EP3044004B1 - Printer for printing on 3-dimensional objects - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a printing machine 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 a plurality of inkjet printheads having, for example, various inks such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and / or black (K) and a turntable for receiving the 3-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 ink droplets on the surface if necessary drop-on-demand), past the inkjet printhead or 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 clock 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) performance 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 3-dimensional body to be printed.

All solutions have in common 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 usually not suitable for printing by means of inkjet printheads.

Often, however, such imprints are required on such decorations, which must be done by means of special inks, e.g. the application of a deposit logo for 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 typically applied to the waist circumference of a 3-dimensional object, such as a garment. 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 sleeves, 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 DE 10 2007 020 635 A1 describes the use of security ink in an item identification system.

The DE 29 38 026 A1 discloses a stamp device with a matrix printer as a variable stamp element.

The WO 03/106177 A2 discloses an apparatus for surface treating parts having a plurality of different processing stations at which different machining processes are performed. The machining processes include printing on the parts using inkjet printheads, as well as screen printing, offset printing, flexographic printing, or gravure printing. Furthermore The device has a conveying unit embodied as a rotary transfer machine, which transports the parts to predetermined stationary positions at the stationary processing stations. After transport, the rotary transfer machine stands still for the processing time on the parts. After processing, ie, in cycles, the rotary transfer machine is then rotated further to handle a next part in the respective processing station.

From the WO 2009/018892 A1 Different devices for printing on containers are known. A device describes a direct printing of the container with ink jet printheads, which are switched on and off for the partial printing by an ink jet printhead from the printing position is movable and another printhead is movable into the printing position. In addition, the disclosed WO 2009/018892 A1 a different device for printing the containers by means of a transfer printing, is printed with the ink jet print heads on transfer pads (and not directly on the container), which transfer the image by rolling on the respective container. The transfer pads and the containers are moved at different speeds, which roll the transfer pads on the surface of the container.

In the US 2009/0205516 For example, a method of directly printing on bottles by inkjet printing is described, wherein variations in bottle size due to manufacturing tolerances are compensated for by determining the dimensions of the bottles and calculating correction amounts for the drive.

In the DE 10 2013 208 061 A1 a generic device for printing on containers according to the preamble of claim 1 is described.

The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a possibility to provide such digitally decorated objects in large numbers with imprints that require non-inkjetdruckfähige printing 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 also an inking 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 inking 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 in addition to a classic stamp or stamp printing and the terms "tampon" and "pad printing" with a. 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 with the printing ink can be rolled over the die and the ink not absorbed 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 location 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 perform the printing, the printing unit has a mechanical feed unit, which is adapted to print the stamp on the triggering signal on the 3-dimensional object. 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 feed unit can be a, in particular designed as an adjustable cylinder, i. linearly adjusting, have mechanics that presses the stamp on the surface of the 3-dimensional object.

An alternative to an adjusting cylinder as a delivery unit forms the inventively provided 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.

In this case, 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 over so that the stamp the surface touch 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 a on / clamping eg. On a turntable, aligned by means of suitable adjustment, such as servomotors, so in front of the stamp that the stamping pressure can be applied to a designated location. The stamp can thereby according to the invention in a single-printing machine by means of a mechanism, for example by an adjustable cylinder, pressed onto the object surface and so a corresponding impression can be generated.

According to the invention, the printing machine is designed as a carousel machine with a plurality of printing stations, which at the outer peripheral edge of a machine wheel, i. on the machine wheel co-rotating, are preferably arranged equidistant in a vorvoreben Bogenmaß and are each designed as a single printing machine for digital printing of 3-dimensional objects with at least one inkjet printhead or more inkjet printheads and a turntable for receiving the 3-dimensional object, wherein the machine wheel with the Printing stations rotated during the printing of the 3-dimensional objects in each case a preferably constant, predetermined peripheral speed.

