JP5999752B2 - Variable printing machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a variable printing machine having a plurality of printing units.

  Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, as a variable printing machine, a plurality of printing units are arranged continuously on a paper travel line between an upstream intermittent feeder and a downstream intermittent feeder. A variable printing machine has been proposed in which a pattern can be printed on paper without any extra space between the printed patterns.

In such a variable printing machine, a plate of any one of a plurality of printing units may be exchanged for a pattern to be printed next, and production is performed when all the printing units are stopped for this plate exchange. Since the efficiency is lowered, a variable printing machine has been proposed in which a printing unit other than the plate exchange is in a printing operation, that is, a plate of one printing unit can be exchanged while performing the printing operation.
For example, a variable printing machine disclosed in Patent Document 2 has been proposed.

This variable printing machine has a printing cylinder and an impression cylinder that are in rolling contact with each other. A large diameter portion and a small diameter portion are provided on the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and the printing cylinder and the impression cylinder are connected via a clutch. The printing cylinder of each printing unit is driven to rotate by a driving motor.
Then, drive the drive motor of the printing unit to replace the plate at a low speed to rotate the printing cylinder and the impression cylinder at a low speed, and when the small diameter part of the impression cylinder faces the paper and the impression cylinder and the printing cylinder do not nip, engage the clutch. The cylinder is turned off (OFF), and the impression cylinder is stopped at its rotational position. The plate cylinder is rotated at a low speed to change the plate, and then the clutch is engaged (ON) to rotate the impression cylinder and the printing cylinder.

Japanese Patent No. 4447873 Japanese Patent No. 4536343

In the conventional variable printing press described above, when the plate is changed during the printing operation, the step of rotating the impression cylinder to the rotational position where the small diameter portion faces the paper, the step of turning off the clutch, and the step of bringing the clutch into contact Therefore, the plate exchange time becomes longer due to the time required for each process.
For this reason, if the printing operation time (for example, the number of prints) for printing before plate replacement is shorter than the above-mentioned plate replacement time, the printing speed before plate replacement is reduced to reduce the printing operation time to the above-mentioned plate replacement. There was a situation that matched the time, which caused a decline in production efficiency.
For example, when changing the design of a small lot such as replacement of a store name during printing operation with the same vertical size (size), the plate replacement time that requires printing speed is reduced. The situation slowed down to secure it, causing the production efficiency to decrease.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a variable printing machine in which a plate of one printing unit can be replaced in a short time during a printing operation.

In order to solve the above-described problem, a variable printing machine according to the present invention includes a printing cylinder in which a plate is attached in a circumferential direction to a paper traveling line between an upstream intermittent feeding device and a downstream intermittent feeding device; In a variable printing machine in which a plurality of printing units having an impression cylinder that is in rolling contact with the plate are arranged at intervals in the paper running direction,
The printing cylinder and the impression cylinder of each printing unit are driven in synchronization with the driving motor for each printing unit,
The printing cylinder of each printing unit has a printing position where the printing plate is brought into contact with the impression cylinder, and a gap where the printing plate is separated from the impression cylinder so that the sheet can run between the printing plate and the impression cylinder. It is possible to move over the escape position having
The printing cylinder of the printing unit to be replaced during printing operation is set to the escape position, the printing cylinder and the impression cylinder driven by the driving motor are driven at low speed, and the printing cylinder of the other printing unit is set to the printing position.

In the variable printing machine of the present invention, the printing cylinder has a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder to which a plate is attached,
The blanket cylinder is brought into rolling contact with the plate and the impression cylinder, and a printing position enabling the printing operation at the rolling contact portion between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder is separated from the plate and the impression cylinder and between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder. The paper can be moved over a clearance position having a gap in which the paper can travel,
A blanket cylinder of a printing unit for exchanging plates during a printing operation can be used as a relief position, and a blanket cylinder of another printing unit can be used as a printing position.

In the variable printing machine of the present invention, each printing unit is provided so as to be movable between a pressing position where the plate pressing roller is pressed against the peripheral surface of the plate cylinder and a separation position away from the peripheral surface of the plate cylinder,
It is possible to adopt a configuration in which the plate pressing roller of the printing unit to be replaced during printing operation is set to the pressing position and the plate pressing roller of the other printing unit is set to the separation position.
In this case, the plate can be easily attached to the plate cylinder because the plate can be pressed against the peripheral surface of the plate cylinder by pressing the plate pressing roller against the peripheral surface of the plate cylinder.

