JPH051143B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention Technical Field The present invention relates to a liquid metering and supplying device for adjusting the thickness of a film of liquid such as ink that is supplied from a liquid reservoir to the surface of a roll, and in particular, relates to a liquid metering and supplying device for adjusting the thickness of a film of liquid such as ink that is supplied from a liquid reservoir to the surface of a roll. The present invention relates to a liquid metering and supplying device in which the thickness of a liquid film can be adjusted independently at each portion along the length of the roll.

PRIOR ART AND ITS PROBLEMS To achieve high quality printing, it is essential to carefully control the ink that is deposited on the article being printed, such as the printing paper. There are a number of factors that directly affect the adhesion of ink to the substrate and thus the quality of the resulting print. Examples include the quality of the substrate such as paper, the quality of the ink, and the quality of the printed image itself. However, for any particular printing condition, the profile of the ink film thickness along the ink roll must be optimized.

To control this ink thickness profile, typical printing machines have an ink metering lip proximate to the ink roll and a flexible blade that creates an ink reservoir between the roll and the ink metering edge. The gap between the roll and the blade is adjusted at multiple locations along the roll to adjust the amount of ink delivery and thus the ink thickness at each location. That is, a plurality of rotational adjustment means or rotatable keys are provided along the blade and abut various points on the blade, and the rotational adjustment of each key adjusts the position of the blade relative to the roll, thereby controlling the ink flow. The thickness can be adjusted.

The key can be one that visually recognizes the need to vary the ink thickness in a particular print area and rotates accordingly, or one that scans the print with a sensor, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,644. Each key may have a bidirectional motor operated in response to a signal corresponding to the result of the keystroke, or may be regulated by a bidirectional motor operated manually from a distance. . Other devices for adjusting keys include relatively complex structures that include a moving carriage that includes a clutch and a gear that engages the gear of the selected key.

Among the above-mentioned conventional adjustment devices, those that use power for adjustment are easier to operate than manual devices, but they have a plurality of structures.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a power-type liquid metering and supplying device with a simple structure.

Structure of the Invention That is, the device according to the present invention has a rotatable roll; a metering edge extending parallel to the roll and close to the surface of the roll, forming a liquid reservoir together with the roll, and depositing liquid on the surface of the roll. means for metering and dispensing;
A plurality of keys arranged along the measuring rim and rotatable about respective axes, each key being rotated in one direction to bring a corresponding portion of the measuring rim closer to the roll. , and a plurality of keys adapted to move the portion away from the roll when rotated in another direction, thereby adjusting the thickness of the ink applied onto the roll surface as the roll rotates; a first friction ring mounted concentrically on the key; a carriage mounted for movement along the array of keys;
a second friction ring rotatably supported on the carriage and sequentially engages the first friction ring of each key as the carriage is moved along the array of keys; means for moving the key to the key to be adjusted; driving a second friction wheel at a speed synchronized with the movement of the carriage so as to prevent the unadjusted key from rotating when the carriage is moved; The key is caused to roll on the first friction wheel of the key, and for the key to be rotated, the second drive wheel that is engaged with the first drive wheel is driven to move the key in the desired direction. The basic feature is that it is provided with: a means for driving it so as to rotate it; and;

Effects of the Invention The liquid metering and supplying device according to the present invention has the configuration as described above, and is different from the conventional device that uses an adjustment motor for each key, or the device that uses a gear and a clutch to drive the keys. The structure is simpler than that of the original, and the intended purpose can be achieved.

Embodiments Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In the following, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an ink metering and supplying device of a printing machine has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be applied to liquid and general metering and supplying.

FIG. 1 shows a mechanism 10 for adjusting a key that controls the amount of ink supplied from an ink reservoir to an ink roll of a general-purpose printing press 11. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the mechanism includes a carriage or positioning unit 12 on which is mounted a key actuating unit which selectively engages and rotates a plurality of independent keys of a key console 14. 13 are provided. The carriage is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 15.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the inking device of the printing press equipped with the key adjustment mechanism is
6 and an ink roll 17 extending across the width of the printing press in a conventional manner. The ink reservoir has a base 18 from which extends a flexible blade 19 with its lower edge 20 proximate the ink roll 17. Therefore, ink 21 is accumulated between the blade 19 and the surface of the ink roll. When operating the printing press, the ink roll 17
rotates in the direction of arrow 22, and ink from the ink reservoir flows through the gap between the ink roll 17 and the lower blade edge 20, forming a film of ink on the ink roll surface. The thickness of this film is determined by the gap between the lower edge 20 and the roll 17 at various locations along the length of the blade. That is, as is well known, by precisely controlling the contour of the blade edge 20, a desired thickness of ink film can be maintained along the length of the ink roll.

