JPH0729375B2 - Device for embossing foil prints on flexible materials - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for applying an embossed sheet replica to a flexible web of material is described, having a heatable embossing roll (12) and at least one pressing roller (24), by means of which embossed sheet and web of material can be pressed against each other and against the surface (44) of the embossing roll (12). For defined setting of the distance of the corresponding pressing roller (24) in relation to the surface (44) of the embossing roll (12) and consequently for defined setting of the pressure exerted by the pressing roller (24) on the embossed sheet and the web of material, the/each pressing roller (24) is provided with a setting device (32). The axial width of the/each pressing roller (24) is preferably less than the axial width of the embossing roll (12). <IMAGE>

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for applying embossed foil prints to flexible materials.

[0002]

Various devices are known for applying embossing foil prints or transcriptions to flexible webs or materials such as banknotes. A typical device, such as that disclosed in DE 3210551 C2, for applying such an embossed foil print or transfer diagram (hereinafter referred to as embossed foil print for simplicity) to a flexible web material is , A heated embossing roller and at least one support roller or pressure roller, by which the embossing foil and the web material carrying the print to be transferred can be pressed against each other and against the embossing roller. In this configuration, a number of pressure rollers are associated with each pair and arranged on a roller holder. These pressure rollers can be adjusted individually, but the adjustment procedure is such that first one or two adjacent inner pressure rollers are placed in a suitable position to engage the embossing rollers,
Next, the other pressure rollers are sequentially adjusted with respect to the roller row in the outward direction. However, especially when dealing with sensitive flexible materials such as banknotes, the equipment may cause the fibers of the flexible web material to be damaged by pressure and embossing rollers that press against each other across their entire surface. Inevitably, the compression of such fibers can cause unwanted changes in the properties of the flexible material.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for embossing foil prints on flexible materials which overcomes the disadvantages of the above constructions.

Another object of the present invention is to emboss a flexible material which is capable of avoiding unwanted compression of the flexible material and avoiding unwanted changes in its material properties even when handling sensitive materials. An object is to provide a device for applying a foil print.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for embossing foil prints on flexible materials which allows the materials to be treated carefully and operated at sufficient speed.

[0006]

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the above and other objects contemplate pressing a heatable embossing roller, an embossing foil and a material web against each other and against the surface of the embossing roller. At least one pressure roller for accurately adjusting the spacing of the pressure roller to the surface of the embossing roller, and at least for accurately adjusting the pressure exerted by the pressure roller on the embossing foil and the material web. This is achieved by an apparatus for embossing foil prints on flexible materials, which comprises adjusting means for one pressure roller.

As will be explained below, the device according to the invention comprises at least one pressure roller, depending on the thickness of the flexible material web to be printed and on the thickness of the embossing foil itself. The spacing to the working surface of the embossing roller can be adjusted appropriately, so that the embossing pressure between the embossing roller and the at least one pressure roller can be adjusted appropriately. In this way, sensitive, like banknotes,
Alternatively, even when embossing a delicate flexible material web, it is possible to prevent damage to the fibers of the material by applying undesired compression that alters its properties. Furthermore, the adjustable structure of the device according to the invention makes it possible to compensate for the influence of temperature changes in the embossing roller, for example the expansion of the roller due to an increase in temperature, so that the expansion of the embossing roller and the embossing roller and There is also the advantage that the spacing between the associated pressure rollers does not change.

According to a preferred feature of the device according to the invention, the adjusting device comprises a first and a second spacer arranged at the first and second ends of the shaft or shaft mounted with at least one pressure roller, remote from each other. Rings, the spacer rings being eccentrically mounted on a corresponding shaft or axis. In a preferred feature of the construction, the first and second spacer rings of the pressure roller adjusting means are each mounted on an associated eccentric sleeve fixed to the shaft or axis of the corresponding pressure roller. In that arrangement, a single pressure roller can be mounted on the corresponding shaft or shaft, or multiple pressure rollers can be arranged on the shaft or shaft, preferably spaced from one another. Due to its adjustable structure having at least one adjusting means,
The spacing between the at least one pressure roller associated with the shaft or shaft and the working surface of the embossing roller by rotating the shaft or shaft, thereby rotating an eccentric sleeve fixed on the shaft or shaft. Can be adjusted very accurately. In that case, the spacer ring associated with the eccentric sleeve is
The embossing roller can be contacted at any desired angular position of rotation of the shaft or axis.