According to the present invention, by moving the printing cylinder of one printing unit to the escape position, it is possible to run the paper in the gap between the printing cylinder and the impression cylinder, so that the printing operation is performed by another printing unit. However, the plate of one printing unit described above can be exchanged.
In addition, the printing cylinder may be moved between the escape position and the printing position, and the printing cylinder can be moved in a short time.
Therefore, the plate of one printing unit can be replaced in a short time during the printing operation, and shortening the plate replacement time enables high-efficiency production of a wide variety of small rod products. This is a variable printing machine that can meet a wide range of needs.

1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a variable printing machine showing an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a schematic configuration explanatory diagram of a printing unit. FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a printing operation of the printing unit. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a printing operation of the printing unit. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a printing operation of the printing unit. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a printing operation of the printing unit. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a printing operation of the printing unit. It is a detailed explanatory view of a printing unit. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is a flowchart of plate exchange operation during printing operation. It is explanatory drawing of the reference | standard rotation position of a blanket cylinder and an impression cylinder. It is a flowchart of a normal plate exchange operation. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing which adjusts a printing area | region to printing size. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing which adjusts a printing area | region to printing size. It is a perspective view of the structure which moves a printing unit. It is a top view of the paper which printed the pattern and the register mark. It is explanatory drawing which shows the shift | offset | difference state of the registration mark of each pattern.

(Outline of variable printing machine)
As shown in FIG. 1, the paper (web) 2 fed from the paper feed unit 1 is forwardly fed by synchronizing the upstream intermittent feed device 3a and the downstream intermittent feed device 3b in the normal direction and the reverse direction. And a plurality of printing units, for example, first, second, third, and fourth printing units, on the paper travel line between the upstream intermittent feeding device 3a and the downstream intermittent feeding device 3b. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are arranged at intervals in the paper traveling direction.
Loop portions 5a and 5b for absorbing slack of the sheet 2 intermittently fed to the upstream side of the upstream intermittent feeding device 3a and the downstream side of the downstream intermittent feeding device 3b are provided.
The first, second, third, and fourth printing units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d described above print, for example, black, yellow, magenta, and cyan, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

(Outline of printing unit)
The first to fourth printing units 4a to 4d are a frame 10 provided to be movable in the paper running direction along the base 6, and a printing cylinder provided on the frame 10, for example, rolling contact with each other and rotating in the opposite direction. A plate cylinder 11, a blanket cylinder 12, and an impression cylinder 13 that is in rolling contact with the blanket cylinder 12 and rotates in the opposite direction.
As shown in FIG. 2, a large-diameter portion 11a and a small-diameter portion 11b are provided on the peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 11, and the plate 14 is attached to the large-diameter portion 11a in a replaceable manner.
The peripheral surface of the blanket cylinder 12 is provided with a large-diameter portion 12a and a small-diameter portion 12b serving as printing surfaces, and a blanket 15 is attached to the large-diameter portion 12a.
A large diameter portion 13 a and a small diameter portion 13 b are provided on the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder 13.
Each of the large-diameter portions 11a, 12a, and 13a has the same circumferential length, for example, 1/2 circumferential length, and the large-diameter portions 11a, 12a, and 13a are in contact with each other (nip portion), and each small-diameter portion 11b. , 12b, 13b rotate so as to face each other with a gap (nip release portion).

The sheet 2 travels between the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13, and the large diameter portions 12a and 13a are brought into rolling contact with each other, so that the printing pressure is applied to the sheet 2 and the small diameter portions 12b and 13b are opposed to the sheet 2. Printing pressure is not applied.
As described above, the blanket cylinder 12 (printing cylinder) and the impression cylinder 13 are configured to have a nip area where the printing pressure is applied to the paper 2 during one rotation and a nip release area where the printing pressure is not applied.

