EP3044004A1

EP3044004A1 - Printing press for printing three-dimensional objects

Info

Publication number: EP3044004A1
Application number: EP14762041.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Volker Till
Original assignee: Till GmbH
Current assignee: Till GmbH
Priority date: 2013-09-13
Filing date: 2014-09-12
Publication date: 2016-07-20
Anticipated expiration: 2034-09-12
Also published as: US20160221360A1; EP3044004B1; WO2015036571A1; US9713927B2

Abstract

A printing press for digitally printing three-dimensional objects (7) having at least one inkjet print head (9) and a rotary table (8, 14) for receiving the three-dimensional object (7) is described, wherein the rotary table (8, 14) is configured for placing the object (7) in front of the inkjet print head (9) and for rotating it about the axis thereof, in order that the surface to be printed of the three-dimensional object (7) is guided past the inkjet print head (9) for digital printing. The printing press (1, 3, 4) has at least one printing unit (22, 25) with a pad (5) for printing the three-dimensional object (7) by means of a separate print of a marking or a logo configured as a tampograph.

Description

Printing machine for printing 3-dimensional objects

The invention relates to a printing press for printing 3-dimensional objects according to the preamble of claim 1. The proposed printing machine is particularly suitable for digital printing of 3-dimensional rotationally symmetrical objects, such as bottles or cans. For digital printing, the printing press has at least one inkjet printhead or several inkjet printheads with, for example, different printing inks such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and / or black (K) and a turntable for receiving the ink. dimensional object, wherein the turntable is adapted to place the object in front of the inkjet printhead or the plurality of inkjet printheads and to rotate about its own axis, so that the surface to be imprinted of the 3-dimensional object for digital printing, with the if necessary drops of ink on the surface to be sprayed (drop-on-demand process) is passed to the inkjet printhead or the inkjet printheads].

3-dimensional objects, such as bottles or cans, for example, made of glass, plastic and / or metal, have hitherto been labeled or printed by screen printing. For some time, a direct digital decoration of the surfaces of the 3-dimensional objects by means of inkjet printheads is possible, which work on the drop-on-demand principle.

Used for digital printing machines are known in several embodiments. On the one hand, there are individual printing machines (for small quantities in terms of volume), in each of which an object is clamped and digitally printed. Furthermore, there are timing machines in which several individual printing machines juxtaposed and several each standing on a station objects are printed simultaneously. In such cycle machines, the performance of the overall machine corresponds to the multiple of the individual output of a single station, which in particular can each be equipped with individual printing machines. Characteristic of clock machines is the simultaneous change of several to be printed 3-dimensional objects in the individual stations. In addition, cyclically operating machines are usually designed in such a way that the individual inks or colors to be printed are printed successively in successive stations. Typically, the performance of such a cycle machine is limited by the speed of a printhead, which dictates the time for printing on a 3-dimensional object. This time determines the cycle time significantly.

In addition, there are also solutions that enable significantly higher (quantitative) output than clocking machines. For this, two embodiments are known. The one grouped complete single printing machines, where the complete printing is done on one station, side by side on a carousel, the other multiplies the performance of one or more colors by several individual printing stations per color on a separate carousel. Such machines are also referred to as carousel machines, in which the (in itself clocked pressure) takes place in individual machines of a rotating carousel. This allows a continuous treatment of the printed 3-dimensional body. Common to all solutions is that the printing of a logo or a security feature using special inks is not or only to a limited extent possible because these specialty inks are generally unsuitable for printing by means of ink jet print heads. Often, however, such a print is necessary on such decorations, which has to be done by means of special inks, such as the application of a deposit logo in disposable containers for drinks in Germany. Such inks are typically security inks that are anti-counterfeiting and, due to their nature, are not suitable for use in inkjet printheads. Such prints are usually mounted on the waist of a 3-dimensional object, such as a bottle or can as a disposable container, since they must be captive. Such logos or special imprints are generally standardized and, unlike digital printing, which is designed for variable data and decors, are not subject to frequent changes in print design.

The question of a solution for 3-dimensional objects, which are digitally decorated, has not been raised because of the previous use of labels or SIeeves, which are produced in offset printing, gravure printing or flexographic printing. Nevertheless, it may be necessary to provide basically digitally decorated or printed 3-dimensional objects with an additional print, which requires the use of non-inkjetdruckfähiger inks. The object of the present invention is thus to propose a possibility to provide such high-volume digitally decorated objects imprints that require non-inkjet-printable inks.

In a printing press mentioned above, this object is achieved with the features of claim 1. In this case, it is provided in particular that the printing machine has at least one printing unit with at least one stamp for printing on the 3-dimensional object by means of a separate printing of a marking or a logo executed as a stamping pressure. According to the invention, it is therefore proposed to apply such prints or logos, for which a special ink is necessary, by means of a stamp printing. It will So proposed a stamp printing in combination with digital printing. With such a complex solution, it is possible not only to achieve the high required quantities of up to 20 stamping prints per second, but also to achieve a dimensionally accurate, high-quality imprint. Transferring the spot color to the object by means of stamp printing is not subject to pigment size or other criteria for digital inkjet inks.