Each adjusting means for each pressure roller can have an adjusting member which can be operated manually. In a preferred feature, the manually operated adjustment member is, for example, a rotary knob having a scale that can be associated with a fixed mark provided at a suitable location on the device. The adjusting member is thereby operable to change the angular position of the shaft or axis of the corresponding pressure roller in the actuated compression position relative to the embossing roller.

An embossed foil print on a flexible material web comprising a heatable embossing roller and at least one pressure roller for pressing the embossing foil and the material web together and against the surface of the embossing roller. According to another structural feature of the applicator, the axial width dimension of each pressure roller is smaller than the axial width dimension of the embossing roller. In that construction, the ratio of the axial width of each pressure roller to the embossing roller may be, for example, 0.8-0.05, or greater or less. Especially when the ratio is small, such a device allows the embossing roller to be relatively wide compared to the width of the flexible material web onto which the print is to be transferred from the embossing foil, so that the embossing roller In the axial direction of the pressure roller, a virtually uniform and uniform temperature distribution is obtained, such as between the embossing roller and the at least one pressure roller which is relatively narrow in comparison. A favorable beneficial effect on the properties is obtained. In such an apparatus, the pressure roller is located remote from at least one of the spacer rings, the apparatus further comprising a support roller between the pressure roller and an associated spacer ring,
Advantageously, the support roller is slightly smaller than the pressure roller. A support roller between the pressure roller and the associated spacer ring prevents the flexible material web from bending as it rests on at least one pressure roller that is relatively narrow relative to the embossing roller as described above. Prevents the material web from being sensitive and delicate,
High operating speeds can be achieved without adversely affecting, for example, undesired compression of the material, which can change its properties. The same purpose is achieved if at least one support roller has an axial length which is matched to the distance between the pressure roller and the associated spacer ring.

In another preferred aspect of the invention, pressure rollers spaced apart from each other and having their axes parallel to each other are combined together to form a respective pressure roller pair. In a device mounted on the swing arm and arranged in symmetrical first and second groups with respect to the embossing rollers, the supporting rollers are each the outermost pressure of each of the two groups of pressure rollers. Only relevant with rollers. In each case, the embossing operation is carried out only in the area between the embossing roller and the at least one pressure roller which has a smaller axial width compared to the embossing roller.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be described in the following preferred embodiments.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, number 10 is for embossing foil prints or transfer graphics on flexible materials with an embossing roller 12 shown in the drawing only in part, which can be heated for transfer operations. Shows the device. The device includes a rocker arm 16 on a base portion 14 of which only one is shown, only one of which is shown in the figure. These swinging arms 16 are attached to the base portion 14 of the present device structure by 18
It is mounted so that it can rotate around the mounting axis shown in. The first and second shafts 20, only one of which is shown in the figure, are arranged on each rocker arm 16 so that they can rotate about a longitudinal centerline indicated by 22.

Reference numeral 24 designates a pressure roller rotatably mounted on the shaft 20 shown in the figure, which has a smaller axial dimension, ie width, than the embossing roller 12. Of course, it is also possible for two or more pressure rollers 24 to be rotatably mounted on their respective shafts 20. In that case, the pressure rollers 24 are preferably disposed on their associated shafts 20 at appropriate intervals from one another. The spacing between the individual pressure rollers in such an arrangement can also be adjusted.

These pressure rollers 24 are schematically
By means of a known bearing mechanism shown at 6, the associated shaft 2
It is mounted so that it can be rotated above zero. Shaft 2
In order to fix the pressure roller in place in the axial direction on 0, the device has a plate member 28 through which the corresponding shaft 20 passes, which plate members are connected together. , Is fixed to the corresponding swing arm 16. The pressure roller 24 is mounted exactly centered on the associated shaft 20.

Reference numeral 30 in the drawing represents an eccentric sleeve 30 of the adjusting mechanism 32. Each eccentric sleeve 30 is secured by a respective pin 34 to one of the distant parts of the shaft 20 shown. Each of the two eccentric sleeves 30 comprises an eccentric portion 36 of varying wall thickness in the circumferential direction, as can be seen from the figures, in particular on the right side of the drawing,
It can be seen by comparing the thicknesses of the eccentric portions 36 at the upper and lower portions of the end of the shaft 20, respectively. A spacer ring 38 is rotatably mounted on each eccentric portion 36 of the two eccentric sleeves 30 and a suitable rotary bearing mechanism 40 is provided for each spacer ring 38.
Between the corresponding eccentric portions 36, a spacer ring 38 is properly attached.

