JPH026132A - Leveler for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the length of a leveler largely, and to change the leveling time easily by alternately controlling the state of holding and state of non- holding of first and second holding mechanisms while elevating and lowering a print not printed after printing in the vertical direction and ensuring the leveling time. CONSTITUTION:A first printed article elevator 7A is arranged opposed to a loading conveyor 3 while a second printed article elevator 7B is disposed opposed to an unloading conveyor 4. The elevator 7A has a first holding mechanism 8 holding an article to be printed 2 carried by the conveyor 3 and a second holding mechanism 10 elevated and lowered by an elevating mechanism juxtaposed to the first holding mechanism 8. The first holding mechanisms 8 are composed of a pair of rack shafts 11a, 11b, which are faced oppositely while holding the conveyor 3, to the opposed surfaces of which the tooth of combs are shaped at regular pitches and which are arranged movably to the conveyor 3, and moving mechanisms 12a, 12b such as cylinders forward moving and retreating these rack shafts 11a, 11b to the conveyor 3. Two pairs of these holding mechanisms are disposed while holding regular intervals in the direction of extension of the conveyor 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention is a leveling device for a printing device that flattens ink applied to a printing substrate after printing is completed, and is particularly applicable to a leveling device for a printing device that flattens ink applied to a printing substrate after printing is completed, and in which the leveling time is particularly short and predetermined. As well as ensuring
The present invention relates to a leveling device for a printing device whose leveling time can be easily changed.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, in screen printing, the film thickness of the ink printed on the printing material by a printing machine is relatively thick, several tens to 100 microns, and since printing is performed using a screen, when the screen is removed from the printing material, Since whiskers occur on the side edges of the ink, a certain leveling time is required to flatten the surface of the ink on the substrate that has been printed by the printing machine and to improve the print finish.

In order to secure this leveling time, conventional leveling apparatuses have arranged a long conveyor between the printing machine and the drying oven to ensure a transport time corresponding to the leveling time.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the leveling device of the conventional printing device mentioned above, the leveling time is secured by a long conveyor, so when the series of processes of printing, leveling, and drying are performed in one line, the line length is extremely long. This increases the size of the entire device, and the line speed of the conveyor is regulated by the transfer speed of the objects in the drying oven, making it difficult to change the leveling time by changing the line speed of the conveyor. There were unresolved issues such as:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a leveling device for a printing device that can significantly shorten the length of the leveling device and can easily change the leveling time.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a leveling device for a printing device according to the present invention includes a first holding mechanism arranged to be able to hold both side edges of the printed material being transported. and a second holding mechanism that is arranged in parallel with the first holding mechanism and is movable up and down by an elevating mechanism, and alternately controls the holding state and non-holding state of the first and second holding mechanisms, and By providing at least one set of printing material elevating devices each having a drive control device that controls the a structure, the printing material after printing is raised and lowered in the vertical direction to ensure leveling time.

Further, by arranging a plurality of sets of the above-mentioned printing material lifting devices in parallel and providing a printing material transporting device for transferring the printing material between each printing material lifting device, more leveling time can be ensured.

[Operation] According to the present invention, when the printing material is conveyed, the printing material is first held by the second holding mechanism in the printing material lifting device, and then the lifting device is operated to raise the second holding mechanism. (or lower), and in this state, operate the first holding mechanism to hold the printing material, then release the holding of the printing material by the second holding mechanism, and then operate the lifting device to hold the printing material. By returning the holding mechanism to the original position, the leveling time can be ensured by sequentially raising (or lowering) the printing material, and the leveling time can be easily changed by changing the lifting distance by the lifting device. can.

Furthermore, by providing at least two sets of printing material lifting devices having the above configuration and providing a printing material transporting device between them, the printing material lifted (or lowered) by one printing material lifting device can be moved to the printing material transporting device. The printing material is transferred to the other printing material lifting device, and the printing material is lowered by this printing material lifting device (
In addition, the leveling time can be easily changed by changing the transfer position of the printing material between the printing material raising and lowering devices by the printing material transporting device. .

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail using an example shown in the drawings.

1 and 2 are a plan view and a front view showing a leveling device for a printing apparatus according to the present invention.

In the figure, l is a base fixed to a fixed part such as the floor, and a loading conveyor 3 and an unloading conveyor 4 extending in the left-right direction for conveying the printing material 2 are placed at the center of the upper surface of the base with a slight gap. They are placed separately.

A stopper 5 is disposed at the right end of the loading conveyor 3, with which the right end of the printing material 2 comes into contact, and slightly to the left of this stopper 5, a reflective photoelectric conversion element or the like for detecting the arrival of the printing material 2 is installed. A detection element 6 is provided.

Further, a first printing material elevating device 7A is disposed facing the loading conveyor 3, and a second printing material elevating device 7B is arranged facing the unloading conveyor 4.
is installed.

