JP3883657B2 - Register control method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention belongs to the technical field of registration when processing webs. In particular, stable and highly accurate registration is performed in a multi-color printing machine or a printing / coating machine having a plurality of drive systems for individually driving each of a plurality of printing or coating units separately. The present invention relates to a register control method and a register control apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a so-called sectional drive inline machine having separate drive motors in the printing section and the coating section. In this in-line machine, by switching, not only coating in the coating unit 103 but also printing can be performed. In switching to printing, the drive system is switched so that stable registration accuracy can be obtained. That is, in the drive system switching device 105, the drive system of the plate cylinder of the coating unit is switched by mechanically changing the transmission system from the drive motor 106b of the coating unit to the drive motor 106a of the printing unit 102.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in order to perform printing with stable registration accuracy in the coating unit 102, the drive system must be switched by mechanically changing the transmission system. Heavy workload. In addition, a mechanism for switching the drive system is required, and the inline machine has a large scale and a complicated configuration. Therefore, a large installation space is occupied and the apparatus cost is also expensive.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to perform stable and highly accurate registration without mechanically changing the transmission system and switching the drive system in an apparatus having a plurality of drive systems for driving a plurality of units. It is an object of the present invention to provide a register control method and a register control apparatus capable of performing the above.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The above object is achieved by the present invention described below. That is,
According to the present invention, “the downstream unit for processing the web is controlled in rotational speed by a drive system separate from the upstream unit, and the misregistration of the web supplied to or discharged from the downstream unit is detected. And adjusting the path length of the web between the upstream unit and the downstream unit so as to correct the misregistration, and when the adjustment of the path length exceeds a predetermined range, A registration control method for adjusting the rotational speed of the drive system. According to the present invention, a misregistration of a web supplied to or discharged from a downstream unit is detected, and the misregistration is corrected for the web path length between the upstream unit and the downstream unit. Adjustments are made to At the same time, when the adjustment of the path length exceeds a predetermined range, the rotational speed of the drive system of the downstream unit is adjusted. In this way, the adjustment of the web path length and the adjustment of the rotational speed of the drive system of the downstream unit are used together, so that stable and highly accurate registration can be achieved without mechanically changing the transmission system and switching the drive system. Can be combined.
[0005]
Further, the present invention provides a "rotating speed controllable drive means for driving a downstream unit for processing a web separately from the upstream unit, and a web supplied to or discharged from the downstream unit. Misregistration detecting means for detecting misregistration, a compensator for adjusting the path length between the downstream unit and the upstream unit, and adjusting the path length by operating the compensator to correct the misregistration. And a control means for controlling the rotational speed by operating the drive means of the downstream unit when the adjustment of the path length exceeds a predetermined range. According to the present invention, the downstream unit that processes the web is driven by the driving means capable of controlling the rotational speed, and the registration deviation of the web that is supplied to the downstream unit or discharged from the downstream unit by the registration deviation detection means. Is detected, the path length between the downstream unit and the upstream unit is adjusted by the compensator, the compensator is operated by the control means so as to correct the misregistration, the path length is adjusted, and the path length is adjusted. When the predetermined range is exceeded, the drive means of the unit is operated to adjust the rotation speed. In this way, the adjustment of the web path length and the adjustment of the rotational speed of the drive system of the downstream unit are used together, so that stable and highly accurate registration can be achieved without mechanically changing the transmission system and switching the drive system. Can be combined.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, the present invention will be described based on embodiments. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printing / coating in-line machine equipped with a register control device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a paper feeding unit, 2 is a printing unit, 3 is a coating unit, 4 is a winding unit, 5a and 5b are web winding bodies, 6a, 6b and 6c are printing units, 7a, 7b, 7c is a compensator, 9a and 9b are motors, 10 is a web, 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d are plate cylinders, and 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d are impression cylinders.
