EP3044000B1 - Cleaning adapter and method for cleaning printheads - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device in the form of a cleaning adapter for cleaning printheads, in particular inkjet printheads, in a system for printing three-dimensional containers, in particular bottles made of plastic or glass, wherein the container to be printed in the system by a transport system to a Printing machine are spent with the at least one print head and a region to be printed on the container in front of the print head is positioned. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding cleaning method and an installation set up for carrying out the cleaning process.

Systems for printing on containers are used primarily in the industrial sector. Such a plant is exemplary in the DE 10 2009 058 219 A1 described. This plant has to print on containers on several consecutively formed as a carousel printing presses through which the containers to be printed on a constructed of different systems, such as jig, transport devices and brackets transport system. The containers are moved in each carousel past the printheads of the printing presses and so provided with a print pattern before being transferred to the subsequent carousel. After passing through the system, the containers are provided with the desired motif. Of course, systems with only one printing press, in particular one known as a carousel printing machine, to which the invention relates to the same dimensions.

Above all, a high throughput rate is a competitive factor in the industrial application of these systems. An example of this is a system for bottle processing in which up to 36,000 bottles per hour are passed through the system. Inside the plant, the bottles are guided past printheads of the printing press and printed with liquid inks over the inkjet printheads.

Printing machines for inkjet printers within such systems typically operate with one or more printheads having multiple nozzles. These are arranged in the number of about 1000 pieces in series on the printhead to obtain the desired resolution in the area to be printed. Since a high throughput rate is required for large and lasting print quality especially in industrial applications, efficient maintenance and cleaning of the print heads is also necessary. Experience has shown that the printheads pollute due to the continuous operation due to the nature of the application. For example, dust and ink deposits can contaminate the nozzles. This problem is exacerbated by the use of UV-curable inks when the printed container is still irradiated in the printing machine with UV light after printing to fix the printed ink. Excessive UV light can also harden the ink still in the nozzles and render the printhead unusable if it is not regularly and effectively cleaned.

To maintain the functionality and print quality of the printheads, a printhead must therefore be cleaned at certain intervals. For this purpose, several basically known cleaning methods are available. A first possibility is to wipe off the contaminants from the print head by means of a scraper or the like in the manner of a mechanical cleaning. Such a working system is, for example, in the US 2003/0218654 A1 described. This is a printhead for the purpose of cleaning moved from his work area in a maintenance area in which moves a cleaning device of a wiper unit with a kind of windshield wiper along the bottom of the print head with the nozzles, so that residues of the hydraulic fluid are removed by the wiper or wiper. After cleaning, the printhead is moved back into its working area.

The problem is, however, that the cleaning system brings an increased space requirement. In addition, the cleaning process is complex due to the method of the print head, because a corresponding adjustment is provided, which must also ensure a very reliable and accurate repositioning, so that the print quality is not affected. In addition, printhead movement into the cleaning position negatively affects the throughput of the entire equipment because the printhead can not be used for a significant amount of time within the equipment.

Another known way to clean a printhead is to rinse the printhead. Cleaning and rinsing solutions can be used here. Also, all nozzles, possibly even multiple, are controlled, so that the nozzles are flushed through, which are rarely used. In this case, a rinse can also be done with the actually used for printing ink. In both cases, however, it is necessary to collect the escaping liquid and to dispose of it in a targeted manner. However, especially when the nozzles are purged under pressure, the immediate vicinity of the printhead, for example other printheads, may be soiled by ink, ink splashed detergent spatter or the like. It can also lead to a paint mist, which deposits on undesirable sites.

In the DE 10 2006 052 154 A1 there is described a cleaning apparatus for cleaning ink jet printers wherein the printhead is as described above is cleaned. The ink ejected from the ink-jet printhead during the cleaning process is collected in a receptacle. For this purpose, the printhead to be cleaned is moved from its working position to a maintenance and cleaning position. Then, the print head is rinsed for a certain time by means of overpressure in the ink system, so that at the same time from all nozzles ink flows and dust or dirt particles, as well as hardened ink residues, are washed away. A lamellar arrangement on the collecting device catches the dirt and directs it into the collecting container.