Accordingly, according to the invention in the printing unit and a Farbauftrags- device is provided with which the ink is applied to the stamp or can be applied. In a classic stamp with a raised, dimensionally stable printing form, which forms the motif to be printed, the inking device may be an ink pad on which the stamp is pressed to receive the ink. Alternatively, a controlled ink application roller comes into consideration. With both solutions, the printing ink can be applied at the speed required for high volumes.

The terms "stamp" and "stamp printing" in the context of this description include the terms "tampon" and "pad printing" in addition to a classic stamp or stamp printing. While a stamp in the classical sense forms a raised, dimensionally stable printing forme with the motif to be printed, which is moved to an ink pad for the ink application while receiving the ink according to the raised printing form, a tampon is an elastic pressure body, for the paint on a cliché filled with the ink (in the sense of a die) is placed, in which the motif to be printed forms a depression filled with the printing ink. When placing the tampon on the cliché takes the tampon in the area of the motif to be printed on the ink. Both the stamp and the tampon are then pressed onto the surface of the object to be printed in order to image the desired motif there. The tampon has the The advantage that it adapts better due to its elasticity of the shape of the object to be printed. The principle of the printing is basically the same insofar as on the stamp or tampon applied to the motif to be printed corresponding color imprint and is finally transferred to the surface of the object to be printed. This printing principle is referred to in the context of the present disclosure as a stamp printing with a stamp and includes both the pressure with a stamp in the classical sense as well as with a tampon. In the pad printing, the inking device is correspondingly designed as a die (cliché) with a filling device, wherein the filling device fills the recess representing the motif to be printed with the ink and keeps the non-recessed region of the die free of ink. For this purpose, for example, an inking roller of the filling device can be rolled over the matrix with the printing ink, and the paint not picked up in the depressions can be scraped off the surface of the die with a scraper. Correspondingly, the filling device for this purpose may comprise the inking roller and the scraper, which are designed so as to be executable successively over the matrix and thus register the printing ink only in the recesses of the matrix.

The printing press is designed for stamp printing to align the 3-dimensional object by means of actuators in front of the stamp so that the pressure takes place at a predetermined position of the 3-dimensional object. For this purpose, it can be provided that the actuators are set up to position the 3-dimensional object to be printed in front of the stamp. The proposed actuators can have adjustment options for all axes, so that the 3-dimensional object in alignment, position and / or height can be arranged freely in front of the stamp of the printing unit. The positioning thus takes place in such a way that the stamping pressure takes place at the predetermined location on the surface of the 3-dimensional object. Preferably, the actuators cooperate with the turntable on which the 3-dimensional object is received in the digital printing with the at least one inkjet printhead. The actuators can be designed to move the turntable directly axially up and down and rotate. In this embodiment, therefore, the turntable is designed to place the object for the stamp printing in front of the stamp. Possibly. an actuator can also perform a radial adjustment of the axis of the turntable.

To carry out the printing, it can be provided that the printing unit has a mechanical feed unit which is set up to print the stamp on the 3-dimensional object after a triggering signal. This is an easy-to-implement design for the printing unit, which has little space in the field of inkjet printheads and therefore can be particularly well combined with the facilities for digital printing in a printing station.

In a particularly preferred further development, the mechanical adjusting unit may have a mechanism, in particular designed as an adjustable cylinder, ie a linearly adjusting mechanism, which presses the punch against the surface of the 3-dimensional object. An alternative to an adjusting cylinder as a delivery unit may also be rotating wheel, on the peripheral edge of the stamp is mounted such that the punch during the rotation of the wheel touches the surface of the 3-dimensional object and thereby performs the stamping pressure. During the rotation of the stamp can also rotate past a suitably trained inking device, so that the stamp is applied during the Vorbeidrehens with the ink. It can be provided that the printing unit has a plurality of punches, which are arranged on a rotatable wheel at the peripheral edge of this wheel, wherein the wheel is arranged and arranged to rotate past the to be printed 3-dimensional objects in the printing press so that the stamps touch the surface of the objects to be printed. In this way, a continuous process can be achieved by each stamp imprinting one or more objects. By the successively arranged stamps have different inks, if necessary, two- or multi-color printing can be achieved. A stamp on the rotating wheel prints in each case the object that is currently at the printing position in the printing press on which the stamp rotates past. Possibly. It is thus also possible to provide a printing press with continuously transported objects for a (quasi) continuous stamping printing by successively printing the objects through the stamp arranged on the wheel.