(Overview of printing operation)
As each cylinder rotates in the direction of the arrow from the state of FIG. 3, the plate 14 and the blanket 15 are brought into contact with each other, and the pattern 14a of the plate 14 in the vertical direction (ab) is placed on the blanket 15 as shown in FIG. It is transferred over the circumferential length from the starting end c.
As shown in FIG. 5, the blanket 15 and the large-diameter portion 13a of the impression cylinder 13 are in rolling contact with each other, so that the sheet 2 moves forward (in the direction of the arrow) at the same speed as the peripheral speed of the blanket 15 by the action of the intermittent feeding devices 3a and 3b. The aforementioned pattern 14a is printed.
As shown in FIG. 6, when the large diameter portion 13a of the blanket 15 and the impression cylinder 13 are separated from each other and the small diameter portion 12b of the blanket cylinder 12 and the small diameter portion 13b of the impression cylinder 13 start to face each other, the pattern 14a printed on the paper 2 is printed. Is a position separated by a circumferential length S1 of the blanket 15 from a position (first position to be a nip region) d where the blanket 15 and the large diameter portion 13a of the impression cylinder 13 start rolling contact on the paper travel line.

In the state of FIG. 6 described above, the intermittent feeding devices 3a and 3b are reversed, and the blanket cylinder 12, the impression cylinder 13 and the small diameter part 12b of the blanket cylinder 12 and the small diameter part 13b of the impression cylinder 13 face each other as shown in FIG. In the nip release region where there is a gap between the two, the paper 2 travels backward.
The distance traveled backward is the difference between the circumferential length S1 of the blanket 15 and the vertical length (ab) of the pattern 14a.
Thereby, the rear end b of the pattern 14a printed on the paper 2 coincides with the rolling contact start position d described above. The rear end b of the pattern 14a and the rolling contact start position d may be separated by a slight distance.

  The printing operation described above is sequentially repeated, and each time the blanket cylinder 12 is rotated, a pattern having a vertical length of (a−b) is repeatedly printed on the paper 2.

  Because of this, according to the variable printing machine described above, it is possible to print a pattern having a length in the vertical direction that is shorter than the circumference of the blanket cylinder on a continuous sheet without any extra space between the printed patterns. Can do.

Next, an embodiment in which the plate is replaced during the printing operation of the present invention will be described.
(Configuration of printing units 4a to 4d)
As shown in FIG. 8, the shaft 11 c of the plate cylinder 11 is rotatably supported by the frame 10. For example, it is rotatably supported by a pair of vertical plates 10a and 10a of the frame 10 via a bearing 11d.

The shaft 12c of the blanket cylinder 12 is supported by the frame 10 so as to be rotatable and movable between a printing position and a relief position.
For example, the shaft 12c is provided with a bearing 12d and the pair of vertical plates 10a of the frame 10 is provided with an eccentric bearing 16, and the bearing 12d is inserted into the eccentric hole 16a of the eccentric bearing 16 so as to be rotatable. By rotating forward and reverse by a predetermined angle with an actuator (not shown) such as a cylinder, the shaft 12c is moved in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and the blanket cylinder 12 is moved to the printing position and the escape position. It is.

As indicated by the solid line in FIG. 9, the blanket 15 of the blanket cylinder 12 is brought into contact with the large diameter part 11a of the plate cylinder 11 and the large diameter part 13a of the impression cylinder 13 so that a normal printing operation is possible. Position.
9, the blanket 15 of the blanket cylinder 12 is separated from the large-diameter portion 11a of the plate cylinder 11 and the large-diameter portion 13a of the impression cylinder 13 so that there is a gap between them. There is a position where the paper 2 can travel between the blanket 15 and the large diameter portion 13 a of the impression cylinder 13.
In FIG. 9, the clearance position of the blanket cylinder 12 is shown far away from the impression cylinder 13 so that the escape position can be easily understood.

  The shaft 13c of the impression cylinder 13 is rotatably supported by the frame 10. For example, a pair of vertical plates 10a of the frame 10 are rotatably supported via bearings 13d.

The shafts 11c, 12c, and 13c are provided with first, second, and third gears 17, 18, and 19, respectively. The first gear 17 and the second gear 18 are engaged with each other, and the second gear 18 and the third gear are engaged. The gear 19 is engaged.
The plate cylinder 11 is formed by meshing the gear 21 rotated by the drive motors 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d provided for each of the first to fourth printing units 4a to 4d with the first gear 17 and driving the drive motor. The blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13 are configured to rotate synchronously.