Again, there is the problem associated with the disadvantages already described that the print head for a relatively large period of time can not be used and must be moved from its working position to a cleaning position.

A printing device and a method for printing on a print carrier with a print head and a transport device for the print carrier are known from US 6,182,566 B1 known. In this case, the print head is not moved during printing, but by a transport means and a displacement means, the print carrier is moved relative to the print head. For cleaning, the print head is pivoted about an axis in a predetermined position to a cleaning and sealing station. The US 2015/0062240 A1 describes one of the US 6,182,556 B1 similar printing station, in which cleaning adapter is installed on a transport carousel to move with the transport carousel on different printheads over. The cleaning adapter can be installed, for example, in a receptacle for objects to be printed.

A printing apparatus for printing on bottles or the like container is known from US 2011/232514 A1 known. This has several printing positions on a circumferentially drivable transport element, with which the printing position and the container on a self-contained trajectory of a Container task to be moved to a container acceptance. To avoid contamination of the printheads, a protective sleeve is provided, which surrounds the container to be printed during printing. During printing, when the protective cover is closed, an air flow is generated through the protective sleeve, and atomized printing ink is sucked out of discharge tubes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose a way to perform the cleaning of printheads with little time and build the printing and maintenance facility as simple as possible.

This object is achieved by a cleaning adapter with the features of claim 1 and a cleaning method with the features of claim 5.

In the cleaning device according to the invention in the form of a cleaning adapter, it is proposed that the cleaning adapter, which in particular comprises means for cleaning the print head, in particular for mechanically cleaning and / or flushing the nozzles of the print head, be designed such that the cleaning adapter instead of one or more of the container to be printed in the transport system of the system and introduced by the transport system for cleaning purposes to the printhead and can be positioned in front of this. These are the means of cleaning the printhead so arranged on the cleaning adapter that they are positioned by the transport system in front of the printhead when the instead of the container to be printed in the transport system introduced cleaning adapter is in a position in which a container to be printed is printable, ie in normal operation ( and not in the cleaning mode) is printed. According to the invention, the cleaning adapter can therefore be positioned in a position in front of the print head in which a container to be printed is printed.

In printing presses or printing machines usually containers, such as bottles, are printed in large numbers, with the print heads of the printing press a specific area on the bottle surface. The cleaning adapter can now be queued directly into the row of bottles or containers to be printed and drives instead of a container to be printed in the system or through the system. The means for cleaning are matched with regard to their position on the cleaning adapter on the printing process and can be arranged in particular with regard to their vertical position on the adapter so that they are located at the same height as the area to be printed on the bottle.

Using an angular coding of a container rotary drive in the transport system, the cleaning adapter can be positioned in front of the print head, for example by turning a turntable in a simple manner so that the means for cleaning are positioned immediately before the print head and its nozzles to be cleaned or. As a result, the cleaning process can be started immediately during operation without the printhead having to be moved from the printing position into a cleaning position.

The inventive design of a cleaning device, ie the cleaning adapter, thus offers the possibility to the transport system to to place the cleaning adapter in front of the button in the same manner as the container being printed, with the cleaning adapter simulating the presence of the 3-dimensional container in the system's pressure system. Instead of being printed, however, the cleaning adapter cleans the printhead, for which purpose the printhead and / or the cleaning adapter may be appropriately controlled.

In the prior art, the existing cleaning devices are not adapted to the printing system or the system that they would be moved over the transport system to the print head. Rather, the printhead is moved to the cleaning system. The solution according to the invention, in contrast, offers the possibility of cleaning the printhead without having to move it to a cleaning position, which proves to save time, is less complex in terms of equipment and ensures accurate positioning of the printhead in the printing machine (also referred to as a printing system or printing system) because the printhead is not moved. The positioning of the cleaning adapter is carried out according to the invention by utilizing the existing transport system for the containers to be printed. For this purpose, the cleaning adapter according to the invention has an outer shape corresponding to the container to be printed, in particular in the areas of the cleaning adapter or of the container in which the transport port system acts on the cleaning adapter or container during transport.

As a means for cleaning the printhead, the cleaning adapter may easily include wiping elements for wiping the printheads and / or openings for receiving detergent or ink ejected from the nozzles of the printhead.

