GB2305632A - A printing apparatus - Google Patents

A printing apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2305632A
GB2305632A GB9519875A GB9519875A GB2305632A GB 2305632 A GB2305632 A GB 2305632A GB 9519875 A GB9519875 A GB 9519875A GB 9519875 A GB9519875 A GB 9519875A GB 2305632 A GB2305632 A GB 2305632A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
ink
printing apparatus
printing
tray
cup
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Withdrawn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
GB9519875A
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GB9519875D0 (en
Inventor
David Wang Man Ho
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Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB9519875A priority Critical patent/GB2305632A/en
Publication of GB9519875D0 publication Critical patent/GB9519875D0/en
Publication of GB2305632A publication Critical patent/GB2305632A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41FPRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
    • B41F17/00Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for
    • B41F17/001Pad printing apparatus or machines

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  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Abstract

The apparatus, eg a pad printing machine, has at least one printing head co-operable with an ink supply to print a workpiece, the supply including a head (62) to which either an ink tray (16) or an ink cup (18) can selectively be attached. This enables apparatus to be adapted to inks of different viscosities, eg when printing with inks of different colours. The apparatus may have several pads arranged around a turntable, with each head allowing either a pad or a cup to be attached to it.

Description

A Printing Apoaxitus This invention relates to a printing apparatus, and in particular, to a printing apparatus comprising a plurality of printing members rotatably movable about a substantially vertical axis.
Existing printing apparatus, e.g. pad printing apparatus, comprise at least one printing pad for picking up a coloured image from a polymer printing plate and subsequently printing a workpiece. The ink is provided to the polymer plate by either an ink tray or an ink cup. Inks of different colours are known to be of different viscosity and the choice of using an ink tray or an ink cup depends largely on the viscosity of the specific ink. It is therefore possible that, in one setting, a certain printing pad is to print with an ink of low viscosity, while, in another setting, the same printing pad is to print with an ink of high viscosity. On the other hand, as ink stored in ink cups are less easily evaporated, ink cups are suitable for use with ink with lower viscosity.
The use of ink cups is, on the whole, preferred as less evaporation of the ink will lessen the smell of ink in the vicinity of the apparatus. However, existing printing apparatus do not provide for the selective installation, at the user's will, of either an ink tray or an ink cup to be used in conjunction with the printing pad.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus wherein the aforesaid shortcoming is mitigated.
According to the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus comprising at least one printing member co-operable with an ink provision means to print a workpiece, wherein the ink provision means comprises a retainer means to which either of an ink tray and an ink cup is selectively attachable.
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 shows a top view of a printing apparatus according to the prevent invention; Fig. 2 shows a front view of the printing apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a partial sectional view of a printing member of the printing apparatus show in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows the movement of an ink source of the printing apparatus shown in Fig.
