Machine arrangement for sequential processing of sheet-type substrates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11318732-B2
Application number	US-202117158165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2021
Priority date	Sep 9, 2015
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A machine arrangement, for sequentially processing sheet-type substrates, includes a plurality of different processing stations, one of which includes a non-impact printing device that prints the substrates. The processing station, including the non-impact printing device, also includes a printing cylinder, on the circumference of which, the non-impact printing device that prints the substrates is arranged. On the circumferential surface of the printing cylinder, four substrates are or can be placed behind each other in the circumferential direction. Each of the substrates that are to be conveyed are retained in one of a force-locking and a form-fitting manner on the circumferential surface of the printing cylinder by at least one retaining element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine arrangement for the sequential processing of sheet-format substrates, comprising a plurality of processing stations, wherein at least a first one of the processing stations includes a non-impact printing unit ( 06 ) for printing each of the substrates, wherein the first processing station that includes the non-impact printing unit ( 06 ) comprises a non-impact printing cylinder ( 22 ; 117 ), wherein the non-impact printing unit ( 06 ) for printing each of the substrates is arranged on the periphery of the non-impact printing cylinder ( 22 ; 117 ), wherein three substrates one of are and can be arranged one behind the other in a circumferential direction on a circumferential surface of the non-impact printing cylinder ( 22 ; 117 ), wherein a second processing station having a printed substrate dryer ( 123 ; 124 ) for drying the substrates that have been printed by the non-impact printing unit ( 06 ; 127 ) is arranged downstream of the first processing station having the non-impact printing unit ( 06 ; 127 ) for printing each of the substrates, in a transport direction (T) of the substrates, wherein a third processing station that includes a primer application unit ( 02 ) for priming each of the substrates and a primer application unit transport cylinder, and a fourth processing station that includes a primer dryer ( 07 ; 121 ) for drying the primer that has been applied to the substrates and a primer dryer transport cylinder are provided, wherein both the primer application unit ( 02 ) and the primer dryer ( 07 ; 121 ) are arranged upstream of the non-impact printing unit ( 06 ) in the transport direction (T) of the substrates, wherein downstream, in the transport direction (T) of the substrates, of the second processing station having the printed substrate dryer ( 123 ; 124 ) for drying the printed substrates, a fifth processing station having a coating unit ( 08 ) is provided, and wherein downstream of the coating unit ( 08 ), a sixth processing station having an additional dryer ( 09 ) is provided, wherein a feed unit is provided as one of a sheet feeder and a magazine feeder, wherein a feed unit transfer drum and a rocking gripper, that cooperates with the feed unit transfer drum, are provided, wherein the sheet-format substrates to be print are gripped in the feed unit and are transferred individually by the rocking gripper to the feed unit transfer drum and from there to a rotating impression cylinder and wherein the primer application unit comprises a printing couple cylinder which cooperates with the impression cylinder and which has an anilox roller which one of is and can be thrown onto the printing couple cylinder and also comprises one of at least one doctor blade which extends in an axial direction of the anilox roller and a chamber blade system.

2. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein one of the primer dryer ( 07 ; 21 ) for drying the primer that has been applied to each of the substrates and the printed substrate dryer ( 123 ) for drying the substrates that have each been printed by the non-impact printing unit ( 06 ) and the additional dryer ( 09 ) located downstream of the coating unit ( 08 ) one is and can be embodied as a dryer for drying each of the ones of primed and printed and coated substrates using one of hot air and by irradiation with one of infrared and ultraviolet radiation.

3. The machine arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the dryer ( 07 ; 09 ; 121 ; 122 ; 123 ; 124 ) for drying each of the substrates by irradiation with one of infrared and ultraviolet radiation is an LED dryer.

4. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each of the substrates to be transported is held in one of a force-locking and a form-fitting manner on the circumferential surface of the non-impact printing cylinder ( 22 ; 117 ) by at least one retaining element.

5. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the substrates are each held in a force-locking manner by suction air on the circumferential surface of the non-impact printing cylinder ( 22 ; 117 ).

6. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the fifth processing station that comprises the coating unit ( 08 ) has a fifth processing station transport apparatus, wherein the fifth processing station transport apparatus has at least one fifth processing station transport cylinder.

7. The machine arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the fifth processing station transport apparatus for transporting the substrate has at least one retaining element, wherein the at least one retaining element holds each substrate in one of a force-locking and a form-fitting manner.

8. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the non-impact printing unit ( 06 ) for printing each of the substrates is embodied as at least one inkjet printing unit.

9. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least four non-impact printing units ( 06 ; 127 ), each individually controlled, for printing each of the substrates are provided, wherein these at least four non-impact printing units ( 06 ; 127 ) are arranged one behind the other in the transport direction (T) of the substrates, wherein these at least fourth non-impact printing units ( 06 ; 127 ) each print with a different printing ink, wherein a designated inkjet printing unit is provided for each of these different printing inks with respect to a respective one of the at least four non-impact printing unit ( 06 ; 127 ).

10. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each of at least four non-impact printing unit ( 06 ; 127 ) for printing the substrates is configured such that it can print each of the substrates at least nearly over its entire width oriented transversely to the transport direction (T).

11. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , one of wherein the impression cylinder ( 119 ) is embodied to accommodate one of two and three substrates arranged one behind the other in a circumferential direction on a circumferential surface of the impression cylinder, and wherein each of the substrates to be transported on the circumferential surface of the impression cylinder ( 119 ) is held by at least one retaining element embodied as a gripper.

12. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , one of wherein an upstream transfer drum, ( 43 ) embodied as one of double-sized and triple-sized, is disposed immediately upstream of each printing cylinder ( 22 ; 117 ; 118 ), and wherein a downstream transfer drum ( 44 ), embodied as one of double-sized and triple-sized, is disposed immediately downstream of each printing cylinder.

13. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a last processing station, in the transport direction (T) of the substrates, is configured as a multi-pile delivery.

14. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the primer application unit ( 02 ) is configured to apply a water-based primer to the substrates.

15. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the non-impact printing unit ( 06 ) is configured to apply one of a water-based printing ink and printing ink that is cured by ultraviolet radiation to the substrates.

16. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the coating unit ( 08 ) is configured to apply one of a dispersion coating and a coating that is cured by UV radiation and a glossy coating to the substrates.

17. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , one of wherein the primer application unit ( 02 ) is configured to apply the primer over one of the full surface and a

Assignees

• Koenig & Bauer Ag

Inventors

• Ziegenbalg Christian
• Becker Uwe
• Köhler Ulrich
• Schumann Frank
• Reinsch Carsten
• Koch Michael

Classifications

• B41F19/007

  with selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet or thermal printers · CPC title

• B41J11/00214

  using UV radiation · CPC title

• B41F19/008

  with means for stamping or cutting out · CPC title

• A61B3/103

  for determining refraction, e.g. refractometers, skiascopes · CPC title

• B41J11/0015

  for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114) · CPC title