A corresponding, inventive cleaning method for the inventive use of the proposed cleaning adapter for inkjet printheads in a corresponding system for printing on containers, as has already been explained in detail, provides to carry out the cleaning process at least one of the described cleaning adapter according to the invention introduce into the transport system and lead by the transport system for cleaning purposes to the print head. The print head is then cleaned by the cleaning adapter in the appropriate manner, in particular as described in detail below.

An inventive cleaning adapter will be formed by an at least partially hollow container having at least one opening, which may act in particular as a means for cleaning the print head.

Such a cleaning adapter is particularly suitable for cleaning the nozzles of a printhead by means of overpressure. The cleaning adapter may e.g. be a special cleaning bottle. This is retracted into the machine or placed in the transport system of the system and aligned directly in front of the print nozzle rows of a printhead. In this case, the opening or openings of the bottle-shaped cleaning adapter, which are distributed over the circumference, placed directly in front of the nozzles of the print head. The cleaning adapter, also referred to below as a bottle, provides a receptacle for cleaning solution, rinsing solution or ink, which is preferably rinsed under pressure from the nozzles. Depending on the number of openings that are distributed over the circumference of the container, the adapter can serve as a common receptacle for several, for example, two or more printheads, for example, are arranged around the bottle in the printing machine and are cleaned at the same time can.

Within the cleaning adapter, a division or subdivision can be provided, in particular in the sense of a partition wall, which prevents it from becoming lodged Distribute liquid or particles ejected from the nozzles of the printhead in the vicinity of the printhead and deposit, for example, on other printheads. It is possible, for example, for the container interior of the cleaning adapter to be subdivided in segments, wherein preferably each opening is assigned to an (otherwise closed) own segment within the cleaning adapter. Above all, the subdivision offers the possibility of cleaning several print heads at the same time, without the nozzle jet of one print head contaminating another print head. For example, in the case of a bottle having a substantially round shape, these segments may be formed by walls which extend from the outer periphery towards the center of the bottle to form walls which are oriented obliquely to the opening. In this way, it is also possible to prevent a rebound effect of the liquid injected into the opening, since the liquid flushed out under pressure and impinging on the wall is deflected laterally when it hits the walls. A re-emergence of colorant or detergent mist from the bottle is effectively prevented in this way, or at least minimized.

In a further development of the concept of the invention underlying this cleaning option, it can also be provided that for cleaning, ink and / or cleaning or rinsing solution is ejected from the nozzles of the print head. For cleaning all nozzles can be flushed through several times.

The liquid ejected from the nozzles can be collected in the cleaning adapter in a basin or reservoir, for example in the form of a bottle bottom, which is formed according to the invention at the bottom of the cleaning adapter, preferably adjoining the opening. Subsequently, the bottle or the cleaning adapter on the transport system again out of the press eg. The entire system drove out. It is so ensured that cleaning without contamination of the system can be carried out automatically.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous in this context if, for the purpose of cleaning the print heads with a cleaning or rinsing solution, first the ink supply is separated from the print head by means of a valve system. This is connected via the valve with a supply and return line to a rinsing solution supply. In this way, many types of cleaning can effectively combine.

To inject the residual ink and other debris into the cleaning adapter aligned in front of the printhead, first eject ink into the cleaning bottle. Subsequently, it can be switched to cleaning by means of rinsing or cleaning solution, which is also collected in the adapter. At the end of the cleaning, you can switch back to ink. The still in the printhead cleaning fluid is expelled by the reconnected ink and collected in the container. Both cleaning and rinsing solution as well as the ink residue or dirt are collected within the bottle. After completion of cleaning, the cleaning adapter is guided out of the system by the transport system. The printhead is already available again for printing purposes when the cleaning adapter leaves its printing position and is transported in the transport system.

A further embodiment of a cleaning adapter according to the invention provides that it has at least one wiper element for cleaning the print head. Here, too, proves to be advantageous that the cleaning adapter moved over the transport system to the print head and the wiper element is placed in front of the print head. There, the wiping element in immediate Contact the printhead and dab or wipe off the remnants of the print process or wipe off any dirt.

