Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J17/00—Mechanisms for manipulating page-width impression-transfer material, e.g. carbon paper
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
  • B41F17/00—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for
  • B41F17/006—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for for printing on curved surfaces not otherwise provided for
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
  • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
  • B41M5/025—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet
  • B41M5/03—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet by pressure
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
  • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
  • B41M5/025—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet

Definitions

• This invention relates to a method and a device for printing objects, more particularly for printing the surface of three-dimensional objects.
• a practical application intended by the invention is the application of a decorative coating on the casing of portable telephones, in particular on the front side of GSM devices.
• the front side of such devices comprises inwardly-directed parts , such as , for example, the seats of the push-buttons.
• these front sides are provided with a colour or ink coating by means of a paint spraying technique.
• a disadvantage of this technique consists in that it is difficult to provide the inward-bent parts with ink and/or colour. This becomes even more difficult when the coating must not consist of only one and the same colour layer and, for example, it is desired to form images on the front side, as then it is necessary to work with masks.
• Another disadvantage consists in that this technique is little environment-friendly, as a large part of the colour or ink will get beside the object.
• the present invention in the first place aims at a method and a device which are particularly suited for printing three-dimensional objects. More particularly, it aims at a technique whereby the aforementioned disadvantages when printing the front side of GSM devices and similar, are excluded.
• the invention concerns a method for printing objects, with as a characteristic that it at least consists in, on one hand, the application of printing ink on a carrier consisting of a flexible layer-shaped material and, on the other hand, transferring the printing ink to the object to be printed, by bringing said carrier and the object into mutual contact and by pressing-on said carrier, by means of supplementary pressing means, at least partially around the object to be printed.
• the carrier easily can assume the shape of the surface to be printed and, by moreover applying supplementary pressing means therewith, a complete pressing-on can be guaranteed.
• a fluid pressure more particularly air pressure, with which a pressure is exerted on the side of the carrier which is opposite to the side which is brought into contact with the object to be printed.
• supplementary pressing means of mechanical nature are applied, such as a counterfor of the object to be printed, with which the carrier can be pressed against the object.
• the aforementioned two kinds of pressing means will be combined, which, in the first place, is useful when printing the front side of a portable telephone.
• the carrier can be pressed into small, relatively deep indentations by means of the counterform, whereas by the pressing, realized by means of the compressed air, on one hand, always a perfect pressing over the entire surface to be printed is guaranteed, whereas, on the other hand, also the bent lateral edges of the object can be printed which are difficult to reach by means of a counterform.
• the image to be printed is applied on the carrier in two-dimensional condition and then, by deformation of the carrier, printed on the object in three-dimensional condition. This technique allows for that the application of the image which can consist of a figure as well as of an even coating of one and the same colour or similar, can easily be realized.
• the carrier will be stretched at least during the application of the printing ink, in such a manner that during the application a flat substructure is offered. According to a variant, however, it is not excluded to provide a support surface under this carrier during the application of the printing ink, whether or not combined with the stretching of the carrier .
• the carrier will also be stretched during the actual printing, for example, by pressing the object to be printed over a well-defined distance into the plane of the carrier.
• the carrier during the application of the printing ink and the actual printing is stretched in opposite direction, whereby it is displaced over approximately the same distance, and even better is displaced in such a manner that approximately the same extension at the location of the printed image takes place, with the advantage that there is almost no size difference between the image applied on the carrier and the printed image.
• a carrier will be applied showing a contact surface consisting of a colour- or ink-repellent material .
• a carrier will be applied showing a contact surface consisting of a colour- or ink-repellent material .
• a silicone mat or a flexible layer of material based on silicones.
• Such material offers the advantage that it is very flexible and at the same time will easily release the printing ink during printing.
• the printing ink is provided on the support by means of a printer.
• a printer As a result of this, forming different images and rapidly switching over from one image to the other is rendered very easy, simply by controlling the printer.
• the invention also relates to a device for realizing the aforementioned method, with as a characteristic that it at least consists of a carrier of a flexible layer-shaped material; means for applying printing ink on the carrier; means for transferring the printing ink to the object to be printed, said means consisting of a displacement mechanism for bringing said carrier and the object into mutual contact; and supplementary pressing means which cooperate with the carrier and allow to press on the latter, at least partially around the object to be printed.
• figure 1 schematically represents a device according to the invention
• figure 2 represents a cross-section according to line II-II in figure 1
• figures 3 and 4 represent the device of figure 1 in two other positions
• figure 5, at a larger scale, represents the part indicated by F5 in figure 4.
• the device 1 of the invention substantially consists of a carrier 2 of a flexible layer-shaped material; means 3 for applying printing ink on the carrier 2; means 4 for transferring the printing ink to the object 5 to be printed, in this case the front part of a GSM device; and supplementary pressing means 6 which cooperate with the carrier 2 and allow to press on the latter, at least partially around the object 5 to be printed.
• the carrier 2 consists of a colour- or ink-repellent material, more particularly a mat which is held at its circumference, in this case by being clamped at its circumference, by means of bolts 7, in a framing 8.