1; Figs. 5A and 5B show the set up of an ink tray of the printing apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 6A to 6D show the installation of the ink tray in Figs. 5A and 5B to the printing apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 shows an installed ink tray of the printing apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 8A to 8F show the installation of an ink cup to the printing apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 9A to 9C show the movement of the ink tray shown in Fig. 7 in operation; Figs. 10A to 10C show the operation of the printing apparatus in Fig. 1 in an automatic printing mode; Figs. 11A to 11F show the operation of the printing apparatus in Fig. 1 in a manual printing mode; and Fig. 12 shows an alternative arrangement of the printing apparatus shown in Fig. 1.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a printing apparatus according to the present invention is designated generally as 2. The printing apparatus 2 comprises a circular turntable 4 which is rotatable horizontally. Eight printing heads 6 circumferentially distributed about the central axis of the turntable 4 are joined to the turntable 4 each via a support arm 8. Each printing head 6 carries a printing pad 10 which may be moved vertically upon the actuation of one of three pneumatic cylinders 12, 12' and 12", further details of which are to be discussed below.
When a printing head 6 is rotated to occupy position A (cleaning position) as shown in Fig. 1, it is movable by the pneumatic cylinder 12 downward to contact a cleaning tape 14 to remove any ink attached to the corresponding printing pad 10.
Rotatable simultaneously with the turntable 4 are eight ink sources, each in the form of either an ink tray 16 or an ink cup 18. It should be noted that each of the ink trays 16 and/or ink cups 18 is situated substantially below a respective support arm 8. Apart from rotational movement about the central axis of the turntable 4, each of the ink trays/cups 16, 18 is also movable from a retracted position wherein they are nearest to the central axis of the turntable 4 to an extended position (indicated as "E" in Fig. 1) wherein it is farthest thereto. When a printing head 6 is rotated to occupy position B (inking position) as shown in Fig. 1, it is movable by the pneumatic cylinder 12' downward to pick up ink from a corresponding ink tray 16 or ink cup 18. Further details regarding the radial movement of the ink tray 16 or ink cup 18 will be discussed below.
The printing apparatus 2 also includes a vertically movable printing station 20 on which a workpiece 22 may be placed. The vertical movement, and thus the height, of the printing station 20 is adjustable by rotation of an adjustment wheel 24. When a printing head 6 is rotated to occupy position C (printing position) as shown in Fig.
1, it may be moved by the pneumatic cylinder 12" downward to print the workpiece 22. The movement of the various components of the printing apparatus 2 is Co- ordinated and controlled by a control unit 26.
It should be noted that, in the arrangement as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a printing head 6 is movable vertically only when it is in one of the cleaning, inking and printing positions and that such movement will not necessarily bring about corresponding movement of other printing heads 6 occupying other positions. It is also clear that, by this arrangement, each workpiece 22 may stay stationary and be printed with at most eight partial images, each of a different colour, to form a resultant image. The three pneumatic cylinders 12, 12' and 12" may alternatively be arranged to move synchronously, so that the corresponding printing heads 6 may also be moved together. Even with such an arrangement, the movement of printing heads 6 in the cleaning, inking and printing positions will not bring about corresponding movement of other printing heads 6 in other positions.
Turning to Fig. 3, a partial cross-sectional view of a printing head 6 is shown to comprise an aluminum casting housing 28 containing a carriage 30, to which the printing pad 10 is attached. The pneumatic cylinder 12" includes a plug 32 at its lower end which is receivable into a slot 34 of a socket 36 of the printing head 6.
The vertical movement of the pneumatic cylinder 12" is guided by a cylinder support 38. The stroke depth (i.e. the vertical distance allowed to be travelled) of the pneumatic cylinder 12", and thus that of the printing head 6 is determined by a magnet 39 of the carriage 30 and the positioning of a sensor 41. Downward movement of the carriage 30 will be halted and the pneumatic cylinder 12" will be retracted when the magnet 39 is detected by the sensor 41, e.g. when the magnet 39 is on substantially the same horizontal level as the sensor 41. It is therefore possible to adjust the stroke depth of each individual printing head 6 by varying the positions of the corresponding sensor 41 and/or magnet 39. Due to the different height of the workpiece 22, ink tray 16 or ink cup 18 and the cleaning tape 14, the stroke depths of the cylinders 12, 12' and 12" are adjusted to be different. In the position shown in Fig. 3, the pneumatic cylinder 12" is movable downward to move the printing pad 10 to the position 10' so as to print a workpiece 22. The arrangement of the pneumatic cylinders 12 and 12' in the cleaning and inking positions is essentially the same.