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 more 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 a discharge device, with which the 3-dimensional object is again executed after digital printing from the single-printing machine of the printing press. 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.

In particular, in continuously running carousel machines can be provided to form the stamping pressure continuously and not intermittently by the example already mentioned back and forth mechanical actuating systems. This is inventively achieved in that the stamp 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, i. an identical or similar radian measure with preferably less than 10% deviation, are arranged and move at the same peripheral speed, in particular an identical or similar peripheral speed, preferably less than 10% deviation, so that the successively arranged stamp on the rotating wheel in each printing on the peripheral edge in successive printing stations 3-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 be the case with differently sized enveloping circles to be printed on the 3-dimensional objects to be printed, which arise 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 one sets this radian measure as a division of the stamp, so is smaller or larger radians on the digital press between the stamp and the object surface to be printed in the following also called slip relative motion which is positive once and negative once, depending on the extent of the 3-dimensional object (greater or smaller than the median). 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 press with 48 stations and 2.3 m pitch diameter varies with 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 difference results in the numerical example in absolute terms therefore about 1.63 mm and the approximately 5.7% of which are 0.09 mm, that is less than 1/10 mm. This difference can be neglected according to the invention, so that it is possible to print with a single division of the rotatable wheel with the multiple punches (Stempelrad) all 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 motion as in the case of toothed wheels between the punch and the surface of the 3-dimensional object to be printed is achieved when the object diameter of the 3-dimensional objects deviates from the mean value.

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 on each other.

According to the invention, a control device can be provided for controlling the digital printing and the stamping pressure, which controls the components of the printing press according to the invention in the manner described. 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 extent 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.

There are also printing machines, which are designed as a timing machine, in which a plurality of turntables in a vorvoreven radians, preferably equidistant, are arranged on a rotatable machine wheel and a plurality of printing stations in front of the outer periphery of the machine wheel in a vorvoreben the radians of the turntable corresponding distance are arranged in that, in each case, a turntable is arranged in front of a printing station in a rotational position of the machine wheel, wherein a plurality of printing stations have at least one inkjet print head for digital printing and at least one print station has a printing unit with a stamp for carrying out the stamping printing. In clock machines in which several individual stations are arranged side by side, each station can have its own stamp. In the case of cycle machines which apply different colors in digital printing successively in different printing stations, it is proposed that 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 requires only a fraction of the time (processing or printing time) compared to digital printing. 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.

A printing unit can also be integrated into a machine part of the printing press in which the ink jet print heads are located. According to the invention, the printing unit is integrated in another machine part of the printing machine, 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 printing, possibly even detached from a carousel arrangement of the printing press 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 eliminates the die roller and the ink roller is applied directly to the stamp. Here, the method described above applies equally. Then the inking roller is withdrawn compared to the classic stamp, which should get no inking.

It is further proposed according to the invention that the printing press has a common drying and / or curing device which cures or dries together, for example, the printing ink of the inkjet printing heads used for digital printing and the printing ink used for the stamp printing. 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 described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination form the subject matter of the present invention Invention, also independent of their summary in the claims or their back references.

Fig 1.

eine bekannte, als Einzeldruckmaschine ausgebildete Druckmaschine;

Fig. 2

eine als Karusselldruckmaschine ausgebildete Druckmaschine gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung, wobei an Druckstationen der Karusselldruckmaschine jeweils eine Einzeldruckmaschine gemäß Fig. 1 angeordnet sein kann; und

Fig. 3

eine bekannte, als Taktmaschine ausgebildete Druckmaschine mit feststehenden, nicht umlaufenden Druckköpfen und einer Druckstation für den Stempeldruck.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a known, designed as a single printing press;

Fig. 2

a trained as a carousel printing press according to an embodiment of the invention, wherein at printing stations of the carousel printing press in each case a single-printing machine according to Fig. 1 can be arranged; and

Fig. 3

a known, trained as a cycle machine printing machine with fixed, non-rotating printheads and a printing station for the stamp printing.