For this reason, the ink flow regulator or key 2
3 are laterally spaced along the reservoir 16. Each key has a barrel 24 threaded through the base 18, the tip 25 of which projects from the base and engages the rear surface of the blade 19 near the lower edge 20. Thus, by rotating the barrel of a selected key, its tip is advanced or retracted, thereby adjusting the distance between the lower edge 20 of the relevant part of the blade and the surface of the ink roll 17 adjacent thereto. Ru.

The keys can be adjusted manually or automatically from a remote location. U.S. Patent No. 4008644
For this automatic adjustment, each key is shown equipped with a bidirectional motor. Although such an adjustment system is quite satisfactory, it would be advantageous if a single actuating unit could be employed for adjusting all keys. In the device according to the present invention,
A friction wheel 26 is fixed to a rearwardly extending portion of the barrel 24 of each key 23 from the base 18, and is rotated by the key actuating unit 13 to adjust the barrel, as will be described below. Each barrel 24 has a knurled manual wheel 27 at its outer end to allow manual adjustment of the key when necessary.

Carriage or positioning unit 12 is supported on a frame attached to printing press 11 and has a pair of parallel track members 28 extending between supports 29 on opposite sides of the printing press. A base blade 30 is mounted to the track member 28 for easy movement along the track member by a bearing lock 31 such as a ball bushing. Movement of the carriage along the track members is controlled by bearing blocks 3 by studs 33.
1 by means of a perforated metal drive tape 32 attached to the tape 32
is hung around the drive sprocket 34 at one end of the frame and around the idler wheel 35 at the other end. As seen in FIG. 2, the drive sprocket is attached to the shaft of the stepping motor 36. The drive sprocket has teeth 37 which are received in the perforations of the tape 32 in order to precisely time the movement of the carriage by appropriate control operation of the stepping motor.

The key actuation unit 12 is mounted on the base 30 and includes a key positioning stepping motor 39. The output shaft of the motor is
It supports a pinion drum 40 provided with a surface 41 of durable friction material. Also supported on a shaft 42 secured to the base plate is a rotatable idler wheel 43, which likewise has a surface 44 of durable friction material.
These friction surfaces 44, 44 engage each other so that when the stepping motor is activated, the idler wheel is rotated in a direction opposite to the pinion drum.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the keys 23 are placed close to each other to allow precise positioning of the narrow portion of the flexible blade.
To achieve this close placement, the key barrel 2
It is necessary to alternately shift or alternate the friction wheels 26 on 4. The surfaces of adjacent friction wheels are mutually arranged so that when the idler wheels 43 are moved along the key console by the carriage, the idler wheels engage successively the two rows of friction wheels. Close to each other.

A position discator 45 is provided to determine the rotational position of the key. There are many conventional devices suitable for this purpose. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a particularly suitable device is a so-called magnetic Hall effect transformer utilizing a multipole ring magnet 46 attached to the barrel 24 of each key 23 behind the friction ring 26. There is a dusa. A sensor 47 is mounted on the base blade of the carriage so that it faces the ring magnet when the key actuation unit 13 is in position for adjusting the key. The sensor senses the angular or rotational position of the key through the magnetic field of the ring magnet and generates a signal representative thereof.

5-7 show another embodiment using a somewhat different arrangement for mounting and driving the carriage. Other points are the same as in the first embodiment described above, and similar elements will be described with the same reference numerals.

As best shown in FIG.
is mounted on the track member 28 and adapted to be moved along the key console 14. In particular, the carriage is slidably mounted on the upper track member by a ball bushing support 50 and a box frame 49 slidably mounted on the lower track member by a yoke 51. have. The carriage is driven by a drive system that includes a splined shaft 52 bearing at both ends by members such as support member 29 (not shown). The shaft can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions by a stepping motor 53. The motor 53 is mounted on a bracket 54 fixed to the frame support 29 of the printing press and is connected to the shaft 52 via bevel gears 55, 56 attached to the motor shaft and splined shaft 52.

