GB2206538A - Reducing noise generation in printers - Google Patents

Abstract

A printer comprises a housing (1) enclosing the constituent members. The housing is arranged to constitute two distinct chambers (2,3) isolated from one another from the point of view of noise propagation. One of the chambers (2) contains the mechanical members which generate noise and is bounded by cover walls free of any aperture with the exclusion of an input and/or output orifice (5,6) for the print substrate, and the other chamber (3) contains the members (particularly electronic or electric) which are the site of heat releases and is bounded by cover walls which may have ventilating orifices (8) for the removal of heat. <IMAGE>

Description

Description of Invention ????Printing machine with reduced operating noise level" The present invention relates to improvements in or to printing machines adapted to print a printing support in sheet or strip form and comprising a housing or cover enclosing its constituent members, said improvements being for the purpose of reducing the operating noise level of the machine.

Printing machines comprise mechanical members in motion which are sources of noise as well as electrical and electronic components which are sources of heat emission : the removal of this heat is effected through ventilating apertures provided in the cover of the machine; however, noises are also transmitted through these apertures to the outside of the printing machine and disturb the environment.

It is essentially an object of the invention to overcome these drawbacks and to provide an arrangement of a printing machine which avoids the propagation to the outside of noises due to the operation of the mechanical members whilst procuring the necessary ventilation for the electrical and electronic units.

Accordingly, a machine arranged according to the invention is characterized in that the cover is adapted to constitute two distinct chambers isolated from one another from the point of view of noise propagation , one of the chambers enclosing the noise generating mechanical members and being bounded by covering walls free from any aperture with the exclusion of the inlet orifice and/or outlet orifice of the printing support, and the other chamber containing the members,particularly electronic or electric, which are the seat of heat releases and being bounded by cover walls which can have ventilating orifices for the removal of the heat.

Advantageously, the cover is the single unit and is divided internally into two chambers by a partition sealed from the point of view of noise propagation.

Due to this arrangement, the noise generating members of the machine are enclosed in a chamber hermetically closed or almost closed and these noises arrive at the outside considerably attenuated. On the other hand, the chamber containing the electrical and electronic members may be ventilated suitably by being provided with a suitable number of aeration apertures without any drawback as to the noise level perceived on the outside.

The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows of certain of its preferred embodiments given purely by way of illustrative example. In this description reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which Figures 1 and 2 show very diagrammatically respectively two examples of a printing machine arranged according to the invention, only the covers of these machines being shown in cross section and the component members being omitted for reasons of clarity.

The machines shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprise a cover 1 whose inner space is divided into 2 chambers 2 and 3 by a separating partition 4. In the examples shown, the partition 4 is horizontal and separates the space into an upper chamber 2 and a lower chamber 3 but of course it is possible to provide any other arrangements more appropriate for the constructions envisaged including here giving the separating partition 4 a relatively complex shape.

The partition 4 is made fast to the walls of the cover 1 in a noise-tight manner and it only itself includes a minimum number of apertures establishing communications between the chambers 2 and 3 these apertures being made noise-tight to the fullest extent possible (particularly for the passage of electrical connections).

Under these conditions, it is possible to allocate one of the chambers, for example, the upper chamber 2 to the housing of the mechanical portion of the machine which mechanical portion constitutes the principal source of noise during operation. The upper portion of the cover 1 bounding the upper chamber 2 only includes a number of apertures which is the minimum strictly necessary for the operation of the machine : it is , for example, the output orifice 5 provided for the print support after the printing of the latter in the machine in Figure 1 (the reserve of blank print support being situated inside the chamber 2 and not being shown )or output 5 and input 6 orifices provided for the print support in the machine of Figure 2 ; the reserve 7 of blank print support may be situated outside the cover 1 The other chamber, namely the lower chamber 3 in the arrangement shown receives the electrical and electronic members necessary for the operation of the machine. The cover walls 1 bounding the chamber 3 are pierced with all the apertures 8 necessary for effective evacuation of the heat disengaged by the electrical and electronic components entering into the constitution of the machine.

Due to the arrangement according to the invention which has just been described, the noises generated in chamber 2 by the operation of the mechanical members cannot or practically not be propagated outside of this chamber, to chamber 3 or to the outside, the apertures such as the output 5 and input 6 orifices for the print support being if necessary arranged appropriately to prevent the passage of sound vibrations. On the other hand, chamber 3, which is isolated from the chamber 2 by the partition 4 may be provided with all apertures desirable for the ventilation of the electrical or the electronic components without the fear of any propagation whatever of noises to the outside through the apertures 8.

An arrangement of a printing machine according to the invention is capable of achieving a reduction in noise level of the order of several dBs in the course of operation.

As is self-evident and as results besides already from the foregoing , the invention is in no way limited to those of its types of application and embodiments which have been more especially envisaged; it encompasses, on the contrary, all modifications thereof.

Claims (4)

1. Printing machine arranged to print a print support in sheet or in strip form and comprising a housing or cover enclosing the constituent members, said cover being arranged to constitute two distinct chambers isolated from one another from the point of view of noise propagation one of the chambers containing the noise -generating mechanical members and being bounded by cover walls free of any aperture with the exclusion of an input and/or output orifice for the print support and the other chamber containing the members, particularly electronic or electric , which are the source of the release of heat and being bounded by cover walls which can have ventilating orifices for the removal of heat.

2. Printing machine according to Claim 1, wherein the cover is a single unit and is divided internally into two chambers by a partition which is tight from the point of view of noise propagation.

3. Printing machine substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

4. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein