JPH02303857A - Printing method and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To print a predetermined length or repeating pattern without replacing a cylinder by emitting an ionized beam to the cylinder to form an image on the cylinder, and transferring it to a continuously moving web, thereby setting a printing cylinder to an intermediate length. CONSTITUTION: A laser cylinder printing station 12 represents, for example, four cylinders disposed in series along a passing route of a web W, and prints any of the four types of basic colors of the respective cylinders. A type of its format decides predetermined number of the stations according to types of the colors. The station is operated in an order of colors in a predetermined sequence. For example, the first station prints black, the second red, the third blue and the fourth green. The web W output from the station is passed through a normal row punch ring station 14, and passed under an image scanner 16 via a laser slitter 18, a laser punch head 20, a laser lateral hole cutter 22. Size, position and interval of the holes are specified by inserting previously programmed information on a disk or cassette to a main control unit.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuous printing on a web of paper, in an office format or any printed matter compatible with this system, such as newspapers, publications, etc. Concerning the production of copies transmitted domestically from a central location.

’ with ’r. A major drawback of continuous multi-part office forms, and printing press technology in general, is that the dimensions of the printed pattern are limited to the dimensions or diameter of the printing cylinder.

This often results in the need to change printing cylinders to accommodate each pole length or repeat of the required product.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention allows printing cylinders of intermediate length to print desired lengths or repeating patterns without changing cylinders. That is, the cylinder surface is considered to be a continuous moving surface, and is not considered to have a fixed length but several kilometers. An ionized beam is projected onto the cylinder to form an image on the cylinder that is transferred to a continuously moving web. As the cylinder passes through the printing station, the image is erased and a new image is formed.
Print constantly changing images on the web regardless of cylinder dimensions.

Specifically, a drum or print cylinder is formed with an image-receiving photoconductive surface and rotated twice to project an image onto the cylinder surface at a charging or projection station. For this purpose, laser printing techniques are used 1 for example in U.S. Pat.
No. 36917. 7 is rotated to selectively apply powder or toner at the developer station, depositing it only on the charged image areas. If a plurality of colors are used depending on the type of office format, for example, four cylinders are used to print each in a different color.

The imaged web passes through a heating section and a cooling section to fix the toner or powder on the web.

After each cylinder has transferred the image to the web, the image is erased by a laser beam that discharges the photoconductive surface of the cylinder.

After passing through each print station, the web passes through a standard punch ring and enters the image scanner. At this station, the printed image is reproduced using a laser beam, converted to digital data, and stored in a computer. modify or improve specific parts of the form using normal feedback techniques;
or make partial changes.

The web is then passed through a laser actuated punch head, a transverse hole puncher and wound onto a take-up coil.

Computer techniques are used to program the printing press to provide the required two printing colors, etc. at each printing station. A preferred example is the control of a printing press.

Print information is stored on a disk or cassette.

The printing press described above has various advantages. The total MN of the press is significantly reduced and problems of readjustment and realignment due to deformation of heavy frame members and floor compression do not occur.

The printing press described above has low power consumption. A large motor, say 7.5 hp, is used only to pull the paper through the press, and smaller, separate motors, 4-5 hp, are used for each subsystem. Typical known printing machines use 5O-60hp or more.

The printing press according to the invention eliminates the conventional negatives and plates and necessary chemicals. All controls are computerized, eliminating the need for counters and the problems associated with them.

Instant drying at each printing station eliminates the need for conventional infrared and ultraviolet dryers.

The printing press of the present invention is quite different from the usual instant procedure in that the operator loads a new roll of paper into the press, removes the wound roll, and selects a program to produce a form of the desired size.

The installation and removal of paper rolls can also be automated, further minimizing the human power needed to operate the printing press.

Embodiments and drawings illustrating the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1.2 shows an office form printing machine according to the invention, with a feeding station 1 for the web W, 10 or more printing station runs, 129 rows, a hole punching station 14, an image scanning station 16 . Laser slit station 18. Laser punch station 20 Laser side hole station 22. Auxiliary detector 24° winding station 2
Contains 6.

