WO2001064440A1

WO2001064440A1 - Device for cleaning a roller or a cylinder

Info

Publication number: WO2001064440A1
Application number: PCT/DE2001/000385
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claus-Dieter Barrois; Reinhold DÜNNINGER
Original assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft; DÜNNINGER, Brigitte
Priority date: 2000-02-28
Filing date: 2001-02-01
Publication date: 2001-09-07
Also published as: EP1259379A1; DE50110646D1; EP1342576B1; DE10009353A1; EP1342575B1; ATE334825T1; EP1342576A2; EP1342575A2; ATE334826T1; EP1342575A3; EP1342576A3; DE50100904D1; DE50110645D1; AU2001239151A1; EP1259379B1; ATE253458T1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cleaning a roller (2) or a cylinder, especially a rotary printing press. The inventive device comprises at least one cleaning element (10, 28) which can be moved essentially in the longitudinal direction of the roller to be cleaned and along said roller. The cleaning element is arranged on a carrier element (03, 27) that circulates essentially in the longitudinal direction of the roller. A half (06) facing the roller and a half (07) facing away from the roller are formed.

Description

description

Device for cleaning a roller or a cylinder

The invention relates to a device for cleaning a roller or a cylinder according to the preamble of claims 1, 5 or 12.

EP 06 93 378 B1 discloses a device for cleaning rollers in which a rotatable brush roller can be guided along the roller to be cleaned by hand, a cleaning liquid being able to be applied to the brush roller. This known device contains a storage container for the cleaning liquid and a collecting container for the dirt particles to be removed.

DE 197 34 103 A1 discloses a device for developing cylindrical surfaces, in which a brush roller for cleaning the cylindrical surface can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the roller.

US 5 568 768 A, US 5 255 606 A, DE 25 22 743 A1, DE 23 17174 B2, US 2 171 631 A and DE-AS 1 561 029 disclose devices for cleaning rollers with an in Longitudinal direction of the roller rotating cleaning element.

The invention has for its object to provide a device for cleaning a roller or a cylinder.

The object is achieved by the features of claims 1, 5 or 12.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention are, in particular, that a high and reliable cleaning effect can be achieved with a comparatively simple structure of the device, it being possible to use an in particular liquid cleaning agent. The cleaning agent can also be reprocessed and circulated, at the same time allowing the device to self-clean. Furthermore, the device according to the invention can remain in a fixed position relative to the roller to be cleaned, which means that expensive set-up times can be avoided.

Another advantage is that the cleaning effect of the device according to the invention can be easily adapted to the degree of contamination of the roller to be cleaned.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of drawings showing only one exemplary embodiment. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a top view of a device according to the invention

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a section along the section line I - 1 in FIG. 1

The device 01 according to the invention is arranged in the immediate vicinity of a roller 02 or cylinder to be cleaned, for example a forme cylinder or a guide roller of a printing machine, not shown. The device 01 first of all has a first carrier element 03 in the form of a toothed belt, which is guided over two axially spaced rotatable guide elements in the form of pulleys 04 and 05, respectively. As a result, a loop-like, endlessly circulating carrier element is formed with a first strand 06 facing the roller 02 and a second strand 07 pointing away from the roller.

Furthermore, a drive, not shown, is provided, which applies torque to at least one of the pulleys 04 or 05 and thus drives the toothed belt 03 in the direction F of a longitudinal axis of the roller 02. The two Pulleys 04 and 05, more precisely their central axes 08 and 09 running perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, have an axial spacing which, in the exemplary embodiment shown here, corresponds essentially to the axial length of the roller 02 to be cleaned.

As can be seen in particular from the illustration according to FIG. 2, the toothed belt 03 is provided with cleaning elements 10 in the form of bristle-like bristle elements, which are arranged on the toothed belt 03 in such a way that they extend radially outwards, based on the loop formed by the toothed belt 03, point. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the toothed belt 03 is not provided with bristle elements 10 over its entire length; rather, the timing belt is bristled only 03 over half its length. As a result, the toothed belt 03 can be brought into the position shown in FIG. 2 from a position in which a part or essentially all of the bristle elements 10 engage with the surface of the roller 02 to be cleaned or come to bear against it (working position) in which all the bristle elements 10 lie on the strand 07 pointing away from the roller 02 (rest position).

