KR20170084116A - Web processing system and method for processing a web - Google Patents

Abstract

A processing system for a web comprises a transport mechanism configured to supply a continuous web of material along a transport path in a processing system; A first printing cylinder having a first diameter and a first printing pattern, the first printing cylinder being arranged adjacent the transport path and configured to print a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web, Printing cylinder; At least one second printing cylinder having a second diameter and a second printing pattern different from the first diameter, the second printing cylinder being disposed adjacent the transport path and having a second image pattern on top of the first image pattern on the continuous web, At least one second printing cylinder configured to print the first printing cylinder; A system controller coupled to the transport mechanism and configured to control the transport mechanism in accordance with at least one registration procedure, the system controller comprising a first image pattern for printing a final random image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web, And selectively disabling at least one of the registration procedures when printing the second image pattern.

Description

[0001] WEB PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A WEB [0002]

The present invention relates to a web processing system and a web processing method for printing a random pattern or a random layout on a continuous web of material.

Expensive items are generally protected by a sort of authenticity measure established by the manufacturer to prevent counterfeiting of such goods. For example, a cigarette box may be tagged to allow tracking of its origin and verification of authenticity. Commonly employed techniques include the use of sophisticated printing techniques to record an identification code or the like on a cardboard or paper to tag the desired expensive article as a genuine seal. This printing technique is difficult to reproduce imitators or plagiarists because such printing techniques involve the use of specific knowledge or materials that are difficult to obtain from the manufacturing process.

Patent document EP 1 125 758 A1 discloses a system for tagging paper sheets with a random pattern, which system comprises a series of applying a phase shifted random pattern to one or both sides of the sheet Is used.

One approach of the present invention is to provide a web processing system that is capable of producing a truly random or at least pseudo-random patterned image on a web.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention relates to a processing system for a web, the processing system comprising: a transport mechanism configured to supply a continuous web of material along a transport path in the processing system; A first printing cylinder having a first diameter and a first printing pattern, the first printing cylinder being arranged adjacent the transport path and configured to print a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web, Printing cylinder; At least one second printing cylinder having a second diameter and a second printing pattern different from the first diameter, the second printing cylinder being disposed adjacent the transport path and having a second image pattern on top of the first image pattern on the continuous web, At least one second printing cylinder configured to print the first printing cylinder; A system controller coupled to the transport mechanism and configured to control the transport mechanism in accordance with at least one registration procedure, the system controller comprising: And selectively disabling at least one of the registration procedures when printing the one image pattern and the second image pattern.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a method of processing a web, the method comprising: transferring a continuous web of material along a transport path in a processing system by a transport mechanism; Printing a first image pattern on at least one surface of a continuous web using a first printing cylinder having a first diameter and a first printing pattern; Printing a second image pattern on top of a first image pattern on a continuous web using at least one second printing cylinder having a second diameter and a second printing pattern different from the first diameter; And selectively disabling at least one registration procedure for the transfer mechanism when printing the first image pattern and the second image pattern to print a final random image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the web of material comprises a random pattern printed on its surface, said random pattern being obtained according to the method of the second aspect of the invention.

The dependent claims provide additional technical features of the advantageous embodiments and further improvements of the invention.

According to an embodiment of the processing system, the first print pattern and / or the second print pattern may be different.

According to another embodiment of the processing system, the registration procedure may comprise at least one of controlling the web conveyance speed, controlling the lateral web alignment, controlling the conveying path length between the printing cylinders, and controlling the web tension.

According to another embodiment of the processing system, the system controller can also be coupled to the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder, and the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder are driven at different rotational speeds . ≪ / RTI >

According to another embodiment of the processing system, the system controller may also be configured to drive the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder at the same tangential speed.

According to an embodiment of the method, the first image pattern and / or the second image pattern may comprise a random image pattern.

According to another embodiment of the method, the first print pattern and the second print pattern may comprise different patterns.

According to another embodiment of the method, the registration procedure can include at least one of controlling the web conveyance speed, controlling the lateral web alignment, controlling the conveying path length between the printing cylinders, and controlling the web tension.

According to another embodiment of the method, the material of the continuous web may comprise one of cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal or a laminated combination thereof.

According to another embodiment of the method, the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder may be driven at different rotational speeds.

According to another embodiment of the method, the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder may be driven at the same tangential speed.