Referring to Fig. 4, which shows a partial top view of the printing apparatus 2 is shown with the printing heads 6 and support arms 8 removed for clarity purposes, an ink tray 16 is shown as being moved from position I (cleaning position) to position II (inking position) and subsequently position III (printing position), as indicated by the arrow. Position I corresponds to position A; position II corresponds to position B; and position III corresponds to position C referred to in Fig. 1. When the ink tray 16 is in the cleaning position, it is in a retracted position where it is nearest to the central axis of the turntable 4. A nylon bearing 40 of with this ink tray 16 is received by and movable along one of a pair of guide rails 42 and 42' of a cam member 44 on the top surface of the turntable 4.Upon the rotation of the turntable 4 in the direction of the arrow, the bearing 40 moves along the guide rail 42 and thus moves the ink tray 16 away from the central axis of the turntable 4. When the bearing 40 is received between the two guide rails 42 and 42', the ink tray 16 occupies the inking position and is farthest away from the central axis of the turntable 4. In this position, the ink tray 16 extends beyond the periphery of the turntable 4 and is therefore adapted to be approached by a corresponding printing pad 10 to absorb ink contained in the ink tray 16. Once this position is passed, the bearing 40 moves along guide rail 42' and thus moves the ink tray 16 back from the extended position.When the ink tray 16 reaches the printing position, the bearing 40 is received into a cavity 46 of a manually operable pneumatic cylinder 48, which is operable to move the ink tray 16 radially, further details of which will be discussed later.
Figs. 5A and SB show the assembly of an ink tray 16 which may be used in the present invention. As shown in more details in Fig. 5A, the ink tray 16 includes a tray member 50 to the front end of which is secured a front plate 52 by a pair of screw knobs 54. A magnet plate 56 is received within the tray member 50, and on the top of the magnet plate 56 is placed a polymer plate 58. The bottom of the polymer plate 58 is provided with magnetically-attractive material so as to enable the polymer plate 58 to be more firmly held to the magnet plate 56.
Figs. 6A to 6D show the procedure for the installation of the ink tray 16 to the printing apparatus 2. As shown in Fig. 6A, a blade assembly 60 is secured to an ink container receiving member 62 by a pair of screws 64. The ink tray 16 is then placed on a platform 66 which is movable both vertically and in the direction as shown in the arrow in Fig. 6B. The ink tray 16 is locked to the platform 66 by rotating a lock knob 68 in the direction as shown by the arrow in Fig. 6C. As shown in Fig. 6D, to the blade assembly 60 is secured, by a screw 70, a spatule 72 and a blade holder 74 holding a blade 76. A completed ink tray assembly is shown in Fig.
7.
Instead of an ink tray, a magnetic ink cup 18 may instead be used. Figs. 8A to 8F show the installation of an ink cup 18 to the printing apparatus 2. As shown in Fig.
8A, an ink cup assembly 78 is securable to the ink container receiving member 62 by screws 80. A locking handle 82 of the ink cup assembly 78 may be pulled down in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 8B to raise a retainer bracket 84. A polymer plate 86 is placed onto the platform 66 of the ink container receiving member 62 and may be locked thereto by turning the locking knob 68 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 8D. The magnetic ink cup 18 may be received by the retainer bracket 84 of the ink cup assembly 78. To enhance the connection between the retainer bracket 84 and the magnetic ink cup 18, the magnetic ink cup 18 may comprise a protrusion 88 receivable into a recess 90 of the retainer bracket 84.To complete the assembling procedure, the locking handle 82 is pulled up in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 8F to lower the retainer bracket 84 such that the magnetic ink cup 18 contacts the top surface of the polymer plate 86.