In Fig. 1 is designed as a single-printing press 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 inkjet printheads 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 if necessary (drop-on-demand method), so that the individual ink droplets 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 so that the turntable positions and rotates the 3-dimensional object one after another in each of the two planes of rotation in front of the ink-jet 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 in Fig. 1 indicated by the pointing to the object 7 arrow.

In the printing unit 22, an inking device 23 is further provided, with which the ink is applied to the punch 5. At the in Fig. 1 As shown, 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 in Fig. 1 shown, in which a punch 5 is shown both in the printing position in front of the 3-dimensional object and in front of the ink 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. In the starting position, in the task of the 3-dimensional object 7 is carried out in the printing press 7, is rotated by the actuator of the turntable 8 to be punched surface of the 3-dimensional objects 7 in front of the punch 5 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.

In Fig. 2 a further embodiment of a printing machine 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 in Fig. 2 located, with a turntable 4 off Fig. 1 in essential functions corresponding turntable 14, four arranged in a plane of rotation about the turntable 14 ink jet print heads 9 and a printing unit 22 are provided with punch 5, which also lies in 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 representation according to Fig. 2 the individual printing stations represented by representation of the turntable 14, which are arranged in a radian measure 12 of the division 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 star shaft 19 and the outlet star shaft 20 are arranged tangentially on the machine wheel 24 of the printing press 3 and are respectively connected via an object feed 10 or object outlet 11 with a further, not shown transport system 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 by a in FIG. 1 in the turntable 8 apparent motor are driven as a drive. The digital printing is performed as in the embodiment according to FIG Fig. 1 described while the single-printing machine 1 continues to rotate on the machine wheel 24 of the printing machine 3.

Subsequently, the objects 7 as in the embodiment according to Fig. 1 described, 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 stamping can be done by means of the printing unit 22, which as to Fig. 1 described works. 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 in Fig. 2 represented with, without the two configurations must necessarily be combined with each other. In this second embodiment can be dispensed according to the invention to the printing unit 22 in the individual printing presses 1 of the printing press 3. 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 machine 3 has a printing unit 25 for the stamping pressure, which is stationary adjacent to the machine wheel 24, that is not co-rotating with the machine wheel 24 of the printing machine 1, arranged such a punch 5 a recorded on the turntable 14 3-dimensional object. 7 touched in a rotational position of the machine wheel 24 and performs the stamping pressure. As a result, each 3-dimensional object can be printed in a single-printing machine during the rotation of the machine wheel 24 by the printing unit 25 with the stamp printing.

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 extent (based on the printing press 3) protrude. 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 die 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 Mechanics 18 withdrawn, so that the corresponding die 21 (or the corresponding punch 5) is rotated past without paint. 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, ie the first embodiment with the printing unit 22 and the second embodiment with the printing unit 25, both in Fig. 2 can be used according to the invention each individually or in combination.

Finally shows Fig. 3 as a further embodiment of the invention, a timing machine as a printing press 4, in which a plurality of turntable 14 in a vorvoreben 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 vorseheneven 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 of printing stations 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, following the object feed 10 following several successive printing stations drawn with the inkjet printheads 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 stamp printing is done by means of stamp 5, before the object is removed again in the object outlet 11 of 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 the pad printing.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

press

2

rotatable machine wheel

3

press

4

press

5

stamp

6

inkpad

7

designed as a bottle 3-dimensional object

8th

Turntable with actuator

9

Inkjet printhead

10

object feed

11

object outlet

12

Radians of division at the carousel

13

Radian 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

Feed star wave

20

Outlet star wave

21

die

22

printing unit

23

Inking device

24

Maschinenrad

25

printing unit

Claims (11)

