: a waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine according to claim 1. It comprises a wiping cylinder, at least one cleaning substrate, a front nozzle and a middle cleaning nozzle, a waterproof device, a separating device for separation of new liquid and old liquid, a waste liquid circulation device, a liquid level detecting device, a first back wash device using a new wiping liquid, a second back wash device using a soft water. The front nozzle is installed on the left side of the wiping cylinder. Middle cleaning nozzle is installed at the bottom of the wiping cylinder. A cleaning substrate is located on the outer surface of the wiping cylinder. The cleaning substrate is installed on top of a mesh plate. The waterproof device and the separating device are respectively connected to the mesh plate. Middle cleaning nozzle is connected to the mesh plate. New wiping liquid is connected to the middle cleaning nozzle through a cleaning pipe. Wiping liquid sprayed from the middle cleaning nozzle orderly passes through the waterproof device and the separating device to the waste liquid container. Waste liquid in the waste liquid container is connected to the front nozzle through the waste liquid circulation device. Waste liquid circulation device is connected to the new plate wiping device through a water supply pipe. The cleaning devices are respectively connected to the first back wash device using a new plate wiping liquid, and the second back wash device using a soft water.
A. When the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device is locked firmly onto the main printing machine, a magnetic valve of the water supply opens. The new plate wiping liquid flows into the waste liquid container; when a liquid level reaches a pre-set liquid level detected by ultrasonic testing, then the magnetic valve is triggered to be closed.
B. When the main printing machine is turned on, a circulation pump of the waste liquid circulation opens. The liquid inside the waste liquid container is transported to the front nozzle, and is sprayed to a surface of the wiping cylinder and emulsifies the printing ink on the surface of the wiping cylinder. A magnetic valve of the cleaning pipe opens, the new plate wiping liquid enters into the cleaning pipe and cleans the wiping cylinder.
C. After the cleaning substrate wiping an emulsified printing ink, the generated mixed liquid of printing ink and the plate wiping liquid are blocked by a waterproof strip, the mixed liquid flows into a waste liquid funnel through the mesh plate and an external plate of the waterproof device.
D. a much cleaner liquid generated by cleaning the C-D section is blocked by the waterproof strip and flows into the waste liquid container through the mesh plate and an inner plate of the waterproof device. The above collected liquid is being recycled through the circulation pump; which transports the collected liquid into the front nozzle and conducts a cycled emulsification of the printing ink on the outer surface of the wiping cylinder.
E. the collected plate wiping liquid recycled in the C-D section contains a plurality of tiny ink particles. A long time recycling results in an increase of the concentration of the plurality of the tiny ink particles and causes a blockage of the nozzles of the cleaning pipe and the waste liquid circulation pipe.
An implementation method for the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine of claim 1 is defined in claim 2.
The method for implementing the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device stated above, is performed as follows: In the step E, a ball valve is in half-open condition to ensure an ink viscosity in the waste liquid container without being too high. A wiping cylinder cleaning liquid is partly discharged.
The method for implementing the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device stated above is performed as follows: when the amount of the waste liquid circulation and the discharged liquid for cleaning the wiping cylinder is greater than the recycled liquid for cleaning the C-D section of the wiping cylinder, the liquid level of the waste liquid container is lowered. When the liquid level of the waste liquid container is lowered to the pre-set liquid level detected by ultrasonic testing device, the magnetic valve of the water-supply pipe is triggered to open and a new cleaning liquid flows into the waste liquid container, which dilutes the concentration of the liquid in the waste liquid container and keeps the circulation pipe unblocked.
The method for implementing the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device stated above further comprises a step F. When the plate wiping system running to a pre-set time, a back wash magnetic valve opens. The pressure of the new cleaning liquid for cleaning the wiping cylinder provided by a backstage is higher than the pressure generated by the circulation pump. The one-way valve of the waste liquid circulation closes and the new cleaning liquid with a higher pressure flows directly into the nozzle and cleans the pipe and the nozzle. Cleaning time is settable.
The method for implementing the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device stated above further comprises a step G. When the plate wiping system stops working, a soft water magnetic valve opens and soft water flushes through the front nozzle and the middle cleaning nozzle again.
The method for implementing the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device stated above is performed as follows: an impeller of the circulation pump in the waste liquid circulation device is driven by a unidirectional motor. The impeller sucks a mixed liquid, which is transported to the front nozzle by a different pressure formed through a chamber with varied diameter.
The method for implementing the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device stated above is performed as follows: an ultrasonic level device is set on a liquid level detecting device to detect the liquid level in the waste liquid container, which guarantees that the circulation pump works circularly and continuously under a proper liquid level through the water-supply system.
Beneficial effects are stated below: (1) The present invention discloses a novel waste liquid recycling plate wiping device based on the combination of existing pre-wiping and spray-type cleaning system by using a manner of "separation- collecting-recycling-reusing". Each plate wiping device comprises at least one cleaning substrate, two nozzles, a water proof device, a separation device for separating the old and new liquid, a waste liquid circulation device, a liquid level detecting and water-supply device, a back washing device by using a new plate wiping liquid and a back washing device by using soft water.
(2) The present invention is used for banknote mass production. After a nominal value of ten million printing is reached, the system works stably. Experiment statistics verify that the consumption of water in the waste liquid is stabilized at about 0.2 ton per hour. 60-70% of the total water amount are saved compared to the existing plate wiping system, which reduces the water consumption and brings about high social and economic benefits.

