JPH05309830A - Printing device with cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To clean a plate cylinder and an ink pump within a printing device. CONSTITUTION:Plate cylinder cleaning nozzles 13 are provided along a plate cylinder 2. A new solvent is supplied from a new solvent tank 15a to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzles 13 to clean the plate cylinder. Additionally, a solvent can be supplied from a roughly cleaning solvent tank 8 to an ink circulating system connecting an ink tank 7, an ink pump 10, and an ink pan 3 to each other to be circulated. The solvent in the roughly cleaning solvent tank 8 can be circulated through the ink pump 10. Furthermore, the new solvent from the new solvent tank 15a can be passed through the ink pump 10. In this manner, these parts can be also cleaned.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing unit such as a gravure printing machine, and more particularly to a printing unit with a cleaning device equipped with a cleaning device for a plate cylinder and an ink pump.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plate cylinder cleaning apparatus for supplying a cleaning solvent to a plate cylinder in a printing unit to clean the plate cylinder has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
No. 2-87352 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-63141. In the printing units disclosed in these publications, an ink pan is arranged under the plate cylinder, ink is stored in the ink pan, and the ink is supplied to the plate cylinder using an ink pump provided on the side surface of the ink pan. In the cleaning, the ink in the ink pan is drained, the cleaning solvent is stored in the ink pan, and the cleaning solvent is sprayed onto the plate cylinder using a nozzle to clean the plate cylinder. Further, the ink pump is cleaned by passing the cleaning solvent stored in the ink pan through the ink pump.

An apparatus for cleaning a plate cylinder and an ink pump in a printing unit having an ink pan and an ink tank is proposed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-163130. In the printing unit proposed in this publication, a solvent tank is installed in parallel with the ink tank.When cleaning the plate cylinder, the ink in the ink pan is returned to the ink tank, and the solvent in the solvent tank is filled in the ink pan by the ink pump. The plate cylinder was washed, and the ink pump was washed when the solvent was sent from the solvent tank to the ink pan.

[0004]

However, there are problems in all the conventional devices. That is, JP-A-62
In the ones proposed in -87352 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-63141, the ink pan also serves as an ink tank.
Moreover, it is of a special type in which an ink pump is attached to the side surface of the ink pan, and it is not a normal type using an ink tank different from the ink pan and an ink pump for supplying the ink of the ink tank to the plate cylinder. For this reason,
It couldn't be used in a regular format printing unit.

On the other hand, the one proposed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-163130 uses an ink pan, an ink tank and an ink pump, but since the ink pan is filled with a cleaning solvent for cleaning, There is a problem that a large amount of the solvent is required and the cost of the solvent is high. Further, since the cleaning solvent is circulated between the ink pan and the solvent tank, the solvent becomes dirty, and the dirty solvent must be used for the final cleaning of the plate cylinder and the ink pump, and good cleaning cannot be expected. There was also a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and in a printing unit using an ink pan, an ink tank, and an ink pump, the plate cylinder and the ink pump are well cleaned while using less solvent. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing unit with a cleaning device that can be used.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, which has been made to achieve the above object, comprises a plate cylinder, an ink pan arranged below the plate cylinder, an ink tank, an ink pump, and a residual-collection tank. , A rough cleaning solvent tank, a new solvent supply device for supplying a new solvent, a plate cylinder cleaning nozzle for applying a cleaning solvent to the plate cylinder to clean it, and a new solvent for supplying a new solvent to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle. First switching means for connecting and selectively switching the solvent supply pipe for connecting the solvent supply device to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle and the suction port of the ink pump to the ink tank, the rough cleaning solvent tank and the new solvent supply device A suction side piping system, and a discharge side piping system having a second switching means for connecting the discharge port of the ink pump to the ink pan, the rough cleaning solvent tank, and the residual thickness recovery tank, and selectively switching. , The serial ink pan and ink discharge pipe which connects the ink tank, the ink pump, first switching means, a cleaning device with printing units and gist and a sequence control to the control device the second switching means.