1. A printer for digitally printing on 3-dimensional objects (7) with at least one inkjet print head (9) and one rotary table (14) for accommodating the 3-dimensional object (7), wherein the rotary table (14) is designed for positioning the object (7) in front of the inkjet print head (9) and for rotating the object about its own axis in order to guide the surface of the 3-dimensional object (7) to be printed past the inkjet print head (9) for digital printing, wherein the printer (3) features at least one printing unit (25) with a stamp (5) for separately printing a sign or a logo on the 3-dimensional object (7) by means of a stamp-printing process, wherein the printer (3) is realized in the form of a carousel machine with multiple printing stations, which are arranged on the outer circumferential edge of a machine wheel (24) in a predefined radiant measure (12) and respectively feature at least one inkjet print head (9) and one rotary table (14) for accommodating the 3-dimensional objects (7) in order to digitally print on the 3-dimensional objects (7), and wherein the machine wheel (24) with the printing stations respectively rotates with a predefined circumferential speed while printing on the 3-dimensional objects (7), characterized in that the printing unit (25) features a mechanical adjusting unit that is designed for pressing the stamp (5) on the 3-dimensional object (7) in response to a trigger signal, wherein the printing unit (25) features multiple stamps (5) that are arranged on a rotatable wheel (15), wherein the rotatable wheel (15) is arranged and designed for rotating past the 3-dimensional objects (7) to be printed in the printer (3) such that the stamps (5) contact the surface of the 3-dimensional objects (7) to be printed, and wherein the stamps (5) are arranged on the rotatable wheel (15) of the printing unit (25) and the surfaces to be printed of the 3-dimensional objects (7) accommodated in the printing stations of the carousel machine are arranged on the machine wheel (24) with the same radiant measure (12, 13) and move with the same circumferential speed such that the successively arranged stamps (5) on the rotating wheel (15) print on the 3-dimensional objects (7), which are respectively arranged in successive printing stations on the circumferential edge, by means of a stamp-printing process.
2. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that actuators are provided and designed for positioning the 3-dimensional object (7) to be printed in front of the stamp (5).
3. The printer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mechanical adjusting unit features a mechanism, which presses the stamp (5) on the surface of the 3-dimensional object (7).
4. The printer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radiant measure (13) between two successive stamps (5) lies between a minimum radiant measure (12) and a maximum radiant measure (12), which result for 3-dimensional objects (7) of minimum extent and for 3-dimensional objects (7) of maximum extent between surfaces to be printed of the 3-dimensional objects (7) in two successive individual printers (1).
5. The printer according to one of claims 2 and 4, characterized in that the actuators for positioning the 3-dimensional object (7) to be printed in front of the stamp (5) are designed for moving the 3-dimensional object (7) in or opposite to the direction of the surface to be printed of the 3-dimensional object (7) during the stamp-printing process.
6. The printer according to claim 5, characterized in that the actuators for positioning the 3-dimensional object (7) to be printed in front of the stamp (5) are designed for moving the 3-dimensional object (7) during the stamp-printing process in such a way that the circumferential speed of the surface to be printed of the 3-dimensional object (7) corresponds to the circumferential speed of the stamps (5) on the rotatable wheel (15) by defining the direction and the speed of the movement of the 3-dimensional object (7).
7. The printer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing unit (25) features a stamp (5) in the form of a pad, which absorbs the printing ink by being pressed on a stencil (21) with a recess that corresponds to the desired print image and is filled with printing ink.
8. The printer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing unit (25) features an inking roller (17) for applying printing ink by means of a controllable mechanism (18), wherein the controllable mechanism (18) is designed for retracting the inking roller (17) when no 3-dimensional object (7) should be printed.
9. The printer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing unit (25) is integrated into another machine part of the printer (3), which differs from the machine part with the inkjet print heads (9).
10. The printer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing ink for the stamp-printing process is a security ink, which cannot be processed in inkjet print heads (9) with respect to the pigment size.
11. The printer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printer (3) features a common drying and/or hardening device for the digital printing process and the stamp-printing process.

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