Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
  • B41F13/00—Common details of rotary presses or machines
  • B41F13/004—Electric or hydraulic features of drives
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
  • B41F13/00—Common details of rotary presses or machines
  • B41F13/004—Electric or hydraulic features of drives
  • B41F13/0045—Electric driving devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
  • B41F31/00—Inking arrangements or devices
  • B41F31/30—Arrangements for tripping, lifting, adjusting, or removing inking rollers; Supports, bearings, or forks therefor
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
  • B41F31/00—Inking arrangements or devices
  • B41F31/30—Arrangements for tripping, lifting, adjusting, or removing inking rollers; Supports, bearings, or forks therefor
  • B41F31/304—Arrangements for inking roller bearings, forks or supports
  • B41F31/307—Sliding bearings
• • 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
  • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
  • B41J3/407—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
  • B41J3/4075—Tape printers; Label printers
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06B—TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS, GASES OR VAPOURS
  • D06B11/00—Treatment of selected parts of textile materials, e.g. partial dyeing
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
  • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form

Definitions

• This invention relates to a printer and particularly but not exclusively to a printer of the type used to print images onto textiles, such as a printer for printing labels for attachment to garments, and to an ink cartridge for such a printer.
• a printer of the type used to print images onto textiles such as a printer for printing labels for attachment to garments, and to an ink cartridge for such a printer.
• textile printer will be used herein to refer to a printer for printing images onto
• Textile printers may be used to print images onto a range of textiles of various sizes, and in particular may be used to print images onto labels for garment.
• Such labels will generally provide information regarding the make of a garment, the type of textile from which the garment has been made, and washing instructions for the garment. It is therefore important that printed labels of this type are able to endure high temperatures during washing, for example, and that images printed onto the labels remain visible and legible generally for the life of the garment to which they are attached.
• Liquid inks are generally not suitable for use in textile printers, as the liquid ink would tend to run and fade on the textile onto which it had been applied.
• Fabrics that may be employed in textile printing include polymers, such as various polyesters and polyamides. More specifically, such fabrics include polyester, polyester satin, nylon, cotton, self-adhesive satins, lace, twill, GroGrain and imitation leather materials.
• a known textile printer comprises a central drum rotatable about an axis.
• a textile to be printed is fed onto the drum in such a manner that it extends around at least a portion of the circumference of the drum.
• the central drum rotates the textile is fed over the drum enabling a continuous strip of textile to be printed.
• a print cylinder rotatable about an axis is positioned so that, in use, a cixcmnferentially outer surface of the print cylinder just touches a circumferentially outer surface of the central drum. In use, the axis of the print cylinder is spaced apart from, and substantially parallel to the axis of the central drum.
• the circumferentially outer surface of the print cylinder is shaped to apply a particular impression onto a textile extending around the central drum.
• the surface of the print cylinder may be directly contoured to provide the required impression, or a relief image plate made from any suitable material, such a photopolymer material, may be applied to the print cylinder.
• ink In order to translate an impression onto a textile extending around the central cylinder, ink must be applied to the print cylinder. It is known to apply ink to a print cylinder by means of an anilox roller.
• An anilox roller has a surface comprising a plurality of small cavities adapted to hold the ink. Ink is initially applied to the anilox roller through use of an ink duct and the surface of the anilox roller absorbs ink from the duct.
• the anilox roller is positioned so that, in use, its axis is substantially parallel to the axis of the print cylinder, it is spaced apart from the central drum, and its circumferential outer surface just touches the circumferential outer surface of the print cylinder. In use, the anilox roller is rotated as the print cylinder rotates, thus coating the print cylinder with ink.
• the print cylinder rotates as the central drum rotates. Since the print cylinder is positioned so that its outer surface just touches the outer surface of the central drum, rotation of the print cylinder and the central drum will result in an impression being translated onto the textile passing over the outer surface of the central drum. The circumference of the print cylinder will determine the repeat length of the impression translated onto the textile.
• the print cylinder will be supplied with ink of a particular colour by the anilox roller, which is itself supplied by ink from the ink duct. If 5 therefore, the textile is to be printed with more than one colour, more than one print cylinder must be used.
• the textile printer will comprise three print cylinders spaced apart circumferentially around the central dram. Each print cylinder will have associated with it, an anilox roller and ink duct.
• the image When a textile is printed with an image having more than one colour, the image will be printed in stages. At each stage a portion of the image in a particular colour will be translated onto the fabric by a particular print cylinder. The complete image will be produced once each printing cylinder has contacted the portion of the textile being printed. Thus, if an image containing three colours is to be printed onto a textile, the complete image will be produced once the portion of the textile being printed has received an impression from all three printing cylinders.