Figs. 9A to 9C show the movement of the ink tray 16 at the printing position in the manual operation mode. At this position, the nylon bearing 40 of the ink tray 16 is received into the cavity 46 of a linkage block 92 of the pneumatic cylinder 48. The ink tray 16 is covered by a metal cover 94. Upon the extension of the pneumatic cylinder 48, the linkage block 92 is extended and thus drives the ink tray 16 radially outward, while the blade assembly 60 stays stationary. The movement of the ink tray 16 is guided by a runner block 96 which is movable along a rail 98. Upon the release of the pneumatic cylinder 48, the ink tray 16 is moved backward and the bearing 40 leaves the linkage block when the turntable 4 rotates further.
The printing procedure may be effected automatically, as shown in Figs. 10A to 10C.
Upon the rotation of the turntable 4, a printing head 6 just cleaned by the cleaning tape 14 at the cleaning position is rotated to the inking position. The ink tray 16 associated with this printing head 6 is moved radially outward by the cam member 44, whereby the blade 76 scratches the surface of the polymer plate 58 with image and thus leaves ink in the etched pattern. Turning to Fig. 10B, each of the printing heads 6 at the cleaning, inking and printing positions is then acted upon by a corresponding cylinder 12, 12' and 12".As shown in Fig. 10B, the printing head 6 at the cleaning position is pushed downward so that ink residue on the printing pad 10 is removed by the sticky cleaning tape 14; the printing head 6 at the inking position is pushed downward so that the image left on the outwardly extended ink tray 16 is picked up by the printing pad 10; and the printing head 6 at the printing position is pushed down to transfer the previously picked up image to the workpiece 22 on the printing station 20. As shown in Fig. 10C, the printing heads 6 are then driven up by the respective cylinders 12, 12' and 12", and the turntable 4 rotates such that the printing head 6 originally in the cleaning position is rotated to occupy the inking position and the printing head 6 originally in the inking position is rotated to occupy the printing position.
The printing procedure may, as indicated above, alternatively be effected manually, as shown in Figs. 1 1A to 11F. The workpiece 22 is placed on the printing station 20 and a manual operation switch (not shown) may be pressed to actuate the pneumatic cylinder 48 and thereby to control the radial movement of the ink tray 16.
Upon the outward movement of the ink tray 16, the corresponding blade 76 scratches the surface of the polymer plate 58 and thus leaves ink in the etched pattern. The cylinder 12" at the printing position then pushes the printing pad 10 down to pick up the image from the ink tray 16. It should be noted that the printing station 20 is adjusted to such a height that it does not obstruct the outward movement of the ink tray 16. The printing pad 10 is subsequently driven up and the ink tray 16 is also driven back so that the polymer plate 86 is flooded with ink by the spatula 72. The printing pad 8 is again driven down by the cylinder 12" so that the image previously picked up is transferred on to the workpiece 22. The printing pad 10 is again driven up to allow the next sequence of operation.
It is possible to so arrange the printing apparatus 2 that more than one workpiece may be printed and finished at the same time. As shown in Fig. 12, two sets of cleaning positions A', A", inking positions B', B" and printing positions C', C" are provided.
Such an arrangement may be used for printing two workpieces of the same resultant image or, as shown in Fig. 12, for printing two workpieces each of a different resultant image. To effect this latter result, the printing apparatus 2 includes two shuttle attachments 100 each supporting two workpieces 22' and 22" each to be printed with a different resultant image. The printing heads 6 and the associated ink trays 16 are arranged such that those printing heads 6 marked with a dot are to print the workpieces 22' and those marked with a cross are to print the workpieces 22".
The shuttle arrangements 100 are actuatable to reciprocate in the direction shown in the arrows and their movement is co-ordinated with that of the turntable 4 so that the correct product is placed in the printing position when the appropriate printing head 6 comes to the printing position.
It should be understood that the above only illustrates an embodiment of the present invention and it is thus possible that further variations thereto may be made without departing from the gist of the invention. For example, it is possible to so arrange the printing apparatus that three or more worl:pieces be worked simultaneously.