[0007]
As shown in FIG. 1, the basic configuration of the printing / coating inline machine includes a paper feeding unit 1, a printing unit 2, a coating unit 3, and a winding unit 4. The printing / coating in-line machine normally performs printing on the web 10 in the printing unit 2 and immediately performs coating in the coating unit 3 on the printed web. That is, the printing / coating in-line machine is an apparatus that can perform the printing process and the coating process in one process.
In this printing / coating in-line machine, the coating unit 3 can perform printing as well as coating. The switching is performed so that printing ink is used and the printing cylinder 11d is used as a printing printing cylinder, and registration of overprinting is possible.
[0008]
Before describing the registration control apparatus that performs registration, the overall operation of the printing / coating inline machine shown in FIG. 1 will be described first. The web 10 unwound from the winding body 5a of the paper feeding unit 1 is supplied to the printing unit 6a, and the web 10 is brought into close contact with the plate cylinder 11a by the impression cylinder 12a and is subjected to printing by applying printing pressure. Subsequently, the web 10 is guided to the dryer of the printing unit 6a by a guide roller, and the printing ink is dried. The web 10 delivered from the dryer is supplied to the next printing unit 6b via the compensator 7a.
[0009]
The compensator 7a is a device for performing registration with the printing performed in the printing unit 6a when printing is performed in the printing unit 6b. At the entrance of the dryer of the printing unit 6b, a registration detector (not shown) detects a registration deviation from the interval between the two registration marks printed on the web 10 by the printing units 6a and 6b. Based on the misregistration detection signal, the compensator 7a performs registration by adjusting the path length of the web 10 between the printing unit 6a and the printing unit 6b.
[0010]
As described above, the web 10 on which printing has been performed in the printing units 6 b and 6 c is fed to the coating unit 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing unit 2 is driven by a motor 9a, and the coating unit 3 is driven by a motor 9b. The reason why the drive system is separated in this way is to reduce the restriction of the coating in the coating unit 3 by the printing unit 2. For example, even if the coating cylinder is the same type of gravure cylinder as the printing cylinder, it is not always necessary to use a printing cylinder having the same diameter. In addition to the gravure coating method, various various coating methods can be implemented in the coating unit 3.
The web 10 that has been coated and dried in the coating unit 3 is supplied to the winding unit 4. The winding unit 4 winds the web 10 to form a winding body.
[0011]
Next, a case where printing is performed in the coating unit 3 will be described. Usually, the accuracy required for registering overprints in multicolor printing is high. On the other hand, the accuracy required for registration in coating is lower than the accuracy, or not required at all. When printing is performed in the coating unit 3, it is necessary to ensure the required registration accuracy.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the registration device of the present invention applied to the coating unit 3. 2, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as in FIG. 1, 21 is a register mark detector, 22 is a register control device, 23 is a motor for operating the compensator 7c, and 24a and 24b are movable rollers of the compensator 7c. (Indicates a position between the upper limit and the intermediate position) 25 is an upper limit detector for detecting the upper limit movable roller 24a, 26 is a lower limit detector for detecting the lower limit movable roller, and 28 is a rotation of the motor 9b for driving the coating unit 3. This is a rotational speed control device for controlling the speed.
[0012]
As already described, the coating unit 3 is driven by a motor 9 b different from the motor 9 a that drives the printing unit 2. The motor 9a and the motor 9b can be driven at the same rotational speed and the same phase without mechanically coupling the rotating shafts of the motor 9b by the transmission system. For example, the rotation speed and phase can be controlled as a motor that can drive the motors 9a and 9b with the same rotation speed and the same phase, for example, an AC servo motor, a vector inverter motor, or the like.
However, even when such a drive system is used, complete control cannot be performed depending on the state of the load. In some cases, a motor that performs simpler speed control may be used due to cost and other requirements. According to the register control device of the present invention, even when the motor 9a and the motor 9b cannot be completely driven at the same rotational speed and the same phase, stable and highly accurate registration can be performed. it can.