According to the invention, the printing press is preferably set up to perform the stamp printing after the digital printing has been carried out, so that the stamp printing can in principle also take place on already digitally printed surfaces. Single-printing machines or stations of printing machines with a plurality of individual printing machines, each having at least one ink-jet printhead and a printing unit with a stamp are in this sense preferably adapted to first perform the digital printing and after this additionally apply a stamping (also in the sense: pad printing). For this purpose, the 3-dimensional object, without taking it from an input / clamping eg. On a turntable, aligned by means of suitable adjusting devices, such as servomotors, so in front of the stamp that the stamping pressure can be applied to a designated location. The stamp can be pressed according to the invention in a single-printing machine by means of a mechanism, for example by an adjustable cylinder, on the object surface and so a corresponding impression can be generated. According to a further, particularly preferred embodiment, which may possibly also be combined with features of the other embodiments, it is possible according to the invention to form the printing press as a carousel machine with several printing stations, which on the outer peripheral edge of a machine wheel, ie on the machine wheel co-rotating, in a Whereas radians are preferably arranged equidistantly and are each designed as a single-printing machine for digital printing of 3-dimensional objects with at least one inkjet printhead or a plurality of inkjet printheads and a turntable for receiving the 3-dimensional object, the machine wheel with the printing stations during the Printing the 3-dimensional objects in each case a preferably constant, predetermined peripheral speed rotates.

A single-printing machine of a printing station for digital printing of 3-dimensional objects at a printing station of the printing press thus corresponds in structure and function of the printing machine described in the preamble, wherein in the carousel machine has several of these individual printing machines on a preferably continuously rotating machine wheel. Trained as a carousel machine printing machine is adapted to that during the rotation of the machine wheel in one or each individual printing machine digital printing of the three-dimensional object is performed. The digital printing takes place between an inlet device, with which the 3-dimensional object is fed to a single-printing machine of the printing press, and an outlet device with which the 3-dimensional object is again carried out from the single-printing machine of the printing press after digital printing. The stamping pressure then takes place between the inlet device and the outlet device. In one embodiment, each individual printing press at a printing station of the printing press may have a prescribed printing unit with a stamp for printing on the 3-dimensional object by means of stamp printing. Particularly in the case of continuously running carousel machines, it can preferably be provided that the stamping pressure is also formed continuously and not intermittently through the mechanical positioning systems which are already mentioned as examples and which are already mentioned above. This can be achieved according to the invention in that the punches on the rotatable wheel of the printing unit and the surfaces to be printed recorded in the printing stations of the carousel machine 3-dimensional objects on the machine wheel with the same radians, ie an identical or similar radians with preferably less than 10th % Deviation, are arranged and move at the same circumferential speed, in particular an identical or similar peripheral speed, preferably less than 10% deviation, so that the consecutively arranged punches on the rotating wheel arrange the rollers arranged in each case at the peripheral edge in successive printing stations. printing on dimensional objects by means of stamp printing when touching the surface of the 3-dimensional objects by the stamp. Since the punches move on the rotatable wheel at the same circumferential speed as the machine wheel of the carousel machine, the three-dimensional objects in the individual printing machines of the printing stations of the carousel machine are thus printed one after the other by the next stamp.

According to the invention, it is therefore proposed that a gearwheel-like other gear is arranged on the outer circle of the outer surface of the surface to be printed, which is operated at the same or almost the same peripheral speed as the carousel. The drive is thus synchronized with the carousel. On this wheel, the multiple stamps are arranged according to the invention, the are arranged in the same or almost equal pitch as the objects to be printed on the circumference of the carousel in the printing stations. This wheel with the punches is either connected to the digital press or pushed so to the digital press, that the stamps touch the surface of the 3-dimensional objects for printing sufficiently to perform the stamp printing.

Ideally, the wheel has the same radians between the punches or tampons as the objects on the digital press. However, this would occur with differently sized enveloping circles to be printed on the 3-dimensional objects to be printed, which are produced when e.g. To stamp objects of different diameters on their outside are lead to different sheet dimensions. This different radians could be compensated according to the invention by appropriate format parts for each object diameter. However, the installation and adjustment of such formats are expensive.

Therefore, instead of using format parts, it is proposed according to a particularly preferred further development that the radian measure between two successive punches be between a minimum radian measure and a maximum radian measure between three surfaces of the 3-dimensional objects to be imprinted in two successive individual 3-dimensional presses Objects of minimal extent (minimum radians) and for 3-dimensional objects of maximum extent (maximum radians). Preferably, the radians between two consecutive punches correspond exactly to the median between the minimum radians and the maximum radians. If this radian measure is entered as the graduation of the stamp, then a smaller or larger radian measure on the digital printing press between the stamp and the object surface to be printed will be followed by a relative slip referred to hereinafter as slippage. occur depending on the extent of the 3-dimenional object (greater or smaller than the mean) once positive and negative once. According to the invention, it has been found that this slippage can be tolerated since it is usually a fraction of the printing width of a logo in the stamping printing. This will be explained below with reference to a concrete numerical example, without the concept described being restricted to precisely this specific example.

The radian measure of an object outline on a printing machine with 48 stations and 2.3 m pitch diameter varies when printing on e.g. 3-dimensional objects with 50 to 100 mm diameter between 157.08 mm and 153.80 mm. The mean value is therefore 155.44 mm. Since a typical logo in stamp printing (i.e., as defined in the "classic" stamp printing or in pad printing) has a size of about 9 mm printing width, the path to be printed is therefore 5.7% of the radian measure.