Claims (15)

CLAIMS:
1. A printing apparatus comprising at least one printing member adapted to print a workpiece, and at least one ink source attachment means to which either of an ink tray and an ink cup is selectively and releasably attachable.
2. A printing apparatus according to Claim 1 comprising a plurality of ink source attachment means, wherein at least one of which is releasably attached an ink tray, and at least one of which is releasably attached an ink cup.
3. A printing apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the ink source attachment means comprises a receiving means to which the ink tray is releasably securable.
4. A printing apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the receiving means is movable substantially vertically.
5. A printing apparatus according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein the receiving means is movable substantially transverse to its longitudinal axis.
6. A printing apparatus according to any of the preceding claims further comprising a holding means releasably attachable to the ink source attachment means, wherein the holding means is adapted to hold at least one scratching member for use in co-operation with the ink tray.
7. A printing apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein two scratching members are adapted to be held by the holding means.
8. A printing apparatus according to Claim 6 or 7 wherein the scratching member(s) is(are) adapted to scratch a polymer plate receivable by the ink tray.
9. A printing apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein an ink cup retaining means is releasably attachable to the ink source attachment means.
10. A printing apparatus according to Claim 9 wherein the ink cup retaining means comprises a pair of pivotably movable arm members to which the ink cup is releasably attachable.
11. A printing apparatus according to Claim 10 wherein the arm members are pivotably movable between a first position wherein they are substantially horizontal and a second position wherein they are slanted upwards.
12. A printing apparatus according to Claim 10 or 11 wherein the pivotal movement of the arm members are synchronized.
13. A printing apparatus according to Claim 10, 11 or 12 wherein the arm members are integrally formed.
14. A printing apparatus according to Claim 10, 11, 12 or 13 wherein at least one of the arm members comprises a recess means to which an engagement means of the ink cup is receivable.
15. A printing apparatus according to Claim 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 further comprising a handle member for controlling the pivotal movement of the arm members.
GB9519875A 1995-09-29 1995-09-29 A printing apparatus Withdrawn GB2305632A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9519875A GB2305632A (en) 1995-09-29 1995-09-29 A printing apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9519875A GB2305632A (en) 1995-09-29 1995-09-29 A printing apparatus

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9519875D0 GB9519875D0 (en) 1995-11-29
GB2305632A true GB2305632A (en) 1997-04-16

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999007556A1 (en) * 1997-08-05 1999-02-18 Wong T S Ink cup and method for using same
EP0945267A1 (en) * 1998-03-27 1999-09-29 Wang Man Ho An ink cup attachment mechanism
CN104647889A (en) * 2015-01-15 2015-05-27 长兴艾飞特塑料科技有限公司 Combined type ink filling structure of oil cup type pad printing machine
CN107323077A (en) * 2017-08-02 2017-11-07 坚毅机械工程(高要)有限公司 A kind of transfer printing equipment

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112874128B (en) * 2021-01-15 2022-07-15 深圳市旺盈彩盒纸品有限公司 Paperboard printing device and printing method thereof

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5119724A (en) * 1991-01-09 1992-06-09 Tai Chung Metal Factory Force adjustment device in a manual pad printer
US5272973A (en) * 1993-01-22 1993-12-28 United Silicone Inc. Inkcup assembly and drive mechanism for pad printing machine
US5383398A (en) * 1991-11-25 1995-01-24 Binnen; Georg Multiple-color tampon printing machine

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5119724A (en) * 1991-01-09 1992-06-09 Tai Chung Metal Factory Force adjustment device in a manual pad printer
US5383398A (en) * 1991-11-25 1995-01-24 Binnen; Georg Multiple-color tampon printing machine
US5272973A (en) * 1993-01-22 1993-12-28 United Silicone Inc. Inkcup assembly and drive mechanism for pad printing machine

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999007556A1 (en) * 1997-08-05 1999-02-18 Wong T S Ink cup and method for using same
EP0945267A1 (en) * 1998-03-27 1999-09-29 Wang Man Ho An ink cup attachment mechanism
CN104647889A (en) * 2015-01-15 2015-05-27 长兴艾飞特塑料科技有限公司 Combined type ink filling structure of oil cup type pad printing machine
CN104647889B (en) * 2015-01-15 2017-02-22 长兴艾飞特科技股份有限公司 Combined type ink filling structure of oil cup type pad printing machine
CN107323077A (en) * 2017-08-02 2017-11-07 坚毅机械工程(高要)有限公司 A kind of transfer printing equipment
WO2019024308A1 (en) * 2017-08-02 2019-02-07 坚毅机械工程(高要)有限公司 Pad printing equipment

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