The supply station 10 has a conventional paper supply roll 30 and a web guide 32. It has a feed roll 34. According to the invention, at least one laser detector 36 is provided to monitor the web thickness. Although there is no large change in thickness within one paper roll, when a second and third roll is used in one process, the change in thickness is large and may cause problems of strength. The laser detector sends an alert to the operator when the change is below a predetermined minimum allowable value to correct the problem.

The use of laser radiation to measure web thickness is known and the detector described in US Pat. No. 4,322,971 can be used.

2 (11 correction rolls 38 are used to indicate slack and uneven feeding of paper from the supply roll 30. This roll is operatively connected to the central computer control unit 52 to compensate for the paper rolls 34
Move the required joints.

Printing station 12 includes a spatial length printing cylinder 40 according to the present invention, capable of printing to any desired length and repetition.

According to the invention, the printing cylinders 40 can be arranged as required, for example 4+1! The cylinders 40 are arranged in series, each cylinder 40 preferably made of aluminum and coated with the required photoconductive surface to receive an image from an image projector 42. Projector 42 uses a laser to project an image onto a photoconductive recording medium coated on the drum surface. In this regard, the drum or cylinder can be easily installed and removed at each printing station.

Periodically remove and recoat the cylinder.

As is known in the laser art, the print station receives alphanumeric data in electronic form from the main computer control unit 52 and is responsive to this data to print the desired images on the moving web W. Each printing station computer 12 has its own motor drive M and calculator. This computer controls the web spacing and tension at a particular station as a unique program and is of course connected to the main computer control unit 52.

After the image is projected onto the cylinder surface, the toner is applied 44 as a powder. The powder is extremely fine and no excess powder remains when deposited on the surface.

After the web comes into contact with the cylinder and the image is transferred to the web surface, the powder heater 4 as shown in FIG.
8 and cooling by the cooler 50, the melting temperature is 300°P (150°C) or higher.

The cylinder rotates and the image is erased by ionizing image eraser 46. A laser is used to discharge the photoconductive surface of the printing cylinder. Usually each cylinder has a required length of 3
For example, with a 28 in (70 cm) cylinder, 24 i
n (60clll) and project a new or continued image onto the cylinder after the cylinder has passed the print position and erased the image. Thus.

No non-print gaps occur.

Cylinder dimensions are not limited to 28 inches (70 cm).

Required dimensions such as 22 in 26 in (55, 65 cm) can be used.

The present invention is a virtually infinite length cylinder, so more than four 11 in (28 cm) images can be printed.

A four-part form can be printed on a single sheet length of continuous web. This four-part format is not possible even with conventional printing machines or new laser printing machines.

The control and sequence of images to be projected onto the cylinder will be described below.

As mentioned above, the laser cylinder printing station 12
For example, four are arranged in series along the passage path of the web W.
Representing the cylinders f[I, print one of the four basic colors on each cylinder. The format of the form determines the type of color and therefore the required number of stations.

The printing press is programmed to operate the printing stations in a predetermined sequence of colors, such as a first station printing black, a second red, a third blue, and a fourth green.

After leaving the printing station, the web W passes through a conventional row-hole punching station 14, passes under an image scanner 16, and passes through a laser slitter 18. Laser punch head 20. It passes through the laser horizontal hole cutter 22. The dimensions, positions, and spacing of the holes and slits are defined by inserting preprogrammed information on a disk or cassette into the main control unit.

The image scanner 16 reproduces the printed image, separates the four color images using a lathe type mechanism, extracts one color, and separates it by digitization to produce four negative images corresponding to each color. Instead of producing negative images.

This information can be sent directly to the printing station of the printing press, especially for product modification, or transmitted via a computer link to a remote printing press.

After passing between the detectors 24 to check the alignment and tension of the paper web W, the paper is wound onto a stand 26.

