EP3388242A1 - Flachbettdrucksystem - Google Patents

Flachbettdrucksystem Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3388242A1
EP3388242A1 EP18165883.2A EP18165883A EP3388242A1 EP 3388242 A1 EP3388242 A1 EP 3388242A1 EP 18165883 A EP18165883 A EP 18165883A EP 3388242 A1 EP3388242 A1 EP 3388242A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
print
substrate
support surface
gripping
printing system
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP18165883.2A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Ronnie E.A. Blom
Anne A. Wind
Eduardus J.W. Van Vliembergen
Joseph A. Schulkes
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Canon Production Printing Holding BV
Original Assignee
Oce Holding BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Oce Holding BV filed Critical Oce Holding BV
Publication of EP3388242A1 publication Critical patent/EP3388242A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
    • B41J3/28—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing downwardly on flat surfaces, e.g. of books, drawings, boxes, envelopes, e.g. flat-bed ink-jet printers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/48—Apparatus for condensed record, tally strip, or like work using two or more papers, or sets of papers, e.g. devices for switching over from handling of copy material in sheet form to handling of copy material in continuous form and vice versa or point-of-sale printers comprising means for printing on continuous copy material, e.g. journal for tills, and on single sheets, e.g. cheques or receipts
    • B41J11/485—Means for selecting a type of copy material amongst different types of copy material in the printing apparatus
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J13/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
    • B41J13/10—Sheet holders, retainers, movable guides, or stationary guides
    • B41J13/103—Sheet holders, retainers, movable guides, or stationary guides for the sheet feeding section
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/08—Separating articles from piles using pneumatic force
    • B65H3/0808—Suction grippers
    • B65H3/0816—Suction grippers separating from the top of pile
    • B65H3/0833—Suction grippers separating from the top of pile and acting on the front part of the articles relatively to the final separating direction
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/08—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by grippers, e.g. suction grippers
    • B65H5/10—Reciprocating or oscillating grippers, e.g. suction or gripper tables
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/0085—Using suction for maintaining printing material flat
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/44—Moving, forwarding, guiding material
    • B65H2301/447—Moving, forwarding, guiding material transferring material between transport devices
    • B65H2301/4472—Suction grippers, e.g. moved in paths enclosing an area
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/44—Moving, forwarding, guiding material
    • B65H2301/447—Moving, forwarding, guiding material transferring material between transport devices
    • B65H2301/4474—Pair of cooperating moving elements as rollers, belts forming nip into which material is transported

