GB2183601A

GB2183601A - Ink measuring device

Info

Publication number: GB2183601A
Application number: GB08526086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laurence Welford
Original assignee: PRONTAPRINT PLC
Current assignee: PRONTAPRINT PLC
Priority date: 1985-10-22
Filing date: 1985-10-22
Publication date: 1987-06-10
Also published as: GB8526086D0

Abstract

The ink measuring device comprises a cup (10) for measuring by volume a predetermined quantity of ink. An ejector plate (16) is mounted in the cup for ejecting the measured quantity of ink from the cup. A pusher in the form of a rod (17) is connected to the ejector plate and extends through a hole (13) in the cup. A sleeve (15) is preferably secured to the base of the cup to act as a guide for the rod 17 and as a holder. An ink measuring kit having a plurality of cups of different volume each with an associated ejector plate or alternatively provided with a single common ejector plate is also disclosed; a single cup may measure different volumes by being provided with ejector plates of different thicknesses. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ink measuring device This invention relates to an ink measuring device.

Printing inks, which are highly viscous, are available in a limited numberofcolours and it is common practice to mix two or more inks together. The conventional method of measuring quantities of inks for mixing is by weighing but this is time consuming and more often than not too great a quantity is mixed. It is also known to measure quantities of ink by measuring the length of ink extrudate forced out of a tube or cartridge, butthis is rather hit and miss because it assumes that the extrudate is of con sistentthickness which is unlikely to be the case.

The present invention seeks to provide an ink measuring device which mitigates the drawbacks of the prior art measurement methods.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an ink measuring device comprising a cup for measuring by volume a predetermined quantity of ink, an ejector plate mounted in the cupforejecting the measured quantity of inkfrom the cup, and a pusher connected to the ejector plate and extending through a hole in the cup.

Preferred and/or optional features ofthe first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2-4.

According to a second aspect ofthe invention there is provided an ink measuring kit comprising two or more ink measuring devices according to the first aspect ofthe invention, the cups of the measuring devices being ofdifferentvolumes orthe ejector plates being of different thicknesses.

According to a third aspect ofthe invention there is provided an ink measuring kit comprising at least two cups of different volumes, a single ejector plate selectively mountable in the two cups for ejecting ink from the cups, and a pusher connected to the ejector plate and insertablethrough an aperture in a wall of each ofthecups.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided an ink measuring kit comprising a cup for measuring by volume a quantity of ink, and at least two ejector plates selectively mountable in the cup for ejecting inkfrom the cup, the ejector plates being ofdifferentthicknesses so that when they are mounted in the cup the measuring volume ofthe cup is different for each ejector plate, and each ejector plate having connected thereto a pusher which is insert abie through an aperture in thewall of the cup.

The invention also resides in a method of measuring quantities of ink, as setforth in Claim 12.

The invention will now be more particularlydescri- bed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of one embodiment ofan ink measuring device according to thefirst aspect ofthe invention, with the ejector plate shown disposed out of the cut, and Figure2 is a longitudinal section through the ink measuring deviceshown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the device shown therein isformeasuring quantities of printing inks which can be mixed togetherto make a chosen colour. There is an International colour standard consisting of over 540 colours and about 30 to 40 basic inks. These are all mixed in ratios of 1 to 2 to 3 orto4to make up all the colours in the International colour standard.

The device comprises a cup 10 having a flatcir- cular base 11 and an upstanding wall 12ofright cylindrical shape. There is a central hole 13 in the base 11 which is aligned with a through-bore 14 in a sleeve 15 secured to or integral with the base 11.

A circular ejector plate 16 is mounted in the cup and is secured to a pusher intheform of a rod 17 which extends through the aligned hole 13 and bore 14.

The plate 16should be afairly close fit in the cupto prevent printing ink contained inthecupabovethe plate from flowing past the plate. However, printing ink is a highly viscous material andthefit is not, therefore, that critical.

The sleeve 15 serves both to guidethe rod and as a holderforthe device.

In orderto measure a quantity of printing inkthe ink is introduced into the cup above the ejector plate until it is flush with the upper surface of the cup. It is then ejected by pushing the plate 16 out ofthe cup, using the rod 17, onto a mixing slab. Any inklefton the plate is wiped offontothe mixing slab and the plate is then cleaned with solvent.

In practice there will be a kit comprising a number of cups of different volumes. These cups may each have an associated ejector plate 16 or alternatively a single ejector plate may be used with all cups. In this latter case it is important that the diameter ofthe base 11 of all cups is identical.

It is, however, conceivable that the kit may include only one cup defining the maximum volume required and that a number of ejector plates of different thicknesses are provided so that different volumes can be measured.

The device as shown in the attached drawings can be made of brass or any other appropriate material.

Whilstthe base 11 ofthecup 10 and the ejector plate 16 are both described as being circular, they may be of any other matching shape.

Moreover,whilstthe provision ofthesleeve 15is obviously a preferred feature, it may be omitted.

1. An ink measuring device comprising a cupfor measuring by volume a predetermined quantity of ink, an ejector plate mounted in the cup for ejecting the measured quantityofinkfrom the cup, and a pusher connected to the ejector plate and extending through a hole in the cup.

2. The measuring device of Claim 1, wherein the pusher is in the form of a rod which is guided for longitudinal movement in a sleeve secured to or in tegral with the cup.

3. The measuring device of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the cup has a flat bottom wall and one or more upstanding side walls extending per pendicularlytothe bottom wall.