The two eccentric sleeves 30 associated with the shaft 20 are of the same construction and are arranged in the same manner in the circumferential direction of the corresponding shaft 20, ie the associated shaft 2
They are arranged in the same row in the direction of the vertical center line 22 of 0.

The two spacer rings 38 supported on the shaft 20 shown in the figure are centered on the longitudinal centerline 22 of the shaft 20 because their outer peripheral surface 42 is in contact with the working cylindrical surface 44 of the embossing roller 12. The rotational movement of the embossing roller 12, more particularly its working surface 44, and the working peripheral surface 46 of the associated pressure roller 24, adjusts the spacing as necessary to provide the embossing roller 12 and the pressure roller. Embossing wheel (not shown) that moves at a suitable operating speed between 24 and
And the pressure on the flexible web of material (not shown) can be precisely adjusted.

The number 48 in the figure indicates another support roller, indicated by a thin dashed line, which may optionally be located between the respective spacer ring 38 and the pressure roller 24 on the corresponding shaft 20. The support roller 48 is slightly smaller in diameter than the associated pressure roller, and because the flexible material web is supported on the narrower pressure roller compared to the embossing roller 12, the material web is pressure roller. Prevent breaking on the 24. It can be seen that the axial length of the support roller 48 is matched to the spacing between the pressure roller 24 and the respective spacer ring 38.

The adjusting mechanism 32 further comprises an adjusting member 50, which can be operated manually and sets the shaft 20, and thereby the two eccentric sleeves 3.
An embossing foil and thereby an embossing foil for transferring the print by setting 0 at a suitable angular position about the relevant longitudinal centerline 22 and precisely adjusting the distance between the pressure roller 24 and the surface of the embossing roller. A suitable pressure can be set which results in a precise embossing effect with the material web to be processed.

Pressure rollers 24, spaced apart from one another and whose axes are arranged parallel to one another, are each mounted on rocker arm 16 and are combined to form a respective pressure roller pair, embossing rollers. In a device arrangement symmetrically arranged in two groups with respect to one another, the support rollers 48 are preferably associated only with the outermost pressure rollers of the two groups of pressure rollers.

Of course, the above-described device is merely for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of an apparatus according to the present invention for embossing foil prints on a flexible material web.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Embossing roller 14 Foundation part 16 Shaking arm 20 Shaft 22 Vertical center line 24 Pressure roller 30 Eccentric sleeve 34 Pin 38 Spacer ring 48 Support roller 50 Adjusting member

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A device for embossing foil prints on flexible material, comprising at least a heatable embossing roller, at least for pressing the embossing foil and the material against each other and against the surface of the embossing roller. One pressure roller, and precisely adjust the spacing of the pressure roller to the working surface of the embossing roller,
Thereby precisely adjusting the pressure exerted by the pressure roller on the embossing foil and the material,
Apparatus comprising adjustment means for said at least one pressure roller. 2. Further comprising a shaft having first and second ends, said at least one pressure roller being mounted on said shaft between said ends, said adjusting means comprising: The apparatus of claim 1 comprising first and second spacer rings disposed essentially adjacent one and second ends and eccentrically mounted on said shaft. 3. Further comprising an eccentric sleeve fixed on said shaft carrying said at least one pressure roller, wherein spacer rings of the adjusting means are each attached to an associated one of said eccentric sleeves, 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the spacer ring is eccentrically mounted on the shaft by. 4. The adjusting member manually operable to change the angular position of the shaft with respect to the embossing roller, thereby changing the position of the pressure roller with respect to the embossing roller. The apparatus of claim 2 including: 5. The at least one pressure roller comprises:
The apparatus of claim 1 having an axial dimension that is less than the axial dimension of the embossing roller. 6. A shaft further comprising first and second ends on which said at least one pressure roller is mounted and adjusting means are provided for said first and second ends of said shaft. A first and second spacer ring eccentrically mounted on the shaft, the pressure roller being spaced from at least one of the spacer rings, 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a support roller between the pressure roller and the at least one spacer ring, the support roller diameter being slightly smaller than the pressure roller diameter.