[0013]
As described above, when it is impossible to completely drive the motor 9a and the motor 9b at the same rotational speed and the same phase, it is impossible to avoid the occurrence of misregistration as it is. FIG. 2 shows a configuration for avoiding this, and the register mark detector 21 is a register mark printed in the upstream printing unit 6c and a register mark printed in the downstream coating unit 3 on which the printing plate is mounted. A misregistration is detected from the interval between and a misregistration signal is output. The registration control device 22 inputs the registration error signal and outputs an operation amount so as to correct the registration error. The motor 23 has a motor driver, and the operation amount is input to move the movable roller 24b to adjust the path length of the web 10 between the printing unit 6c and the downstream coating unit 3 on which the printing plate is mounted. . Immediately after the movable roller 24b moves, the entire length of the web 10 on the path does not change and the tension changes. Then, in the process of mitigating the tension fluctuation and shifting to the steady state, the total length of the web 10 as an entity matches the adjusted path length. This adjustment is made to correct the misregistration and is registered.
[0014]
Such correction of misregistration in the case where the motor 9a and the motor 9b cannot be driven at the same rotational speed and the same phase is considered to continue continuously even if there is a difference in degree. Can do. As a result, the movement of the movable roller 24b continues continuously and reaches the limit of the movable range of the movable roller 24b.
[0015]
The upper limit detector 25 of the compensator 7c detects that the movable roller 24b has reached the upper limit of the movable range, and outputs an upper limit signal. The lower limit detector 26 detects that the movable roller 24b has reached the lower limit of the movable range, and outputs a lower limit signal. These upper limit signal and lower limit signal are input by the rotational speed control device 28 and output an operation amount for operating the speed of the motor 9b so that the movable roller 24b is within the movable range. The motor 9b has a motor driver, and the motor driver inputs the operation amount to adjust the rotational speed of the motor 9b. When the upper limit signal is input, the rotation speed of the motor 9b is increased so as to increase the feeding speed of the web 10 and shorten the web path length. When the lower limit signal is input, the rotational speed of the motor 9b is lowered so as to slow the web 10 feeding speed and lengthen the web path length.
[0016]
In the printing / coating in-line machine shown in FIG. 1, the motor 9a that drives the printing unit 2 in a normal operation is used as a main motor, and operations such as start, acceleration, deceleration, and stop are performed. The motor 9b of the construction unit 3, and the motors of the paper feeding unit 1 and the winding unit 2 can be made to follow them. That is, the rotational speed of the motor 9b is synchronized with the rotational speed of the motor 9a. In that case, the rotational speed of the motor 9b is given by the speed ratio with respect to the rotational speed of the motor 9a.
In this case, “increasing the rotational speed of the motor 9b” in the above description means “increasing the speed ratio of the rotational speed of the motor 9b to the rotational speed of the motor 9a”. “Reducing the rotational speed of the motor 9b” means “decreasing the speed ratio of the rotational speed of the motor 9b to the rotational speed of the motor 9a”.
[0017]
Next, the registration control process will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the process of register control in the present invention. The registration control process shown in FIG. 3 is performed by control of a control unit having a function of combining the registration control device 22 and the rotation speed control device 28 in FIG.
In step S1, a registration error (registration deviation) is read (detected) by a scanning head (registration deviation detector). Next, in step S2, it is determined whether the printed pattern of the web 10 is advanced or delayed compared to the pattern on the plate surface of the plate cylinder 11d. If it has advanced, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is delayed, the process proceeds to step S7.
[0018]
In step S3, the compensator roller (movable roller 24b) is moved upward, which is the direction in which the web path length is increased. Next, in step S4, it is determined whether or not the position of the compensator roller has reached the upper limit. If the upper limit has not been reached, the process returns to step S1 and the subsequent steps are repeated. If the upper limit has been reached, the process proceeds to step S5.
In step S5, the rotational speed of the motor 9b that drives the plate cylinder 11d is increased. Next, in step S6, it is determined whether to end or continue the registration control process. If the registration control process is to be continued, the process returns to step S1 and the subsequent processes are repeated. When the register control process is finished, it is finished.