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a flat bed printing system comprising a support surface for print substrates, which support surface defines a print area, a movable member arranged for translational movement relative to support surface and carrying a print head assembly for printing onto the print substrate on the print surface, and a control system for controlling operations of the movable member and of the print head assembly.
  • the movable member may comprise a gantry that extends over the entire width of the support surface and may carry a page-wide print head or a carriage on which the print head assembly is mounted and which is arranged to travel along the gantry so as to scan the support surface in two dimensions.
  • one or more print substrates e.g. sheets of paper
  • the operation of placing the print substrates on the support surface is in most cases performed manually.
  • an expensive robot system may be used for that purpose.
  • US 2010/0011979 A1 describes a method for inscribing identification plates. Plates are laid by hand on a transport groove. By means of a transport pin and a carrier arm, the plate is transported to a holding device. After fixing the plate, the plate is inscribed by means of an inscription head. Drawback of the US 2010/0011979 A1 is that during operation constant operator attention is required to manually place new plates.
  • the printing system comprises a print substrate storage device disposed outside the print area in a working area of the movable member, and a substrate gripping system arranged for joint movement with the movable member through the print area and capable of gripping and releasing the print substrates under control of the control system.
  • the substrate gripping system extends beyond the print area in a loading position for gripping a substrate from the print substrate storage device.
  • the movable member which carries the print head assembly is used as a tool for automatically fetching the print substrates from the storage device and placing them on the support surface. It is the insight of the inventor that by allowing the gripping system to extend outside the print area, the gripping system may be used to transfer substrates from a supply outside the print area onto the support surface.
  • the gripping system is moveable along with the movable member for positioning a gripped substrate at any desired location fitting within the print area.
  • the gripping system can preferably be moved over substantially the entire support surface.
  • a substrate position for a to be loaded substrate is selected or determined.
  • the substrate position may be input by an operator or selected by the control system in by comparing dimensions of the substrate to the available area on the support surface.
  • the control system controls the gripping system to position the substrate at the select position and then controls the print head assembly to print the substrate at the selected position.
  • the printing system may comprise detection means such as a camera to verify or determine the position of the substrate on the support surface.
  • the print area is defined as the area of the support surface which is within the printing range of the print head assembly so as to deposit ink on a substrate in said print area.
  • the working area has the same or similar size or dimensions as the printing area.
  • the working area of the gripping system is offset or displaced with respect to the printing area. On the side of the print substrate storage device, the working area extends beyond the print area.
  • control system is configured to control the gripping system to:
  • control system is configured to control the gripping system to:
  • control system is configured to receive print job information defining multiple print jobs and to control the gripping system to:
  • the substrate gripping system comprises an actuator for moving the substrate gripping system perpendicular to the support surface. After releasing a substrate, the gripping system is preferably raised to avoid it displacing or damaging the substrate.
  • the printing system comprises an actuator to raise and lower the gripping system with respect to the support surface.
  • the actuator is further configured to raise the print head carriage. The gripping system and the print head assembly are mounted together on said carriage. A single actuator then suffices for ensuring that the gripping system and the print head assembly do not contact the substrates loaded on the support surface.
  • the actuator is controlled to set the height of the gripping system based on a substrate thickness parameter provided to the control system.
  • the control system may e.g. comprise a media catalogue comprising thickness information for various substrate types.
  • the actuator is configured for vertical movement of the gripping system.
  • the actuator is configured to vertically move the print head carriage with the gripping system mounted thereon.
  • the print head assembly and the gripping system can thereby be moved in synchronous movement over the print area as well as perpendicular thereto.
  • the substrate storage device and the gripping system are configured for vertical movement of a substrate on the substrate storage device next to the support surface.
  • the vertical movement range of the gripping system may be limited, especially when said actuator is also used for adjusting the height of the print head assembly.
  • the substrate storage device then comprises e.g. a lift system for bringing a top substrate up to the level of the support surface.
  • the movable member may comprise a gantry that is movable relative to the support surface in one direction. It may also comprise a carriage that carries the print head assembly and is movable along the gantry in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.
  • the gripping system is mounted directly on the gantry, and the print substrate storage device may be disposed adjacent to an edge of the support surface that extends orthogonally to the direction of movement of the gantry, so that the gantry may be moved to a position in the area of the storage device for taking up a print substrate from the storage device, and the gantry may then be moved over the support surface for dragging the print substrate over the support surface and dropping it in a desired position.
  • the gripping system is moveable with respect to the gantry perpendicular to the support surface to allow the gripping system to move over the substrates e.g. during printing.