• each cylinder may have to be rotated a predetermined distance relative to the central drum. This process is time consuming and requires a high level of skill. In particular, it is necessary to move each print cylinder in turn out of contact with the central drum, rotate the print cylinder a small amount, reposition the print cylinder, and check whether the print cylinder is now in register. If the print cylinder is still not in register, the process must be repeated until it is.
• a further problem with known textile printers is that each time a print cylinder is removed from the textile printer, for example, for cleaning, it is necessary to accurately reposition the print cylinder when the cylinder is replaced in the textile printer for further use.
• a textile printer comprising: a central drum having a first side and an opposite second side, and rotatable about a central axis, and a print cylinder having a first side and an opposite second side and rotatable about a second axis spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the central axis, characterised in that the printer further comprises a print cylinder adjuster for adjusting the distance between the second axis and the central axis.
• the print cylinder adjuster comprises a print cylinder retainer comprising a first retaining arm and second retaining arm, the first and second retaining arms being spaced apart from one another, and extending substantially parallel to one another, and substantially perpendicular to the central axis, the first retaining arm being operably engageable with the first side of the print cylinder, and the second retaining arm being operably engageable with the second side of the print cylinder.
• the print cylinder retainer comprises a first retaining portion forming part of the first retaining arm, and a second retaining portion forming part of the second arm.
• the print cylinder is moveable within the print cylinder retainer in a direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis.
• the print cylinder adjuster further comprises a clamp for clamping the print cylinder in position within the print cylinder retainer.
• the clamp comprises a first clamp portion moveable within the first retaining portion, and a second clamp portion moveable within the second retaining portion.
• the print cylinder retainer further comprises a first and second clamp portion activator for causing movement of each clamp portion within a respective retaining portion.
• each clamp portion activators comprises a pneumatic cylinder forming part of a respective retaining arms.
• the print cylinder adjuster further comprises a first adjustment arm, and a second adjustment arm, the first adjustment arm being attachable to the first retaining arm, and the second adjustment arm being attachable to the second retaining arm, the first and second adjustment arms allowing further adjustment of the print cylinder when the print cylinder is held in position in the print cylinder retainer by the clamp.
• first and second retaining arms By means of the first and second retaining arms, a print cylinder is held in position relative to the central drum. Accurate positioning of the print cylinder is possible since the retaining arms restrict any lateral movement of the print cylinder.
• The. first and second retaining arms are configured so that the position of the print cylinder may be adjusted by movement of the print cylinder either towards or away from the central drum by movement of the print cylinder along each of the retaining arms and within the print cylinder retaining portions.
• the first side of the print cylinder is substantially coplanar with the first side of the central drum
• the second side of the print cylinder is substantially coplanar with the second side of the central drum
• the central drum rotates about a shaft, and an end of the first retaining arm is, in use, in contact with a first end of the shaft, and an end of the second retaining arm is, in use, in contact with a second end of the shaft.
• each of the first and second retaining arms extend substantially radially from the axis of the central drum. This positioning of the first and second arm facilitates positioning of the print cylinder and ensures that the print cylinder is appropriately aligned with the central drum.
• the printer further comprises a cartridge comprising a chambered ink duct, an ink roller attached to the ink duct, and an attachment for removably attaching the cartridge to the textile printer.
• the ink duct and ink roller are formed into a single cartridge which cartridge is removably attachable to a printer. This means that the process of removing an ink roller for cleaning or repair is greatly simplified.
• the ink roller and ink duct are contained within a single cartridge, it is not necessary to accurately position the ink roller relative to the ink duct, since the dimensions of the cartridge will ensure that the ink roller is appropriately positioned relative to the ink duct.
• the ink roller comprises an anilox roller.
• the cartridge comprises an attachment extending from a side of the cartridge. The attachment is receivable within the printer to which the cartridge is to be installed thus allowing easy attachment and removal of the cartridge from the printer.
• the chambered ink duct comprises a hopper having at least one open face.
• the open face of the hopper allows ink to be poured into the hopper either manually or through an automated process.
• the cartridge further comprises a tray for collecting unused ink.
• the tray may be emptied when the cartridge is removed from the printer.
• the cartridge is attachable to the print cylinder retainer. This ensures that the cartridge is appropriately aligned with the print cylinder.
• the first and second attachment portions are receivable in the first and second retaining portions respectively of the print cylinder retainer.