Moving helical gear 5 with a central opening having a slot for receiving the splines of the shaft 52
7 is rotatably supported by a shaft 52 by a ball bushing 58, and can be freely moved along the shaft by being driven by the shaft 52. The moving helical gear engages with a helical gear 59 fixed to a shaft 60 journalled by a bearing 61 supported by a frame 49. The shaft 60 has a pinion gear 62
is also fixed. Pinion gear is ink reservoir 1
8 is engaged with a rack which is fixed and extends over the entire length of the rack. Therefore, when the motor 53 is operated, the splined shaft 52 and the moving helical gear 5 splined to the shaft are activated.
7, and the helical gear 59 engaged therewith.
is rotated, and the pinion gear 62 is rotated via the shaft 60, so that the carriage is moved to the rack 63.
The key console 14 is moved along the track member 28 by the key console 14 . The teeth of the moving helical gear 57 are engaged with the gear 59 so that the moving gear slides on the splined shaft 52 via the ball bushing 58.

The key positioning stepping motor 39 of the key actuating unit 13 is mounted within a box frame 49, and the pinion drum 40 and idler wheel 43 are arranged so that when the carriage is moved along the console 14, the idler wheel 43
The position is set so that frictional engagement occurs sequentially. A key position detector 45 is supported by a multipolar ring magnet 46 fixed to the barrel 24 of each key and a box frame 49, and detects when the key operating unit 13 is in the position for adjusting the desired key. The sensor 47 is located adjacent to the magnet.

In either of the embodiments described above, the entire keying device and reservoir is pivotally supported on a shaft 64 supported in the frame of the printing press and is in the operating position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The ink reservoir 16, ink roller 17, and flexible blade 19 can be easily cleaned and maintained.

Taking the apparatus according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 as an example, the operation of the apparatus of the present invention will be explained.
or the roving on-press color sensor.
press color sensor), etc. The key adjustment device 10 is controlled based on the information obtained thereby. That is, when ink thickness adjustment is required at a certain location along the ink roll, step motor 36 is signaled to move carriage 12 to key 23 at that location. As the carriage moves, a signal is sent to the stepping motor 39 which rotates the idler wheel, without rotating the friction wheel as the idler wheel passes over the friction wheel of the key, which does not require adjustment. Just let it roll over it. When the key adjustment device reaches the key that requires adjustment, the stepping motor 39 receives another signal and rotates the friction wheel to advance or retract the tip of the key and change the position of the lower edge of the blade. , adjust the ink thickness.

The adjusting device according to the invention can be controlled by a microprocessor having stored programs for commanding predetermined ink thickness profiles for different runs of the printing press.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an ink regulating device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of a device for driving a carriage of the device; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device; Top view; Figure 4 is 4- in Figure 3.
4-line diagram; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an ink regulating device according to another embodiment; FIG. 6 is a 6-- line diagram in FIG. 5;
6 line diagram; FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged side view of the device of FIG. 6; 12...carriage; 13...key operating means;
16...liquid (ink) reservoir; 17...roll; 1
9... Metering supply means; 23... Key; 39... Means for driving the key actuating means (stepping motor).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rotating roll; having a measuring edge extending parallel to the roll and close to the surface of the roll, forming a liquid reservoir together with the roll;
means for metering liquid onto the roll surface; a plurality of keys provided along the metering rim and rotatable about respective axes, each key being rotatable by rotation in one direction; Bring the corresponding part of the measuring rim closer to the roll, and
a plurality of keys adapted to be rotated in other directions to move the same portion away from the roll, thereby adjusting the thickness of the ink delivered onto the roll surface as the roll is rotated; concentric with the keys; a first friction ring mounted in a manner such that it can be moved along the array of keys; a carriage mounted to be moved along the array of keys; and a first friction ring rotatably supported on the carriage when the carriage is moved along the array of keys; a second friction ring that sequentially engages the first friction ring of each key; means for moving the carriage to a key that provides a selected adjustment in response to instructions; and a key that is not adjusted when the carriage is moved. The second friction ring is driven at a speed synchronized with the movement of the carriage so that the second friction ring rolls on the first friction ring of the key, and the second friction ring is driven at a speed synchronized with the movement of the carriage so as to prevent the key from rotating. and means for driving the second drive wheel engaged with the first drive wheel to rotate the key in a desired direction. 2. A liquid metering and dispensing device according to claim 1, comprising a position detector for indicating the adjusted position of each key. 3. When the position detector is attached to the carriage and the carriage is in the position to adjust the key,
Claim 2, further comprising a magnetic sensor located opposite the key, and means provided on the key for generating a varying magnetic field towards the sensor when the key is adjusted. Liquid metering supply device. 4. A patent claim in which a carriage is attached to a track member, and the means for moving the carriage includes an endless tape attached to the carriage, a sprocket and an idler wheel on which the tape is hung, and a stepping motor that drives the sprocket. A liquid metering and supplying device according to any one of items 1 to 3.