In the area of the strand 07 pointing away from the roller 02, the device 01 is provided with a series of cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 arranged one behind the other, through which the toothed belt 03 and thus the bristle elements 10 pass in succession. In these cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, the bristle elements 10 are at least partially freed from impurities picked up from the surface of the roller 02. This can, for example, be achieved or at least supported by wipers, not shown, which are arranged in the respective cleaning chambers.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, each cleaning chamber 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 has an inlet 16 for a cleaning agent for cleaning the bristle elements 10. A cleaning liquid, for example, can be used as the cleaning agent Water, optionally also with the addition of solvents, soaps, alkalis or the like, can be used. The cleaning agent is flushed into the cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 through this inlet 16, the bristle elements 10 guided through the cleaning chambers being wetted and freed of their dirt load.

Furthermore, each cleaning chamber 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 has an outlet 17 for the cleaning agent which is contaminated after cleaning the bristle elements 10.

At the end of the run 07 and thus in the running direction of the toothed belt 03 behind the cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, a further chamber 18 is arranged, which is also passed through by the toothed belt 03 and the bristle elements 10. In this chamber 18, into which no cleaning agent is supplied, the dehumidifying of the bristle elements 10 takes place to a certain degree depending on the respective application. This dehumidification can take place, for example, by means of a stripping element, not shown, which comes into engagement with the bristle elements 10, or by blowing in compressed air or the like. The stripped or blown-off cleaning agent is discharged from the chamber 18 through an outlet 19.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the outlets 17 of the cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 and the outlet 19 of the chamber 18 open into a common collecting duct 20. The collecting duct 20 is connected to a collecting vessel 22 via a line 21, in which the dirty detergent is directed.

The soiled cleaning agent is passed through a filter element 23 in or following the collecting vessel 22 and is cleaned of the impurities there. The cleaning agent which has been reprocessed in this way and optionally replenished is then stored in a second collecting vessel 24 and from there again by means of a pump 25 and a line 26 via the inlets 16 Cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 given. Overall, therefore, an essentially closed detergent circuit can be implemented.

As can be seen in particular from the illustration according to FIG. 2, in the exemplary embodiment shown here two toothed belts 03 and 27 are connected one behind the other in relation to the circumferential direction of the roller 02, i. H. arranged one above the other. The second toothed belt 27 is provided with bristle elements 28 in the same way as the first toothed belt 03 over half its length. The toothed belt 27 is guided in the same way as the toothed belt 03 over pulleys, not shown, whose central axes are aligned with the central axes 08 and 09 of the pulleys 04 and 05. At least one of the belt pulleys of the toothed belt 27 has a drive with which this belt pulley can be acted upon with a torque for driving the toothed belt 27. The drive of the toothed belt 03 and the drive of the toothed belt 27 are basically independent. In the embodiment shown here, the drive of the toothed belt 03 and the drive of the toothed belt 27 are in opposite directions, so that the direction of rotation of the belt pulleys and thus the toothed belt 03 and 27 itself are in opposite directions. The directions of rotation of the drives can be reversible.

As can also be seen from the figures, a guide element 29 is provided between the pulleys 04 and 05 of the toothed belt 03 and the not shown pulleys of the toothed belt 27, which extends in the embodiment shown here essentially over the entire space between the respective pulleys. The guide element 29 has groove-like depressions 30, 31 and 32, 33, one above the other, in which the respective strands of the toothed belts 03 and 27 are guided. In this case, there is both a guidance perpendicular to the main planes formed by the toothed belt loops and a support of the toothed belts 03 and 27 against the groove base. In the area of the run of the toothed belt 03 and 27 pointing away from the roller, a component 34 is arranged on the guide element 29, in which the cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 and the chamber 18 for the upper toothed belt 03 and, in principle, the same Way, the cleaning chambers 35 and the chamber for the lower toothed belt 27 are formed. All chambers open with their outlet 17 or 19 (upper toothed belt 03) and 36 (lower toothed belt 27) into the common collecting duct 20, which is also formed directly in component 34.