• the print cylinder comprises a gear mechanism contained within a gear housing, which gear housing is rotatably movably attached to the printer, the printer further comprising a gear housing adjuster engageable with the gear housing for causing rotational movement of the gear housing, thereby causing corresponding rotational movement of the print cylinder.
• the gear housing comprises a worm wheel
• the gear housing adjuster comprises a worm threadably engageable with the worm wheel of the gear housing.
• the worm may be operated by any desirable mechanisms such as a control knob. Operation of the control knob will cause rotation of the worm which in turn will cause rotation of the gear housing.
• the print cylinder comprises an output shaft, and an input gear attached to the output shaft, which input gear is engageable with a plurality of planet gears which in turn are engageable with a ring gear enclosed within the gear housing.
• Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a printer according to an embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a part of the printer of Figure 1 ;
• Figures 3 a, 3b and 3 c are schematic representations of an ink cartridge according to an aspect of the present invention, forming part of the printer of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a sliced view of the ink cartridge of Figure 3 ;
• Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a part of the printer of Figure 1 showing the ink cartridge of Figure 3 mounted in an adjustment mechanism;
• Figure 6 is a rear view of the printer of Figure 1 showing two gear mechanisms according to an aspect of the invention; and Figures 7 to 9 are schematic representations of one of the gear mechanisms shown in Figure 6.
• an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention is designated generally bj' the reference numeral 2.
• the printer 2 is particularly suitable for printing images in the form of text or other graphics onto a continuous strip of textile material.
• the continuous strip of material to be printed is fed onto the central drum, and once printed, will be cut to form individual labels for attachment to garments,
• the labels will typically indicate washing instructions and material composition of the garment to which they are attached.
• the printer comprises a front plate 3 and a back plate 5.
• the printer comprises a central drum 4 rotatable about a central shaft 6, and two print cylinders 8. Associated with each print cylinder 8 is an anilox roller 10. Each of the print cylinders will transfer an image in a particular colour onto the strip of material.
• printer 2 comprises two print cylinders 8 in order to print two colours onto the material. However, if more colours are to be printed onto the strip of material, the printer 2 would have more print cylinders. Similarly, if the material is to be printed with one colour only, the printer would have a single print cylinder.
• the printer cylinder 8 is supported between the front plate 3 and back plate 5 by means of the central shaft 6 which is attached to each plate 3, 5.
• the anilox roller 10 associated with each print cylinder forms part of an ink cartridge 12 shown in more detail in Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 4.
• the cartridge 12 in addition to the anilox roller 8, comprises a chambered ink duct 14, comprising a hopper tray 15 into which ink may be poured either manually, or by an automated process.
• the print cylinder ⁇ is rotated as the central drum rotates, causing the material to be printed to pass between the central drum 4 and the print cylinder 8.
• the anilox roller 10 is also rotated, causing ink contained in the hopper tray 15 to be transferred onto the surface of the anilox roller.
• the surface of the anilox roller is formed with small engraved cells which enable the anilox roller to retain a predetermined amount of ink in the indentations.
• the size of the cells may vary from roller to roller, but typically will have a diameter of between 5 and 50 microns.
• each of the central drum 4, print cylinder 8 and anilox roller 10 comprises a drive gear 60, 62, 64 respectively. In use the central drum drive gear
• the print cylinder drive gear 62 will engage with one another.
• the print cylinder drive gear 62 will also engage with the anilox roller drive gear 64. This ensures that rotation of the central drum 4, print cylinder 8 and anilox roller 10 is synchronised.
• print cylinder 8 and anilox roller 10 rotate, ink from the hopper tray 15 transfers to the anilox roller 10, and then to the print cylinder 8.
• the surface of the print cylinder 8 is contoured so that when the material passes between the central drum and the print cylinder 8, an impression is transferred onto the material.
• the positions of the print cylinder 8 and the anilox roller can be adjusted relative to one another and to the central drum 4 as will be described in more detail below, in order that a predetermined level of pressure is applied by the central drum 4 and the print cylinder 8 onto material passing over the central drum 4, and between the anilox roller 10 and the print cylinder 8.
• the ink cartridge 12 further comprises an attachment for allowing removable attachment of the cartridge 12 to the textile printer 2.
• the attachment comprises a first attachment portion 1 S extending from a first side 20 of the cartridge 12, and a second attachment portion 22 extending from a second side 24 of the cartridge 12.
• Each of the attachment portions 18, 22 comprises two attachment rollers 26 which are receivable within a roller receiving portion of printer 2 as will be described in more detail hereinbelow.