• the carrier 2 in the condition of figure 1 is not or almost not stretched.
• this carrier 2 preferably consists of a silicone mat. Particularly good results can be obtained with a mat having, in un-stretched condition, a thickness of 1 to 3 mm, and preferably 2 mm.
• the means 3 for applying the printing ink on the carrier 2 substantially consist of a printer 9 which can be controlled in a suitable manner, either by means of a suitable software package, or by means of a not represented computer unit.
• This printer 9 in its turn, can show a classic construction and substantially consists of a printing head 10, with which preferably several colours can be printed, and driving means for moving the printing head 10, on one hand, along one or more longitudinal guides 11 and, on the other hand, one or more transversal guides 12.
• the device 1 comprises means 13 for presenting the object to be printed which, in the represented example, consist of a holder 14 with which the object 5 is held, and a driving cylinder 15 for moving the holder 14 up and down.
• these means 13 may also consist of a robot arm which takes up the objects 5 to be printed one after the other and presents them to the device 1.
• the means 4 for transferring the printing ink to the object to be printed form a part of displacement means which allow to move the carrier 2 and/or the means 3 and/or the means 13 in respect to each other, in order to bring them, on one hand, into a first position, whereby the carrier 2 cooperates with the means 3 for applying the printing ink, and, on the other hand, into a second position whereby the carrier 2 cooperates with the object 5, in such a manner as will be further explained in the following.
• Said supplementary pressing means 6 consist in the represented example of a pressure chamber 16, more particularly a compressed air chamber, which cooperates with the side 17 of the carrier 2 which is opposite to the side 18 which is brought into contact with the object 5 to be printed, as well as of a counterform 19 with which the carrier 2 can be pressed against the object 5 to be printed or at least is forced to take the the shape of the object 5 to be printed to a minor or major extent.
• the pressure chamber 16 consists of a casing 20 which is closed off at the upper side by means of the carrier 2. This casing 20, by means of a conduit 21, can be set under pressure, depressurized, respectively.
• the counterform 19 is mounted fixedly in the pressure chamber 16.
• said displacement means comprise, on one hand, the already mentioned driving cylinder 15 for displacing an object 5 carried thereby and, on the other hand, a driving cylinder 22 for displacing the pressure chamber 16 between a position under the printer 9, as represented in figures 1 to 3 , and a position under the driving cylinder 15, as represented in figure 4.
• the device is also provided with means 23 for stretching the carrier 2 during the application of the printing ink on this carrier 2, consisting of a frame 24 in the shape of a rectangular framing, which can cooperate with the underside of the carrier 2 , more particularly can be moved up and down between a position whereby the frame 24, as represented in figure 1, is located freely under the carrier 2, and a position whereby the frame 24, as represented in figure 3, is moved upward, as a result of which the carrier 2 is stretched and tensioned.
• the movement of the frame 24 is performed by means of driving cylinders 25.
• control unit 26 which may consist of a computer or similar.
• the driving cylinders 15, 22, and 25 are fed by means of a compressed air supply 27 and are controlled by means of valves 28 which, in a suitable manner, according to the working cycle explained in the following, are actuated by means of the control unit 26.
• Figure 1 shows the non-operated condition. From this non- operated condition, the driving cylinders 25 are actuated, as a result of which the frame 24 is brought up into the position of figure 3 which is such that the carrier 2 then is positioned precisely under the printing head 10, in stretched condition.
• the printer 9 is controlled, in such a manner that printing ink 29 is deposited on the carrier 2, whereby the image to be printed is formed.
• this may either relate to an image representing a picture, or to an image simply consisting of a quantity of printing ink of the same colour, preferably in the shape of the object 5 to be printed.
• printing ink has to be interpreted broadly and that, according to the invention, any material has to be subsumed thereunder with which a coating can be realized, thus, an actual ink as well as a paint, varnish or any other material.
• the frame 24 is lowered again and the pressure chamber 16 is moved up into a position whereby this latter is positioned with the counterform 19 under the object 5.
• the carrier 2 By subsequently moving the object 5 downward, by means of the driving cylinder 15, and pressing it against the counterform 19 and also feeding compressed air into the pressure chamber 16 , a condition is obtained as represented in figures 4 and 5.
• the carrier 2 on one hand , due to the presence of the counterform 19, and, on the other hand, due to the pressure P in the pressure chamber 16, perfectly fits against the object 5 to be printed, as a result of which the printing ink 29 of the image is adequately transferred to the object 5.
• the protrusions 30 of the counter- form 19 hereby penetrate into the seats 31 for the telephone push-buttons.
• in the pressure chamber 16 preferably only a rather low pressure is applied, of less than 100 and even better of 50 to 60 gram/cm 2 .
• the object 5 can be moved upward again and subsequently be transported off , after which the cycle can be repeated with a successive object 5.
• the distance A over which the carrier 2 is moved in figure 3 preferably almost coincides with the distance B over which this carrier 2 is moved in figure 4 , in such a manner that an almost equal extension of the material of the carrier 2 at the location of the object 5 is obtained.
• the device 1 can be equipped with a cleaning mechanism, which may or may not work automatically, in order to remove inconvenient ink remainders from the carrier 2.
• this framing 8 can be equipped with an easy to handle stretching mechanism.
• the movement cycle also does not necessarily have to be performed precisely such as represented in the figures. So, for example, it is not excluded to mount the pressure chamber 16 in a fixed manner and to install the means 13 above the printer 9, whereby the printing head 10 is moved sidewards at the moment when the object 5 is brought into contact with the carrier 2.
• the counterform 19 is positioned precisely under the carrier 2, whereby this is possible for the position of figure 1 as well as for the one of figure 3.
• the invention also relates to methods and devices whereby for the supplementary pressing means, either use is made exclusively of fluid pressure, or use is made exclusively of mechanical pressing means. It is also not excluded to use a liquid for the fluid pressure instead of a gas.

