JP2009521349A - Embossing device cleaning mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

  A coating unit for transferring an imaging layer or masking layer from a transfer foil to a substrate is used to flexibly create a complex substrate made of foil material. For this purpose, at least one cleaning mechanism R, R ′ has one press roller 3, 3 ′ defining a gap 6, 6 ′ of one pressure part and / or a gap 6 of the pressure part. , 6 'and disposed on the foil web of the transfer foil 5, 5' fed and / or discharged. These cleaning mechanisms R, R 'can be used in an operation cycle adapted to the production process.

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transferring an imaging layer or masking layer from a carrier foil to a sheet of paper according to the preceding part of claims 1 and 18.

  It is known to form a metal layer on a sheet using a foil transfer method. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a printing material and a printing apparatus using the material. A plurality of printing units and one coating unit are arranged in a sheet processing machine having one paper feeding device and one paper ejection device. In at least one printing unit, a glue pattern is applied as a printing subject by lithographic printing. In the coating unit after the printing unit, one impression cylinder, one press roller, and a foil guide part are provided. There, a foil strip is unwound from one foil supply roll, guided through a transfer gap between the impression cylinder of the coating unit and a press roller, and taken out again after leaving the coating unit on the outlet side. It is done. The transfer foil includes a single carrier foil, on which various types of functional layers can be applied, for example a metal layer made of aluminum or a plastic layer. One release layer is provided between the functional layer and the carrier foil, and this can be used to peel the functional layer from the carrier foil.

  The sheet is guided through the coating unit after the sheet is glued in a sheet form or provided with a glue pattern on the sheet, and the sheet placed on the impression cylinder is then pressed. A roller is used to join the foil material. At this time, the functional layer facing downward is brought into close contact with each of the pasted areas of the sheet. Thereafter, the functional layer is adhered only to the area of the pasted pattern or over the entire area of the pasted area. At that time, the functional layer in the area of the pasted pattern is peeled off from the carrier foil. The sheet is discharged in a coated state.

  When using this coating method, before or after applying the foil, small or tiny particles may fall off from the foil web or its cut, thereby contaminating the coating unit and ruining the work results. There can be. This can also occur by the coating process itself.

Cleaning mechanisms such as an impression cylinder cleaning device and a rubber blanket cleaning device of a printing press are known per se. They can be implemented as cloth-type cleaning devices or brush-type cleaning devices, and can also be implemented in combination with various suction systems. For such purposes, a printing plate cleaning system by spraying and sucking, which is similar to the apparatus described in Patent Document 2, is also suitable. In addition, a spray suction element arranged in a traverse type similar to the apparatus described in Patent Document 3 is also suitable. In addition, a pure suction mechanism, for example, a cleaning mechanism configured as a squeegee can also be used.
European Patent No. 0659520 German Patent Application Publication No. 19526574 German Patent Application Publication No. 19520551

  Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method according to the first part of claim 1 and an apparatus according to the first part of claim 18, using it for simple, reliable, foil coating of sheets. A method and an apparatus that can be carried out economically and accurately, in which both the method and the apparatus are easy to handle and in particular avoid contamination of the coating area by foil debris and contaminants originating from the transfer foil Is to provide a device.

  The solution to this problem is provided by the method according to the characterizing part of claim 1 and the device according to the characterizing part of claim 18.

  In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus and method for cleaning a press roller and / or a foil web contaminated with foil waste, i.e. lint waste at the edge of the foil, is proposed. For this purpose, the guide part of the press roller and / or the foil web is provided with a cleaning system. This may be a so-called brush-type cleaning system, or a cloth-type cleaning system, or a suction system, known per se, as is often used in printing presses.

  Similarly, printing plate cleaning systems that operate using the spray jet action and the action of the suction mechanism disposed therein are also suitable. However, it is also conceivable to arrange a spray suction element in a traverse type arrangement. Finally, a scraping brush with a rotary arrangement may be provided.

  In order to carry out this cleaning method, the cleaning system is operated in-line, i.e. during the sticking process, contaminants or foil debris from the transfer foil that arises in the gap of the pressure part is constantly treated. Similarly, the press roller can be cleaned off-line, that is, the press roller is cleaned after the sticking process is completed.

  This cleaning can be supplemented by methods and mechanisms for removing foil debris using a single suction mechanism located on the foil web itself. In that case, it is possible to use a plurality of devices that are arranged in the foil guide part and resemble a dust suction mechanism. For this purpose, a combination of a foil guide part and a suction mechanism can advantageously be used. However, alternatively or in addition, this suction mechanism or another suction mechanism may be applied to the pressure cylinder so as to suck particles that have peeled off and adhered to the foil web.