• the cartridge 12 also comprises an anilox roller adjustment in the form of screws 28 for adjusting the position of the ink roller relative to the chambered duct.
• the cartridge 12 further comprises a tray 30 for collecting any ink not adhering to the surface of the anilox roller 10.
• the printer 2 further comprises a print cylinder adjuster 32 in the form of a pair of spaced apart retaining arms 34, 36 and adjustment arms 65, 66.
• the print cylinder adjuster 32 further comprises receiving portions 38 for receiving the print cylinder 8, and also for receiving the attachment rollers of the ink cartridge 12.
• the arms 34, 36 are each shaped to receive the print cylinder 8.
• the axes of each of the central drum 4, print cylinder 8, and anilox roller 10 will all be substantially parallel to one another.
• the adjustment arms 65, 66 are pivotably attached to the front plate 3 and the back plate 5 respectively, at pivot points 67, 68.
• the print cylinder adjuster 32 further comprises clamp 69 operated by a pneumatic cylinder 40 forming part of a respective arm 34, 36.
• clamp 69 operated by a pneumatic cylinder 40 forming part of a respective arm 34, 36.
• the position of the print cylinder may be adjusted by means of impression adjuster screws 42.
• the screws 42 are connected to rods 71 which are each operably connected to a respective arm 65,66 causing the arms to pivot about pivot points 67, 68.
• Each adjustment arm 65, 66 is moveably attached to a respective arm 34, 35, by means of a pin 72 retained in a slot 73. Movement of the arms 65, 66 causes movement of the receiving portion 38.
• Each of the arms 34, 36 has a first end 42 and a second end 44.
• the second ends 44 of each of the arms 34, 36 abut with the central shaft 6 of the central drum 4. This means that each of the arms 34, 36 extends substantially radially from the shaft 6.
• the length of the print cylinder 8 is approximately the same as the length of the central drum 4 and the portions 40 are positioned so that when a cylinder 8 is held in position between the portions 40, sides 46 of the print cylinder 8 are coplanar with sides 48 of the central drum 4.
• print cj'linders of different diameters may easily be positioned correctly relative to the central drum 4 since once a print cylinder S is positioned within the arms 34, 36 the sides of the print cylinder 46 will be positioned appropriately relative to the sides 48 of the central drum.
• a print cylinder 8 is retained between arms 34, 36, only movement that is possible is in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the central shaft is possible.
• movement is effected by adjusting the adjustment arms 65, 66 via the impression adjuster screw 42. This in turn results in movement of the print cylinder and print cartridge 12 in a direction either towards or away from the central drum 6 in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the central shaft 6.
• the printer 2 comprises two print cylinders 8 each with an associated a ⁇ ilox roller 10.
• the printer 2 is therefore set up to print two different colours on to a continuous strip of material extending round the central drum 4.
• Each print cylinder comprises a print registration adjusting gearbox 50 that - extends through a back plate 5 of the printer 2.
• the print registration adjusting gear box 50 comprises an outer casing 54 enclosing an input gear 56 attached to an output shaft 57 of the print cylinder 8, and planet gears 58 orbiting the input gear.
• the gear box comprises a ring gear 59, and the planet gears 58 are in engagement with the ring gear.
• An outer surface of the casing 54 is gearcut to form a worm wheel.
• the gear box 50 further comprises a worm 60 threadably engageable with the threaded outer surface of the gear casing 50.
• the outer casing 50 associated with the particular printer cylinder 8 is rotated by turning knob 62 which causes the worm 60 to rotate. Due to the threaded engagement of the worm 60 and the casing 50, rotation of the worm causes corresponding rotation of the outer casing.
• the planet gears 58 When the outer casing is rotated, the planet gears 58 will move with the outer casing and will cause rotation of the output shaft of the print cylinder 8 through their engagement with the input gear 56 and the ring gear 59. The adjustment may thus be carried out without having to move the print cylinder away from the central drum.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Inking, Control Or Cleaning Of Printing Machines (AREA)
• Coloring (AREA)
• Ink Jet (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=35249157

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 2005
  • 2005-09-21 GB GB0519250A patent/GB2430406A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2006
  • 2006-09-21 WO PCT/GB2006/003520 patent/WO2007034194A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2006-09-21 CN CN200680001492XA patent/CN101090823B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-09-21 ES ES06779519T patent/ES2399468T3/es active Active
  • 2006-09-21 KR KR1020087008234A patent/KR101510069B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-09-21 EP EP06779519A patent/EP1926600B1/en active Active
• 2008
  • 2008-08-26 HK HK08109457.9A patent/HK1116141A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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