Landscapes

• Printing Methods (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
• Dot-Matrix Printers And Others (AREA)
• Labeling Devices (AREA)
• Press Drives And Press Lines (AREA)
• Decoration By Transfer Pictures (AREA)
• Input Circuits Of Receivers And Coupling Of Receivers And Audio Equipment (AREA)
• Pens And Brushes (AREA)
• Handling Of Cut Paper (AREA)

Priority Applications (11)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=3891852

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (16)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 1999
  • 1999-04-07 BE BE9900237A patent/BE1012584A3/nl active
• 2000
  • 2000-04-04 BR BRPI0009605-9A patent/BR0009605B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-04-04 PT PT00913977T patent/PT1173336E/pt unknown
  • 2000-04-04 CN CN00805942A patent/CN1129531C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-04-04 US US09/926,292 patent/US6691609B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-04-04 JP JP2000610681A patent/JP4570254B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-04-04 DK DK00913977T patent/DK1173336T3/da active
  • 2000-04-04 WO PCT/BE2000/000029 patent/WO2000061376A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-04-04 ES ES00913977T patent/ES2188520T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-04 DE DE60000989T patent/DE60000989T3/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-04 EP EP00913977.5A patent/EP1173336B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-04 HK HK02106207.4A patent/HK1044512B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-04-04 IL IL14578700A patent/IL145787A0/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-04-04 AU AU35458/00A patent/AU3545800A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-04-04 CA CA002369133A patent/CA2369133C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-04-04 AT AT00913977T patent/ATE229439T1/de active

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events