In the component 34, the inlets 16 (upper toothed belt 03) and 37 (lower toothed belt 27) for the inflow of cleaning agent, the cleaning chamber 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 and 35 are also arranged. Inlets 16 and 37 open into manifolds 38 and 39 which are attached laterally at the top and bottom of component 34 and are supplied with cleaning agent by pump 25 via line 26.

A possible mode of operation of the device according to the invention shown in the figures is explained in more detail below:

The roller 02 to be cleaned has on its surface a plate 40 for flexographic printing, which is to be freed of impurities, in particular ink residues, after a printing process which has ended as intended.

In the rest position of the device 1, as is shown in particular in FIG. 2, all the bristle elements 10 and 28 are arranged on the run of the toothed belts 03 and 27 facing away from the roller 02, so that there is no interference with the roller 02 or with the flexographic Plate 40 is done. At the same time, however, the distance of the device 01 from the roller 02 is selected such that in the working position, ie the strand of the toothed belt provided with the bristle elements 10 now faces the roller 02, the bristle elements are in mechanical engagement with the roller surface or on the roller surface Plant can reach. Thus, the invention Device 01 remain in the unchanged position on the roller during the printing process, so that expensive makeready times are eliminated.

For the sake of simplicity, only the effect of a toothed belt 03 will be described first.

If the roller 02 or the flexographic plate 40 is to be cleaned after the printing process has ended, the cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are first rinsed with cleaning liquid and the bristle elements 10 are thereby wetted. In the subsequent drive of the toothed belt 03, the bristle elements 10 migrate through the chambers arranged one behind the other and after rinsing with detergent in the cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, the bristle elements 10 in the second chamber 19 are dehumidified to the extent that on the one hand If an undesired leakage of cleaning agent from the gap between the roller 02 and the device 01 is largely swept over the roller surface, on the other hand, when the plate 40 arranged on the roller surface with the bristle elements 10 is brushed over, a sufficient amount of cleaning agent is transferred to the plate, to soften the color to be removed by the cleaning process.

As the toothed belt 03 moves further, the bristle elements 10 initially transmit both cleaning agent to the surface to be cleaned and mechanically abrasive removal of the dirt. With increasing release of the residual moisture of the bristle elements 10 onto the surface of the roller 02 or the flexographic plate 40, the bristle elements 10 are able to take up the color residues from the roller surface and via the rinsing in the cleaning chambers 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 hand in for separation. The cycle time, ie in particular the dwell time and amount of the cleaning agent on the roller surface, is particularly due to the adaptation of the speed of the roller 02 and the speed of rotation of the toothed belt, but also freely adjustable within wide limits by adjusting the residual moisture content of the bristle elements 10 in the chamber 18 depending on, for example, the degree of contamination.

By arranging a second toothed belt 27, which acts in basically the same way, but is driven in the opposite direction to the toothed belt 03, the cleaning area in particular can be enlarged and the cleaning time can thereby be shortened. Due to the opposing movement of the two toothed belts 03 and 27, the flanks opposite the intended elevations and / or depressions of the roller surface in the direction of movement of the toothed belts 03 and 27 are also subject to a more uniform cleaning effect, since "shadow areas" are largely prevented.

The device 01 is also provided with a housing 41 which is open towards the roller 02. The edge areas of the housing 41 in the area of both end faces of the roller 02 have splash plates 42 and 43 which, depending on the direction of rotation of the toothed belts 03 and 27, cause an uncontrolled spraying of cleaning agent when the bristle elements 10 emerge from the chamber 18 or contaminated Prevent cleaning agents when the bristle elements 10 enter the housing 41.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

01 device

02 roller

03 Carrier element, toothed belt

04 pulley

05 pulley

06 first run (03)

07 second strand (03)

08 central axis (04)

09 central axis (05)