In this embodiment, a third gear 19 is rotatably attached to a shaft 13 c of the impression cylinder 13, and the third gear 19 and the shaft 13 c can be connected and separated by an impression cylinder clutch 22.
Then, the third gear 19 and the shaft 13c are connected by connecting the impression cylinder clutch 22 and the impression cylinder 13 is rotated by the drive of the drive motor, and the third gear 19 is disconnected by disconnecting the impression cylinder clutch 22. The shaft 13c is separated so that the impression cylinder 13 does not rotate even when the drive motor is driven.
The impression cylinder clutch 22 is unnecessary because it is always in contact when the plate is changed during the printing operation. However, as will be described later, each printing unit is stopped and the impression cylinder is changed when the plate is replaced with a plate having a different vertical length. Connect / disengage the clutch 22.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the plate 14 is attached to the large diameter portion 11 a of the plate cylinder 11, a plate pressing roller 23 that presses the plate 14 against the large diameter portion 11 a of the plate cylinder 11 is provided.
During the printing operation, the plate pressing roller 23 moves to a position apart from the large diameter portion 11a (plate 14) of the plate cylinder 11, and the plate cylinder 11 is attached when the plate 14 is attached to the large diameter portion 11a of the plate cylinder 11. It moves to the pressing position pressed against the large-diameter portion 11 (plate 14).
For example, the plate pressing roller 23 is rotatably attached to the arm 24, and the arm 24 is rocked by a moving means such as a cylinder (not shown) to move the plate pressing roller 23 between the pressing position and the separation position. is there.

As shown in FIG. 1, the drive motors 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d are driven and rotated by electrical means that can be digitally controlled by the controller 25. The eccentric bearing 16 and the plate pressing roller 23 are also controlled by the controller 25. Operation controlled.
Various operation commands are input to the controller 25 from the operation panel 26.

(Operation of plate change during printing)
The first, second, and third printing units 4a, 4b, and 4c print the set number of first images, the first, second, and fourth printing units 4a, 4b, and 4d print the set number of second images, FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of exchanging the plates of the fourth printing unit 4d and the third printing unit 4c when the set number of third patterns are printed by the first, second and third printing units 4a, 4b and 4c. This will be described with reference to the drawings. At this time, the lengths of the first, second, and third patterns in the vertical direction are the same.

First, a printing condition (printing as described above) is input and set from the operation panel 26 to the controller 25, and a print start signal is input from the operation panel 26 to the controller 25.
As a result, the blanket cylinder 12 of the first, second, and third printing units 4a, 4b, and 4c is moved to the printing position, and the drive motors 20a, 20b, and 20c are driven at a high speed, and the first, second, and third are driven. Printing of the first pattern is started in the printing units 4a, 4b, and 4c.

At the same time, the blanket cylinder 12 of the fourth printing unit 4d is moved to the escape position and the drive motor 20d is driven at a low speed.
By this operation, the blanket cylinder 12 of the fourth printing unit 4d and the large-diameter portion 13a of the impression cylinder 13 are separated from each other, and a gap in which the sheet 2 travels is generated between them. Regardless of the printing unit 4d, the first, second, and third printing units 4a, 4b, and 4c can continuously print the first picture on the paper.

As described above, when the first pattern is printed by the first, second, and third printing units 4a, 4b, and 4c, the old pattern plate is removed from the plate cylinder 11 of the fourth printing unit 4d, and the second pattern is printed. The pattern plate 14 is attached to the large diameter portion 11 a of the plate cylinder 11.
When the plate 14 having the second pattern is attached, the blanket cylinder 12 is separated from the large diameter portion 11a of the plate cylinder 11, and the plate 14 cannot be pressed against the large diameter portion 11a by the blanket cylinder 12, so that the installation of the plate 14 becomes troublesome. However, in this embodiment, the plate pressing roller 23 is provided, and the plate pressing roller 23 is set to the pressing position so that the plate 14 can be pressed against the large diameter portion 11a of the plate cylinder 11 so that the plate 14 can be easily attached. It is.

On the other hand, when the first, second, and third printing units 4a, 4b, and 4c are ready to finish printing the first picture, a finish preparation signal is output. For example, the number of prints of the first pattern is taken as a count, and a finish preparation signal is output when the number is slightly smaller than the set number.
The drive motor 20d of the fourth printing unit 4d is driven at a high speed by this completion preparation signal to synchronize the speeds of the fourth printing unit 4d and the first, second, and third printing units 4a, 4b, 4c.