Brief description of the drawing

For an easy understanding of the invention, a detailed description of the invention is described with the accompanying specific embodiment and the drawing.
Fig. 1 is a structure diagram of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The first embodiment
Referring to fig. 1, a waste liquid circulation plate wiping device comprises wiping cylinder 7, at least one cleaning substrate 6, a front nozzle, a middle cleaning nozzle, a waterproof device, a separating device for a separation of a new liquid and an old liquid, a waste liquid circulation device, a liquid level detecting device, a first back wash device using a new plate wiping liquid and a second back wash device using soft water. Front nozzle 5a is installed on the left side of wiping cylinder 7. Middle cleaning nozzle 5b is installed at the bottom of wiping cylinder 7. Cleaning substrate 6 is located on the outer surface of wiping cylinder 7. The cleaning substrate is installed on top of mesh plate 4. Waterproof device 2 and separating device 3 are separately connected to mesh plate 4. Middle cleaning nozzle 5b is connected to mesh plate 4. The new wiping liquid is connected to the middle cleaning nozzle through a cleaning pipe. The middle cleaning nozzle is connected to waste liquid container 13 through the waterproof device and the separating device. A plate wiping liquid in the waste liquid container is connected to the front nozzle through the waste liquid circulation device. The waste liquid circulation device is connected to the new plate wiping device through a water supply pipe. The waste liquid circulation device, and the cleaning device are separately connected to the first back wash device using a new plate wiping liquid and the second back wash device using soft water.
When the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device is locked firmly onto the main printing machine, magnetic valve 9a of the water supply pipe opens and the new plate wiping liquid flows into waste liquid container 13. When the liquid level reaches a pre-set liquid level detected by ultrasonic testing device 11, magnetic valve 9a is triggered to close. When the main device is turned on, a circulation pump of the waste liquid circulation device opens. The liquid of the waste liquid container is transported to front nozzle 5a. The front nozzle sprays the liquid to the surface of the wiping cylinder and emulsifies the printing ink on the surface of the wiping cylinder. A magnetic valve 9b of the cleaning pipe opens and the new wiping liquid enters into middle cleaning nozzle 5b and cleans the wiping cylinder.
Cleaning substrate 6 wipes an emulsified printing ink. The generated mixed liquid of printing ink and the plate wiping liquid is blocked by waterproof strip 3. The mixed liquid flows into waste liquid funnel 14 through mesh plate 4 and waterproof device 2. A cleaner liquid generated in the C-D section by cleaning the wiping cylinder is blocked by waterproof strip 3 and flows into waste liquid container 13 through mesh plate 4 and an inner plate of waterproof device 2. The cleaner liquid in the waste liquid container 13 is reused by being pumped to front nozzle 5a through circulation pump 12 and emulsifying the printing ink on the outer surface of the wiping cylinder. The collected plate wiping liquid recycled in C-D section contains a plurality of tiny ink particles. A long-time recycling results in an increase of the concentration of the plurality of the tiny ink particles and causes blockage of the nozzles when the recycled liquid is transported to front nozzle 5a. A ball valve is in half-open condition to ensure ink viscosity in the waste liquid container without being too high and the cleaning liquid for cleaning the wiping cylinder is partly discharged. When the amount of cleaning liquid from the waste liquid circulation and the discharged cleaning liquid is greater than the recycled cleaning liquid for cleaning the C-D section of the wiping cylinder, the liquid level of the waste liquid container is lowered. When the liquid level of the waste liquid container is lowered to the pre-set liquid level detected by ultrasonic testing device 11, and the magnetic valve 9a of the water-supply pipe is triggered to open. A new plate wiping cylinder cleaning liquid flows into the waste liquid container, dilutes the viscosity of the plate wiping cylinder cleaning liquid in the waste liquid container and keeps the circulation pipe unblocked. When the system works for a long time, an accumulation of ink is formed on the circulation pipe or front nozzle 5a by the recycled wiping cylinder cleaning liquid, which contains trace amount of ink therein, thus affecting the function of the nozzle. The system has an additional back wash function, when a plate wiping system running to a pre-set time, a back wash magnetic valve opens. The pressure of the new plate wiping cylinder cleaning liquid provided by a backstage is higher than the pressure generated by circulation pump 12. One-way valve 1 of the waste liquid circulation closes, the new plate wiping cylinder cleaning liquid with a higher pressure flows directly into nozzle 5a and cleans the pipe and the nozzle. Cleaning time is settable. An automatic control of the back wash ensures non-stop working and a smooth circulation system. The liquid after cleaning the wiping cylinder is an alkalescent mixed liquid. When the machine has been out of work for a long time, the liquid for cleaning the wiping cylinder condenses on the front nozzle 5a and the middle cleaning nozzle 5b will crystallize, which will also block the nozzles in the long run. When the plate wiping system stops working, the soft water magnetic valve 9d opens, and the front nozzle and the middle cleaning nozzle are being washed again by the soft water.
As a core component in waste liquid circulation, circulation pump 12 has to adapt a poor working condition with corrosion, in a wiping cleaning liquid with tiny ink particles at a temperature of 40 °C. In order to transport the liquid and avoid blockage of the circulation pump, an impeller of the circulation pump is driven by a unidirectional motor. The impeller sucks a mixed liquid, which is transported to the front nozzle by a differential pressure formed through a chamber with varied diameter.
The ultrasonic testing device is set on a liquid level detecting device to detect the liquid level in the waste liquid container 13; thus ensuring that the circulation pump works circularly and continuously under a proper liquid level through the water-supply system.