The first printing material elevating device 7A includes a first holding mechanism 8 that holds the printing material 2 transported by the loading conveyor 3.
and a second holding mechanism 10 that is raised and lowered by a raising and lowering mechanism arranged in parallel therewith.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first holding mechanism 8 faces the loading conveyor 3 with the loading conveyor 3 in between, has comb teeth formed at a predetermined pitch on its opposing surface, and is arranged to move forward and backward with respect to the loading conveyor 3. a pair of rack shafts 11a, llb, and advancing/retracting mechanisms 12a, 12b such as cylinders that move these rack shafts 11a11b forward and backward with respect to the loading container 3;
Two sets of these are arranged at a predetermined interval in the extending direction of the loading conveyor 3.

The second holding mechanism 10 includes rack shafts 13a and 1 similar to the rack shafts 11a and llb disposed between the first holding mechanisms 8.
3b, and these rack shafts 13a.

1.3 advancement/retraction mechanisms 14a, 14b such as cylinders for advancing and retracting the loading conveyor 3 and the rack shaft 1
3a, 13b and advancing/retracting mechanisms 14a, 14b are connected to the rack shaft 1.
Lifting mechanism 1 that lifts and lowers by the comb tooth pitch of 3a and 13b
5a and 15b.

The second printing material elevating device 7B also has the same configuration as the first printing material elevating device 7A except that it faces the unloading conveyor 4, and is similar to the first printing material elevating device 7A. Corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

Here, the rack shafts 13a and 13b of the second holding mechanism 8 in the first printing material elevating device 7A are respectively opposed to the printing material 2 transferred by the loading conveyor 3, as shown in FIG. 3(a). The rack shafts 11a and llb of the first holding mechanism 8 in the first and second printing substrate lifting devices 7A and 7B are shown in FIG. ]), the comb teeth corresponding to the lowermost comb teeth of the rack shafts 13a, 13b are omitted, and the rack shafts 13a, 13a of the second holding mechanism 8 in the second substrate lifting device 7B 13
Regarding b, as shown in FIG. 3(C), the comb teeth corresponding to the lowest Frams of the rack shafts 11a and llb of the first holding mechanism 8 are omitted.

Between the first and second printing substrate lifting devices 7A and 7B,
A printing material transfer device 17 is provided that transports the printing material 2 from the first printing material lifting device 7A to the second printing material lifting device 7B.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this printing material transfer device 17 is formed in an inverted shape with a vertical rod portion 18a and a horizontal rod portion 18b hanging down from the rear end side of the base. Support piece 18L
, 18R, and the horizontal rod portion 1 of these supporting pieces 18L and 18R.
The guide shafts 19a and 19b are bridged between the guide shafts 19a and 19b, and the guide shafts 19a and 19b guide the loading conveyor 3 in the extending direction. A horizontally moving rod 20 having a contact piece 20a in contact with the horizontally moving rod 2
The abutment piece 2 of the horizontally moving rod 20 is
0a is in contact with the left side edge of the printing material 2, by operating the moving mechanism 21, the printing material 2 is horizontally transferred from the first printing material lifting device 7A to the second printing material lifting device 7B. . Here, the contact piece 20 of the horizontally moving rod 2o
The downward protrusion length of a is configured to be adjustable by an adjustment screw 20b.

And the first and second printing substrate lifting devices 7A.

7B advancing/retracting mechanisms 12a, 12b, i4a, 14b, elevating mechanism 15, and moving mechanism 21 of printing material transfer device 17
is drive-controlled by a drive control device 25.

The drive control device 25 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, has a detection element 6 connected to the input side for detecting the arrival of the printing material 2, and has an advancing/retracting mechanism for the first and second printing material lifting devices 7A and 7B on the output side. 12a, 12b, l
4a, 14b, lifting mechanism 15a.

15b, and the moving mechanism 21 of the printing medium transfer device 17 are connected via a drive circuit 26, respectively.

Then, while the first holding mechanism 8 is holding the printing material 2, the drive control device 25 controls the second holding mechanism 2 to hold the printing material 2 every time a detection signal representing the arrival of the printing material from the detection element 6 is input. Advancement/retraction mechanism 14a of mechanism 10.