  Depending on the cleaning mechanism, the apparatus can also be used in a printing process that can be used in a printing unit when foil sticking is not incorporated. In addition, software that is incorporated into the control station of the printing press and provides automatic execution of the program allows the appropriate mutual tuning between the required processes. This automatic cleaning of the press roller takes place without having to bother to remove the transfer foil and thus saves a lot of time.

  Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a part of a sheet-fed rotary press having two printing units. In this case, the sheet is first provided with a paste pattern that is planar or gives a pattern (print unit as the glue unit 1). In a subsequent printing unit, the sheet is guided through the transfer gap 6 under pressure together with the transfer foil 5 (coating unit 2).

  The gluing unit 1 may be an offset printing unit known per se, having one ink unit 11, one plate cylinder 12 and one offset blanket cylinder 13. The offset blanket cylinder 13 cooperates with one impression cylinder 4.

  Similarly, the coating unit 2 can also be composed of an offset printing unit. The transfer gap 6 in the coating unit 2 is formed by one press roller 3 and one impression cylinder 4. This press roller 3 may correspond to an offset blanket cylinder. The press roller 3 may correspond to a plate cylinder of the lacquer module. A web guide 14 for transfer foil is shown inside the coating unit 2 used for foil transfer. In this case, the transfer foil 5 penetrates the protective mechanism 15 of the coating unit 2 and is drawn into the interior, and then comes out again.

  Alternatively, as shown in connection with the gluing unit 1, one foil transfer mechanism incorporated into the gluing unit 1 may be provided, thereby providing one integrated foil sticking module. In that case, one pressure roller 3 ′ is arranged behind one printing blanket cylinder or plate cylinder 13 and the printing cylinder 4 at one impression cylinder 4. . Thereby, the foil web 5 ′ of the transfer foil is supplied to one transfer gap 6 ′ formed in the same manner as described above after coating the substrate using the gluing unit 1, and is directly discharged again from there. can do. Therefore, this cold embossing is performed in a single integrated foil sticking module FA, as suggested in FIG.

  As schematically shown in the gluing unit 1 of FIG. 1, a single gluing unit having a compact structure can be arranged inside the coating module in the integrated foil sticking module FA. For this purpose, one gluing device 1 ′ is arranged on the impression cylinder 4 and in this case is arranged in front of the transfer gap which would be provided between the rubber cylinder 13 and the impression cylinder 4. The transfer foil is guided through the illustrated print gap, here around the rubber cylinder 13 or substantially through the rubber cylinder 13 in its tangential direction.

  To that end, such a gluing device 1 ′ consists of one compact plate cylinder for carrying a printing mold for glue, one chamber doctor blade for feeding glue and one anilox roller. It can consist of one gluing unit consisting of. In that case, the processes are also integrated at the same impression cylinder 4, and first, the paste is applied to the printed material, and the foil is applied immediately thereafter.

  A foil supply roll 8 is disposed on the sheet feeding side of the coating unit 2. The foil supply roll 8 has one rotation drive unit 7 for continuously supplying the transfer foil to the coating unit 2 under control. The foil supply section can be provided with a plurality of idle rollers or tension rollers in order to guide the transfer foil 5 to the press roller 3 with a substantially constant tension. On the outlet side of this printing unit, one foil collection roll 9 for foil material after consumption is provided. It is always advantageous to arrange one rotational drive 7 on this foil collection roll 9. In addition, the transfer foil 5 can be sent by the rotation drive unit 7 on the exit side and held tightly by one brake on the entrance side.

  The press roller 3 (which is an offset blanket cylinder, or plate cylinder, or an independent press roller) has a compressible or cushioning element on its surface, for example, a compressible intermediate layer on the other. It also carries an element comprising. For this purpose, the press roller 3 is provided with a pressing blank 10 similar to a rubber blanket or an offset blanket, which is held inside the groove of the roller at a plurality of tension devices, for example as a plastic coating. be able to.

  In order to guarantee the economics of this coating method, the foil feed of the transfer foil 5 can be controlled step by step from the foil supply roll 8 to the transfer gap 6 and further to the foil collection roll 9 to transfer the imaging layer or masking layer. If not, the transfer foil 5 can be stopped.

  The device associated with this control provides a corresponding feed for the transfer foil 5 so that at least the part of the foil web located in the area of the press roller 3 and the impression cylinder 4 is stopped as long as the roller groove continues to rotate. It is preferable to include a control unit.