Here, a cassette carriage which is movable below the plate cylinder is provided, and the cassette carriage has the ink tank, the ink pump, the residual thickness recovery tank, the rough cleaning solvent tank, and the suction side piping system, It is preferable to hold the discharge side piping system and further to hold the ink pan.

[0009]

In the printing unit having the above structure, during normal printing, the ink pump sucks the ink from the ink tank, sends it to the ink pan, and the excess ink returns to the original ink tank through the ink discharge pipe. Be seen. After printing, the ink pump first discharges the ink in the ink tank to the residual ink collection tank, and the new solvent supply device supplies the cleaning solvent to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle during or after the ink discharge is completed. Perform a body wash. The cleaning solvent used for cleaning is sent from the ink discharge pipe to the ink tank and stored there. Next, the ink pump sucks up the solvent contained in the rough cleaning solvent tank, sends it to the ink pan, transfers it to the ink tank through the ink discharge pipe, and when the appropriate amount of cleaning solvent has accumulated in the ink tank, this time, The cleaning solvent in the ink tank is sucked up by the ink pump, and returns to the original ink tank through the ink pan and the ink discharge pipe to circulate the cleaning solvent. As a result, the ink circulation system is cleaned.
After that, the ink pump sucks up the cleaning solvent in the ink tank and transfers it to the rough cleaning solvent tank, then the cleaning solvent in the rough cleaning solvent tank is sucked up by the ink pump,
Circulation of returning to the original rough cleaning solvent tank is performed,
Rough cleaning of the ink pump is performed. After the completion of the rough cleaning, a new cleaning solvent is sent from the new solvent supply device to the ink pump and discharged to the rough cleaning solvent tank. As a result, finish cleaning of the ink pump and the pipes before and after the ink pump is performed.
As described above, plate cylinder cleaning, ink circulation system cleaning, ink pump rough cleaning, and ink pump finish cleaning are performed.
These operations are automatically performed by the controller controlling the ink pump, the first switching means, and the second switching means in sequence.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described below. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a printing unit of a gravure printing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and piping is omitted for clarity of the drawing. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the arrangement of components in the cassette carriage used in the above embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a schematic side view thereof. 1 to 3, 1 is a pair of side frames, 2 is a plate cylinder disposed between the side frames 1 and 1, 3 is an ink pan provided below the plate cylinder 2, and 4 is an ink pan 3. An ink pan lifting device 5 that moves up and down is a cassette carriage.

This cassette carriage 5 has a structure capable of holding the ink pan 3 on its upper surface, and has a storage portion below the ink pan 3, and has an ink tank 7, a rough cleaning solvent tank 8 and a residual meat recovery tank. 9, a valve storage box 11 for storing control valves such as an ink pump 10, an ink pipe, and a cleaning solvent pipe is held. Therefore, by moving the cassette carriage 5 from the lower position of the plate cylinder shown in FIG. 1 to the outside of the printing unit, the ink pan 3, the ink tank 7, the rough cleaning solvent tank 8, the residual meat collecting tank 9,
The ink pump 10, the valve storage box 11 and the like can be easily taken out, and these parts can be easily attached to predetermined positions by the reverse operation. 2 and 3, reference numeral 12 is an air pipe for operating the valve housed in the valve housing box 11.
It can be attached to and detached from the cassette carriage by the connecting device.

In FIG. 1, 13 is a plate cylinder cleaning nozzle for spraying a cleaning solvent onto the plate cylinder 2 for cleaning. In the present embodiment, as the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle 13, a structure in which a large number of holes are formed on the side surface of the pipe to discharge the cleaning solvent is used, but the invention is not limited to this, and a structure having another structure, for example, spraying. Any type of nozzle may be used. The position at which the cleaning solvent is sprayed is not limited to the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder, but may be sprayed on the end surface or the shaft. Reference numeral 15 denotes a new solvent supply device for supplying a new cleaning solvent, which includes a new solvent tank 15a containing a new solvent and an air pipe 15b for applying pressurized air to the new solvent tank 15a. The new solvent is supplied. In addition, the new solvent supply device 15 is not limited to one that sends the new solvent in the tank by using pressurized air, but may be a device that supplies the new solvent by using a pump. Further, the configuration is not limited to the case where the new solvent tank 15a is provided in each printing unit, and a large tank may be provided in another location and the new solvent may be supplied to each printing unit through piping. When each printing unit is provided with a new solvent tank 15a,
The replenishment of the new solvent to the new solvent tank 15a may be carried out by the operator carrying the tank containing the new solvent and transferring it, but a pipe and a pump for supplying the new solvent to each new solvent tank 15a are required. It is preferable that the connection is made and the piping is used. Reference numeral 17 is an operation panel.