Claims

A waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine comprising:
a wiping cylinder (7) oriented such that the axis of the wiping cylinder (7) extends from the front side to the back side such that a first circular surface of the wiping cylinder (7) faces the front side and a second circular surface of the wiping cylinder faces the back side;

at least one cleaning substrate (6) located on an outer surface of the wiping cylinder (7) to wipe an emulsified printing ink from the surface of the wiping cylinder (7), wherein the cleaning substrate (6) is installed on top of a mesh plate (4);

a front nozzle (5a) for spraying an old liquid on the surface of the wiping cylinder and emulsifying the printing ink on the surface of the wiping cylinder, wherein the front nozzle (5a) is installed on the left side of the wiping cylinder (7);

a middle cleaning nozzle (5b) for cleaning the wiping cylinder with a new liquid, middle cleaning nozzle (5b) is installed on the bottom side of the wiping cylinder (7);

characterized in that the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device further comprises a waterproof device (2);

a separating device (3) for separating the new liquid from the old liquid after being sprayed on the wiping cylinder (7);

a waste liquid circulation device having a waste liquid container (13) for collecting the waste liquid to use as the old liquid in next cycles, a waste liquid circulation pump (12) for circulating the old liquid from the waste liquid container (13) to the first nozzle (5a) and an ultrasonic testing device (11) to detect the level of the liquid in the waste liquid container (13);

a first back wash device using a new plate wiping liquid;

a second back wash device using a soft water;

the waterproof device (2) and the separating device (3) are connected to the mesh plate (4) separately; the middle cleaning nozzle (5b) is connected to the mesh plate (4); the new liquid is transferred to the middle cleaning nozzle (5b) through a cleaning pipe; the middle cleaning nozzle (5b) is connected to the waste liquid container (13) through the waterproof device (2) and the separating device (3) to collect the waste liquid for reuse;

the waste liquid circulation container (13) is connected to a new plate wiping device through a water supply pipe; and cleaning devices are respectively connected to the first back wash device using a new wiping liquid and the second back wash device using soft water.
An implementation method for the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine of claim 1, characterized in that:
A. when the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device is locked firmly onto a main printing machine in working mode; a magnetic valve (9a) of the water supply opens, the new plate wiping liquid flows into the waste liquid container (13), when a liquid level reaches a pre-set liquid level detected by an ultrasonic testing device (11), and the magnetic valve (9a) is triggered to close;