In a further development of this inventive concept, it is possible that the wiping element is designed to receive ink. In particular, it may be an absorbent element, such as a sponge, which absorbs the ink by wicking and removes excess residue from the printhead. Also wipes, preferably lint-free wipes, or other suitable means for this purpose, such as. Cleaning wipes, are suitable according to the invention.

A particularly efficient cleaning can be achieved when the wiper element is moved up to the print head and then moved relative to the print head, so that dirt is mechanically removed, so wiped. By moving the wiper element to the print head for cleaning, damage to the print head, for example, during transportation of the cleaning adapter is avoided.

In a further development of the invention it can be provided that the cleaning adapter for bringing the wiper element to the print head has a traversing device (traversing means), which is preferably activatable in that the cleaning adapter is pressurized from the inside. Suitable for this purpose is air pressure or a pressure generated by a similar medium or fluid, for example a hydraulic system.

Preferably, the traversing device is formed by a membrane disposed behind the wiper element, which sealingly covers the opening and which brings the wiper element to the print head or pushes when the cleaning adapter is pressurized from the inside and the membrane pushes out through the opening. This is possible by the otherwise shot cleaning adapter eg. Via a container mouth (normal bottle opening) with a pressurized medium, such as. Compressed air, is acted upon. Then the membrane expands in the direction of its openings and pushes the wiper element to the print head. Since the distance between the container and the print head is only a few millimeters, the wiping element abuts the surface of the print head.

In particular, in conjunction with the positioning device explained above, it proves to be advantageous if the cleaning adapter is additionally moved or moved in such a way after being subjected to pressure relative to the print head that it also mechanically cleans the nozzles. This is possible, for example, via a lifting system with which e.g. Flasks are driven in a system in the printhead assembly or printing press. The wiper element on the cleaning bottle wipes the surfaces of the print heads and collects mechanical dirt. By reducing the internal pressure of the bottle, the diaphragm retracts and the bottle can be removed from the system.

According to a variant preferred according to the invention, it is also proposed to withdraw escaping ink or cleaning liquid from the print head surface by means of a suction nozzle. Using the drive elements for a lifting movement of the cleaning adapter, the suction nozzle, which is preferably integrated into the cleaning adapter, can be moved vertically along the print head and in the ideal case even receive surplus liquid without contact. The vacuum generation can be carried out by a battery-operated pump, which is arranged in a separate vacuum chamber to which the suction nozzle is connected.

Furthermore, it can be provided to monitor the printing process via a separate camera system integrated in the system and which is connected to a software module, wherein the software module can be set up in such a way that It monitors the quality of the printed image and decides whether a cleaning process must be performed. Preferably, the software module is set up in such a way that it is decided on the basis of the printed image which of the cleaning methods according to the invention is used. With a smeared colored ring in the printed image, a mechanical cleaning may be necessary to remove a speck of dust. Lack of color may indicate a clogged nozzle, so nozzle flushing by ejecting ink and / or cleaning fluid under pressure is recommended.

The software module can also be set up in such a way that automatic loading of the corresponding printing press is prevented if a necessary cleaning is detected.

It proves to be particularly advantageous if the software module is set up to decide whether an immediate cleaning should be performed, because this brings a lower production loss with it as moving the cleaning up to a planned production stop and a continuation of the entire system until then a reduced number of printing stations or machines.

The object underlying the invention is further achieved by a system for printing three-dimensional containers, such as bottles made of plastic or glass, with the features of claim 9, wherein the containers to be printed in the system by a transport system for printing led to at least one print head be or are feasible. The system is set up such that the cleaning of the at least one print head is carried out according to the above-described method or parts thereof using a cleaning adapter according to the invention. The cleaning adapter proposed according to the invention and the cleaning method based on the use of this adapter prove to be particularly cost-efficient, in particular in systems with several print heads per printing press and / or several printing presses, each with one or more print heads. Multiple arrays of printheads can be successively cleaned by a cleaning adapter by placing the adapter in the system's transport system where it cleans one or more printheads and then moves to the next printing station or press after completing the cleaning process.

Fig. 1

einen erfindungsgemäßen Reinigungsadapter nach einer ersten Ausführungsform in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 2

den Reinigungsadapter aus Fig. 1 in einer Schnittansicht mit einem zu reinigenden Druckkopf;

Fig. 3

eine Weiterbildung des Reinigungsadapters aus Fig. 1, geschnitten in einer Draufsicht;

Fig. 4

einen erfindungsgemäßen Reinigungsadapter nach einer weiteren Ausführungsform in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 5

den Reinigungsadapter aus Fig. 4 in einer gegenüber Fig. 4 gedrehten Schnittansicht mit einem zu reinigenden Druckkopf und

Fig. 6

den Reinigungsadapter aus Fig. 5 und 6 im Reinigungsbetrieb.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a cleaning adapter according to the invention according to a first embodiment in a side view;

Fig. 2

the cleaning adapter off Fig. 1 in a sectional view with a printhead to be cleaned;

Fig. 3

a development of the cleaning adapter Fig. 1 , cut in a plan view;

Fig. 4

a cleaning adapter according to the invention according to a further embodiment in a side view;

Fig. 5

the cleaning adapter off Fig. 4 in one opposite Fig. 4 rotated sectional view with a printhead to be cleaned and

Fig. 6

the cleaning adapter off Fig. 5 and 6 in cleaning operation.

Fig. 1 shows a cleaning adapter 1 in the form of a bottle, as it is usually suitable for receiving liquids. The bottle 1 has a bottle body 3 extending to a bottle neck 2, which conically tapers in the transition to the bottle neck 2. The bottle neck 2 has an upper opening 4 in the manner of a regular bottle. The illustrated cleaning adapter 1 is used in particular in systems for printing on bottles and simulated in terms of its shape so the product to be printed. Such systems have in particular several printing presses or printing stations, each with one or more print heads.

In the main area of the bottle body 3, an opening 5 is visible, which lies in the area of the surface to be printed on a normal bottle. Through the opening 5, liquids from a (in Fig. 2 shown) print head 6 are ejected, get into the interior of the bottle 1 and collected there. How out Fig. 1 As can be seen, the opening 5 does not extend to the bottom of the bottle 1. Between the bottom of the bottle 1 and the opening 5 so formed a reservoir 11 for collecting liquids.

To the cleaning process of in Fig. 1 To perform the printhead 6, not shown, the cleaning bottle (cleaning adapter 1) is inserted into a non-illustrated transport system of the system and moved to the print head 6 or transported. About transport system, the bottle 1 is positioned positioned immediately in front of the print head. In this case, the bottle is 1 is rotated via a rotary drive, also not shown, so that the opening 5 to the print head 6 aligned, that is positioned directly in front of the print head 6, as in the sectional view XX in Fig. 2 is shown.

The bottle 1, here compared to Fig. 1 shown rotated by 90 °, is positioned with its opening 5 directly in front of or a print head 6. The opening 5 is slightly larger in size (width, height) than the array of nozzles (indicated only by the arrows extending from the surface of the print head 6) on the print head 6, from which the ink when printing on the surface of a normal Bottle is sprayed.

To the print head 6, a printing liquid supply system 7 is connected, via which the ink is supplied to the print heads. Ink passes into the print head 6 via an ink feed 8a, while excess ink can leave the print head 6 accordingly via an ink return 8b. For cleaning, ink from the ink supply is pumped into the print head 6 and injected via the nozzles under pressure through the opening 5 in the bottle 1. In addition, the printhead 6 can be brought closer to the bottle 1 beforehand, provided that, for example, this is also provided during a normal printing operation. Preferably, the print head 6 occupies the same position as during the printing operation.

For the cleaning of the print head 6, a valve system 9a, 9b can additionally be provided, with which the ink supply can be separated from the print head 6 and the print head 6 with a feed line 10a and a return line 10b for a cleaning agent, e.g. a cleaning fluid, can be connected. For this purpose, the valves 9a, 9b can be switched accordingly.

For cleaning, therefore, the ink supply system 7 via the valves 9a, 9b separated from the print head. The cleaning fluid enters via the flow in the print head 6 and rinses dirt particles and ink residues, preferably under pressure, in the bottle 1. To remove the cleaning liquid from the print head again and prepare this again for printing, the valves 9a, 9b are switched back and the pressure fluid supply system 7 to the Printhead 6 connected. At the same time, the detergent system 10a, 10b is separated from the print head 6. By switching to ink, the cleaning liquid is now driven out of the printhead 6 by the reconnected ink and conveyed into the bottle 1. Now the print head 6 is available again for printing purposes.