  • the system may comprise a plurality of print substrate storage devices placed side by side, and the gantry may comprise a plurality of gripping systems which may preferably be operated independently of one another, so that the print substrates may be taken up selectively from one of the storage devices.
  • the gripping system may be mounted to the print head carriage so that it is capable of moving and positioning the print substrates in two dimensions.
  • the printing system according to the present invention further comprises a print substrate storage device positioned on a first side of the support surface in the first direction, wherein the substrate gripping system is mounted on said first side of the gantry facing the print substrate storage device. Thereby, the working area of the gripping device extends beyond the print area towards the print substrate storage device.
  • the print substrate storage device comprises a lift system for controlling a height of a stack of substrates such that the topmost substrate is positioned in a suitable height in which it can be taken up by substrate gripping system in the loading position.
  • the gripping system may be arranged to be detachable from the movable member.
  • a magazine may be disposed adjacent to the support surface, and the movable member may be arranged to take up the gripping system from the magazine when it is needed and to return it into the magazine when a print substrate or substrates have been placed.
  • this has the advantage that the mass of inertia of the print head carriage can be reduced during the print process.
  • the gripping system may comprise one or more suction heads for attracting and dropping the print substrates by means of a controlled suction pressure.
  • the printing system according to the invention may comprise a print substrate unloading system for transferring printed substrates from the support surface to an unloading position, preferably positioned at an opposite side of the support surface with respect to the print substrate storage device.
  • the support surface comprises a plurality of suction holes in fluid connection with a vacuum source for holding the substrate against the substrate surface.
  • a vacuum source for holding the substrate against the substrate surface.
  • the control system is configured to control the gripping system to move a substrate when the vacuum source is prevented from applying an underpressure to the suction holes.
  • the gripping system can be controlled to raise a substrate slightly above the support surface before horizontally moving said substrate.
  • the full print area is provided with suction holes to accommodate a wide variety of media sizes.
  • the suction holes may for example be provided in a regular or continuous pattern filling the print area. Local interruptions in the suction hole pattern would result in locally poor holding of the substrate which is undesired. Practically, it is preferred that both the gripping system and the print head assembly are positioned above (i..e. higher than) the support surface.
  • Fig. 1 shows a printing system comprising a flat bed printer 10 and a workstation 12 connected to the printer via a network 14 and permitting to compile and edit print jobs to be executed with the printer 10.
  • the printer 10 has a flat bed with a rectangular support surface 16 in which a regular pattern of suction holes 18 has been formed.
  • the suction holes are connected to a vacuum source, so that a print substrate 20, e.g. a rectangular sheet of paper, can be sucked against the support surface so as to be immobilized on the flat bed.
  • a gantry 22 extends across the print surface 16 in a main scanning direction x and is itself movable relative to the support surface in a sub-scanning direction y.
  • the movements of the gantry 22 and of the print head assembly 24 and the ejection of ink by the print heads are controlled by a print controller 26.
  • a print substrate storage device 28 is disposed at the rear edge of the support surface 16 in Fig. 1 and carries a stack 30 of print substrates.
  • a gripping system 32 for taking up the print substrates from the stack 30 comprises at least two cantilevered arms 34 which extend from the gantry 22 towards the storage system 28 and have suction heads (not visible in Fig. 1 ) on the bottom sides.
  • the suction system for the suction holes 18 is switched off and the gantry 22 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 , so that the arms 34 assume a position above an edge portion of the topmost print substrate on the stack 30. Then the suction heads attached to the arms 34 are activated und control of the print controller 26 so that the topmost substrate sheet is attracted against the arms 34. Then, the gantry 22 is moved in the negative y-direction in Fig. 1 so as to drag the topmost sheet from the stack 30 over the support surface 16 until it has reached the position that has been shown in Fig. 1 for the print substrate 20.
  • the suction heads of the arms 34 are switched off, so that the substrate sheet is dropped onto the support surface 16 and is immobilized on the support surface by re-activating the suction holes 18.
  • the print process may be performed in the usual way by two-dimensionally scanning the print substrate 26 with the print head assembly 24.
  • a guide system for guiding the movement of the gantry 22 in ⁇ y-direction may be extended beyond the front edge of the support surface 16 in Fig. 1 , so that the gantry and the gripping system 32 may also be used for removing the print substrate 20 on which an image has been formed from the support surface 16 and dropping it on an output stack.
  • the printing system would then be capable of unattended operation for printing images onto a plurality of print substrates.
  • Figs. 2 and 3 show a side view of a rear part of the support surface 16 of a printing system according to a modified embodiment.
  • a print head assembly 24' is mounted on a bottom side of a print head carriage 36 which travels along the gantry 22.
  • a gripping system 32' is constituted by arms 34' which are mounted on the print head carriage 36.
  • Suction heads 38 are visible in the drawing.
  • the print substrate storage system 28 comprises a lift system 40 which controls the height of the stack 30 such that the topmost print substrate 20 is always positioned in a suitable height in which it can be taken up by the suction heads 38, as has been shown in Fig. 2 .
  • gantry 22 moves to the left (in negative y-direction), and the gripping system 32' drags the print substrate 20 onto the support surface 16.