B. when the main printing machine is turned on, a circulation pump (12) of the waste liquid circulation opens and the liquid of the waste liquid container (13) is transported to the front nozzle (5a), front nozzle (5a) sprays the liquid to a surface of the wiping cylinder (7) and emulsifies the printing ink on the surface of the wiping cylinder (7); a magnetic valve (9b) of the cleaning pipe opens at the same time, the new plate wiping liquid enters into the middle cleaning nozzle (5b) and cleans the wiping cylinder (7);

C. the cleaning substrate (6) wipes an emulsified printing ink, the generated mixed liquid of printing ink and the plate wiping liquid are blocked by a waterproof strip (3); the mixed liquid flows into a waste liquid funnel (14) through the mesh plate (4) and an external plate of the waterproof device (2);

D. a much cleaner liquid generated by cleaning a first section (C-D) of the wiping cylinder (7), where the wiping cylinder (7) is cleaned by the middle cleaning nozzle (5b), is blocked by the waterproof strip (3) and flows into the waste liquid container (13) through the mesh plate (4) and an inner plate of the waterproof device (2); the above collected liquid is recycled through the circulation pump (12) which transports the collected liquid into the front nozzle (5a) and conducts a cycled emulsification of the printing ink on the outer surface of the wiping cylinder (7).
The implementation method for the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine of claim 2, characterized in that the implementation method further comprises step E, a ball valve (1) is in half-open condition to ensure an ink viscosity in the waste liquid container without being too high; a wiping cylinder cleaning liquid is partly discharged.
The implementation method for the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine of claim 3, characterized in that: when the amount of the wiping cylinder cleaning liquid of the waste liquid circulation and the discharged wiping cylinder cleaning liquid is greater than the recycled wiping cylinder cleaning liquid from the first section (C-D) of the wiping cylinder (7), the liquid level of the waste liquid container is lowered; when the liquid level of the waste liquid container is lowered to the pre-set liquid level detected by the ultrasonic testing device (11), the magnetic valve (9a) of the water-supply pipe is triggered to open; a new plate wiping cylinder cleaning liquid flows into the waste liquid container (13), dilutes the viscosity of the plate wiping cylinder cleaning liquid in the waste liquid container (13) and keeps the circulation pipe unblocked.
The implementation method for the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine of claim 3, characterized in that the implementation method further comprises a step F; when a plate wiping system reaches a pre-set running time, a back wash magnetic valve opens; the pressure of the new plate wiping cylinder cleaning liquid provided by a background is larger than the pressure generated by the circulation pump (12), the one-way valve (1) of the waste liquid circulation closes; the new plate wiping cylinder cleaning liquid with a higher pressure flows directly into the front nozzle (5a) and cleans the pipe and the nozzle, the cleaning time is settable.
The implementation method for the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine of claim 5, characterized in that further comprising a step G; when the plate wiping system stops working, a soft water magnetic valve (9d) opens; the soft water flushes through the front nozzle (5a) and the middle cleaning nozzle (5b) to clean the nozzles.
The implementation method for the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine of claim 6, characterized in that an impeller of the circulation pump (12) in the waste liquid circulation device is driven by a unidirectional motor; the impeller sucks a mixed liquid, the mixed liquid is transported to the front nozzle (5a) by a differential pressure formed through a chamber with varied diameter.
The implementation method for the waste liquid circulation plate wiping device of an intaglio printing machine of claim 7, characterized in that the ultrasonic testing device (11) is set on a liquid level detecting device configured to detect the liquid level in the waste liquid container; wherein the liquid level detecting device ensures that the circulation pump (12) works continuously under a proper liquid level through a water-supply system.