10 cleaning element, bristle element

11 cleaning chamber

12 cleaning chamber

13 cleaning chamber

14 cleaning chamber

15 cleaning chamber

16 inflow

17 procedure

18 chamber

19 process

20 collecting channel

21 line

22 collecting vessel

23 filter element

24 collecting vessel

25 pump

26 line

27 timing belts Bristle elements Guide element Deepening Deepening Deepening Component Cleaning chamber Drain Inlet manifold manifold Plate Housing Splash plate Splash plate

Claims

Expectations

1. Device for cleaning a roller (02) or a cylinder, with at least one cleaning element (10; 28) which can be moved along the roller (02) to be cleaned essentially along the length thereof, the cleaning element (10; 28) is arranged on a carrier element (03; 27) which runs essentially in the longitudinal direction of the roller (02), and the carrier element (03; 27) has a strand (06) pointing towards the roller (02) and a strand pointing away from the roller (02) (07), characterized in that at least two carrier elements (03; 27) are arranged one behind the other in relation to the circumferential direction of the roller (02).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two carrier elements (03; 27) can be driven in opposite directions.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that in each case adjacent carrier elements (03; 27) can be driven in opposite directions.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the direction of movement of the carrier elements (03; 27) is reversible.

5. Device for cleaning a roller (02) or a cylinder, with at least one cleaning element (10; 28), which can be moved essentially along the length of the roller (02) to be cleaned, said cleaning element (10; 28) is arranged on a carrier element (03; 27) which runs essentially in the longitudinal direction of the roller (02), and the carrier element (03; 27) has a strand (06) pointing towards the roller (02) and a strand pointing away from the roller (02) (07), characterized in that the carrier element (03; 27) has only partial cleaning elements (10; 28) in the circumferential direction and that in a rest position all cleaning elements (10; 25) on the run (14) pointing away from the roller (02) 07) are arranged.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that the cleaning element (10; 28) is designed like a brush or like a brush head.

7. The device according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that the carrier element (03; 27) is band, chain or belt-like.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the carrier element (03;

27) is designed in the manner of a toothed belt.

9. Device according to claims 1 or 5, characterized in that the carrier element (03; 27) is guided at both axial ends via roller, disc or gear-like guide elements (04; 05), at least one of these guide elements (04; 05) can be driven.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that between the opposite guide elements (04; 05) of the carrier elements (03; 27) a carrier element guide (29) is provided, in which the carrier elements (03; 27) guided at least in sections and opposite the roller (02) to be cleaned are supported.

11. The device according to claims 1 or 5, characterized in that the strand (07) pointing away from the roller (02) passes through at least in sections at least one cleaning chamber (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) in which the cleaning element (10 ;

28) is subjected to a cleaning process.

12. Device for cleaning a roller (02) or a cylinder, with at least one cleaning element (10; 28) which can be moved along the roller (02) to be cleaned essentially along the latter, the cleaning element (10; 28) is arranged on a carrier element (03; 27) which runs essentially in the longitudinal direction of the roller (02), and the carrier element (03; 27) has a strand (06) pointing towards the roller (02) and a strand pointing away from the roller (02) (07), the one pointing away from the roller (02) Run (07) at least in sections through a cleaning chamber (11; 12; 13; 14; 15), characterized in that at least one further chamber (18) is arranged after the cleaning chamber (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) in which the cleaning element (10; 28) is at least partially freed of cleaning agents.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that in the further chamber (18) at least one stripping element is arranged, with which the cleaning element (10; 28) can be brought into engagement.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the cleaning chamber (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) at least one inlet (16; 37) for a cleaning agent and at least one outlet (17; 36) for after cleaning the Cleaning element (10; 28) has dirty cleaning agents.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that at least two cleaning chambers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) are arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction of the carrier element (03; 27).

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the outlet (17) of the cleaning chambers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) and possibly also the outlet (19) of the further chamber (18) for the dirty cleaning agent in one common collecting channel (20) opens.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that at least one filter element (23) is provided in which the soiled cleaning agent is at least partially cleaned.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the cleaned cleaning agent is supplied again to the cleaning chambers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15).

9. Device according to claims 1, 5 or 12, characterized in that the rollers (02) or cylinders are arranged in a rotary printing press.