According to another embodiment of the method, the step of printing the first print pattern and the second print pattern comprises transferring a composition comprising at least one of ink, varnish and wax onto at least one surface of the web, Lt; / RTI >

A web according to a third aspect of the present invention may include a separating means adapted to allow at least one sheet to be separated from the web in an embodiment, wherein at least one of the sheets comprises a portion of the printed random pattern. The separating means may comprise perforations, perforations or die cuts formed in the material of the web.

The web material according to the third aspect of the present invention may in one embodiment comprise one of cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal or a laminated combination thereof.

A package comprising at least one portion made of a web can be produced using a web of material according to the third aspect of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.
The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention and many of the intended advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description. The elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale with respect to each other. Like reference numerals designate corresponding similar parts.
Figure 1 shows a schematic isometric view of a processing system according to an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 schematically illustrates a portion of a base web according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 illustrates a functional block diagram of steps in a web processing method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various alternative and / or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention I will understand. In general, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein. In particular, the particular features, characteristics, and characteristics of the different embodiments discussed below may be combined, unless expressly indicated otherwise.

In general, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein. In the present invention, reference is made to a printing machine and a printing system. Such a printing device is generally intended to include any combination or structural arrangement of units, modules and registers capable of transporting a web to be processed along a transport path in the apparatus. Moreover, the printing device may include any component adapted to imprint, stamp, or presswork a pattern, image, text, or color area on one or both sides of the web being processed. The printing device may include one or more of a laser beam device, a developing device, a transfer device, a stationary device, a cutting device, a folding device, and conventional similar components known in gravure printing and offset printing have.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a processing system 100. The processing system 100 may be specifically configured to process and produce a printed web Wp of a predetermined material and the web Wp may be constructed of any suitable material such as cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal, Material. The processing system 100 generally includes a plurality of processing stages 12 with rollers or feed units denoted by reference numeral 10 in FIG. The roller 10 forms a part of a transport mechanism 11 configured to supply a continuous web W of material along a transport path in the processing system 100.

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional diagram of a processing system for processing web W and may be presented as a conceptual illustration of processing system 100 of FIG. The web W may be input into the processing system at the system inlet 8 and may be conveyed through the various processing stages 12 and output as the printed web Wp at the system outlet 9. [ Among other processing units and modules not specifically mentioned, the processing system 100 is a first printing cylinder having a first diameter d1, a first printing cylinder 1 having a first printing pattern formed on a first printing cylinder ). The first printing cylinder 1 is arranged adjacent to the conveyance path and is configured to print a first image pattern on the at least one surface of the continuous web W, that is, a printed image of the printing pattern of the first printing cylinder. 1 and 2, the first printing cylinder 1 is adapted to print a first image pattern on the bottom surface of the web W moving between the first printing cylinder 1 and the corresponding pressure roller 4 .

The processing system 100 is a second printing cylinder having a second diameter d2 different from the first diameter d1 and having at least one second printing cylinder 2 having a second printing pattern formed in the second printing cylinder ). For example, the second diameter d2 may be greater than the first diameter d1. The second printing cylinder 2 may be disposed in series with the first printing cylinder 1 and may be disposed downstream of the first printing cylinder 1 in the conveying path of the web W. The second printing cylinder 2 is also arranged to be adjacent to the conveying path and configured to print a second image pattern on the first image pattern on the continuous web W, that is, a printed image of the second printing pattern of the second printing cylinder do. To this end, the second printing cylinder 2 can be configured to print the second image pattern on the bottom surface of the web W moving between the second printing cylinder 2 and the corresponding pressure roller 5 .

1, a third printing cylinder 3 may be present downstream of the second printing cylinder 2 and a third printing cylinder 3 may be located downstream of the first printing cylinder 1 and / Has a diameter different from the diameter of the printing cylinder 2, and preferably a third printing pattern is formed on the third printing cylinder. The printed image of the third image pattern, that is, the third print pattern of the third print cylinder, on the surface of the web W moving between the third print cylinder 3 and the pressurizing roller 6, 3, a corresponding pressure roller 6 may be provided. In general, the number of printing cylinders 1, 2, 3 is not limited to two or three, but may instead be any desired number of more than two.

The first print pattern and / or the second print pattern may be printed on the web W as an image pattern or layout, for example as a decorative design or as a line, dot or geometric shape of various colors and / or line thicknesses. The first print pattern and the second print pattern may be different patterns, for example, providing a final image pattern consisting of a superimposition of the first image pattern and the second image pattern on the web W. That is, the different printing cylinders 1, 2, 3 print different image patterns vertically. The printing cylinders 1, 2, 3 can be configured to transfer a composition in liquid form, such as ink, varnish or wax, onto at least one surface of the web W. Once transferred to the surface of the web W, the processing system 100 is configured to deliver a drying module configured to dry the liquid form composition printed on the web W to the downstream side of each of the printing cylinders 1, 2, 3 .