  In the foil as described above, the utilization is further improved if the transfer foil 5 is divided into one or more narrower partial foil webs. Thus, various coatings can be applied to the same sheet of paper when the corresponding control is carried out using one or more mechanisms for carrying out the foil feeding of each partial foil web in a tact mode. Even if the length of each region is different for each zone, the utilization factor of the transfer foil 5 can be improved.

  Furthermore, a plurality of dryers 16 capable of drying the entire pasting portion or the foil coating portion can be provided in the foil adhering module composed of the pasting unit 1 and the coating unit 2 configured as described above. . Here, for example, a UV dryer is an object to be studied.

  Furthermore, the foil sticking module can include one monitoring mechanism 17 for inspecting the surface of the sheet. This monitoring mechanism 17 makes it possible to evaluate the content of the coating pattern and determine defects in the foil coating portion. Such a monitoring mechanism can be provided in cooperation with a printing machine in which the foil sticking module is incorporated. In that case, the monitoring mechanism can be arranged, for example, in the sheet discharge device of the printing press or in the last printing unit.

  According to the present invention, in the coating unit 2 or the foil sticking module FA described above, an apparatus and a method for cleaning the press roller 3 contaminated by foil waste, that is, lint waste at the cut end of the foil, are used. These contaminants are generated as mica and mica dust, for example, at the cutting edge of the foil web 5. At that time, the mica preferentially falls on the surface of the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3 ′ in the cut edge region of the foil web 5, and accumulates there progressively. In order to deal with this problem, the press roller 3 includes one cleaning device R. This can be a so-called brush-type cleaning system or a cloth-type cleaning system known per se, as is often used in printing presses. A suction mechanism may be combined with these systems.

  Alternatively, according to FIG. 1, the cleaning mechanism R of the press roller 3 may be arranged on the front side or the rear side around the press roller 3 in the sheet transport direction. Further, the cleaning mechanism R ′ may be disposed at the pressure roller 3 ′.

  These cleaning mechanisms R and R 'are arranged around the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3' so as to be separated therefrom. For this purpose, a plurality of known types of holders and motion drive units are arranged in the coating unit 2 or the foil sticking module FA.

  In order to carry out the cleaning method, the cleaning mechanism R or R ′ is preferably operated in an inline manner. This is because the cleaning mechanism R or R ′ continuously treats contaminants or foil debris from the transfer foil that occurs in the gap 6 of the pressure unit during the coating process using the coating unit 2 or the foil sticking module FA. Means. For this purpose, at least one cleaning mechanism R or R ′ is constantly applied to the area of the press roller 3 or pressure roller 3 ′ which is free from the transfer foil 5.

  Similarly, the cleaning of the press roller 3 can also be performed in an off-line manner, that is, the cleaning of the press roller 3 is performed after the end of the coating process.

  For cleaning the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3 ', a printing plate cleaning system is likewise suitable. Printing plate cleaning systems are known from applications in flexographic printing presses and operate by the action of a spray jet directed at the surface to be cleaned and the action of a suction mechanism for receiving contaminants to be rinsed off.

  Alternatively, a traverse-type arrangement of spray suction elements can be provided that works in the same way.

  Either mechanism can be used at the press rollers 3, 3 'during the coating operation. In this way, the press rollers 3, 3 'can always be held in a state free from contaminants.

  Similarly, a cleaning mechanism having only a suction device such as a squeegee can be used.

  Finally, a scraping brush with a rotary arrangement can be provided in which a mechanism for sucking off the polluted contaminants is incorporated in the scraping brush.

  Depending on the type of cleaning mechanism R, when a conventional printing process is used in the printing unit when no foil coating is incorporated, the cleaning mechanism R can also be used in this conventional printing process. In that case, a cleaning mechanism R can be introduced at the offset blanket cylinder or impression cylinder 4 in order to clean ink stains on the surface.

  In addition, automated software coupled to the machine control of the printing press can ensure that a corresponding mutual tuning between the required coating and cleaning processes takes place. This automatic cleaning of the press roller takes place without having to bother to remove the transfer foil and thus saves a lot of time.

  This is especially true for offline cleaning. In the offline cleaning, the transfer foil 5 is separated from the surface of the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3 ′ so that the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3 ′ can be rotated in a state where the foil is not conveyed. This is done when the transfer foil 5 is being pulled away from the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3 ′. In this case, blast air can be blown from the lower side to the foil web 5 at the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3 ′, whereby the foil web 5 spreads on the surface of the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3 ′. Riding on the air cushion and drifting.

  Even when the transfer foil is in the state of being taken out from the coating unit 2 or the foil adhering module FA during the offline operation, that is, when the foil conveyance is not performed, the impression cylinder 4 and the cleaning device R ″ disposed thereon are also used. Thus, indirect cleaning of the press roller 3 or the pressure roller 3 ′ can be performed.