FIG. 4 illustrates a piping system of the printing unit having the above structure. The new solvent supply device 15 is connected to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle 13 via a solvent supply pipe 20 and an opening / closing valve 21. The portion of the solvent supply pipe 20 to which the opening / closing valve 21 is attached is attached to the cassette carriage 5, and the portion is connected to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle 13 and the new solvent supply device 15.
Couplings 22a and 22b are provided so that they can be disconnected from the pipes connected to.

The suction port 10a of the ink pump 10 is connected to the ink suction pipe 24 connected to the ink tank 7, the rough cleaning solvent suction pipe 25 connected to the rough cleaning solvent tank 8, and the new solvent supply device 15. The new solvent suction pipe 26 is connected to the suction side piping system including the three-way switching valves 27, 28, etc., which constitute the first switching means for selectively switching the suction pipes 24, 25, 26. Ink pump 10
The discharge port 10b of the ink discharge pipe 30 is connectable to the ink pan 3, the first discharge pipe 31 connected to the rough cleaning solvent tank 8, and the second discharge pipe 32 connected to the residual thickness recovery tank 9. , A three-way switching valve 33 which constitutes a second switching means for selectively switching these discharge pipes 30, 31, 32,
A discharge side piping system including 34 and the like is connected. Furthermore,
An ink discharge pipe 36 for discharging the ink contained therein to the ink tank 7 is connected to the ink pan 3. Note that FIG.
In the figure, 38 is a finisher roller.

FIG. 5 shows the piping flow and control flow of the above embodiment. Since the printing unit handles solvents, it is necessary to make it intrinsically safe, and the ink pump 10 is an air-operated diaphragm pump. Further, the on-off valve 21, the three-way switching valves 27, 28, 3
Both 3 and 34 are of the air actuator type, and an air pipe 40 is connected to each. The air pipe 40 is connected to the air pipe 12 provided on the printing unit side via the multi-connecting device 41, and when the cassette carriage is moved, the multi-connecting device 41 is removed to disconnect from the air pipe 12. You can do it. An electromagnetic valve 42 is provided in each air pipe 12, and the electromagnetic valve 42 is configured to be sequence-controlled by a control device (not shown) so that a cleaning operation described later can be automatically performed. ..

Next, a printing operation and a cleaning operation in the printing unit having the above structure will be described. (1) Printing At the time of normal printing, as shown in FIG. 6A, the ink stored in the ink tank 7 is sucked up by the ink pump 10 and supplied to the ink pan 3 and the plate cylinder 2 by the ink discharge tube 30. The surplus of the supplied ink passes through the ink discharge pipe 36 and flows down into the ink tank 7 due to the weight of the ink. As mentioned above, the ink is constantly circulating during printing.

(2) Collection of residual ink and plate cleaning After printing, the three-way switching valve 33 is switched as shown in FIG. 6 (b), and the ink remaining in the ink tank 7 is sucked out by the ink pump 10 and left. Transferred to the meat recovery tank 9.

As shown in FIG. 7 (a), the opening / closing valve 21 of the solvent supply pipe 20 is opened during the recovery of the residual meat, and the new solvent in the new solvent tank 15a is pushed out by the pressurized air. It is supplied to the cleaning nozzle 13. Thus, the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle 13 sprays the new solvent onto the plate cylinder 2 to perform the plate cylinder cleaning. The solvent used to wash the plate cylinder is ink pan 3
Received in the ink tank 7 through the ink discharge pipe 36.
Is stored in. When the solvent flows out from the ink discharge pipe 36, the start timing of the plate cylinder cleaning is set so that the discharge of the residual ink in the ink tank 7 is completed.