The difference between the movement of the average value on the punch wheel (ie, the rotatable wheel with the multiple punches) and the 3-dimensional object on the carousel printing machine during the stamping pressure is therefore approximately 5.7% of the difference of the two sheet dimensions in 3-dimensional objects with the largest and smallest diameter, ie maximum and minimum extent. This radian measure difference results absolutely in the numerical example thus to approx. 1, 63 mm and the approx. 5,7% of it are 0,09 mm, thus less than 1/10 mm. This difference can be neglected according to the invention, so that it is possible with a single division of the rotatable wheel with the multiple punches (stamp wheel) to print all the different object sizes of the 3-dimensional objects in the stamp printing.

Nevertheless, according to a further development according to the invention, it is proposed to reduce or avoid slippage. For this purpose, it can be provided that the actuators for positioning the to-be-printed 3-dimensional object in front of the stamp are adapted to the 3-dimensional object during stamp printing in or against the direction of the surface of the 3-dimensional object to be printed, in a carousel machine so in or against the circumferential direction of movement of the machine wheel of the carousel machine to move. As a result, the pressure travel path is lengthened or shortened and, at the same time, a quasi-rolling movement is achieved with the object diameter of the 3-dimensional objects deviating from the mean value, as in the case of toothed wheels between the punch and the surface of the 3-dimensional object to be imprinted.

According to the invention, this can be achieved particularly simply by arranging the actuators for positioning the 3-dimensional object to be printed in front of the stamp to the 3-dimensional object during the stamping printing by determining the direction and speed of the movement of the 3-dimensional object that the peripheral speed of the surface of the 3-dimensional object to be printed corresponds to the peripheral speed of the punches on the rotary wheel. In a simple way, the turntable on which the object stands and which is driven by a servomotor or other suitable controllable motor can be correspondingly rotated during the stamping pressure in order to lengthen or shorten the pressure path. For this purpose, the motor of the turntable, on which the 3-dimensional object stands, is rotated in or against the circumferential direction during the stamping or stamping operation. Thus, the peripheral speed of the surface to be printed of the object is either increased (when rotated in the circumferential direction of rotation of the carousel machine) or slowed down (when rotated against the circumferential direction of rotation of the carousel machine). Thus, according to the invention, there is a possibility of matching the circumferential speed of the stamp or tampon and the surface to be printed to one another. According to the invention, a control device which controls the components of the printing press according to the invention in the manner described can be provided for controlling the digital printing and the stamp printing. For this purpose, the control device has a processor device, which is set up in particular by means of suitable program code means for executing the individual control steps. In view of the above-described application, the control device is also set up to determine the rotation of the 3-dimensional object according to the calculation described by way of example, to determine the circumferential speed of the surface of the object to be printed and to set it accordingly. For this purpose, the expansion of the 3-dimensional object is also known, preferably by a corresponding input and / or detection by means of a sensor, for example a camera. According to the invention, the printing press can also be designed as a clock machine in which several turntables are arranged in a predominantly radian measure, preferably equidistant, on a rotatable machine wheel and a plurality of printing stations are arranged in front of the outer circumference of the machine wheel in a distance corresponding to the prevailing radian measure of the turntable, that in a rotational position of the machine wheel in each case a turntable is arranged in front of a printing station, wherein a plurality of printing stations have at least one ink jet print head for digital printing and at least one printing station has a printing unit with a punch for carrying out the stamp printing. According to the invention, in clock machines in which several individual stations are arranged next to one another, each station has its own stamp. In the case of cycle machines which apply different colors in digital printing successively in different printing stations, it is also proposed according to a preferred embodiment to print the printing unit for the stamp printing in one of the printing stations with the digital color printing, preferably the last printing station with digital color printing, or to arrange in a separate printing station. The separate printing station is preferably arranged downstream of the printing stations for digital printing. In this arrangement, the stamping can be done in a cycle machine with only a small additional time.

Conceivable and according to the invention it would also be advantageous to reorient the 3-dimensional objects after leaving the cycle machine and subsequently to print them successively in a stamp printing process since the stamp printing process only takes a fraction of the time (processing or printing time) compared to digital printing. needed. This is particularly advantageous in the event that the printing press can have a separate machine part for the digital printing and a separate machine part for the stamp printing, for example because there is room in the treatment line for such an arrangement. Then this solution can be integrated very easily into an existing system and the stamp printing can be supplemented without reducing the usual clock rate. Possibly. It is also possible to arrange a plurality of stations with stamp printing correspondingly one after the other in a cycle machine in order to achieve the desired clock rate. In one embodiment, the printing unit can also be integrated in a machine part of the printing press in which the ink jet print heads are located, or in another machine part of the printing press, which is different from the machine part with the ink jet print heads (9). This makes it possible to execute the stamp printing process either directly following the digital printing process in the machine part of the printing press with the inkjet heads themselves or in a downstream machine part and, for example, apply the desired logo with the stamp. In the second case, the stamp printing can also take place at a decoupled time from the digital print, possibly even detached from a carousel arrangement of the printing machine for digital printing. In other words, the 3-dimensional objects of the a machine part of the printing press with the inkjet printheads are transported by a suitable conveyor to another machine part with the stamp printing unit. Due to the flexible design possibility and the elastic, the form of the surface to be printed of the 3-dimensional object (within the limits of the given elasticity) adapting shape is particularly advantageous according to the invention when the printing unit has a tampon as a stamp in the sense of a structureless, elastic pressure body , which receives the ink by pressing on a die, which is also referred to as a cliché, in which a print image desired ink-filled depression is provided. Thus, by replacing the die and the motif or logo of the stamp printing can be easily changed. A preferred use of the printing machine according to the invention provides for the use of stamp printing for such prints which can not be achieved with inks which can be used in inkjet print heads. This applies in particular to security applications in which the authenticity of the imprint is determined by specific properties which can be measured without contact, in particular with sensors. For this case, it can be provided according to the invention that the printing ink for the stamp printing is a security ink which is not processable in ink jet print heads in terms of pigment size and / or other properties, such as flow behavior or the like. In order to simply switch on and off the application of a stamping print to a 3-dimensional object, in addition to a direct control of the stamp, it can also be provided according to the invention that the printing unit has an inking device with a controllable mechanism which is adapted to retract the inking device, if not 3- dimenional object to be printed. This can be provided, for example. if there is no 3-dimensional object in the printing station for the stamp printing or if there is no print command for the special 3-dimensional object in the printing station. Thus, according to the invention, therefore, it is proposed to provide the stamp with ink only when a pressure is to be actually released. Whenever either no 3-dimensional object is at the printing position for the stamp printing or such an object is not to be printed for whatever reason, no printing ink is applied to the stamp. In the case of a tampon as a stamp, the inking device, which provides the die, from which a tampon takes over the ink, with ink, are briefly retracted mechanically for color transfer, so that the die remains without color. For this purpose, it is sufficient to withdraw a paint roller to a short distance. Such a movement is technically unproblematic to realize by means of a cam or servo drives. For classic punches, the die roller is eliminated and the ink roller is applied directly to the punch. Here, the method described above applies equally. Then the inking roller is withdrawn compared to the classic stamp, which should get no inking. Furthermore, the invention proposes that the printing press has a common drying and / or curing device which hardens or dries the printing ink used for the digital printing of the inkjet printheads and the printing ink used for the stamp printing together, for example by UV light. The stamping ink is then cured or dried together with the digital printing ink.

Further advantages, features and applications will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and the drawings. All the described and / or illustrated features, alone or in any combination, form the subject matter of the present invention. Independent of their summary in the claims or their back references.

Show it:

Fig. 1 a trained as a single printing press printing machine according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is designed as a carousel printing press according to a further embodiment of the invention, wherein at each print station of the carousel printing machine, a single-printing machine according to FIG. 1 can be arranged; and

Fig. 3 is a trained as a clock machine printing machine with fixed, non-rotating printheads and a printing station for the stamp printing according to another embodiment of the invention.

In Fig. 1, designed as a single-printing press printing machine 1 is shown schematically with the essential components of the invention. The printing machine 1 has four ink jet printing heads 9 for the various printing inks, such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K), and an actuator-driven turntable 8 for receiving a 3-dimensional object 7 is formed in the illustrated embodiment as a bottle. This application with a bottle 7 is particularly preferred according to the invention.

The turntable 8 with actuator is designed to place the 3-dimensional object 7 in front of the ink jet print head 9 and to rotate about its own axis. During rotation of the 3-dimensional object 7 in front of an ink-jet printhead 9, the surface of the 3-dimensional object 7 becomes known manner digitally printed. For this purpose, ink droplets are sprayed onto the surface during the rotation of the object 7 as needed (drop-on-demand method), so that the individual drops of ink on the surface produce the desired printed image. In multi-color images, each ink jet head 9 prints its color on a pixel of the surface. Mixed colors are created by printing different colors together. In the illustrated arrangement are each two inkjet printheads 9 in a plane of rotation. In this case, a total printing in four colors is produced such that the turntable positions and rotates the 3-dimensional object in succession in each of the two rotational planes in front of the inkjet printheads 9. The height adjustment is indicated by the two double arrows in the vertical direction.