The liquids (ink, cleaning liquid) sprayed into the bottle 1 collect below the opening 5 in the reservoir 11. After completion of the cleaning process, the bottle 1 can be transported to the next print head 6, which is cleaned according to the method described above. After completion of the cleaning process of all to be cleaned printheads 6, the bottle 1 can be removed along the transport system from the plant, the liquid collected in it can be easily disposed of outside the system. After cleaning, the cleaning adapter 1 can be used again.

A further education of in Fig. 1 shown cleaning adapter 1 is in Fig. 3 shown. There is designed as a bottle cleaning adapter 1 in a plan view along the YY line Fig. 1 shown. This bottle 1 differs from the one in the Fig. 1 illustrated bottle 1 but in that it has additional openings 5 and an inner partition 12. The total of four openings 5 are evenly distributed over the circumference of the bottle 1.

Shown are also two print heads 6, which are aligned here at an angle of 90 degrees to the bottle 1 and, for example, print different colors. The Subdivision 12 within the bottle 1 is made up of intersecting walls which prevent liquid sprayed from the nozzles of a printhead 6 into an opening 5 from escaping from the other openings 5 again, thus causing soiling.

At the same time prevent the obliquely oriented to the openings 5 walls spatter and rebounding paint mist of the injected liquid. Due to the subdivision or division 12, segment-like chambers 13 form for each of the openings 5. The walls of the subdivision 12 of each segment chamber 13 are aligned obliquely to the opening 5, so that liquid which is injected from the print head 6 into the segment chamber 13, can not get back directly to the opening 6. In this way, it is effectively avoided that injected liquid injected back through the opening 5 to the outside and a resulting color mist the environment and the print head 6 again dirty.

In 4 and 5 a further variant of the cleaning adapter in the form of a bottle 1 is shown. Fig. 4 shows the cleaning adapter 1 in a side view, Fig. 5 in a sectional view along the line XX Fig. 4 , The bottle 1 has a central or central bottle body 3 and a bottle neck 2, wherein the bottle body 3 tapers conically towards the bottle neck 2. An upper opening 4 is provided at the outer end of the bottle neck 2, as common in bottles.

In the area of the bottle body 3 there is a region 14 set back towards the interior of the bottle 1 with two openings 5 located opposite one another. In the area of each opening 5 a membrane 15 is arranged which covers and closes the opening 5. On the outside of the membrane 15, a wiper element 16 is arranged in the form of a sponge. In the Fig. 5 the bottle 1 is aligned towards a printhead 6 to be cleaned.

Air pressure is passed through the upper opening 4 via the neck 2 into the bottle 1 via a compressed air supply 17. The pressure medium supply 17 has a line 18 for carrying out the compressed air and has at its the bottle 1 end facing a conically tapered in directions of the line 18 centering 19, by means of which the line 18 and the bottle 1 as in Fig. 6 are centered on each other and which ensures a firm, sealing connection of the compressed air supply to the bottle 1.

If compressed air is now pressed into the bottle 1 via the compressed air line 18, the pressure in the bottle 1 rises. The membranes 15 expand due to the increased internal pressure to the outside. They act as traversing device 15 and bring the sponge 16 attached to them directly to the print head 6 zoom. The sponge 16 abuts the surface of the print head 6 and can absorb ink and debris.

With the double arrow an additional stroke 20 is indicated, with which the cleaning of the print head 6 can be improved. Moving the bottle 1 by means of a lifting system, not shown, according to the lifting movement 20 relative to the print head 6 up and down, the sponge 16 wipes along the surface of the print head 6. It collects all dirt mechanically and takes on its suction in addition also existing ink residues etc. on.

After completion of the cleaning, the air pressure can be reduced again via the compressed air supply 18, whereby the membranes 15 relax and move the wiper element 16 again in the direction of the bottle interior.