  • the gripping system 32' can move along the gantry 22 together with the print head carriage 36, so that the substrate sheet that has been taken up by the gripping system can not only be moved in the negative y-direction but also in positive or negative x-direction so as to position the substrate sheet accurately on the support surface 16 in two dimensions.
  • a camera 42 has been mounted above the support surface 16 for capturing the position of the print substrate and feedback-controlling the movements of the gantry 22 and the print head carriage 36.
  • the gripping system 32' has a plurality (at least two) of arms 34' and suction heads 38 holding the print substrate 20 at two or more different points so as to prevent the substrate sheet from rotating when it is moved in the x-direction (along the gantry 22).
  • a second print substrate storage device 28' has been provided for accommodating print substrates 20' of a different format.
  • the print head carriage 36 by controlling the movement of the print head carriage 36, it is possible to select the storage device 28 or 28' from which the next print substrate shall be supplied.
  • Figs. 5 and 6 show an embodiment in which the print head carriage 36 has a chuck 44 for holding a detachable gripping system 32".
  • the gripping system 32" has only a single suction head 38 for taking up print substrates 20" of a smaller size.
  • the gripping system 32" has a drive mechanism 46 for rotating the suction head 38 and the print substrate held thereat about a vertical axis, and preferably also for adjusting the suction head in height.
  • the suction head 38 may be held in a lifted position so as to reliably prevent a collision with print substrates which have been placed earlier.
  • the suction head 38 is temporarily lowered. By rotating the suction head 38 it is possible to control the orientation of the print substrate.
  • This system can be used for example for nesting a plurality of print substrates with irregular shapes on the support surface 16 in accordance with a known nesting algorithm.
  • a magazine 48 for storing a plurality of gripping systems of different types has been installed along one side of the support surface 16 that extends at right angles to the gantry 22.
  • the movements of the gantry 22 and the print head carriage 36 can be controlled so as to move the gripping system 32" to the magazine 48.
  • Fig. 6 shows a condition where the gripping system 32" has been passed-over to a chuck 50 of the magazine 48.
  • the chuck 44 on the print head carriage 36 can be moved to the magazine 48 again so as to select and take up a gripping system that will be needed for the next task.
  • Fig. 7A illustrates a print substrate unloading device 60 for transferring printed substrates 20'" from the support surface 16 to an off loading position outside the support surface 16, e.g. a further print substrate storage system (not shown).
  • the print substrate unloading device 60 is positioned at an opposite side of the support surface 16 with respect to the print substrate storage system 28. This allows for simultaneous loading and unloading of print substrates 20'" on and from the support surface 16.
  • the print substrate unloading device 60 comprises an unloading gripping system 62.
  • the unloading gripping system 62 in Fig. 7A comprises suction heads 63 for engaging and holding the printed substrate 20"'.
  • the unloading gripping system 62 is moveable along a beam 61.
  • the beam 61 is perpendicular to the edge of the support surface 16 over which it extends.
  • the beam 16, and thereby the movement range of the unloading gripping system 62 extends over only an edge region of the support surface 16.
  • the unloading gripping system 61 is in a non-active state and positioned as not to impede movement of the print head carriage 36.
  • the unloading gripping system 62 is moved along its beam 61 over the printed substrate 20"'.
  • the suction heads 61 then engage a region of the printed substrate 20'" located near the print substrate unloading device 60.
  • the support surface 16 comprises one or registering stops (not shown) near the unloading edge of the support surface 16.
  • the print substrate 20'" may then be accurately positioned by aligning the print substrate 20'" against the registering stops.
  • the under-pressure applied to the printed substrate 20'" via the vacuum holes in the support surface 16 has been removed.
  • the unloading gripping system 62 is moved in the opposite direction as in Fig. 7B towards the unloading edge of the support surface 16.
  • the print substrate unloading device 60 further comprises an unloading transport device 64 for transporting the printed substrate 20'" from the support surface 16 to its unloading position, for example a printed substrate stack holder positioned at the unloading edge of the support surface 16.
  • the unloading transport device 64 is shown as a transport pinch, but may in other embodiments be configured as a transport belt or other suitable transport device.
  • the unloading gripping system 62 positions the printed substrate 20'" in the unloading transport device 64, such that the unloading transport device 64 engages and transports the printed substrate 20'" to the unloading position, as shown in Fig. 7D .
  • the above indicated steps may be performed by a controller to allow for unattended loading and unloading of print substrates 20"'.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
EP18165883.2A 2017-04-12 2018-04-05 Flachbettdrucksystem Withdrawn EP3388242A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP17166247 2017-04-12

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3388242A1 true EP3388242A1 (de) 2018-10-17

Family

ID=58547360

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP18165883.2A Withdrawn EP3388242A1 (de) 2017-04-12 2018-04-05 Flachbettdrucksystem

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3388242A1 (de)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090277062A1 (en) * 2005-12-06 2009-11-12 Klaus-Dieter Bier Set of Identification Plates
US20100011979A1 (en) 2007-03-06 2010-01-21 Murrplastik Systemtechnik Gmbh Device for inscribing identification plates

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090277062A1 (en) * 2005-12-06 2009-11-12 Klaus-Dieter Bier Set of Identification Plates
US20100011979A1 (en) 2007-03-06 2010-01-21 Murrplastik Systemtechnik Gmbh Device for inscribing identification plates

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