4. ThemeasuringdeviceofClaim3,whereinthe cup has a single upstanding side wall of ci rcular

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Ink measuring device This invention relates to an ink measuring device. Printing inks, which are highly viscous, are available in a limited numberofcolours and it is common practice to mix two or more inks together. The conventional method of measuring quantities of inks for mixing is by weighing but this is time consuming and more often than not too great a quantity is mixed. It is also known to measure quantities of ink by measuring the length of ink extrudate forced out of a tube or cartridge, butthis is rather hit and miss because it assumes that the extrudate is of con sistentthickness which is unlikely to be the case. The present invention seeks to provide an ink measuring device which mitigates the drawbacks of the prior art measurement methods. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an ink measuring device comprising a cup for measuring by volume a predetermined quantity of ink, an ejector plate mounted in the cupforejecting the measured quantity of inkfrom the cup, and a pusher connected to the ejector plate and extending through a hole in the cup. Preferred and/or optional features ofthe first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2-4. According to a second aspect ofthe invention there is provided an ink measuring kit comprising two or more ink measuring devices according to the first aspect ofthe invention, the cups of the measuring devices being ofdifferentvolumes orthe ejector plates being of different thicknesses. According to a third aspect ofthe invention there is provided an ink measuring kit comprising at least two cups of different volumes, a single ejector plate selectively mountable in the two cups for ejecting ink from the cups, and a pusher connected to the ejector plate and insertablethrough an aperture in a wall of each ofthecups. According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided an ink measuring kit comprising a cup for measuring by volume a quantity of ink, and at least two ejector plates selectively mountable in the cup for ejecting inkfrom the cup, the ejector plates being ofdifferentthicknesses so that when they are mounted in the cup the measuring volume ofthe cup is different for each ejector plate, and each ejector plate having connected thereto a pusher which is insert abie through an aperture in thewall of the cup. The invention also resides in a method of measuring quantities of ink, as setforth in Claim 12. The invention will now be more particularlydescri- bed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of one embodiment ofan ink measuring device according to thefirst aspect ofthe invention, with the ejector plate shown disposed out of the cut, and Figure2 is a longitudinal section through the ink measuring deviceshown in Figure 1. Referring now to the drawings, the device shown therein isformeasuring quantities of printing inks which can be mixed togetherto make a chosen colour. There is an International colour standard consisting of over 540 colours and about 30 to 40 basic inks. These are all mixed in ratios of 1 to 2 to 3 orto4to make up all the colours in the International colour standard. The device comprises a cup 10 having a flatcir- cular base 11 and an upstanding wall 12ofright cylindrical shape. There is a central hole 13 in the base 11 which is aligned with a through-bore 14 in a sleeve 15 secured to or integral with the base 11. A circular ejector plate 16 is mounted in the cup and is secured to a pusher intheform of a rod 17 which extends through the aligned hole 13 and bore 14. The plate 16should be afairly close fit in the cupto prevent printing ink contained inthecupabovethe plate from flowing past the plate. However, printing ink is a highly viscous material andthefit is not, therefore, that critical. The sleeve 15 serves both to guidethe rod and as a holderforthe device. In orderto measure a quantity of printing inkthe ink is introduced into the cup above the ejector plate until it is flush with the upper surface of the cup. It is then ejected by pushing the plate 16 out ofthe cup, using the rod 17, onto a mixing slab. Any inklefton the plate is wiped offontothe mixing slab and the plate is then cleaned with solvent. In practice there will be a kit comprising a number of cups of different volumes. These cups may each have an associated ejector plate 16 or alternatively a single ejector plate may be used with all cups. In this latter case it is important that the diameter ofthe base 11 of all cups is identical. It is, however, conceivable that the kit may include only one cup defining the maximum volume required and that a number of ejector plates of different thicknesses are provided so that different volumes can be measured. The device as shown in the attached drawings can be made of brass or any other appropriate material. Whilstthe base 11 ofthecup 10 and the ejector plate 16 are both described as being circular, they may be of any other matching shape. Moreover,whilstthe provision ofthesleeve 15is obviously a preferred feature, it may be omitted. CLAIMS

4. ThemeasuringdeviceofClaim3,whereinthe cup has a single upstanding side wall of ci rcular cross-section and the ejector plate is in the form of a circular disc.

5. An ink measuring device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in,theaccompanying drawing.

6. An ink measuring kit comprising two or more ink measuring devices according to anyone ofthe preceding claims, the cups ofthe measuring devices being of different volumes orthe ejector plates being of differentthicknesses.

7. An ink measuring kit comprising at leasttwo cups ofdifferentvolumes, a single ejector plate selectively mountable in the two cups for ejecting ink from the cups, and a pusher connected to the ejector plate and insertablethrough an aperture in a wall of each ofthe cups.

8. The kit of Claim 7, wherein the pusher is in the form of a rod which is guided for longitudinal movement in a sleeve secured to or integral with each cup.

9. The kit of Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein each cup has a flat bottom wall and one or more upstanding side walls extending perpendicularlyto the bottom wall.

10. The kit of Claim 9, wherein each cup has a single upstanding side wall of circular cross-section and the ejector plate is in the form of a circular disc.

11. An ink measuring kitcomprisingacupfor measuring by volume a quantity of ink, and atleast two ejector plates selectively mountable in the cup for ejecting inkfrom the cup, the ejector plates being of different thicknesses so that when they are mounted in the cup the measuring volume ofthe cup is different for each ejector plate, and each ejector plate having connected thereto a pusherwhich is insertable through an aperture in the wall ofthe cup.

12. A method of measuring quantitiesofink, comprising the steps of (a) fillingthecupofthe inkmeasuring deviceof anyone of Claims 1-5 or 11 or one ofthe cups ofthe ink measuring kit of anyone of claims 6-10 with ink, and (b) ejecting the inkfrom the cup by moving an ejector plate mounted in the cup.