When the first, second, and third printing units 4a, 4b, and 4c have printed the first pattern for a set number of times, a first pattern completion signal is output.
In response to the first pattern completion signal, the blanket cylinder 12 of the third printing unit 4c is moved to the escape position to complete the printing of the first pattern, and the drive motor 20c is driven at a low speed.
At the same time, the blanket cylinder 12 of the fourth printing unit 4d is moved to the printing position, and the first, second, and fourth printing units 4a, 4b, and 4d start printing the second pattern.

  During the printing operation of the second pattern, the plate 14 of the third printing unit 4c is replaced with a plate of the third pattern. This plate exchange operation is the same as the plate exchange operation of the fourth printing unit 4d described above.

  When the first, second, and fourth printing units 4a, 4b, and 4d are ready to finish printing the second pattern and output a finish preparation signal, the drive motor 20c of the third printing unit 4c is driven at a high speed by the signal. Thus, the third printing unit 4c and the first, second, and fourth printing units 4a, 4b, and 4d are synchronized.

When the set number of second pictures are printed by the first, second, and fourth printing units 4a, 4b, and 4d, a second picture completion signal is output.
With this signal, the blanket cylinder 12 of the fourth printing unit 4d is moved to the escape position, and the printing of the second pattern is completed.
At the same time, the blanket cylinder 12 of the third printing unit 4c is moved to the printing position, and printing of the third picture is started by the first, second, and third printing units 4a, 4b, and 4c.

As described above, the blanket cylinder 12 of the printing unit to be replaced is moved to the escape position so that no printing pressure is applied to the paper 2 running between the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13, and in this state the plate cylinder The plate 14 is attached to the large-diameter portion 11a of the 11 and the plate is exchanged. Thereafter, the blanket cylinder 12 is moved to the printing position, and printing is applied to the paper 2 traveling between the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13 for printing. Is started, it is possible to exchange the plates of one printing unit during the printing operation.
Therefore, the plate can be replaced during the printing operation by the step of moving the blanket cylinder 12 to the escape position and the step of moving the blanket cylinder 12 to the printing position, and the plate replacement time can be shortened compared to the conventional plate replacement.

For this reason, the proportion of work in which the printing operation time before plate exchange is shorter than the plate exchange time is reduced, and it is less likely that the printing speed in the printing operation before plate exchange needs to be reduced due to the plate exchange time. The production efficiency is improved.
In other words, since the time for moving the blanket cylinder 12 to the escape position and the printing position is very short, even if the plate is replaced (pattern replacement) for each small lot, the printing operation time is shorter than the plate replacement time. As a result, it is possible to prevent the production efficiency from decreasing.

Next, the operation of exchanging with a plate having a different vertical pattern length will be described.
Since this plate exchange operation is carried out with all the printing units stopped, the plate exchange time does not limit the printing operation time before the plate exchange, but the circumferential direction of the nip region between the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13 It is necessary to match the length (nip area range), that is, the print area with the vertical length of the pattern (print size). This is performed in order to ensure the operation time for intermittent feeding because the smaller the size, the greater the number of intermittent feedings of paper.

  Therefore, a means for detecting the rotational position of the blanket cylinder 12 and a means for detecting the rotational position of the impression cylinder 13 are provided, and the rotational position (relative rotation angle difference) when the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13 start rolling contact is provided. The print area can be automatically adjusted to the print size by changing according to the vertical length of the pattern.

In order to detect the rotation positions of the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13, the blanket cylinder reference rotation position detecting means 30 for detecting the reference rotation position of the blanket cylinder 12 and the reference rotation of the impression cylinder 13 as shown in FIG. An impression cylinder reference rotation position detecting means 31 for detecting the position is provided.
The detection means 30 and 31 include rotational position detection cams 30a and 31a provided on the shafts 12c and 13c, and sensors 30b and 31b attached to the vertical plate 10a of the frame 10. The sensors 30b and 31b use the cams 30a and 31b, respectively. The reference rotational position is detected by detecting 31a.
For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the sensor 30b detects the cam 30a when the starting end c of the large-diameter portion 12a (the blanket 15) of the blanket cylinder 12 matches the rolling contact start position d on the paper travel line. The position is set as the reference rotation position of the blanket cylinder 12.
As shown in FIG. 11, the sensor 31 b detects the cam 31 a when the small-diameter portion 13 b of the impression cylinder 13 moves toward the blanket cylinder 12 (paper travel line), and the position is set as the reference rotation position of the impression cylinder 13 .