In contrast to such a structure, it is also possible in principle to arrange the inkjet printheads 9 so distributed in a plane of rotation about the 3-dimensional object 7 that, during the rotation in this one plane of rotation, all the colors pass through the inkjet printheads onto the surface of the 3-dimensional object to be imprinted Object 7 are printed. According to the invention, the printing machine 1 additionally has a printing unit 22 with a stamp 5 for printing on the 3-dimensional object 7 by means of a separate printing of a marking or a logo carried out as stamp printing. For this purpose, the 3-dimensional object 7 is aligned by means of actuators in front of the punch 5, that the printing takes place at a predetermined position of the 3-dimensional object 7 by the punch 5 is pressed by the printing unit 22 on the surface of the object 7. For this purpose, the object is still located on the driven turntable 7, which is positioned in such a way in front of the printing unit 22 that the stamp can be pressed onto the desired position of the 3-dimensional object 7. This is indicated in FIG. 1 by the arrow pointing to the object 7. In the printing unit 22, an inking device 23 is further provided, with which the ink is applied to the punch 5. In the in Fig. 1, the stamp 5 is formed as a classic stamp with a raised, dimensionally stable printing form, which forms the motif to be printed, which is printed there when stamping the stamp 5 on the 3-dimensional object 7 in the stamp printing. In this case, the inking device 23 may simply comprise an ink pad 6, also referred to as an ink pad, onto which the stamp 5 is pressed by means of a mechanism. For this purpose, the punch 5 is pivotally mounted in the illustrated example. Then, the same adjustment of the printing unit 22, with which the punch 5 is pressed onto the surface of the 3-dimensional object 7, also be used to press the punch 5 for the application of the ink on the ink pad 6. This is shown in FIG. 1, in which a punch 5 is shown both in the printing position in front of the 3-dimensional object and in front of the stamp pad 6, wherein the adjustment is indicated by the arrow between the two positions. In a real stamp printing, these positions are controlled one after the other. The inventive process of printing the 3-dimensional object 7 in the printing press 1 can according to the invention proceed such that an object to be printed 7 set on the turntable 8 of the trained as a single station printing station 1 and - in the presentation - moved up and between the Ink jet printheads 9 is placed. By rotating the turntable 8, the surface of the 3-dimensional object for digital printing on the drop-on-demand principle is guided past the inkjet printheads 9. After digital printing, the object 7 is lowered again on the turntable 8 by means of the actuator. After lowering the object 7, for example, into the starting position, into which the task of the 3-dimensional object 7 into the printing machine 7 takes place, the surface to be stamped of the 3-dimensional object 7 is rotated in front of the punch 5 by the actuator of the turntable 8 and this pressed by his not drawn in detail mechanism on the object 7. The punch 5 is then pressed onto the ink pad 6 to be ready for the next stamping operation. Alternatively, this can also be done before a stamping process. Thus, digital printing can be combined according to the invention in a simple printing machine 1 with the stamp printing. According to the invention, it is also possible to arrange the printing unit 22 in the printing press 1 in the plane of rotation with part or all of the inkjet printing heads 9. 2, a further embodiment of a printing press 3 according to the invention is shown, which is designed as a carousel machine with multiple printing stations. The individual printing stations are formed on a rotating machine wheel 24. For this purpose, a single printing press according to the printing press 1 are arranged at each printing station. One of these single-pressure printing machines 1 is shown in FIG. 2, wherein a turntable 14 corresponding to the turntable 4 of FIG. 1, four ink-jet printheads 9 arranged in a plane of rotation about the turntable 14 and a printing unit 22 with a stamp 5 are provided. that also lies in the one plane of rotation. By the term "a plane of rotation" is meant that the turntable 14 is arranged in an axial position and both the digital printing and the stamping of a recorded on the turntable 14 and rotating 3-dimensional object 7 takes place in this plane. The individual printing stations with the individual printing machines 1 are each arranged on the outer peripheral edge of a machine wheel 24 with the machine wheel 24 and preferably in a predominantly radian measure 12 equidistant. For the sake of simplicity, in the schematic illustration of FIG. 2, the individual printing stations are represented by illustration of the turntables 14, which are arranged in a radian measure 12 of the pitch on the machine wheel 24 of the carousel. On a turntable 14, for example, a bottle 7 is shown as a 3-dimensional object 7. In a known manner, the task of the 3-dimensional objects 7 on the printing machine 3 by means of an inlet star wave 19 as an inlet device. Accordingly, an outlet starwave 20 is provided as a discharge device, with which the 3-dimensional objects 7 are removed again after the treatment on the printing machine 3. The inlet starwave 19 and the outlet sternwave 20 are arranged tangentially on the machine wheel 24 of the printing press 3 and are respectively connected via an object inlet 10 or object outlet 11 to a further transport system, not shown, for the 3-dimensional objects 7. The course of the treatment is as follows: The 3-dimensional objects 7 travel over the inlet starwave 19 on the continuously rotating carousel of the printing press 3, on which the stations for the individual printing presses 1 are provided with ink jet printheads 9 in a regular division. As a rule, all individual printing machines 1 are mounted. At the inlet of the objects 7 from the inlet starwave 19, the objects 7 are placed in the single-printing machine 1 on the turntable 14, which are driven by an apparent in Figure 1 at the turntable 8 motor drive. The digital printing takes place as described in relation to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, while the individual printing machine 1 continues to rotate continuously on the machine wheel 24 of the printing machine 3. Subsequently, the objects 7 as described in the embodiment of FIG. 1, aligned for the stamp printing. After the stamp printing, the finished printed objects are then removed from the printing machine 3 again via the outlet starwave.

According to a first embodiment of the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the stamp printing can take place by means of the printing unit 22, which operates as described with reference to FIG. In this case, such a printing unit 22 is integrated into each individual printing press 1 of the printing machine 3.

Another second embodiment of the stamp printing is also shown in Fig. 2, without the two configurations must be necessarily combined. According to the invention, in this second embodiment the printing unit 22 in the individual printing presses 1 of the printing machine 3 can be dispensed with. In such a case, the individual printing machine 1 - in otherwise the same structure - so be formed without the printing unit 22. Instead, the printing press 3 has a printing unit 25 for the stamp printing, which is fixedly adjacent to the machine wheel 24, i. not co-rotating with the machine wheel 24 of the printing machine 1, is arranged such a stamp 5 touches a recorded on the turntable 14 3-dimensional object 7 in a rotational position of the machine wheel 24 and performs the stamping pressure. As a result, each 3-dimensional object in a single-printing machine can be printed by the printing unit 25 with the stamping pressure during the rotation of the machine wheel 24.