14b is operated so that the rack shafts 13a, 13b advance toward the loading conveyor 3 side and move to the holding position where the printing material 2 is held, and then the advancing/retracting mechanisms 12a, 12b of the first holding mechanism 8 are moved to the rack shafts 11a, 14b. llb is retracted from the loading conveyor 3 and moved to a non-holding position where the holding of the substrate 2 is released, and roughly;
The elevating mechanisms 15a and 15b of the second holding mechanism IO are operated so that the rack shafts 13a and 13b are raised by one pitch of the comb teeth, and then the first holding mechanism 8 is moved to the holding position again, The printing material 2 is held, the second holding mechanism 10 is moved to the non-holding position, the elevating mechanism 15 is lowered by one pitch of the comb teeth, and the moving mechanism 21 of the printing material transfer device 17 is moved to the first position. Print substrate lifting device 7
The uppermost printing material 2 held at A is moved to the first holding mechanism 8 of the printing material lifting device 7B. Regarding the second printing material lifting device 7B, the second holding mechanism IO in the first printing material lifting device 7A
Similar control is performed synchronously, except that when the second holding mechanism 10 holds the printing material 2 and ascends, the second holding mechanism 10 holds the printing material 2 and descends.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 showing the processing procedure of the microcomputer constituting the control device 25.

Now, the first holding mechanism 8 of the first and second printing material lifting devices 7A and 7B of the leveling device is in the holding position, and the first holding mechanism 8 of the second printing material lifting device 7B is in the uppermost stage. Each rack shaft 11a except for.

It is assumed that the printing material 2 is held between each comb tooth of the ILB, and that the printing material 2 is not placed on the loading conveyor 3.

In this state, when the control device 25 starts the process shown in FIG. When the printing material 2 is not conveyed to the stopper 5, the printing material 2 waits until it is transported to the stopper 5, and the printing material 2 is printed by a screen printing machine (not shown) and placed on the loading conveyor 3. It is passed and conveyed to the stopper 5 position by the loading conveyor 3, and when this is detected by the detection element 6, the process moves to step (2).

In this step (2), the advancing/retracting mechanism 1 of the second holding mechanism 10 in the first and second printing substrate elevating devices 7A and 7B is
4a and 14b are driven forward toward the loading conveyor 3, and the rack shafts 13a and 13b are moved to the holding position where the printing medium 2 is held.

Next, the process moves to step (3), and the printing substrate transport device 17
The moving mechanism 21 is operated to move the top printing material 2 held by the first and second holding mechanisms 8 and 10 of the first printing material lifting device 7A to the second printing material lifting device 7B. It is transferred to the top stage of the first and second holding mechanisms 8 and 10.

Next, the process proceeds to step (2), where the advancing and retracting mechanisms 12a and 12b of the first holding mechanism 8 of the first and second printing substrate lifting devices 7A and 7B are operated to move the racks 1tbla, 1b.
lb is retreated from the loading conveyor 3 and moved to the non-holding position. As a result, the non-printed matter 2 is held only by the second holding mechanism 10. At this time, the lowest printing material 2 in the second printing material lifting device 7B is attached to the rack shafts 13a, 13b of the second holding mechanism lO.
Since the comb teeth corresponding to the lowermost comb teeth of the rack shafts 11a and llb of the first holding mechanism 8 are not formed,
It falls downward and is transferred onto an unloading conveyor 4, and is conveyed by this unloading conveyor 4 to a drying oven as the next process.

Next, proceeding to step (2), the elevating mechanism 15 of the second holding mechanism 10 in the first printing substrate elevating device 7A is operated to raise the rack shafts 13a, 13b by one pitch of the comb teeth. Second printing substrate lifting device 7B
The elevating mechanism 15 of the second holding mechanism 10 is operated to lower the rank shafts 13a, 13b by one pitch of the comb teeth. Therefore, in the first printing material elevating device 7A, the printing material 2 is lifted from the top of the loading conveyor 3 by one pinch of the comb teeth, and is moved between the lowest comb teeth of the rack shafts 11a and llb of the first holding mechanism 8. In the second printing material elevating device 7B, the printing material 2 is lowered by one pitch of the comb teeth.

Next, the process proceeds to step (2), in which the advancing and retracting mechanisms 12a and 12b of the first holding mechanism 8 in the first and second substrate lifting devices 7A and 7B are operated, and the rack shafts 11a and 1
1b to the holding position.

Next, the process proceeds to step (3), in which the advancing and retracting mechanisms 14a and 14b of the second holding mechanism IO in the first and second printing substrate lifting devices 7A and 7B are operated to move the rack shaft 13a.
, 13b to the held position, and the second holding mechanism 10
Release the holding of the printing material 2 by. This allows the first
In the second printing material elevating and lowering devices 7A and 7B, the printing material 2 is held by the first holding mechanism 8.

Next, the process proceeds to step (2), in which the lifting mechanism 15 of the second holding mechanism 10 in the first substrate lifting device 7A is operated to lower the rack shafts 13a and 13b by one pitch of the comb teeth, and the original At the same time, the lifting mechanism 15 of the second holding mechanism 10 in the second printing substrate lifting device 7B is operated to move the rack shafts 13a and 13b to one of the comb teeth.
Raise it by a pitch and return it to its original position.