In serving as a cleaning adapter bottle 1 according to Fig. 6 Furthermore, a suction nozzle 21 is provided, which of the above-described pressure system separated arranged in a vacuum chamber 22 and aligned with a suction opening in the direction of the print head 6 and is alignable. By a negative pressure generated in the vacuum chamber 22, the suction nozzle 21 sucks from the print head 6 emerging ink or cleaning liquid from, wherein the suction nozzle 21 according to the lifting movement 20 relative to the print head 6 can be moved up and down.

In order to obtain a self-sufficient in the bottle 1 vacuum supply, a not shown, battery or akkumulatorbetriebene pump is provided in the vacuum chamber 22, which is able to in the relatively small volume of the opposite to the rest of the bottle 1 closed vacuum chamber for the Aspirate to produce suitable negative pressure.

Although here the embodiment according to Fig. 6 represents an overpressure system and a vacuum system in a bottle 1, the invention also relates to cleaning adapter 1, in particular in bottle form, in which only an overpressure system or only a vacuum system is implemented as described in each case for themselves.

Thereafter, the bottle 1 can be further transported and removed from the system.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Cleaning adapter, bottle

2

bottleneck

3

bottle body

4

upper opening

5

opening

6

printhead

7

Pressure fluid supply system

8a

ink flow

8b

Ink return

9a, 9b

Valve

10a

Detergent supply

10b

Detergent return

11

reservoir

12

subdivision

13

segment chamber

14

reset range

15

Moving device, membrane

16

Wiper element, sponge

17

Compressed air supply

18

Compressed air line

19

centering

20

stroke movement

21

suction nozzle

22

Vacuum chamber

Claims (9)

1. A cleaning adapter for cleaning printheads (6) in an installation for printing three-dimensional containers, wherein the installation comprises a printing machine, which comprises at least one printhead (6) configured as an inkjet printhead, and a transport system, the containers to be printed being moved thereby to the at least one printhead (6) for printing purposes, wherein a region to be printed on the container is positioned in front of the printhead (6), the container is moved past the printhead (6) and at the same time is printed with liquid printing inks via the inkjet printhead, and wherein the cleaning adapter (1) is configured such that the cleaning adapter (1) is able to be introduced into the transport system in place of a container to be printed, and for cleaning purposes is able to be moved by the transport system to the printhead (6) and positioned in front of the printhead, characterised in that the cleaning adapter (1) is formed by an at least partially hollow container which comprises at least one opening (5), wherein in the regions of the cleaning adapter (1) in which the transport system acts on the cleaning adapter (1) during transport, the cleaning adapter (1) has an external shape corresponding to the container to be printed, so that the cleaning adapter (1) is positioned by utilising the transport system for the containers to be printed.
2. The cleaning adapter according to Claim 1, characterised in that the interior of the container of the cleaning adapter (1) is subdivided into segments, wherein preferably one segment (13) is assigned to each opening (5).
3. The cleaning adapter according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cleaning adapter (1) comprises at least one wiping element (16) for cleaning the printhead (6).
4. The cleaning adapter according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by one or more suction nozzles (21) for drawing off excess liquid from the surface of the printhead (6).
5. A method for cleaning printheads (6) in an installation for printing three-dimensional containers, in which the containers to be printed are moved in the installation by a transport system to at least one printhead (6) for printing purposes and a region to be printed on the container is positioned in front of the printhead (6), characterised in that at least one cleaning adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims is introduced into the transport system and for cleaning purposes is moved by the transport system to the printhead (6) and positioned in front of the printhead.
6. The method according to Claim 5, characterised in that for cleaning purposes, ink and/or cleaning or flushing solution is ejected from the nozzles of the printhead (6) .
7. The method according to Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that for cleaning purposes, the cleaning adapter (1) is pressurised from inside.
8. The method according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the cleaning adapter (1) comprising the at least one wiping element (16) for cleaning the printhead (6) is moved relative to the printhead (6) such that the printhead (6) is mechanically cleaned by wiping.
9. An installation for printing three-dimensional containers comprising a printing machine, which comprises at least one printhead (6) configured as an inkjet printhead, the containers being moved past said printhead and at the same time printed with liquid printing inks via the inkjet printhead, and comprising a transport system, the containers to be printed being able to be moved thereby in the installation to at least one printhead (6) for printing purposes, characterised in that the installation is designed such that the at least one printhead (6) is cleaned according to the method according to one of Claims 5 to 8.

Images