For this purpose, the printing unit 25 has a rotatable wheel 15, also referred to as a punch wheel, on the peripheral edge of which several punches 5 are formed. The rotatable wheel 15 is arranged and arranged to rotate past the 3-dimensional objects 7 to be printed in the printing press 3 so that the punches 7 touch the surface of the objects 7 to be printed on the position of the surface which is radially outward relative to the printing machine 3. With the machine wheel 24 (carousel) of the printing press 3 rotates at the same peripheral speed, the rotatable wheel 15, ideally in contant same sheet length 12 (radians) between two to be printed 3-dimensional objects 7 in successive printing stations two consecutive punch 5 on the stamp wheel 15 with the same arc length 13 (radians) are spaced. As a result, in the continuous operation of the printing machine 3, that is, with continuous rotation of the machine wheel 24, a stamp printing feasible.

The 3-dimensional objects 7 to be printed in the printing machine 3 may have a different extension, i. from the center of the turntable 14 different radial (relative to the printing press 3) project. If the object 7 is greater than an average between a maximum and a minimum extent of the (various) 3-dimensional objects 7 to be printed on the printing machine 3, its radians 12 are slightly larger than the radians 13 and the peripheral speed of the wheel 15 (Stamp wheel) with the stamps. This can be neglected in most cases, but can be proposed according to the invention to correct for larger deviations with the drive of the turntable 14 by this is rotated either to slow down against the circumferential direction of rotation of the carousel 3 or for a desired faster peripheral speed of the object. 7 is rotated in the circumferential direction of rotation. This has already been explained by way of example.

In the illustrated example of the printing unit 25 this is formed with the already explained tampons as a stamp 5 on the rotatable wheel 15 (stamp wheel). These tampons get their form to be printed (respectively the motif to be printed) by also referred to as a cliché matrices 21, the on a Matrizen wheel 16 are mounted with the same pitch 13 and which is driven together with the rotatable wheel 15 (stamp wheel) with the tampons. These matrices 21 get their inking with ink by an inking roller 17, which is also driven synchronously with the Matrizenrad 16 and the stamp wheel 15. In the event that no 3-dimenional object 7 is to be printed with the stamp printing, for example because such an object 7 is missing in the corresponding printing station of the printing machine 3 or because no printing command for the existing there object 7, a mechanism 18 for Retracting the inking roller 17 provided. If there is no application of ink to the die 21 and / or the stamp 5, there is no stamping pressure on the object. In a trained as a classic stamp punch 5 is missing the die wheel 16 with the matrices 21, as classic stamp wear the information to be stamped in their design. In the case of the absence of an object 7 or the command of not stamping for an object 7, the inking roller 17 for the time it would be in contact with the corresponding die 21 (or the punch 5 on the punch wheel 15), that is by the mechanism of Mechanism 18 retracted so that the corresponding die 21 (or the corresponding punch 5) is rotated past without paint job. Thereafter, the inking roller 17 pivots back for the application of paint on the subsequent die 21 or the subsequent stamp 5, if this (r) should get a paint job.

Both embodiments, i. the first embodiment with the printing unit 22 and the second embodiment with the printing unit 25, both of which are shown in Fig. 2, according to the invention can be used individually or combined.

Finally, FIG. 3 shows, as a further embodiment of the invention, a timing machine as a printing machine 4, in which a plurality of turntables 14 are mounted in a counter-rotating machine. just radians are arranged equidistantly on a rotatable machine wheel 2 and a plurality of printing stations are arranged in front of the outer circumference of the machine wheel 2 in a vorvoreben the radians of the turntable 14 so that in a rotational position of the machine wheel 2 each a turntable 14 is arranged in front of the printing station, wherein a plurality Print stations have at least one inkjet printhead 9 for digital printing and a printing station has a printing unit 22 with a punch 5 for carrying out the stamping printing. The inlet or outlet takes place via an object inlet 10 or an object outlet 11.

In a cyclically operating printing machine 4, in which in each printing station another process step, for example, a pressure or a process step, not shown, such. a drying takes place, are following the object feed 10 following several successive printing stations drawn with the inkjet print heads 9, to which successively the 3-dimensional objects 7 are conveyed on the turntables of the machine wheel 2 at an angle α. After completing the digital printing, the object 7 is then aligned on the turntable 14 on which it is located so that the point to be printed in the printing station before the punch 5 of the printing unit 22 is positioned. A stamping is done by means of stamp 5 before the object in the object outlet 1 1 is removed again from the machine 2.