  The rotation angle of the blanket cylinder 12 is detected by the rotation angle detection means of the drive motors 20a to 20d described above, for example, a digital drive signal for rotating the drive motor.

The reference rotation position of the blanket cylinder 12 and the rotation angle of the blanket cylinder 12 detected as described above are input to the controller 25, and the controller 25 rotates the rotation position of the blanket cylinder 12, that is, the rotation from the reference rotation position. Find the corner.
This constitutes a means for detecting the rotational position of the blanket cylinder 12.
The same detection is possible by providing the blanket cylinder reference rotational position detection means 30 in the plate cylinder 11 described above.

  On the other hand, the reference rotational position of the impression cylinder 13 is input to the controller 25, and the nip area range of the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13 is changed from the rotation position of the impression cylinder 13 and the blanket cylinder 12 at the reference rotation position. Match the vertical length of the pattern.

This plate exchange operation will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. In this operation, the blanket cylinder 12 is in the printing position and the plate pressing roller 23 is in the separated position. If only the plate changing operation is performed, the eccentric bearing 16 and the plate pressing roller 23 are not used, and the plate cylinder 11 and the blanket are used. The nip pressure of the barrel 12 may be used.
A plate exchange condition is set in the controller 25 using the operation panel 26. For example, the vertical length (ab) of the pattern is set.
Then, a plate exchange start signal is input from the operation panel 26 to the controller 25.

The drive motors 20a to 20d are driven at a low speed, and the plate cylinder 11, the blanket cylinder 12, and the impression cylinder 13 are rotated at a low speed.
When a reference rotation position detection signal is input from the impression cylinder reference rotation position detection means 31 to the controller 25, the impression cylinder clutch 22 is disconnected and the impression cylinder 13 is stopped at the reference rotation position.
While the plate cylinder 11 and the blanket cylinder 12 are further rotated at a low speed, the old plate 14 is taken out from the plate cylinder 11, and a new plate 14 is attached to replace the plate. This plate exchange operation can be performed manually or automatically.

Based on the vertical direction length (ab) of the pattern of the new plate 14 that has been replaced and each reference rotational position, the nip region range A of the impression cylinder 13 is the large diameter portion of the impression cylinder 13 as indicated by the dotted line in FIG. The rotational position of the blanket cylinder 12 within the range from the end e of 13a to the vertical length (ab) of the pattern is obtained.
For example, the rotation angle θ1 from the start point B of the nip region range A of the impression cylinder 13 to the position d on the paper travel line is obtained, and the start end c of the large-diameter portion 12a of the blanket cylinder 12 as shown in FIG. The rotation position at which the rotation angle θ2 with the position d on the paper travel line coincides with the rotation angle θ1 is set as the rotation position of the blanket cylinder 12 described above.

  When the detected rotational position of the blanket cylinder 12 coincides with the above-described rotational position, the impression cylinder clutch 22 is brought into contact, and the plate cylinder 11, the blanket cylinder 12, and the impression cylinder 13 are rotated.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 14, the rolling contact starts at the position B where the starting end c of the large diameter portion 12a of the blanket cylinder 12 is separated from the terminal end e of the large diameter portion 13a of the impression cylinder 13 by (ab). The nip area range between the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13 matches the vertical length (ab) of the pattern, and the nip area range can be automatically adjusted to the vertical length of the pattern.

  Accordingly, in each printing unit, the rotational position at which the rolling contact between the impression cylinder 13 and the blanket cylinder 12 of each printing unit is started is automatically changed according to the printing size input on the operation panel 26 according to various printing sizes. As a result, the print area can be automatically adjusted to the print size.

  In the variable printing machine of this embodiment, when the vertical length (print size) of the pattern is changed as described above, the interval in the paper running direction of the printing unit is set to an appropriate distance according to the print size. Therefore, the printing unit is moved to an appropriate position for each printing size along the paper travel line.