As shown in FIG. 2, each part of the printing press is connected via cables 32 to a main central computer control unit 52, shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows each device for controlling the printing press of the present invention. A natural color graphic format editor 60° matrix color printing machine 62 is used for format confirmation, and a processor 6
It cooperates with a 41-color scanner 66 to send information to the central processor 52 regarding the four-color composition of the form. The console 68 inserts various cassette disks and controls each station of the printing press via the main computer control unit 52.

When the work is completed, store the disk and use it for re-instruction.
Can be loaded directly into the printing press for accurate reproduction. Alternatively, replace the disk and erase the 9 work reproduction if unnecessary, or modify the storage disk section of the printing press as required.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the laser printing stage 5 similar to FIG. 1, but the web W passes under the drum 40. If the drum rotates counterclockwise, the image projector 42
projects the image onto the photosensitive surface of the drum and deposits powder 44. Once the image is transferred to the web W, the powder is melted 48 and cooled 50. Immediately after this, the image on the drum is erased 46.

A method of manufacturing office forms according to the present invention comprises: (a) feeding a web from a supply roll to a printing station including at least one printing cylinder; (b) projecting an image onto the cylinder between rotations of the cylinder; and (c) applying a toner. (d) transferring the image to the web as the cylinder rotates and contacts the web; (e) erasing the image from the cylinder immediately after the cylinder leaves the web; (f)
Project a new image onto the cylinder between rotations of the cylinder.

The preferred technique of the present invention is a printing station using laser printing techniques, although inkjet type printers can also be used. The web W shown in FIG. 5 passes in contact with a drum 70, and an ink jet module 72 projects ink droplets onto the web W in accordance with a computer program selected to produce a particular office form.

The invention has been described for printing office forms. The computerized process of the present invention can be easily and effectively used in the production of barcodes. Additionally, the medium length cylinder described above can be used in other web printing processes, such as printing publications, wallpaper, etc. No known products for wallpaper printing have been manufactured in a continuously varying pattern, i.e., a pattern repeating within the room.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, the embodiments and drawings are illustrative and do not limit the invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of an office form printing machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the printing machine of FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the central control unit of the printing press of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the printing station according to the invention; and FIG. 5 is a side view of another embodiment of the printing station. W9. Web 101. Supply station 128. Printing station 16.66... Image scanner 301
．． Supply roll 369. Laser detector 388. Correction roll 400. Print cylinder 421. Image projector 44. , toner application 461. Eraser 480.
Heater 501. Cooler 528. Main computer control unit 60. , format editor 621. The righteous thoughts of matrix printing machine drawings (4 changes to the content) Procedural amendment @ (method) September 7, 1989 1999 Patent Application No. 112786 2, name printing method of invention and stamp gap 3, amendment Relationship with the patent applicant's address Name El Ken & C Kan Family - Partnership 54 Amendment Order Date August 29, 1999 (Old shipping) 6. Subject of amendment