  In addition, the control described above allows the cleaning of each assembly involved in the coating process to be synchronized with one another.

  For example, during off-line operation, the ink unit, the gluing unit, the press roller, and the associated impression cylinder and plate cylinder can be cleaned simultaneously.

  The application of the cleaning mechanism related to foil transfer sticking is not limited to the above example. On the contrary, it can be applied to other areas of the guide portion of the foil web. This is possible, for example, in the area of guide elements, or foil rolls, or web drives or dancer rollers.

  In particular, the cleaning mechanism can be arranged in a form directly connected to the guide mechanism of the foil web of the transfer foil 5. In that case, the cleaning mechanism can be arranged on one side of the foil web or on both sides. In particular, dirt particles or mica particles having a cross section of the foil are preferentially generated at the edge of the foil web, so that a cleaning mechanism can also be disposed there.

  Further, the cleaning mechanism can be arranged in the area of the foil web where the transfer foil 5 is supplied to the transfer gap 6 and also in the area where the transfer foil 5 is discharged from the transfer gap 6. Thereby, it is ensured that the particles that are first released in the transfer gap, for example by the transfer process, and are carried together by the foil web are also reliably removed and cannot contaminate the printing press.

  The cleaning mechanism disposed on the foil web is preferably configured as a suction mechanism. Thereby, the combination of the web guide mechanism and the cleaning element can be advantageously applied. In that case, the suction mechanism can be implemented as a kind of dust collecting mechanism, as is known in the field of sheet guides for sheet-fed printing machines.

  Finally, in the coating mechanism shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning mechanisms R, R ′ are used to clean the respective press rollers 3, 3 ′ and the foil webs 5, 5 ′ guided accordingly along them. It can also be implemented as a combination type mechanism. Also suitable for this purpose are suction mechanisms which are directed towards the various elements involved in the transfer process and have corresponding working surfaces.

  The cleaning mechanism R, R ′ is used in combination with each press roller 3, 3 ′ and the foil web of the transfer foil 5, 5 ′. In addition, it can have elements such as suction slots acting pneumatically. The pneumatically acting cleaning element can be implemented so that it can later be assembled to the mechanically acting cleaning mechanisms R, R '.

  In principle, within the scope of the invention, in addition to the above, the possibility of combining various cleaning mechanisms based on mechanical, fluid, pneumatic, electrical or magnetic action is also conceivable. In this regard, the exemplary embodiments described above should not be construed as limiting the possible embodiments of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows a printing machine provided with a foil transfer mechanism.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gluing unit 2 Coating unit 3 Press roller 4 Impression cylinder 5 Transfer foil / foil web 6 Transfer gap 7 Roll drive part 8 Foil supply roll 9 Foil collection roll 10 Pressurizing material 11 Ink unit 12 Plate cylinder 13 Offset blanket cylinder 14 Guiding Instruments 15 Printing Unit Protection Device 16 Dryer 17 Monitoring Mechanism 18 Dancer Roller 1 'Gluing Unit 3' Pressure Roller 5 'Foil Web 6' Pressure Gap R, R ', R "Cleaning Mechanism FA Foil Adhesion Module

Claims (21)