As in the entire description of the various embodiments, the stamp 5 can be designed as a classic stamp for classic stamp printing or as a pad for pad printing. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 printing press

2 rotatable machine wheel

3 printing press

4 printing machine

5 stamps

6 ink pads

7 designed as a bottle 3-dimensional object

8 turntable with actuator

9 inkjet printhead

10 object feed

1 1 object outlet

12 radians of division at the carousel

13 radians of division at the stamp wheel

14 turntable

15 rotatable wheel

16 die wheel

17 inking roller

18 Mechanism for retracting the inking roller

19 incoming star wave

20 outlet star wave

21 matrix

22 printing unit

23 paint applicator

24 machine wheel

25 printing unit

Claims

claims

1 . Printing machine for digitally printing 3-dimensional objects (7) with at least one ink-jet printhead (9) and a turntable (8, 14) for receiving the 3-dimensional object (7), the turntable (8, 14) being designed to placing the object (7) in front of the inkjet printhead (9) and rotating it about its own axis so that the surface of the 3-dimensional object (7) to be imprinted passes the inkjet printhead (9) for digital printing, characterized in that the printing machine (1, 3, 4) has at least one printing unit (22, 25) with a stamp (5) for printing the 3-dimensional object (7) by means of a separate printing of a marking or a logo executed as a stamping pressure.

2. Printing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that actuators are provided, which are adapted to position the printing 3-dimensional object (7) in front of the punch (5).

3. Printing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the printing unit (22, 25) has a mechanical feed unit which is adapted to print the punch (5) after a triggering signal on the 3-dimensional object (7).

4. Printing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the mechanical feed unit has a mechanism which presses the punch (5) on the surface of the 3-dimensional object (7).

5. Printing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the printing unit (25) has a plurality of punches (5) which are arranged on a rotatable wheel (15), wherein the rotatable wheel (15) arranged and inserted to this is aimed to rotate past the printing on 3-dimensional objects (7) in the printing press so that the stamp (5) touching the surface of the 3-dimensional objects (7) to be printed.

6. Printing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing machine (3) is designed as a carousel machine with a plurality of printing stations, which are arranged on the outer peripheral edge of a machine wheel (24) in a vorvoreven radians (12) and in each case a single-printing machine (1 ) for digital printing of 3 - dimensional objects (7) with at least one ink jet print head (9) and a turntable (14) for receiving the 3 - dimensional object (7), wherein the machine wheel (24) with the printing stations during printing of the 3-dimensional objects (7) each rotated at a predetermined peripheral speed.

7. Printing machine according to claim 5 and 6, characterized in that the punch (5) on the rotatable wheel (15) of the printing unit (25) and the surfaces to be printed recorded in the printing stations of the carousel 3-dimensional objects (7) the machine wheel (24) with the same radians (12, 13) are arranged and move at the same peripheral speed, so that the successively arranged punch (5) on the rotating wheel (15) arranged in each case at the peripheral edge printing stations 3-dimensional objects (7) print by means of stamp printing.

8. Printing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the radian measure (13) lies between two successive punches (5) between a minimum radian measure (12) and a maximum radian measure (12) extending between surfaces of the 3-dimensional objects to be printed (7) in two consecutive individual printing machines (1) for 3-dimenionale Give objects (7) of minimal extent and for 3-dimensional objects (7) of maximum extent.

9. Printing machine according to one of claims 2 and 5 to 8, character- ized in that the actuators for positioning the to be printed

3-dimensional object (7) in front of the punch (5) are adapted to move the 3-dimensional object (7) during the stamping in or against the direction of the surface to be printed of the 3-dimensional object (7).

10. Printing machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the actuators for positioning the to be printed 3-dimensional object (7) in front of the punch (5) are adapted to the 3-dimensional object (7) during the stamping printing by determining the direction and speed of movement of the 3-dimensional object (7) to be such that the peripheral speed of the surface of the 3-dimensional object (7) to be printed corresponds to the peripheral speed of the punches (5) on the rotatable wheel (15).

1 1. Printing machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the printing press (4) is formed as a clock machine, wherein a plurality of turntables (14) in a vorvoreven radian measure on a rotatable machine wheel (2) is arranged and a plurality of printing stations in front of the outer periphery of In a rotary position of the machine wheel (2) in each case a turntable (14) is arranged in front of the printing station, wherein a plurality of printing stations at least one ink jet print head ( 9) for digital printing and a printing station has a printing unit (22) with a punch (5) for carrying out the stamping printing.

12. Printing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing unit (25) as a punch (5) has a tampon, which receives the ink by pressing on a die (21), in which a desired print image, filled with ink Well is provided.

13. Printing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing unit (25) has an inking roller (17) for applying printing ink by means of a controllable mechanism (18), wherein the controllable mechanism (18) is adapted to the inking roller ( 17), if no 3-dimenional object (7) is to be printed.

14. Printing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing unit (22, 25) in a machine part of the printing machine (1) is integrated, in which the ink jet print heads (9) are located, or in another machine part of the printing press (3 , 4) which is different from the machine part with the inkjet printheads (9).

15. Printing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing ink for the stamp printing is a security ink, which is not processable in ink jet print heads (9) with respect to the pigment size.

16. Printing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing press (1, 3, 4) has a common drying and / or curing device for the digital printing and the stamp printing.