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method of printing on a printing press on a web of continuous printing material, comprising: (a) feeding the web of continuous printing material from a supply roll to a printing station; (c) transferring the image on the endless motion printing press member to the web of continuous printing material when the image on the endless motion printing press member and the web coincide; d) erasing the image from the endless motion printing press member immediately after said printing step; (e) projecting the remainder of the image to be printed during rotation of the endless motion printing press member; (f) said step (c) ( d) A printing method characterized in that (e) is repeated until a complete image is printed on the web of continuous printing material. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of scanning the image transferred to the web for variations from a predetermined image design and correcting for variations. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a)-(f) are performed at a plurality of printing stations, each printing a different color. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) is performed using a plurality of lasers. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said endless motion printer member is a rotating cylinder having a photoconductive surface. 6. The projection step includes the step of projecting a charged image onto a photoconductive surface of a rotating cylinder, and further applying a toner to the charged image on the photoconductive surface of the rotating cylinder, and the transferring step includes applying a toner to a web of continuous printing material. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transferring a toner corresponding to the charged image. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of fixing the toner image on the web of continuous printing material. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said projection process projects a constantly changing image. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said projection step sequentially projects different images. 10. The transfer step sequentially transfers different images on the endless motion printing press member to a web of continuous printing material, and the erasing step sequentially erases the different images from the endless motion printing press member immediately after said transfer. Method described. 11. The method of claim 1, including the step of monitoring the web thickness before step (b). 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of slitting or perforating the web at predetermined locations and winding the web. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a)-(f) are controlled by a preselected computer program. 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of repeating steps (a)-(f) to successively print a series of completed images. 15. A method for printing on a printing press on a web of continuous printing material, comprising: (a) moving the web of continuous printing material from a supply roll to a printing station; (b) moving a constantly changing image onto a printing cylinder having a predetermined diameter; (c) transfer an ever-changing image to the web of continuous printing material when the moving web of printing material coincides with the outer circumference of the printing cylinder, and the length of the image printed on the web is the length of the print A printing method which is independent of the diameter of the cylinder and characterized in that (d) immediately after step (c) above the image is erased from the printing cylinder. 16. further comprising repeating steps (a)-(d) to transfer the finished image to be printed onto a web of continuous printing material.
5. The method described in 5. 17. The image to be printed is a business form, the constantly changing image is formed of at least alphanumeric data, and the amount of alphanumeric data transferred to the web by the transfer process is independent of the diameter of the printing cylinder. Method. 18. The method according to claim 15, wherein steps (a) to (d) are performed according to a preselected computer program. 19. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (a)-(d) are performed at a plurality of printing stations, each printing station printing a different color. 20. A printing press for continuously printing on a web of continuous printing material, comprising: (a) feeding means for feeding the web of continuous printing material from a supply roll to a printing station; (b) endless motion printing press members; (c) drive means for driving the endless motion printing press member through the printing station; (d) projection means for projecting at least a portion of the image to be printed onto the endless motion printing press member; and (e) endless motion. (f) a transfer means for transferring the image on the printing press member onto the web of continuous printing material at the printing station when the web coincides with the image on the endless-motion printing press member; (f) an endless-motion printing press member immediately after the printing station; erasing means for erasing the image from the image, the projection means, the transfer means and the erasure means projecting and transferring the remainder of the image as the endless motion printing press member and the continuous web of printing material pass successively through the printing station. A printing press characterized by printing a complete image on a web of continuous printing material by erasing it. 21. The printing machine according to claim 20, wherein said projection means transfer means erasure means sequentially projects, transfers and erases images to be printed. 22. A claim in which the sequential images to be printed are office forms formed by at least alphanumeric data, and the amount of alphanumeric characters in each image transferred to the web by the transfer means is independent of the length of the endless motion printing press member. The printing machine according to item 21. 23. The printing press of claim 20, wherein said projection means projects a constantly changing image. 24. The printing press of claim 20, wherein said projection means, transfer means and erasure means operate in response to a preselected computer program. 25. The endless motion printing press member is a rotating cylinder having a photoconductive surface, the projection means charges the photoconductive surface with a charged image corresponding to the image to be printed, and the transfer means applies a charged image to the photoconductive surface. including toner means for applying a toner and transferring the toner to the web of continuous printing material to print an image when the rotating cylinder and the web coincide, and further including fixing means for fixing the toner on the web of continuous printing material. 21. A printing press according to claim 20, wherein the erasing means includes discharge means for discharging the photoconductive surface of the rotating cylinder. 26. The printing press of claim 20, wherein said projection means includes a plurality of lasers at each of a plurality of printing stations. 27. The printing machine of claim 20, further comprising forming means for slitting or perforating the web of continuous printing material. 28. further scanning means for scanning the image transferred to said web for variations from a predetermined image design;
21. A printing press as claimed in claim 20, including compensation means coupled to the scanning means for compensating for variations. 29. The printing press of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of printing stations, each printing station printing a different color.