(Configuration to move the printing unit)
As shown in FIG. 15, the frame 10 described above has a linear guide 41 that is slidably fitted to a rail 40 provided on the base 6, and the linear guide 41 slides on the rail 40 so that the frame 10 ( The printing unit) can move along the paper travel line with a light force.
A screw shaft 42 is provided on the base 6 so as to be rotatable in the paper running direction. The screw shaft 42 is screwed into a nut member 43 provided on the frame 10.
The base 6 is provided with unit moving motors 44a, 44b, 44c and 44d for the respective printing units 4a to 4b. Drive shafts 45 respectively driven by the unit moving motors 44 a to 44 d are connected to the screw shafts 42 via bevel gear mechanisms 46.

  As such, when the drive shaft 45 is rotated forward and backward by the unit moving motors 44a to 44d, the screw shaft 42 rotates forward and backward, and the frame 10 reciprocates in the paper running direction. Move the unit along the paper travel line.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the plate cylinder 11 of each of the printing units 4a to 4d is attached to the frame 10 so as to be movable in the left and right directions in the axial direction, and drives each sidelay motor 47a, 47b, 47c, 47d. The plate cylinder 11 is configured to move to the left and right in the axial direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the unit movement motors 44 a to 44 d and the sidelay motors 47 a to 47 d are driven and controlled by the controller 25.
Then, when changing the vertical direction length (print size) of the pattern as described above, the unit movement motors 44a to 44d are driven and controlled in accordance with the vertical direction length (print size) of the pattern input to the controller 25. Thus, the printing units 4a to 4d are moved to appropriate positions for each print size along the paper travel line, and the interval in the paper travel direction of the print unit is set to an appropriate distance according to the print size.
The printing unit may be moved during the above-described change in the vertical length of the pattern (during plate replacement operation) or after the change (after plate replacement).

  After moving the printing unit as described above, it is checked whether the vertical and horizontal registrations of the pattern printed by each printing unit are correct, and if there is an error, printing is performed by the unit moving motors 44a to 47a. The units 4a to 4d are finely moved to align the image in the vertical direction, and the side cylinder motors 47a to 47d are used to slightly move the plate cylinder 11 to align the image in the horizontal direction.

The registration of the aforementioned pattern will be described.
As shown in FIG. 16, the first printing unit 4 a prints the black register 50 a on the paper 2 and simultaneously prints the first registration mark B on the margin of the paper 2.
The second printing unit 4b prints the second register mark Y at the same time as the yellow Y pattern 50b is printed on the aforementioned pattern 50a.
Similarly, the third and fourth printing units 4c and 4d print the magenta M pattern 50c and the third register mark M, the cyan C pattern 50d and the fourth register mark C, respectively.
The first to fourth registration marks B, Y, M, and C described above are printed at an arbitrary interval, for example, 4 mm, in the traveling direction.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the CCD camera 51 provided on the downstream side of the fourth printing unit 4d reads the first to fourth registration marks B, Y, M, and C, and the controller 25 performs image processing. Misregistration of the second, third, and fourth registration marks Y, M, and C with respect to the first registration mark B in the vertical direction (paper traveling direction) and the left-right direction (perpendicular to the paper traveling direction). Is detected.

  The printing units 4b to 4d are moved so that the above-described unit movement motors 44b to 44d are driven and controlled based on the top and bottom registration detected as described above so that the top and bottom registration detected is zero. The plate cylinder 11 is moved so that the lateral registration detected by driving and controlling the above-described sidelay motors 47b to 47d based on the lateral registration is zero.

  By doing in this way, the registration in the vertical direction and the registration in the left-right direction of the pattern printed by the first to fourth printing units 4a to 4d can be automatically matched.

An example of the aforementioned registration will be specifically described.
In the case where the first to fourth registration marks B, Y, M, and C read by the CCD camera 51 are shown in FIG. 17, other registration marks Y, M are used with respect to the first registration mark B serving as a reference. , C in the vertical direction positions d2, d3, d4 are, for example, d2 = 4.27 mm, d3 = 7.7 mm, d4 = 12.1 mm, and the horizontal displacements h2, h3, h4 are h2 = (+ ) Assuming that 0.1 mm, h3 = (−) 0.3 mm, and h4 = 0, the interval between the register marks is 4 mm as described above. Therefore, in the CCD camera 51, the second register mark Y is It is detected that Δd2 = 0.27 mm in the vertical direction and h2 = (+) 0.1 mm in the width direction with respect to the first registration mark B, and the third registration mark M is similarly Δ d3 = (−) 0.3 mm, h3 = (−) 0.3 mm, The register mark C △ d4 = (+) 0.1mm, reads the respective shift amounts of h4 = 0. The read values are sequentially input to the controller 20.