(3) Cleaning of ink circulation system After completion of cleaning of the plate cylinder and collection of residual ink, the ink circulation system is cleaned. For cleaning, a solvent (usually the solvent used for cleaning) stored in advance in the rough cleaning solvent tank 8 is used. First, as shown in FIG. 7B, the three-way switching valve 27,
28 and 33 are switched, and the solvent in the rough cleaning solvent tank 8 is sent by the ink pump 10 to the ink pan 3 via the ink discharge pipe 30, and then passes through the ink discharge pipe 36 and is stored in the ink tank 7. Next, the three-way switching valve 27 is switched as shown in FIG. 8A, the solvent in the ink tank 7 is sucked out by the ink pump 10, and the ink discharge pipe 3
0, the ink pan 3, and the ink discharge pipe 36 to return to the original ink tank 7. In this way, the cleaning solvent circulates through the path in which the ink circulates during printing, and the ink circulation system is cleaned. At this time, since the same cleaning solvent is circulated and used,
The cleaning solvent does not require much.

After cleaning the ink circulation system for a predetermined time, the three-way switching valve 33 is switched again as shown in FIG. 8 (b),
The cleaning solvent in the ink tank 7 is sucked up by the ink pump 10 and returned to the rough cleaning solvent tank 8.

(4) Pump cleaning After the cleaning solvent in the ink tank 7 is transferred to the rough cleaning solvent tank 8, the three-way switching valves 27 and 28 are switched as shown in FIG. The solvent is sucked out by the ink pump 10 and returned to the rough cleaning solvent tank 8 again. In this way, the solvent in the rough cleaning solvent tank 8 is replaced by the ink pump 1
By circulating it to 0, rough cleaning of the pump is performed. By continuing this rough cleaning for the required time, the pump can be sufficiently cleaned using the same solvent.

After the rough cleaning is continued for a predetermined time, the three-way switching valve 28 is switched as shown in FIG. 9B, the new solvent is supplied from the new cleaning liquid tank 15a, and the rough cleaning solvent tank is passed through the ink pump 10. It is discharged to 8. This allows
The dirty solvent remaining in the ink pump 10 and the pipes before and after the ink pump 10 is discharged, and the final cleaning of the pump is performed with the new solvent, so that the cleaning degree of the pump is improved.

With the above, one cleaning operation is completed.
These operations are automatically performed by the sequence controller.

Although the new cleaning solvent supplied from the new solvent tank 15a for the plate cylinder cleaning and the final cleaning of the pump is finally collected in the rough cleaning solvent tank 8,
This cleaning solvent is usually used for the next cleaning. Then, it may be washed several times, and may be discarded after the solvent has reached a level at which it cannot be used for washing. By doing so, the amount of cleaning solvent used can be reduced. In addition, when it is used for only one cleaning and is heavily soiled, it may be discarded after each cleaning. Next, the operation of discarding the cleaning solvent in the rough cleaning solvent tank 8 will be described.

(5) Disposal of solvent in rough cleaning solvent tank As shown in FIG. 10 (a), the operator places the waste solvent tank 9'at the position of the remaining meat recovery tank 9 and pushes the push button on the operation panel to push the waste solvent in three directions. Switching valves 27, 28, 33, 34
Are switched as shown. In this state, the ink pump 1
By operating 0, the solvent in the rough cleaning solvent tank 8 is transferred to the waste solvent tank 9 ', and then this waste solvent tank 9'is transported to the solvent disposal position.

Next, the three-way switching valves 27, 28, 33, 34.
To the new solvent tank 1 as shown in FIG. 10 (b).
The solvent 5a is supplied to the rough cleaning solvent tank 8 through the ink pump 10. This makes it possible to prepare for the next cleaning.