The processing system 100 further comprises a system controller 7 coupled to the transport mechanism 11 and the printing cylinders 1, 2, The system controller 7 controls the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 on the one hand. For example, the system controller 7 may be configured to drive the printing cylinders 1, 2, 3 at different rotational speeds. According to the diameters d1 and d2 of the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3, the system controller 7 controls the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 so that the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 are driven at the same tangential speed, The respective rotational speeds can be adjusted. In this way, the speed of the web W passing through the printing cylinders 1, 2, 3 is kept constant throughout the printing process.

On the other hand, the system controller 7 is configured to control the transport mechanism 11 in accordance with at least one registration procedure. Such registration procedures may include, for example, control of web feed rate, control of lateral web alignment, control of the feed path length between the printing cylinders, and control of web tension. By selectively disabling at least one of the registration procedures when printing the first print pattern and the second print pattern, the system controller 7 can provide a certain degree of randomness to the print parameters of the processing system 100, You can introduce some degree of irreproducibility into the print pattern. In particular, since one or more of the registration procedures are disabled, each of the first image pattern and the second image pattern is printed on the first print roller and / or the second print roller and / or the web W ) Have some degree of randomness due to their approved abilities. As a result, each of the first image pattern, the second image pattern, and the third image pattern is random or at least pseudo-random, and is obtained at the exit 9 of the processing system 100 and has a first image pattern, The final image pattern consisting of a combination of three image patterns is also random or at least pseudo-random. Thus, the printed web Wp is printed with a unique final image pattern, which makes it very difficult to reproduce.

The processing system 100 may be used to print a continuous web Wp of material and the web includes a true random pattern or at least a pseudo-random pattern printed on its surface. The web Wp may comprise separating means such as perforations, perforations or die cuts formed in the material of the web Wp, for example allowing to separate at least one sheet from the web Wp. At this time, each separate sheet contains a portion of the printed random pattern. Later, such sheets can be used to make packages, for example tobacco boxes, or to tag cigarette boxes.

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a block diagram of a method M for processing a continuous web of material, such as the web W of Figures 1 and 2. The method M may be implemented by a web processing system, such as the processing system 100 illustrated and described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular.

In a first step, the method M may include in M1 a process of conveying a continuous web W of material along a transport path in the processing system 100 by the transport mechanism 11. [ The web W may be made of a material including, for example, one of cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal or a laminated combination thereof. The transport mechanism 11 may include a number of rollers and web transport modules, such as rollers 10, for example. The transfer mechanism can be distributed, in particular, over a series of processing stages (12) of the processing system (100).

In the second stage M2, a first printing cylinder 1 having a first diameter d1 and a first printing pattern is used to form a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web W, Lt; / RTI > Then, in the third stage M3, at least one second printing cylinder 2 (having a first diameter d2) different from the first diameter d1 and preferably a second printing pattern different from the first printing pattern ), A second image pattern can be printed on top of the first image pattern on the continuous web W. The printing process of M2 and M3 may include transferring a composition in liquid form, such as, for example, ink, varnish or wax, onto at least one surface of the web W. [

While the first image pattern and the second image pattern are printed on the web W by the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 in the fourth stage M4, the transfer mechanism 11 of the processing system 100, Lt; / RTI > can be selectively disabled. The processing system 100 may include various registration procedures of the system, such as control of web feed rate, control of lateral web alignment, control of the feed path length between the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3, Under the control of the system controller 7 which controls the operation of the system.

Because the at least one registration procedure for the transport mechanism 11 is disabled, the first print pattern and the second print pattern of the printing cylinders may each provide a random image pattern on the web W. In order to generate a large number of randomness in the resulting overall final image pattern on the web W, the first print pattern and the second print pattern may each provide a different image pattern. In order to achieve independence of the image pattern, the first printing cylinder 1 and the at least one printing cylinder 2, 3 are driven at different rotational speeds but can be driven at the same tangential speed. This ensures that the sequences of the first image pattern and the second image pattern are randomly shifted relative to each other. On the other hand, by driving the first printing cylinder 1 and the second printing cylinder 2 (3) at the same tangential speed, it is possible to move the web (in the feed mechanism) from the conveying mechanism without the fear of mechanical stress or tensile stress due to the printing process in different cylinders W will be guaranteed.