  The controller 25 sequentially processes the vertical and horizontal misalignment amounts of the registration marks Y, M, and C sequentially input from the CCD camera 51 so that the unit moving motors 44b, 44c, and 44d of each printing unit are connected to the side. Pulse signals corresponding to the displacements (Δd2, h2), (Δd3, h3), (Δd4, h4) are sent to the lay motors 47b, 47c, 47d, and each printing unit is moved in the vertical direction. The unit moving motors 44d, 44c, and 44d are driven so that the registration displacement moves to zero, and the plate cylinder 11 of each printing unit moves in the direction in which the registration error in the left and right directions becomes zero. Each side-lay motor 47b, 47c, 47d is driven to move. At this time, the correction of the registration deviation in the vertical direction is performed in a registration deviation correcting region where the small diameter portion 12b of the blanket cylinder 12 faces the impression cylinder 13 in a non-nip state. It should be noted that the correction of the amount of misalignment in the left-right direction can always be performed not only when the blanket cylinder 12 and the impression cylinder 13 are not in the non-nip state.

  At this time, the maximum correction amount for each registration deviation amount Δd2, Δd3, Δd4 in the vertical direction is limited, and the correction amount for one correction in the vertical direction is, for example, 0.1 mm. Limited. For this reason, when Δd2 which is 0.27 mm is corrected, it is corrected by dividing into three times of 0.1 mm, 0.1 mm and 0.07 mm. The maximum amount of correction at one time can be changed by the controller 25.

  2 ... paper, 3a ... intermittent feeding device on the upstream side, 3b ... intermittent feeding device on the downstream side, 4a ... first printing unit, 4b ... second printing unit, 4c ... third printing unit, 4d ... fourth printing unit, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Plate cylinder, 12 ... Blanket cylinder, 13 ... Impression cylinder, 14 ... Plate, 16 ... Eccentric bearing, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d ... Drive motor, 23 ... Plate pressing roller, 25 ... Controller.

Claims (3)

A plurality of printing units having a printing cylinder attached with a plate in the circumferential direction and a pressure cylinder that is brought into rolling contact with the plate in a paper traveling line between the upstream intermittent feeding device and the downstream intermittent feeding device, In a variable printing machine arranged at intervals in the running direction,
The printing cylinder and the impression cylinder of each printing unit are driven in synchronization with the driving motor for each printing unit,
The printing cylinder of each printing unit has a printing position where the printing plate is brought into contact with the impression cylinder, and a gap where the printing plate is separated from the impression cylinder so that the sheet can run between the printing plate and the impression cylinder. It is possible to move over the escape position having
The printing cylinder of the printing unit to be replaced during printing operation is set as the escape position, the printing cylinder and the impression cylinder driven by the driving motor are driven at low speed, and the printing cylinder of the other printing unit is set as the printing position. Variable printing machine. The printing cylinder has a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder to which a plate is attached,
The blanket cylinder is brought into rolling contact with the plate and the impression cylinder, and a printing position enabling the printing operation at the rolling contact portion between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder is separated from the plate and the impression cylinder and between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder. The paper can be moved over a clearance position having a gap in which the paper can travel,
2. The variable printing machine according to claim 1, wherein a blanket cylinder of a printing unit for exchanging plates during a printing operation is set as a relief position, and a blanket cylinder of another printing unit is set as a printing position. In each of the printing units, a plate pressing roller is provided so as to be movable between a pressing position where the pressing roller is pressed against the peripheral surface of the plate cylinder and a separation position separated from the peripheral surface of the plate cylinder,
3. The variable printing machine according to claim 2, wherein the plate pressing roller of the printing unit for exchanging the plate during the printing operation is set to the pressing position, and the plate pressing roller of the other printing unit is set to the separation position.

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