In the above embodiment, the main parts in the printing unit are placed on the cassette carriage 5 and can be taken out together with the cassette carriage 5. However, the present invention is not limited to this construction, and the cassette carriage is not used. May be fixedly provided at a desired position of the printing unit.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cleaning solvent is supplied from the new solvent supply device to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle, and is applied to the plate cylinder from the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle. The ink circulation system can be cleaned by flowing the solvent in the rough cleaning solvent tank into the ink circulation system, and then the solvent in the rough cleaning solvent tank can be passed through the ink pump. By circulating the ink to roughly wash the ink pump, and then passing a new solvent from the new solvent tank through the ink pump, the ink pump can be cleanly finished and washed. Moreover, these cleaning operations are performed by the first switching means of the suction side piping system connected to the ink pump,
By performing sequence control of the second switching means of the discharge side piping system, it can be automatically performed, and the burden on the operator can be reduced. Furthermore, since the used cleaning solvent is used for cleaning the ink circulation system and rough cleaning of the ink pump, the consumption of the cleaning solvent can be reduced and the solvent cost can be reduced.

As shown in the embodiment, a cassette carriage that is movable below the plate cylinder is provided, and the cassette carriage has the ink tank, the ink pump, the residual thickness recovery tank, and the rough cleaning solvent tank. If the suction-side piping system and the discharge-side piping system are held and the ink pan can be held, each of these parts can be easily taken out from the printing unit by the cassette carriage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a printing unit of a gravure printing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing an arrangement of components in a cassette carriage used in the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a piping diagram showing the ink and cleaning solvent piping paths of the printing unit of the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a piping diagram showing the ink and cleaning solvent piping paths and the control air piping paths of the printing unit of the above embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a piping diagram showing an ink circulation state during printing in the above embodiment, and FIG. 6B is a piping diagram showing a residual ink recovery state after printing in the above embodiment.

FIG. 7A is a piping diagram showing a cleaning state of a plate cylinder in the above embodiment, and FIG. 7B is a piping diagram showing a cleaning state of an ink circulation system in the above embodiment.

8A is a piping diagram showing a cleaning state of an ink circulation system in the above embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a piping diagram showing a state of transferring a cleaning solvent from an ink tank to a rough cleaning solvent tank in the above embodiment.

FIG. 9A is a piping diagram showing a state of performing rough pump cleaning in the above embodiment, and FIG. 9B is a piping diagram showing a state of performing final cleaning of the pump in the above embodiment.

FIG. 10 (a) is a piping diagram showing a state in which the solvent is discharged from the rough cleaning solvent tank in the above embodiment, and FIG. 10 (b) is a piping diagram showing a state of supplying a new solvent to the rough cleaning solvent tank in the above embodiment. Figure

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Side Frame 2 Plate Cylinder 3 Ink Pan 5 Cassette Cart 7 Ink Tank 8 Rough Cleaning Solvent Tank 9 Residual Waste Collection Tank 10 Ink Pump 15 New Solvent Supply Device 15a New Solvent Tank

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plate cylinder, an ink pan arranged below the plate cylinder, an ink tank, an ink pump, a residual thickness recovery tank, a rough cleaning solvent tank, and a new solvent supply device for supplying a new solvent. A plate cylinder cleaning nozzle for applying a cleaning solvent to the plate cylinder for cleaning, and a solvent supply pipe for connecting a new solvent supply device to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle so as to supply a new solvent to the plate cylinder cleaning nozzle, The suction port of the ink pump is connected to the ink tank, the rough cleaning solvent tank, and the new solvent supply device, and the suction side piping system having a first switching unit for selectively switching the discharge port of the ink pump is provided. A discharge-side piping system that is connected to the ink pan, the rough cleaning solvent tank, and the residual recovery tank and that has a second switching means that selectively switches, and an ink discharge pipe that connects the ink pan to the ink tank, A printing unit with a cleaning device, comprising: the ink pump, a first switching unit, and a control unit that controls the sequence of the second switching unit. 2. A cassette carriage that is movable below the plate cylinder is provided, and the cassette carriage has the ink tank, the ink pump, the residual thickness recovery tank, the rough cleaning solvent tank, the suction side piping system, and the discharge side. The printing unit with a cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the piping system is held, and further, the ink pan is held.