[0019]
On the other hand, if the printed pattern on the web 10 is delayed compared to the pattern on the plate cylinder 11d in step S2, the process proceeds to step S7.
In step S7, the rotational speed of the motor 9b that drives the plate cylinder 11d is decreased. Next, in step S6, it is determined whether to end or continue the registration control process. If the registration control process is to be continued, the process returns to step S1 and the subsequent processes are repeated. When the register control process is finished, it is finished.
[0020]
Although the present invention has been described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be implemented in various forms based on the technical idea of the present invention. It goes without saying that it is included in.
For example, in the embodiment, the register control when printing is performed in one coating unit of the printing / coating inline machine is shown as an example. However, the register control when printing is performed in a plurality of coating units is also shown. It is clear that it can be applied. The present invention is not limited to an in-line machine, and can also be applied to a printing machine in which an individual motor is provided for each printing unit as a drive system for the printing unit. In addition to the printing press, the present invention can be applied to register control of a processing device that performs processing while aligning the web, for example, an embossing device, a punching device, a business form processing device, and the like. .
[0021]
Further, for example, in the embodiment, an example is shown in which a registration error is detected by a registration error detector immediately after printing, but a registration mark printed by an upstream printing unit is detected by a registration mark sensor immediately before printing, and a rotary is detected. A registration error can be detected by a registration error detector that detects the phase of the plate cylinder using an encoder or the like and calculates a registration error amount therefrom. According to this method, it is possible to detect misregistration even when printing is performed with light-colored ink that is difficult to detect in a downstream printing unit.
[0022]
Further, for example, in the embodiment, an example in which the movable range of the compensator roller is detected by the upper limit detector and the lower limit detector is shown, but instead of detecting the upper and lower limits, the position of the compensator roller is detected, The speed operation of the motor can be performed based on the shift from the predetermined position. Limit switches and proximity switches can be used for the upper limit detector and the lower limit detector. In addition, the position of the compensator roller is detected by adding an encoder that can detect the position as an absolute position (not a relative position) (absolute encoder), and the number of pulse signals that move the compensator roller, depending on the direction of movement. A counting device can be used.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in an apparatus having a plurality of drive systems for driving a plurality of units, the transmission system is mechanically changed and the drive system is not switched, so that the drive system is stable and highly accurate. It is possible to provide a registration control method and a registration control apparatus that can perform registration.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing / coating inline machine including a register control device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a registration apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of register control in the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a so-called sectional drive in-line machine having separate drive motors in a printing unit and a coating unit, respectively.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper feed part 2 Printing part 3 Coating part 4 Winding part 5a, 5b Web winding body 6a, 6b, 6c Printing unit 7a, 7b, 7c Compensator 9a, 9b, 23 Motor 10 Web 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d Plate cylinders 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d Impression cylinder 21 Registration mark detector 22 Registration control devices 24a, 24b Movable rollers (indicating upper and middle positions)
25 Upper limit detector 26 Lower limit detector 28 Rotational speed control device

Claims (2)

The rotational speed of the downstream unit that processes the web is controlled by a separate drive system from the upstream unit.
Detecting misregistration of the web supplied to or discharged from the downstream unit;
Adjusting the path length of the web between the upstream unit and the downstream unit to correct the misregistration;
When the adjustment of the path length exceeds a predetermined range, the rotational speed of the drive system of the downstream unit is adjusted.
A register control method characterized by that. A drive means capable of controlling the rotational speed for driving a downstream unit for processing the web separately from the upstream unit;
Misregistration detection means for detecting misregistration of a web supplied to or discharged from the downstream unit;
A compensator for adjusting the path length between the downstream unit and the upstream unit;
Control for adjusting the path length by operating the compensator so as to correct the misregistration, and for adjusting the rotation speed by operating the driving unit of the downstream unit when the path length adjustment exceeds a predetermined range. Means,
A register control device comprising:

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