Next, proceed to step (2) to determine whether or not to end the leveling process, and if the leveling process is to be continued, return to step (2) and repeat the above series of processes,
Every time the detection element 6 detects the printing material 2, the first printing material lifting device 7A sequentially raises the printing material 2 one pinch at a time, and the uppermost printing material 2 is transferred to the second printing material by the transfer device 17. The printed matter is transferred to the top stage of the lifting device 7B, and the second
The printing material 2 is sequentially lowered one pitch at a time using the printing material lifting device 7B, and a predetermined leveling time is secured during this time.
If the leveling process is to be terminated, the process is terminated as is.

When changing the leveling time of the printing material 2, the rank axis 11a of each printing material lifting device 7A, 7B,
This can be easily done by changing the pitch of the comb teeth of llb, 13a, 13b and their lifting/lowering pinch, or by changing the protruding length of the abutment piece 20a of the transfer device 17.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the first printing material elevating device 7A sequentially raises the printing material 2, and the second printing material elevating device 7B sequentially lowers the printing material 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, the first printing material elevating device 7A may lower the printing material 2, and the second printing material elevating device 7B may raise the printing material 2.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where two printing material lifting devices 7A and 7B are provided has been described, but the invention is not limited to this, and if the leveling time is short, only one printing material lifting device is provided. Furthermore, if a longer leveling time is required, three or more substrate lifting devices may be provided.

Further, in the above embodiment, a case has been described in which a microcomputer is used as the control device 25, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a relay circuit or the like may be used to perform sequence control.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the rack shafts 11a, 11b, 13a of the first and second holding mechanisms 8 and 10
Although the case has been described in which the rack 13b slides on the conveyors 3 and 4 and moves to the holding and non-holding positions, it may also be moved to the holding and non-holding positions by rotating the rack shaft.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the leveling device for a printing device according to claim (1), the first holding mechanism is arranged to be able to hold both side edges of the transported printing medium; a second holding mechanism that is arranged in parallel with the holding mechanism and can be raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism; and a drive control that alternately controls the holding state and non-holding state of the first and second holding mechanisms, and also controls the lifting mechanism. Since the structure is equipped with at least one set of printing material lifting and lowering devices having a printing material, the leveling time can be secured by raising and lowering the printing material, and the length of the leveling device can be significantly shortened. , by changing the lifting pitch of the lifting mechanism.
You can obtain the effect of easily changing the leveling time.

Further, according to the leveling device for a printing device according to claim (2), the first holding mechanism is arranged to be able to hold both side edges of the transported printing medium, and the first holding mechanism is parallel to the first holding mechanism. ,
a second holding mechanism that is provided and that can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism;
first and second substrate elevating devices having a drive control device that alternately controls the holding state and non-holding state of the first and second holding mechanisms and controlling the elevating mechanism; and a printing material transfer device that transports the printing material between the second printing material lifting device, it is possible to secure a longer leveling time, and
By changing the lifting pitch of the lifting mechanism and/or the transfer position of the printing material transfer device, it is possible to obtain the effect that the leveling time can be easily changed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a leveling device for a printing device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 3(a)
, (b) and (C) are schematic configuration diagrams showing an example of the first and second holding mechanisms, respectively, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure of the drive control device. In the figure, 1... base, 2... printed material, 3... loading conveyor, 4... unloading conveyor, 6... detection element, 7A... first printed material lifting device , 7B... Second printing substrate lifting device, 8... First
holding mechanism, 10... second holding mechanism, lla, l
lb. 13a, 13b-・Rack shaft, 12a, 12b, 14a
, 14b...advance/retreat mechanism, 15...lifting/lowering mechanism, 17.
・・Print material transfer device, 21 ・・Movement mechanism, 25・・
・Drive control device. Figure 1 Figure 2 (a) Figure

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a leveling device of a printing device that flattens the ink applied to the printed material while the printed material is being conveyed to the next process after printing is completed, the device is arranged so as to be able to hold both sides of the transported said printed material. A first holding mechanism provided, a second holding mechanism installed in parallel with the first holding mechanism and capable of being raised and lowered by an elevating mechanism, and a holding state and a non-holding state of the first and second holding mechanisms. 1. A leveling device for a printing device, comprising at least one set of a printing substrate lifting device which is alternately controlled and has a drive control device which controls the lifting mechanism. (2) In a leveling device of a printing device that flattens the ink applied to the printed material while the printed material is being conveyed to the next process after printing is completed, the device is arranged so as to be able to hold both sides of the transported said printed material. A first holding mechanism provided, a second holding mechanism installed in parallel with the first holding mechanism and capable of being raised and lowered by an elevating mechanism, and a holding state and a non-holding state of the first and second holding mechanisms. first and second printing substrate elevating devices that alternately control and have a drive control device that controls the elevating mechanism; and a printing substrate that transports the printing material between the first and second printing substrate elevating devices. 1. A leveling device for a printing device, comprising: a transfer device.