Once the image pattern is transferred from the printing cylinder to the web W as a liquid form composition, these compositions can be dried in an optional step M5 of the method M. Alternatively, the drying step may be performed after each of the printing processes M2 and M3.

While particular features of one embodiment of the present invention may have been disclosed in connection with only one of several embodiments, the features may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments that may be advantageous and advantageous for any given application or particular application . Furthermore, to the extent that the terms "comprise," "comprise "," having ", or other variations thereof are used in the detailed description or claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprises ". The terms "coupled" and "connected" may be used in conjunction with derivatives. These terms may have been used to indicate that two components work together or interact with each other, whether or not they are in direct physical or electrical contact. It should also be understood that the terms tactical, descriptive and descriptive of the features, elements, or components of the embodiments shown in the figures, such as "top," " bottom, "" left," " It is to be understood that any term used in the description is used merely for ease of understanding and is not intended to limit the invention in any way.

1: Printing cylinder
2: Printing cylinder
3: Printing cylinder
4: Pressure roller
5: Pressure roller
6: Pressure roller
7: System controller
8: web inlet
9: web exit
10: Feed roller
11: Feed mechanism
12: Processing stage
d1: Bore size
d2: Bore size
M: How
M1: Method Step
M2: Method steps
M3: Method steps
M4: Method steps
M5: Method steps
W: Web
Wp: Printed web

Claims (15)

A processing system (100) for a web (W)
A transport mechanism (11) configured to supply a continuous web of material along a transport path in the processing system (100);
A first printing cylinder (1) having a first diameter (d1) and a first printing pattern, wherein the first printing cylinder (1) is arranged adjacent to the conveying path, and on at least one surface of the continuous web A first printing cylinder (1) configured to print a first image pattern;
At least one second printing cylinder (2; 3) having a second diameter (d2) different from the first diameter (d1) and a second printing pattern, the second printing cylinder (2, 3) , And configured to print a second image pattern on top of a first image pattern on the continuous web (W);
A system controller (7) coupled to the transport mechanism (11) and configured to control the transport mechanism (11) according to at least one registration procedure,
Lt; / RTI >
The system controller 7 is adapted to print at least one of the registration procedures when printing a first image pattern and a second image pattern to print a final random image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web W, And to selectively disable the web processing system. The web processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first print pattern and / or the second print pattern are different. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the registration procedure comprises a control of the web feed rate, control of lateral web alignment, control of the feed path length between the printing cylinders (1; 2; 3) The web processing system comprising: A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system controller (7) is also coupled to a first printing cylinder (1) and to at least one printing cylinder (2; 3) 1) and the at least one second printing cylinder (2; 3) at different rotational speeds. 5. The web processing system according to claim 4, wherein the system controller (7) is further configured to drive the first printing cylinder (1) and the at least one second printing cylinder (2; 3) at the same tangential speed. A method (M) for processing web (W)
Transferring a continuous web of material (W) along a transport path in the processing system (100) by a transport mechanism (11);
Printing (M2) a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web (W) using a first printing cylinder (1) having a first diameter (d1) and a first printing pattern;
(2, 3) having at least one second printing cylinder (2, 3) having a second diameter (d2) different from the first diameter (d1) and a second printing pattern, Printing on top of the image pattern (M3);
At least one registration procedure for the transfer mechanism (11) is selectively disabled when printing the first image pattern and the second image pattern to print the final random image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web (W) (M4)
≪ / RTI > 7. The web processing method according to claim 6, wherein the first image pattern and / or the second image pattern includes a random image pattern. The web processing method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first print pattern and the second print pattern include different patterns. 9. A method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the registration procedure comprises control of the web conveyance speed, control of the lateral web alignment, control of the feed path length between the printing cylinders (1; 2; 3) And control of web tension. A web treatment method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the material of the continuous web (W) comprises one of cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal or a laminated combination thereof . 11. A method according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the first printing cylinder (1) and the at least one second printing cylinder (2; 3) are driven at different rotational speeds. The web processing method according to claim 11, wherein the first printing cylinder (1) and the at least one second printing cylinder (2; 3) are driven at the same tangential speed. 13. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 12, wherein the step (M2) of printing the first print pattern and the step (M3) of printing the second print pattern are carried out using at least one of ink, varnish and wax Wherein the method comprises transferring a composition comprising one of the webs (W) onto at least one surface of the web (W). A web (Wp) of a material comprising a random pattern printed on a surface, said random pattern being obtained according to the method of any one of claims 6 to 13. A package comprising at least one part made of a web (Wp) according to claim 14.

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