A method for transferring an imaging layer or a masking layer or a cover layer of a transfer foil (5, 5 ') from a carrier foil to a sheet in a sheet processing machine, in particular a sheet printing press, comprising: For transferring the imaging layer or masking layer from the carrier foil to the sheet, at least one gluing unit (1) for coating glue on the sheet according to a pattern or stretched in a plane. At least one coating unit (2), in which one transfer gap (6) is formed in one coating unit (2), each glued from the carrier foil The carrier foil is transferred to one press roller (3 so that the imaging layer or masking layer of the region is transferred to and adhered to a sheet of paper. 3 ′) can be placed on the sheet with the coated side down and guided through the transfer gap (6, 6 ′) together with the sheet under pressure. In one way,
At least one cleaning device (R, R ′) is connected to the transfer gap (6, 6 ′) around a position where the press roller (3, 3 ′) is separated from the transfer foil (5, 5 ′). The step of applying to the press roller (3, 3 ′) on the front side or the rear side in the rotation direction of the step, and the cleaning mechanism (R, R ′) during the rotation of the press roller (3, 3 ′) Operating in a mode for cleaning the surface of the press roller (3, 3 ');
And / or at least one cleaning device (R, R ′) on the front side in the direction of travel of the transfer gap (6, 6 ′) around the guide of the foil web of the transfer foil (5, 5 ′) and / or Alternatively, on the rear side, applying the transfer foil (5, 5 ′) and the cleaning mechanism (R, R ′) during the transfer of the foil web of the transfer foil (5), the transfer foil (5, And 5 ′) operating in a mode in which the surface and / or edge region of one or both sides of the foil web is cleaned.   The surface of the cleaning mechanism (R, R ′) during the sheet coating process by applying a foil coating from one carrier foil (5, 5 ′) in one transfer gap (6, 6 ′). Entering the cooperating state with the press roller (3, 3 ') defining the transfer gap (6, 6') in the cleaning mode; and / or transferring the foil (5, 5, 5) in the surface cleaning mode. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of entering a cooperative state with the foil web of ′). The cleaning mechanism (R, R ′) stops the sheet coating process for applying the foil coating from one carrier foil (5, 5 ′) within one transfer gap (6, 6 ′). At one time, it is applied to a press roller (3, 3 ′) defining the transfer gap (6, 6 ′), and at that time, the transfer gap (6, 6 ′) is switched to a non-pressure state; And the press roller so that the press roller (3, 3 ′) can rotate without contacting the transfer foil (5, 5 ′) during the cleaning step. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of lifting (3, 3 ′).   The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning is performed using a single brush.   The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning is performed using a single cleaning cloth.   The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning is performed using one mechanism for spraying and sucking a cleaning medium.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cleaning is performed while adding a detergent.   The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning is performed while sucking a contaminant.   9. When the printing unit adjacent to the coating unit (2) or the foil sticking module (FA) is also cleaned in the same manner, the cleaning is periodically performed. 9. The method described in 1.   9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning is carried out periodically when a pre-set consumption profile or time course corresponding to the foil coating process is met. .   Cleaning of the press roller (3, 3 ') is performed in conjunction with cleaning in the gluing unit (1), in which case the coating medium exiting the ink unit in the gluing unit (1), and / or 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that a plurality of mechanisms are used for removing the coating medium of the rubber cylinder and / or impression cylinder (4). An apparatus for transferring an imaging layer and / or a masking layer or a cover layer from a transfer foil (5, 5 ') to a sheet of paper. At least one gluing unit (1) for transferring, and at least one coating unit (2) for transferring the imaging layer and / or masking layer of the transfer foil (5, 5 ') to the sheet. In this case, each coating unit (2) has one transfer gap (6, 6 '), and each of the areas glued from the transfer foil (5, 5') The transfer foil (5, 5 ') is applied to one press roller (3) so that the imaging layer or masking layer or cover layer inside is transferred to and attached to the sheet. And tangent even without, by placing the coated side on the sheet paper, is guiding the transfer gap (6, 6 ') in while being pressurized, the apparatus,
In at least the coating unit (2) of the printing press, at least one cleaning mechanism (R, R ′) is provided for one press roller (3, 3 ′) and / or the transfer foil (5, 5 ′). An apparatus that is arranged in a guide portion of a foil web and can be functionally linked with the guide portion.   Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the cleaning mechanism (R, R ') is a brush-type cleaning device and can be arranged in one suction mechanism by selection.   Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the cleaning mechanism (R, R ') is a cloth-type cleaning device.   13. A device according to claim 12, characterized in that the cleaning mechanism (R, R ') is a printing plate cleaning device which acts on the surface to be cleaned by spraying cleaning media and sucking contaminants.   Device according to claim 15, characterized in that the cleaning mechanism (R, R ') is implemented as a cleaning unit that traverses the entire length of the press roller (3, 3').   The cleaning mechanism (R, R ′) itself is configured as a mechanism for sucking contaminants, or at least one mechanism for sucking contaminants is arranged in the cleaning mechanism (R, R ′). Device according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that   18. A further cleaning mechanism (R ″) is arranged on one impression cylinder (4) cooperating with the press roller (3, 3 ′). The device described.   One control device is provided in the sheet-fed printing press, and the cleaning mechanism (R, R ′, R ″) can be controlled by using the control device, and at that time, the cleaning mechanism (R, R ′, R ″) can be controlled. The operation of) can be started during the coating process for the foil coating or outside of the coating process for the foil coating. Equipment.   20. The control unit according to claim 19, wherein the control unit is configured such that the cleaning is periodically performed according to a consumption profile or a time lapse that can be set in advance according to the foil coating process. The device described.   The controller is configured so that the operation of the cleaning of the press rollers (3, 3 ′) can be controlled in cooperation with the cleaning in the gluing unit (1). In addition, a plurality of mechanisms for removing the coating medium exiting the ink unit and / or the coating medium of the rubber cylinder and / or the impression cylinder (4), known per se, are provided. Item 20. The device according to Item 19.

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